Dining Outside at Glen Ellen Star

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The incredible beef bolognese bianco pizza at Glen Ellen Star.
The incredible beef bolognese bianco pizza at Glen Ellen Star.

For years, so many respected chefs in the Bay Area have raved to me about Glen Ellen Star. Last week, I finally made it to this beloved restaurant in Sonoma County, and it thoroughly lived up to the fanfare.

So much so, that it was even worth dining outside there in — gulp — 38-degree weather.

Oh, yes, I did that.

Who knew when I planned this outing that our early-spring T-shirt weather would give way in a snap to thermals and down jacket frigid temperatures?

But my husband and I soldiered on. And now, we feel like we can tackle anything, especially when fortified with food as stellar as this.

The tented outdoor dining area at the front of the restaurant.
The tented outdoor dining area at the front of the restaurant.

The outdoor tables are set up at the front of the restaurant with party-like tents covering three sides. The back of the chairs are even draped with blankets, a thoughtful touch should you need to envelop yourself in one. Squat portable heaters provided a good amount of warmth, especially as the staff kept bringing out additional ones as the night wore on. If you notice a red cast to some of my photos, that’s actually from the glow given off by the heaters.

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Nova Scotia Maple Chicken

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An easy sweet-savory chicken dish from our Canadian neighbors.
An easy sweet-savory chicken dish from our Canadian neighbors.

“Chicken A to Z: 1,000 Recipes from Around the World” (Rizzoli) is a door-stopper of a book, a hefty tome with 1,000 recipes from all parts of the globe for everyone’s favorite poultry.

Written by French author Mireille Sanchez, this definitive cookbook is arranged by country, with chicken recipes galore, from “Bhutan’s Cayenne Pepper Chicken on Red Rice” and “Argentina’s Welsh Apricot Chicken” to “Indonesia’s Java Fried Chicken” and “Tanzania’s Chicken and Banana Soup.”

Long on recipes, it is short on photos, though, which might make it less appealing to some. You may need to Google or hunt online for some of the more esoteric ingredients, too, such as chicken blood in one Brazilian recipe, or corchorus (jute mallow) for an Egyptian dish.

I also wish the book included introductions for each recipe to not only reveal its significance to the spotlighted country but also to hint at what the dish is like in terms of taste and appeal. As it is, you have to use your own imagination when reading the recipe to glean what it might be like.

There’s no serious thinking needed, though, to know that maple syrup, mustard and orange juice make fpr a delicious marinade. That’s why I honed in on the recipe from Novia Scotia for “Maple Chicken.” It’s easy enough to make on a weeknight, too.

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A Cake That Will Make Your Mouth “Open Sesame”

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Luscious tahini goes into both the batter and buttercream in this delectable one-pan cake.
Luscious tahini goes into both the batter and buttercream in this delectable one-pan cake.

One-pan cakes are simple and satisfying.

But sometimes — just sometimes — they can leap-frog over plain basic into the realm of attention-grabbing exceptional.

“Tahini Sheet Cake” is such a creation.

Like any sheet cake, it’s all of one layer baked easy-peasy in a rectangular pan that gets slathered with sweet frosting to finish.

But what sets this one apart is the tahini in both the batter and the fluffy buttercream that gives this cake the marvelously distinctive, sweetly nutty taste of sesame.

Gotta love the ease of a sheet cake.
Gotta love the ease of a sheet cake.

The recipe is from Eating Out Loud: Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day, Every Day” (Clarkson Potter, 2020) by Eden Grinshpan, a Cooking Channel star and host of “Top Chef Canada,” whose Israeli heritage plays into the Middle Eastern-inflected recipes showcased.

Although you probably know tahini as an essential ingredient in hummus, it also does wonders for baked goods. It combines here with butter, grapeseed oil, whole milk, and sour cream for a batter that results in a moist, rich tasting cake.

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A Taste of the Second Annual Taste Tri-Valley

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Five-spice duck breast with puffed farro served at the kick-off at Sabio on Main for Taste Tri-Valley.
Five-spice duck breast with puffed farro served at the kick-off at Sabio on Main for Taste Tri-Valley.

When the inaugural Taste Tri-Valley Restaurant Week debuted in February last year, the pandemic was still raging in full force and vaccinations had only begun to roll out, making for a subdued event intended to showcase the restaurants in Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton.

This year, however, with vaccination rates high and Omicron petering off, the second annual Taste Tri-Valley has kicked off with a bang, not to mention spring-has-sprung weather, as I found out last week when I was invited as a guest to the kick-off dinner at Sabio on Main in Pleasanton.

With supply chain issues and labor shortages coming on the heels of a roller-coaster list of restrictions over the past two years, local restaurants and wineries still very much need your support and business. So, there’s no better time than now through Feb. 27 to check out the special indoor dining, outdoor dining, and takeout promotions at dozens of these Alameda County establishments.

Among the highlights are a $35 three-course dinner menu at Danville Harvest, dinner for two for $35 at Burma! Burma!, a $50 three-course dinner at Bridges, a $50 three-course dinner at Sabio on Main, and a $15 small stuffed pizza at lunch at Zachary’s Pizza. For the full list of participating restaurants, click here.

Gotta love a chef who wears an apron like this one. Executive Chef-Owner Francis X. Hogan of Sabio on Main.
Gotta love a chef who wears an apron like this one. Executive Chef-Owner Francis X. Hogan of Sabio on Main.

A benefit for Open Heart Kitchen, the largest hot-meal program serving those in need in the Tri-Valley, Thursday’s festive kick-off dinner at Sabio on Main sold out in no time flat, and even had a 60-person wait list, an encouraging sign as any that folks are definitely excited about dining out again. Tables were filled inside and out, the latter being where my husband and I dined on the cozy patio at the side of the restaurant.

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Italian Pasta and Bean Soup — With Something Fishy

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This satisfying orzo-cannellini bean soup gets a lift from tinned anchovies.
This satisfying orzo-cannellini bean soup gets a lift from tinned anchovies.

One hour to total comfort?

Count me in.

“One-Hour Comfort: Quick, Cozy, Modern Dishes for All Your Cravings” is the newest title by America’s Test Kitchen, of which I received a review copy. As the name implies, it’s all about dishes that nourish body, mind, and soul.

Got a mere hour? Then, you’re on your way just like that to self-care served up in a bowl or plate.

The recipes span dishes perfect for every hour of the day, from “Malted Milk Pancakes with Nutella Maple Syrup” and “Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables” to “Skillet Spanikopita” and “Caramel Dumplings.”

For me, “Italian Pasta and Bean Soup” sure hit the spot. It not only comes together fast, but it makes use of ingredients you most likely already have on hand if you keep a well-stocked pantry and freezer.

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