Santa Barbara Flavor, With Julia-Inspired Joy, Fills This ‘Taste of' Fest

FOOD STYLING TO WINE SIPPING: If May isn't the most bountiful month when it comes to the scrumptious pleasures of the sideboard, it certainly has to be a considerable contender. So many memorable meals include ingredients that seem to be at their ripest when the weather gently warms, as it so winningly does during May, and finding an elegant outdoor patio, one made for lingering over a late dinner is another must for gourmands. It is festively fitting, then, that the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience and the Julia Child Foundation have partnered on Taste of Santa Barbara, a Maytime, meal-strong, appetizingly educational week brimming with beverages, bites, and, yes, bounty. There are several events to ponder, palate-wise, and each is priced in an a la carte fashion, meaning you can take part in a number of different happenings or just one if that is your foodie fancy.

"LIGHTS, CAMERA, JULIA!" is a fizzy centerpiece to the week. The "Julia Child Watch Party" will take place at The New Vic Ensemble Theatre Company, giving devoted fans the cheerful chance to revisit some of her butteriest, brothiest, most blissful shows. Special guests, including chefs Nancy Silverton and Susan Feniger, will chat about the icon, too, making it a true feast for the mind and heart, in addition to any tummy-type inspirations audience members leave with (it is hard not to have a few hankerings after watching Julia cook). Other intriguing happenings during the nicely busy week, which concludes on Sunday, May 21, include winery tours, "The Art of Sourdough Pizza with Chef Jeff King," and "Style It Pretty with Food Stylist Diana Yen and Pastry Chef Emily Alben." If you want to make May meal-y special — or we mean "really" special — then honor its bountiful spirit around the American Riviera, where the legacy of Julia Child remains both remarkable and robust.