Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Grilling Over Fire
Quest For Fire
The Cave Man BBQ
Cooking over a live fire has been around since the beginning of time. It’s the most natural way of cooking. Yet, in today’s fast pace lifestyle very few of us have the time to do it. We resort to microwaves, fast food, and meal bars.
Well here on the Central Coast BBQ is, well an art form. It’s where we celebrate cave man cooking. It has the LA crowd jumping in their cars and driving up the coast a couple hours to enjoy this open range, free style grilling. Of course this crowd could find any type of cuisine they wanted right in their back yard, but no, they make the journey up the coast just for the unbelievable BBQ.
This type of BBQ is authentic. It’s real. It’s gourmet cowboy cuisine. Cave Man style.
So come visit the coast
Santa Maria Inn
Explore Santa Barbara County's extraordinary number of acclaimed artistic and cultural attractions. With numerous museums, galleries, missions and a year-round selection of internationally recognized performing arts, dance, music, visual arts and theater, Santa Barbara County is a coastal cultural empire. Santa Maria is a fun-filled playground for the entire family at the foothills of the Sierra Madres, just minutes from pristine beaches, parks, mountains, golf courses and hiking trails. Santa Barbara is home to 58 wineries along 50 miles of scenic countryside that produce premiere award-winning wines.
THE MADONNA INN IS A LANDMARK
On the Central Coast of California. It expresses one couples imagination to create their dream. Using the natural materials of native stone and utilizing the workmanship of skilled artisans, the beauty and charm of the Madonna Inn became a reality.
California's Premier Guest Ranch & Resort
There are few places in the world where time seems reluctant to move forward. The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, nestled in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley and the renowned Santa Barbara County wine country, is one such rare retreat. The Alisal has been a hideaway for generations of families, couples and groups since first welcoming guests in 1946. Today, the romance and majesty of the “old west” remain in the Ranch’s wide-open spaces and unspoiled natural beauty.
Come enjoy California BBQ!!!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
To Sauce Or Not To Sauce
Barbecue Sauce
Here on the Central Coast of California, the BBQ Pit Masters have always used the Non Sauce method. If you have to use sauce, you obviously have to cover something up. It’s saying that you are not confident in your BBQ art form. Barbecuing should bring out this amazing flavor in your meat, especially your beef, if it is done correctly. Just the right amount of salt and some other seasonings can help cook the perfect steak.
Using sauce along with pork ribs or pork sausage is tasty. However it does add more sugar to your diet and is not good for diabetics. Just something to keep in mind when choosing great BBQ. And, Santa Maria BBQ is the best!
Here on the Central Coast of California, the BBQ Pit Masters have always used the Non Sauce method. If you have to use sauce, you obviously have to cover something up. It’s saying that you are not confident in your BBQ art form. Barbecuing should bring out this amazing flavor in your meat, especially your beef, if it is done correctly. Just the right amount of salt and some other seasonings can help cook the perfect steak.
Using sauce along with pork ribs or pork sausage is tasty. However it does add more sugar to your diet and is not good for diabetics. Just something to keep in mind when choosing great BBQ. And, Santa Maria BBQ is the best!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
I Left My Heart In Santa Maria
Literally – it exploded from all the barbecued beef I ate, and had to be replaced. Michele and I just got back from an incredible weekend in the Santa Maria Valley. The weather was hot, but beautiful. The food was amazing, and the people we met could not have been nicer.
I'm only back in San Francisco for one day before heading down to LA for my big shoot with the creative geniuses at Brand New Entertainment. I don't have time to post them yet, but I filmed three great recipes, and took tons of pictures I can't wait to share!
We stayed at the Historic Santa Maria Inn where I filmed Chef Alex Araizaga making a very unique salmon recipe featuring a sauce using the area's famous strawberries.
We also had the great pleasure of watching Paul and Susan Righetti make a traditional Santa Maria Barbecued tri tip meal, complete with pinquito beans, grilled garlic bread, and a wonderful salsa.
Susan's family runs the venerable Far Western Tavern, one of the best known Santa Maria-style barbecue restaurants in the area, and she also sells a complete line of local artisan products on her website, Susie Q’s Brand.
Not only did we get treated to an amazing lunch, but she let me film her making the beans and salsa, and Paul will be starring in a video recipe showing the "real" way to do a Santa Maria tri tip.
It was an amazing afternoon! As if that wasn't enough, later in the evening we were able to dine at the Far Western Tavern. We had such a wonderful meal, including an unforgettable plate of barbecued sweetbreads served with cocktail sauce.
We also got to have dinner at the world famous Hitching Post, where Michele and I enjoyed one of the best steak dinners of our lives. I had a 15-oz top sirloin that was so juicy, so flavorful, and so uniquely flavored by the intoxicating scent of the red oak fire that it defies description.
I'd like to offer a very special thank you to Christopher Weir who set the trip up, and was a perfect host. Christopher works with the Santa Maria Visitors Bureau and they could not have had a better representative. When we arrived at the Santa Maria Inn there was a gift basket with local wine, fresh strawberries, and a welcome letter from the Mayor!
Like I said, when I get back from LA, I will post the videos and more photos/info from this very special trip to California's beautiful central coast. Stay tuned!
This content in it's entirety has been brought to you by Chef John from FoodWishes.
I'm only back in San Francisco for one day before heading down to LA for my big shoot with the creative geniuses at Brand New Entertainment. I don't have time to post them yet, but I filmed three great recipes, and took tons of pictures I can't wait to share!
We stayed at the Historic Santa Maria Inn where I filmed Chef Alex Araizaga making a very unique salmon recipe featuring a sauce using the area's famous strawberries.
We also had the great pleasure of watching Paul and Susan Righetti make a traditional Santa Maria Barbecued tri tip meal, complete with pinquito beans, grilled garlic bread, and a wonderful salsa.
Susan's family runs the venerable Far Western Tavern, one of the best known Santa Maria-style barbecue restaurants in the area, and she also sells a complete line of local artisan products on her website, Susie Q’s Brand.
Not only did we get treated to an amazing lunch, but she let me film her making the beans and salsa, and Paul will be starring in a video recipe showing the "real" way to do a Santa Maria tri tip.
It was an amazing afternoon! As if that wasn't enough, later in the evening we were able to dine at the Far Western Tavern. We had such a wonderful meal, including an unforgettable plate of barbecued sweetbreads served with cocktail sauce.
We also got to have dinner at the world famous Hitching Post, where Michele and I enjoyed one of the best steak dinners of our lives. I had a 15-oz top sirloin that was so juicy, so flavorful, and so uniquely flavored by the intoxicating scent of the red oak fire that it defies description.
I'd like to offer a very special thank you to Christopher Weir who set the trip up, and was a perfect host. Christopher works with the Santa Maria Visitors Bureau and they could not have had a better representative. When we arrived at the Santa Maria Inn there was a gift basket with local wine, fresh strawberries, and a welcome letter from the Mayor!
Like I said, when I get back from LA, I will post the videos and more photos/info from this very special trip to California's beautiful central coast. Stay tuned!
This content in it's entirety has been brought to you by Chef John from FoodWishes.
Special Delivery: Santa Maria BBQ
In an earlier post, we revealed how tri-tip became a signature cut of Santa Maria Style Barbecue, and how it can still be hard to find beyond the borders of California’s Central Coast.
Well, fret not, faraway tri-tip fans, because one local Santa Maria BBQ specialist is now offering pre-prepared tri-tip meals that can be delivered directly to your home.
Indeed, BBQ2You by the famed Hitching Post restaurant in the Santa Maria Valley has developed an ingenious method for exporting our local flavors: “Not only do we hand trim each tri-tip steak, filet mignon, or New York steak, we take it one step further and fully prepare your steak for you. Meaning, we barbecue each steak over a live red oak barbecue pit, then we season and baste the meat with our signature Hitching Post recipe. The steaks are then flash frozen and vacuumed sealed to ensure freshness. We then FedEx the steaks right to your doorstep!”
Umm…How cool is that?
The Hitching Post was established in 1944 in Casmalia and has been owned by the Ostini family since 1952. The Ostinis opened their second Hitching Post restaurant in Buellton in 1986. An indoor barbecue pit filled with red oak is the secret to the Hitching Post’s signature dining experience. In other words, they know Santa Maria Style BBQ!
After Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’ll be tired of turkey and ham, right? Well, now you have a great option for kicking off the New Year with an authentic, ready-to-go Santa Maria Style Barbecue conveniently delivered to your doorstep. Check out the BBQ2You web site for ordering and information.
This content in it's entirety has been brought to you by the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce
Well, fret not, faraway tri-tip fans, because one local Santa Maria BBQ specialist is now offering pre-prepared tri-tip meals that can be delivered directly to your home.
Indeed, BBQ2You by the famed Hitching Post restaurant in the Santa Maria Valley has developed an ingenious method for exporting our local flavors: “Not only do we hand trim each tri-tip steak, filet mignon, or New York steak, we take it one step further and fully prepare your steak for you. Meaning, we barbecue each steak over a live red oak barbecue pit, then we season and baste the meat with our signature Hitching Post recipe. The steaks are then flash frozen and vacuumed sealed to ensure freshness. We then FedEx the steaks right to your doorstep!”
Umm…How cool is that?
The Hitching Post was established in 1944 in Casmalia and has been owned by the Ostini family since 1952. The Ostinis opened their second Hitching Post restaurant in Buellton in 1986. An indoor barbecue pit filled with red oak is the secret to the Hitching Post’s signature dining experience. In other words, they know Santa Maria Style BBQ!
After Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’ll be tired of turkey and ham, right? Well, now you have a great option for kicking off the New Year with an authentic, ready-to-go Santa Maria Style Barbecue conveniently delivered to your doorstep. Check out the BBQ2You web site for ordering and information.
This content in it's entirety has been brought to you by the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce
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