I’ve been eating out a lot
this week, and I’m sure my weight will reflect that. I know food critics have
learned to sample rather than devour, but it seems to be an art I haven’t
mastered. Still, here are some of my culinary adventures, both in restaurants
and at home.
We have a new seafood
restaurant where I’ve enjoyed fried oysters several times—no red sauce, though
I suppose you could have it if you insisted (if you ask for ketchup, it comes
in a discreet small dish—no bottles on the table at this sleek modern place).
Instead they broil a lemon half which really loosens the juice and flavors the
seasoned oyster just enough. At lunch the other day, I told myself I had to
move beyond the oysters, so I ordered tuna Carpaccio. I love beef Carpaccio, but was leery of
tuna—turned out to be my new favorite food. Super-thin slices of tuna dressed
with a light sauce and decorated with thin slices of apple, scatterings of
raisins, and crumbles of blue cheese. Heavenly, and one serving was just right.
The friend I was with had an ahi tuna burger—huge—and good herbed frites. Afterward, he said, “If you hadn’t eaten half my fries, you
would have had a healthy lunch.” I ate modestly of the fries—nowhere near half.
One night, Betty, my adventures in
dining pal, and I tried the new Bravo! where—pleasant surprise—we ran into my
daughter and her husband and some of their friends. We split an order of
lasagna and a Caesar side salad. Both halves were more than enough, and I
wonder how anyone can eat a whole order. Made with traditional red sauce and
Alfredo, the lasagna had just a faint hint of fennel—not one of my favorites
but it worked well in this dish. The Caesar was creamy, powerful with garlic,
and plenty of cheese. No anchovy but there was a hint of the taste in the
dressing.
Of course, I can’t do better
than the Old Neighborhood Grill, where I have a new favorite—fried pork
cutlets. One serving is two large cutlets with brown gravy. I always dribble
the second one with extra gravy and bring it home. Knowing that was waiting for
me at dinner, with a small serving of German potato salad, I vowed to eat
lightly at the Grill that day for lunch—but it was meatloaf day and who can
resist. I asked for a box, intending to take half home but ate the whole
thing. Nope, no mashed potatoes with it.
On the home front, the owner
of a successful bistro published a recipe in the paper in a section suggesting
innovative lunchbox food for back to school kids. His daughter sometimes gets
cold glazed salmon (he uses bbq sauce but I used a soy/maple syrup/Dijon glaze)
along with a salad of cucumber and tomato, seasoned only with salt and pepper
and topped with crumbled feta (I didn’t have feta so used bleu). Sounds like a
fancy lunch for a fifth-grader, and his Lili is one lucky girl. Elizabeth and I
enjoyed my version and had it left over the next day for lunch.
Last night I fixed my
first-ever ceviche. I’ve been leery of ceviche because I don’t like jalapenos
and the dish so often has shrimp, which I’m allergic to. But this recipe has
avocado, cilantro, lots of lime, and my new friend—raw tuna. When I found out
the price of sushi grade tuna ($16/lb.) my neighbor said tilapia does great and
doesn’t overpower, so tilapia it was. It was really good and tart, but five
adults didn’t make a real dent in it. I brought it home but not sure how long
it keeps—I’d be surprised if it lasts 24 hours.
It’s sure been a week of
variety eating, topped off with bacon and eggs this morning. Jordan and Jacob were here, and she scrambled eggs. My usual breakfast of cottage cheese went by the way.
