HYLYT

Have You Loved You Today

Should We Be Counting Calories?

To count or not to count, that is the question. There are two camps in the “wellness world” when it comes to the matter- there are those who count religiously, tracking every meal, and those who don’t count calories at all, following mindful and intuitive eating. When we think about the reasoning behind most people’s motivation to count calories, it is to manage weight or change how their body looks. No one counts calories for the fun of it. (If you’re out there, please stand up lol)

There is a time and place where counting calories is entirely useful and sometimes necessary. But for most of us, it serves to be more of a stressor than a tool to help us live in our happiest, healthiest form.

Today, I’m here to tell you that it is NOT necessary for most people to count calories to meet their weight goals or maintain a healthy lifestyle. I’ve been in that calorie-counting whirlpool and it brought obsessive habits and fear of food. It made me put food into categories based on how “good” or “bad” they were depending if they were low or high calorie foods. If I went over my limit one day, I punished myself with a long run to make up for it, and I would eat less than my calorie needs the next day to account for it. Talk about having a negative relationship with food!!

Maybe you’ve been there, too? I can also tell you it feels so much better to eat mindfully and follow my body’s hunger and fullness signals to tell me how much to eat. It’s so freeing to choose foods because they nourish me rather than having to opt for egg whites, rice cakes, and 100 calorie snack packs. But maybe you are in a situation where calorie counting has been helpful for your overall health!

A few situations where it can be helpful to track calories:

  • You are a competitive body builder who is prepping for a competition. I get it, in this situation your calorie marks should be pretty exact (not too much, not too little) to look your best for a show. If you love body building and physique comps go for it!
  • You have a medical condition that requires you to be consistent in your calorie intake. An example would be someone preparing for a gastric bypass surgery who needs to lose x amount of weight before their scheduled surgery date. This makes the surgery safer for the patient and easier for the doctor to perform. Calories count here.
  • You are just beginning a health journey where you don’t have the established intuition of how to eat (what and how much). For some people, it can be helpful to track calories on an app like MyFitnessPal for a few months to get an understanding of how portion sizes and calories interact. As you get accustomed, you can loosen the reigns. You will have a sense of a portion size of the foods you eat, without needing to have a numbers game constantly running through your mind.
Avocado toast is one of my favorite ways to start the day.

So yes, calorie counting can be useful uncertain instances, but for the average, fairly healthy person, there are other places to focus our energy when it come to making food choices.

Am I saying to throw all cares to the wind and eat with abandon? No! Look at nutrition labels, yes! Be mindful of what a serving is and how many calories there are. But beware, a lower calorie item is not always “better” for you than a higher calorie item.

We have to think about macronutrients- protein, carbs, and fat.

We must also consider micronutrients- all the vitamins and minerals in our food from vitamin A to calcium and everything in between.

Then even beyond that, we have to look at the vast world of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and probiotics.

What makes our food supportive of health and an appropriate weight comes down to the entire picture of the food- not just calories.

And what is “better” anyway? Better at making sure you don’t gain weight? The irony is, calories are not the only factor that dictates weight loss and weight gain. Not to mention, sometimes if people consume too few calories in the short term, they mess with their metabolism, conditioning their body to run off of fewer calories and hold onto fat stores. In turn, they end up gaining the weight back (or even more) as soon as they eat more calories again.

So how do we ditch the urge to count? Focus on portion size and food quality. If you have no idea where to start, that is when working with a dietitian (Oh heyyy, I take clients from anywhere via Skype) would be valuable to get you on the right track for you.

Mindful eating is the practice of paying attention to your food when you eat. When does your body signal that you are hungry or when you are finished eating? Are you craving a bowl of veggies or do you need some red meat? Slow down, eat undistracted, chew your food. Is your body pulling you toward a food and urge to eat because you are hungry? Or are you stressed, bored, dehydrated, or simply just seeing food that makes you want to eat it? Begin taking time to acknowledge the intentions behind your food choices and how they make you feel. It can be a funny concept in the beginning, (because our society like to push all of our innate eating cues out the window), but after a while, it begins to feel natural.

Instead of focusing our efforts on counting calories, you can transform your health when you begin to be cognizant of hitting goals that nourish your body and stave off disease.

What should we be mindful of besides calories for improved health, weight loss, and a longer life?

A notebook with healthy goal reminders is a great way to stay on track!

Fiber- Good for more than just producing daily bowel movements, fiber helps lower cholesterol, detox excess hormones like estrogen, supports a healthy gut microbiome, balances blood sugar, and helps keep you full! Men need 38 grams and women need 25 grams daily. No need to get a fiber supplement- seek out veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds (like chia and flax), and whole grains.

Water- Drink half your body weight in ounces each day. For example, if you are 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water. (More if you exercise or are out in hot weather!)

Veggies- Eat as many as you can! Ensure that you get a variety, as well. Cooked and raw offer different benefits, as well as every single color. Baseline veggie recommendation is 2-3 cups per day.

Sugar- The recommendation- less is best. In the US, the current recommendation is to get no more than 10% of your calories from sugar. This falls between 6 and 9 teaspoons (25-37.5 grams) for most people, depending on your calorie intake. This is easier to keep tabs on nowadays because “added sugar” is a section that has been added to the nutrition facts label.

The yolk drop!! She’s a beaut! Avocado toast this am had a Japanese twist with furikake sprinkles and a homemade miso-sesame dressing before I shmeared the toast with avo.

Have you ever been a calorie counter? What’s your take on the matter? I’m happy to have an open discussion about if you love/ or hate counting calories- all opinions are welcomed!

Have a great weekend!

XO, Alexandra

Safe Sunscreens for Face, Body, and the Environment

Summer is right around the corner, so I feel that this topic is very appropriate: SUNSCREEN. And not just any sunscreen from CVS will do. Just like with food, it is so critical to check the ingredients, because not all sunscreens are created equal. Sun protection is key every single day to protect your skin and prevent signs of aging- (dermatologists/ estheticians will 100% agree that daily SPF application is the number one way to prevent aging.) Number one!!! So why aren’t more of us using it?

In the past, sunscreens have been thick and make you look chalky, feel sticky, and if you’re like me… cause serious breakouts all over. BUT sunscreen tech has come a long way, and I have personally found some gems that make it easy for me to keep a sunscreen routine on the daily.

I’m not a skincare expert by trade or education, but I sometimes feel like I would be an esthetician if I weren’t a dietitian because I cannot learn enough about skincare. I listen to podcasts about it, I follow instagram accounts of some amazing dermatologists and estheticians. I always want to learn the latest and greatest about skin. I’ve learned along the way from the fabulous experts out there, and now I’m sharing from personal experience which products work for me, keep my toxic load lower, and help preserve our environment. So throw on your sunhat and grab a lounge chair while we dive into sunscreen (figuratively and literally).

A quick note about sun exposure- Sun provides us with the gift of producing vitamin D when it hits our skin. Vitamin D is important for many reasons, from bone health to hormone production, and unfortunately, most of us don’t get enough. Depending on the season and location you live in, sun exposure can’t produce enough vitamin D on the skin all the time. Check this map to scope out your area and how much sun time you need to get sufficient vitamin D. For SoCal, we can get enough vitamin D from 20-60 minutes WITHOUT sunscreen (the time length depends on skin color- lighter skin needs less time). This window should be the only time you got without SPF. Get your half hour or so, then slather one the sunscreen.

Drunk Elephant SPF 30- Goes on sheer and doesn’t clog my pores. It also has ingredients like algae extract and sunflower sprout extract to protect against oxidation from environmental damage.

OK, so now that we know the sun can be a good thing to provide us with vitamin D (when we are not wearing SPF), let’s talk the importance of using a physical sunscreen rather than a chemical sunscreen when we are protecting ourselves from the rays.

There are two types of sunscreen- physical, which contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient, and chemical sunscreen, which uses a slew of actives like oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. I’m not here to judge you on your sunscreen choices, but I do want to take the time to educate and inform in case this is news to you!

Why physical sunscreen? It’s better for you, and better for the environment. Physical sunscreens work by sitting on top of your skin reflecting the sun’s rays like a shield. The molecules of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are too big to be absorbed by the skin, so there is no risk of harmful side effects! They are just natural minerals that sit there and do their job. SO ideal.

My daily ride or die- Suntegrity Impeccable Skin!!! I’ve gotten my mom and sister on this, too! It’s got vitamin C and E- great for antioxidant protection, brightening, and anti-aging. Not only does this one block the sun’s rays, but it also blocks blue light from phone/computer screens, which is being found to be as aging as the sun!

Chemical sunscreen, on the other hand, works by absorbing the sun’s rays and then turning them into heat. Essentially this heats up your skin on a micro-level (which can be very inflammatory, especially for those with rosacea, melasma, or who are prone to redness.)

Lab studies show certain chemical blockers could be endocrine disruptors. One full body application of a chemical sunscreen has enough estrogen-mimicking properties to be equivalent to a dose of hormone replacement therapy required for a menopausal woman!! Chemical sunscreen can also be a contributor of breakouts for those who are acne-prone. And if you’re someone who struggles with brown spots, definitely avoid them because the heating of the skin will only make matter worse. Thank you, next!

The last reason I do not support chemical sunscreen is the environmental impact. Chemical blockers oxybenzone and octinoxate (among a few others) bleach, damage, and KILL coral reefs. So much sunscreen ends up in our oceans adding stress to the ecosystem. Coral gets damaged at the DNA level so they cannot reproduce and die starving for nutrients because they become incased in their own skeleton. This is so devastating, as so much aquatic life depends on the thriving ecosystem coral provides. In fact, in an effort to protect the reefs and all of the life they support, places like Hawaii, Key West, and parts of Mexico have all banned the selling and use of chemical sunscreens. Unless you have a medical condition that requires chemical over physical sunscreen use, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!

Pacifica Mineral Bronzing Sunscreen adds a perfect beachy bronze tint while you spray. Who doesn’t love a little extra summer glow?!

I hope this post educates you and gives you hope that there is something you can do (a very easy switch, IMO) to care for your skin while protecting the environment. We can all make a change that adds up to make a big difference. I would love to know if there are any physical sunscreens you have tried and loved- please share!

Have a great weekend!!

XO, Alexandra

3 Supplements for STRESS

I just recently gave a talk on heart health nutrition for a Women’s Heart group, which is a national group of women who have experienced a heart event ( aka heart attack, but some women feel more empowered if they don’t actually refer to it as a heart attack). 

We touched on a lot of information from the Mediterranean diet to supplements and everything in between. One area I really thought was important is the concept of the dreaded S Word- STRESS. How do we combat it with what we consume? Why is stress potentially so detrimental to our health? Stress leads to increases in cortisol, which leads to inflammation, which is the root of all disease- including heart events.

To break it down, inflammation causes oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which circulates through our bloodstream causing micro-damage to the epithelial cells that line our blood vessels. This damage causes more inflammation and results in congregation of foam cells which build up the plaque in arteries. Get enough of that plaque and you’re a walking risk of a heart event. (If you’ve made it this far, the tough, scienc-y part is over.)

So by combatting stress, we can reduce our inflammation and preserve our health and stave off chronic disease! I want to share some awesome supplements straight from my Women’s Heart talk to include in your daily routine if you are someone who undergoes stress. Anyone??  🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

These supps can make a big difference for women and men alike. They are all natural, rooted in research, and for most people, have little to no side effects. There may be some drug-nutrient interactions, so check with your doctor before starting a new supplement. A simple google search of “drug nutrient interaction (drug name) (supplement name)” can also provide the safety information you need if you want to double check something you are already taking.

Ashwagandha

Fun to say unless you are Kourtney Kardashian on Ellen promoting her new collab with Vital Proteins- “its got ashuhhh something”. Know your stuff- ashwaganda is a root that we consider to be an adaptogen. This means when consumed, it has the ability in the body to help moderate stress and *adapt* to our stressors. Much needed in today’s world. This funky root helps to balance cortisol, supports a positive mood, aids in sleep, and helps to combat stress. It can be found in capsule and powder form. I like adding a bit of the powder to a smoothie or latte. It has a pretty distinct flavor, so it helps to mask it within a recipe or with a tea, a splash of almond milk, and some manuka honey. KUDOS if you can drink it straight up. Either way, ashwagandha will calm down your stress and anxiety and help you adapt to it.

Reishi

A mushroom with superpowers if there was such a thing. Not a psychedelic shroom, nor the kind you cook with and use as a pizza topping. This type of mushroom is a woody shroom that is harvested and made into a powder- it goes through two extractions (one through alcohol and one through hot water) to isolate the beneficial components. Then you can take that powder and put it into capsules, or mix it into beverages and other recipes. Reishi is a mushroom that is known for its de-stressing and sleep-supporting properties. It won’t make you drowsy, as it’s not a sedative, but when consumed on a daily basis, it can support sleep cycles. Reishi also helps you chilllll out after a long day. Sip a reishi tea latte a couple hours before bed to wind down. Ahhhhh…..

Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies we see in the United States for a few reasons. 1: Most of the foods it can be found in are fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains- which tend to be lacking in the Standard American Diet. 2: Magnesium is depleted from things like consuming caffeine, smoking, and alcohol- which there is no shortage of in the US. 3: Mag is depleted when we are stressed-which we probably all face at least once every single day. In conclusion – WE ALL NEED MAGNESIUM.

Magnesium has a calming effect on the body, helps to relax muscles, and prepares the body for sleep. Some call it “nature’s xanax”, so we know it has some serious de-stressing power lol. Take this one an hour before bed to really help soothe and lull you into dreamland.

It would be ideal to make sure you are getting enough magnesium from your diet, but this is not always realistic, given food quality, stress factors, and other lifestyle factors. So, this is a time where it is appropriate to supplement. A few tips when selecting a magnesium supp- if you choose to go the oral route, look for magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate. These two forms are best absorbed and used by the body. Another option is a physical magnesium, which you can spray/apply to the skin for maximum absorption without any gastric issues. (Sometimes oral mag helps produce a smooooth morning bowel movement, and hey, that vibe isn’t for everyone.) So whether you prefer oral or physical magnesium, you can reap the relaxation benefits.

To wrap all the de-stressing supps up, I encourage you to try one, or all of them out and see how they can assist in combatting your everyday stressors and promote restful sleep. Kicking stress as much as we can is one of the best ways we can preserve our health in the long run. I’m off to go take my magnesium and sip on some reishi tea!

XO, Alexandra

Wellness Morning Routine

Do you have a morning routine? I’m not talking brushing your teeth and combing your hair. (Although I do hope you do those things). I’m talking wellness morning routine. How do you start your day off strong and centered? Everyone’s answer will be different. Maybe you have never thought about developing a wellness routine before- that’s totally ok! But I’m here to tell you it makes a world of difference to the tone of your day if you do have one.

I’m not saying my routine is the ideal that everyone should follow, BUT if you are looking for some inspo for your personal routine and are curious to see how someone else does it, look no further. I personally loooove watching/listening/reading about other people’s morning wellness routines. It’s fun to get inspired with the intention of having the best wellness routine for YOU.

So take whatcha want, and leave whatcha don’t. I hope you enjoy this peek into my current morning wellness routine. It wakes me up, it makes me feel good, and it sets the tone of the day positively and with a focus on taking good care of myself. Enjoy!

Diffuser, Baby!!

If you don’t have a diffuser in your life, you need one!! Nothing is more relaxing than dropping in some essential oils and having it perfume the air while you start your day. Let me tell you, if you want at-home spa vibes, the diffuser makes it happen. I love eucalyptus and lemongrass for energizing and lavender and rose at the end of the day to unwind. Do get your essential oils from a quality, reputable brand. You are breathing this in, so be wary of a very cheap oil on Amazon from a company you haven’t heard of. Find out the company’s practices that go into sourcing and producing the product.

Gratitude Journal/Devotion

What makes people happier? Gratitude. Research has shown time and time again that one of the most authentic and lasting ways to increase your happiness factor is to practice gratitude. This might mean something different to everyone. For me, it means writing down a few things each day that I am grateful for. Stick with it, and you’ll notice yourself seeing the good and positive things that come across your path each day!

There is also value in spiritual wellness- those who live the longest have one! Do you, and find one that lights your heart up. Mine involves prayer and a biblical devotion that I do with my sister and mom via text each day. We all read the same devotional then share our thoughts together and pray!

Incense all Day

Maybe I’m obsessed with all of the good smelling things, but I believe a good scent can frame your mood for the better. Aromatherapy has the power to boost mood, relax us, help us focus, or energize us. A certain scent can even conjure up a vivid memory! So I burn incense to get a relaxed state of focused-calm. Something about the swirling smoke is soothing while also putting me into a creative mindset. Do you know what I mean?

There are plenty of incense options out there if the traditional patchouli/sandalwood vibe isn’t your thing. There are two I bounce between- the first are the ones pictured- Cherry Blossom from Tokyo Incense Oedo-Koh.

Everything from the packaging to the fragrance is luxurious and very authentic old-world Japanese. The other scent I love to burn, especially when it’s a sunny day and I’m feeling tropical is Hawaiian High incense. Vacation mode activated!!

By this point my home smells divine, and I’m ready to make my favorite beverage!

The Morning Elixir

In addition to chugging down a huge glass of water right when I wake up, I also make this hot latte every morning. If I don’t, my whole day is off! (Not to mention it gives me a little caffeine boost, which always helps get the day going). Every ingredient in my latte is intentional for a specific benefit. Let’s break it down, shall we?

Matcha

If you have bounced around my blog or instagram , you will know that I am a matcha-obsessed human. It’s very trendy now, but I’ve been on the matcha train for over a decade. Matcha is essentially green tea leaves that are ground into a powder. You mix this powder with water, and bam!- instant tea! It’s significantly higher in antioxidants than regular tea because you are consuming the whole leaf, instead of steeping the leaf into the tea then removing it.

Matcha has so many benefits in addition to its antioxidant levels (which bring good skin, slowing of aging, and disease prevention.) I love it for the light kick of caffeine, but here’s the catch- no jitters or crash like you get with coffee because of L-theanine, an amino acid that produces an alert sense of calm/focus. This is what the monks of Japan drink in order to meditate for hours (there lies the proof of matcha’s calm-alertness properties). Not that I’m a monk, but we could all use that kind of focus in our daily life, right?

Collagen and Shrooms

Next, we add our scoop of collagen creamer to hot water to make this bevvie extra creamy and smooth. I’ve tried a lot of collagen products, but I really like Vital Proteins collagen creamer simply because of the vanilla flavor and creamy texture. It really elevates and tea/ elixir you are making to something more luxurious. Collagen is great for supporting healthy joints/hair/skin/nails/gut lining. This is a supplement that you need to be consistent with. Our bodies are constantly regenerating, so think of collagen no different than exercise- if you don’t incorporate it into your routine, the results won’t stick around for long. Collagen doesn’t stay forever in our bodies (hello, aging skin), so even on a consumption level, if you want to reap the benefits, stick with collagen on a consistent, long-term basis.

As far as the shrooms, we are talking medicinal mushrooms, not psychedelic, nor the kind you get on pizza. I could do a whole series of posts on mushrooms, but to sum it up, these mushrooms are adaptogens (when we consume them, they help us adapt to the stresses and environmental factors of life). The blend I like is from Four Sigmatic. They are who I would consider to be an industry leader in the world of superfood mushrooms.

Their products are high quality and inventive for modern-day needs. The blend I mix into my latte has 10 mushrooms in it with benefits like combating stress, increasing brain-power, and boosting energy. I highly recommend checking out Four Sigmatic’s website for their in-depth “Mushroom Academy”, which is a great beginner’s education guide to all things mushroom!

Spearmint Tea

Spearmint tea is a ride-or-die. I must drink this every day for it’s hormonal acne benefits. There is a slew of research supporting that the consumption of spearmint tea suppresses androgen production, aka one of the root causes of acne. I just drop this bag into my matcha/collagen/mushroom elixir and let it steep for 10 minutes. Again, this one requires consistency and patience to see the benefit, but if you are someone who suffers from acne (even hormonal/adult acne🙋🏻‍♀️), add spearmint tea to your toolkit. It seems to be sold out more and more frequently at the health food stores, so I think people are catching on to the secret of spearmint!

lol, this plate my mom got me

I hope you enjoyed taking a little glimpse into my morning wellness routine! I would love to know if you do anything to start your day off right! Let’s get inspired by each other!

XO, Alexandra

The French Laundry

This is epic. 

What a way to kick off the rebirthing of HYLYT after a veryyyy long hiatus-

None other than an in-depth, course-by-course review of The French Laundry… OH YES!!!! Somehow my mother, sister, and I ended up dining here to celebrate my sister’s 21st birthday. Thank God she is a foodie, because this gift also felt like a birthday present to me!

Reservations were made months in advance. It didn’t feel real until we made our way to the entrance- a simple golden plaque reading “The French Laundry” followed by a blue door and a peek through the windows into the newly remodeled state-of-the-art kitchen. 

If you don’t know about TFL: It is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant located in Yountville (near Napa, California). The genius of the menu (which changes daily) is at the hand of none other than the renowned chef Thomas Keller. The menu revolves around classic French cuisine with the highest standards for ingredient quality and service. With the attention to ingredients, service, and detail that is held by the staff at TFL, it is an experience that you can almost not put into words. You have to be immersed in it to truly get it…

Alas, I shall do my best to recount the experience should you be a curious foodie or a soon-to-be diner at TFL. Let’s begin, shall we?

Amuse Bouche

First things first- once we were taken to our table and given the opportunity to order a bottle of celebratory champagne from the veryyyyy extensive wine list, we were presented with the first bite of the night. This was an ahi tuna cone of sorts- slightly sweet, a little umami, and one of those moments where you wish you had a platter-full of stuffed cones.

Oysters and Pearls

This dish is a TFL icon. It is one item that will NOT leave the menu because diners love it too much. People actually get angry if this doesn’t make an appearance on the menu, so it stays, evening after evening. And for good reason: This sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and Regiis Ova Caviar is the epitome of a dish fit for royalty. Delicate, smooth, indulgent, and what my dreams are made of. (No piece of caviar was left behind, I promise.)

Royal Kaluga Caviar

This dish is so beautiful, with every component intentionally placed. I really appreciate plating as an art form, and TFL brings it. Here we have deviled hen egg Bavarois, toasted brioche and red onion gelée. My sister ate this and shared no bites. But it goes to show that it was impeccably delicious if no bites were shared, hehe.

Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Foie Gras Terrine

These bites were all mine!! You either love foie gras, or you hate it. I order it any time it’s on a menu because I love the buttery flavor and melt-in your-mouth texture. It paired perfectly with the Jacobsen Orchards figs, Sicilian pistachios, and pickled beet purée.

Sautéed Fillet of Mediterranean Turbot

Never underestimate a white fish dish. I feel like many people associate white fish with a boring or bland meal, but done right, it is light yet luscious, and full of flavor. TFL does it with romano beans “a la Française with pickled onion butter. This dish was surprisingly comforting.

Monterey Bay Abalone Poêlée

I love an abalone moment, because not many restaurants feature an abalone dish (especially one that isn’t deep fried). This beauty is paired with Early Girl tomato confit, young fennel bulb, and French vermouth emulsion. Heaven… I just want to bathe in those tiny bubbles and rest my head on the abalone pillow.

Bread and Butter

Yes, bread and butter- a staple wherever you dine, but this one stands above the rest for me- not only because of the flavor, but because of the story behind it. The bread is a bitter cocoa laminated brioche (brioche is my fave bread- it’ so light and buttery). Where it gets really exciting is the butter. Hear me out, ok? This is Diane St. Clair’s Animal Farm Butter. Diane has seven Jersey cows who live the happiest, most authentic life a cow can live. The result is a butter that is unadulterated in flavor and texture. Truly the BEST butter I have ever tasted. These seven cows provide the milk (that Diane turns into butter) SOLELY for Keller’s two restaurants, Per Se and The French Laundry. No other shop or restaurant has access to this butter. It is rare and magical, like the pot of butter at the end of the rainbow.

Wolfe Ranch White Quail

Have you had the chance to enjoy quail before? I would use the old adage “tastes like chicken”, but it’s a bit more flavorful if you were to compare a simply dressed chicken and quail side-by-side. Not to mention, it goes perfectly with chanterelle mushroom tapenade, Nantes carrots and mushroom jus gras. Fancy? Yes. Necessary? Also yes.

Châteaubriand of Durham Ranch Bison

Ahhhh, châteaubriand- essentially a thick cut of meat from the tenderloin filet. By this point in the meal, you might be thinking- “bah! How can you still have room for more?!” I assure you, there is room for more. The portions are small enough to be consumed in a few bites, and everything is impeccably perfect, so making room isn’t tough. Something reminiscent of a a steakhouse dinner, but elevated, this beef is plated on Geechie Boy Mill polenta, Brentwood corn salad, marinated peaches, and sauce Périgourdine. I never thought peaches and beef were a match made in heaven, but they totally are.

Truffle Gougère

Do we love anything truffle?? YES WE DO! This savory choux pastry included an Adante Dairy etude and Australian black winter truffle fondue. Light, airy puff meets the richness and density of creamy cheese and earthy truffle. A perfect last bite the the dinner courses if I do say so myself. Now onto dessert!!

Strawberry Gelee

So, I thought dessert would be a simple single course to round out the night, but I was severely mistaken in the best way possible. The desserts were brought out one after another, filling our table to the brim with all sorts of house-made delicacies. The first was a spin on strawberries in many forms- wild berries, gelee, and pastry with cream. A true strawberry bonanza!

Opera Cake

Next comes the opera cake which is brought to those who are celebrating a birthday. It comes out as a larger cake with a candle. We sang to my sister, she blew out the candle, they took the cake away (NOOOO, come back!!) to slice it, and brought us each a slice of decadence. Each layer was distinct in texture and flavor, topped with a quenelle of ice cream.

More ice cream!! Dessert was a whirlwind, and if my memory serves me correctly, this was house-made vanilla bean ice cream with puffed amaranth. Few desserts are better than homemade ice cream, especially when it’s made with the highest quality dairy that can be found.

Yes, more!! Macarons, doughnut holes, and chocolate bon bons all made by the endlessly talented chef and his team. If I brought a big enough purse, I’d be tossing these in, but instead I had to resort to my internal food purse, aka my stomach. Lol.

By this point, my mind was blown, my stomach was full, and my eyes were wide with surprise that at this point in the meal, I was prompted to select a hand-painted chocolate from a box. This one was matcha, one of my favorite flavors.

Just for perspective, here is a glimpse of what the table of desserts looked like… Heaven.

And after it all, when you think you can’t be any more delighted, they send you home with more desserts, hence the TFL tin full of shortbreads dusted in sugar. I love that, because it helps ease you out of the bliss that is The French Laundry back into the everyday dining experience. Like I said, 3 Michelin stars for a reason.

I will always cherish the memory of dining at The French Laundry. It exceeded all of my expectations. I cried when I left because I was so grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. (If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll get another shot in this lifetime to dine at TFL.)

Have you every had an other-worldly dining experience? I would love to know.

XO, Alexandra

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