Maine Fish Market

Where: 60 Bridge St., East Windsor, CT
When: Mar 2, 2012

The occasion was an annual 'taking my mom out for her birthday". At 84 yrs old now (and for a while) she really doesn't need any THING more. It's more that we have to clear out when we have to do that someday, so my Aunt Norma and I take her out for lunch.

Our waitstaff was the BEST!! Her name; Karin P. She was helpful, funny, attentive without being 'in the way' pushy. Thanks, Karin,... you made our lunch!

I had New England Clam Chowder since I'd read the reviews and it said it was the best they'd ever had. and it WAS!!! I'm a born and bred New Englander and we know our clam chowdah. It was the thickest I've ever had, too. So thick, I ate it on my very warm loaf of multi-grain bread. Yum....

 Sorry the photo is sideways, the upload would only load it that way... not sure why. But see how is just sits there?

Mom had a great looking salad. I would have had it if I didn't have the chowder instead. Really fresh!

 I had the Baked Stuffed Fillet of Sole, roasted red potatoes and cauliflower. I cut the fillet in half (since I knew I wouldn't eat all of it) and the filling was SOOO good. The fillet was flaky and tender and mild. I had two sea scallops with it which were eaten immediately. OMG......melt in your mouth.

This was the stuffing inside my fillet.

The potatoes were THE BEST!!! I could have made a meal out of JUST THEM!
Our waitress Karin, said they made them with butter and garlic. <<<OMG>>>

My mom had the Baked stuffed shrimp and let me try her seafood stuffing. "To DIE FOR!!" It was buttery and CHUNKS of crab (I think). Delightful, was my mom's comment.

 My aunt ordered what she always does, fried fillet of sole. When I asked her why she didn't want to try something else, her answer was ..."It's what I ordered the first time there, and it's excellent, so why not get what you know". OK! I tried that too and it was good, but I loved mine so much more. AND I CAN'T forget the French fries!!!! I didn't get them, but I think I scoffed up most of the ones my mom was to take home. They were truly the BEST french fries I've EVER EATEN!!!!! Crispy on the outside (no, not ONE soggy fry), and so soft inside. Just the way they should be. They don't even need ketchup!

 The cauliflower was a little undercooked on some of them, but when I reheated my leftover (see below), they were perfect!!

 I had to take a photo of the booth next to us, as this food is spectacular!!!

 I even got to "release a book into the wild" (on their window shelf outside). For more info on that you must go visit, www.bookcrossing.com . It's my favorite book website (for fun stuff).
What would I give them for forks, out of 5 forks? Probably 6 or 7!!

Flour Girls Food Truck

When: Feb 2012
Where: on the corner of Charlesfield St, & Thayer St, Providence, RI (Brown University)

We happened to accidently 'fall upon' this food truck on our way to lunch at Louis' Family Diner (see precious post). We thought we'd take dessert home, so we hit is for all three cookies ($2.50 each) on their menu. They do have a website and they do bring the food truck to parites (what a thought)

Ginger Mollasses (OMG- DEADLY!!!)
Chocolate Chip (the guy in front of my who tasted his said it was the BEST CHOC CHIP COOKIE HE:S EVER HAD!)
and a Cranberry Oatmeal (very deadly too!)
They had lemon bars and brownies, and apple cider donut holes, but we skipped those.

Nice to find a food truck after watching so many of them on the cooking channel.

Louis' Family Diner

Where: 286 Brook Street, Providence, RI (in the heart of Brown University)

How did we hear of it??
Googled 'diners' in CT, RI, etc.... and then saw a few in RI (of which this one was on Guy Fiero's Diner, Drive-ins and Dives). There were so many things that looked good on the DDD episode, that we had to take the 1.5 hr trip. Thankfully, the temp today was in the 50's, windy, but mild. Nice ride along Rte 6 (we meant to take my mom, but she had other plans).  And I love the area of the college...great buildings.

Very unassuming, and the side that we walked up to showed us a broken sign (glass), so we were not sure whether they were even open or not (and how long ago WAS this episode of DDD anyhow?)

There was very nice 'graffitti' on the side. Someone was artistic!

It's not very big, and moderately crowded at our 1pm arrival, so we took a corner table so I could get a feel for the place. One guy was waitering everyone, wasn't rushed, so you can see the ambiance was 'relaxed'.
There was lots of photos, articles and mementos that covered the walls (under glass frames).

And I loved the 'banana tree'.

They even had a spot on the wall where Guy Fiero signed the wall (look up when you walk in).

We got water right away, then looked over the menus (we already knew what we wanted) and ordered the BBQ Chicken Cheese Ravioli ($6.55). When it came, there were probably 10 raviolis (large ones), with a meatless sauce- chucks of tomato in it--


and it came with a HOT roll/butter that was the size of a 'torpedo roll' (small grinder roll). It was very yummy, although you'll have to check out the video from DDD to see what they put in it.

There is such a difference between canned/store ravioli and fresh ravioli. This was nice and firm. I couldn't finish mine (although Lee ate all of his and felt 'stuffed' on the ride home), so I brought 3 ravioli's home. I also ordered another plate of them for my daughter (to go).

I must say we enjoyed the meal, but we had a nice 'treat' walking back to our car.... (see the next post for FlourGirls)

Super Bowl Subs!

What better lunch to make than a LONG grinder (submarine sandwiches)....

This is a list of ingredients in no particular order:

deli- sliced ham (three kinds-honey, virginia, plain),
Swiss cheese, ex-sharp cheddar, american
Smoked turkey
mayo, mustard, guacamole, pesto,
Bread & Butter pickles
Jalepeno peppers
Salad stuff (from a bag)
thinly sliced red onion & tomatoes

 

Some of it I toasted in the oven (then sliced to whatever length anyone wanted), and some I left cold. I used whole wheat Italian bread... cut in half, into the top and down the middle, then slice each half in half horizontally. Really good bread.

Homemade Vanilla ice cream

Well, I asked for an ice-cream maker for Christmas, because I had a cone maker. I got two of them! So after deciding which one I'm keeping (the Cousinart- 2 quart one), I decided to make a normal recipe (from their booklet)... vanilla.

This is what the inside looked like after I made it (forgot to take prep photos), but the vanilla was the BEST I've ever had. I even used less cream than it called for! I substituted 1 cup fat-free half and half for 1 cup cream. I followed the rest of the recipe to a tea. 

YUM!

Chicken and Waffles!

WHATTT???!! 

 Yes, I said that right.... "Chicken and Waffles" is what the menu said at Corey's Catsup & Mustard, Main St., Manchester, CT.

I asked the waitress if it was any good and she smiled, "Yes, really good!" I'm always game to try something new, and the description sounded appetizing, so that's what I ordered.

Crispy Chicken breast (although I must say, pounded pretty flat), with Jack cheese on each side of it, maple mayo (that' is their great combination of maple syrup and mayonaise--they do it really well, and usually put it with sweet potato fries-- which we shared), then sandwich all that in-between two belgian waffles! Sound gross?? NOT!
 It was really good, although I couldn't finish it (doggybag), so I'll have to figure a way to reheat it (toaster oven?) tomorrow for lunch.

Hubby had his usual "Whiskey Run Burger".... it always looks good, but I haven't had more than a bite of it (sharing).
The sweet potato fries are always good....

As we trotted across the street to get to my car, I never realized how 'modern' our town is..... These are our new (not even sure how long we've had these) 'solar' trash compactors. I wished I had some trash to see if it 'did' anything. (My husband thinks they wouldn't work as it was at night. I think it might, since it must 'store' the energy in itself at night. )

I guess I won't know...tonight.

Fun breakfast with a 5-yr-old

I know it isn't much, but get some cinnamon swirl bread from Great Harvest Bread co. and watch a 5yr old have FUN eating breakfast!!

What a great smile!!!!  (the haircut is still growing on me... not so much, but it's only hair. It will change in a month or so. Many times, I'm sure. At least THIS time, he let someone actually cut/shave it (his Aunt Janet is a hairdresser). Before this, he wouldn't let you comb it, never mind get a buzzer near it!)

Good food!