b*travels :: eating well on the golden coast

I love to eat. So much, in fact, that one of my life goals is to become a genuine foodie. I’m not exactly sure what it takes to gain membership to this exclusive club, but I’m on a quest to find out. It’s been a delicious journey so far. And so I ask, is there any better beach reading than 100 Words for Foodies? This thin but meaty tome (pun intended) was a was a gift from a good friend, and it proved to be quite enlightening and mouthwatering.

But let’s be honest. Reading about good food and eating good food are two separate things entirely–which is why I made sure that we dined on delectable cuisine regularly and with fervor on this trip.

Before I overwhelm you with food photos, the number of which is so large I am splitting this post in two, let me assure you that each morning was kicked off with a fresh and light strawberry banana smoothie, and lunches were mostly picnic-style. Which meant that at least half the day was spent in a somewhat healthful state.

Now, on to the highlights of our gastronomical adventures!

Wine tasting in California is a must-do, no? Unfortunately, I don’t have what some would refer to as a “refined palette” when it comes to wine, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy sipping and savoring it every once in awhile. Mornings in Pismo Beach were usually foggy, so one day we headed inland towards the San Luis Obispo Wine Trail. Our journey brought us to Edna Valley Vineyard and Baileyana. Having done several tastings in the Midwest, I can now say with certainty that California wine is in a separate class entirely. This is common knowledge, I know, but it was nice to experience this truth firsthand.

One of my goals this trip (yes, I am so ridiculously Type A, I actually have GOALS for my VACATIONS) was to eat seafood everyday. Because how often do I have the opportunity to dine on FRESH squid, crab, shrimp, and the like? Not often. A major drawback of living in the middle of the country, I must say. Anyways, meeting this goal was met with an enormous amount of enthusiasm on my part. I was not picky when it came to variety–coconut shrimp, crab cakes, calamari, scallops, prawns, steamed crab–any sort would do.

One of the highlights of my seafood quest was lunch at Pete’s Pierside Cafe in Avila Beach. We showed up around 2 p.m. and had the place to ourselves. I inquired about the “live crab”, and was shown around back by the owner who instructed us to choose our crabs from a large tank with a small set of silver tongs. Watching us attempt this feat proved to be quite entertaining for the locals. Us poor Midwesterners had never had the opportunity to pick live crabs from a tank in anticipation of eating them 15 minutes later. Anyways, after we had chosen the victims the crabs that would become lunch, we settled in on the patio while they steamed in the kitchen. Minutes later, they were dumped on said table, and we were each given a wooden mallet and a set of crab crackers. Hubby was entirely uncertain about this whole thing, but he was a good sport about it. I quickly caught on and thoroughly enjoyed the process of hammering and cracking and sucking the tidbit of tender crab meat out of the shell. I’m fairly certain I was born to live on the ocean and eat this way every day.

More foodie adventures coming tomorrow!