Final catchup

Eastside Road, August 3, 2013—

YES, HOME AGAIN, and on the whole gratefully so. But in the flurry of settling back in, Eating Every Day has been on hold, and it's time to bring it up to date. So:

Nice, July 29:

The three-course menu at a restaurant du quartier where I've been previously on such an occasion: farewell dinner with friends. I had a delicious soft terrine of violet artichokes, faintly flavored with nutmeg, and then a perfectly grilled and salted contre-filet of beef, softened under chive butter, the most discreet possible use of chives. (My dislike of chives is the result of their nearly universal over-use: one stem, snipped into tiny bits, is enough for any single serving.) Also on the steak: sliced green pepper, pine nuts.

Dessert: cherry clafoutis, the only proper clafoutis, say I, compromised a bit by an irrelevant dusting of powdered sugar, otherwise very good, almost as good as Erik's a couple of weeks ago.

Côtes de Provence, Cuvée Rayne, 2011

* Rendez-vous des Amis, 176 Avenue de Rimiez, Nice; +33 4 93 84 49 66

In flight, July 30:

Some kind of pasta in tomato sauce, but why bother taking notes?

Berkeley, July 31:

An absolutely delicious porchetta sandwich from

• The Local Butcher Shop, 1600 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley; (510) 845-6328
Eastside Road, August 1:Franco's Sicilian sausage (pork, coriander, white pepper, fennel) with cabbage and the last of my purple potatoes; green salad

Trentatre Rosso, Salento (Puglia)

Santa Rosa, August 2:

Moroccan Style Lamb Chops, Preserved Lemon Couscous,
Spiced Almonds & Arugula. Lindsey let me share her Jones Farm Rabbit Rillettes, Spiced Grape Chutney

Tamì Nero d’Avola, Sicilia

• Willi's Wine Bar, 4404 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa; 707.526.3096