Summer’s Don’t-Miss Dish
At Presqu’ile Vineyard & Winery, food and wine are symbiotic. This modern winery was established in 2007, specializing in cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah from Santa Barbara County. The name means “almost an island” in French (pronounced press-KEEL) and was named after a property the family lost to Hurricane Katrina, as well as perfectly describing this sheltered oasis in Santa Maria Valley.
Presqu’ile’s 200-acre property on Clark Avenue contains estate vineyards, gardens, winery buildings and spaces, a pond and a one-acre farm. The farm is the epicenter of the menu at Presqu’ile, helmed by French-born Chef Julie Simon, who’s been running the kitchen since late 2019.
Chef Simon has an accomplished resume spanning a decade throughout the Central Coast, where she has worked with acclaimed kitchens, events and farmto-table endeavors. Having developed an obsession with growing her own food, she began planting and managing a small farm plot, to create food for herself and dinner events for friends.
Presqu’ile’s belief in a “sense of place” plus the promise of her own acre of land to farm undoubtedly lured Simon to the winery. Creating a permaculture garden and growing produce sustainably and organically is a perfect fit for the in-house chef, where she creates locally sourced dinners and menus to pair with the wines.
Since the garden’s inception, Simon has worked it herself, propagating seeds in her home, planting and weeding and even setting gopher traps. Her favorite part of the job is working the garden each morning, picking garnishes for that day’s dishes and being in the dirt.
This labor of love pays off in the fresh simplicity of her dishes in the Mezze Picnic served alongside the current wine flight. With Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Californian influences, Simon’s picnic spread is more than just appetizers paired with wine; it thoughtfully dishes up all the flavors of this land and the season.
The Mezze Picnic consists of five or six small dishes, tailored to the season. Summer’s offering includes gazpacho made with the garden’s overripe and notso-perfect-looking tomatoes and other produce, which changes with the seasons.
To make Simon’s Summer Gazpacho, gather together the ripest fresh tomatoes; shallots or white onion; garlic and a little watermelon (or stone fruit). It’s OK if the produce is overripe and/or bruised. Cut the tomatoes, shallots/onions and garlic in half, and mix with salt, olive oil, sherry vinegar and lemon zest. Let this sit and macerate 1–4 hours on your countertop. Blend the whole mixture in a high-speed blender, slowly adding fresh olive oil for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil and edible flowers.
