OK, that doesn’t mean a shop that sells old cheese, but rather a cheese shop that lays claim to being the oldest remaining one in the country! How about a nice Winter time Day’ve Trip with Christmas decorations, great smoked food, and a ride through the green hills of West Marin?
Start by heading to Brewster’s Beer Garden in Petaluma. Don’t let the name fool you, because they have fantastic food as well as a great selection of adult beverages. The hook this time of year is a fantastic Christmas Pop-up garden on their very large rear patio. Come for the decorations and fun, stay for the food and drink. I heartily suggest a designated driver.
Their “Miracle Menu” includes a delicious Smoked trout with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Pancetta and an amazing Dino Kale salad with Tahini dressing, along with tradition smoke meats like brisket and ribs, a Chicken/bacon sando, or a Veggie-Impossible burger with pickled onions. We found it all to be delicious and worth the trip. If you are feeling frisky and want to put on your best ELF impersonation, you might get in the mood with one of their holiday themed cocktails like he Christmapolitan, Elfing Around (mulled wine and Prosecco), the SanTaRex (margarita) or the Grinch’s Grog (hot coca, peppermint, and rum). Virgin options available! The cups and glasses they serve in are a treat themselves (also available for purchase). Yes, I came home with a T-Rex… what about it!?
If your designated driver is now ready for another leg of a journey, take the short 15 minutes drive out to 7510 Pt. Reyes – Petaluma Rd, Petaluma to the oldest cheese shop in America, founded in 1865! The Marin French Cheese Co. is a great little destination to grab some good Brie or whatever you’re into. They have a nice small pond and picnic tables, too, if you want to grab a sandwich from their deli or just enjoy your cheese and crackers. The shop has other foods and fun knick-knacks as well. The “Golden Gate” triple cream came highly recommended and did not disappoint. Note that this stop is another option on a prior trip I detailed in my earlier post titled: “Sonoma Dairy Country, Tomales Bay Oysters, and a Great Beach”.
If you know me, you know I’m about the roads… so we took the long way home from here and continued out to Highway 1 through Pt Reyes Station and into Stinson Beach. Great place for a snack, an ice cream cone, or a beverage, and maybe a walk on a big flat beach with a heavy coat. The crowds of summer are gone and the winter beach is as lonely as a Steinbeck novel but achingly beautiful at sunset. You could continue a little farther south to enjoy the amazing views from the trails at Muir Beach Overlook. No matter which way you head home, you’ll be happy you made the trip.
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