Welcome to Lily Belli on Food, a weekly food-focused newsletter from Lookout’s food and drink correspondent, Lily Belli. Keep reading for the latest local food news for Santa Cruz County – plus a few fun odds and ends from my own life and around the web.
… Grocery prices are still a major concern for households throughout Santa Cruz County, despite the return of federal food benefits following the reopening of the government last week. People struggling to put food on the table are flocking to food banks and pantries by the hundreds, and some told me that they’re skipping Thanksgiving this year because celebrating the holiday is too expensive.
Some costs of some grocery items saw double-digit jumps this year. The prices of ground beef and steak rose nearly $1 per pound, and egg prices rose 24% on average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Whole turkey, the traditional centerpiece of many holiday meals, is expected to be 40% more expensive this year than in 2024, due to outbreaks of avian influenza – aka bird flu – and higher demand.
County residents are feeling the pressure. “I work full time, I get paid decently for what I do, and I have a great boss, but it’s not enough for the cost of food alone, even without rent,” said Marissa Hill, who visited the food pantry at Santa Cruz Bible Church in Santa Cruz last week to pick up bags of groceries. “It feels impossible right now.” Read the full story here.
… On Monday, I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel at Farm, Fork & Your Future, an event hosted by Cabrillo College’s Horticulture and Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management departments for its students. I sat with Mireya Gomez-Contreras of Esperanza Community Farms in Watsonville, Nicole Todd of Santa Cruz Cider Co. and chef Brad Briske of Home restaurant in Soquel while Andrea Mollenauer, CAHM’s department chair, led us in a discussion about the future of the area’s agriculture and hospitality industries.
I was fascinated by the conversation and different perspectives around supporting mental health while working in the restaurant industry, the benefits and challenges of entrepreneurship, the mutually beneficial outcomes of collaboration, and equity in the agriculture industry. Hopefully the students walked away with as much inspiration as I did. Thank you for having me!
… A tip of the hat to winemakers John Locke and Alex Krause of Birichino, whose Central Coast Saint Georges Pinot Noir 2024 earned a spot on New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov’s list of 20 Wines for the Thanksgiving Table. “It speaks of California, yet the wine is focused, fresh and complex,” Asimov wrote of the vintage, which typically retails for between $25 and $30. The upcoming holiday seems like a good excuse to visit Biricho’s jewel box of a tasting room in downtown Santa Cruz.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Craving a Thanksgiving fix before next Thursday? Visit Busy Bees Cafe and Catering in Capitola for its November special: the Thanksgiving Dinner Sandwich ($15), a messy, indulgent creation with homemade stuffing, a layer of silky mashed potatoes, slices of roasted turkey breast, cranberry sauce and a swipe of mayo on soft, buttery challah. More info in Friday’s Eaters Digest.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
The Aptos Wine Wander returns to Aptos Village this Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m. Sixteen Santa Cruz-area wineries, including Lester Estate Wines, El Vaquero Winery and Kathryn Kennedy Winery, will post up at 13 businesses to pour samples of wine while guests sip and shop. Each $45 ticket includes a wine glass and map of tasting locations.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
Earlier this fall, my children – Marco, 4, and Cecilia, 2 – watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas” for the first time, and it quickly became the movie of the season. So when I saw that Kianti’s Pizza and Pasta Bar in downtown Santa Cruz is holding weekend “Jack Is Back” performances based on the Tim Burton film, I decided we should check it out. We invited Marco’s friend from preschool and her family to come with us.
I was expecting some pizza spinning to some of the songs from the film, and maybe some costumes. I was not prepared for the entire restaurant to be completely decorated with Christmasy Halloween decor, complete with a holiday tree with little Jack Skellingtons on it and wreaths bearing sets of sharp teeth. When the show started, more than a dozen employees took on roles as backup dancers or one of the main characters from the movie – Santa Claus, Oogie Boogie, Jack and the Trick or Treaters – to perform at least five songs. And yes, there was lots of dough flying through the air.
The kids were absolutely mesmerized and the adults were cheering too. To say it exceeded my expectations is an understatement – I give it a 1,000 out of 10. If you’ve got kids in your life who love this movie, don’t miss it. Performances are scheduled every Friday and Saturday night at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. through Jan. 3.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he would exempt more than 200 grocery items from tariffs, including beef, bananas, coffee and tea, in response to nationwide complaints about high prices at the supermarket. (NBC News)
➤ Turkeys will be a whopping 40% more expensive this year than last Thanksgiving, but other traditional ingredients also saw price hikes. Consumers can expect to pay 5% more for canned vegetables, cranberry sauce and other canned goods. Wine, however, is slightly cheaper, due to steady supply and lower demand. (NPR)