Posts filed under ‘Local Flavors’
Spotlight on Santa Maria Strawberries
The Santa Maria Valley is sweet as well as sizzling, as fresh strawberries join Santa Maria BBQ as one of the region’s signature flavors.
Now, KSBY Television has turned the spotlight on the valley’s sensational strawberries in advance of the annual Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival on April 23-25.
Anchor Jeanette Trompeter visited the local strawberry fields with grower Daren Gee and produced a segment on Santa Maria Valley strawberries for her “No Place Like Home” news series, which aired last night. As Daren noted in the segment, the Santa Maria Valley’s uniquely moderate and steady coastal climate is ideal for growing some of the world’s finest strawberries.
According to the most recent Santa Barbara County Crop Report, 7,193 acres of strawberries were harvested in 2008. More than 90 percent of these acres are located in the Santa Maria Valley. Total field value for local strawberries in 2008 exceeded $309 million. More than 10 strawberry varieties are grown in the Santa Maria Valley.
Thanks to Jeanette and KSBY for this sweet segment on Santa Maria Valley Strawberries.
Local Classic Offers a Fresh Twist
One of the Santa Maria Valley’s barbecue landmarks is serving up some new flavors to go along with old favorites, once again proving that good taste never goes out of style.
Indeed, the Far Western Tavern in Guadalupe, which boasts more than 50 consecutive years of same-family ownership, recently announced an updated menu that exhibits a greater emphasis on fresh, locally grown ingredients as well as local artisan wines. “These are specialty wines, many produced by boutique wineries, that you won’t find anywhere else,” says General Manager Thomas Warner.
But fear not, Far Western fans, because when it comes to red oak barbecue and prime grade beef, nothing has changed at this Santa Maria BBQ destination. The menu still includes the familiar classics, such as the Bull’s-Eye Steak, New York Strip, Cowboy Cut Top Sirloin and other dishes that recently earned the Far Western a prestigious spot on Sunset Magazine’s list of the West’s top 10 barbecue restaurants.
With its western decor, cowhide furnishings and 19th century Tigerwood bar, the Far Western Tavern also serves up an ambiance that is as memorable as its menu.
When it comes to Santa Maria Style BBQ, there’s nothing like the real thing, so the next time you’re visiting the Santa Maria Valley, don’t forget to visit the Far Western Tavern, Hitching Post and other local restaurants that specialize in this regional culinary tradition.
New Santa Maria Farmers Market
The diverse flavors of the Santa Maria Valley, including Santa Maria Style Barbecue, are now showcased at a new farmers market that was launched this month in downtown Santa Maria.
The Town Center Farmers Market Experience occurs every Friday evening from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the recently renovated Town Center mall at the corner of Main and Broadway.
This indoor farmers’ market—the only indoor market on the Central Coast—celebrates the fresh and abundant flavors of the Santa Maria Valley
Vendors include local growers of strawberries, broccoli, greens, flowers and more. Other vendors include artisan food purveyors and specialists in Santa Maria Style BBQ. These include Jimenez Family Farms, Euphoria Flowers, BBQ Gypsies and Marcie’s Pies.
The Santa Maria Valley is one of California’s most productive agricultural areas. For example, strawberry acreage exceeds 10,000 acres, while wine grape acreage exceeds 7,000 acres. Meanwhile, the Santa Maria Town Center mall recently underwent extensive renovations, including new flooring, lighting, landscaping and décor, bringing a vibrant new energy to the venue.
So what we have here is a perfect match for celebrating the abundant flavors of the Santa Maria Valley.
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.
A Sensational Strawberry Recipe
Santa Maria Style Barbecue may be the biggest dish in town, but it’s not the only one, as illustrated in the following video showcasing the Almond-Crusted Salmon with Strawberry Demi Glaze by Chef Alex Araizaga of the Garden Room Restaurant at the Historic Santa Maria Inn.
This video was made by Chef John of the popular Food Wishes blog, who also posted a text version of the recipe on his American Food page on About.com.
Thanks to Chef John for spreading the word about this sensational dish featuring Santa Maria Valley strawberries!
Inn Serves Up Strawberry Delights
Santa Maria Valley strawberries will soon be in the spotlight again as California Country magazine recently visited the area for a story on these homegrown treats. The story will feature local grower Daren Gee of Daren’s Berries as well as strawberry-themed recipes by Chef Alex Araizaga of the Historic Santa Maria Inn.
Chef Alex prepared shared four dishes with the magazine, including the strawberry baby spinach salad with strawberry vinaigrette (pictued here). He also prepared each dish for a photo shoot by Paolo Vescia, the magazine’s photographer.
The magazine story follows a companion story that recently aired on the California Country television show.
The Historic Santa Maria Inn’s Garden Room restaurant recently completed dramatic renovations that took workers right down to the foundations built in 1917. Located in downtown Santa Maria, in the heart of California’s Central Coast wine and produce country, the inn now possesses the one of the most sophisticated state-of-the-art kitchens on the Central Coast. The restaurant menu has also been revamped to include lighter contemporary fare while retaining some beloved classic Santa Maria favorites, including Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
Santa Maria Strawberries in The Spotlight
California Country Television turns the spotlight on Santa Maria Valley strawberries in its latest episode, revealing that Santa Maria Style Barbecue isn’t the only homegrown flavor worthy of renown. California Country is produced by the California Farm Bureau and airs on stations throughout the state.
The show’s new strawberry segment features Daren Gee of Daren’s Berries and DB Farms in Santa Maria, who is one of California’s largest independent strawberry growers. Visitors to the area can savor Daren’s juicy strawberries at the Daren’s Berries stand right off Highway 101 at Stowell Road. Click here to see the story and watch the video.
Here’s what California Country has to say about the Santa Maria Valley: “A naturally cool climate mixed with the balmy Pacific winds insulates this area from temperature extremes, making it one of the absolute best places in the world to grow strawberries.”
Santa Maria Valley Chef Supports “Culanthropy”
Chef Gary Podesto of Adelina’s Bistro at the Monarch Club at Trilogy Central Coast was part of a small team of chefs recruited by the CulinaryCorps to participate in a “culanthropy” trip to New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast in April. Culanthropy is an emerging concept that promotes culinary volunteerism.
Gary and 11 other professionals performed five days of culinary service as part of the region’s ongoing post-Katrina rebuilding efforts, including cooking for Habitat for Humanity’s Camp Hope and Liberty’s Kitchen, a social enterprise serving New Orleans’ disadvantaged youth.
“When I discovered CulinaryCorps, my heart felt validated—there was something I could do to help, and there was a way for me to live my dream of being a chef and help those most in need,” Gary says.
CulinaryCorps aims to build a force of our nation’s most promising citizen-chefs, who are committed to setting the standard of social activism within the culinary field. Click here for more information on CulinaryCorps.
Kudos to Chef Gary Podesto and Adelina’s Bistro for supporting such a great cause!
Three Questions with Daren Gee
Daren Gee is the founder and owner of DB Specialty Farms, one of California’s largest independent strawberry growers. His strawberries can be purchased fresh from the field at the Daren’s Berries stand just east of Highway 101 off Stowell Road. We recently spoke with Daren to get the scoop on Santa Maria Valley strawberries for our Three Questions series:
Why do strawberries thrive in the Santa Maria Valley?
It’s two things—the soil and the weather. We have a lot of sandy loam soil, which strawberries love. Also, we enjoy a mild coastal climate, where it’s rarely too hot or too cold. Most of the time, we hover between 50 and 75 degrees, which is perfect for growing strawberries.
What sets the strawberries of the Santa Maria Valley apart from other regions?
They just taste better. I can’t really say exactly why they taste better, but I hear this a lot from others, too, so there must be something to it. Santa Maria Valley strawberries just have a certain magic in them.
Where does the Santa Maria Valley rank in the big picture of strawberries?
Over the last four years, the valley’s strawberry acreage has increased faster than in any other area. In the not-too-distant future, we may emerge as top strawberry region on the Central Coast in terms of acreage and production.
Thank you, Daren! For more information, visit www.darensberries.com.
BBQ, Strawberries Star in California Country
Santa Maria Style Barbecue and Santa Maria Valley strawberries are the subjects of two upcoming segments on California Country, a statewide television show produced by the California Farm Bureau.
The California Country crew visited the Santa Maria Valley this week to experience the strawberries of DB Specialty Farms (a.k.a. Daren’s Berries).
The same crew recently came to the area to explore the secrets of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, including a visit to a pinquito bean farm.
Both segments will likely air this summer, although specific dates have not yet been set. Stay tuned!
