Dive into Petaluma’s Della Fattoria
Bread, it touches on all of our senses. Smell, taste, sight, touch and even our hearing, when one thinks about the sound of someone enjoying that first, fresh slice of bread, just out of the oven. It leads our brain through all the emotional thoughts and memories that fresh bread conjures up.
I was reminded of this the other day when I had the opportunity to visit with Elisa who owns and runs Della Fattoria with her brother Aaron, a master chef. All through the pandemic I have been having dreams of their Meyer Lemon Rosemary Campagne Boule, a bread of perfection, and the amazing Cheesecake I had before the pandemic forced us all to hibernate like so many bears. At that time Kathleen Weber was still alive and oh, such a lovely example of the best of humanity and that staff of life, bread. While we were there, she made my friend and I feel welcome as she sat for a bit chatting with us.
Hearing Elisa tell stories of Kathleen, her mom, and her dad, Ed, the other half of this amazing team, about when they started out the family bakery on their farm in 1995, it gave me a stronger realization of the importance of loving what we do and leaping out to embrace what we love. Kathleen and Ed’s passion for using the best ingredients and techniques for creating their amazing baguettes, boule and batard have been carried on by Elisa and Aaron, daughter and son team who have also added their skills of interior design (Elisa) and creative chef (Aaron) to this long-standing Petaluma bakery and café. The staff were attentive, and I could tell they also love what they do as well as the family who are the backbone of the business.
The interior of Della Fattoria is an exquisite juxtaposition of playful chandeliers, fun upcycled and elegant found objects, and mirrors, placed to give the large room a gold, rose madder and terra-cotta glow. Just standing there, looking around made me want to pull out my watercolors and dabble away, but then the scent of all that fresh bread and pastry pulled me to the dessert case where the lemon cream tart beckoned. I gave in and chose a small and perfect tart to take home with me. The meringue on top was unlike anything I have tasted with its almost whipped cream texture, both light and decadently rich, resting on a lemon filling so delicate yet packed with vibrant Meyer’s lemon flavor, I imagined this as something one would eat in heaven.
Along with the lemon tart, I picked up the Tuna-Melt Piadina with its pepperoncini and peppery arugula perfectly accenting the tuna and cheese wrapped in something that could have been the child of the most delicious pizza crust and croissant parents. This is a tuna melt deserving of a standing ovation. And of course, I had to add the Meyer Lemon Rosemary bread to my take-home goodie bag. The Meyer Lemon Rosemary Campagne Boule also makes outrageous savory and sweet French toast, topped with honey butter. See recipes below.
In the sunshine, walking away from Della Fattoria, my arms full of goodies, it was once again impressed upon me how fortunate we are to live in such a place and enjoy such abundance of deliciousness.
Something caught my eye...
As I strolled across the square towards my car a little shop caught my eye. In The Making, is a light-filled, peaceful, earthy and elegant shop with sustainable, exquisite and functional creations by local artisans.
The shop is owned and operated by Jeweler, Siri and Jenn, creator of leather goods such as carryalls, and wallets. The hand-crafted tiles, reminiscent of Morocco, and cloths so soft a baby would giggle with happiness rolling in them, with fabric colors perfectly tuned by nature’s dyes, could calm any anxious mind. I have often wondered, as an adult, why it is so difficult to find cloths as soft as what babies wear, and here they are! Truly a tactile wonderland. Strolling around the shop was like a mini-retreat and choosing one of the tiles to take home was a perfect cap for a most perfect day in Petaluma.
Perfect French toast:
For two servings, cut four thick slices of bread (for savory-sweet goodness try the Meyer’s Lemon Rosemary bread, or even try a slice of your favorite cake or banana bread).
In a plate or bowl with at least one-to-two-inch sides, whisk two eggs, dash of vanilla and two tablespoons of milk or milk substitute such as almond milk. Soak the bread until all liquid is soaked into the bread. Heat griddle or frying pan and melt butter in the pan. Just as the butter is starting to bubble, place egged bread on pan. Cook until brown on each side. You can turn each slice a couple of times to make sure the inside is cooked. Serve with honey butter and your favorite fruit such as strawberries.
Honey butter:
1 pound butter, ¼ - ½ cups honey (depending on sweetness desired), ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional), ½ teaspoons vanilla (optional)
Mix butter at low speed. Increase the speed to medium and add rest of ingredients until well combined and fluffy. Serve over French toast. It also is wonderful over corned bread. For fun occasions, press honey butter into silicon shapes and refrigerate for two hours before popping them out to serve.
Della Fattoria
143 Petaluma Blvd. N.
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-763-0161
In the Making
122 American Alley
Petaluma, CA 94952
