tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69701768447033246392012-01-12T08:50:14.768-08:00Food and wine pairing blog with tips on vegetarian wine pairing, growing organic vegetables in home garden, Santa Barbara and travel and restaurant raves.Tamanoreply@blogger.comBlogger1761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-37344305303608046902012-01-12T08:50:00.000-08:002012-01-12T08:50:14.778-08:00

What do you make when you have homemade chile sauce already made and your heart set on enchiladas, but you open your frig and find you have no tortillas? I made this casserole with creamy polenta and it was delish. We had a couple of Napa wines to try from Rocca Family Vineyards--the 2007 Merlot and the 2008 Vespera. Both were good. I preferred the fruitiness of the Merlot with the spiciness of

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-32255002895836178802012-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:002012-01-09T11:44:13.626-08:00

The alluring aroma of hickory smoke curled around my neighborhood last week prompting my neighbors to track down the source and to let me know me that they LOVE smoked fish. Santa brought me a Brickman smoker/roaster/steamer/grill for Christmas and I had my first two forays into the world of smoking. The Brickman has a fire pan at the bottom for the coals and aromatic hardwood, a water pan in the

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-81626347265837576922011-12-30T18:34:00.000-08:002012-01-01T05:12:25.459-08:00

Synopsis: World renown 5 star restaurant is a once in a lifetime experience--around 14 courses of exquisitely prepared miniature dishes that please the eye and palate. Pair light wines like champagne or Pinot as the flavors are delicate. The French Laundry Once a laundry, saloon and brothel, The French Laundry was founded in 1994 by Chef Thomas Keller in Yountville, Napa Valley. Chef Keller was

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-54964634738306457902011-12-18T07:33:00.000-08:002012-01-04T16:59:14.236-08:00

A double win as I made this dessert twice recently and everyone raved about it! One friend said it was the best dessert he'd ever had--pretty big words! Raspberry Pavlova With Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Fruit  Chef's Notes: Your mixing bowl and whisk must be very clean, dry and grease-free to make proper meringue. Also, the whites will not whip up properly if there is even a speck of yolk in

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-8079452941725749682011-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-15T08:00:20.123-08:00

Less expensive than crab cakes, but just as elegant, salmon cakes with Hollandaise sauce pair beautifully with a Pinot Noir. Salmon Cakes With Hollandaise Sauce: Ingredients for salmon cakes: 3 small waxy potatoes, such as red or Yukon Gold, to make 1/2 cup 1 egg 1 6 oz. can salmon 1 tsp. minced fresh dill 2 Tbsp. fresh minced parsley pinch freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 cups,

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-23569424809572542312011-12-01T08:07:00.000-08:002011-12-01T08:56:58.170-08:00

WEEK #15 CULINARY CLASS FINAL: Eggs are the easiest ingredient to cook because they are so versatile and cook easily at a low heat. Obversely, they are one of the most difficult to cook well for two reasons: because they become leathery when overcooked (at temperatures above 180 degrees), and because the egg yolks solidify (cook through) at 149-158 degrees whereas the whites solidify at 144-149

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-19984264798001735942011-11-17T10:53:00.000-08:002011-11-28T07:54:48.744-08:00

WEEK #13 CULINARY CLASS: In preparation for Thanksgiving our culinary class made turkey 3 ways--stuffed with aromatics and roasted whole on a bed of mirepoix, restaurant-style--butchered, seared and roasted on mirepoix, and deep-fried. And of course, the fixin's: a mashed potato-sweet potato mixture, green beans, cranberry sauce, and gravy. No big surprises, since I've been making Thanksgiving

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-50330999748749377452011-11-11T08:36:00.000-08:002011-11-11T08:36:55.945-08:00

Baby Boomers like me grew up under the shadow of the Vietnam War. I was a child at the tail end of the 1960s and marched with my parents in peace and civil rights marches. Back then, police were called "pigs" and the military was hated because it drafted brothers, sons, and boyfriends to fight a war that most of us didn't want. I'm still a pacifist and wish our military had not gotten involved in

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-42702193035638234492011-11-10T10:08:00.000-08:002011-11-10T12:24:46.410-08:00

Chef Charles Fredericks SBCC School of Culinary Arts WEEK #12 CULINARY CLASS: Another excellent class with Chef Fredericks which covered the difference between round and flat fish, two cooking competencies: searing and poaching, how to make court boullion and beurre blanc and how to fillet and break down fish. The first video shows Chef cutting off the top fillet (I wish I'd kept my iphone on

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-2766062524686811452011-11-02T18:19:00.000-07:002011-11-10T11:58:19.392-08:00

WEEK #11 CULINARY CLASS: This week in class, we made two types of potatoes--hash browns and Potatoes Lyonnaise, roasted tomatoes, and Eggs Benedict. Chef Fredericks explained the technique behind Hollandaise sauce to avoid having the sauce "snap" or curdle. 3 Important Tips For Making Successful Hollandaise: 1. Use clarified butter--as you can see on the chart from last week's post, clarifying

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-4936913298902308452011-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:002011-10-28T18:59:46.928-07:00

WEEK #10 CULINARY ARTS CLASS: Another great class with Chef Fredericks where we made pork cutlets, homemade applesauce, wilted swiss chard with pancetta and potatoes au grain. Online, I discovered Chef Fredericks was a Dinner Chef at the James Beard Foundation in 2002, a great honor. Chefs are invited to cook a five course meal, plus three to five hors d'oeuvres, for 74 guests at the Foundation.

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-81114621576214799722011-10-18T11:35:00.000-07:002011-10-18T12:56:53.749-07:00

Paso Robles Syrah Last week, Touring & Tasting's magazine editor, Wendy van Diver, asked if I'd prepare Coq Au Vin to compare recipes for the upcoming issue. What fun! I love to make food and share it with the office--especially if there are several bottles of Syrah from different wineries to taste along with it! I already have a tasty, EASY recipe for coq au vin on my blog here. But in week

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-1481841728878355712011-10-13T10:53:00.000-07:002011-10-13T11:40:39.057-07:00

Four years ago, the New York Times published an article titled "Fake goods and unsafe food threaten Chinese exports" after thousands of dogs and cats in the USA became ill or died from melamine in pet food imported from China. The Washington Post declared "For years, U.S. inspection records show, China has flooded the United States with foods unfit for human consumption. And for years, FDA

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-1665964171466199642011-10-05T17:34:00.000-07:002011-10-05T20:05:16.959-07:00

This week in Culinary class, we made risotto and coq au vin. "Riso" is "rice" in Italian--"otto" is a suffix that indicates "small" and "adorable", so "risotto" would be "adorable little rice". However, as Chef Fredericks pointed out, in the culinary world, risotto is not a term for rice but for the cooking technique of gradual and incremental addition of liquid during the cooking process. So, it

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-43681196309456747942011-09-29T12:32:00.000-07:002011-10-01T13:20:15.871-07:00

Getting up at 5:30 am for the Culinary Fundamentals class has reprogrammed my biological clock. The positive side is that I'm seeing a lot of beautiful sunrises! My daughter, who loves potato gnocchi, will be happy to know that I learned the secret for making them light and fluffy. My problem has been that I've followed recipes slavishly and missed the secret that it is not the recipe but the

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-24995688853556860802011-09-22T16:43:00.000-07:002011-10-05T09:16:52.734-07:00

WEEK #5 CULINARY FUNDAMENTALS CLASS: Lasagne from scratch was our task this week--starting with making tomato sauce. We covered Mother Sauces this week: béchamel sauce, espagnole sauce, hollandaise, tomato sauce and velouté. Our team's lasagne wasn't beautiful, but it was tasty. Chef Fredericks showed us how to start the pasta d'uva (egg pasta) with the yolks and oil in a well built into a

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-86677025141503005922011-09-14T08:43:00.000-07:002011-10-05T09:17:37.561-07:00

WEEK #4 CULINARY FUNDAMENTALS CLASS: On the agenda: soups! We made an easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup and a tasty French Onion Soup. I learned a lesson this week--be careful when putting anything in the salamander as the handle is spring-loaded and when released, it will send the food shooting up towards the flame. Instead of nicely toasting my bread and Gruyere topping, I left the French onion soup

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-25015437655748011072011-09-08T11:08:00.000-07:002011-09-29T19:19:34.950-07:00

Chef Frederick is remarkable--the first teacher I've had who knows everything that is going on in his kitchen at all times without ever seeming like he's looking. Nothing escapes him. There can be 20 students busy cooking, but he knows what each is doing--and will call to the person in the back row that the angle of their knife against their steel is wrong, or warn someone at the end stove that

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-75026553144478929162011-08-31T17:33:00.000-07:002011-10-05T09:18:20.857-07:00

Luckily, I showed up early for Culinary class this week as the other eager students had the same idea--to get a spot at the front table where we can see Chef Charles Fredericks' demos up close! In fact, someone had taken my left corner spot, so I ended up directly in front of his prep area so I could snag a few shots of the chef in action. We paired up in teams of two and made yummy roast chicken

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-6997357109484062802011-08-28T17:51:00.000-07:002011-11-10T12:00:05.735-08:00

I dusted off my chef's whites and dug out my checkered pants to start fall semester's Culinary Fundamentals at SBCC's School of Culinary Arts. I'm working my way backwards! I started with the most advanced class: Modern Food: Design, Style, Theory with Chef Vincent Van Hecke and am working now on the introductory classes, including this one taught by Chef Charles Fredricks. It's going to be a fun

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-51880854891762771152011-08-17T17:28:00.000-07:002011-10-05T09:19:19.758-07:00

Ok, one of the highlights of my week is getting my hands on Will Shortz's Sunday crossword. So, I decided to try my hand at creating my own crossword--wine themed, of course! It's not so easy to fill in the blanks at the end, so I had to get creative by using some rather esoteric terms. In fact, in one clue I basically give you the answer. Sorry if it's too difficult to solve--but please try your

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-69734554832229607192011-08-05T11:56:00.000-07:002011-10-05T09:32:57.523-07:00

The highlight of our Touring & Tasting Mediterranean cruise was our Tuscan Grille wine pairing luncheon with Brys Estate and Rodney Strong single vineyard and Reserve wines. The appetizer choice of Chilled Tian of Shrimp, Mango and Avocado with Passionfruit Vinaigrette was paired with the Brys Estate Bubbly--a Rose' sparkling wine. The Brie Fondue was paired with the 2009 Rodney Strong Chalk Hill

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-90971140418219107272011-08-05T11:54:00.000-07:002011-10-05T10:49:46.103-07:00

Kotor, Montenegro is at the end of one of the most beautiful inland passages in the world--a long, snaking fjord that takes 45 minutes to navigate. In the blue misty morning light, the surrounding mountains took on an ethereal beauty (my photo is inadequate) and the water was a palette of pastel colors. National Geographic named Montenegro as one of the "50 Places of a Lifetime" due to its

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-51814863681687839802011-08-02T05:32:00.000-07:002011-10-05T11:02:06.006-07:00

Yesterday we entered Venice like a princess at the Ambassador's Ball sweeping down the grand staircase in her billowing ball gown. It was a sensation unlike any other to be 14 floors up--150 feet in the air--gliding down the waterway, being able to see all angles of the city from the towering height and seeing the tourists lining the canals turn to look and wave. Later, we were in St. Mark's

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-37716951414808197172011-07-29T14:21:00.000-07:002011-10-05T20:22:31.691-07:00

Woke up to the sunrise over Naples, pink and pearly blue. Saturday we enjoyed a wonderful day with a private visit to the Terredora Winery about 1 1/2 hours outside of Naples. One of the private events included in our Touring and Tasting Mediterranean wine cruise was to see this acclaimed winery--a special treat in Italy because they do not have tasting rooms like we have in the USA. Wineries

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-59094434985920437152011-07-29T14:18:00.000-07:002011-10-27T11:07:43.282-07:00

Day four of our wine cruise: we docked in Civitavecchia, the port for access to Rome, but instead of enduring a 3+ hour roundtrip ride into "la bella cita", we took the local bus to Tarquinia which is a half hour to the north. Tarquinia is a UNESCO World Heritage site with the second most important Etruscan museum in the country and many excavated and restored Etruscan tombs. Hundreds of tomb

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-88323277793265982522011-07-27T23:35:00.000-07:002011-10-27T11:10:02.393-07:00

"Il vino rosso di casa e' locale?" I asked (is the house red wine local?) "Certo" replied the waiter (of course) and went on to explain the wines of Cinque Terre. There are three terms you are likely to see on the label, in ascending order of quality: Cinque Terre Coop. (for cooperative), Cinque Terre Coste and Cinque Terre Forcini Cappellini. All are made from the grapes grown on steep rugged

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-415968148085446672011-07-26T22:59:00.001-07:002011-10-28T19:02:18.325-07:00

I'm in an enormous chunk of metal plowing at a great rate of speed across an incredibly deep blue expanse of sea. There is just a bit of movement, not enough to throw one's balance, but enough to make my sensitive system feel a bit disoriented. The Celebrity Solstice is enormous with a central open space 10 stories high with glass elevators and a full-sized tree suspended in the center in a

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-3070981077136414142011-07-22T07:53:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:03:03.856-07:00

This month was a whirlwind of preparation for the Touring and Tasting Mediterranean wine cruise. I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, busy getting my work done in advance so this can be a real vacation. Now, four plane rides, two delays and 36 hours later, we are finally in Barcelona. At first glance, it is not at all what I expected. Viewed from above in the airplane and from to the taxi to

Tamanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-30928091382514443202011-07-03T19:29:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:03:43.980-07:00

On May 5th two years ago, during an unusual heat spell, a small wildfire was lit in the dry hills above Santa Barbara. Fanned by "sundowner winds", it quickly grew to consume 8,733 acres, destroying 80 homes and injuring several of the valiant firefighters who fought to keep the wall of flames from decimating our historic town. There was one terrifying night when the entire town north of State

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-84758251426221856602011-06-30T10:15:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:04:29.552-07:00

Aahhh...looking forward to relaxing aboard the Celebrity Solstice on our Mediterranean wine cruise. Touring & Tasting sold out all our reserved staterooms--we have 32 people signed up to leave Barcelona for Nice, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Venice, Kotor and Montenegro, taste Brys and Rodney Strong wine, have a sommelier guided tour of the 2-story wine tower, enjoy a four-course wine pairing

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-12624766477898766202011-06-23T10:24:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:05:42.295-07:00

I used my cast iron skillet to make blackened salmon last night--it was so juicy and flavorful! I posted a blackened salmon recipe for a salad last year, this one is spicer to contrast with the creamy flavor of the fava bean risotto. The salmon had a lovely crispy, herb crust around it from being seared and cooked on cast iron. We paired it with a bottle of the 2007 ArborBrook Heritage Cuvee

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-20984062155048564392011-06-15T21:08:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:06:53.469-07:00

In a recent CNN article, Carina Storr asked  "Will A Gluten-free Diet Improve Your Health?". She points out that one does not need to have full-blown celiac disease to feel discomfort from eating gluten; there is a spectrum of gluten intolerance from celiac disease to gluten sensitivity. In celiac disease, the body's immune system reacts to gluten by producing antibodies that destroy villi--which

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-30311206327195017352011-06-09T10:46:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:07:26.119-07:00

A quick post this week because I'm hitting the road like thousands of other parents to pick up my daughter from college. This past school year was like water slipping through one's fingers: delightful to experience, impossible to hold. The traffic is going to be crazy on the 101--wish me luck! Have you wondered what to do with extra egg yolks? After making the meringue cookies last week, I ended

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-64205066710288191892011-06-02T10:34:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:08:31.940-07:00

It's not so easy to find a decadent chocolate bundt cake recipe made from scratch on the web. I fault the proliferation of advertising-dollar-driven recipe sites like about.com who offer minimal payment to anyone who can write up content for them which increases their web traffic and in turn their revenue dollars. Most recipes start with cake mix as the base--what's the point of that? So here is

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-73043882532954777842011-05-26T10:10:00.000-07:002011-10-28T19:09:23.093-07:00

I survived the Dragon once! Part of me thought I'd never want to be sweating in front of it again, but the School of Culinary Arts at Santa Barbara City College has started taking sign ups for fall classes and a yearning arises in the other part of me to face the Dragon again. When I took the Modern Food: Design, Style, Theory class under Chef Vincent van Hecke last year, in the center of the

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-46727435098862212002011-05-19T10:32:00.000-07:002011-06-07T06:14:35.891-07:00

These beans were one of the first plants to be cultivated, with evidence of their use found over 5,000 years ago in China and North Africa. Long a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, along with chickpeas and lentils, broad beans are also called fava beans. But, after the chilling line from Hannibal Lechter in Silence of The Lambs: "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti", one sees

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-1638555115375118572011-05-19T09:59:00.000-07:002011-05-19T09:59:34.759-07:00

We stopped for lunch at our favorite McPhee's Grill in Templeton (see here and here, ) on the way north for their grilled artichoke, fish tostada, a glass of Jim Clendenen's Pinot Gris and--first time trying it--the amazing Grilled Three Cheese and Mushroom Sandwich. Fabulous. Grilled cheese made with rustic bread and artisan cheese is all over California menus and filling new cookbooks like

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-33933571805743980022011-05-05T08:59:00.000-07:002011-05-05T11:19:17.813-07:00

I traveled to Mexico once or twice a year for 18 years as a kid, usually in the very back seat of the lumbering turquoise panel truck we called "Chamuyo". The Dodge was like a friendly beast, colorful and expressive with two great headlight eyes and a hint of a smile under the massive front hood. My mother told me the name meant "Green dragon" in Spanish which delighted me for some reason. I

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-16018944819077909202011-04-28T09:55:00.000-07:002011-04-29T13:19:15.715-07:00

Take the wine labeling quiz below to see how much you know about wine laws in the USA! 1. By law, what is the minimum percentage of this wine that must be from the Chardonnay grape? (There is one exception to this rule). A. 100% B. 95% C. 85% D. 75% E. 50% 2. By law, what is the minimum percentage of the grapes that must be from Santa Barbara County? A. 100% B. 95% C. 85% D. 75% E. 50% 3. By

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-84743008924455604382011-04-21T11:18:00.000-07:002011-04-21T11:21:02.189-07:00

Last weekend was the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Festival with wine tasting, gourmet food samples from local chefs and live music. Touring & Tasting was there handing out free magazines and flyers for our huge warehouse wine sale this Saturday. The wine biz in Santa Barbara County generates half a billion dollars a year. Though the region is among the oldest wine growing regions in the

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-39034093466035557042011-04-14T08:55:00.000-07:002011-04-14T10:37:35.855-07:00

Easter is one of the happiest times of the year. There's a sense of anticipation in the balmy air, the feeling of renewal, of hope and faith and the simple joy of being alive. Trees bud out and flowers display their faces to the warming sun and the first vegetable sprouts begin to pop up in kitchen gardens. Happy Spring! How To Empty Eggs To Decorate Them For Easter

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-12538500427335904132011-04-09T07:30:00.000-07:002011-04-09T07:48:57.575-07:00

Like a shadow on my heart, sadness for the victims of the tsunami in Japan stays with me. I worked on the following bit of writing in the writing workshop I took a couple of weeks ago: Nearly a month has passed since the catastrophic tsunami swept over coastal Japan creating a churning stew of destroyed ships, wrecked homes, smashed cars and unfortunate victims, but I still can't seem to stay

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-39671697273837649282011-04-05T16:26:00.000-07:002011-04-06T18:54:34.290-07:00

En route to our adventure described in the last post to the Artisan Cheese Festival, we had to endure a 9 1/2 hour drive through torrential rain. The usual travel time is about 5 hours from Santa Barbara to the Bay Area, but that Friday was filled with National Weather Service Flash Flood warnings. The 101 Freeway around Gilroy was crawling at 40 mph with buckets of water pouring from the skies,

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-80044680061404431142011-03-30T21:11:00.000-07:002011-03-30T21:33:42.284-07:00

"You can't make good cheese out of bad milk," says Collette at the "Brie and Bubbly" seminar at the Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma last weekend. We knew this already, since the day before, we were on a farm tour of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese near Tomales Bay. Their herd manager explained how the flavor and quality of feed creates flavor and quality in the milk. The best feed for cows is

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-24673591979130859712011-03-24T05:36:00.000-07:002011-03-24T06:23:49.799-07:00

Redolent of star anise, cinnamon, clove, fennel and Schezuan peppercorn, Chef Skip's Master Sauce simmered in its dark orange cast iron pot. The liquid is opaque brown, thick with flavor, skimmed with a sheen of oil, intended to please the palate and nose and satisfy the soul.  Master Sauce is the basis of "red cooking" in Chinese cuisine: the technique of braising meats in this complex sauce for

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-39937848923113533612011-03-19T08:12:00.000-07:002011-03-20T13:56:48.347-07:00

Blessed by natural beauty and cursed with the threat of earthquakes, floods and wildfires, California is often in the national and international news. Currently, we're receiving press for the plume of radiation supposedly streaming across the Pacific from Japan. An absurd article in the New York Times (here) asserts: "This is a part of the world where people accept — perhaps even secretly enjoy —

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-81520494573752007882011-03-16T19:39:00.000-07:002011-03-16T21:01:58.986-07:00

The invitation promised "a wonderful Gala of Gourmet Dining and lovely Operatic Singing". And it was! Frederick and Diane Sidon have been avid supporters of Opera Santa Barbara as well as a patron for many cultural events around town. With Gabriella Schooley, the hard-working President of the Italian Cultural Heritage Foundation, they hosted a magnificent banquet last weekend at the La Cumbre

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-19072513163175008982011-03-09T20:30:00.000-08:002011-03-26T20:02:31.177-07:00

Now that staterooms are filling up for our Mediterranean Wine Cruise, I'm starting to look into the ports we'll explore. Our adventure begins (and comes to a conclusion) in Barcelona, noted for Gaudi's architecture, the art of Dali and Miro, and great food! I've never visited Spain, and look forward to dining there as some of my favorite restaurants in California feature Spanish tapas. We covered

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-68754761629620022312011-03-02T09:56:00.000-08:002011-03-02T15:49:40.168-08:00

Today the rain drizzles down unrelentingly in Southern California, while most of the country digs out of snow. When it's cold and gray outside, warm your bones with this nourishing soup called Oden that has plenty of protein and very little fat. The main ingredient is Japanese fish cake (kamaboko), increasingly available in the freezer section of chain grocery stores or at Asian markets. You can

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-82172277118958656162011-02-24T10:33:00.000-08:002011-02-26T07:13:02.696-08:00

Do you love this face? It's one of two baby harbor seals being cared for at the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center, which has the highest success rate of any marine mammal rescue center worldwide, with 90% of the animals successfully saved. Founder and marine biologist Peter Howorth runs this center on grants, donations and volunteerism. They had a fundraiser last fall, where we got to meet

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-33840650963237223582011-02-18T11:51:00.000-08:002011-02-18T12:11:22.817-08:00

"I make all these wines," he boasts, with a wave of his hand at two tables laden with top labels from France like Chateau Pontet-Canet and Leoville Poyferré as well as wines from Spain, Australia, Israel and more. How is it possible for one man to make so many wines? We have just arrived at the Herzog 4th Annual International Food and Wine Festival celebrating kosher wine from around the world.

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-88969136053119919272011-02-09T16:11:00.000-08:002011-02-11T16:28:02.901-08:00

Herzog Cellars will host the 4th Annual International Food and Wine Festival  Wednesday, February 16th,  6-9 pm Many of the top kosher wine producers from around the world will be pouring their wines. Participants include: Leoville Poyferré from the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux Pontet Canet from Pauillac of the Médoc Yon Figeac from St. Emilion of Bordeaux Giraud from Château Neuf du

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-16835454325704374232011-02-02T16:59:00.000-08:002011-02-03T10:20:31.328-08:00

Rodney Strong Vineyards and Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery will be joining us on the wine cruise this summer! Rodney Strong is a terrific Sonoma winery with loads of medals, awards and 90+ point ratings from Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. They hand-pick and hand-sort their estate grapes, producing stellar Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Meritage

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-30670055438974337642011-01-27T10:10:00.000-08:002011-01-27T10:13:33.726-08:00

If you browse the internet for information on  Alice Waters, most likely you will find the adjectives "pioneering" and "influential" near her name. If there was a "Six Degrees Of Separation" in the restaurant world, she would be at the nexus of the connections. No wonder she has been called the "mother of American food" and was recently named in the top 10 of  "America's 50 Most Powerful People

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-64018863933713367762011-01-20T11:30:00.000-08:002011-01-21T09:25:14.375-08:00

San Francisco architect David Baker, designer of the the Hotel Healdsburg, married art with comfort. The elegant lines and earthy palette please the eye, while one's sense of touch is pampered with the buttery soft sheets, deep pillowy couches and deep soaking tubs. Through my current and past jobs, I've been fortunate to stay at many wonderful resorts and hotels, many with lavish spas, golf

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-58508223176326402452011-01-13T21:50:00.000-08:002011-01-15T10:58:00.294-08:00

Alice Water's Chez Panisse is housed in a brown Craftsman bungalow that looks like it once was surrounded by lush gardens, but modern development encroached and jammed a row of stucco shops right up to its side walls. Its unpretentious exterior is easily overlooked on Shattuck Avenue, the "restaurant row" of Berkeley. The interior is soothing and casually elegant with Stickley style furniture and

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-6987788973062691412011-01-12T08:49:00.000-08:002011-01-12T11:42:04.974-08:00

We nibbled on tasty treats last night at the "Film Feast" preview reception hosted at the Wine Cask by affable owner Mitchell Sjerven (also proprietor of bouchon santa barbara, read more). The event is a preview of the joint venture between the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission (yes, that's a long title!) and the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization to provide prix

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-32255262323394790682011-01-10T09:54:00.000-08:002011-01-10T11:49:18.349-08:00

When the sun shines on San Francisco, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Surrounded on three sides by the bay, the watery expanses reach out from her hilly vistas in shimmering plains of blue. But, when the fog sweeps a shroud across the sky, the row houses look dingy and the whole place seems clammy. The damp cold chills one to the bone, hence the famous comment attributed to

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-30136651985901736452011-01-04T08:12:00.000-08:002011-02-26T07:26:02.788-08:00

I'm excited/nervous about our upcoming Touring & Tasting wine cruise--I tend to turn green and my stomach has a fit on boats, but I'm hoping cruising on a large modern cruiseship will not have the same effect. Researching this online, I'm reading that stabilizers plus the weight of the cruiseship keep it steady. Anyway, the lure of seeing my beloved Italy again, and to visit Spain, Montenegro and

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-20548501848601236712010-12-29T12:06:00.000-08:002011-01-04T08:24:53.719-08:00

    (Read notes on last year's ZAP--Zinfandel Festival) Northern California wine country is inundated by more than 4.5 million tourists each year, most of whom visit between May and October. Highway 29 can be bumper to bumper in the summer and reservations for the top restaurants hard to obtain. That's why we like to visit between Christmas and New Year's when rain and birds are more

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-82456793146740639512010-12-24T14:32:00.000-08:002010-12-24T14:32:32.321-08:00

Wishing everyone happy holidays! On our table tonight: prime rib for the carnivores, salmon (marinated in oj, cherry jam and mustard), roasted Yukon potatoes, cauliflower, beets and carrots, and apple/candied pecan salad. I used egg white to bind the sugar to the nuts instead of butter and they are crispy without being cloyingly rich: CANDIED PECANS: spray olive oil 1 egg white 1 Tbsp. water 3-4

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-46071207759287691352010-12-22T21:36:00.000-08:002010-12-23T07:22:05.765-08:00

When I saw a copy of "Vertical" by Rex Pickett, the sequel to "Sideways" (the novel, not the film), wrapped in cover with the familiar pea green and Merlot maroon colors, I snapped it up. I LOVED the film and saw it at least three times. I will never forget the collective scream of disbelief that erupted from the audience when Miles and Jack scrambled back to their car while being pursued by the

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-51487818871573522402010-12-16T09:42:00.000-08:002010-12-16T09:43:32.640-08:00

After years of furiously snipping cold butter into bits and chilling all my implements and ingredients to roll out a good pie crust, I tasted a thin, delightfully crisp crust at my friend Doreen's house which she made with oil and no fuss. It's not flaky and buttery, but rather a wafer-thin encapsulation of the filling without the excess carbs and calories. The filling was easy, too: two pounds

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-48891356601094407412010-12-06T14:42:00.000-08:002010-12-06T14:42:56.829-08:00

Making pasta is one of the joys of cooking. When the clumpy, gooey mess of flour and egg begins to come together, the supple smooth dough begins to feel like firm pliant flesh. The pasta springs back to the touch like a living being, and it has a wonderful, fresh smell of egg yolks and good olive oil. Pasta is one of the best things to make for a potluck because people are impressed (don't let

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-72896776359501890172010-11-24T12:11:00.000-08:002010-11-25T07:54:38.367-08:00

Raised free range and fed organic soy and corn, my organic Diestel turkey is brining away in the frig in preparation for tomorrow's meal with sprigs of rosemary and oregano. I don't eat turkey myself, but make a traditional dinner for family and friends. Today's Los Angeles Times includes an article on arsenic (yes, it's legal!) in commercial-grade poultry feed, as well as the use of an

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-61178126792743288872010-11-17T11:40:00.000-08:002010-11-17T21:47:24.306-08:00

Food magazines and wine sites are full of advice on what wines to pair for Thanksgiving. A cursory look through them confirmed what I suspected--crisp, light whites or sparklers to start, then medium bodied whites like Chardonnay to pair with the turkey. Lighter reds like Pinot Noir or Rhone blends are suggested, with an occasional mention of a medium fruity red like a Syrah or Bordeaux. But the

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-26346051553555323802010-11-12T08:46:00.000-08:002010-11-12T08:46:57.350-08:00

I've worked with a couple of people who had a joke or pun for everything, but never heard a joke involving Chardonnay. My Google search for one only turned the following, which is painfully un-funny: The mother superior of a convent was worried. She called her community of nuns together and said: “Sisters, I have grave news. We have found a case of Gonorrhea here in our convent…” “Thank The

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-42639737059200843422010-11-03T16:19:00.000-07:002011-04-13T17:32:01.700-07:00

Pinot Noir vine Willamette Valley It's not possible to forget Miles' obsession with Pinot Noir if you've seen the movie "Sideways". His passion for the grape was infectious, as evidenced by the estimated 40+% increase in Pinot Noir sales in the year immediately following the film's release. Pinot lovers abound, showing up by the hundreds for Pinot Noir-only festivals like California's World Of

Tamanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-43754812973307607392010-10-28T11:39:00.000-07:002010-11-03T14:18:00.914-07:00

Growing season in Southern California is year round, but some vegetables susceptible to chill start dying off in the fall. My next-to-last harvest of eggplants and tomatoes included heirloom varieties of white and yellow eggplant (White Beauty and Thai Yellow Egg) from Hirt's Gardens seed company. Browse the Hirt's website for unusual varieties of vegetables, fruits and flowers--like these

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-91740025656232322712010-10-21T10:22:00.001-07:002010-10-21T16:25:28.614-07:00

Photo George Naylor --Farm Bill Basic In the 1980s, a crisis hit farmers hard. A loosening of export policies in the '70s allowed huge grain exports to the hungry Soviet Union, jacking up commodity prices. Removal of restrictions on lending by our Federal Land Bank led to a boom in farmland prices and ballooning debt. Like the speculative real estate boom prior to the mortgage crisis we face

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-930223532776679612010-10-08T18:35:00.000-07:002010-10-08T19:03:36.067-07:00

Lodge with Bandon Dunes Course behind, then the ocean. Part of the 32 acre practice area Bandon Dunes Golf Resort opened in 1998 on the spectacular, wild coast of Southern Oregon after the Scotsman David McLay Kidd spent three years getting to know the land and designing the first course, Bandon Dunes. Pacific Dunes, designed by Michigan architect Tom Doak opened in 2001, and four years later

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-48247996329035204022010-10-06T22:48:00.001-07:002010-10-14T11:57:40.001-07:00

Sunrise over Willamette Valley from Black Walnut Inn WEEK #6 WINE CLASS: I'm playing hooky again from the Culinary School wine class, visiting Oregon to help find unique, artisanal wines for the Touring and Tasting wine clubs. Well, truth be told, it's more "r and r" with wine tasting, golf and Shakespeare, but we're getting a brief look at the terroir of Oregon and getting to sample some

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-53537238499266991692010-09-29T16:10:00.001-07:002010-09-30T09:48:39.592-07:00

Test your wine knowledge! Answer this week's question: What is the second most planted white wine grape in California? (answer at end) WEEK #5 WINE CLASS: Versatile and responsive to the winemaker's touch, the Chardonnay grape is the most planted world-wide, as it is easier to grow than most and can tolerate a wide range of soils and climates. Chardonnay wines range from agreeable jug wines

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-12956847535209518142010-09-22T18:35:00.000-07:002010-09-22T23:53:35.000-07:00

Forty years ago the world looked down its nose at American wine; today we have equalled or surpassed, in quality and reputation, countries with thousands of years of wine-making history. Americans are amazing! California has been at the forefront of this meteoric rise, ever since California wines stunned the world by beating French wines in the famous 1976 Paris Tasting. Sample a selection of red

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-91688079427122765962010-09-16T08:05:00.000-07:002010-09-22T18:24:40.670-07:00

Was the year 2000 "the greatest vintage Bordeaux has ever produced"? According to a CNN report, the critics think so: "Wine critics tend to be a notoriously demanding bunch, but if you read what they're saying about the 2000 vintage in Bordeaux you'd think they'd tasted heaven itself. Wine Spectator's James Suckling claimed that it's "the first exceptional year for a new generation in Bordeaux.

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-11479424376758083912010-09-08T19:16:00.000-07:002010-09-22T22:38:31.969-07:00

WEEK #2 WINE CLASS: "Estate-grown", "hand-picked", "bio-dynamic", "new oak"...these are some of the terms you may find in a wine's description. But, do they signify something significant or are they just catchwords for people who enjoy the minutiae of viniculture?  Chef Randy Bublitz explained to our class how these terms make a difference. Our teacher Antonio had an important winery event, so we

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-79627333757150581252010-09-01T21:08:00.000-07:002010-09-22T22:37:47.424-07:00

WEEK #1 WINE CLASS:La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin -- Life is too short to drink bad wine.In May of 2009, a heat wave dessicated Southern California chaparral. Whether it was an accident caused by "trail gnomes" or arson, a spark in the dry brush, fanned by sundowner winds gusting to 60 mph, created a sinuous dragon of fire that  engulfed the northern hills of Santa Barbara.

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-63075413761877644332010-08-26T08:13:00.000-07:002010-08-26T08:32:03.890-07:00

Years ago, I lived in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles near what was called "the bagel belt" of Fairfax Avenue. Mostly Jewish, it was a friendly neighborhood with many grandmas who loved to stop me on the street to chat about their children and their childhoods, sometimes with harrowing tales of escaping Poland or Germany before Hitler's iron fist descended. Fairfax was and is populated

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-20319709141840618582010-08-18T16:14:00.000-07:002010-08-18T16:29:56.902-07:00

Sing a song of praise for humble cast iron! My cast iron Dutch oven was on the bottom of a thrift store shelf with a lowly $10 price tag on it years ago. I've hauled the heavy thing through countless moves and it has rewarded me with wonderful stews, beans, tender pot roasts and corned beef and cabbage (back in the meat eating days), and even produced fluffy cakes with crispy bottoms and centers

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-60658364807633428582010-08-12T10:55:00.000-07:002011-04-14T09:01:31.023-07:00

Mist had spread a sheen over Santa Barbara early Monday morning when I went for a brisk walk. Bright bits of confetti were caught in the cracks of the brick sidewalks, leftovers from the weekend, when the streets were throbbing with mariachi music and throngs of people munched Mexican food and smashed cascarones--confetti-filled eggs--on each other's head. I managed to crunch one on my 6' 5"

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-73078918675482315402010-08-04T17:54:00.000-07:002011-04-14T09:02:48.285-07:00

Along the California coast, there are many beautiful spots, but perhaps none as beautiful as Santa Barbara. We are the only south facing coastal town, protected from Pacific storms by the Channel Islands and blessed with near perfect weather. Stringent building codes have preserved and fostered Spanish and Mediterranean architecture, giving us white-washed walls, red-tile roofs, bougainvilla

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-30677690323686764652010-07-28T16:35:00.000-07:002010-09-14T18:08:50.921-07:00

The wine/food pairing of Pinot Noir and salmon is as classic as steak and Cabernet Sauvignon. I hadn't seen a teriyaki-cooked salmon makizushi recipe before, but came up with this sushi recipe with salmon pan-cooked in a ginger teriyaki sauce. Eat it warm with the salmon meltingly tender, or chill for a picnic--the salmon will firm up. Either way, this salmon makizushi recipe pairs delectably

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-58774038892790979652010-07-22T10:01:00.000-07:002010-07-22T10:26:30.944-07:00

CARAMELIZED ONION TARTS: 2 sheets of puff pastry 1 red onion 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. sugar 8 oz. goat cheese 1 egg Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the puff pastry into rounds using a 3-4" cookie cutter or a teacup as a template and a sharp knife to cut the pastry. Put half of the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut a circle out of the second half of the rounds using a smaller cookie cutter or

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-26441537187234043992010-07-14T19:07:00.000-07:002010-07-15T09:23:04.203-07:00

An Australian damper loaf is like an Irish soda bread; this bush tucker recipe probably was brought to the "Land of Oz" by Irish immigrants. If you have wattle seed--a native "bush tucker" ingredient--you can add it for an authentic Outback flavor. If not, this is a satisfyingly dense, fine-textured rye that pairs well with cheese and wine. I obtained my wattle seed with the book "Rainforest To

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-90852398183573104382010-07-08T10:56:00.000-07:002010-07-15T08:34:05.958-07:00

This week's recipe is reminiscent of a plate I had in Australia of smoked Tasmanian salmon sitting al fresco near the beach of Cairns. SMOKED SALMON SALAD WITH MOZZARELLA AND BALSALMIC VINAIGRETTE: 8 oz. smoked salmon (or lox) 4 slices fresh Mozzarella 2 cups baby greens 2 quarters of a lemon 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded 1/2 stalk of celery Balsamic Vinaigrette: 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-28820053164937013112010-07-02T22:53:00.000-07:002011-10-05T09:15:43.074-07:00

 TripAdvisor is a great resource for finding good accommodations and restaurants, particularly overseas where one can't rely on local blogs and restaurant reviews online (or can't read them if they are in a language one doesn't know). The TripAdvisor reviews for Tetsuya's in Sydney range from rapturous to denigrating--but Tetsuya's has been on Restaurant magazine's Top 50 world restaurants for

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-63335363279237841312010-06-24T01:38:00.000-07:002010-07-15T08:51:23.818-07:00

PANKO BREADED CHILI RELLENOS WITH RED CHILI SAUCE: 12 dried red chili pods 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup minced onion 4 cloves minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 Tbsp. cumin 3 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes Fresh cilantro Using gloves, wash the chili pods and remove all the seeds and the "veins" or fibers that hold the seeds. Put into a saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then simmer for

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-72274141563418731872010-06-17T09:58:00.000-07:002010-07-15T08:59:16.674-07:00

With great (unplanned) synchronicity, this week's Online Grapevine special features Australian wines, from K Wines's Marquis Philips label, in the week just before I fly "down under" to the land of Oz! Australian wines have made a big splash in the US in recent years, more about that later. But first, the most intriguing aspect of Aussie culture to me is bush tucker--"bush" meaning "the Outback"

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-49016879346270061902010-06-10T10:26:00.000-07:002010-06-10T10:32:25.302-07:00

Vegetarian-hater, foul-mouthed, pothead, sarcastic, raconteur extraordinaire--Anthony Bourdain is everything I'm not, and I should hate him for calling vegetarians "the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food" (which, by the way, includes eating unwashed warthog rectum). But I've enjoyed his Travel Channel show because

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-11383298914160344772010-05-31T16:39:00.000-07:002010-06-03T11:10:59.605-07:00

In the '80s, the mini-series "Shogun" was a big hit. My father, who was Japanese, and Japanese friends had little regard for it due to the many inaccuracies and anachronisms it contained. Most glaring was the idea that a noblewoman could have fallen in love with one of the foreign men of that time. Cleanliness has always been a top priority for Japanese, they bathed every day and scrubbed their

Tamanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-9335515004387361232010-05-27T09:59:00.000-07:002011-11-08T11:35:45.462-08:00

I was seated next to beautiful young girl at last night's benefit for Noah's Anchorage, which provides support services for homeless and at-risk youth. It turned out she was the keynote speaker, having come from foster care to Noah's Anchorage. She is a remarkable young woman, poised and confident despite the hardships she had to endure on her way to Noah's Anchorage which currently houses and

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-65817200381321786692010-05-19T18:20:00.000-07:002010-05-19T18:38:27.915-07:00

LAST WEEK CULINARY CLASS: Whew! Finals are over and I'm free for the summer. Thanks to our teacher Chef Vincent van Hecke, who besides being a great instructor, also takes beautiful food shots. Here's a sample of his food photography of our "Modern Food: Style/Design/Theory" class: This week's wine pairing recipe: Give your pocketbook a break this week! Save money on wine with our half price

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-70838663941630650332010-05-13T08:59:00.001-07:002010-07-28T13:05:57.377-07:00

"When I see people relaxed, chatting, enjoying a great meal, that's when I'm happy", says Mitchell Sjerven, proprietor of bouchon santa barbara. He has been in the restaurant business all his life, first in the kitchen after he fudged on his age to begin working at 15, and later, in the front of the house, working his way up to manager and earning a degree from UCSB in International Relations on

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-72425602645289814672010-05-08T07:15:00.000-07:002011-11-08T11:32:07.715-08:00

Imagine tasting the creations of sixteen of the top chefs of Santa Barbara in one evening--this is your chance. The foodie event of the season has to be the "Reaching For The Stars' dinner organized by Chef Vincent Van Hecke of the Montecito Valley Club (and teacher extraordinaire at the SBCC School Of Culinary Arts). Here's the stellar line up of Chefs: John Downey--Downey's Brandon Hughes--

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-26513778298604844282010-05-03T09:17:00.000-07:002010-05-17T17:17:45.780-07:00

Last night was the Tour de Cuisine dinner put on by the graduating Spring 2010 Culinary Arts School students and it was awesome! This event is the culmination of their four semester studies. They plan and execute the event from designing the menu to ordering the food to cooking for a huge crowd. The unofficial count I heard mentioned by family and friends was over 300 guests. For just 17 students

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-44125947995879555932010-04-29T08:58:00.000-07:002011-03-13T10:01:03.775-07:00

On their website, the Henry Wine Group says, "Warner Henry began by founding Vintage House Distributors in southern California and eventually acquired a select group of regional fine wine companies. The merging of this collective formed a company that is now the largest importer, distributor, and broker in the United States dedicated exclusively to fine wines." I can't say if they are the largest

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-53889254531085950602010-04-22T08:52:00.000-07:002010-05-13T18:43:43.457-07:00

WEEK #11 CULINARY ARTS SCHOOL: The subcontinent of India encompasses an astonishing diversity of ethnic groups, religions and climates. Every climate can be found in India, from steamy coastal jungle in the south to the lofty snow-filled heights of the Himalayas, with vast, fertile plateaus in between, allowing the cultivation of all types of spices and herbs. No wonder then that India is the #1

Tamanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-16775464114306764802010-04-14T20:09:00.000-07:002011-01-15T10:48:35.302-08:00

Those of us who adore food owe a debt of gratitude to great chefs like Julia Child who brought fine cuisine to the ordinary household with wit and congeniality. (See more below on the amazing Julia Child from her friend Chef Skip of Santa Barbara) Our copy of "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking" has been gone through cover to cover, but I can't eat classic French food every day.  Don't get me

Tamanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6970176844703324639.post-42179549258715580912010-04-06T09:06:00.000-07:002010-05-13T18:45:18.649-07:00

Even under steel gray clouds, Highway 1 between Monterey and Cambria is still one of the most stunningly beautiful drives in the world. Big Sur is pristine with just the narrow ribbon of highway tracing its circuitous route to intrude on nature. I craned my neck to peer at the few glass houses perched impossibly at the top of rocky precipices, windows opening to the awesome expanse of blue sea.

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