Recovering from Hurricane Sandy with Laughter and a Diner Dinner

We were lucky - correction, we are lucky.  The storm came and went, we lost a few pieces of siding that were easily replaced and power for a few days.  We are not in the middle of the devastation but we are in the struggle to find gasoline.  We have lost beloved areas of our past family vacation spots at the New Jersey shore and are beyond words watching those who have lost loved ones, their homes, cars and battle to recover life as they knew it before October 29 and the uninvited Sandy.

In an effort to conserve gas, my older son (24) and I took one car to run some errands and met my younger son (19) out at a local diner for dinner.  I had already been laughing at myself thanks to my older son's spot on impersonations of some of my silly antics.  For example, we went to make some changes to our cell phone service plan and an electronic sign in is now required.  When faced with the flat touchscreen keyboard for some reason I switched from using my index fingers to my ring fingers.  ????  It was a sight.

Next, grocery shopping.  This experience is comical in itself because my older son will pretend he is going to throw two gallon jugs at the cart from the opposite end of the aisle or simply try to prevent me from pushing the cart by holding the other end with two fingers.  Back in the car, for some reason we started quoting funny lines from "Talladega Nights" "Kiss me on the lips" and then of course, "Step-Brothers" "So much room for activities".

We arrive at the Americana Diner and are immediately seated in a booth.  Let the laughter begin.  My sons end up quoting entire scenes from movies including "Pulp Fiction" Big Kahuna Burger scene (R rating for language) - though my sons did not use the F-bomb in their re-enactment.

How did we get to Pulp Fiction?  My younger son ordered the Hawaiian Burger - triggering the Kahuna Burger memory.  The menu version is grilled pineapple, Swiss and ham.  The modified and personalized version my son ordered includes a swap - instead of the ham - bacon!

I was able to snag a few of those crispy fries!

My older son ordered a classic cheeseburger (medium-rare) with waffle fries.  
 

 I confess, I also sampled a waffle fry!

I ordered a slice of quiche which came with a salad. Not exactly classic diner fare and no jokes could be made but I enjoyed my order.

By the time we left I had laughed so hard my sides hurt.  My sons had imitated me - in good nature and honestly, quite accurately.  It was nice to be out and away from reality for a little while but the feeling of being Fed Well came when we returned home to a warm house powered by electricity.  Made me forget for a little while that I only had 1/4 tank of gas and what the rest of New York and New Jersey was going through.  Laughter (and a good meal) are the best medicine.

Hunker Down for Hurricane Sandy

In the face of the arrival of Hurricane Sandy I prepare.  As with the time of arrival of any guest nearing, I start to really step into high gear.  Yes, I have grocery shopped, have buckets of water for toilet flushing in the bathroom, gas for the generator, candles at the ready and just took a shower.  The cell phone is charging, so is the lap top.  The patio furniture has been put away and the Weather Channel is on in the background. 

My place of employment is closed, my husband works for a business that never sleeps and though we may feel otherwise, the safety of inmates and staff require him to be at work.  Our older son works for a private college and is likely ensuring the grounds are as well tended as possible for Sandy makes landfall.  

However, my younger son is also at work.  He works in retail.  He works at the only mall in the area.  My doctor's office called to reschedule my appointment for later today (nothing wrong, just a routine physical) but the mall, well, that remains open.  

PLEASE do not support mass retail by shopping during a weather event.  PLEASE support the safety of retail employees by staying home and if you must shop, go online.

Back to preparing for Sandy...I first peeked into the refrigerator.

All of those white rectangular dishes are left-overs.  Excess parts of dinners and meals, sort of like the unwanted children's gifts on the Island of Misfit Toys...

 
 (Source)

What to do?  Inventory the canned goods too...

The stove/oven are electric.  Bake some potatoes that will then be scooped of their guts, mixed with cheese and re-baked.  Strip down and chop up chicken to create:

  a fabulous chicken salad and

a wonderful chicken noodle soup in my magical red pot.

A bit of rain has begun.  The wind quiets then gusts.  Leaves swirling and I worry for the safety of my family, my friends and neighbors, first responders and honestly, can't wait for Sandy to leave before she has even arrived.  Stay safe and Fed Well.

Grown ups eat Hash Browns

As part of a particular generation, many may believe childhood included certain foods:  hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, tater tots, fishsticks and maybe hash browns.

Mostly, I didn't really eat any of those things.

Sometimes, while grocery shopping with my husband, he would share food memories of his youth that I simply could not understand.  He used to eat fishsticks.  I'd had actual fish but my mother wasn't a big fan of real or packaged fish of any kind.

When my sons were young they did like things like chicken wings and nuggets as sort of childhood foods, but surprised many with their love for shrimp, fried calamari and steak. It wasn't until I was a mom that I would even consider PB & J on white bread, but I have learned to love it once in awhile.  I have also modified the ingredients for a grown up version to include blueberry jam and peanut butter on a nice grainy bread.

My culinary upbringing included a lot of meat and potato based meals, pasta and lunches were typically sandwiches including cold cuts.  Ok, I did and still do love french fries and fast food hamburgers.

A few years ago when I turned 40 I had my first hash browns and tater tots.  You know what?  They weren't so bad and not really what I thought they would taste like based on their appearance.

Luckily, when our work cafeteria does not offer small red potatoes with breakfast now I can be sort of satisfied with hash browns.

A few childhood favorites would likely make me sick now like Strawberry Quik or bowls of rice with butter.  Some are simply no longer available like Quisp cereal.  What childhood favorites leave you feeling Fed Well?

Veggie Lo Mein with Fettuccine Noodles?

The cafeteria at work like any other food preparation establishment has good days and bad, popular selections and duds, and every once in awhile will try an experimental dish to see where it falls.  

Our chef claims to take suggestions but I'm a bit skeptical in believing he really reads or attempts all of them.  However, when the vegetarians speak, someone tends to listen and so to answer one of their requests he formulated vegetable lo mein and so we gave it a try.

It smelled very much like soy sauce and certainly tasted of it but the "lo mein" was actually fettuccine.  An acceptable substitute in this situation.  The vegetables were fairly fresh and included carrots, celery, broccoli, peppers and I think a trace of onion and mushrooms.  I was worried they were going to look like they came right out of the containers for the salad bar but they appeared freshly chopped.

Lunch conversation topics?  Celebrity gossip of course!  Is Jessica Biel boring?  Can you name a Jessica Biel movie that you have seen and enjoyed?  We came up with "The Illusionist," but I had forgotten she was in it so I'm not sure it counts.  Is 6.5 million dollars as a wedding budget in Italy a bit excessive?  And clearly, my friend's camera phone is far better than my CrackBerry's.

 

Overall, switching it up once in awhile helps keep you Fed Well!

 Polpettina "Little Meatball"

Participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week allows me to dine in places I normally wouldn't, sample new foods and shamelessly take photos of the experience.  

(For Info on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week)

A few months ago, as a result of being a past Hudson Valley Restaurant week blogger, I won a gift certificate to Polpettina in Eastchester and finally made the journey to check it out.

Not used to limited parking, we did drive around the block before finding a spot on a side street, but after quite a car ride we were more than fine walking a bit to the restaurant.

We were greeted as soon as we cleared the door in a friendly and casual manner that made sitting at the bar/counter perfectly fine. The Mr. immediately orders a soda, but I need a few minutes to decide.  

When his soda was brought over, we both talked about how we love the glass bottle Coke for nostalgic reasons.  Remembering the old soda machines with a glass door that opened and a spot to remove bottle caps on the side.

Although I am not really a beer drinker I am fascinated by the draft pour in front of us.

 

I also love the window behind us.  Something about this place, some level of indescribable comfort and cool.

To my left is a soda and beer display that while was likely intended to be practical is also visually pleasing.

I finally decide on a glass of Pinot Grigio and the little glasses are cute and lend themselves to a feeling of authenticity.  I am thinking of Godfather and Goodfellas sitting at little cafe tables drinking wine from "jelly" glasses.

Though we know we are not going to order pizza I admire the condiment bowls.

We are asked if this is our first visit to Polpettina and when we confess our newness, almost the entire menu is explained to us.  Polpettina we are told means "little meatballs" and though we learn they are the specialty of the house we decide on the clams and mussels to start and are not disappointed in any way.

The order arrives with a basket of bread and we are each given a dish to serve ourselves from the generous bowl of steaming fish.  It is so ridiculously good I forget to be insulted when I was told that pasta e fagioli is a soup (I wondered if I looked like I'd just landed here from another planet - who doesn't know what pasta e fagioli is????)

The remaining sauce and goodies from the clams and mussels were sopped up with the bread.  And though my husband was a little put off by the fries arriving ahead of the sandwich, I was quite happy to dip some of the truffle fries into the pool of seafood liquor.

 

The fries, by the way, were absolutely perfect.  Crisp.  Flavorful.  And the little tin was Parmesan cheese on the side - I just can't get into Parmesan - sorry.

His chicken sandwich was divine.  Pesto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and tender chicken on a fresh baked roll with those amazing truffle fries...what more could one person ask for in a dinner?

By the way, another couple sat on my husband's right and I never heard them speak a single word.  Was the food that good?  Did they really run out of things to say to each other?  They seemed about our age maybe a little older so anywhere from 45 - 55.  Dinner conversation is too important to me - even if it is about the food, the restaurant, the weather - I have to keep talking.

My dinner was a heaping plate of pappardelle (according to Wikipedia the translation is "to gobble up" which I promptly did) pasta with a robust and hearty Bolognese sauce with beef, veal and pork.  

If I could have pasta 4 - 5 times per week I would be in heaven.  What is it about carbs that truly make me feel warm and fuzzy inside?

It was our first official date in a long time.  We are finding our way back from a few months separation and hoping to rebuild a bit better, a bit stronger, sort of the $6 million dollar marriage if you will.  Well, a toast to couples everywhere who are staying in, growing strong and deciding to feel Fed Well together.

Mandatory Cosmopolitan

When I told my younger son I was meeting a good friend for dinner and a Cosmopolitan, he said, "Of course you are.  Some people, like Dad, order the same meal, you order the same drink."

Am I too predictable or just a woman who knows what she likes?  Does it matter?

 

 When I ordered it, my friend thought it sounded good and ordered one as well.  Unfortunately, she didn't share my enthusiasm and though it was fabulous of her to give me her rejected cocktail, I would have needed a designated driver in order to enjoy a second drink.  

I barely glanced at the menu once I saw my favorite lobster ravioli appetizer which I order as an entree.

The ravioli are pan fried and served with an amazing garlic and cream sauce with tomatoes and scallions. 

My friend and dinner companion orders the Greek Salad.

We talk and talk and talk and talk.  Our simple dinners are long gone and we share points of view, snippets of our own lives and thoughts about friendships and male/female relationships.  Can half of a couple comfortably go out to dinner with a couple when their partner/mate is unavailable?  Should they?  Is some degree of jealousy part of every relationship?  When is it unhealthy?  What constitutes crossing the line?  Is it offensive when a few questions asked by a spouse about any contact with the opposite sex sounds accusatory in tone?  Vacations, get-aways, spontaneity and strict schedules are also debated.  These are just some of the topics we bounce off of each other and we are not shy about sharing our opinions.

We share stories of experiences either with coworkers or friends in sort of a "can you believe this happened" manner.  Tales of marriages after brief periods of dating and divorce after decades of marriage are mixed among shared disbelief about the behaviors of bosses and business owners.

Finally, I can't wait any longer and ask for dessert.  A warm slice of apple pie with walnuts and caramel sauce served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.  My friend remains upset no "straight chocolate" dessert is found on the menu.

The dining room has emptied, filled and emptied again in the time we sat in the back corner table.  A party of about a dozen or so women has left and it is time for us to make our way home as well.  

In the parking lot, we hug and bid each other good night.  We will meet again soon and are likely to revisit some of our conversational topics with either new examples to prove our points or maybe a few new experiences entirely will be shared.  These are the evenings I look forward to sharing and know I will be Fed Well.

Switching it up: Two Tacos

In my house, teasing and sarcasm are our second and third languages.  Sometimes it works.  Sometimes it can be painful.  Additionally, my older son has an incredible memory an detail is ever forgotten.

A number of years ago my husband took our sons to Taco Bell for drive thru.  This is not a post about nutritional value, but honest stories about food and the people who are eating it, and so fast food does exist in our world.

When ordering, my husband decided he wanted 2 tacos and in his enthusiasm held up his index and middle fingers to indicate exactly how many tacos he wanted - my sons still laugh about this because to them it was and is hysterical that anyone would offer a visual cue to the drive thru speaker.

Their father hates this story but ironically used to love telling the story of his mother's first experience ordering at Burger King.  She walked right up to the counter and asked for a "whooper" (pronounced like the malted chocolate candy) instead of a Whopper.  Notice a pattern?

Anyway, I also fall into the trap of being stuck on one particular menu item for awhile similar to wearing favorite jeans or repeatedly listening to a favorite song.  Recently, I broke out of the norm and ordered 2 tacos.  Now you can understand why for me, it was quite amusing.

Tacos courtesy of Hacienda De Don Manuel

Laughter and humor also keep me Fed Well.