The other day I had my 29th birthday … again. One of my birthday wall comments on Facebook said “Hope your day is filled with gourmet food!”. Well, it turned out that it was a gourmet day starting in a very unexpected way. About 8:30AM, the doorbell rang and my dog Scooby, barking furiously, insisted I get to the door quickly. To my surprise, it wasn’t a UPS or Fedex delivery but my golfing friend and neighbor Joni. The day before we had played a golf match together and at the end of our match, I mentioned how much I wanted to attend an olive oil tasting event at the club that night but probably wouldn’t be able to fit it in my evening (thinking to myself: because of my misguided devotion to my motherly duties).
Fran Gage's book about American olive oil
Given my love of Italian olive oil and previous posts about it, I really should have left the kids without food and gone to this American olive oil tasting but I didn’t. Joni to the rescue. Turns out she went to the club and bought me the book associated with the event: The New American Olive Oil by Fran Gage – autographed and all. I have to say it was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. It’s possible that it even made me cry.
On to lunch: I met my parents at Steamer’s in Los Gatos where I enjoyed one of my favorite foods that I never make at home – fish tacos. And it was followed, happily, with an “engraved” happy birthday plate filled with calorie free espresso ice cream surrounded by brownie, chocolate sauce, and toasted hazelnuts. My dad and I suffered through it together. The ice cream and hazelnuts were OMG! Yummy.
Espresso ice cream brownie with hazelnut topping
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I can’t live without good olive oil. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on American olive oil and recipes. Sounds yummy.
Stopping by from SITS.
I have to agree with Natalie, I would have liked to have eaten some of that calorie-free birthday treat myself! Sounds like you had a nice birthday! Happy be-lated birthday!
Found your blog through SITS
Your birthday sounded delicious!! Happy belated 29th (again) birthday.
Stopping by from SITS.
Happy belated OMG yummy birthday!!!
Man you were treated. 🙂 stopping by from Saturday SITS sharefest.
Belated Happy Birthday! Looks like you had fun. and what a wonderful gift. glad to find a foodie blogger from SITS…
Stopping by to say Happy Saturday Sharefest!
Sounds like a great day! Happy 29! The broccoli and spinach sounds great, I may need to try that!
Stopped in from SITS! Have a great week!
Happy 29th birthday. Olive oil tasting event. That is interesting. Do you eat it straight up or do you get it with other foods. I will have to look into that to see if it’s here in the great White North.
Thank you for popping by.
LisaDay
Hi Lisa – Thanks for coming by. My favorite way to taste olive oil is on some country style bread warmed, then pour some olive oil on and finish with a small dash of sea salt. Often, at stores and tastings, they just put out small pieces of white french bread to take a little dip. The event I missed was going to offer tastings and also dishes prepared with the oils.
Happy Birthday! Your blog looks very drool-worthy. I want to stop by more often just for the pictures of the food!
Thanks for stopping my blog — I love visitors. <3 Have a super day!
Thanks for coming by “woman who eats chocolate” 🙂 Check out my post about banana chocolate chip loaf – super easy and super yummy.
That’s awesome! Sounds like you had a wonderful day!
Stopping in from SITS.
Since we are now friends, next year you HAVE to tell hubby that this is what I want for my birthday…you had the best birthday ever!!
Happy birthday – I wish I could have some of that calorie free birthday treat right now!
Yum!