OH. MY. GAWD.
This experience was so epic it gets it's own blog!
Let me begin with how we got here:
Pat and I wanted to do something special for the year we turned 50. We had originally planned an epic 3 week roadtrip to New Orleans, but due to many factors that wasn't working out. So one day Pat said "What about going to French Laundry?"
I about fainted.
When I realized he was serious - we decided to plan a trip around this whole thing. It's basically impossible to get in, but we figured if we don't get in, we'll figure something else out, but let's try. Oh and let's just throw it out there to people if anyone wanted to come along! FL or just for the weekend up in Napa Wine Country. I about fainted again when 6 of our dear foodie friends were instantly in!
We booked our trip dates with the hope of getting into French Laundry that Saturday or Sunday night of our trip (Those were the two nights we had a Rascal sitter - Thank you Libby and Robin!).
You can read about the entire trip in the blog posted
HERE. But this blog is about French Fucking Laundry.
Reservations for the following month go onsale at 10am the 1st of the month prior. We were shooting for May dates so April 1st at 10am we had 6 people with a plan of action (Thank you Donna - Julie's sister who wasn't even going but willing to try to get us a resy!) This was probably one of the most stressful 15 minutes of my entire life. April 1st - 10am - we're all on a group call on speaker - we're all at different locations on computers ready to go - 10am - website crashes. Yup. Back up - we're all frantically trying to book dates. We were all assigned a room and date - yes Terri planned this strategy (Sat or Sun) since our group was too big for the regular dining. This left us the Board Room, the Private Room and the Bay Laurel Tree Table (which is only available May through August). None of us are getting in. The reservations are timed, so we were planning to keep trying for 10 min or so in case some other sucker making a resy had issues and had to back out. All of a sudden Pat's voice shouts - "I'M IN!" He panics. We all freeze. He's trying to figure out what he grabbed. It seemed to be the Bay Laurel Tree Table. He's shouting out what he's seeing. He's realizing it's going to be more than we thought. He's too scared to click the back button. He does find some things that are "opt in's" and he opts out. But he couldn't opt out of the Evolution Menu. We all freeze. "It's alot more guys". There's a pause. We are all realizing this is our only way in. "I'm in!" shouts a voice. "Fuck it!" someone else shouts. "Do it!" screams another. Done. Booked. We may all have to sell a kidney or a child but HOLY SHIT WE GOT IN!!!
So - I think we all bought new clothes. Pat didn't even own a sports jacket. We started researching the Hell out of it. WOW! We knew we were in for an epic adventure - You guys - IT WAS EPIC! See below for probably one of the fanciest, tastiest, loveliest experiences of my damn life.
We all arrived early, gussied up and ready to go! We started some photo sessions before we went in.
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| We fancy! |
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| My car crew |
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| Thomas Keller's garden across the way |
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| We're all here!!!! |
We then headed in and did another photo session as we were waiting and the of course by the famous blue door! Also can you believe how we all kind of accidentally matched! Ha! This was not planned I swear!
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| There's our table! |
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| The Foodie Crew! |
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| Jules |
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| Ladies Selfie! |
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| Terri |
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| I love us! |
Then I about died when they said "You want a tour of the kitchen before you're seated? SQQQUUEEEAAAAA!!!!!
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| The chefs at work |
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| Kitchen Selfie |
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| I'm in awe |
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| Pat is in heaven |
We then were seated at the Bay Laurel Tree Table. And the evening began!
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| Cheers! |
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| My beautiful cousin Annie and David |
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| Pat had bought the cookbook and it was waiting for us! |
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| Sqqquueeee! We here! |
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| We all did wine pairings |
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| Lots of fantastic convo was happening through the night |
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| Do I look happy? |
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| Nicole was our main gal |
Then the food began! HOLY. SHIT. Sarah got a "Food Pic" of everyone!
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| David |
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| Annie |
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| Julie |
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| Me |
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| Noel |
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| Pat |
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| Terri |
Ready for it.....
HERE WE GO!
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| I'm dying..... |
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The famous Salmon Cornet - Salmon Tartare with Sweet Onion Cream Fraiche |
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| Like we haven't even started the menu yet - these were just the amuse-bouche! They called this fancy cheese whiz and madeleine with a bacon jam. May have been the best cheese I've ever tasted in my life! |
And now the menu begins with the famous Oysters and Pearls!
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| The presentation |
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| The reveal |
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| "Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Regiis Ova Caviar. OH. MY. GAWD! |
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| "Soupe Glacee a la Noix de Coco" with Grilled Hawaiian Heart of Peach Palm. I may have licked the bowl. |
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| I may have shrieked with delight here... |
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| Monterey Bay Spot Prawn "Tartare" with Tahitian Vanilla-Cognac "Gelee" |
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| Manni Olive Oil Poached Spanish Cuttlefish with Rumi Saffron "Vierge". This sauce was my favorite of the night. Never have I had a flavor combination like that. My mouth is watering writing this now - I basically scooped every last drop of that out of there. |
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| This is the only one that was changed out from the menu, so I can't totally remember - but it was a Scallop in a yummy vanilla gelatin of some sort with amazing caviar on top! |
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| Crispy Japanese Sea Snail with Wilted Arrowleaf Spinach |
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| Dude. It's a giant seashell! |
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| Hen Egg Custard with a Ragout of Perigord Truffles. Yes that's in a perfectly cut in half egg shell! |
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| One of Annie's favorites |
Then there was this ridiculous amazing palate cleanser!
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| Golden Pineapple Sorbet with Young Ginger Jelly |
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| So then this lovely fellow came out and showed us where our next course was coming from and explained how they made it before it came to us beautified. Although - that was pretty damn beautiful! |
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And this was it - Liberty Farms Pekin Duck "Dodine" with "Salade Rouge", Sicilian Pistachio and Perigord Winter Truffle "Vinaigrette" DUDE! Then we got a lovely roll from Ad Hoc - another Keller Restaurant and some fancy butter! How can butter be so cute! |
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| Chesapeake Bay Soft Shell Crab with Coachella Valley Yellow Corn "Chow Chow and Old Bay "Mayonnaise" |
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| Fontina Cheese "Souffle" with Aged Parmesan Crisp and Preserved Perigord Winter Truffle "Confit" |
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| Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Neck "en Crepe" with Wild Oregon Morel Mushroom, Garden Nantes Carrot and "Paloise Gastrique" |
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"Caesar Salad" - Four Story Hill Farm "Poularde Presse", Green Thompson Grapes and Compressed Romaine Lettuce - Have you ever seen a damn salad like this?!?!?!? |
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| Taking it all in! |
So there was a slight pause here in courses. They had a speaker pumping music out in the background and I swear they knew they had a damn GenX table (Honestly wouldn't be surprised if that was friggin planned) Lots of singing along, fun conversation and loads of laughter. I must also mention here that Justin - the head waiter - never let my water glass go empty and if anyone knows me knows how much water that is! LOL. I can't upload video here anymore, but Sarah caught so much of this via video!
As we moved into the later part - the next dish required a good knife - well ya'll - THEY CAME OUT WITH A KNIFE SET AND WE GOT TO PICK! Like what?!
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| My knife of choice |
Then came this deliciousness!
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| Charcoal Grilled Japanese Miyazaki Wagyu with Garden Chive Blossoms and Carmelized Vidalia Onion "Bouillon" |
After that rich delectable part - it was on to the dessert! It started out with the cheese part.
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| Von Trapp "Oma" Basque Cheesecake with Sour Cherry "Marmalade" and Rye "Melba" |
And then the desserts just kept coming....
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| Jacobsen Orchards Mulberry Baked Alaska with "Creme de Cassis" Mulberries and Garden Honey Cake |
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| This was the little coffee goodness that accompanied the donuts |
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| Friggin donuts! |
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| "Mignardises" |
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| Truffles to die for! What isn't pictured is when you flip them over it says Hazelnut, Pecan, Apple, Mint, depending on which one you got - like printed beautifully! I of course didn't notice until after I devoured a bunch (and yes - this girl brought some ziploc baggies in her purse and took any that were left home to share!) FYI Hazelnut "Daquoise", Chocolate Ganache and Praline Buttercream |
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| K+M 55% Ecuador Chocolate "Mousse", 85% Abinoa Cocoa Nib Crunchy and Caramel "Mousseline" |
Then they came out with a damn cake for us! What!?
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| This was after everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and Pat |
Probably one of the highlights was when Nicole came out and presented Pat and I with an ENGRAVED BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE! It said "Happy 50th Birthday Jami and Patrick" You guys - this did it. I promptly burst into tears. It hit me how special this night was. How special this trip was. How special this group of people - the French Laundry Crew and the entire Wine Country Trip Crew meant to me. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience made all the more special by the amazing staff at French Laundry. I can't even put into words how grateful I felt and still feel and will feel for the rest of my life.
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Right before I burst into tears |
Some of the group opted for cigars after the meal as we all tried to digest what we just experienced.
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| Curtis - our Sommelier and Cigar guy |
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| Pat |
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| Noel |
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| The Cigar Group! Pat, Noel, Sarah, T and David |
Sarah then asked if they would take a picture of all of us with some of the staff and they did! Back in the damn kitchen!
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| Julie snuck into the observation room - people (other chefs usually) can sit here and watch the kitchen. Oh how I would love to sit there one night and just watch! |
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| The best staff eva! |
After this Nicole asked if we'd like a tour of the Wine Cellar and to say our farewell to Curtis. Um HELL YES!
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| Wine Cellar Selfie |
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| That's hundred of thousands of wine right there.... |
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| Me and David saying bye to the French Laundry |
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| Curtis and the boys |
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| T and Curtis |
Oh and for those winos interested in what wines we drank throughout the dinner here ya go:
1 - Krug Grand Cuvee, Reims, Champagne MV. 2 - Livio Felluga "illivio", Friuli Colli Orientali 2002. 3 - Moreau-Naudet Chablis, "Montmains", 1er Cru, Burgundy 2022. 4 - Thierry Pillot Meursault, "Narvaux", Burgundy 2022. 5 - Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino, "Poggio Al Vento", Tuscany 2016. 6 - Detert Family Cabernet Franc, "East Block", Oakville 2022.
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| Our parting gifts - the menu, wine list, our champagne (and yes some napkins I snaked from the bathroom - I am truly my mothers daughter) |
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| Thomas Keller signed Pat's Cookbook! |
Friends - I can't say enough what a perfect evening this was! I'm truly so very grateful and humble to have been able to do this with such a wonderful group of friends. There's a lot of uncertainty in our future right now and so much going on in the world, our country, etc. But for a little while - a perfect little while - we were able to just enjoy and appreciate amazing food, amazing wine, amazing people. My heart is so happy and so full.
Take the trip.
Do the thing.
Make the memories.
