Ca’ Bianca

Healdsburg, Dec. 5—

A PLEASANT, QUIET Italian restaurant; a couple of dear friends: a find way to end a week at home, and welcome the first really cold weather of the year. We split a green salad; I went on to a nice sprezzatini — braised beef with aromatics, polenta on the side.

Arceno, Toscana, 2004

EARLIER, LUNCH with another old friend visiting from New York: oysters on the half shell, braised spinach with sesame seeds.

Sauvignon blanc, Dry Creek Valley, 2008

I've made a few little corrections here, spurred by my dear wife who dislikes inaccuracies