Bring Your Group for Santa Maria BBQ
The original Santa Maria Style Barbecue cookouts were big affairs, with the Santa Maria Club serving up to 700 patrons during their monthly “stag” barbecues. Today, local restaurants and caterers continue the tradition by accommodating parties, groups and business functions of all sizes.
Now, to help meeting and event planners create the perfect group experience in the heart of the Central Coast wine country, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau has unveiled its new “Event, Meeting & Sport Facilities.” This new booklet provides comprehensive details on group experiences and venues, including wineries, caterers, hotels, restaurants, bakeries, auditoriums, outdoor facilities, sports facilities and more.
Unique local venues for group gatherings include Cottonwood Canyon Winery, which hosts events within its underground wine cave; the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, which features numerous Hollywood movie props; the Severson Theater, home of the award-winning PCPA Theaterfest live theater company; and the Dunes Center, a quaint Craftsman structure that showcases the nearby Guadalupe-Nipomo coastal dunes experience; and, of course, several restaurants specializing in Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
The Santa Maria Valley is also becoming known for its expansive and diverse sports facilities for baseball, softball, cheerleading, golf, basketball, swimming, equestrian activities and more. The recently renovated Hagerman Sports Complex boasts four multi-purpose fields, a meeting room, snack bar, playground and RV parking area amid a beautiful tree-lined setting.
For a copy of the new booklet or for any assistance in planning a group experience in the Santa Maria Valley, please contact Group Services Coordinator Jennifer Mejia at (800) 331-3779 ext. 815 or jennifer(at)santamaria.com.
Add comment November 4, 2009
More Praise for Santa Maria Style BBQ
We are always thrilled to discover fresh praise for Santa Maria Style Barbecue, and the latest is found in a recent story by Bill Parson of Barbecue Tips & Techniques, who writes:
“Known as the ‘Barbecue Capital of the World,’ Santa Maria, California certainly lives up to the title. As you will see when visiting this area, or rather as you will smell, the wonderful aroma of BBQ wafting through this coastal valley, will lead you to any number of barbecues. Follow the smoke and you will soon be enjoying a superb meal of barbecued sirloin that will be a feast fit for kings.”
He adds:
“If you get the chance to visit the Santa Maria Valley, you cannot miss a chance of being treated to the deliciously simple taste of the Santa Maria BBQ, so come prepared. The number of people who come yearly to enjoy the taste of this time-honored traditional food numbers in the thousands. So, come hungry because you will be guaranteed not to leave that way.”
He says it so well that we’re speechless, so we’ll just leave it at that! Thanks, Bill, for shining the spotlight on Santa Maria Style Barbecue!
Add comment October 29, 2009
An Appetite for Santa Maria Barbecue
The popular food site Appetite for China apparently has an appetite for Santa Maria Style Barbecue, too, as evidenced by a recent story that states: “With all due respect to Memphis and Kansas City, Californians know the nation’s best barbecue may be in their own backyard.”
We know where this is headed…There’s a reason why the Santa Maria Valley is known as California’s Barbecue Capital!
The site’s founder, Diana Kuan, is a writer and cooking instructor. Her blog focuses on regional Chinese foods, as well as their “offspring” around the world.
In her story about Santa Maria Style Barbecue, Diana showcases a Santa Maria Style fundraiser for the fire station in Greenfield, in the Salinas Valley about two hours north of Santa Maria.
Santa Maria Style Barbecue has long been a staple of fundraisers and charity events in the Santa Maria Valley and beyond. You can find them up and down the coast, you just have to follow the smoke.
Thank you, Diana, for shining the spotlight on Santa Maria Style Barbecue!
4 comments October 23, 2009
Walk Off Your ‘Cue at The Dunes
After feasting on Santa Maria Style Barbecue at the Hitching Post, Jocko’s, Far Western Tavern or another local restaurant, you might feel an urge to get outside and burn a few calories, and there’s no better place to do it than the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex.
Indeed, as detailed in this story by Lora Finnegan, a former senior editor at Sunset Magazine and the founder of CaliforniaTravelGirl, the dunes are one of California’s true natural treasures.
She writes: “I’m thrilled to learn that the 18-mile-long Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex, on the Santa Barbara / San Luis Obispo county coastline, is more accessible than ever…Open to visitors, the Dunes Center in Guadalupe, California (in the Santa Maria Valley) has just launched a new web site, new tour map, and enhanced educational exhibits to help visitors get the most out of their experience at the Dunes Complex. That’s good, because though the dunes are easily accessible from Highway 1 in the Santa Maria Valley, this place is so big, you need good intel to get the most out of it.”
Thank you, Lora, for turning the spotlight on this remarkable sanctuary!
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex is one of the most ecologically significant and largest intact coastal dune ecosystems on earth. A major portion of the nearly 22,000 acres is under public management and open for recreation. More than 1,400 species of animals call the dunes home.
The three most popular dunes destinations are all easily accessible from the Dunes Center. Visitors wishing to drive straight to the oceanfront can take Main Street west into the heart of the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve. Nearby Oso Flaco Lake Road leads to a convenient parking area, from where visitors can take a 30-minute stroll along a boardwalk through the dunes and to the beach. And those feeling even more adventurous can hike across the dunes into the heart of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge.
So the next time you come to the Santa Maria Valley for a taste of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, you may want to take a little extra time to experience another one of our region’s unique treasures.
Add comment October 14, 2009
A Master Class in Santa Maria Style BBQ
Chef John of the popular Food Wishes blog has outdone himself with the following how-to video on Santa Maria Style Barbecue, as performed by Paul Righetti of Susie Q’s Brand and the Far Western Tavern.
You would be hard pressed to find a more detailed and authentic visual lesson in the art of Santa Maria Style BBQ. Take it away, Chef John…
Add comment October 8, 2009
High Honors for PCPA Theaterfest
We take a break from our regularly scheduled Santa Maria Style Barbecue programming today to salute the arts in the Santa Maria Valley, and to specifically congratulate the valley’s own PCPA Theaterfest for earning 11 awards from Stage Scene L.A. for 2009.
Stage Scene L.A. editor Steven Stanley reviewed 256 eligible productions throughout Los Angeles and surrounding areas between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009.
Among other honors, PCPA was included in the select lists for Best Direction (Musical) for Roger DeLaurier for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Les Miserables; Best Ensemble (Musical) for the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; and Best Performance by a Lead Actor for Erik Stein and Sam Zeller for Les Miserables.
Visit our Arts & Culture page for more information on PCPA and other cultural experiences in the Santa Maria Valley. Bravo to PCPA for once again bringing big-time performances to our beautiful wine country!
Add comment October 1, 2009
California Country Salutes Santa Maria Style BBQ
California Country Television salutes Santa Maria Style Barbecue in a sizzling new segment on our regional culinary tradition. Click here to view the video.
The show features the Minetti-Righetti family, owners of the Far Western Tavern and Susie Q’s Brand. The Far Western Tavern is a landmark restaurant specializing in Santa Maria Style BBQ, and Susie Q’s Brand offers artisan Santa Maria Style Barbecue foods that are available at a wide variety of retailers.
The show also includes John Porter of Alamo Farming. John is a third-generation Santa Maria Valley farmer who grows pinquito beans for local restaurants as well as Susie Q’s Brand. These native beans are a staple of the classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu.
California County Television is operated by the California Farm Bureau Federation and airs across the state each week. Thanks to host Tracy Sellers and the California County team for turning the spotlight on Santa Maria Style Barbecue!
Add comment September 22, 2009
A Salsa for Santa Maria Style BBQ
Chef John of the popular Food Wishes blog continues his series on Santa Maria Valley cuisine with a new video showcasing salsa as a traditional component of the Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu.
To learn about the local salsa style, Chef John visited with Susan Righetti, founder of Susie Q’s Brand artisan Santa Maria Style Barbecue foods. In this video, Susan demonstrates how to do it yourself.
Fresh salsa joins tri-tip or top-block sirloin, pinquito beans, grilled French bread and salad on the classic Santa Maria Style BBQ menu. Santa Maria Valley strawberry desserts and local red wines are often included as well. Click here for an easy reference on preparing your own Santa Maria Barbecue feast.
Add comment September 15, 2009
A Sensational Strawberry Recipe
Santa Maria Style Barbecue may be the biggest dish in town, but it’s not the only one, as illustrated in the following video showcasing the Almond-Crusted Salmon with Strawberry Demi Glaze by Chef Alex Araizaga of the Garden Room Restaurant at the Historic Santa Maria Inn.
This video was made by Chef John of the popular Food Wishes blog, who also posted a text version of the recipe on his American Food page on About.com.
Thanks to Chef John for spreading the word about this sensational dish featuring Santa Maria Valley strawberries!
Add comment September 7, 2009
Chef John Savors Santa Maria Style BBQ
We are excited to report that Chef John Mitzewich and his wife Michele came to the Santa Maria Valley over the weekend for an extravaganza of local food and wine, with an emphasis on Santa Maria Style Barbecue, of course!
Chef John runs the popular Food Wishes video recipe blog and its companion You Tube channel. He is also the American Food correspondent for About.com.
Chef John’s Santa Maria Valley adventure began on Friday night with dinner at the Hitching Post, where he and Michele enjoyed “one of the best steak dinners of our lives.”
On Saturday, Chef John filmed Chef Alex Araizaga of the Historic Santa Maria Inn preparing his Almond-Crusted Salmon with Santa Maria Stawberry Demi Glaze.
Next, he spent the afternoon with Susan and Paul Righetti of Susie Q’s Brand for a classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue experience, inclusive of tri-tip, pinquito beans and salsa.
Lastly, on Saturday night, he and Michele dined at the Far Western Tavern, which was recently named one of the “Top 10″ barbecue restaurants in the west by Sunset Magazine.
Click here to read Chef John’s recap of his experience, and stay tuned to Food Wishes for his how-to video recipes on preparing Santa Maria Style Barbecue as well as the almond-crusted salmon with strawberry sauce.
Thank you, Chef John, for spreading the sizzling word about Santa Maria Style Barbecue!
Add comment August 31, 2009
