edible SANTA BARBARA
Celebrating the Food Culture of Santa Barbara County
Grass-Fed Beef In the Kitchen with Bradley Ogden
What the Kids Are Growing Canning Farmers Market
Locavore Events
OCTOBER 1–31
epicure.sb: A Month to Savor Santa Barbara
Throughout October, Santa Barbara will feature a monthlong foodie festival with diverse epicurean offerings sure to sate your appetite! This epicurean adventure will showcase regional cuisine, libations and culture. For more information and a detailed listing of events go to epicuresb.com
Slow Down Saturday Dinner at Coast Restaurant
Saturdays, 5:30pm; Canary Hotel: 31 West Carrillo Street, Santa Barbara
On Saturday nights they offer a prix fixe farmers market dinner special for $30 per person featuring items from the farmers market. 805 884-0300; canarysantabarbara.com
Off the Hook Menu at Coast Restaurant Fridays, 5:30pm; Canary Hotel: 31 West Carrillo Street, Santa Barbara
On Friday nights they offer an Off the Hook menu for $30 per person for three courses using ingredients from local fish merchants. 805 884-0300; canarysantabarbara.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
Sol Food Festival
10am–6pm; Plaza Vera Cruz (across the street from the Saturday Farmers Market), Santa Barbara
Celebrating Sustainable, Organic and Local food. Join us for workshops, demonstrations, SOL food, beer and wine and featuring ‘Iron Chef’ Cat Cora. Free; solfoodfestival.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9
Harbor and Seafood Festival
10am–5pm; Santa Barbara Harbor, Santa Barbara
This annual benefit showcases a plethora of delectable regional seafood specialties, in addition to cooking demonstrations, interactive maritime education, unique children’s activities, boat rides, live music and much more. Free; harborfestival.org
Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association 2010 Celebration of Harvest 1–4pm; Rancho Sisquoc Winery: 6600 Foxen Canyon Rd. Santa Barbara County vintners showcase their latest wines along with local restaurants, caterers and specialty food purveyors, while live music will fill the air on the beautiful grounds of Rancho Sisquoc Winery. $65; 805 688-0881; sbcountywines.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
Santa Barbara Beer Festival
Noon–4pm; Elings Park: 1298 Las Positas Rd., Santa Barbara
A celebration of the best of beer from craft breweries throughout California. $45 advance purchase and $55 at the door; sbbeerfestival.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23
IV Food Co-op Country Fair
11am–4pm; 6575 Seville Rd., Isla Vista Free family friendly foodie event. 805 968-1401; for more info visit islavistafoodcoop.blogspot.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30
Food & Wine Pairing Lunch with Pascale Beale-Groom
Noon–2pm; Riverbench Winery
Enjoy a delicious three course lunch with wine pairings on a gorgeous lawn overlooking the Riverbench vineyard. Cost is $55 per person and includes Pascale’s Autumn cookbook. Limited to 25 people. 805 937-8340; riverbench.com
eat local challenge
OCTOBER
IS Eat Local Month
As part of epicure.sb, the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market and Edible Santa Barbara magazine are co-sponsoring an Eat Local Challenge for Santa Barbara during the month of October.
Take a Pledge to Eat Only Local Food for 31 Days!
Whether you choose to eat only foods produced within a 100 or 150 mile radius, or Santa Barbara County or the tri-county region or even the state of California; and whether you choose to have exceptions that you will not be eating locally (i.e., coffee, tea or spices), you benefit from the experience of joining with your community to eat locally produced food
How Can I Find Local Food? How Do I Get Started?
You can find out more right here in the pages of this magazine. In addition, information will be provided at the Farmers Markets, at the Sol Food Festival and on ediblesantabarbara. com. To share information go to our Google Group: groups.google.com/group/sb-eatlocal-challenge. Check out the various events that will be taking place during the month of October that highlight local foods. And on October 1, start eating local!
edible SANTA BARBARA fall
FOOD FOR THOUGHT D
Many of our regular readers know that Edible Santa Barbara is a member of Edible Communities, a network of over 60 local magazines throughout the United States and Canada. One advantage to being a member is that I read all these wonderful Edibles. And in this issue I have borrowed an idea from several Edibles with the introduction of our “In the Kitchen With” article. Chef Bradley Ogden graciously allowed us to poke about and take photos in his kitchen, while answering questions about what he really cooks when he’s at home.
What do you cook at home? If you find yourself wanting to cook more, you are not alone. Many of us want real food: meals made from scratch, using ingredients that are from trusted sources. If you cook with meat, Nancy Oster’s article on grass-fed beef should be required reading. I gained an increased level of appreciation for grass-fed beef after attending a workshop with Joel Salatin last year that was sponsored by Orella Ranch and Quail Springs. Joel, who has become famous for his profile in Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and his appearances in documentaries such as Food, Inc., is a wonderful speaker. After listening to him for two days, I wanted to run out and start a cattle ranch. Instead I did the next best thing: I started buying grass-fed beef. I am a firm believer in voting with my fork. And even if you don’t eat meat (and I didn’t for many years), you can take heart in the fact that there are an increasing number of ranches that are raising cattle humanely and sustainably.
Other ways you can vote with your fork include buying from local farmers and seeking out local businesses. Let the pages of Edible Santa Barbara be your guide to supporting the type of businesses who are in turn supporting our entire community.
This fall we are sponsoring not one, but two challenges. Last October’s Eat Local Challenge was so satisfying that we are going to do it again this year in conjuction with epicure.sb. And writer Janice Cook Knight came up with an accompanying challenge—The Plastic Challenge, where we will give up single-use plastic and decrease or eliminate the many forms of plastic in our lives.
So whether you are eating a grass-fed beef hamburger or a veggie burger, eating local, avoiding plastic or seeking out sustainable and organic food, I hope you are also tapping into your epicurean nature and enjoying this wonderful harvest season.
Krista
Harris, Editor
About the cover
Photographer Fran Collin captures an image of Elizabeth Poett of Rancho San Julian with one of her delectable hamburgers. Fran worked in New York for 20 years before moving back to Carpinteria (Brooks grad ‘82). His work has been published in Food&Wine, Eating Light and New York Magazine. In addition, he has worked with City Meals on Wheels and some of the most gifted chefs in the world, with an ongoing portrait series at work-for-food.com.
SANTABARBA RA edible
PUBLISHERS
Steven Brown & Krista Harris
EDITOR
Krista Harris
RECIPE EDITOR
Nancy Oster
COPY EDITOR
Doug Adrianson
CONSULTING EDITOR
Laura Sanchez
DESIGNER
Steven Brown
WEB DESIGN
Mary Ogle
Contributors
Pascale Beale-Groom
Joan S. Bolton
Fran Collin
Erin Feinblatt
Dave Folks
Melissa Gomez
Jill Johnson
Janice Cook Knight
Jennifer LeMay
Laura Lindsey
Diane Murphy
Nancy Oster
Mark Pfeiffer
Kim Riddle
Carole Topalian
Contact Us info@ediblesantbarbara.com
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 which may arise as a consequence of the use of any 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.
© 2010 edible Santa Barbara
DAVE FOLKS
edible Notables
New Farm Stand and CSA
Recently Santa Rita Flower Farm opened a unique farm stand in the heart of Santa Rita Hills, and they don’t offer just flowers. Besides their farm’s offerings (heirloom tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, fresh eggs, etc.) they also have local honey, dried beans, blueberries and, from Dey Dey’s Best Beef Ever, grass-fed beef and organic whole chickens. Their hours are Wednesday and Saturday from noon to 6pm. They also have a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program with a pickup location in the Old Town section of Lompoc. Held under a 50-year-old walnut tree, customers arrive on bike or foot as well as by the occasional car to pick up their weekly shares of the organic farm offerings.
The farm stand is located at the corner of Drum Canyon Road and Highway 246. For more information, contact Jeff Hendrickson at SantaRitaFlowerFarm@yahoo.com
[Re-] Fill ’er Up!
“Reduce, reuse, recycle” are eco-expressions at the forefront of our consciousness these days. But three local wineries have another “R” to add to the list: Refill.
In an effort to reduce their carbon footprints, Carr Winery, Municipal Winemakers and Palmina sell their wines straight from the tap, in reusable glassware and growlers, some sealed with convenient swing-top closures.
By using washable glass containers, these wineries not only decrease waste and energy expense, they are also able to reduce transport, labor and per bottle packaging costs, a savings they hope to pass along to the consumer. “Labels, cork and glassware can cost the winery up to four dollars,” explains winemaker Ryan Carr. But with reusable containers, customers pay for the bottle with the initial purchase and can return for discounted refills of their favorite wines.
“It’s the way wine is enjoyed throughout the world’s great wine regions,” says Dave Potter of Municipal Winemakers. “You pick up your bread from the bakery, veggies and fruit from the farmers market and wine from your neighborhood winery.”
And the wines on tap—ranging from lively whites to food-friendly reds—are fresh, flavorful and ready-to-drink, making this straightto-the-source solution not only eco-savvy, but simply delicious.
Carr Winery: Pinot Grigio and Quonset Hut Red (Cab Franc and Syrah blend). 1 liter costs $25, refill $15. 414 N. Salsipuedes St., Santa Barbara; 805 965-7985; carrwinery.com
Municipal Winemakers: Counoise, Bordeaux Blend, Syrah. 1 liter costs $25, refill $20. 28 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara; 805 931-6864; municipalwinemakers.com
Palmina Winery: Tavola Rosso (Red) and Tavola Bianco (White). 750ml costs $12, refill $9; 64oz costs $30, refill $24. 1520 E. Chestnut Ct., Lompoc; 805 735-2030; palminawines.com
Riley at the Santa Rita Crossroads Farm Stand.
Let’s Talk Turkey
Santa Barbara’s abundance of locally grown fare makes Thanksgiving tables ebullient with fresh, seasonal specialties. But when it comes to the focus of the feast, a locally grown gobbler can be hard to find.
“The way turkeys are raised and how they grow dramatically affects their taste,” explains Katherine Anderson of Blue Oak Ranch. “The flavor is richer and more concentrated—like turkey distilled.”
We found two local farms—Blue Oak Ranch and Healthy Family Farms—that offer organic, heritage turkeys that are pastureraised on the South Coast. But be sure to pre-order since flocks are limited. You can also pre-order organic, free-range (but not necessarily locally raised) turkeys at many of our area grocery stores and natural foods markets.
Blue Oak Ranch can be reached at 805 689-8657; blueoakranchsb@gmail.com
Healthy Family Farms can be reached at healthyfamilyfarms@gmail.com or at the Saturday Santa Barbara Farmers Market.
To Market, to Market
“Wine makes a symphony of a good meal,” states Fernande Garvin in The Art of French Cooking. Palmina Winery owners
Chrystal and Steve Clifton couldn’t agree more. Their goal is to produce wines that complement fresh, seasonal foods and foster conviviality, simply serving as “an extension of the plate.”
Following this food-driven philosophy Palmina has partnered with the Santa Rosa Hills CSA to create “Market Thursdays.”
Subscribers are invited to pick up their pre-ordered box of produce along with tasty specialty products like meats, fish, cheeses, oils, jams and, of course, wine at Palmina’s Lompoc tasting room each Thursday from 4 to 6pm.
To join the Santa Rosa Hills CSA and get in on the foodie fun, visit srhcsa.com Palmina is located at 1520 E. Chestnut Ct. in Lompoc. For more information, visit palminawines.com or call 805 735-2030.
vertical TASTING
“The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday—but never jam today,” said the White Queen in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. Luckily for us, we can have jam every day if we want it—and local jam at that. If you haven’t made up a batch of jam yourself (and you really should try it), here are some delectable local jams that that you simply must have today.
Burgundy Plum Jam
A Marcie’s Garden Product
Ingredients: Burgundy plums, sugar, pectin.
Best for: Toast, scones or on top of anything that lets its beautiful plumy goodness shine through. How can you resist a jam that specifies which variety of plum it’s made from?
Find at: jimenezfamilyfarm.com
Blueberry
Mama’s Preserves
Ingredients: Fruit, sugar, lemon, pectin.
Best for: Putting on top of pancakes, waffles and crepes. Or try it on a toasted ham and cheese sandwich or slathered on a cheeseburger. Jam isn’t just for breakfast anymore.
Find at: mamaspreserves.com
Tomato Lavender Jam
Montecito Country Kitchen
Ingredients: Tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, lavender.
Best for: Drizzling on top of a bit of goat cheese on a cracker. Did we also mention eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon? Yes, it’s that good. Email: info@mckcuisine.com
Red Pepper Apple
Jam
Katie Rose Cannery
Ingredients: Red peppers, apples, organic sugar, vinegar, lemon juice.
Best for: Pairing with pork chops, roasted chicken or even your Thanksgiving turkey. It also makes a very grown-up and delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Find at: katierosecannery.com
BUILDING COMMUNITY
ONE BOWL AT A TIME
by Jill Johnson
a tangible object. He has now turned his immense energy to building community, one healthy meal at a time, with the advent of the Organic Soup Kitchen.
Anthony grew up around food and learned early on the joy of sharing it in his original hometown community of Cranston, Rhode Island (for “Family Guy” fans, the fictional Quahog, in which Stewie and his family live, is modeled after Cranston.) His father, Rico, was a baker, and Anthony fondly remembers delivering loaves of bread to his neighbors and the smell of baked goods wafting around his father when he came home. Food meant love.
However, after watching heart disease claim four of his five brothers and both his mother and father, Anthony decided that he didn’t want to suffer the same fate. So at a very young age, he embarked upon a quest to find a healthier way to live.
California has long whispered a siren’s song to those who believe in natural foods and natural living, and in the ’80s Anthony heeded the call and headed west. He built a lot of houses and made a bit of money and then looked around for his next challenge. Although he had not finished high school and knew absolutely nothing of the publishing business, he decided he wanted to start a publication to share his knowledge of “healing and nurturing.”
In 1995, Healing Retreats & Spas was born and later, Spa Trends; both magazines were nationally distributed.
It was the harsh reality of the economic landscape that inspired Anthony’s newest challenge: the Organic Soup Kitchen. He began to notice the homeless in Santa Barbara and, as is his nature, felt he could not “stand back and watch” others suffer.
“I would be embarrassed to go to my grave without doing something of purpose to others,” he states in his pronounced Eastern New England accent. Taking a page from his childhood, he started sharing food with people, but this time not just bread. He started cooking up pots of healthy soups and ladled them out at a local park. Later, after a little chat with the Health Department and with help from members of the local community, he moved the expanding operation into the Veteran’s Center.
He discovered that many people who find themselves homeless are suffering from health challenges, such as diabetes or edema, that could be lessened or managed with proper diet. But eating health consciously is hard to do when subsisting upon donated food made up mostly of over-processed, low-nutrient, sugarand carbohydrate-laden products. With generous donations from local farmers, Lazy Acres, Peet’s Coffee and Whole Foods, Anthony has concentrated on serving meals that nourish the body while providing a supportive community to nourish the soul.
Inspired by the D.C. Central Kichen, Anthony has given the Organic Soup Kitchen an additional challenge: He is building up an educational program to help people regain their financial footing with hands-on training in the kitchen, foodhandler certification and jobs in local kitchens or other food establishments.
Building hope. Building nutritional strength. Building purpose. Building community. Anthony is organically building an authen tic movement of doing good—one satisfying bowl at a time.
Jill Johnson is an artistic soul with an inquisitive mind and a hearty appetite for life... and food. You can find her musings of spilled milk and cookie crumblings at her blog, cookiesinheaven.blogspot.com.
An Organic Soup Recipe from Anthony Carroccio
Lentil and Roasted Vegetable Soup
Makes 6 servings
Please use organic ingredients.
1 1- to 11⁄ 4 -pound eggplant, unpeeled and quartered
4 large plum tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1⁄ 2 large red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups (or more) water
11⁄ 4 cups dried organic lentils
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1⁄ 2 cup plain goat yogurt
Preheat oven to 450°. Combine the vegetables and the garlic with the olive oil. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Turn vegetables over and roast until tender and brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes longer. Cool slightly (do not clean roasting pan).
Scoop eggplant pulp from peel into processor; discard peel. Add onion and garlic to processor; purée until smooth. Transfer eggplant mixture to large pot or saucepan. Coarsely chop tomatoes and bell pepper; combine in small bowl.
Add 1 cup water to roasting pan; stir to scrape up any browned bits, and add to the pot with the eggplant mixture. Add 4 cups water, lentils and cumin and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes. Mix in all but tomato and bell pepper mixture. Simmer uncovered until lentils are very tender, thinning with more water if soup is too thick, about 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle large spoonful of yogurt over each. Top with remaining 1⁄ 4 cup tomato and bell pepper mixture and serve.
8 Markets, 6 Days a Week
Sundays
Camino Real Marketplace In Goleta at Storke & Hollister 10:00am – 2:00pm
Tuesdays
Old Town Santa Barbara
500 & 600 Blocks of State Street 4:00pm – 7:30pm 3:00pm – 6:30pm (beginning Nov 7)
Wednesdays
Solvang Village
Copenhagen Drive & 1st Street 2:30pm – 6:30pm 2:30pm – 6:00pm (beginning Nov 7)
Harding Elementary School 1625 Robbins Street 3:00pm – 6:30pm
Thursdays
Camino Real Marketplace In Goleta at Storke & Hollister 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Carpinteria
800 Block of Linden Avenue 3:00pm – 6:30pm
Fridays
Montecito
1100 & 1200 Block of Coast Village Road 8:00am – 11:15am
Saturdays
Downtown Santa Barbara Corner of Santa Barbara & Cota Streets 8:30am – 1:00pm
Season in
Almonds (harvested Aug/Sept)
Apples (harvested July–Oct)
Artichokes
Arugula
Asparagus
Avocados
Basil
Bay leaf
Beans
Beets
Blackberries
Blueberries
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cherimoya
Chiles
Chives
Cilantro
Collards
Corn
Cucumber
Dandelion
Dates (harvested Sept/Oct)
Dill
Eggplant
Fennel
Figs
Garlic (harvested May/June)
Grapefruit
Grapes
Honey
Kale
Kiwi
Lavender
Leeks
Lemons
Lettuce
Limes
Melons
Mint
Mustard greens
Nectarines
Onions, green bunching
Onions, bulb (harvested May/June)
Oranges, Valencia
Oregano
Parsley
Peaches
Peppers
Plums
Pistachios (harvested Sept/Oct)
Potatoes (harvested May/June)
Radishes
Raisins (harvested Sept/Oct)
Raspberries
Rosemary
Sage
Spinach
Sprouts and legumes
Squash, winter (harvested July/Oct)
Squash, summer
Strawberries
Sweet potatoes (harvested Aug/Sept)
Tangerines/Mandarins
Thyme
Tomatillo
Tomatoes
Turnips
Walnuts (harvested Sept/Oct)
Watermelon
Yams (harvested Aug/Sept)
Also available year-round
Fresh Flowers
Potted Plants/Herbs
Local Cheese
(full selection of certified organic goat- and cow-milk cheeses, butters, curds, yogurts and spreads)
Locally Produced Breads, Pies and Preserves
(bread produced from wheat grown in Santa Ynez; pies and preserves)
Local Meat
(antibiotic-free chicken, duck, Cornish game hens, grass-fed/ hormone-free beef and pork)
Local Seafood
Many types of local seafood are available year round, but here is a list of some that will be in peak season this fall:
Squid
Sardines
Anchovies
Urchins
Rock crab
Prawns
White seabass
Lobster
Rockfish
Swordfish
Black cod
Recipes seasonal
Seasonal Salad
Celery, Apple and Walnut Salad
Makes 4–6 servings
This simple and refreshing salad has some of the same ingredients as a traditional Waldorf salad, but it skips the traditional mayonnaise dressing in favor of a vinaigrette. It’s a delicious salad to serve at Thanksgiving, just double the quantities if needed.
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons local wildflower honey
4 tablespoons walnut oil
Salt and pepper
4 small handfuls of the salad greens of your choice (butter lettuce, romaine hearts, arugula, etc.)
4–6 ribs of celery, trimmed and diced
3 small tart apples, cored and diced
1⁄ 4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Mix together the vinegar and honey and whisk in the walnut oil; add a little salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle half the dressing over the salad greens in a mixing bowl and toss. Arrange on a serving platter.
Then add the chopped celery, apples and walnuts to the same mixing bowl and toss with the remaining dressing. Arrange the mixture on top of the greens on the serving platter and serve.
Persimmons
Hoshi Gaki is the traditional Japanese method of drying persimmons. You can find out more about the process at penrynorchardspecialties.com. If you want to give it a try, here are the basic instructions, but it is often helpful to take a class or find a mentor when making them for the first time.
Hoshi Gaki
Select firm orange Hachiya persimmons. Cut the fruit around the stem to flatten it and expose the stem for tying. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to thinly remove the skin from the entire persimmon, being careful not to run your peeler over the tip multiple times.
Tie the stem of one of the persimmons to a piece of string and another persimmon to the other end. Hang them so that they don’t touch each other and so that there is plenty of airflow. Repeat with as many persimmons as you would like to make.
The persimmons will need to hang in a warm, dry area for 3–6 weeks, so choose a location where they will be out of the way but accessible. A few days after hanging the fruit, gently massage each persimmon, being careful not to tear them. The purpose of massaging is to distribute the moisture so the persimmon dries evenly and to encourage the formation of natural sugar crystals on the outside of the persimmon.
Repeat the massaging every few days. Each persimmon will need to be massaged at least a dozen times. When they have turned brown and shriveled and have a nice coating of powdery sugar crystals on them they are ready to use or store in the freezer for up to a year.
Dates
For more on dates see “A Date at the Market” in this issue.
Pumpkin Date Ice Cream
This recipe was inspired by two recipes in David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop (the Date, Rum and Pecan Ice Cream and the Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Maple-Glazed Pecans). The combination of pumpkin and date is not one commonly seen in an ice cream, but they work together beautifully. It would not be overkill to serve alongside a slice of pumpkin pie; then again, you might not need the pie.
Makes about one quart
12 Medjool dates (about 4 ounces), finely chopped
1⁄ 4 cup brandy or cognac
1⁄ 2 small sugar pumpkin, or Kabocha cut in half, seeds removed
1 cup whole milk
2⁄ 3 cup packed brown sugar
1⁄ 4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄ 8 teaspoon salt
Place the dates in a small bowl and pour the brandy over them. Let sit at room temperature for 4 or more hours.
Preheat oven 425°. Place the pumpkin half, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45–50 minutes, until tender but not overly browned. Let cool, then scoop the flesh out of the skins.
In a blender, purée about one cup of the pumpkin flesh, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until thoroughly combined. Put the mixture through a food mill or press through a mesh strainer with a rubber spatula. Mix in the dates and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Fall Minestrone
Here is a fall version of our favorite Italian vegetable soup. Of course you can make substitutions based on what you find at the market. Try onions instead of shallots, parsnips instead of carrots, chard instead of collards or potatoes instead of butternut squash.
Makes 4–6 servings
1 cup dried white beans
Olive oil
2–3 ounces pancetta, diced, optional
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 medium-sized carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 red or orange sweet pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 small Butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small cubes
1 bunch collards or kale, stems removed, leaves thinly sliced
6 cups of homemade or organic free-range chicken or vegetable stock
A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Some grated Parmesan cheese, optional Crusty French or Italian bread, for serving
Rinse the beans in cold water. Put them in a large pot and cover with water. Bring just to a boil and then remove from heat. Cover and let sit for one hour. Drain and discard cooking water. Return beans to the pot, add water to cover and simmer for one hour or until tender. Drain and set aside.
In a large soup pot cook the pancetta over medium heat until crispy. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and sauté the shallots, carrots, celery, pepper and garlic over medium heat for 5–8 minutes or until tender and translucent.
Add the Butternut squash along with the collards or kale, the broth and the reserved beans, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir to mix everything evenly. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 35–45 minutes or until the Butternut squash is tender. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil along with some good, crusty French or Italian bread. It’s even better the next day.
C’est (Grilled) Cheese
‘Cause we know how to make one mean grilled cheese. Made to order daily.
www.cestcheese.com
Handcrafted ales that reflect the unique character of Santa Barbara
Handcrafted ales that reflect the unique character of Santa Barbara
watch for new seasonal brews throughout the fall GYPSY ALE • OATMEAL STOUT HARVEST RYE ALE
Handcrafted ales that reflect the unique character of Santa Barbara
416 North Salsipuedes Street 805 963-5018 • TelegraphBrewing.com
416 North Salsipuedes Street 805 963-5018 • TelegraphBrewing.com
416 North Salsipuedes Street 805 963-5018 • TelegraphBrewing.com
PARDON ME WHILE I REGRESS
LET’S PUT PLASTIC IN ITS PLACE
by Janice Cook Knight
First I learned to eat “health food.” Next I learned to eat “organic” health food. After that I learned to eat healthy organic food that was also “locally grown.”
It might sound like progress, but actually, if we turned back the clock about 70 years, we’d find that only a couple of generations ago nearly all of our food was “healthy,” “organically grown” and “local.” And, let me add, not wrapped in a whole lot of plastic!
Which brings me to the next new idea—that’s really an old idea: How about taking the Plastic Challenge?
What if we (you and I) used as little plastic as possible for one whole month?
It’ll be like going on a diet, only we won’t be the only ones to benefit. The ocean, the air, the soil, the burgeoning landfills, the birds, the fish, will thank us for not contributing to the waste and plastic pollution problem.
Why target plastic? Because most of the 100 billion plastic bottles produced in a year don’t end up recycled, though they could be, and 95% of the plastic grocery bags produced each year don’t get recycled either. Both are made from petroleum, which is costly in ways that can barely be measured in dollars, and both end up in landfills or in the ocean.
I think it’s time to make some new old-fashioned habits, and a month of paying attention to the plastic in my life is going to be really interesting. If Grandma did without it, so can I.
Janice Cook Knight is the author of Follow Your Heart’s Vegetarian Soup Cookbook and The Follow Your Heart Cookbook: Recipes from the Vegetarian Restaurant. She has taught cooking for over 25 years, and currently teaches a cookbook-writing workshop. She lives in Santa Barbara with her family.
Grown in Santa Barbara.
Feel good about your bank
1033 Anacapa Street | Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 965-5942 | AmericanRivieraBank.com
THE PLASTIC CHALLENGE No New Plastic Products!
During the month of October I will…
q Bring my own bags to the store. (If I forget, I could wheel the un-bagged groceries, after paying, to the trunk of my car and unload them there. Bet I’ll remember next time.)
q Bring reusable cotton or nylon net bags to the grocery or farmers market for bagging produce and some bulk bin items, or re-use plastic or paper bags I already have.
q Carry a non-plastic to-go cup in the car in case I need to stop for coffee or tea.
q Carry a reusable, non-plastic water bottle. Avoid buying water and all other beverages in plastic bottles.
q Refuse all polystyrene (Styrofoam) containers, which are not recyclable in our community.
q Buy dairy products in returnable glass bottles if possible. If I must buy in cartons, compost the cartons in my yard.
q Buy and use products that are compostable—and then compost them. All sorts of paper products, even wax paper and deli paper, can be composted.
q Avoid products packaged in plastic that is not recyclable in our community. In Santa Barbara this includes those heavy plastic bags, Ziploc or not, that nuts, seeds, dried fruits, granola, cookies, meat, cheese, etc. are often wrapped in. Buy from bulk bins instead and bring my own bags to use at the bins.
q Avoid using plastic wrap at home, such as Saran, or buying food in plastic wrap. (Don’t buy products such as cheese that come in plastic wrap. Ask the deli to cut you a piece of cheese and put it in a recyclable container or wrap it in deli paper that you can then compost).
q Use non-plastic food storage containers: glass, stainless steel, ceramic, silicone.
q Buy things in non-plastic packaging whenever possible. If I need something that only comes in plastic, then I will choose reusable or recyclable containers. I will reuse the containers and recycle them when I can no longer reuse them.
q Take back any plastic bread bags, produce bags, grocery bags or newspaper bags that I end up with to a grocery store for recycling.
The month-long challenge is designed to build awareness. Please visit ediblesantabarbara.com for more information about how you can eliminate or decrease the amount of plastic in your life for the month of October and beyond.
Kinderville makes these stylish food storage jars and divided plates out of silicone, which is an inert, rubberlike material that is non-toxic, durable, easy to clean and non-breakable. The containers are ideal for preserving baby food, packing food for lunches, or storing and defrosting leftovers. Silicon is microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe and can even be safely boiled to sterilize it. The design makes them appealing to kids, but grownups like them too. Available at kinder-ville.com
Food doesn’t have to be packaged in plastic. Lompoc Valley Seed & Milling puts its delicious pinquitos dried beans in a muslin bag, with a recipe included inside. 805 736-2517; lompocbeans.com
Backyard Bowls is doing its part to promote reusable containers and composting. Their “Green Card” gives customers three ways to earn a stamp, and 10 stamps equals a free bowl. 1) Order your bowl “for here,” 2) BYOB, bring your own (reusable) bowl, 3) return your used to-go container for composting.
Find out more and share your plastic-free ideas at groups.google.com/group/sb-plastic-challenge
EDIBLE GARDEN EDIBLES TO SUSTAIN
THE B S OVER WINTER
by Joan S. Bolton
Among the most timeless, natural sounds in the garden are the chirp and warble of birds and the gentle hum of fuzzy, plump honeybees. Add to that the dipping and swooping flights of butterflies, and you have a garden full of life and motion.
It’s easy enough to plant a few nectar plants to encourage those three Bs—birds, bees and butterflies—to visit during spring and summer. It takes more thought to create a space to entice and sustain them all year.
But view the world from their winged perspectives, and you’ll begin to understand their three basic needs: food, shelter and water.
Food
California native plants top the list, since you’re encouraging native wildlife. However, a number of shrubs, perennials and herbs from other Mediterranean regions provide forage as well.
During the lean months of fall and winter, many birds harvest plants that have gone to seed. In my garden, a sure sign of the changing seasons is the arrival of goldfinches, which cheerfully flit about, cleaning up long strands of spent blue flowers on my germander sage (Salvia chamaedryoides). Other seed-bearers include coreopsis, blanket flower (Gaillardia grandiflora), sunflower (Helianthus), native grasses, ornamental grasses, other sages and fennel.
Larger birds tend to gravitate toward berries. I’ve watched many a beefy cedar waxwing spend an afternoon devouring scarlet pyracantha berries. Also appealing are the bright red berries on toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), cotoneaster and holly, as well as the brilliant yellow and dark blue berries on barberry (Berberis)
During cooler weather, honeybees slow down and generally remain in their hives, forming a tight ball around their queens to keep her warm and feeding on honey that they’ve stored. Most other species of bees die off in the fall, with the exception of their queens, which hibernate underground, in wood piles or beneath rocks. Come spring, all bees begin to rejuvenate their colonies and resume their quests for pollen and nectar. They will stick around for their entire life cycle if you provide a progression of blooms. Start with spring-flowering fruit trees, such as apples, plums, peaches and apricots; native shrubs such as manzanita (Arctostaphylos) and wild lilac (Ceanothus), and as many California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) as you can fit.
In summer, the bees will hone in on your roses, coreopsis, red buckwheat (Eriogonum grande var. rubescens), sunflower and long-blooming, aromatic perennial herbs, such as borage, bee balm (Monarda), lavender, catmint (Nepeta), mint, rosemary, sage, germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) and thyme. Plant some of those herbs among your cucumbers, melons and squash, and you’ll enhance pollination.
In fall, provide one last hit with asters and coneflowers (Echinacea)
Butterflies are not as active during cooler months, either. Indeed, most adult butterflies live only a few weeks. They spend most of their lives as eggs and larvae, attached to host plants.
Wild lilacs are home to caterpillars that morph into pale swallowtail butterflies, ceanothus silkmoths, brown elfins and spring azures. Our native stonecrop (Dudleya), common buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), silver bush lupine (Lupinus albifrons) and monkey flower (Mimulus) are popular hosts as well.
The ferny foliage of dill, parsley and fennel offers safe haven for anise swallowtail eggs. And milkweed—both the weed and the ornamental Asclepias curassavica —is a favored host for bold and beautiful monarch caterpillars.
Once the caterpillars turn into butterflies, their palate expands and they sup nectar from many of the same flowers that sustain bees. However, since butterflies can’t hover for long, they gravitate toward plants that bear masses of daisy-like or flat-topped flowers. Good bets are asters, coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), coreopsis, sulfur buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum), heliotrope, lantana, coyote mint (Monardella villosa), statice (Limonium perezii), passion vine (Passiflora) and verbena.
Shelter
Before and after they’ve stuffed their bellies, birds need a place to perch, rest, sun themselves, look for prey and avoid predators. Our tall, native oaks and sycamores offer lookouts for soaring hawks, cavities for owls to nest and branches for woodpeckers to cache their acorns.
In smaller gardens, a stand of manzanita (Arctostaphylos), coyote brush, wild lilac, juniper or heavenly bamboo (Nandina) may provide enough cover. Native grasses will supply nesting material.
The same sort of mixed heights and densities provides protection from wind for adult butterflies.
Dark nooks and crannies, and bare dirt, are favored by bees. Honeybees often nest in tree cavities, unprotected chimneys or block walls, while native bees commonly nest in the ground. The females dig shallow tunnels, then create a series of cells, depositing a single egg, pollen and nectar into each.
Water
In the wild, birds bathe and drink in puddles. Bird baths look much the same, with flat bottoms and gently sloping slides. Or you can use an upside-down trash can lid or terra cotta saucer. Locate the bath close to a perch—shrub, tree or post—that will support the weight of a bird but not that of a cat. Change the water every few days to deter mosquitoes. Birds don’t like splashing about in stagnant water, either.
Butterflies and bees like puddles, too, but don’t need the same depth as birds. Instead, set out a terra cotta saucer filled with gravel and water, and top if off every few days during warmer weather.
Protect Your Wildlife
When setting up an edible garden for birds, bees and butterflies, avoid spraying pesticides, insecticides or anything else that might harm them. Fortunately, it’s not likely that you’ll be tempted. A garden filled with diverse plantings, a progression of blooms and a year-round coalition of winged friends will keep pests in check and help create a balanced environment.
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
IN THE KITCHEN WITH CHEF BRADLEY OGDEN
by Nancy Oster
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRAN COLLIN
Does celebrated American chef Bradley Ogden get a chance to cook at home? The answer is yes, but not as often as he might like. After graduation from the Culinary Institute of America in 1977 with honors (identified as the student most likely to succeed), he became the creative force behind several award-winning restaurants, which include Lark Creek Inn in Marin County, One Market in San Francisco, Bradley Ogden at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and now Root 246 in Solvang.
Chef Ogden’s passion for traditional American comfort food and his elegant use of farm-fresh ingredients have won him acclaim as one of the “Great American Chefs” by the International Wine and Food Society, “Best Chef of California” from the James Beard Foundation, the “Golden Plate” award from the American Academy of Achievement and “Chef of the Year” in 2002 from the Culinary Institute of America.
If you eat at Root 246 in Solvang, you’ll understand why. A simple sirloin meatloaf slice comes to you on a bed of delicately herb-flavored mashed potatoes surrounded by a spicy sauce reminiscent of ketchup, but fresh and light. A variety of sautéed wild mushrooms cascade over the meatloaf onto the plate … simple, classic and delicious. The restaurant menu changes daily, based on the freshest local ingredients available that day.
So what does a chef of this caliber have in his home kitchen?
Chef Ogden graciously invited us to visit his kitchen to see. He warned us that his kitchen is small—a typical condo kitchen. When most of your evenings and holidays are spent handling large quantities of food in a restaurant kitchen, a smaller home kitchen must feel pretty cozy.
The first thing Chef Ogden showed us was an outline and recipes for his upcoming cookbook, a collection of recipes for holiday entertaining. The recipes include traditional foods with a fresh twist, such as Sage Butter Basted Turkey or Boston Brown Bread with Homemade Spiced Apple Butter.
“I’m testing all the recipes in my kitchen here at home,” he said as we looked through a book of recent food photos. Edible Santa Barbara Editor Krista Harris and I both immediately volunteered to be tasters.
We asked Chef Ogden to tell us about the things we saw in his kitchen area, and to talk a little about becoming a chef.
I see you have a cookbook collection. Are there one or two you rely on in particular?
Probably Food Lover’s Companion, a dictionary of food terms, techniques and ingredients. I look through some of the others for ideas. I also refer to my own cookbook, Bradley Ogden’s Breakfast Lunch and Dinner, to recreate things I’ve done in the past.
Is that a barbecue out on the terrace?
Yes, I make different barbecue sauces from scratch. Some of those recipes will be in the new cookbook.
Is this a picture of you with your mom?
Yes, that’s at Campton Place Hotel in San Francisco about a year after I opened it. That was an article in GQ. Mom came out from Michigan to make her fried chicken at the restaurant.
Was your mom the primary cook in your family?
Yes, she cooked for all seven of us kids. She made typical onepot stuff like goulash, pot roast, meatloaf and turkey—old favorites. Dad was famous for his ice creams. All of us kids lined up to crank the ice cream maker. You can’t beat hand-cranked ice cream. It never comes out quite that good with an electric ice cream maker.
Both grandmothers cooked. My twin brother, Ben, and I would spend at least a week or two in the summer on my mom’s mother’s farm in Windsor, Ontario. We’d pick tomatoes off the vine for tomato salad. My grandmother would make us little picnic lunches to eat in the fields.
She killed and plucked her own chickens. I remember her delicious rhubarb and berry pies. (Ben used to try to get two pieces.) We didn’t have much growing up, but my dad was a big fanatic on all-organic farm-fresh food; it had to come directly from the farm. We also did a lot of fishing and hunting together.
Did you learn to cook from your mom and grandmother?
No, I didn’t step into the kitchen until I was 18. Cooking school was my dad’s idea. He figured if you learned how to cook, you could always get a job. My dad owned a big rock and roll club up in Traverse City, Michigan, called Tanzhaus. He saw this article in the Detroit Free Press about the Culinary Institute of America, so off to chef school my twin brother and I went. My dad figured if we learned to cook we could start a family business.
Did your dad serve meals at the Tanzhaus?
No, just snacks like popcorn and hot dogs. It held 500 people indoors and another 500 outdoors. Musicians like Led Zeppelin and Bob Seger came to play. I cleaned the place, was a disc jockey, a security guard—you name it, we did it. I tended the bar when I was 12.
How did you like culinary school?
I loved it. It was like I’d been doing it all my life, like playing the piano with no lessons.
Is this a photo of one of your sons with you and your mother? Three cooks in the kitchen?
Yes, two of my sons went to the Culinary Institute of America. Chad, my oldest son, is a chef in Hong Kong. Bryan, my middle son, has opened a restaurant called the Munch Bar in Las Vegas. They’d worked a little at Lark Creek Inn, on and off, but we didn’t work together professionally until Bryan came on board as my chef de cuisine at Ogden’s in Las Vegas. My youngest son, Corey, is a doctor.
Are those fruit in your fruit basket locally grown?
Yes, I’m a big advocate of farm to table, buying directly from the farm or farmers markets. After a year of being open here in the Valley, farmers are
starting to show up at our back door. I’d like to see more little boutique stores, delis and restaurants open up here selling local organic products.
What fall ingredients do you look forward to the most?
I look forward to apples, pears and the first blush of winter squash like Butternut squash and sweet pumpkins. I also watch for pomegranates and quince.
Is that a recipe on your refrigerator door?
Yes, I tear recipes I like out of magazines to keep in a file.
Your refrigerator looks a little empty.
It’s usually packed. I just cleaned it out. There was a Double Chocolate Soufflé Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sabayon, but it didn’t come out the way I wanted it. There are some of the barbecue sauces I’ve been working on. Here are some homemade pickles and some jams I’m putting in the cookbook.
I also make my own homemade mustards using yellow and sometimes black mustard seeds and ground mustard. I’m trying out different flavors like peach, mango or horseradish mustard. Some of those recipes will be in the cookbook.
Tell me about these vinegars.
I love balsamic vinegar. I use vinegars, tomato and citrus in cooking to add an acidic clarity and a little punch to my recipes.
I use Sparrow Lane vinegars a lot and I use Iced Wine Vinegar from Minus 8 at the restaurant. It’s made in Canada from grapes picked frozen from the vines. It has taken us years to produce really good balsamic vinegars here in the U.S., but now we have them.
I also use olive oil from B. R. Cohn in Sonoma County. I do a big charity event for him every October, a sit-down dinner for 450 people.
I see your kitchen utensils in a large tin popcorn bucket next to the stove. Which ones do you use the most?
These silicone brushes are great because the bristles won’t fall out and you can put them in the dishwasher. And of course the microplane grater is an important tool. I like to have my utensils out here where it’s easy to get them.
I bought this rolling cart for my chinois and my pots and pans. I hated digging through the cupboards to find something. Now I can roll the cart right over to where I’m working.
Stainless steel pans?
I use All-Clad stainless pans at home. These have copper sandwiched in the middle between the stainless layers so they heat more evenly.
Knives?
I only keep a few knives here at home. This Japanese chef’s knife was a gift to myself. It has a teak handle that polishes up beautifully. I like the quality of the steel and the balance. I use stainless steel—I hate sharpening. This little ceramic paring knife also works well and it only cost about $13.
I see you have an electric ice cream maker. What’s your favorite ice cream?
I do this great drunken prune chocolate ice cream that will be in my cookbook. A little brandy, some bourbon. It’s sort of soft-serve.
Anything you eat that you don’t want anyone to see you buying?
Like graham crackers? I love graham crackers. They’re my late-night snack with yogurt … or just milk and graham crackers.
I see you have some Smucker’s chocolate sauce on the door shelf.
Oh, I love a little hot marshmallow sundae once in a while. I have ganache in there too but…
Banana, honey and peanut butter is a good little midnight snack too—organic peanut butter. And I love to make little open-face tuna fish sandwiches. Sometimes I put a little apple and celery in with the tuna.
Anything else you’d like to have in your kitchen?
Two dishwashers. Half the battle is cleaning up after yourself.
After writing this article Nancy Oster drove to Root 246 in Solvang to test the excellence of the food … one more time.
SANTA BARBA RA
Dining Guide edible
Santa Barbara County has its own unique food traditions—from Santa Maria barbecue to Santa Barbara spot prawns and the world-class local wines that accompany them—so we’d like to help you find some of the area restaurants that create the distinctively Santa Barbara dining experience. Restaurants are chosen for this dining guide because of their emphasis on using local, seasonal ingredients in their menus and their commitment to real food.
Santa Barbara
Backyard Bowls
331 Motor Way
Santa Barbara 805 845-5379
backyardbowls.com
Santa Barbara’s most innovative breakfast and lunch spot featuring Acai Bowls—bowls of a thick smoothie made from acai, an antioxidant-rich berry, topped with fresh fruit, granola and other toppings. They also offer oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies and more. Mon–Fri 7am–6pm; Sat–Sun 8am–6pm.
Bouchon
9 W. Victoria St. Santa Barbara 805 730-1160
bouchonsantabarbara.com
Bouchon sources all of its ingredients using an “as-fresh-and-as-local-as-possible” approach, and Chef Greg Murphy is a familiar sight at the local farmers markets. 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 from 5:30pm.
Coast Restaurant
31 W. Carrillo St.
Santa Barbara 805 879-9100
canarysantabarbara.com
Coast Restaurant and Bar offers savory, accessible comfort food in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara at the Canary Hotel. The food at Coast reflects Santa Barbara’s plentiful bounty of local seafood and farmers market produce. Restaurant serving 7am–10pm daily. Bar open Mon–Thurs 11am–11pm and Fri–Sat 11am–midnight.
Pizza Guru
3534 State St.
Santa Barbara 805 563-3250 pizzaguru.com
Locally owned and operated, Pizza Guru serves traditional and eccentric gourmet pizzas, salads, panini and pastas made fresh daily from locally sourced, organic ingredients. They also specialize in vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free pizzas. Monday–Saturday 11am–9:30pm, Sunday 11:30–8:30pm.
Seagrass
30 E. Ortega St.
Santa Barbara 805 963-1012
seagrassrestaurant.com
bouchon
santa barbara
Seagrass offers a fresh Santa Barbara coastal cuisine fine dining experience. They are a charter member of the Sustainable Seafood Program and procure the highest quality ingredients available, including local fish from the Santa Barbara Fish Market and produce from the farmers market. Dinner nightly Fri–Sat 5:30–10pm; Sun–Thur 5:30–9pm.
Sojourner Café
134 E. Cañon Perdido St.
Santa Barbara 805 965-7922
sojournercafe.com
The Sojourner has been serving unique dishes created with wholesome natural ingredients for over 30 years. They purchase organic produce from local growers, carry local wines and beers and are known for their innovative desserts. Serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Open daily 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–10pm.
Spiritland Bistro
230 E. Victoria St.
Santa Barbara
805 966-7759
spiritlandbistro.com
Spiritland Bistro serves organic world cuisine with a local flair, healthfully prepared and artfully presented. They are dedicated to locally sourced organic produce, sustainable seafood and meat, and in addition to traditional fare, they provide a wide range of options for vegan, vegetarian and raw diets. Open daily for lunch 11:30am–2pm and dinner Sun–Thur 5:30–9pm and Fri–Sat 5:30–10pm.
The Wine Cask
813 Anacapa St.
Santa Barbara
805 966-9463
winecask.com
The Wine Cask Restaurant offers fine dining in their exquisite Gold Room and the Wine Cask Bar Café offers casual dining in the courtyard, patio or by their cozy fireplace. Their food is sourced from area farms and local purveyors. They also have a tasting room where you can sample some of the finest wines of Santa Barbara County. Restaurant nightly from 5:30pm; bar and café Mon–Fri 11am–10pm, Sat–Sun 4–10pm; Tasting Room daily noon–6pm.
bouchon
santa barbara
Santa Ynez Valley
Avant Tapas and Wine
35 Industrial Way Buellton 805 686-9400 avantwines.com
Avant offers a selection of savory tapas, gourmet pizzas and desserts that are the perfect counterpoint to the over 30 wines available for tasting at their state-of-the-art production facility. Open Thur–Sun 11am–8pm.
Ballard Inn & Restaurant
2436 Baseline Ave., Ballard 805 688-7770; 800 638-2466 ballardinn.com
Chef Budi Kazali’s award-winning cuisine, extensive wine list, exceptional service and romantic atmosphere create one of the most memorable dining experiences in the Santa Barbara wine country. Open Wed–Sun 5:30–9pm.
Los Olivos Grocery
2621 W. Highway 154 Santa Ynez 805 688-5115 losolivosgrocery.com
The Los Olivos Grocery delicatessen is a valley favorite for breakfasts and lunches. In the evenings they offer alternating dinners featuring Southern soul, Mexican and Mediterranean dishes. Local wines and beers are also offered. Open daily 7am–9pm.
Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café
2879 Grand Ave.
Los Olivos 805 688-7265 losolivoscafe.com
The Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café brings together the best flavors of the Central Coast. Their award-winning wine list offers over 500 wines, primarily from Central Coast winemakers, to enjoy with their fresh, seasonal and local cuisine, or to enjoy at home. Open for lunch and dinner daily 11:30am–8:30pm.
The Hitching Post II
406 E. Highway 246
Buellton 805 688-0676
hitchingpost2.com
From Santa Maria–style barbecue to more contemporary cuisine such as smoked duck breast, ostrich, homemade soups and outstanding pastries, The Hitching Post II also offers their own world class Hartley Ostini Hitching Post Wines. Open daily except major holidays. Cocktails/wine tasting Mon–Fri at 4pm, Sat–Sun at 3pm. Dinners only Mon–Fri 5–9:30pm, Sat–Sun 4–9:30pm.
edible
SANTA BARBARA SUPPER CLUB
The Edible Santa Barbara Supper Club brings together a small group of people for prix fixe dinners at one of the restaurants in our dining guide. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy a meal and conversation with like-minded individuals
The next dinner will take place on October 26, 2010 at Bouchon. The cost and details will be in our email newsletter and on our website.
Visit ediblesantabara.com to find out more and to sign up for our email newsletter.
Food bloggers are welcome and taking pictures of your food encouraged!
LOCAL GRASS-FED BEEF
CONVERTING SUNLIGHT TO FOOD
by Nancy Oster
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRAN COLLIN
Raising grass-fed beef is not new to Santa Barbara cattle ranchers. Native grasses grow well here, even in times of little rain, and cattle have been part of our landscape since the Spanish issued land grants in the 1800s.
I’ve often seen the cattle grazing on our hillsides, but never really connected that to the history of our community or even to the meat I buy at the grocery store. When I started seeing local grass-fed meat at the farmers market, I wondered why anyone would spend that much for a pound of ground beef or a grass-fed steak. Was it the flavor, tenderness or the fact that the cows have been allowed to feed on organic grasses and not been given hormones or antibiotics?
I set out to learn more about these cows by interviewing three of our local cattle ranchers, but I actually learned more about grass, soil and community. Grazing cattle play an important role in converting the sun’s energy into food. Not only do they provide meat, but they also nourish the soil and the community of microbes and fungi that make plants healthy and nutritious. The food chain is a community of interactive participants, including plants, cows and humans.
Elizabeth Poett
Rancho San Julian Beef
I turned off the 101 Freeway onto Highway 1 toward Lompoc and drove alongside the 13,000-acre Rancho San Julian for many miles before I reached the entrance.
Comandante José de la Guerra established this cattle ranch in 1817 to provide meat for the Presidio of Santa Barbara. Spain granted title of the ranch to Comandante de la Guerra in 1837. His descendants still share ownership of the ranch.
Elizabeth met me in front of the large white adobe built by her ancestors. She is the sixth generation to live on this ranch. We crossed the dirt road (once the main road to Santa Barbara) to have iced coffee on the porch of the old bunkhouse that is now her home. We were joined by two border collies, an Australian shepherd and one dog of undetermined lineage. A cat rubbed against my leg and then hopped up onto my lap. This is clearly a family ranch, not a factory farm.
Elizabeth said she’d drive me out to the pasture later to see the cows in their natural habitat. She told me about a steer named Pepper she has found sitting on the grass in the morning with her dogs. She helped to deliver him and bottle-fed him after his mom had some trouble. The dogs find the whole thing a bit embarrassing, she says, and Pepper won’t let her pet him in front of the other cows, but that’s life on this cattle ranch.
Elizabeth’s dad, Jim Poett, moved his family to the ranch 30 years ago, right before Elizabeth was born. He began raising organic beef in the 1980s, selling quarters to local markets and butcher shops. One of the first organic beef producers, he helped write the California Organic Food Act. Then he stopped selling his beef commercially in the 1990s to improve the genetics of his herd and further develop the ranch’s environmental infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth left for Kenyon College in Ohio to study Spanish history. After college she moved to New York and then Los Angeles, but she was spending most weekends at the ranch working with her dad. She moved back to the ranch about 4½ years ago to help develop new markets for his beef.
Elizabeth missed ranch life and the generations of tradition shared with other ranchers. For example, she explains, “In the early spring, we gather the cattle for branding. Sometimes we’ll have 20 people come from other ranches to help us. And we go to their brandings. Everybody helps everybody.”
Elizabeth met her husband, Austin Campbell, at a branding. Most of the year the three of them can handle the workload themselves, but when they need extra help or experienced advice, they know they can ask their neighbors.
She adds, “The amount of work it takes to create food is humbling, and we want to be environmentally sustainable as well as productive. Most of our feed is dry farmed, and the areas the cattle graze are not irrigated. We have some natural springs but water here is precious.”
That’s why not all her beef is 100% grass-fed. She explains, “I harvest my 100% grass-fed once a year. Since I don’t irrigate, I do it when the grass is the strongest.” During dry periods she feeds the remaining cows dried oat hay, alfalfa and barley, but no corn.
Some larger cattle operations feed their cattle corn to fatten them more quickly, but cows are not biologically suited to eat corn, which can cause painful acidosis. Antibiotics are usually included in their feed to prevent ulcer-caused infections.
No antibiotics or hormones are given to steers raised for the Rancho San Julian Beef program. Healthy cows don’t need them, and there is growing concern at the FDA that our constant use of antibiotics is fueling the growth of antibioticresistant infections.
At this point we all (dogs too) jumped into the truck to go out in search of grazing cattle. The property is divided into five ranches, with multiple pastures per ranch. Four-wheel drive is a must if you are searching for cattle. We drove through a grove of California live oaks, past grazing deer, and spotted four cows on their way to somewhere shady. The sun was hot as we headed out onto the narrow road hugging a hillside covered in golden native grass.
“All of our cattle are born and raised here. They are out on the hillsides their entire lives.” The cows are rotated from pasture to pasture to allow grazed areas to recover. “We dry farm additional oat hay here to use with alfalfa and barley grown by other local farmers when we need to supplement the native grass.”
I tried not to look down as we climbed higher along the dirt road toward the crest of the hill. I was glad Elizabeth was driving and seemed confident. In addition to deer, the ranch is home to coyotes and mountain lions and there are indications that a bear is living here as well.
At the crest of the hill we stopped. We could see out to the ocean, back to Santa Ynez and over to Lompoc … and there were no cows. Elizabeth assured me that 500 head of cattle were grazing somewhere, just not right here at this moment. The heat of the day drives them into shadier nooks and crannies. “We want them to live like cattle should live. Walk up the hill, walk down the hill, over that hill, that’s fine.”
It didn’t matter, the view was breathtaking. This is the life of a humanely raised cow, as it was 175 years ago on this ranch— grazing in the sunshine, being nourished by native grasses and nourishing the soil that grows these grasses.
Elizabeth Poett and Austin Campbell.
John and Nadine de Bruin
Dey Dey’s Best Beef Ever
I stood at the top of another hill with John de Bruin looking out across the Santa Rita Hills located between Buellton and Lompoc. This area is greener than Rancho San Julian this time of year. It’s part of a 100-square-mile wine-growing appellation known for excellent Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Intersected by the Santa Ynez River, the climate here is cooler. As we overlook the valley below, John points out Dierberg, a neighboring vineyard. “Wouldn’t this be a great place to put a house?” he says. “I just love this view.”
John brought his brother to the ranch right after he bought the 168-acre parcel in 2003. John says, “My brother looked at me and said, ‘What the heck are you doing? This will be an 18- to 20-hour-a-day job!’” John laughs. “But I’m in heaven; this is the stuff I want to do. If I can live out the rest of my life here I’ll be very happy.”
His wife and childhood sweetheart, Nadine, was a little harder to convince. However, you’d never guess that today when you meet her at the farmers market. John explains, “This wasn’t exactly her idea of retirement!” I sort of understood, because he told me this story as we were driving sideways through a large pool of mud.
They looked at land in Montana and Idaho, but their two children and five grandchildren live in Santa Barbara. He says, “Nadine and I realized that if we bought land there, we’d either be visiting our ranch twice a year or visiting our kids twice a year.” Ask John about his grandchildren and you’ll know why he is here. (“Dey Dey” is the nickname given to him by his grandchildren.)
So John has chosen to prove that a small cattle farmer can be successful right here in Santa Barbara. John is quick to point out that his job is to grow strong, rich grasses and lead his cattle to them. He also keeps meticulous records of each cow to learn what works and what doesn’t. He practices management intensive grazing and raises Lowline (small) Angus cows and crosses. His goal is to develop great-tasting beef raised in a healthy environment.
John says, “I spent two summers on a dairy farm in Holland where I learned two things: 1) I love cows, and 2) I don’t want to be a dairyman.” John’s parents emigrated from Holland to Venezuela just before he was born. His family immigrated to Southern California when he was 10. John got a master’s degree at the University of Wyoming in physics and then worked as an aerospace engineer. He came to work at Santa Barbara Research Center in 1985, building satellite sensor systems. He says,
“I thought cattle ranching would be a piece of cake, but it turns out it’s quite a complex business.”
He bought the ranch from William Brown, a rancher who raised hay and had 14 head of cattle. Now John has close to 150 head of cattle. Navigating another mud puddle, John pointed and said, “That little R2D2-looking thing is the pride and joy of this ranch. It controls the water from our well—pure delicious ground water.”
“One of the things that sets us apart from other California ranches is that we have water, so we can grow specific green grasses for good gains and goodtasting beef— alfalfa, perennial rye, orchard grass, fescues and brome during dry periods when the native grasses dry out.”
Working alongside John on the ranch is Crystal Murray, herd manager, who monitors and maintains the health of the herd. Logan Vale manages the chickens. We drive over to another pasture to meet Logan and see high intensity low duration grazing in process. “This is our feedlot,” says John as he helps Logan move a portable chicken coop onto an area grazed recently by the herd of heifers and calves grazing nearby. The chickens quickly get to work digging through cow manure to find bugs and fly larvae.
eat the grass and their manure helps keep the carbon stored in the ground. For me, that’s the biggest reason to be a grass farmer. You’re doing something positive for the environment on a personal level.”
“To grow healthy grass, all you add is water and an animal,” John says as we prepare to move the cattle to a fresh paddock. In 24 hours the grazed area is down to about two to three inches. One thing that makes intensive grazing possible is portable electric fencing. When Logan disconnects the fence and begins to roll up the wire, the cows rush into the new paddock, mooing with excitement.
The chickens not only vacuum up the bugs and control the fly population, but their scratching works the cow patties into the ground to feed the grass. They also leave their own fertilizer donation. “The soil becomes rich with no chemical fertilization. In just five or six years you see amazing improvement in the soil quality.”
Logan adds, “Grass takes carbon dioxide from the air. The cows
John explains how cows process the energy from the sun, captured by grasses humans can’t digest. “Cows, goats, sheep and alpacas are ruminants. They have the unique ability to process the cellulose in grass and get the nutrients from of it. They fill up the rumen (their first stomach), which is basically a fermentation pot containing lots of enzymes and bacteria. It sits there until they regurgitate it. They chew that up, masticate and swallow it back down. They’re like four-legged combines that process grass and turn it into delicious-tasting beef.”
John and Nadine’s beef cows and chickens are never fed hormones or antibiotics. Their beef cows are never fed grains or corn.
John and Nadine having fun with their grandchildren.
Guner Tautrim
Orella Ranch
On a clear day you can see out across the ocean to the Channel Islands from Guner’s outdoor deck at Orella Ranch. I was there recently with a group of Sol Food Festival volunteers and organizers to share dinner and ideas for the event. Guner feels strongly about the role of community in helping to rebuild healthy food systems.
Guner’s great-great-great-grandfather Bruno Orella purchased what is now the Orella Ranch from the Ortega land grant along the Gaviota coast in 1866. The ownership was gradually divided up among Orella’s descendants. Guner’s father, Mark Tautrim, owns this 300-acre piece with the ocean view. Guner was born and raised on the ranch. His children, Sequoia and Kai, are the seventh generation to live on the ranch.
When Guner was young, his father and grandfather ran a traditional cow-calf operation with about 120 head of cattle. Later his father took a job in town and leased out the land to various cattlemen.
Guner left the ranch to attend Humboldt State University, where he majored in sustainable ecological tourism with a minor in Pacific Island studies. After graduating, Guner spent 2½ years sailing around the Pacific looking for a place that still had its cultural integrity and environmental beauty intact so he could help the local people realize, appreciate and protect what they had.
Guner returned to Gaviota with his wife, Heidi, about nine years ago and realized that the magical place he was looking for was right here. He says, “Gaviota was under the threat of development. Almost everything along the coast from the Mexican border to the Bacara had been developed, right up to the Goleta urban limit line. I didn’t need to be on a Pacific Island in the middle of nowhere, I needed to be here fighting for the protection of our ranch. The Pacific Islands are right in my front yard—Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel.”
Studying their options, while realizing the family might need to take a different direction to make the land sustainable, they decided to eliminate the cattle operation and educate themselves about stewardship of the land. Guner formed the Orella Stewardship Institute and began bringing in experts in water and soil management to give classes for local farmers.
In the past five years, Guner’s attitude toward cattle has changed. He says, “Being an environmentalist coming out of college, I thought cattle were evil because they cause erosion and degrade the land. But it’s the management of them that causes the degradation, not the cattle themselves.
From top: Guner Tautrim, a handful of Orella soil and one of the Galloways, a unique striped breed of cattle that Guner has introduced to Orella.
“People say, ‘But I don’t have 300 acres.’ I tell them, ‘Support the people that do—support their land stewardship.”
In the long term plan for Orella, cattle will play an integral part. Guner explains, “There’s no healthy grassland in the world that’s void of impact from herbivores.” In nature, large herds move quickly to new areas, chased by predators, so you get high stock density in one area for a short time and then a long recovery period. As the herd moves, it roughs up and fertilizes the soil.
In nature, birds follow the herds to eat bugs that grow in the cow patties. Guner says, “So we bring in chickens to follow the cows.” Chickens sanitize the fields so we don’t need to feed antibiotics and deworming agents to our cows.” Guner points out that the dung beetles that once played a large role in integrating manure into the soil are almost completely extinct in the United States. “They are dying from what we inject into our cattle.”
So the plan for the ranch is threefold: 1) Manage the rainfall to maximize its use; 2) develop humus that contains a healthy community of microbes and mycorrhizal fungi that symbiotically draw liquid carbon out of plant roots in exchange for plant nutrients (the deeper and richer the soil, the more carbon sequestration); and 3) relocalize.
Guner explains that re-localization is the part we (the larger community) can play in the land stewardship story. He says, “Traditional cattlemen say there’s no money in cattle, but that’s because they sell to the commodity beef industry. They sell their cattle to feed lots to be fattened, slaughtered and shipped around the world. If cattlemen in Santa Barbara County processed their beef locally and sold it locally, to restaurants, farmers market customers and buyer’s clubs, there would again be money in the cattle business.”
He adds, “When I talk about the importance of land stewardship, people say, ‘But I don’t have 300 acres.’ I tell them, ‘Support the people that do—support their land stewardship. Vote with your dollar.’”
Keep an eye on Orella Ranch for updates on their offerings.
Recipes
As the holidays approach, I get hungry for mincemeat pie—not the kind from a jar, but mincemeat made with ingredients I like. While modern mincemeat is no longer made with minced meat, traditional recipes do include suet (kidney fat). Suet is a difficult ingredient to find, so I got quite excited when John de Bruin told me he sells suet.
I met Nadine de Bruin at the Sunday farmers market to pick up my suet order. If you want to know about cooking grass-fed beef, ask Nadine. She has cooking instructions and a notebook of free recipes. In fact, she’s collecting recipes for a cookbook. She might just want to include this mincemeat pie recipe that I got from Krista Harris. Elizabeth Poett also gives cooking advice at the Saturday farmers market, so don’t hesitate to ask for cooking tips.
Mincemeat Pie
2 pound candied walnuts or pecans, chopped
planet.
Nancy Oster lives in Santa Barbara, where she has access to locally grown produce and meats. She is grateful to the three ranchers she interviewed, to dietitian Gerri French and to professor Rob Rutherford at Cal Poly, who all helped her appreciate the contribution of cattle to the life of our
Guner Tautrim with his son Sequoia.
1⁄ 2 pound currents
1⁄ 4 pound candied ginger, chopped
Grated zest of one lemon or orange
1 cup apple cider
1⁄ 2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄ 4 teaspoon cloves
1⁄ 4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground nutmeg and pepper
1⁄ 2 cup cognac or brandy
1 double piecrust for a 10-inch pan
A little milk
Combine the nuts, apples and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the suet and mix thoroughly. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix thoroughly and refrigerate at least 1–3 days before using.
Prepare the piecrust pastry and chill at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out half of the dough and fit into a 10-inch pie pan. Roll out the remaining pastry and fold in half. With a sharp knife, cut little vents in a decorative pattern. Place the folded pastry on top of the pie and unfold. Press the edges together and trim and crimp the crust. Brush with a little milk and bake for 40–50 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Nutritional Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef
You’re right, beef suet sounds like something we’ve been warned not to eat, so I talked with Registered Dietitian Gerri French to get a quick overview of the nutritional aspects of grass-fed beef.
Yes, it is a saturated fat, but compared to grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef is lower in saturated fats, higher in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, and is the richest known source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA helps suppress tumor growth, reduce inflammation, promote fat loss and reduce oxidative stress.
Gerri points out, “Chemicals ingested by cows concentrate in their fat, so it’s important that your meats are hormone- and antibiotic-free and raised on organic grasses.” Hormone-disrupting chemicals in pesticides can affect metabolism, respiratory disease, fertility and neurological health. “The key to healthy eating,” Gerri says, “is portion control and balancing our meat intake with plenty of vegetables.”
The Tepusquet Road Bridge linking Kenneth Volk Vineyards to the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail is finally open. Begin your Santa Barbara County wine tour at KVV and work your way down the trail. Offering one of the most extensive portfolios of wines produced on the Central Coast.
{ Tasting Daily 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM }
5230 Tepusquet Rd. • Santa Maria, CA 93454 805.938.7896 • www.VolkWines.com
Recipes
Grass-Fed Beef Hamburgers
Makes 2–4 servings
1 pound ground grass-fed beef
1 clove of garlic, minced
A pinch of rosemary leaves, minced (optional)
Kosher salt
Pepper
Mix the ground beef with the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Form into two to four smooth round patties with a slight depression in the middle to allow for the meat to swell. Grill over medium-hot coals for about 4 minutes, then turn and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare. Serve on a toasted roll with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and your choice of condiments.
How to Cook a Steak
I asked Elizabeth Poett of Rancho San Julian for some simple steak cooking tips. She uses a seasoning rub on her steak before cooking.
Steak*
Garlic, minced
Rosemary, minced
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Olive oil**
Mix garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Add enough olive oil to make the seasoning mixture spreadable. Rub it onto the sides and edges of your steak.
Bring the steak to room temperature before placing it onto the grill. Cook on a medium hot grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. You can check with a finger to see if it is done. A rare steak will be soft, medium will be firm but yielding, over done will be completely firm.
After grilling, let it rest for 10 minutes before eating. This allows the juices to absorb into the meat instead of running out onto the plate.
Cooking Classes
In Santa Barbara every season offers an abundance of beautful foods. Learn to cook with the products of our region in our professional kitchen.
Chef Michele Molony www.chefmichelemolony.com
Chef Karen Smith Warner
www.savoirfairesb.com [805] 963 9397
If sautéing instead of grilling a steak, Nadine de Bruin recommends searing it quickly on both sides then finishing it on a medium flame. Grassfed beef is leaner and the fat melts at a lower temperature than corn-fed beef, so cooking at a lower temperature will help to ensure tenderness. You can also sear it on the stovetop and finish it in a 275° oven.
*What kind of steak to choose? The most tender and mildly flavored (and most expensive) cut is the filet mignon. Only slightly less tender but with more flavor is the rib eye steak or the New York strip steak. A more economical choice is the top sirloin cut. Since it’s a bit less tender than the others, try marinating or cutting it up and grilling it on skewers.
**Stanley Fishman, in his book Tender Grassfed Meat, recommends using unfiltered olive oil, which contains tenderizing lipids and enzymes.
Resources
Cal Poly CAFES Center for Sustainability cfs.calpoly.edu
Dey Dey’s Best Beef Ever
BestBeefEver.com
805 570-9000
Novy Ranches novyranches.com 805 217-7152
Orella Ranch
OrellaRanch.com 805 968-9398
Rancho San Julian Beef
ranchosanjulian.com, rsjbeef.com 805 729-3303
Rocky Canyon Farms
rockycanyonfarms.com 805 461-5754
Sol Food Festival
solfoodfestival.com
Recommended Reading
Tender Grassfed Meat: Traditional Ways to Cook Healthy Meat by Stanley A. Fishman
Salad Bar Beef by Joel Salatin
A DATE AT THE MARKET
by Jennifer LeMay
It’s hard to believe that I used to stroll down the aisle at the farmers market and barely cast a glance at the date stand. I had no idea that one day I’d be addicted to dates—those funny looking, nutritious fruits considered both a delicacy and a staple to people across the world.
Many people have a tendency to resist trying new foods, especially ones that look a little odd. Dates definitely fall into this category and are sometimes mistaken for a dried version of some other kind of fruit. It wasn’t until I read an article in a cooking magazine about the wonders of dates and how they could be used in recipes, or as a substitute for less-healthy confections, that I decided to give them a try.
After discovering these chewy, mouth-watering treats, I started buying them by the pound—or what felt at times like the boatload—to enjoy in cereals, salads and as guilt-free desserts. The more date varieties I tried, the more I wanted to know: where they are grown, what time of year they’re available and whether they can grow here in Santa Barbara (unfortunately, not for commercial fruit production).
These questions, and an appreciation for great-tasting dates, led me to the DaVall Date Gardens stand at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Proprietor Joseph DaVall grows his date palms on a 20-acre parcel in Desert Center, located in Southern California’s Coachella Valley. Ninety-five percent of U.S. dates are grown here, about a four and half-hour drive from Santa Barbara. Coachella Valley’s climate provides the high temperatures, low humidity and abundant groundwater required for date palms to thrive and produce sweet fruit.
A Food Fit for Royalty
Dates are considered to be the oldest cultivated fruit in the world, having been an important crop for more than 6,000 years of recorded history. With origins in the Middle East, the date palm provides a nutritious food that is easy to transport, keeps well for long periods and is high in carbohydrate content and potassium levels.
DaVall Date Gardens grows five kinds of dates, which differ in size, flavor and texture. The prized Medjool is perhaps the
most famous. Large, chewy and sweet, with hints of honey and caramel, it was once a food known only to Moroccan royalty. If it weren’t for the vision and perseverance of a few 20th-century horticulturists, this immensely popular date would almost certainly have been lost to the ages.
Medjools first came to California in 1927, when disease was rapidly decimating Morocco’s Medjool crop. Walter Swingle, an American horticulturist, traveled to Morocco and brought back 11 shoots from the few remaining healthy trees. The nine that survived became the forebears of all the trees producing Medjool dates today.
A Family Business
DaVall Date Gardens also produces Deglet Noors, Barhi, Honey and Empress dates. The Empress is one of my favorites—a little less sweet than the Medjool and slightly drier, it’s great as a snack or in cereal. The Honey and Empress dates, which are crossed with the Medjool, are unique to the DaVall farm, having been created years ago by Joseph’s grandmother. DaVall Date Gardens is very much a family business. Joseph works closely with his two uncles, one of whom has his own trees in Desert Center, and more on a parcel in Indio. His family has been growing dates since the 1930s, when Joseph’s grandfather came out west with his family, leaving behind a cow farm in Pennsylvania.
Growing dates is extremely labor intensive. Patience is required on many fronts, as date palms take 10 to 15 years to mature and reach their maximum yield, and growers must tend to them frequently to pollinate, prune, de-thorn, train the arms that hold clusters of dates, bag the clusters to protect the fruit from birds, and of course, harvest the dates once they have ripened. All of this labor is performed manually at DaVall Date Gardens, which results in larger, more flavorful dates. No sprays or pesticides are used.
Pollination is performed by hand and starts in February. As the dates grow, clusters must be thinned substantially to produce fruits of optimal size. When trees mature and reach 20-–30 feet in height, lift vehicles are needed for workers to reach the date arm clusters.
Harvesting
Harvest season takes place in September and everyone at the farm puts in long days to harvest and process the dates. Date clusters are shaken gently to release the ripened fruit, and several visits to each tree are required throughout the month, as the dates do not ripen at exactly the same time. Freshly picked dates are sorted on a special grading belt that allows them to be cleaned and separated by hand according to size. Some types of dates, including the Honey and Medjool, sit in the sun for a week or so before going into cold storage (42°.) Dates are kept in storage for up to a year, and bagged as needed for market.
One kind of date, the Barhi, is unique in that it can be harvested at two different stages. The earlier “khalal” stage produces a yellow date that is sweet and crunchy like an apple, and these dates sell out quickly during the months of September and October. The second crop of dates is harvested at the later “rutab” stage, when they are very sweet and soft. Smaller than the Medjool, the Barhi date is nicknamed “honey ball,” and some people say they also taste a little like butterscotch.
Dates are not only delicious; they’re good for you, too. They have more potassium and 2.5 times more fiber than bananas. They’re fat-free, sodium-free and contain a variety of B-vitamin complexes and important minerals including iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. Dates are great by themselves, but you can also find them dressed up, especially around the holidays.
DaVall Date Gardens makes coconut date rolls that melt in your mouth and provide more than enough sugar to keep you going though a board meeting, holiday party or shopping spree.
So the next time you find yourself walking by the date stand at the farmers market, be sure to stop and try a few samples. You’ll be glad you did.
Jennifer LeMay is a designer, artist and regular at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Her communication design firm J. LeMay Studios provides outreach strategy and design services to businesses, nonprofits and public agencies. Visit her website at jlemay.com.
Joseph DaVall at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market.
JENNIFER LEMAY
BECAUSE I CAN
by Melissa Gomez
When I look at my neighbors’ gardens, I don’t see vegetables. All I see are preserves. I walk by tomatoes and think of roasted salsa. I taste my first fig of the season and my mind turns it into chutney. I see cucumbers and visualize them in a warm bath of fresh dill and vinegar. This is a delightful way to see the world.
Many people get into canning because they have a vegetable garden or a canning tradition in their family. I first heard of canning during college, when I worked at a farm camp in Northern California. One morning the director told me that she wanted me to lead the pickling activity for the day.
“I’ve never canned anything,” I whispered to the director. Nine little camper faces stared up at me, waiting for me to lead their morning activity.
Before I could object, we were down in the garden picking cucumbers and back in the kitchen boiling vinegar. To my amazement, the pickle project was a complete success. It was easy and fun, and it was the beginning of another culinary chapter in my life.
A few summers later I worked at farmers markets for a local bakery. I traded with the other vendors, and I gave them my day-old bread for their damaged fruit. Then I turned it into the stuff we eat in our dreams: mulberry jam, spicy ketchup, apple pie filling. I made gifts for friends and always several batches for myself. Canning allowed me to preserve the best of each season, and eat it all year long. It wasn’t until much later that I realized all the other benefits:
Canning Supports Local Farmers
When you buy locally grown produce to make preserves, you’re helping a local farm stay in business. You’re keeping money in your community and protecting valuable farmland from development.
Melissa Gomez.
October is Eat Local Month at the
Canning is Good for the Environment
Pasta sauce, for instance, is a heavy item and requires a lot of fuel to transport it. So when you buy tomatoes from local farmers, your pasta sauce travels just a few miles, and you are minimizing your carbon footprint. You get double eco-points for buying produce that is also organic.
Canning Saves Money
The jars are reusable, and the ingredients are affordable when you buy them at the peak of their season. If you go to a garden exchange, you may even get produce for free. Ask your neighbors if they’ll trade you some of their loquats for some homemade ginger loquat jam. I think they will oblige.
Canning Saves Time
Cooking in batches saves time. If you spend one day canning 20 quarts of pasta sauce, then you’ve just made 20 meals.
February dinners will be a delight when you serve pasta with a jar of homemade sauce.
Canning is not a mysterious craft from a lost era. It is something you can do in your own kitchen with a few basic tools. Last year alone I canned enough salsa, pasta sauce, jam and pickles for my house for the entire year. If you’re not sure where to start, take a class. I promise it will be delicious.
Melissa Gomez is the marketing manager at the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens. She can be reached at melissa@fairviewgardens.org
Canning Recipes
Please be safe when canning and preserving foods.
These recipes should be used in accordance with safe canning procedures, as outlined in Preserving the Harvest by Carol W. Costenbader or on the National Center for Home Preservation website at uga.edu/nchfp
Homemade Salsa
Fall, with its abundant tomatoes and peppers, is a great time to make salsa.
Makes about 4 pint jars
7 cups tomatoes
2 cups green bell peppers, such as Pasilla or Poblano, chopped
1⁄ 2 cup jalapeño peppers (optional), chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1 bulb garlic, chopped
1 cup cilantro, washed
2 teaspoons of salt
1⁄ 2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
Prepare 4 pint jars by washing the jars and lids in hot, soapy water or according to the manufacturer’s directions. Set aside.
Wash, core and dice the tomatoes. Combine the tomatoes, onions and peppers in a large saucepot. Meanwhile, blend the cilantro with the salt, vinegar, garlic and lemon juice. Add the cilantro sauce to the tomato mixture, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Fill the clean jars with salsa, leaving 1⁄ 2 inch of headspace. Wipe rim and top with canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Apple Marmalade
This recipe was adapted from one posted on the National Center for Home Preservation website (uga.edu/nchfp).
Makes about 3 pint jars
11⁄ 2 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 cup honey
3 pounds apples, quartered, cored and thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
1 lemon, sliced very thin, seeds removed
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Sterilize canning jars and prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer’s directions.
Heat water, sugar and honey until sugar is dissolved. Add the apples, lemon slices, grated ginger and lemon juice. Boil rapidly, stirring constantly, until the temperature reaches 221° or until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and skim.
Fill hot, sterile jars with the hot marmalade immediately, leaving 1 4 inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean towel, and top with two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.
Classes
How to Can Tomatoes
Learn to make pasta sauce, ketchup and salsa to eat all year long. No experience necessary. All participants will receive an instructional handout and one pint of preserves to take home. For class details and more information contact melissa@fairviewgardens.org.
Preserving Food at Home: A Self-Study
A free, self-paced, online course for those wanting to learn more about home canning and preservation. Offered by the University of Georgia eLC system. https://spock.fcs.uga. edu/ext/food/nchfp_elc/
FARMERS MARKETS
by Pascale Beale-Groom
One of my greatest pleasures is discovering a new farmers market wherever I happen to be in the world. Having long meandered through the markets of Provence, savoring local delicacies in sundappled squares, it is wonderful to experience the aromas and peculiarities of a new locale.
In Venice, for example, some of the daily markets are set up on floating barges tied up alongside the various canals. You jostle with the locals and chat with the vendors to find the choicest bunch of grapes, fresh figs or local lagoon fish. It is unusual (for us), chaotic, charming and delicious.
Our local markets are no different. If you arrive early in the morning as the fruits, vegetables, flowers and myriad other products are being unloaded you will be witness to a pastoral scene that in some respects has remained unchanged over millennia—local farmers bringing their seasonal wares to market.
Granted the “local” farmers travel farther than their horsedriven centuries-old brethren, but the tradition is the same.
Over the course of the year, we see the season’s cornucopia of produce as it is unveiled on the market stalls. What better way to mark the passage of time than to anticipate the six weeks of luscious apricots or savor the last of the season’s peaches?
In Europe this is a weekly if not daily ritual, repeated throughout ancient small villages and large cities alike. Many are known for their abundant markets: Aix-en-Provence has daily markets on the Place Richelem; Nice has its Marche aux Fleurs; London’s Borough Street Market is a veritable treasure trove of epicurean delights and Paris has its sumptuous daily markets dotted throughout its various arrondissements. They provide a common meeting ground where the dishes of the day are discussed with farmers, and purveyors of all the produce are always offering a tip on how best to prepare any given food.
Farmers markets have also been a part of US history, but after World War II and the advent of large commercial supermarkets, outdoor farmers markets dwindled. There are a few that survived. The market in Richmond, Virginia, for instance, opened in 1779 and has remained in operation in one guise or another
Pascale Beale-Groom.
ever since. The Farmers Market in Portland, Oregon, has been in operation since 1768, has moved location at least six times in its 242-year history and survived, but these are the exceptions.
Indeed in California it was illegal (for a period of time) to sell produce outside of a commercial market. The law—which controlled, amongst other things, how food was sorted, packed and transported for sale—remained in place until the late 1970s. In 1977 farmers faced with a huge surplus of peaches forced the hand of this legislation by dumping rotting fruit on the lawn of the state Capitol. Then-Governor Jerry Brown introduced regulations that established the Certified Farmers Market program.
In 1979 there were only 12 certified farmers markets in California. Today there are 540—more than in any other state—and there are over 6,000 in the nation. There has also been a 16% increase in farmers markets just since last year, interestingly, mostly in the central farm-belt part of the country.
As Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, has said, “Going to the farmers market, meeting farmers and learning what to do with an unfamiliar vegetable is one of the most pleasurable things I do every week—infinitely more stimulating than going to the supermarket.”
As consumers become more aware of their food sources and question the practices of large commercial farms, the demand for locally grown, healthy, organic produce has risen steadily over the past decade. This fact is borne out here in Santa Barbara, as our own farmers markets have steadily grown over the past 27 years. The Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market was formed in 1983 and now has venues every day of the week but Monday.
There were open markets before in Santa Barbara, notably during World War II. In 1943 local Victory Gardeners and local farmers argued with the Santa Barbara Home Food Production Committee that their surplus produce would be plowed under unless they were given the opportunity to sell it to the local population. A month of negotiations followed, when the local city council announced that the first farmers market would take place on Wednesday, July 7, 1943, in the 700 block of Anacapa Street. Although the first market was not a success, local support was enthusiastic and so the market was given a second try.
A newspaper article from July 10, 1943, reported, “Not since the days of the famed Old Spanish Days Fiesta has Santa Barbara seen the equal of the festive gaiety that attended the Farmers Market here today. That was the opinion of hundreds of shoppers who came to buy and returned with shopping bags and baskets heaped with dewy-fresh vegetables and fruit right out of the gardens and groves of the area”—a comment that would be apt today.
Despite the fact that the population of the United States now spends less of its disposable income on food than at any other time in its history and less than any other people on earth— less than 10%—it is heartening and encouraging to see that farmers markets are flourishing.
Wendell Berry once wrote, “Eating is an agricultural act.”
As you walk down State Street on a Tuesday afternoon, serenaded by the sounds of the market, entertained with the voices of street musicians and caressed with ocean breezes as they drift up the white tented thoroughfare, you are an active participant in that very special act.
Pascale Beale-Groom 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. In 1999 she opened Montecito Country Kitchen, a Mediterranean cooking school in Santa Barbara. Her first cookbook, A Menu for All Seasons—Spring, was published in 2004; her second cookbook, Summer, was released in 2008 and her third cookbook, Autumn, came out in 2009. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and lives in Santa Barbara with her family.
Butternut squash is a type of winter squash. Sweet and nutty in flavor, it is similar to a pumpkin. Its orange-colored pulp becomes more pronounced as it ripens. It originated in Mexico where it was once called “the apple of God” as the seeds were believed to increase fertility. It was one of the first foods cultivated by Native Americans and the Inca. It was only introduced to Europe during the 16th century.
Recipes
Roasted Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Soup
I adore this soup. The aroma when the Butternut squash and pumpkin are roasting is sweet and tantalizing. The color is beautiful and the taste is rich, unctuous and evocative of everything to do with the flavors of the season.
Makes 6–8 servings
1 medium Butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 small pumpkin, halved and seeded
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
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Preheat oven to 425°. Brush a little olive oil on a baking sheet and place the squash and pumpkin cut side down. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop the pulp out of the shell. You should have about 6–7 cups of pulp. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 8–10 minutes.
Add the squash, pumpkin pulp and vegetable stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to purée the soup or purée it in a blender or food processor and then strain through a medium strainer into a warmed soup tureen. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted Healthy Family Farms Chicken
Makes 8 servings
4 large sprigs rosemary, stems removed
4 sprigs thyme, stems removed
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon—quarter the zested lemon and set aside
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 organic chickens
Preheat the oven to 400°. Combine the rosemary, thyme, chives, parsley, onions, lemon zest, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small bowl and mix well to form a thick herb mixture.
Using a small spoon, which you slip under the skin of the chicken, carefully spoon a little of the herb mixture under the skin (between the skin and the breast meat). Do this carefully so as not to break
the skin. Salt and pepper the inside and outside of the chicken, and then add the lemon quarters to the inside cavity of the chickens.
Place the chickens in a large roasting pan and rub the outside with a little olive oil. Roast in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350° and roast for a further 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning the chickens once or twice so that all sides are evenly browned.
When the chickens are cooked, remove them from the roasting pan and set aside, loosely covered with foil, to rest before carving.
Cut the chickens and serve on hot plates with the Tomato Crumble.
Tomato Crumble
Makes 8 servings
16 medium-sized tomatoes, cut in half cross-wise
Olive oil
Fresh thyme and rosemary, a few sprigs of each, stems removed and coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper
3⁄ 4 cup (or 4 ounces) flour
11⁄ 4 cup (or 3 ounces) breadcrumbs
2⁄ 3 cup (or 3 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick (or 4 ounces) butter, cut into small pieces
2 ounces pine nuts
6 ounces soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons yogurt
2 tablespoons crème fraiche
Preheat the oven to 300°. Place the tomatoes cut side up in an ovenproof dish that is large enough to hold all the tomatoes in one layer. Drizzle some olive oil all over the tomatoes and then add the chopped thyme and rosemary over the top of them, along with some salt and pepper. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
To prepare the crumble topping, place the flour, breadcrumbs and half the Parmesan in a medium-sized bowl, mixing them together.
Add the butter and, using the tips of your fingers, slowly incorporate it into the flour mixture.
Add 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil as necessary and continue to mix the flour mixture. The flour mixture should resemble a traditional crumble.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven (there should be no liquid around the bottom of the tomatoes) and then turn the oven up to 425°. Spread the crumble mixture all over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the pine nuts and the remaining Parmesan over the crumble and
drizzle a little olive oil over the whole dish. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown.
While the crumble is in the oven, whisk together the crème fraiche, yogurt and goat cheese in a small bowl. Serve with the hot Tomato Crumble.
Golden Phyllo Apple and Pear Pie
I delight in dishes with phyllo dough and have long been inspired by Greek food. When I lived in Los Angeles, I spent many a Sunday lunch at a Greek restaurant owned by my lovely friend Sofi, savoring the dishes of the Aegean. She made heavenly puddings such as glactoboureko and bougatsa. I was hooked and as I started to explore the dishes of the islands, I came across an apple pie called milopita. From the traditional base I made this version that has three or four varieties of apples in it—the addition of pears is also delicious, and true to my Gallic origins, I also added in some Grand Marnier. It is an ideal dessert with which to end up sitting in front of a log fire … and then perhaps an afternoon snooze.
Makes 8 servings
8–10 apples of at least 3 or 4 different varieties, peeled, cored and thinly sliced. (If you are using pears as well, then reduce the number of apples accordingly.)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄ 2 teaspoon ground allspice
1⁄ 4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 package phyllo dough, thawed
4 ounces (1 stick) butter
3⁄ 4 to 1 cup sugar
Grand Marnier
Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and set aside.
Roll out the phyllo dough and cover with a slightly damp cloth (the dough dries out very quickly). Place one sheet of phyllo dough onto a large baking sheet and brush lightly with the melted butter. Sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar evenly over the dough and then drizzle a little of the Grand Marnier over that. Repeat this four more times, giving you a total of 5 layers of phyllo dough.
In a large bowl toss the apples, cinnamon, allspice, clove and two tablespoons of sugar and a
good drizzle of Grand Marnier and mix well. Place all the fruit in the middle of the dough and form the fruit into a large round dome. Cover the fruit with one layer of phyllo dough and brush lightly with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar over the dough and then drizzle a little Grand Marnier over that. Repeat another 6 times, giving you a total of 7 layers of phyllo dough. Roll up the edges of the dough towards the fruit all the way around the dome.
The finished cake will look like a domed hat with a thick rolled rim. Brush the top layer of the dough with a little of the melted butter and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake in the oven for 35–45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.
Note: This is very good served with vanilla ice cream!
WHAT THE KIDS ARE GROWING SCHOOL GARDENS
by Helena Hill
For many years I have been intrigued by the garden at Peabody Elementary School in the San Roque neighborhood of Santa Barbara. I have often peered through the chain link fence and been curious about the sunflowers and the vegetables in raised beds along the edge of the classroom buildings.
Recently, I was given a tour of the garden by sixth-grade classroom aide and garden supervisor Dave Plant (yes, that really is his name!) and several sixth-grade students, who didn’t seem at all upset about using their recess time to show me their bounty. The garden is a sixth-grade project, with each sixth-grader having a section of a bed to plant and maintain for the year. The students are responsible for the area they tend, and they can take the produce home or donate it to the school cafeteria.
One student held up a larkspur he had grown, and when I asked about the ladybug on it, he said, “They eat aphids … they’re really good for the garden!” Other students joined us as Dave Plant told me about the sunflowers I had admired from the street. “Some are natives,” he said, “and some we planted.“ Then, he showed a girl how to pick the seeds out of a dried sunflower. Another student handed him a violet she had grown and told me delightedly, “It’s edible!”
School Gardens and s’Cool Gardens
School gardens in Santa Barbara are experiencing a renewal these days, thanks to the many dedicated volunteers, parents, teachers and staff who believe gardens belong in schools as a part of standards-based curricular programs designed to “educate the whole child.” And they are expanding, due in large part to the s’Cool Gardens Program. The Center for Sustainability at Santa Barbara City College has partnered with the Orfalea Fund’s s’Cool Food Initiative to spearhead the s’Cool Gardens program. The s’Cool Food Initiative, established by Santa Barbara philanthropists Paul and Natalie Orfalea, is known for its success in bringing hands-on cooking and healthy meals to Santa Barbara County schools. It’s a natural to have a corresponding s’Cool Gardens Program.
Sixteen gardens were started or improved in schools in Santa Barbara County in the program’s pilot year, and more are planned for the current school year. The program not only installs and provides necessary materials for the gardens, but also assures the gardens will be sustained by providing education for the students, teachers and community involved. In response to teacher requests, the program hired 10 garden educator managers, known by the wonderful acronym of GEMs, to provide curriculum assistance and ongoing maintenance in each garden.
History
School gardens in Santa Barbara have a long history, and I have heard a variety of stories about when they may have started. The Diabetes Resource Center of Santa Barbara County installed garden boxes at various schools years ago and provided programs after school, in an effort to educate children about the nutritional importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Others have described school gardens as part of our agrarian beginnings in Santa Barbara, and some say school gardens began with the Victory Gardens planted during World War II in many back yards and public places. Although it is hard to say when the first school garden was planted in Santa Barbara, local teacher Bob Burtness told me gardening was taught as a class when he was a student at La Cumbre Junior High School in the 1950s, and it had a major impact on him.
The garden at Peabody Charter School began over 17 years ago with grants procured by then sixth-grade teacher Roger Earles and much hard work by parent volunteers. Another school garden with a long history is at the Open Alternative School. According to landscaper Bill Palmisano, now the manager of the organic garden at Carpinteria High School, the garden was started around 1994 by a group of parent volunteers and was funded entirely by parent donations. Many other public and private schools have had gardens over the years, usually started by grants and maintained by enthusiastic parents or teachers.
Garden Educator Manager Kjessie Rubke with student Ineka Damen at the Carpinteria Family School garden.
There are now gardens in approximately 30 of Santa Barbara County’s over 100 public schools. As I visited many gardens last year, I found teachers are using the gardens for math lessons, science classes, reading corners, art projects, nutrition lessons and even, yes, for growing food.
Mary Buren Elementary School
In the North County of Santa Barbara I visited Mary Buren Elementary School in the Guadalupe Union District. School Principal Sandra Bravo said the little oasis of a garden had been enthusiastically welcomed at the school, and garnered a great deal of parent participation. The garden is tucked in the corner of an asphalt playground, behind a chain link fence on two sides, with two magnificent murals of garden scenes on the others. The murals, including sunflowers, cornfields and a scarecrow, were painted by Judy Forbes, the wife of dedicated and enthusiastic lead teacher Bob Forbes. The garden is filled with vegetables and flowers, all planted in raised boxes and watered by drip irrigation. Although the garden existed before, the s’Cool Gardens Program provided additional materials, including irrigation supplies, a large storage shed and ADA accessibility. I observed a group of third- and fourth-graders plant a “three sisters garden,” the traditional Native American garden of pole beans growing up cornstalks surrounded by squashes, following a lesson including an art project and impromptu skits, which would later be shared with other students.
Adams School
Next, I visited the beautiful garden at Adams School in the Santa Barbara School District. School Principal Amy Alzina told me that students, with the help of veteran teacher and school garden pioneer Judy Sims, designed the garden layout. s’Cool Gardens Installation Coordinator Ramsey Cronk installed the garden in March of last year, after he had coordinated the removal of the asphalt blacktop from a corner area behind some classrooms. Ramsey, who has installed all the gardens for the s’Cool Gardens Program, built the raised boxes with the help of many parent and community volunteers including the Rotary Club North and Prudential California Realty, and made them ready for planting. Parent volunteer Majalisa Van Thyne, along with many students and teachers, coordinated the planting of the perennial garden and vegetable beds on Arbor Day in April, beginning with the fruit trees. Every student was involved in the planting of the garden, in one way or another. Murals of garden scenes, painted by students and coordinated by the art teacher on the day of installation, provide a backdrop for the hay bales that serve as seats for students in an outdoor classroom.
Carpinteria Family School and Canalino School
In the Carpinteria School District, I visited the thriving Carpinteria Family School and Canalino School gardens. Trish Stone-Damen, program coordinator for the s’Cool Gardens Program, is also a parent at Carpinteria Family School. She was working with second- and third-grade teacher, Jan Silk, on some routine summer maintenance for the garden on the day I visited. The gardens are an
integral part of the curriculum, they told me, and they are used to illuminate concepts in science, math, art, language arts and social studies. I asked Trish’s daughter, Ineka, what her favorite part of the garden was, and she replied, enthusiastically, “everything!” but then told me her real favorite part was “harvesting strawberries, and, when the corn comes up, I like to pick it!” Jan Silk showed me a pumpkin plant she had planted from the seed of a 900-pound pumpkin, which she hoped would be trailing around the garden in the fall when students returned (and it is!). She also said the school has a Harvest Festival each year on the day before Thanksgiving break and the entire school community is invited.
Carpinteria High School
The last garden I visited was at Carpinteria High School, designed and meticulously maintained by Bill Palmisano and his assistant, Adam Camardella. With its rows of healthy, green plants, it’s hard to believe the garden had previously been a compacted parking lot. Bill told me his goal was to grow all the produce necessary for the Carpinteria schools’ cafeterias within the next few years.
When I asked Bill why he thought gardens belonged in schools, he answered, “It’s a no-brainer. It’s such a rich area for child development; what goes on in a garden is important, and how a child interacts to everything in that garden—to the soil, the wind, rain and sun; to the plants, to the tactile, intellectual and social aspects; to the beauty and patterns of art and nature—it is important. So many different things go on in a garden. Gardens are schools in themselves.”
Our Future
So, if you’ve been feeling pessimistic about the state of our natural world, or about factory food farming, or about children thinking their food comes directly from a supermarket, I recommend you take a walk to your local elementary school and see if they have a garden. Better yet, make an appointment to visit the garden, and I guarantee your pessimism will lift. I know mine has, as I watched children gleefully harvest produce they had planted from seed, or learn to install a drip irrigation system or plant a “three sisters” bed.
As I visited gardens in public schools throughout Santa Barbara County, stretching from Guadalupe to Carpinteria, I found my optimism growing with the hope that if we teach our children about how their lives interconnect with the natural world, we humans might survive as a species just a little bit longer.
This may sound a bit overdramatic to some—to equate a few school gardens in our little corner of the world to our very survival—but as a former teacher and administrator I believe educating our children about the connection between where their food comes from, and the health of their bodies is critical to the very sustainability of our world.
Helena Hill is a writer, watercolorist and organic gardener who keeps a small flock of chickens in Santa Barbara. Her greatest joy is feeding her chickens and collecting their eggs with her two grandchildren in tow.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HAPPY CANYON
by Mark Pfeiffer
If you love wine and love local, Happy Canyon has something guaranteed to make you celebrate. November marks Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara’s first anniversary as a federally designated wine growing area, known as an American Viticultural Area (AVA). And it is right in our backyard.
This area—located on the eastern side of the Santa Ynez Valley and bounded by Highway 154 and Cachuma Lake—has been making people happy since the Prohibition era, when folks used the phrase “ride up to Happy Canyon” as a metaphor for procuring illicit liquor. Alternate stories suggest that Happy Canyon’s name has more to do with the joys of finding gold in the alluvial runoff and creeks which interlace the terrain or even the delirious effects of using dangerous practices while gold mining. But today, this little area is making people happy once again with delightful wines—specifically those made with Bordeaux varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Happy Canyon is distinctly warmer than the rest of the Santa Ynez Valley, with temperatures that remain elevated until late in the evening. According to Kurt Amman of Star Lane Winery, in Happy Canyon the marine layer usually burns off 2–3 hours before other Santa Barbara County winegrowing regions. And since the fog doesn’t return until sunset, the grapes experience many more hours of higher temperature “grow time” than other areas in the valley.
Beyond the difference in climate, there is a distinct geological difference in the soils, which have significant amounts of magnesium and other minerals, a condition that results in low grape yields and excellent terroir expression. The gradual breakdown of the green serpentine and red chert rock that can be seen in the faces of the nearby mountains promotes an increased concentration of flavors in the grapes. From alluvial sands rich in minerals to hillsides covered in fossilized sea shells, the geological history of the region, and how that affects vineyard growth, is part of the story of the wines in this area. The unique combination of microclimate and geology helps Bordeaux varietals flourish and is also ideal for the production of Syrah, Sangiovese and other warm-weather varietals.
While AVA designations can seem confusing, the marketing of smaller distinct wine growing regions has been important to the success of the wine businesses of Santa Barbara County in seeking to differentiate themselves from other wine growing regions in California. For instance, although Pinot Noir can be grown in both Monterey and Santa Barbara, the wines grown in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA benefit from a unique soil and microclimate that produces stellar grapes. The more specific designation of unique AVAs gives smaller family owned wineries an edge in educating the public and marketing the wines to both local and international wine lovers. With the designation of the Happy Canyon AVA, consumers can easily identify the wines from this area and anticipate excellent whites and reds from Bordeaux varietals.
As a passionate lover of wine and lover of all things local, I encourage locals and visitors alike to try something new from the east side of the valley. Select a few of our newly designated AVA’s wines to suit your palate and complement your edible fare.
Mark Pfeiffer, a Multi-Site Wine Specialist for Whole Foods Markets, is based in Santa Barbara and works to bring the best Santa Barbara County wines to stores in the greater Los Angeles area.
WHAT THE GROWNUPS ARE DRINKING
by Diane Murphy & Laura Lindsey
As Santa Barbara’s reputation as a mecca for high-quality wines continues to grow, we applaud the addition of the Happy Canyon American Viticultural Area (AVA), which will celebrate its one-year anniversary in November. Situated at the eastern edge of Santa Ynez Valley and with the hottest microclimate in Santa Barbara County, Happy Canyon is particularly well suited to turn out spectacular Bordeaux varietals. Of course we had to see (and taste) for ourselves, so we gathered the Edibles tasters to sample what our newest AVA has produced.
2009 3CV Sauvignon Blanc
Grassini Family Vineyard ($18)
3CV is Cimarone’s label for their everyday drinking wines, but this sauvignon blanc certainly set the bar high for our first wine of the night. Electric, alive and “really amazing,” it walks that fine line between tropicality and citrus notes, with just the right amount of each. Crisp and refreshing on its own, the wine’s earthiness and depth emerged when paired with a rich, soft cheese. cimarone.com
2009 Vogelzang Vineyard Estate Viognier ($18)
Lemon zest and yeast in a sultry and creamy viognier. Rich and delicious, it’s the wine equivalent of Greek egg lemon soup, and it was a perfect complement to the soup. It was also great with Ewephoria sheep’s milk gouda and would be a match with seafood as well. vogelzangvineyard.com
2007 Westerly Vineyards Merlot
McGinley and Star Lane Vineyards ($26)
Cherry, cranberry, cassis and a little pepper provide a nice transition from summer to fall. This light- to medium-bodied merlot was a straightforward, easy-drinking wine with a hint of mountain herbs and toast. westerlyvineyards.com
2007 Happy Canyon Vineyards Piocho ($30)
A blend of 50% cabernet franc, 35% cabernet sauvignon and 5% each merlot, petit verdot and malbec, Piocho is named for the ranch that houses the vineyard and loosely translates to “where the two rivers meet and go to heaven.” Heaven is a fitting description of this wine. A bouquet of vanilla and forest gives way to a smooth and creamy wine with a big, bold finish and flavors of caramelized cherry and white pepper. Velvety and structured, it stands on its own but also went great with moussaka. happycanyonvineyard.com
2006 Star Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($42)
Currant, cocoa nibs and licorice on the nose with a phenomenal color in this rich and spicy cab. A viscous mouthfeel was accented by a trace of smoky flavor. Food brought out its intensity, and it went well with aged gouda and chocolate, but as one taster said, it’s “crying out for local grass-fed beef.” starlanevineyard.com
Since there are no wine tasting rooms within the Happy Canyon AVA, you’ll have to pick up a few bottles and gather your friends to sample all that the new AVA has to offer. Come on, get happy! A very happy anniversary to you, Happy Canyon! Until next time, cheers!
Diane Murphy and Laura Lindsey are the co-owners of Classic Vines, specializing in distribution and online sales of small-production wines. Visit classicvines.com.
edible Source Guide
The Edible Source Guide is a compact listing of all of our advertisers with the details of their businesses. Please visit these advertisers to pick up your free copy of Edible Santa Barbara.
BREWERIES
Telegraph Brewing Company
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 Thursday from 4–6pm, Friday from 4–8pm, Saturday from 1–4pm. Telegraph beer is available at many restaurants and grocery stores in Santa Barbara County and throughout California. telegraphbrewing.com
CATERERS AND CHEFS
New West Catering
Uniting the artistry of fine restaurant cuisine with the versatility of full-service catering, New West Catering is your unparalleled choice for special events in the Santa Barbara County wine country and beyond. 805 688-0991; newwestcatering.com
Savoir Faire
Savoir Faire Catering offers high quality, beautifully presented, deliciously fresh cuisine for personal or corporate events as well as cooking classes. 805 963-9397; savoirfairesb.com
FARMERS MARKETS
Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market
Eight markets, six days a week. See schedule on page 9. 805 962-5354; sbfarmersmarket.org
FARMS AND CSA PROGRAMS
Dey Dey’s Best Beef Ever
Local grass-fed beef. Never any hormones, antibiotics or corn. They now sell pasture raised chicken, too. Available at Santa Rita Crossroads Farm Stand at the corner of Hwy 246 and Drum Canyon Rd. and at the farmers markets: Sunday in Goleta and Studio City; Wednesday in Solvang; Thursday in Carpinteria and Goleta; Saturday in Pasadena. 805 570-9000 or by email at bldegl@live.com; bestbeefever.com
John Givens Farm
John Givens started John Givens Farm in the Goleta Valley under the “Something Good” label in 1980. Their produce is USDA Certified Organic and is raised in Santa Barbara County on 180 acres in 12 locations. Contact them by phone to join their CSA program. 805 964-4477.
Novy Ranches
Healthy and sustainable grass-fed beef. No grain, no hormones, antibiotics or pesticides. The beef is dry aged for extra flavor and succulence and has been tested and compared to Prime Beef. To order or get more info call at 805 297-3343; novyranches.com
Rancho San Julian Beef
Rancho San Julian Beef produces high quality beef from cattle raised humanely and healthfully on an agriculturally sustainable ranch in Santa Barbara County. Available at the following farmers markets: Saturday in Santa Barbara 8:30am–12:30pm, Tuesday in Santa Barbara 3–6:30pm and Friday in Montecito 8–11:30am as well as on their website rsjbeef.com
Shepherd Farms
Organic since 1973, Shepherd Farms brings produce from the farm directly to your plate. Join the CSA program, or visit them at the farmers market or at the farm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1–5pm and Saturday 11am–3pm. 6701 Casitas Pass Rd., Carpinteria; shepherdfarmscsa.com
FISH MARKETS AND DISTRIBUTORS
Santa Barbara Fish Market
Focusing on providing the community with the local fishermen’s fresh, daily harvest. Member of the Santa Barbara Sustainable Seafood Program. Located right at the harbor at 117 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara. 805 965-9564; sbfish.com
FOOD PRODUCTS
Simply Pies
Simply Pies specializes in delicious organic pies, pot pies, quiches and cheesecakes that are handcrafted with fresh, local organic ingredients. Vegan, gluten free and sugar free options. Open Tuesday–Saturday 11am–3pm. 5392 Hollister Ave., Santa Barbara. 805 845-2200; simplypiessb.blogspot.com
GROCERY STORES & PRODUCE DELIVERY
Isla Vista Food Co-op
A community-owned food co-op highly regarded for its sustainable business practices and high-quality foods. Highlighting local, organic, fair-trade, shade-grown, farmer-owned, vegan, vegetarian, kosher, raw, gluten-free all-around sustainable ways of being. Open daily 8am–10pm. 6575 Seville Rd., Isla Vista. 805 968-1401; islavistafoodcoop.blogspot.com
Local Harvest Delivery
Local Harvest Delivery provides weekly delivery of harvest boxes filled with a balance of chemical-free, fresh and local fruits, vegetables and other local foods directly to your doorstep. 805 845-8605; localharvestdelivery.com
Los Olivos Grocery
Los Olivos Grocery offers a wide selection of local products and produce and their delicatessen is a valley favorite. In the evenings they offer alternating dinners featuring Southern soul, Mexican and Mediterranean dishes. Local wines and beers are also offered. 2621 W. Highway 154, Santa Ynez. 805 6885115; losolivosgrocery.com
Plow to Porch Organics
Local organic market and produce delivery service. The market carries a wide array of seasonal and local food products and is located at 3204 State St., Santa Barbara. Open Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturday–Sunday noon–5pm. 805 705-4786; plowtoporch.com
HOTELS AND SPAS
Ballard Inn & Restaurant
Comfortably elegant accommodations, attentive staff and award-winning cuisine make The Ballard Inn & Restaurant one of the most sought-after small luxury inns in the Santa Barbara Wine Country. Restaurant open Wednesday–Sunday 5:30–9pm. 2436 Baseline Ave., Ballard. 800 638-2466, 805 688-7770; ballardinn.com
Crimson Day Spa Boutique
Experience the personalized attention you deserve in the warm intimate setting of Crimson Day Spa Boutique. Offering the finest selection of plant-based products to care for your skin,
body and home. Monday noon–4pm, Tuesday–Saturday 10am–5pm. 31 Parker Way. 805 563-7546; crimsondayspa.com
LANDSCAPING AND GARDEN SERVICES
Edible Gardens
As a pioneer in the realm of heirloom seeds, seed saving and preservation, sustainable agricultural practices and organic gardening, Edible Gardens is passionate about helping people grow healthy and delicious food, with original heirloom seeds and organic growing methods. ediblegardens.com
Homegrown Pantry Kitchen Gardens
Homegrown Pantry Kitchen Gardens specializes in the design, installation and maintenance of organic vegetable and herb gardens. 805 305-7509; homegrownkitchengardens.com
MEDICAL SERVICES
Integrative Medicine Center of Santa Barbara
The Integrative Medicine Center of Santa Barbara is a primary care medical clinic, balancing modern conventional medicine with alternative healing. Santa Barbara office: 601 E. Arrellaga Suite 101; 805 963-1824. Lompoc office: 806 E. Ocean Ave; 805 740-9700. drsaundersmd.com
NUTRITION AND MEAL DELIVERY
Delish & Nutrish Meal Delivery
Organic meals prepared by gourmet chefs delivered fresh to your doorstep. Customized plan to fit your needs/preferences. Weight loss plan with proven results. Pharmaceutical grade supplements discounted for meal delivery clients. Menu overseen by registered dietitian. 805 450-2628 or 805 683-4422; delishorganic.com
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
American Riviera Bank
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. Lobby hours Monday–Thursday 8am–5pm, Friday 8am–6pm. 1033 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara. 805 965-5942. americanrivierabank.com
Daphne Romani
Licensed architect Daphne Romani integrates permaculture principles with architecture, working with nature to create designs that embody time-tested wisdom, spatial and functional relationships. 805 259-7462; daphneromani.com
Modern Organic Design
Modern Organic Design is a boutique architectural firm specializing in residential, small commercial and tenant improvement projects. Contact Travis B. Colburn, A.I.A. at 805 259-4067 for a free consultation or visit modernorganicdesign.net for more information.
RESTAURANTS
See our Edible Dining Guide on page 26.
SPECIALTY RETAILERS
Chocolate Maya
Chocolate Maya scours the world for pure, luscious chocolates and offers incredible savory bars, truffles, bonbons and gift baskets as well as a wide choice of organic and fair trade
edible Events
chocolate products. Monday–Friday 11am–6pm, Saturday 10am–4pm. 15 W. Gutierrez St., Santa Barbara 805 965-5956; chocolatemaya.com
C’est Cheese
C’est Cheese is your local source for the finest cheeses and artisanal foods. In addition to cheese, they offer a host of gourmet foods such as salamis, fine cured hams, olive oils and vinegars, wines, handmade chocolates, catering services, gift baskets and picnic coolers. Monday–Friday 10am–6pm. Saturday 8am–6pm. Closed Sundays. 825 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara. 805 965-0318; cestcheese.com
Global Gardens
Global Gardens uses only the freshest of organic or natural, pesticide-free ingredients to make their exclusive line of extra virgin olive oils, fruit vinegars, appetizer spreads, glazes, savory snacks and confections. Open daily 11am–5pm. 2477 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos. 805 693-1600; oliverevolution.com
Here’s the Scoop
Here’s the Scoop offers the finest gelato and sorbet made fresh daily from local farms and farmers market fruit. They specialize in seasonal flavors as well as traditional Italian flavors. 1187 Coast Village Rd., Montecito. 805 969-7020. heresthescoop@cox.net
OstrichLand USA
A unique ostrich and emu gift shop with fresh ostrich and emu eggs and healthy ostrich meat. You can also visit and feed the ostriches and emus. 610 E. Highway 246, Buellton. Daily 10am–5pm. 805 686-9696; ostrichlandusa.com
This Little Piggy Wears Cotton Piggy is organic! The very best in high-quality merchandise for newborns to age 14, including specialty children’s clothing, accessories, toys and books. Located in Santa Barbara at 8 E. De La Guerra, in Montecito at 1470 E. Valley Rd. Also located in Phoenix and Newport Beach. littlepiggy.com
WINERIES AND WINE RETAILERS
Avant Tapas and Wine
Avant Tapas and Wine is the tasting room for over 30 vintners producing their wine at the Terravant Wine Company’s stateof-the-art production facility, in Santa Barbara County. Open for tasting and a menu of tapas and pizza Thursday–Sunday 11am–8pm. 35 Industrial Way, Buellton. 805 686-9400; avantwines.com
Alma Rosa
With certified organic vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills, Alma Rosa focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir-Vin Gris. All wines are food friendly with the high acid and extraordinary balance for which Richard Sanford’s wines have been known since 1976. Open 11am–4:30pm daily. 7250 Santa Rosa Rd., Buellton. 805 688-9090; almarosawinery.com
BiN 2860 International Wine Shop
With both local and international wines available, BiN 2860 at Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa has one of the best wine selections in the Santa Ynez Valley. 2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. 800 446-2455, 805 688-7788; bin2860.com
Buttonwood Farm Winery
In 1968 Betty Williams came to Buttonwood, creating a life that found expression through a connection with the land. The 39-acre vineyard, started in 1983, now has 33,000 vines with a mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Marsanne, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Visit the tasting room at 1500 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang. Open 11am–5pm daily. 805 688-3032; buttonwoodwinery.com
Cimarone Estate Wines
Located in the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, they produce estate wines under two labels: Cimarone and 3CV. Their mission with celebrated wine maker Doug Margerum is to make distinctive handcrafted wines from estate-grown, organic grapes. The wines are available on online and at restaurants and speciality wine stores. cimarone.com
D’Vine Wine Bar
This stylish wine bar pours wines from the Santa Rita Hills and the Central Coast, as well as offers events and private parties. Open Wednesday through Sunday 3–10pm. 107 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. 805 735-8771; winebardvine.com
Kenneth Volk Vineyards
Proprietor Ken Volk has been making Santa Barbara and Central Coast wines for more than a quarter century. He is known for crafting world-class wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their tasting room is open daily 10:30am–4:30pm. 5230 Tepusquet Road, Santa Maria. 805 938-7896; volkwines.com
Oreana Winery & Marketplace
Oreana Winery & Marketplace is a tasting room, wine shop, gourmet gift market and fully-functional winery housed in a historic tire shop. From their small batches of Pinot Noir to their sizable red table wine, Oreana has a wine for everyone. Open daily 11am–5pm. 205 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara. 805 962-5857; oreanawinery.com
Qupé
Qupé is dedicated to producing handcrafted Rhône varietals and Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast. They employ traditional winemaking techniques to make wines that are true to type and speak of their vineyard sources. Their tasting room is open daily 11am–5pm. 2963 Grand Ave., Suite B, Los Olivos. 805 686-4200; qupe.com
Riverbench Vineyard & Winery
Since 1973 Riverbench has produced some of Santa Barbara County’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. With their initial harvest in 2006, they have now begun producing their own wines with winemaker Chuck Ortman. Tasting Room is open from 10am– 4pm daily. 6020 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria. 805 937-8340; riverbench.com
Roblar Winery & Cooking School
The spirit of easygoing hospitality is central to Roblar’s philosophy. Come by for a taste of their current releases, browse the gift shop and deli, or stay for lunch. Open for tasting Saturday–Sunday 10am–5pm, Monday–Friday 11am–4pm. 3010 Roblar Ave., Santa Ynez. 805 686-2603; roblarwinery.com
Wandering Dog
Wandering Dog Wine Bar offers the most interesting and delicious wines from artisan producers along the Central Coast, as well as from around the world. Sample one of their tasting flights or create your own from the nearly 50 wines available by the glass every day. Monday–Thursday 1–8pm, Friday–Sunday 11am–8pm. 1539 C Mission Dr., Solvang. 805 686-9126; wanderingdogwinebar.com
Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards
Zaca Mesa is a Santa Ynez Valley estate winery dedicated to Rhone varieties. Since 1972, they have handcrafted wines from grapes grown in their vineyards to express their distinct character and genuine quality. Open daily 10am–4pm. 6905 Foxen Canyon Rd., Los Olivos. 805 688-9339 ext. 308; zacamesa.com
OCTOBER 1–31
epicure.sb: A Month to Savor Santa Barbara
Throughout October, Santa Barbara will feature a monthlong foodie festival with diverse epicurean offerings sure to sate your appetite! This epicurean adventure will showcase regional cuisine, libations and culture. For more information and a detailed listing of events go to epicuresb.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
SOL Food Festival
10am–6pm; Plaza Vera Cruz (across the street from the Saturday Farmers Market), Santa Barbara Celebrating Sustainable, Organic and Local food. Join us for workshops, demonstrations, SOL food, beer and wine and featuring ‘Iron Chef’ Cat Cora. Free; solfoodfestival.com
SATURDAYS, OCTOBER 9–DECEMBER 18
Coffee Camps
10am–2pm; Santa Barbara Natural History Museum
What gets you up in the morning? Espresso, cappuccino, or just a good ol’ cup o’ Joe? Join us on Saturdays for coffee tastings as we take you through the basics in all things coffee—from the silly to the ceremonial. For more information, call 805 682-4711 ext. 170; sbnature.org
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9
Harbor and Seafood Festival
10am–5pm; Santa Barbara Harbor, Santa Barbara
This annual benefit showcases a plethora of delectable regional seafood specialties, in addition to cooking demonstrations, interactive maritime education, unique children’s activities, boat rides, live music and much more. Free; harborfestival.org
Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association 2010 Celebration of Harvest 1–4pm; Rancho Sisquoc Winery: 6600 Foxen Canyon Rd. Santa Barbara County vintners showcase their latest wines along with local restaurants, caterers and specialty food purveyors, while live music will fill the air on the beautiful grounds of Rancho Sisquoc Winery. $65; 805 688-0881; sbcountywines.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
Santa Barbara Beer Festival Noon–4pm; Elings Park: 1298 Las Positas Rd., Santa Barbara
A celebration of the best of beer from craft breweries throughout California. $45 advance purchase and $55 at the door; sbbeerfestival.com
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30
Food & Wine Pairing Lunch with Pascale BealeGroom
Noon–2pm; Riverbench Winery
Enjoy a delicious three course lunch with wine pairings on a gorgeous lawn overlooking the Riverbench vineyard. Cost is $55 per person and includes Pascale’s Autumn cookbook. Limited to 25 people. 805 937-8340; riverbench.com
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Empty Bowls Santa Barbara
Three seatings: 11am, 12pm and 1pm. Rockwood Woman’s Club
A benefit for the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, in an effort to make an immediate difference in our community, through the art of pottery and the power of people learning to feed each other. For tickets call 805 967-5741 ext. 104.
THE LAST BITE
John Pettitt
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
KIM RIDDLE
Seeing a chef at the farmers market loading up a cart full of produce is a tangible reminder that we have restaurants and chefs in our community who are fully supporting our farmers and food producers. Executive chef John Pettitt of Seagrass is one of those dedicated chefs who shop our local markets in search of the best ingredients, which are highlighted in his exquisite creations. John came to Santa Barbara by way of San Francisco and Santa Monica, where he polished his craft at some of the finest restaurants. In addition to his role as executive chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica, he was chef de cuisine at Melisse, where he led the kitchen in earning two Michelin stars and a top Zagat Guide rating. In Santa Barbara he has graced the kitchens of the Wine Cask as well as Hungry Cat before settling into Seagrass. At a recent Edible Santa Barbara Supper Club dinner at Seagrass, John dazzled us with his carefully selected menu composed of delicious local ingredients and reminded us how the artistry of a chef can complement the artistry of our local farmers.
