Welcome to the "805 Eats" dining blog where we'll keep you up-to-date on restaurant and food happenings in the 805. To send tips and comments, email edit@805Living.com.

Wild West BBQ Bash

Saturday, June 26th, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Family Care Network is hosting its second annual Wild West BBQ Bash at Preisker Park in Santa Maria. Dozens of barbecue teams compete to win the Wild West crown in six categories (chicken, beef brisket, pork ribs, pork shoulder, tri-tip, and People’s Choice). Expect plenty of Santa Maria-style barbecue goodness. Admission is free and includes family-friendly entertainment. Tickets for tastes of barbecue from entrants can be purchased for $2 each. Proceeds benefit foster and high-needs children. To learn more about the Santa Maria way of cooking rubbed tri-tip and pinquito beans, visit santamariavalleybbq.com.

Return to Sideways Food & Wine Dinner

Thursday, June 24th, 7 p.m.

Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas has teamed up with Frank Ostini of The Hitching Post in Buellton to put together a tribute to the movie Sideways.  This five-course dinner is paired with five Hitching Post wines for $125.  Call 818-222-3888 for reservations.

Cooking with Beer Class

Friday, June 18th, 6-9 p.m.

Main Course California in Ventura teaches how to make five different dishes (a whole menu, really) using beer as an ingredient.  For instance, there’s a chicken brined in Sam Smith Stout, a salad dressing made with bleu cheese and Red Ale, and a flan with caramel made with a touch of Black Bavarian beer.  Might be a good gift for a dad who likes to cook.  The price is $85.  Reserve a spot with a credit card number by calling 805-658-8900 or emailing info@maincourseca.com.

Guinness & Gouda Bread

Thursday, June 17th, 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. & Saturday, June 19th, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Great Harvest Bread Company in Thousand Oaks is making a round whole-wheat loaf of Guinness & Gouda bread this month.  The loaf studded with smoked Gouda cheese and enriched with Guinness Stout will be on sale for two days only, so plan accordingly.

Craft Beer & Food Festival

Saturday, June 19th, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (VIP tickets), 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. (General Admission)

Ojai Beverage Company and Thirty-Three Productions are sponsoring Salute! A Festival to Celebrate Finely Crafted Beer & Food.  The festival features craft and national breweries (Anacapa Brewing Co., Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Ladyface Ale Companie, Red Hook Liquid Goodness, Samuel Adams, Strongbow Cider) alongside restaurants (Brophy Bros., Smokey’s House of BBQ, Soup Kitchen, Vesta, McConnell’s Ice Cream) to raise funds for FOOD Share food bank.  The festival takes place at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura.  Tickets ($135 for VIP tickets, $60 for general admission) can be purchased at the Salute! website.

California Wine Dinner

Thursday, June 17th, 7:30 p.m.

Bernard’s Wine Gallery is putting on a dinner celebrating wines from Napa and Sonoma.  In particular, wines from ‘94, ‘97, and ‘05 which are considered classic vintages.  The dinner takes place at Calabasas Country Club where chef Tom O’Brien will put forth hors d’oeuvres and five courses of food.  Dishes include a tempura soft-shell crab with a 2005 Forman Napa Valley Chardonnay, and braised veel cheeks paired with the 1994 Opus One Napa Valley Red Wine.  The price is $99. Call Calabasas Country Club at 818-222-8111 ext. 773 to reserve a spot.

Make Your Own Wine with Margerum

Sunday, June 13th, 3 p.m. - about 7 p.m.

Doug Margerum of Margerum Wine Company is offering wine enthusiasts a chance to blend their own wines using the same Rhone varietal grapes crushed for his M5 Rhone-style blend.  He’ll give participants a beaker, mixing glasses, and notepads so they can find just the right balance for their tastebuds.  Following will be a Sunday supper on the crush pad.  The price is $100 per person.  Seems like a great Father’s Day gift from the family.  Bottling takes place on August 25th, when participants can bring their own labels to slap on.  To reserve a spot call 805-686-8500 or email brooks@margerumwines.com.

Mrs. Obama’s Call for Chefs

The USDA announced recently that Mrs. Obama, as part of her Let’s Move campaign, has called on chefs around the nation to get involved in helping to feed our children better food.  Chefs are being asked to partner with local schools to help school cafeterias create more healthful meals while adhering to strict budgets (a la Jamie Oliver in his reality television mini-series, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution).  Interested chefs can fill out the online sign-up form here.  Chefs in our area who have already signed up include Deborah Scarborough of The Black Cat bistro in Cambria.

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