The 9th Annual Taste of Petaluma is today in downtown Petaluma—eat hearty!
The comfort of small things….Brenda Anderson’s Secret kitchen is a quaint, tiny walk-up, take-out kitchen behind Agius Market, a couple of miles out of town, where she, Janice Clement and two young helpers turn out Latin and Asian-inspired classics with delightful spices and heat. Anderson’s moist rum cake is hard to stay away from. The Secret Kitchen is being hosted by Heebe Jeebe (46 Kentucky Street) for Taste of Petaluma. Photo: Geneva Anderson
The 9th Taste of Petaluma kicks off today at 11:30 a.m., in downtown Petaluma. In Thursday’s Taste article, I mostly extolled the virtues of the young hipsters rocking Petaluma’s food scene. Saved the seasoned big gun for last— Brenda Anderson and her Secret Kitchen, newcomers to Taste and to the community. She’s based in rural west Petaluma, so she’s being hosted by Heebe Jeebe (46 Kentucky Street). She’s preparing chili con carne with black beans & a bite size El Salvadoran pupusa (little fried corn cakes stuffed with cheese).
Her current set-up is a brightly colored walk-up kitchen behind Agius Market, a couple of miles out of town (right where I grew up), where she, Janice Clement and two young helpers create Latin and Asian-inspired classics that have been tweaked to reflect what she loves and what’s peaking in the garden. Anderson taught at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America), ran Google’s restaurant, and has cooked all over the world and it’s our good luck that she’s settled in Petaluma. Of her papusas, a yelp review says it all—The papusas make me want to destroy something, they are so good.” She takes take-out presentation to an art form. The Secret Kitchen is located at 4701 Bodega Avenue (where Skillman Lane meets Bodega Avenue)
Brenda Anderson’s small slow-roasted warm tacos are made layers of slow-cooked bbq pork, black beans, sliced radish and cotja cheese, with a spicy crema that ties it all together. Photo: Geneva Anderson
Details: The 9th Annual Taste of Petaluma is today, Saturday, August 23, 2014 from 11:30 AM to 4 PM. Ticket packages are $40 and consist of 10 tasting tickets, good for 1 taste each. Tickets can from 10:30 AM onwards at Petaluma’s Helen Putnam Plaza. Only 1500 tickets will be sold.
ARThound 