I fully expected to be regaling about the sumptuous spread on a class reunion dinner cruise but that wouldn’t be right. Although there were numerous offerings on the menu it paled in comparison to the fun I had catching up with my classmates.
While we were talking and I was sipping on a $5 ginger ale, the subject of Northern Neck ginger ale came into the conversation. I am not sure of the reach of the soda brand, but whenever I see it, I buy it. This brand is more ginger than ale which sets it apart. This is no quiet mixer that needs to be propped up like the looker with no personality. No, this ginger ale shows up like the quick witted stunner everyone wants to sit beside at the dinner party. It never disappoints and if it is pared with other ingredients, it brings out the best in them without disappearing into the background. My cousin makes a punch with it that is always a hit. I just wish I could get it closer to home.
It is normal for me to go out for a bite to eat and become enamored of the taste. But for the last few days, thanks to many changes in the weather, nothing has been appetizing. No comfort food, yummy tidbit, or even the most well crafted smoothie has looked like a good prospect.
Stuffy nose, achy head, sore throat and general tiredness had sucked the appetite right out of me to the point that only bottles of water seemed attractive. That’s all well and good if you are the only one to consider, but I’m a mom. Even-though I didn’t want to eat I still have to do something to assuage my child’s appetite. Running late on a school night, I suggested an old stand-by: Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
My kid loves tomato soup, especially the Progresso soup with the chunks of tomato throughout (I guess that’s where the extra fiber advertised on the label comes from). The sandwich was a little different from our usual cheddar on white. I had purchased a loaf of Italian bread for lunches and we found the cheese on sale at our local grocery store. The Sargento Colby and Jack had been placed on clearance along with their Cheddar-Mozzarella slices. We snapped them up and, at my child’s’ suggestion I placed a slice of both cheeses on the bread. I melted butter and brushed the outsides of each slice before placing it on my heated George Foreman Grill. It took no time and dinner was on. After taking a bite my kid had a grin on his face and was heartily downing the sandwich by breaking it into pieces and dunking it into the creamy rich soup. That’s when I wished we had bought more cheese. I wonder if you can freeze it?
Every other Saturday I have lunch with my ex and our son. I don’t mean this in a mean way but if I really enjoyed the guys company then he wouldn’t be an ex so the food I have must be tasty. Our last outing was to Max & Erma’s. We had a little wait and then were seated at a smallish table by the opening to the mall. Great, I thought, I’ll be able to people watch.
Our waitress came to gather our orders but I could not comply until she answered one little question for me: Could I get fried chicken on my salad instead of grilled? It’s not that I don’t understand the health benefits of grilled, I just really enjoy how fried chicken plays against the crisp cool greens of a salad. The young lady said sure and that was just what I wanted to hear. After a few minutes this tasty salad of fresh greens, crisp apples, cranberries and glazed pecans topped with tasty fried chicken arrived. Talk about good! Every bite was a lovely blend of taste that distracted me from my reality and I was a little sorry to see it end. I will definitely order this salad again.
After running around all week, I decided it was time to sit down and actually eat lunch for lunch (really rare for me). Lunch approached and I did not know where I was going until I remembered my My Panera card.
I arrived thoroughly convinced that I would have the Steak and White Cheddar but when the young lady behind the counter asked what I would like I said the Pick Two with the Tomato Mozzarella Panini and the Thai Chopped Chicken Salad. Everything was so yummy I was able to go on and finish the week right.
The first job worked out of high school was a waitress position in a small local restaurant. The pay was deplorable and the hours were crazy. (Some days I was scheduled to work from 10 AM to 2 PM and 5 PM to close on the same day and I didn’t have my own transportation so I was stuck.) The only good thing I remember is that the subs here were really tasty.
On Sunday, my family decided that cooking was out of the question and that we should visit the namesake of the restaurant I worked for, so long ago. My mouth was set for a sub treat. I ordered the hamburger sub, which is the love child of a traditional burger and a submarine sandwich. Our food arrived and my mouth was almost watering for the taste sensation that awaited me. It looked tasty; burger, tomato, lettuce, onions, and mayo on a toasty sub roll. I picked up my sandwich and bit into it expecting a tasty trip down memory lane and was greeted with a hamburger patty that tasted like it had never met a seasoning, let alone salt or pepper. I know that over-seasoning can ruin a burger, but come on. Give me something. I tried to eat it but the disappointment was too great. On the flip side, the french fries, which, when I ordered them, I had little expectation for, were awesome. When the waitress returned, I told her of my plight and she graciously took the offending burger off of my bill. Next time, I’ll get what my son ordered. That looked and tested delicious.
I fully expected to be regaling about the sumptuous spread on a class reunion dinner cruise but that wouldn’t be right. Although there were numerous offerings on the menu it paled in comparison to the fun I had catching up with my classmates.
