Archive for March, 2009
Heimoff Gives Local Wines High Praise
In his latest blog post, renowned wine writer Steve Heimoff of the Wine Enthusiast and SteveHeimoff.com gives high marks to the wines of the Santa Maria Valley.
He writes: “I couldn’t agree more with Appellation America’s description of Santa Maria Valley as ‘one the finest viticultural regions in North America.’It may well have the highest overall quality of grapes and wines of any AVA in California…Santa Maria Valley is an insider’s secret, a special place that knowledgeable people go to while the crowds throng the tasting rooms of Santa Ynez Valley.”
Just more confirmation that, like Santa Maria Style Barbecue, the Santa Maria Valley wine country is one of California’s tastiest experiences!
Spotlight Shines on Far Western Tavern
The Santa Barbara News-Press recently turned the spotlight on the Far Western Tavern, a landmark of Santa Maria Style Barbecue that is now celebrating its 50th year of same-family ownership.
Here is an excerpt from the story by reporter Karna Hughes:
Back when Clarence Minetti was a boy in the early ’30s, he would stop off at the Palace Hotel and Restaurant in Guadalupe for a bite to eat after working up an appetite pitching hay in the nearby fields. “I used to buy steak and spaghetti for 65 cents,” recalled the 91-year-old North County native. When the historic building came up for sale in 1958, memories of those satisfying meals inspired Mr. Minetti, then a rancher, to buy it and open a restaurant of his own, in partnership with his wife’s cousin, Richard Maretti, and the men’s wives, Rosalie Minetti and Betty Jean Maretti. They got it for a “bargain price.” Little did they know their family restaurant. Far Western Tavern, would still be going strong 50 years after it opened in February 1959.”
The story continues:
While authenticity is important to the owners, they also try to stay aware of the times. “We’re not a trendy eatery but we also want to keep up with the wine world, offering more to the customers than just steak and potatoes,” said Susan Righetti. So diners can order their meat with a Pinot Noir reduction sauce or caramelized onions and mushrooms sauteed in white wine, for example, and other wine-based dishes are offered as specials on weekends. An extensive wine list features area vintners.”
Congratulations to the Far Western Tavern on 50 years of sizzling barbecue and memorable meals!
Sweet Times Ahead at Strawberry Festival
No Santa Maria Style Barbecue feast is complete without a dessert made with fresh locally grown strawberries, and the best time to experience these homegrown treats is at the 22nd annual Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival on April 24-26 at the Santa Maria Fairpark.
Santa Maria Valley strawberries are renowned for their juicy, flavorful character, and more than 10 varieties are grown in the area across 6,000 acres. Santa Maria Valley strawberries are distributed both nationally and internationally, but there is nothing like enjoying them fresh from the fields at the Strawberry Festival.
As always, the 2009 Strawberry festival will abound with cooking demonstrations, strawberry desserts, live music, carnival rides and more. Click here for more information on attending the festival.
Vintners’Festival Returns on April 18
The wineries of the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Barbara County will once again host a feast for the senses at the 27th annual Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival on Saturday, April 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at River Park in Lompoc.
More than 100 wineries from Santa Barbara County will be offering their wines at the festival, which will also include live music and appetizers from a variety of local restaurants. Two wines from the Santa Maria Valley 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.
Those wishing to make a weekend out of it can purchase a Vintners’ Visa, a four-day pass to wineries. Each participating winery will waive tasting fees and offer special treats for Vintners’ Visa holders. Visit www.sbcountywines.com or call (805) 688-0881 for tickets and information.
Bobby Flay Savors Santa Maria Style Barbecue
Renowned chef Bobby Flay not only showcased Santa Maria Style Barbecue on his Food Network show BBQ with Bobby Flay, he also later raved about it on CBS’s Early Show.
Click here to view Bobby Flay’s Early Show segment and a related story on Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
As the Early Show story states, “When you think of barbecue, places such as Texas, Kansas City, Memphis and North Carolina probably come to mind. But California’s Santa Maria Valley is thought of by many as the “barbecue capital of the world.’”
