Easter Brunch with a Worldly Lady

My friend Megan (of Mlle Megan) was in town over Easter weekend, so we made a plan to go out for brunch then do a little shopping. I asked around, and the consensus was the Heathman was the place to go. I made reservations, which was definitely a fortuitous decision, because when we arrived, the place was packed.
We started off with a sampler of oysters and champagne. I never realized before how different various oysters could be, but comparing them side by side, taste by taste, it was obvious. All were so delicious, we decided to order a second plate.


After all that decadence, it was time to order an actual breakfast. I went the traditional route, with brioche french toast. It was quite possibly the best french toast I've ever had: thick, eggy brioche topped with sliced bananas, a dusting of powdered sugar, and maple syrup.







Megan continued the decadence with creamy panna cotta topped with sliced strawberries, slivers of basil, and a balsamic vinegar hinted sauce.
Plus, since it was Easter, everyone got Hot Cross Buns: spicy with candied citrus and crossed with a lightly sweet frosting.

Shopping didn't go quite as planned, as the only stores open were Banana Republic, Anthropologie, and Powell's (although who can complain if Powell's is open? I can't.), but brunch was so delicious it totally made up for it, and it was a lot of fun finally hanging out with my friend.

I Promise I'll Update This Soon

I was out of town on vacation last week, and just got home late Friday night. I took lots of interesting food-related photos, and I promise I will upload the full story soon. But, (sorry to use a tired cliche') as soon as I landed back in Portland, I hit the ground running, and haven't had a chance to relax and catch up. I'm tired. But it will happen soon. I swear.

Breaking in the New Table and a Word About Wine

As some of you know, I recently bought a new dining set. My friend Alex did the majority of the heavy lifting, saving me from an imminent melt-down. Once I got everything put together and uprighted, it was time to put it to use. So last week Alex came over and we cooked dinner. Here's the result:

• Spinach Salad ala Il Fornaio (spinach, bacon, ricotta salata cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, walnuts)
• Mint and Asparagus Frittata
• Crusty Bread
• Chilean Chardonnay*

Everything turned out really well, I'm pleased to say.

*A little opinionation on wine: yes, yes, everyone pooh-poohs chardonnay, just as is beginning to happen with merlot. But I really don't think it is fair to demote entire varieties of wine just because they became excessively popular at one point that every Tom, Dick, and Harry winery grew and put out a chard or merlot regardless of whether they ought to or not (i.e. yucky wine), and that it had such a mass appeal as to become totally uncool.
Just as in everything else, you have to be selective. There are good and bad of every variety. In fact, several months ago, there was an article in Bon Appetit discussing chardonnay, encouraging drinkers to give it a try again. The chardonnay we had was really nice and light.
And, just for the record, I had quite possibly the best glass of wine of my life Saturday night. What was it? A merlot. But seriously, I cannot emphasize enough how good it was. So don't turn your nose up at these just because they have (or had) mass appeal. Go past the masses, and find a little corner for yourself.