Carpinteria

Carpinteria, a lovely small town just down the coast from Santa Barbara, is a great place for walking, shopping, and eating. Last week my friend, Suzi, and I took a long, leisurely walk by the beach, going up and down sand dunes on the accessible trails. We caught up on everything from our families to future dream vacations. We decided to do a bit of window shopping before lunch and headed downtown.

One of my favorite spots is Chocolats du CaliBressan, an incredible chocolate shop where chocolatier Jean-Michel Carre makes luscious truffles and bon bons. I prefer the Bresilien 72%, a rich, creamy truffle with a deep, smooth chocolate flavor.

Some of my favorite haunts are very close to each other: the small Farm Cart, full of local fruits and vegetables, the Carpinteria Public Library and its terrific used book shop, and Roxanne’s wonderful fabric, craft, and gift shop. I also like to poke around Whimsy, a charming antique shop. During this most recent visit, Suzi and I stumbled upon Coastland Carp where all the merchandise is made by local high school students. Shoppers can find laser engraved wooden cutting boards, phone holders, journal covers, and jewelry. There were also scented, hand made soaps, candles, scrubs, lip balms, bar shampoos, and lotions.

By this time, we had worked up an appetite and were ready to eat. Though I had passed The Food Liaison many times, I had not stepped inside. Boy am I glad I did! A woman with a bright smile greeted and directed us to read the short menu on the wall. There were only a few items: some tartines (open faced sandwiches), a small selection of bowls, and a few salads; they all sounded fresh and full of flavor. Suzi chose the Vegan Crack Bowl which consisted of caramelized onions, edamame, smoked almonds, kale salad, roasted tomatoes, bulgur, and a fine lemon tahini dressing. I felt very pleased about my choice: a prosciutto tartine which featured fig jam, whipped goat cheese, caramelized onions, and arugula. All of this deliciousness rested on grilled olive bread, and the generous serving allowed me to eat half for dinner that evening.

Even though the servings were ample, we saved room for dessert (no surprise). Suzi and I shared a gorgeous wedge of lemon meringue pie. Its crust was short and buttery, the filling was smooth and tart, the meringue topping was not too sweet and had golden peaks along with a smattering of tiny pink, yellow, and purple petals. We were crazy about this luscious pie!

In order to do a thorough job, I brought home more treats to try: a baked, gluten-free cardamom donut that was spectacular warmed up for breakfast, and a magnificent olive oil cake. The cake had a moist, delicate crumb; between the layers were a sunny lemon curd, boysenberries and a light, smooth buttercream frosting. Atop the fetching cake were more flower petals and boysenberries.

I look forward to returning to The Food Liaison and plan to eat inside next time. The space is bright, open and welcoming, with bookshelves, floor to ceiling windows, and long tables. It’s easy to picture myself with a cup of coffee, one of the stellar sweets, and a good book at one of those tables. I hope you head there soon!