Randy’s recipes: Olives and Olive Oil

by Chef Randy Graham

Olives and olive oil are extremely healthy. They are not only loaded with beneficial fatty acids and powerful antioxidants, but are also an integral part of the Mediterranean Diet — a way of eating based on the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

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Leading Ladies 
Caitlin Pianetta, woman winemaker

By Misty Hall

Winemaking is where art and science meet patience and muscle. I’m sure there’s a fancier way to say that, but Pliny the Elder never hung out in Paso Robles. So picture the shrugging girl emoji, and pour us another glass. While you’re at it, ponder the fact that according to trade association estimates, just 10 percent of winemakers in California are women. In such a progressive state, how is that number so low? Interestingly, that’s not something winemaker Caitlin Pianetta spends much time thinking about.

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The Spirit of the Central Coast: Craft distilling along the 101

By Zachary Rosen

With the rich agriculture and lush landscapes lining U.S. Highway 101, it’s no wonder that the wineries and breweries along the way have become known worldwide. With about 20 craft distilleries dotting the 101 between Camarillo and Paso Robles, there is now a whole new group of craftspeople capturing the spirit of these cities and putting these regions on the craft distilling map. Although distillery tasting rooms are currently limited to only serving 1 1/2 oz per person, always remember that liquor is much stronger than beer or wine. Never drink and drive.

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Vibing Ventura

By Nigel Chisholm

Growing up in the gritty steel city of Birmingham, England, I loved the song, Ventura Highway. Full of the impossible dream that was California, and sung by a band named America. Although the lyrics of their song, A Horse With No Name more accurately represented my circumstance, well, this boy was allowed to dangle an impossible dream at the end of another grim day, right? Fast forward to 1987 and I found myself living in, you guessed it, Ventura. I rode on that famed Highway 101 every day and eventually moved up to Ojai. That’s where I met and became friends with keyboardist and saxophonist Jimmy Calire, who toured with, you probably didn’t guess this, America, for more years than you can shake a stick at. Funny how life often does what you make it do. All these years later, I have found myself immersed in the music scene for the past 15 years and now writing about three profoundly different music venues in, yep, you definitely guessed this one too, Ventura.

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Warm Winter Eats

By Randy Graham

Cooking with fresh, local ingredients has its advantages. What, you ask, are the advantages? Glad you asked.

The money you spend on products from local farmers, growers, and ranchers, for example, stays in the community and is reinvested with other local businesses. Studies show that every dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the community.

Fresh, local products such as unprocessed animal and plant foods are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients that are essential for good health. A Big Mac® is quick (and two 100 percent all-beef patties sounds good, right?), but contains 540 calories with 240 of those calories coming from fat. It has 80 mg of cholesterol, which is high for one sandwich, and 46 grams of carbohydrates. Eating one of these sandwiches every once in a while is probably OK, unless you have severe health challenges. But a steady diet of processed and fast foods can’t be healthy.

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