Archive for December, 2009
Special Delivery: Santa Maria BBQ
In an earlier post, we revealed how tri-tip became a signature cut of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, and how it can still be hard to find beyond the borders of California’s Central Coast.
Well, fret not, faraway tri-tip fans, because one local Santa Maria BBQ specialist is now offering pre-prepared tri-tip meals that can be delivered directly to your home.
Indeed, BBQ2You by the famed Hitching Post restaurant in the Santa Maria Valley has developed an ingenious method for exporting our local flavors: “Not only do we hand trim each tri-tip steak, filet mignon, or New York steak, we take it one step further and fully prepare your steak for you. Meaning, we barbecue each steak over a live red oak barbecue pit, then we season and baste the meat with our signature Hitching Post recipe. The steaks are then flash frozen and vacuumed sealed to ensure freshness. We then FedEx the steaks right to your doorstep!”
Umm…How cool is that?
The Hitching Post 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. In other words, they know Santa Maria Style BBQ!
After Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’ll be tired of turkey and ham, right? Well, now you have a great option for kicking off the New Year with an authentic, ready-to-go Santa Maria Style Barbecue conveniently delivered to your doorstep. Check out the BBQ2You web site for ordering and information.
Add comment December 22, 2009
The Origins of Santa Maria Tri-Tip
Anyone who follows the smoke in the Santa Maria Valley is bound to discover sizzling cuts of tri-tip, which has become a staple of the local barbecue tradition.
So what is tri-tip, and how did it become a cornerstone of Santa Maria Style BBQ?
According to R.H. Tesene’s definitive book titled Santa Maria Style Barbecue, “In the 1950s, a local butcher named Bob Schutz perfected the tri-tip, which is a two to three pound triangular shaped cut off the top sirloin.”
In the same book, Clarence Minetti, founder of the Far Western Tavern, recalls: “It was brought to my attention by Bob Schutz, who then owned the Santa Maria Market on North Broadway. It proved to be a very good cut of meat…The tri-tip has become the most popular cut of meat for family barbecues, as the cuts are smaller.”
And thus a new tradition was born, with tri-tip joining top block sirloin as a signature cut of Santa Maria BBQ. Prior to tri-tip being popularized in the Santa Maria Valley, the cut was mainly disregarded by butchers as something to be used for ground beef or stew meat. In fact, even today, many butchers outside of the Central Coast still don’t know what “tri-tip” is.
Their loss! It just makes Bob Schutz’s gift to Santa Maria Style Barbecue all the more special.
P.S. The above photo is reproduced from Chef John’s Food Wishes blog.
Add comment December 17, 2009
Sizzling Wines in BBQ Country
The Santa Maria Valley isn’t just barbecue country, it’s wine country, too.
Indeed, as we pointed out earlier this year, two wines from the Santa Maria Valley were named to the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2008 out of 19,000 wines tasted from around the world.
Now we have more good news to report heading into 2010, as the 2006 Pinot Noir Julia’s Vineyard from our very own Cambria Winery has been named Wine Enthusiast magazine’s #1 wine on its Top 100 list for 2009 and has also been named Wine.com’s #1 wine on its Top 100 list for 2009 as well. Bravo, Cambria Winery!
So what’s the secret behind the magnificent award-winning wines of the Santa Maria Valley? Well, for starters, our region 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. Additionally, our wine country is brimming with extraordinary winemaking talent.
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. 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. Visit the Santa Maria Valley Wine Country web site to plan your tour.
1 comment December 11, 2009
Recipe for A Sweet Holiday Treat
Santa Maria Valley strawberries are a sweet complement to the sizzling and savory flavors of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, as well as a perfect treat for holiday entertaining.
On that note, we are excited to share the following delightful recipe for chocolate dipped strawberries, generously provided by Chef Alex Araizaga of the Historic Santa Maria Inn in downtown Santa Maria.
Ingredients
12 large Santa Maria strawberries
2 cups dark chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup dark chocolate shavings
1 cup white chocolate shavings
(chocolate shavings can be substituted with shredded coconut rainbow decorettes, nuts, etc.)
Method
1. Boil a pot of water
2. Place a bowl inside, large enough to cover the opening of the pot
3. Place chocolate inside the bowl and melt
4. Once chocolate is melted, remove pot from heat
5. Leave the bowl covering the pot so chocolate will not cool
6. With your fingertips, grasp the star of the strawberry and dip into the chocolate
7. Roll dipped strawberry over chocolate shavings so that they attach to the chocolate dipping
8. Place on a pan layered with non-stick wax paper
9. Place inside refrigerator for 30 minutes
The Historic Santa Maria Inn was established in 1917 and still retains its classic turn-of-the-century charm. Once a legendary hub for the Hollywood elite—Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplain were among its famous guests—the Historic Santa Maria Inn remains steeped in the hospitality of a bygone era while boasting 164 guest rooms and 18 luxury suites with the latest amenities.
The Historic Santa Maria Inn recently completed a dramatic kitchen, restaurant and meeting space renovation and restoration project that took workers right down to the foundations built in 1917. The inn’s 100-seat Garden Room restaurant dining area and three additional meeting rooms also underwent a complete renovation including new interior design and new uniforms for the wait staff. The restaurant menu was also enhanced to include lighter fare such as salads and sandwiches while retaining some beloved Santa Maria favorites, including classic Santa Maria Style BBQ.
Add comment December 10, 2009
Don’t Forget to Dine Out in Santa Maria Style
Special thanks to Reka Badger and the Santa Maria Sun, KEYT Television, the Santa Maria Times and Katy Budge of Casa Festiva (if we’ve missed anyone, let us know!), for spreading the tasty word about Dine Out: Santa Maria Style, a special promotion that runs through December 13, 2009.
During this promotion, seven participating restaurants are offering special fixed price menus under the banner of “Dine Out: Santa Maria Style” in the heart of Santa Maria Style BBQ country.
The participating restaurants include Santa Maria Style Barbecue specialists The Hitching Post and Far Western Tavern, as well as the Garden Room Restaurant at the Historic Santa Maria Inn, Vintner’s Bar & Grill at the Radisson Hotel Santa Maria, Adelina’s Bistro at the Monarch Club, Bamboo Garden, and Quizno’s on South Bradley Road.
The fixed menu prices start at $10.09, and continue with the “09” theme at $20.09, $30.09 and $40.09, depending on the restaurant and meal (prices do not include tax or tip). Click here to view details and a full breakdown of the available menus.
P.S. Don’t forget to enjoy the simultaneous Wine Christmas Passport Weekend this weekend!
Add comment December 3, 2009
