Fill ‘er Up! In the can-do spirit of roadside Americana, two new food ventures, The Truck Stop and Filling Station, are now operational on the Westside. Located in the front of the classic Goodwill depot at 1500 Mission St., Filling Station is a collaborative venture between longtime foodies (and sweethearts) Amber Turpin and David Stimpson, who both bring prolific connections with top area organic gardens, bakeries and artisanal purveyors. “We’re a coffeehouse, for sure,” said Turpin, arranging huge dahlias for display on the tiny front patio. “We feature Four Barrel Coffee from an artisanal roaster in San Francisco, and we bake in-house every morning,” she added, tempting me with a dreamy fresh-baked tea cake studded with crunchy millet, dubbed the Cafe Fanny (after Alice Waters’ food bar) in honor of Chez Panisse‘s 40th anniversary. Along with outstanding Colombian coffee sweetened with agave (my new favorite caffeine additive) Stimpson was serving up both sweet and savory hand pies, cinnamon toast and espresso from the teensy kitchen adjoining a cozy, open-air dining area. “We use Companion Bakeshop breads, goat cheese from Friend in Cheeses and Straus Dairy,” Turpin added.
Parked alongside Filling Station’s front doorstep is Fran Grayson’s silvery new culinary venture food truck, The Truck Stop, specializing in arepas, tacos and tortas along with fresh sauces and salsas. The cafe-on-wheels is also busy catering private parties; learn more by emailing thetruckstopsc@gmail.com. Filling Station is open Tues-Fri 7am–3pm and Sat-Sun 8am–3pm. The Truck Stop is open most days 7am–11am except when off-site for catering and events. For more information find them both online at FillingStation1500.com and TheTruckStopSC.com.
Alfresco Farm Feast Get ready for a gourmet field dinner on the landmark UCSC Farm this coming Sunday, Sept. 11, starting with a tour and silent auction at 3pm. The event is many things—an outdoor dining party, a celebration of the Center for Agroecology and a fundraiser for the trend-setting CASFS apprenticeship training program. A five-course dinner accompanied by organic wines begins at 4pm, created with organic ingredients from the UCSC Farm & Garden and other local farms and ranches. The entrée portion of the menu will offer a choice of grass-fed Fogline Farm pork or chicken dishes, as well as vegetarian options. Call soon and see if there are still tickets ($125 per person): 831.459.3240 or email casfs@ucsc.edu.
Hot Plate: Rillettes de canard with Muscadet at Soif. But don’t just take my word for it….
