My Dad turned 50 on June 25. By some stroke of luck, all of us kids, our significant others, and Opa & Oma were available to go up to the cabin for his birthday weekend.
Dave and I went up Thursday morning as we weren't sure how long our drive would be with Mr. Dominic. Turns out he traveled great that day, and we were pulling up to the cabin by 11:30 am! We had a whole day ahead of us!! We set up our room and put Dom down for a nap. Another sleep training win - he didn't even seem to notice he wasn't in his crib at home! Dom had zero issues sleeping the whole weekend! Yayy!!!!
My parents, Scott & Courtney, and Jeff & Marta arrived at the cabin later on Thursday night. Adam & Aly met us at the dinner the next day.
Dominic's first time at the cabin. So fun!!
Friday morning all the guys except Opa went golfing, so the rest of us just hung around at the cabin enjoying the sunshine!
We didn't even have to bring the Bumbo because this boy is so strong now! Look at him sitting up all by himself! So proud :)
Friday evening my parents had arranged for us to have dinner at Backyard Farm - Chef's Table in Oliver. This was the main reason we came to the cabin for the weekend. What. An. Experience. The food was to DIE for, the area was absolutely beautiful, and what better people to enjoy it with?! We ate our many courses of exquisite food, drank some amazing wine and socialized the night away.
I'll do a separate post on the specifics of the dishes Chef Chris made for us, but I'll include all the pictures here as well.
Between the courses, Opa & the four of us kids prepared a little toast/speech for Dad. The four of our speeches were similar in many ways, but we also each had our own experiences with Dad growing up. I loved hearing what my brothers had to say! Such a great way to honour Dad.
They really were excited to be there, I promise
Act candid, Jeff
Dominic was SO amazing during the dinner. He fussed for about three minutes total. It was WAY past his bedtime by the time the first course was served even. He was angel baby. I couldn't have asked for anything better <3
Up in the kitchen talking to Chef Chris before the food is served.
All the eggs they use are from their own chickens, their honey is from their own bees, they grow their own vegetables and pickle/jar/preserve them... I love what this place stands for and how beautifully it is all executed.
The evening's menu. Um. YUM!
This photo doesn't show it off well, but Uncle Jeff & Dom have matching ears.
Chef Chris enjoying some of the wine we (my parents) provided. This guy knows his wine! I noticed under his cooking table he had a bottle of Latitude 50, which I would consider a pretty nice "every day" wine. Nope... that's his cooking wine, because he "only drinks the good stuff." Haha! Expensive taste!
Ah yes. Here comes the food! Backyard Farm Handcrafted Whole Weat Plum Sourdough Bread, Sweet Butter, Smoked Maldon Salt
Prepping our first dish.
First Course - Albacore Tuna Tartare, Dry Cured Chorizo-Burst Grape Tomato Confit, Backyard Rhubarb Emulsion, Forbidden Rice Crisp, Sunflower Sprout.
House Made Hummus was brought out between first and second courses to enjoy with some more sourdough bread.
Each course was paired with a different wine (or two). Now we're talking!
Second Course - Olive Oil Poached Long Line Halibut, Preserved Lemon Risotto Cake, Apricot Butter, House Cured Wild Boar Bacon.
We purchased these three loaves after the meal at $5 each. WELL worth the price!
Main Course prep. Chef Chris asks for dietary restrictions ahead of time, so he made all my dishes without dairy, and eliminated red meat from Aly's dishes. Here you can see her chicken instead of our flatiron steak (droooooool).
Great Opa, Opa and Dom!
Main Course - Grilled Cache Creek Beef Flatiron, Natural Chevre Fondant Potato, Garlic Scape-Parsley Puree, Wilted Baby Greens and "WTF" Local Oyster Mushrooms, Spiced Plum Reduction. (WTF = What the Fungus")
Dessert Prep!
Mom & Dad went to Europe years ago, and went to Gert at the Wijn Winkel. They were tasting all sorts of wines, and he brought out this bottle of port that was bottled in 1967. My parents exclaimed that was the year they were born. "Really? Well... Here! Take the bottle! Enjoy it on your 50th birthday!" Gert certainly went above and beyond. That said, they are both now 50 years old, and the port was opened! It far exceeded their (and our) expectations. So so delicious! What a special gift.
Dom was SO tired. I finally stuck him in his car seat and put him facing the window. He passed out hard, but was startled awake by us clapping and screamed (almost) the whole way back to the cabin :(. That was very sad, but I'm so grateful he was perfect baby at the dinner!
Dessert - Espelette Infused 55% Michel Cluizel Chocolate Pate, Hazelnut Praline, Star Anise Caramel, Coffee Meringue, Red Wine Spiced Backyard Cherries.
Never have I ever enjoyed such amazing, high quality food. Everyone who loves food must experience this at some point in their lives!
On Saturday 7 of us went out wine tasting in Oliver again! We made sure to pack every minute of this weekend apparently. We hit up three wineries together. Hester Creek for tasting and some snacks on the patio (par usual), and then Silver Sage because Courtney and Marta had never been there, and then Stoneboat to meet up with Adam & Aly who were in Penticton earlier that morning. David graciously offered to stay back at the cabin with Dominic. At first this freaked me out... I hadn't left Dom in a long time. However, he slept 75% of the time! Haha David got lucky :)
Live music on the patio at Hester Creek
Love this view
Silver Sage
Attempted selfie with the big camera...
Stoneboat. It was my first time here!
"Stone'd" Glasses. One of Stoneboat's feature Red & White wines!
Sherlock spent most of the weekend in the water. If he wasn't fetching something, he was just standing in it peering over the hill at us. This picture was taken as he ran into the neighbour's yard begging for attention :)
The "kids" were in charge of Sunday's breakfast for Dad's actual birthday. Eggs Benedict it is! Amazing.
Dominic just waiting for us to finish up our game so we can pack up the car and go home!
He was a little less thrilled about the drive home. He slept about 30 minutes in the first hour of the drive, and then was fussy/awake the rest of the time, actually crying for two 20 minute stints or so. Over all though, it could have gone much worse!
Until next time cabin!
I love reading your blog and get especially jealous of your trips to the cabin! I have so many great memories there and would love to go back one day.
ReplyDeleteLynn Webb