Holiday discounts on Love Apple Farm workshops, new restaurant to open in Felton, and chipotle hot sauce
Inquiring home cooks and cuisinartists are hopelessly devoted to the very special workshops and farm dinners hosted by the savvy folks of Love Apple Farms—which include everything from beer and pasta-making to garden mosaics and the famous tomato seed workshop. And since you’re hunting for holiday gift ideas guaranteed to please that discerning foodie, how about a gift certificate to one of Love Apple’s classes, or dinners at 25 percent off? From now until Dec. 25, LAF email newsletter subscribers can order these specially discounted gift certificates at the Love Apple Farms’website. Go to growbetterveggies.com to find out more.
Beer Blooms in Felton
Fans of Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing will finally be able to quench their thirsts in the long-awaited Cremer House beer-intensive restaurant. The dream child of SCMB’s Emily Thomas, the new establishment will be open any minute now with a vibrant menu of locally sourced, beer-friendly ingredients under the culinary gaze of chef Gabe Luboff. The new home of 25 beers on tap—lots of SCMB brews as well as others—is housed in Felton’s oldest building, circa 1874, and located right next door to New Leaf Market. I can’t wait to run up to the Valley to sample both food and brews. Stay tuned.
Product of the Week
Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce. Yes of course you’ve been using the zippy Cholula Hot Sauce on your scrambled eggs, acos, and black beans for years now. We stock extra bottles in the pantry just in case the apocalypse arrives earlier than planned. But last week, we discovered Cholula Chipotle, a nuanced spice delivery system subtly haunted by the smokiness of chipotle, better known as smoked jalapeños. Not aggressively hot in the way of serrano-based hot sauces, this richly flavorful condiment can turn even the classic turkey dinner (of which you might tire after Dec. 25) into something sexy. Cholula Chipotle is the single malt of hot sauces, smooth and complex. Check it out.
A Spiritual Quest
If, like me, you’re anxious for the completion of the upcoming Venus Spirits Tasting Room on the Westside of Santa Cruz, you can join in the initial funding campaign to help raise $15,000 toward the tasting room’s interior, which is being developed by Stripe Design Group. The new tasting room for the handmade gins, whiskies and tequilas crafted by Sean Venus, with its custom styling, looks to be a basecamp for spending quality time engaged in spiritual practice. The Indiegogo campaign for Venus Spirits will run through the end of the year. Just google indiegogo and Sean Venus Tasting Room Project to take part.
Artisan in Paso Robles
On the way to the Mojave last week we stopped twice to dine at the welcoming Artisan, a serious showcase for the inventive cooking of Chris Kobayashi, who, along with his brother Michael provides this neck of the Central Coast with savory memories. Wine flights are an easy way to get close to some of the local premiums. We found ourselves growing very fond of an Austin Hope 2010 Grenache and a peppery Bodega Paso Robles Tempranillo 2011. Both wines were great with entrees that included a spectacularly earthy appetizer of tiny meatballs and succulent gnocchi, dotted with baby pea pods and shaved grana. But rather than delve into details of intricate wild boar and sea bass entrees, I will simply say that we split the greatest brussels sprouts dish ever. Presented on a piping hot cast iron platter, the tiny sprouts were sauteed with walnuts, zest of preserved lemon, dried peppers and capers. The walnuts echoed the nuttiness of the sprouts, the preserved lemon gave every bite flash and yum. A brilliant little creation, worth tinkering with in one’s own kitchen.
PHOTO: Chef Maggie Cattell shows students how to test their rolls in one of Love Apple Farm’s bread baking workshops. STACEY WICKMAN
