Christina Waters

In his glory and surrounded by a) adoring culinary fans, b) terrific music, and c) spicy aromas of garlic, chile and ginger, Joseph Schultz ascended the stage/altar and wok’d and wok’d until no plate was empty.

It was a May Day afternoon devoted to gado gado, Dragon chicken (very mild), Calamari two ways (the djawa was superb, just like the old days), Pad Thai (glorious texture and temperature, invisible flavor), and never-better lashings of Hibiscus Cooler. While Irene Herrmann plus the ubiquitous Rangells filled the courtyard nextdoor to the restaurant-in-waiting with mandolin melodies, the crowd ate its fill.

Astonishingly enough the entire outdoor, makeshift, camp cooking operation went smoothly. (more…)

The Homeless Services Center’s 11th Annual Soupline Supper and Benefit Auction is coming up on Thursday, April 29, 5:30-7:30 ($25) at the Cocoanut Grove on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. After ten years tradition at the Holy Cross Parish hall, this is the first year at a new venue. What hasn’t changed about this annual extravaganza of delicious soups, breads, and desserts from some of Santa Cruz’s best restaurants and bakeries, is the dizzying array of auction items and amazing variety. Plus I’ll be there serving soup beautiful soup.

This year’s auction includes Disneyland passes, a personal retreat at Esalen Institute, (more…)

Surrounded by the sacred artifacts, fetishes and flavorings of his alchemical trade, and clad in ceremonial robes, well-seasoned shaman of all things culinary—Joseph Schultz—prepares for an intensive workshop in Greco-Turkish cooking at the demonstration kitchen at New Leaf Market.

Was the maestro giving a crash course in ethnic cookery? or was he refreshing his chops for the May 1st opening of his new India Joze Restaurant?

Stay tuned.

Here we are again, swilling the sushi and sashimi at Kawa Sushi (corner of Mission & Bay).

It’s pretty hard to beat the incredible protein & wasabi hit of this menu. Service is outstanding, the tables are generously spaced, and you can actually carry on a conversation over the Santa Cruz Roll, the tekka maki with shiso and a sashimi combo appetizer.

The $1 prices on small sakes during weekday happy hour add extra incentive to feast at this reliable sushi bar.

Here’s how we handle it, this winter/recession thing.

Beans, rice and Italian sausages (all natural pork made by New Leaf).

Add a big glass of Bonny Doon Vineyard’s excellent Sangiovese, a few candles (yes, David, we still dine by candlelight every night), and voila!

Katherine Stern has worked expert magic on the menu at La Posta. Since the richly resuméd chef came on board a few months ago, things have gotten very interesting at the chic Seabright dining room.

Contemporary Italian cooking. Deeply burnished flavors. Uncluttered presentation.

E.g. an intensely tangy Meyer lemon crostata, with mascarpone.

La Posta - open for dinner Tues-Sun - at 538 Seabright Avenue.

News of Gabriella’s impending demise—promulgated by the owner himself—seems to have been premature.

The love of a good tax attorney might be just the ticket. We’ll see.

But whatever the actual status of the tiny downtown dining room, a packed house last Friday (including me and my birthday buddy) enjoyed some of the best food ever produced by wunderkind Brad Briske and his young kitchen team.

Somehow there continues to be miles of savvy and style separating what this dining room can produce and what others can manage. Not sure just how or why. But I will be back for more next week.

Tikka Masala from Seeds of Change - is serious flavor in a jar. All the labor-intensive work of grinding, roasting, mincing, and simmering has been done for you - all you need to do is get a jar of this wonderfully aromatic simmer sauce ($6 @ New Leaf) and let its heady perfume turn something ordinary into a spice trip.

Confession: I am not a mistress of Indian cuisine. I don’t have a wildly successful curry recipe up my sleeve. But I adore (adore) the extreme spices of Mother India. So I’m always grateful for high-wattage shortcuts.
We had roast chicken the other night. Chicken can always use a little extra kick, no? This tikka masala worked transformative magic. I like my Indian flavors on the hot side, so we also applied a few hefty dollops of “hot” mango chutney to the chicken, along with tons of the tikka masala.

Fabulous. (I know all of you spice purists are probably rolling your eyes. But some of us gotta work for a living and don’t have tons of leisure time to watch the Food Channel and whip up a respectable masala from scratch.)

Consider the prospect of succulent Mexican bay scallops, with tender local squid atop a pool of gigante and ceci beans.

You know you want this dish.

You’ll find it in the soothingly cozy dining room of Gabriella Cafe.

New Year’s Eve dinner at chic La Posta, 538 Seabright (831.457-2782, involves this terrific $50 prix fixe menu.
Antipasti - Santa Cruz foraged mushrooms in cartoccio
or
Sformato of cauliflower with bagna cauda
or
Calamari ripieni

Primi - Windmill Farms Butternut squash and chard cannelloni
or
Dungeness crab and wild nettle lasagnette
or
Tortellini in brodo

Secondi- Ceci bean caciucco with cavolo nero (more…)