Food & Home Magazine - Winter 2022

+ FOOD HOME WINTER 2022

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TASTE OF SOLVANG NEW VALLEY DESTINATIONS TO WINE AND DINE Coast Range sommeliers, Rajat Parr, pours at the Vaquerro Bar in Solvang. Photo by Jeremy Ball

PLUS: COZY WINTER RECIPES WELLFOUNDED BEGININGS HISTORY OF LANE FARMS GARDEN NOTES LOCAL ARTISTS PROFILES WINE PARINGS AND MORE!

Happy. Healthy. Home.

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Montecito, California One of America’s most iconic historic gardens, “Mar Y Cel,” locally known as the “Montecito Tea Gardens,” is now offered for sale. There are 18 certified parcels on over 331 acres along with water rights and unobstructed ocean views which can be developed as a single, exclusive family compound or a community of private estates. This is an unparalleled opportunity to own a mountainside in one of the most exclusive locations along California’s Central Coast.

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Montecito, California Straight out of a romance novel, this storybook French Country home presents all of the features one would expect in a majestic Montecito estate.

The grand foyer leads to a formal dining room, living room and den in the main home with an attached yet private second-story guest suite and full bath.

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The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2022 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

Are you considering orthopedic surgery?

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ON THE COVER

ONE FINE DAY Sating appetites in Solvang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

F E AT U R E S

Fish Tales: A face behind the catch . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Consider the Sardine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Venerable Lane Farms Plowing On . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Home Chef: Getting Comfortable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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Recipe from Chef Daniel Boulud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Style+Design: Slide into spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Builder Notes: high efficiency water heaters . . . . 44 Garden Notes: Garden Trends 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 F+H Gallery: Cynthia James; Kim Reierson; Sheldon Kaganoff . 48 Wine+Dine: Perfect pairings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Five local wines to reach for this winter . . . . . . . 60 Dreadful parings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Grape Speak: Sangiovese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Sweet Call: Treat your valentine to Amaro . . . . . . 64 The Last Word: History Is Housed Here . . . . . . . . 66

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PROFILE

JOURNEY TO THE BEGINNING Sarah Rotman’s healing sojourn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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Publisher & President

Philip Kirkwood phil@food-home.com Dining & Copy Editor

Jeff Miller

Strong, durable & resilient

Wine Editor

Hana-Lee Sedgwick Travel Editor

Leslie A. Westbrook Contributors

Raymond Bloom Angela Borda Christine Cowles Lisa Cullen Danielle Fahrenkrug Nick Franklin Geneva Ives Lynette La Mere Megan Waldrep Photography

Winery - Tasting Room - Wine Bar

Jim Bartsch Michael Brown Joshua Curry Eliot Crowley Mehosh Dziadzio Braulio Godinez Ashley Hardin Chuck Place Kim Reierson Alexander Siegel Shelly Vinson Social Media Consultant

Kara Pearson

Contact Information

P.O. Box 20025, Santa Barbara, CA 93120 (805) 455-4756 www.food–home.com

The Barrel Room

The Warehouse

414 Salsipuedes St. 805.965.7985

3563 Numancia St. 805.688.5757

Downtown Santa Barbara

Old Town Santa Ynez

Come in and experience the art of winemaking. www.carrwinery.com

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Food and Home (ISSN# 1533-693X) is published quarterly by Metro Inc. and single copies are provided to selected homeowners free of charge. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and designs printed in Food & Home are the sole property of Metro Inc. and may not be duplicated or reprinted without Metro Inc.’s express written permission. Food & Home and Metro Inc. are not liable for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers. Readers should verify advertised information with the advertisers. Food & Home and Metro Inc. reserve the right to refuse any advertising. Food & Home® is a registered trademark of Metro, Inc. Copyright © 2019. All inquiries may be sent to: Metro Media Services, P.O. Box 20025, Santa Barbara, CA 93120, or call (805) 455-4756, or e-mail: info@food-home.com. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and designs printed in Food & Home are the sole property of Metro Inc. and may not be duplicated or reprinted without Metro Inc.’s express written permission. Food & Home and Metro Inc. are not liable for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers. Readers should verify advertised information with the advertisers.

W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

M ONTECITO KITCHENS ITCHENS M ONTECITO K MONTECITO KITCHENS Custom Designed Cabinetry Cabinetry Custom Designed Cabinetry

Quality & Craftsmanship Quality & Craftsmanship Quality & Craftsmanship Montecito Kitchens customizes a plan for your exact space, style, and budget.

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CONTRIBUTORS LESLIE A. WESTBROOK is an award-winning journalist who covers travel, food, design, and people.

She also assists clients around the globe desiring to sell fine art, antiques, and collectibles via international auction houses. Leslie can be reached for a complimentary consultation at LeslieAWestbrook@ gmail.com.

HANA-LEE SEDGWICK is a writer, editor, and marketing consultant born and raised in Santa Barbara. A certified specialist of wine and sommelier, she loves sharing the world of wine with people, and happily spends her downtime eating, drinking, and wandering throughout California wine country and beyond. Follow her on Instagram @wanderandwine.

JEFF MILLER is a longtime newspaper writer/ editor who now writes books and plays. His novels can be found at amazon.com/author/jdmillerauthor or at Lulu.com under J.D. Miller.

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CONNIE GILLIES is a teacher, environmental educator, photographer, and pianist. Her nature photos, accompanied by her original piano compositions, can be found on YouTube at Northforkphotoworks and on Instagram at Connie_Gillies.

LAURENCE HAUBEN Born and raised in France, Laurence began her culinary training at age three. A cooking teacher and chef, she is available for small group and private events, specializing in seasonal menus centered around Santa Barbara’s organic produce and local seafood. To learn more, visit www.marketforays.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

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FIRSTS

Fish Tales A face behind the catch by

Megan Waldrep

I

t’s cold and foggy morning at the Santa Barbara Harbor, just after seven, and a line for the Fishermen’s Market is already cued up. I walk to the end of the dock (also known as the Navy Pier), find the Ocean Rose tent, and ask the guy behind the table if fisherman Garrett Rose is around.

He cracks a smile, then points beyond my shoulder. “Garrett’s the guy in the anchor hat,” Connor Rose said. “The one that looks just like me.”

Originally from Cayucos, Garrett Rose is a second-generation commercial fisherman who grew up fishing with his father, David Rose, a thirty-year commercial fisherman who catches salmon to this day. Yet five years ago, with the ink barely dried on his diploma from California Polytechnic State University, Rose decided to level up. He moved to Santa Barbara and bought his first boat, the F/V Prime Time, to troll for California King Salmon along the west coast. (King salmon is also known as “Chinook salmon,” and F/V is short for “fishing vessel”).

Later, Rose purchased a second boat, the F/V Taurus, which he fishes year-round.

When you show up to the Ocean Rose tent, you’ll find varieties of short and long spine Pacific rockfish and black cod perfectly laid out on beds of ice and large holding tanks filled with live Pacific rock crab and giant spider crab. Come spring, Dungeness crab and local salmon are available, too. At the tent, alongside Rose, is his brother Conner, who helps the family business when not at his day job, and deckhand, Chase Brubaker, to answer your questions.

Not sure how to prepare your seafood?

They’ve got you covered. “We provide recipe card options to guide new customers in our favorite directions.” For those intimidated to cut whole fish, you’re in luck. The Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara have a cutting station at the end of the dock where you can get small and large fish filleted or cut into steaks at three and five bucks a pop.

For Rose, Pacific black cod is his go-to

meal. “My favorite seafood dish is a miso-marinated black cod that I broil and pair with steamed vegetables and rice.” Sounds delicious and easy enough. And when it comes to eating crab, it’s a roll-up-yoursleeves kind of thing. “When we have crab boils at the house, I like to eat outside in a family-style fashion. Lay everything out on newspaper and get cracking.”

Here’s an insider secret: skip the line and pre-order from Ocean Rose Fisheries by text or calling ahead. Or, if you miss the market altogether, just walk to the Santa Barbara Fish Market on Harbor Way, and ask for Garrett’s catch.

Find Garrett and Crew at the Santa Barbara Fishermen’s Market on the Navy Pier every Saturday from 6 am - 11 am. For special orders, contact Garrett directly at oceanrosefisheries@gmail.com, text or call (805) 765-1552, or follow along on Instagram at @oceanrose_ fisheries.

FIRSTS

Consider the Sardine by

Laurence Hauben

T

he humble sardine doesn’t often appear on restaurant menus, overlooked in favor of more prestigious species. Yet sardines, which feed on tiny crustaceans and phytoplankton, are one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, chock full of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, high in iron and calcium, and a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. They taste fabulous simply grilled and served with a squeeze of lemon, tomato wedges, and fresh crusty bread. I asked marine biologist Kim Selkoe, who together with Victoria Voss founded the local seafood delivery service Get Hooked, about the health of the fishery. “California sardines are not overfished currently - the regulations are incredibly strict and detailed, so

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you can feel good about any California caught sardines. Enjoying them as a local consumer should be pretty guilt free, considering they are so low on the food chain and so good for you and only fished by very small local boats,” says Selkoe. So next time you get the chance, consider the sardine.

Here is a simple recipe.

Stuffed Grilled Sardines with Tomato, Parsley, & Lemon Relish This recipe was inspired by the fresh caught sardines I ate on the pier in the harbor of Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Simply grilled over wood charcoal and served with wedges of ripe tomato, lemon, sliced onion and warm bread, they were one of the most memorably delicious meal of my life. Serve with a side

salad and a loaf of sourdough or ciabatta, and a dry rose or Pinot Grigio. Serves 6 Equipment: Grill, hinged grilling basket (This makes flipping the sardines easy) Ingredients: 24 fresh caught sardines, gutted Olive oil, salt and pepper Stuffing: 2 tsp. finely minced garlic 3 Tbs. finely chopped onion 3 Tbs. finely chopped parsley 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves ½ cup toasted breadcrumbs 3 Tbs. olive oil ½ tsp. pepper ½ tsp. kosher salt Relish: 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely diced

Grated zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves 2 Tbs. olive oil 1 Tbs. lemon juice

Preparation: - Prepare your grill. You want it nice and hot.

- Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in a small bowl.

- Spoon about 2 teaspoons of stuffing into the cavity of each sardine.

- Stir the relish ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

- Oil your grill basket.

- Lightly brush the sardines with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

- Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

- Serve topped with the relish and your favorite sides.

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FIRSTS

Connie Gillies

John Lane at the farm stand.

Venerable Farm Plowing On

by Jeff

Miller

“…we are within 18 miles of Council Bluff, and are reliably informed that there is 4,000 wagons there, and are hourly increasing in number.”

o wrote Jasper Lane in “Jasper’s Journal,” the story of the young man’s 1863 journey by wagon train from Missouri to California.

By the time they reached “the Mighty Missouri” River three days later, it turned out the rumor was overblown. “When we arrived at the landing there was but few wagons there, but in less than one hour there was about 100 awaiting transportation…”

Soon after that, the men of his train “unsheathed their glittering

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revolvers and springing forward brandished them in defiance,” in order to keep their place in line to board the ferry.

They made it, and five months later, “after a journey of over two thousand miles, we have struck our last camp … within ten miles of the Pacific Ocean,” Jasper wrote.

Jasper and his siblings had traveled in the wagon of their parents, Miles and Elizabeth Lane, averaging about 20 miles a day. They first settled in Petaluma, coming south to Goleta in 1868. There they started a farm that remains in production to this day, still run by the great-great-grandson of Miles and Elizabeth, John Lane.

It’s one of the two oldest farms in the Goleta/Santa Barbara area.

The other, born in 1895 and now known as Fairview Gardens Farm, is just a few miles away.

Lane Farm, once about 100 acres, is now 40 and going strong. The popular Pumpkin Patch, at Hollister and Walnut Lane, is part of the “first homeplace,” said John Lane. His great-great-grandparents joined Goleta’s walnut-growing boom, which eventually yielded to beans and in the late 1930s to lemons.

Next in line after Miles, son Jasper worked the farm and along the way helped to invent one of the first walnut hulling machines but didn’t patent it.

Jasper’s son, Frank Lane, continued the tradition and also invented a contraption that attached to the back of a Model T and shook walnuts from trees.

Patented? “No,” John said. “He was just happy he didn’t have to climb up a ladder every time.”

John’s father, Lawrence Lane, did some farming on the side while working as the first employee of the Goleta Water District and serving as the longtime president of the Goleta Union School District. That completed a direct line of four generations working the family farm. “And then me,” said John, making the fifth.

Nowadays the farm specializes in strawberries and sweet W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

Jasper Lane at the walnut huller he made.

QUALITY CUSTOM WOODWORK 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

1969–2019

Estella, Frank, Dexter, Nora, Jay, Mary and Jasper Lane (clockwise from top left)

The farm today (during October’s Pumpkin Patch)

corn, also featuring tomatoes, green beans, summer squash, and lettuce. Plus there’s the Pumpkin Patch, the Corn Maze, Christmas trees, and animals including goats, pigs, and miniature donkeys. They employ between five and 10 farmhands, depending on the season. In 2018 the farm was honored with induction into the California Agricultural Heritage Club.

John and his wife, Ruth, are now 69 and 66, respectively. “Our son-in-law [John Penrose] is interested [in the farm],” John said. Their twin daughters, Rebecca and Elizabeth, graduates of City College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and UCSB, each with a master’s degree in education, are both now teachers at La Colina Junior High School, and have always helped out at the farmstand and farmers’ markets. So, yes, there’s a chance Lane Farm might go on into a sixth generation.

Note: Copies of “Jasper’s Journal” ($8) are available for sale at Stow House in Goleta.

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Heather Gildroy

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Journey to the beginning Sara Rotman’s healing sojourn from New York corporate world to competitive polo player and Punk band bassist to cannabis grower and entrepreneur with a mission in Buellton

Brian Bins

C

annabis farmer and CBD entrepreneur Sara Rotman’s story has been well-publicized since the legalization of marijuana growing and sales in the state of California. Not only has she graced the inky pages of magazines and newspapers in our region, but her story and products have also appeared in national magazines, including Vogue and Forbes.

As Santa Barbara County exploded with greenhouses, fields, hoop houses and a whole lotta stinky (literally) controversy, from Carpinteria to Buellton, Rotman and her husband/ business partner Nate Ryan who has deep farming roots in Carpinteria turned her eye towards the healing aspects of the cannabis plant.

The engaging, energetic, competitive and fierce businesswoman (former CEO of a fashion branding company in NYC called My Own Damn Company, polo player/team captain and former bassist in an all-female punk band called Crotch), changed her mojo and launched her line of wellness products this past fall that includes CBD and THC-infused face oils, body creams, wellness capsules, tinctures, and more.

Additionally, Rotman came up with a fresh, light CBD infused fragrance – without a name.

Wellfounded’s eau de parfum is fresh and breezy as a spring day on her 63-acre Buellton farm, Busy Bee Organics. (The fragrance would be a good gift/peace offering to Carpinteria and Santa Ynez Valley residents who don’t like the terpene odors emitting from some of the growers farms and greenhouses).

How does an entrepreneur, who left fastpaced corporate life in Manhattan and has noted that much of her new lifestyle involves “observation”, settle down and watch her plants grow? And how does this savvy businesswoman, with a background in fashion branding (think Tory Burch logo, Vera Wang, True Religion among other labels) translate her business acumen from those businesses to a California pot farm?

Actually, it turns out it’s not much different.

There are stresses and challenges, but there are also rewards. I had a chance to blow a few questions the busy entrepreneur’s way. Here’s what she had to say: W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

By Andrea Blandino You were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2014 and soon after, jumped into a super stressful business with strong opposition.

How does/did that affect your health?

Like almost all chronic illnesses, stress is a big trigger. The relentless opposition we endured by a few noisy, entirely unsuccessful opponents, took a major toll on my health and continues to do so.

Education, for yourself and others, seems to be a large and ongoing component of your business.

The learning curve was steep and painful.

We made costly mistakes along the way, but we learned from each mistep. We needed to turbo charge our learning in order to survive. We were very disciplined about finding the right people and information needed to become competent in this new and ever-changing world. Thankfully, North County, Santa Barbara has a long, rich agricultural tradition.

Do you ever get tired of trying to explain the new regulated pot industry?

I do! It’s a new industry, so trying to explain the nuances or even the basics can be frustrating. With so much misinformation out there, I’ve accepted that part of my job is to openly and patiently, share good information so that people can be more aware of the reality vs. some of the fear mongering that endures.

Let’s talk products – do you use them all?

Yes, the product line is inspired by my personal experiences so we develop products that I feel will be effective on my wellness journey and hopefully for others, as well.

Have any favorites?

I love them all, but my all day every day is the 20:1 Restore Tincture as that is the tool that is most effective in staving off Crohn’s flares for me. But I also love, love, love our 1:1 Relief Body Oil, not only does it take away joint and muscle pain, but it leaves my skin feeling amazing and even works to combat my eczema.

(continued) FOOD + HOME

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How does the face oil work for you?

We spent the better part of two years perfecting this game-changing formula, enlisting world renowned chemists, and emerged with the most potent and effective cannabis skincare product on the market. The formula calms my inflammation and redness and deeply moisturizes, while also balancing my skin’s oil production. it promotes cellular regeneration, protects against free radicals, preserve the elasticity of my skin, and offers anti-aging, restoring, replenishing, and protective vitamins and minerals through the use of plant-based ingredients. I like to think there’s a little bit of magic in every bottle, but really, it’s a precise and meticulous blend of science and nature.

We tried the Wellness capsules, which we refer to as “chill pills”.

I would never call them that!

The capsules are a very serious part of my wellness routine, but I appreciate that they can also be 24

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just fun or relaxing, so I suppose that moniker makes sense. I use them as an accurate repeatable dose, that is also easy to transport when I travel around the state. I use them for pain and inflammation management, but they are equally good for those who desire a sleep aid or a relaxation session.

They also contain some really beautiful and holistic secondary ingredients like blue spirulina, green tea, and activated charcoal.

Just a drop or two of your tincture seems to take the edge off of life. What’s your experience with it been?

It literally saved my life.

Wellfounded Botanicals – where did the name come from?

It came from our guiding concept: Botanical delights founded in and created to promote wellness!

Why doesn’t your fragrance have a name?

This initial perfume is epon-

ymous, as it is our hero. Future fragrances will be in the family, but will have their own name.

Tell me how you came up with the fragrance? It’s so fresh and breezy - - not at all like the skunky pot farm smells in Carp!

The idea that the scent of cannabis is universally ‘skunky’ is inaccurate and one of the inaccurate pieces of misinformation I work hard to correct. We have as many strains in cannabis as there are flowers on earth. Each with its own unique fragrance profile.

At our farm, we concentrate on citrus, fruit and floral notes in our genetic selections. I have never had a single visitor come to our farm when the plants are in full bloom and say they smell skunky. While recognizably cannabis is a fresh flower, it’s also full of complex fragrance profiles. We seek interesting and unique genetics exactly for their unique terpenes. We spend a lot of time thinking about and assessing these profiles. Our fragrance was

based on the terroir at the farm and was designed as a sensory memory trigger to transport you here…at least in your imagination. It takes inspiration from all the ambient fragrance that exists on our farm – coastal sage, eucalyptus, rosemary, olive blossoms, sea air, valley oak and fresh cannabis.

Two years ago, you and a winemaker launched a pilot “Wine & Cannabis” tourism initiative luncheon to showcase what a tour of your farm paired with great wine and food might look like. Is that still happening or on the books?

Like so many things, Covid really put this effort on the back burner. However, we do hope to re-ignite this, and other agritourism efforts, once we see a stabilized environment for in-person events.

Many of Wellfounded Botanicals products can be purchased at Farmacy Santa Barbara. 128 Mission Street. www.thefarmacysb.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

Heather Gildroy

Wellfounded has meticulously crafted a collection of sun-grown, whole flower capsules and tinctures in three signature formulas with material grown right on their family farm. Luxury topicals include a body balm, face and body oil and even an eau de perfume.

Comfort, strength and style for the places you live and play.

(818) 782-8607

Looking for ways to enhance your home or business?

Let us help find the solution that works best for you!

AW N I N G S PAT I O C O V E R S

• •

CABANAS

2580 Azurite Circle Newbury Park, CA 91320 www.vannuysawning.com

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CANOPY

R E T R A C TA B L E AW N I N G S

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SLIDE ON A WIRE CUSHIONS

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DESIGN

FINANCING •

I N S TA L L AT I O N

Vaquero Bar inside steakhouse Coast Range 26

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ONE FINE DAY

Sating appetites in Solvang Just a 40-minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara the sweet Danish town serves up more than just sugar. Here are three new culinary reasons to make the trip.

By Geneva Ives COAST RANGE

Tucked among picturesque windmills and treacly bake shops, this dark and luscious steakhouse is a thrilling change of pace. There are cozy booths lined with damask wallpaper, substantial leather stools facing a sleek black bar and red hunks of meat beckoning from an illuminated meat case near the door.

Like the intriguing new kid who turns out to be a local just back from boarding school, Coast Range is actually right at home on Mission Drive, just blocks from Old Mission Santa Inés. “Two of the [restaurant and bar’s] owners have been lucky to call the Santa Ynez Valley home for several years, and the other partners have always spent a lot of time here and love the area. Solvang felt like a very natural fit,” says Hillary Calhoun, owner and partner at Coast Range.

Unsurprisingly, steak is a popular order, with a wide range of cuts available from ranches you’ve heard of and up-and-comers you may not yet recognize.

Seafood is also a hit, sourced locally from the chilly Pacific barely a dozen miles away. The chilled shellfish tower arrives on crushed ice, with oysters opened like presents, crab claws pre-cracked, peeled shrimp pink with anticipation and every condiment you could wish. Add to all this an international wine list curated by none other than Rajat Parr, one of the most renowned sommeliers in the U.S. “Parr’s expansive knowledge combined with our passion for wine culminates in an ever-expanding wine list of producers that we have personal experience with.

We love to showcase the classics, as well as smaller operations who are trying new things.”

Jeremy Ball, Bottle Branding

Rajat Parr

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ONE FINE DAY A tasting from Crawford Family Wines

Farley Eliot

Geneva Ives

The Solvang Hot Chicken from Peasants Feast

Hot Chicken is a customer favorite, often selling more than 100 a day. It combines spicy buttermilk fried chicken, pickled red onion, fresh herbs, shredded cabbage and ranch on a soft, sesame brioche bun. But savvy diners should know that the chef ’s favorite is tacos,

CRAWFORD FAMILY WINES

PEASANT’S FEAST

Peasant’s Feast opened on April 1, 2020, and – despite what we know now were staggering odds – has thrived, thanks to a tempting farmto-table menu and healthy dose of community support. Community support that goes both ways. “Our goal is to source from as many local businesses as possible,” shares executive chef Michael Cherney (who owns the business with his wife, Sarah), listing off more than threedozen area purveyors.

It’s a recipe for success that’s working.

The first-come, first-serve restaurant draws a primarily local crowd on weekdays and reaches a fever pitch on weekends. “Solvang is nuts.

We have people waiting outside, lined up 30 minutes before we open, waiting for a table.”

Wondering what to order? The Solvang 28

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and the specials menu is where you’ll find those.

Stay tuned for the restaurant’s hotly anticipated sequel, Peasant’s Deli, opening in early spring 2022. peasantsfeast.com

Tacos from Peasants Feast

It’s entirely possible that you might find yourself with a powerful thirst between meals.

Or simply want a nice bottle of wine to take home. In this instance, you could do much worse than to wander into Crawford, a local winery and tasting room run by Mark and Wendy Horvath. Mark employs a minimalist approach to winemaking, letting the local fruit shine.

“We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to move to Solvang!” enthuses Wendy on the topic of their somewhat recent move from neighboring Los Olivos. “We’re right in the heart of downtown and across from the community park. It’s exciting to partner up with the new wave of tasting rooms, wine bars and restaurants energizing the area.”

Enjoy a tasting, then nab a bottle, magnum or barrel of the rosé if they have it – but they often sell out – so keep an open mind and pick up the Second Street Cuvée, a blend that pairs perfectly with almost everything. crawfordfamilywines.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

Michael Cherney

Although this may seem like the recipe for a perfect night out – and it is – take our advice and pop by the restaurant’s Vaquero Bar in the afternoon if you can. This is when you’re most likely to run into local winemakers, farmers and shopkeepers who’ve stopped in for a bite and a break and maybe a martini. Play your cards right and you just might walk away with the inside scoop about this town that was recently, somewhat infamously, dubbed “adult Disneyland.” coastrange.restaurant

@lasumidanursery

@la_sumida_nursery

Carrot and ginger soup

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Getting comfortable Recipes for staying in Carrot and ginger soup

It’s the perfect winter meal that can be enjoyed as the main dish or tasty side to baked salmon or chicken.

Leftover soup keeps well in the fridge for five days, or you can transfer it to freezer-safe zip top plastic bags and freeze it for up to six months. Reheat soup gently over low heat on the stovetop.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onions 3 garlic cloves, smashed 2 heaping cups chopped carrots 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth Sea salt and fresh black pepper 1/2 cup shaved almonds Instructions Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves (they’ll get blended later) and carrots to the pot and cook about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the ginger, then add the apple cider vinegar, and then add 3 to 4 cups of broth, depending on your desired consistency. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add shaved almonds over the top and enjoy!

Southampton by Wood-Mode.

Roasted shishito peppers

For

Pixel Stories

with garlic tahini sauce Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes.

Serves 4.

Ingredients 8 ounces shishito peppers 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt Dash of pepper

Tahini Sauce 6 tablespoons filtered water 1/2 cup tahini 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt 1/4 cup lemon juice about 2 lemons 3 garlic cloves W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

Showroom locations: Building beautiful kitchens and baths since 1987.

3630 S 1717 State Street Santa Y Santa Barbara, CA 93101 1717 State Street 805.682.4003 805.686 Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805.682.4003 www.thekitchencosb.com www.thekitchencosb.com

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HOME CHEF Optional 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey to lightly sweeten the sauce Instructions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a mixing bowl add the shishito peppers, olive oil, salt, and pepper and using your hands toss to coat. Spread the peppers on a baking sheet evenly and not overlapping.

Bake for 20 minutes and serve immediately with the tahini sauce.

While the peppers are cooking or ahead of time make the tahini sauce. With a food processor add the water, tahini, cumin, salt, lemon juice, and garlic cloves. Blend until smooth. The mixture will thicken as it sets in the refrigerator. Optional to add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey to sweeten it. Serve with roasted shishito peppers.

Note: The tahini sauce makes about 3/4 cup so enjoy it as a dressing for another meal.

Recipe and photo by Danielle Fahrenkrug. www. delightfulmomfood.com

Sweet potato topped with avocado and poached egg Ingredients 1 large sweet potato 2 eggs poached 1/2 large avocado 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt, red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper to taste.

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Nadine Greeff

Roasted shishito peppers with garlic tahini sauce

Danielle Fahrenkrug

Sweet potato topped with avocado and poached egg

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HOME CHEF Instructions Using a fork, poke the sweet potato multiple times and then place on a microwave-safe plate. Cook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Remove and let cool for 2 minutes before cutting in half lengthwise. Mash down the avocado into a chucky spread, add seasonings, and combine. Top sweet potato halves with avocado, poached egg, and seasonings to taste.

Hot smoked salmon soup

Hot smoked salmon soup

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Instructions In a large heavy pot, heat the butter over medium heat until hot, stir the onions, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.

Peel and dice the potatoes. Stir in the potatoes and stock bring to a gentle boil. Cook the soup, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very soft and starting to fall apart, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the cream and crumble the salmon into the soup. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with the dill fronds.

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Nadine Greeff

Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 medium onions, chopped Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 pounds baking potatoes 8 cups chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream 8 ounces hot smoked salmon. (You can find at Santa Barbara Fish Market.)

2 tablespoons fresh dill fronds

FROM THE EARTH TO US TO YOU Whether you love flower or tinctures, edibles or pre-rolls, The Farmacy is your most trusted source for sustainably produced, locally grown, and premium-quality products.

Shop in-store or order online for complimentary delivery service or express pickup.

thefarmacysb.com

805-880-1207

The Farmacy Santa Barbara 21+ Cannabis Shop & Delivery Service | @farmacy.ca 128 W Mission St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 BCC License No: C10-0000293-LIC

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HOME CHEF

A recipe from Celebrity Cruises Chef Daniel Boulud Curried cauliflower and apple velouté Serves 2-4

Ingredients: 2 cups water, or chicken stock 1 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted olive oil 2 cups white onion, peeled, and sliced thinly 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder 6-8 saffron threads Prep ahead 2 cups golden delicious apple (or any kind), peeled, split, cored, and sliced thinly 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets 1 cup coconut milk, or heavy cream Salt and pepper

Chef Daniel Boulud (right).

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Instructions Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Peel the apples and cut them into 4 pieces, remove the seeds and core and slice thinly. Cut the onion in half, remove the skin and core and slice thinly.

Bring the water and coconut milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat.

In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until tender with no color. Add the curry powder and saffron and season with salt and pepper.

Add the apples and continue to cook until they’re half cooked. Add the cauliflower florets and sweat everything together for 2-3 minutes.

Pour the hot liquid over, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. When the cauliflower is tender remove from the heat.

Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and purée until very smooth, you can adjust the consistency with water, if needed. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Daniel Boulud, culinary ambassador for Celebrity Cruises. His first signature restaurant at sea, Le Voage, debutes on the ship Celebrity Beyond in April 2022. The ship will first sail the Mediterranean and then, in October, the Caribbean. Boulud is owner and founder of the Michelin-starred restaurant DANIEL in New York City. He will bring his French-rooted, soulful style cooking to Celebrity Beyond, which includes his signature five-course meal. For more information on Celebrity Beyond visit celebritycruises.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

Shhhh... it‘s a secret.

After Dark classic bar menu specialty cocktails and occasional live music Tuesday-Saturday 5 pm-close No secret password required— you just need to sneak in through the back door...

Reimagine your home

projects. a unique building company.

805.682.2226 | projectsgc.com | license #884424 38

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...then call to remodel or build with us W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

STYLE + DESIGN

Slide into spring

I

f you’re looking for shade with the functionality of a retractable awning, you might want to look into a slide on a wire canopy system. Forever popular in Europe, these systems are becoming mainstream in modern landscape and building designs. The systems are customizable and made with stainless steel hardware and fade-resistant fabric by Sunbrella.—Raymond Bloom

Available from Van Nuys Awnings. www.vannuysawning.com.

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STYLE + DESIGN

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3 1

Fishnet Galore tile designs become a sophisticated abstract all-over pattern, creating a reef like dream for kitchen or bath. Available at TileCo. 7 North Nopal St. www.tilecodist.com

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With a refreshingly different geometric shape, the new Quad Spout from California Faucets stands apart from the typical arc spouts we expect to see in the kitchen. The design’s squared-off shape is especially striking when paired with the recently introduced Squeeze Handle Sprayer. Available at Economy Supply. 632 East Haley www.economysb.com

3

For a warm, yet sophisticated design, consider a wood floor of rustic French oak in a chevron pattern, finished with a natural color and matte lacquer, adding just the right balance of distinction and invitation. Design and installation available at Coast Supply Co. coastsupplyco.com

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yes to a new year and yes to a clean slate!

519 North Quarantina St Santa Barbara 805.617.3310

STYLE + DESIGN

The new modern

T

here is an excitement in discovering new materials, especially in being one of the first to build with them. One that is gaining in popularity in kitchen and bath remodel circles is Neolith. Unlike marble, concrete, butcher block, laminate, and granite, Neolith isn’t porous, so it won’t stain and doesn’t need to be sealed. It’s also durable, and because the surface is so hard it resists scratches, abrasions, and heat marks. Neolith can be fabricated for countertops and cut as thin as five millimeters, to be used as cladding for walls, cupboards, and floors, allowing for a minimalist or contemporary look.

Available at Solid Rock Tile & Stone. www.solidrocksb.com 805-617-3310 42

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Gardens Are for Living

Food Home Summer 2017.indd 1

6/8/17 1:08 PM

economysb.com

Modern Look Stainless steel 33-inch sink with accessory ledge from Blanco, which comes with its own custom cutting board. You can also add a steel colander.

Economy Plumbing Supply | 632 E. Haley | 805-965-4319 | www.economysb.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

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BUILDER NOTES

Think high efficiency when replacing old water heaters

By Dennis Allen

W

ater heaters use more energy than all other household appliances combined except for space heaters. Roughly 8 million domestic hot water heaters are sold in the US each year, almost evenly split between gas and electric models. According to the Federal Department of Energy, households use on average 64 gallons of hot water each day, costing between about $300 and $600 a year depending on the type of fuel, utility rates and the efficiency of the unit.

Plumbers estimate that 80 percent of water heaters are sold on an emergency basis, when an existing water heater starts leaking or fails for some other reason. In such circumstances, owners reflex to lowest price, capacity and availability in buying a replacement. The most sensible course, however, would be the price plus operating cost for annual fuel consumption. This is where water heater heat-pumps gain a big advantage. Although unfamiliar to US consumers, commanding only 1 percent of the US market, they are widely selected as the heater of choice in Japan and Europe.

Air source heat-pumps extract heat from the air without burning any fuel directly. This is exactly what refrigerators do, but in reverse. There are two types of water heater heat-pumps: 1) the split system with the storage tank inside the house and a compressor outside, and 2) the hybrid, or integrated unit, that combines the compressor and storage tank along with a conventional electric resistance coil. The reason for this configuration is that while very efficient, heat-pumps are slow. The coil provides faster heating when needed.

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The Energy Guide labels on water heaters give annual operating cost (an approximation because the figures are based on averages) and the amount of hot water the appliance will deliver in the first hour of use (capacity). The Energy Factor (based on a standard Dept. of Energy test), although not listed on the Energy Guide, is another important way to evaluate units. Standard gas and electric models have an EF between .6 and .95 but for heat pumps units it is mostly over 3. The EF measures how much of the energy input is converted to hot water. With standard heaters, where the energy directly heats water, the theoretical maximum is 1 or 100 percent, but with heat-pumps, it is over 300 percent.

Water heater heat-pumps cost more, roughly double that of standard gas or electric units. The Sanden mini-split is more expensive still, about $3500. It is different from other heat-pumps, as the compressor is outside, eliminating compressor noise inside. This appliance uses CO2 rather than a conventional refrigerant (fluorocarbons) with much lower environmental and global warming risk. Its technology produces higher water temperatures (150 degrees Fahrenheit) obviating the need for a backup resistance coil. In spite of its higher initial cost, this mini-split produces the greatest savings of all units after about 5 years. Moreover, it is the greenest solution, especially when linked to site-generated, renewable electricity from photovoltaic solar panels.

Dennis Allen is the Founder and Chairman of the Board for Allen Construction in Santa Barbara. BuildAllen.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

Only Rain

Down the Drain!

When it rains, pollutants on the ground can quickly wash into our storm drains, creeks, and ocean.

For healthy creeks and beaches, keep pollutants out of our streets and storm drains.

Learn more at SBCreeks.com! @SBCreeks

Welcome to Lonetree

bringing beauty into your home

Find us in the Heart of Victoria Court

We are an edited selection of new, vintage, custom designed pieces and collections from amazing sources.

We think outside the idea of a specific "style" to bring you uniquely beautiful things that fit perfectly in your home.

www.domecil .com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

lonetreesb.com

1221 State Street #24 Santa Barbara, CA 93101

805.892.7335

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GARDEN NOTES

Garden Trends 2022

By Lisa Cullen

Santa Barbara Style

Santa Barbara Style is informal, inviting, and embracive of the outdoor lifestyle that we adore. That’s one good reason why we live 46

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here isn’t it? Our climate is ideal, we can grow most anything, and it never seems to be too hot or too cold. I love that we can take a walk outside every day and the air is fresh and clean. Santa Barbara garden style is all over the map these days and I have noticed a trend toward more modern homes and gardens, but the beauty of Santa Barbara is that there is an unlimited variety of options. The toughest thing might be deciding on what is your Santa Barbara Style.

Finding Your Santa Barbara Style

My favorite part of garden design is helping clients find their unique style. No two people are alike thus, no two gardens are alike. Pinterest, Instagram, Home Beautiful, Architectural Digest, Santa Barbara Magazine are all great ways to find inspiration. There will be an image that speaks to you, save that one, even if you think it can’t be done, or isn’t

feasible in your location, save it. Save all the photos you love. From that, we can figure out your personal Santa Barbara style. Recently, after going through photos with a client, and chatting, I tuned into one that just seemed right. I said I liked it and her response, was “That’s the one I like too, but didn’t think it was possible”. Guess what? It was possible.

Point is, don’t copy exactly, but riff on it with your own special twist. That’s how to make it your own. I won’t bore you with endless examples, you get it.

Good Taste is Always in Style

Santa Barbara Style has evolved and changed over the years. In our 5 decades, we have seen styles come and go, but as the saying goes “Good taste never goes out of style”. What is good taste? Interesting question and I am sure everyone will have their own answer. The partial answer is it’s all a matter of viewpoint.

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Holly Lepere

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he past two years have been interesting, on that I think we can agree. With travel being restricted in one way or another, working remotely, shopping remotely, etc. etc. life has changed. But something positive has come out of all of this, interest in home improvement, gardening and gardens in general is booming! People are getting outside, and they are investing in their homes and gardens more than ever before. Tailor-made outdoor living spaces that invite you to go outside and get away from computers, TV and media are not only beautiful and fun, but therapeutic.

Santa Barbara is the perfect place to splurge in a bit of outdoor living, that is Santa Barbara style after all.

But, when looking at home and garden design, the common denominator is this: good taste is timeless.

Lotusland is a great example. The house, pools and outbuildings were designed by George Washington Smith in the 1920s. The grounds were created by landscape architect, Lockwood de Forrest starting in 1941. In 1943 Ralph Stevens took over and created most of the remaining gardens and features, such as the iconic entry gate. Lotusland is timeless and will continue to be revered into the ages. There are other examples in Santa Barbara and Montecito such as Casa del Herrero, The Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple, etc.

Timeless Santa Barbara Style

Open to the Public Tuesday-Sunday 9am-4pm/Closed Mondays 5320 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara CA 93111

(805) 964-7811

WE LOVE PLANTS

Much of what we consider Classic Santa Barbara Style is the “Spanish colonial revival” design school; The Santa Barbara Courthouse, The Lobero Theatre, El Paseo, The Santa Barbara Newspress building, are just a few examples of this. Santa Barbara Style can be anything now days. But do you create timelessness? Stay away from trendy. Think sustainable, long term, and most importantly, make it personal. Envision how your home and landscape will look in 10 years, not just today. Picture how everything will grow and mature. Work out how you will use the space now and in the future.

The Secret to a Beautiful Garden

The true secret of a beautiful, timeless garden is you.

You get out of your garden (and life) what you put into it. That may seem trite, but what I mean is this.

Unleash your imagination, pretend for a moment that anything is possible. Dreams are free, remember?

Imagination, dreams, and ideas are the starting points of everything good in this world and your garden is no exception. Get inspired, get excited, get into it, and have fun, the rest will come.

Lisa Cullen, landscape designer and organic gardener, owns Montecito Landscape with her husband, Chris. She can be reached at 805.969.3984 or www. montecitolandscape.com

The heart of our garden center is our plant nursery We offer plants from all around the globe that are unique and rare Come find inspiration in our meticulously designed outdoor “showrooms” And create a garden unlike your neighbors Landscape plants, house plants, pottery, fountains, birdbaths, statuary, arbors, outdoor furniture, and decor to complete your garden vision.

Holly Lepere

Visit our website and on-line store at TerraSolGardenCenter.com ALL ON-LINE ORDERS are Pick up or Local Delivery Only Like us on FaceBook for up-to-date information

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Kim Reierson

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F+H GALLERY

Cynthia James Botanical magic on display

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ynthia James’s fantastical work has been exhibited at Lotusland, where one of her pieces sold at the botanical garden’s annual auction last year for quite a hefty sum. But don’t let that stop you. James sells directly to art collectors out of her home studio. Her work has been exhibited at the Pritzlaff Gallery at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the Red Dot art fair at Miami/Basel, the Ridley Tree Museum, and the Palm Springs Art Fair. She’s also created many public and private murals and exhibits annually at Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara.

A quintessential California girl, Cynthia James developed a deep connection with nature from a young age during her explorations in the Santa Monica mountains and canyons and the beaches of Malibu. Later in life, thanks to her husband Jorge Rosales’s Mexican roots, the painter explored the jungles of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, which also influenced her subject matter. Climate change, disruptive chemicals sprayed on plants, and farms and magic realism influence her work.

Using existing field guides for inspiration, James takes them one step further. “I like to think of my work as notes from the field guide of a deranged botanist driven mad by the tendency of man to destroy nature,” she says.

To enter the imaginary visual world of artist Cynthia James, one must suspend belief in the real world. Her painted universe is powerful and prophetic, full of mystery and grace. But it carries a warning about Mother Earth. Painting with oil on copper, James’s subject matter includes imaginary plants and flowers in consort with the natural world. More than just a whimsy, the botanical wonders and elements from nature she creates (bees are an important theme) are both beautiful and foreboding of the fragile nature of our ecosystem.

—Leslie A. Westbrook www.cjamesfineart.com Instagram cinzia_james

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F+H GALLERY

Kim Reierson Photography as art

K

im Reierson brings an artist’s eye and photojournalist’s curiosity to her wide-ranging body of photography work. The California native was raised in Bolivia, spent a year in Europe after high school, and graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in Fine Arts. “I have a painterly style, which probably comes from studying painting at UCSB,” she says. “And my fine art experience also taught me a lot about composition.”

The self-taught photographer worked as a photojournalist for the Santa Barbara Independent after college, winning several awards for her work. “Being a photojournalist definitely teaches you to think on your feet,” she says. The experience afforded her an opportunity to photograph an array of subjects, from local events to historical figures including Mikhail Gorbachev and the Dalai Lama, while sparking a serious interest in the craft.

Reierson moved on to spend two years in Los Angeles working with large advertising agencies as a graphic designer, then headed to New York City, where she worked for a wellknown art director whose clients included AmEx, Boeing, and Ralph Lauren. She later worked primarily for the fashion industry, shooting ads and magazine features while continuing to focus on her fine art work. She’s been represented by the Robin Rice Gallery in New York City since 2001, with three solo shows spotlighting body builders and vintage cars and trucks, along with 20 group shows. “For the gallery, I still shoot with film, usually with slow-shutter grainy film, so it feels very nostalgic and a little abstracted.” Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and her clients include

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KATIE UPTON

Art + Auction, Forbes FYI, National Geographic, Bloomingdale’s, Ralph Lauren, Smithsonian Institute, Santa Barbara Magazine, and Vogue Mexico.

Reierson is known for her photography book “Eighteen: A Look at the Culture That Moves Us” (Olivia Press, 2007), a visual documentation and

“For the gallery, I still shoot with film, usually with slowshutter grainy film, so it feels very nostalgic and a little abstracted.” ode to America’s 18-wheeler truck drivers that has been featured in ABC News, CNN, and National Geographic magazine.

Since moving to Santa Barbara in 2010, Reierson has worked for local clients including Waxing Poetic and Occhiali Fine Eyewear. Her talent for creating images that engage the viewer is also showcased in her fine art work, such as prints that she creates by superimposing images of decomposing flowers on female models, giving the work an intriguing dreamy quality that draws the viewer in. “I love flowers that are just past their prime,” she says. “They’re gorgeous.”—Nancy Ransohoff

Draft Horse #26 72” x 36”

KATIE UPTON STUDIO www.katieupton.com email: katieupton@cox.net By appointment only

kimreiersonphotography.com Instagram @Kmonosan W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

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Sheldon Kaganoff’s large scale vessels have an expressive and gestural quality as he uses varied mark making, textures, and glaze palettes upon the surface of his forms. His paintings express the same ethos.

Artist Sheldon Kaganoff Dancing with clay

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orn May 23, 1933 in New York City, ceramicist/painter Sheldon Kaganoff came west for college studies at Cal Tec in Pasadena and Pomona College, where he received a BA in Philosophy. During his MFA in Ceramics studies at Claremont Graduate school in 1961, Kaganoff studied with Paul Soldner at Scripps College. From 1965 to 1994, he was an Associate Professor of Art at UCSB and continues his work as a studio artist in ceramics and works on paper.

“I started out as a potter,” Kaganoff said, “For most of my professional life, and for a long time, I was just happy doing the dance with clay.

Sometimes it was functional, sometimes it wasn’t. I didn’t have any profound insight into any of that.”

Best known for his large-scale, thrown stoneware and porcelain

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vessels that can reach six feet in height and are fired to Cone 10 (2380 F) in reduction, the artist began experimenting with luster glazes in 1984.

Kaganoff sites “sensory awareness, Gestalt and Zen Buddhism” as direct influences on his style reflected by titles such as “Self Portrait” and “Erosion Series” that evoke a self-awareness and an interest in the natural world. He continues to work on his clay pieces in his shared studio, with friend Ken Yokota, where he marks his daily journal/diary entry in two and three dimensional expressions.

“Up until a few years ago I thought the figure would be a noun: a horse, a tree, a person, but what I realized recently is that it isn’t necessarily a noun,” says the abstract expressionist, “It can be the energy flow. Some of the pieces, both ceramic and on paper, have been altered over a period of weeks to years as a fresh emerging Gestalt is formed. If we are learning and changing over time, and if come back to work that is one to three years old, I may find a new figure/ground emerging.”

— Leslie A. Westbrook Kaganoff currently shows ceramic pieces and paintings at 10 West Gallery in downtown Santa Barbara along with other SoCal artists. www.10westgallery.com, www.kaganoffstudio.com W W W. F O O D – H O M E . C O M

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Wine+Dine

SAVOY CAFÉ & DELI House made quiche Lorraine and spinach salad. Makes for a great lunch or take out for dinner. Savoy also offers other quiche selections like broccoli and cheddar or vegetable goat cheese. Other salad favorites include kale Caesar with gluten-free croutons or a classic Greek salad.

Pair them all with a glass of Brander Sauvignon Blanc. 24 West Figueroa St. 805-962-6611. www.savoycafe.weebly.com 54

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Perfect pairings

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PERFECT PAIRINGS INTERMEZZO AT THE WINE CASK Moules frites, paired with both Intermezzo white and red blends. The sweet, plump Salt Springs mussels pair amazingly with Intermezzo White. The bright acidity of the Chardonnay cuts through the luscious cream and Pernod broth, while the Syrah/Grenacheheavy Intermezzo Red blend pairs equally as well with the herbaceous tarragon/anise flavor notes of the broth. This dish brings home all the comfort and warmth needed to get everyone through the winter months. www.intermezzosb.com SCARLETT BEGONIA Signature brunch French toast with poached egg. Pair with house sparkling wine and fresh squeezed orange juice mimosa. www.scarlettbegonia.net BOUCHON Crispy skin salmon with asparagus, German potato salad in a thyme beurre blanc, paired with Melville Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills. www.bouchonsantabarbara.com

Scarlett French Toast: Ashley Hardin; Bouchon salmon: Shelly Vinson; Intermezzo mussels: Ashley Othic; Chase Lamb Chops by Danielle Fahrenkrug

THE CHASE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE Charbroiled lamb chops served with baked potato and house made toppings. Pairs great with Carr Winery Pino Noir, 2018, Sta. Rita Hills. www.chaserestaurant.com

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PERFECT PAIRINGS

Olio e Limone

OLIO E LIMONE Pork belly (maiale) with roasted Brussels sprouts. Vogelzang Vineyard, Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc. www.olioelimone.com DARGAN’S IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT Lamb shank slowly braised, served with a red wine reduction, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. Pair it with Glen Morangie 12year single malt Scotch. www. darganssb.com OPAL Grilled Berkridge Farms “Kurobuta” pork loin on an asparagus truffle butter cream.

Pair with Beckman Syrah 2013, Santa Ynez. www.opalrestaurantandbar.com

Olio e limone: Courtesy Olio e Limone and Gary Moss; Opal Chop: Joshua Curry; Dargans: Joshua Curry

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WINE + DINE

Top Picks FIVE LOCAL WINES TO REACH FOR THIS WINTER by

EDITOR’S CHOICE: Babcock Déjà Vu Pinot Noir ($70) Driven by a passion for quality winemaking and farming, Bryan Babcock channels his creative energy into making compelling, soulful wines that highlight the spirit of the region, and this bottling is no exception. Sourced from the high elevation Bentrock Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, Déjà Vu is a fruit-forward wine that’s balanced by complex notes of earth and wild herbs. The palate is rich without feeling overpowering, with a precise finish that leaves freshness on the tongue.

Foxen Chenin Blanc ($26) Foxen’s chenin blanc showcases a distinctive personality year after year, while overdelivering for the price. Sourced from the 60

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Hana-Lee Sedgwick

old vines of Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard, a small vineyard in Santa Maria planted in 1966, this medium-bodied wine offers a nice mineral-driven texture.

Expect a medley of dried herbs, flowers, apple, pear, and almond, with elegant hints of lemon curd on the fresh and compelling finish.

Donnachadh Syrah ($55) Donnachadh (pronounced DON-nuh-kuh) is a family-owned and organically farmed vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. Made from a blend of grapes from two different vineyard blocks, this richly focused cool-climate syrah features appealing notes of pepper, smoked meats, lavender, and black fruits, with a welcome dose of acidity on the back palate.

Kita Syrah ($34) Owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Kitá wines are made by Tara Gomez, recognized as the first Native American winemaker in the U.S. This full-bodied syrah from Camp 4 Vineyard seamlessly balances structure and vibrancy with elegance and refinement, featuring a complex array of blue fruits, baking spices, pepper, and tobacco — all at an approachable price point.

COLLECTOR’S CHOICE: Crown Point Cabernet Sauvignon ($150) Cabernet Sauvignon is inarguably the go-to red wine for colder weather, and for good reason. Its characteristic rich, dark fruit flavors, peppery notes, and powerful tannins make it a natural pairing for

heartier dishes like braised beef and roasted lamb. Made of 100 percent estate fruit from Crown Point’s Happy Canyon vineyard, this cabernet is a fine choice for winter, consistently balancing elegance with richness. Though it will benefit from a decade or more in bottle, fine tannins and a refined character make it approachable enough to savor now.

Hana-Lee Sedgwick is a writer, editor, and marketing consultant born and raised in Santa Barbara. A certified specialist of wine and sommelier, she loves sharing the world of wine with people, and happily spends her downtime eating, drinking, and wandering throughout California wine country and beyond. Follow her on Instagram @wanderandwine.

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Dreadful parings “Oh, we can only go so far on caviar and Cabernay”: Billy Joel, “I’ve Loved These Days”

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es, the irregular and seemingly awful marriage of fish eggs and a misspelled Bordeaux grape-based wine (as was quoted online in my Google search) promotes a tangible and truly troublesome combo of disparate, regrettable food and wine that Billy should have consulted me on first, previous to writing these lyrics in the mid-1970s, except that I was only sixteen when I saw him in concert for the first time and had only read one wine book by then.

Not being able to legally drink alcohol was indeed a hindrance, but I’ve spent a troubling abundance of time in Santa Barbara catching up.

I personally have a lack of palatal admiration for caviar, kind of like Tom Hanks in “Big,” who spat it out with disgust in a notable act of honest youthfulness, and even though I’ve grown up and become more “sophisto,” I’d rather splurge on gourmand delicacies like white truffles and Spanish Iberico ham, both of which are truly orgiastic comestibles I’ve admired from the get-go.

Even though my parents frequently raised me on headcheese, liver dumpling soup and another

Hungarian delicacy that I can only describe as pork Jello (please don’t hurl or inquire), I can still think of no wine that would pair suitably with any of these, an especially troublesome trio.

Is gagology a science?

My father drank Gallo Chianti mixed with club soda, so, combined with the grotesque foodstuffs inflicted upon us, my upbringing was a nightmarish episode and the county authorities should have been contacted by my elder siblings who’d suffered through these internal dining and imbibing travesties themselves, as they reached lawful ages. Sort of.

Billy, I’ve loved these days in Santa Barbara (actually nearly forty years), so please note that I applaud your lyrics more than your hyper-illogical gastronomic and vino combos from decades past. We’ve both learned a lot since then, except that you were the guy who married Christie Brinkley... —By Bob Wesley Bob Wesley is the general; manager of Meritage Wine Market. 18 West Anapamu St. downtown. www.meritagewinemarket.com

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GRAPE SPEAK

Sangiovese: The California version by

Nick Franklin

F

rom Aglianico to Zibbibo, there are roughly 600 wine grape varietals indigenous to Italy. One grape, however, reigns supreme: Sangiovese. The reverence for Sangiovese is alluded to in its name, which translates to “Blood of Jupiter” (Jupiter being the head honcho deity in the Roman pantheon). Today Sangiovese is still the most widely planted varietal in all of Italy. It is particularly associated with Tuscany’s Chianti region.

In California, Sangiovese is a relatively minor player. In 2020 there were just over 4,000 tons of Sangiovese crushed for winemaking. Even other Italian grapes dwarf that crop, with over ten times as much Barbera crushed. Compare that to Cabernet Sauvignon, which boasts nearly a half-million tons crushed, and Sangiovese is clearly a niche varietal in California.

That’s probably due to the fact that Sangiovese is a tricky grape to grow well. It’s a vigorous vine that’s susceptible to being over-cropped when it’s under-managed.

That leaves the wine’s the flavors diluted and shrill with acidity and tannin. You find the same effect when late-season weather forces early harvesting.

Here on the Central Coast, we’re blessed to have several wineries producing delicious Sangiovese. With our Mediterranean climate and areas with soils that are similar to Sangiovese’s homeland appellations, the turf is right. Also, unlike central Italy, we rarely have early-Fall rains that curtail the ripening of flavors and tannins. One can argue that the Central Coast is perfect for growing Sangiovese that’s concentrated and lively. That’s not to say that it’s a dead-ringer for Italian bottlings, though.

Our Californian sunshine makes local Sangiovese more expressive of fruitiness than you typically find in Italian bottlings.

Sangiovese from Italy is earthy and rustic— more expressive of truffles, leather, tobacco, iron and herbs—with more withdrawn fruit.

The difference is terroir, probably. Then again, Californian winemakers aren’t held to the same lengthy aging requirements found in Chianti Classico or Montalcino, and are more likely to use small barrels than large casks for aging.

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lively and engaging framework of acidity and tannins. It is translucent red in the glass and there’s a mouthwatering focus around racy red flavors, with pleasantly tart notes of red berries, plums, and sour cherry. It’s almost never dark fruited, unless blended with Bordeaux varietals (a style called “Super Tuscan”). You usually find a gentle herbaceousness and firmness in the finish. This all makes Sangiovese a terrific and versatile “food wine.”

Local Sangiovese is grown in warm inland areas like the Santa Ynez Valley and Paso Robles, and is produced in a variety of styles. You can find rosés, classic renderings of Sangiovese, and the richer, darker Super Tuscan renditions. There are also fun versions made via carbonic maceration, which lends a juicy and BBQ-friendly levity—both Stolpman Vineyards and Giornata Wines produce this style (which is called Novello in Italy). Try them all out. Just remember, Sangiovese pops with some food and makes the food pop, too. It’s a great way to break out of Pinot or Syrah groove.

Recommended Wines: Giornata 2019 Sangiovese Bella Luna 2017 Sangiovese, Hearthstone Vineyard Topa Mountain Winery 2017 Sangiovese, White Hawk Vineyard Rideau Vineyard 2018 “The Englishman” Sangiovese Carhartt 2018 Estate Sangiovese Stolpman 2021 “Love You Bunches” Nick Franklin grew up in the Ojai Valley and lives there today. He has spent years working at The Ojai Vineyard, helping make wine among many other things. One of his favorite things about Winter is cooking a mushroomy red sauce to pair with Sangiovese.

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SWEET C ALL

Treat your valentine to something sweet (and bitter)

By Hana-Lee Sedgwick

N

ot to downplay the appeal of wine and chocolate on Valentine’s Day, but sometimes it can seem a tad boring. So, if you’re looking to think outside the box—of generic chocolates, that is—and score some bonus points with your Valentine this year (or just treat yourself), we’d suggest reaching for something a little more unexpected, like a locally-made digestif with artisan chocolates, perhaps!

What is a digestif, you may ask? Well, just like an apéritif is an alcoholic beverage traditionally served before a meal to stimulate one’s appetite, a digestif is served after a meal, to aid in digestion. There are many styles of digestifs, from fortified wines like Sherry to herbal liqueurs like Chartreuse, but one that goes particularly well with chocolate is Amaro.

Less sweet than dessert wine, Amaro is a high alcohol bitter liqueur made with a neutral spirit or wine and macerated with an assortment of bitter herbs, roots, and spices. Though rooted in Italian tradition, there are plenty of domestic Amari to note, including some made right here in Santa Barbara County. One popular offering is Margerum’s 12-Year Solera Amaro.

Inspired by his time in Italy, Winemaker Doug Margerum started making his own version of Amaro 13 years ago.

Described as a “sweetly bitter digestif,” his house recipe mixes fortified wine with herbs like sage and thyme, dried orange peels, caramelized simple syrup, roots, and tree bark, then ages it in cask outdoors using the solera methodology.

(Pro tip: The solera method is a fractional aging and blending process that helps maintain a “house style” by blending young liquid into old liquid and aging them together, which develops richer, more complex characteristics).

While Margerum says his Amaro is “perfect straight up after dinner or used in a Manhattan,” he also thinks it’s great paired with chocolate—so much so that he offers an Amaro and chocolate pairing, featuring locally-made Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolate, at his downtown Santa Barbara tasting room.

Inspired by traditional chocolate making techniques, Twenty-Four Blackbirds sources high quality raw, unroasted cocoa beans from single-origin estates and co-ops, then handcrafts the chocolates with no additives. Valentine or no Valentine, when you pair these deeply nuanced artisan chocolates with a glass of Margerum’s 12-Year Amaro, you’ve got yourself the perfect nightcap. Cin Cin! Find the Amaro and Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolate at the Margerum Wine Company tasting room, 19 east Mason Street in the Funk Zone. Or online: www.margerumwines.com

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History Is Housed Here Miller

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arning: Once you start swimming in Santa Barbara’s fascinating history, it’s hard to get out of the pool. For instance, there are a lot of great restaurants here, but which is the oldest?

That honor goes to Joe’s Cafe, opened by Joe and Adelina Ferrario in 1928 and cooking ever since. Joe’s has been through some changes over the decades, including ownership switches and a move from 512 State Street to its current location at 536 State in 1985.

But in terms of first locations, 512 State retains a major claim to fame. That’s because it was the site of one of Santa Barbara’s very first dining establishments, The Boston Restaurant, in 1901. Many businesses, in addition to Joe’s Café, have called the address 66

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home over the years, including Sing Lee’s Chinese Laundry (1886), and Domenico Pignocco’s Soft Drink Stand and Pool Hall (1924). But most of the time it’s been a restaurant and watering hole, and it still is today thanks to Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood, which has been keeping the tradition alive since 1985.

Those with a taste for such historical appetizers will be sated by the old mahogany bar at Holdren’s, which is a landmark unto itself.

One glimpse summons up the days of yesteryear, “when patrons ordered boilermakers by the round and knocked back straight shots of rye whiskey for lunch while cigar smoke filled the room,” as written in a story by Raymond Bloom that hangs framed near it.

The bar was built in the 1800s in Gua-

dalupe, CA, according to the story. “It was relocated to its present spot about 1918 and has looked pretty much the same ever since,” says a quote from Jim Craviotto, who ran a bar called EJ’s at the same location.

When Holdren’s took over the place from EJ’s in ’85, it came with a clause in the lease that the bar cannot be changed in any way.

And so it still stands tall, for bellying up to as in the old days. Are there cigar scars? Check, said Clay Holdren. How about hoofprints?

On that Holdren demurred. Yes, there are tales that revelers used to gallop their horses though the place and maybe on top of the bar back during madcap Fiestas of old, but Holdren is doubtful. “I don’t think a horse would fit on the bar,” he said. “But I can see a horse riding through.”

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