Chef Duskie Estes at Canvas Ranch

If I had known how friendly and accessible Chef Duskie Estes, of Zazu in Santa Rosa, would be, I wouldn't have avoided taking more pictures of her as she assembled dishes for a recent farm dinner. Located in breathtaking Two Rocks area of Petaluma, Canvas Ranch is perched on a hilltop with views of the biggest farms and ranches I've ever seen. (No, I never visited the Ponderosa.)

Operating on a lack of sleep that I didn't even experience in childbirth, Duskie had just returned from two weeks in Italy, not attending Terra Madre. She and her chef husband, John Stewart, whose interest in salume had taken them to meet the masters...but in their own shops, in their own cities, instead of at the mob scene that Terra Madre is.

One of the loveliest dishes on the menu was the ribollita—Tuscan bread soup, drizzled with what was meant to be a brand-new, fresh-pressed Da Vero olive oil. But the pressing hadn't gone as planned, so Duskie had coughed up a lung: a treasured bottle of olive oil pressed just last week in Siena was drizzled generously over this incredible bowl of hearty soup.

Duskie's menu, with Chateau St. Jean wines:

Andante Dairy cheese with Blanche’s honeycomb,
Della Fattoria bread
2005 Fume Blanc Sonoma County

Arugula & frisée with pickled grapes
& Black Pig bacon
2004 Chardonnay Robert Young Vineyard

Ribollita: a Tuscan bread & bean soup,
with just-pressed olive oil from Siena
2004 Pinot Noir Sonoma County Reserve

White truffle braised Cloverdale rabbit with polenta,
Canvas Ranch pumpkins, trumpet royale mushrooms,
& lacinato kale
2002 Merlot St. Jean Estate Vineyard

Bryce’s apple crisp with Bellwether Farm fromage blanc gelato
2005 Gewurztraminer Sonoma County

I uploaded photos of most of the courses into the Glorious Farm Foods album, so you can go look or just click the links.

There is more to say about Duskie and the ranch/farm, but it will have to wait.

And hey, footnote. Nothing in the world could have made me happier than to meet Michael Ruhlman in person—outside of a city, outside of a restaurant—with him in his bare feet at his friend's beautiful home, and me with a big box of Justin Severino's meat. We won't call it charcuterie—Justin is Italian.

Michael Ruhlman looks just like Cary Grant!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “If I had a ghost living on my street, I would try to stay alive, and offer him some meat!” — Trey Anastasio

Hello, Andrew! How's the wee little Aidan and the wife? XOX all around.

Thanks for the visit.

Comments

[Jennifer Jeffrey]

Tana, it was so nice to meet you at Canvas Ranch! Your pictures perfectly capture the beautiful fall light and the gorgeous surroundings. I'm still dreaming about that soup...

[lee]

I'm green with jealousy.

[Linda Butler]

Once again Tana, you take my breath away, I love your blog, although it occurs to me as I spend my days with my hands in the dirt that I live vicariously through your writings. Take good care of yourself 'oh window to the world of fine eats'