CHOCOLATE ON MY TONGUE
Chocolate On My Tongue is a song by one of our favorite artists, the Wood Brothers. To me, it encourages us to focus on the simple things - I’m not sure if that was Oliver Wood’s intent, but that’s the picture for me.
Happy Birthday Betty. I felt like we needed to sharpen our claws, dress it up a bit, and go get Betty some fine dining for her birthday. A simple thing.
Betty and I went to a little place in Solvang called Mad & Vin. M&V is the signature restaurant of the four-star boutique hotel The Landsby. Get this, Solvang is the Danish capital of America. Why? Because they say it is, that’s why. It has a long history of Danes (don’t call them Danish) populating the area. The town features half-timbered buildings, windmills, and things that remind you of an old town in Denmark. I suppose they started building the town just as they remembered the old country and it has stood the test of time. Now, the architecture of the town and the Danish pancakes and pastries are a bit of a tourist attraction but it’s not tacky. M&V typically serves Danish food with ingredients originating from California’s central coast. In my opinion, I think they got this right.
Betty and I shared caramelized brussels sprouts made with bourbon maple syrup, creme fraiche, preserved lemon, prosciutto. This is one of our favorites, and it was spectacular. Betty had a wonderful cut of fish, which was skillet-seared and featured creamy farro and yuzu green goddess. I enjoyed a bucatini and mushroom dish with maitake, king oyster, shimeji mushrooms, truffle cream sauce, sage, and ricotta salata. It was better than getting my ears scratched. Mmmm.
Of course, I started with a nice beverage called the Dusk Berry. It had El Silencio mezcal, Nosotros Reposado tequila, raspberries, Aztec Chocolate Bitters, and lime. Yum. Betty started with a little bubbly and then we shared a bottle of Chalk Hill red blend.
That was a lovely evening and a lot of different tastes on my tongue. Speaking of simple pleasures, I need a nap.
Buster
