Archive for June, 2010
The Santa Maria Barbecue Bash Is Back
Get ready for an extravaganza of Santa Maria barbecue this weekend as the Family Care Network hosts its second annual Wild West BBQ Bash at Preisker Park in Santa Maria this Saturday, June 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is just another reason why they call Santa Maria “California’s BBQ Capital.”
That said, Santa Maria Style Barbecue won’t be the only sizzling treats served up on Saturday. Teams of barbecue experts from across the Santa Maria Valley and California will compete in six categories: chicken, beef brisket, pork ribs, pork shoulder, “People’s Choice,” and of course, Santa Maria Style tri-tip.
The event is a benefit for foster and high-needs children and families on the Central Coast. Admission is free, and barbecue sampling tickets can be purchased for $2 apiece. Click here for more information.
The family-friendly festivities will include live music, cultural displays and children’s games. So bring the kids…and your appetite!
Wine Enthusiast Showcases Santa Maria BBQ
“Wow!”
That’s all we could say when we received the new July 2010 issue of the Wine Enthusiast and discovered a two-page feature spread on Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Thanks to article author (and famed wine critic) Steve Heimoff and the Wine Enthusiast for turning the spotlight on California’s BBB capital!
The article is titled “Santa Maria Style Barbecue,” with a subhead that declares: “Steak is the sizzle in the Central Coast’s oldest culinary tradition, and the region’s wines match perfectly.”
The story delves into the history and traditions of Santa Maria Style BBQ, with quotes from Frank Ostini of The Hitching Post, Rick Manson of Chef Rick’s Ultimately Fine Foods and Kevin Plemmons of Plemmons Catering. It also features Susie Q’s Brand and other local purveyors of Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
Of course, wine is also a big part of the local culinary story. Writes Heimoff, “Such a huge spectrum of flavors calls for a variety of wines to match. Steakhous reds of course—Santa Barbara produces some outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons and Syrahs. A rich, oaky Santa Barbara County Chardonnay goes surprisingly well with everything.”
He concludes, “But this isn’t the time to be fussy. Santa Maria-style BBQ is all about relaxation with family and friends…As Eli Parker puts it, ‘This was all about feeding a bunch of hungry cowboys. In a way, it still is.’”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
Get Your Free Santa Maria Valley Wine Tour Booklet
Just in time for the summer wine touring season, we are excited to announce the newly updated and expanded Santa Maria Valley wine country booklet, which is available free throught the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau.
The free 16-page glossy booklet is available directly through the Chamber. To obtain a copy, just call (800) 331-3779 or stop by the Chamber at 614 South Broadway in Santa Maria. The booklet is also viewable and printable by clicking here.
The booklet, which is titled Santa Maria Valley Wine Country: A Guide to Local Wineries and Restaurants, offers a new cover and layout; a larger map; expanded sections on Santa Maria Valley restaurants; local wine and food shopping; wine pairing suggestions with Santa Maria Style barbecue; wine packages and tasting tours; and a wine events calendar.
We’ll take this opportunity to remind you that the Santa Maria Valley is home to Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s number one wine on its most recent list of Top 100 Wines, and home to the upcoming first annual Chardonnay Symposium. So come out and discover what wine writer Steve Heimoff calls “an insider’s secret.”
A Perfect Pairing: Rodeo and Barbecue
The 67th annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo officially begins this evening, kicking off an action-packed weekend at the Santa Maria Elks / Unocal Event Center, including the 2010 Elks Rodeo Parade on Saturday. From barrel racing to team roping, steer wrestling to bull riding, this rodeo has it all. And naturally, the aromas of red oak and sizzling Santa Maria barbecue will be prevalent throughout the festivities.
The rodeo speaks to the Santa Maria Valley’s rich ranching heritage, the same heritage that gave rise to Santa Maria Style Barbecue. Indeed, the roots of Santa Maria Style Barbecue date back to the mid-1800s, when large ranches occupied the hills of the Santa Maria Valley. Local ranchers would host Spanish-style feasts each spring for their vaqueros, or cowboys, as well as family and friends—barbecuing meat over earthen pits filled with hot coals of red oak. Out of this tradition came Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
The Santa Maria Elks Lodge has also played a storied role in the legacy of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, staging epic barbecues through the years, and counting numerous Santa Maria BBQ experts among its members.
As R.H. Tesene wrote in his Santa Maria Style Barbecue book, “The Santa Maria Elks Lodge has been by far the largest and most active organization to promote and put on Santa Maria Style Barbecues since the Santa Maria Club…There are many teams of Elks barbecuers who travel great distances throughout the United States with their barbecue its, red oak wood, meat and personnel to put on large special out-of-town Santa Maria Style barbecues.”
Visit the Elks Rodeo web site for information and tickets, and don’t forget to bring your appetite.
