MEET THE MAKERS With Earth Day two days away, the Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market is throwing a party for Mother Earth this Wednesday, April 20 (yes, that is 4/20). Writer/activist John Robbins will be on hand, as well as Save Our Shores Executive Director Laura Kasa and other eco-visionaries. Now opening at 1:30pm, the expanded market will feature more sit-down dining action, everything from Raw Daddy and Rib King to Penny Ice Creamery. The tulips and ranunculus are making their most voluptuous spring impact right now, and this week the market introduces a whole new interactive shopping concept—the Santa Cruz Makers Market, showcasing local artists, jewelrymakers and ceramicists. Don’t forget to bring your own recyclable shopping bags (the market is aiming for a plastic bag-free future) and a healthy appetite for the latest harvest from Mother Earth.
MISSION HILL GOES GALACTIC Well, OK, more like regional. But I ran into ice cream entrepreneur David Kumec at the Saturday farmer’s market and he was full of exciting news about his organic handmade ice creams. Since closing his Front Street operation, Kumec has been creating his exceptional line of treats in a new state-licensed production facility in Watsonville using all Straus Family Creamery organic products. He scored a huge account with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which now offers Kumec’s ice cream to its nearly 2 million annual visitors. Soon Mission Hill Creamery specialties will be sold at Staff of Life, Deluxe Foods and Whole Foods, and you can find this ice cream by the pint in two weeks at the Westside and Eastside Coffeetopias. Meanwhile, samples are there for the taking at the Westside Farmer’s Market every Saturday, 9am-1pm.
SAVE THE DATE Kelly’s Annual Dinner Market will happen again on June 25. The entire Westside community of grazing foodies, plus a dozen food vendors, three wineries and the robust energy of the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, will join forces in a big group picnic. Live music, raffle prizes, good vibes—all for a $5 entry fee for adults (food and drink, of course, are extra).
PAIR FAIR May 1 at the Ingalls Street wineries sees the annual Dare to Pair event, where student chefs from the Cabrillo Culinary Arts program create recipes to match selected premium wines made by winemakers from Surf City Vintners. That would be Sones Cellars, Storrs, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, Odonata, Bonny Doon Vineyard and many others. Lots of delicious fun, but it’s actually a competition. Noon-6pm. Tickets run $50 in advance or $60 the day of. 831.555.5555.
Send tips about food, wine and new dining discoveries to Christina Waters at xtina@cruzio.com. Read her blog at http://christinawaters.com.
