Santa Maria Sun / Art

Bouillabaisse time

BY SHELLY CONE

Foodies, its time to grab a spoon and get excited: The popular but dormant Bouillabaisse Festival will return to Brander Vineyard this month after a long absence. Six years, in fact. The last Bouillabaisse Festival was held in 2006, and its return gives anyone who loves a good food festival reason to start salivating.

Dive in: Sample a variety of spins on a classic bouillabaisse recipe from local restaurants paired with Santa Barbara County wines. PHOTOS BY BOB DICKEY

Brander Vineyard will once again host the event, which is a fundraiser for Hospice of Santa Barbara. The celebration will be the 13th Bouillabaisse festival, featuring an afternoon of wine, music, and of course bowls and bowls of bouillabaisse. Some of the county’s finest chefs will present their own variations on the popular recipe in a friendly competition of all things bouillabaisse. Up to 15 restaurants are expected to participate, including 71 Palm, Birnam Wood, Blush, Ca’Dario, Pane e Vino, Rosa’s Ristorante, the Valley Club of Montecito, and the Ballard Inn Restaurant.

The event will feature wines and food pairing from Alma Rosa, Beckmen, Buttonwood, Casa Dumetz, Jaffurs, Longoria, and Kaena vineyards, and of course Brander Vineyard.

Steve Jacobsen, executive director of Hospice of Santa Barbara, said when the recession hit, his organization, like many nonprofits, found it difficult to continue such large-scale fundraising events. So the popular festival was shelved. This year, with subtle signs that the economy is getting stronger, Hospice decided to bust out the bowls and bring back the bouillabaisse.

It’s back: The last Bouillabaisse Festival was held in 2006 and this year Hospice of Santa Barbara thought it was time to bring it back. PHOTOS BY BOB DICKEY

“It’s a beautiful event. It’s warm, it’s in the Santa Ynez Valley. Brander Vineyard feels like you are in Italy. You get to try this traditional Mediterranean dish. It’s a day spent enjoying all the good things life has to offer while supporting the services we offer,” he said.

Hospice of Santa Barbara provides free professional counseling and care management services to more than 500 people every month, including 100 children, who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one. Jacobsen said Hospice of Santa Barbara is especially unique because while most hospice organizations work just with seniors, Hospice of Santa Barbara also works with children and teens.

Judges for this year’s event include: Philippe Sautot, acclaimed restaurateur; Arthur Von Wiesenberger, co-publisher of The Santa Barbara News-Press; Krista Harris, publisher of Edible Santa Barbara; and Leonard Schwartz, executive chef and manager of Lucky’s.

Get in the mix: The Bouillabaisse Festival takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Brander Vineyard, 2401 N. Refugio Road, Los Olivos. Tickets are $90 in advance and $100 at the door. For more information, call 563-8820 or visit hospiceofsb.org

The live auction will feature some sought-after items, including a vacation to Thailand. Funds from the live auction will go to Hospice of Santa Barbara, and Jacobsen expects to earn $30,000 to $40,000 for the nonprofit.

So grab a Sauvignon Blanc and get ready to experience some good eats for a good cause!

Arts Editor Shelly Cone has her wine in hand and is ready to go. She can be contacted at scone@santamariasun.com