california bonanza recap (loads of pics)
Saturday, May 19th, 2012I’m back home from our week-long trip to California, but just for a day or so. It’s enough time to wash (and snuggle) the dog, do laundry, unpack gear, repack gear, process photos, and get ready to hit the road. Oh, and maybe a little time to share the past week with you in photos and ramblings.
chapter 1: wine country
We flew into the San Francisco Bay Area and drove a couple hours north to Healdsburg (where we were staying) for a little wine tasting. Well, Jeremy was wine tasting and I was the driver. My aunt and uncle were spending the weekend near Napa, so we met up with them for a delightful dinner at Redd in Yountville. I had hoped to arrive a little early so we could check out a few wineries in Napa Valley, but time seems to get sucked up by traffic in California.
la crema’s tasting room is in town (healdsburg)
appetizer: sashimi of hamachi, sticky rice, edamame, soy ginger sauce
main: caramelized diver scallops, cauliflower, capers, almond, golden raisins
The next morning was spent gathering some gear and food to take backpacking. Once all of that was sorted and packed, we went into town (Healdsburg) for lunch at Cyrus. I had hoped to have dinner there, but reservations fill quickly on weekends in wine country. Luckily, they gave me the option of lunch (Saturdays only from May to October). Lunch offers the exact same tasting menu options (you have 2-3 choices per course) and service as dinner. In a word, our meal was exquisite and that was in no small part due to the flawless, friendly, and bend-over-backwards accommodating service of the staff. The flavors, the textures, the attention to every single detail, the whimsy, the elegance…
let’s begin
cozy interior
canapés
amuse bouche: uni purée, whipped cauliflower, puffed rice and seaweed
salmon with ginger, daikon, snap pea-basil broth (not pictured: chilled artichoke soup)
left: humane foie gras cherry blossom parfait, barley, sea beans and shiso
right: chorizo-crusted scallop with sweet corn and lobster froth
black sea bass, pea sprouts, asparagus, sea grapes, lemon verbena
glazed tofu with asparagus and spring onions
jeremy opted for wine pairings with his meal
palate cleanser: avocado and lime sorbet
left: spring lamb tataki hot pot
right: seared beef cheek with green and black garlic, lotus root, natural jelly
left: cocoa nib “affogato”, condensed milk semifreddo
right: yuzu crèmeux, bergamot meringue, cream cheese ice cream
but wait! there’s more: mignardises
pastry-wrapped chocolates for “later”
itty bitty (1-inch diameter) freshly made doughnuts for a last bite
**Jump for more butter**
