Charcuterie and Brioche and Caviar - what more could you want?

A lovely birthday dinner in San Francisco

Spruce is known for their charcuterie and so we of course start with an assortment to share as an appetizer.  (I will start recreating this platter for dinners at home all the time.  It’s easy to assemble at the last minute and the presentation is lovely.)  Spruce includes about 5 varieties of sliced hams and beef (including bresaola, prosciutto, and beef tongue), a small pot of pâté, sliced cornichons, a small lettuce salad garnish, and a delicious fruit preserve. 

We splurge on an order of the California Osetra Caviar.  I didn’t know there was caviar from California.   We are certainly not every day aficionados but we are impressed with the taste and try to restrain ourselves so as to make sure we all get about the same amount.  The brioche toast accompaniment (along with the traditional blinis) is devine and I now want to have brioche toast every morning, with the crust cut off.

The service - a bit too attentive.  There seem to be two wine sommeliers and while our waiter is lovely, we keep getting interrupted while we are eating or talking to make sure “everything is ok?”.  But not a biggie – we feel very cared for.  And at least our waiter doesn’t tell us his name and so fortunately we don’t have to slash his tip.  I love my white corn soup with huitlacoche and coriander cereal.  The main courses are quite good – especially the brioche crusted halibut.   (Again that amazing brioche.)  This is a very pricey evening out.  On first reflection I think I would like to save my fine dining dollars for the top of the line establishments.  On second reflection, the total cost is not bad given that we splurge on caviar and enjoy some lovely wine.

(Huitlacoche - sounds so lovely.  It was delicious in the corn soup but now I know what it is and I am not sure I can eat it again.  Knowledge is often not a good thing.   Don't check out these links if you would rather just enjoy the taste next time you have an opportunity.....Spoiler Alert!!)

Day Trip to Charleston, S.C.

I must say the best part of our trip was getting there.  On the recent 2-hour drive from Hilton Head our family took turns suggesting songs we wanted to hear.  My son played each of our choices from Spotify (through his IPhone) and we had hilarious and poignant moments critiquing, complaining about or enjoying each other’s song choices.  Most memorable song – Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z.  I personally love this song but can't understand all the words.  So our son googled the lyrics and gave us an engaging reading of this very intriguing rap song.

Kudu Coffeeshop

One of many cute boutiques

Fleet Landing

Everyone is so darned nice and welcoming in Charleston.  We loved driving by the beautiful mansions in the Battery, visiting Charleston’s historic City Hall and its beautiful art and hearing from the very knowledgeable docent the story surrounding John Trumbull’s portrait of George Washington (I can’t ruin the story in case you go…), lunch on the waterfront at Fleet Landing (great food – don’t let the industrial looking location put you off), coffee at Kudu's,  and shopping the cute boutiques on King Street.

The New Napa?

Albemarle County, Virginia has become quite the grape growing area - which would so please Mr. Jefferson as he is considered by many to be “the greatest patron of wine and wine growing that this country has yet had”.  You won’t find the breadth of good wines we do in California but there are notable standouts and the area’s wineries have been winning more and more awards in national competitions.   Think a history and wine trip to the area - sounds pretty perfect.

Over half of Virginia's vineyard acres are within the MVA - Monticello Viticultural Area - and most of the wineries in the MVA are within an easy drive from Charlottesville and only a two hour drive from Washington D.C.  The Monticello Wine Trail website has great information on visiting wineries in the area and beautiful pictures to pique one's interest.

Thomas Jefferson did many things so very well.  He was a true renaissance man.  His beloved home, Monticello, and his university, the University of Virginia, are both listed on Unesco's World Heritage List.  I am confident one day Virginia will make him even more proud and become a prime destination for wine lovers throughout the world.

Zinc

Zinc Open Kitchen

But one must eat when touring and drinking wine.  There are some great restaurants in Charlottesville as one would expect from this horse country, university town, wine mecca, and world famous history center....  On this most recent visit we try Zinc.  We love it.  The setting is a former gas station with the former service bays providing funky decor and windows.  The wines and cocktails and glassware are enticing.  I love the charcuterie plate, the seasonal cold soup, the mussels, the duck.  Local ingredients and fresh local produce are in abundance.   It is quite obvious that the chef and staff are professionals and care deeply about their restaurant and I can tell this will be a repeat restaurant for us when we are in town.

My Mom’s Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream – it’s the best ever

I do think life moves slower in the south.  And I think weather has much to do with it.  Languid, hot, humid, cloudy much of the times, thunderstorms, lighting.  We love it!  At least for a few weeks at a time life is simple and delicious.  We have been looking forward to my Dad’s homegrown tomatoes and we eat 100’s of them.  The silver queen corn is the best ever and we gorge ourselves.  My Mom’s homemade chocolate ice cream recipe – it’s the best ever. 

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can Hershey’s chocolate sauce
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 gallon whole milk
• 6 junket tablets (I have to order them in Ca. – can’t seem to find them at the stores…)

(Plus ice and ice cream salt for the ice cream freezer)

Bring to a slight boil the sugar, chocolate sauce and evaporated milk in saucepan. Stir til sugar dissolves.  Stir in maple syrup and vanilla extract.  If you have time and can wait, chill this mixture in refrigerator.  This will save processing time in the ice cream maker.

Soak 6 junket tables in about ¼ cup warm water until dissolved.  Add to chocolate mixture.   Pour into ice cream freezer, add the milk, and process according to the ice cream maker’s instructions.  

My Mom thought the ice cream was best right after it was made.  I like it best the next day, after it has hardened a bit more in the freezer. 

Renaissance Man

 Soon after leaving Dulles airport, the consistent green gives way to varying shades of greens and blues.  The light blue of the much taller Appalachian Mountains further west highlights the dark blue of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the near distance.  Only about 25 minutes after leaving Dulles, we spot the beautiful, compact Charlottesville airport that has been designed in the Jeffersonian style.   
               

Rotunda undergoing renovations

Jefferson's Ingenious Serpentine Walls

Charlottesville is Thomas Jefferson’s town; excuse me, that’s “Mr. Jefferson”.  Natives still use the respectful salutation.  I grew up with the great man’s accomplishments all around me.  The home he took such pains to build, Monticello,  where you can see examples of his many inventions and innovations, is 2 miles to the south overlooking the University that he founded and designed.  The Rotunda and the “Lawn” at the University of Virginia are working examples of Mr. Jefferson’s vision in creating a functional but beautiful educational environment.  

Mr. Jefferson’s tombstone at Monticello has this epitaph he wrote for himself and in which he purposefully neglected to mention being the governor of Virginia, or Vice President and President of the United States, but including those things he thought were most important:

  “Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.” 

Brooklyn Gastronomica

Ok, so now I read in the New York Times that the Manhattan restaurant I have raved about -  Eleven Madison Park (see my previous entry) is working to up their game even more.  I'm impressed that they are not resting on their laurels and continuing to innovate.  I suppose that is necessary in this high tech, ever changing world we live in.

I know Brooklyn also has some great restaurants but this trip we were cooking in and so went with our native in the know family members and head to Faicco’s for pork sausage (for a pasta sauce), and the homemade mozzarella and the cheese and fennel pork ring  (for appetizers).  What a beautiful meat counter and I love watching the pork artists at work in their storefront kitchen.  And for dessert – of course the traditional Italian cookies from Mona Lisa’s. 

On the way back from shopping we drive by “Police Commissioner Reagan’s” house from our most favorite TV show - Blue Bloods.  They don’t film actually in this house but a fun drive by to see the house front they use in the show. 

The five boroughs of New York City.  Fun facts to know.

One of the True Heartlands of America

I am at Breezy Point in the Rockaways, New York City.  I just read Tick Tock - a James Patterson (and Michael Ledwidge) thriller that is set here.  It’s a great summer beach read!  

Breezy Point is on a narrow island near the entrance to New York Harbor.   Even though not in the middle of the country, this close knit Irish/Catholic beach bungalow enclave is one of the true heartlands of America.  At every turn there are memorials to the police and fireman from Breezy who died on 9/11, American flags line the boardwalk and streets, and the fireworks on the 4^th of July are incredible.  

I’ve been coming here for decades with my husband’s family and have become more and more appreciative of this special slice of life.  I’ve even come to love those darned federally protected plover birds who often dive bomb you as you make your way through a virtual gauntlet on the way to the beach. 

Alabama Jacks, Key Largo, Florida

Not a destination place but if you are in the area...

Forty miles south of Miami, on Card Sound Road, which connects mainland Florida with upper Key Largo, you’ll come to an open air shack-like structure in the middle of miles of mangroves, swamps and canals.  The food is not all that great, there are birds waiting for a bite, and good luck if it is crowded and you need the restroom.  But otherwise, this is a must stop.   Sort of a cross between a biker bar (but not many bikes – just lots of boats pulling up to stop for lunch or a drink) and a country western bar (there is usually a band playing and unique and quite! interesting characters dancing).  Lots of tourists and locals.   Try the conch fritters.

Eleven Madison Park

Is it worth it?  Yes!!!

Last summer we treated our family to Per Se.  And we all thought it was fabulous.   This summer our treat was Eleven Madison Park,  another 3 Michelin Star NYC restaurant and one of the top 10 restaurants in the world  (# 3 in the U.S.)  It was fabulous times two.  Of course Eleven Madison Park has a bit of an advantage, as we are still under the influence of the tastes and nuances of this more recent dining experience.  We of course just had to do the eight course tasting menu – no decisions to be made.  I am sometimes a bit apprehensive giving myself up totally to the dictates of the Chef.   And I typically don’t expect to appreciate and enjoy every course.   But I loved every one of the 15 or so (I stopped counting after a bit) treats we were served.  Every course was a small quantity of a very big taste.  I am now a devotee of Chef Daniel Humm.

I am still relishing the taste of the savory Parmesan and black truffle “black and white” cookies in a beautiful box with which we were presented on seating.   Then an amazing tomato tea with striking lemon thyme garnish, several so tasty seafood amuse bouches, an innovative clambake course complete with seaweed and rocks, an amazing foie gras course with a raspberry paté and a mint paté, a lobster course which highlighted the simply elegant taste of the lobster while still providing innovative garnishes, a duck course, an exquisite egg cream made tableside, and on and on. 

I can’t wait to go back!

At Home

I have always felt a bit out of sorts when I return home to a sparse refrigerator after traveling.  I fill it up a bit but it never has a homey look until I get too much stuff in there and then it just looks junky.  I was at a friend's house yesterday and her refrigerator looked so appealing - it was packed with food but she also had a pretty mug filled with herbs on the shelf.  It was very appealing.   I immediately came home and put herbs on several shelves.  Seems like such a small thing but as much as I open the refrigerator during the day this is a huge boost for my endorphins.