by Christina Waters | May 21, 2008 | Food |
Cooking adventuress Diana Kennedy will spend three days in the Santa Cruz area – on a lengthy West Coast junket celebrating the long-awaited re-issue of her definitive, and much-loved The Art of Mexican Cooking. It’s all here – myriad authentic Oaxacan molés, chile lore and preparation notes, plus extensive recipes Kennedy gleaned in her tireless culinary anthropology combing the Mexican countryside for the past 40+ years.
Don’t miss these opportunities to talk with Kennedy — she’s opinionated and delightful — purchase her cookbooks and have her sign them.
– Friday, May 30, 6-8pm Alma Gifts & Culture will host a book signing and reception with Ms. Kennedy, at 1705 Mission St. Santa Cruz. Call 831-425-2562 for more information.
– Saturday, May 31, 9am at the Aptos Farmers Market, Ms. Kennedy will give a talk and Q&A session (more…)
by Christina Waters | May 17, 2008 | Food, Home |
The Best Strawberries of the Season! Whatever we were eating before, whatever those other little red orbs were that people were trying to call “strawberries,” well – this is the real stuff!
At New Leaf, look for the little container of RMS Farms Organic Strawberries – from Watsonville, $2.99. The ones we’ve been eating all week are firm and sweet, with that top-note of tartness you want from a berry. They are totally intensely strawberry flavored. Just like the ones you had in your childhood. Amazing!
by Christina Waters | May 16, 2008 | Food |
Ham & eggs & a little light bubbly – sounds like breakfast doesn’t it? But it was bistro appetizers at Soif last week. Let me explain.
A “small plate†order of salumi caught our eye – but so did the evening special of a poached egg over shiitake mushrooms. When John Locke poured me a taste of a splendid, very light alcohol Lombardy red wine with the tiniest little “vivace†effervescence, I joked that it was light enough to be a “breakfast wine.†Then the lightbulb went on.
The kitchen obliged and what we got was this gorgeous platter of toscano, soppressata and salame rosa ($12) topped with a poached egg! Ask and ye shall receive. Peasant decadence, paired with the refreshing Francesco Montagna Oltrepo Pavese “Vivace†Bonarda 2006 ($3.25/taste). Something a little different — and completely memorable. My idea of budget gourmet.
by Christina Waters | May 8, 2008 | Food, Home |
Fresh seafood gets star treatment at the hands of Sean Baker, who makes beautiful food at Gabriella Cafe.
Baker is currently running a variety of sculptural crudo appetizers involving artworks of oysters with baby fennel mignonette, uni interspersed with tart minced grapefruit (inspired!), and local halibut tartare in pools of chopped avocado, chili smoked tomato and Meyer lemon.
After dinner, I feasted on a spectacular saffron Pavlova meringue, drizzled with rose custard, sweet fresh strawberries and toasted pistachios. Gabriella pastry chef Jessica Yarr never fails to astound me.
by Christina Waters | May 6, 2008 | Food, Home, Wine |
The visually delightful, all-organic catering group founded by Heidi Schlecht and Amy Linstrom (who also operate the inviting River Cafe) continues to fuel some of our best parties.
Platters lavish with edible flowers, opulent proteas, and other eye-candy adorned the tables and decks up at the Vine Hill winery release party last weekend. Endive leaves were stuffed with roasted salmon, dill, and lemon zest aioli. Buffalo mozzarella and sage were wrapped in prosciutto and then grilled – that’s the sort of one step further thinking that characterizes Feel Good Foods’ catering style. Yet completely fresh and clear, nothing tricky or mysterious. The ripe cheeses and myriad olives shared plates with toasted almonds, (more…)
by Christina Waters | May 5, 2008 | Food, Home |
A girl’s gotta eat, right? And in this region, that can be a delicious prospect. Over at River Cafe – I do love that place – I drifted into an altered state over a brilliant “salad” of quinoa, that soft, fluffy, Inca grain. The pale yellow quinoa was tossed with scallions, marcona almonds and currants. But the real mood elevator was the use of micro zest of kumquat, that moody, tangy cousin of the lemon and tangerine. It was sensational, and went beautifully with my take home portion of Liberty Farms duck breast from Avanti.…Yes, the duck at Avanti never fails, especially with a current spring “hash” of lentils, favas, green garlic and roasted onions. An argula pesto dressed the dish, which was just as good the second night, as the first. . . . Katya and I stopped for appetizers at Soif the other night, where the deal of the century arrived in the form of a substantial calamari salad for $6! Tender, delicious, tossed in a Meyer lemon dressing – it was lovely with a blush Tokay. . . . One more Avanti note: I had one of the best Avanti dinners ever last night – lamb sliced over roasted Yukon gold potatoes, fresh snap peas in the pod and infant white turnips!!!!! Yeow – with a Sebastapol Syrah – heaven.
Ben, Ben, Ben – when you’re hot, you’re……
