Summer Sunday

Weekends in the late summer in California are busy! We have more social engagements than we know what to do with because everyone saves them for when the fog dissipates and it's sunny and warm all day. This past weekend was like that - not one, not two, not three but four events to attend. Isn't that marvelous?

One of these delights was brunch with our pal Sari. We had decided to drive over the bridge to Marin County to the little town of San Anselmo where the ratio of restaurants to intriguing little shops is roughly one to one. Sadly, our favorite restaurant, the one with the outdoor deck that hangs over the sparkling creek, had closed just days before and was sadly shuttered.

We were hungry (what else is new?) so we chose instead to start with brunch at Comforts Cafe. Sari had heard that they got a good review on Yelp and I had eaten there once before by myself. We asked for an outdoor table since it was one of those really lovely days and settled in to catch up and await nourishment.

Is this where I admit sheepishly that I ordered an espresso milk shake to accompany my pecan-nectarine pancakes? First making a slighting comment about starting breakfast with dessert, My Beloved consented to have a taste of my milkshake; I noticed he was very quiet while sucking down a healthy swig of my shake and his eyes rolled a little in pleasure despite his editorializing. Milkshakes are like that - they make believers of us all.

The pecan-nectarine pancakes arrived a few minutes later and they were amazing. On a continuum from crêpes to kneeling pads, these big, thick beauties were 'way on the kneeling pad end. Nearly half an inch thick, one made a meal and there were three on the plate. The thin nectarine slices decorated each side of the hotcakes in a pinwheel of sweet, caramelized fruit punctuated by crunchy bits of pecan. They were served with a huge dollop of unsalted butter and a cute little pitcher of real, warmed maple syrple. It may have been the milkshake's fault that I could only finish one. I took the other two home for subsequent breakfasts.

After brunch, we strolled along the main street, poking our noses into the shops and distributing our personal stimulus packages until we ended up at Heart Gallery, a delightful little gallery-cum-plant store where we dithered pleasantly over the purchase of a couple of plants and decorative pots for Sari's new home and a potted fountain for our new deck. The gallery also features paintings and sculptures, including delightful little paintings by the Marin artist and friend Barbara Giles.

On these busy summer weekends, it's important to keep one's strength up for the social whirl with pecan-nectarine pancakes, shopping and, of course, espresso shakes.