BoomerChicks

Rattling Pots and Pans

Since my daughter has moved home we have been treated to some culinary wonders that have been out of the realm of our everyday meals.  RJ describes himself as a "chili dog kind of guy" making dinner time a new adventure of sorts for him.  I am just happy that I don't have to do all of the cooking. 

My daughter comes from a long line of great cooks (excluding myself) and it is strange that this "cooking" thing with her is now just surfacing.  Up until recently, the poor girl couldn't even boil water.  Now mind you, in this long line of great cooks, it is difficult to come close to my grandmother's skill.  I know everyone claims that their grandmother's cooking is the best, but mine had some pretty darn good endorsements. 

Dean Martin, yes, that Dean Martin from Amoire fame, was one of her biggest fans.  He was a frequent guest of a once famous songwriter, Jimmy McHugh, who my grandmother worked for in the 1960's.  Apparently Mr. Martin never turned down an invitation to dinner when his "Anna" was the chef.  Grandma loved him and I am sure found him quite charming.  He would swoop her onto his lap and serenade her as she would serve the meal, and always showered her with compliments.   She told me once that he was just a down to earth man who treated her like a friend rather than a servant.  Her protests were loud and proud if anyone had a bad word to say about Dean Martin. 

Grandma would appreciate the fact that her great-granddaughter is now venturing into an area that she knew so well.  I sometimes tried to cook with my Grandma, but she was way too fast and would always say things like, "a handful of this, a pinch of that, or just throw some of this in".  At her pace, I suffered whiplash trying to observe what she was doing and couldn't remember the handfuls from the pinches.  Her kitchen was spotless and remained so throughout the process and her attire always inclued a nice white crisp apron that never even caught a drip, let alone a stain!

Fast forward to 2009 and we have been chowing on the likes of Chicken Roma, Stuffed Spinach Pork Chops, Smoked Salmon Sandwhiches on Homemade Green Onion Parmesan Biscuits, Over the Top Mac & Cheese, Stuffed Meatballs and Chicken Parmesan to name a few.  All wildly delicious.  For the sweet tooth, we have been served Berry Cobbler (made in a crockpot!) and Flaky Sticky Buns.  Equally delicious.  And did I mention she has become pretty good at replicating a recipe from something she has tried in a restaurant.  Most recently she made a delicious soup she had in a Vietnamese restaurant.  I asked her what it was called and she said, "Pho something or another".  I guess we don't need to get the name right as long as the ingredients are correct.  We'll just stick to calling it Vietnamese soup. 

While the food has been great, there are definite signs of changing times.  There is no real schedule for a set dinner time.  When the urge strikes, daughter starts cooking.  We have been known to sit down for dinner as late as 9:00 p.m.  And, her uniform consists of jeans and a t-shirt.  I am not sure what Grandma would say about that, but I do know she would have a few "gentle" words for the condition of the kitchen during her gg-daughter's cooking sprees.  Even I, have let loose with a few comments.

Pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and ingredients are strewn from one end to another.  It begins as an orderly process, but quickly changes course.  My daughter claims the mess and chaos are signs of a good cook.  I think that Grandma would differ with that.  Grandma would have been over the moon though with the vast array of recipes one can print off the Internet, along with the Food Network Channel.  In fact, she would likely have had her own show, but would have been put off if they asked her to slow down so that her audience could actually see what she was doing. 

Who knows where this new interest in cooking will lead for my daughter.  If I am lucky it might mean that it is her turn to take hold of the reins regarding the holiday dinners (hint, hint).   I'll even buy her a white crisp apron.  We could start a new tradition and write the date next to the stains.  Now wouldn't that be fun!

The Coffee Bean Has Entered the Twilight Zone

Apparently The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has a new policy.  It goes something like this -- we'll take your money but we get to keep it and you get nothing in return. 

The other night my daughter met her girlfriend for coffee at her favorite coffee establishment -- The Coffee Bean.  Before she left she asked if I was in the mood for a vanilla latte.  Of course, my answer was yes at which she said,  "I'll bring one home for you."

When she arrived home a couple of hours later, she handed me my drink and told me that before I drink it she needs to explain that it may taste different. 

As she was getting ready to come home she went to the counter to order my latte while her friend waited outside.  The guy behind the counter took her order, she paid him and then placed a dollar in the tip jar, at which he thanked her.  While waiting she was browsing the items on the shelf, the mugs, trinkets and accessories.  Quite some time had passed and she noticed that the three employees working behind the counter were standing around talking.  She inquired about her order and was told that there was no more coffee.  Surprised and confused at this remark she responded, "so there is no coffee at the Coffee Bean?" 

The female employee explained that it was almost closing time and they weren't going to make another pot of coffee.  She told them that she didn't mind waiting while they brewed another pot, but they refused.  My daughter said that she was stunned.  "Hello, I placed an order, you took my money and had me wait for my drink only to have me inquire when will it be ready and you tell me this?  What did I pay for?" 

As my daughter was telling me this, I asked her why they didn't inform her before she paid and waited for the order?  That's not asking too much is it?  Who in their right mind would take your order, have you pay for it and then make you wait for something they had no intention of giving you?  After some back and forth conversation, they subsequently made her a latte from the remaining espresso shots that were "still available." 

My daughter is the ultimate Coffee Bean aficionado!  She advocates for the Bean and rarely steps foot in one of the competing establishments.  She has patronized this franchise for years!  She was in a state of shock and reached into the tip jar and took her tip back.  The employees laughed when she did this.  Surely she must be on Candid Camera or something! 

As she left the store, she indicated that she was going to write a strongly worded letter to the Corporate office.  One of the employees then told her, "well, if you really want me to, I'll brew another pot."  Seriously, are the employees smoking the tea leaves?

Sadly, this was no joke.  This was the level of customer service she received from her beloved Coffee Bean.  I felt for her as she recounted her experience.  If anyone lives by the philosophy that you get more bees with honey than vinegar, it is my daughter.  However, on this one her disappointment and disbelief got the best of her.  

Ultimately I ended up with my latte, and I assured her that it tasted good.  But, my poor daughter, I think therapy will be in order for her to get over this one. 

Making Povitica

This was a great find! The Montana Standard (based out of Butte, Montana) posted a video on their website showing women making povitica. If you are not familiar with this bread, you are missing out.

I do beg to differ with the commentator though who reported that povitica is a Serbian tradition. Yikes, she must have forgotten the number of Croatians in the Butte/Anaconda area. You know that whole Croatian/Serbian thing can get pretty sticky.  Not nice to omit the Croatians!

Growing up in Anaconda, Montana, I watched my Croatian grandmother make plenty of these poviticas. It is a laborious and tricky task to say the least. In addition to the walnut povitica described in this video, my grandma also made apple and the to-die-for cheese povitica (not cream cheese, but cottage cheese). My mouth is watering!

Rather than cut the dough into loaf shapes as shown on this video, my grandma coiled the dough and baked it in a roasting pan. She would make several at a time, wrapping the finished treasures in cheesecloth and storing them away. They didn't last very long though, we literally devoured them!

This is a lost art in my family.  Even my mom didn't attempt povitica, although she and I often talked about trying it.  I wish we would have now.  You can buy them online and while they are good, nothing beats eating one right out of the oven. 

Sandwich Boards, Fat Celebs and NYC Grub

So last night I am doing a quick search of job sites.  While searching, I somehow stumbled across a New York Post article about a guy who lost his job on Wall Street.  Apparently he is a husband and father and needs to work.  I have to say that I admired his tenacity in his quest for a new job.

Wearing a sandwich board advertisement with "MIT Grad for Hire" scribbled on it, this guy walked the streets of Manhattan handing out resumes.  He got lucky and landed a great job!  God bless him.

The whole story though did a number on the hunger pains that I was experiencing.  I kept going back to the word "sandwich", triggering my need to eat something. 

However, while checking out the story about this innovative job seeker, I saw another story that caught my eye entitled Celebrities Who Gained Weight.  Of course, Oprah was front and center along with a list of other celebs who have packed on some pounds.  Gee, I think a few of the poor female celebs went from a size 0 to a size 2.  Isn't that a crying out loud shame?

Of course, Oprah is scrutinized on everything the poor woman puts in her mouth.  I think she should just stick to who she is, a beautiful, talented woman, and forget the public confessions of falling off the wagon.  I mean, seriously, so what!  I did note that the Post included some men on their list of "porkers".  But guess what, from what I can see, most of them are still working, and no one really cares if they get fat.   You know the Jason Alexanders, William Shatners and Robert Deniros, still working with their puffed up bodies.  Fat, graying and aging men are "distinguished".   That's what they have taught us, right? 

Do you see much of Kirstie Alley?  Didn't she get a TV show called Fat Actress or something like that?  Anyway she lost her weight--thanks to Jenny--and now it seems she has regained it.  And what about poor Sally Struthers, that petite, cute blonde girl with a bigot for a daddy?  The only thing I have seen her on since she grew rounder is commercials.  Nothing distinguised about a fat, graying and aging woman!

Anyway, the whole thing subconsciously made me decide to ignore my hunger pains.  Man, are we programmed according to what others think?!?!?!  Did I not just say to basically leave Oprah alone? 

Well, the whole subconscious trip I put myself on soon dissipated as I decided to check out my emails.  Lo and behold, a friend of mine sent me some pics of his Thanksgiving trip to the Big Apple. 

My friend was gracious enough to forward shots of not only him and his pals, along with the cool places they visited, he sent photos of the meals they ate!   Yep, it seems that they spent a lot of time over the long weekend hunting down some New York style grub.  I was drooling as the photos slowly passed by me.  Damnit, there was no way I wasn't going to eat after seeing those shots.  I could have eaten my computer!

                          

The pizza (look at that freakin pizza) finally drove me from my chair straight into the kitchen. 

I don't have a TV show. 

I don't star in movies. 

I can eat! 

Bon appetite!