The best goodbye, Thank you Alice Waters

If I was going to emulate my life after one woman (besides my mother!) it would be Alice Waters. As a pioneer of the slow food movement she is an inspiration to chefs and home cooks across the globe. In 1971 Alice Waters and a few inspired individuals opened the doors of Chez Panisse, a landmark in the gourmet ghetto neighborhood of Berkeley, CA. Unknowingly at the time, Alice started a revolution by inventing a new type of fare, California Cuisine. Her principles simply consist of providing people with fresh, local, organic food cooked in a way that highlights the delicacy of the ingredients.

This was the absolute best way I could imagine to bid farewell to the bay area. It was honestly one of the best meals I've ever had in my life. Unfortunately, due to all the packing and hectic pace of my last couple of days in Oakland I forgot the camera so I was unable to photographically document this glorious meal.

When I was 18 I had the opportunity to attend college in one of the most beautiful places on the west coast, Oregon (GO DUCKS!!). At this time the foodie world was uncharted territory, and while fresh food was available where I am from it wasn't as easily accessible as it is in Eugene and other spots on the left coast. Besides getting schooled in science, I got schooled in fresh, local food. From there on out I was hooked. I started taking urban farming classes, growing organic produce in my backyard, and eating seasonally. So for anyone like me Chez Panisse is the holy land and I am forever grateful to have been able to dine there twice so far.

The meal review: I started with a Baked Andante Dairy goat cheese with garden lettuce salad. The goat cheese was breaded ever so delicately to create a thin, crisp outer layer that eventually revealed the creamiest cheese one's ever encountered. Chez Panisse works with approximately 60 local nor cal farms and I literally wish I could meet this goat farmer AND the lettuce farmer. The lettuce was so fresh that I imagined a tiny farm behind the restaurant and the sous chef stepping out a hidden door to hand pick the lettuce fresh to order. Woah. My father started with a garden lettuce salad with sun gold tomatoes and green goddess dressing. He felt the same way about the lettuce. The only downfall was that the lettuce was slightly over salted, taking away from the purity of the ingredients. I had a local pinot noir to pair with my salad, while my father enjoyed a glass of the house zinfandel. Delicious.

The entrees came out perfectly timed. There was little space to sit and chat about how we just consumed some of the best salads ever. Weird concept for some, I know. My father ordered the grilled duck breast sliced into medallions served with applesauce and green beans. The applesauce was so divine I had the server ask the chef about the secret. Feeling saucy (pun unintended) I made a guess about how it was prepared, and I was right! All it consisted of was caramelized sugar and apples blended together. You can caramelize sugar with either water or butter. I've done it with butter and obviously it is mouth watering. I enjoyed a California white sea bass with turnips, turnip greens, and peas. The bass was baked to perfection while the turnips were prepared to keep their natural consistency and taste. The combination of the soft greens, hard turnips, and semi-soft peas blended together to create a perfectly balanced plate in terms of texture. Oh my word. As for the wine, my dad enjoyed a nice pinot noir while I balanced the lightness of the fish with a crisp chardonnay. Thank you thank you thank you!!

For dessert we shared a creme anglaise with fresh local raspberries, strawberries, and a baked cinnamon sugar stick. I have been obsessed with strawberries since I was first introduced to them (so I'm told) and would consume so many that my sensitive skin would turn red and blotchy (so I'm told). Still at the age of 24 I count down the days to strawberry season. I don't think anything is better than eating fresh organic strawberries directly off the bush after sitting in the warm sun all day.

As you can see from how long this post is the meal was extraordinary. I beg you, if you are ever in the bay area please please visit this restaurant. They have a downstairs that has a Prix Fixe menu that gets more expensive as the weekend approaches, or the upstairs cafe with reasonable prices and choices. This restaurant is famous for a reason. It is the crown jewel of California cuisine. Environmentally friendly, sustainable, and delicious....what could be better? Thank you Alice Waters for turning your dreams into a reality and allowing us mere mortals to experience the earth's bounty through your creations.

Chez Panisse is a 10.

Until next time....Bon Appetit!!