A Beer and a Watermelon Margarita Walk into a Bar… Summer does all kinds of strange things to me, like make me appreciate pilsners and not just crave hop-bomb IPAs…
Wet Your Thistle
Big Trouble in Little Cynar One of the great harvests of spring is the artichoke. Delightful as they are to eat, they’re notorious for pairing with wine. That culinary conundrum…
Processing Acorns: Two Ways
“Today, we’ve almost forgotten about the nourishing acorn, which almost never figures in most peoples’ diet. More’s the pity, for this important ancient California food once sustained thousands of people…
Acorn Eating: A Santa Barbara Tradition
Acorns were a staple of native diet in much of California as early as 3,500 years ago. At Spanish contact, 300,000 native Californians were harvesting more than 60,000 tons of acorns a year—more than today’s sweet corn harvest.
Local Grass-Fed Beef: Converting Sunlight to Food
I set out to learn more about these cows by interviewing three of our local cattle ranchers, but I actually learned more about grass, soil, and community. Grazing cattle play an important role in converting the sun’s energy into food, nourishing the soil and the community of microbes and fungi that make plants healthy and nutritious.
Backyard Chickens in a Santa Barbara Garden
When we returned to Santa Barbara after two weeks of chicken heaven, I vowed that someday, somehow, I would find a way to keep a few chickens in our backyard. Now I wander down to the garden with our 18-month-old granddaughter, amazed at the peace and simplicity four backyard chickens can bring.