There is a pretty cool event this Saturday, and it’s Sacto chefs and MoFo-related: It’s the Truck and Mortar Throwdown on Dec. 1 with five teams in a cook off, each with one food truck owner and one restaurant chef. Consider it a culinary version of détente.

Teams include Mike Thiemann, executive chef of Ella, with Chando of Chando's Tacos; Billy Ngo of Kru with Davin Vculek of KrushBurger; and Oliver Ridgeway of Grange with Robert Ramos of Coast to Coast Sandwiches.

The “secret” ingredients - which aren’t a secret - are pork and honey. What’s not to love? Proceeds go to the California Fire Foundation and Toys for Tots. Here’s the website for tix: http://www.showclix.com/event/truckandmortar
 
Since it’s the holiday season, it’s time to get all quaint and holiday-ish, and I’m thinking the sibling towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City. Grass Valley has its Cornish Christmas on Friday evenings thru Dec 21, and Nevada City has its Victorian Christmas on Wednesday evenings starting Dec 5, plus Sundays Dec 16 and 23. Not sure what the difference is. Possibly Cornish game hens?
Also, a lot of good wineries in that area and both towns have a bunch of tasting rooms.
 
And since we’re going to need places for holiday beer drinking, too, so its good to know the spot at 14th and H that was Brew It Up has re-opened as Coyote Tap House. And they’re a bit different from a lot of beer spots because, besides the usual bar food,  they also have a lot of noodle bowls - they’re owned by the folks who own Oshima Sushi and Fugu Lounge in Natomas.