SANTA CRUZ
New chef at Bad Animal
You can find creations from chef Katherine Stern at Bad Animal (1011 Cedar St., 831-900-5031, badanimalbooks.com) beginning Wednesday. Stern’s business is operating out of the venue; customers can order food via The Midway at Bad Animal. Dishes will be served via counter service only and no reservations are accepted. Kitchen and bar hours are 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, with the bookstore portion of Bad Animal open from noon to 9 p.m. Stern was chef at La Posta for many years. She utilizes local vendors like Fogline Farm, Groundswell Farm and Freddy the Forager. Most recently, she has been offering selections through her business The Midway at the Saturday Westside and Sunday Live Oak farmers markets. She will continue her farmers market sales except for the weekend of Sept. 18-19, when she will be busy doing the first weekend service for Bad Animal. Follow on IG @badanimalbooks and @themidway_s_c.
SANTA CRUZ
Tickets available for Chaminade Vine to View
Chaminade Resort & Spa’s Vine to View Farm to Table dinner series continues Sept. 23. The outdoor multi-course dinner, held on the Courtyard Terrace, features wines from Black Stallion Winery paired with several dishes. The evening begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person including tax and gratuity. Call 831-465-3449 or visit chaminade.com/santa_cruz_restaurants/ for details and tickets. Chaminade is at One Chaminade Lane.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Open Farm Tours continues with changed format
This year’s Open Farm Tours event is Oct. 9-10, and tickets are available through Eventbrite. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 event pivoted its programming for safety, with pre-registration required and limits on how many people could visit one farm at a time. The 2021 event has similar rules in effect. There are eight farms and venues to choose from, with activities such as apple pressing and wreath-making demos. Some sites are open Saturday and Sunday; others are only open one day. Visit openfarmtours.com for details or to register.
SANTA CRUZ
Two West Cliff events on tap
The West Cliff Food Truck Summer Series continues with a 4-8 p.m. event Friday at the Lighthouse Field parking lot on West Cliff Drive. Local food trucks Scrumptious Fish and Chips, Taquizas Gabriel, Union Food Truck, Ate3One, and Adobe To Go will sell items. Cement Ship will perform live music. Visit Westclifffoodtruck.com.
The West Cliff Outdoor Market continues its series 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Lighthouse and Surfer’s parking lots on West Cliff Drive. This market will feature products from local artisans. Local trucks Scrumptious Fish & Chips and Union Foodie will be serving food. Visit Westcliffoutdoormarket.com.
SANTA CRUZ
La Posta continues virtual wine series
“La Posta @Home No. 8,” a four-week series led by La Posta wine director Jim Kennedy, begins at 6-7 p.m. Sept. 15 and features Italian wines from Piemonte, Basilicata, Vallee d’Aosta, and Abruzzo. Visit lapostarestaurant.com/wineclass for details. Cost is $170 which includes wine and the Zoom series. The wine may be picked up at la Posta or delivered for an additional cost. Call 831-457-2782 or email lapostaspecialevents@gmail.com to register.
APTOS
Cabrillo offers culinary workshops
Cabrillo College Extension has many classes this fall. Some are sold out; here are examples of ones with seats available: Fermentation-Sauerkraut and Kimchi (in October); Hand Pies – Sweet and Savory, and Holiday Baking: Flourless Pumpkin Souffle Roulade & Parker House Rolls (both in November); and Holiday Chocolate Confections and Stocks and Sauces (December). For more information, visit cabrillo.edu/extension/classes/culinary/.
SANTA CRUZ
CalFresh match expands at farmers markets
The Market Match (MM) Program is now offered at all Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets (santacruzfarmersmarket.org/) and at two farmers markets in Watsonville. MM matches EBT/CalFresh dollars, formerly known as food stamps. Starting this month, the program offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to $15 for EBT customers (it was formerly up to $10).
Additionally, the City of Santa Cruz and Kaiser Permanente are currently providing increased Market Match support: at the Downtown, Felton and Scotts Valley farmers’ markets, customers who swipe EBT cards for at least $10 get a $20 match—so $10 of EBT becomes $30 to spend in the market.
Matching tokens are valid for fresh fruits and vegetables only. Locate the info booth at each market to swipe your card.
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
Wild Roots supports schools
Wild Roots Market (wildrootsmarket.com) is continuing its gift card program to benefit schools. Every time you buy or reload a market gift card, you can choose a local school as a beneficiary. Twice a year, Wild Roots donates five percent of gift card sales to designated schools. See full school list on IG @wildrootsmarket or on Facebook. The Felton store is at 6240 Highway 9 (831-335-7322). The Boulder Creek location is at 13159 Central Ave. (831-338-7211). Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
WATSONVILLE
Last chance for tickets to Woman’s Club dinner
The Watsonville Woman’s Club Ravioli and Chicken BBQ Take Out Dinner fundraiser is Sept. 25 at 12 Brennan St.; pickup time is 1-5 p.m. $25 tickets are on sale through Sept. 17; customers receive a half BBQ chicken, ravioli, tossed green salad, and dessert. Call Janey Leonardich (831-722-7958) or Alice Bankhead (831-722-2087). Proceeds benefit student scholarships.
Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food and drink news. Send items to sentinelfood@gmail.com (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food & drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on Twitter (@santacruzfood); on Instagram (@santacruzfood); or on Facebook (Santa Cruz Food).
