cookiesinheaven

More than two tons of prepared barbecue chicken salads sold at Trader Joe’s supermarkets have been recalled because they may contain red onions contaminated by a potentially deadly bacteria, USDA officials announced in a statement Friday.

The Huxtable’s Kitchen salads include diced red onions from Gills Onions, a California farm whose produce has been recalled due to a potential listeria bacteria contamination, Huxtable’s president Jason Knight told the Daily News.

Listeria is a potentially lethal bacteria whose subsequent infection, listeriosis, has a mortality rate of roughly 20 percent, according to the California Department of Public Health.- Daily News

Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne already have Lucques, AOC, Tavern and the most recent Larder at Maple Drive (and Goin and husband David Lentz share three Hungry Cats). Now Goin and Styne are adding their first out-of-town property, a farm-to-table restaurant in the tony Santa Barbara suburb of Montecito.

The as-yet-unnamed restaurant is slated to open in late spring 2013 as part of developer James Rosenfield's makeover of the Montecito Country Mart at 1014 Coast Village Road. Rosenfield is the developer of the Brentwood County Mart and the Marin Country Mart.  - LATimes Daily Dish

Santa Barbara Women Lawyers Sets the Bar High
Inspired by women lawyer organizations in other cities, Santa Barbara Women Lawyers (SBWL) partnered with the Foodbank for the first annual Food from the Bar food and funds drive in 2011. The legal community in Santa Barbara quickly embraced the effort and nearly every legal organization in Santa Barbara joined forces with SBWL. Food from the Bar exceeded its monetary goal, collecting over $6,500 and 650 pounds of food. Their contribution translates into 30,000 meals for those in need in Santa Barbara County. Thank you, we applaud your commitment and hard work.

“The Foodbank has a proven track record of successfully providing nutritious food to families in Santa Barbara County. We are looking forward to our second drive in 2012 when we hope to make an even larger contribution to the Foodbank.”– Santa Barbara Women Lawyers

Peet's Coffee & Tea is being taken private for approximately $977.6 million.

German conglomerate Joh. A. Benckiser will pay $73.50 per share, which is a 29 percent premium to Peet's Friday closing stock price of $57.16. The companies put the deal's total value at about $1 billion Monday.

...Privately held Benckiser invests in brands in the consumer goods category. It is the majority owner of Coty Inc., which is known for its celebrity fragrances and OPI nail polish. Coty announced last month that it is planning to go public and hopes to raise $700 million in an initial public offering. It also owns Labelux, a luxury goods company with brands such as Jimmy Choo, Bally and Belstaff. - SFGate

With 24 restaurants around the world, 11 Michelin stars, numerous cookbooks, and TV shows, Gordon Ramsay is the top earning chef in the United States, with an estimated global income of $38 million, according to a new list by Forbes.com.

Scottish-born Ramsey, known to U.S. television audiences for his acerbic comments on "Master Chef" and "Hell's Kitchen", surpassed Rachael Ray, who earned an estimated $25 million for the year ending June 2012 from her TV show, magazine and cookbooks. - Chicago Tribune / Forbes

A disturbing nationwide decline in oysters and the life-giving reefs that they build is particularly dramatic in California, where the once-abundant native species has been virtually wiped out, according to a recent scientific study.

The report, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, said Olympia oysters, once an integral part of the Native American diet and a staple during the San Francisco Gold Rush, are functionally extinct. 

"Essentially, today, the number of oyster reefs is zero," said Rob Brumbaugh, restoration director for the Nature Conservancy and co-author of the study. "It's the complete elimination of a key species and habitat on the West Coast." - SFGate

Santa Barbara has one more reason to raise a glass and toast. It’s official: The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail has formally incorporated, and to celebrate its “varietal” band of 17 unique wine-tasting rooms downtown, it’s pouring all kinds of fun for locals and visitors this summer.

The SBUWT is hosting its first-ever “Passport Weekend,” inviting guests to sip their way into summer, and enjoy a weekend of wine in the Santa Barbara sunshine. SBUWT’s Passport Weekend will be July 27-29, and will feature some very special tasting opportunities from the various tasting rooms, including the chance to meet winemakers, reserve vintage exhibitions, light bites to satisfy appetites and live musical entertainment.

The cost is $75 per person and includes tastings at all SBUWT member wineries for the weekend. All Passport Weekend guests will receive an official SBUWT Passport and logo glass, and can take advantage of a 10 percent discount off all wine purchases at all SBUWT member tasting rooms that weekend.

Guests can begin their wine tasting adventures at any of the three check-in points — Carr Winery, Santa Barbara Winery and Margerum Wine Company — where guests can check-in or purchase passes (and pick up their passports and glasses), and begin their wine tasting adventures! Passports are available online for purchase - Noozhawk