Elizabeth Hudson quit her day job last year to follow a longtime dream of running a coffee business. Her husband was 100 percent in. “We retired the 9-to-5 and started a 24/7 instead,” Hudson said with a laugh. “It’s been a blessing. It’s been my dream job.” The Lompoc couple founded Fika Coffee Company, a […]
Food & Drink
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Orcutt Bakery calls dibs on the dessert table
For any occasionThe Gerbers deliver from San Luis Obispo to the Santa Ynez Valley. Place online orders for Orcutt Bakery goods by visiting orcuttbakery.com. Call (805) 938-9140 with questions, and see the treats for yourself at 4869 S. Bradley Road, suite 112, in Orcutt. After Danielle and Shawn Gerber spend hours baking and decorating a […]
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Lompoc’s Sea-Stainable makes 100 percent natural pet snacks
Jesse Crouse-Tell doesn’t routinely eat the dog treats he makes, but the ingredients are 100 percent human grade. In the early days of his company, Sea-Stainable Pet Food, the business owner had to try his treats because he wanted to know how they tasted. “I’ll take little nibbles of stuff here and there, just to […]
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Early Central Coast lavender proprietor continues sharing the flower’s many uses
Bees and lavender are a natural combination. When the weather was warm, the fields of lavender at Lila Avery-Fuson’s family farm hummed. “Basically, the bees own the lavender. We just get to borrow it when it’s cool,” she said. The 7-acre farm was known for hosting you-pick events before the summer heat in Paso Robles […]
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A Santa Ynez café moves to an Airstream in Los Olivos
A retrofitted 1959 Airstream camper remains parked on Nojoqui Avenue in Los Olivos, right next to a historic Victorian home. The vehicle, dubbed The Caravan, is a fully fledged coffee shop, appointed with a classic espresso machine, a gigantic ice maker, and cooking appliances. “It’s like the cutest thing ever,” co-owner Alyce Barrick said. CaravaningQueen […]
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CaliPaso expands along the Central Coast with a tasting room in Solvang
The latest additionCaliPaso Winery’s new tasting room is located at 482 1st St. in Solvang. It’s open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information about the winery, visit calipasowinery.com. The giant television screen inside CaliPaso Winery’s Solvang tasting room became […]
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Small production winemakers gather at their crush facility for an open house tasting event
Two presses. One destemmer. Countless barrels of grape juice. At a 15,000-square-foot warehouse on Easy Street in Buellton, seven small-production winemakers share a custom crush facility. Many don’t have official tasting rooms, relying on wine club memberships and online sales for distribution. Readers’ discountBuy tickets for the Easy Street Wine Collective open house on Jan. […]
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Hapi Nani offers teas and spices blended right in Santa Maria
Growing up in India, Harpreet Sangha has fond memories of accompanying her grandmother to buy garam masala, a northern Indian spice blend that’s added to almost every dish. Sangha remembers her grandmother talking about her family’s health with the vendor so he could customize their blend. “Depending on if we had runny noses or if […]
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A Lompoc jam maker’s hobby is now a vibrant business
Rachel Alcocer’s peach cobbler jam flew off her metaphorical shelves this year. It’s one of her seasonal flavors, and she can only make it when peaches are growing on her tree. “I like to do the seasonal fruit in the area,” Alcocer said. “I like to do the stuff that’s available to me because it’s […]
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Let’s remember the people who served impeccable food and beverages last year
Allow me, the Sun’s Eats writer, to make a toast. We’ve made it through a quarter of the century, and that alone is worth a bit of cheer. Gathering around a table to break bread is one of life’s great pleasures, and it’s even better with a fun drink in hand and a spoonful of […]
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An Orcutt baker is on a mission to deliver top-tier goods, minus the gluten
Melissa Bagley tries not to start her workdays before 6 a.m. If everything goes to plan, nine hours later she’ll be heading out the door to deliver dozens of freshly baked cookies, decadent cakes, and soft loaves of bread that customers ordered from her business, La Dolce Vita. During her childhood, baking was a big […]
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The couple behind a new wellness company encourages humans to return to their wild states
Feeling a tad feral?For more details about Feral Future, visit feralfuture.com or @yourferalfuture on Instagram. Discover Feral Foods on shelves in San Luis Obispo, Los Olivos, Solvang, Buellton, and other communities by using the website’s store locator. Erik Steinkamp and Keri Joy Waxer eat dandelions. Steinkamp, the chef in their relationship, prepares the flowers like […]
