Food & Drink

Thumbing through cookbooks and old family recipes, party planners anticipate the arrival of guests. ’Tis the season for convivial gatherings, and with them comes an irresistible parade of holiday foods and beverages. After choosing the menu, hosts consider the wines that will bring out the best in each dish. They know that by matching delicate […]

In the heart of December, friends and families gather to enjoy long nights and laughter, despite the winter chill. They celebrate the season and welcome the new year, happily fueled by a variety of festive foods. Classic holiday appetizers include smoked and aged cheeses with crackers and bread, as well as pretzels, roasted nuts, and […]

Try as we might, there’s no denying it: Christmas looms, merry and bright, and we’ve got shopping to do. Fortunately, living in Santa Barbara County makes selecting gifts for wine and food lovers a fairly easy task, whether we’re wrapping up a special vintage or planning a wine country getaway. Universally welcome and always the […]

Chill winds and short days make this the perfect season for visiting with friends over fabulous dishes of soul-warming food. To encourage diners to sample the fare at area restaurants, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor and Convention Bureau has launched Dine Out: Santa Maria Style, a two-week bonanza of gustatory delights. […]

Want to avoid the retail rush of Black Friday and still scoop up some early gifts? If you’re looking for edibles, imbibables, or just the right gadget for the wine-loving foodies on your list, plan to snap up some deals during Wine Christmas Passport Weekend, hosted by Santa Maria Valley Wine Country. Slated for Saturday […]

A young couple with astonishing energy, Becky and Dave Corey make running their two-person business, CORE Wine Company, look easy. The Coreys make and market the wine, design the labels, and—with a few exceptions—farm the grapes pretty much all by themselves.   This past Labor Day, amid the activity of their ninth harvest, the Coreys […]

It’s common knowledge that caffeine fuels the newsgathering trade, but few journalists actually buy a coffee shop for ready access to their favorite brew. One young scribe, the Sun’s own calendar editor, has done just that, adding another job description to his crowded résumé.   Joe Payne and his fiancée, Candice Merás, recently became the […]

The Portuguese and Swiss-Italian ranchers who settled in the Santa Maria Valley created a signature cuisine featuring succulent beef grilled over a red oak fire. Arriving on their heels at the dawn of the 20th century, Japanese farmers brought with them an equally compelling culinary tradition that showcases ocean-fresh fish and just-picked vegetables.   Since […]

Over the millennia, wine has fueled countless fancies and big adventures, some noble and others just plain crazy. Among the more recent and distinctly noble of these enterprises, Vino de Sueños (“wine of dreams”) aims to fulfill the needs of the region’s hardworking vineyard and farm laborers.   Conceived under the auspices of People Helping […]

Each fall on the Central Coast, a group of amateur chefs delivers a display of culinary wizardry with a distinctly masculine flair. With October well underway, it’s time to head to the westernmost wilds of Solvang for Real Men Cook, a vital fundraiser disguised as a friendly competition and local wine showcase. Slated for Oct. […]

Leaves turn from green to crimson and pumpkins smile a bright orange, signaling that the end of harvest is near. As wine growers across Santa Barbara County gather the last of their juicy, ripe grapes, they weigh in with their thoughts on the merits and promise of the vintage of 2009. Despite some uneven temperatures, […]

Wearing bright hues of yellow, green, or sun-struck orange, the gourds, pumpkins, and winter squash of autumn set the tone for the colorful season ahead. As sure as baseball comes to an end and leaves tumble to the ground, these rotund fruits—potent symbols of harvest bounty everywhere they grow—make their way into our soups, dinners, […]