The city of Santa Barbara has held a fiesta call Old Spanish Days Fiesta since 1924. The fiesta celebrates the Spanish heritage of the city as well as serving as a way to stimulate the local economy. Numerous non-profit organizations have food booths to raise funds for their operating costs. Over the years I have been involved from having kids in one of the parades, eating my way through the food booths at de la Guerra Plaza to offering food at the Mayor's Party held now at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
This year at my wife's prodding, we went to Our Lady of Guadalupe where they have held a Mercado now many years. There are a number of food booths that feature: Gorditas, Ice Cream/Cotton Candy, Flautas, Tacos and Tostadas,Aguas Frescas, Hot Dogs & Nachos, Birria, Carnitas, Churros, Corn on the Cobb & Asados, Snow Cones & Popcorn, Sopes, Tamales, Pozole & Enchiladas Combos, Tacos & Tortas de Carne Asada, Coca - Cola Truck and Wine & Beer. We managed to eat our way through about five of the booths. Everything was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the charcoal-roasted corn and the sopas. The sopas were one of the best Mexican foods I have ever eaten. Frijoles, shredded chicken, lettuce, salsa and queso were heaped in cup-like tortillas. It was all washed down with a cold beer.
I was intrigued with the corn BBQ. The rollers that the corn rested upon rotated with the help of an electric motors and a set of belts and gears. The cook in charge claimed to have made the contraption. The corn was bathed in butter and mayonnaise, dusted with parmesan and spiced with chili powder.
The Guadalupe Mercado is now on the must go list for next year.
Vive La Fiesta
Chef Michael Hutchings
Michael's Catering
Santa Barbara
