by Christina Waters | Feb 22, 2011 | Food, Home |
Most of Santa Cruz swooped down on Staff of Life’s humongous new digs last week, to check it out and to start getting familiar with their new neighborhood natural foods emporium.
I spotted two more reasons to head over to Staff – fresh duck breast and fresh spot prawns. Not your grandfather’s natural foods market. Wow. Impressive already, and there’s still plenty of shelves to be filled.
Corner of Darwin and Soquel on the Eastside. Stop by for coffee and pastries on the front patio.
by Christina Waters | Feb 17, 2011 | Home |
El Salchichero – handcrafted charcuterie – opening weekend.
Gorgeous sausages, chops, steaks, ground meats.
And any minute now, the cured salame will hit the display case.
Congratulations to Chris LaVeque and his hard-working family for bringing these artisanal products to a grateful gourmet public.
402 Ingalls Street, Santa Cruz.
by Christina Waters | Feb 16, 2011 | Food, Home |
You remember the guy who gave us that sensational charcuterie a few years back?
Justin Severino from Severino’s who sold terrific artisanal meats at the farmers markets here in Santa Cruz?
Justin just emailed to tell me that his highly-regarded culinary style at Elements Contemporary Cuisine in Pittsburgh, PA, is up for Food & Wine magazine’s Top Chef/ Mid-Atlantic Region competition.
Success couldn’t happen to a nicer, smarter chef — too bad he’s not still dazzling our tastebuds here in Santa Cruz.
Check out Severino’s award-winning menu! Your mouth will water, I guarantee.
[photo: Tana Butler]
by Christina Waters | Feb 11, 2011 | Home |
Remember that tremendous deal on the 2006 Bordeaux blend – Skyline – from Thomas Fogarty I told you about a few weeks ago?
Here’s a few fascinating factoids.
You can pick up this beautiful creation for $11.99 @ Shoppers Corner.
Or, for $12.99 at New Leaf. Or $15.99 at Whole Foods.
Got that? Same exact wine.
Connect those dots.
by Christina Waters | Feb 11, 2011 | Home |
Under the “all’s fair in love and business” category – the gloves are off just in time for the impending opening of the colossal, eco award-winning, all-new improved Staff of Life, scheduled for this coming Tuesday February 15.
Several competitors have begun incentivizing their check-out transactions.
E.g. my girlfriend was given $5 off on her recent purchase at Whole Foods, plus a coupon for $5 off her next two purchases of $25 or more at the nat food mega-store. Yes, that is tempting when you’re watching your pennies. And another top local emporium is currently offering a gift item to customers who spend $25 or more.
The attempt to attract and keep customer base is hot and heavy, and starting Feb. 15 about to get only more so. Can this community support all of its fine groceries?
You do the math.
by Christina Waters | Feb 10, 2011 | Home |
Some seafood dishes stand out, even in an ocean of great flavors.
From the kitchen of Avanti chef Ben Sims came this lovely evening special of roasted sea bass, cannellini beans, softly braised greens and broccollini all spiked with a lemon zesty tapenade. An entree that gives “dining out” a good name, even in a bad economy.
