I am tardy writing about a dinner Chris took me to in the tiny Oregon Coast town of Waldport. We went to Rumi, which had plates that looked like art. They served a crispy chicken dish that had a mushroom ragout of the most savory, buttery flavors.
We had a fantastically simple fresh pea soup to start, and a grilled flatbread with beet gastrique (they have gastriques in Waldport!), bianco sauce, asiago cheese, caramelized onions. Chris had a generously portioned Ribeye that was cooked to perfection. Chocolate Mousse for dessert topped off an almost perfect meal (the salads were overdressed). That was 10 days ago. When we got home that night, I wanted to post all the pictures I took, course by course, but I was so coma-toast, all I could do was drool and dream of that mushroom ragout.
Then there was yesterday on the Tour de Oregon Coast. Chris and I had a whole day off without the kids. This was perfect, because we could take a break from teaching them about "making healthy eating choices" and "eating slowly in appropriate portions." We kicked off the day with my favorite Eggs Benedict in the world, and an equally scrumtuous banana french toast at La Maison in Newport.
And then to the Cheese Factory! At Tillamook, I beelined for the cheese samples, despite everyone's seeming preference for the ice cream. The squeaky curds, Habanero Jack, and Super Sharp/Super Aged cheddar are my favorites. A half hour later we were snacking on smoked Brie and a wine tasting at the Blue Heron French Cheese Company. I also bought some chocolate covered marzipan, which had too high of a chocolate to marzipan ratio-but it's damned hard enough to find good marzipan on the coast of Oregon. I need some of my Jewish peoples to knock out some Rainbow Cookies for me!
An hour later we were at the Pelican Brewpub in Pacific City snacking on filler onion rings and a salad...that was "filler" not "killer." The IPA was the best offering they had...but not to worry as Chris drove me to his friend's Jim and Lisa's beach house for some Pan de Cuba, olive spread, goat cheese, fresh basil and Olive Oil. You'd think I'd be done, but when we got home I made noodles and Cottage Cheese to snack on.
Dare I add my breakfast this morning, of Soba noodles with bay shrimp and hoison glazed black cod? Will I admit that I also had half a Rockfish sandwich with salami and pepperoni? Am I making even myself a little sick recounting all this glorious food?????? Maybe.
So maybe I can't justify the gluttony. Maybe I can only enjoy it. I know this is not how I eat every day (I wish). But when I miss days like the one I just recounted, I will crack open the cheese drawer and start thumbing through recipes for Squeaky Curds.
In love, as in gluttony, pleasure is a matter of the utmost precision.
Italo Calvino
Dinner sounds amazing; sign us up for a visit!
ReplyDeleteThe all day food affair,should I say orgy?, also enviable, sans filler onion rings.
Kudos to your stamina. I don't think that I could not have accomplished it in one day...but you do get your gluttony honestly. In fact, I feel a bit queasy just thinking about the total fat content consumed.