Monday, June 15, 2015

Return to Tuthill House at the Mill in Gardiner for Dinner

I once had one of those very best girlfriends that knew everything about me from middle school through all the experiences that filled my life until the Mr. and I had our two sons.  She moved away, cut off our ties, though I would try to maintain contact and when I reached out to invite her to our 25th wedding anniversary celebration, she was a no-show/no RSVP.

Lots of soul searching, thinking what I contributed to this devastating end of friendship, and the realization that in the long run I really can't do a damn thing about it, I have finally acknowledged that I will never have that particular brand of female closeness back in my life.  Maybe it is for the best.

Instead, I have friendships with many women that may cross age barriers, dissimilar backgrounds and beliefs.  I stay relatively close to 3 school friends, a few current and former co-workers, and some relatively new additions that I can't remember not having in my life.

Close female friends are likely to figure out that comfortable place where sharing becomes less and less censored, support can be counted on and trust is not an issue.  However, the path can be a bit longer, needing tending and careful attention resulting in strong growth.  We decide if and how the relationship will fit into our life; does it need constant communication or will low maintenance and occasional checking in be sufficient?  

And so I circle around to my recent dinner at Tuthill House at the Mill with a stunningly beautiful woman who I "sort of" know, but really - do not.  We begin by deciding if we will dine inside or out on the patio but opt for indoors.

Once we are seated and presented with menus, the hard decisions begin for me.  A cocktail? Something new or familiar? Comfortable or adventurous.  And in the back of my mind, the memory of a disagreement with the Mr. before I left.  How can that be handled? The brain is firing all over the place - thinking of light hearted conversation topics, making menu selections and quieting the distraction of the Mr.

I begin with a White Cosmopolitan:
Cariel Vanilla Vodka, Cointreau, Cava, White Cranberry Juice, Fresh Lime

For my dining partner, the Mango Cilantro Margarita:

Cazadores Blanco Tequila, Mango Puree, Fresh Cilantro, House Sour Mix

We begin to chat and though I have screened the menu, I'm still not quite ready when we are asked to order.  I choose to skip the appetizer course.

However, I did sample a taste of the Crispy Tofu:

Coconut Green Curry Sauce, Pineapple, Cilantro, Lime

For me, tofu is a food item that really does have to be well prepared.  Sometimes an ingredient can get by on freshness or proper seasoning, but I prefer exactly what this dish offered, a crispy exterior and the support of a silky, flavorful sauce.  Lovely. 

We chat and pause, lean in, sit back and listen.  There are smiles and laughter, stories and opinions.

The main courses:

For me, pasta is always going to be a "go to."  It is the epitome of comfort and I add a side of velvety wilted spinach which I unceremoniously dump in to the mix and stir. Unfortunately some may think this skews my opinions of the meal, but I can tell you with 100% certainty it was fabulous.  I base my decision on the fact that I ate every last bite.  


House Made Linguini with Fresh Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Aged Parm, Basil, EVOO

Across the table:

CHORIZO FLATBREAD 
Red Pepper Emulsion, Spiced Chorizo, Shredded Manchego Cheese, Teardrop Peppers, Tomatillo, Cilantro 

I did sample one of the teardrop peppers which were mild with a hint of vinegar in the profile.

We decide not to have dessert and the funny thing is, over 2 hours have passed and about half way through I let go of the other thoughts jumbling for attention and really enjoyed the present moment. We were Fed Well and think I can speak for both of us that we had a great meal.  

During my drive home I think how lucky I am to have the circle of friends that I do as well as a sister whom I love and adore.  I have the ability to make speaker phone calls from the car and who do you think I reached out to...yup, the Mr.  My best friend.

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Sunday, June 14, 2015

Delancey's in Goshen, NY

How do I decide where I will have dinner and which restaurants to write about for Fed Well? Sometimes an opportunity simply presents itself and I have to follow the lead.  I write for a number of community magazines and Delancey's happens to be an advertiser.  Fair enough.  I decided to check it out with the Mr. on a rainy Friday night.

We were immediately greeted by a number of young hostesses.  Delancey's features both a dining room with indoor and outdoor dining which has a view of the Historic Goshen Race Track and a more casual bar/dining room.  Our attire was maybe one step up from jeans so it must have been assumed we wanted the dining room with a view though we were never asked.  

The place was hopping.  Busy, busy, busy.  The dining room was full, the bar area appeared to be full and people were beginning to be turned away.  The rain had caused the deck dining area to be shut down.  We didn't have a reservation, but were told it would be about a 20 minute wait and really, for a Friday night, that's not so awful so we waited.

We watched as a table was brought out of nowhere, then chairs, then place settings.  I wondered if that was magically special or would come with the price of sitting outside of swinging kitchen doors.Somehow, I knew the table was for us.

A few minutes later we were brought to our newly set table with just a bit of clearance to the deck area.  "We had to close the deck," we were told, "so you should be fine here."

We ordered drinks and for me, the bar setting Cosmopolitan.



A nice first impression and though I do not ask for a particular brand of vodka, I can tell after a sip that this is not the brand that will be the cause of a relentless morning after headache.  Perfect.


We decide to share a glorious seafood appetizer; clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops swimming in a mild and delicate red broth.  

We are aware the dining room is filled to capacity by the sheer volume of dinner conversation and laughter. Everyone seems happy and content.  The drizzle has stopped and shades of pink mixed with the gray sky.

Main courses...

Pasta.  Fairly high on my list of food loves. Broccoli rabe and sausage make it a balanced diet, right? The sausage is square and the first tip that it is homemade.  The flavor is unique as well, a bit sweet with a fair amount of fennel.  

For the Mr.:


A molded serving of risotto, a side of vegetables and a lovely shrimp dish.

During our meal, the outdoor dining area was reopened causing guests and staff to repeatedly pass closely by my chair.  We were offered a complimentary dessert for the inconvenience and I selected a brownie with vanilla and chocolate ice creams, whipped cream and a raspberry sauce.  Very decadent and dense.




We appreciate all of the efforts the entire staff made in securing us a table and trying to ensure we had a good experience.  We left feeling Fed Well and wondering where our next food adventure would lead us.

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