Buttermilk is beloved in recipes for its ability to make rich, moist cakes and this Rich Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake is one of my favorite cake recipes ever. It’s easier to make a layer cake than I ever thought, and it’s really impressive — great to make for friends’ birthdays! It’s also a perfect way to …
Ever since I bought my new cake stand which doubles as a punch bowl, I’ve been looking for excuses to make punch (or retro layered salad). I fondly remember my mother’s parties when I was young, complete with polyester suits, funny 70s hairstyles and punch for everyone. So I was excited to find this creepy Halloween …
This dish is from Gala in Santa Barbara, which opened on Anacapa Street in early 2023. The couple behind this American-Spanish fusion restaurant, Chilean-born Chef Jaime Riesco and Santa Barbara native Tara Penke, recently returned from Barcelona where they ran a breakfast and brunch spot, Picnic. (The time change actually allows them, along with some …
This recipe comes from one of Santa Barbara County’s wood-fired pizza masters, the late Jeff Olsson, owner of New West Catering in Santa Ynez Valley, Industrial Eats in Buellton, and Eye on I in Lompoc. Jeff started cooking in restaurant kitchens at the age of 15 and later honed his skills under the tutelage of …
In Italian, maltagliati means badly cut. Today, this means any uniquely-shaped short flat noodles. Originally, they started out as a way to use leftover pasta, and were frequently hand torn. Fava beans are extremely delicious when they are fresh, and go well as a toothy protein in pasta. This is the perfect spring pasta dish. …
Motley Crew Ranch in Lompoc is finding a better way to raise meat, and doing it locally. If you live in Santa Barbara County, this is a great place to get humanely and organically raised beef, pork, chicken, and lamb. They have a CSA farm-share box for animal protein, and are opening a new Motley …
You can’t go wrong with anything from weekend brunch menu at Jane at the Marketplace in Goleta. But if you can’t make it there, you can get their own recipe for this easy Crab Benedict made with Santa Barbara Rock Crab. Read all about the crab, this dish, and the restaurant here. Tip: When making …
There is so much great food at Bettina pizzeria in Montecito/Santa Barbara, it’s hard to pick from the menu! We love their Seasonal Burrata appetizer—like Fall Persimmon Burrata Sofrito—and we absolutely adore this Passion Fruit Pavlova for dessert. Luck for us all, it’s available almost year-round!
This is a delightful winter holiday cocktail with pears, cranberries and Sparkling Wine. You can use Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Crémant or any other type of bubbles you can find—we especially love all the latest Central Coast Sparkling Wine. But honestly, the best bubbles for Champagne Cocktails are the more affordable sparkling wines, that are on …
