Inside Sonoma

Duskie  Estes began cooking at the age of five in her EZ-Bake oven.  She grew up in San Francisco and is a graduate of Brown University. She worked at Lucky’s/Al Forno (Rhode Island), 21 Federal and  Kinkead’s (Washington, D.C.), Green’s and Glide Church (San Francisco), Baywolf (Oakland), Share Our Strength (Washington, D.C. and Seattle), Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s Seafood, and Palace Kitchen (Seattle, WA.).

During her two year tenure as chef at Palace Kitchen, she was voted City Search’s Seattle Best Chef in 2000. Under her leadership, Palace Kitchen was rated by Gourmet magazine as one of the top five Seattle restaurants in 2000 and in the nation’s top 50 restaurants in 2001. She was co-author on Tom Douglas’s Seattle Kitchen, which received the James Beard Award in 2001.

John Stewart is from Mt. Kisco, New York and grew up in the kitchen of his family’s four generation catering  company, Thomas Fox and Sons, founded in 1919 by his great grandfather. By the age of 7, he was polishing silver, folding pastry boxes, and icing petit fours with his grandmother. In this environment, John learned fundamental cooking techniques and a strong connection between family and food.

Relocating  to  Seattle in 1994, John worked at Etta’s Seafood and Palace Kitchen, where he met Duskie. He fortuitously was offered the position of sous chef at the well known Cafe Lago, and fell deeply in love with all things Italian. John could  easily resonate with the Italian generosity of spirit, the connection between food and family, and the inclination not to waste a morsel (“snout to tail”  philosophy). John is a 1990 graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, an avid gardener, and as of the move to Sonoma, a blossoming chicken, sheep,  & hog  rancher. John is an avid salumist studying with chef Mario Batali and at  the  University of Iowa Meat Lab. He is responsible for their line of BLACK PIG meats, bacon & salumi made from antibiotic and hormone  free pork,  boar, lamb, venison.

In 2001, Duskie and John  opened ZAZU restaurant + farm in Santa Rosa. ZAZU restaurant + farm was rated a Top 10 new restaurants in the bay area of 2002 and Top 100 restaurants of  2003, 2004, & 2005  by the San Francisco Chronicle and as one of The 50  Best restaurants by SAN FRANCISCO magazine.  In 2005, Duskie and John opened BOVOLO in Healdsburg.

Besides these successful restaurant joint ventures, Duskie and John are the proud parents of Brydie and MacKenzie Estes Stewart.

Zazu’s Chocolate and Fig pannetone

chefs Duskie Estes & John Stewart
zazu restaurant + farm | bovolo | black pig meat co.

Makes 2 pannetone

This is an Italian Christmas bread we have with our fondue on Christmas Eve, leave a little for Santa, and then make it into a marvelous French toast for breakfast. It’s laborious but absolutely worth it!

Day 1
the sponge:
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (I package)
1/3 cup warm water (approximately 90° or body temperature)
1/2 cup flour

Stir the yeast and the water together. Let sit for a few minutes, until it begins to foam. Add the flour. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm space until it doubles in size, about an hour (or in the refrigerator overnight).

The first dough:
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)
3 tablespoons warm water
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
1 vanilla bean

Combine the yeast and water in the bowl of an electric mixer and let stand a few minutes, until foaming. Add the sponge, eggs, flour, and sugar and mix with the paddle attatchment. Add the butter and mix until the dough is smooth. Cover the bowl ith plastic and allow to double in size (about 1 1/2 – 2 hours).

The second dough:
2 eggs
3 yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
3 cups flour

To the first dough in the mixing bowl, add eggs, yolks, sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt. Slowly beat in the butter until smooth. Add the flour and mix until the dough is uniform with no visible specks of butter. Place this dough in a larger bowl and let rise 3 – 5 hours or in a cool area overnight (around 65°F). The dough should triple in size.

The final dough:
2 cups scharffen berger chocolate (we like 70%)
2 cups dry figs, quartered
1 cup candied orange peel

Prepare to loaf pans with nonstick spray and flour. Divide the dough in half. Shape the first 1/2 into an elongated rectangle (the short side needs to be the same length as your loaf pans.). Cover the dough with half of the chocolate, figs, and orange peel. Roll the dough up and place the seam on the bottom of the pan. Repeat with your other piece. Let rise for about 2 hours or until almost double in size. Bake in a 350°F oven for 35- 45 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean and it sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.

Wine recommendation: Iron Horse, blanc de blancs, 2004.