The best Indian food on the Central Coast is in Santa Barbara at Bibi Ji. Indian-American sommelier Rajat Parr teamed up with Alejandro Medina to offer the taste of Parr’s family’s cooking right on State Street. They have a hyper-local focus on ingredients. Their aim of blending traditional Indian flavors as the foundation, while also …
A cozy spot that feels like home is exactly what Bell’s owners, Daisy and Greg Ryan, wanted in their first restaurant. And for Chef Daisy, who is from the Santa Ynez Valley, it was also about family, community, and coming home. It was great timing, as the building that used to house Bell Street Farm …
If you’re cutting down on sugar and carbs, this ricotta almond cake made with almond flour (and a little coconut flour to keep it light) is delicious. Helpful for diabetics, keto and just children-near-bedtime, it’s also a classic Italian cake that’s great for mornings with coffee as well as after dinner. Or maybe even lunch …
Soup is one of my all-time favorite meals; I could eat it every day during winter, spring and fall. And sometimes in the summer. If you like to make your own stock, soup makes an incredibly delicious, hearty and healthy meal. And making stock is easier than you think. The first thing I do is …
A lighter, and just as delicious version of Huevos Rancheros, this green chile breakfast dish is a California dream complete with shrimp, guacamole and gorgeous watermelon radishes. Read all about the Santa Barbara restaurant, Scarlett Begonia, that created it.
Sometimes you just need to give back. So we headed to Los Angeles’ Downtown Women’s Center to buy the ingredients, prepare, cook and serve lunch to over 100 ladies visiting or living at the center. On the menu: oven-baked chicken with crunchy Parmesan coating and lemon zest, white beans, collard greens and baked sweet potato fries …
Every so often, you stumble upon a Chardonnay so refreshing and unique, unlike over-the-top oaky-buttery-California Chardonnays, that you want to drink it and cook with it, try every dish with it. I love Chardonnay with a creamy freshness and lemon-lime quality that is well integrated with oak flavors. Sometimes these are fermented in a combination …
I love Syrah. To me, it outshines California Cabernet Sauvignon in pairing with foods, especially those from the Rhône area of France, or cool-climate Syrahs from California. I thought pairing wine with a dish for this post would be a good idea, but then thought using the wine in the dish was even better. I …
I love French food and wine…and I love eating and drinking local. These two loves inspired me to create a local version of a typical French dish: oven-roasted chicken with vegetables and herbs de Provence. Of course, this is using local Chardonnay – in the dish…and in my glass. Pair with: Hoyt Chardonnay from Paso …
