We have a family tradition, our family of four. For each birthday, the celebrant gets to choose where we go for dinner for a nice meal out.
Youngest son's birthday was this past Friday. When first asked what he would like for dinner, he mentioned that he wanted chicken with honey mustard sauce. Upon further questioning, he really wanted the version of Outback's Alice Springs Chicken we make at home. Yep, the kid loves good stuff. However, we asked him if he was SURE he didn't want to go out. So he changed his mind and chose a restaurant.
With some surprise on our part, he chose Cody's Roadhouse. The child we affectionately call "The Crustacean Kid" did NOT pick a seafood meal. He chose a family favorite, though, so off we go to dinner of his choosing. This place has a lot going for it. Good food, great prices and they butcher on premises daily. Neither Ed nor I have had a bad choice in our many times there. In the two years they've been in town, I think between the two of us, we've had everything except the fish entrees.
In the past year, we've begun to skip the kid's meals for him, as he has grown up tastes and sometimes, the appetite to match. He sees the great selections on the menu and looks back at the kid's offerings and will ask for the adult selections. To us, we'd rather pay full price for something he'll like and might get two servings from, rather than cheap out on the nuggets, burger or macs and cheese.
Frequently, I'll ask if he wants to split an entree, and thus begins the bargaining session. "What do YOU want?", "I dunno mom, you pick" is the norm. I think it's his recognition of the many years of seeing something that peaks his interest on my plate and the many times he has taken over my dinner! Yes, you see correctly. He bogarts my dinner (or he did) with stunning frequency. He did this at a local family run mexican place after I'd suggested he get some enchiladas. I got the corn cake and the rice-he ate two of my three enchiladas.
Back to Friday night, we were at Cody's. I asked what he wanted and if he'd want to share with me. He decided he wanted to share and that I could choose. The special was 'Giant Ribs', and the child loves ribs. It was a win win as far as I was concerned. I chose the mashed potatoes, knowing that I'd probably be full from the salad and half the ribs. He is like his aunt in that he could probably eat a plate of them alone and call that dinner.
Giant ribs turned out to be something we hadn't had since living in Maryland: Country Ribs. They're fatty, and have tons more meat on them than baby backs. In the wrong hands, they can be like eating a slab of fatback. If done well, they're tender and delicious. Of course, this being Cody's, they turn out great. The one portion looks like Fred Flintstone's Bronto Burger, and son knaws on two ribs, while I eat the other two. It was plenty for each of us, with a little room left over for dessert.
The birthday boy chose the chocolatehouse Slide for his dessert. Huge enough for all four of us to have some, and this child is ever the sharing type, so it was a natural that he'd pick this dessert. It's a brownie, topped with plenty of ice cream, hot fudge, loads of whipped cream and chocolate syrup. They attempted to put a candle in it, but it wouldn't stay.
I think he chose wisely.
I opened my emails today and they sent me one for my birthday for 10 dollars off two entrees. Between that and the Sam Seltzer's free bottle of wine for your birthday, I'm going to have a hard time deciding! :)
Monday, July 23, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Wine
This is supposed to be a blog about food AND wine. Alas, we haven't had any since creating the blog, but I surely have a hankering for it right about now.
Ed and I have settled into a comfortable routine with our wines. We'll share the bottle and take our time consuming it over the course of an evening. Neither one of us likes to open a bottle and drink it alone. A good portion of the enjoyment of wine comes from having companionship. As a result, you'll probably see both of us post about a wine.
One of my laments about the wines, and you'll find this from most wine lovers, is that you can't order it and have it shipped. Some states have reciprocity on alcohol shipments, most do not. This creates an unfortunate situation if you like smaller wineries out of state.
To an extent, we're lucky. Tampa has Total Wine and More, which is like a Toys R Us for wine lovers. Seriously. The place is bad for people who don't know what they like, because there are too many choices. If you know what you like, it's great for browsing a growing region, a grape or for a particular grower. For me, they earn hearty praise for carrying a Long Island brand, Pindar.
I recently blogged that I was excited about Pindar's Sweet Scarlett being a great red at a great price carried in this wine superstore. I truly am excited that our palates have changed since our first tasting of the wine. Now, I'm selfish. I want more. I want to try more of Pindar's offerings, since I have yet to sample one that I didn't like.
See, if life were easy, I could call and order from them-they have a website. Nope, can't ship out of NY state. Plan B means I send some money to people traveling this way and hope that they've got room in the minivan to bring more for tasting.
Off to make a phone call in the am, so watch this space for further discussions of Pindar...
Ed and I have settled into a comfortable routine with our wines. We'll share the bottle and take our time consuming it over the course of an evening. Neither one of us likes to open a bottle and drink it alone. A good portion of the enjoyment of wine comes from having companionship. As a result, you'll probably see both of us post about a wine.
One of my laments about the wines, and you'll find this from most wine lovers, is that you can't order it and have it shipped. Some states have reciprocity on alcohol shipments, most do not. This creates an unfortunate situation if you like smaller wineries out of state.
To an extent, we're lucky. Tampa has Total Wine and More, which is like a Toys R Us for wine lovers. Seriously. The place is bad for people who don't know what they like, because there are too many choices. If you know what you like, it's great for browsing a growing region, a grape or for a particular grower. For me, they earn hearty praise for carrying a Long Island brand, Pindar.
I recently blogged that I was excited about Pindar's Sweet Scarlett being a great red at a great price carried in this wine superstore. I truly am excited that our palates have changed since our first tasting of the wine. Now, I'm selfish. I want more. I want to try more of Pindar's offerings, since I have yet to sample one that I didn't like.
See, if life were easy, I could call and order from them-they have a website. Nope, can't ship out of NY state. Plan B means I send some money to people traveling this way and hope that they've got room in the minivan to bring more for tasting.
Off to make a phone call in the am, so watch this space for further discussions of Pindar...
Friday, July 6, 2007
Pizza
So, I wrote that bad pizza is still okay? Well, I lied.
Last night, I had an eye appointment that didn't finish until 7:30. The family hadn't eaten yet (I had Ed meet me with the boys) and we were all hungry. We decided to eat at the Cici's pizza adjacent to the vision place, as younger son said it was good (and older son agreed)
In a word, Yuck! If you have never enjoyed NY style or Chicago deep dish, it probably is decent pizza. However, the NYers at the table (the adults) were not impressed. The crust was too bland, thick and soft to be NY style, too thin to be sicilian OR chicago style. Folks, the crust has to be as good as the toppings. The slices I had had a cheese sauce under the mozzarella and toppings. Interesting take, but weird. Honestly, I didn't have high hopes since it was all you can eat.
The most flavor I got from what I ate was the red pepper flakes. My pupils had been dialated, so I couldn't see small stuff. I put on a lot more than I usually do, because I couldn't tell the difference. In this case, it was a good thing. The crust and sauce were so bland that they needed help.
We all agreed on the best part of the meal. The desserts included cinnamon rolls. They were soft, gooey and very tasty. Heck, I'd happily spend 4.99 to eat just a plate of those-but I don't want to put on all the weight I've lost.
Now I want some good pizza and I suspect we'll have some from the place up the block tomorrow. The guy learned how to make pizza from a guy who worked in a pizza place in Lynbrook NY. I have to find out for sure if it was DeCandia's, the place my dad worked in when I was small.
Last night, I had an eye appointment that didn't finish until 7:30. The family hadn't eaten yet (I had Ed meet me with the boys) and we were all hungry. We decided to eat at the Cici's pizza adjacent to the vision place, as younger son said it was good (and older son agreed)
In a word, Yuck! If you have never enjoyed NY style or Chicago deep dish, it probably is decent pizza. However, the NYers at the table (the adults) were not impressed. The crust was too bland, thick and soft to be NY style, too thin to be sicilian OR chicago style. Folks, the crust has to be as good as the toppings. The slices I had had a cheese sauce under the mozzarella and toppings. Interesting take, but weird. Honestly, I didn't have high hopes since it was all you can eat.
The most flavor I got from what I ate was the red pepper flakes. My pupils had been dialated, so I couldn't see small stuff. I put on a lot more than I usually do, because I couldn't tell the difference. In this case, it was a good thing. The crust and sauce were so bland that they needed help.
We all agreed on the best part of the meal. The desserts included cinnamon rolls. They were soft, gooey and very tasty. Heck, I'd happily spend 4.99 to eat just a plate of those-but I don't want to put on all the weight I've lost.
Now I want some good pizza and I suspect we'll have some from the place up the block tomorrow. The guy learned how to make pizza from a guy who worked in a pizza place in Lynbrook NY. I have to find out for sure if it was DeCandia's, the place my dad worked in when I was small.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Burgers
I lied. I said I'd get to this sometime this week, but here I am, with yet another hivey, rashy, allergic reaction. You wanna know what caused it? Huh? Huh?
It's a good bet it was that Big Mac(tm) that I consumed today. That's right, I had that tasteless, nasty, sit in your stomach meal today. I purchased the value meal, and as is typical these days, I ate about a dozen fries before I was done. Fries don't do it for me anymore, which means I must be OLD.
I get my macs without sauce. Normally, this means the offending microscopic allergen has been avoided, but I was wrong. This tasteless burger added insult to injury today.
Of course, the consumption of a bad burger just makes me want a good burger. Unlike bad pizza, which is still decent, a bad burger just drives you crazy with the need for a good one. What, exactly IS a good burger?
The good burger consists of fresh meat, charred to a crisp on the outside, on a toasted bun, with condiments on the side. Some sort of real cheese, no processed cheese foods here. Oh, and if you go for the bacon, medium well. Sauteed onions are good, too, but these days, I like a nice big fat ring of raw-channeling my dad here.
Where, exactly, can one find a good burger? Let's see, good burger places, in no particular order:
Le Cellier, Epcot, WDW. Most people go here for the steaks, but the burger is the best on WDW property. Close second at WDW is:
Beaches and Cream-the atmosphere is classic soda shop and even though this is a frozen patty, the grill looks like it should-well cured.
Cody's Steakhouse, Tampa Bay. They hand trim their steaks, so they grind their own beef. Damn good burger, comes with cheddar.
Daily Eats, Tampa-This place has a wide variety of burgers and even did a gyro burger for me once. Fresh, good choices of cheese (Feta, anyone?)
Biff Burger, St. Petersburg-this is the classic Florida open air bar and snack bar. Their wings are fantastic, but the burger ain't bad
Barley and Hops, Frederick Maryland. Chef Jason keeps the menu small, but interesting. Best pairing is one of his cheddar burgers with the beer cheese soup.
There's a great Burger stand in Lexington Market in Baltimore, but for the life of me I can't remember the name (blame the vicodin). It's not in the best part of town, but if you've lived in a major city, you'll find the area very tame.
Marybill Diner, Merrick NY-Nick will give you those wonderful homefries with your burger if you ask real nice. Sure beats diner steak fries.
All American Burger, Massapequa, NY-Double doubles are a little different than the next place, but there's something about bringing some All American down to the beach to perk up a cold November day.
In and Out Burger, West Coast. Yep, the only chain to make the list. My only regret of the California trip is that we didn't get to In and Out a second time. Had I known where the closest one was to our hotel, I would have forgone the Del Taco that last night we were there.
Care to share where you find your favorite burger?
It's a good bet it was that Big Mac(tm) that I consumed today. That's right, I had that tasteless, nasty, sit in your stomach meal today. I purchased the value meal, and as is typical these days, I ate about a dozen fries before I was done. Fries don't do it for me anymore, which means I must be OLD.
I get my macs without sauce. Normally, this means the offending microscopic allergen has been avoided, but I was wrong. This tasteless burger added insult to injury today.
Of course, the consumption of a bad burger just makes me want a good burger. Unlike bad pizza, which is still decent, a bad burger just drives you crazy with the need for a good one. What, exactly IS a good burger?
The good burger consists of fresh meat, charred to a crisp on the outside, on a toasted bun, with condiments on the side. Some sort of real cheese, no processed cheese foods here. Oh, and if you go for the bacon, medium well. Sauteed onions are good, too, but these days, I like a nice big fat ring of raw-channeling my dad here.
Where, exactly, can one find a good burger? Let's see, good burger places, in no particular order:
Le Cellier, Epcot, WDW. Most people go here for the steaks, but the burger is the best on WDW property. Close second at WDW is:
Beaches and Cream-the atmosphere is classic soda shop and even though this is a frozen patty, the grill looks like it should-well cured.
Cody's Steakhouse, Tampa Bay. They hand trim their steaks, so they grind their own beef. Damn good burger, comes with cheddar.
Daily Eats, Tampa-This place has a wide variety of burgers and even did a gyro burger for me once. Fresh, good choices of cheese (Feta, anyone?)
Biff Burger, St. Petersburg-this is the classic Florida open air bar and snack bar. Their wings are fantastic, but the burger ain't bad
Barley and Hops, Frederick Maryland. Chef Jason keeps the menu small, but interesting. Best pairing is one of his cheddar burgers with the beer cheese soup.
There's a great Burger stand in Lexington Market in Baltimore, but for the life of me I can't remember the name (blame the vicodin). It's not in the best part of town, but if you've lived in a major city, you'll find the area very tame.
Marybill Diner, Merrick NY-Nick will give you those wonderful homefries with your burger if you ask real nice. Sure beats diner steak fries.
All American Burger, Massapequa, NY-Double doubles are a little different than the next place, but there's something about bringing some All American down to the beach to perk up a cold November day.
In and Out Burger, West Coast. Yep, the only chain to make the list. My only regret of the California trip is that we didn't get to In and Out a second time. Had I known where the closest one was to our hotel, I would have forgone the Del Taco that last night we were there.
Care to share where you find your favorite burger?
Wine and Foodies is here
Take two.
Last year, Ed and I tried to start a team blogging venture called Yumm. It was mostly to detail wine tasting notes. Since we also love food, we decided to make the blog a catchall for notes about anything gastronomically related. Unfortunately, it suffered the fate known as blogspot hell, a phenomenon entered into when Blogger decided to beta the current version. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, they host these blogs for free.
Well, now that Blogger has been cooperating nicely post Beta mode, I decided to resurrect the blog. Alas, the name is gone, so now its Wine and Foodies. It fits a lot better, and there will be no confusion with Rachael Ray's catch phrase!
Like the other blog, there may be weeks with lots to report and there may be weeks where there isn't much on the horizon. As with the other blog, if you aren't happy with the frequency of posts, get your own blog! Since this is a team venture, if you want to be part of the team and share info from your part of the country, let me know-guest posts are always welcome. Perhaps permanent additions to the team will be made, time will tell.
Comments or topic suggestions are welcomed...
Watch this space!
Last year, Ed and I tried to start a team blogging venture called Yumm. It was mostly to detail wine tasting notes. Since we also love food, we decided to make the blog a catchall for notes about anything gastronomically related. Unfortunately, it suffered the fate known as blogspot hell, a phenomenon entered into when Blogger decided to beta the current version. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, they host these blogs for free.
Well, now that Blogger has been cooperating nicely post Beta mode, I decided to resurrect the blog. Alas, the name is gone, so now its Wine and Foodies. It fits a lot better, and there will be no confusion with Rachael Ray's catch phrase!
Like the other blog, there may be weeks with lots to report and there may be weeks where there isn't much on the horizon. As with the other blog, if you aren't happy with the frequency of posts, get your own blog! Since this is a team venture, if you want to be part of the team and share info from your part of the country, let me know-guest posts are always welcome. Perhaps permanent additions to the team will be made, time will tell.
Comments or topic suggestions are welcomed...
Watch this space!
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