Coastal Cooking with Chef Michael Hutchings

Fundraising Event to End Alzheimer's Disease

 

 

We are delighted to be supporting an event next week that helps fund the search for a cure for Alzheimer's disease. On Thursday, September 25, 2014 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM there will be a fundraiser as part of the Walk to End Alzheimer's.

Jessica Foster Invites You to a FUNdraiser to Support Her Team - JFC 4 Bette to Raise BIG Money for the Alzheimer's Association (on behalf of her Mother, Bette Farrell)

Delicious hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer from some of our favorite people will be served.

We have AMAZING silent auction and raffle items.  Bring your wallet! (See below for a sneak peek of donors!)

Tickets are limited so purchase quickly if you want to be there! 

Here is the link: https://jfc4bettefundraiser.eventbrite.com

If you are unable to make it but would like to contribute, go here http://act.alz.org/goto/jfc4bette to pledge your support for Team JFC 4 Bette!

Sponsors: Lobero Theater, Threadhead Embroidery and Wells Fargo Bank

Food & Beverage Sponsors include Melville Winery, Duo Catering, Ethan, Qupe & Verdad Wineries, Chef Michael Hutchings, Carr Winery, Village Modern Foods, Telegraph Brewery, New West Catering, Brander Winery & Reds Bin 211.

Sneak peek of auction/raffle donors:  Bell Street Farm, Margerum Wines, Los Angeles Lakers, Museum of Natural History, Wine Cask, Dragonette Cellars, isurf school, Santa Ynez Inn, C'est Cheese, Drishti, Dierberg Winery, Hitching Post II, El Capitan Canyon, Spenderella- Corinna Gordon, Bacara Resort & Spa, Camille K, Blair Fox, Jules Allen, Kaena and many more!!

 

Location:

Lobero Theatre Courtyard
33 E Canon Perdido St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

 

Tarte Tatin at the Santa Barbara Public Market

The Santa Barbara Public Market is a recent addition to th culinary scene in Santa Barbara, CA. This coming Sunday I will be showcasing the greatest apple dessert ever created, the Tarte Tatin.  I will be presenting three versions, the Tatin Classic, Tatin Minute and Tatin Rapide as well as a quick puff pastry method. The dessert has been credited to the Tatin sisters Stéphanie and Caroline. Ostensible the dish was an accident as so many of those French culinary tales of culinary creation are. 

From Wikipedia: "She started to make a traditional apple pie but left the apples cooking in butter and sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven. After turning out the upside down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert. In an alternative version of the tart's origin, Stéphanie baked a caramelized apple tart upside-down by mistake, regardless she served her guests the unusual dish. However, in spite of the veracity of this story, the concept of the "upside down tarts" was not a new one. For instance, patissier M.A. Carême already mentions glazed gâteaux renversés adorned with apples from Rouen or other fruit in his "Patissier Royal Parisien" (1841)."

Here is a little information on the SB Public Markket. From the web page: "Offering everything you can imagine in the way of handcrafted, regionally sourced and sustainably made foods—the Public Market is part of the Alma del Pueblo mixed-use development located in the heart of Santa Barbara’s downtown. With an ardent focus on local farms and artisanal ingredients, the LEED certified Market offers a collection of purveyors representing the best of Santa Barbara – each with a unique perspective. The Santa Barbara Public Market doors open at 7 AM daily, though hours may differ for each shop. The Santa Barbara Public Market features a commissary kitchen with a menu of programming, including cooking classes, local chef highlights and winemaker dinners."

 

 

Maritime Museum Tastings and Lecture

Where: Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, California

What: Enjoy tastings by local Chefs, as well as presentations by Fishermen and Scientists
When: Thursday, October 2 & 23, 2014 at 7 pm
Cost:$25 (SBMM members), $35 (non-members) per tasting

Purchase both tastings: $40 (SBMM members), $60 (non-members)

To Register: Go to www.sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 x115

SBMM will be hosting two nights of fresh seafood presentations and cooking demonstrations during the month of October. Local fishermen and seafood producers will give a short presentation on how they harvest fresh seafood, followed by a presentation by scientists/experts on the catch, and a demonstration by local chefs on how to prepare each item.

October 2^nd will feature Shellfish, with presentations on oysters by Chef James Sly of Sly’s Restaurant in Carpinteria , fresh local mussels prepared by Chuck’s Waterfront Grill, and abalone prepared by Chef Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering; also featuring presentations by Local Mariculturist Doug Bush of Cultured Abalone.

October 23^rd will be Finfish, featuring black cod, white seabass, and halibut prepared by Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering.

Each presentation will also feature tastings from Deep Sea Wineryand Jaffurs Wine Cellars, bread provided by D’Angelos, and pastries by Christine Dahl. Guest appearances will be made by SBMM’s partner organizations. Tickets are $25 for Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and American Institute of Wine and Food members (AIWF), and $35 for non-members. The series of two events can be purchased for $40 for members and $60 for non-members. For ticket information please contact the Museum Store at (805) 962-8404 x115.

This series are part of Visit Santa Barbara’s Epicure promotion.

 

Naked Wedding Cake

 

Naked Wedding Cake

Did the blog title get your attention? This is not tabloid pastry exposed. There is a new wedding cake style this season that sports no butter cream frosting or fondant overcoat. It's called a naked cake. In this case, there was a "fig leaf" of sorts as the topical decorations of olive branches, flowers and other botanicals dressed it up. It was with some trepidation that Chef Christine Dahl made the cake. In the end, it had its own rustic elegance, the theme of the wedding decor. I have included a couple of table top photos as an illustration of that theme. I like the idea of a mini antipasto display on the table and the use of the Epi style baguette.

 

Dressed Cake

 

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