“You know you’re getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It’s like, ’See if you can blow this out.”
—Jerry Seinfeld
Following a recommendation from some friends, we decided to have my birthday dinner at Bittersweet Bistro, recognized by locals as one of the top restaurants in Santa Cruz County for over 30 years. Cecile and I shared the chef special for our starter appetizer called “Arancini," a well-known Italian classic that hails from 10th century Sicily, when under Arab rule. It’s composed of breaded balls of risotto stuffed with spicy corn risotto, mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs and fried in hot extra virgin olive oil to a crispy golden-brown perfection. It was served with marinara sauce, basil oil & parmigiana reggiano. We sopped up the marinara sauce with pieces of the complimentary sour dough bread. I had a bottle of 805 beer and Cecile ordered a glass of chardonnay.
While savoring every bite, Cecile and I recalled my late Zia Cettina who made them for us when we were visiting my relatives on my mother’s side in Roccalumera, Sicily, Province of Messina. My aunt was without a doubt a great cook and could have given the chefs on the food channel a run for their money.
For our entrees, Cecile and I shared a fresh Nectarine Salad with caramelized onions, roasted garlic, gorgonzola cheese, smoked mozzarella and hoisin sauce; and, Chicken Piccata: pan seared organic free-range chicken breast, white wine, demi-glace, lemon and capers sauce; au gratin potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Last, but not least, we ordered the special blackberry crisp with vanilla bean ice cream and one lit candle:) Our waitress began the Happy Birthday song. At the end I clapped my hands and the compressed air from the clap extiguished the flame. Another beaufiful sunset awaited us when we got back to our Seascape suite.
