CONSUMED with Jaime Lewis

20th Season Best Of: Media

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For this season, I looked back on my most memorable moments on the Consumed podcast.

Featured in this episode:

Hayley Thomas Cain, San Luis Obispo
Sarah Deiter, Markers & Allies, San Luis Obispo
Greg Clarke, Thousand Oaks
Brittany App, Where There Once Was Water, Creston
Dianne Jacob, Will Write For Food, Oakland

20th Season Best Of: Gear

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For this season, I'm looking back at my most memorable moments on the Consumed podcast.

Featured in this episode:

Cameron Alarcio, Cameron Alarcio Knives, Pismo Beach
Paul Filice, Miner’s Ace Hardware
Josh and Lindsey Haring, The Mountain Air, San Luis Obispo
Denis and Kacey Kehoe, Kehoe Carbon Cookware, Los Osos

20th Season Best Of: Winemakers

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For this season, I look back at my most memorable moments of the podcast. Featured in this episode: • Vailia From, Desparada Wines, Paso Robles • Jim Clendenen, Au Bon Climat, Santa Barbara County • Samra Morris, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Sta. Rita Hills • Sonja Magdevski, Casa Dumetz, Los Alamos • Stephy Terrizzi, Giornata Wines, Paso Robles • Nancy Ulloa, Ulloa Cellars, Paso Robles • Matt Dees, Jonata, Ballard Canyon • Ryan Deovlet, Deovlet Wines, Los Osos

20th Season Best Of: Miscellaneous

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For this season, I'm looking back at my most memorable moments on the podcast.

Featured in this episode:

Sandi Sigurdson, community leader and recovering alcoholic
Dr. Stephen Lloyd-Moffet, The Spirit of Wine
Arcenio J. Lopez, MICOP
Dr. David Cleveland, UCSB
Ariana Lovato, Honeycomb Home Design, Arroyo Grande
Peter Cron, SLO County Integrated Waste Management Authority
Sister Theresa Harpin, Restorative Partners and The Bridge Cafe, SLO

20th Season Best Of: Spirits

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For this season, I look back at my most memorable moments on the Consumed podcast.

Featured in this episode:

Robin Wolf, The Hatch, Paso Robles
Eric Olson, Central Coast Distillery, Atascadero

20th Season Best Of: Specialty

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For this special season, I look back on my most memorable moments with the podcast.

Featured in this episode:

Dan Berkeland, Back Porch Bakery, SLO and Atascadero
Sara and Jon Peterson, Scout Coffee and Honey Co. Coffee, SLO and Morro Bay
Tim Veatch, Wayward Bakery, Los Osos
Shanté Norwood, Té’Stees Cupcakes, Lompoc
Penni Monroe, Hush Harbor Bakery, Atascadero
Marisa Bloch Gaytan, Pasolivo, Paso Robles
Stephanie Nye and Kirsten Finberg, Soup Gangsta and Little Red Hen Bread
Michael Palmer, McConnell’s Ice Cream, Santa Barbara

20th Season Best Of: Brewers

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For the 20th season, I share my favorite, most memorable moments during the Consumed podcast.

Featured in this episode:

David Walker, Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Robles
Max Montgomery, There Does Not Exist, San Luis Obispo
Jack Dyer, Topa Topa Brewing Company, Ventura
Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, Russian River Brewing, Santa Rosa

20th Season Best Of: Farmers, Ranchers, Fishers

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For the 20th season, I share my favorite, most memorable moments during the Consumed podcast.

Featured in this episode:

Zack Andrade, Spinaca Farms, Gilroy
Captain Mark Tognazzini, Dockside Restaurant, Morro Bay
Neal Maloney, Morro Bay Oyster Company
Elizabeth Poett, “The Ranch Table,” Lompoc
Daniel Sinton, Avenales Ranch, Shandon
Barbara Bullock, home chicken expert, San Luis Obispo

20th Season Best Of: Chefs and Restaurants

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0700

For the 20th season, I share my most memorable moments during the Consumed podcast.

Chefs and Restaurants featured:

Feben Teffera, Ebony SLO, San Luis Obispo
Gessica and Alberto Russo, Flour House, San Luis Obispo
Brian Collins, Ember, Arroyo Grande
Chef Daisy and Greg Ryan, Bell’s, Los Alamos
Chris Dillow and Evan Toohey, Fig at Courtney’s House, Templeton
Chef Julien and Courtney Asseo, Les Petites Canailles, Paso Robles
Clark Staub, Full of Life Flatbread, Los Alamos
Jeff, Lindsay and Jade Jackson, The Range, Santa Margarita

Bonus Conversation: Why Are So Many Restaurants Closing?

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0700

At Dave Congalton's invitation, I went on KVEC 920/96.5 in January to talk about why so many restaurants are closing in San Luis Obispo, the state, and the nation. Shared here with permission from KVEC.

Tuscan Mustang: Cal Poly student Mary Carli pursues her education “half a world away”

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:01:00 -0700

In this episode of Consumed with Sophia Pattison, intern Sophia flies all the way to Italy to delve into the life-changing experience of a Cal Poly student’s study abroad experience and internship at a sustainable farm-to-fork restaurant in Lastra a Signa, a municipality of Florence. Through hands-on work, Mary Carli has taken Cal Poly’s learn-by-doing philosophy international, embarking on a journey of cultural exchange and culinary exploration, participating in everything from beekeeping to marketing strategies for the company.

Instagram:

@sophia.pattison

@marycarli_

@fattoria_bucolica

More information:

tuorlomagazine.it/it/lautosufficienza-nella-ristorazione-esiste-e-a-metro-zero/

Sidecar Cocktail Company: Slinging poison, serving dumplings, and smooth jazz

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

In this second episode of Consumed with Sophia Pattison, my intern Sophia takes us behind the scenes of Sidecar Cocktail Company, the cocktail bar that offers a unique fusion experience, pairing a Chinese-style food menu with an eclectic mix of drinks. Amidst the bustling ambiance, Sidecar is host to weekly live jazz performances found in the hidden gem of the bar's basement lounge. Owner Josh
Christensen and Jazz Trio Forte are giving San Luis Obispo a spot that transports locals to what feels like a larger metropolitan city.

Instagram:

@sophia.pattison
@sidecarslo
@jacobster125
@zedpudding
@jamesgallardomusic

LEGENDS: Sommelier-turned-farmer Rajat Parr

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:02:00 -0700

When I developed this season of California and Central Coast legends, I came across an article about sommelier and farmer Rajat Parr. It was written by Esther Mobley, the senior wine critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. She called him one of the wine industry’s biggest celebrities and California’s most influential sommelier—and she’s certainly not the only one. Rajat Parr is an absolute giant of the wine world, having worked as a sommelier for restaurateur Michael Mina for many years in San Francisco, and co-authoring two very important books: Secrets of the Sommeliers and The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste. So imagine my surprise when he instantly accepted my email request for an interview. Since moving away from the sommelier and restaurant world, he has taken up as a farmer and winemaker in Cambria at Phelan Farm, Stolo Vineyard, Domaine de la Cote, and Sandhi Wines. We talked about his upbringing in Calcutta, his original goal to become a chef, the way he risked it all to move to San Francisco, and his legendary and well-documented blind-tasting abilities.

Website: phelanfarm.com / sandhiwines.com / domainedelacote.com / stolofamilyvineyards.com

Instagram: @rajatparr

LEGENDS: Cult brewers Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, Russian River Brewing

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:01:00 -0700

There are few businesses I’d travel multiple hours to visit, but Russian River Brewing is one of them—and I am most certainly not alone. Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo are the minds behind Pliny the Younger, one of the culty-est brews in the world, and one that is only available for a short time each spring. The brewery only makes a certain amount of this perfectly-balanced triple IPA, and only sells it for two weeks in March. People from around the globe line up outside their two locations to wait for the doors to open, and the economic impact on Sonoma County stands at $6.1 million, just for Pliny the Younger week. We talked about Vinnie growing up in a pioneering Temecula winery, how they met when Natalie bought booze for an underaged Vinnie, and the terror they felt that first time Pliny caught the world’s attention. I drove to their second location in Windsor for the day to hang out and chat, and the nine hours I spent driving were absolutely worth it.

Website: russianriverbrewing.com

Instagram: @russianriverbrewingofficial

LEGENDS: Chuck Hiigel, czar of Central Coast beer

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Someone once called Chuck Hiigel the godfather of Central Coast beer, but I would go as far as to say that, in many ways, he is the godfather of beer across the state of California. What began as an obsessive side project to studying architecture at Cal Poly has since comprised a life and career that celebrates the art and craft of brewing, from managing the iconic Spike’s Pub in the San Luis Obispo Creamery—a business that has since closed but will forever have a place in the hearts of beer lovers everywhere—and convening the California Festival of Beers, to bringing his special brand of education and beer hospitality to the famous Transitions Beer Dinner, San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival, and local NPR affiliate, KCBX. I know Chuck as a beer man about town, but we also sing in the San Luis Obispo Master Chorale, so there is discussion about the similarities of classical music and beer that I like to believe will delight fans of either, both, or neither.

LEGENDS: Taco Works brand tortilla chips with CEO Robbie Bayly

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Fritos were born in 1932. Same for Lay’s Potato Chips. Cheetos came on the scene in 1948, and Doritos in 1966. And then, in 1976, riding high on the snack wave, Taco Works Tortilla Chips arrived in San Luis Obispo, California. These crunchy, crispy chips originated with Ty Bayly at his Foothill Boulevard Mexican restaurant of the same name. But whereas the restaurant closed, the chips grew more and more famous for their light texture and signature seasoning. Today, Ty’s son Robbie Bayly runs the operation, and joined me to share the story behind these rather addictive snacks, the changes they’ve had to make over the years, and the letters and comments that Taco Works receives about their product. If your a Taco Works-head like we are in the Lewis household, you’re definitely going to want to listen in.

Photo credit: Jerry Perez for Edible SLO Magazine

Website: tacoworks.net

Instagram: @tacworksinc

LEGENDS: Cattaneo Brothers jerky with CEO Katelyn Kaney

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

If you’ve lived on California’s Central Coast for any amount of time, you’re aware of the name Cattaneo Brothers. Since 1947, this family-owned brand has produced artisan jerky, as well as other snacks and sausages, and their handiwork can be found nearly everywhere you look in San Luis Obispo County. CEO Katelyn Kaney joined me on the podcast to talk about the history of Cattaneo Brothers, its humble beginnings in the basement below present-day restaurant Luna Red, how her parents took the company nationwide, and, well...how the jerky’s made.

Website: cattaneobros.com

Instagram: @cattaneobros

LEGENDS: Brown Butter Cookie Company with Traci Hozie Alderson

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Some products are so tightly woven into the culinary consciousness of a place that it’s hard to believe they ever didn’t exist. Such is the case with the Brown Butter Cookie Company, makers of a ridiculously addictive shortbread cookie that California and the Central Coast just can’t get enough of. I spoke with co-founder Traci Hozie Alderson about her beginnings in marketing for Calvin Klein fragrance, the origins of this special cookie in the back of a deli in Cayucos in 2008, how locals and out-of-towners alike have embraced it as “our cookie,” and the ways the company is currently giving back—and bursting at the seams.

Photo credit: Ruby Wallau for Edible SLO Magazine

Website: brownbuttercookies.com

Instagram: @brownbuttercookiecompany

LEGENDS: Steak and Champagne Cake at The Madonna Inn with Amanda Rich

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

The Madonna Inn is a California icon for many reasons, most famous of which might be its embrace of the color pink: pink walls, pink goblets, pink carpet—even pink tennis courts and pink lamp posts. Who made the decision to go pink? That would be Mrs. Phyllis Madonna, who co-founded the hotel and restaurant with her late husband Alex Madonna, a successful businessman, developer and contractor. Their over-the-top aesthetic and unique interpretation of luxury turned the inn into a destination for travelers driving Highway 101 through San Luis Obispo—and over the years, a whole new generation has adopted the Madonna Inn as its own. (Just search up “Madonna Inn” on Instagram and brace for impact.) But it isn’t just tourists who love the inn: we locals love it too, and have been known to argue about which is better: the Pink Champagne Cake or the Black Forest Cake. Interestingly, when I sat down with Marketing Director and longtime assistant to Mrs. Madonna, Amanda Rich, she spoke mostly about Mrs. Madonna’s Cheese Pie (whose recipe I share below) and her own favorite dessert, which I guarantee isn’t one you would guess.

Website: madonnainn.com

Instagram: @madonnainn1958

Madonna Inn Cheese Pie
(courtesy of Madonna Inn)

12-14 graham crackers

1/4 cup melted butter

4 3-ounce packages cream cheese (whipped)

2 eggs (whites beaten stiff)

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup sour cream

3 1/2 tablspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust: Crush graham crackers until fine, then mix with melted butter. Press and shape into a pie plate. Bake in 350-degree F oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove and cool.

Filling: Combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until light. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Bake in 350-degree F oven 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool for five minutes.

Topping: Blend 1 cup sour cream, 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour over pie filling. Bake 10 minutes more. Refrigerate for 5 hours.

LEGENDS: Santa Maria Style BBQ at Far Western Tavern and Susie Q Brand with Susie Righetti

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

If you don’t recognize the name Susie Righetti, you might recognize her two iconic businesses: she is the founder of Susie Q Brand, a purveyor of Santa Maria Style barbecue seasonings, pinquito beans, salsas and jerky; and along with her family members, she is co-owner of the Far Western Tavern in Santa Maria. I chose Susie as one of this season’s legends because she grew up hanging out in the Far Western’s dining room and kitchens, and she knows both Santa Maria and barbecue. Also, family lore says that her family line dates back to the De Anza Expedition along the California coastline and predates the Declaration of Independence—if that doesn’t make her a legend, I don’t know what does. We talked about what makes Santa Maria Style Barbecue different, important, and delicious, and we discussed the evolution of the Far Western Tavern, too, which moved from its original building in Guadalupe to its new location in Orcutt just a few years ago.

Websites: farwesterntavern.com / susieqbrand.com

Instagram: @susieqbrand / @farwesterntavern

LEGENDS: Pioneering Rhône varieties and regenerative agriculture with Tablas Creek Vineyard proprietor Jason Haas

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

When you think of wineries that really changed the game in California, Tablas Creek Vineyard should be one of the first to come to mind. A partnership between a wine importer, Robert Haas, and winegrowers in the south of France, Jean-Pierre Perrin and Francois Perrin, Tablas Creek has been a pioneering producer of Rhone-varietal wines in Paso Robles since it opened in 1989. I spoke with Jason Haas, the second-generation proprietor of Tablas Creek Vineyard who has continued the work set out by his father and the Perrin family: to establish Paso Robles as a premier appellation for Rhone varieties, and to do so with rigorous attention to sustainability and regenerative agriculture. In these ways, Tablas Creek has been one of the first if not the very first to approach winemaking this way in Paso Robles, and well ahead of their time. Jason and I talk about his beginnings in the tech industry, his affection for ultimate frisbee, and the accolades he’s won for his writing on the Tablas Creek blog at tablascreek.typepad.com.

Website: tablascreekvineyard.com

Instagram: @tablascreek

LEGENDS: Novo, Luna Red and Robin’s owners Shanny Covey and Robin Covey

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700

The concept of fresh, local, seasonal ingredients in restaurants is one most Californians are very familiar with, but in 1985, it was pretty radical. Fortunately for those of us who dine at Robin’s in Cambria, Novo and Luna Red restaurants in San Luis Obispo, owners Robin Covey and Shanny Covey didn’t know any better: it’s just the way they liked to eat. Over time they formed a shared company called the Blue Mango Restaurant Group that operates these three beloved restaurants, keeping the mandate for fresh, local and seasonal ingredients front and center at all times, and inspiring other restaurants to do the same. They’ve managed to do this through the outrageous challenges of restaurant ownership, as well as through divorcing but remaining business partners. So many of us consider these restaurants a forever-part of the local culinary landscape, and we have their creative thinking and acumen to thank.

Websites: novorestaurant.com / lunaredslo.com / robinsrestaurant.com

Instagram: @novorestaurant / @lunaredrestaurant / @robins_restaurant

Quickie, the delivery app with its wheels on the ground and its mind in the gutter

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0700

CONSUMED WITH SOPHIA PATTISON: I'm handing the mic over to my intern, Sophia Pattison, a fourth-year journalism student at Cal Poly who's interested in the flavor of the Central Coast. In her first of three mini-episodes, Sophia covers the rise of Quickie Delivery Co, a young business that delivers college essentials to students at Cal Poly.

MORE ABOUT SOPHIA: Sophia Pattison is a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. She has honed her broadcasting and media production skills in San Luis Obispo while contributing to KCPR and Mustang News. Here at Consumed, she is combining her love for multimedia production while delving into the world of food journalism and embracing the vibrant culinary scene of the Central Coast

To learn more about Sophia and the Quickie folks on Instagram:

@sophia.pattison
@quickiedeliveryco
@willtregenza

Composer Brook Munro talks wine and music

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:01:00 -0700

San Luis Obispo County native Brook Munro is a composer and musician who works on his craft at night after he manages the wine club at Claiborne and Churchill Winery in the Edna Valley all day. He has scored a number of award-winning films, but his new LP "Harvest in Twelve Parts" is his first work to mix music and wine. He recorded and produced it over the course of the 2021 and 2022 harvests—listen throughout the interview because I weave parts of his tracks throughout. And on that note, headphones are a good idea for this one. 🎧

Episode note: I blow it in the outro by calling the record "Under the Harvest Sky," which is actually a track name from the album. Apologies!

To buy Harvest in Twelve Parts on vinyl, visit brookmunro.com.

Instagram: @brookmunro

Kehoe Carbon Cookware and the legacy of durable heirlooms with Dennis and Kasey Kehoe, Los Osos

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:11:00 -0700

Think about the cookware you use most, and I can almost guarantee that your skillet is at the top of the list. It’s one of those workhorse tools that’s just necessary. Maybe your skillet is nonstick, or cast iron—or if you’re lucky, maybe it’s carbon steel. And if you’re extremely lucky, maybe it’s a carbon steel pan made by Dennis Kehoe. Dennis and his wife Kasey own Kehoe Carbon Cookware, based out of their home in Los Osos. I first discovered his work on Instagram, where I completely fell for the beauty and durability of the pans Dennis made. As I learned more about them, I discovered that his wife, Kasey, is also a metal head — sorry, I had to use that term — because she’s a pipe-fitter welder. Together, they’ve developed a brand of heirloom-quality cookware, and here, they explain how that happened. I got a little emotional at the end when they described their last meal. It’s beautiful.

Website: kehoecarboncookware.com

Instagram: @kehoe_carbon_cookware

Lab-grown meat at the intersection of tech and ethics with Dr. Deb Donig, Cal Poly and UC Berkeley

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:10:00 -0700

Here’s one of the great benefits of having a podcast: at any time, you have a perfectly acceptable excuse to ask someone over to chat. And that’s exactly what I did here. Dr. Deb Donig is Assistant Professor of English Literature at Cal Poly and a Lecturer at UC Berkeley’s School of Information in the Master’s in Data Science Program. She is the co-founder of the Cal Poly Ethical Technology Initiative and the host of “Technically Human,” a podcast where she talks with major thinkers, writers, and industry-leading technologists about the relationship between humans and the technologies they create. So what does this have to do with food, you ask? Professor Donig’s specialty is the intersection of ethics and technology, and she has a deep and abiding interest in the concept of so-called “clean meat” or lab-grown meat. She also has the philosophical chops to think critically about what this kind of technology could mean for humanity—as you’ll hear in this interview, I marveled at her critical thinking prowess and ability to hold multiple truths at once.

Website: debdonig.com

Podcast: Technically Human

Food system repair with Shakira Miracle of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:09:00 -0700

Shakira Miracle is the executive director of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network, an advocacy organization that seeks to close the food system loop, promoting access, equity, connection and creativity within the local food economy. Shakira drove up from Santa Barbara to share the exciting work she’s doing with the agency, and to chat about what makes networks like Santa Barbara’s so important. We also talk about Dr. David Cleveland, a previous guest on this podcast who is a respected researcher in Santa Barbara, and an integral part of why the Food Action Network exists. To see his studies and to listen to his episode on the Consumed podcast, have a look at the show notes below.

Studies authored by Dr. David Cleveland:

Local food hubs for alternative food systems: A case study from Santa
Barbara County, California, "Journal of Rural Studies," 2014
Operationalizing local food: goals, actions, and indicators
for alternative food systems, "Agriculture and Human Values," 2015
How does food localization contribute to food system
sustainability? Peer-reviewed letter in "Frontiers In Ecology and the Environment," 2015

Website: sbcfoodaction.org

Instagram: @sbcfoodaction

My Friend Mike’s Mike Radakovich talks pizza

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:08:00 -0700

In the middle of Covid, in a not-so-obvious part of San Luis Obispo, a pizza place called My Friend Mike’s opened up. In its history, the building off Broad Street had been a Lemos Feed & Pet Supply, as well as a tire shop. The windows are also mirrored so you can’t see in, but when I walked inside to pick up a couple beautiful pizzas made by Mike Radakovich and his team, I was surprised at how warm and inviting the interior is. It feels kind of like a clubhouse with excellent wood-fired pizza and a killer international wine list. So I asked Mike on the podcast, and because it’s tiny San Luis Obispo, we know pretty much all the same people. So, warning: this episode bandies about lots of names of folks you may or may not know. Try to hang in there. And by the way, check the show notes for the link to the Theatre Stories sketch on Saturday Night Live. In the episode I said it featured Christopher Walken, but it was actually John Malkovich.

Website: myfriendmikes.com

Instagram: @myfriendmikes

Theatre Stories on SNL

Hot Vegan Takeout with Matt Martinez of Ziggy’s, SLO and Paso Robles

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:07:00 -0700

For years, whenever I’ve driven down California Boulevard in San Luis Obispo, I’ve stared at a neon sign that reads: Hot Vegan Takeout. It’s so fun and blunt and punk rock, and it perfectly encapsulates what’s going on at Ziggy’s Vegan Takeout. In case you’ve never eaten there, this is not a hippie crunchy vegan restaurant—there’s definitely a place for those in the world, but this ain’t one of em. When you walk into Ziggy’s, you’re immediately hit by the excellent soundtrack, the menu of vegan-friendly traditional foods like burgers, fries, and soft-serve, and the extremely young, hip person behind the counter. (Or is it just me? Am I just getting older? I don’t know. What I do know is Ziggy’s is really onto something, and I loved chatting with one of its owners, Matt Martinez, to learn about the restaurant’s success, and his role in it.

Website: eatziggys.com
Instagram: @eatziggys

The Paso Robles Distillery Trail and FarmsteadEd with Lynette Sonne

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:05:00 -0700

In 2014, Lynette Sonne founded FarmsteadEd, an organization whose goal is not just to get people to buy locally made products, but to see the small farms and ranches where the goods are grown and made. This is what’s called “agritourism,” and it has its spiritual home in Italy, where staying overnight on a farm and experiencing its culture up close bonds visitors to the work being done there in a special way. I had met Lynette several times in the past, and knew that FarmsteadEd had developed a SLO County Farm Trail for visitors to use, but I really saw her efforts up close during the 2023 Open Farm Day, wherein small family farms along the trail opened their gates to the public. That day, my son and I made tea in the garden at Niner Wine Estates, tasted olive oil at Olea Farm, learned about the honey-collecting process at Sierra Honey Farm, and swooned over lavender at Hambly Lavender Farm. Recently, Lynette’s also taken on the role of Executive Director with the Paso Robles Distillery Trail, so she knows a thing or two about the food and drink landscape of the Central Coast.

Websites: pasoroblesdistillerytrail.com / farmsteaded.com

Instagram: @farmsteaded / @pasoroblesdistillerytrail

From sushi to charcuterie with Beerwood’s Jess Saddoff-Bauer and Annie Steinmann

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:04:00 -0700

At Beerwood in Los Osos, Chef Jess Saddoff-Bauer and owner Annie Steinmann work hard to offer a family-friendly space and an elevated brewpub experience. I came to know Beerwood through gorgeous pictures of Chef Jess’s charcuterie platters, so imagine my delight when she brought one to the house for our interview! I learned a lot about her background, which includes fighting her way into sushi kitchens to learn the craft and become a well-respected sushi chef. (I suspect it also explains why the charcuterie boards are so precise, colorful, and beautiful. That level of care and skill doesn’t just happen.) I learned a lot about Annie too, how she worked in a previous iteration of the business and how she, her husband, and her friends really wanted to see the space thrive. We also talked about the brewpub’s support of the LGBTQ community and how relationships are everything in Los Osos-Baywood Park. Here are Chef Jess Saddoff-Bauer and Annie Steinmann of Beerwood. By the way, it doesn’t happen often, but I sometimes forget to ask guests about their final meal. That happened here, sadly, but I was able to get Jess and Annie on a voicemail that I share at the end. Enjoy.

Website: thisisbeerwood.com

Instagram: @thisisbeerwood

Author Dianne Jacob on the fate of food writing

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:02:00 -0700

Becoming a food writer tends to be a try-and-see-what-sticks process. Last time I checked, you can’t major in food writing in college, so most folks who want to pursue that line of work need to either make it up as they go along or attach themselves to a knowledgeable mentor. For my part, I’ve done both, and the latter I’ve done with Dianne Jacob, an award-winning food writer, cookbook author, and writing teacher based in the Bay Area. I’ve hired Dianne to help with magazine pitches and book proposals, but I’ve also benefited greatly from her book “Will Write For Food,” a guide to the food writing industry that’s now in its fourth printing. Ask any food writer, and they’ll tell you this is the gold standard for food writing, so I was delighted when Dianne agreed to come on the podcast. You’ll love her expertise, stories, and advice in this interview that I recorded in her home in San Leandro. I encourage you to sign up for her newsletter on Substack by the way, if you love good food writing and want to find more of it. You can also see the recipes that Chat GPT made for her, and the results of her following them.

Website: diannej.com

Substack: diannejacob.substack.com

Instagram: @diannemjacob

Happy meals®, soda, Disneyland, and grief with Alexandra Wallace

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:01:00 -0700

Alexandra Wallace is a photographer who captures weddings, portraits, and editorial photos for a living. If you’ve ever been to the Consumed website at letsgetconsumed.com, you’ll see the generous shots she’s taken of me, too. She’s also a born creative, having helmed Coyote and Oak Magazine and associate producing the podcast Your Own Backyard about the disappearance of Kristin Smart. (Her partner, Chris Lambert, is the producer of that show, and he was on the Consumed podcast several months ago, too.) But when Alli isn’t shooting photos, making magazines or other kinds of media, she’s a pop culture junkie who’s willing to drive out-of-state to visit the last Blockbuster Video on earth, or research “theme park disasters” on Wikipedia. For this episode of Consumed, she surprised me with a Happy Meal to eat on the mic, just to see how I’d feel about it, as she mistakenly believes I have a highly refined palate. We talked about grief, Disneyland, cake, and more.

Website: alexandra-wallace.com

Instagram: @thelittlealli

Cooking With Caleb on YouTube

Pinot noir, baseball, and Armenian roots with winemaker Ryan Deovlet

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Ryan Deovlet is the winemaker behind Deovlet Wines, based out of San Luis Obispo, but with wines from the Santa Rita Hills, Happy Canyon, and other Santa Barbara County regions and vineyards. Perhaps most exciting right now is Ryan’s purchase of property off Los Osos Valley Road, formerly owned by grain farmer Larry Kandarian, who has been featured on this podcast, too. Ryan speaks about pioneering a new region, his Armenian roots, and his connection to the late, great Kobe Bryant. He also shared a bottle of his first wine, a 2008 Pinot Noir from La Encantada Vineyard. And yes, it was GORGEOUS. I don’t get to taste wines like that very often. Anyway, we spoke for about half the episode indoors, but we had to move outdoors because someone had to get into the house. No biggie, but you’ll notice a few leaf-blowers going when we move outside. Such is life.

Website: deovletwines.com

Instagram: @deovlet_wines

Bonus episode: Matt Brynildson (Firestone Walker Brewing), Max Montgomery (There Does Not Exist) and Jack Dyer (Topa Topa Brewing) at Consumed Live

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0700

This is a re-release of the first Consumed Live episode featuring three powerhouse brewers on California’s Central Coast. Listen in as I talk with Matt Brynildson, brewmaster at Firestone-Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, Buellton, and Venice Beach; Max Montgomery, brewmaster at There Does Not Exist in San Luis Obispo; and Jack Dyer, founder at Topa Topa Brewing Company in Ventura. These three brought lots of fun stories, insight, and humor to the table, and I’m so glad I recorded it. The event took place at There Does Not Exist on August 31, 2022. Enjoy!

The Mountain Air owners Josh and Lindsey Haring on camping and cooking

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Josh and Lindsey Haring own The Mountain Air, a shop in downtown San Luis Obispo that sells outdoor gear like skis, sleeping bags, and hiking shoes. And because it’s summer, and because Josh and Lindsey have been dear friends of mine for years, I thought we could talk about eating and cooking on the trail or at the campground. Camping and backpacking food and gear has come a long way since I was a kid, and I wanted to share the Harings’ expertise with you, as well as their story. The Mountain Air opened in 1975, so there’s lots to cover. And yes, we talked about radishes, a vegetable that Josh believes shouldn’t be served at Halloween parties. You’ll understand why.

Website: themountainair.com

Instagram: @themountainair

Coffee roasting in Oceano with John Quint of Deltina Coffee Roasters

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

John Quint (who pulls a JFK and also goes by Jack Quint) owns and operates Deltina Coffee Roasters, located in Oceano and, as of this summer, a location near Cal Poly on Taft Street in San Luis Obispo. As a native of Seattle and the nephew of a prominent master roaster, Jack comes by his coffee culture honestly. He started his career as a CPA specializing in international taxation, but when coffee became his true love, he made a plan to start a roastery. Why did he and his wife Jill — yes, Jack and Jill — why did they choose the little coastal town of Oceano to set down roots with their five kids? And why open a new spot? You’ll have to listen to find out. Oh, also, Jack sent me a few pounds of Deltina coffee and I am loving its French-Roasty style.

Website: deltinacoffeeroasters.com

Instagram: @deltinacoffee

Teaching Asian cooking with Annie Yu, San Luis Obispo

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Annie Yu learned how to cook from her grandmother, who grew up near Canton, China. Her style of cooking included a lot of seafood, rice, and milder spices than Northern Szechuan cuisine. As the first American-born of seven siblings, Annie spent a lot of time in Chinatown in Boston, traveling to the markets with her grandmother. Today, Annie teaches Asian cooking in San Luis Obispo after many years in the world of corporate training. She shared with me her secrets for stir fry, which are fascinating, her dad’s one wish for his kids, and the reason she and her husband decided to move from the East Coast to San Luis Obispo.

Instagram: @sloasiancooking

Photo: Jen Olson

Chef/owner Rusty Quirk, Linnaea’s Cafe, SLO

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Rusty Quirk is a chef and the owner of Linnaea’s Cafe in downtown San Luis Obispo. If you’ve spent any time in SLO since 1984, you probably remember the little cafe with the long walk to a leafy back patio with a koi pond. Linnaea’s is one of a rare breed of small, family-owned businesses in SLO that have retained their original charm for several decades. It’s a cozy, simple place where the focus falls more on fostering relationships and art than on getting esoteric with the coffee. And now with Rusty at the helm, it’s going to have even more delicious pastries, too. She has served as pastry chef at Hotel SLO, Bell’s in Los Alamos and Bar Le Cote in Los Olivos. (By the way, I butchered the pronunciation of that restaurant in our interview, and Rusty was gracious enough not to correct me. Anyway, mea culpa.) Here she talks about her experiences on the line in kitchens from New York to California, her background in graphic design, and how her musician husband is helping to boost the musical offerings at the cafe.

Website: linnaeascafe.com

Instagram: @linnaeascafe

Functional nutritional therapy with Stephanie Killen of Sound Body Nutrition, SLO

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Stephanie Killen is the Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner behind Sound Body Nutrition in San Luis Obispo, a service that works with women to resolve their health concerns using nutrition, lifestyle guidance and natural therapies. In addition to her training in functional nutritional therapy, she has a unique edge: a culinary school degree. Stephanie became interested in nutritional therapy when she sought help for her own severe hormonal imbalances. With her culinary experience, she was able to tailor a program of nutritional recovery that uses data from extensive lab testing to nourish her clients and restore digestive and hormonal balance. We used my own physical woes and imbalances as jumping-off points for her to share her expertise, which was kind of fun.

Website: soundbodynutrition.com

Instagram: @sound_body_nutrition

Vitality Smoothie Recipe

Stephanie recommends this smoothie for all her clients. She says “it’s great for breakfast as it is a balanced meal that promotes regularity, satiety, energy, balanced blood sugar, nourished adrenal glands, and digestion.”

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut water or regular filtered water

3/4 cup unsweetened almond, cashew, or coconut milk

1 scoop Ora Organics vanilla, chocolate, or unflavored protein powder

1 tablespoon organic hemp or chia seeds

1 tablespoon organic chia seeds

1/2 avocado

1/2 inch knob peeled ginger

1 tsp camu camu powder

handful leafy greens

Blitz everything together in a powerful blender. Serve.

Olive oil tasting with Marisa Bloch Gaytan of Pasolivo Olive Oil, Paso Robles

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

I’ve shared before that a loaf of rustic bread and a bottle of olive oil are pretty much all I need to be happy (oh, and a glass of Prosecco), so imagine my delight when the general manager of Pasolivo Olive Oil, Marisa Bloch Gaytan, came over to chat and taste through their many olive oil varieties. Marisa is a level-2 olive oil sommelier and Pasolivo’s master blender, so she knows a thing or two about liquid gold. We talked about how she transitioned from the wine business to the olive oil business, how she gets the basil olive oil to taste so fresh, and whether she can tell the variety of my olive tree, right outside the window.

Website: pasolivo.com

Instagram: @pasolivo

Gardening (and free popcorn) with Miner’s Ace Hardware president Paul Filice, Arroyo Grande

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Paul Filice is the president of Miner’s Ace Hardware, a collection of nine “hardware stores” across the Central Coast. I put “hardware stores” in quotes because Miner’s is so much more than a hardware store, though that’s certainly how it began. In addition to all the usual stuff — hardware, tools, paint, etc — Miner’s has a wonderful housewares section featuring Traeger grills, Yeti coolers, Ball canning systems and more that I could spend all day exploring. It also has one of the best nursery departments in the business, which is our top choice for everything from seeds and veggie starts to the avocado tree, satsuma tree, and espalier apple tree in our front yard. It’s a family business: I grew up going to school with Amy Miner, Paul’s wife, so I’ve been able to watch it grow over the years. Listen to Paul tell stories about legendary employee Wally Lewis who retired at the age of 95, the man who drove a Harley directly into the Los Osos Miner’s and continued to shop on it, and about how the community knew COVID was over when the popcorn came back.

Website: minersacehardware.com

Instagram: @miners_ace_hardware

Quick pickling with Andrea Wasko and Meaghan Gilbert, Los Osos

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Andrea Wasko and Meaghan Gilbert are the people behind the Quick Pickle Kit, which they call “the DIY pickling kit for people on a journey” — I love that. They started the company in 1996 with a couple goals. One, they wanted to give people a healthy and stress-free way to pickle fresh produce. Andrea’s mother was a pickler and would send jars of them to Andrea as a taste of home. And secondly, they wanted to give back to their community. Philanthropy is a massive reason the Quick Pickle Kit exists. Andrea and Meghan employ adults with disabilities and donate a portion of every sale to nonprofits — and they always have. Listen in as they talk about their backgrounds, their inspiration, and their passion for a crunchy pickle.

Website: quickpicklekit.com

Instagram: @quickpicklekit

“Nature-positive” winemaking with Matt Trevisan at Linne Calodo Winery, Paso Robles

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Matt Trevisan is the winemaker and owner at Linne Calodo Winery in Paso Robles, California. Along with his wife, Maureen, he has built the Willow Creek District-winery into a really special producer of Rhone-varietal blends and Zinfandel wines. And they’ve been at it for 25 years, constantly tweaking their process and pulling at the thread of what kind of winery and business they want to be. Over those years, Matt has been especially interested in pursuing a “nature-positive” model — one that forces farmers and winemakers to live “within the bounds of their land’s natural resources and rely on natural solutions and manual labor rather than chemicals and carbon-burning machines.” That’s actually a quote from Matt himself, and one worth mulling over in depth. Aside from wine, we discussed his obsession with flying, car racing with KCBX DJ Neal Losey, and the concept of “learn by failing.”

Peasant’s Feast and Peasant’s Deli chef/owners Michael and Sarah Cherney, Solvang

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0700

I didn’t realize it until just now, but I’ve known Michael and Sarah Cherney for years. Okay, I didn’t know-them know-them, but I definitely enjoyed their hospitality a few times at Sides’ Hardware and Shoes, the charming restaurant in Los Olivos where Michael was chef and Sarah worked front of house. The Cherneys have since started their own business called Peasant’s Feast in an iconic restaurant space in Solvang — a town known more for its aebleskivers and Christmas-all-year-round charm than for its cuisine. With the success of the restaurant, they’ve opened a beautiful second spot called Peasant’s Deli across the walkway. There’s also a fun little secret inside the deli worth exploring, but I’ll let them pique your interest. We talked about Michael’s veggie legs, Sarah’s theater background, and how deferred dreams led them right to the Peasant’s Feast’s door.

Website: peasantsfeast.com / peasantsdeli.com

Instagram: @peasantsfeast / @peasantsdeli

Photo: Bri Burkett

Bonus episode: Chris Lambert of Your Own Backyard talks creativity

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 00:02:00 -0700

If you've listened to the CONSUMED podcast for any length of time, you'll be familiar with the name Chris Lambert. He has edited the show for years, but you probably know him better for his own project, the podcast Your Own Backyard, about the disappearance of Kristin Smart. (If you haven't listened to Your Own Backyard, which was the #1 podcast in the world for some time, do yourself a favor and take a week or so to binge the whole series.)

With the trials of Paul Flores and Ruben Flores over, and Paul Flores sentenced to prison, Chris is busy writing and recording the final episode of that project. But he graciously agreed to sit down with me to talk, not so much about the case itself and all the accolades the podcast has received, but to discuss his creative process. Chris has been a professional musician and singer-songwriter for many years, and has 11 albums under his belt, so he knows a thing or two about how to create something artfully. We chatted about those, about his choices for writing the music for the podcast, and about sequencing when it came to telling Kristin and the Smart family’s story.

And because this is technically a food podcast, YES, we talked about food, too. Chris is a local boy, but has spent a lot of time in Louisiana, so he shares about his relationship with southern food. Random, I know, but this conversation sheds light on what it takes to see a window of opportunity, calculate the angle, and make the leap — just like so many farmers, chefs, winemakers, brewers, and entrepreneurs do in the food and beverage industry every day.

Website: yourownbackyardpodcast.com

Instagram: @yourownbackyardpodcast

Bonus episode: CONSUMED Live x At Her Table | Mothers in the Hospitality Industry

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 00:01:00 -0700

This is another between-seasons bonus episode that I produced in collaboration with At Her Table, a weeklong food festival that celebrates women. For this event on March 7, 2023, I sat down at There Does Not Exist brewery for a live recording of the Consumed podcast featuring a panel of mothers in the hospitality industry. Panelists include Shanny Covey (Luna Red, Robin’s), Feben Teffera (Ebony SLO), Brittany Gonsalves (Central Coast Tacos), and Sam Whittaker (Bing’s Bao Buns).

Healing from eating disorders with Sara Garofalo, Love Holistic Living in SLO

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Sara Garofalo teaches the principles of Ayurveda and intuitive eating to clients across the country, and across the world. She’s been featured on Medium, NBC Miami, Yahoo and Voyage LA for her approach to working with clients who struggle with disordered eating habits. Sara lives in San Luis Obispo, but she grew up in Italy, near Milan, and developed an eating disorder at a young age. With her clients today, she uses those experiences (and the solutions she found to them) to heal below-the-surface trauma that gets in the way of eating for pleasure. Listen in as Sara and I talk about binge eating, her new cookbook coming out, and the beauty of lasagna and tiramisu.

Website: loveholisticliving.com

Instagram: @love.holistic.living

Growing winemaking wings with Janie Willheim, Lumina Wines in Paso Robles

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Janie Willheim is the spark plug behind Lumina Wines, a producer of what she calls “small batch wines made for happy consumption.” A graduate of the Cal Poly University wine and viticulture program, by day, Janie works on the winemaking team at Desperada Wines, whose winemaker Vailia From was on the podcast back in 2019. And because Vailia is married to fellow winemaker Russell From of Herman Story Wines, Janie works a little bit for him too. Confused yet? No worries — this is an easygoing conversation that covers the appeal of Riesling, the importance of mentorship, and the beauty of Cheetos.

Website: luminawines.com

Instagram: @luminawines

A life in produce with Andrea Chavez of Talley Farms Fresh Harvest, Arroyo Grande

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Andrea Chavez oversees Talley Farms Fresh Harvest, a community-supported agriculture program with 3,500 subscribers across the Western U.S. Talley Farms has been around for four generations, but when the Talley family wanted to start a weekly subscription-based harvest share program in 2012, they hired Andrea. Her expertise in the produce business is a marvel, as you’ll hear from our conversation. Before the tape started rolling, she walked me around the farm, coolers, and packing areas to see how much goes into getting boxes of fresh fruits and veggies out to members. The logistics of distributing quality produce are challenging in a normal year, but in the time of Covid, it was off the chain. Listen to Andrea talk about her background, her job, and the one thing she and her husband Randy fight about.

Website: talleyfarmsfreshharvest.com

Instagram: @talleyfarmsfreshharvest

Going Rhône with Vicki Carroll, Hospice du Rhône, Paso Robles

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Vicki Carroll is the president of Hospice du Rhône, an organization of wine producers across the globe that promotes Rhône-varietal wines. It's hard to believe there was a time that people didn't know what syrah or grenache are, but it really wasn't all that long ago. As the administrator for Hospice du Rhône, Vicki has worked to coalesce the efforts of Rhône producers all over the world to share their work with consumers. So if you've ever tasted grenache, syrah, mourvedre or viognier, you have Vicki in part to thank. Here we talk about Hospice du Rhone events, what it's like to be the American wine producers in a room of French wine producers, and the beauty of the South of France.

Website: hospicedurhone.org

Instagram: @hospicedurhone

Soupgangsta and Little Red Hen Bread, aka Stephanie Nye and Kirsten Finberg

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

My guests Stephanie Nye and Kirsten Finberg are each lovely in their own right, but because they are longtime friends who work side-by-side at the Morro Bay Farmers Market each Thursday afternoon, they are magic together. Stephanie (aka Soupgangsta) is the brains behind Farmers Market Inspired Soups, a company she’s had for many years that feeds folks tasty soups made from produce she gets at the market. I first came across Stephanie’s work via her cookbook, Central Coast Farmers Market Soups, a beautiful love letter to our home and the agriculture it supports, plus recipes of course. Kirsten Finberg is another person I’d met once or twice but never had the chance to really get to know. She is the owner and baker behind Little Red Hen Bread, which makes wood-fired breads for sale at farmers markets and other local outlets. Kirsten is a firecracker with energy, brains, and humor to spare. The two of these ladies work at several farmers markets, but when they met at the Morro Bay Market, they knew they’d become friends, just like soup and bread. But NOT like cherries, as you’ll soon understand. Anyway, listen in and you’ll feel like you’re right at the table with us.

Buy Stephanie’s book here.

Little Red Hen Bread Instagram: @littleredhenbread

Farmers Market Inspired Soups website: farmersmarketsoup.wordpress.com

Instagram: @soupgangsta

Employing former inmates in the kitchen with Sister Theresa Harpin of Restorative Partners and The Bridge Cafe in SLO

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

A couple weeks ago, as I was scrolling around on Instagram, I saw photos from the recent grand opening of The Bridge Cafe in downtown San Luis Obispo. This isn’t just any eatery, though. In collaboration with the Cuesta College Culinary Arts Foundation, The Bridge Cafe is a social enterprise, providing culinary training and employment for people who have previously been incarcerated. As I looked at these photos, one face stood out amid the crowd, beaming with a little extra light. Turns out it was the face of Sister Theresa Harpin, Executive Director of the organization Restorative Partners, which helps people move from inside the justice system to outside it, and which oversees the administration of The Bridge Cafe. Theresa is a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, a Catholic congregation begun in 1650 around a kitchen table in France. She is kind, articulate, and her clear-eyed way of seeing the world is positively infectious. Listen to Sister Theresa talk about growing up in the Carl’s Jr. family, how she decided to become a nun, her work inside the justice system, and how she dreamed about establishing The Bridge Cafe eight years before it became a reality.

Website: restorativepartners.org

Instagram: @thebridgecafeslo / @restorativepartners

Taking tea time with Kirstin Sherritt of The Secret Garden in SLO

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Kirstin Sherritt owns The Secret Garden in San Luis Obispo, a shop that specializes in tea, herbs and spices. I’ve known Kirstin for a while, just through the grapevine of life in SLO, and I’ve watched her grow what was a tiny little back-patio business into a thriving community. The shop overlooks San Luis Creek, with jars of all kinds of raw botanicals: bark, leaves, petals, buds, rinds and spices. With decades of expertise in how to use these ingredients, she creates bespoke blends for people who come in, or they can buy pre-blended concoctions she’s developed over the years for things like improved cognition, detoxification, and relaxation. I love that little shop, but there’s so much more to Kirstin and her business. Here we talk about plants and tea, sure, but you definitely don’t want to miss Kirstin debunking myths about the difference between tea and coffee drinkers.

Website: organicherbshop.com

Instagram: @secretgardenslo

What is good service? A chat with Giuseppe’s SLO server Chloe Lane

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

A friend recently had dinner at Giuseppe’s Cucina Rustica in San Luis Obispo, a bustling and beloved local Italian eatery. Afterward, she texted me to say she’d had an interesting conversation with her server about the nature of tipping that might make for interesting fodder on this podcast. That server’s name is Chloe Lane, and she rather graciously agreed to come over to share her experiences despite never having met me or knowing much of anything about Consumed. We talked about tips: how important they are, how they ebb and flow with the seasons, and the kinds of people who tend to tip well. I also quizzed her on a couple of bizarre situations I’ve had in restaurants to see what she would do. My favorite quote from Chloe? “It’s hard when people won’t allow you to help them.” I found that extremely insightful for a young server. She clearly has a knack.

Food writing, gumbo, and big transitions with Sara Roahen in SLO

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

Sara Roahen is a food writer who lives in San Luis Obispo — but who left her heart in New Orleans. She lived there for 17 years, working first as a line cook in professional kitchens, and later as the food critic for the alternative weekly paper called Gambit. Sara grew up in the Midwest, so she was an outsider in New Orleans but came to love the people and flavors of the place so much she joined the Southern Foodways Alliance, a nonprofit that records and promotes the food traditions throughout the American South. She also wrote the book Gumbo Tales: Finding my Place at the New Orleans Table, whose chapters focus on different dishes and their champions throughout the city. Now a resident of the Central Coast, Sara considers herself “still in transition” from urban New Orleanian to rural Californian. Listen in as we talk about Hurricane Katrina, discovering Cattaneo Brothers linguica, and re-finding her voice.

Website: sararoahen.com

Instagram: @sararoahen

High cuisine and high praise with Chef Rachel Haggstrom at JUSTIN Winery in Paso Robles

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0700

In the last year, The Restaurant at JUSTIN Vineyard & Winery in Paso Robles has received massive accolades, including a Michelin star and a five-star recognition in Forbes Travel Guide's 2023 Star Awards. Such are the results of the culinary team’s efforts, spearheaded by Chef Rachel Haggstrom. A native of Temecula, Rachel knew she wanted to cook when she first read about Chef Thomas Keller in high school. Little did she know she’d wind up working in his kitchen at The French Laundry a handful of years later. We chatted about the precision of plucking leaves, quiet kitchens, and IKEA efficiency.

Website: justinwine.com

Instagram: @justinwine

Bonus episode: CONSUMED Live with Harmony and Brian Collins, Ember + Brooke and Jacob Town, The Spoon Trade

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 00:01:00 -0700

This is a special between-seasons bonus episode with the folks behind two of the Central Coast’s most flavorful restaurants, Ember in Arroyo Grande and The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach. My conversation with Brian and Harmony Collins and Jacob and Brooke Town took place November 29, 2022 in front of an audience at There Does Not Exist brewing in San Luis Obispo as part of the Consumed Live event series.

Apologies for the poor audio quality: the fault is entirely my own!

For more info on the Consumed Live event series, visit letsgetconsumed.com/events.

Bread, bikes, and community with Sam DeNicola and Matt Gamarra of Bread Bike, SLO

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:33:55 -0700

Sam DeNicola and Matt Gamarra are the bakers behind Bread Bike, a community-supported bakery in San Luis Obispo. Here’s the business model: people mill whole grains and bake them into hearty loaves of bread, then bike it around to people in the community. I’ve had a Bread Bike subscription for a while now, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE bread day. Here we talk about how bread became a thing for both Sam and Matt, how their shared interests merged into a business, the early days of biking bread around, the new bakery space on Parker Street, and how the name Bread Bike stuck.

Website: slobreadbike.com

Instagram: @bread.bike

Talking trash with Peter Cron of SLO County Integrated Waste Management Authority, SLO

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:31:36 -0700

Peter Cron is the executive director of the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority, and he is a treasure trove of answers for all the burning questions I had about garbage. It turns out that we in SLO County do a pretty decent job of leading the way with managing waste. In fact, we’re the first place in the nation to use an anaerobic digestion facility to process organic waste, which is extremely cool. Stay till the end of the episode, please please please, because you’ll love to hear about Peter’s final meal...and what he wants to happen afterward.

Website: iwma.com

Instagram: @recycle_slocounty

Alternatives to the modern cannabis gummy with Katherine Knowlton, Santa Barbara

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:29:10 -0700

Katherine Knowlton is a personal chef and food stylist who recently launched Happy Chance, a low-dose fruit bite made with whole foods, natural sugars, and clean cannabis. Based in Santa Barbara, Katherine has spent years developing what she calls a “healthy alternative to the modern day gummy.” We talked a lot about what she meant by that, because I had no idea how crazy the ingredient list was on conventional cannabis gummies. We also talked a lot about her career as a food stylist and how that led to her working in the field of cannabis. .

Website: eathappychance.com

Instagram: @eathappychance

Craft brewing with Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company CEO Jaime Dietenhofer

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:26:12 -0700

Jaime Dietenhofer is co-founder and CEO of Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, based out of Buellton, California. I’ve been drinking Fig Mountain since they opened in 2010, and I’ve always appreciated their laser-focused house style. That style has its roots in early discussions between Jaime and his father, Jim Dietenhofer—extending as far back as Jaime’s senior year of high school. The two of them, Jaime and Jim, started planning Fig Mountain long before it ever came to be, but after careers in urban planning and a stint as a reality TV star, Jaime finally pulled the trigger. Listen in as we talk about how Fig Mountain began, where it’s going, and how a fated keg of Sierra Nevada changed the way Jaime thought about beer forever.

Website: figmtnbrew.com

Instagram: @figmtnbrew

Feeding the hungry with the Food Bank of San Luis Obispo County: Garret Olson, Brenda, and Claire

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:24:37 -0700

I recently scrolled through Instagram and saw a post from the San Luis Obispo Food Bank featuring a young woman named Claire who had raised $5,000 for the organization since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. She is 12 years old and writes a weekly newsletter called RNC Gardening Tips and Tricks, which she prints and hand delivers for just a dollar per month, and all the proceeds go to the Food Bank. I reached out to the Food Bank to see if Claire and her mother Brenda would be interested in coming on the Consumed podcast, and not only did they both say yes, but Food Bank CEO Garret Olson said yes, too. Garret has worked with the Food Bank since May of 2020, coming on right in the heat of the pandemic. But as the former SLO City Fire Chief, he’s no stranger to heat. Listen as I talk with Claire, Brenda, and Garret about hunger in SLO County, how it can go unseen, how the Food Bank is addressing the need, and the drive of people like Claire to help others.

Website: slofoodbank.org

Instagram: @slofoodbank

Sample of Claire’s newsletter

Smash burgers and the beer industry with Jack Alger of Mutiny Burger, Paso Robles

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 23:37:59 -0700

Jack Alger is the owner and mind behind Mutiny Burger in Paso Robles. The roots of the little burger cafe begin with Jack’s work in the beer industry. As he sold beer across the U.S. for Lagunitas Brewing and others, he built up a knowledge bank of his favorite spots for burgers, burritos—whatever local specialties he resonated with. He even built an Instagram account called @burritohunters that shows his favorite burrito joints all around the country. When the pandemic hit and everything shut down, he couldn’t travel as he’d done for the 20 years prior, so he started a local place that brought his favorite burger recipes to him and the community. Hear us talk about smash burgers, tater tots, McDonald’s, and why he resonated so much with craft beer when it came onto his radar years ago.

Instagram: @mutinyburger

Website: mutinyburger.com

Burrito Hunters: @burritohunters

Cooking like a lover and freedom from recipes with Kristen Telling, Los Osos

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 23:36:29 -0700

Kristen Telling is a homesteader and cooking instructor living in the countryside between San Luis Obispo and Los Osos. Her website’s homepage reads: “Be inspired. Create boldly. Eat well. Cook Like A Lover: liberate yourself from recipes and cook with passion and creativity.” And that’s what Kristin is all about: simplicity, nourishment, something she calls “ancestral eating,” and compassion toward ourselves in the kitchen. She has developed educational content to help make that happen for cooks of all abilities, including a Braising Master Class video and a 42-page PDF guide on fresh ideas for ground beef — all without a recipe.

Website: cooklikealover.love

Instagram: @lovhomestead

Pushing the boundaries of the wine industry with Gibsey and Josh Beckett of Thibido Winery, Paso Robles

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 23:34:34 -0700

Gibsey and Josh Beckett own and operate Thibido Winery, based in Paso Robles, California. Josh Beckett is one of **those** Becketts—the Beckett family that established Peachy Canyon Winery, one of Paso’s OG producers. He grew up surrounded by wine and viticulture, along with his brother Jake. The two of them left Paso Robles for college, without any intention of returning. Not only would they return, but they would become integral to operations at Peachy Canyon and start their own label, Chronic Cellars, along with Josh’s wife Gibsey, whom he met in college at University of San Diego. Today, Gibsey and Josh have a label that’s all their own, Thibido Winery, an entirely online project that’s pushing wine industry boundaries and institutional thinking. Listen to Gibsey and Josh talk about Australia, their English degrees, and how their kids, aka the next generation, are pushing them to do the right thing.

Website: thibidowinery.com

Instagram: @thibidowinery

Buying the farm with Ariela Gottschalk and Jeff Pienack of Halcyon Farms, Arroyo Grande

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 23:32:33 -0700

Ariela Gottschalk and Jeff Pienack own Halcyon Farms in Arroyo Grande, California, but you might know it better as Rutiz Farms. In early 2022, Ariela and Jeff bought the farm from longtime Central Coast farmer Jerry Rutiz, who presented the offer to them specifically. Ariela has lots of history managing the farming operation at Growing Grounds in Santa Maria, a farm that employs and benefits adults with mental health challenges, so it’s no great surprise that Jerry wanted her to take over. (By the way, please note that I get this wrong in the intro. I say Growing Grounds benefits “developmentally disabled clients,” which is inaccurate and totally my mistake.) We talked about stewardship of land and ocean, how Halcyon Farms continues the Rutiz legacy of community, and about how Ariela and Jeff met thanks to Frye’s electronics and beef jerky.

Website: rutizfarms.com

Instagram: @halcyon_farms

Grocery stores and food retail with Dr. Ricky Volpe of Cal Poly University, SLO

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 23:30:31 -0700

Dr. Ricky Volpe is a professor of agribusiness at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, where he teaches the economics of food retailing, industrial organization, and applied econometrics. In essence, Ricky teaches about grocery stores: how food is sourced, moved, valued, priced, organized, sold, and understood. It all started with a road trip he took with his girlfriend, now wife, to Walmart stores all over New England, and that’s a fascinating story. But if there’s one story that hooks you into my conversation with Ricky, it’s going to be the one about how cigarettes are responsible for the existence of Trader Joe’s.

Website: agb.calpoly.edu/directory/volpe

CONSUMED Live #1 out now

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:13:48 -0700

Recorded live August 31, 2022, CONSUMED Live featured host Jaime Lewis in conversation with brewers Matt Brynildson of Firestone-Walker Brewing and Max Montgomery of There Does Not Exist; and founder of Topa Topa Brewing Company Jack Dyer.

Available for purchase at letsgetconsumed.com.

”The Biggest Little Farm” film, Molly Chester, Apricot Lane Farms, Moorpark, CA