Bordered by fields of growing vegetables, acres of fodder-rich grazing land, an ocean brimming with seafood, and a wonderland of wineries, the Central Coast qualifies as a foodie’s delight. Local residents in search of tasty everyday fare or a sumptuous dinner out need look no further than beyond their own proverbial back yard.
Often called the salad bowl of the Central Coast, the Santa Maria Valley offers the perfect climate for producing bumper crops of edible greenery. Where less-meteorologically blessed areas support the growth of lettuce, cauliflower, and celery for only a couple of months each year, local farmland bristles with veggie crops most of the year, from March through the better part of November.
Founded in 1978 with a field at the corner of Stowell and Highway 101, Gold Coast Farms initially grew lima and string beans for seed, along with a little lettuce for fresh eating. Over the years, the company has gradually expanded to meet the demands of the market by adding cole crops, greens, and strawberries to their initial offerings. The company currently produces, among other things, thousands of pounds annually of broccoli and cauliflower florets, broccoli slaw, spinach, cilantro, parsley, and carrots.
Gary Burk, owner/winemaker of Costa de Oro Winery and son of one of the co-founders of Gold Coast Farms, showcases some of the farm’s goodies in his well-stocked tasting room in Santa Maria. Look for local fruits and vegetables in season, as well as packaged jams, jellies, and sauces.
At the Costa de Oro Friday night Wine Downs, live music fills the air as tasters sip their way through a line-up of wines paired with exotic cheeses and gourmet crackers. Located near the site of a strawberry patch, the tasting room has transformed a quiet farmstand into a happening spot complete with fresh-picked produce for sale.
Each weekend, Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos dishes up special feasts featuring seasonal dishes based on regional products. Recent offerings have included Morro Bay oysters with grilled garlic-herb sausage, wood-fired Rutiz Farms artichokes, Dungeness crab salad, and locally grown Catalan beans.
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Always on hand are tempting flatbread pizzas with toppings ranging from black trumpet mushroom with pancetta, leeks, and a farm egg; to spring onions with goat cheese and Sierra gold potatoes.
“We utilize seasonal, local produce from our farmers,” said Kara Van Corbach, spokesperson for Full of Life Foods, Inc., “who are also our close friends. We have a great business and personal relationship with them, and we feel like they should get the credit for the bounty they provide us on the Central Coast—we’re simply highlighting what they grow.
“Our specials menu relies heavily on what’s available,” she continued, “and we create our menus for the weekend just a few days ahead, on the Wednesday prior.”
On Sundays, the Full of Life chefs prepare a seasonal market entrée to supplement weekly offerings. Dig into delights such as roasted lamb with sugar snap peas and beet green risotto, baked Alaska, rose sorbet with candied rose petals, warm Meyer lemon cake, or the irresistible Los Alamos S’more.
“A Los Alamos S’more is a homemade marshmallow and two homemade chocolate espresso cookies,” Van Corbach explained, “that are ‘sandwiched’ and then toasted in our oak-wood-burning oven. I highly recommend coming in and trying one!”
Anyone looking for a little post-Valentine’s Day celebration will find plenty to enjoy on Feb. 17 at Los Olivos Wine Merchant. Here, guests can meet and sample the wares of a trio of winemakers—Greg Brewer, Steve Clifton, and Chad Melville—who will pour vintages bottled under a variety of their labels, including Melville, Palmina, Samsara, Brewer-Clifton, and diatom.
Wine always tastes best when served with food, so look for an array of cheeses and canapé-style bites to help fuel the festivities.
“The goal of the tasting is to show the tight-knit winemaking community here in Santa Barbara County,” Jon McDaniel, wine director of Los Olivos Wine Merchant, wrote in an e-mail, “through the inter-connected wineries of Melville, Palmina, Brewer-Clifton, diatom, and Samsara.
“We will be featuring several wines from each winery,” he continued, “and the winemakers will be here to show off their stuff. It is a casual setting that is similar to a retail tasting, so no reservation is required.”
After the tasting, those in the mood for heartier fare can head next door to the Zagat-rated Los Olivos Café. The cafe, open daily for lunch and dinner, is just one among the dozens of local eateries ready to dish up a tasty spread of seasonal treats.
K. Reka Badger loves a tight-knit winemaking community. Contact her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Feb 17-24, 2011.
