My sister Barb and I took another road trip this past weekend. We combined a visit with Clara and a rug show in a little town just east of Saratoga Sprins called Victory Mills. I've posted some photos of the rug show on the blog we share --
Hallowed Hill Primitives -- if you'd like to take a look. There were many beautifully hooked rugs, but this one, called
Too Good for the Doorway designed and hooked by Marian Bigelow was my favorite. The hooking technique is amazing, and I love the simplicity of the design -- the circles breaking the straight lines. It really is too nice to wipe your feet on.
But you can read about the rug show on the other blog. . . I want to tell you about dinner on Friday night. Clara invited several of her friends to join us, and, of course, they picked the best and most costly restaurant in town. But it was worth every penny -- obviously, since it is now Tuesday, and I'm still talking about Friday's dinner.
The restaurant is
Max London's, right next store to Mrs. London's, the well-known bakery. It was very busy when we finally arrived (Clara had to blow dry her hair, you know. . . ) I asked the waiter for his recommendations and I took his advice on everything. I started with a mixed green salad with beets, walnuts and blue cheese that was perfectly dressed. He recommended the skate for my main course -- he said it was the best fish dish he had ever eaten -- and he was right! It was served with cavolo nero (I had to ask -- that's Italian for black kale), butter beans, and preserved lemon. I wanted to lick my plate when I was finished, and I found it very hard to share tastes with my fellow diners, that's how good it was.
The dessert menu didn't excite me -- I had to ask what Chocolate Maximus was (a flourless chocolate torte served with pistachio ice cream) and what's a budino? (Can you tell I let my subscription to
Gourmet lapse?) Our waiter explained that budino is Italian for pudding, and that this black-bottomed butterscotch pudding was the best dessert he'd ever eaten . . . He was right about the fish, so I ordered the pudding. It came in an unassuming glass -- and my sister was thinking "You paid $8 for that?" I'd pay twice that to have one right now . . . It was layered chocolate and butterscotch pudding topped with an unsweetened whipped cream, soft caramel and fleur de sel. Yes, salt! It was AMAZING! I am going to try to replicate it soon . . . Or make the 5 1/2 drive to Saratoga so I can order it again . . Barb ordered a BLT pizza that looked great, and the Chocolate Maximus, which was also delicious. Clara ordered seared duck with wild mushroom risotto which was also lovely. (She learned to love duck when we went to Paris -- it was during the height of the Hoof and Mouth scare and she wouldn't touch beef . . .)
Now I have to go think of something to make for dinner tonight. . . I wish Max London lived next door. . .
