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.
… Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County is grappling with the sudden loss of more than $700,000 worth of federal government aid, with another $400,000 in state funding in immediate danger. The gap equates to more than 3 million meals, threatening the food security of tens of thousands of county residents, CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez told local media at a news conference on Monday.
The loss of funding was a surprise for the food bank. In early March, officials noticed in the database they rely on to alert them of federal assistance that the food deliveries they were expecting had been canceled. After talking to other food banks, Second Harvest realized that was a national issue. After more than three weeks, the nonprofit still doesn’t have clarification on why the programs have been paused, or when they might return.
In the face of this rapidly changing landscape, the food bank has launched “Operation Bridge the Gap,” a campaign to encourage the community to make financial donations, volunteer and advocate for the food bank with elected officials to oppose funding cuts. Meanwhile, the organization is trying to figure out how far it can stretch this new, leaner budget.
… With a background in marine science and her thumb on the pulse of Monterey Bay’s fishing industry, Melissa Mahoney, executive director of the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust, has been a valuable source of information for me on stories like how to define “local” and “sustainable” seafood. On Monday, I shared a story about what the trust does, and discovered that, in an era of few wins for the fishing industry, the trust’s success is growing.
With partners such as Second Harvest Food Bank, the trust’s community seafood program has tripled the amount of locally caught fish provided to needy families in the past two years. This year, it’s working with data scientists and economists to see how it can replace infrastructure that was lost over the past two decades as the industry waned, like seafood buyers and harbor facilities for processing and distributing fish, and grow it for the future – all while prioritizing the health of Monterey Bay.
Read the story about this small but mighty local nonprofit.
… Spring is officially here, and it’s shaping up to be a delicious season. Last week, I shared a selection of exciting foodie events coming between now and the end of May, like the return of the DIYine: A Homebrewing Festival at the Veterans Memorial Building on April 19 and Forks, Corks & Kegs at Kaiser Permanente Arena on May 17. Check out the calendar here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
A new wave of drinkers is seeking out matcha – with higher caffeine levels than loose-leaf teas and a slew of purported health benefits – as a healthy alternative to coffee. In Santa Cruz County, coffee shops are offering a wider variety of matcha drinks made with higher-quality tea, like citrus-infused iced matchas and espresso-style drinks like cappuccinos made with matcha, in addition to fun twists on the familiar matcha lattes with different kinds of milk and fruit or simple syrup infusions. Read the story here.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
On Saturday, April 26, The Perfect Pair returns to the historic Sesnon House at Cabrillo College. At this showcase, Cabrillo Culinary Arts students are matched with local wineries and challenged to create the perfect pairing of small bites and wines. Guests and judges determine the winners. Tasting tickets are $85. Last year, Lookout wine contributor Laurie Love tried pairings like turkey herb meatballs with raspberry sauce matched with Aptos Vineyards’ 2020 pinot noir, and lemon curd puff pastry with Birichino Winery’s 2022 pétulant naturel malvasia bianca, a floral, naturally sparkling wine.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
I turned 36 Monday, and celebrated last Saturday with a “girl’s night” with a dozen of my friends, a huge charcuterie board, dessert platter with all kinds of cookies and treats, and lots of wine and dirty martinis. (A huge shoutout to my husband, Mike, and my in-laws for watching our two toddlers for the evening so my friends and I could take over the house.)
After the party, when I had a moment to unwrap my gifts, I was blown away by the thoughtful presents I received, all utterly perfect for a food- and writing-obsessed person, including several fantastic bottles of local wine, a jar of a spicy fried garlic-shallot-chile mixture I can’t stop sprinkling on everything, and artisanal cans of tinned littleneck clams and scallops. I also received a large, decorative tin jar of Italian biscotti, a copy of Alice Waters’ slow food manifesto “We Are What We Eat,” and a fancy jar of mustard. Swoon! If you have a foodie in your life with a birthday coming up, take note.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ On March 21, heavyweight boxing champion and 1990s grilling mogul George Foreman died at the age of 76. A decadeslong boxing career made Foreman world famous, but he became a household name in the food world in the early ‘90s by endorsing indoor countertop grills. In 2000, CNN Money reported that at least 12% of Americans owned a George Foreman grill. (Eater)
➤ If you’re looking for better gut health, the path is simpler than you might think, according to findings in a large, recent study that looked at 21,000 people in Italy, the U.K. and the U.S. Basically, the more whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, the better – but a little meat and dairy mixed in is OK, too. (National Geographic)