OOO #9: Outfits, Ohio, and Other Things I Like
Someone finally gets me, my Columbus patisserie, and a very good bottle of wine
Outfits
Ohio
Coffee + pastry shops abound in the German Village/Merion Village area (“The Rive Gauche” as my husband and I call it, except instead of the Seine, we have I-70). Lately, I have been loving Pistacia Vera.
Pistacia Vera has a full lunch and breakfast menu in addition to various coffee- and tea-based drinks, but I’m there for the croissants and the macarons. Last week, I had their french onion croissant which has caramelized onions, gruyere, and parsley on top (11/10), and took some raspberry cassis and vanilla macarons home with me.
Pistacia Vera’s vanilla macaron might be one of the best macarons I have ever had. People usually veer away from vanilla for I assume it’s cultural connotations (how the contents of a seed pod from an orchid that only blooms for one day has been equated with “bland” is beyond me), but this vanilla macaron is one of the best macarons I’ve ever had.
Go. Get at least two vanilla macarons. And a croissant. Enjoy them in the garden outside, or take them on the road.
Other Things I Like
“Was 2020 a good year?” is a question that will get a resounding “no” in most conversations, unless that conversation is about wine. In both France and California (in the areas that weren’t affected by wildfires), 2020 produced great vintages; you can read more about why in this report from Skurnik.
This past weekend, my husband brought home a bottle of Juggernaut’s Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon (2020 vintage). According to the internet, growing grapes on a hillside (as the wine’s name suggests) makes them harder to grow but much better tasting; my knowledge of wine, terroir, and grape cultivation is limited at best so I’m going to take the internet’s word for it.
What I do know is that the Hillside Cab was incredibly smooth and dry and still quite complex. It was the best glass of wine I’ve had in a very long time. I typically don’t gravitate toward red wine too often (I’ll never say no to a glass of Alamos Malbec), but this was a game changer. The bottle cost about $20, which feels like an undervaluation. If you see it the next time you’re out, try it!
That’s it! I hope you have a great rest of your week!