Flow
CARPENTERIA, CA | AUGUST 2024
The second Supper in our La Carte by Le Creuset series took us to Santa Barbara, to a Tuscan-style clearing with two swooping tables set atop a hill overlooking the ocean. We played peekaboo with the changing tidewaters of the Pacific as fog ebbed and flowed between the foothills, tickling the leaves of avocado trees. The collection of organically-grown greenery at The Ocean View Farm looked more like a sculpture garden than farm, the perfect setting to show off the functional artistry of Le Creuset cookware in shades of nectar, white, and olive, blending into the green and golden surroundings with ease.
In short, it was a perfect Southern California day.
The chefs from Barbareño took advantage of the sunny season’s produce and stole inspiration from their surroundings to serve a locally sourced menu of quintessential California cuisine. The meal was complimented by California-grown wines from Rodney Strong Vineyards and a smooth introduction and sultry ending from Flor de Cańa rums.
WELCOME
A sweet farm dog greeted guests as they arrived to the hilltop Supper site, slipping between the crowds like a seal in the waves.
We started things off with a sunny Flor de Cańa spritz featuring their 12-year aged rum, a sparkling introduction for many first-time guests (and some welcome returning faces). Folks immediately got to talking to each other over tomato tartare and spot prawn ceviche while watching the ocean sparkle below the trees.
A MENU BY BARBAREÑO
The chef team from Barbareño seeks to serve coastal California cuisine with respect for the Santa Barbara area’s history and ingredients.
Their peaceful calm in the outdoor kitchen set the tone for the meal they served, which blended comfortable flavors with exciting twists and regional ingredients like corn silk and preserved Meyer lemon.
MENU
WELCOME
Tomato Tartare brioche crostini, basil
Spot Prawn Ceviche jicama, aguachile negro
Cocktail: Flor de Cana Sparkling Flor de Cana 12 year, sparkling water, orange peel
Summertime Citrus Sparkler orange, grapefruit, lime, honey, soda
WELCOME
Sourdough cultured butter, garlic scape salt
AMUSE-BOUCHE
Ranchero Quail Egg house chorizo, masa, cotija, corn silk
Wine: 2023 Rodney Strong Rosé of Pinot Noir
FIRST
Summer Melon Salad treviso, mint, nigella seed, cucumber
Wine: 2023 Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Sauvignon Blanc
SECOND
Verbena Ricotta Dumplings savory corn pudding, preserved meyer lemon, pinenuts
Wine: 2022 Rodney Strong Reserve Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
MAIN
Porchetta lima bean plaki, goat feta
Wine: 2019 ROWEN Wine Co. ROWEN Red Blend, Sonoma County
DESSERT
Blue Dream Pavlova summer berry nectar, pine chantilly, cardamom
Flor de Cana 25 year Rum
WINE PAIRINGS
While we’ve been sharing Rodney Strong wines across the country, it was a delight to pour some of their selections a little bit closer to home.
To pair with Barbareño’s porchetta, we brought in a ROWEN Bordeux-style blend from Cooley Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma County, a wine growing site with steep hillsides and stunning views — a perfect parallel to our Supper site.
NIGHTCAP
After an evening of drifting conversations and laughter floating up into the trees, dessert was anchored in indulgence. The Barbareño team topped their barely-set pavlova with pine-infused Chantilly cream and cardamom to match the slight scent wafting through the air from the cannabis grow houses at the entrance of the farm.
Dessert paired perfectly with neat pours of Flor de Cana 25 year Rum that chased away any chill creeping into the air as the fog rolled in off the water.
SECRET LOCATION: THE OCEAN VIEW FARM
The Ocean View Farm is an aptly named organic citrus, coffee, and avocado farm overlooking the ocean. Coffee plants cluster in the shade of citrus trees while eucalyptus stretch tall above, creating an amazing environment to gather together and celebrate the beauty of Southern California.
If the immediate surroundings weren’t enough, we watched the tides change in the distance downhill, the fingers of Pacific fog gently crawling over the water onto the shore.
