Soups

Eastside Road, December 13, 2016—

Turkey soup

Mushroom soup

TODAY IS FAST DAY, Tuesday — a couple of pieces of buttered toast with the morning cappuccino; a small handful of cashews and almonds with the evening tea. But I suddenly realize it's three days since last I noted the daily intake.

Two of those days, the weekend, we dined at home, on soup. On Saturday it was the last of the turkey soup made from David Tanis's recipe; I wrote about it last week — a Mexican soup, I think you could say, and a very good one.

Sunday Cook made a mushroom soup: how, I'm not sure. A cream of mushroom soup, I'd say, probably on turkey stock, though I'm not sure. I really should ask her about these things, but I forget to, just as I sometimes forget to tend to this blog. Soup apparently doesn't address problems with the memory!

Vin blanc du Var, La Ferme Julien, serviceable

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I EVEN FORGOT to take note of yesterday's lunch, taken enjoyably, with a friend we're fond of, down in Berkeley. I know I began with a delicious salad involving Treviso radicchio and croustades with black-cod rillettes, a truly magnificent salad; and then went on to a dish of penne with mushrooms and a sort of mild, nearly meatless Bolognese sauce.

And then dessert. This was so pretty I regretfully hauled out the iPhone, until then neglected in favor of conversation. (The penne were delicious, but pasta and mushrooms don't always make the most fetching visual appearance.) Alas, the light was not propitious. It rarely is, but the result is particularly hurtful here.

The dish was simply lemon ice cream with lemon granita; slices of tangerine to garnish, and a langue du chat. The granita is at the bottom, and as I look at its color I believe it must have contained both lemon and tangerine. The textures of the two frozen desserts complemented one another beautifully.

Vin blanc de Savoie, Les Abymes; Corbières rouge

•Café Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, California; 510-54-5525

☛RESTAURANTS VISITED, with information and rating:  2016   2015