Santa Maria Valley strawberries will soon be in the spotlight again as California Country magazine recently visited the area for a story on these homegrown treats. The story will feature local grower Daren Gee of Daren’s Berries as well as strawberry-themed recipes by Chef Alex Araizaga of the Historic Santa Maria Inn.
Chef Alex prepared shared four dishes with the magazine, including the strawberry baby spinach salad with strawberry vinaigrette (pictued here). He also prepared each dish for a photo shoot by Paolo Vescia, the magazine’s photographer.
The magazine story follows a companion story that recently aired on the California Country television show.
The Historic Santa Maria Inn’s Garden Room restaurant recently completed dramatic renovations that took workers right down to the foundations built in 1917. Located in downtown Santa Maria, in the heart of California’s Central Coast wine and produce country, the inn now possesses the one of the most sophisticated state-of-the-art kitchens on the Central Coast. The restaurant menu has also been revamped to include lighter contemporary fare while retaining some beloved classic Santa Maria favorites, including Santa Maria Style Barbecue.
