Sonoma - by Charlie Palmer (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In a lux, ready-to-display package, Sonoma captures the authentic beauty of the California wine country lifestyle through the stories of twenty inspiring artisans of wine, food, and agriculture, shared by celebrated chef Charlie Palmer.

In the Dry Creek Valley, a fourth-generation winemaker tends to his family's historic 150-year-old vineyard. Tucked along the winding Russian River, a biodynamic farm becomes one couple's oasis for fostering community. Across all corners of Sonoma County, a beekeeper travels from hive to hive, saving the bees and healing others with honey. At a historic mission-style estate, a new generation communes around a table set to capture Sonoma's unique terroir.

Author and famed chef Charlie Palmer uprooted his NYC life for Sonoma County over twenty years ago. Since then, through his award-winning Healdsburg restaurant, Dry Creek Kitchen, Palmer has forged a community of inspiring artisans whose work represent the integrity, romance, and authenticity of this special place. In Sonoma, Palmer introduces us to Kyle and Katina Connaughton of the world renounced restaurant SingleThread where inspiration in the garden is transported to the kitchen; Vanessa Peay who demonstrates a winemaker's graceful dance with nature; local baker Melissa Yanc who shows how passion can breed community; and Amelia Ceja, who led her family from vineyard laborers to owners of one of the most established wineries in the Carneros region, and reminds us that nothing is fixed. Accompanied by transportive photography and a curated selection of recipes, these twenty profiles capture the value of following nature, living with intention, and dedicating oneself to their craft.

About the Author

Charlie Palmer was an early advocate of farm over factory food. In 1988, he made a landmark commitment to creating dishes featuring regional American ingredients at his New York City restaurant Aureole, which earned 13 Michelin stars and two James Beard awards. In 2003, after falling in love with California wine country, Palmer opened his restaurant Dry Creek Kitchen in downtown Healdsburg, which continues today to source the majority of its produce from local farms and highlights California producers on its award wining wine list. Palmer splits his time between his homes in Sonoma County and New York City.