eG Foodblog: ronnie_suburban, redux - Adventures in the ordinary

[ronnie_suburban]

Medium rare hamburger???    Oh to live in a state where they don't control the doneness every bite of beef you eat by state law (a few years ago, NC tried to outlaw sunny-side up eggs. That didn last )

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I wouldn't order it from just anywhere but there are a few places I trust with it and Barnaby's is on that list. Lunch on Thursday (my day to choose) may be from one of the other places on that list...we'll see.

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[RSincere]

Ok, I think we have a consensus on the square-cut pizza...NOT a Chicago thing

I have lived and worked in MN and WI, in food service and specifically various pizza joints, and I have always known that cut as "Chicago-style." That's how it's been described on menus and that's how people ordered it if they didn't want it cut in wedges. Weird.

[niv]

Those pictures of the pizza were disturbingly real. They looked so tasty. Still, what kind of person takes a close-up of the bottom of a pizza?

[jschyun]

Those pictures of the pizza were disturbingly real.  They looked so tasty.  Still, what kind of person takes a close-up of the bottom of a pizza?

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Answer: A dedicated person.

Nice to see you blogging ronnie_suburban.

[ronnie_suburban]

Those pictures of the pizza were disturbingly real.  They looked so tasty.  Still, what kind of person takes a close-up of the bottom of a pizza?

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Answer: A dedicated person.

Nice to see you blogging ronnie_suburban.

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Hehe...thanks. Truth be told, Niv was making pizzas at Barnaby's when we were in high school together and not once did I receive a free pie

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[ronnie_suburban]

Hello blogophiles,

There is nothing I enjoy more than waking up while it's still dark and driving an hour to meet with a supplier who wants to implement a price increase in spite of market decline. On that basis, today has been wonderful so far

As I mentioned before, I don't normally eat breakfast but at our meeting this morning, I was treated to the following omelet at the Hilton O'Hare (aka the O.J. Hilton)...

Ham and american cheese omelet with hash browns and cold rye toast

Not the best, not the worst...pretty much as "bleh" as it looks.

Folks, it can only get better from here. My daily IVA is in progress and hopefully the splitting headache with which I awoke will be chased away by the caffeine and the advil. Back after lunch with (hopefully) some more interesting fare.

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[Jake]

I sincerely hope the meeting turned out better than the looks of that breakfast!

Thanks for blogging again. I really enjoyed the first one and am looking forward to this one.

[reesek]

cold toast is the devil's handiwork. (looked pallid too)

awaiting lunch anxiously

[Lady T]

There is nothing I enjoy more than waking up while it's still dark and driving an hour to meet with a supplier who wants to implement a price increase in spite of market decline.  On that basis, today has been wonderful so far

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Tell me you have another source for that greedy supplier's commodity, Ronnie, and tell me you've rejected his price increase and/or terminated his contract.

Then tell me you've had a great lunch.

[ronnie_suburban]

Tell me you have another source for that greedy supplier's commodity, Ronnie, and tell me you've rejected his price increase and/or terminated his contract.

Then tell me you've had a great lunch.

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In spite of the lousy breakfast and other circumstances, the meeting was quite pleasant and there is a lot of positive history with this supplier but today we agreed that our interests over the next 12 months will be quite divergent. So, we amicably agreed to "keep in touch" and revisit the situation throughout the upcoming year. For now, we don't need them and they don't need us. Onward roll the wheels of industry...

Ok, now onto the important stuff...Lunch!

Unfortunately, not much good to report on the lunch front. For whatever reason, the person with the Wednesday pick selected a place we'd never tried before, the Landmark Inn Bar & Grille (please note that I predicted this would be bad once I saw the "e" at the end of Grill)...

Caesar salad...as good as it looks

Buffalo Wings...very tasty

Turkey wrap in spinach tortilla. Not great, not awful, just meh. I split this with one of my co-workers

Landmark Dip, aka French Dip with cheese...surprisingly bland and flavorless. The 2nd element of the "split" mentioned above

In this town, where the "Italian Beef Sandwich" is not ony an institution but also the coin of the realm, the sandwich shown above is nothing short of shameful. So dry, so bland, so devoid of peppers or gardiniera or au jus (I have no idea what the flavorless liquid in the little container shown in the above picture was)...it begs the question "who devised this, tasted it and actually liked it enough to put it on a menu?" I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but c'mon...it's a friggin' sandwich. How hard is it to make a good one?

All in all, it's been a relatively poor day for food around here. Oh well, it happens. Dinner tonight will be out of the ordinary if not spectacular. Stay tuned.

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[misstenacity]

Hello blogophiles,

There is nothing I enjoy more than waking up while it's still dark and driving an hour to meet with a supplier who wants to implement a price increase in spite of market decline.  On that basis, today has been wonderful so far

As I mentioned before, I don't normally eat breakfast but at our meeting this morning, I was treated to the following omelet at the Hilton O'Hare (aka the O.J. Hilton)...

Ham and american cheese omelet with hash browns and cold rye toast

Not the best, not the worst...pretty much as "bleh" as it looks.

Folks, it can only get better from here.  My daily IVA is in progress and hopefully the splitting headache with which I awoke will be chased away by the caffeine and the advil.  Back after lunch with (hopefully) some more interesting fare.

=R=

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Despite the appearance of the breakfast plate, at least small kudos must be given to the restaurant for providing what appears to be real butter in the small bowl in the background.... a sad rarity nowadays.

Andrea

[ronnie_suburban]

Despite the appearance of the breakfast plate, at least small kudos must be given to the restaurant for providing what appears to be real butter in the small bowl in the background....  a sad rarity nowadays.

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I agree and there was an actual pepper grinder on every table as well...points for that too.

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[TheFoodTutor]

Ham and american cheese omelet with hash browns and cold rye toast

Um, I only see a few hash browns in the above pic. I do see a few hash tans and a heck of a lot of hash whites.

Thanks for sharing, though. Very interesting foodblog.

[ronnie_suburban]

Um, I only see a few hash browns in the above pic. I do see a few hash tans and a heck of a lot of hash whites. 

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LOL! I couldn't agree more

I have this distinct feeling that after this post the (convenience food) bleeding will slow a bit

I am a proud uncle once again A few days ago my step-SIL (and step-bro) had their first baby, Drew, and tonight we went to visit him...

Baby Drew

...and bring the family some dinner.

Deli tray and accoutrement from a local deli where the food is decent but the people who run it are so mean that I won't mention the place by name.

I know that my BIL loves deli and figured, since I didn't have time to cook them a hot meal, we could bring them a tray. There was plenty of food leftover so they (and their visitors) will be able to nosh on it for a few more days.

Can you guess whose multi-meat sandwich this was?

...and a little rugelach for dessert

Tomorrow is my day to choose lunch at the office and then we head into the weekend where (I hope) things will get a little more interesting...culinarily speaking.

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[patti]

Yum, what kind of bread is that in your multi-meat sandwich? Looks good!

[ronnie_suburban]

Yum, what kind of bread is that in your multi-meat sandwich? Looks good!

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It's a very nice onion roll rendition, with onions and poppyseeds on the crown and some occasional pockets of moist onion on the inside too

BTW, just had a little bit of Trader Joe's Swiss Milk Chocolate and a 750 ml San Pellegrino...yum.

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[Pan]

Ron, I get the feeling you have a problem with Trader Joe's. Anything you want to talk about?

[Susan in FL]

Adorable nephew! He's smiling already, must be thinking about the food from his uncle to look forward to.

I'm enjoying your blog.

[gmi3804]

I'm really enjoying reading your food adventures, Ron! Thanks for sharing - I'm living vicariously through you while at work.

::resisting the magnetic pull of the Heinemann's Turtle Coffee Cake that's just waiting for me next to the coffee machine ::

Deli tray and accoutrement from a local deli where the food is decent but the people who run it are so mean that I won't mention the place by name.

I have a good guess which place you're talking about...

[judiu]

Deli tray and accoutrement from a local deli where the food is decent but the people who run it are so mean that I won't mention the place by name.

Can you guess whose multi-meat sandwich this was?

...and a little rugelach for dessert

=R=

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[adoxograph]

mmmmm.... thank you for showing remarkable improvement in your daily meat sandwich quality index. For a moment I thought we might have to shut you down lest any NYT writers get the wrong idea about how midwesterners eat. :)

more more more!

[eunny jang]

I am seriously digging this blog (though I love them all). Beautiful short ribs...

What is the pinky-brown "deli tray accoutrement" to the far left? It looks like it's topped with split gherkins and a cherry tomato. Chopped liver? Tuna salad?

Great photos!

Edited October 28, 2004 by eunny jang (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Lunch is being delayed a bit, so I'll just field a few of your comments/questions for now...

Ron, I get the feeling you have a problem with Trader Joe's. Anything you want to talk about?   

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LMAO! ...it's a love/hate thing and let's just leave it at that.

I have a good guess which place you're talking about...

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A correct guess will be confirmed

What is the pinky-brown "deli tray accoutrement" to the far left?  It looks like it's topped with split gherkins and a cherry tomato.  Chopped liver?  Tuna salad?

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It is, in fact, chopped liver topped with gherkins. And isn't it eery how unnaturally pink those meats look in the pic while they're still on the tray?

Back shortly with some actual "new" food

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[gmi3804]

I have a good guess which place you're talking about...

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A correct guess will be confirmed

Does it start with an M?

[ronnie_suburban]

I have a good guess which place you're talking about...

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A correct guess will be confirmed

Does it start with an M?

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Yes, it does start with an "M"

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Ok. Now, on to some food...

It's been a weirdly unpredictable day, food-wise.

First, in preparation for tonight's dinner (yes, I'm actually going to cook ), I ran out quickly to my favorite butcher...

Norshore Meats & Deli, Wilmette, IL. It's oddly situated in a converted house in what is pretty much a residential area.

This must be the place

Working away

The goods.

Unlike most other butchers in the area, Norshore actually carries Prime beef--and at reasonable prices. But today, I didn't go for the Prime...more on that later.

When I returned to the office, we had an unexpected visitor, the owner of a freight company we use on a regular basis. As usual, he brought us some food...

Tamales, sweet and savory, from Los Comales

Tamale de pollo, interior

Sweet tamale...not even Teddy, the person who brought them, knew exactly what this one contained. I'll bet someone here knows.

Turns out it is Teddy's birthday and one of my co-workers ran across the street to Three Tarts Bakery to pick up this cake for him.

Interior of Teddy's birthday cake.

Now, lunch still lay ahead, but at least you can see for yourselves why it got slightly derailed.

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