the ashland trip - part II
Nov. 11th, 2008 10:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbicideSunday.
Again, we slept in. Jeff went to an early free breakfast without me, because I wanted to stay in bed. Eventually though, we had to pack and leave. We so wanted to just STAY. It'd been such a nice trip and Ashland seemed to have untapped areas for us to explore. But no, time to go home.
We stowed everything, made a quick dash to the post office to send off cards, and then it was back to I5. We stopped somewhere for a quick early bite (wanting to be properly hungry for our meal in Portland) at some diner-y place that had an um... slightly scary vibe. Like, briefly I thought they might refuse us service because of my being 'colored' or something. No, really. This other group seated after us got service and we were sort of largely ignored, while the rednecked crowd eyed me suspiciously. (And I very rarely ever feel racial tension, so it's not a big thing I notice all the time. Most of the time I forget I'm not white.) I honestly kept straining my ears to hear whispers of, 'is she one a' them Arabs?' or something. But happily, the banjo music didn't start to play, and the guy who finally gave us some attention was very apologetic and polite. The food, pure Americana (I got a french dip, Jeff got onion rings) were the best food of the trip thus far. So good! And then, quickly, back on the road to Portland.
The drive again took longer than we'd figured but![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
serenity_valley and str8ontilmornin were very accommodating. We got there about an hour later than planned. SV had given us some personalized directions that were just awesome, with notes to check out the view and a gorgeous bridge to cross. For those of you who don't read her blog, (and I hope she doesn't mind my recounting some of this here--it is friend's locked at the least), they have a gorgeous Craftsman home that they've been lovingly refinishing. I've been reading about it for ages and seeing glimpses through some photos, but it was way beyond even my expectations. They are both clearly talented and artistic people who put thoughtfulness into everything they do.
Oh yes. This is going to be an unrestrained squeefest ode to them because they are just THAT awesome. And nothing whips me into a lather like meeting people like this and being lucky enough to have them as friends.
It was my first time meetingstr8ontilmornin, who immediately gave me a welcoming hug. I next got to hug the lovely serenity_valley and it still sort of startles me that this was only our second meeting. How is this possible when she feels like such an old and beloved friend?
We got a tour of the house, with some history of the period and the restoration work they'd done. I like my place fine, but I could never pull off what they've done. Honestly. It's charming and interesting, without being twee or inauthentic. It really reflects who they are as people--which is a compliment to the house. And sincestr8ontilmornin is a chef, we were pretty goddamn psyched for dinner.
And then, it began. The feast of feasts. SV set the table with this beautiful tablecloth and these bright glass pebbles that Jeff couldn't resist messing with. (Honestly, I almost gave him a time out.)
To start, there was a lovely olive, walnut, and onion sourdough with quenelles of warm potato salad and a brunoise of carrot. Honestly, he had me at the Amuse. To think that someone would go to the painstaking trouble of shaping quenelles for just us blew my mind. Also, they were freaking delicious. Then we sat down and he began serving us courses.
First, the most perfect butternut squash soup I'd ever had. The texture was so smooth and it was so perfectly warm and hearty. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds for an extra crunch and burst of salty goodness. It was lovely.
Then, a salad of caramelized figs, sauteed beets, field greens, and a red wine vinaigrette. I often don't like figs, but what I learned is that I love figs when they're prepared perfectly.
There was a palette cleanser of watermelon sorbet which was so good, I sort of wanted to die after eating it because life just isn't going to get any better now. My opinion hasn't changed on this in over a week now. It was really beyond amazing. Oh, and can I just mention that they freaking grew the watermelon it was made from??
And then, the pièce de résistance was a pasta terrine. It was handmade paprika pasta holding sauteed chanterelle mushrooms, sauteed swiss chard, Cotswold cheese, and marinated artichoke hearts served on a mushroom cream sauce. It was freaking incredible. Jeff still brings it up, speaking with a tone of intense longing. It was phenomenal.
At this point, we were practically insensible with joy. SV said we were going to come upstairs and look at the stars while the chef got dessert ready for us. She led us upstairs and showed us this amazing um. I don't know quite how to describe it. They have, on their bedroom ceiling, the constellation of ...I think it's their anniversary... this special date. And they can charge it up with a light and then it glows amazingly bright and beautiful in the dark. You feel like you're outside in the country on a clear night. It's done with some form of paint that you can't see when the lights are on. It was... beyond cool. Like everything about their house, it was uniquely spectacular.
We went back downstairs andstr8ontilmornin brought us this beautiful dessert. It was this gleaming white pyramid of panna cotta set on a plate with a checkerboard of caramel sauce and blackberry coulis. Custard-y things are my favorite dessert, and this was off the chart in flavor and texture and sheer culinary joy. It was topped with candied lemon peel. And because that wasn't enough, there were three types of cookies --almond crescents, oatmeal currant, and chessboard cookies. Seriously, three types of cookies on top of the meal we just had and dessert. They were beautiful and delicious and we gobbled them up. The portions of everything should also be noted. We were completely satisfied without feeling overfull or bloated. An impressive balance, I think.
And um. You know, because that wasn't enough? They made us a present to take home, with like five types of confections. Raspberry gelees that tasted like the distilled essence of a thousand raspberries, chocolate fudge, coffee toffee brittle, chocolate nut clusters, and a maple-y toffee. (And I keep thinking there was yet another thing, but I can't think of it...mostly because we ate it all so fast!)
Honestly, no words can really express what a genuinely remarkable meal it was. I feel like I'm in adjective-overkill here, but it was so special. There wasn't a single component of a single dish that wasn't off-the-chart exceptional. It was the best version of all of these things we've ever had, and I can't emphasize enough how much all of this isn't hyperbole. We both felt like we'd died and gone to culinary heaven. It was that good.
And it was exactly what you would want from a professional chef. I mean, nothing was...ordinary, but it wasn't all wacked out weird and so adventurous that it wasn't comforting and enjoyable. And not to run myself down at all here, but it was so patently clear that we are in intensely different leagues.
Both Jeff and I fervently expressed our gratitude and hope to reciprocate. I would love to cook for them, but it's going to be a comparably humble effort. Though I have to admit, I'm so freaking excited about it, I have already started menu planning!!
I've gone on and on about the food, but the conversation was pretty fabulous, too. A nice balance of personal stories and political hopes (in those hazy pre-election days). I really wanted to blather on about the amazing book SV has written, that I am privileged to be reading, but Jeff hasn't read it and I didn't want to hog the conversation with something that would exclude him or give away major plot points, because when this thing is published and becomes a bestseller (YESWECAN), he's going to read it and shouldn't have major plot points spoiled.
Anyhow. It would really be impossible to not love these guys on their own merits as people, but to have them go so incredibly far out of their way to give us this incredibly unforgettable night --it sort of leaves me swooning with affection.
We reluctantly left them and drove home. Home, where Brutus and our own beds awaited us. We took turns smooching Brutus and trying confections from the Box of Amazing before tumbling into bed.
To sum up: what a great trip!
Again, we slept in. Jeff went to an early free breakfast without me, because I wanted to stay in bed. Eventually though, we had to pack and leave. We so wanted to just STAY. It'd been such a nice trip and Ashland seemed to have untapped areas for us to explore. But no, time to go home.
We stowed everything, made a quick dash to the post office to send off cards, and then it was back to I5. We stopped somewhere for a quick early bite (wanting to be properly hungry for our meal in Portland) at some diner-y place that had an um... slightly scary vibe. Like, briefly I thought they might refuse us service because of my being 'colored' or something. No, really. This other group seated after us got service and we were sort of largely ignored, while the rednecked crowd eyed me suspiciously. (And I very rarely ever feel racial tension, so it's not a big thing I notice all the time. Most of the time I forget I'm not white.) I honestly kept straining my ears to hear whispers of, 'is she one a' them Arabs?' or something. But happily, the banjo music didn't start to play, and the guy who finally gave us some attention was very apologetic and polite. The food, pure Americana (I got a french dip, Jeff got onion rings) were the best food of the trip thus far. So good! And then, quickly, back on the road to Portland.
The drive again took longer than we'd figured but
serenity_valley and str8ontilmornin were very accommodating. We got there about an hour later than planned. SV had given us some personalized directions that were just awesome, with notes to check out the view and a gorgeous bridge to cross. For those of you who don't read her blog, (and I hope she doesn't mind my recounting some of this here--it is friend's locked at the least), they have a gorgeous Craftsman home that they've been lovingly refinishing. I've been reading about it for ages and seeing glimpses through some photos, but it was way beyond even my expectations. They are both clearly talented and artistic people who put thoughtfulness into everything they do.Oh yes. This is going to be an unrestrained squeefest ode to them because they are just THAT awesome. And nothing whips me into a lather like meeting people like this and being lucky enough to have them as friends.
It was my first time meeting
str8ontilmornin, who immediately gave me a welcoming hug. I next got to hug the lovely serenity_valley and it still sort of startles me that this was only our second meeting. How is this possible when she feels like such an old and beloved friend?We got a tour of the house, with some history of the period and the restoration work they'd done. I like my place fine, but I could never pull off what they've done. Honestly. It's charming and interesting, without being twee or inauthentic. It really reflects who they are as people--which is a compliment to the house. And since
str8ontilmornin is a chef, we were pretty goddamn psyched for dinner.And then, it began. The feast of feasts. SV set the table with this beautiful tablecloth and these bright glass pebbles that Jeff couldn't resist messing with. (Honestly, I almost gave him a time out.)
To start, there was a lovely olive, walnut, and onion sourdough with quenelles of warm potato salad and a brunoise of carrot. Honestly, he had me at the Amuse. To think that someone would go to the painstaking trouble of shaping quenelles for just us blew my mind. Also, they were freaking delicious. Then we sat down and he began serving us courses.
First, the most perfect butternut squash soup I'd ever had. The texture was so smooth and it was so perfectly warm and hearty. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds for an extra crunch and burst of salty goodness. It was lovely.
Then, a salad of caramelized figs, sauteed beets, field greens, and a red wine vinaigrette. I often don't like figs, but what I learned is that I love figs when they're prepared perfectly.
There was a palette cleanser of watermelon sorbet which was so good, I sort of wanted to die after eating it because life just isn't going to get any better now. My opinion hasn't changed on this in over a week now. It was really beyond amazing. Oh, and can I just mention that they freaking grew the watermelon it was made from??
And then, the pièce de résistance was a pasta terrine. It was handmade paprika pasta holding sauteed chanterelle mushrooms, sauteed swiss chard, Cotswold cheese, and marinated artichoke hearts served on a mushroom cream sauce. It was freaking incredible. Jeff still brings it up, speaking with a tone of intense longing. It was phenomenal.
At this point, we were practically insensible with joy. SV said we were going to come upstairs and look at the stars while the chef got dessert ready for us. She led us upstairs and showed us this amazing um. I don't know quite how to describe it. They have, on their bedroom ceiling, the constellation of ...I think it's their anniversary... this special date. And they can charge it up with a light and then it glows amazingly bright and beautiful in the dark. You feel like you're outside in the country on a clear night. It's done with some form of paint that you can't see when the lights are on. It was... beyond cool. Like everything about their house, it was uniquely spectacular.
We went back downstairs and
str8ontilmornin brought us this beautiful dessert. It was this gleaming white pyramid of panna cotta set on a plate with a checkerboard of caramel sauce and blackberry coulis. Custard-y things are my favorite dessert, and this was off the chart in flavor and texture and sheer culinary joy. It was topped with candied lemon peel. And because that wasn't enough, there were three types of cookies --almond crescents, oatmeal currant, and chessboard cookies. Seriously, three types of cookies on top of the meal we just had and dessert. They were beautiful and delicious and we gobbled them up. The portions of everything should also be noted. We were completely satisfied without feeling overfull or bloated. An impressive balance, I think.And um. You know, because that wasn't enough? They made us a present to take home, with like five types of confections. Raspberry gelees that tasted like the distilled essence of a thousand raspberries, chocolate fudge, coffee toffee brittle, chocolate nut clusters, and a maple-y toffee. (And I keep thinking there was yet another thing, but I can't think of it...mostly because we ate it all so fast!)
Honestly, no words can really express what a genuinely remarkable meal it was. I feel like I'm in adjective-overkill here, but it was so special. There wasn't a single component of a single dish that wasn't off-the-chart exceptional. It was the best version of all of these things we've ever had, and I can't emphasize enough how much all of this isn't hyperbole. We both felt like we'd died and gone to culinary heaven. It was that good.
And it was exactly what you would want from a professional chef. I mean, nothing was...ordinary, but it wasn't all wacked out weird and so adventurous that it wasn't comforting and enjoyable. And not to run myself down at all here, but it was so patently clear that we are in intensely different leagues.
Both Jeff and I fervently expressed our gratitude and hope to reciprocate. I would love to cook for them, but it's going to be a comparably humble effort. Though I have to admit, I'm so freaking excited about it, I have already started menu planning!!
I've gone on and on about the food, but the conversation was pretty fabulous, too. A nice balance of personal stories and political hopes (in those hazy pre-election days). I really wanted to blather on about the amazing book SV has written, that I am privileged to be reading, but Jeff hasn't read it and I didn't want to hog the conversation with something that would exclude him or give away major plot points, because when this thing is published and becomes a bestseller (YESWECAN), he's going to read it and shouldn't have major plot points spoiled.
Anyhow. It would really be impossible to not love these guys on their own merits as people, but to have them go so incredibly far out of their way to give us this incredibly unforgettable night --it sort of leaves me swooning with affection.
We reluctantly left them and drove home. Home, where Brutus and our own beds awaited us. We took turns smooching Brutus and trying confections from the Box of Amazing before tumbling into bed.
To sum up: what a great trip!
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Date: 2008-11-12 09:34 pm (UTC)And that's awesome to have clearance for Jeff. I'll let him know. I know he's curious because I keep saying "OMG SHE WROTE THIS OMG ITS SO AWESOME AND I LOVE IT AND IT RULES AND YOU CANT READ IT I AM SORRY BUT YOU ARE JUST NOT THAT SPECIAL!"
He really likes the genre, too. He's swamped so I don't know if he has time immediately, but I'm sure he'll love to try it at some point!
(And well, they turned out to be not so Deliverance-y in the end. At least our waiter!)