Nosh Town

NOSH TOWN by Claudia Schou

LOCAL EATERIES REOPEN, TOUTING NEW MENU HIGHLIGHTS

While a handful of Santa Barbara dining venues are preparing to amp up service to 50% capacity, al fresco dining and limited hours, some of the city’s popular dining venues are taking first steps back at dine-in service. Business owners and chefs are eager to share their latest creations. Here’s a look at what’s new on their menus.

SANTA BARBARA PISTACHIO CO.

LEADING THE HEALTHY SNACK REVOLUTION N o one understands the new snacking culture more than Santa Barbara Pistachio pistachios compare to the flavor and texture of pistachios in the Middle East? Iran grows a lot of pistachios. I’ve tasted them, and they’re very good. Instead of a bulb shape they’re a long, narrow shape. They’re more flat and brown or a pale tan. The Iranian pistachio is a little oiler and has a lovely flavor. One variety I enjoy is the calagucci pistachio. Co. The organic pistachio grower – founded The Central Valley pistachio variety are called Kerman; they are Manila in color and also by the Zannon family in 1991 and situated on delicious. a 440-acre ranch in Santa Barbara’s northern Cuyama Valley – lures snack lovers away from Besides being one of a few organic pistachio growers, Santa Barbara Pistachio Co. is known mainstream brands with flavored artisan nuts for offering the widest range of flavors. What are your best sellers? made with natural ingredients. Gail Zannon Our current best sellers are lemon zing, onion garlic, hickory smoked, chili lemon, hot started the business with her husband, Gene, onion garlic, and habanero. There is always some discussion about bringing in new flavors. in 1991. The couple, along with their family, Our staff collaborates on flavor profiles, which makes it easier to sell as a team. run a vertical operation – growing, processing, and packaging on-site – to ensure the SB Pistachios Co. is available at Montecito Farmers Market on Fridays 8 am - 12 pm; quality of their product. Sons Tristan and Santa Barbara Farmers Market on Saturday 8 am - 1 pm Josh do the farming and pistachio production, while daughter-in-law Melissa attends GAIL’S PISTACHIO PESTO farmers markets and runs community events. Ingredients: The brand’s ready-to-eat, flavored pistachios 2 cups basil leaves as well as pistachio oil, butter and ground 1/2 cup olive oil meal are popular staples at local farmers 2 garlic cloves markets as well as Tri-County Produce, Lazy 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese Acres and Whole Foods. We recently caught 1 cup Santa Barbara pistachio raw kernels up with Gail to learn more about pistachio 1 grind black pepper farming and the “smiling nut.” To make 1 cup of pesto, place about 2 cups of basil leaves, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 cup of Santa

Q. I’m embarrassed to admit that I just learned pistachios are classified as a fruit. Barbara pistachio kernels in a food processor. Process until smooth, leaving just a bit of texture.

A. Not everyone knows this. A pistachio is a seed that has a husk and protective shell. With the motor running, slowly sprinkle in 1/2 cup olive oil through the feed tube. Add 1/2 cup By definition this is a fruit. The major nuts are categorized as fruit. Peanuts, on the other freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a grind of black pepper. Process to combine and serve with hand, are legumes and fall under the same category as beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas cooked orecchiette or penne pasta. Pesto will keep fresh covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 and therefore a vegetable. The pistachio is a fibrous fabric that envelops the shell and the days. meat is inside the shell. It’s pale yellow with a little bit of purple in it. People think the nuts look incredibly beautiful in the early stages, but after a few days the appearance changes and they begin to look moldy. The outer hull of the shell has to be removed, then the shell and the nut are dried down to a certain level of moisture so they don’t grow mold. It’s a lot of work to handle that. TASTING NOTES WITH LUCKY’S STEAKHOUSE WINE DIRECTOR LARRY NOBLES P aul Lato is the perfect contender for the Central Coast’s innovative wine

How are pistachios harvested? offerings. He was a former sommelier at

There isn’t much contact with the pistachios when we harvest them. We employ the use several fine restaurants in Toronto before of a machine that clamps onto the trunk of the pistachio tree. The machine has a platform taking the leap to work with seasoned wine that is leveled underneath the branches. The machine shakes the tree wildly and the nuts maker Jim Clendenen, of Au Bon Climat in fall onto the platform and then they roll down into a large bin. So the nuts aren’t handled Santa Maria. Lato had several breakthroughs, by people – it’s all machine harvesting. The nuts are then hulled, lightly dried and then put including several 95+ point ratings from into cold storage. Then they’re roasted. The initial drying process and cold storage reduces wine critic Robert M. Parker and private the danger of mealy bug infestations. The nuts are strong and healthy because we fertilize label wines. With encouragement from the with organic compost. local wine community, Lato soon purchased Zotovich Vineyard and partnered with found

How has California’s landscape of pistachio farms changed since you planted your first harer Steve Zotovich to produce the wine I vest almost three decades ago? love – Seabiscuit 2017 Pinot Noir. Lato and

Since then the number of commercial pistachio growers has increased in Bakersfield, Zotovich noticed the unrealized potential in Porterville, and Kern Counties. There are still small farms that are around 40 acres or a couthe vineyard, just like Seabiscuit, the raceple hundred acres. The San Joaquin Valley, which sits farther north than the Cuyama Valley, horse. Situated in the center of the Sta. Rita is home to the bulk of the Golden State’s pistachio farms. Some aspects of the business have Hills, the vineyard had been misunderstood, neglected in its youth, and bought when it was not changed: some farms continue to offer fruit stands or roadside stands that continue to old. But with love, nurture, and repair it became a winning winery and one of my favorites. do very well. It’s hard work, so I applaud them. We’re in a remote location, in the northeastern Take a sip of Seabiscuit 2017 Pinot Noir and you will immediately notice the perfume on the corner of Santa Barbara County, sharing borders with Ventura, Kern, and San Luis Obispo nose and red fruit. The light and sandy soil contribute to its velvety texture. This light and Counties. Our farm offers a general store, which sells gas, food, beverages and of course, aromatic pinot noir pairs nicely with fresh fish. At home, pair it with a pan-fried medium rare pistachios, to travelers. The store’s traffic comes mostly from campers and hikers. We’re not salmon over leafy greens or a Niçoise salad with seared ahi, lettuces, green beans, boiled egg, the largest grower in California but we’re one of the largest producers of organic pistachios. fingerling potatoes, cherry tomatoes, shallot, mustard and thyme vinaigrette, garnished with Kalamata olives. The next time you find yourself at Lucky’s, I recommend pairing Seabiscuit

For a time Iran was the largest producer of pistachios until an embargo paved the way for U.S. with our fresh, grilled salmon dressed in a lemon caper butter sauce and served with sautéed farmers to grow the crop. Now the U.S. rivals Iran in pistachio production. How do California spinach. Recommended film pairing: Seabiscuit. •MJ 24 MONTECITO JOURNAL “The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.” – Nicolas Chamfort 25 June – 2 July 2020

ENTERTAINMENT (Continued from page 14) beautiful stages and very iconic places

Oh, I thought it was just you, a solo tar anyway, so that’ll be great. I’m won’t make it ‘til they can have full acoustic thing. planning on getting into less wellaudiences without some help.”

No, I’ve got Rick Cowling, who known songs, deeper cuts, they call it, Choosing Loggins to lead off the played bass and backing vocals with maybe even adding “A Leap of Faith.” planned four-concert series was a me back in the 2000s, and Tariqh But we’ll see where it goes. They want no-brainer, he said. Akoni, the guitarist I met last year 60 minutes and I’m sure I’ve worked “He’s obviously one of America’s during the Footloose project at the up way too much already. I always do most beloved singer-songwriters, one Marjorie Luke. There aren’t a lot of that. Plus a lot of talking and stories. who stands apart from his contempoplayers like him who can pretty much raries because he represents positivity. do anything with a guitar. For me Sharing stories about the Lobero and He brings a certain dimension that felt it’s a lot better, something more alive why it matters, or how it’s been sheltering like it resonated and could be upbeat than just one person alone in your at home? with what is going on in the world.” living room like you see on Facebook. Mostly about how the songs were Avoiding exposure to COVID, of That’s more my style. I like to have the written, who did what and when, and course, is a prime concern, despite harmonies. I like to feel the energy of how they came to be. I’m trying not the absence of an audience. But other players. Especially since there’s to tell Rick and Tariqh those stories Carruthers said his “safety-centric” no one to connect with in the audibefore so that they’ll have genuine production exceeds every standard ence. I can play alone if I’m in a room surprise looks on their faces when put out by health professionals by with five or more people. But truly they hear them on stage. It’s going to employing a “forensically small crew” alone is not my thing anymore like be a lot of fun. using staggered entrances, staying in it might have been 40 years ago. We an individually assigned space for the all started that way, just alone in your bedroom, writing and singing songs. Pay-Per-View Pivot entire event and even using just one of the eight assigned bathrooms and But ever since the duo with Messina Byl Carruthers remembers exactly stalls. On show day, no one other than it’s been about connecting with an where he was the moment that he the artists walk on to the performance audience and having that back and heard about the lockdown orders to stage. They will arrive through stage forth. combat the coronavirus pandemic in doors and take their place on-stage,

For this show, the trio is perfect, mid-March. That would have been perform, and exit, without making because we can easily be six feet apart onstage at one of the clubs where Cafe any contact. In other words, it’s anyand still hear each other. With no R’n’B, the band he co-leads with his thing but a Danger Zone. audience, we can just play for each wife, singer Roach, often plays, this Charging just $15 for the PPV conother. And we enjoy each other so time in anticipation of a big summer certs made the events a win-win-win, much that the energy will be almost tour. “The owner came over to the he said. And if successful, it might like watching a home jam session. My side of the stage and told us the govserve as a pilot for other theaters and plan is to be very, very loose with it. ernment just shut everything down,” venues around the country. So if something goes wrong, we may Carruthers recalled. “We had maybe “It wasn’t about how much we stop and start again. It’s going to be 35 minutes left in the show, and he could charge, but how little, because very loose and that’s what I like about said if you want to go home I’ll still people are out of work, everybody’s it. And we’re trying to kind of bring pay you. But there were all those peostruggling. So we’ll make a ticket the new flavor to some of the tunes, have ple out there listening and drinking so same as it was back in 1978.” a level of spontaneity that whoever’s we kept going. But for that half hour, And those who tune in will be getwatching knows they’re in for someit was like everybody in the band and ting a view that’s not available in northing unique. That’s what the times all the people in the audience were mal times, he said. seemed to be demanding. thinking this could be the last time “Usually you have to place your we’re going to be able to do this for a cameras where they’re not intrusive

That does seem special. Can you give while. It was a very weird communal for the audience. But we can have me a sneak preview of some of the songs? moment just trying to process what them go anywhere. So we’re getting

We’re reworking “Whenever I Call was about to happen.” great, very intimate shots and cool You Friend” because I’ve never done More than three months later, angles.” it as a trio. That’s going to be a lot that moment was the impetus for of fun. We get a lot of requests for “Danger Zone,” but you really can’t Carruthers to create the new Live PayPer-View series for the Lobero Theatre Takin’ it to Zoom do it acoustically because it’s a rockthat kicks off with Kenny Loggins on If the novel coronavirus hadn’t er and it just falls flat. But ironically Sunday night. brought the world to a halt this spring, “Footloose” works really well because “Right after everything shut down, Michael McDonald wouldn’t have it’s more of a countrified rock song. my mind immediately went to not been available to participate in the It works great as an acoustic guionly the bands and the artists but also concert for the Council on Alcoholism tar song. We’re working up “Danny’s those venues who have very thin marand Drug Abuse (CADA) taking place Song,” of course, and “House to Pooh gins,” said Carruthers, whose credits this Thursday evening, June 25. That’s Corner,” “Conviction of the Heart.” include myriad record production and because the longtime Santa Barbara “I’m Alright” I wrote on acoustic guifilm directing projects. “A lot of these resident would have been out on the road as part of the long-awaited Doobie Brothers 50th-anniversary Ichiban Japanese Restaurant/Sushi Bar tour, which would have reunited the band with McDonald, its keyboardist Lunch: Monday through Saturday 11:30am - 2:30pm and singer in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, Dinner: Monday through Sunday: 5pm - 10pm along with co-founders Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons and guitarist 1812A Cliff Drive Santa Barbara CA 93109 John McFee. (805)564-7653 McDonald wrote and sang several of the Doobies biggest hits, including Lunch Specials, Bendo boxes. Full Sushi bar, “What a Fool Believes,” “Minute By Tatami Seats. Fresh Fish Delivered all week. Minute,” and “Takin’ it to the Streets,” before departing for a solo career that 26 MONTECITO JOURNAL “As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can’t remember the other two.” – Norman Wisdom

Michael McDonald is one of the performers featured at the CADA Cares virtual fundraiser on Thursday, June 25

spawned more successful singles such as “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” and “Sweet Freedom,” plus a sizeable catalog of hit duets. But with the reunion tour postponed for a year, the singer-songwriter-keyboardist has been sheltering in place in town and will join Alan Parsons, Peter and Natalie Noone, Dishwalla lead singer Justin Fox, Ambrosia’s David Pack, and other special guests for the 7 pm online interactive evening to raise funds for CADA’s efforts to help those struggling with addiction and mental health concerns that have only been exacerbated by pandemic-related isolation, job loss, and financial hardship. (Visit https://cadacares.cadasb. org for details and reservations.)

We caught up with the still soulful singer over the phone last weekend.

Q. I know you are very generous with your time and your music in helping out these causes both in town and around the country. CADA, it seems, might matter more to you. Is that true?

A. It does, because it’s a source of information and awareness for problems that societally we tend to hide. As in all areas of mental health, one of the biggest stigmas is to bring awareness to it and to get rid of the stigma so that people can actually communicate with each other in positive and productive ways. It doesn’t need to be a thing where you need to keep a deep dark secret or hide from the rest of society, because alcoholism and drug addiction are mental health issues. Society as a whole has been ashamed to openly discuss these issues, and instead it’s always been relegated as some moral deficiency or a lack of morality, and that’s really not good.

Overcoming addiction takes a certain amount of willpower, but what it really takes is a large amount of acceptance. The first biggest hurdle is accepting the truth so that you can actually look it in the face. What CADA does is to help people take that one day at a time, not trying to fix your whole life ahead of you. You really just have to look at it from what am I going to do about this today? The amazing part is that this is how whole lives are given back to people: one day at a time becomes 30 years, and your