tanabutler

Thank you, dear. I've got something else I'm all excited about, and I need to work up a new thread for it, too.

As linked elsethread, an article in the March 3, 2004 Santa Cruz Sentinel ("New alliance pins Santa Cruz to the culinary map") featured a new group here in Santa Cruz County, a non-profit group of culinary professionals who intend to get Santa Cruz county recognized as a culinary destination. I joined earlier this month, as a "food multimedia artist." This thread is intended to highlight CASCC's activities and success. So many good things are happening in the region. From the CASCC website: My first assignment as a CASCC member was to photograph Live Earth Farm and interview the farmer, Joe Rubin. (I have photographed about two dozen organic farms in the last five years. It's one of my favorite things to do.) Green garlic at Live Earth: And here is Joe, in front of the bread oven they built at Live Earth, who oftens hosts community events. Can you see the sleeping dragon on top? So yesterday, I headed to downtown Santa Cruz with my little buddy, Rowan, who is a six-year-old foodie. Swear to God: he comes to my house, pulls a chair up to the stove, and we cook together. He knows his herbs and spices, and I've seen him stirring pots at his own house, standing on a stepstool. We had lunch (a fabulous grilled chicken chimichanga at El Palomar, though they are not yet a CASCC member), then I took him for gelato at CASCC member GelatoMania Café. It's a really nice spot: airy and light. There is wireless internet access, as well, and (of all things) an oxygen bar. Rowan was very happy with his two flavors of gelato (mint-chocolate and a kind of Dutch chocolate). When we chatted about what he wanted to be when he grew up, he said, "I don't want to be a singer, Tana. I want to be a gelato maker." We headed to the Farmer's Market so Rowan could meet farmer Joe. En route, we bumped into chef Brian Curry from Ristorante Avanti, also a CASCC member. Brian is a stellar chef who produced absolutely perfect courses at an Outstanding in the Field farm dinner last summer at Happy Boy Farm. When I met him last year, he told me he had bought the entire crop of English peas from a farmer—for the whole season. This is the kind of thing that makes such good sense. Joe had told me that Brian and Ristorante Avanti had thrown a "farmer's appreciation dinner," and it was wonderful. I introduced Rowie to Brian, and said Rowie was a foodie. Brian whipped out a gigantic stainless steel spoon from his back pocket and helped himself to some of the gelato, telling Rowan, "See, if you ever want to be a chef, you always need to carry a spoon." Pretty cute. So we headed over to see Joe, and his booth was all abuzz because, as Brian had told me, "Green garlic is here!" He was swarmed with customers. By then, Rowie was full of gelato, and I said, "Maybe Joe will want the rest." Boy, did Joe want the rest. He gave me a bunch of baby beets so young you could practically see their umbilical cords. The greens were glistening with life. If there is anything I love more than baby beets, I don't know what that would be. These are just about life-sized: Rowan and I continued our rounds, and headed over to yet another CASCC member's booth, because Rowan knew they were they. He pulled me by the hand over to Donnelly Chocolates, and they were also mobbed. We waited patiently. Well, I waited patiently. Rowan, as I have mentioned, is six, and was very eager, nay, bursting, to know what awaited him. I asked why he wanted chocolate when he had just told me he was done with his chocolate gelato. "That's different, Tana." We settled on one piece for Rowan, and one piece for my daughter, whom I was getting from school later. Rowan chose the Tahitian vanilla in milk chocolate, and I picked out a raspberry dark chocolate truffle for my girl. Rowie said it was the best vanilla thing he'd ever had, and noticed that it contained actual vanilla bean, "with the speckles in it, like you make, Tana." (He's had my crème brulée.) All in all, we had a splendid afternoon, and of course the perfect weather that characterizes Santa Cruz made it all the better. That weather is the reason it's Eden here. EDITED because I misspoke about not growing decent peaches. That's just not true, and I don't know what I was thinking. Doh!

In Watsonville, there are two places that come to mind. The first is Green Valley Grill. I have never eaten there, but I would like to. I have only heard good things about it. It's American bistro food, and I am pretty sure it's local/organic. (They don't have a website, and I may just have to do something about that.) The second is a Mexican place that is always recommended on the Chowhound board: Fiesta Tepa-Sahuayo. People rave constantly about the quality of food there, and its authenticity. US Restaurant Guide posts their top ten lists for Watsonville and a separate list for the surrounding area: Watsonville's Top Ten 1 Green Valley Grill 2 Mansion House 3 Jalisco 4 Fiesta Tepa-Sahuayo 5 El Alteno 6 Zuniga's Mexican Food 7 Anna Maria's 8 Cilantro's on Main 9 Romeos 10 Lorene's Packing Shed Also nearby, and well worth a visit for lunch, is Phil's Fresh Fish at Moss Landing, which is to the south probably less than ten miles, across from the huge smokestacks at the PG&E plant. The choices are staggering, and it's as fresh as it gets. The clam chowder there is world class. Oddly enough, though, despite being right on the marina, there is no outside seating or view. The food's great, though. If you don't mind going a bit further afield, within a half hour or so south (and a dazzlingly beautiful drive) is the charming town of Pacific Grove. This thread for Pacific Grove, Monterey and Carmel is loaded with suggestions. Within twenty minutes north, there is tons of fine dining. In my little town of Soquel, Theo's Restaurant is exquisite. They've got an organic garden in the back (it's in a house), and everything is of the absolute highest quality. I recommend it highly. Chef Nicci Trip worked for seven years with David Paul in Maui. The food is incredible and the wine list is wonderful. If your grandmother is a woman who appreciates beautiful surroundings and fine food, she will be very happy there. Plus they are very nice people: warm and friendly. That would be my best recommendation for a fine and memorable meal. It is a treasure, truly, on par with the best. Let me know if you want more recommendations, or activities, etc. Are you coming to the Dunes, too?

Toasted, feel free to send me the recipe and I will re-write it for you, if you like. (I'm a copywriter.)

Honest to Pete, that was good enough to repeat. Seasons at the White Church Their website is not clear what they did at Auberge du Soleil, however. Admittedly, the website provides some difficulty in viewing, as the contrast is low between the green (I'm sure there is a fancy designer name for it this year, but let me just call it "dark celery") and the white. It does look nice, though. And those chefs sound like two truly groovy people. I was never closer to Memphis than Hohenwald. Anyone here's ever heard of Hohenwald, I'll buy you a drink when you come to Santa Cruz.

When I read your posts, Jim, I always feel so wistful. But it's a good kind of suffering, because I am learning. It's like reading good poetry. You're the William Carlos Williams of eGullet.

Instead of mere arm wrestling, Fat Guy offers this: Leg Wrestling. Not his leg or yours: contestants are invited to choose the animal whose leg will be both weapon and dinner. Does a turkey leg strike your fancy? Will using a lamb club ultimately tenderize the meat for cooking? Stayed tuned.

I put them in my mouth.

Marie-Louise, I sent directions to you. About your spa: Gayot's list of the best spas in the SF/Napa area I know someone who loved going to Spa Radiance, and has returned more than once. EDIT: This place is supposed to be the be-all, end-all of luxurious spas: in Napa, Auberge du Soleil. So that sounds like two days in Napa. Arrive day one day treatment at the spa, followed by luncheon followed by afternoon at spa. Rent bicycles and tour the valley. Dinner at French Laundry, home to hotel, sleep the sleep of the dead. Awaken day two, make passionate love for hours, stagger to brunch. Hire a limo, tour wineries. Return to hotel, make passionate love but don't miss dinner reservations at (your choice of fancy place), and once again, sleep the sleep of the dead. Et voilà! Your little dance card is filling right up, isn't it?

Good points! I think it's very fun piece of writing, and the humor translated extremely well for me. I love his instant assumptions ("a bag of gristle" -- honestly, he's right) and guesses (that Tums are "vaguely medicinal candy"). It's like hearing a child create words for things they don't know the words for...like when my daughter was two and called called vapor trails in the sky "airplane rainbows." And yes, people need to lighten up. He's Australian, for God's sakes. That means he's mellow and he's having fun.

Well, the link to my letter was down for a while but seems to be back up again. Marie-Louise, how far afield will you want to wander? Is Monterey/Carmel too far? Because I just took one of the most beautiful hikes of my life in Carmel. It's where the Carmel River meets the ocean -- which is even more beautiful than where the Russian River does the same, in my opinion. This is the beginning of the trail: This is after hiking along the beach and cresting over a hill (the ocean is behind you): This is walking back around the hill towards the beach. These wildflowers will be going berserk in a couple of weeks: This is returning to the beginning of the beach trail: Let me know if you'd like directions. Once I was down that way, I would stay the night in Carmel Valley at the insanely praised Bernadus Lodge. Round out your trip with a stop at the Monterey Bay Aquarium the next morning, and visit A Taste of Monterey. Have lunch in Pacific Grove (that lovely little jewel) and stop in Capitola or Santa Cruz on the way home to have a glass of wine and watch the sunset. So that's two days right there. Just about right.

What kind of food does she like?

Marie-Louise, funny, I was just putting a map together for some friends who are visiting San Francisco next month. I've got a map that I'm numbering with a red marker, and I'm going to design a webpage with links and highlights. Maybe some of it will be useful for your purposes when I complete the project. Why not go to the Ferry Plaza Market in the late morning, and taste things for a while? Shop and look and then have lunch (oysters, of course) at Hog Island Oyster Company? Then take the ferry across the bay to Sausalito or Tiburon. I was going to recommend that you stay at the Casa Madrona in Sausalito, but I visited their website and it made me cry. Literally. What used to be a wonderful experience (reading about and choosing the individually-decorated rooms) has been stomped to death by the boot of the Corporate Gestapo. They've been bought by some corporation who's completely siphoned every bit of uniqueness and charm from the website. You can no longer choose your own room there. I just spent a half an hour writing them, and I am most woeful at this development. You can read the letter here. Meanwhile, I will have more suggestions for you later. I've got to take a little boy to lunch and to the Farmer's Market.

I cannot begin to compete in this thread, but there is a very great difference, to me, between "spiciest" and "hottest." "Hottest" is a slam dunk. Get your chilies and that garlic mace, and blind the competition. However, to balance spices is quite something else.

How odd. I am the first girl I know to have had purple hair....while I worked at TGIF in San Diego and Torrance. Not stained-glass purple, but eggplant-colored. I also had Lois Lane comic book blue-black hair. Nobody ever said anything to me about it. I was on the Traveling Team, even. (This was in the Eighties.)

It's the oddest thing for me to be all excited about someone on the other side of the world. I can't imagine ever getting there, despite how gorgeous it is. (That didn't stop me from doing websites for people across the ocean. God bless digital cameras and uploading files!) I have no idea what you'll do with the place but I do feel rather sure that people will come. Clearly you are committed to considering your ingredients. This is a clear case of you choosing a property that is a sweet destination. People will want to come. It is so beautiful. I hope you will elaborate on the climate and the year-round views. It really is a gorgeous place.

Go, Tommy! Live your dream!

Great blog, GG. It's lovely how things are unfolding for you.

It's just gorgeous! Congratulations! It looks a lot like the California coast where I live. And let me know if you need a website. I've done several B&B sites, and I would love to help. I can't wait to watch your adventures unfold. Good luck with everything, GG.

It didn't sound like quibbling to me. It sounded like an honest and good question, but I can see that the use of the phrase "truly fresh" might be a hook (pardon the pun) for some readers.

Where do I send the bill for my new keyboard? And adenoids?

Knock, knock! Anybody in here? Did you guys go? Were there boat drinks? How's about a report?

I Googled to see what hinoki wood looks like. Here's a cabinet made of hinoki. Beautiful. I can almost smell it.

And to go with them, you can get Tomato and/or Lettuce cologne at Demeter. I was shocked to discover they haven't done bacon yet - in fact, their line is notably lacking in meat scents - but they do carry quite a few other items of interest to this crowd - Parsley, Shortbread, Dulce de Leche, Lobster, etc. Maybe we should mount a campaign to persuade them to start a butcher's/deli line; imagine being able to dab a touch of Veal Scallopine or perhaps Kosher Salami behind one's ears! Then again, what could be better than the original - a delicate shpritz of Bacon in the hollow of the collar-bone. (BTW I have tried both the Tomato and the Dirt scents, and they are remarkably well done - subtle and satisfying and not at all sweet.) I just can't tell you how much I'm enjoying your posts, Balmagowry. Wait, yes, I can. I'm really enjoying your posts. They're so....tasty!

At least you can get someone to date you.