A pitch-perfect cinnamon bread pudding, served with warm stewed huckleberries and rosemary ice cream absolutely blew us away last Sunday night.
At The Cellar Door. Thank you Charlie Parker — saints have been canonized for less.
Winemaker Sal Godinez, of Vine Hill Winery, makes no boring wines. The proof is in the pouring, and the best way to discover some of these full-bodied Santa Cruz Mountains wines is to visit the beautiful winery high above the fog line. The tasting room is surrounded by some of the most history-drenched vineyard land in California. Open for the next three weekends, at 2300 Jarvis Rd (off Vine Hill/Branciforte) – 831/427-0436.
Ceramic artist Jenny Morten makes porcelain objects so appealing, to the eye and the hand, that they manage to shape-shift across the border between sculpture and functionality.
Ablaze with subtle hues of the ocean and shore, her bowls, vases and gleaming hand-thrown items make sensational gifts. You will want to claim some for your very own, too. These pieces are extremely seductive — I own several pieces myself, and intend to own even more.
Original hand-crafted artwork. Yes, this is exactly the sort of thing that enlightened Santas like to deal with.
Jenny Morten’s Mar Monte Studio is open on Saturdays 2pm – 5pm, through December 19th.
168 Mar Monte Avenue, La Selva Beach – 831/688-5173
Seven wineries, five Christmas tree farms and assorted shops and restaurants along the Santa Cruz Mountains joined forces in a Holiday Wine Trail. The “trail” exists for the three weekends following Thanksgiving. The wineries include:
Vine Hill Winery
Burrell School Vineyards
Hunter Hill
Poetic Cellars
Generosa Winery
Loma Prieta Winery
Regale Winery
This robust tree trek gets you out of the house, out of the malls and out to find your favorite Christmas tree, as well as taste and purchase that beloved holiday gift: wine.
Many of the wineries involved, like Vine Hill, will be running specials on selected wines, so keep your eyes open.
For a map and specific information, check the trail website: www.christmastreewinetrail.com
Richly flavored and colorful, the large (16oz) jars of Happy Girl Kitchen heirloom tomatoes called out to me last Saturday as I strolled the Westside Farmers Market. I plunked down $10 and took home a jar.
Later that evening, half the jar of crimson and orange pomadori surrounded a large filet of local halibut (from H&H) topped with chopped kalamatas, capers and oregano, for a terrific “mixed grill” dinner. And the other half jar remained to go into a luxurious marinara later that week.
Well. Those organic tomatoes, full of the end-of-summer, roasted into complete sweetness and intensity.
Happy Girl Kitchen also makes vibrant jams, plus canned and pickled veggies. Visit them on-line, or at any number of local farmers markets, and at Staff of Life and Food Bin.
A book of sensory adventure: The rituals, passions and discoveries of an engaged life.