Dessert blogger Karyn Granrud, a.k.a. the Pint Sized Baker, spent some time sampling Calistoga’s sweet offerings. Although she arrived ready to satiate her sugar craving, she left with some savory satisfaction as a bonus. Read below for an excerpt of her blog post highlighting her downtown Calistoga experience, originally published on Pint Sized Baker.
You know at some point between the massages and the desserts, we had to eat real food, right?
When you wake up on a Saturday morning and you’re on vacation, what do you do? We went for brunch of course! Weekend brunch at Evangeline is a MUST! It was a wonderful atmosphere with amazing food! We toasted to the weekend with a passion fruit Bellini and a sloe gin & tonic. Of course there was coffee involved, it was still morning after all. My husband Erik broke his fast with a Croque Marin and I indulged in buttermilk fried chicken and waffles. Calling this yummy is an understatement. I haven’t had fried chicken like that… ever. It was crispy, but not greasy and it was moist and tender inside. I’m drooling just thinking about it again. Following our meal, we were treated to brunch dessert! Hubby just had ice cream, but I went for the Baumkuchen! It’s a German layer cake, kind of like crepes but thicker, with huckleberry compote and creme anglais. After brunch, we didn’t eat again until 5.
The massage at the Roman Spa was relaxing and tranquil at this family owned hot springs resort. Consider taking the waters or soaking in the mud as this spa is one of the original hot springs resorts in town.
My final visit to Calistoga Pottery led me to a final purchase. Owners Jeff and Sally have been making handmade pottery for over 35 years and they couldn’t be happier. Tucked away off Highway 29 (just around the corner from Lincoln Avenue), their shop and studio are filled with specialty bowls, plates, dishes, mugs and serving trays. They make a lot of specialty spittoons for the wineries, as well as dishes for the local restaurants and inns. I bought a serving dish, mini creamer and a matching bowl. The creamer and bowl are covered with an ash glaze. The ash was collected from local grapevine ash from burn piles at the vineyards. Each piece is unique and I like knowing nobody else has the exact some one that I have. When you’re in Calistoga, stop in and say Hi!
Thank you to the Calistoga Welcome Center for helping me plan my stay. While some of the services were discounted or complimentary, all opinions and experiences were my own.
Karyn Granrud has been blogging at Pint Sized Baker sing 2011. She enjoys baking for a crowd as well as baking with her daughter. Karyn loves everything about sweets and treats. Follow Karyn and her baking escapades via Pint Sized Baker on Facebook and Instagram
