Search
Food for Thought
I've been thinking a lot about food lately. There are probably several reasons for this. I think it started about a month ago when I kept seeing these Red Lobster ads for "shrimp extravaganza" and other tasty seafood dishes. Those closeup shots of shrimp scampi, shrimp-kabobs, fried shrimp, butterfly shrimp, shrimp, shrimp, were just too much for me to handle.
I started cursing the fact that Plattsburgh once had a Red Lobster (and I was a frequent customer!) and we lost it. I wish we could get a franchise back. I know we have a great local seafood restaurant on the Military Turnpike, Mainely Lobster. I've been there many times. But there are just not the myriad choices offered by a Red Lobster.
Just like Olive Garden. I went to Burlington's Olive Garden not too long ago, and it has been on my mind since. That salad! That dressing! Endless salad. It may be my downfall if we ever get an Olive Garden. I've heard rumors that we will have an Olive Garden in Plattsburgh soon. I'll be there on opening night. Anyone want to accompany me?
I've always enjoyed dinner time. Since childhood my favorite Mom's meal was meatloaf, whipped potatoes and corn. I tried making homemade meatloaf but it didn't work. I didn't blend the ingredients enough and it came out all chunky with clumps of meat, bread crumbs and onions.
I've always enjoyed lunch time. To me, no matter what the season, lunch time means soup. What's lunch without soup? My all-time favorite is grilled cheese sandwich (white bread only, please, with three slices of cheese) and tomato soup. Toss a big pile of dill pickle slices on the side and I'm a happy man.
With barbeque season just around the corner I have been thinking of a nice sirloin steak on the grill. But with it I need potato salad. There are about twenty kinds of potato salad, but my favorite is simply potatoes, bits of onion and plenty of Hellman's Real Mayonnaise.
And while I'm on the food kick, do you ever watch those television food shows? There are at least twenty cooking shows, but my favorite chef, hands down, is Rachael Ray. I'd watch her make a peanut butter sandwich. She does her 30-minute meals and my own Hamburger Surprise recipe fits that plan. I'm sending her my recipe in hopes I'll score an appearance on her show.
I know I'm the last one who should be pointing out someone else's enlarging girth, but have you seen the famed chef Emeril Lagasse lately? Check out his television shows from his early TV days and you'll notice this guy is wearing much larger-sized chef's garb. His white-clad frame is filling the frame, so to speak. All those "bam"s are catching up to him.
I'd write more but I've worked myself into a hunger frenzy. Let's see ... plenty of leftovers in the fridge. I just can't wait any longer.
Comments
Red Lobster? We have a few here in Ottawa, and they are about as generic as you can get. Kind of like Denny's of the seafood world. Fast food inferior stuff. We had an Olive Garden here but it went out of business, part of the Red Lobster group it was a cut above fast food. I'm sure there is better stuff in Plattsburgh. Many years ago in the 70's there was a restaurant on Route 9 south of Ausable Point Beach it was called The Wharf. It was terrific.
I have been to The Weather Vane in Portsmouth, and it's excellent.
Posted by: Norm | May 11, 2008 8:50 PM
Rachael Ray hosted an Indie rock party at this year's SXSW (South By SouthWest - an annual Austin music festival). The party featured some of her favorite Indie rockers including Denmark's Raveonettes, and The Cringe, her husband's band.
Rachael came to Austin a few years ago and did a segment for her $40 A Day show. The Continental Club (where I work) was included for an end-of-the-day Mexican Martini. Rachael was born in Glens Falls and grew up in Lake George. She & her husband John live in a cabin in Lake Luzerne when they're not at their Greenwich Village apartment.
She's a real North Country girl and proud of it!
Dianne in Austin
(Foxy's note: Thanks for the update, Dianne. Always nice to hear from you.)
Posted by: Dianne Scott | May 3, 2008 5:50 PM
Hey foxy its me again - hey you got it right again, I really Like Alton Brown he's awesome!!! I also love to watch hells kitchen its hilarous!!! But my dad is Teaching me how to cook!! YEAH!!!! I love meatloaf its good but o so hard to cook!!! Well got 2 go on a snack break!!! A peanut butter and jelly sandwich seems nice!!! LOL
Posted by: Zachary Desjardins | May 2, 2008 6:27 PM
Foxy,
As a seafood gourmand of sorts, I really miss my winter sojourn at Myrtle Beach where sea food restaurants abound with great "fresh" fish along the waterways. In fact, a blue crab festival will be in Little River this month (right across from Wick).
Locally, however, there are no good sea food restaurants locally, Mainely Lobster being the exception.
I look at the vacant Lum's Restaurant and wish a Weather Vane restaurant would locate there. The Weather Van is a great fish eatery but, alas, the closest ones are in Saratoga and Lebanon, NH.
If you ever get to one you will forget about Red Lobster.
I've been thinking about the clambake we proposed for this summer. Nothing like fresh northern sweet corn, clams and lobster and some beer on a picnic table in the summer.
Until then I suppose I can endure eating seafood available here.
Take care.
(Foxy's note: Skip, I think we should meet at a local pub soon and plan the clambake! I'll bring my calendar.)
Posted by: skip zatonski | May 2, 2008 6:59 AM
Are you sure you're not a Rachael Ray fan because she's a North Country girl? Would be a great "Fox on the Run" show!
Maybe Emeril's girth is the reason that the Food Network didn't renew his contract.
(Foxy's note: I didn't realize Rachael Ray is a North Country girl, jh! I'll check on that.)
Posted by: jh | May 1, 2008 10:51 PM