ORANGE WINE It’s impossible to stop by Ristorante Avanti and not try some exotic wine from the nightly blackboard list. Wine explorer and barkeep Katy Cater always points me toward the unusual, and last week was no exception as she smiled mysteriously and poured something she called “orange wine” in my glass. Haunting and exotic, this dry summer wine was a lovely pale cantaloupe hue and resembled a sherry in dry mineral finish. It was a 2009 Simcic Pinot Grigio from Slovenia, one of the places in the world with a centuries-old passion for orange wine. The concept is simple: wine made from a white grape varietal (pinot gris/grigio is a favorite) is allowed extra skin contact before fermentation. The result is a slight apricot tinge to the finished wine. Pretty indeed, but also quite memorable. The Simcic Pinot Grigio is currently on the wine list at Avanti. Another reason to swallow.
MORE QUICKIES Loved the huge spread in this month’s Bon Appetit on Manresa chef and Santa Cruzan David Kinch and his exclusive farm/kitchen connection with Love Apple Farm. . . . Coming soon: The Truck Stop and The Filling Station, two tasty and budget-friendly ideas from food entrepreneur Fran Grayson. The food truck concept has exploded in urban hotspots such as Seattle, Portland and Chicago, so it’s an obvious go-to idea for Santa Cruz. Menu details are still being fine-tuned for Grayson’s roving food truck, which will make strategic stops wherever hard-working gourmets need breakfast or lunch. The other piece of Grayson’s future empire is the diminutive vintage gas station (and former Goodwill depot) at the corner of Trescony and Mission. New paint is drying and plans are moving forward. Stay tuned.
KILLER SCONES: THE SEQUEL Check out the sleek ambiance of Iveta, a cafe oasis in the heart of Santa Cruz’ far western industrial edge at 2125 Delaware Avenue. Iveta is the home to a wide bandwidth of authentic, creamy scones. I like the lemon and ginger version almost as much as the award-winning apricot scone. The pretty tea room has outdoor patio seating, oodles of coffee drinks and lunch items and a wall of tempting scone mixes to take home. Open at 7am weekdays, 8am on weekends.
PLAN AHEAD Mark your calendar for Gourmet Grazing on the Green, which will fill Aptos Village Park on Sept. 17. You’ll be able to graze the afternoon away thanks to the best from local restaurants and wineries, all to benefit the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group. Ticket prices ($65) include wine glass and all food and wine tastings all day. http://sccbg.org/events.html.
Send tips about food, wine and new dining discoveries to Christina Waters at xtina@cruzio.com. Read her blog at http://christinawaters.com.
