Quoting Michael Loo to All on 05-12-18 06:06 <=-
I had some blueberries from the Gourmet Trading
Company, and as you might expect they were pretty
crummy - not starchy like the recent Mexican ones
from Driscoll but flavorless and unsweet, with a
range from sour to just plain watery. Interestingly,
sometimes the big luscious-looking ones were the
sour ones; this is contrary to most of my experience.
I've sometimes had big luscious-looking ones that were simply tasteless,
not usually sour, though....
On the other hand, Welly's, a pretty standard bar
and grill in the middle of nowhere, served me, in
a dish just called baked stuffed scallops, half a
baker's dozen of big 20-count drys that were
sweeter and more flavorful than the $5-per ones
that have been served me in Michelin-accoladed
restaurants in Tokyo and Singapore. The so-called
stuffing was of course cracker crumbs, a little
salty, but splashed with real sherry. On the side
I got half a pound each of (overcooked) angel hair
in agli'olio and (not overcooked) steamed broccoli.
It seemed a pretty good deal for the $16 tag.
Nice. I can almost envy you that one... :)
Shieldaig 12 is a brand touted by Total Wine. As
far as the name goes, there's no there there - you
try to find the location of the distillery (as it
describes itself as a Speyside single malt), and
you fail. Turns out there's a licensed distillery
operating under yet another name that buys extra
output from established companies and bottles it
exclusively for Total under this name. The stuff is
not bad - a little unconcentrated but pleasantly
smoky and smooth enough. Reports have Total
salesmen claiming it's a declassified Macallan or
Glenlivet. I don't believe. Still, for under $30
for a 12-y-o, not too bad.
Smoky doesn't usually describe either Glenlivet or Macallan... I don't
think I'd believe, either... :) Don't think I've ever seen it...
--
So my friend Judy took me out to lunch to commemorate the
anniversary of my sister's passing (it's been 16 years),
and after my tentative suggestions of the Russell Tavern
and Harvest, we settled on Henrietta's Table in the Charles
Hotel, a most eminent address; but it seems that a responsible
chef wasn't in residence that day.
A bread basket eas a mixed bag but at least was free (at
Waypoint it's $6) - this consisted of
the wimpiest, sweetest anadama I've ever had, rather like
Wonder bread made with lots of molasses; a
very respectable raisin-nut loaf; and
a decent but not great French (toughish, not crisp crust,
good flavor).
I had the crab-corn chowder, made with Maine crab, but it
was hard to tell what the origin was, as it was cooked to
threads of nothingness amid what was essentially corn soup
with too many potatoes in it.
Followed by the house pate, about 10 oz, I lost count; it
was good tasting but had no booze to speak of (a touch of
brandy would have made the good great) and not enough fat.
Quite a lot of whole and chopped pistachios for textural,
not so much flavorous, interest.
The Bent Water Viskiss, listed on the menu as a pale ale,
is pretty good but weighs in at 54 IBU, which is more
than my first IPA, which was Ballantine's.
The saddest thing was the crab cakes: way too little crab,
way too much mustard, quite nasty in fact. I would have
sent it back as incompetent; Judy is not so assertive in
that way as I am.
The good thing: not an enormous hit in the pocketbook.
Had it been an enormous hit, it would have added injury to insult...
Sounds like the best things there were the pate and the raisin-nut
loaf...
ttyl neb
... Gone crazy, be back later, please leave message.
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