Christina Waters

Whoa! Where did the time go? Back in the late 70s Scott Roseman was your basic UCSC student. Then he got involved in the Food Co-op located on the Westside of Santa Cruz. Next thing you know, there’s the Westside Community Market which in turn morphed into the mighty New Leaf community Market on Mission Street in 1990.

One thing led to another and now Scott and his New Leaf partner Rex Stewart lead a mini-empire of New Leafs (New Leaves?) - and to help them celebrate, the entire county (more…)

Report from the Vineyards: Yes, it’s true that wild man winemaker Richard Alfaro has cut his locks — “I donated a 15-inch pony tail to Locks of Love,” he revealed a few days ago. (You can see why I didn’t pry any further.) Alfaro also says he’s experiencing a “reverse Samson” effect from the hair cut: “my strength has doubled and my six-pack abs have returned.”

Alfaro officially started the harvest of 2010 as of September 27 - “bins are being cleaned and loaded on the trailer for delivery…. winery equipment is being sanitized….. lab work has started…the phone is ringing off the hook with fresh information from my growers…the fridge is stocked with beer and the margaritas are being mixed!!!!” Alfaro says he expects to pick until the end of November. “The fruit is late but WONDERFUL” he added. Most of his Corralitos and south appellation colleagues are ready to begin their harvests too — “the action is started.”

I chatted last week with Peter Rinaldi, a third-generation Santa Cruzan who’s about to open Rocco’s at 503 Water Street. Why am I telling you this? Because Rocco’s is the new Italian-influenced dining place occupying the site of the late Limoncello, that’s why.

We’re happy to know that there will soon be a fresh new restaurant in this familiar old location, and Rinaldi — who also manages next-door Callahan’s — said that he wants to make sure the restaurant is casual, inviting and uses as many local purveyors as possible. Stay tuned! . . . .
And Chris leVeque tells me that his long-awaited El Salchichero house of artisan charcuterie is moving along — the interior tilework is, in a word, awesome. But he’s thinking that perhaps Thanksgiving might be a more realistic opening date than Halloween. Stay hungry!. . . .

Don’t miss this rewarding, old-fashioned “back to the garden” afternoon. It’s the biggest “open house” of the year up at UCSC’s atmospheric farm.

Live music, food, apple tasting, an apple pie bake-off, garden talks, hay rides, kids’ events, tours, displays by local farmers, chefs, and community groups and free for kids and students, only $5 for general public.

Call 831.459-3240 or send email for more information or to volunteer for this wonderful community event.

Somebody once said that one picture was worth a thousand sips of sangiovese.

Like this one.

Our house.

Last week.

Dressed with Meyer lemon, olive oil and infant shiso leaves.

Perfectly ripe.

The place was Fort Mason.

The day was perfect — a blend of fog and brilliant sunlight playing tag with the Golden Gate bridge in the distance.

The excuse was the American Craft Council design show and a chance to learn some tricks of the trade from my designer buddy Kate.

After feasting on handmade jewelry and textiles from the top artisans in the country, we cooled our heels (along with throngs of visitors) at Greens, where I’m happy to say both food and service at the legendary restaurant have never been better.

We started with a shared plate of warm grilled Blossom Bluff Farm peaches, shown here with Bellwether fromage blanc, (more…)

UC Santa Cruz offers a Fall Gardening Workshop on Saturday, August 28, from 10am until 1pm.

Planting a late-summer garden is a great way to save money on your fall and winter grocery bills, so come get some tips on growing a great fall and winter vegetable garden. Join gardener Trish Hildinger for a lecture/demo on “Planting the Thanksgiving Feast” at the UC Santa Cruz Farm on Saturday, August 28 from 10 am to 1 pm.

Included in the workshop will be information on vegetables that perform well in the Monterey Bay region, direct seeding and transplanting techniques, and soil preparation for fall planting.

Cost of the workshop is $15 for members of the Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden, and $20 for the general public, (more…)

A bit more of what chef Brad Briske is up to in his new kitchen at Main Street Garden Cafe in Soquel. Cured with ginger, liqueurs, orange peel, smoked salts and other exotic, experimental ingredients, Briske’s house-made salames, coppacola, prosciutto arrived served with spiced plum mostardo and a creamy fresh buratta.

The reigning dessert of summer—a deconstructed bread pudding, ultra-rich, joined by succulent ripe peaches and blackberries, and encircled by lavender-scented crème Anglaise.

The light perfume of the lavender propelled all the elements into culinary orbit.

Kudos to Gabriella’s pastrix April Zebron.

An appetizer of beets, throngs of beautiful beets on a field of greens.