Green taffy peas, candy bars disguised as fish sticks, and meatloaf layer cake “frosted” with pink mashed potatoes don’t show up on the menu every day. But when April 1 rolls around—the dastardly day on which anyone can earn the catcall, “April Fool!”—food often isn’t what it seems to be.
Beware of the “chicken potpie” stuffed with vanilla pudding and gummi-worm veggies, the green olive “eyeballs” in the ice cube tray, and mysterious, unpeeled bananas comprised of presliced fruit. For those who live or work with pranksters, the first day of April can prove both challenging and long.
Although popular myth attributes the origin of April Fool’s Day to a calendar switch made by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, that explanation fails to account for the spread of the day’s tomfoolery to places where said calendar didn’t appear until nearly 200 years later. Moreover, despite their diversity, people around the world—from ancient Romans to modern Hindus and Jews—have been known to celebrate the cusp of spring with an outburst of collective foolishness.
April 1 provides the perfect occasion for silly jokes and benign hijinx designed to elicit smiles and laughter. For relief from having to grapple with yet another “left-handed” hamburger or raw egg glued to the bottom of the carton, however, be sure to remind jokers that, according to legend, bad luck befalls those who pull pranks after noon.
Coming on the threshold of warm weather and the renewal of outdoor life, April 1 offers an ideal opportunity to have some trick-free fun, while satisfying a hearty appetite. To welcome spring with an outburst of delight fit for 21st-century revelers, why not savor the flavors of the Central Coast?
Enjoy a meal at one of the region’s fine restaurants—whether located down the street or in the rural reaches of Santa Barbara County. Dine in style, while visiting with family and friends, and let someone else do the shopping, chopping, washing, and drying.
Grab a fat sandwich and bottle of wine at Dino’s Deli or stop in for chowder, fresh fish, or a juicy burger at the Jetty, a popular Santa Maria eatery for 20 years. If spring celebrating calls for Italian food, try some buttery ravioli or spaghetti pomodoro at Trattoria Uliveto, or perhaps a piping hot pie loaded with toppings from Me-N-Ed’s Pizzeria.
Enjoy a bracing cup of espresso or a nutrition-rich smoothie at Coffee & Co., or maybe a bowl of soup and freshly baked asiago demi at Panera Bread. For a spicy dish, try the green curry at Thai Hut or venture to Chef Rick’s for a plate of Creole jambalaya.
At the Far Western Tavern Restaurant, in Guadalupe, the staff recently introduced a revamped menu and wine list. Just in time for spring, they’ve tweaked their offerings to emphasize local ingredients and liquid wares from nearby wineries.
“We added to and changed our menus to have a fresh outlook on the food,” said Jennifer Biely, special events manager at Far Western Tavern. “We have some great local products that we wanted to feature on our menus.
“We wanted to get back to our roots,” she added, “so our new menu features our best steaks.”
Among those cuts of beef are the restaurant’s signature Bulls Eye steak, which continues to rank as one of the most popular offerings. Other favorites include tender filet mignon, flavorful New York cut, pork chops with homemade applesauce, and barbecued pork ribs served with a homemade citrus glaze.
“We have also expanded our wine list,” Biely noted, “because we wanted to have wine that was affordable to our customers. It gives them a great variety of the wines found in California.
“Putting together the list was a joint effort,” she laughed. “We got to taste a lot of wines!”
The updated list includes nearly 50 wines, many from the Central Coast. Producers such as Carhartt Vineyard, Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Flying Goat Cellars, and Babcock Winery contribute some of their finest vintages. From outside of the county come wines from Tolosa, in Edna Valley; Newton, in Napa Valley; and Veramonte, in Chile.
The restaurant bottles wine under a proprietary label called Far Western, and several of these grace the new list. Truly offering something for everyone, they include non-vintage white Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
The foolery of April 1 lasts only one day, but fine dining in Santa Barbara County promises endless pleasures and happy surprises. Step out for a meal soon and celebrate spring with a collective outburst of fun.
Look out! There’s a spider on your shoulder! Ask for help at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Apr 1-8, 2010.