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!
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 …
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.
This past Valentine’s Day, we decided to have a chili cook-off. It seemed like a much better idea for this romance holiday on a cold winter night, especially with our particular relationship statuses; “it’s complicated” seems to be most popular in our group’s social media circles. This White Chicken Chili recipe was my …
Every year about now, the biggest sporting event in America rolls around: the Superbowl. There are many famous things about this game: the rivalry of the teams, the personalities of the players, and the best commercials of the year. But my favorite thing about the big game is the food. Now I don’t mean chips …
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 …
