Julia Child is known for bringing French cooking to the masses in America. But, it was Santa Barbara she often considered home. So, to honor the TV personality's love affair with the coastal California town, a new map has been released that incorporates Child's favorite places to eat in the area.
The downloadable Julia Child Food Trail Map is available now to help kick off the inaugural Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, taking place March 13-15. The event will celebrate the region's outstanding food and wine scene, as well as honor the late cookbook author who chose to retire in Santa Barbara.
"Our goal is to shine a light on the culinary riches of Santa Barbara County while offering more than 50 world-class educational experiences," Eric W. Spivey, chairman of The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, told Departures. "All of which Julia would have loved to attend."
As far as what you can find on the food trail, expect Child's most loved eateries and, of course, some of her favorite hot dogs, tacos, and martinis. You can stop at spots like the oceanfront Italian restaurant of Bella Vista at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, grab a fish taco at La Super-Rica Taqueria, enjoy seafood at Santa Barbara Shellfish Co, and sip on wine at Santa Barbara Winery. Also, pop by for some ice cream at McConnell's, where Child would go after strolling through the Saturday Farmers Market. Surprisingly to some, the map even incorporates In-N-Out Burger and Costco.
Besides restaurants, the map takes you through some of Child's favorite places to walk and shop all over Santa Barbara County from Santa Ynez Valley to Carpinteria, where she summered as a young girl.
"Santa Barbara, the American Riviera, was one of Julia Child's favorite spots on the planet," said Spivey. "She summered here in her youth to escape the heat of Pasadena. She wintered here during married life to avoid the cold of the Boston area. And she decided to live here permanently for the final years of her life."
He added, "A wonderful way to understand why Julia so loved Santa Barbara is to follow in her footsteps utilizing Julia Child's Guide to Santa Barbara. I had the honor of visiting all of these special restaurants, wineries, and destinations with Julia, and her enjoyment of these places was infectious."
