A few weeks ago I visited my friends in California. We were lucky with the weather and I had a great time. One day we drove up to the town of Napa, famed in song and story for wine, but I will always think of the olive oil.
We enjoyed tapas at Zuzu for lunch, walked around the town, and visited the town’s visitor center. The back room is filled with bottles of local olive oil in a variety of infused flavors and balsamic vinegars from Modena many of which are also infused. I tasted a maple infused balsamic that was the best thing I’ve had in I don’t know when. Oh my.
My friends (who are very very good friends, mind you) bought a big bottle to take home, and bought a small bottle (airline requirements for carry-ons and all that) for me as well. Oh la la… we drizzled it on our oatmeal and blueberries the next morning!
maple balsamic, indeed!
I’d be happy to stop right there and go fix myself a bowl of yogurt and maple balsamic, but first I want to share a little more about the trip.
After lunch we went to the Oxbow Market.
I got so involved in everything I was seeing in this huge covered market that I forgot to take pictures! I’m sorry…
It reminded me a little of the Marche Victor Hugo in Toulouse. Lots of vendors and each display more intriguing than the last. I definitely recommend that, should you have lunch plans, you go there after or you might (or at least *I* certainly would) nibble, nosh, snack, and sample through the market and never make lunch at all.
Because they are very good friends and they know me all too well, we spent another day at the Ferry Building Marketplace. We actually took the ferry to it, got off, poked around, ate lunch and ferried ourselves home!
This time I remembered. Walk (and ferry) with me…
It was a foggy ride over.
foggy morning
But it was warm and enticing inside. Mmmmmm…
almost enough choices…
moi aussi! mmm…
Lots of things to taste, too.
how to choose, how to choose…
And beautiful implements as well. Oh la la…
so pretty
And tastes from everywhere that have me rethinking “local”.
a tad hot for me but oh, so tasty
And bonbons like bijous. I’ve never seen a candy store like this!
truly amazing!
The whole visit was a lot of fun, fascinating, intriguing, appetizing, and all in all just grand. Thanks again to my friends, and looking forward to our next time together, where ever it may be! Mmmmm…
and then make soup 
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