Chez Panisse's Baked Goat's Cheese Saald

During our honeymoon we had one memorable meal. We were young and poor at the time, so we planned to have one fancy meal out during our week in Quebec City. We went to a restaurant called Toast near our auberge (inn). It was the most expensive meal either of us had eaten up to that point in life. (I seem to recall that it cost about $100. This was ten years ago, by the way.)

We still talk about some parts of that meal. We remember Anthony ordering a salad that came presented in a massive bowl that tilted the spinach leaves towards him. There was a piece of baguette balanced on the leaves, covered with two pieces of oozing, baked goat's cheese.

My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss

Luisa Weiss had an American dad, an Italian mother, and grew up in Germany and the United States. As she reached adulthood, she began to wonder where in the world she belonged. She explored her heritages through travel and food. Her memoir, My Berlin Kitchen, is an attempt at catharsis through writing and eating. It was our Kitchen Reader pick for January.

Much of Luisa Weiss' story resonated with me. It is hard to be a person who doesn't know where home is. I am not sure my homeless feelings are as consuming as hers, though. I count Canada, the UK, Europe, and Hong Kong among my choices for a place of belonging. And for the most part, I feel happy in all of them. For Weiss, she was overwhelmed not by rootlessness, but the feeling that she had roots in too many places. And these places were impossible to be in all at once.

Lobster Dinner

While in my parents' home city, I want to eat all the seafood I can. One highlight has been indulging in Grammie's seafood chowder. It's a chunky, milky soup filled with haddock, lobster, and scallops with a few potatoes thrown in for good measure. Our main Christmas meal was turkey, obviously, but our small family meal on Christmas Eve was maple-glazed salmon that Ant and I made. But a visit to Nova Scotia is not complete without a lobster dinner.

Mum's best ever meal

My parents go to a little beach resort in their province when they want to get away together and leave the city behind. They rent a cottage on the beach, and even if it's blustery outside, there are walks to go on, and a fireplace to snuggle up in front of each evening.


They were there for a night last week and ate in the resort's restaurant: a gleaming crystal and silverware affair, with a menu to match. My Mum told me on the phone that during their most recent visit she ate what had to be described as the best meal of her life.

Wow, that's high praise! Can you pinpoint the best meal of your life? I can think of two (restaurant) meals that might currently qualify. Both were memorable and extremely tasty. I was eager to hear what Mum had eaten. The food blogger in me was quietly taking notes as she waxed eloquent about her food.

Starter: spinach salad with blue cheese, pecans, apples warmed with cinnamon and maple dressing

Of course, this sounds delicious. And easy to make at home. I bet the pecans were toasted and gave the perfect crunch, the spinach was dark and fresh, while the maple dressing wasn't overpoweringly sweet. It sounds like a great mix of health and indulgence, doesn't it?

Main course: pan-fried haddock with a creamy lobster sauce, served with roasted smoked potatoes

Fish and lobster in the same main course? What an idea. She said the lobster was in chunks, not loads of it, but enough to add the touch of luxury to the dish. The smoked potatoes were wonderful, she reported. She had never tasted anything like them before; nor have I ever heard of it. I did a bit of reading, and saw that smoking potatoes can be done in a double boiler. Put oak chips in the bottom (no water) and the boiled potatoes in the top with the lid on. Open a bunch of windows and turn the heat up to high. Let it smoke for five to ten minutes. (So I suppose you could do this at home, but I have a feeling I'll leave it to the professionals for now.)

My Dad talked about his dessert, but Mum didn't say if she had any. I guess the first two courses were enough for her to sit back with a contented sigh and update the list of great food she has eaten.

I'm interested to hear about your best ever meals. I reckon there should be a separate category for best restaurant meals and best home-cooked meals. Over to you!