The Astronomer, June, and I spent a few days in Birmingham, Alabama over the holidays. Taking full advantage of free, willing, and enthusiastic childcare (a.k.a. doting grandparents), The Astronomer and I snuck away for a quiet lunch at Chef Frank Stitt’s Chez Fonfon one afternoon.
We regretfully refrained from imbibing, but ordered all the Frenchy fare our hearts desired: chicken liver mousse, steak tartare, and most swoon-worthy of all, escargots.
In years past, I rounded up my favorite recipes and restaurant dishes (savories and sweets) to mark the year’s end. This year, I’ve pared down the review to a single list, because truth be told, extravagant home-cooked meals and noteworthy restaurant outings have taken a backseat during The Suburban Years. You know how it goes…
Thank you for reading Gastronomy these past eleven years—it wouldn’t be the same without you. And without further ado, here are the 10 best dishes that I ate this year…
Chinese Sausages from Meizhou Dongpo in Arcadia, California
We were presented with three varieties, each with different degrees of fat and spice. The best of the trio fell in the center of the spectrum—neither too lean nor too fatty and spiced just right.
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“Mole Madre, Mole Nuevo” from Pujol in Mexico City, Mexico
The “Mole Madre,” aged 1,270 days, was deep, dark, and soulful. The “Mole Nuevo” was just as flavorful but with more heat and less heft. Served on the side were warm corn tortillas layered with an hoja santa leaf. The moles were terrific eaten with the tortilla but even better consumed straight up.
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I am really, really late to the Compost Cookie party. Milk Bar introduced it nearly a decade ago, and while I was totally aware of the food world’s obsession, the everything-but-the-kitchen sink treat didn’t make much of an impression on me. Back then, I was more of a Confetti Cookie gal.
After years of not giving a hoot, I finally tried a Compost Cookie last week—and swoon.