cookiesinheaven

Labels: food safety, USDA, YouTube

Saturday, August 1st is the next #twitterforfood event. What we are doing is asking everyone on Twitter to skip a meal and use the savings to fund any local or global hunger relief agency. There is a list of hunger agencies and food banks on the main page of twitterforfood.com, but feel free to fund your favorite.

We'll be glad to add any hunger relief non-profit organization to the list, just request to be added by sending an email to twitterforfood@gmail.com or Direct Message our twitter account @HungerNoMore.

In 2008, over 125,000 people in Santa Barbara County were served by Foodbank member agencies. The Foodbank distributes food to over 220 social service programs and agencies, churches and community groups from Carpinteria to Santa Maria.

#twitterforfood Skip a meal Aug 1st and use the savings to fund hunger relief locally and globally! http://tr.im/m1Pq Please RT!

Labels: Food Banks, Hunger, Santa Barbara, twitter

• Increases the frequency of inspections of food facilities, and calls for more frequent inspections to at least annually for high-risk facilities and at least once every three years for facilities deemed a low risk.. (Currently a facility is "generally" inspected every 10 years.)
• Requires those importing food to the United States to meet the same safety standards as domestic food producers.
• Gives the FDA the authority to order a mandatory recall of contaminated food (currently, recalls are VOLUNTARY and the FDA has to ask the facility to initiate).
• Requires that food processors-with certain exemptions, such as farms-annually register with the FDA and pay a $500 registration fee to help offset the inspection costs.
• Requires that facilities report testing results to FDA whenever they test food for contamination or adulteration. (This addresses the fiasco of the Peanut Corporation of America recall. They were ignoring positive salmonella tests until it received a negative result from a different lab.

Labels: Congress, FDA, food safety, inspection

California lawmakers are working on a historic plan — the first of its kind in the United States — to require a 20 percent reduction in per-capita urban water use by the year 2020. It signals the end of cheap water for water wasters, a change that's bound to come as a shock to some residents in the Golden State.

....Bob Wilkinson, a University of California, Santa Barbara professor who serves on the technical advisory committee for the California Water Plan, believes residents could easily achieve as much as a 30 percent reduction in just a few years.

"The No. 1 source for new water is urban water use efficiency," Wilkinson said. "It's not a sideshow, and it's important that people not think of this as a sacrifice. It wouldn't take draconian measures. We just need to get price signals in place to help people understand the real price and cost of water."

That's what's happening in Montecito, a wealthy community on the coast northwest of Los Angeles, where residents were paying three times as much for water as in Palmdale but didn't care about the cost because they could afford it. Newcomers who had no memory of the drought of 1986-91 tended to build big homes with big lawns.

While water demand flattened out in the rest of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Montecito's grew until it reached a local record in 2007 of more than 350 gallons per capita per day. That's one of the highest per capitas in the state, equivalent to that of people living in California's Sonoran Desert, near the border with Mexico.

"Everybody put in their lush landscaping," recalled Tom Mosby, the Montecito Water District general manager. "Money wasn't an issue. I would see trucks going up the street with sod and I was just having a heart attack."- Melinda Burns @ MillerMcCune

Labels: drought, Montecito, Santa Barbara, Water

in the National Brew-ha-ha Summit this evening?

and...speaking of brews....The California Beer Festival is looking for people to work the event down in Ventura this September.

The California Beer Festival LLC is looking to hirer (sic) part time team members for The California Beer Festival held in Ventura, Ca on September 26, 2009. We are looking for bright, enthusiastic team members with excellent people skills to join our team. This is a great opportunity for someone who is looking for a job in the promotions world with room to grow within the company. - Craigslist

Labels: beer, Craigslist, employment, Festivals

Since its adoption 44 years ago, the California Land Conservation Act, popularly known as the Williamson Act, has grown into the state's most important farmland protection program. The Williamson Act has served California very well, but it is facing its most significant challenge due to the ongoing state budget crisis.

In addition to protecting one of our state's most valuable resources—our agricultural land—other significant benefits of the act must also be recognized and appreciated for their contribution to our quality of life: the protection of our precious watersheds; the availability of and access to a local, safe and affordable food supply; wildlife habitat; and the beautiful landscapes that are so important to all of our citizens.

...In addition to its significant impacts on the state and local economies, the Williamson Act is widely appreciated by those in the environmental, agricultural and business communities, as well as by state and local government officials, as one of the most important environmental laws ever adopted in California. It has encouraged good land use planning and prevented leapfrog developments that can be devastating to agricultural and natural resources.- California Farm Bureau Federation

Program benefiting farms and ranches gutted.

...Under the Williamson Act, landowners sign 10-year contracts with the county that allow ranchers and farmers to pay property taxes based on what they produce on their land, instead of charging them the same taxes residential landowners pay.

The state then reimburses the counties the difference.

As a result, county governments - not farmers - will initially see the effect from the funding cuts, said Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber.

..."That's discretionary dollars," Lees said, meaning the money can be used for just about anything.

Bundy said most ranches and farms under Williamson Act protection might be temporarily safe from drastic tax increases because of the 10-year contracts. But he was quick to add that he didn't know for sure.- Redding.com

...Farmland preserved by the Williamson Act takes more of the world’s primary greenhouse gas — carbon dioxide — out of the air than any other program now contemplated. More than the proposed tailpipe emission changes and carbon-trading programs proposed as ways to carry out the landmark 2006 AB32, the most aggressive anti-climate change bill ever passed anywhere. More than scrubbing every smokestack in California. More than all proposals to clean up ship- and truck-caused emissions from all California’s ports put together. - Ventura County Star

Now, more than ever, we need to support our farmers...our farmland...our open spaces our environment... because they are endangered more than ever.

Labels: Agriculture, budget, California Agriculture, farmers, farming, Farms, Governator

Well....on August 6th at Borders Books out in Goleta, he will be there signing his new cookbook. - 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Labels: Books, Cookbooks, Fabio, Fabio Viviani, Goleta, Top Chef

2 for the price of 1 after 9:00 p.m.

Labels: Drinks, Food, Happy Hour, Restaurant, restaurants, Santa Barbara

Labels: farmers, farming, Farms, YouTube

Gills processes as many as a million pounds of onions a day at its Oxnard facility, which employs about 400 people and is the largest onion processor in the country. Its daily work generates about 300,000 pounds of onion waste, but a new energy recovery system at Gills turns what was once thrown away into clean heat and electricity and valuable cattle feed. The system generates 600 kilowatts of electricity.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s been one my goals for my whole life to take care of this waste,” Gill told the Business Times.

Gill’s investment will pay for itself in about six years. The plant has been online for a few weeks, and once he proves it works, he’ll get a $2.7 million check from the Southern California Gas Co., which is administering money from a state program designed to encourage big users to generate their own energy.

Before the new fuel-cell plant, Gills put its waste out onto fields, where it generated carbon dioxide and methane as it decomposed. The process also cost a lot of money in diesel fuel to transport the waste, tipping fees to dump it and labor to spread it. Turning the waste into energy instead will save the company $700,000 in electricity costs, $400,000 in land-application costs and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30,000 tons annually.

...Gills Onions is in the midst of a host of other green-minded activities. It recently signed on with the California Climate Action Registry and is gathering information for a baseline measure of its greenhouse gas emissions.

Once that baseline is complete, the public will be able to view it along with improvements the company makes. Oxnard-based Agromin is a member of the group, as are the cities of Thousand Oaks, Ventura and Santa Barbara. Gills is also working with the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Four graduate students there are working with the firm on drawing up a plan to make Gills Onions a zero-waste company. - Pacific Coast Business Times

Labels: Energy, Onions, Oxnard, UCSB

BC Canada is.

Labels: Canada, Europe, Fires, Mediterranean

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has quietly approved a new genetically engineered corn with eight different insect- and weed-fighting traits, but farmer and environmental groups in Canada say the approval was rushed and environmental risks ignored.

Developed through a research agreement between Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences, SmartStax corn is unique in that it “stacks” eight different genetically engineered traits that will allow corn to tolerate certain weed- and insect-killing products made by the two companies.

Each of the eight traits has been individually approved by the CFIA, but opponents are concerned there might be unintended consequences when the traits are combined.

“You’d think that a combination of eight GE traits would trigger an environmental assessment, but the CFIA has (provided) no public record of their evaluation,” said Lucy Sharratt, co-ordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

The CFIA has also conditionally authorized for SmartStax a reduction in the size of the buffer zone, or “refuge,” normally required around genetically engineered corn.- CanWest News Service

Labels: Canada, Corn, farming, food safety, GM, Monsanto

private estate in hope ranch.santa barbara,ca looking for service minded butler.will be proactive in anticipating principals needs and will appreciate the art of service must have experience inventorying a household. exceptional serving skills. experience managing and caring for a fine home . must have a good reference two bedroom unit provided.local candidate preferred.

Labels: "The Help", Class, Hope Ranch, Santa Barbara

Labels: Hotels, Los Olivos, Wine

perhaps....

Ah...these guys are the sweetest! :-)

U.S. service sector employees who receive tips have been excluded from the latest hike in the federal minimum wage that kicked in on Friday, leaving the public to cover the cost of their healthcare, according to economists and advocates.

The federal minimum wage on Friday rose to $7.25 from $6.55. But only seven states guarantee tipped workers the minimum wage, according to a report by the National Employment Law Project, a New York-based advocacy group for low-income workers.

The minimum wage for so-called "tipped" workers has been frozen at $2.13 an hour since 1991, the report found.

Waitresses and waiters, who comprise the majority of tip-receiving workers, have nearly three times the poverty rate of the nation's workforce, it said. - Reuters

Labels: minimum wage, Restaurant, restaurants, workforce

Labels: offshore drilling, politics, Santa Barbara, twitter

• Clear the Path (Oahu, HI)
  Focus on better beach access through public education and legislation
• Challenge Beach Management Permitting Practices (Palm Beach County, FL)
  Working to stop harmful beach fill projects and educate the public on the fragility of beach ecosystems
• Save Gaviota Coast (Santa Barbara County, CA)
  Helping preserve the Gaviota Coast from development
• Sink the Breakwater (Long Beach, CA)
  Restore the natural flow of ocean currents, improve water quality and bring back waves

photo © Scott Werny

Campaign: Clear the Path – Beach Access

Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter, Hawaii

Through this campaign the Chapter is pushing for better beach access through public education and legislation. With continued construction and development all over the island, shoreline access is at risk. In addition to the Clear the Path campaign, the chapter helped form the Shoreline Access Coalition of Hawaii, a collaborative group of organizations focused on improving shoreline access around the state.

Campaign: Challenge Beach Management Permitting Practices: Stop Harmful Beach Fill Projects

Surfrider Foundation Palm Beach County Chapter, Florida

After successfully challenging a dredge-and-fill project permit under the “Reach 8” campaign, the chapter is addressing future beach fill projects. Beach filling is an act of “beach management” that does more harm than good to our coastlines by disrupting their naturally self-sustaining environments. Chapter focus is on 1) greater public outreach and education regarding the importance and fragility of the beach ecosystem and how it is threatened by these beach fill projects and 2) an improved permitting process for beach fill projects, one that is not dictated by the beach dredging lobby and incorporates an ecosystem-based management approach to permitting these projects, as opposed to the piecemeal permitting scheme now in place.

Campaign: Save Gaviota: Preserve the Gaviota Coast From Development

Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara Chapter, California

The Gaviota Coast is the last undeveloped stretch of coastline in southern California that is facing an increasing threat of development. It is a rich and vital natural resource that should be preserved and protected for future generations to enjoy, but there are presently more than a dozen development projects being planned, the most significant of which (known as Naples) would permit 72 luxury homes, which would average 8,000 square feet in size. Since its inception, the Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara Chapter has been a leader in local efforts to halt and/or limit further development of the Gaviota Coast.

Campaign: Sink the Breakwater – Restore the Shore

Surfrider Foundation Long Beach Chapter, California

The Surfrider Foundation Long Beach Chapter has been working for over a decade on their “Sink the Breakwater – Restore the Shore” campaign. The goal is to reconfigure the Long Beach Breakwater, which will restore the natural flow of ocean currents in Long Beach Harbor, improve water quality and bring back waves to Long Beach.

You can cast your vote once per day through August 15th (voting is reset at midnight EST) so keep your votes coming daily.

Barefoot is also throwing a Beach Cleanup event on August 15th with a little party afterwards.

Beach Rescue - Santa Barbara
Saturday, August 15, 2009 3 pm -
Celebration: 5:00 pm. -7:00 p.m.
South Lanai @ The Endless Summer Bar and Cafe
113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA

To attend this event, you must RSVP. Celebration is reserved for those who attend the clean-up. Entry is on a first come, first serve basis.

Basics: At a Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project event, we take a stand in the sand and make a lasting footprint by "heeling" beaches across the country. Together with the Surfrider Foundation, we are helping beaches stay "barefoot-friendly."

For each event, we target the needs of the local beach community. Sometimes we host a traditional beach cleanup, but other times we'll do a native planting or a dune restoration. No matter what, we thank volunteers 21+ afterwards with a celebration featuring live music, food and Barefoot Wine. We toast the efforts of these local communities who join us in raising awareness about the importance of having healthy beaches for generations to come.

Volunteers should arrive in light colored, comfortable clothing and protective gear like hats, sunglasses and, depending on the task they plan to tackle, closed toed shoes. We generally try to provide sunscreen and water, but it's always good to bring your own just in case.

You must be 21+ to participate in this event.

Labels: Beach, Fun, Gaviota, Santa Barbara, Surfrider, Wine, Winery

Labels: Beverages, soda, technology

John Mackey, chief executive of Whole Foods, said that while his company offers coverage, he worries that an employer mandate would lead to more stringent federal rules on what employer plans must include.

...."It's a Trojan horse," he said.- WaPo

Labels: healthcare, Public Health, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods

Salmon prices, which gained as much as a third in the U.S. this year, may extend the rally as a virus hurts output in Chile, the nation’s biggest publicly traded producer said.

Prices may rise a further 20 percent this year amid tumbling output in Chile, the world’s second-largest supplier of the fish, said Jason Paine, head of the U.S. unit of Puerto Montt, Chile-based Multiexport Foods SA. Exports to the U.S. could fall as much 60 percent by year’s end, he said.- Bloomberg

Labels: Chile, Food Imports, food prices, prices, salmon, shortages

Labels: food holidays, tequila, twitter

Labels: avocado, farmers, farming, Music

I'm thinking of how to properly celebrate.

The SB Museum of Natural History is kicking off the Fiesta Week with a Tequila Tasting on Friday, July 31st. Don't know if I could do a full celebratory week, though....but, I could try.

Labels: Fiesta, food holidays, Museums, tequila

google wants to fly you to the moon.

the internet search giant released a version of its 3d mapping program this morning on the 40th anniversary of the apollo 11 landing that includes a virtual tour of the lunar surface. the moon imagery joins the mars and constellation maps that were already built into the free google earth software. - latte times

Labels: astronaut, Music, NASA, space, YouTube

Labels: Community, fire, Santa Barbara

...a new owner is in place at Wine Lovers.... Now at the helm is Jill Shalhoob of Shalhoob Restaurant, located at the Santa Barbara address where her father, Jerry, opened his one-man butcher shop in 1973 (that business now occupies a larger space less than a mile away). Shalhoob is such a fixture at the Santa Barbara eatery that locals have taken to calling it Jill’s Place, the same moniker she gave her company. She has no plans to tweak the Wine Lovers name (“That’s how I’ve known it since forever ago,” she said with a laugh) but does hope to expand the menu beyond the existing cheese platters and wood-fire pizzas. For now, she’s merely expanded the hours: Wine Lovers now is open from 4 p.m. daily, closing at 10 p.m. on weekdays and at midnight on weekends (1067 E. Thompson Blvd. 652-1810). - Ventura County Star

Labels: Santa Barbara, Ventura, Wine

Labels: In the News, Newspapers, Santa Barbara, Whole Foods

How are YOU going to celebrate?

Flickr photo from Matt (mistergoleta)

Labels: Flickr, food holidays, Ice Cream

A fifth-generation Santa Barbaran, Shepherd has been farming organically since 1973. The owner of Shepherd Farms started his first garden, which he intended for use as a community garden for members of All Saints by the Sea, on a plot of land near the church. Unfortunately, no one from the church community expressed interest, so Shepherd developed the space into his own personal garden. Over the next few years, he continued establish small farms all over Santa Barbara.

Shepherd is passionate about promoting the idea of protecting Santa Barbara’s precious farmland. “What are we going to do when we have no farms left and all we have is houses and malls covering the most fertile land in our country, maybe even world?” he demanded.

Shepherd has always been very conscious about health issues, and started farming on his own out of concern over the abundance of chemicals on the majority of mass-produced foods. He swears by the high nutritional value of local produce, which retains more of its content when eaten fresh.

“The food loses vitality when it sits around for a few days,” Shepherd said. “And when it comes from Mexico or Argentina, it’s just dead. It’s filler. It’s like chips.”

It's Saturday morning...and it's Farmer's Market day. I'm off to get some of Tom Shepard's mix of greeny goodness. How 'bout you?

Labels: Carpinteria, Farmer's Markets, farmers, farming, salad, Santa Barbara

This is Spider. She got tired of me not reaching out to pet her...so she reached out to pet me...or rather the camera.

Among the Defense Department's many responsibilities — fighting two wars, looking out for 3 million employees, and so forth — is producing a weekly cooking show.

Every week, on the Pentagon Channel, the military's best chefs battle it out on The Grill Sergeants.

Sgt. First Class Brad Turner is the original grill sergeant and the star of the show. - NPR All Things Considered

Labels: army, Cooking Shows, NPR

Labels: astronaut, childhood, space, YouTube

Whole Foods Market has challenged its followers to tweet their five-word food philosophies. Ten creative fans will win $50 Whole Foods Market gift cards -plus five pounds of quinoa -- for submitting the best philosophies. The contest wraps up Friday, July 17. - PRNewswire

Labels: twitter, Whole Foods

Labels: Alisal Ranch, Curtis Stone, Santa Ynez Valley, Take Home Chef, TLC

Beginning today, when you buy honey in Florida you will get only honey.

No additives. No preservatives. No flavorings and nothing produced with chemicals. Just honey.

Florida has enacted what is being touted as the first regulation in the nation - and possibly in the world - requiring that any product that is produced, processed or sold in Florida as honey must be "natural food product resulting from the harvest of nectar by honeybees."

If the product includes sugar water, flavorings, antibiotics sprayed into hives to keep bees healthy or anything else that is not honey produced by bees, it cannot be sold as honey in Florida. - Gainesville.com

Labels: bees, Florida, Honey

Labels: France, Movie, Music, YouTube

It was only a matter of time before disease began sweeping through Chile's overcrowded, poorly designed and maintained salmon and trout farms. For years now Chilean fish farmers have jammed millions of fish into pens and poured on the antibiotics to keep them "healthy." Now strains of bacteria have built immunity, and a deadly virus -- infectious salmon anemia, known as the Isa virus -- is killing off fish in a total of 200 different "cultivation centers" in Chile.

Let's be clear: The virus cannot be transmitted to humans via consumption of infected fish. But what's going on in Chile, and in other fish farms around the world, sure shouldn't t make you hunger for farmed salmon tonight.

The Isa virus isn't the only challenge facing Chilean salmon farmers, who exported more than $2.4 billion worth of salmon in 2008. The salmon growers are heavily indebted to suppliers and banks, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. They have an estimated $1.6 billion in liabilities and owe suppliers about $400 million for nets, cages and other gear.- Portland Oregonian

Labels: bacteria, Chile, Financial, fish, virus

Labels: graffiti, signs, State Street, Whole Foods

Labels: farmers, Music, video

Labels: Food, food labeling, food safety, YouTube

Labels: Los Angeles, Restaurant, Richard Blais, Top Chef, twitter, YouTube

Labels: fish, Monterey, Oceans, Seafood, Seafood Watch

Labels: advertising, Fabio, Fabio Viviani, Prosecco, Top Chef, Wine, YouTube

Labels: cooking classes, Mexican, Santa Barbara

Whole Foods Market, Inc. says it will submit its private label products to testing for genetically engineered organisms--a move that will add a new level of certification to what's on the organic and natural grocer's shelves. - BizJournals

Whole Foods Market invites the industry to join an educational webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. CDT, to learn more about the Non-GMO Project and the PVP. Webinar details are available at www.wholefoodsmarket.com/nongmoproject. - PRNewswire

Labels: food labeling, food safety, GMO, Whole Foods

Labels: america, Food Banks, Holidays, Hunger, July 4th

Labels: muppets, Music, YouTube

Labels: Food, food safety, Recalls, salmonella

May I suggest you think about obtaining Renaud's amazing macarons.

Sure Bastille Day isn't until July 14th, but I'm sure Renaud's will be sold out of these amazing chocolate gobs of goodness quite early on, so check on pre-ordering.

Labels: bakery, Bastille Day, Holidays, Macaron, pastry, Renaud's

Tomato plants have been removed from stores in half a dozen states as a destructive and infectious plant disease makes its earliest and most widespread appearance ever in the eastern United States.

Late blight -- the same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine in the 1840s -- occurs sporadically in the Northeast, but this year's outbreak is more severe for two reasons: infected plants have been widely distributed by big-box retail stores and rainy weather has hastened the spores' airborne spread.

The disease, which is not harmful to humans, is extremely contagious and experts say it most likely spread on garden center shelves to plants not involved in the initial infection. It also can spread once plants reach their final destination, putting tomato and potato plants in both home gardens and commercial fields at risk.

Meg McGrath, professor of plant pathology at Cornell University, calls late blight "worse than the Bubonic Plague for plants." - AP via Yahoo Finance

Labels: disaster, disease, Tomatoes

is up in San Francisco...for the moment

Labels: Animals, San Francisco

Labels: BBQ, firefighters, magazines, Santa Barbara, tyler florence

Labels: Co-op, Food, grocery stores, Isla Vista, local, sale

1) Hiya, this is Amesia from Arcobaleno Trade...and, yes, we are still here. Joining us is the French Press another locally owned business dealing in ethically sourced goods (her's being coffee and treats!) July 14th is our Grand Opening. It's Bastille Day! Thanks Santa Barbara for supporting local business...

2) hi, it's julia from the French Press. Here is a little bit about my business, which, as amesia said, is coming soon on july 14!

Hello Santa Barbara, it is so nice to see you. We’ve spent the last 10 years becoming fanatical about coffee and espresso, about brewing it, about talking about it and definitely about drinking it! So here we are! The FRENCH PRESS! We are working quickly to create a space for all of us to explore the world of coffee - and espresso - in a format that is not now available in Santa Barbara. Using micro roasted coffees sourced fairly and with love, and exceptional brewing methods, such as french presses and vacuum pots (and our beautiful La Marzocco espresso machine that is on its way from Florence as we speak!), we will guarantee a unique and amazing experience every time.

We also love snacks and treats, and know how lovely a fresh baked cookie tastes in the afternoon. We are looking forward to providing Santa Barbara with a truly exceptional product in a beautiful setting! So come see us soon for a sandwich or salad, a cookie or a croissant, and a pot of tea or a macchiato. We can’t wait to meet you!

Labels: Coffee, Fair Trade, openings, Santa Barbara, State Street

Labels: cake, Flag Cake, Holidays, Ina Garten, Martha Stewart