Gabriella Café blends incredible house-made pasta and charcuterie, local organic produce, sustainable fish and pasture-based beef

To mark our return home and the final day of vacation, my husband and I settled into a cozy table at Gabriella Café. It had been some time and a chef ago since our last visit.

We began the evening with a bottle of unfined and unfiltered Sangiovese from Healdsburg's Peterson winery ($34). Gabriella's famous focaccia that night was topped with green and sweet caramelized onions which took the edge off of our appetites.

We then enjoyed long paper-thin shavings of tender asparagus ($11) dressed with flowery Sevillano olive oil and topped with truffled pecorino sheep's milk cheese and bits of red kohlrabi.

La Posta attracts Seabright neighbors with unique Italian food
Like a foodie foreign language class, the servers at La Posta are kept busy explaining the menu which is riddled with less familiar Italian foodstuffs and regional specialties. Cavolo (cabbage), cacio (cheese), caprino (goat cheese), or farro (spelt) combine to make meals that you don't frequently find.

By 8 p.m. on a Friday night, the tables were all occupied by couples, groups and families. In the softly lit room, alive with conversation, a single tiny flame danced on each table like a firefly.

Being huge fans of bivalves we started with two dozen Mussels alla Triestina ($10), which is named for an Italian town. Large, creamy morsels of seafood were cooked with garlic, chilies, and a fresh bay leaf and topped with fine, crisp breadcrumbs. We soaked up the broth with dark, nutty homemade bread. We also enjoyed Asparagus al forno ($6) with thin spears roasted al dente and served with salty green and black olives.

According to Bruce Aidells and Dennis Kelley in the book "Real Beer and Good Eats," beer was brewed by women as part of their kitchen responsibilities. It is said that the image of a witch stirring a bubbling cauldron came from this very activity as her trusty cat kept rodents away from the grain. In colonial America ale was drunk with every meal, and our forefathers, who considered the beverage liquid bread, declined to tax it.

Fast forward to 2010, when the women brewers at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing invited other females to make an organic Belgian-style Wit beer, or "white beer." Owner Emily Thomas along with brewers Kelly Vaillancourt and Nicole Beatie were joined by two community members. The ladies used traditional ingredients coriander and orange peels, although theirs were from fresh blood oranges. Just 155 gallons were brewed.

Made under the umbrella of Vine Hill Winery, which also produces wine under the Cumbre label, Gatos Locos wines are very reasonably priced. I bought the Gatos Locos Chardonnay 2007 Mokelumne River at New Leaf for about $15, an excellent price for this crisp and delicious nectar.

Silver Mountain Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir 2008
I recently wrote that Rosé is fast becoming one of my favorite libations, so I’m now on a quest to find local Rosés. Several wineries in the area make different kinds of Rosé: there’s a Rosé of Pinot Noir, a Rosé of Zinfandel, a Rosé of Syrah—and so on. Their pretty pink hues make them so appealing—varying from the lightest pink to an almost-crimson blush. The strawberry shade of Silver Mountain’s Rosé of Pinot Noir is pretty and vibrant. It all depends, of course, on how long the red grapes are pressed and the juice is in contact with the skins. In the case of this Rosé, the Pinot Noir grapes are de-stemmed and partially crushed before they “bleed” the must. After a small amount of juice is drawn off to ferment alone, it becomes this delicious Rosé with bright floral aromatics and a squirt of summer sun.

Mama Mia's large portions and colorful sauces give Feltonians a taste of Italy
In the heart of Felton, Mama Mia's has been serving hearty Italian fare for 14 years. The restaurant has been so successful that she now has three younger sisters in Santa Clara County.

Eighteen pasta dishes include spaghetti with homemade meat sauce or marinara ($13.99) and homemade cannelloni and manicotti crêpes ($14.99). For entrées, veal or chicken parmigiana ($17.99) are breaded and baked, as is the rolled chicken breast saltimbocca. The scaloppine is made with eggplant ($13.99) and Osso Buco ($19.99) is served with lamb demi-glaze over risotto. They proclaim their pizzas to be the best in town. On our recent visit, bowls piled high with seafood cioppino were the nightly special ($24.95).

When a new restaurant hangs up its shingle, a stream of happy goose bumps runs down my spine. Theoretically, I should allow a newcomer to get its feet firmly on the ground before writing about them, but my palate is just too impatient.

And so it was with Caffe Tazzina which opened in the space recently vacated by Black China Bakery on Soquel Avenue. At the helm is Katelin Brightman, previously of Black China, in partnership with Tim O'Connor. Caffe Tazzina is also a brand of coffee made locally by O'Connor at Pacific Espresso.

Now that the warmer weather has descended upon us, it’s time to think about lighter wines. Of course, there’s always an occasion to drink a hearty Pinot Noir or a robust Merlot, but on a warm spring day, then a glass of cold Sauvignon Blanc is just the ticket.

Roudon-Smith Winery makes a delightful Sauvignon Blanc. Their 2007 Lake County is crisp and refreshing—and suited to a whole array of food. The label says, “This single-vineyard wine opens with a nose which blends lemon zest, key lime pie and pineapple aromas with undertones of banana.” Now doesn’t that sound perfectly cool and fruity for a summer day’s picnic? The label goes on, “This veritable tropical fruit basket continues with a wave of flavor that zips across the palate and leave you refreshed and wanting more.” And I would agree with that. It’s a light and very drinkable wine that goes down very easily. I would also suggest chilling this wine and serving it as an aperitif before dinner. It perks up the taste buds and makes your mouth water.

Casablanca Restaurant continues to strike a memorable culinary chord
Should Pacific Avenue be closed off to traffic? Was the destruction of the Cooper House a horrible mistake? Where on the Earth is the best place to wear a mankini?

Dear Lord, with these questions floating about our striking ocean-view table, it was going to be a long night at Casablanca Restaurant. Not that the four of us minded. This was Casablanca, after all, the famed Santa Cruz destination right off Main Beach, an establishment that’s been hailed both for its breathtaking scenery and its culinary prowess. Besides, this had to be the first time the subject of mankinis—an odd amalgam of a bikini and Speedo for the testosterone set—came up in a dinner conversation before a meat dish appeared.

2006 Newt South Wells, an Aussie-Inspired Red Wine
Newts and salamanders play a big role in winemaker Wells Shoemaker’s life. Not only does his label have a salamander on it, but the cork has one also. Even Shoemaker’s e-mail address has “newt” in it. And the theme continues with his 2006 Newt South Wells (a play on words of Australia’s New South Wales)—a truly gorgeous blend with grapes from Monterey County.