Lunch on the farm, dinner in town

Sutherlin, September 16—

WE HEADED SOUTH this morning, stopping first at Ken's Artisan Bakery for a croissant and a cappuccino, then at Pearl Bakery for some gibassiers and a bear claw. Lunch was at a farm-restaurant outside of Philomath, Gathering Together Farm, rather a delightful place serving lunch and dinner during the summer. Orchards, truck gardens, farm stand, pizza oven. I had a Margherita pizza with sweet high-keyed tomatoes and basil from their garden and a mozzarella-type cheese no doubt local as well, and it was not bad at all. Lindsey liked her semolina gnocchi.

Dinner was at a new Italian "osteria" in a shopping-plaza just north of Eugene, Sfizio — the word means "whim" or "caprice" in Italian. Full bar, comfortable tables and chairs outside on a terrace if you like, reasonable menu running to the usual appetizers, pastas, second, desserts. After a good Negroni to give me an appetite I had friarelli peppers fried in oil and served with sea salt — exactly the same as padron peppers — and then bucatini with artichoke hearts, anchovy, garlic, chili, lemon & breadcrumbs. Dessert? How can I pass up panna cotta? Delicious.

Pinot grigio, Apolloni