Adding to the diversity of my blog, today I am reviewing a few of the wineries in the Santa Ynez area. This adventure included a three-winery stop beginning at Rusack Vineyards in Solvang. The grounds and views there were outstanding and they offered several terrific picnic and outdoor seating areas. The tasting list of the day included a delicious Chardonnay, a Rose and several Pinot Noir’s. … Read more Wine Tasting in Santa Ynez, CA
Inside the Montecito Inn you will find the Montecito Cafe. It is an established spot for local socialites offering a comfortable atmosphere and good food. In my experience dining there for lunch this time, I found the service to be beyond reproach! My waitress was “spot on” in every category which began with her quickly producing a steaming warm basket of bread that was crusty … Read more Montecito Cafe in Montecito, CA
We selected one of our favorite stops for afternoon coffee and sweets, Andersen’s Danish Bakery & Restaurant on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. Upon entering, we were offered a taste of a couple of their delectable treats at the counter. Yum! Just enough to peak your interest and leave you wanting more. We have dined there for breakfast before and really enjoyed our meal. … Read more Andersen’s Danish Bakery & Restaurant, Santa Barbara
Winter is certainly the time to crave something more fortifying and decadent. I decided to try my hand at Bon Appetit’s current project; Lasagna Bolognese. Lasagna Bolognese is a northern Italian dish and is different from your American version laden with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. It is a more delicate version flavored with a broth based vegetable meat sauce and a nutmeg flavored béchamel. This … Read more Lasagna Bolognese; the project
While I don’t usually enjoy making simple recipes like this, I felt that the occasion called for it. So rather then make grease laden fried jalapeño poppers, I looked for a baked version that was served open-faced. I found this little gem on Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen blog. She titled the recipe Bacon-Ranch Jalapeño Poppers and they are made with a mix of cream cheese, … Read more Superbowl Snack – Open-faced Jalapeño Poppers
A hidden Gem in the town of Capitola, California just outside of Santa Cruz, is Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria. This place is not to be missed if you are ever even somewhat in the vicinity of this adorable little town. What is a Rosticceria, you ask? It is an Italian Rotisserie. Gayle’s offers a plethora of foods in every possible variety, all extremely fresh and … Read more Gayles Bakery & Rosticceria
If you find yourself in downtown Paso on a Tuesday night, you have to try one of the restaurants that offer Taco Tuesday. A favorite is Villa Creek. They serve cocktails along with beer and wine and their bar has a great ambiance for light fare. This week I decided to try all of the taco offerings which gave us a variety of six! … Read more Villa Creek – Taco Tuesday!
What’s with this weather we’re having? Although I feel guilty for complaining when there are so many people with serious weather and natural disasters in their neck of the woods…it’s just that I’m worried about my garden. I have already planted all of my herbs, lettuce and tomatoes. They are starting to grow strong and I am concerned that they might not survive this late … Read more Spring is here – not…
Fava Bean plant In my winter garden, I grew several plants of fava beans. They make a beautiful plant and are very hearty. I grew them from seed given to me by Tony, our pizza oven contractor. Fava Beans are not commonly available for purchase in this area, so I decided to grow my own! I love their delicate flavor, especially in my Paella! The … Read more Paella