Posts filed under ‘Local Flavors’
Spotlight Shines on Far Western Tavern
The Santa Barbara News-Press recently turned the spotlight on the Far Western Tavern, a landmark of Santa Maria Style Barbecue that is now celebrating its 50th year of same-family ownership.
Here is an excerpt from the story by reporter Karna Hughes:
Back when Clarence Minetti was a boy in the early ’30s, he would stop off at the Palace Hotel and Restaurant in Guadalupe for a bite to eat after working up an appetite pitching hay in the nearby fields. “I used to buy steak and spaghetti for 65 cents,” recalled the 91-year-old North County native. When the historic building came up for sale in 1958, memories of those satisfying meals inspired Mr. Minetti, then a rancher, to buy it and open a restaurant of his own, in partnership with his wife’s cousin, Richard Maretti, and the men’s wives, Rosalie Minetti and Betty Jean Maretti. They got it for a “bargain price.” Little did they know their family restaurant. Far Western Tavern, would still be going strong 50 years after it opened in February 1959.”
The story continues:
While authenticity is important to the owners, they also try to stay aware of the times. “We’re not a trendy eatery but we also want to keep up with the wine world, offering more to the customers than just steak and potatoes,” said Susan Righetti. So diners can order their meat with a Pinot Noir reduction sauce or caramelized onions and mushrooms sauteed in white wine, for example, and other wine-based dishes are offered as specials on weekends. An extensive wine list features area vintners.”
Congratulations to the Far Western Tavern on 50 years of sizzling barbecue and memorable meals!
Buy Fresh, Eat Local in Santa Maria Valley
In her latest column, local food writer K. Reka Badger of the Santa Maria Sun turns the spotlight on a new Buy Fresh, Buy Local Food Guide that serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
She writes, “Whether your goal is to protect the environment, support local industry, or simply dig into a meal of super fresh food, look no farther than Santa Maria’s bountiful backyard. Here, in the heart of the Acorn Nation, you’ll find fertile fields, busy farmers, and a menu bursting with wonderfully satisfying, homegrown food.”
She also notes that Susie Q’s Brand, a local purveyor of Santa Maria Style Barbecue foods, “recently scored headlines for its mention in a new book called Renewing America’s Food Traditions: Saving and Savoring the Continent’s Most Endangered Foods. The book divides America’s food traditions into 13 regional food ‘nations,’ and fits Santa Maria’s famed pinquito beans into the Acorn Nation, which stretches along the Pacific coast from Baja north through what once was known as Alta California.”
The Buy Fresh, Buy Local Food Guide is available at Lassen’s Natural Foods, local farmers markets, and online at buylocalca.org, caff.org, and edcnet.org.
Santa Maria Valley Strawberries
The Santa Maria Valley’s vast agricultural heritage is represented by many crops, the most colorful of which are strawberries.
The region’s uniquely moderate coastal climate is a perfect match for this fragile berry, with warm winters and cool summers that support a year-round growing season. More than 10 strawberry varieties are grown in the valley across more than 6,000 acres of strawberry fields.
Santa Maria Valley strawberries are renowned for their juicy, flavorful character. While they are distributed both nationally and internationally, there is nothing like enjoying them fresh from the fields at local groceries, fruit stands, restaurants and farmers’ markets. You will find the best of the best strawberries from early spring through early autumn.
Strawberries find their ultimate showcase each April during the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival at the Santa Maria Fairpark. This berry bash features strawberry varietal sampling, strawberry desserts, educational exhibits and old-fashioned carnival entertainment.
