Archive for September, 2010
Here Comes The Santa Maria Grapes & Grains Festival
The Santa Maria Valley’s signature fall event returns this weekend with the 27th annual Autumn Arts Grapes & Grains Festival in downtown Santa Maria on Saturday, October 2, 2010.
As always, this festive street fair will feature a feast for the senses courtesy of local winemakers, brewers and artists. Admission is free. Optional tickets can be purchased for access to the wine and beer tasting tent. The festival unfolds along South McClelland Street near library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Live art demonstrations will be staged throughout the day. Additionally there will be youth/teen activities including carnival games, a petting zoo, craft projects and a Chalk Art Expose. This year’s event will also feature a car show, live entertainment, delicious food (including Santa Maria barbecue, of course!), and wine and beer tasting from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For more information on the Autumn Arts Grapes & Grains Festival, call the City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department at (805) 925-0951 ext. 260.
It’s Time to Savor The Central Coast
The Santa Maria Valley is gearing up to participate in Savor The Central Coast, a one-of-a-kind food and wine extravaganza hosted by Sunset Magazine on Thursday, September 30 through Sunday, October 3.
Needless to say, Santa Maria Style Barbecue will play a starring role at Savor The Central Coast, as expressed and complemented by the signature flavors of participating local restaurants, food purveyors and wineries. The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau is partnering with other Santa Barbara County communities—Santa Barbara, Buellton and Solvang—to celebrate a “Santa Barbara County road trip” theme at the Central Coast Pavilion at the main event.
The main event takes place on Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3 at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, located about 35 miles north of Santa Maria in San Luis Obispo County. The main event will include a food and wine marketplace, cooking demonstrations, and kitchen garden seminars. Related events throughout the region will include wine tastings, agricultural tours, a gala dinner and a closing concert by Chris Isaak at Avila Beach Golf Resort.
Click here for more information and tickets to Savor The Central Coast. We hope to see you there!
Bring Your Appetite to The Salad Bowl Festival
The Santa Maria Valley may be most famous for its world-class barbecue, fine wines and sensational strawberries, but it is also home to a remarkable agricultural bounty that will be celebrated this weekend and the 1st annual Salad Bowl Festival in Guadalupe.
The event, which will be held at LeRoy Park at 4630 11th Street on Sunday, September 12, will feature a salad dressing recipe contest, family and kid-friendly games, arts and crafts, music and entertainment, food, beer and wine, and information booths promoting healthy living. Keeping in the spirit of the theme, the games include “cabbage bowling” where actual cabbages are rolled at pins; a “broccoli toss” in the vein of tic-tac-toe; and “gunnysack races” where participants retrieve carrots and croutons and place them in a salad bowl. Salad dressing entries will be judged in two categories: “creamy” or “vinaigrette.”
Conceived by Guadalupe residents and merchants, the Salad Bowl Festival was established to promote the City of Guadalupe and to celebrate the region as a place for healthy, high-quality produce. Click here to visit the event web site.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to taste and celebrate the wondrous natural flavors of the Santa Maria Valley!
P.S. Special thanks to Reka Badger of the Santa Maria Sun, KKFX Television, Santa Maria Times, Santa Barbara News Press and others for spreading the word about this one-of-a-kind event in the heart of Santa Maria BBQ country.
Three Questions with Debi Testa of Testa Catering
Martin and Debi Testa are the proprietors of Testa Catering and Testa’s Bistro in Santa Maria. Wielding more than 30 years of experience in the food industry, they serve everything from traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue to prime rib dinners to lobster tail, and everything in between. We recently caught up with Debi to learn more about their culinarly roots and experience with Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
Can you please describe everything Testa Catering has to offer on the Santa Maria Style Barbecue front?
The authentic Santa Maria Style BBQ dates back over one hundred years.It is a tradition and a way of life for most of us here in the Santa Maria Valley. Santa Maria BBQ sets itself apart from all other areas, by the red oak used for the coals, indigenous to the Central Coast.
Martin has been barbecuing Santa Maria Style for over 30 years. His grandfather, Lawrence Testa, and father, Sonny Testa, were part of the BBQ team from the infamous Stag nights at the Santa Maria Club. In those days, the traditional fare was top block sirloin, pinquito beans, macaroni salad and French bread and salsa.
Testa Catering has expanded on that old time favorite menu. We offer choice Top Sirloin, Rib Eye, or New York, grilled to an internal temperature of about 135 degrees. Additional entrees include barbecued chicken, turkey or fish (salmon or halibut). Our signature salad includes local fresh baby greens, tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette, topped with walnuts, feta cheese and local seasonal fresh berries. We still have plenty of requests for the traditional macaroni salad too. The traditional pinquito beans are also a favorite. Also indigenious to the Santa Maria Valley, this small pink bean is slow cooked for several hours. We add sauteed bacon and onions and seasoning. Baked Rosemary potatoes are a new addition to the BBQ and are always a crowd pleaser. Salsa tops all items. Last but not least is the grilled over red oak garlic bread. We prefer to use sourdough bread, grilled, brushed with a garlic clove and then dunked in butter with more added chopped garlic. Simply divine!
At the events you cater, you must encounter people who are enjoying Santa Maria Style Barbecue for the first time. What is a typical reaction? Are they surprised by the flavor?
We have catered all over California, bringing variations of traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue. From ranches to castles, it is the most requested menu option. People just cannot believe how tender, juicy and perfect the meat is. They often say they have never tasted any meat as good. They are very interested in what sets a Santa Maria Style Barbecue apart from all others and vow to try it themselves.
Can you suggest one crucial tip for people who want to try preparing their own Santa Maria Style Barbecue?
If we can give out one bit of advice on perfecting your own Santa Maria Style Barbecue it would be to not overcook your meat. Start with a good, choice top sirloin, barbecue until it reaches an internal temperature of about 135 degrees, pull off the meat, and let it set for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.
Thanks, Debi!
The authentic Santa Maria Style BBQ dates back over one hundred years.It is a tradition and a way of life for most of us here in the Santa Maria Valley. Santa Maria Style BBQ sets itself apart from all other areas, by the red oak used for the coals, indigenous to the Central Coast.
Martin Testa, of Testa Catering, has been barbecuing Santa Maria Style for over 30 years. His grandfather Lawrence Testa, and father, Sonny Testa, were part of the BBQ team from the infamous Stag nights at the Santa Maria Club. In those days, traditional fare was top block sirloin, pinquito beans, macaroni salad and French bread and salsa. Testa Catering has expanded on that old time favorite menu. We offer choice Top Sirloin, Rib Eye, or New York, grilled to an internal temperature of about 135 degrees. Additional entrees include barbecued chicken, turkey or fish (salmon or halibut). Our signature salad includes local fresh baby greens, tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette, topped with walnuts, feta cheese and local seasonal fresh berries. We still have plenty of requests for the traditional macaroni salad too. The traditional pinquito beans are also a favorite. Also indigenious to the Santa Maria Valley, this small pink bean is slow cooked for several hours. We add sauteed bacon and onions and seasoning. Baked Rosemary potatoes are a new addition to the BBQ and are always a crowd pleaser. Salsa tops all items. Last but not least is the grilled over red oak garlic bread. We prefer to use sourdough bread, grilled, brushed with a garlic clove and then dunked in butter with more added chopped garlic. Simply divine!
At the events you cater, you must encounter people who are enjoying Santa Maria Style Barbecue for the first time. What is a typical reaction? Are they surprised by the flavor?
We have catered all over California, bringing variations of the traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue. From ranches to castles, it is the most requested menu option. People just cannot believe how tender, juicy and perfect the meat is. They often say they have never tasted any meat as good. They are very interested in what sets a Santa Maria Style Barbecue apart from all others and vow to try it themselves.
Can you suggest one crucial tip for people who want to try preparing their own Santa Maria Style Barbecue?
If we can give out one bit of advice on perfecting your own Santa Maria Style Barbecue it would be to not overcook your meat. Start with a good, choice top sirloin, barbecue until an internal temperature of about 135 degrees is reached, pull off the meat, let it set for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.
