by Christina Waters | Sep 14, 2010 | Home |
Go out and try the fresh halibut tacos at Hawgs — an entire meal for just over $10. . . . Chris LeVeque’s El Salchicero is looking at an opening by Halloween. The tile walls are up, the ceilings gleam, but the House of Codes is still putting this artisanal salumeria through some hoops. Can’t wait!….Lovely dancing and even lovelier music by Jon Scoville distinguished the recent Tandy Beal Eternity-fest at Cabrillo’s Crocker Theater last weekend. Most of Santa Cruz’ arts community packed the house. . . .Top pizza and irresistible music (Emily and Paul Rangell!!) are a few reasons to make La Posta your regular Tuesday night pit-stop. . . . And now, the month after the former Mrs. Pitt impersonates Barbra Streisand we get the equally pitiful Lindsay Lohan attempting a caricature of the late great Grace Kelly (current cover of the gutter-groveling Vanity Fair). Perhaps our only revenge is another scoop of Mission Hills Creamery’s sinful organic pistachio ice cream.
by Christina Waters | Aug 29, 2010 | Home |
You only need to know two words.
Caramel Almond.
by Christina Waters | Aug 27, 2010 | Home |
Still high on a flavor-intensive sampling of handmade, all-organic chocolate ice cream from Mission Hill Creamery, I need to figure out how I’m going to live until my next visit to the five-week old ice cream mecca. Scooped up by chef/owner David Kumec himself, the samples absolutely knocked me out. I was treated to a strawberry ice cream with actual, deep summer ripe strawberry flavor. Then something tart and nostalgic called Orange Creamcicle (tastes just like it sounds!).
Next came the chocolate, loaded with artisanal chocolate bits amidst its sinfully dark chocolate creaminess. Yes, everything is organic! But somehow Kumec had saved the best taste for last. Pistachio. Pistachio the way it must have tasted in the Garden of Eden. Deeply earthily nutty, and yet like butter in its texture. I literally groaned right there in front of his fully-loaded ice cream display.
The flavors change daily (more…)
by Christina Waters | Aug 25, 2010 | Home |
The pizza crust was parchment-thin and addictively delicious. The handmade salume assortment might have brought any Genovese to his knees. And the delicate cannelloni, slathered with roasted heirloom tomatoes and filled with ricotta. Oh!
La Posta, on Tuesdays, when the fiercely romantic melodies of Italian folktunes by Emily and Paul Rangell make you want to never go home, is by now enshrined in the hearts of local diners who acknowledge the economy, but still refuse to compromise.
Catherine Stern’s kitchen continues to conquer.
We four began with a shared pizza (more…)
by Christina Waters | Aug 24, 2010 | Home |
The Penny Ice Creamery opens today! And for devotées of the very finest, organic, artesanal ice cream that is a very good thing. (The tempting image, left, is by photographer Molly Watson.)
(I stopped by and inhaled a cup of Brown Butter Pecan ice cream lavish with eggs, butter and cream.)
Housed at 913 Cedar Street in the handsomely renovated Mission Revival suite across from Gabriella (former doctor’s offices as many locals might recall), The Penny Ice Creamery is a new entrepreneurial venture from former Manresa pastry chef Kendra Baker and partner Zachary Davis. The two bring backgrounds deep in environmental business and finance (Davis’ UCSC background and subsequent MBA), as well as international culinary training in Wales, France, Boston and San Francisco.
Merging their skills and interests, the two arrived logically enough at the concept of small batch, local, seasonal and yes, organic ice creams, complete with designer flavors and toppings. And coffee drinks featuring fresh-roasted Verve coffees.
Open from noon daily (except for Monday) the Penny Ice Creamery is about to become your new warm weather hangout. Rush over and welcome them to the downtown community of places to pamper your palate.
The Penny Ice Creamery – 913 Cedar Street – 831/204-2523.
