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Foodies on Foot! Here’s the story of our very first food tour experience. I was lucky to have been given a lovely gift for bosses day one year – a voucher for a foodie walking tour in Sonoma! Everyone who knows me knows that I looooove food, so this was completely thoughtful and fitting. Of course, food is best enjoyed with good company, so for our friends’ anniversary, we bought a couple of extra tickets to the tour.
It was a beautiful, sunny December day in Sonoma – a little brisk in the morning, but once we started the walking tour, it felt great! The lady who usually does the Sonoma tours was on vacation, so we got Gayle, the guide who normally does the Napa tours. It was just a small group of six for our tour, which was perfect. Small group tours are the best.
Basque Boulangerie
We started the tour off at Basque Boulangerie with a piece of beehive cake, which they are well-known for: sweet danish sponge, split with custard and caramel, topped with honey-almond praline and powdered sugar. It was quite delicious – very moist, soft, and custardy. Breakfast of champions right? Probably has enough calories in one piece to last you a couple of meals…
Taste the Himalayas
After our sweet introduction, we walked across the way to Taste of the Himalayas and for a taste of Nepalese cuisine. We were able to sample the veggie samosas filled with potato, and the veggie momo dumplings (first time trying momos!). I just have to express my undying love for samosas – fried little dumplings packed with so much flavor! I never turn them down.
The momo dumplings we had were stuffed with spinach, onion, cabbage and spices, and came with some really tasty dipping sauces. Momos are typically steamed, so they are nice and pillowy – a good contrast to the fried samosas!
After our dumplings, we walked the Square a bit and browsed through the amazing fine art photography gallery of Lisa Kristine. She photographs people from all over the world, capturing the essence of their cultures. It was truly inspiring, as a photographer myself.
La Bodega
After the art gallery, we walked to La Bodega to enjoy a tasting of their mushroom ravioli. I did mention to the tour company before booking that I was a vegetarian (I was actually a pescatarian at the time), so all of the food was very accommodating! The ravioli was delicious, and we each got to do a little wine tasting (for an extra $5) to go with it. I will say I was a little disappointed in the wine tasting selection, but $5 for a wine tasting is just totally worth it.
We got a little bit of a history lesson while walking to our next destination, passing the General Joseph Hooker House (she insinuated that he was famous for a little something to do with his actual name…ahem…ladies man? But I don’t really know if that’s a fact).
And we also got our pet on with a beautiful pony who was vying for our undying attention!
Vella Cheese Factory
Next, the cheese! We sampled seven different cheeses at the Vella Cheese Factory and our favorite was by far the habanero pepper jack. The spicier, the better!
Swiss Hotel
On we went to the Swiss Hotel for some meatballs (for the rest of the group) and a yummy beet salad for me! We also learned of their most famous drink, a coffee-based beverage called the Glariffe (glazed Irish Coffee), but unfortunately did not get to sample that (but if you’re a coffee fan, you might want to ask for it if you visit!).
There is so much history packed into one little square! After the Swiss Hotel, we drifted in and out of a little museum, took note of the local Mission, and wandered through the little park the middle of the square.
We also passed by a cute little kitchen store filled with goodies (including this Veggie Lovers Sriracha Cookbook, which I photographed to buy later – best way to remember things right?!).
El Dorado Kitchen
Our final savory stop was at the El Dorado Kitchen, where we had a delicious arugula and mushroom flatbread pizza. At this point in the tour, we were pretty full! It was kind of busy in the restaurant so we just snacked on our pizza in the waiting area, which was just fine because it was a large room with comfy couches!
The Chocolate Cow
Last but not least, we ended our little tour on a sweet note at The Chocolate Cow chocolate shop with a tasty chocolate covered caramel.
Save Room for Beer!
Of course, my co-workers also know that we love beer, so they also gave me a gift voucher to get some beer flights at the Olde Sonoma Public House! Our bartender (cool dude with a big beard) helped us end our time in Sonoma on a high note.
Cheers travelers!
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