Guacamole

Eastside Road, November 7, 2013—

A LITTLE OF THIS, a little of that today. For lunch, this guacamole, which I made in my usual way: roast a couple of habañera peppers, skin, core, and seed them, and chop them finely along with a good-sized shallot or two, half a bunch of cilantro, and half a small Mexican lime. I chop sea-salt right into this, using a mezzaluna Lindsey's father made for us. Then I mash this with a couple of avocados, adding a sprinkling of tequila. With it, tortilla chips of course; then a couple of pieces of garlic-and-olive-oil toast. Yum!

Then we hit the road, first to see a marvelous little exhibit of Richard Dienbenkorn works on paper, then to have an affogato (Lindsey) and a macchiato (me) at a café we like en route to San Francisco where we were going to a short concert-discussion. Emporio Rulli seems very fancy inside: sparkling glass and mirrors, polished wood panelling, marble: but if you've travelled in Piemonte you know this is just how any reasonably upscale cafe is supposed to look. We like it. We feel comfortable here, and the coffee is just fine, ditto the vanilla gelato.

In the car, on the way home, a slice of focaccia from Downtown Bakery & Creamery; then before bed a nightcap: a glass of Mandarine, because we need our fruit, you know…

• Emporio Rulli, 464 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, California; (415) 924-7478