Nestled within the Historic Art District in downtown Santa Barbara, you will find the Arts & Letters Cafe on Anapamu St., just off State Street. They are housed in the back of an art gallery and have tables set up in a stunning courtyard surrounding a lovely water fountain. The setting couldn’t be more beautiful and serene. They serve lunch daily from 11:00 – 2:30. … Read more Arts & Letters Cafe, Santa Barbara
Il Cortile Ristorante What happens when you combine the creative cooking skills of Executive Chef Santos MacDonal of Il Cortile Ristorante and the winemaking talent of Matt Trevisan of Linne Calodo winery? A marriage of “the ultimate” in fine wine and outrageously good food. We had a great time at the Linne Calodo Reverse Wine Dinner at Il Cortile Ristorante in Paso Robles. The event, is … Read more The Best Food & Wine Pairing Ever!!
Were you beginning to wonder if I knew how to cook anything light and healthy? Yes, yes and yes – wait till you read about the wonderful Beet Citrus Salad with Kale and Pistachios that I just made! I received some beautiful Candy Cane Beets, Blood Oranges, Yosemite Gold Mandarin Tangerines and Black (Lacinato) Kale in my CSA box this time. (I realize some … Read more Beet Citrus Salad with Kale and Pistachios
I first learned about the wonders of Celeriac while studying cooking in Paris last summer. The Chef had us make a celery root gratin and it was one of the most wonderful things I have ever tasted. Not low on the calorie spectrum, but since it is made of primarily vegetables, I have justified it’s beneficial existence:) It became a quick favorite in my … Read more Celeriac (celery root), my new favorite vegetable!
Are you up for a challenge? I was and I really wanted to use my leftover won ton wraps. I am making a valiant effort not to waste food items these days whenever possible. Sometimes that means I need to get creative and find new combinations of ingredients to comprise a dish. So when I found a recipe for Butternut Squash, Sage & Goat Cheese … Read more Butternut Squash, Sage and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown-Butter Sauce
At the LXV wine tasting room in Paso, you will have a new kind of Paso Robles wine experience. If you want to be treated like royalty, entertained by very knowledgeable staff and have a fun tasting experience with top quality wines, come by the corner of 13th & Pine Street in downtown Paso for a real treat! Inspired by the art of … Read more A new kind of Paso Robles wine experience!
For Valentine’s Day, we decided to fire up the pizza oven and make a couple of our favorite pizza’s to serve along with a citrus salad. Our guests brought a beautiful cheese plate and yummy orzo salad to accompany our meal. I knew that would be a lot of food so I needed to make something light and of course, elegant, for our Valentine’s Day … Read more A light and elegant Valentine’s Day dessert!
Are you getting tired of making guacamole? I love, love, love avocados. Honestly, I can eat them like an apple, just peel and slice. I put them in salads, and on toast and have certainly made my share of guacamole recipes. However today I wanted to find something else to do with a ripe avocado and I saw a cool idea in my February Food … Read more What to do with your ripe Avocado’s?
There is an incredible restaurant on the border of Santa Barbara and Montecito that is a bit off the beat and path. It is a hidden gem; Stella Mare’s Restaurant. I attended an afternoon wedding reception there last year and found it to be quite charming. I remember the food being good, especially for a large catered event, so I decided that I wanted to … Read more A Hidden Gem in Santa Barbara – Stella Mare’s Restaurant
I love all kinds of Mexican and Spanish style foods. It can be a local taco stand , a tapas bar or a fancy southwestern cuisine restaurant; I love them all! This was my first visit to Cielito Mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara. The name Cielito means “a little bit of heaven” which is what you receive from their kitchen! Their food reflects a … Read more An upscale Mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara