Recommendations from a Sweet Tooth

Posted 04/14/2008 at 02:51 AM by Dirk

Do you ever get a craving for dessert? I have a sweet tooth. (Since it has always been that way, it must be genetic and I can blame it on my parents.) It could explain the creation of Dolce...a good thing. Heck, as a kid, I used to sell the marbles I won at school so I could finance my after-school pastry habit. (Eclaire, Mille Feuille, Pain au Chocolat were the pastries of choice.)

My wife and I don't view it as a "real night out" unless it includes dessert. We used to get two but sharing one works better. I am not sure if it is age or guilt that has caught up with us. (Please don't answer that question. It was rhetorical which may not normally be allowed in blogs.)  Over the next few days, I am going to try to mention a few of my favorite desserts found within the Napa Valley.

If you are into desserts, "Get Thee to Mustard's Grill". Gil, Larry and I were there the day they opened and over 20 years later they are better than ever. I like Cyndi's desserts. I would have listed them in a travel guide as "warranting a special trip" and still view any trip to Mustard's as special.

Their signature dessert used to be the Jack Daniels flourless cake. It was THE chocoholic's perfect fix. It has evolved and added more decadence that may provide the chocolate but could be equally responsible for creating more chocolate fiends who expect dessert to deliver pure decadence. It is expansive and exciting as it melts in the mouth. It is a warm chocolate tarte with a ball of caramel ice cream in the center. While I like the contrasts in color, flavor and temperatures, it is the pure pleasure it exudes on the palate that will get you.  When sharing this dessert, be careful. You too will get to that point that will test your character and judgment. Don't fail the test.  What will you do when there is only one bite left and both of you have your forks raised? To share...or not to share? That IS the question...in a high brow sorta way. (On the other end of the scale, my teenage son would say "Back off Dude" and snatch the last bite!  Which means he answered Shakespeare's question...as applied to chocolate? It is best to know before arriving that you will face this test of your moral fiber.

The other signature dessert at Mustard's Grill always gets other diners to stare when a waiter carries it to the table. There is something about four inches of fluffy meringue balanced on top of your slice of key lime pie. It makes mouths water. It creates jealousy. It is something normal cooks don't try at home.

I used to view this as my "healthy dessert" choice. Think about it. Fruit is good for you as are egg whites. (Now it turns out that Woody Allen was right in Sleeper and that Chocolate is a health food too. Anti-oxidants.) The meringue defies gravity and usually stays on your fork. There is a freshness to the fruit that blends with the toasted top but mostly it gives a sweet sensation of softness that leaves you wanting another bite so you can close your eyes and enjoy it dissolving. Mostly, I think it is good to treat yourself to dessert sometimes...when you have allowed enough time to revel in its pleasures.

Both of these are worth the trip to Mustard's Grill.

 

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