In Spain, during difficult times under dictator General Francisco Franco Bahamonde who ruled from 1939-75, a square of chocolate, sprinkled with salt and nibbled with a piece of bread drizzled with olive oil was dessert.
Here’s good news, Feb. 18 is National Drink Wine Day. Yippee!
Most people think of an India Pale Ale (IPA) as bracingly dry and bitter, and practically no one expects that to taste great with dessert. But the everywhere present and ever popular craft IPAs often make an excellent dessert pairing used in contrast to an oil filled carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting.
Happy New Year! We often have a bone-in prime rib roast for Christmas dinner each year. When we do, I always make a vegetable beef soup with the left-over bones. This very hearty dish, of course, can be prepared any time by simply picking up some beef ribs at the store. Try to find some with a good amount of meat on them.
More than 22 restaurants and 20 wineries throughout the valley will participate in the 2021 Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks, and will create menus that will work for locals to enjoy at home, and come in a variety of price points.
Rabble Wines in Paso Robles has been acquired by O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, producers of northern, Central Valley and California Centr…
Happy New Year! We often have a bone-in prime rib roast for Christmas dinner each year. When we do, I always make a vegetable beef soup with the left-over bones. This very hearty dish, of course, can be prepared any time by simply picking up some beef ribs at the store. Try to find some with a good amount of meat on them.
With Christmas right around the corner, I’m always looking for an eye-popping appetizer that is sure to please everyone. The kids will probably finish these off before the adults even find them!
Although tamales are usually associated with Mexico, there are versions all over the world, including Latin America.
Does this look like a high protein dish? Believe it or not, it is! Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and lentils are both high in protein and fiber.
The good news is that you will still find some of your favorite Central Coast tasting rooms open and they’re quite happy to accommodate you. There’s nothing I like better than being able to taste before I buy, so I know what I’m getting at the table.
With Thanksgiving Day looming in the foreground, it doesn’t hurt to think beyond the main event to leftovers on the weekend.
The Fess Parker family recently announced that its estate vineyard, Rodney’s, has been recognized by third-party certifier Sustainability in P…
There are many artisan producers here that make a single bottling of bubbly, but they usually come at steep prices. I highly recommend our local sparkling specialists like Riverbench in Santa Maria Valley, Flying Goat Cellars in Lompoc, and Laetitia Vineyards in Arroyo Grande Valley.
Where else would Italy meet Thailand except in the pages of our local Santa Barbara County newspapers! Although the default approach to pairin…
If I were rich, I’d carve out time to stretch my muscles and stretch my joints, and I would breathe in and breathe out, and I would visualize the light rising up and then descending...
The campaign helps raise money and awareness for Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE), a nationally recognized nonprofit founded by industry veterans to provide financial support to service industry families struggling due to a medical crisis, injury or natural disaster.
Recently, my wife, Jan, and I visited the Lafond Winery. Several years ago, we had been members there, but let our membership lapse. Everythin…
What makes Cuban sliders “Cuban?” Answer: I don’t know, but this ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickle sandwich on a slider bun topped with a Dijon m…
Pair this dish with Grassini’s 2019 Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc. This wine opens with aromas of fresh honeydew melon, white spring flowers, and a touch of hibiscus.
The Firestone Vineyard was established in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1972.
Newlywed couples whose wedding plans were changed due to COVID-19 are invited to enter the social media contest, co-sponsored by The Winston hotel in Solvang.
Frisée is a member of the endive/chicory family with finely curled leaves and a slightly bitter flavor. It is very popular in France, and a most elegant salad vegetable.
FROM THE VINE The 2020 harvest has begun at many vineyards on the Central Coast, and let’s hope it’s going to be a better year for the grapevines than it is for the general public.