Archive for February, 2009
Buy Fresh, Eat Local in Santa Maria Valley
In her latest column, local food writer K. Reka Badger of the Santa Maria Sun turns the spotlight on a new Buy Fresh, Buy Local Food Guide that serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
She writes, “Whether your goal is to protect the environment, support local industry, or simply dig into a meal of super fresh food, look no farther than Santa Maria’s bountiful backyard. Here, in the heart of the Acorn Nation, you’ll find fertile fields, busy farmers, and a menu bursting with wonderfully satisfying, homegrown food.”
She also notes that Susie Q’s Brand, a local purveyor of Santa Maria Style Barbecue foods, “recently scored headlines for its mention in a new book called Renewing America’s Food Traditions: Saving and Savoring the Continent’s Most Endangered Foods. The book divides America’s food traditions into 13 regional food ‘nations,’ and fits Santa Maria’s famed pinquito beans into the Acorn Nation, which stretches along the Pacific coast from Baja north through what once was known as Alta California.”
The Buy Fresh, Buy Local Food Guide is available at Lassen’s Natural Foods, local farmers markets, and online at buylocalca.org, caff.org, and edcnet.org.
Add comment February 26, 2009
Wild West BBQ Bash to Sizzle on July 11
It’s never too soon to mark your calendars for sizzling Santa Maria Style Barbecue, including the Wild West BBQ Bash at Preisker Park in Santa Maria on July 11, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This festive and flavorful event, which is sanctioned by the by the International Barbecue Cookers Association, will pit (pun intended!) teams of expert barbecuers from across California in competition for the Wild West BBQ crown. Live music, face painting and other activities will provide fun for the entire family.
Admission to the event is complimentary. Attendees may purchase five barbecue tasting tickets for $10. Proceeds benefit the Family Care Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children in need across the Central Coast. For more information, please call (805) 706-0535.
For more information on events and other attractions in the Santa Maria Valley, visit www.santamaria.com.
Add comment February 23, 2009
Santa Maria Valley Strawberries
The Santa Maria Valley’s vast agricultural heritage is represented by many crops, the most colorful of which are strawberries.
The region’s uniquely moderate coastal climate is a perfect match for this fragile berry, with warm winters and cool summers that support a year-round growing season. More than 10 strawberry varieties are grown in the valley across more than 6,000 acres of strawberry fields.
Santa Maria Valley strawberries are renowned for their juicy, flavorful character. While they are distributed both nationally and internationally, there is nothing like enjoying them fresh from the fields at local groceries, fruit stands, restaurants and farmers’ markets. You will find the best of the best strawberries from early spring through early autumn.
Strawberries find their ultimate showcase each April during the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival at the Santa Maria Fairpark. This berry bash features strawberry varietal sampling, strawberry desserts, educational exhibits and old-fashioned carnival entertainment.
Add comment February 21, 2009
The Santa Maria Valley Wine Country
The Santa Maria Valley occupies the northern perimeter of Santa Barbara County on California’s Central Coast, which is today recognized as one of the world’s most dynamic winegrowing regions.
The vineyards and wineries of the Santa Maria Valley were featured prominently in the hit movie Sideways, and two wines from the region were recently named to the Wine Spectator’s prestigious list of Top 100 Wines of 2008 out of more than 19,000 wines from around the world.
The wines of the Santa Maria Valley, especially the red wines, have also proven to be a perfect match for Santa Maria Style Barbecue, adding a fresh dimension to this local culinary tradition.
The Santa Maria Valley boasts a rare “transverse” geography, an east-west orientation that channels cool ocean air directly into the valley. The result is one of California’s longest growing seasons, which ensures the development of complex, flavorful and exquisitely balanced grapes.
Today, more than a dozen winery tasting rooms welcome you to the Santa Maria Valley. Here, you will taste Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and many other varietals that excel in our extraordinary coastal climate and beautiful countryside.
For more information on touring the Santa Maria Valley wine country, visit www.santamariavalleywinecountry.com and www.santamaria.com.
Add comment February 21, 2009
BBQ It Yourself
The beauty of Santa Maria Style Barbecue is that it delivers big flavors while being relatively easy to prepare. You can even take some flavorful shortcuts with Santa Maria Style Barbecue products by Susie Q’s Brand and Cowboy Flavor, among others. So fire up the grill and let’s get started!
THE MAIN COURSE
Create your Santa Maria Style Barbecue rub by mixing one tablespoon of salt with ½ teaspoon of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of garlic salt (for larger cuts and portions, increase ingredients proportionately).
Purchase premium top-block sirloin or tri-tip. Do not trim fat before putting the meat on the grill!
Sprinkle rub evenly across meat. For larger cuts, roll meat in rub, covering the entire surface.
Fill your grill with red oak or other high-quality fuel, avoiding cheap paraffin charcoal. Wait until the coals are red hot with very little flame; spread them out evenly.
Quickly sear meat to seal in flavorful juices, starting with the fat side, then raise barbecue pit screen to prevent burning. When juice appears at the top of the meat, it is time to turn it over. Cook until desired doneness. Medium rare is recommended—which typically takes 20 minutes per inch of cut thickness. (For the original classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue, you can string the cuts of top-block sirloin on rods and cook over red oak coals).
You may trim the fat after cooking. For tri-tip, slice against the grain the long way, not across the triangle. It won’t be a uniform cut, but it will be more tender.
Serve with Santa Maria Style salsa, pinquito beans, tossed green salad and fine local red wine. Finish with Santa Maria-grown strawberry dessert.
SANTA MARIA STYLE SALSA
3 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup chopped green onions
½ cup finely chopped California green chiles
2 tablespoons snipped cilantro
1 teaspoon vinegar
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of garlic salt
Pinch of dried oregano, crushed
Few drops of hot pepper sauce
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and let stand for one hour to blend flavors.
PINQUITO BEANS
1 pound pinquito beans
1 strip bacon, diced
½ cup ham, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ cup tomato puree
¼ cup red chile sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Place the dry beans in a strainer and remove any stones. Then rinse beans and place them in a pot, fill with water and allow beans to soak overnight. Drain beans and put fresh water back in pot with beans. Simmer for 2 hours or until tender.
Saute bacon and ham until lightly browned. Add garlic, sauté 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add tomato puree, chile sauce, sugar, mustard and salt.
Drain most of liquid off beans and stir in sauce. Simmer for half hour more. Keep warm until ready to serve.
3 comments February 21, 2009
Arts and Culture in Santa Maria Valley
In addition to fine wine and world-famous barbecue, the Santa Maria Valley is also home to an abundance of performing arts and cultural experiences.
Based in Santa Maria, the nationally acclaimed PCPA Theaterfest remains the only professional resident theater company on the Central Coast and stages the finest classic and contemporary live theater plays. PCPA Theaterfest’s star-studded alumni include Kathy Bates, Robin Williams and High School Musical star Zac Efron. PCPA Theaterfest’s plays are presented in three theaters: the 440-seat thrust stage Marian Theatre and the 180-seat Severson Theater, both in Santa Maria, and the 700-seat outdoor Solvang Festival Theater in Solvang.
Meanwhile, the Santa Maria Civic Theater, which is known as “the little theatre off Broadway,” is the longest continuously running performance group of any community theater in the area between Ventura and Monterey. Another local theater institution is the Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville in nearby Oceano, which stages top-notch productions of great classic comedies, musicals and melodramas.
The Santa Maria Museum of Flight features a variety of planes, models, photos, memorabilia and exhibits, including a restored F4 fighter jet that served in Vietnam and a 1929 Fleet biplane. The museum also features several Hollywood movie props, including an H-1 Racer from The Aviator, a full-scale Wright glider from Winds of Kitty Hawk and an original wooden hangar from The Rocketeer.
Children love the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, which features hands-on educational exhibits based on local themes, including agriculture, aerospace and the environment. Other local museums include the Natural History Museum and the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Museum.
The Dunes Center in Guadalupe offers historical and educational exhibits, as well as guided hikes and walks in the nearby Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, which is California’s largest coastal dunes complex. Here, visitors enjoy breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean from atop towering mountains of sand.
These are just some of the many cultural experiences that await visitors to the Santa Maria Valley. For more information, visit www.SantaMaria.com.
Add comment February 20, 2009
Barbecue Restaurants in Santa Maria Valley
The Santa Maria Valley boasts a number of legendary restaurants that specialize in the local barbecue experience, including several that have been going strong for more than 50 straight years. So don’t forget to bring your appetite the next time you visit California’s Central Coast. Following are some local barbecue favorites:
The Far Western Tavern
The Far Western Tavern was featured on the Food Network’s BBQ with Bobby Flay and has been celebrated in Sunset magazine and elsewhere. The restaurant was founded in 1958. Today, the Minetti family brings two generations and five decades of ownership to the table, serving legendary cuisine that is rooted in local tradition yet suited for contemporary tastes.
The Far Western Tavern
899 Guadalupe Street in Guadalupe
www.FarWesternTavern.com
The Hitching Post
The Hitching Post starred in the hit movie Sideways and has been featured in Gourmet and elsewhere. The restaurant was established in 1944 in Casmalia and has been owned by the Ostini family since 1952. The Ostinis opened their second Hitching Post restaurant in Buellton in 1986. An indoor barbecue pit filled with red oak is the secret to the Hitching Post’s signature dining experience.
The Hitching Post
3325 Point Sal Road in Casmalia and 406 East Highway 246 in Buellton
www.HitchingPost1.com
Jocko’s Steak House
Gayot Restaurant Guide calls Jocko’s “a raucous, high-energy haven for lovers of good steak, especially those cooked Santa Maria-style over a roaring, fragrant oak fire.” Established in 1956, Jocko’s is a true American roadhouse specializing in steak, ribs and oak pit pork chops, as well as traditional salsa and pinquito beans.
Jocko’s Steak House
125 North Thompson Avenue in Nipomo
Shaw’s Steakhouse and Tavern
Established in 1953, Shaw’s Steakhouse boasts an original open oak barbecue pit inside restaurant, enabling you to watch your Santa Maria Style Barbecue sizzle as it’s served. The atmosphere is intimate and the portions are large.
Shaw’s Steakhouse and Tavern
714 South Broadway in Santa Maria
A.J. Spurs
Known for the quality and consistency of its beef, A.J. Spurs employs full-time meat cutters to help ensure a superior dining experience. An old-west atmosphere and massive portions ensure a memorable meal.
1520 North Broadway in Santa Maria
(805) 922-3700
F. McLintock’s Saloon & Dining House
Known for its savory steaks, ocean views and high water pours, F. McLintocks specializes in oak-pit barbecued steaks and ribs, as well as fresh seafood and salads. The portions are legendary, so come hungry! A butcher shop and gift shop are also part of the F. McLintock’s experience.
750 Mattie Road in Shell Beach
www.mclintocks.com
Garden Room Restaurant at Historic Santa Maria Inn
The Historic Santa Maria Inn was established in 1917 and counts William Randolph Hearst, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Charlie Chaplin among its past guests. The inn’s Garden Room restaurant recently completed major renovations, and the menu includes Santa Maria-style tri-tip with pinquitos and salsa.
Historic Santa Maria Inn
801 South Broadway in Santa Maria
www.SantaMariaInn.com
Vintner’s Bar & Grill at Radissson Hotel
Herb-crusted prime rib, New York steak and filet mignon are among the specialties at the Vintner’s Bar & Grill, which also offers an extensive list of local wines.
Vintner’s Bar & Grill
3354 Skyway Drive in Santa Maria
www.vintnersgrillsantamaria.com
Portabella Bar & Grill at Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites
Portabella offers classic American dishes with an Italian flair, including Santa Maria tri-tip sandwiches and rib-eye steak.
Portabella Bar & Grill
2100 North Broadway in Santa Maria
(888) 465-4329
Filipino Community Center Barbecue
Open on Saturdays and Sundays at Smart & Final parking lot at 1721 Broadway.
Barbecue Fundraisers
Barbecue fundraisers often fire up on weekends at the Long’s Drugs and Lemos Pet Supply parking lots, among other locations in downtown Santa Maria. Just follow the smoke!
P.S. For a complete listing of restaurants in the Santa Maria Valley, please click here.
Add comment February 20, 2009
Welcome to Santa Maria Valley
Fine wine meets world-famous barbecue in the Santa Maria Valley, where Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and other locally grown varietals offer a perfect match for the rich culinary traditions of this coastal region in northern Santa Barbara County.
The Santa Maria Valley’s culinary heritage dates back to the mid 1800s, when local rancheros would host Spanish-style barbecues each spring for their vaqueros, or cowboys. Under the trees of this serene coastal valley, they would enjoy feasts that included beef barbecued over earthen fire pits. From this tradition was born Santa Maria Style Barbecue, which is founded on local ingredients and methods.
Today, Santa Maria Style Barbecue offers a savory match with local wines, which exhibit the unique characteristics of the region. The Santa Maria Valley boasts a rare “transverse” geography, an east-west orientation that channels cool ocean air directly into the valley. The result is one of California’s longest growing seasons, which ensures the development of complex, flavorful and exquisitely balanced grapes. These conditions are also very favorable to strawberries and other produce, all of which contribute to the valley’s rich agricultural legacy.
In addition to fine food and wine, the Santa Maria Valley is home to a variety of other exciting attractions. For example, the region boasts a remarkable diversity of golf courses, including several praised by Golf Magazine and Golf Digest for their quality and affordability. The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes are also not to be missed. Here, spectacular coastal dunes loom as awe-inspiring mounts of shifting sands that are teeming with biological diversity. Visitors to the dunes are encouraged to start their adventure at the Dunes Center in Guadalupe, which offers educational exhibits, as well as guided hikes and walks.
The Santa Maria Valley’s cultural attractions include the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, with its unique collection of vintage aircraft and Hollywood props; live theater at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA), Great American Melodrama and Santa Maria Civic Theater; and ecological splendors at the Natural History Museum. Kids are in luck, too, as the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum offers 13,000 square feet of interactive exhibits and hands-on activities for children of all ages.
For more information on experiencing the Santa Maria Valley, visit www.SantaMaria.com or call 800-331-3779 for information.
Add comment February 19, 2009
Introduction to Santa Maria Style Barbecue
In the Santa Maria Valley on California’s Central Coast, barbecue isn’t just another food, it’s a way of life.
Here, the 150-year-old tradition of Santa Maria Style Barbecue never goes out of style, and now more and more “foodies” are flocking to the area to savor this sizzling phenomenon.
Famed chef Bobby Flay came to the Santa Maria Valley to showcase Santa Maria Style Barbecue on his Food Network show BBQ with Bobby Flay. The hit wine-centric movie Sideways extensively featured the Hitching Post restaurant, a mainstay of the local barbecue experience. Sunset magazine once called Santa Maria Style Barbecue the “best barbecue in the world.” And the new book Renewing America’s Food Traditions calls this signature cuisine “a mainstay of California’s culinary heritage.”
Such high praise combined with a growing societal appreciation for authentic regional foods is driving renewed interest in Santa Maria Style Barbecue—as is the emergence of the Santa Maria Valley wine country, which just placed two wines in the Wine Spectator’s list of the Top 100 wines of the world.
The secret to Santa Maria Style is found in its indigenous ingredients and methods, which deliver an abundance of flavor out of a relatively simple preparation.
The traditional cuts are top-block sirloin and tri-tip, a triangular bottom sirloin cut that originated in the Santa Maria Valley. The meat is rolled in a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic salt before being barbecued over coals of red oak, a native local oak species that contributes a smoky, hearty flavor. The classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu includes fresh salsa, grilled French bread dipped in sweet melted butter, tossed green salad and slow-cooked pinquito beans. Pinquitos are small pink beans originated in the valley.
The origins of Santa Maria Style Barbecue date back to the mid 1800s, when local rancheros would host Spanish-style barbecues each spring for their vaqueros, or cowboys, as well as family and friends. Over time, the unique qualities of these homegrown cookouts became known as Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
Local restaurants offering Santa Maria Style Barbecue dishes include the Far Western Tavern (which is now celebrating 50 years of same family ownership), Hitching Post, Shaw’s Steak House, Jocko’s Steak House, Historic Santa Maria Inn’s Garden Room, F. McLintocks, A.J. Spurs and others.
Those wishing to prepare their own Santa Maria Style Barbecue at home can purchase packaged seasoning, pinquito beans, red oak chips and salsa from Susie Q’s Brand, a family-owned company specializing in local flavors. Cowboy Flavor is another purveyor of local barbecue foods.
For information about Santa Maria Style Barbecue as well as local lodging, wine tasting and more, visit www.santamaria.com or call the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor and Convention Bureau at (800) 331-3779
Add comment February 18, 2009
Visitor Resources
The web site of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau is your ticket to everything you need to know about visiting the Santa Maria Valley. Below are quick links to specific visitor resources:
Lodging
Dining
Wine Country
Groups and Meetings
Weddings
Arts and Attractions
Outdoor Activities
Family Activities
Transportation
Map and Mileage
Add comment February 18, 2009
