Kelly’s French Bakery and the Swift Street Courtyard are hosting a community dinner market this Saturday, June 26, from 5:30-9pm, where several restaurants and wineries are coming together for a unique experience. This is the third Dinner Market; the first took place a year ago, on June 27, 2009 (see recap article which includes photo slideshow). I attended and it was a great community event where everyone loved being able to choose from a variety of foods and drinks at affordable prices, then sit outside and enjoy their purchases. The second event was in October; I unfortunately could not attend. Kelly’s has decided that it’s now going to be an annual summer-time shindig to take advantage of later daylight hours and better weather. The event is also spread out across more space in the courtyard to provide ample room for everyone.
As with the first two events, tables and chairs will be set up in the parking lot and courtyard, and vendors including restaurants, stores, caterers, and wineries will sell beverages and ready-to-eat entrees. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own plates, utensils, and glasses from home – and cloth napkins if possible – to save on waste. Kelly’s is donating a portion of the event proceeds to Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group, which has worked since 1995 to raise money for organizations (such as Hospice of Santa Cruz County and WomenCARE) and fund new research.
Bakery owner/event founder Kelly Sanchez is thrilled with the success of the first two markets. “I think we really hit on something. There's this attraction of coming together, eating at community tables, sharing wine and food with your neighbors, and doing it inexpensively.”
There will be ten food vendors, six wineries, and a brewery participating. Food vendors include Nuevo Southwest Café (dishes such as Crab Artichoke Lasagna), Feast for a King Catering (this food was one of my favorites at the first dinner market – Saturday’s menu will be Grilled Borracho Chicken with Chipotle Aioli and Strawberry Lemonade), New Leaf Community Markets, Cafe Ella, and H&H Fresh Fish Co. For full list of vendors and selections, see Kelly’s Bakery web site. A new food vendor for this weekend – selling sausage sandwiches – is el Salchichero, otherwise known as Chris LaVeque of Boulder Creek. Many locals already know el Salchichero as it sells handcrafted charcuterie, using pasture-raised pork from sustainable Devil's Gulch Ranch, at the Live Oak and Scotts Valley farmers markets. LaVeque also uses fire roasted and dried chilies along with other herbs and produce from family-operated Lindencroft Farm in Ben Lomond. LaVeque will open a butcher shop at Swift Street Courtyard next month with prosciutto, cured salami, homemade sausage, and more. LaVeque’s impressive culinary background includes training at California Culinary Academy and experience at Manresa (with recent James Beard Award-winning chef David Kinch), and Gabriella Café.
Participating wineries are Pelican Ranch Winery, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountain Winery, Silver Mountain Winery, Sones Cellars, and Vino Tabi Winery. Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery will serve its organic beer. For more on the brewery, including its weekly Thank You Thursday events where it donates $1 from every pint sold to a community organization, read this article.
Hope to see you at this great community event!
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The Details:
June 26, 2010
5:30–9pm
Swift Street Courtyard parking lot (402 Ingalls Street, Santa Cruz)
Free Admission; food and drinks for sale
For more info call Kelly Sanchez (831) 423-9059 x102
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