My Birthday 2009

At 63 I have finally learned how to enjoy my birthday without a bout of sadness. For many years I could always find a reason for self pity; the things lacking in my life always came to the forefront. Today was a lovely day with three cards, and many phone calls from people I love, including two long chatty ones with Leland.

The table for one downstairs at Chez Panisse was mine, with views of the kitchen and the entry way. I watched for the pretentiousness I’ve heard of, but the employees all seemed delighted and proud to work in a restaurant that was serving, and also letting them eat, house made sauerkraut, sausages and confit of pork belly.

First came an amuse bouche of house made salami and a cornichon, perhaps the best salami I’ve tasted. Making salami is popular in Bay Area restaurants now, but once the taster is over the awe, the product has to taste better than the ones Molinari makes or why do it? There was also a basket of two Acme breads, the Levain, and a white torpedo shaped bun made especially for Chez Panisse.

The Sommelier was offering wines by the glass to accompany each course. First came a Gamey Noir with the salad. There were golden and pink beet slices with a sprinkling of cooked leeks in a super citrus vinaigrette. Someone had drizzled a little crème fraiche over this and then topped it with a few sprigs of mache. Small and delicious, especially the leeks.

The entrée was the sauerkraut cooked in Riesling with a beef frank, a garlic sausage, a little piece of confit of pork shoulder and a grilled slice of pork belly. I haven’t eaten a lot of sauerkraut and this was well balanced, not too salty or sour. The pork offerings each had its own flavors. I drank the recommended Riesling, not usually one of my favorite wines, but it was fuller and heavier as the Sommelier had described, and not too sweet.

Finally they brought the Pavlova, a firm meringue, not too sweet, with two ice creams perched on top. One was chocolate and one kirsch-sour cherry. These had a few reconstituted dried cherries around them and some shaved chocolate on the top.

As I was eating my dessert, I spoke to the table next to me. It also had a birthday celebrant, a gentleman who turned ninety-three. He enjoyed his meal, asking for extra salami and drinking his favorite wine with his three companions. I mentioned that we shared the birthday and some one working in the dining room must have heard me. A plate of cookies and a wonderful date appeared for me with a birthday banner and a candle. So I also had a surprise for my birthday.