Navarro River at Hendy Woods
Flower Fields at Front Porch Farm
Water was everywhere last week, overflowing the banks of the Navarro, battering the buds and first blooms on the trees, flooding fields and vineyards. But oh, it was a welcome deluge as we gratefully worked through our own perfect storm of Restaurant Week, round 2 of Barrel Tasting and a loyal local clientele who all bundled in, wet but happy, filling both the barn and the bistro to capacity. There were moments Saturday and Sunday evening that felt like we were in the middle of a massive community huddle.
Through all this controlled mayhem Chef found time to finalize our initial Spring menu. First up was a gorgeous sweetbread ravioli “salad” with mascarpone, crème frâiche and bright green stinging nettle. Sweet little turnips and carrots, plump favas, leaves of toy box romaine and crispy nuggets of Zoe’s bacon played off the richness of the ravioli, with thin slivers of Abbaye de Belloc cheese harmoniously bridging the umami and bright spring flavors.
Monday dawned bright and sunny and while we are all hoping more rain is on the way, we welcome this brief respite. So much to plan: construction for the new portable bar in the Studio Garden, Pigs n' Pinot this weekend, publicity for exciting upcoming events, including the Pink Party and our second Lioco lunch. And let us not forget Easter is in the wind.
I will be writing more on all these special menus next week- right now Lukka is telling me we need to give a special shout to our readers that tickets for the Terrie Odabi concert have already gone on sale at Copperfields Bookstore and here in Studio Barndiva. Terrie is a rising star in the music world - The San Francisco Chronicle calls her "easily the most dynamic blues and soul woman to have emerged in the Bay Area since Etta James."
Terrie will play one long set with an intermission, which will afford ticket holders ample time to wander into the gardens and enjoy a libation at the new Gallery Garden Bar. What you won’t find on the posters around town is that we will be serving a special bistro menu in the gardens before Terrie's set begins - reservations are a must.
Her evening in Studio Barndiva on April 22 will be the hottest ticket outside of the Healdsburg Jazz festival this year. Don't miss it.
