It's a personal thing, too much for anything other
than a huge catastrophe to shatter universally.

We've seen a few of those huge catastrophes over the years. They have a
major effect on a relatively small area but to the inhabitants of that
area, it's probably close to earthshattering.

Yes, the world goes on.

Her basic gravies were just that. She only did it for roast beef, chicken, pork chops and liver. No ham gravy--said she couldn't do it from those drippings. She cooked to fill us up with basics, never anything worthy of a Michelin star.

Ah, liver gravy. That's one of the few things I've done
that others have refused to eat.

Gee, I can't understand why. (G) At the time she used beef liver, fried
with bacon (one strip per person), and tended to get the liver on the overdone side. Nothing like tough liver, lumpy mashed potatoes with
liver gravy plus some other run of the mill vegetable and dessert (could
be bad or good, depending on what it was) to finish the day's eating.

I enjoy most liver and have seldom had really bad dish of it.
the most notable was many years ago at a place called The
Landing Strip in Liberty PA just off US15, where not only as
the stuff done to the proverbial shoe leather, it tasted as
though the shoe had stepped in something unsavory. The gravy
had ketchup in it (or similar), and the onions were at that
uncomfortable place just past raw but nonetheless with burned
spots.

Sigh! Are you getting them with every meal?

Croquettes or fries. Yesterday's dinner at a French-
inspired restaurant had mashed potatoes done pretty
much according to my liking - at least 1/3 butter.

Now that you will be coming back to the States soon, they give you
decent potatoes?

Buttery potatoes, anyhow. I'd in fact had a better run of
daily spuds over the last three weeks than anywhere or any
time else.

If pasta 5 minutes old is good enough for you, it's
not so important but still a good idea.

It works for us. It's undoubtedly older than that in most restaurants.

I don't get pasta in restaurants unless there's some
indication it would be fresh and al dente.

You're getting out, will wait for the full trip report.

It'll be a while and will come mostly as dribs
and drabs.

Still will be interesting to read.

I hope so, anyway.

Time will tell. Got your medical appointments lined up?

Sort of, but I may have to do more with that, as some
side effects are getting obtrusive.

I was buying train tickets off a touchscreen machine
and had to wet my fingers a couple of times and then
hit the screen with an audible kathunking. This
obtained on two occasions in fact, which makes me think
that my fingertips are the problem rather than anything
SNCB did.

Can you use a rubber tipped pen/stylus? A lot of ball point pens now
have a rubber tip on them, intended for touch screen use. I still use my fingers more, but the stylus/rubber tips are more sanitary.

Don't know - I always thought it was the dryness of my
fingertips that was a problem. Anyhow, excess caution
is silly, and so far as I can tell, in the first
world even as it is, a lot of customs are excess.

have a bucket brigade situation if anyone is still using
a cane - as I recall, cafeterias can have pitfalls for
those who are even slightly infirm.

I'm off the cane now. This is a small place and workers are more than
happy to lend a hand carrying trays, drinks, etc. Still very small town
feel to parts of WF, including this place. We have a private room
reserved for the group, not too far off the food line.

Sounds good so far.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.00

Title: Datenut Muffins
Categories: Improv, Desserts
Yield: 12 servings

1 1/2 c Dates
3 c Hot water (120 degrees)
3/4 c Margarine
1 1/2 c Sugar
2 lg Eggs - extra large
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
1/3 ts Salt
1 1/2 c Water
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
1 c Pecans, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 c All purpose flour, sifted

Soak the dates in 3 cups hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and
refrigerate dates for about 30 minutes; they must be cold before
using. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together margarine and sugar.
Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, 1 1/2 cups water, baking soda, pecans
and flour, mixing as little as possible, until just moist. Fold in
the dates. Place in muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25
minutes.

Note: Using half the amount of margarine decreases the fat amount by 6
grams per serving and the difference isn't noticed and does not
compromise the flavor.

Approximate calories per serving: 427
19 g fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 63 g carbohydrates, 362 mg sodium

Recipe from Luby's Cafeteria in Phoenix, Arizona

MMMMM
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.FIDOSYSOP.ORG (1:123/140)

Hi Michael,

It's a personal thing, too much for anything other
than a huge catastrophe to shatter universally.

We've seen a few of those huge catastrophes over the years. They

have a > major effect on a relatively small area but to the
inhabitants of that > area, it's probably close to earthshattering.

Yes, the world goes on.

And will, for who knows how much longer.

Her basic gravies were just that. She only did it for roast

beef, > ML> > chicken, pork chops and liver. No ham gravy--said she couldn't do it > ML> > from those drippings. She cooked to fill us up with basics, never > ML> > anything worthy of a Michelin star.

Ah, liver gravy. That's one of the few things I've done
that others have refused to eat.

Gee, I can't understand why. (G) At the time she used beef liver,

fried > with bacon (one strip per person), and tended to get the liver
on the > overdone side. Nothing like tough liver, lumpy mashed
potatoes with

liver gravy plus some other run of the mill vegetable and dessert

(could > be bad or good, depending on what it was) to finish the day's eating.

I enjoy most liver and have seldom had really bad dish of it.
the most notable was many years ago at a place called The
Landing Strip in Liberty PA just off US15, where not only as
the stuff done to the proverbial shoe leather, it tasted as
though the shoe had stepped in something unsavory. The gravy
had ketchup in it (or similar), and the onions were at that
uncomfortable place just past raw but nonetheless with burned
spots.

That sounds like a dish I'd have sent back to the kitchen and asked for something else (or the check).

Sigh! Are you getting them with every meal?

Croquettes or fries. Yesterday's dinner at a French-
inspired restaurant had mashed potatoes done pretty
much according to my liking - at least 1/3 butter.

Now that you will be coming back to the States soon, they give you decent potatoes?

Buttery potatoes, anyhow. I'd in fact had a better run of
daily spuds over the last three weeks than anywhere or any
time else.

Feeling a bit spudgy?

If pasta 5 minutes old is good enough for you, it's
not so important but still a good idea.

It works for us. It's undoubtedly older than that in most

restaurants.

I don't get pasta in restaurants unless there's some
indication it would be fresh and al dente.

I don't get it that often, and since we've moved here, only from a
couple of restaurants. Both are locally owned/operated.

You're getting out, will wait for the full trip

report. > ML> > ML> It'll be a while and will come mostly as dribs

and drabs.

Still will be interesting to read.

I hope so, anyway.

Time will tell. Got your medical appointments lined up?

Sort of, but I may have to do more with that, as some
side effects are getting obtrusive.

Just make sure you report all of them--hopefully things that can be
treated.

I was buying train tickets off a touchscreen machine and had

to wet my fingers a couple of times and then hit the screen with an
audible kathunking. This obtained on two occasions in fact, which makes
me think that my fingertips are the problem rather than anything SNCB
did.

Can you use a rubber tipped pen/stylus? A lot of ball point pens

now have a rubber tip on them, intended for touch screen use. I still
use my fingers more, but the stylus/rubber tips are more sanitary.

Don't know - I always thought it was the dryness of my
fingertips that was a problem. Anyhow, excess caution
is silly, and so far as I can tell, in the first
world even as it is, a lot of customs are excess.

Touchscreens are quite ubiquitous these days, seems (almost) everywhere
you go has them. We were in a McD's last year with some friends--that
one had a touchscreen order system. They still had to have up front
workers to, to help us with the order, take cash, etc.

have a bucket brigade situation if anyone is still using
a cane - as I recall, cafeterias can have pitfalls for
those who are even slightly infirm.

I'm off the cane now. This is a small place and workers are more

than > happy to lend a hand carrying trays, drinks, etc. Still very
small town > feel to parts of WF, including this place. We have a
private room

reserved for the group, not too far off the food line.

Sounds good so far.

Hopefully will continue to be so.

---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net FIDO 1:396/45.28


... There cannot be a crisis today; my schedule is already full.

--- PPoint 3.01
* Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)