By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov
In colder climates, wild mushroom season starts as early as the end of summer. In California, where the cool rainy days might not happen until late fall/early winter, fresh boletes and oyster mushrooms could be up and coming only in time for Christmas shopping while chanterelles and morels would show up around Valentine’s Day.
Traveling in Northern California in winter will almost certainly coincide with the abundance of wild mushroom preparations in our notorious farm-to-table restaurants known for their dedication to locally sourced ingredients, sustainability, and culinary prowess.
“It is our mission to serve you the highest quality regional food in season,” states Alan Kantor, Executive Chef of the renowned MacCallum House Restaurant in Mendocino, California. Our fruits, vegetables and grains are organic; the meats are sustainably raised. In selecting ingredients for our menus, we look to partner with those committed to environmental and social responsibility.”
Charming, serene, and effortlessly picturesque, Mendocino Village is surrounded by stunning natural landscapes with dramatic ocean views, cliffs and bluffs, sea caves, hidden beaches, and redwood forests. Along the slightly hilly streets you’ll find fascinating art and jewelry galleries, independent bookstores, original toy stores, live theater, boutique shops, local chocolatiers’ counters, upscale restaurants, and quaint little parks.
MacCallum House Inn, a historic landmark in the city center,stands out even among thepredominantly 19th-century architecture of the former lumber town with its well-preserved Victorian, clapboard, and saltbox houses, constructed of local redwood.
Built in 1882, the MacCallum House was a wedding gift to a 20-year-old Daisy Kelley who married Alexander MacCallum. A well-educated and charitable lady, Mrs. MacCallum was interested in horticulture, and surrounded her family home with gardens, lawns, and rose bushes that still thrive on the property to everyone’s delight. The house, a historic barn and cottages on the premises now constitute the main property of the boutique hotel, with nineteen unique guest rooms, an abovementioned restaurant and Grey Whale Bar.
The MacCallum House Restaurant provides hot complimentary breakfast to the hotel guests, with a comprehensive menu that includes lovingly prepared culinary delights, like Mac Benedict with Niman Ranch ham, Hollandaise sauce, and country style roasted potatoes, and Cornmeal Pancakes with locally foraged huckleberry syrup and diced apples.
For dinner, Chef Kantor, a pioneer of California’s farm-to-table movement, treats his out-of-town guests and local regulars to the region’s seasonal bounty, like the foraged wild mushrooms, prominent in quite a few dishes. Wild Mushroom Ragu with pomodoro sauce, mascarpone polenta, mozzarella, roasted peppers, and black olives makes a zesty, piquant starter. Pan Roasted Niman Ranch Pork Chop with pumpernickel spaetzle, garlic fried Brussels sprouts, and whole grain mustard is one of the star entrees, while daily changing soups and housemade pastas provide additional variety to the already rich with choices and flavors menu.
A cocktail program includes original creations from the bar, like Once Bitten, made with the local Mendocino Spirits Gin, Philo Apple Farm organic juice from a nearby orchard, lemon juice, and housemade “Snake Oil” bitters in addition to signature items, like Manhattan Noir with Bulleit bourbon, Cynar artichoke liqueur, housemade cabernet cherry syrup, and Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters.
While the fantastic dessert selections include a lavish Chocolate Extravaganza of chocolate pecan torte, bourbon maple crème Anglaise, chocolate cabernet cherry truffle and chocolate salted caramel swirl ice cream; freshly made Apple Beignets, served with cinnamon ice cream, salted caramel sauce, and toasted walnuts, and other amazing choices, the restaurant’s housemade ice creams are a sufficient treat on their own. I won’t soon forget my Fromage Blanc Ice Cream with Blackberry Sorbet made of locally harvested berries, and pistachio biscotto.
With a restaurant like this, the coveted location and luxurious accommodations, MacCallum House is a perfect California vacation spot in any season. Room 10 at the Carriage House, where this reporter had a good luck to stay for a couple nights about a month ago, had a cozy vibe with plush furniture, a bay widow that opened into a private backyard with a hot tub, a gas fireplace disguised as a vintage stove, and a comfy king size bed, besides all the necessities and amenities, standard for a high-end lodging. This room, same as some others at the inn, is also pet friendly and easily accessible from a side gate that opens to the street leading to coastal trails.
It was a pleasure and an adventure to explore the town that blossomed in the 1850s, when numerous buildings in Queen Anne, Italianate, and other Victorian sub-styles were built here. The Village of Mendocino, with its historic downtown and headlands, was designated as the Mendocino and Headlands Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, recognized for its well-preserved architecture and natural beauty. This listing became possible thanks to the efforts of local enthusiasts of revitalization, like the Mendocino Art Center.
Another great feature of this amazing place is easy access to state parks like Mendocino Headlands with intricate trails, secluded beaches, and natural sea arches, and Russian Gulch State Park with wooded coastline and a historic bridge. A tourist destination like no other, Mendocino provides endless opportunities for coastal hiking, sea cave kayaking, winter whale watching, exploring historic sites, like nearby Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, and reveling in a relaxed, artistic atmosphere. Especially if you stay at the historic inn and enjoy the season’s offers to the fullest.
MacCallum House is located at 45020 Albion St, Mendocino, California. To learn more, call (707) 937-0289 or visit https://www.maccallumhouse.com/.
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