A la carte: What's new in food and wine

San Francisco chef takes top prizes for book

Chef Nate Appleman of A16 and SPQR restaurants in San Francisco was the top winner at the 2009 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards.

Appleman won both the Book of the Year Award and the Julia Child Award/First Book Award for “A16: Food & Wine” (Ten Speed Press).

The cookbook and wine guide celebrates the cuisine of Campania in southern Italy. At A16 in the Marina District, Appleman is renowned for his Naples-style pizzas, house-cured salumi and slow-cooked meat dishes.

For a complete list of cookbook award winners, go to iacp.com.

Healdsburg farmers market opening for season
The Healdsburg Farmers Market at North and Vine streets opens for the season Saturday, May 2, with a wide array of fresh produce and flowers, artisan products and crafts.

The market runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Nov. 28. Relish Culinary Adventures will offer cooking demonstrations the second Saturday of each month.

The Tuesday Market on the Plaza opens June and will operate from 4 to 6:30 p.m. through Oct.

Napa market moving to new location

The Napa Farmers Market will open Saturday, May 2, at a new location, 1275 McKinstry St., home of the Napa Valley Wine Train, in the Oxbow District of downtown Napa.

The market runs from 7:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday through the end of October.

Local, sustainable vendors include Big Ranch Farm, Morning Sun Herb Farm and the Patch, along with new faces from the Oxbow Public Market.

The market will host an information booth with materials to entertain and educate. Also new this year are reusable market bags with the Napa Farmers Market logo, available for purchase.

Vendors interested in joining the market can call market manager Randall Dunn at 252-7142.

France meets U.S. at Zazu Restaurant
SANTA ROSA

France meets U.S. at Zazu Restaurant

Zazu Restaurant and three French winemakers will join forces for a special dinner at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at the restaurant.

The three winemakers include Pierre Seillan, vigneron of Chateau Lassegue in Saint-Emilion, France, and Vérité Winery in the Chalk Hill appellation; Alex Reble, assistant winemaker of Matanzas Creek in Santa Rosa’s Bennett Valley; and Jean Remy Rapeneau of the Charles de Cazanove Champagne house in France.

The five-course dinner, prepared by Zazu chefs Duskie Estes and John Stewart, will be paired with French and American wines.

The cost is $119 a person. For reservations, call 523-4814. Zazu is located at 3535 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa.

Share 'Appetizers' with Cindy Pawlcyn in St. Helena
Chef Cindy Pawlcyn will prepare dishes from her new cookbook, “Appetizers,” at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at her newest restaurant, Go Fish in St. Helena.

In addition to Go Fish, the groundbreaking Napa Valley chef also owns Mustards Grill and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.

Tickets are $100, including a copy of the book. To order tickets to the Book Passage event, go to bookpassage.com. Go Fish is located at 641 Main St., St. Helena.

Tamale brunch to benefit church programs
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church will hold a Tamale and Enchilada Brunch from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3, in support of several charitable programs.

The meal costs $10, and includes tamale, enchilada, beans, rice and salad. Margaritas, beer, desserts and soda will be available for purchase.

For tamales to go, orders must be made in advance. Cost is $20 for 12. To reserve, call 837-8962. The dinner will be served in the Mary Agatha Furth Center, 8400 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor.

Cinco de Mayo at Robledo winery in Sonoma
Robledo Family Winery will hold a Cinco de Mayo celebration from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the winery, 21901 Bonness Road, Sonoma.

The afternoon features Mexican cuisine paired with Robledo wines, live entertainment and wine specials.

Tickets are $40. To reserve, call 839-6903.

Mother's Day at Martini House in St. Helena
The Martini House in St. Helena is planning to pamper Mom over Mother’s Day weekend — May 10, 11 and 12 — with a prix fixe menu for $45. The three-course meal, available for lunch or dinner, features a shaved celery and medjool date salad, sweet pea ravioli with butter-poached Maine lobster and asparagus or prime beef sirloin steak, and toasted almond cake.

Rutherford vintners honored for leadership
Garen and Shari Staglin, vintners of Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford, will receive a leadership award May 8 to honor the founders of the Staglin Family Music Festival for Mental Health.

The annual music festival, which began in 1995, features internationally renowned scientists, world-class food and wines, and musical entertainment to raise money for mental health issues. Past performers have included Brian Wilson, Gladys Knight, Roberta Flack and the Pointer Sisters.

The Staglins have raised more than $80 million with this yearly event. The 2009 festival is scheduled for Sept. 12. For more information, visit www.music-festival.org. The Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center will present the award at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.