NYE in NYC

[Dave the Cook]

an insanely conceived New Year's Eve trip to Fairway, which I decided was a secret test of my big-city mettle devised by my new York friends.

You truly are a brave man. I did that on NYE 2000. I still haven't recovered.

I didn't make myself clear. I'm not brave, I'm stupid. My cooking buddies (the ones who sent me there) said, "Oh no, it's always like that." But while squeezing through aisles that would make a fire marshall blanch, I overheard several people with NY accents say things to the effect of, "this is nuts." Next door at Citarella, people would walk up to the window, peer inside, and walk away, muttering, "We don't need it that bad."

[Dave the Cook]

Sounds like you had a great time--we missed you at Burger Club, but with all you had going on it's more than understandable

True to my adopted South, I made sure I had beans and slaw just after midnight.

Slaw? That's a new one for me. We always had blackeye peas, which now makes a nicely schizo side dish to sauerkraut and pork. I like to cover all my bases.

Jamie

We looked around at all that meat and decided that something green was required. On the one hand, it helped us use up a half a head of green cabbage. On the other, the need for carrots (along with, OK, six dozen eggs) precipitated the trip to Fairway.

I tried to make BC, but we got a last-minute offer of a guided tour of Chinatown. I can search for the perfect burger vicariously, but nothing will replace the smell of durian and the thrill of having a live shrimp flick seawater in my eye. And I won't get into all the ways the Chinese have found to ensure complete utilization of the noble pig.

[Dave the Cook]

God I love Gray's Papaya. I'd eat there 3 times a week if it were within walking distance to my office. But it's not.

Me too. What's in that onion stuff, btw?

[Dave the Cook]

and a silly debate over the crunch-to-cream ratio of handmade, hand-filled cannoli.

So, did you get the mini-cannoli? And how was the debate resolved. I prefer the minis over the standard-sized cannoli, as that is the appropriate crunch-to-cream ratio. Mrs. Varmint likes the ratio equal infinity -- she only likes the shell.

Debates like this are never resolved -- that's part of why they're fun, and silly. But it became clear that the large-shell proponent was merely jesting in argument when she ate all the filling and handed the empty shell to her partner, who had been on the other side of the discussion. This of course threw him out of proportion. The presence of Mrs. Dr. Varmint would have restored a perfect balance. She can come with us next time.

Both I and my daughter agree that those mini cannoli rule.

[Dave the Cook]

Given the logistical problems of herding a group like that, I'm amazed at the number of respectable culinary experiences Dave-the-Cook did manage to have. That's dedication, people: study and learn.

I am humbled.

Edit: I had a lot of help, including this thread.

Edited January 9, 2004 by Dave the Cook (log)