couldn't have asked for more.

Two days ago I turned twenty-four. I ate a lot of desserts. A lot.

It was wonderful. I couldn't have asked for more. I also ate a lot of other delicious food and went to a lot of my favorite places. In fact, three out of four of them. I am one lucky girl with some awesome and indulgent friends.  You know who you are!

First up. Three desserts and homemade fernet at Delancey. Yes three of them, all of which followed two different pizzas (one with fennel kimchi which was out of this world and my favorite of all time crimini mushroom pizza), goat cheese with more grilled fennel, and a salad with pickled rhubarb.  But before moving on to dessert- all of them- I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that I've decided I really don't like tomato sauce all that much.  In fact, I think it just gets in the way of all that cheese, grilled scapes, crimini, or fennel kimchi. I suppose however I've never had their tomato sauce, and if its anything like everything thing else I've had there, I am almost positive I could fall in love with it.

But moving on. As soon as we sat down I knew we would be getting all of the desserts.  Each of the three was perfect in their own right, I had my favorite, but whose really counting when they were all so delicious. Plus, we sat at the counter and had the most lovely service that is only possible on the west coast, but made me feel very much at home.

First. Almond cake with brandied cherries and lemon.

To be fair this was my least favorite out of my two day dessert eating extravaganza. Between the light almond flavor and the cherry, it was a bit too ameretto like for me- not the cakes fault, but rather my own taste preferences. But, there was some stiff competition and this cake against any other everyday desserts would have blown all other contenders out of the water. 

Second, and possibly my favorite because it is perfect in every which way-   Raspberry Pavlova with fresh Billy's strawberries and whipped cream. Often Pavlova can turn out chalky and fairly unappetizing, but done right it's chewy, crunchy, and pillowy all at the same time. 

Dessert Heaven. Literally a melt in your mouth, airy, summery, wonderful bite of cloud. With berries. 

Finally we ended the night with one of Molly's famous bittersweet salted chocolate chip cookies.  A minegarde, if you will, except gigantic and gooey and served in a to-go bag.  I love the cookies I make, not to be biased they are some of the best, but her's? These cookies are unreal. 

Maybe it was the liquid courage from the homemade fernet, but I found out their cookie secret. It blew my mind. I'm not going to share it though, until I test it out, but it may just change my life. 

Needless to say there wasn't a single morsel or drop left over. It couldn't have been more perfect and I couldn't have asked for more.  But then, it kept going. 

Welcome day two of birthday dessert tasting- Sitka and Spruce, which has been my ideal restaurant in Seattle and maybe anywhere for as long as I've known about it.  I mostly love it because it is exactly the type of food I want to eat all of the time, anytime, at home or out. Also, it's airy, rustic, farmy, light atmosphere is always exactly where I want to be most of the time- dining or otherwise.  They also have my all time favorite cake on the menu most of the time, so I figured the odds where in our favor. 

Gateau Basque. 

Somewhere between cake and pie, dessert and breakfast, it's the perfect combination of lots of things I love.  After having gateau basque at Sitka last fall I attempted to make my own.  It was fairly disastrous. My crust was too thick and I over cooked my pastry cream- something I still struggle with, but getting better. Still, it looked delicious and after re-trying Sitka's superior version, I think I am ready to give it another go sometime soon. 

We also sampled this. 

Homemade yogurt with pistachios and berries. Definitely less sweet, but a good final bite too a great meal.

I really do have lovely friends. Friends who will share five desserts and not blink an eye when I asked to walk to Molly Moon's to get ice cream too.

Really, I couldn't have asked for more.