Highlights from our annual Farm, Food & Wine Tour from 2017. Thanks everyone for joining us! We’re sold out for this year but save the date for Oct 23-25, 2020.
Category Archives: Food Wine Tours
2018 Fall Farm, Food & Wine Tour
Enjoy some of our photo’s from the weekend….
2019 Farm, Food & Wine Tour
Fall Harvest Farm, Food & Wine Tour
Fall Harvest Tour for Oct 25 – 27, 2019
Now Taking Reservations
STAY
Cambria Pines Lodge, Cambria, Ca
Hot Buffet Breakfast Included
Events
Friday Evening
Dinner and Culinary Demo with Chef Debbi and the Debettes
Saturday Farm, Food & Wine Tour
Climb aboard with The Wine Wrangler
We’ll travel to the Westside of Paso Robles to Halter Ranch Vineyard & Winery
Experience a private Cave Tour with a Barrel Tasting from 3 Cave Barrels
Private Tasting of Halter Ranch’s available vintages in the new Tasting Room overlooking their fabulous vineyards
Vineyard Picnic Lunch on Halter Ranch’s Patio Deck overlooking the vineyards
Created for you by Chef Debbi & her Debette team
After lunch climb aboard with The Wine Wrangler to travel to
Rangeland Wine Tasting Room
then before returning to Cambria we’ll make a stop at
Jack Creek Pumpkin Farm
Return to Cambria approximately 4 p.m.
Enjoy the Scarecrow Contest in town or a drive up the coast.
Sunday Events
Olive Oil Farm Tour & Tasting
Picnic Lunch
Don’t Miss The Cambria Scarecrow Contest the month of Oct!
Limited Availability, First Come-First Served
Price is Per Person based on Double Occupancy for all rooms
Sponsored by
Preferred Method of payment, save Paypal fees by paying by check!
To pay by check:
Please send an email to Debbi @ debbi@debskitchen.com for instructions
Fall Harvest Farm, Food & Wine Tour
Fall Harvest Tour for Oct 26 – 28, 2018
Now Taking Reservations
Stay
Cambria Pines Lodge, Cambria, Ca
Hot Buffet Breakfast Included
Events
Friday Evening
Dinner and Culinary Demo with Chef Debbi and the Debettes
Saturday Farm, Food & Wine Tour
Climb aboard with The Wine Wrangler
We’ll travel to the Westside of Paso Robles to Halter Ranch Vineyard & Winery
Experience a private Cave Tour with a Barrel Tasting from 3 Cave Barrels
Private Tasting of Halter Ranch’s available vintages in the new Tasting Room overlooking their fabulous vineyards
Vineyard Picnic Lunch on Halter Ranch’s Patio Deck overlooking the vineyards
Created for you by Chef Debbi & her Debette team
After lunch climb aboard with The Wine Wrangler to travel to
Stepladder Ranch in San Simeon
We’ll visit with their Lamancha goats and taste a variety of cheeses made from their goat milk. This farm is accessible only by invitation and is hidden in the hills above San Simeon and the Pacific Ocean
Our last stop for the day will be a visit (and tasting) at The Hearst Ranch Tasting Room in San Simeon. Step out on the porch for an exquisite view of San Simeon Beach and Harbor
Return to Cambria for late afternoon & evening private time
Sunday Events
The Groves on 41 Olive Oil Farm Tour & Tasting
Picnic Lunch
Don’t Miss The Cambria Scarecrow Contest the month of Oct!
Limited Availability, First Come-First Served
Price is Per Person based on Double Occupancy for all rooms
Sponsored by
Preferred Method of payment, save Paypal fees by paying by check!
To pay by check:
Please send an email to Debbi @ debbi@debskitchen.com for instructions
Santa Maria Style BBQ
Santa Maria style bbq tri tip is traditionally made with a simple rub and grilled over hard wood, sliced thin and served with salsa, pinquinto beans and tortillas. You can find bbq’s on most street corners in Santa Maria but if you can’t get there, grill up your own. I prefer a wet marinade for a little extra flavor and sometimes I’d rather cook it in the oven so I’ve offered a recipe for both. Be sure to let it rest after grilling and slice it thin against the grain. Make extra for sandwiches or tacos or heating leftovers up to serve with some nice fried eggs. You’ll want to make sure you have enough so plan on 1/2 # per person.
Santa Maria Style Tri Tip
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tri tip, about 2 1/2 – 3 pounds
Combine red wine, oil, Worcestershire, soy, lemon juice, garlic and mustard.
Marinate meat in sauce in refrigerator for up to 2 hours, turning several times.
Grilling Method
Remove from refrigerator 2 hours before grilling. Grill over medium heat about 15 to 20 minutes on each side, brushing frequently with marinade. For a more accurate temperature use a probe style thermometer that has been designed to be used with a grill. Use the temperature guides below for cooking.
Oven Method
Preheat the oven to 450°. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry. Discard the marinade.
Place the tri-tip, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Use a probe style thermometer inserted into the center of the meat. Set temperature for 115° - 120° for rare, 120° - 125° for medium-rare or 130° for medium, it is not recommended to cook tri tip higher than 130°, the meat will be tough and dry.
Transfer the meat to a carving board or platter, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving to allow the residual heat to complete the cooking and the juices to stabilize.
Slice the meat into thin slices across the grain.
Santa Maria Pinquinto Beans
- 1 pound Rancho Gordo dried heirloom Santa Maria pinquito beans
- 10 cups water, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 carrot, peeled
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 slices bacon, diced
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 ounces tomato purée
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, optional
Pick through the beans and remove any foreign matter. Rinse with cold water. Place the beans in a large bowl, cover with 6 cups of water and refrigerate overnight.
Drain the beans and rinse. Place the beans in a pot with 4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, carrot, onion and celery. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour or until the beans are tender.
Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then allow the beans to cool in the liquid. Once cool, remove and discard the carrot, onion and celery.
In a large pot set over medium heat, add bacon and remaining olive oil. Cook until bacon is golden brown. Add the red onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomato purée, brown sugar, dry mustard and Tabasco sauce. Next, add the reserved beans, 2 cups of the bean-cooking liquid, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and cook for 30 minutes at a low simmer. The beans can be refrigerated for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Courtesy of Cambria Winery
Rancho Gordo Beans can be purchased from www.ranchogordo.com
Santa Maria Style Salsa
- 3 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ½ cup finely chopped California green chiles
- 2 tablespoons snipped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of garlic salt
- Pinch of dried oregano, crushed
- Few drops of hot pepper sauce
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and let stand for one hour to blend flavors.
Santa Cruz Road Trip
Back to Your Roots Weekend Tour
Chef Debbi & The Debettes on the Coast
The Debettes & I packed our bags and headed north for some exploratory fun. Since we have one Debette who luckily gets to live in Cambria, the southern ones and I took off for Cambria on a Fri, spent a tasty evening at Sea Chest Restaurant chatting it up with the cooks and left Sat. morning for Santa Cruz and points north.
We inadvertently picked the wrong weekend as all up and down the coast there were graduations and traffic galore but we always have fun no matter what happens! We drove up 101 to just past Monterey and came over to the coast at Moss Landing. Hot and dry inland, Moss Landing was shrouded with fog (we liked that better anyway). Up hwy 1 through very crowded Santa Cruz and up to meet our friends in Pescadero at Harley Goat Farm. Since we were just about an hour behind schedule we all pulled our lunch goodies out and set up one of the picnic tables in the field next to the farm.
Bright and sunny with some little puffy patchy clouds the weather was perfect for an ‘out in the field’ lunch. Fresh baked bread that came with our friend George Menzelos from San Francisco, the olive oil king, and our blogger friend, Robin Ove, from Santa Cruz; George also brought some tasty bakery cookies for dessert. Salami, cheeses, smoked olives (that Robin smoked), farm fresh fruit, avocado, tomato confit and I can’t remember what else. Wine, of course, silly people! It was a lovely lunch in the middle of nowhere.
We really came to see the goats and so we toured the little goat pens, the lovely patio garden and their cute gift shop filled with all things made from goat milk. I believe Harley Farms is the first to use edible flowers on top of their creamy goat cheeses.They make all sorts of products out of goat milk from ‘Baby Bum Balm’, Body Scrub, Facial Tonic to Goat Milk Liquid Soap.
The day is quickly getting away from us and we wanted to make one more stop at Love Apple Farm, which was about an hour away so we packed up and headed out.
More farm touring in the next issue.
Want to join us on a Farm, Food and Wine Tour? Our next adventure is Oct 23-25, 2015, look here for more info……Oct. Farm, Food and Wine Tour
Wine Harvest Lunch
The drought and the warmest temperatures in California’s recorded history have once again brought about an early wine grape harvest all over Ca. From Napa, Sonoma to Paso Robles, Los Olivos in between and even Temecula. Harvest seems to be about 2 weeks ahead of schedule and brix levels are promising another great vintage. Brix levels are measurements used on the grapes to determine the sugar content and helps vineyard management decide when to harvest in an effort the get the ideal balance of flavor and alcohol content in the wine.
The warm temperatures this winter caused an early bud break and great early growth of the vines. Veraison, “the onset of ripening”, is the process where the grapes begin the transition from growth to ripening. Some areas in California actually began harvesting in July, in Paso and parts of Napa for example. After a warm winter and spring, in July and August they have experienced some morning marine influence with warm, windy afternoons that has slowed the grape maturity allowing the gradual development of sugars and acidity for harvest. Many white varietals have been picked and light reds such as Pinots have begun with Merlot and Cabernet to follow. Vintners are looking for another good vintage out of this years harvest. We all look forward to experiencing the 2014 Ca. harvest in the future.
By the time we visit Rangeland Winery & Adelaida Ranch with our Fall Harvest Tour, most grapes will have been picked which is a good thing if it turns out to be true that California expects to experience a moderate El Nino, of course I that would be good for all of California. Expect a few grape clusters perhaps; fall leaves will prevail for our trip making for some excellent photographs. Rangeland is dotted with mighty oaks; laurel, live, blue and valley are growing all over the ranch. During our tour of the ranch Laird will share the history of the Adelaida Ranch, the Salinan Nation and Chumash natives as well as the miners and homesteaders. Lisa and Laird have an extensive collection of Native American tools and artifacts that have been found on the property as well. Late fall you might even glimpse the wild turkeys that can be found all over Paso Robles, hawks, deer, bobcats and even a pair of bald eagles may be spotted. Join us on our late fall tour, we have a few available accommodations left.
This has been our Fall Harvest Tour ‘Windrose Farm Heirloom Tomato Tart’ recipe for many of our farm lunches. Enjoy,
Windrose Farm Tomato Tart
1 cup fontina cheese, grated (or more-to your taste)
1/4 cup boursin cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup Jarlsberg cheese, shredded
3 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°. Pre-bake the shell according to directions in Pate Brisee recipe. Let cool to room temperature or cool overnight.
Sprinkle with the cooled crust with cheeses.
Arrange the tomatoes in an overlapping circle and season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Parmigianno-Reggiano.
Bake until the cheese is melted and tomatoes are slightly wilted, about 15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh herb sprigs. Serve room temperature or slightly warmed. Can be served along with a light salad tossed with vinaigrette dressing.
Serves 6
Adapted from ‘What’s In Your Pantry’ by Debbi Dubbs
Windrose Farm
I met Barbara and Bill Spencer sometime around 2004 when I was scouting heirloom tomatoes from Paso Robles farmers market. Barbara invited me out to the farm and so my husband and I trekked out there one morning. We didn’t want to disrupt their farm work but yet they stopped working when we arrived and gave us a thorough tour of their lovely little farm. It is such a peaceful unique farm you just want to lie down in the grass and daydream watching the clouds pass by. But a farmers work is never done and we wanted to get out of their way so they could return to their chores. Absolutely not! They insisted we stay for lunch and Bill pulled a beautiful roasted mutton out of the refrigerator and a loaf of freshly baked bread, yes Bill makes his own bread! Barbara foraged for greens and veggies for a salad and whipped up a delicious little dressing. We ate and chatted about life and the farm for what seemed like all afternoon and with sadness had to depart and leave this magical place.
I host several tours to Cambria and Paso Robles and I always finish the tour on Sunday with a day at Windrose Farm with Bill and Barbara. No-one ever wants to leave! I wish all of you could join us for a weekend discovering food and wine and a central coast lifestyle but if you can’t, I’d like to share a piece of Windrose Farm with you. Following is an excerpt from their website and a glimpse inside the magic of Windrose Farm. Join us Oct 24th – Oct 26th for a trip that includes a visit to Windrose.
Windrose is a small family farm located east of Paso Robles and tucked into a unique valley of 50 acres, 12 are in vegetable rotations, 6 are in apples and stone fruit and 5 are sheep pasture. The rest is habitat – full of animal, bird and insect life.
Owners Bill and Barbara Spencer have been certified organic from August 1999 to 2009, but are currently transitioning to biodynamic! The farm has been “clean” for twenty years; since its purchase in 1990.
In 1993 Windrose began going to the Farmer’s Markets with produce from their first small market garden. Having already discovered the enjoyment of growing many “specialty” varieties of vegetables – most particularly heirloom tomatoes and potatoes, they also found they loved selling to wonderful restaurants as well as to their friends at Farmer’s Markets.
In addition to tomatoes and potatoes, Windrose grows onions, garlic, green and dry beans, peppers, eggplant, winter squash, carrots, turnips, beets, cucumbers, melons and many varieties of greens. They also have apples and stone fruit. Their little valley is a unique micro-climate that is good for the diverse crops of lilacs, apples, super-sweet onions and melons.
Bill & Barbara state that “The longer we farm, the more enthralled we are with the old traditional seeds and plants. We strive as much as possible to use open-pollinated or heirloom varieties and have begun our own seed-saving program. Every day brings us more knowledge and a stronger belief in the principals and practices of sustainable organic farming. It is complex and labor-intensive – but the burst of life in the soil and the habitat of our little valley is astonishing.”
Our Philosophy
Barbara and Bill have often sought to better explain their philosophy about the environment that is Windrose Farm.
In this years Biodynamic calendar we found the following by Patrick Holden, a soils expert, long time organic farmer and advocate of the ‘biodynamic‘ philosophy:
“We subscribe to Rudolph Steiner’s* philosophy that the farm should be seen as an ecosystem in its own right, and that our striving should be to move towards building and maintaining plant and animal communities, which are ecologically suited to its unique combination of soil, climate and place.”
Barbara and Bill cherish their time at the ecosystem that is Windrose and sharing the bounty that it produces.
* Rudolph Steiner founder and creator of the “Biodynamic philosophy and principles.
Visit Windrose Farm at www.windrosefarm.org
Join Chef Debbi and The Debettes for our
Fall Farm, Food and Wine Tour
of California’s Central Coast
for more info click here
Fall Harvest Tour
Fall Harvest Tour
Central Coast Fall Harvest Adventure
October 24th – 26th, 2014
Join Chef Debbi on another Farm, Food and Wine Adventure
Stay at the lovely Cambria Pines Lodge
Join Chef Debbi & her Debettes for a dinner party/wine tasting Friday evening
Saturday
Be escorted by The Wine Wrangler experts around Paso Robles to visit:
Pasolivo Olive Ranch for a tasting of local olive oils & more
Rangeland Ranch and Winery
Take a hay ride around the sustainable ranch and vineyards with owner Laird Foshay
Wine Tasting and Vineyard lunch with Lisa & Laird on the patio with a panaromic view of the hills
Wine tasting on Vineyard Dr. as we make our way back to Jack Creek Pumpkin Farm where you can pick up holiday pumpkins, gourds and more
Sat. evening explore local cuisine on your own and rest up for Sun!
Sunday we’ll caravan to Windrose Farm for a biodynamic tour of Bill & Barbara Spencers mystical farm
Chef Debbi, Barbara & Debettes will create a farm feast for you with what we’ve found on the farm that day
In season usually we can find luscious heirloom tomatoes, shishito peppers, potatoes, all kinds of greens and it’s apple season!
Don’t miss this limited seating tour. Drive yourself up the coast and meet Chef Debbi & her crew for a Farm, Food and Wine Adventure!
Oct 24-26th
$675.00, per person, double occupancy
I also have a special suite for a party of 5-6 ppl, call for a special rate
All rooms have fireplaces, hot buffet breakfast is included
SAVE!!!
$650.00 total fee if paid in full by Sept 1. Payment plan available, contact Chef Debbi @ info@debskitchen for billing
There will be a 2.9% fee added (listed as a ‘tax’) but it is a credit card fee that goes to Paypal
Spring Farm, Food and Wine Tour
Just a few highlights……
Day 1 of our Spring Tour begins with an optional ‘self guided’ tour of Cambria farmers markets. An exceptional market with local fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats and flowers. You can also find lavender, olives, bread, dips and spreads. Locally made hot soup to take home is always a sell out and Linns Bakery and Cafe sets up a bbq where you can find delicious tri-tip, chicken and all the fixins for dinner, hot and ready to serve!
Dinner is always a fun, first day event where all the guests get to mingle and say hello. With the help of my Debettes, Armida, Barbara & Sue we create a casual atmosphere to enjoy a chef prepared meal, short cooking demo and some wonderfully overflowing gift bags from our sponsor, Melissas Produce. Thanks Melissa’s! , an LA based wholesale produce company that not only provides produce and packaged goodies to local So. California markets (as well as many all over the country) such as Bristol Farms and Gelsons, you can find Melissa’s at all So Cal sports venues and some of your favorite restaurants from LA to Vegas and beyond!
Day 2 of our Spring Tour is a long day, Coy & Sarah Barnes owners of ‘The Wine Wrangler‘ sends us John the entertainer to drive us around Paso Robles for our wine tasting part of the tour. Our first stop is Rangeland Winery, way out Adelaida Rd and up on the mountain top. Without complications, the owners of Rangeland are committed to creating wine and food in a sustainable manner. Only planting 40 acres of 1500 acres of wild oak woodland, they strictly limit their use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Sheep fertilize the dormant vineyard eliminating mowing and the use of herbicides. Their cattle herd is limited to 200 heads and rotated carefully. All of this helps maintain the beautiful setting that is Rangeland Ranch and Winery. A pastoral setting that was perfect for wine tasting and an uncomplicated wine country lunch overlooking the luxrious grass of ranch. Thanks to Lisa and Laird Foshay for sharing their passion.
Halter Ranch and Pasolivo Olive Oil were on the agenda as well that day. The lovely shaded patio at Halter Ranch and the expertise of our private wine tender were a welcome escape from the warm afternoon sun. Halter Ranch, other than excellent wines made by Kevin Sass, boasts the oldest oak tree around. Between 350 and 600 years old, the tree is more than 20′ across and 55′ in height. Owner, Hansbjorg Wyss, is a passionate advocate for land preservation and built part of the vineyard around the tree. Out of 2,000 acres on the ranch only 281 are planted with vines. Those vines are dry farmed, when possible, and the estate is certified sustainable with native gardens that are planted throughout the vineyards to attract good bugs. With a new winery and wine caves that have been carved into the mountain, Halter Ranch is a must stop for us spring and fall.
We made a stop for a ‘press tour’ at Pasolivo olive oil and learned about their organically grown olives, how they are harvested and pressed right on the site. A mix of flavored, Virgin and Extra-Virgin oils for tasting and a shop full of herbed salts, olives, tapenades and the like were all available to try and purchase
Our final day of the tour is spent on the peaceful family farm of Barbara & Bill Spencer. In addition to 12 acres of vegetable gardens, there are apple and stone fruit orchards and 5 acres of sheep pasture. The Spencers believe in the biodynamic philosophy where the farm should be seen as its own ecosystem, bulding and striving to maintain plant and animal communities. An incredible farm that protects habitats for animal, birds and insects, its hard to describe how peaceful and wonderful this land is. It makes one appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature and creates respect for all living things. You can find the Spencers harvests at local Paso Robles restaurants, in LA at places such as Patina, Campanile, Melisse and Lucques and also at the famous Wed. Santa Monica farmers market. It’s always hard to leave this magical farm named Windrose Farm. We cannot thank you enough for all the work you do.
Thanks also to all of our lovely guests! And to my hard working Debettes!
Stay tuned for information about our Fall Harvest Tour, Oct 24 – 26th.
Spring Farm, Food, Wine and Lifestyle Adventures Tour
Spring Tour Highlights
May 2-4, 2014
Cambria/Paso Robles
Join me, Chef Debbi and my Debettes
as we explore sensory delights amidst the Central Coast
Taste and Tour
Cooking Class, Vineyard and Farm Luncheon, Wine Tastings and more…..
Early Bird Pricing!
Taking a mid-spring fling is a great way to enjoy the bounty of the Central Coast and take in the newness of the season. Be a spring early bird and book now and pay in full by April 1 (nothing foolish here) for only $650 double occupancy. Price peeps up to $675 on April 2.
Itinerary
Friday
Afternoon arrival and check in at Cambria Pines Lodge, all cozy fireplace rooms
Self Guided Tour of Cambria’s fabulous Farmers Market
Cooking Class Meet and Greet Party
Saturday
Meet in the lobby of the Lodge and travel to Paso Robles with The Wine Wrangler
Central Coast Lavender Farm Tour, Discussion and Tasting
Rangeland Ranch Winery Tour and Tasting
Vineyard Lunch Prepared by Chef Debbi and the Debettes
Pasolivo Olive Oil Tasting
Various Winery Stops
Return to Cambria approximately 4 p.m. for a personal afternoon and evening
Sunday Events
Check out and meet in Lodge lobby at 10 for a caravan to Paso Robles Farmland
Tour Biodynamic Farm, Windrose Farm with Bill and Barbara Spencer
Farm Luncheon
