Thursday, April 25, 2013



A taste of “smart” food from Beyond the Bull

Duck cakes caramel 
Mark your calendar, this Saturday, April 27, 2013, the Bull will open at 10AM to serve up some “smart” street food---limited amounts of award winning buffalo (bison) chili, the trio of BTB “cakes” and of course, the most popular, ratatouille.  One time only!

Serving out the side door (Main St.) from 10AM to 2PM.

Bison chili                            $ 4
A hot and sweet winner of the Santa Cruz, CA county chili cookoff
Ratatouille                          $ 4
Oven roasted eggplant, peppers, zucchini and onion in a thick tomato basil sauce
The following will be served with a choice of the Bull's original dipping sauces: 
Quinoa cakes
Quinoa cakes    2/$ 4
Duck cakes caramel    2/$6
Crab cakes       2/$8
PBR, Bud lite, Shipyard, Fat Tire, Barefoot Wines and Coke.
All prices are tax included. 

Parking will be available in the front lot during the festival. 


Buon Appetito e Buona Salute, Chef AngelaB.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013


Corn Fed America!

SODA BELLY
Duck is one of my favorite proteins.  It has the meaty texture of lean beef with a unique, sweet flavor that pairs well with my anti-inflammatory, original fresh salsas and dipping sauces, especially blueberry ginger and peppery raisin.  But my admiration of all things duck does not include foie gras for which a customer asked recently.  Here is a longer version of my response, which I am reprinting from an earlier posting.  For all of you who are trying unsuccessfully to rid yourselves of the fatty middle just above the waistline, this is especially for you.

What do ducks raised for foie gras and Americans have in common?  They are both corn fed.  How are they different?  Ducks are forced to eat it, we do it willingly, happily even, all on our own---corn cereal, corn bread, corn dogs, corn tortillas, corn starch, corn chips and the most consumed of all, high fructose corn syrup.  And, then there’s the corn we can’t see, in soft drinks, fruit and energy drinks, condiments, packaged foods and even in the meat from corn fed animals. 

As a chef, I have known for some time that geese, and more recently ducks, are force fed through a tube resulting intentionally in a diseased, fatty liver ten times the normal size for the production of foie gras.  But, until recently, what I didn’t know was that the food of choice for ensuring the grotesquely fatty liver is---corn.  It doesn’t take a scientific study to draw what is an obvious conclusion.  Hmmm, fatty liver around America’s middle, foie gras, fatty liver, foie gras, fatty liver, foie gras…

Eat smart, America!

Beyond the Bull does not serve any added sugar from corn or any other food sources.  The reference to corn in the above article, is processed corn (not fresh) used to sweeten prepared foods, juices, soda and just about everything boxed, bagged and canned.  Beyond the Bull prepares all menu items from scratch, avoiding all added sugar whether from corn or sugar cane.  

Buon Appetito e Buona Salute, Chef AngelaB

P.S.  My current book Eat Smart, America, an anti-aging diet primer is available now for Kindle on Amazon.  Download it today.


Sunday, April 21, 2013




Okay, I give up. Yes, chili on Thursday and Bison short ribs on Friday, okay? Here's the menu for week of April 23. Thank you to all of you who love the food and have returned three times in three weeks. To a chef (me) your return is better than a standing ovation is to a Broadway star. Curtain rises again for a repeat performance on Tuesday at 5PM.  Hammonassett Chicken and our daily platters (duck, quinoa and crab) will be ready and waiting.
To the young girl who came in on Friday for Hammonassett Chicken, but we were sold out, hope you read this.  I am holding two just for you!  

Don't forget to try our "eat smart" street food being prepared for the Central Railroad Festival this Saturday.  Opening early at 10AM and serving all day:  our "cakes" with dipping sauces and favorites (chili and ratatouille).  

Menu for next week follows.



Still the number one favorite, quinoa cakes, second only to our original recipe duck cakes caramel.  Matched with our proprietary peppery raisin sauce, they are mouth watering delicious and oh so good for you, too.  Eat smart, feel good!

Buon Appetito e Buona Salute, Chef AngelaB.