Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
California Flavor
As you graze the Golden State, eating everything from surfer-worthy fish ta-
cos to foraged-ingredient urban tasting menus, you'll often have cause to
compliment the chef - and they're quick to turn around and share the praise
with local farmers, ranchers, fishers and artisan food producers. Almost any-
thing can and does grow on California's farms: rain-soaked coastal pastures
provide grazing territory for livestock; sun-drenched vineyards overflow with
prized grapes; and with more than 1000 miles of coastline, seafood just
doesn't get any fresher.
California Cuisine: Then & Now
To really strike up a conversation with a Californian, skip asking about the weather and in-
stead start right in on the food. Say, 'So where's a good place for a taco around here?' and
everyone within earshot will have an opinion. Californians proselytize about their food and
idolize homegrown chefs like rock stars. After a few bites, you might begin to understand
why.
'Let the ingredients speak for themselves!' is the rallying cry of California cuisine.
Heavy French sauces and fussy molecular-gastronomy foams aren't required to make meals
memorable, as even
haute cuisine
is prepared with a light touch. Mulling over menus often
means taking a political stand on issues close to many Californians' hearts: organic and
non-GMO crops, veganism, grass-fed versus grain-fed meat, biodynamic vineyards and
fair-trade coffee. It's no accident that the term 'locavore' - what we call people who buy
and eat food grown locally - was invented here.
TIMELINE
FOOD & WINE FESTIVALS
