Gifts to Take You Places : A whole earth catalogue of the season’s best gear for actual or armchair travelers : FOOD

If granny’s home in the country did exist, So-noma County highways could be the “over the river and through the woods” you’d take to visit her. A little over an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, the Sonoma Valley is the epitome of Northern California farm country. That broad area of undulating hills stretches like a cat lounging in the afternoon sun. It touches the Mayacamas mountain range on the east and is northbound by the Russian River, with San Pablo Bay and Marin at its foot. It lies east of U.S. 101 and includes such towns as Sonoma, Healdsburg and Glen Ellen. We’re talking about crystal-clear skies and tree-lined roadways dotted with barns, antique shops and manicured farms.

This is an ideal area for a pre-Christmas visit, not only because of the beauty of the land and charming bed and breakfasts along the way, but mostly because you can pick up unusual and inexpensive holiday food gifts directly from farm-home sources.

One of the highlights of the Sonoma Valley is that county farmers take the time to preserve the fresh flavors of their summer fruits and vegetables by canning the best of their crops. It is not unusual to find roadside stands offering homemade apple butter, pickles or tomato chutney, as well as sausages from a nearby pig farm. Over the years, the families here, many with Pennsylvania Dutch, German or Italian backgrounds, have expanded their prepared food sales to the point that they not only sell their conserves in situ, but also ship to customers who may never visit the Sonoma area.

(Shopping by phone and fax can bring a taste of Sonoma’s best without hopping on a plane or in a car, but all food producers in this story insist that orders be made immediately or delivery cannot be guaranteed by Christmas.)

Visitors to the Sonoma Valley region will find an abundance of produce and livestock far beyond the riches of the vine. Berries, tomatoes, melons, organic vegetables, kiwi fruit, corn, peaches, prunes, walnuts, garlic, onion, pumpkins and mushrooms offer seasonal credence to the fact that the mix of Sonoma soil, sun and fog is ideal for growing. If you’re seeking wall-to-wall grapes, drive to the Napa Valley east of the Mayacamas, where a herd of cattle or acres of apple orchards would be quite rare.

Following are two days of roadside shopping for the best of preserved, shippable foods within Sonoma Valley. Each day is geographically self-contained and offers time to roam about the region. While in the area, don’t hesitate to stop along the roads for fresh seasonal treats, such as still-warm pumpkin muffins served with homemade apple cider, or cinnamon-spicy apple pie with a side of vanilla ice cream chock-full of local walnuts. Just look for the signs by small shops, farmsteads or near stands of mailboxes.

(For addresses, telephone numbers and mail information, see Guidebook on L16.)

DAY ONE: VINEBURG, SONOMA AND KENWOOD

Directions : Head north from San Francisco on U.S. 101. Take the Napa-Vallejo exit to California 37, then follow until making a left turn toward Sonoma at California 121. For these locations, stay along 121 or, for Kenwood, take California 12 north out of Sonoma.

Driving time: From San Francisco to the south end of 121, about 1 1/4 hours. From Vineburg to Kenwood and back, including stops and lunch, 3-4 hours.

The Cherry Tree--The signs announcing “Ice Cold Juice!” and “No Sugar, No Preservatives” are almost larger than the place itself. The Cherry Treeis a good roadside stop on your way in or out of the Sonoma Valley. There is enough parking space, although there are usually a number of customers inside, so expect to take your time.

A sip of the namesake’s black Bing cherry juice is a sweet, bracing start for a journey, and you can purchase a variety of Sonoma-based products such as cherry peppers (three 1-pint jars for $17.99) and foods from nearby, such as Sacramento Valley unsalted almonds (2 pounds for $11.99). Expect to see a mix of items for sale--for instance, jawbreakers right next to jalapeno-stuffed olives (10 ounces for $4.75).

Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace--Pass stately eucalyptus trees and drive a few miles from the Cherry Tree to this new winery that sits atop a hill like a small Tuscan villa. Owners Sam and Vicki Sebastiani sell Vicki’s homemade fresh Italian picnic fare (such as torta Milanese and stuffed tomatoes), plus cheeses, sausage, wine and breads for hungry visitors who sit at outdoor tables and take in the valley panorama.

On side shelves in the terra-cotta-tiled tasting room, don’t miss the “Cal-Ital” products that are made by the winery staff, such as sun-dried tomato pesto (8 ounces for $6.25). I like the wine vinegar (17 ounces for $6.25), as much for the elegant, squared-off bottle with its elongated neck as for the rich, nut-flavored vinegar. And there’s a wine-based cake that you’ll see in a few other Sonoma product shops: Cabernet and Chocolate Cake (14 ounces for $10.50). If you’re a true chocolate aficionado, try the wine-filled Late Harvest Muscat Canelli Chocolates (5 ounces for $12)--better than dessert.

Angelo’s Wine Country Meat & Deli--Departing Viansa and back on 121 heading north, you may be rubbernecking as you pass an antique pine furniture store and Gloria Ferrer champagne winery on the left and a pet shop specializing in exotic birds and llamas on the right. Why not stop at either for a brief change of pace? On a little further, just before the intersection of 121 and California 116, watch for Angelo’s. An easy way to identify the small butcher shop, which might go otherwise unnoticed, is to look for a full-size (artificial) Hereford steer on the roof of a porch. Or the “World’s Greatest Sandwiches” sign in front of hay bale “benches” might stop you.

Angelo Ibleto, who moved to Sonoma County from Genoa, Italy, in the 1960s, makes sausage ($3.89 a pound) in 17 flavors, including apple, hot Italian with fennel, Bavarian beer, turkey broccoli and Louisiana hot. From his original butchering, Ibleto moved on to smoking meats, and soon was known to the locals for smoked turkey, ham and bacon. He now adds a selection of salsas (garlic salsa--16 ounces for $3.29), Sonoma Valley white wine mustard with garlic (16 ounces for $3.69) and “beef jerky to die for” ($24 per pound) in eight flavors, including barbecue, Cajun, turkey and teriyaki. All products can be shipped. Oh, and those sandwiches . . . terrific!

California 121 will curve and head north. From there, turn on California 12 toward the charming town of Sonoma on your way to Kenwood.

Side trip to Sonoma--If you’ve time to stop, park at the Sonoma Plaza and walk the perimeter of the grassy park. You’ll see boutique shops featuring books, clothing and art, as well as restaurants and bakeries. One source of food-to-send-home is the Chocolate Cow in an arcade on the east side of the plaza. There you’ll find some handmade chocolates of fine quality. Or walk under shady olive trees on the Spain Street side of the plaza to the Sonoma Cheese Factory. There you’ll find Sonoma preserved foods, as well as Sonoma Jack cheese and Sonoma cookbooks. Speaking of things culinary, it was here, in a building now housing a restaurant, poster shop and catering company (599-605 Broadway, just south of the plaza) that Chuck Williams first opened his kitchenware shop, Williams-Sonoma.

On your way out of town, the Vella Cheese Co. is just a short stroll away on Second Street East. When they’re making cheese, you can visit the factory. These Sonoma sources do ship their products.

Sonoma Grown Co.--So now you have most probably had lunch, perhaps visited a winery or two and are on the road to Kenwood. This area is in view of the Mayacamas and is particularly beautiful. Since soil here is not always as fertile as other areas of Sonoma, grapes grow well and there are a number of wineries in the area. And here, at Sonoma Grown, a white wooden storefront with a vineyard view, you can find the largest selection of Sonoma foods for retail and mail order.

From Kenwood, there is cranberry ginger chutney (9 ounces for $4.49); from Petaluma, Cameo coffees (1 ounce for 69 cents) and Barbara’s Vanilla Animal Cookies, fruit-juice sweetened whole wheat (5 ounces for $1.79) and, from Boyes Hot Springs down the road, Mary’s Pizza Shack Sonoma Italian dressing (12 ounces for $3). The store holds literally hundreds of Sonoma products--a mandatory visit, or get their catalogue.

DAY TWO: SANTA ROSA, WINDSOR, FORESTVILLE AND SEBASTOPOL

Directions : From San Francisco to Peter Rabbit’s , take U.S. 101 north to Guerneville Road; go west a few miles. To Martinelli’s , return to 101 north to the River Road exit. Go west two miles to Martinelli. To Kozlowski Farms , continue on River Road to Maribel Road; take a left through the town of Forestville; turn left onto California 116 (Gravenstein Highway) and continue one mile to farm on right. To Winter Creek Farm/Caswell Vineyards , continue on 116, right on Graton Road; continue on Graton five miles; turn right onto Tanuda, then right on Harrison Grade (road turns left, but stay straight) and quick right on Dupont Road. Return to 101 via 116 south.

Driving time : From San Francisco to Guerneville Road, about 1 1/4 hours. Travel and stop time, including lunch--four hours.

Peter Rabbit’s Chocolate Factory--Of all the food-to-send stops suggested here, Peter Rabbit’s is situated in the least bucolic setting. No farms next door, and there’s traffic outside. But once inside this chocolate factory, a food lover--make that chocolate-lover--will hit home base. The friendly welcome of Peter Lardner and his sons Mark and Norm certainly feels as warm as on a farm and, in a brief visit, you can stock up on home-style peanut brittle (8 ounces for $2.49), an award-winning English toffee (10 ounces for $6.25) and assorted hand-dipped truffles, dried fruits and nuts (1 pound for $8.40).

Mark Lardner, whose nickname was Peter Rabbit, the inspiration for the family store name, told me that the chocolate of choice at the factory is Guittard, American made. And the handmade fudge (1 pound for $6.99) is legendary in the area.

Martinelli Vineyards & Orchards--The River Road that leads you to Martinelli Vineyards & Orchards leads ultimately to Jenner by the Sea, a coastal town on the Pacific Ocean. As a result of its being a long-time thoroughfare to the west, expect to see more traffic on this route than on most country roads in the area. Once you’ve turned left off River Road at Martinelli, you will face a handsome red barn fronted by a grape arbor.

The Martinelli family settled in the valley four generations ago. Since then, they have produced a variety of wines and wine-based products, such as Chardonnay conserve (9 ounces for $3.95), Zinfandel ketchup (12 ounces for $4.25) and Merlot pasta sauce (17 ounces for $5.50). They also make mustards (8 ounces of Champagne mustard sells for $3.95) and a whole line of salad dressings (Poppyseed Muscat, 12 ounces for $4.89). The foods are well-displayed, along with T-shirts, postcards and other tourist items.

On the way to Kozlowski Farms--From 101, head west on 116, also known as Gravenstein Highway. At this time of year, pass Formica’s Berry Farm (juicy, fresh boysenberries and raspberries from June through October). In summer, don’t miss it. Along the road, you’ll sight a few organic farms, including the Urmini and Son’s Herb Farm, which specializes in more than 100 varieties of medicinal and culinary herbs. If you plan to visit the herb farm, call in advance (707-829-0185) to be sure someone is available to show you around.

Kozlowski Farms--Driving onto the Kozlowski property in Forestville, there is a sense of homecoming. It is not unusual to be greeted by dogs and children exiting the big family home on the front of the property. Park under the willows and walk into the sales room, passing weigh scales, old apple presses and the farm on your left. This land has been home to the Kozlowskis since 1949, and it has offered outstanding preserved fruits and vegetables for years.

Want to taste a product? Chances are it is already open at the large tasting table. The sales room, not much larger than the inside of a storage barn, is clean and divided into logical food divisions, like a mini-supermarket. There is a wide selection of Sonoma-based products besides the Kozlowski brands. You’ll see jams and jellies (seek out the “slightly imperfect” barrel for the best deals: 10 ounces for $1.95 for the family seedless red raspberry jam), including sugarless conserves, fruit vinegars to perk up roasts and salads, pickles and vegetables (bread-and-butter pickles, $1.85 per pint, and roasted bell peppers, $2.85 for 15 ounces). For hungry travelers, there is a selection of exquisite baked goods.

Winter Creek Farm/Caswell Vineyards--Perhaps it is the labyrinthine road to Winter Creek Farm/Caswell Vineyards. But once you, the inveterate specialty food seeker, have passed orchards, vineyards, stands of pampas grass, mailboxes and kids on horseback, occasionally asking the way to Caswell Vineyards, you’ll feel somehow attached to the people and place you find at the bottom of the steep path off Dupont Road. There, matriarch Helen Caswell makes jellies, jams, vinegars and cider, and her sons make wine with the fruits of their sloping vineyard and orchard land.

Once a year, Helen, who was raised in a Pennsylvania Dutch family and moved with her family to this location to escape the Silicon Valley, sends out a mailing to family and friends (you get the feeling that customers here soon become friends) notifying them of the wines and food products for sale for the holidays. Products are packaged individually (Gewurztraminer truffles, 1 pound for $7.75, or Cabernet fudge sauce, 2 pounds for $7.50) and in gift crates (a pear crate, for example, contains 12-ounce jars of pear, ginger pear and pear Harlequin jam for $16.75; the mustard crate contains two 7 1/2-ounce jars of Chardonnay mustard and Zinfandel mustard for $10.25).

These would be delightful gifts to receive, but my favorite way to encounter Winter Creek foods is to take that drive, walk upstairs into the attic over the winery barrel and tank rooms and sit at Helen’s oak table, listening to her description of the year’s pear harvest while I taste the dense sweetness of her wild blackberry jam (1 1/2 pounds for $4.50) and the elegant piquancy of the anise plum jelly (1 1/2 pounds for $3.75) on old Staffordshire plates.

GUIDEBOOK: Eating Your Way Through Sonoma

All of the following Sonoma food emporiums will fill mail orders, but cannot guarantee delivery by Christmas unless ordered immediately.

Vineburg, Sonoma and Kenwood:

The Cherry Tree, P.O. Box 361, Sonoma 95476, (707) 938-3480; open daily, 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; catalogue available.

Viansa Winery & Italian Marketplace, 25200 Arnold Drive (California 121), Sonoma 95476; for mail orders write to P.O. Box 35, Vineburg 95487-0035, (800) 995-4740 or (707) 935-4700; open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Angelo’s Wine Country Meat & Deli, 23400 Arnold Drive (California 121), Sonoma 95476, (707) 938-3688; open daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sonoma Grown Co., 9255 Sonoma Highway (California 121), Kenwood 95452, (800) 832-1191 or (707) 833-1199; open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; catalogue available.

Santa Rosa, Windsor, Forestville and Sebastapol:

Peter Rabbit’s Chocolate Factory, 2489 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa 95403, (800) 4-R-CANDY or (707) 575-7110; open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Martinelli Vineyards & Orchards, 3360 River Road, Windsor 95492, (800) 346-1627 or (707) 525-0570; open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; catalogue available.

Kozlowski Farms, 5566 Gravenstein Highway North (California 116), Forestville 95436, (800) 473-2767 or (707) 887-1587; open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; catalogue available.

Winter Creek Farm/Caswell Vineyards, 13207 Dupont Road, Sebastapol 95472, (800) 628-WINE or (707) 847-2517; open weekdays by appointment; weekends, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.