Kelly’s Bakery ice cream window re-opens with free ice cream Friday

Posted on April 8, 2011 by admin

Kelly's Ice Cream Window at Swift Street Courtyard

The ice cream window operated by Kelly’s French Bakery, first opened in June 2010 but closed for the fall/winter seasons, is re-opening today with free ice cream!

To get free ice cream on Friday, April 8, 2011, you need to name owner Kelly Sanchez’s favorite ice cream, which is Caramel Almond. With this information you receive a free ice cream cone (your choice of flavor).

The ice cream window is located in the same courtyard as the bakery (called Swift Street Courtyard, it’s located on Ingalls & Swift), and now offers milkshakes and malts. When the ice cream window is closed, during the colder months of the year, you can still buy it – you just have to go into the bakery itself. To learn details and the history of Kelly’s ice cream and sorbet, which is made on-site at the bakery, read my comprehensive article from last summer.

Location: Swift Street Courtyard, 402 Ingalls Street, Santa Cruz, (831) 423-9059

On Twitter? Please follow me @santacruzfoodie.

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Meet chefs and taste free samples at Aptos Farm to Table Tour

Posted on April 7, 2011 by admin

You can meet chefs and taste free, delicious samples at the Farm to Table Tour on Saturday April 9, 2011 from 8am-noon at the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College. Plus if you go to three of the demos, you receive a free potted herb plant to take home. The tour, traveling around the country, is sponsored by Toyota (read about national tour). There will be hybrid cars available for test drives – and if you participate, you get to take home a free John Boos cutting board.

For this event, 11 local chefs are pairing their creativity with ingredients from farm vendors at the Aptos Farmers Market. They will be preparing fresh dishes to showcase local produce, doing demonstrations, and giving away tasty treats. Each chef has a designated tent and demo/sample time. A full schedule is below, and here are some of the enticing descriptions:

Stephany Buswell of The Wedding Stop & Cake Shoppe is preparing three dishes: whole slow-roasted strawberries with balsamic vinegar and raw sugar, chocolate truffles with local olive oil and fleur de sel, and orange-cinnamon scented yam cupcakes with honey cream-cheese icing. Market vendors she’s using: Amen Bees for honey, Belle Farms olive oil, Bob Sue Harris Eggs, P&K farms organic strawberries, Schletewitz Family Farms oranges and yams, and Pinnacle Nut Company’s honey glazed walnuts.

Owen Snyder of Papa O’s will be preparing baked, bacon-wrapped Medjool dates stuffed with whole natural almonds. The chef says it’s his most requested appetizer when he caters parties. The ingredients are from several market vendors: Del Real Dates, Corralitos Market bacon, and Stackhouse Brothers Orchards almonds.

Andrea Mollenauer of Lifestyle Culinary Arts is demonstrating and sampling a crostini featuring seven market vendors. “I designed the item walking through the market one day and was so excited to be able to feature so many great vendors in one delicious, coherent bite-sized item. My hors d’oeuvre will be a representation of my love of combining surprising bold flavors in small exciting bites – a true amuse bouche! It will be a savory item atop Golden Sheaf baguette crostini.” In addition to Golden Sheaf Bread Company, she’s featuring the following vendors: Old Creek Ranch Meat, Schoch Family Cheese, Del Real Dates, Pinnacle Nut Co., and Belle Farms Olive Oil, Schletewitz Family Citrus.

Lionel Le Morvan of the restaurant Ma Maison is creating two dishes using market vendors: Mache Salade with goat cheese and vegetable julienne, and Celery Rémoulade with Shrimp (I am a huge fan of this celery remoulade and can’t wait to sample it with shrimp!).

CHEF SCHEDULE (subject to change):

Tent 1

8:00 am – 9:00 am – Jamie Smith, Executive Market Chef, Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Market

9:15 am – 10:15 am – Derek Rupp, Pleasure Pizza

10:30 am – 11:30 am – Udo Prambs, French Culinary Institute

Tent 2

8:15 am – 9:15 am – Paul Magill, Personal Chef

9:30 am – 10:30 am – Elizabeth Bourget, Gourmet To Go

10:45 am – 11:45 am – Lionel Le Morvan, Ma Maison Restaurant

Tent 3

8:30 am – 9:30 am – Stephany Buswell, The Wedding Stop & Cake Shoppe

9:45 am – 10:45 am – Owen Snyder, Papa O’s

11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Andrea Mollenauer, Lifestyle Culinary Arts

Tent 4

8:15 am – 10:30 am – Hans C. Haveman, H & H Fresh Fish Co., Inc.

10:45 am – 11:45 am – Kevin Koebel, Local FATT (formerly Rogue Chefs)

The Details

Toyota Farm to Table Tour

Sat, April 9, 2011, 8am–noon

Aptos Farmers Market

Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos 95003

Please follow me on Twitter @santacruzfoodie.

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Santa Cruz restaurant closure: Gigi’s Bakery & Cafe

Posted on April 6, 2011 by admin

Santa Cruz restaurant Gigi’s Bakery & Café has closed its doors.

The café was located in the Gateway Shopping Plaza on River Street that houses Chinese restaurant Shun Feng and popular store Cost Plus, among other businesses. It served customers for the last time on Sunday, April 3. Gigi’s had been open since 2002, and was known for offerings including artisan bread, pastries, and a large variety of sandwiches and salads.

Restaurant owner Len Hanlock cited a few reasons for Gigi’s closure including less customers and decreased bread sales. “It was really the economy which gave us a sharp jab in the midsection,” Hanlock commented. Gigi’s and the Hanlock family would like local customers to know that they appreciate their past support.

On Twitter? Please follow me @santacruzfoodie.

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Pizza My Heart benefit for Bryan Stow, SF Giants fan and beating victim

Posted on April 4, 2011 by admin

There will be a fundraiser for Bryan Stow at all Pizza My Heart restaurants on Tuesday April 5th from 4pm to 9pm. Go to any Pizza My Heart and mention Bryan Stow, and 30% of your purchase goes to the Bryan Stow Fund.

Pizza My Heart has more than a dozen locations, from Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Capitola to Los Gatos, San Jose and Palo Alto. Click here for contact information on all venues.

Bryan Stow was the victim of senseless violence on March 31st. Wearing Giants gear, he was brutally attacked in the parking lot of a Dodgers/Giants baseball game at Dodger Stadium, and was placed in a medically-induced coma. I encourage everyone to help Bryan; he has dedicated his own life to helping others — he is an AMR (American Medical Response) paramedic. To donate directly or to learn more about other fundraising events including an all-day San Jose barbecue at AMR on April 6, see the Support for Bryan Stow web site. There is also an “Our prayers are with Bryan Stow” Facebook page.

On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie.

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Restaurant Profile: The delightful Main Street Garden & Cafe in Soquel

Posted on April 2, 2011 by admin

Pizza at Main Street with broccoli, kale, currants, pine nuts, chili, pecorino, and cauliflower puree

Main Street Garden & Café is located in Soquel and serves top-notch food created by talented chef Brad Briske, who joined the restaurant in June 2010.

The restaurant offers an innovative, rotating menu (see current menu) and a dining experience that’s simultaneously sophisticated and down-to-earth. The atmosphere is comfortable with an open kitchen; you can choose to sit at tables where you can catch glimpses of your food being prepared. Other highlights of Main Street Garden & Café are an on-site organic garden and an outdoor pizza oven.

Chef Briske always has many creative wood-fired pizzas available, including at least one vegetarian choice such as a Spring blend of broccoli, kale, currants, pine nuts, chili, and pecorino with a cauliflower puree as a base. This combination of ingredients is absolutely delectable. Other selections have included house-made pork sausage with fennel puree and fontina.

Main Street butchers its meats and cures salamis on site;  customers can even buy selected salamis to go. For the entrees, which change frequently, Briske brines his meats. This can take up to three days and makes the meat incredibly tender. Of particular note are the restaurant’s pork dishes such as Devil’s Gulch Pork Shoulder with Route 1 Farms English peas, Live Earth Farm peppers, house-cured pork jowl, and Lindencroft Farms frisee. Briske works closely with many local farms, and creates exquisite pairings with meat and fresh, seasonal produce. Note that there are always vegetarian selections available including a homemade pasta dish.

Another dish worth mentioning: creamy Burrata cheese accompanied by warm olives, roasted garlic, and flatbread. The Castelvetrano and San Remo olives are served in oil with orange zest and the citrus provide the perfect flavor infusion.

Weekend lunch choices include pizzas as well as egg and other traditional brunch dishes. The menu does change, but past offerings have included frittatas (vegetarian featuring beets and chard, meat with goat sausage and potatoes) and French Toast.

Main Street’s beer and wine selection includes many excellent local beverages from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Location: 3101 N. Main Street, Soquel, (831) 477-9265) http://mainstreetgardencafe.com/

Hours: Lunch served Sat & Sun beginning at noon; Dinner served Tues-Sun starting at 5:30pm

On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie www.twitter.com/santacruzfoodie.

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Eat cookies guilt-free: Bake Sale Benefit for Japan at Lulu’s in Santa Cruz

Posted on April 1, 2011 by admin

Support the recent Japan tragedy by attending the Bake Sale Benefit on April 2.

On Saturday, April 2, there is a Bake Sale for the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan – with cookies and more – at Santa Cruz café Lulu’s at the Octagon. The bake sale begins at 10am and lasts until 2pm. All proceeds will go toPeace Winds Japan. This Santa Cruz event is part of a nationwide bake sale occurring this Saturday; here are all participating locations.

You can choose to buy any or all (it’s for a good cause!): cookies from the Pacific Cookie Company, macaroons from Chez Pim (from Santa Cruz resident/world-renowned food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit of Chez Pim), Nancy’s biscotti, treats from the Malabar Tea Company, jam from Serendipity Spreads, gluten-free goodies, and a lot more.

Lulu’s has a large selection of tea, coffee, and espresso drinks to pair with your purchases.

Location: Lulu’s at the Octagon — by Museum of Art and History

118 Cooper St (between Front and Pacific), Santa Cruz 95060

(831) 429-5858

On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie.

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Green Chile Chicken Cactus Crepes & more at Soquel restaurant Tortilla Flats this weekend

Posted on March 25, 2011 by admin

Quesadilla Suprema at Tortilla Flats

From Thursday, March 24 through Sunday, March 27 Soquel restaurant Tortilla Flats features a special Cactus menu with dishes including delightful crepes with green chile, chicken and nopalitos. I dined at the restaurant last night; if you go this weekend, prepare to wait a little bit for a table (unless you’re a party of 6 or more, in which case you can make a reservation). I couldn’t believe how many people were there on a Thursday night — looks like the special menus definitely attract crowds!

The talented and creative Cheryl Marquez has developed recipes using both the paddles and the fruit of the cactus. The paddles are known as nopales or nopalitos when cut into strips, and in Mexico they are often mixed with everything from eggs to steak. My favorite dish from this special menu is Green Chile Crepes (see menu below for description). I could have devoured a couple orders; the crepes themselves were filled with great textures and seasonings, and I wanted to lick the plate clean to get every drop of the accompanying delectable, flavor-packed sauce. Also highly recommended: Raspberry Prickly Pear Tart which my server told me Marquez only makes a couple times a year. RUN, don’t walk, to Tortilla Flats to get one by Sunday.  The combination of almonds, prickly pears, fresh berries and shortbread crust is incomparable.

A bit of history related to this weekend’s special menu: according to Marquez, the “…Opuntia cactus is part of the coat of arms of Mexico, commemorating the founding of the great capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan (the Nahuatl word for cactus is tenochtli). Cactus is still an important food in Mexico.”

Tortilla Flats offers a variety of annual events with special menus once or twice a month; during these times the regular restaurant menu is also available featuring treats like Quesadilla Suprema (green chile stuffed with cheese, wrapped in a tortilla and topped with enchilada sauce, melted cheese, sour cream, and guacamole).

Tortilla Flats, located at 4616 Soquel Drive, is open daily for lunch and dinner.  If you’re a party of six or more, make reservations at (831) 476-1754.

Cactus Specialties March 24-27, 2011

Cactus Chile Verde

Carnitas in rich tomatillo sauce with cactus strips

Enchiladas Sonora

Chicken and nopale strips in an enchilada topped with a hatch chile and cactus sauce

Green chile crepas

Crepes made with New Mexico green chiles filled with chicken and nopalitos served with verde casera sauce

Prickly prawns

Grilled jumbo prawns with prickly pear lime sauce

Ceviche En Nopal

Marinated jumbo prawns, lime, peppers and avocado served in a nopale ‘chalupa’

Basa In Nopalito Shrimp Sauce

Mild white filet of fish, pan-fried and served in a delicate shrimp cream sauce

Prickly Pear Pork Tenderloin

Succulent slices of pork tenderloin served with jalapeno, nopalito applesauce and sauteed red bell peppers

Pollo con Pina y Nopalitos

Grilled chicken strips with fresh pineapple and nopalito salsa, served on a bed of fresh greens

Raspberry Prickly Pear Tart

French shortbread crust with a layer of almond frangipane, pastry cream and fresh raspberries glazed with prickly pear sauce

The Details

Tortilla Flats Restaurant, 4616 Soquel Drive, Soquel 95073, (831) 476-1754

Follow me on Twitter @santacruzfoodie.

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Two food events for Persian New Year with Santa Cruz restaurant India Joze

Posted on March 16, 2011 by admin

Through Santa Cruz restaurant India Joze and organic market New Leaf, you can enjoy two fun food celebrations associated with Nowruz, or the Persian New Year. There is a class at New Leaf on March 17, and a dinner at India Joze on March 27. You don’t have to know anything at all about Persian food or traditions to attend either event, and I encourage you to attend one or both programs. Nowruz is a wonderful holiday that I grew up celebrating, , and its rituals and festivities can transcend cultural boundaries. By the way you’ll see Nowruz (which literally means “new day”) spelled a dozen different ways depending where you look – none of them are ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’

Chef Jozseph Schultz, who owns and operates India Joze, is leading the March 17 New Leaf Nowruz class, which is from 5-8pm at the Westside Fair Avenue location and costs $59. Register online or call (831) 466-9060 x126. This class includes a cooking demo and dinner and promises to be a great time, as world traveler/experienced chef Schultz is a great storyteller full of insights.

The Persian New Year occurs annually at the time of the Vernal equinox. Coinciding with the first day of spring, it’s a time of renewal, community, and many cultural celebrations and festivities. For a unique treat, attend the March 27 special dinner at India Joze; read more and register online. Tickets are $45 before 3/25, $55 after 3/25, or $36/44 for JozBuxers (folks who own large gift certificates and receive 20% discount). The event is from 4-8pm; the menu is subject to change but at press time the bounty of appetizers at 4pm will include Sabzi Khordan (Persian Herb Platter) and Kuku-ye Sabzi (Fresh Herb Frittata). The dinner will feature several dishes such as Fesenjan (you can make this pomegranate walnut stew with a variety of meats; for this holiday feast, Schultz is using duck) Bademjan (Persian Eggplant), Mahi-e Polo (Smoked Whitefish Pilaf) and a vegetarian rice dish. Desserts will include Persian Baklava. I can’t wait to attend and hope to see you there! It will be delicious, a fun time for all, and even educational for those unfamiliar with this rich holiday.

Read this article for more details on India Joze. Since that was published, some things have changed, like the hours (now Mon-Sat 11:30am-9pm except for occasional Sunday special events) while some have stayed the same (it’s still cash only but there’s an ATM just down the street).

If you’re on Twitter, follow me @santacruzfoodie.

India Joze, 418 Front Street

Phone: (831) 325-3633

Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-9pm

New Leaf Westside Location, 1101 Fair Ave.

Phone: (831) 426-1306

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St. Patrick’s Day sale and Japan earthquake/tsunami benefit at Santa Cruz’s Café Iveta

Posted on March 15, 2011 by admin

Scone from Cafe Iveta

Santa Cruz’s Café Iveta has announced a St. Patrick’s Day sale on many of its products – plus a free beverage offer — and is donating a portion of proceeds to the American Red Cross in the wake of Japan’s recent devastating earthquake and tsunami.

The details: Through March 18, 2011, save 20% on purchases of Iveta’s yummy vanilla, golden raisin, and currant scone mixes in addition to its clotted cream and handmade lemon or key lime curd. You can order online (free shipping if you spend $50) or go to the lovely café itself in Westside Santa Cruz. BONUS: if you go in person and buy any of the retail products that are on sale, you receive a free beverage!

20% of all purchases of St. Patrick sale items from last Saturday (March 12, 2011) through the end of the sale (March 18, 2011) will be donated to the American Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan.

Café Iveta opened in Summer 2010 and has great coffee and espresso drinks (made with Italy’s Lavazza), tea (Harney & Sons), and breakfast and lunch items including pastries, sandwiches (some vegetarian), soups, and salads. It also has a nice array of retail products, including the sale ones mentioned above. You can read more about Café Iveta and its local owners, the Bilanko Family, in this article. A couple changes since the article was published, in addition to a new phone #: the café is now closed on Sundays, and the hours from Mon-Sat are now 7am-4pm instead of 8am-4pm (customers requested an earlier opening time, and their voices were heard).

Location: 2125 Delaware Ave Suite F, Santa Cruz 95060, (831) 713-0320

Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-4pm

If you’re on Twitter, please follow me @santacruzfoodie.

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Writing Workshop for Foodies in the Santa Cruz area

Posted on March 10, 2011 by admin

A casserole from January's writing retreat for foodies

If you love writing and you love food, you’re in for a treat with an upcoming Santa Cruz area workshop led by Laura Davis. Acclaimed local writer Davis offers 14 participants the chance to explore food and writing on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at “Two Things I Love Best: A Writing Retreat for Foodies.”

The March 26 workshop cost is $85; each participant brings a writing notebook and a food dish that “tells a story,” plus recipe copies for the other participants (once you register, you’ll be given complete details). The location is a private home in Watsonville with a state-of-the-art kitchen. Note that you don’t have to consider yourself a writer to attend — beginning and experienced writers are welcome.

Davis has facilitated many writing workshops over the years including weekly writing groups and memoir writing retreats. Her first food-writing workshop was in January. The successful event was filled with writing, reflection, laughter, dialogue, and of course, eating lots of great food. Food-related prompts elicited many ideas and words from the group, and the next workshop promises to conjure up another feast of writing and reveling. Register and learn more here. If you have more questions, feel free to contact Laura Davis at lauradavis@lauradavis.net or (831) 464-9517.

Davis is the author of many non-fiction books and her experience includes jobs as a columnist, talk show host, radio reporter, radio producer, blogger, and editor. She says, “Writing has been a companion of mine my whole life. I have used words to understand myself, to express myself, to provoke, to educate, to inspire, to make my mark in the world…I’ve always been an agent of change. Although my pathway keeps changing, words are always at the center.” Read more at the writer’s web site http://www.lauradavis.net/.

On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie.

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