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ISSUE 32 • WINTER 2017
Santa Barbara
Celebrating the Local Food & Wine Culture of Santa Barbara County
The Fervor for Fermentation Year of the Rooster The Apiary L O YA L T O L O C A L
A legacy setting reimagined for modern living.
B Y C AL A TLANTIC H OMES
Prices, plans, and terms are effective on the date of publication and subject to change without notice. Square footage/acreage shown is only an estimate and actual square footage/ acreage will differ. Buyer should rely on his or her own evaluation of useable area. Depictions of homes or other features are artist conceptions. Hardscape, landscape, and other items shown may be decorator suggestions that are not included in the purchase price and availability may vary. CalAtlantic Group, Inc. California Real Estate License No. 01138346. A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION | 1
2 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA W E D D I N G G U I D E
Los Alamos Food & Wine Experience Located in Los Alamos Wine Country
Voted Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the US!
Open –Thurs: 12–7, Fri and Sat: 11–7 and Sun: 11– 6 388 Bell Street, Los Alamos, CA 93440 805.344.1900 CasaDumetzWines.com
Demeter Certified Biodynamic Rhone and Spanish Varietals
Visit Our Tasting Room on Alisos Canyon Road
Wednesday–Sunday 11–5pm » Monday/Tuesday by appt. only Picnic Areas » Horseshoe Pit » Bocce Ball Court » Dog Friendly
MartianVineyard.com
9110 Alisos Canyon Road, Los Alamos 805.344.1804
AT THE
LOS ALAMOS GENERAL STORE
458 Bell Street Los Alamos, CA losalamosgeneralstore.com #picolosalamos 805.344.1122
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 3
SAN YSIDRO RANCH SAN YSIDRO RANCH
More awards than any other hotel/resort in the United States. More awards than any other hotel/resort in the United States.
#1 Favorite Leisure Hotel Anywhere in the world ... Forbes #1 Favorite Leisure Hotel Anywhere in the world ... Forbes
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900 SAN YSIDRO805-565-1700 LANE, SANTA BARBARA, CA 805-565-1700
COAST VILLAGE ROAD AND HOT SPRINGS
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J A N U A R Y, F E B R U A R Y, M A R C H
STE VEN BROWN
STE VEN BROWN
winter
page 18
page 22
Departments 10 Food for Thought
24 Drinkable Landscape
by Krista Harris
Don’t Take Your Love For Pomegranate by George Yatchisin
12 Small Sips White Hot Chocolate
Japanese Green Tea
14 Small Bites How to Eat Paleo Hungry Documentary Film
17 In Season 18 Seasonal Recipes
6 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
ROSMINAH BROWN
38 Edible Santa Barbara Wedding Guide 70 Event Calendar
Lemon Ginger Hot Tonic Classic Gremolata Lime Cilantro Gremolata
72 Eat Drink Local Guide and Maps
22 Punch
Winter’s Don’t-Miss Drink by Liz Dodder
Then and Now by Krista Harris
page 12
26 Edible Garden Compost Tea by Joan S. Bolton
80 The Last Sip
“ REVOLUTIONS START FROM THE BOT TOM. “
Yvon Chouinard
founder + owner of Patagonia, Inc.
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this is KERNZA ® Kernza’s long root system thrives without pesticides, uses less water and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than annual grain. And it just so happens to make delicious beer.
We are on a mission to repair our food system through organic regenerative farming practices and encouraging others to do the same.
Find us at Whole Foods Market. To find your local store, and to check out the rest of our food,
visit patagoniaprovisions.com.
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J A N U A R Y, F E B R U A R Y, M A R C H
Features 30 Busy as Bees The Apiary Ciderworks and Meadery
page 69
by Leslie A. Westbrook
44 An Essay on Grapes
Recipes in This Issue
by Sonja Magdevski
Salads and Condiments
48 Year of the Rooster Celebrating Chinese New Year by Rosminah Brown
20 Classic Gremolata 20 Lime Cilantro Gremolata 54 Loh-hei Noodle Toss
56 The Fervor for Fermentation Local Chef Chris Rayman by Jennifer LeMay 64 Time for Tea
by Pascale Beale
Main Dishes and Snacks 67 Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches 67 Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
Desserts and Baked Goods 68 Earl Grey Tea-Infused Golden Raisin Scones 69 Lemon Verbena-Infused Pots de Crème
Beverages ABOUT THE COVER
An arrangement of pickled and fermented ingredients by Chef Chris Rayman of Mesa Verde. Photo by Fran Collin. Above: Preserved lemons.
8 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
23 Citrus Ginger Brunch Punch 18 Lemon Ginger Hot Tonic 25 The Walska Cocktail
ALLISON AIELLO
winter
Š 2016 Nestle Waters North America Inc.
Chefs take great pride in their sources. They are as carefully selected as the carrots, cucumbers and peppers they feature on their menus. Chefs know great meals begin at the source. In the vast Panna Estate, rich in natural beauty and situated in the heart of Tuscany, lies the source of the pleasingly balanced and refreshing Acqua Panna spring water. Acqua Panna boasts a unique smooth and velvety taste, giving it the rare ability to please all discerning palates. A Taste of Tuscany.
Naturally filtered over 30 years by the Italian Alps and bottled at the source in Bergamo, Italy, S.Pellegrino has been a key ingredient in exceptional meals since 1899. Chefs trust their sources. Chefs trust S.Pellegrino.
THE FINE DINING WATERS THE FINE DINING WATERS THE FINE DINING WATERS
For more visit: finedininglovers.com
THE FINE DINING WATERS
THE FINE DINING WATERS
THE FIN
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 9
THE FINE DINING WATERS
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
ALLISON AIELLO
A Sip for the Soul When I was 6 years old I had a very special babysitter who introduced me to tea. She was the grandmother of one of my classmates, and she lived near my elementary school. My mother would drop me off to her house early in the morning, and Mrs. Young (later I called her Dorothy) would look after me until it was time for me to walk to school. Our morning routine was to have tea and play a game of cards, while her cats and English sheepdog named Wendy looked on. She served Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea in the most elegant blue and white china teacups, and I sweetened mine with a teaspoon of sugar. It was a delightful way to start the day. I think I’ve loved tea ever since. I have gone through phases of drinking only herbal tea. I’ve tried many different techniques for brewing tea. I like tea with lemon and honey when I’m feeling under the weather. And I still love to drink a cup of black tea sweetened with a little sugar in the blue and white china teacup that Dorothy ended up giving me. This quarter I found myself thinking about tea when I read Pascale’s article, “Time for Tea.” There are many articles related to beverages in this issue—wine, mead, punch, cocktails, hot chocolate, tea and more. There is also an article about celebrating Chinese New Year and a profile of an innovative chef who uses many fermented foods. When the weather turns colder there is great comfort in a hot cup of something—sipped inside a cozy café on a rainy day or in front of a fireplace on a freezing night. A sip of something you remember from your childhood is perhaps the most comforting of all. For me it is tea. The steam coming off the cup, then the slightly tannic taste tempered by sweetness brings back memories of sitting at a round table with the sun shining across the playing cards and Dorothy’s infectious low chuckle of laughter. This winter I hope you take the time to walk through the farmers market filled with seasonal citrus and greens, maybe even some wild mushrooms if we get lucky with rain. And I hope you have many occasions to sip something that soothes your soul.
Krista Harris, Editor and Co-Publisher
Visit our website EdibleSantaBarbara.com Follow us on Facebook and Pinterest at Edible Santa Barbara and Twitter and Instagram at EdibleSB.
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SANTA BAR BAR A Member of Edible Communities
Edible Communities James Beard Foundation Publication of the Year (2011)
PUBLISHERS
Steven Brown & Krista Harris EDITOR
Krista Harris RECIPE EDITOR
Nancy Oster COPY EDITING & PROOFING
Doug Adrianson Julie Simpson DESIGNER
Steven Brown ADVERTISING & EVENTS
Katie Hershfelt SOCIAL MEDIA
Jill Johnson
Contributors Allison Aiello Pascale Beale Joan S. Bolton Rosminah Brown Sherrie Chavez Fran Collin Liz Dodder Erin Feinblatt Jennifer LeMay Sonja Magdevski Carole Topalian Leslie A. Westbrook George Yatchisin
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Advertising Inquiries ads@ediblesantabarbara.com Edible Santa Barbara® is published quarterly and distributed throughout Santa Barbara County. Subscription rate is $28 annually. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher. Publisher expressly disclaims all liability for any occurrence that may arise as a consequence of the use of any information or recipes. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us. Thank you.
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Small Sips
ROSMINAH BROWN
Delectable drinks for you to sip this winter
Japanese Green Tea
STE VEN BROWN
Mizuba Matcha Tea Company
White Hot Chocolate Lucky Llama
Cold mornings call for hot drinks. While we love a good dark hot chocolate, sometimes we’re in the mood for something lighter. So we were excited to find a delicious white hot chocolate at Lucky Llama Coffee House in Carpinteria. This casual indoor-outdoor coffee house has a cool local vibe and makes fantastic coffee drinks. Or when you are in the mood for something different try their light, creamy and sweet white hot chocolate. It is easy to drink—pairing well with pastries and muffins. White chocolate has the healthy benefits of cocoa butter, without the caffeine of dark chocolate. It can be a great alternative to those who have a sensitivity to dark chocolate, too. Lucky Llama is open 6am–6:30pm and is located at 5100 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria; 805 684-8811; @LuckyLlamaCoffee
— Krista Harris
12 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
When Santa Barbara native Lauren Danson accidentally got off the train at the wrong stop while traveling in Japan, she found herself in Uji, the center of matcha tea production. She met a tea farmer and tasted fine-quality matcha, recognizing that the flavors and variations in carefully grown and selected matcha were unlike the imported powdered green tea she’d previously known. The experience was life changing, and she formed the Mizuba Matcha Tea Company. Matcha is whole green tea leaves ground into a fine powder and consumed entirely, most often by dissolving in water. Matcha has been a part of Japanese tea ceremonies for over 800 years, and is now becoming a mainstream go-to beverage for its healthy qualities and versatility. Lauren works directly with an organic small-production, 100-year-old family farm in Japan, to offer Mizuba Matcha in several grades—a daily variety, an organic grade and a ceremonial-level quality with select green tea. While traditional preparation of the matcha using a chasen and chawan (bamboo whisk and ceramic bowl) is encouraged, matcha can be added to a morning smoothie, churned in ice cream or baked into bread. Mizuba Matcha is available at local retailers such as Lazy Acres, Kokutu Elixir Bar, Isla Vista Food Co-op and Isabella Gourmet Foods, as well as online at MizubaTea.com. Follow them @mizubamatcha on Instagram for recipes and inspiration.
— Rosminah Brown
VEGETARIAN GLUTEN-FREE MENU | SUGAR & FLOUR FREE BAKERY J U I C E & M AT C H A B A R | J U I C E C L E A N S E S
8 A M – 5 P M M O N – S AT | 8 A M – 2 P M S U N | 1 1 3 W E S T D E L A G U E R R A S T R E E T | 8 0 5 6 1 8 - 1 2 3 3 | G R E E N - TA B L E . C O M LinCt-FoleyVisitAdV4.pdf 1 1/19/2016 10:13:11 AM
DISCOVER THE DISTINCT FLAVORS OF THE STA. RITA HILLS BY VISITING LINCOURT VINEYARDS AND FOLEY ESTATES. Enjoy a picnic set amongst the vineyards at Lincourt, and one of our exclusive tours and tastings at Foley Estates.
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6121 East Hwy 246, Lompoc, CA 93436 805.737.6222 | Foleywines.com O P E N DA I LY 1 0 A M - 5 P M . EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 13
Small Bites To Read and watch this winter by Krista Harris
of Paleo is to “Be consistent not obsessed.” And throughout the book you get the sense that this is a way of eating that can be customized and adapted to each person’s needs. Cynthia has also included a section of recipes from a mixture of well-known chefs, food writers, foodies, friends and family. “Lynda’s Roast Veggies and Chicken” by Lynda Weinman is just the type of quick, easy dinner recipe that everyone is looking for. And Maureen Abood’s Lebanese “Househ & Eggs” is a fragrant mix of ground grass-fed beef sautéed with cinnamon and mixed with pine nuts and softly scrambled eggs. It might become your new favorite brunch or late night dish. Kudos also to illustrator Joya Rose Groves for the light-hearted but useful illustrations sprinkled throughout the book. How to Eat Paleo (When You Don’t Live in a Cave) by Cynthia Spivey is published by Smiling Water Group and is available at local bookstores and online. SmilingWaterGroup.com
How to Eat Paleo
(When You Don’t Live in a Cave) By Cynthia Spivey
Cynthia Spivey has written a practical, no-nonsense guide to a way of eating that is often misunderstood or confusing at best. She explains in the introduction that a Paleo diet has to fit today’s lifestyle. “We don’t live in caves, nor do we hunt and gather our own food, so Paleo is an interpretation of a Paleolithic lifestyle that no longer exists. It makes sense that there are many variables.” The questions that arose when she started adopting the Paleo lifestyle and the many hours of reading and research that she did became the basis for the book. In a simple question-and-answer form, Cynthia tackles the basics such as “What is nutrient-dense food?” and “Why eat Paleo” as well as the more esoteric “What is acid and alkaline balance?” and the entertaining “What is offal? (And is it awful?)” Perhaps one of the most refreshing points of the book is that the tone is non-judgemental. She writes that the number one rule
14 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
From Left: Chef Pink Delongpre and Courtney Rae Delongpre
Hungry Documentary Film Featuring Bacon & Brine
We are thrilled to see Chef Pink Delongpre and Courtney Rae Delongpre of Solvang’s Bacon & Brine highlighted in the Logo Documentary film Hungry. The film also features Chef Sarah Kirnon of Miss Olli’s in Oakland and Chef Dakota Weiss of Estrella and Sweetfin Poke in Los Angeles. The film explores the challenges faced by women in the restaurant industry and also includes interviews with Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken, Amanda Cohen and Marcus Samuelsson. Hungry can be seen on the Logo network; visit LogoTV.com for more info.
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in Season this winter Winter Produce
Year-Round Produce
Winter Seafood
Artichokes Avocados Basil Blood oranges Broccoli rabe (rapini) Brussels sprouts Cabbage Celery Celery root Chanterelle mushrooms Cherimoya Cilantro Citron Collards Dill Escarole Fava beans Fennel Grapefruit Green garlic Kiwi Kohlrabi Kumquats Limes Mustard greens Onions, green bunching Papayas Parsnips Pea greens Peas, snap Persimmon Pineapple guava Pomelos Radicchio Romanesco Rutabagas Sapote Strawberries Sunchokes Sweet potatoes Tangerines/Mandarins Tomatoes, hothouse Turnips
Almonds, almond butter
Halibut Mussels Ridgeback shrimp Rock fish Sardines Spiny lobster Spot prawns White seabass
(harvested Aug/Sept)
Apples Arugula Beans, dried Beets Bok choy Broccoli Carrots Cauliflower Chard Dandelion Dates
(harvested Sept/Oct)
Edible flowers Garlic
(harvested May/June)
Herbs
(Bay leaf, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme)
Kale Leeks Lemons Lettuce Mushrooms Onions, bulb
(harvested May/June)
Oranges Pistachios, pistachio oil (harvested Sept/Oct)
Potatoes Radishes Raisins
(harvested Sept/Oct)
Shallots Spinach Sprouts Squash, winter
Year-Round Seafood Abalone (farmed) Black cod Clams Oysters Rock crab Sanddabs Urchin
Other Year-Round Coffee (limited availability) Dairy
(Regional raw milk, artisanal goat- and cow-milk cheeses, butters, curds, yogurts and spreads)
Eggs Fresh flowers Honey Olives, olive oil Meat
(Beef, chicken, duck, goat, rabbit, pork)
Potted plants/herbs Preserves Wheat
(Wheat berries, wheat flour, bread, pasta and baked goods produced from wheat grown locally)
(harvested July/Oct)
Walnuts, walnut oil (harvested Sept/Oct)
Yams
(harvested Aug/Sept)
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 17
seasonal
Recipes by Krista Harris
Lemon Ginger Hot Tonic The combination of lemon, ginger and honey is a triedand-true mixture for a healing and warming drink. This is the simplest method. Feel free to improvise with different types of citrus or apple cider vinegar. You can also add herbs such as peppermint or spices such as turmeric or cayenne pepper. Makes 1 serving 1 mug-sized cup filtered water 1
â „ 2 lemon
1-inch piece ginger 1 teaspoon or more local, raw honey
Put the water into a small saucepan, squeeze the lemon into the water and drop the lemon half into the pan. Grate the ginger right into the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until hot but not boiling. Strain the mixture into a mug. Then stir in the honey, adding more to taste if you like.
18 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
Egg Salad Sandwich What to do with your beautiful onion-skin-dyed Easter eggs? First on the list must be a classic egg salad sandwich. You have many variations to choose from so you won’t get tired of them, even if you’ve made dozens of eggs. Makes 2 sandwiches 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon crème fraiche
FOXEN
®
Salt and pepper, to taste
V I N E Y A R D & W I N EAdditions: RY • A tablespoon of something crunchy, such as capers, chopped celery, chopped pickled vegetables, chopped radishes or chopped onion • A sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, cilantro, chervil or tarragon • A dash of something tangy, such as lemon or lime juice, or the pickled juice or caper brine if you used either of those or a dash of white wine vinegar Bread (sliced bread, baguette, bagel, roll, croissant or slider bun) Additional mayonnaise and/or mustard (optional) Additional pickled vegetables (optional) Lettuce
Wines of Elegance & Balance Since 1985
Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, seasoning and additions and mix until incorporated but with a still chunky texture. Taste and add more seasoning or additions if needed. Create an open-faced or closed sandwich using additional mayonnaise on each slice if you love mayonnaise—or just mustard, or neither. Pickled vegetables make a great topping as well, such as a couple stalks of Pacific Pickle Works Asparagusto.
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EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 19
seasonal
Recipes by Krista Harris
Classic Gremolata The classic Milanese gremolata is made with lemon, parsley and garlic and is a condiment that is usually paired with osso buco or other hearty meat dishes. But it’s far more versatile than just that. Try it as a garnish or topping for soups, roasted vegetables, seafood—anywhere you want a fresh, bright flavor. Since you only need the peel of the lemon, save the rest for juicing or perhaps for making a couple batches of the Lemon Ginger Hot Tonic. Makes approximately ¼ cup 1 clove garlic
Egg Salad Sandwich 1
⁄ 4 cup chopped parsley, stems removed
1 lemon What to do with your beautiful onion-skin-dyed Easter eggs? First on the list must be a classic egg salad sandwich. Peel have and mince garlic. Addtothe chopped parsley to the garlicget on You manythevariations choose from so you won’t your chopping a microplane or fineofgrater, tired of them, board. even ifUsing you’ve made dozens eggs.grate the
lemon rind over the garlic-parsley mixture and continue chopping Makes 2 sandwiches until everything is very finely minced and incorporated. 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
Add to a finished dish as a garnish or flavorful topping.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon crème fraiche Salt and pepper, to taste
Additions: Lime Cilantro
Gremolata
• A tablespoon of something crunchy, such as capers, chopped Here’s a simplepickled variation of thechopped Classic radishes Gremolata that celery, chopped vegetables, or chopped substitutes the citrus and herb components but leaves onion
garlic. It’sof achopped perfectfresh garnish forsuch Latin American •the A sprinkling herbs, as parsley, basil,or Southeast Asian–inspired cilantro, chervil or tarragon dishes. ¼ cupsuch as lemon or lime juice, or the •Makes A dashapproximately of something tangy, pickled juice or caper brine if you used either of those or a dash 1 clove garlic of white wine vinegar 1⁄ cup chopped cilantro, stems removed 4 Bread (sliced bread, baguette, bagel, roll, croissant or slider bun) 1 large or 2 small limes
Additional mayonnaise and/or mustard (optional) Additional pickled (optional) Peel and mince thevegetables garlic. Add the chopped cilantro to the garlic on Lettuce your chopping board. Using a microplane or fine grater, grate the lime rindthe overeggs, the garlic-cilantro mixture and Combine mayonnaise, seasoning and continue additionschopping and mix untilincorporated everything isbut verywith finely minced andtexture. incorporated. until a still chunky Taste and add more seasoning or dish additions if needed. Add to a finished as a garnish or flavorful topping. Create an open-faced or closed sandwich using additional mayonnaise on each slice if you love mayonnaise—or just mustard, or neither. Pickled vegetables make a great topping as well, such as a couple stalks of Pacific Pickle Works Asparagusto. — Krista Harris
20 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
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EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 21
Punch Then and Now
by Krista Harris
R
ecipes and our tastes have certainly changed over the years. I collect old cookbooks, but I don’t often cook from them. The recipes offer an interesting glimpse at what times were like but aren’t necessarily what I want to make with the seasonal produce I find at the market. For this issue’s Then and Now article, I’m focusing on something to drink rather than to eat. Cookbooks dated earlier than the 1950s often have pages and pages of recipes for punch. These are not alcoholic punches, they are the fruity concoctions that were typically served at parties before commercial sodas and powdered drink mixes became the norm. Some of my cookbooks have helpful advice, such as that punch is properly served from a punch bowl into small cups with handles, and any leftover punch can be frozen in ice cube trays to chill iced tea or other beverages. My copy of The Good Housekeeping Cook Book published by International Readers League in 1942 has many drink recipes with names like Harlequin Punch, Grape Rickey, Pineapple and Loganberry Flip and something called Gingeree. The Currant Ginger Punch is a good representation.
PUNCH THEN From The Good Housekeeping Cook Book
Currant Ginger Punch 2 cups currant jelly 11⁄ 2 quarts boiling water 2 cups canned pineapple juice 2 cups orange juice 1⁄ cup lemon juice 2 2 (12-ounce) bottles (3 cups) golden ginger ale Ice Combine the jelly and boiling water, and beat with an egg beater until jelly is dissolved. Add the pineapple, orange and lemon juices. Chill, and just before serving, add ginger ale and ice. Makes 4 quarts before adding ice.
My first thought was that mixing jelly with boiling water is unusual but probably a clever way to create a simple syrup. My next thought was, “Who has an egg beater these days?” And what is “golden” ginger ale? Clearly this is a good concept that is in need of updating. My version makes a smaller quantity, perfect for a brunch, but it is easy enough to double or triple it if you need punch for a crowd. I’ve been known to make large bowls of punch for office baby showers, and punch is great for wedding showers and birthday parties, too. If you don’t have a punch bowl, any large bowl will do, and it will look especially nice if it is glass. You can get fancy making ice rings embedded with frozen fruit or edible flowers or simply add ice cubes straight from the freezer.
22 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
ALLISON AIELLO
PUNCH NOW Citrus Ginger Brunch Punch This is the type of recipe that can be endlessly tinkered with and customized. Try using other types of fruit juices or add a fruit shrub. The hot ginger tea can be replaced with boiling water as in the original recipe and then use ginger ale instead of the sparkling water. “Golden” ginger ale used to be a popular term to indicate a stronger-flavored ginger ale. You can also substitute sparking wine for the sparkling water if you want to make it an adult punch. The punch can also be spiked with vodka, gin or choice of spirits. Makes 8 –16 servings 1 (8-ounce) jar of fruit jelly (try apple, pomegranate or currant) 3 cups hot ginger tea, sweetened with honey if desired 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled Juice of 1–2 lemons 16–24 or more ounces sparkling water, chilled Ice Slices of lemon, orange or lime for garnish (optional)
Whisk the jelly into the hot ginger tea until it is dissolved and combined. Cool and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. In a large bowl, combine the ginger tea mixture with the orange juice and lemon juice. Add the sparkling water to taste just before serving, along with crushed ice, ice cubes or a large ice ring. Garnish with citrus slices. Krista Harris is the editor and co-publisher of Edible Santa Barbara. One of her favorite things to do is to invent and reinvent recipes.
sweet. savory. brioche.
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DRINKABLE LANDSCAPE
Don’t Take Your Love
for Pomegrante by George Yatchisin
24 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
I
f you want to look for local Valentine’s Day inspiration, there’s no need to look further than Ganna Walska. The magnetic eccentric was so enamored with love that she got married six times, but it turns out her longest-lasting marriage was to 37 acres in Montecito, her beloved Lotusland. From her purchase of the estate in 1941 until her death in 1984, Walska developed a flora wonderland unlike anything in the world. Her genius included cacti and clamshells, bromeliads and a garden of blue. Her sense of wonder and theater is palpable as you head down every garden path. Hence, this is the Walska Cocktail in her honor. To drive the point home, you will garnish each glass with a small nasturtium leaf. It is nature’s secret carbon copy of a lotus leaf, but you no doubt have nasturtium growing wild as a weed in your yard. Enjoy it for its beauty and for its peppery kick. For, after all, what’s love without a bit of danger and risk? Just ask Ganna. This Valentine’s drink does its best to strike a balance between comfort and curiosity. To start, it’s red, but a red a tad faded, a bit going to brown. I mean, you have to work on love, you know. Let’s not idealize things. It’s also about as sweet a cocktail as I would want to drink, and I say that as someone who hasn’t had a hop that’s bittered me to boredom yet. My sweet tooth has a hair trigger. It helps that the syrup is such a special find— Cocktail & Sons creates truly artisanal products out of New Orleans — and it has the peppercorns eating away at the honeysuckle sweetness. The bottle suggests this syrup blends best with tequila and whiskey. I, ornery sort that I am, went in a different direction and opted for gin. I mean, how does honeysuckle and peppercorn not work with the usual botanicals that people add to juniper? It doesn’t hurt that we get to use Santa Barbara’s own Cutler’s Gin, complex with notes from elderflower, cardamom and local citrus —a gin that delights, never bruises. The real key to this drink, in so many ways, is the homemade grenadine. First, you need it to get the drink red. Second, you don’t want to buy pre-made. Most of that is high-fructose corn syrup and red dye and preservatives; even the “natural” versions are super-sugared. So, buy some unsweetened pomegranate juice and start there. Not every recipe says to reduce it, but forcing out more water content surely intensifies the flavor, so do that. And almost every recipe asks you to use too much sugar, sometimes at a 1-to-1 ratio. Grenadine isn’t simple syrup, folks. And if you want to keep this drink at the correct level of sweet, all you need to do is add ¼ cup of sugar to the 1 cup of reduced juice. Some splashes of lemon juice and orange flower water will up the acid a tad and add some complexity, so why not?
And homemade just shows you care—what Valentine wouldn’t be impressed by that? If you have never done a wash, it’s not just technical tomfoolery meant to separate the mixologists from the amateurs. Often a drink doesn’t need even a ¼-ounce shot of some ingredient; it needs merely a hint. Adding the tiniest splash to each glass and giving it a good swish about—roll it carefully up to the edge—can make some magic happen, especially with something as aromatic as Pernod (or absinthe, if you’re felling flush or really want to impress your date). Of course it’s fine to use the same splash from one glass to the next—this is how you keep Pernod for years. And that’s for all the years you and your loved one enjoy this drink scented with anise and hints of the Green Fairy that beguiled artists for ages. Do eat the nasturtium, too, as it gives the pepper one last push. It’s prettier than grinding pepper atop (we tried that in the test kitchen), and who doesn’t want to hide one’s punch a bit? Happy February 14th!
The Walska Cocktail Makes 2 cocktails 1 ounce Cocktail & Sons Honeysuckle & Peppercorns syrup 2 ounces lime juice 11 ⁄ 2 ounces homemade grenadine 5 ounces gin (Cutler’s recommended) Splash Pernod or absinthe 2 nasturtium leaves (each about the same size as a quarter) for garnish
In a cocktail shaker combine the Honeysuckle & Peppercorns syrup, lime juice, grenadine and gin. Add ice and shake well. Rinse 2 up glasses with a splash of Pernod. The goal is to just coat the glass—you don’t need a puddle of it in the bottom. Drain the shaker contents into the glasses. Add 1 nasturtium leaf garnish to each glass.
Grenadine 11 ⁄ 2 cups pomegranate juice (unsweetened) 1
⁄ 4 cup sugar
1
⁄ 4 teaspoon lemon juice
1
⁄ 4 teaspoon orange flower water
Over medium-high heat (a low boil) reduce the pomegranate juice to 1 cup. Add the sugar and then heat and stir until it dissolves. Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly and add the lemon juice and orange flower water. Let cool. Store in a jar in the refrigerator; it will remain good for weeks. George Yatchisin happily eats, drinks and writes in Santa Barbara. He blogs at GeorgeEats.com.
Uniquely Californian Ales & Lagers
TELEGRAPH BREWING CO. 418 N. Salsipuedes St. Santa Barbara, CA Tasting Room Open Six Days a Week - TelegraphBrewing.com EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 25
EDIBLE GARDEN
Compost Tea
Home Brew for the Garden by Joan S. Bolton
C
ompost is a well-known and powerful force in the garden. The decaying matter releases nutrients and encourages soil microorganisms to flourish. Some of those tiny critters burrow hither and yon, improving the tilth of the soil. Others attach themselves to roots, helping plants more efficiently absorb nutrients and moisture. However, making enough compost to fill a garden can be slow going. Without a large yard and multi-bin setup, it’s difficult for most gardeners to generate sufficient material to stock more than a few beds. Of course you could buy compost to supplement whatever you produce. Or you could stretch your homegrown supply substantially by brewing compost tea, which is a super concentration of all the beneficial microbes—bacteria, fungi and protozoa—that live in compost. Applying compost tea to soil and foliage in the garden will bulk up populations of the good guys and boost the vitality of your plants. 26 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
The Basics The mechanics of brewing an ordinary cup of tea are simple— crumbled leaves are steeped in hot water, or in a capped glass jar outside in the sun. Compost tea is brewed in water, too, although the process is more complicated. The quick version is that you’ll dunk some compost in water; add an inoculant; infuse oxygen into the mix to prompt those microscopic organisms that have been at work decomposing your garden and kitchen waste to multiply quickly; then spread the wealth in the garden.
Step-By-Step Compost tea kits abound on the internet, with prices ranging from less than a hundred dollars to several hundred. Components are also available at hardware stores, landscape supply houses and home improvement centers.
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EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 27
There are different schools of thought on what type of compost to use, depending on the plants you’re treating. A heartier bacterial component is said to be best for food crops, while a stronger fungal component may be better for woody plants and natives. Experts have all sorts of specialty recipes. But for new brewers, the best compost is one created from as many sources as possible, such as a combination of yard waste, kitchen waste and earthworm castings, rather than a single source, such as mushrooms. That way you’ll start with a broad diversity of microbes, rather than a few.
However you procure the pieces, a good starter setup includes a five-gallon food-grade bucket, an air pump, tubing, at least two air stones (one small and one large), a mesh bag, compost, an inoculant and vegetable oil. Start by connecting the pump, tubing and air stones. Fill the bucket with 3½ to 4 gallons of water. Unless you use purified water, dissipate any chlorine by placing the air stones in the bucket and running the pump for a few hours. Or let the water in the bucket sit for a few days. Fill the mesh bag (a paint strainer bag works well) with 1 to 2 cups of compost. Put the small air stone in the mesh bag and the large air stone in the bucket. Suspend the bag in the bucket, add the inoculant and a splash of vegetable oil, then turn on the pump. After about 8 hours, remove the mesh bag, toss the soggy compost into your garden and place the small air stone back in the bucket. Continue running the pump for a total of 24 to 36 hours.
How It Works The purpose of the air pump is twofold. It agitates the water to help the microbes bust loose of the compost; and it aerates the water to support rapid reproduction of the microbes, which require increasing quantities of oxygen to survive. Your pump must be powerful enough to truly agitate the water. The surface should look like it’s boiling. Air stones—traditionally used in aquariums—assist the air pump by generating zillions of bubbles that diffuse oxygen into the water. Putting the small air stone in the mesh bag at the outset provides extra force to jostle free the microbes. By about eight hours, that job is done.
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Opinions also abound on inoculants, which are what the burgeoning masses of microbes feed on. Something sugary, such as a tablespoon of molasses (that does not contain sulfur) will stimulate the bacteria. Pulverized oat and wheat bran have been found to stimulate fungi. Hydrolyzed or cold-pressed fish, seaweed extract and humic acid are other popular choices. A few drops of vegetable oil will reduce sudsing at the start. The scummy foam that forms later on is fine. Note: Avoid honey and olive oil, both of which are antimicrobial. Let the tea bubble and brew for at least 18 hours—24 to 36 hours is even better, yielding optimal populations. Check the brew occasionally to make sure that the liquid continues to “boil.” If the microbes don’t get enough oxygen they can turn anaerobic, which will spoil the batch.
In the Garden It’s important to use compost tea within a few hours: Once the pump—and with it, the oxygen supply—stop, the microbes begin to die. Be sure to have thoroughly irrigated the target plants first. If you pour compost tea on a bone-dry bed, the solution may not move through the soil properly. Dry foliage doesn’t respond as well, either. Dilute the tea with five parts water to one part tea. Drenching the ground around each plant will improve the soil structure as armies of microbes chew and poop their way through their new home. Other microbes will glom onto roots to improve the plants’ ability to more readily take up nutrients and water, leading to healthier growth and increased productivity. Spraying the foliage serves as a natural fungicide and helps protect against insect damage. Finish by disinfecting the air stones, tubing and bucket with full-strength hydrogen peroxide, which will break down completely by the time you’re ready to brew your next batch. Joan S. Bolton is a freelance writer, garden coach and garden designer who confesses to a lifelong love affair with plants. She and her husband, Tom, have filled their four-acre property in western Goleta with natives and other colorful, water-conserving plants. They also maintain avocado, citrus and fruit trees and grow vegetables and herbs year-round. SantaBarbaraGardens.com
“Brown’s dry humor and relatable approach to food science entertains and educates from curtain to curtain.” Broadway World Wed, Mar 15 / 8 PM Arlington Theatre Tickets start at $30 $19 UCSB students An Arlington facility fee will be added to each ticket price
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EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 29
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Busy as Bees The Apiary Ciderworks and Meadery by Leslie A. Westbrook P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y E R I N F E I N B L AT T
Honey wine, the “drink of the gods,” flows in a Carpinteria warehouseturned-production facility/tasting-room.
I
t’s a rainy Saturday night and, with the exception of a few outside lights glowing in the distance, things are pretty dark at the west end of Carpinteria Avenue’s industrial mixed-use zone. But duck inside The Apiary, and all is well. Bustling with a warm and friendly vibe, a hive of Millennials are chatting, sipping and grooving to some live music played on a funky, out-of-tune, honky-tonkstyle upright piano. I order a “Peach Better Have My Honey” cyser and a “Gaviota Spring 2016” mead for myself and a friend to pair with Vietnamese “to go” food we grabbed on the way over. Welcome to the land of mead, jun and cider—where you can B.Y.O.D. (bring your own dinner) and chillax with the brew “star” and his gal and their friends, and friends of friends, old and new. The offbeat location doesn’t stop crowds from “buzzing” on down to Nole Cossart and partner Rachna Hailey’s popular tasting room, open just three days a week. Discreetly tucked into Carpinteria’s “The Row” District, The Apiary Ciderworks and Meadery opened in May 2016 next door to brewLAB, a boutique brewery. Both tasting rooms/gathering spots often combine efforts on events that include pizza or taco trucks and music; Conscious Kombucha,
on the other side of The Apiary, is also a fermentation lab. In the next “block,” there’s a great wine store, Carpinteria Wine Co., which hosts monthly wine tastings; chocolate store Chocolats du CaliBressan; Rori’s Artisanal Creamery production facilities; and Mediterranee, a fine art and antiques showroom, making this a tasty, but quirky, destination. So how did The Apiary end up here? Nole, who admits he’s in a “weird corner” of Carpinteria, had been looking at spots in Santa Barbara, but rents were prohibitive. “We started coming to brewLAB and were inspired by their one-of-kind tiny, nano batches of beer using herbs,” said Nole, who would later come up with the idea for his own business. “It got my gears going when they told me they were open three to four days a week and getting enough business to make it viable and I thought, ‘Maybe we should have a tasting room?’” Six “dreamtime” months later, the space next door became available, and it seemed “serendipitous.” Nole asked the brewLAB boys if they minded him moving in next door and “They were cool with it.” Their “really good” relationship continues today. The transformed office space—a labor of love created by Nole and his dad, Kit Boise-Cossart, a fine artist and builder, who shows and sells his oil pastels here—was creatively imagined using locally salvaged and recycled materials. You won’t find a phone number on The Apiary website (although there is a rotary dial phone for pizza delivery orders above the piano). Maybe that’s because Nole could be in Iceland
Opposite: Nole Cossart and partner Rachna Hailey.
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or Australia or some other far-flung place as part of his duties as an ambassador and model for PrAna, the yoga/ sports/California lifestyle clothing line. Or maybe because he is pouring and turning people on to “jun” at a Carp Arts Center fundraiser. Or, more likely, because he and Rachna are busy gathering apples and herbs to use in their recipes and he needs to keep distractions at bay. The first and only time I had mead, prior to visiting The Apiary, was at the Renaissance Faire, way back in the last century, but the history of the honey wine goes back many millennia. There are references in Hindu hymns, ancient Greece and in the Old English epic poem Beowulf (Danish warriors drank mead). Mead was the heroic drink of choice in Insular Celtic and Germanic cultures. Mead has also played an important role in the beliefs and mythology of ancient times and inspired poems.
“We make lots and lots of tiny batches, to find out what works well. Our success rate has been higher than expected!”
Opposite and this page: Nole Cossart making jun at The Apiary with some help from his daughter Saeja.
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 33
34 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
In Norse mythology, mead crafted from the blood of the “wise being Kvasir” was said to turn the drinker into a poet or scholar. I sat down with Nole, 28, who usually sports his trademark backwards baseball cap, to ask him about his passion for mead and cider. A second-generation Californian, he grew up on Hollister Ranch so it’s no surprise that he is a surfer who stores a row of boards upstairs. “How do you make mead?” I asked. “It’s really simple: It’s just honey, water and yeast,” he said. But I realized there is much more to it as I looked into his laboratory, where he formulates tiny batches that he watches over like a protective parent. It took some time to obtain a wine license, and in the meantime the concept morphed into a tasting room with more than just mead when Nole met Rachna, a dancer with the Center for Aerial Arts, who brought something new to the table. Rachna had studied culinary arts and holistic nutrition at Bauman College in Berkeley, where she learned about herbology and the healing properties of native plants and species. She also grew up in a hippie family in Santa Barbara, and knew about using plants as medicine. “It’s really fun to be behind the counter together and tell our story and represent what we make together,” Rachna said, which also explains the dried herbs and flowers that not only flavor the brews, but also decorate the barn-meets-apothecary-style space.
A Trip to Italy , without the Jet Lag…
MEAD—From A to W From Acerglyn (mead made with honey and maple syrup) to Tej (Ethiopian wine) to White mead (a mead that is colored white with herbs, fruit or, sometimes, egg whites), there are many, many variations on the theme. There’s Red Mead made with red currants and Pietarrila made with tree bark. Rubamel incorporates raspberries. All this means limitless possibilities for the couple that could keep busy in their laboratory with new recipes and ingredients for the rest of their living days. Nole became aware of mead and tried one sold at Whole Foods but found it too sweet and high in alcohol—like a wine. “It was not to my taste,” said Nole, who had brewed kombucha in the past. Then a friend introduced him to jun, which he says is “like kombucha, only better.” Nole spent almost two years learning “how to make jun well,” with initial plans of bottling and selling it to stores with a partner. Jun, a probiotic-filled fermented tea made with green tea and honey, is always on tap.
It’s a Local Affair Nole and Rachna collect apples and herbs and flowers to flavor their meads, ciders and jun, handmade in tiny batches. The duo forage sage, mugwort, wild roses and lavender. They “plundered” an elderberry bush in their ’hood and scour the farmers market for lemons, oranges, lemon verbena, mint and basil. Burdock root, licorice and echinacea are special ordered.
Delighting Customers Since 2007 2014 Certificate of Excellence Winner from Trip Advisor Offering Gluten-Free Pasta Weekdays: Lunch 11am – 3pm; Dinner 5–9pm Weekends: Lunch 12– 3pm; Dinner 5– 9:30pm Closed Tuesday 666 Linden Ave., Downtown Carpinteria 805 684-0720 • Giannfrancos.com Follow us on Facebook at Giannfranco’s Trattoria
Opposite: Rachna Hailey with a selection of brews.
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 35
Above left to right: Michael Parrish, Graham Burwell and Annie Craton. Below: The Apiary’s comfortable atmosphere invites people to linger, and perhaps order pizza.
The fermented blends made of honey, apples and herbs from Santa Barbara farms, gardens and hillsides are served up in a flight of ever-changing flavors. Recent meads included Mosaic (made with Mosaic hops), Gaviota Spring (Gaviota honey) and Brochet (made with honey aged with vanilla and toasted oak). Once you find your favorite, a full goblet is in order, but it probably won’t be there the following month. When they run out, like they did of the healthy echinacea blend, a new plant or flower flavor—like roasted dandelion root and chicory— goes up on the chalkboard menu. Nole’s cider interest grew out of his initial interest in mead. They ran out of the Orange Blossom cider (made from Pacific Northwest tart apples, Valencia oranges and orange blossoms) the night I arrived. Most of the cider is made from apples that come from just up the road, grown at Casitas Valley Farm on Casitas Pass. “When my concept for The Apiary crystalized I wanted to have a big lineup for tasting, so we added cider. You can ferment anything! Doesn’t have to be a super sweet high alcohol thing—I wanted to make a proper alcohol out of honey and make it taste good,” Nole said. There are about a half a dozen commercial mead makers in California; and some 60 cider producers in the state, which is catching on because it’s gluten free. Beer or wine yeasts are used for fermentation in 15-gallon batches in 20 converted stainless steel beer kegs, which saved thousands of dollars. Still, it’s a game of test and taste. I have preferred some concoctions to others that are an acquired taste. “We want to grow our business to support small, responsible, local producers. Part of the luxury of being small right now is we can work with tiny farms and small-scale beekeepers who put their honey into Mason jars. We don’t have this huge demand for generic anything. We have a great network and relationship with our suppliers. We don’t want anonymous apples!” he laughed. Mead and cider flavors change according to the season. Every month in the lineup of nine flavors on tap, there is one with fruit, one that is bitter, something with hops and something that is single-origin— like 100% honey. Jun is always on tap. Flights are six generous 4.5-ounce pours. The goal is to have one single-variety cider and mead always on tap. Since they first opened, patrons have been growling about take-home growlers, which should be in place by the end of January. “This is our interpretation and what we want to drink,” Nole and Rachna agreed. “It’s a mirror of us.” Leslie A. Westbrook is an award-winning journalist and author. The third-generation Californian (on her Sicilian side) has written for national and regional publications for over 30 years. She loves papayas and lives in Carpinteria.
36 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
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edible
SANTA BARBAR A
Wedding Guide
MICHAEL + ANNA COSTA PHOTOGRAPHY
A planning guide to help you find the wedding resources you seek in Santa Barbara County.
The wedding of Rachel Greenspan (left) and Brendan Smith (right) at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos. Photos by Michael + Anna Costa Photography. Hair by LunaBella. Makeup by 805 Makeup. Dress by Alexandra Grecco of Lovely Bride. Rings and necklace by Corinne Simon Jewelry. Bouquet by Ella & Louie. Tuxedo by Bonobos. Rachel and Brendan’s choice of vendors is a reflection of their East Coast roots and desire to support local creatives in their new West Coast home. 38 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA W E D D I N G G U I D E
Presqui’le
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The wedding of Diane Murphy (left) and Laura Lindsey (right) at Bacara Resort and Spa. Photos by Willa Kveta Photography. Hair and makeup by LunaBella. Dresses were customized locally at Design Studio SB. Rings by Calla Gold Jewelry. Diane and Laura were able to fulfill their goal of using almost all local women-owned small businesses as their vendors.
REWIND PHOTOGRAPHY JOSH NEWTON PHOTOGRAPHY
SBMM is the premier all-inclusive waterfront and beach wedding venue with sweeping views of the ocean, harbor and Riviera. Inclusive of tables, chairs, dance floor and A/V and full-service catering packages available.
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A S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N | 39
At Lilac Pâtisserie, we believe that designing a wedding cake should be a unique experience for each couple. Over your choice of five samples of our cakes, we work with you to design the perfect cake for your special day.
Overlooking the endless greens of the River Course at Alisal and the beautiful Santa Ynez Mountains, Alisal River Terrace offers a setting that is second to none, with the same legendary hospitality and service as the Ranch.
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At S.Y. Kitchen, we marry our passion for food and handcrafted cocktails with our gracious, friendly and professional service to bring a distinct warmth and sophisticated flavor to your special day. Using age-old regional methods, Chef Luca Crestanelli and Mixologist Alberto Battaglini, of Verona, Italy, delight in curating food & drink that reflect each client’s unique personality.
S.Y. Kitchen 1110 Faraday St., Santa Ynez 805 691-9794 events@sykitchen.com SYKitchen.com
40 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA W E D D I N G G U I D E
A S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N | 41
Celebrate your Greatest Of All Times with GOAT Bubbles, artisanal méthode champenoise sparklers mastered locally.
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The Edible Santa Barbara Wedding Guide is a special advertising feature designed to showcase local businesses providing wedding services that allign with our mission. For additional details on these advertisers, visit EdibleSantaBarbara.com/weddings. To be considered for inclusion in our next edition, contact Katie Hershfelt at 805-722-5324 or Katie@ediblesantabarbara.com.
#LoyalToLocal
Planning Your Local Wedding Your Dream Team List Vendor Phone Email Pre-Wedding
Engagement Party______________________________________________________________________________________ Invitations_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Website_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Registry_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Planner________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bachelorette Party______________________________________________________________________________________ Bachelor Party__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Sonja Magdevski at Thompson Vineyard.
An Essay on Grapes by Sonja Magdevski P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S H E R R I E C H AV E Z
M
y year is measured in grapes. As I write this in the final days of October 2016, the last of my
tiny harvest (just shy of 20 tons) has just been picked off the vines from various Santa Barbara County vineyards. This moment marks both the end and the beginning in the infinite life cycle for a winemaker and grape grower. We prepare for it all year and yet are seemingly caught by surprise at the speed with which it arrives.
44 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
In some countries, the start of harvest is marked by a government decree for specific areas, with the goal of providing an equal footing to its growers within its borders. That would be impossible for Santa Barbara County as our diversity in grape varietals and winemaking styles is what sets us apart from other grape-growing regions. We grow more than 50 different types of grapes. I can’t even name that many. The beauty of making wine and enjoying wine with such multiplicity is to share its complexity and uniqueness with others based on the winemaker’s aesthetic. In such cases it wouldn’t be amiss to say you are drinking art by enjoying the expression of a place through the palette, and palate, of its creator. I have chosen to work exclusively with fruit from the Santa Barbara County appellation because the rainbow of options across its landscape has the range of texture and intensity of hue that I seek.
We are considered a cool climate region with an extended growing season. Cooler climates tend to allow gentler, consistent fruit maturity (as long as it is warm and sunny enough to ripen fruit, which we rarely have a problem with) while allowing varietal characteristics to shine. This isn’t a complicated idea—think about how comfortable you feel when you can acclimate to a temperature versus being thrown in a heat wave. Most years, we hardly have to turn the air conditioning on even though we can still wear bathing suits to the beach in our moderate Mediterranean climate. At the apex of harvest, everyone is exhausted—growers, pickers, vineyard managers, winemakers, truckers, enologists, cellar masters and all. Harvest is a dance. Everyone needs to feel a similar beat for it all to move smoothly. Patience and understanding go a long way. I know that when I am ready to pick, other winemakers are ready to pick, too, which means I may not get first choice for my harvest date.
Because of our consistent weather, a day or two here or there generally won’t make much of a difference. We are not like other areas where hailstorms, torrential rains and calamitous weather events can devastate the vines, though for us in 2016 wildfires were our nemesis, another sobering reality of our drought. When one fire ended others began, causing serious concern not only for our own health and safety but for the grapes as well. Intense smoke exposure for prolonged periods of time can lead to a condition known as smoke taint with the potential to ruin an entire crop. I also know that while I may be finished with picking fruit at the end of October, a good portion of the more than 200 wineries in our area were finished weeks earlier, and still others are only halfway through. Our Santa Barbara County harvest began at the end of July with fruit chosen for sparkling wine production. This year it will extend into November for laterripening varietals in cooler pockets as well as for late-harvest Above and right: Harvest at Kessler-Haak Vineyards.
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Production at LaFond Winery.
wine production. It is important to remember that harvest is not just about picking fruit. Think of it as another song on the playlist. Harvest marks fruit’s first transformative step into wine and also the vines’ initial step toward the new growing season. Once fruit is picked the vines are at their most vulnerable for nutrition. Growers will hardly have time to clean the mud off their boots before preparing their vineyards for another harvest that will also arrive too soon as they navigate the vines through winter dormancy, pruning, bud break, flowering, fruit set, veraison (the onset of ripening)… you get the idea. All the while winemakers are fermenting fruit in various vessels, pressing juice off skins, aging wine for different lengths of time, monitoring maturity, bottling and—the most difficult part of all—selling wine at home and abroad to spread the love of Santa Barbara County’s number one finished agricultural crop. Data from 2013 showed that the annual economic impact of Santa Barbara County’s wine industry was $1.7 billion, which is why I am surprised when several times a year someone asks me the relatively innocent question, “When is harvest?” Grapes generally vie for the number two or three spot after strawberries as the county’s highest-value commodity, according to Santa Barbara’s Agricultural Commissioner’s office. I know that farmers comprise only 2% of the American population, though here in Santa Barbara County we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by agriculture. We have direct access to where our food is grown and where our wine is made. Farms big and small dot our landscape and farmers markets selling local produce can be found almost every day of the week. Santa Barbara’s agricultural commodities grossed almost $1.5 trillion in 2015. I never thought I would write about wine, even though writing teachers always say to write what you know. Winemaking seemed too personal for me. Though after more than 10 years in the industry (following an extended history of writing about agriculture in graduate school) I had this itch to write what I know while exploring what I don’t know. That is when I pitched Edible Santa Barbara Editor Krista Harris on the American Viticultural Area (AVA) Series of Santa Barbara County Wine Country. 46 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
The first two installments have appeared in the previous summer and fall issues, about the Santa Maria Valley AVA and the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, respectively. The Sta. Rita Hills AVA will appear this upcoming spring. This entire project was formulated in December 2015 when a friend brought a vintage 1976 California Cabernet Sauvignon from Sanford & Benedict to a holiday gathering. The front label read, “Grown, Produced and Bottled at our Vineyard in the Coastal Hills of the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County.” The original retail sticker was still on the bottle: $7.00. This got my head spinning. Cabernet Sauvignon no longer grows at Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in what is now the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County. That area is now almost exclusively planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes that fare better in the cooler windswept environment. The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard was the first vineyard to be planted in what was then known as the Western Santa Ynez Valley and is considered by many winemakers who source fruit from this site to be one of the premier vineyards of their careers. Yet, these winemakers would never consider purchasing Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from these vines today. At that moment we were drinking history on a complexity of levels. This led me to wonder how many people in our county’s short grape-growing history truly understood the intricacy of our area and the pioneers who had forged the way for people like me to make wine and people like you to enjoy it. I like to say that my wines are grown, produced and bottled by real people in Santa Barbara County. I am simply one of hundreds of people with a tremendous need to create a valueadded product from raw material that has had immeasurable value added to it every step of the way, from the moment the vines are planted to its shared enjoyment, be it one year or 30 years later. A large majority of Santa Barbara County’s wineries are considered small, boutique, family operations of less than 3,000 cases. That may seem like a lot of boxes stacked up in the basement, though trust me, it isn’t much in the scheme of things. Big and small we are all here finding daily inspirations for the canvases lining our winery walls.
Last spring I had the joy of hosting staff from a local Santa Barbara restaurant for a vineyard tour and tasting. When they arrived that Sunday morning, most of them under the age of 30, they seemed tired and nonplussed by what they were about to experience. They stocked up on Gatorade and chips as if we were going on a 10-mile camp-out up Grass Mountain. Once we turned off the 101 and stepped into the vineyard they were surrounded on all sides by freshly sprouted vibrant green leaves brilliantly shimmering in the California sunshine. Their energy visibly lifted. Only a small handful of the 25 had been to a vineyard before. They all pulled out their cell phones and let dirt siphon through fingers. Before I started speaking about site, soil and varietal specifics I paused. “You live within 30 minutes of the most striking wine country in the world accessible to you on any level.” I emphasize with everyone I meet the tremendous opportunity available to our neighbors, near and far, to take advantage of such a beautiful educational experience. Wine is hardly about the alcohol. Wine is about hard work, dedication, perseverance and community. People come wine tasting as a reprieve from their daily rituals. To breathe the stunning landscape, connect with others, taste something exciting, learn something new and bring home history.
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EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 47
Year of the Rooster
Celebrating Chinese New Year Words and Photos by Rosminah Brown
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ring out your brooms to brush away the influence of the Yang Monkey, who brought clever but conniving and deceitful behavior into our lives. Clean your house, tidy up the cupboards and pay homage to the Kitchen God before he makes his yearly report on your household to the heavens. Out with the old, in with the new: It is time to make space for the Yin Fire Rooster, who brings good energy, triumph and success, but only as a result of hard work and patience throughout the year. January 28 is the dawn of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year has been celebrated for centuries and goes by many names, such as the Spring Festival, the
48 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
Lunar New Year, or the Farmer New Year. It follows the natural progression of seasons, harvests and moon cycles. And it serves many purposes: a time to welcome spring; to remember our ancestors and spirits who guide us; to reaffirm our strength with family and community as well as to restate our goals for prosperity, success and overall good fortune. The celebrations for Chinese New Year are steeped in symbolism. The New Year is an auspicious occasion, and our actions are meant to create favorable conditions throughout the year. If it’s possible to condense all these layers of complexity down to a few key concepts, it is this: Everything is connected, everything seeks balance, think positively to create positive results.
The seventh course is slow-braised pork.
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The Chinese New Year festivities span many days, making it the biggest and longest holiday in China, with similar celebrations in neighboring countries, and within strong Chinese communities throughout the world. Think of it as Thanksgiving, Christmas, the January 1 New Year and Easter combined. That is one supersized, extra-strength holiday. But before all the celebrations, there is a family meal on the eve of the New Year, a reunion dinner. This is the feast that embodies the overall values of the New Year celebration and the most important meal of the year. And this is my family’s feast that I would like to share with you. We are truly an American melting pot family. Our roots include Hong Kong Chinese and a mix of European ancestry by way of the Midwest. To add to the cross-cultural mélange, my parents have anthropology backgrounds in Southeast Asian studies. Their field work has brought influences of Borneo, Bali, Singapore and Taiwan, to name just a few. Furthermore, my grandmother, a Hong Kong gourmet who lived to eat and published several cookbooks on lavish Chinese feasts and festival food, is contrasted with my grandfather, a judicious conservative who ate to live and frowned on indulgence. It comes as no surprise that we follow traditions, but not too closely. We’ve adapted to our environment, the food we have available, the presentations we enjoy most. But the intention is still there. We eat as a family on New Year’s Eve, sharing a handful of auspicious courses in hopes they manifest throughout the year. There is plenty. If you’re lucky, we’ve invited you inside to share the meal. The house has already been cleaned, with new red greeting placards posted on doorways and windows. Put on some festive red clothing, it’s time to eat.
The Family Feast for the Year of the Energetic Rooster
While eight courses is considered lucky and plentiful, it is not required, especially if there are a smaller number of guests. Overall, have an even number of courses, as well as an even number of guests, so there is balance. The courses also follow a progression of balance. The first half of the feast will be the Yin—lighter and cooler dishes; the second half will be the Yang dishes—heavier and richer.
FIRST COURSE May you have greater fertility and children.
Assorted Light Nibbles Our first dish is light and cold, often fruit and vegetables like cucumber and jicama slices, melon seeds or pumpkin seeds and slices of hard-boiled eggs, perhaps tea eggs. Be sure to have an even number of them, of course. There can be a repeat of some of the treasures from the candy box. These are Yin items, with the fruit, seeds and eggs representing fertility and plenty.
As we enter the home of the eldest in the family (in this case my parents’ home), we exchange gifts of oranges or tangerines (or both), always in a pair. The Chinese word for oranges sounds like “wealth” while the word for tangerines sounds like “luck.” The yellow/orange hue of the citrus also represents gold, and the pair is the balance of Yin and Yang. With the exchange, we offer one another good luck and good wealth in the New Year. The fruit is set aside or added to an existing platter already full of “gold” from our garden’s trees.
The Eight Treasures A Chinese candy box welcomes guests at the table. We call them the Eight Treasures: taro chips, peanuts, candied ginger, sometimes the rummages of the cupboard. My mother cares more about the symbolic nature of “eight” items than what those items often consist of. Have fun with it! If there are enough people at the table, there will be eight courses served, as the number eight is considered lucky and the word for eight, pronounced “Ba,” sounds like “Fa,” the word for wealth or fortune. 50 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
SECOND COURSE May you grow your fortunes.
Loh-hei Noodle Toss This is a dish that is popular in Singapore, but my family has been inspired to make it part of our own tradition. Loh-hei means “promotion,” or rising up. My mother explains its origins best: “Your great-grandmother was very fond of a version
The second course is the Loh-hei noodle toss.
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of the tossed raw fish salad. Mindful of the risk of eating raw fish from polluted streams or raw vegetables from manure-fertilized soil, my father limited her indulgence to once a year. It was quite an exciting occasion for us kids to eat the treat at the Moon Festival. All day, Mother and Aunts washed the vegetables carefully, using lots of ginger on the sliced fish. In the evening, after the ritual dinner, we gathered on the rooftop to watch the moon rise and eat bowls of the salad. The crispy noodles and sweetand-sour dressing were our favorite. When your great-grandmother passed away, my father put a stop to this mode of celebration. “The next time I met the salad it had taken the name Loh-hei. We were in Singapore. The prescribed ritual goes like this: The host ceremonially presents the raw fish, and all the diners at the table stand up to greet it, their chopsticks poised. On cue, they fling the shredded ingredients into the air while shouting, “Loh-hei, loh-hei!” It is believed that the height of the toss reflects the height of the diner’s growth in fortunes. Thus all must toss and yell enthusiastically.” Once the dressing is poured into the scattering mounds that fall back onto the table, the salad is heaped back onto the platter, then scooped out into bowls for everyone to eat. Children enjoy this meal, but it is the adults who usually end up being most playful with the shouting and tossing of food.
or children. Or onions can be abundance from their layers and completeness for being round, snow peas are unity, while bean sprouts are positive starts to the new year. See what you can come up with when you walk down the aisles of the farmers market.
FOURTH COURSE May you have more wealth and gold.
Fried Tofu in Oyster Sauce This is a bridge to the meat courses. We slice the tofu into bitesize bars and fry them golden, signifying bars of gold. We can do this beforehand, keeping them cold until it is time to serve them, and quickly stir-fry them before plating with oyster sauce. After this course we move towards an over-all Yang theme to the meal, with slow-roasted stews and meats that normally grace the table on very special occasions. Rice is now finally available, should people wish for some. Although rice is an important part of Chinese food, it is also a staple because it is a filler and should not be necessary for a sumptuous feast. So, we acknowledge its role, but we do not dive straight into it in order to feel sated. Instead, just use the rice to soak up all the rich delicious juices left in your bowl.
THIRD COURSE May you have family harmony.
Vegetable Medley We keep this dish simple and fresh, opting for vegetables that are seasonally available as well as symbolically important. The mingling of vegetables is the harmony of your family, and the individual vegetables have their own meanings. So we include cabbage for many types and layers of prosperity, mushrooms for longevity, bamboo shoots for wealth and new starts. There is a lot of interpretation to the components, and it’s fine to be creative. Perhaps the market has a glut of healthy broccoli, use that. The broccoli florets can represent abundance 52 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
FIFTH COURSE Wishing togetherness of your family and prosperity.
Boiled Chicken (or roast duck)
We serve a chicken in a simple form, which is still sublime and delicious. Ideally, the bird retains its head, tail and feet, at least on the serving platter, although it is difficult to buy a chicken this way. But we prefer to eat the chicken already sliced and chopped into bite-size pieces, reassembled onto the platter and served at room temperature. So if we were able to acquire a whole chicken, its head, tail and feet would be included for completeness. If none of these parts, it’s OK. But if for some reason it is missing its head, tail or feet, do not serve one without the others. For a small family, or a feast with fewer courses, chicken is one of the key items prepared. Because any family, no matter the level of wealth, should be able to provide a chicken for a meal. And this year it is particularly auspicious to serve chicken, as it is the Year of the Rooster. As an alternative you could serve Chinese Roast Duck, symbolizing greater fertility (duck), or having a child soon (lettuce rolls). We find it best to procure one from a nearby city with dense Asian populations, like Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area. As it is already roasted, we reheat it in the oven to get the skin crispy, then serve it in slices and shreds of meat and crispy skin. Traditionally it is wrapped in thin riceflour pancakes with hoisin sauce and sliced green onions, but we prefer to use lettuce leaves, either romaine or butter, in place of the pancakes.
SIXTH COURSE May you have a surplus to invest and success to your business.
Whole Fish Serving a whole steamed fish is one of the most important parts of our feast. The word for fish sounds like the word for “surplus.” It’s about having plenty and investing in the future. The effort of serving a fresh fish is feast-worthy and honorable as well; it is the bounty of our ocean. The head and the tail is balance, it is a good beginning and a good end. There is no advantage to getting ahold of a fish earlier and storing it, or freezing it. Its eyes would not be clear, its flesh would have absorbed the aromas of other things lingering in the fridge or freezer. This dish is the dish we’ve fretted the most over. Come late January or early February, you can be sure that on the Saturday
before New Year’s Eve, there will be a line of Asian families at the fish market eagerly seeking a whole fish. I’ve been one of those frantic whole-fish seekers. I’ve begged and bartered them from fishing buddies. I’ve put the call out to friends who might be passing through Los Angeles to please stop into an Asian market, because I need a whole fish and these markets are prepared for people like me to come bursting in, “I need a whole fish!” The steamed fish is presented whole on a platter to the guests, a shared dish from which diners scoop away with a serving spoon or remove pieces with their chopsticks. Once the flesh is taken from the topside of the fish, it is critical that the fish is not flipped over, for the fish also represents a fisherman’s boat, and livelihood, and to turn over the fish invites misfortune should the fishing boat also turn over. No, the bones are carefully pushed to the side to reveal the underside of the steamed fish. Finally, there should be some left over, to be saved and eaten the following day. It is your surplus, your savings for a future meal, even if a token one.
SEVENTH COURSE May you and your family have strength, wealth and abundant blessings.
Slow-Braised Pork This has become one of the crowning glories to the family feast. It is a rich and heady dish of tender, succulent pork with glistening fat and thick sauce to be soaked up with rice. We take a large hock piece, as it is round to represent completeness and togetherness, and braise it in a CrockPot for hours in a slow-simmering stew of daikon radish, soy sauce, rice wine, star anise and ginger. Overnight, ideally, but at least three to four hours, until the meat threatens to fall off the bone yet is still intact. The CrockPot is brought straight to the table with the round of pork presented under a lightly dressed bed of cilantro but generally untouched lest the juicy pork fall apart. Everyone digs in, and the meat comes away in thick shreds. The rich EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 53
gravy is not to be missed; this is where you need some rice to soak up those juices in the bowl. I don’t know how we managed to eat all this; we are bursting at this point. And there’s still one more course! Thankfully, we make this one easy…
EIGHTH COURSE For continued wealth and prosperity.
Orange Slices A more traditional Chinese New Year feast has sweet, glutinous rice cakes, but we have slices of oranges, which is a common way to finish any meal. In Santa Barbara, we have such delicious oranges that reach a peak in sweetness and flavor this time of year. The farmers market is full of heavy bags of them, and we pull the most perfect, round and brightly orange-hued ones from our tree to symbolize gold and wealth, and completeness. We slice as many as people can eat, and although everyone is very full, there is always room to eat a couple slices.
Gong Hey Fat Choy! May you have happiness and wealth! Now that the meal is over, the host provides a parting gift—pairs of tangerines to complete the circle: At the beginning, the guests brought their own for the host. The elders also hand out red envelopes, or lucky money, to children who put them under their pillows for the night and open them on New Year’s Day. Other ways to celebrate the New Year include spring cleaning, tilling the garden, planting new seeds. For many of the Chinese were traditionally farmers, and this was their break from the fields to prepare for the springtime. Add the intention, the mindfulness and meaning in these small rituals, acknowledge your farmers and spend time with your family. Listen for a neighborhood rooster crow at dawn; he represents commitment, loyalty and punctuality by waking you up on time! When you buy an orange from the market stall or pick one from your tree to give to a friend, pick two, and wish them a happy new year.
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Recipe
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Loh-hei Noodle Toss This raw salad is reminiscent of popular poke, using raw fish and a dressing of sesame oil and rice vinegar. It is sweet, sour, chewy and crunchy all at once. It is initially brought to the table unassembled, and the diners stand up as it is set down. When the host begins pouring over the dressing, the diners use their chopsticks to scoop and toss the salad together, shouting, “Loh-hei! Loh-hei!” The higher the toss, the higher one’s fortunes will be in the new year. Inevitably, there will be a lot of laughter and delight in throwing about the salad, as well as a bit of a mess. Makes 6–8 servings 1 pound smoked salmon or sashimi-grade raw salmon, sliced thinly Shred any or all of the following items: Lettuce, iceberg or romaine, Cucumber, Green onions Carrot, Pickled ginger, Chiles, Pomelo, Orange Choose a variety of fried crunchy items such as: Shrimp crackers, Rice or mung bean noodles (fried crisp) Peanuts, Sesame seeds FOR THE DRESSING 4 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon thin soy sauce 1 teaspoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1
⁄ 2 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 tablespoons rice vinegar Shredded fresh ginger
Place salad ingredients in separate piles on a large platter, alternating the fresh items with the fried ones so they don’t intermingle, or in some colorful combination. In a pouring jug, whisk together the dressing. Lay out an extra table covering for this course, as it will get messy, and set the platter of ingredients on it. Conduct the Loh-hei celebration! Once assembled, pile the salad back onto the platter to serve it out into bowls. Remove the extra table cover at the end, when there’s no chance of any wayward salad bits flying in the air.
More recipes for a Chinese New Year Feast can be found at EdibleSantaBarbara.com. Rosminah Brown is a Santa Barbara native who types fast and eats slow. She once jumped in the Neptune Pool at Hearst’s Castle. She is still upset that JR’s BBQ closed. She is always seeking a perfect, singular, exquisite bite of food.
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The Fervor for Fermentation Local Chef Christopher Rayman is at the Forefront of this Culinary Trend by Jennifer LeMay PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRAN COLLIN
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hef Christopher Rayman speaks with a low-key intensity as he shares his thoughts about food, sourcing, recipe creation and the art of fermentation. He’s a quiet, almost shy speaker, but it’s clear that he cares deeply about serving food that is both exciting and good for you. This vision is integral to his role as chef de cuisine at Mesa Verde, a modern, plantbased restaurant located on the Mesa in Santa Barbara. When Chef Rayman came to Mesa Verde, he brought a rich background of restaurant experience, having worked in locales across the country— New York, Boston, Oklahoma, Utah, Los Angeles and in Montecito as a private chef. He joined the Mesa Verde team in 2015 to work alongside Executive Chef Greg Arnold, creating recipes inspired by cuisine from the Mediterranean Chef Chris Rayman and Middle East—Southern France, Greece, Morocco, Egypt and Sicily—using plant-based ingredients that are often organic and locally sourced. But what quickly made many of the dishes at Mesa Verde stand out were their fermented or pickled ingredients: cashew and macadamia cheeses (for the cheese board, pizzas and cheesecake), pickled vegetables, chili sauces and yogurt. I had the good fortune of attending two supper club dinners at Mesa Verde, and I still dream about the cashew cheesecake. That is what led me to seek an interview with Chef Rayman. I start off by asking him “why fermented foods?” He points out that ferments often impart zingy or umami flavors that make dishes unique. 56 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
“We strive to offer delicious, creative food that cannot be found elsewhere—the kind that people want when they go out to eat,” he says. By taking the time to experiment, he and his team can discover unique flavor combinations that come to define their most popular menu items. Theirs is not always food you could hope to re-create at home—at least not without spending a lot of time. Flavor aside, fermenting is also useful because it allows a chef to purchase an ingredient in larger quantities and not waste any of it. After all, fermentation came into being as a way to preserve food before the days of canning and refrigeration, along with salting and drying. All cultures throughout the world can claim a heritage of fermented foods, and those foods are often ones people are most passionate about. While ferments may have held a special place in traditional cuisine, in the last several decades they lost ground in the modern diet to foods that were less nutritious and often highly processed. More recently, the pendulum has swung back, and many recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of eating fermented foods. Our bodies depend upon a community of certain bacteria and yeasts, a fact that is often at odds with our “anti-bacterial” culture. Re-introducing fermented foods, especially vegetablebased ones, has been linked to better overall health by way of a healthier gut. Not everyone’s favorite topic of conversation, but cultivating a healthy gut is getting a lot of attention, as more scientific evidence of its importance comes to light.
Vegetables and cashew cheese in the smoker.
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This recent health trend certainly doesn’t hurt the popularity of Mesa Verde’s menu items that feature fermented foods and the house-made kombucha tea, which has an almost cult following. Chef Rayman’s focus on fermented and nutritious fare goes back to his days as co-owner of SproutCraft Café in 2008 in New York City. He and his business partner started the café as a model sustainable restaurant, bringing healthy food to the lunch crowd in the form of creative and delicious wraps, salads, stir-fries and smoothies. They made a lot of their own cultured foods, such as kimchi, kombucha tea and kefir. His inspiration also came from books by Sandor Katz, who wrote The Art of Fermentation, and Ann Wigmore, a renowned health advocate. “Once I started being conscious of my own health and diet, and had been working in restaurants for a while, I knew I wanted to serve food that was good for people,” says Chef Rayman. He makes a point of stressing the value of first learning classic culinary fundamentals, which he acquired over many years working in the kitchens of upscale restaurants. This crucial base allows him to create recipes that are rooted in traditional approaches to flavor profiles, while taking them to new places. For instance, papaya, which you can now find locally at the farmers market, is great in savory dishes for harmonizing flavors. It is also delicious grilled, as it was in our second course at a supper club dinner, along with delightful butternut cannelloni topped with ricotta, pistachio pesto and caramelized leeks. Inspired by local, seasonal produce, Chef Rayman likes to experiment—creating ferments from fresh ingredients gathered on his excursions to the farmers market or directly from local sources such as Earthtrine Farm. Last fall, a case of burdock root became a fermented burdock and daikon root mix with garlic purée and macadamia butter. It was a deliciously creamy slaw-like condiment with a deep, earthy flavor, perfect for topping crackers. After interviewing Chef Rayman I returned to Mesa Verde, now dreaming of even more than just the cashew cheesecake. And I couldn’t help but reflect upon the meticulous process involved in preparing many of the ingredients, especially the cashew and macadamia nut cheeses. Chef Rayman explained that the cashew is a very versatile nut and used for various styles of cheese. I asked him to explain how he makes his incredibly flavorful cashew cheese. Some chefs would guard that secret with their lives, but Chef Rayman graciously shared his technique. He starts by soaking the cashews in water for several hours, then blending them into a rich cream. Lactobacillus cultures are added, and the mixture sits overnight to begin the souring process. After fermenting for a bit, the cheese is salted and flavored before being set into ring forms. Flavors include smoked mushroom, eggplant and black garlic. Covered with cheesecloth, the rounds are aged for a few days in a wine cellar that closely mimics a cave environment. 58 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
An array of pickled, fermented and other ingredients that Chef Rayman uses in his dishes.
Cheese varieties include cheddar, ricotta styles and bloomyrind brie. For the flatbread pizzas, the cheese is a fresh style, similar in texture to cream cheese. The same goes for the base for the cheesecake, which changes seasonally—strawberry for late spring/summer and pumpkin in the fall. A vegan and gluten-free dessert, it’s made with a tender and tasty almond crust. Fermenting kombucha tea is less labor intensive than making cheese, but a chef ’s experience and ability to make adjustments, fine-tuning throughout the process, make a big difference in the final product. Even weather conditions need to be taken into account, as the tea is made in an outdoor cabinet and can take a week or two longer to ferment during the winter months. Fruit varieties include apple, ginger, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry and peach, while herbal varieties include hibiscusrose, mandarin-cinnamon and honey-lavender. Turmeric is also used. Rose-hibiscus is a favorite for its strong, sour flavor and mouth-tingling, champagne-like taste.
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 59
Above: Beet “bacon.” Right: A mixture of ingredients for a cheese plate.
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Left: Preserved lemons. Above: Cashew cheese on a cracker with fig preserves. Below: An artistic arrangement of cheesecake.
But it’s not just about cashew cheese and kombucha. Pickled chili, black garlic, tomatillo and jalapeño sauces, radishes, turnips, shallots, cabbage and carrots—these and other ingredients subtly transform many Mesa Verde dishes, adding a satisfying zing to tacos, empanadas and the mushroom umami veggie burger. A simple but effective homemade smoker sits out back of the restaurant, ready to transform flavors in cheeses, mushrooms, cauliflower, eggplant and other vegetables. Some of these smoked ingredients are then grilled. Many dishes also feature interesting spices such as sumac, which adds a tangy lemon flavor, not overly tart, often used in Middle Eastern dishes. But like many people, I keep coming back to the fermented foods on the menu at Mesa Verde. Chef Rayman has combined amazing flavor with food that looks beautiful and isn’t a guilty pleasure— but in fact a healthy one. I think I’ve finally discovered a place where I can have my cheesecake and eat it, too. Jennifer LeMay is a designer, writer and artist who loves great local food and our bountiful farmers market. She has contributed to Edible Santa Barbara since 2010. JLeMay.com
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www.PlowToPorch.com EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 63
Time for Tea by Pascale Beale
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLISON AIELLO
“Tea is the elixir of life.” —Myoan Eisai, Kissa Yojoki (How to Stay Healthy by Drinking Tea)
I
t was a frigid weekend morning. A low-hanging grey sky spat sleet out over London. I waited anxiously for my brother. He was running late, and I was concerned about the driving conditions. This was long before the advent of cell phones, and I had no way to reach him. An hour later I heard him tromp up the stairs of our house. He walked into the kitchen and looked glum. “What happened? Are you all right?” I asked. “No, I’m not. I smashed the car on an on-ramp near the M-1. There was black ice and it just slid out.” Well, maybe he wasn’t quite as polite as that. “The police showed up and asked if I was OK. Then the copper said, ‘Be careful how you go, mate, and when you get home, have a strong cup of tea—you’ll feel better.’” My brother looked at me and added, “I wanted to tell him what he could do with his bl**dy cup of tea!” “Well at least you’re in one piece, and the damage is not terrible,” I said as I put the kettle on. He was muttering away to himself about the cost of repairs. I made a strong cup of sweet tea and handed it to him. He took the mug with a resigned look on his face, sat down and drank. “I don’t believe it!” he said after a few minutes. “What?” I said. “The copper was right,” he said, looking at his now-empty cup. “I feel better!” Ah, the restorative power of a good strong cup of char (tea in British slang). Any Englishman or woman will tell you all about the wonders of a cup of tea. It is part and parcel of the very fabric of British society. For over 350 years the British have been one of the world’s largest consumers of tea. If there is a national drink, tea is it. The Brits consume an average of 165 million cups a day. I grew up on tea, more often than not a cup before school, a mug as soon as I got home and more as I plowed through hours of homework. I was not alone. Tea fueled the country. It still does.
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Napoleon supposedly said that “an army marches on its stomach.” In Britain, it would be true to say that the country functions on tea. At no time was this more evident than during World War II. In 1942, facing huge logistical supply issues, the British government took the extraordinary step of buying all the available tea in the world to keep its citizens fortified. Why? Because tea, as that wise policeman who helped my brother knew only too well, is warm and comforting. It’s restorative and gives you a pick-me-up.
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” —Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady Henry James knew a thing or two about the pleasure of tea. In fact, English and American literature is filled with drawing room scenes littered with tea cups. You cannot read a Jane Austen novel without reading about tea. Dickens’ characters partake of it on a regular basis, and the marvelous Oscar Wilde sets much of his well-known play The Importance of Being Earnest around the rituals of this warm beverage. And the rituals are nowhere more important than for afternoon tea. My earliest memory of this ritual was not in England but in France, at my grandmother’s house. She regularly played bridge with a group of friends. When it was her turn to host the group, she would prepare light refreshments to be served during a pause in the serious game at hand. She kept her tea in an exoticlooking black and red tea caddie, illustrated with Japanese ladies and tea plants. She made her tea in an elegant porcelain pot that had an insulated stainless-steel cover, which kept the tea deliciously warm.
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Once brewed, she served the tea in gossamer-thin Japanese lithophane porcelain cups, so thin that when held up to the light, the delicately carved features of an elegant Japanese woman appeared in the bottom of the cup. Those cups were magical to me. They were refined and ladylike, a reflection of everything my grandmother epitomized. She served her tea with thinly cut slices of lemon and tiny cubed sugar. No milk; that was for those strange people across the English Channel! The question of adding milk to one’s tea can be a vexing one. I have discovered that people have very strong opinions when it comes to this. I believe the general rule of thumb to be that no milk should be added to pale, light leaves such as white, green and oolong teas, which have delicate flavors. A little milk is fine with strong black teas such as Assams, however other black teas such as a Darjeeling (often called the Champagne of teas) should be drunk without. In the end, it comes down to a matter of personal preference—just beware of foisting that preference on anyone else. Judging by my own family’s divergent views on the art of brewing tea I thought a visit to the experts in the field might help clarify matters. Last summer my son (a self-proclaimed tea addict) and I were fortunate enough to visit the venerable Mariage Frères tea house in Paris. Founded in 1854 by two brothers, the company trades in the world’s finest teas. They have several exquisite shops and tearooms in Paris, where their staff will instruct you on the “correct” way to brew and consume your tea of choice. The shops are all lined with floor-to-ceiling wooden cases filled with sophisticated black, gold-stenciled tea caddies. It can be daunting to walk into such a white-glove emporium, facing a rather severe-looking, bespectacled, impeccably dressed, apron-clad tea master. But my son, after a moment’s hesitation, strolled in and started asking questions and opening tins. Each tea came with a recommendation as to how long it should brew. Three minutes for this one, five for that. When you have tea in their tearooms, we were told, they brew the tea for you in one pot to precise timing charts, then strain it into another warmed pot from which they serve the tea, thereby preventing the tea from steeping too long and becoming bitter. It quickly became evident that, for the most part, adding any milk to their tea was frowned upon. Perhaps we would glean more information on the addition of milk from the tea drinkers across the channel in London? There, on a sunny afternoon, we visited one of the capital’s oldest tea houses, Fortnum and Mason’s. After a lively discussion with the equally elegantly clad staff it became evident that in England, putting milk into one’s tea is not a faux pas. There is even a video on their website showing you exactly what to do and offers a recipe for brewing the perfect pot of tea. Whether you add the milk to the cup before or after you pour the tea in is another hotly debated topic, which I won’t delve into here. At 4 o’clock we adjourned for sustenance—a cup of tea, some scones and tea biscuits. We were chatting away (my son 66 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
and I) when I absent-mindedly dunked my digestive biscuit into my tea. My son was aghast. “What are you doing?” he asked. “That looks disgusting!” Apparently, there were still some matters of tea etiquette on which we didn’t see eye to eye. I tried to explain that the biscuit tasted better as it soaked up a little tea. He was completely unmoved by my entreaties. I could have summoned up the writings of Marcel Proust, who waxed lyrical in A Remembrance of Things Past about those famous madeleines: “No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me… The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it. And all from my cup of tea.” Unfortunately, my son was and remains unconvinced. We came back to California as the mercury edged past 90°. Drinking hot tea in these circumstances did not sound appealing. Iced tea did. On a balmy Saturday morning, strolling through the farmers market, I spied some fresh lemon verbena. Of all the herbal teas I drank growing up, verbena was one of my favorites. I brought some home, took some leaves and placed them in a pot, poured hot water over them and let them steep for a few minutes, then strained and refrigerated it. Drinking the cooled fragrant herbal infusion was calming and soothing. I realized that other herbal teas achieved the same sensation and pondered over the fact that both the black and herbal teas gave me peace of mind. I found a beautiful quote in Kakuz Okakura’s The Book of Tea that encapsulated my feelings: “In the liquid amber within the ivory porcelain, the initiated may touch the sweet reticence of Confucius, the piquancy of Laotse, and the ethereal aroma of Sakyamuni himself.” I offered some of the cooled herb tea to my son. He declined, and put the kettle on. I smiled when I looked at him. He was sporting a T-shirt that read “Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you tea, which is basically the same thing!” Indeed, it is —herbal, iced or not. These are a few of my favorite tea-time recipes.
RECIPES Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches
Makes 16 triangular sandwiches
Makes 8 triangular sandwiches
8 slices whole-wheat bread
8 slices white bread
Lightly salted butter, softened
Butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese
4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
8 slices smoked salmon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 lemon
1 bunch cress, chopped
Pepper
Sea salt and pepper
Lightly butter 4 slices of bread.
Lightly butter all the slices of bread.
In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and dill until you have a smooth paste. Spread a quarter of the mixture onto each of the remaining 4 slices of bread. Place 2 slices of smoked salmon on each slice of bread.
Place the hard-boiled eggs, chives and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the ingredients together, adding a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Spoon the egg mixture over 4 of the 8 slices, and top with the chopped cress. Cover with the remaining bread slices and then cut on the diagonal. Trim the edges before serving.
Squeeze a little lemon juice over the salmon and then add a little pepper. Cover the salmon with the buttered slices of bread and then cut each sandwich diagonally, creating 4 small triangular sandwiches.
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Earl Grey Tea-Infused Golden Raisin Scones
Place the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Makes 12–18 scones
Strain the raisins and discard the tea.
1
⁄ 2 cup golden raisins
1 cup brewed Earl Grey tea 4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1
⁄ 3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt 6 ounces butter (1½ sticks), cut into small cubes
Pour the milk and add the raisins into the food processor and pulse for about 4–6 seconds. The dough will have only just come together or be in clumps. It will also be slightly sticky. Remove the dough from the food processor and place it on a lightly floured surface. Gently gather the dough together and shape it into a 1-inch-high disk. Use a round fluted cookie cutter to cut into 2½-inch rounds. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops of the scones with a little milk.
12 ⁄ 3 cups milk, plus additional milk for brushing top of scones
Bake the scones for 15–17 minutes. The tops should be a golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Preheat oven to 450°.
This is scrumptious served with crème fraiche and apricot preserves or with butter and honey. Don’t forget your favorite cup of tea.
Place the raisins in a small bowl and soak in the Earl Grey tea for 15 minutes.
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Lemon Verbena-Infused Pots de Crème Many years ago in an Australian magazine I came across a recipe by Philip Johnson for lemon creams that was so simple and quick to make. It resembled more of a lemon posset than a classic pot de crème, but I loved the fact that there were no eggs and no baking. Over the years I have made countless adaptations of this dessert by adding assorted fruit and flavors. In this one, the crème is perfumed with lemon verbena. It’s fragrant, rich and sensuous. Makes 8 servings 21 ⁄ 2 cups cream, do not use ultra-pasteurized, which will cause the pots de crème to separate
F R I E N D S • F L O W E R S • F A M I LY • F O O D • F U N
Enjoy Winter at the
5 ounces ( 2 ⁄ 3 cup) sugar 5–6 lemon verbena leaves 1
⁄ 3 cup lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
Pour the cream, sugar and lemon verbena leaves into a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then immediately remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir to combine well. The cream will begin to thicken. Remove the lemon verbena leaves from the cream.
7 Markets • 6 Days a Week Rain or Shine
Fill 8 small glasses or ramekins with the cream and refrigerate for 2 hours. This is lovely served with shortbread or a tuile cookie.
What’s in your basket this week?
Unusual Facts About Tea British soldiers were given unlimited cups of tea to bolster their spirits. After realizing that their tank crews endangered themselves each time they stopped and had to exit the vehicles to brew up some tea—thereby exposing themselves to possible enemy fire—all British tanks made since 1945 come with a built-in kettle, known as a BV (boiling vessel). This allows crews to stay safe while they put the kettle on. Tea bags were invented in America in the early 1800s. They were originally used to hold samples of teas brought from India. Today, 96% of all tea served around the world is made using tea bags. After water, tea is the most-consumed drink in the world. What is known as black tea in America and Britain is known as red tea in China. Iced tea was popularized at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis by American tea merchant Richard Blechynden. Today 85% of all tea drunk in the United States is iced.
S AT U R D AY S
S U N D AY S
Downtown Santa Barbara
Camino Real Marketplace
Corner of Santa Barbara & Cota Street 8:30am – 1:00pm
In Goleta at Storke & Hollister 10:00am – 2:00pm
T U E S D AY S
Solvang Village
Old Town Santa Barbara 500 & 600 Blocks of State Street 3:00pm – 6:30pm
W E D N E S D AY S
Copenhagen Drive & 1st Street 2:30pm – 6:00pm F R I D AY S
T H U R S D AY S
Camino Real Marketplace In Goleta at Storke & Hollister 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Montecito 100 & 1200 Block of Coast Village Road 8:00am – 11:15am
Carpinteria 800 Block of Linden Avenue 3:00pm – 6:00pm facebook.com/SBFarmersMarket
Pascale Beale grew up in England and France surrounded by a family that has always been passionate about food, wine and the arts. She was taught to cook by her French mother and grandmother. She is the author of The Menu for All Seasons and Salade. Visit her website and blog: The Market Table at PascalesKitchen.com.
www.sbfarmersmarket.org (805) 962-5354
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 69
WW IN I NTTEERR EED DII B L EE EEVVEENNTTS S F R I D AY
T H U R S D AY
JANUARY
JANUARY
JANUARY
Wine Tasting Winter Pass
Julia Child Winter Cuisine
Taste of Santa Barbara Walking Tour
1–31
J A NU A RY
Pass holders receive one wine tasting at each participating Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country Association tasting room ($140+ value). Valid the entire month of January. Winter Passes are $40/each. For a list of participating wineries and to purchase passes, visit SantaYnezWineCountry.com.
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6:30–9:30pm at Heat Culinary 4642 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria Cook through Julia Child’s The French Chef Cookbook over a good glass of wine. Class will cover Soupe a l’ Oignon Gratinee (French onion soup), Coq au Vin (wine braised chicken), Braised Brussels Sprouts in Butter and Cream, and Cherry Clafoutis. $65 per person. HeatCulinary.com.
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11am–2pm, Downtown Santa Barbara Sample from six different culinary locations in downtown Santa Barbara, including French pastry, Northern Italian cuisine, gourmet cheese, local wine, handcrafted chocolates and East Coast deli fare. $75 per person. Visit SBTastingTours.com or call 805 295TOUR.
S AT U R D AY
F R I D AY
JANUARY
JANUARY
JANUARY
JANUARY
Winter Wine Classic
Chinese New Year Cooking Class
Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Week
9th Annual Santa Barbara Community Seed Swap
Restaurants throughout the Santa Ynez Valley will offer three-course tasting menus for $20.17 (excluding tax, tip and beverages). Several tasting rooms and wineries will also be offering special wine and small bite pairings. DineSYV.com
11am–3pm at the Santa Barbara Public Library, Faulkner Gallery
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4–7:30pm at The Fess Parker Resort, Santa Barbara Taste from more than 100 classic California wines and food purveyors at one of the largest gatherings of the California’s ultra-elite winemaking masters. $90–$110 per person. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit CaliforniaWineFestival.com.
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6:30–9:30pm at Heat Culinary 4642 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria Bold flavors and spice HEAT up a Friday night Szechuan style! Class will cover Shanghai Steamed Dumpling, Crab Rangoon, Hot & Sour Soup and Chicken Chop Suey. $65 per person. HeatCulinary.com.
S U N D AY
22–28
FEBRUARY 1–11
Come be part of this seed saving movement, making sure that locally adapted varieties of seed and plants are passed on to future generations. Hosted by Santa Barbara Permaculture Network. SBPermaculture.org
T H U R S D AY S
FEBRUARY
2&9
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
F E B R U A RY
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Amazing Health Recipes What to Eat, When and How
Visit SBIFF.org for a complete listing of screenings and special events.
10am–2pm at Schott Campus, Room 27 Need simple and practical ideas for meals and snacks? Let Registered Dietitian Gerri French translate scientific research into practical recommendations to prevent and manage diabetes, heart disease, cancer and promote longevity. $63. Register at SBCC.augusoft.net.
F R I D AY
T H U R S D AY
T H U R S D AY
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY
Rockin’ the Kasbah Moroccan Cooking Class
Liquid Farm Winemaker Dinner
Santa Cruz Island: An Illustrated History
6:30–9:30pm at Heat Culinary 4642 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria
5– 9pm at Pico 458 Bell St., Los Alamos
7–8:30pm at The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Capture the aromas of Morocco spice by learning traditional recipes of North Africa. Class covers Harissa Arugula Salad with Lamb Skewers, B’stilla (chicken pie), Sweet Glazed Carrots and M’Hancha (almond and orange pastry). $65 per person. HeatCulinary.com.
Join winemakers Jeff and Nikki Nelson of Liquid Farm for a three-course winemaker dinner at Pico. $65 per person. Seatings available between 5pm and 9pm. LosAlamosGeneralStore.com/winemaker.
Join author John Gherini for a lecture on his latest book and Santa Cruz Island’s storied history. Free (SBMM members), $10 (non-members). SBMM.org/events.
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For updates and more details on these and other events, visit EdibleSantaBarbara.com F R I D AY
S AT U R D AY
S AT U R D AY
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY
Greek Favorites Cooking Class
Zaca University: Seduced by Syrah
Rita’s Reserve Release Party & Art Exhibit
6:30–9:30pm at Heat Culinary 4642 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria
Zaca Mesa Winery, Los Olivos
11am–4pm at Flying Goat Cellars 1520 E. Chestnut Ct., Unit A, Lompoc
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11
The best courses of classic Greek cuisine. Class will cover Tzatziki & Tiropita, Moussaka, Grilled Lamb & Chicken Skewers with Fresh Vegetables and Galaktoboureko. $65 per person. HeatCulinary.com
FEBRUARY
14 Valentine’s Day
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A unique educational experience exploring Syrah and its seductive qualities. $60 for club members, $75 for non-members. For more info and to reserve call 805 688-9339 x320 or visit ZacaMesa.com
T H U R S D AY
F R I D AY
FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY
Blind Tasting
Friday Featured Winemaker: Michael Larner
16
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4–7pm at Wandering Dog Wine Bar Solvang
5–9pm at Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, Los Olivos
Test your knowledge of varietals and regions with our blind tasting challenge. Participants will try to match up answers with each wine based on type of wine, region where it is from, price point and alcohol content. $15 per person. WanderingDogWineBar.com
Michael Larner of Larner Vineyard and Winery will pour his wines during regular dinner service and entertain guests with his savvy wine knowledge, charming personality and passion for pairing great food and wines. Call 805 688-7265 to make a reservation.
T H U R S D AY
F R I D AY – S AT U R D AY
MARCH
MARCH
Local Chefs and Their Favorite Dishes
World of Pinot Noir Bacara Resort & Spa, Santa Barbara
6–8:30pm at Schott Campus, Room 27 Join us for a one-of-a-kind experience where you’ll meet the chef from Oveja Blanca and Mony’s Restaurant and sample their favorite recipes. Learn the steps involved in creating their favorite dishes and have your cooking questions answered. $25. SBCC.augusoft.net.
Two days of in-depth tasting seminars and excursions, Grand Tastings, a Burgundy seminar and tasting and gourmet, locally influenced lunches and dinners. More than 200 Pinot Noir producers from around the world convene here on California’s coast to pour, share, discuss and pair their wines. WorldOfPinotNoir.com
3–4
2
M A R CH
Winemaker Norm Yost celebrates his mother, Rita, with the release of his 2014 Pinot Noir Rita’s Reserve. Enjoy a tasting while you peruse Rita’s original artwork and savor paired treats from Central Coast Specialty Foods. FlyingGoatCellars.com
S AT U R D AY
S AT U R D AY
MARCH
MARCH
Wild Brew Fest
Taste of Solvang
Santa Barbara Beer Garden
SOhO Restaurant & Music Club Santa Barbara
Since 1993 Solvang has celebrated its rich culinary and cultural heritage with the Taste of Solvang Food & Wine Festival featuring local desserts, delicacies, wines and live entertainment. Advance ticket purchases are highly recommended and can be made online at SolvangUSA. com or call 800 719-9106 to purchase by phone.
1–4:30pm at The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
MARCH
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Featuring our area’s best traditionally brewed and wild fermented beer, cider, jun, mead, sake, wine, spirits and brews. Wild yeast workshop, educational talks, DIY zones, tastings of dozens of beverages, small bites featuring locally sourced ingredients and ferments of all kinds. $55–$95. WildBrewFest.com.
15–19
25
Surrounded by the natural beauty of Mission Canyon, explore the Garden while enjoying one-of-a-kind beers curated specifically for the event at stations located throughout the Garden’s 78 acres of stunning California native plant displays. Benefits the Gardens core programs. $50–$250. SBBG.org
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 71
edible
SA NTA BARBA R A COUNT Y
E AT DRINK LOC AL GUIDE & MAPS
Santa Barbara County has its own unique food tradition and lifestyle. We’d like to help you find some of the area restaurants, bakeries, food producers and specialty retail shops that contribute to the distinctively Santa Barbara experience. From Ballard to Carpinteria, and from catering to wine tasting, our Guide will help you find what you are looking for and more.
Ballard Ballard Inn & Restaurant 2436 Baseline Ave. 805 688-7770 BallardInn.com Elegant accommodations, attentive staff and awardwinning cuisine make the Ballard Inn & Restaurant one of the most sought-after small luxury inns in the Santa Barbara Wine Country.
Buellton Alma Rosa 250-G Industrial Way 805 688-9090 AlmaRosaWinery.com With certified organic vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills, Alma Rosa focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as other food-friendly wines with the high acid and extraordinary balance for which Richard Sanford’s wines have been known since 1976.
The Hitching Post II 406 E. Hwy. 246 805 688-0676 HitchingPost2.com
Giannfranco’s Trattoria
8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93117 877 804-8632 BacaraResort.com
Experience authentic Italian regional cuisine at this family-owned and family-operated trattoria in downtown Carpinteria. Chef Giovanni prepares each dish from the freshest local and imported foods to offer his creative take on Tuscan grill specialties. Weekday lunch served 11am–3pm. Weekend lunch served noon–3pm. Dinner served 5–9pm; closed Tue.
Named “Top 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America” by OpenTable, The Bistro offers a casual and relaxed atmosphere to dine and enjoy sweeping views of the coastline. Local produce and sustainable seafood highlight an acclaimed menu of traditional bistro favorites, including brick oven flatbreads, seasonal salads, and the signature Bistro burger. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
HEAT Culinary 4642 Carpinteria Ave. 805 242-1151 HeatCulinary.com Santa Barbara County’s culinary school, food truck and full service caterer. HEAT events are known for personalized service, organic ingredients, large portions and attention to detail. Offering originality and undivided attention to create a memorable event.
Sly’s 686 Linden Ave. 805 684-6666 SlysOnline.com
A favorite of locals and visitors since 1986. Serving wood-grilled fare, prepared in the regional barbecue tradition, along with their highly regarded Hitching Post Wines. Casual and relaxed setting.
Sly’s is known for great food, with an emphasis on farmers market and local produce, great cocktails and great times in Carpinteria. Open Mon–Fri for lunch 11:30am–3pm; lounge menu weekdays 3–5pm; dinner Sun–Thu 5–9pm, Fri and Sat 5–10pm; and weekend brunch & lunch Sat–Sun 9am–3pm.
Carpinteria
Goleta
The Food Liaison
Angel Oak at Bacara
1033 Casitas Pass Rd. 805 200-3030 TheFoodLiaison.com
8301 Hollister Ave. 877 804-8632 AngelOakSB.com
Catering. Counter. Classes. Utilizing many locally grown organic ingredients, enjoy daily rotating entrées and soups, seasonal menu, and gourmet salad bar. Corporate and event catering since 2013. Sign up for cooking classes online. Lunch Counter Mon–Fri 11am–3pm.
Angel Oak is a modern steak and seafood restaurant showcasing the culinary knowledge of Chef Vincent Lesage. The diverse menu includes classic steakhouse dishes under a certified Kobe and dry-aged beef program, as well as locally-sourced fare such as Santa Barbara’s famous uni. All set against a stunning ocean backdrop. Hours: Sun–Thur 6–10pm; Fri & Sat 6–11pm.
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The Bistro at Bacara
666 Linden Ave. 805 684-0720 Giannfrancos.com
Backyard Bowls 5668 Calle Real 805 770-2730 BackyardBowls.com Santa Barbara’s most innovative breakfast and lunch spot featuring Acai Bowls and smoothies. They also offer oatmeal, yogurt and more.
Lompoc Central Coast Specialty Foods 115 E. College Ave., Ste. 10 805 717-7675 CentralCoastSpecialtyFoods.com High-quality local & imported specialty foods, including charcuterie, gourmet cheeses, a fullservice deli, exotic meats (alligator, wild boar, bison and more), specialty foods from around the world, and local beers and wines. Catering available; small intimate affairs to large special events. Open MonWed 10am–6pm, Thu–Fri 10am–7pm, Sat 10am–6pm and Sun 10am–4pm.
Foley Estates 6121 E. Hwy. 246 805 737-6222 FoleyWines.com Foley Estates Vineyard & Winery is the realization of vintner Bill Foley’s dream to produce world-class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah in Santa Barbara County. Open daily 10am–5pm.
Longoria Wines
Bob’s Well Bread
Pico at The General Store
415 E. Chestnut Ave. 866-759-4637 LongoriaWine.com
550 Bell St. 805 344-3000 BobsWellBread.com
458 Bell St. 805 344-1122 LosAlamosGeneralStore.com
Longoria Wines is a small family-owned winery with over three decades of producing acclaimed artisanal wines from some of the finest vineyards in Santa Barbara County. Enjoy a tasting or a glass of wine in the tasting room or lounge of the restored historic JM Club at their new winery facility in Lompoc at 415 E. Chestnut Avenue, open daily 11am–4:30pm.
Bob’s Well Bread is about great bread, made the old-fashioned way: handcrafted in small batches and baked to perfection in a custom-built, stone-deck oven. Stop by their bakery for baguettes, croissants, bagels and more. Closed Tue and Wed.
Pico at The Los Alamos General Store brings a new culinary, wine and shopping experience to "Little LA", in the heart of Santa Barbara's Wine Country.
Scratch Kitchen 610 N. H. St. 805 819-0829 Scratch-Kitchen.com With a wealth of local and seasonal produce and local wines, Scratch Kitchen aims to highlight all the best culinary elements of the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valleys. Open for lunch and dinner Tues through Sat 11am–9pm, brunch Sun 10am–2pm, and Sun dinner 5pm–9pm.
Los Alamos Babi’s Beer Emporium 380 Bell St. 805 344-1911 BabisBeerEmporium.com Great beer. Impeccable selection. Great fun. Adventurous beer drinkers can discover unique, hardto-find craft beers, ciders and special projects—on tap or in bottle. Stay to have a bite from Valle Fresh’s tacos and tapas menu. Thu 4–8pm, Fri–Sat Noon-8pm, Sun Noon–6pm.
Bell Street Farm Eatery & Market 406 Bell St. 805 344-4609 BellStreetFarm.com This cozy and delicious eatery is surrounded by gorgeous vineyards and farmland. Award-winning cuisine and sophisticated yet comfortable design, a distinctive environment to enjoy a meal, snack or wine tasting for residents and visitors alike. Assemble your own picnic baskets and accessories for creating a portable meal, as well as gifts and merchandise from local artisans and some of the best of California. Thu and Mon 11am–4pm, Fri–Sun 11am–5pm.
Casa Dumetz 388 Bell St. 805 344-1900 CasaDumetzWines.com A boutique winery specializing in Rhone varietals crafted with premier Santa Barbara County fruit. Their wines are sold almost exclusively at their tasting room in historic Los Alamos and through their wine club. Open Thu noon–7pm; Fri–Sat 11am–7pm; Sun 11–6pm. Vineyard tours and barrel sampling available by appointment.
Full of Life Flatbread 225 W. Bell St. 805 344-4400 FullofLifeFoods.com On weekends Full of Life Flatbread converts their production flatbread bakery space into a restaurant and offers an extremely innovative menu based almost entirely on what is grown locally and in season. Open Thu–Sat 5–10pm; Sun 4–8pm; Sun brunch 11am–2pm.
Martian Ranch & Vineyard 9110 Alisos Canyon Rd. 805 344-1804 MartianVineyard.com The Martian Ranch tasting room is open Wed–Sun 11am–5pm. Taste their estate-grown biodynamically farmed wines for an out-of-this-world experience! Winery tours daily; vineyard tours on the weekends. Enjoy wines by the glass, bocce court, horse shoe pit and dog friendly picnic areas. Open Wed–Sun 11am–5pm. Mon and Tues by appointment only.
Plenty on Bell 508 Bell St. 805 344-2111 PlentyOnBell.com Longtime Los Alamos chef and local favorite Jesper Johansson is back in the kitchen at Plenty on Bell, serving local, seasonal food for lunch. Open for lunch Tue–Sat 11am–4pm; dinner Fri–Sat 4–8pm; breakfast/ brunch Sun 9am–2pm. Closed Monday.
Valle Fresh at Babi’s Beer Emporium
388 Bell Street 805-865-2282 ValleFresh.com Tasting counter now open inside Babi’s Beer Emporium in Los Alamos. Specializing in hand-crafted, genuine food sourced from local farms, ranches and artisans. This family owned catering company offers personalized menus for all occasions including weddings, pop-up events, food and wine pairings, themed dinners, gourmet taco bars and more. Thu 4–8pm, Fri–Sat Noon–8pm, Sun Noon–5pm.
Los Olivos
Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café
2879 Grand Ave. 805 688-7265 LosOlivosCafe.com Bringing together the best flavors of the Central Coast. Their award-winning wine list offers over 500 wines to enjoy with their fresh, seasonal and local cuisine, or to enjoy at home. Open for lunch and dinner daily 11:30am–8:30pm (8pm Sun) and breakfast Sat–Sun 8–10:30am.
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Olive Hill Farm 2901 Grand Ave. 805 693-0700 OliveHillFarm.com Specializing in local olive oils, flavored oils and balsamic vinegars as well as many locally produced food products. Olive oil and vinegar tastings with fresh local bread available. Open daily 11am–5pm.
Zaca Mesa Winery 6905 Foxen Canyon Rd. 805 688-9339 ZacaMesa.com Since 1973, the family-owned winery has been dedicated to crafting some of Santa Barbara County’s most distinctive wines. Tasting room and picnic area open daily 10am–4pm.
Montecito American Riviera Bank 525 San Ysidro Rd. 805-335-8110 AmericanRivieraBank.com Offering a local and sustainable approach to banking. The founders of American Riviera Bank are a carefully selected group of successful, prominent, experienced and influential community and business leaders who understand the unique needs of the Santa Barbara community. Open Mon–Thu 9am–5pm; Fri 9am–5:30pm.
Bree’Osh 1150 Coast Village Rd. 805 969-2500 Breeosh.com Bree’Osh is a French artisan bakery café specializing in sweet and savory brioche bread made with traditional sourdough. Featuring local, organic, high quality ingredients. Open 7am–2pm. Closed Mon–Tue.
Compass 1283 Coast Village Cir. 805 253-7700 compass.com Compass agents partner with you throughout your home search, providing their expertise and deep knowledge of the Santa Barbara and Montecito real estate market to help you find a home you love.
Here’s The Scoop 1187 Coast Village Rd. 805 969-7020 ScoopSB.com Here’s The Scoop is a local, family-owned business that makes traditional Italian gelato flavors like Stracciatella and Pistachio. Their seasonal farmers market sorbets use local, organic farm fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. Sorbets are non-dairy, organic and vegan. Mon–Thu 1-9pm, Fri-Sat noon–10pm, Sun noon–9pm.
Montecito Country Mart 1016 Coast Village Rd. 805 969-9664 MontecitoCountryMart.com The Montecito Country Mart, built in 1964, has recently been renovated and preserved, with its original barber shop, post office, market, old-fashioned toy store, as well as Rori’s Ice Cream and Merci to Go artisan food shop. Independent boutique shops include Mate Gallery, Kendal Conrad, Calypso, Intermix, Malia Mills, Hudson Grace, James Perse and Space NK Apothecary. Shops open Mon–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat–Sun 10am–5pm. 74 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
San Ysidro Ranch 900 San Ysidro Ln. Santa Barbara 805 565-1724 SanYsidroRanch.com Visit the Stonehouse, named one of the 50 Best restaurants in America by Open Table, or visit Plow & Angel for a comfortable and convivial atmosphere.
Tecolote Bookstore 1470 E. Valley Rd. 805 969-4977 Tecolote Bookstore is an independent bookstore located in the upper village of Montecito. Open Mon– Fri 10am–5:30pm; Sat 10am–5pm; closed Sun.
Santa Barbara Backyard Bowls 3849 State St. 805 569-0011 BackyardBowls.com
American Riviera Bank 1033 Anacapa St. 805 965-5942 AmericanRivieraBank.com Offering a local and sustainable approach to banking. The founders of American Riviera Bank are a carefully selected group of successful, prominent, experienced and influential community and business leaders who understand the unique needs of the Santa Barbara community. Open Mon–Thu 8am–5pm, Fri 8am–6pm.
Au Bon Climat 813 Anacapa St. 805 963-7999 AuBonClimat.com The tasting room and the Jim Clendenen Wine Library are known for world-class Chardonnays and Pinots. Jim Clendenen has been making wines of vision and character for over 30 years, along with other varietals. Amazing lineup of current releases and library wines available. Open noon–6pm daily.
Backyard Bowls
Santa Barbara’s most innovative breakfast and lunch spot featuring Acai Bowls and smoothies. They also offer oatmeal, yogurt and more.
331 Motor Way 805 845-5379 BackyardBowls.com
Il Fustino
Santa Barbara’s most innovative breakfast and lunch spot featuring Acai Bowls and smoothies. They also offer oatmeal, yogurt and more.
3401 State St. 805 845-3521 ilFustino.com Il Fustino is Santa Barbara’s first and finest olive oil and vinegar tasting room. Il Fustino purveys only the finest and freshest olive oils, all grown and milled in California. They also provide an unparalleled selection of artisan vinegars.
Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro 3315 State St. 805 569-2400 RenaudsBakery.com Renaud’s is a bakery specializing in French pastries and French-style cakes, as well as a bistro offering an extensive menu for breakfast and lunch. Open Mon– Sat 7am–5pm; Sun 7am–3pm.
Telegraph Brewing Co. 418 N. Salsipuedes St. 805 963-5018 TelegraphBrewing.com Handcrafting unique American ales that embrace the heritage of California’s early brewing pioneers and use as many locally grown ingredients as possible. Visit the tasting room, open Tue–Thu 3–9pm; Fri–Sat 2–10pm; Sun 1–7pm. Telegraph beer is available at many restaurants and grocery stores in Santa Barbara County and throughout California.
Santa Barbara (Downtown) 805 Boba 651 Paseo Nuevo #213 805 845-5655 805Boba.com 805 Boba offers authentic Taiwanese “bubble” tea with a local twist. Featuring fresh local fruit, hand crafted syrups, tea, tapioca pearls and many other options, 805 Boba strives to provide the best quality slushes, smoothies, and tea in Santa Barbara. Ask about their Farmers Market Edition boba featuring seasonal produce from the Santa Barbara Farmers Market.
Barbareño 205 W. Canon Perdido 805 963-9591 Barbareno.com Offering a casual approach to the classic California tavern, highlighting the traditions and specialties of the Central Coast and its many outstanding purveyors. Sit inside and enjoy the enticing atmosphere of an open kitchen, or outside on the patio alongside the Santa Maria grill. Bar menu available Mon–Fri 5–6:30pm, dinner nightly 5–9:30pm.
Bouchon 9 W. Victoria St. 805 730-1160 BouchonSantaBarbara.com Bouchon sources all of its ingredients using an “asfresh-and-as-local-as-possible” approach. Experience fine dining, excellent regional wines and relaxed service in a warm, inviting ambience. Private dining in the Cork Room is available for groups of 10–20. Dinner nightly 5–10pm.
C’est Cheese 825 Santa Barbara St. 805 965-0318 CestCheese.com In addition to being a local source for the fines cheeses and artisanal foods, C’est Cheese serves breakfast and lunch—fresh salads, soups, sandwiches and incredible pastries. Open Mon–Sat 7am–6pm; Sun 8am–3pm.
Ca’ Dario Pizzeria 29 E. Victoria St. 805 957-2020 CaDarioPizza.net Located just steps away from Chef Dario Furlati’s flagship eatery, Ca’ Dario Pizzeria offers a casual, urban atmosphere to enjoy authentic pizzas, salads and appetizers. The 30-seat restaurant boasts a welcoming bar, perfect for enjoying local or Italian beers on tap. Open for lunch Mon–Sat 11:30am–2:30pm; dinner Mon–Sun 5–9:30pm.
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Chocolate Maya 15 W. Gutierrez St. 805 965-5956 ChocolateMaya.com Chocolate Maya handmade chocolate confections: a variety of velvety truffles and chocolate-dipped temptations that are made from the highest quality chocolate (Valrhona, Felchlin, Mesocacao including some small bean to bar artisans couverture) fresh local ingredients and some exotic findings from their travels overseas.
Grapeseed Company 21 W. Ortega St. 805 456-3655 TheGrapeseedCompany.com The Grapeseed Company creates botanical spa and skin care products handcrafted from the byproduct of wine plus antioxidant-rich local and organic ingredients. Open 10:30am–6pm Mon–Fri.; 11am–5pm Sat; closed Sun.
Green Table 113 W. De La Guerra St. 805 618-1233 Green-Table.com Delicious homemade foods, cleanses and drinks with original recipes that offer organic, gluten-free, and vegetarian dishes, from matcha lattes to quinoa veggie burgers. Their vision is a world where natural, organic food is the staple of our meals and we eat to nourish our bodies while enjoying the great taste. Mon–Sat 8am–5pm, Sun 8am–2pm.
Il Fustino 38 W. Victoria St. 805 845-4995 ilFustino.com Il Fustino is Santa Barbara’s first and finest olive oil and vinegar tasting room. Il Fustino purveys only the finest and freshest olive oils, all grown and milled in California. They also provide an unparalleled selection of artisan vinegars.
Maudet’s Artisan Crepes 114 E. Haley St. Ste E. 805 886-4368 Maudets.com Located in downtown Santa Barbara, Maudet’s specializes in artisan French crepes, handmade daily. Organic sweet, savory, gluten-free buckwheat and chocolate crepes are available for the home chef, wholesale or retail. Available from your local grocer or order online for pick-up or delivery.
Margerum Wine Company 813 Anacapa St. 805 845-8435 MargerumWineCompany.com Committed to creating handcrafted wines using only the highest-quality grapes to make wines that are indicative of the place where they are grown. Two tasting rooms located in the historic El Paseo complex: Margerum Tasting Room and MWC32, which features reserve and limited production wines. Open daily noon–6pm with the last tasting at 5:30pm.
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum 113 Harbor Way, Ste 190 805 962 8404 SBMM.org The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum brings history to life through its educational programs and interactive exhibits, as well as events. Open 10am –5pm. Closed Wed.
McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams 728 State St. 805 324-4402 McConnells.com McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, founded in Santa Barbara in 1949, is now in its third generation of family ownership. They make their ice creams as they always have: from scratch, using Central Coast, grass-grazed milk, cream and the finest local, sustainable and organic ingredients from partner farms, artisans and purveyors they’ve worked with for decades. No preservatives. No stabilizers. No additives. Ever. A 70-year, sweet legacy of keeping it real.
Nectar Eatery & Lounge 20 E. Cota St. 805 899-4694 NectarSB.com Offering great small plates with ethnic notes that pair beautifully with local wines and fine cocktails. Enjoy special items on Meatless Mondays, Tequila Tuesdays and Wine Wednesdays along with their regular menu. Host your private party in the romantic lounge upstairs. Open 5–10pm for dinner; drinks until 2am.
On Q Financial 1332 Anacapa St. 805 845-0694 OnQFinancial.com Since 2013, On Q Financial’s goal has been to ensure the mortgage process is streamlined and smooth for every client. Their team even works closely with community partners to provide homebuyers’ workshops to the Santa Barbara community. They are ready to help you purchase a home or refinance your existing home loans—in Santa Barbara and beyond.
Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro 1324 State St. 805 892-2800 RenaudsBakery.com Renaud’s is a bakery specializing in French pastries and French-style cakes, as well as a bistro offering an extensive menu for breakfast and lunch. Open Mon–Sat 7am–5pm, Sun 7am–3pm.
Riverbench Vineyard & Winery 137 Anacapa St., Suite C 805 324-4100 Riverbench.com Established in 1973, when the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were planted on the property. For years since then, some of the most renowned wineries have purchased Riverbench fruit for their wines. In 2004, Riverbench began producing their own wines in limited quantities, with many available exclusively through their tasting rooms in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara. Open 11am–6pm daily.
Scarlett Begonia 11 W. Victoria St., #10 805 770-2143 ScarlettBegonia.net Scarlett Begonia will always strive to have interesting, thoughtful food. Menus change weekly with an innovative, fresh approach to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Showcasing progressive modern cuisine, Scarlett Begonia features sustainable, organic, high quality ingredients coupled with innovative cooking to provide one of the most food-centric experiences in Santa Barbara. Open for dinner and cocktail hour Tue– Sat 4:30–9pm, breakfast and lunch Tue–Sun 9am–2pm.
The Wine Cask 813 Anacapa St. 805 966-9463 WineCask.com The Wine Cask Restaurant features the freshest local ingredients, the best wine list in town and seasonal signature cocktails. They offer fine dining in their exquisite Gold Room and casual dining in the courtyard and at their Intermezzo bar. Lunch: Tue–Fri 11:30am–3pm. Dinner: Tue–Sun from 5:30pm. Last seating at 9pm Sun–Thu and at 10pm Fri–Sat.
Santa Barbara (Funk Zone) Lama Dog 116 Santa Barbara St. 805 880-3364 LamaDog.com Craft beer tap room and bottle shop located in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Open Sun–Wed 11:30am–10pm, Thu–Sat 11:30am–midnight.
Helena Avenue Bakery 131 Anacapa St., C 805 880-3383 HelenaAvenueBakery.com An artisan bakery offering wholesome breads and handmade seasonal pastries. Specializing in baked goods made from scratch and a complete menu of grab and go items ideal for dining in or takeaway. Open daily 7am–6pm. Inside SB Wine Collective, off Helena Avenue.
The Lark 131 Anacapa St., Ste. A (805) 284-0370 TheLarkSB.com The Lark, Santa Barbara’s premier dining destination, features locally sourced seasonal ingredients celebrating the abundant bounty of the Central Coast. Meals are served family-style with handcrafted cocktails and an extensive wine list to complement Chef Jason Paluska’s creations. Open Tue–Sun 5–10pm.
Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant
131 Anacapa St., Ste. B 805 284-0380 LesMarchandsWine.com Les Marchands is a European-style wine bar and retail shop with a world-class team of sommeliers providing unique experiences in wine, food and education. With an extensive wine list, Les Marchands offers something for anyone. Open Sun-Thu 11am–9pm; Fri–Sat 11am–11pm.
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Loquita 202 State St. 805 880-3380 LoquitaSB.com
eat. drink. read. think.
Loquita, a tribute to Santa Barbara’s Spanish origins, presents authentic Spanish food including tapas, wood-fired seafood, grilled meats, and three types of paella. Menu created by Executive Chef Peter Lee and Spanish Chef Perfecte Rocher. Open Tue–Sun 5–10pm.
Lucky Penny 127 Anacapa St. 805 284-0358 LuckyPennySB.com
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Santa Barbara Wine Collective is a downtown tasting room for five local like-minded producers focusing on Santa Barbara County’s unique terroir. Wines are available for tastings, by the glass or bottle or to take home. Open Sun–Thu 11am–7pm; Fri–Sat 11am–8pm.
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Offering casual dining fare of breakfast goodies, espressos, coffees and teas, wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches and salads, beer and wine. Outdoor patio seating. Located in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Open Mon–Thu 7am–9pm; Fri & Sat 7–10pm; Sun 8am–9pm.
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302 Meigs Rd. 805 564-4410 LazyAcres.com Santa Barbara’s best source for wholesome, natural and organic foods and products with real people dedicated to providing unmatched personal service. Mon–Sat 7am–11pm; Sun 7am–10pm.
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Subscribe Online Today EdibleSantaBarbara.com For more information email us at info@EdibleSantaBarbara.com
78 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
5475 Chardonnay Ln. 805 938-7318 CambriaWines.com Family-owned, sustainably-farmed, estate winery. Visit and experience the flavors of the Santa Maria Bench. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Syrah. Open daily 10am–5pm.
Foxen Vineyard & Winery 7200 and 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd. 805 937-4251 FoxenVineyard.com The Foxen Boys’ winery and tasting room features Burgundian and Rhône-style wines. Visit the historic shack “Foxen 7200” for Italian and Bordeaux-style wines. Picnic tables and scenic views at both locations. Open 11am–4pm daily.
Riverbench Vineyard & Winery 6020 Foxen Canyon Rd. 805 937-8340 Riverbench.com Established in 1973, when the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were planted on the property.
For years since then, some of the most renowned wineries have purchased Riverbench fruit for their wines. In 2004, Riverbench began producing their own wines in limited quantities, with many available exclusively through their tasting rooms in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara. Open 10am–4pm daily.
Santa Ynez The Brander Vineyard 2401 N. Refugio Rd. 805 688-2455 Brander.com Established in 1975, The Brander Vineyard is one of the oldest and most distinguished wineries in the Santa Barbara County. Founder Fred Brander has dedicated himself to making exceptional block designates of estate Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon that push the quality envelope for Bordeaux style wines. Open daily 11am–4pm.
The Lucky Hen Larder 1095 Meadowvale Rd. Santa Ynez 805 691-9448 TheLuckyHenLarder.com The Santa Ynez Valley Cheese Company is the only “cut-to-order” cheese shop in the SY Valley. The shop features over 100 artisan and farmstead cheeses as well as Lucky Hen Larder proprietary goods and picnic items and hand-crafted sandwiches daily. Open Mon– Sat 10am –5pm; Sun 10am–4pm.
Rancho Olivos 2390 Refugio Rd. 805 686-9653 RanchoOlivos.com Located in beautiful Santa Ynez, Rancho Olivos creates distinctively fresh artisan extra-virgin olive oils from their sustainably grown Italian and Spanish varietals of olives. Open for olive oil tasting daily noon–4pm.
SY Kitchen 1110 Faraday St. 805 691-9794 SYKitchen.com Modern Northern Italian dishes showcasing local ingredients in an inviting farmhouse in the heart of Santa Ynez. Chef Luca Crestanelli's specialties include home-made pastas; wood-fired pizzas, and oak-grilled chicken, lamb chops and steak. Dazzling cocktails are crafted by Alberto Battaglini. Dinner nightly from 5pm; lunch Wed–Sat 11:30am–2:30pm; Italian Breakfast Sun 10am–2pm.
Solvang Buttonwood Farm Winery 1500 Alamo Pintado Rd. 805 688-3032 ButtonwoodWinery.com In 1968 Betty Williams came to Buttonwood, creating a life that found expression through a connection with the land. The vineyard now has 33,000 vines with a mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Marsanne, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Tasting room open daily 11am–5pm.
Lincourt Vineyards 1711 Alamo Pintado Rd. 805 688-8554 LincourtWines.com Lincourt Vineyard is the perfect stop for a picnic in wine country. Stop by our tasting room to sample our estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Gruner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. Open daily 10am–5pm.
Succulent Café Wine Charcuterie 1555 Mission Dr. 805 691-9444 SucculentCafe.com Comfort food with a twist, prepared with seasonal and local, farm fresh ingredients. The best charcuterie plates around feature farm fresh cheeses, house-made jams, pickled veggies, nuts and fruit. Great local wine, craft beer and signature cocktails. Breakfast/Lunch: weekdays (except Tues) 10am–3pm, Sat & Sun 8:30am–3pm. Dinner: Wed–Mon 5–9pm.
Summerland Summerland Winery 2330 Lillie Ave. 805 565-9463 SummerlandWine.com Founded in 2002, a boutique winery dedicated to the production of fine wines from the Central Coast of California. Focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals, the winemaker also dabbles in expressive Rhône and Bordeaux iterations. An inviting, relaxed atmosphere in the seaside village of Summerland, California. Open 11am–7pm, Fridays until 6pm.
Source Guide Bragg Live Foods Bragg.com Founded in 1912 by Dr. Paul C. Bragg and now run by his daughter Dr. Patricia Bragg in Goleta, Bragg Live Food Products offers organic and natural health products and publishes self-health books. Available locally at Fairview Gardens’ Farm Stand, Lassen’s, Gladden and Sons, Tri-County Produce, Whole Foods Market, Lazy Acres and in the health section of your neighborhood grocery store.
Drake Family Farms DrakeFamilyFarms.com Making locally produced farmstead artisan goat cheese in Ontario, California. At Drake Family Farms every goat has a name and their goat cheeses are made on the farm with milk exclusively from the farm’s own animals. Available at local farmers markets and online.
Harvest Santa Barbara 805 696-6930 HarvestSantaBarbara.com Delivering freshly harvested wholesale produce— sourced directly from local family farms to schools, restaurants, hospitals and retail businesses. Their mission is to be the catalyst for a healthier, more sustainable food system by strengthening the ties between farmers and the community.
Jimenez Family Farm 805 688-0597 JimenezFamilyFarm.com Small family-run local farm specializes in sustainably grown food and their famous handmade pies, quiches and small batch preserves. Visit them at the farmers market to purchase produce, pies, jams and naturally fed and farm-raised rabbit, lamb, pork, goat and poultry.
Long Root Ale PatagoniaProvisions.com Patagonia Provisions Long Root Ale is a great beer with great purpose. It's made with Kernza®, a perennial grain grown using regenerative agriculture practices.
Moscow Copper Co. 888 269-3349 MoscowCopper.com Makers of the Original 100% Copper Moscow Mule Mugs and celebrating 75 years of true authenticity. Perfect for gifts, events, corporate gifting, weddings or anniversaries. Shop original copper mug sets, flasks, a new recipe book, custom engraving, cookware and more.
Niman Ranch
11990 Grant St. Northglenn, CO 80233 NimanRanch.com Niman Ranch is committed to providing the finest tasting humanely and sustainably raised pork, beef and lamb raised by independent family farmers and ranchers. No antibiotics—ever, no added hormones— ever, all vegetarian feeds and raised outdoors or in deeply bedded pens.
On Q Financial 1332 Anacapa St. 805 845-0694 OnQFinancial.com Since 2013, On Q Financial’s goal has been to ensure the mortgage process is streamlined and smooth for every client. Their team even works closely with community partners to provide homebuyers’ workshops to the Santa Barbara community. They are ready to help you purchase a home or refinance your existing home loans—in Santa Barbara and beyond.
Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market 805 962-5354 SBFarmersMarket.org Seven markets, six days a week. See schedule on page 69.
Santa Barbara – Tree Farm CalAtlanticHomes.com Brand new homes in the foot hills of Santa Barbara County. Coming early 2017.
Winfield Farm 805 686-9312 WinfieldFarm.us Taste the magic of Winfield Mangalitsa pork at Industrial Eats, Buellton; Aly’s Restaurant, Solvang; Pico & Full of Life Flatbread, Los Alamos; Barbareño & Bacara Bistro Restaurant, Santa Barbara. Also order through our Mangalitsa Market on the Winfield Farm website—please call first. Follow us on Facebook (WinfieldFarmBuellton), Twitter (@WinfieldFarm.US) and Instagram (Winfield_Farm).
EdibleSantaBarbara.com WINTER 2017 | 79
The Last Bite Winter’s Don’t-Miss Drink by Liz Dodder
Tiki Blinders at Test Pilot At Test Pilot in Santa Barbara’s
To make the Tiki Blinders, he pours VSOP Cognac, rum and pear cordial into a shaker. He adds vintage or tawny port, lemon juice, a dash of aromatic bitters, a dash of cherry bark vanilla bitters and 3 dashes of absinthe. Test Pilot adds this to their slushy machine, but it could be equally delicious served straight up or frozen and blended.
Funk Zone, citrus is key. So are tropical fruits, Guyanese rum and absinthe foam. Owner Brandon Ristaino, who also owns The Good Lion,
Liz Dodder is a drinker, eater and traveler who has eaten five kinds of foie gras in one day. She’s also a blogger, writer, photographer, recipe developer, web designer, social media maven and Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW). CaliCoastWineCountry.com
is intent on supplying high-quality, delicious and interesting drinks to the neighborhood, complete with house-made ingredients and perfect garnishes. He’s also intent on buying local, and reusing as much produce as he can. “We buy all our citrus from Mud Creek Ranch for both locations, and we reuse every citrus twist.” All twists are saved, pressed and combined with juice for cocktails or old-fashioned shrubs. Lime halves are also saved, scooped out and then filled with absinthe foam for the bar’s signature Test Pilot. To get to 90% local produce across both bars, Ristaino sources from Carpinteria for tropical fruit and Harvest Santa Barbara, a local farm-produce delivery service, for the winter pears in this slushy, winter spice concoction. The pears are first made into a cordial, which is a fruitbased fortified syrup that’s concentrated and used as an ingredient in various drinks. To make a pear cordial, Ristaino juices fresh Bartlett pears with the skin on, then strains the juice. He adds 1 part organic sugar to 1 part pear juice, and ¾ ounce over-proof vodka (or any neutral, clear spirit over 80 proof) and stores
LIZ DODDER
in a fridge for up to 3 weeks.
80 | EDIBLE SANTA BARBARA WINTER 2017
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