by Christina Waters | Apr 27, 2011 | Food, Home |
It’s hard to make green food look appetizing in reproduction, otherwise you would see a gleaming pool of tomatillo salsa illustrated here. It is the tomatillo salsa from Coldwater (formerly Hawgs) on Mission Street.
My favorite appetizer with a cocktail at this handy pit-stop is the shrimp quesadilla. Terrifically hand-friendly, delicious and enough for two people to share. But the secret weapon of this dish has got to be the better than good tomatillo salsa, loaded with the citrusy mystery of this cousin to the tomato, a peppery kick and plenty of garlic.
According to our very helpful wait person, the house tomatillo is from a family recipe of one of the cooks. Thank you to that cook and his/her family. Tomatillo salsa worthing getting out of bed for.
by Christina Waters | Apr 21, 2011 | Movies |
Dark, mercurial, intelligent and yes, dear reader, romantic—the most recent screen version of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is utterly captivating. With its Pre- Raphaelite doorways, its Caspar David Friedrich fog-drenched forests, and its gothic vistas of sight (cinematography by Adriano Goldman) and sound (music by Dario Marianelli), this film will satisfy the pickiest audience on the planet—Brontë groupies who adore this tale of a “small, plain” young woman whose fierce spirit secures her place in literary Valhalla.
Director Cary Fukunaga (a UCSC alum) has deepened the sense of mystery surrounding the manor house of the restless (more…)
by Christina Waters | Apr 21, 2011 | Holidays |
Marie Waters of La Mesa and Boulder Creek, California – and to Elizabeth Windsor of London and Buckingham Palace!
by Christina Waters | Apr 21, 2011 | Food, Home |
Somehow this neighborhood dining room continues to disarm us. Last night four of us enjoyed a flawless series of plates, from a pizza bianca with crust as thin as a fashion model’s thigh to a sensational emerald appetizer of wild nettle sformato custard smothered with thin shaves of asparagus, arugula and infant pecorino. Tiny allium blossoms added a light onionesque topnote.
While my companions feasted on lamb sausages, buttery halibut and perfectly prepared spring vegetables, I went supernova over a plate of maltagliati (“freeform”) pasta tossed with fava leaves, anchovy, pine nuts, currants and pecorino romano. Literally a perfect plate of pasta. With glasses of the excellent house montepulciano, we dove straight into Tuscany for a few happy hours. Kudos to chef Katherine Stern and company.
by Christina Waters | Apr 20, 2011 | Holidays |
Southern-style specialties complete with live jazz this Easter Sunday April 24, fill the menu at Clouds Downtown, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Easter Eggs Benedict! Fried chicken and waffles, bananas foster, endless Mimosas. 110 Church St., Santa Cruz – 429-2000.
Or savor Easter brunch with a colossal view of the beach, Boardwalk and bay at Casablanca Restaurant, 10:30am until 2pm. Enjoy classics like New York steak and eggs, strawberry banana crepes, those Eggs Benedict, plus zesty salmon gravlox omelets, snapper piccata and of course you’ll want to chase those items with the easter bunny’s drink of choice—the fresh squeezed orange juice mimosa. Casablanca looks out over the corner of Beach and Main Streets – 426-9063.
