Category Archives: Beer
New Leaf’s May offerings include classes celebrating gluten-free month
Celebrate gluten-free month by making veggie quiche at a GF cooking class.
Photo credit: New Leaf
New Leaf Community Markets has several events this month, including ones to celebrate May being “gluten-free awareness month” and free movie showings. Here are some highlights; these are all at the Westside Santa Cruz location at 1101 Fair Ave. (831-426-1306).
Preregistration is required at newleaf.com/events.
Classes
Friday, May 19
Gluten-free beer & cheese pairing
Attendees will learn about, and taste, several beer and cheese pairings with Groundbreaker Brewery and Snowdonia Cheese Co. Oregon-based Groundbreaker is a dedicated, gluten-free brewery. Locally sourced chestnuts and hops make for a unique, naturally gluten-free (and vegan) beer. Snowdonia, based in North Wales, is renowned for an “innovative and colorful approach to hand crafting their distinct range of cheeses.” In January 2017, Fine Food Digest released their “Best Brand Guide” and the Snowdonia flagship—Black Bomber—was awarded “Best British Cheese” (a distinction it has received two of the last three years).
Time & Cost: 6–8pm, $10
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beer-cheese-pairing-with-groundbreaker-brewing-snowdonia-cheese-tickets-33406626118
Wednesday, May 24
Gluten-free cooking class: Summer treats
Join Chef Amy Fothergill for a hands-on cooking class where you will make fresh veggie quiche, rosemary prosciutto bread with fresh mozzarella, summer fruit crisp, waffles with berries, and luscious lemon tarts.
Time & Cost: 6–8:30pm, $40/Two for $70
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gluten-free-summer-cooking-tickets-33293088524
Free films & talks
Tuesday, May 9
Gluten-Free on a Budget: Nutrition Talk & Store Tour
Join Nutrition Consultant Madia Jamgochian and learn how a gluten-free lifestyle could benefit you, and how to save money when shopping for a gluten-free diet. Sample some of the products discussed in class and expand your gluten-free repertoire.
Time & Cost: 1–2pm, Free
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gluten-free-on-a-budget-nutrition-talk-store-tour-tickets-33316279890
Tuesday, May 9
Movie Night: Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
This 2014 documentary uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today—animal agriculture—and investigates “why the world’s leading environmental organizations are afraid to talk about it.” With host Sandi Rechenmacher, Nutrition Consultant and educator. Free popcorn.
Time & Cost: 6pm-8pm, Free
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-night-cowspiracy-the-sustainability-secret-tickets-33260473973
Wednesday, May 10
Movie Night: What the Health
Feature length documentary “What the Health” follows the journey of film writer/director Kip Andersen as he uncovers “the impacts of highly processed industrial animal foods on our personal health and greater community.” The movie has local roots: Santa Cruz producer Bill Meade is behind it. This is a rare opportunity to see an acclaimed film for free; it will be shown at the Nickelodeon later this month. With host Sandi Rechenmacher, and free popcorn.
Time & Cost: 6pm-8pm, Free
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-night-what-the-health-tickets-33260560231
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St. Patrick’s Day food and drink highlights for Santa Cruz County & nearby
My Mom’s Mole, Elkhorn Slough Brewing & The Green Waffle are collaborating for St. Patrick’s Day. Photo credit: My Mom’s Mole Facebook page
There are many enticing foods and events for St. Patrick’s Day 2017 in Santa Cruz and nearby areas. Here are a few highlights.
My Mom’s Mole is hosting an event at Elkhorn Slough Brewing Co. in Watsonville on Friday, March 17, from 4-8 p.m. There will be taco and green waffle options with shredded chicken and/or roasted root vegetables and mole sauce (My Mom’s Mole signature sauce and/or mole verde). A side of My Mom’s Mole signature cactus & kale salad accompanies each dish. The waffles are courtesy of The Green Waffle LLC and El Nopalito Produce is providing the nopales (cactus).
My Mom’s Mole, The Green Waffle, and El Nopalito Produce are three of the 30-plus locally owned businesses that operate out of Watsonville’s El Pájaro CDC Commercial Kitchen Incubator. Elkhorn Slough Brewing Co. opened in 2016 and focuses on wild ales made with locally harvested yeast and other locally sourced ingredients.
Elkhorn Slough co-founder Julie Rienhardt said,“When locals come together to make great food and drink from the ingredients all around us, it takes delicious to a whole new level. We are proud to be serving our beer with My Mom’s Mole to the wonderful Watsonville community for a festive St. Patrick’s Day celebration.”
Location: 65 Hangar Way, Watsonville
La Sofrita is doing a “We’re all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day” popup from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday, at POPUP next to Assembly. Chef Anna says “while staying true to Puerto Rican classics and flavors, we will pay homage to the Irish.” The menu will include rellenos de papa, a classic Puerto Rican dish of mashed potatoes stuffed with savory beef picadillo, then gently fried; corned beef empanadas (plus a few of La Sofrita’s other empanada varieties) served with curtido, a lightly pickled cabbage slaw; and Puerto Rican chicken stew flavored with sofrito and adobo, served with Puerto Rican rice. Beer will also be available.
Location: 1108 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria is offering corned beef and cabbage dinner for $15.95. This includes potatoes, carrots, onions, horseradish cream and a slice of Irish soda bread. Dinners will be available Thursday and Friday, March 16-17, starting at 9 a.m. (cold) and noon (hot) for take-out service. Cost is $15.95. The restaurant has also created Guinness stout chocolate cake, Bailey’s Irish cream cheesecake and iced shamrock cookies. Gayle’s is at Learn more:
Location: 504 Bay Ave., Capitola
Ella’s at the Airport is serving corned beef and cabbage for lunch and dinner. There will also be Irish-inspired drinks.
Location: 100 Aviation Way, Watsonville
Malone’s is offering what it calls “traditional St. Patrick’s Day food specials” plus Irish style beers and special cocktails, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Friday. There will be live music in the evening.
Location: 4402 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley
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Valentine’s Day dining in Santa Cruz & Monterey counties, Part 1 of 2
Hanloh Thai offerings at a Food Lounge pop-up on Feb. 10. Photo credit: Hanloh
Valentine’s Day 2017 is only three days away. Here are details on a few Santa Cruz and Monterey County dining options; I’ll publish more tomorrow.
Santa Cruz
Midtown Café featuring Hanloh Popup
Midtown Café (1121 Soquel Ave.) is hosting a popup dinner with Hanloh Thai from 5:30-9 p.m. A la carte dishes for sale will include a lettuce wrap, two types of curry (chicken Masaman with tamarind, cinnamon, cardamom, lemongrass and more; vegan sour orange curry with mushrooms and other veggies), and black sticky rice pudding and coconut custard for dessert. Prices will be $3-12. There will be local craft beer and wine available.
The Chaminade
The Chaminade (One Chaminade Lane) will serve a three-course dinner on Valentine’s Day from 5-9 p.m.; the price is $65 exclusive of tax and gratuity. Three first course options include lobster bisque or braised pork belly with fennel jam. Four entrée selections include Osso Bucco or pan-seared Arctic char with lemon couscous salad, candied ginger crème, and roasted cauliflower. Desserts include champagne crème brulee with roasted strawberries. Call (831) 475-5600 for reservations.
Buttercup Cakes & Farmhouse Frosting
Buttercup Cakes & Farmhouse Frosting (1411 Pacific Ave.) is doing a “Sweetheart Dessert” fundraiser to benefit Planned Parenthood. The dessert buffet with wine and champagne is from 6-9 p.m.; the price is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Call (831) 466-0373 for more info.
Pour Taproom
Pour Taproom (110 Cooper St., enter on Pacific) is offering a three-course menu on Valentine’s Day that includes vegan and GF options. There will also be beer and wine pairings. Reservations are recommended for table seating. Call (831) 535-7007 for reservations. The venue is also hosting a Makers’ Market this Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. that will include gift ideas for Valentine’s Day. Vendors will include Ashby Confections, Turquoise Blue Jewelry, and My Mom’s Mole.
Your Place
Your Place (1719 Mission St.) is offering its Valentine’s prix menu all month long. Cost is $25 for three courses. Appetizer choices include crab cake; five entrée selections include rib eye steak and 4 oz. lobster or meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Desserts include chocolate ganache cake or Meyer lemon tart. Call (831) 426-3564 for reservations.
MONTEREY COUNTY
Estéban
Estéban at Casa Munras (700 Munras Ave., Monterey) is serving a prix fixe dinner on Valentine’s Day, with seatings available from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The five-course dinner costs $100 for two people; wine pairing is $35 extra per person. Featured selections include Kusshi oysters with cucumber mignonette; butternut squash and lobster soup with jumbo prawns and scallops; and duck and foie gras terrine. Wines include Madeleine’s 2012 L’Arsouille Pinot Blanc. A limited a la carte menu will also be available. Make reservations at 831-324-6773.
Il Vecchio
Il Vecchio (110 Central Ave., Pacific Grove) is serving a Valentine’s four-course dinner for $46. First course is a choice between two salads including Sicilian oranges, artisan greens and garlic dressing. Second course choices include house-made ricotta and spinach ravioli or house-made fettucine with sausage and mushrooms. Entrée highlights include tri-tip simmered in Chianti with pearl onions or Saltimbocca Romana. Dessert choices include limoncello sorbet with preserved amarena cherries. Make reservations at 831-324-4282.
Edgar’s
Edgar’s at Quail Lodge and Golf Club (8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel) is serving a prix fixe dinner on Valentine’s Day, with seatings from 5 to 9 p.m. The three-course dinner features appetizer choices including diver sea scallops or Dungeness crab salad. Entrée selections include sea bass with potato rosti and tarragon butter sauce and desserts include molten chocolate cake with raspberry coulis. Cost is $69 per person. Reservations are recommended at 831-620-8910.
Bistro Moulin
Bistro Moulin (867 Wave St., Monterey) is serving a prix fixe menu beginning at 5 p.m. The three-course meal is $55 per person; wine pairings cost extra. The regular dinner menu will not be available. The meal begins with choices such as lobster bisque with crème fraiche and chives with optional pairing of Sheldon’s grenache blanc; or truffle gnocchi with optional chardonnay from Figge. Entrée choices include filet mignon with cognac, peppercorn demi-glace and pommes frites. Dessert selections include crème brûlée and lemon meringue tartlett. Make reservations at 831-333-1200.
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Two Santa Cruz food popups on Friday, Jan 6
A curry dish by HANLOH Thai Food (photo is from an event in December)
Santa Cruz’s popup food scene is deliciously thriving; here are two events occurring this Friday, Jan. 6.
HANLOH will be at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing from 6:45-10 p.m. The menu for “Ultimate Thai Beer Snack” will include Moo bing (charcoal grilled pork), Pla mug yang (charcoal grilled Monterey squid), and Khao rad geng (rice and spicy red curry bowl with two options–vegan or with chicken). The curry will be made from homemade curry paste; some of the ingredients are lemongrass, galangal, bird eye chili, dried shrimp, shallot, and garlic. Owner/chef Lalita Kaewsawang, a Santa Cruz resident, recently started her Thai popup/catering business. As she proclaims on her web site (hanloh.com), her mission is to “bring justice back to Thai food by staying away from canned curry paste and super sweet stir-fry. We focus on the comfort and vibrancy of Thai street food.”
Location: Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, 402 Ingalls St.
La Sofrita is doing a “Dia de los Reyes Puerto Rican Popup” from 5:30-9 p.m., at POPUP next to Assembly. Chef Anna says she will be serving traditional Puerto Rican holiday fare like “mouth-watering pernil, or Puerto Rican succulent, skin-on, bone-in, roasted pork shoulder stuffed with garlic mojo. The pernil, made with pasture-raised pork from local Fogline Farm, will be accompanied by avocado-tomato salad over mixed greens plus arroz con gandules (Anna says the latter is “the quintessential rice dish that is served on every Puerto Rican table on Christmas Day and on Dia de los Reyes”). A selection of La Sofrita empanadas will also be available; I tasted one of these for the first time a few weeks back and it was absolutely delectable! The variety I had was veggie (kabocha squash, spinach, and leeks with goat cheese) but I’ve heard that the beef picadillo, chicken and shrimp ones are fantastic too.
Here’s a bit of background on Dia de los Reyes from La Sofrita’s Facebook event page: “in Puerto Rico, January 6th is Dia de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day. It marks the culmination of the Christmas season. In Puerto Rico, this is a bigger celebration than Christmas Day itself; gifts are traditionally exchanged on this day rather than Christmas. The night before, children put shoeboxes of hay under their beds for the camels to eat after their long journey, and are rewarded with a gift left under their bed. The day is filled with festivities that include traditional foods and drinks.
Location: POPUP, 1108 Pacific Ave.
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Santa Cruz food event highlights for Friday, October 7
Gluten-free Cocomojo’s by Makse Bar, one of several vendors at the Choose Santa Cruz pop-up market Oct. 7
Photo credit: Makse
If you’re lucky enough to be in Santa Cruz on Friday, Oct 7, you have an incredible array of one-night-only food choices. Here are details for three events.
Ocean2Table will be at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center selling dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. The Pescatarian Popup will showcase three items: wild morel mushroom soup ($8), fresh sablefish tacos ($12) and fresh sablefish cakes ($8, similar to crabcakes but made with Monterey Canyon sablefish). Ocean2Table is participating in honor of an event at the Center which celebrates the Leatherback Sea Turtle.
Location: Exploration Center, 35 Pacific Ave. (across from the Wharf)
Efi’s Dutch-Indo will be at POPUP for dinner from 5:30-9 p.m. The menu will include Indonesian-style Satay (with yellow rice, Indonesian style peanut sauce, and a side of picked cucumber); Gato Gato (vegetarian) with steamed and fresh veggies, rice and Indonesian-style peanut sauce; and Resoles (ground beef and green onion mix rolled in hand made crepes, breaded and deep fried). Creator Michelle McKay says, “Inspired by my mother, Efi’s (pronounced Afee’s) will be a Dutch-Indo culinary delight. The Netherland once ruled the spice trade in the 17th century. Indonesia with its wealth of spices was once the colonial crown of the spice trade. The Dutch wholeheartedly embraced Indonesian food, not only in the colony, but back home too. I plan on cooking the Dutch-Indo foods that I grew up with.”
Location: POPUP, 1108 Pacific Ave.
Several food/drink vendors are participating in the “Choose Santa Cruz” pop-up market at design agency Cosmic from 5-9 p.m. Food and drink vendors include Coffeeville, Makse Bar, Farmer Freed Culinary Salt Blends, Companion Bakeshop, Santa Cruz Winegrowers Association, and Lupulo Craft Beer House. Other participating local businesses include Childish Santa Cruz, Agency, Hive & Hum, A’zaht Designs, and Glow Candle Lounge (soon to open on Pacific, candle-making studio Glow is an offshoot of Petroglyph ceramics studio). The City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Office is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Choose Santa Cruz brand and web site. They are also launching the Choose Santa Cruz coloring book, a collection of drawings from local artists of their favorite sights and scenes around Santa Cruz. The books will be available for sale at the event and online afterwards, and there will be space available, along with colored pencils (supplied by Palace Art), for people to color in books they buy.
Location: Design by Cosmic, 115 Cooper St.
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Food, wine and beer at 2016 Grazing on the Green benefiting cancer research
The 13th annual Gourmet Grazing on the Green—Saturday, Sept. 24 at Aptos Village Park, features 70-plus vendors including local restaurants and caterers, other food businesses, and local wineries, breweries, and spirits distilleries. Proceeds benefit the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group (SCCBG).
The event is from noon to 4 p.m. Buy $65 tickets at New Leaf Community Markets (downtown, Westside or Capitola locations) or online http://sccbg.org or it will be $70 at the door if it’s not sold out. If you have a group of 10, you can get tickets for $60 each. Adult admission includes food, drinks and a souvenir wineglass. Kids 10 and under are free; kids ages 10-20 are $35.
Participating restaurants, farms, and food vendors for 2016 include The Crow’s Nest, Café Cruz, Café Rio, Real Good Fish, Niman Ranch, SunRidge Farms, Ashby Confections, Zameen Mediterranean Cuisine, Cremer House, Ella’s at the Airport, Surf City Sandwich, Hula’s, Hollins House and Sid’s Smokehouse.
Participating wineries, breweries and distilleries include Alfaro Family Vineyards and Winery, Beauregard Vineyards, Hallcrest Vineyards, Kathryn Kennedy Winery, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, Sones Cellars, Wargin Wines, Wrights Station Winery, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Discretion Brewing, Seabright Brewery, New Bohemia Brewing Co. and Venus Spirits.
Proceeds from SCCBG’s events benefit these local cancer support and research organizations: Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Association, Katz Cancer Resource Center, researchers from UC Santa Cruz, the Teen Kitchen Project, and WomenCARE Cancer Advocacy.
For more information on the event, see www.sccbg.org.
There is free shuttle service every 15 minutes from Cabrillo College; parking is also free.
Aptos Village Park: 100 Aptos Creek Road, Aptos
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Oktoberfest celebration at Nubo with beer garden-inspired food by Tanglewood
NUBO Oktoberfest steins will be available at the 2nd annual Oktoberfest
Photo credit: Nubo Facebook page
It’s not yet October but Oktoberfest is on many people’s minds–it can soon be in many people’s mouths as well, thanks to Nubo’s Oktoberfest celebration Thursday, Sept. 22.
The second annual Oktoberfest party at New Bohemia Brewing Co., from 5 to 10 p.m., features a fabulous German beer garden menu by Tanglewood Catering (more food details below) plus live German/polka music.
But first, the beer: Nubo specializes in traditional European-style lagers. On Thursday, Nubo will be tapping its “Festbier” which will be served in special liter-size Oktoberfest steins. Customers can also purchase souvenir steins to take home starting Sept. 22.
Tanglewood chef Rachel Hughes, special guest for the night, is serving food from 6 to 9 p.m. I’ve had a couple dishes of hers and highly recommend her cooking.
Here is the Oktoberfest menu:
Pretzel
Homemade Pretzel + Sea Salt
$5
With Radi (thin sliced Daikon + Salt + Chives)
$7
Cucumber Salad
Cucumber + Greek Yogurt + fresh Dill
$3.50
Bavarian Potato Salad
Yukon Gold Potatoes + Cucumber + sweet Onions
$4.50
Cheese Plate
Obatzda- Traditional Bavarian cheese spread
Cambozola- Soft ripened cheese
Emmentaler cheese
Companion Bread
Radi- (thin sliced Daikon + Salt + Chives)
$12
Schnitzel
2 Pork Loin + herbed Panko +fried
$8
Schnitzel Full Plate
2 Pork Loin + Potato Salad + Cucumber Salad
$15
Bockwurst Full Plate
2 Pork and Veal Sausages + Potato Salad + Cucumber Salad
$15
For more info call (831) 350-0253 or visit nubobrew.com
Location: New Bohemia Brewing Co., 1030 41st Ave., Santa Cruz
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Tequila & taco festival in Santa Cruz this weekend
The third annual Tequila & Taco Music Festival is this weekend
The third annual Tequila & Taco Music Festival happens this weekend in Santa Cruz: Saturday, Aug. 27 and Sunday, Aug. 28 at San Lorenzo Park.
There will be gourmet street tacos, craft beer, and margaritas for sale, plus tequila sampling (for a separate fee) Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Advance tickets for the tequila tasting have sold out and a limited number will be sold at the event on a first-come first-served basis.
Participating vendors include Dirty Tequila; Tequila Los Tres tonos; Venus Spirits; 3 Crowns; Casa San Matias; Mezcal Mala Noche; 1933 Spirits LLC; Suerte Tequila; THE Bloody Cure; Patron; and Saville.
Food vendors include Garcia’s Fish Tacos, Tacos Moreno, Conscious Creations, La Olla, Burt’s Chicken Fingers & Garlic Fries, Jardines Restaurant, Tacos Don Beto and The Vegetarian Blog. There will also be arts and craft vendors and music.
All ticket holders both days will have access to food vendors, craft Beer, margarita booths, and live music, but there is no tequila sampling Sunday.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. Alcohol sales end at 5 p.m.
Cost: Adult $10 general admission, $40 Saturday tequila tasting, Kids 12 and under are free.
Live music:
Saturday — Third Sol (12:30pm-1:45pm); Extra Large (2:15pm-3:45pm); and Patron Latin Rhythms (4:15pm-5:30pm)
Sunday — Patron Latin Rhythms (12 noon-1:30pm); Metalachi (1:45pm-3:00pm); and SambaDá (3:30pm-5:10pm)
Location: San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota St., Santa Cruz
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Event Watsonville hosts enticing evening with local entrepreneurs, food and beer
Katie Raquel from Katie’s Coldpress is part of Event Watsonville’s Entrepreneurs Taking their Businesses to New Heights
Event Watsonville presents “Entrepreneurs Taking their Businesses to New Heights” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, and there will be a few food/drink/farm-related speakers in the mix plus delicious food and drink for sale. Representatives from different local businesses will talk about how they started their business and what drives them to do what they do.
This is the second “Event Watsonville” evening; the first was in February. Matthew Swinnerton, who founded the popular Event Santa Cruz series a few years ago, decided to expand to South County to showcase even more of our local community.
“I am super excited to come back to Watsonville,” says Swinnerton. “It’s been far too long since we did the last one back in February and I definitely won’t let that happen again. I love the energy and excitement coming out of the Watsonville entrepreneur community. Events like this really show that off.”
As always, the evening begins with time to mingle and buy food and beverages starting at 6 p.m. Selections for sale will include tacos from My Mom’s Mole and beer from Elkhorn Slough Brewing Co. In addition, food samples will be available from a variety of area vendors.
The setting is Specialized Helicopters in Watsonville. There will also be helicopter rides available for purchase.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online.
Speakers begin at about 7, after the hour of mingling is over. Katie Raquel from fresh, organic juice business Katie’s Coldpress says she is participating as a presenter because she has found these types of events to be “a huge source of inspiration. It’s a total joy hearing from other entrepreneurs and connecting deeper with the community.”
Katie’s Coldpress is family-owned and operated. “We infuse every part of the business with love and attention,” shares Raquel. “I started KCP two years ago out of a desire to make the highest quality raw juice more accessible to people with busy lives—all of us, right?!—and to make products that are truly delicious, with a focus on excellent and personal customer service.” Her business is committed to staying 100% plant-based, and it’s in the process of being CCOF certified organic, after two years of being certified organic through the state of California.
Jessica Ridgeway from Farm Discovery at Live Earth is also a speaker. She’s excited to speak about the farm-based nonprofit she co-founded a few years ago, which works to empower youth and families to build and sustain healthy food, farming, social and natural systems. Farm Discovery offers “educational programs that inspire youth and families to transform their relationship to food, farming and nature.” She adds, “We steward our working farm and its wild spaces as an environmentally and economically viable piece of the food system and a learning space.”
She says it’s a perfect time to share the vision and programs with community members who may not be aware of the nonprofit. “Farm Discovery is reaching a new level or organizational maturity,” says Ridgeway. “We are in a place where we now have the capacity to actively create new partnerships in our local community. Participating in events like this helps Farm Discovery to build important relationships with other local businesses, individuals, and organizations in order to transform personal and community health and improve our impact on earth by building and sustaining collaborative agricultural, ecological and social systems.”
Other participants, in alphabetical order:
- Chris Gularte – Specialized Helicopters
- Sindy Hernandez de Cornejo – Queen’s shoes & more
- Jacob Martinez and Gabriel Jesse Medina – Digital NEST
- Luke Taylor – Corralitos Brewing Co.
Details
Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016: 6 p.m. doors open/food & drinks begin, 7 p.m. speakers begin
Cost: $10
Location: Specialized Helicopters, 150 Aviation Way, Watsonville
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Venus spirits event, winemaker dinner and more at Santa Cruz Food Lounge this week
There is an MJA Vineyards winemaker dinner at the Food Lounge Aug. 19
Attention fine wine, spirit and beer lovers: the Santa Cruz Food Lounge is hosting events you can enjoy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Aug. 18-20, 2016.
Thursday: Venus Spirits Meet the Maker & Tasting
The event is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with local spirit maker Sean Venus of Venus Spirits. At 5:30, doors open and the kitchen begins serving food; there is a limited selection that night (cheese plate and/or chicken entrée) and people can pre-purchase online to receive a discount and ensure the food doesn’t sell out. At 6:30 p.m., guests will learn the story behind the local distillery and the craft of making spirits as Venus leads attendees through six tastings of his award-winning agave, gin, and whiskey. A special crafted cocktail by Venus mixologist Andrew Hansen will conclude the evening. Cost for the spirit tasting and talk is $25; buy tickets at eventbrite.com.
Friday: MJA Winemaker’s Dinner
Chef Rachel Hughes of Tanglewood Catering is collaborating with MJA Vineyards for a multi-course dinner with wine pairings beginning at 6:30 p.m. Kristy Dawn Silveira and winemaker Marin Artukovich of MJA Vineyards will be present. Wines served will be Sauvignon Blanc (paired with watermelon/feta skewers), Chardonnay (with Burrata, beet and pancetta salad), Pinot Noir (pork medallions with smoked cherries and apple/potato mash), Merlot (“Forest Floor” savory nut crumble, roasted wild mushrooms, micro scallions and braised short ribs). The dessert course is Cabernet Sauvignon with bittersweet chocolate pot de crème with chocolate-covered coffee beans. Tickets are $75 with wine and $65 without. Buy online at eventbrite.com.
Saturday: Biergarten
The Food Lounge debuted a summer beer garden series in June, and it continues today from noon to 7 p.m. There will be many beers available plus German-style food. There is lots of patio seating and a relaxing atmosphere. Free admission; attendees pay separately for food and drinks. The event is pet- and family-friendly.
Location: Santa Cruz Food Lounge, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz
Contact Info: www.scfoodlounge.com, info@scfoodlounge.com
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