Archive for August, 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
Savor The Harvest Flavors on Oct. 10
Savor the fabulous flavors of harvest in the Santa Maria Valley wine country as the member wineries of the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association host the annual Celebration of Harvest on October 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
As always, this event will be held on the beautiful grounds of Rancho Sisquoc Winery in the Santa Maria Valley. Here, you will enjoy sampling wines from dozens of local wineries, as well as an abundance of locally grown foods prepared by chefs from across Santa Barbara County. The festivities will also include a silent auction as well as live music. The cost is $65 per person.
You may also opt to purchase a “Vintners’ Visa” for the entire weekend for $35. The 12 wineries participating in this program will “pull out the stops” for visa holders. And while you’re at it, you are encouraged to stay and play in the Santa Maria Valley for the entire weekend, so that you can enjoy scrumptious Santa Maria Style Barbecue, stunning beaches and world-class golf, among other attractions.
For tickets and information regarding Celebration of Harvest and the Vintners’ Visa, call the Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Association at (805) 688-0881 or visit www.sbcountywines.com. For information on exploring and staying in the Santa Maria Valley, please see our Visitor Resources page.
Add comment August 24, 2009
Green Leaf Spotlights Santa Maria Style Barbecue
We were delighted to discover a recent blog post by Green Leaf BBQ Shop and Catering celebrating the tradition of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
Our friends at Green Leaf call Santa Maria Style Barbecue “Simple, Authentic and Elegant,” which we think sums it up rather poetically, not to mention accurately.
They write, “This style, like other landmark BBQ styles, is not the ‘only’ way to BBQ, it is just the only true CALIFORNIA BBQ. It is ours.”
Hear, hear!
Turlock-based Green Leaf BBQ Shop and Catering’s stated mission is “to bring award-winning BBQs, rubs, sauces and tools to your backyard.” We thank them for spreading the good word about Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
1 comment August 16, 2009
Autumn Arts Grapes & Grains Festival
Celebrate fine arts and harvest flavors at the 26th annual Autumn Arts Grapes & Grains Festival in downtown Santa Maria on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
Local artists, vintners and brewers will offer a feast for the senses at this cheerful street fair. The festivities will include a fine arts show and sale, crafting demonstrations, live entertainment and wine and beer tasting. Live arts demonstrations will be staged throughout the day. Additionally there will be youth and teen activities including carnival games, a petting zoo, rock climbing wall, craft projects and a chalk art expose. Food vendors will offer Santa Maria Style Barbecue and other fare.
Admission to the festival is complimentary. Optional tickets can be purchased for access to the wine and beer tasting tent. For information, call (805) 925-0951 ext. 247.
2 comments August 7, 2009
Three Questions with Billy Ruiz of Cowboy Flavor
Billy Ruiz is a local Santa Maria Style Barbecue legend and co-proprietor of Cowboy Flavor with his wife, Sue. Cowboy Flavor specializes in barbecue foods, gifts, attire and cookbooks, and is also a leading local caterer. Billy is also the “cover model” for the complimentary Santa Maria Style Barbecue booklet and the host of the popular Cowboy Flavor television show on RFD-TV. We recently caught up with Billy to get the inside scoop on his adventures.
Can you briefly tell us about your roots in the valley, and how you became a barbecue master?
I was born and raised in Santa Maria as an 8th generation Californian. I don’t know about “master,” but I was raised around Santa Maria Style Barbecue and was lucky enough to watch and help some of the old timers around the pit. I learned alot from those masters, including my dad, uncle Clarence Minetti, Beagle Knotts and Dede Moore, just to name a few.
What is the vision or mission behind Cowboy Flavor?
Our mission is to give our clients and viewers the chance to watch, smell and enjoy eating great outdoor cooking. We want to keep Santa Maria Style Barbecue alive and share it everywhere we go. Also: to have friends and loved ones gathered around the fire before, during and after the meal.
Why do you think that Santa Maria Style Barbecue is still growing in popularity after all these years?
Just taste it! It is truly the original style of cooking meat over the open fire. You need only fove things…the pit, oak wood, meat, seasoning and family and friends.
Thank you, Billy. For more information, visit www.cowboyflavor.com.
Add comment August 3, 2009
Walk Off Your Santa Maria BBQ
When you come to the Santa Maria Valley, you’ll definitely want to bring your appetite. After all, the classic Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu not only includes exquisitely seasoned sirloin or tri-tip, but also pinquito beans, salsa, green salad, bread and dessert.
Of course, it’s not uncommon to feel a bit stuffed after a meal of Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Thankfully, the valley offers plenty of places where you can walk it off!
One great place to start your Santa Maria Valley stroll is at picturesque Oso Flaco Lake, where you can follow a boardwalk bridge over the water and to the adjacent beach. There, you will discover the wonders of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex, which spans 22,000 acres and 18 miles of coastline.
One of only two remaining coastal dunes complexes in California—and by far the largest—the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex unfolds with awe-inspiring mountains of shifting sands that are teeming with biological diversity.
Those interested in learning more about the dunes are encouraged to visit the Dunes Center, a beautifully restored Craftsman house that offers activities such as guided hikes and walks, and educational resources, including interactive computer kiosks, dunes-related videos, artifacts and maps.
The Dunes Center is located in the town of Guadalupe, which just happens to be the home of the Far Western Tavern restaurant, one of our local Santa Maria Style Barbecue landmarks. Visit www.dunescenter.org for more information.
Add comment August 1, 2009
