“A successful dinner [barbecue] is one that lasts a while and one where everyone leaves happy…”
—Laurie David
Dinner was called for 4 PM Saturday evening. Kyle and brother Chip's dad, Ed and Gerry, Chip and his wife Katie, and our son Jason attended.
There was ample time to socialize over appetizers of gourmet cheese and fresh veggies with hummus dip. The libations included beer, whiskey, Rombauer Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Napa Valley, and Kunde Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Sonoma Valley. Kyle, uncle Jason and I took turns pushing Lyla on her swing strapped to a most interesting mature, gnarly tree in the back of the yard.
Her "all smiles" baby sister Emmy got passed around to anyone who wanted to cuddle her which was pretty much everybody. The bill of fare for the evening was salmon and tri-tip as the main course. The side dishes were watermelon and feta cheese salad, grilled asparagus, Caesar’s salad that Gerry made, and oven- roasted baby carrots with sprinkled parmesan cheese that Cecile prepared. When it comes to barbecue, the tri-tip is king. It is a triangular cut from the bottom sirloin, mostly found in California. It is the brainchild of Bob Shultz who first introduced it in the 1950s when he owned the Santa Maria Market on North Broadway in the Central Coast region. Instead of grinding it up, he decided to roast a chunk of the lower sirloin and it became a hit. It is known as “California Cut” or "Santa Maria Steak.”
There are different types of barbecue. Texas has brisket, the Carolinas have pork, and California has the trick-tip.
As is customary, the incredibly tasty tri-tip is charred on the outside, and medium-rare rosy pink on the inside, with a mix or balance of tender and chewy consistency. Our grill master was our son-in-law Kyle Lewis—who also makes an amazing Margarita—and his older brother Chip was the master carver. Just before the sun began to set Kyle turned on their outdoor stringed patio lights that provided an exceptional, cozy ambiance. For dessert, we had anise, pumpkin, and chocolate chip biscotti that Cecile and I bought at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market earlier in the day. Last but not least Gerry and Ed contributed some homemade moist chocolate fudge brownies with a pinch of salt, and extraordinarily luscious homemade strawberry ice cream that Gerry made in her ice cream maker.
Postscript: My granddaughter Lyla walked over to where I was sitting and offered me a slice of cake on a lavender plate from her play kitchen.
