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.
… Need some ideas for Valentine’s Day this Friday? I’ve got you covered. If you want to take your sweetie out for a romantic dinner, I listed five multicourse feasts happening at local restaurants in Friday’s Eaters Digest, including a six-course tasting menu ($150 per person) at Vim Dining & Desserts in Santa Cruz and a plant-forward feast with a vegan option ($75) and wine pairing ($35) at The Grove Cafe & Bakery in Felton.
Feeling a little more adventurous? The Emerald Mallard, located inside the Humble Sea Tavern in Felton, is reviving its popular Ramen Night this Friday with a menu of maximalist takes on Japanese classics, like duck and cabbage egg rolls ($14) and spicy kimchi okonomiyaki ($16). In downtown Santa Cruz, Ibiza restaurant is hosting a four-course Spanish paella dinner ($75), with a chicken and chorizo paella made with farmers market vegetables. Dessert is hot chocolate and churros. Or, head to Madson Wines’ Westside Santa Cruz cellar for a five-course dinner ($150) with chef Diego Felix of Fonda Felix, paired with Madson’s excellent natural wines.
If the vibe is more low-key: Aptos Vineyard, together with Santa Cruz Bee Company, is hosting a wine, honey and cheese pairing with four different combinations at the winery’s tasting room in Aptos Village on Friday afternoon. And, The Penny Ice Creamery is selling cute heart-shaped ice cream pies for two ($14), with dark chocolate ice cream, rich caramel and a gluten-free chocolate crumb crust at all of its locations.
And, if you just want to celebrate with the girls, head to Humble Sea Brewing Co. in Santa Cruz on Saturday for a Galentine’s Day celebration featuring craft beer, treats and art from women-owned and -operated breweries and small businesses.
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… Last week, wineries throughout the U.S. were thrown into turmoil when Canada announced it would halt all imports of American alcohol, effective Feb. 4. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later agreed to pause the boycott for 30 days, but it’s unclear what will happen once that agreement expires.
Some Santa Cruz County wineries, including Madson Wines and Birichino, are in limbo over when – or if – their exports, representing tens of thousands of dollars, will be accepted by the Canadian government, and worry about the long-term effects Trump’s tariff policies might have on American goods. Read the story here.
… After a late start to the Dungeness crab season, fishers along the West Coast, including Santa Cruz County, are reporting extremely low stock numbers.
“It’s devastating,” said fisher Valerie Phillips, who splits her time fishing out of Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay harbors. She said she and her crew, which includes her husband, father and a crew member, have caught only about a third of what they would normally catch in a season. “We’re talking about pulling the pots already. We’re probably going to switch to our next fishery.”
It’s not clear why there are so few full-sized crabs, and it could be just a “down year,” according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The low numbers are leading some Santa Cruz fishers to move on to other fisheries early, while others are capitalizing on the high price, which has doubled from previous years. Read the story here.
… A student at Pacific Elementary School in Davenport is holding a bake sale Wednesday from 1:40 to 5 p.m. (or sellout) to raise money for victims of the Los Angeles fires. Fourth-grader Asa, 10, hopes to donate $1,000 from the sale of homemade baked goods to four organizations: World Central Kitchen, L.A. County Animal Care Foundation, the Red Cross and the L.A. Fire Department.
The bake sale will take place on the blacktop, weather permitting, or inside at the Mountain View Lunchroom. Can’t make it to Davenport? Companion Bakeshop in Santa Cruz will donate 5% of sales Wednesday to this fundraiser.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Last week, dozens of businesses throughout Santa Cruz County were closed to take part in the nationwide “A Day Without Immigrants” protest. The campaign encouraged supporters to stay home from work and school, and for businesses to close. Participation appeared widespread in South County, and included restaurants, laundromats, bakeries, retail shops, food trucks and grocery stores.
Guillermo Alvarez, owner of The Real Taco, was encouraged to close his two Santa Cruz-based food trucks by his employees. “They asked me to be closed today to support the protest and community,” he said last Monday. “Hopefully our voices will be heard from other communities, and those communities can support us through these hard times.” Here’s the story.
NOTED
The Capitola Mall is partnering with Collective Santa Cruz to promote available space at the mall for small, locally owned businesses. The mall is offering rent-free build-out periods for businesses looking to launch or grow. Spaces are flexible and range in size, said a post on Instagram.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
The 44th annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off – the largest and longest-running clam chowder festival in the country – will be held at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23. Amateur chefs compete that Saturday, and professional entrants compete on Sunday. Tasting kits with six tasting tickets are $15.
LIFE WITH THE BELLIS
Last week, Sunrise Santa Cruz Rotary hosted me as a speaker at a meeting at The Grille at DeLaveaga Golf Course. It was a blast, and I met so many lovely members. Although, when I originally agreed to the event, I thought the “sunrise” part was metaphorical. Nope – call time was 7 a.m. That blow was softened by a hearty breakfast when I arrived: a Liège Belgian waffle with crystalline pieces of sugar incorporated into the batter that gave each bite a sweet crunch, and finished with fresh berries and whipped butter.
FOOD NEWS WORTH READING
➤ Following a deluge of executive orders signed by President Trump over the past two weeks, farm groups across the country awaiting federal grant money for environmentally friendly projects report that the United States Department of Agriculture has stopped its disbursements. So far, the agency has not clarified why the payments were stopped, or when they will resume. (Civil Eats)
➤ A new app created in Oakland tracks how much grocery prices have shifted. Using information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Inflatacart shows how prices of basic goods in grocery stores, like bananas, eggs and coffee, have increased or decreased in the past few years. (San Francisco Chronicle)