What’s new: California Distilled Spirits in Auburn and Pizza Bar in Truckee

LOCAL CRAFT DISTILLING
California Distilled Spirits of Auburn, founded last year, is the first distillery to (legally) operate in Placer County since Prohibition. We wrote about the startup in our last issue, pointing out that it is available at Corti Bros. and Taylor’s Market in Sacramento, among other places. In the foothills it is available at Tofanelli’s Gold Country Bistro, Save Mart supermarket and The Ridge Golf Club.

Since our last issue, the distillery’s Darjeeling Gin, produced by Ed Arnold, received a “best of show” for gin and a platinum award at the prestigious World Spirits Competition in San Francisco. Ed’s spouse, Carol, is executive director of PlacerGROWN. The distillery’s “Bolt from Above” whiskey is expected to start its exodus from the cask by year-end.

HAWKS PROVISIONS & PUBLIC HOUSE
We’ve been longtime fans of Hawks Restaurant in Granite Bay, and two years ago we wrote exclusively on our blog at SierraCulture.com that Hawks had sealed a deal to open a second restaurant in east Sacramento. Now the gastropub called Hawks Provisions & Public House is set to open this summer.

The menu will include dishes such as charcuterie plates, short ribs and a gourmet burger—all with fresh, seasonal ingredients. The decor will include a zinc-topped bar. (The zinc bar at Restaurant Allard in Paris in the 6th arrondissement is one of our favorites—and a classic).

PIZZA BAR IN TRUCKEE
The owners of popular Marg’s World Taco Bistro have opened Pizza Bar next door on Commercial Row. The menu includes creative pizzas—from Margherita to Herbavore to Meat Lovers—along with fresh salads such as a kale Caesar and arugula beat salad, and appetizers such as braised short ribs, oven roasted Brussels sprouts and Medjool dates.

On the pizza front, Old Town Pizza, with restaurants in Auburn and Lincoln, now is expanding to Roseville. It expects to open the Roseville location this summer.

CRONUTS IN GRASS VALLEY
A Cronut is a croissant-doughnut pastry invented by Chef Dominique Ansel in New York City. The Boston Globe described the Cronut as a “food portmanteau,” and Time magazine named the Cronut as one of the “25 Best Inventions.” Now the Cronut is being made at Brew Bakers Family Cafe in Grass Valley on occasion. “Can’t decide on a croissant or a donut with your coffee?” says Brew Bakers. “Get a Cronut! Crunchy outside and fluffy inside.”