Nurturing my inner... let the chips fall

Some people crave sweets.  Others crave salty foods.  I'm of camp two.  Non exclusively.  You of course realize I still love chocolate and desserts, but I seem to be able to better control myself when it comes to candy over chips.  (One is more likely to get completely devoured by me in one sitting.  Your guess as to which.  *crunch, crunch*)

Chips aren't really the lowest fat snack out there though, so I have to be careful to read labels.  And when the fat grams are half my age, I just plain have to pass on them completely.  Which I hate to have to do.  That is torture when you have a really awesome sandwich that needs its crispy soulmate.  But I do stumble upon options that still give me that salty satisfaction, with a serious ear drum shattering crunch, and are better for me than their greasy cousins.  Like Humbles.  I got these at Wegmans.

Crunchy and satisfying. 55% less fat than chips.

Made from hummus.  (Which really means made from chickpeas, but I guess hummus sounds classier to the purchasing audience.)  Beans means more protein and less carbs than potatoes.  And in this brand's case, less fat grams.  (Yippee!  I'll take it.)  Don't think you're skimping on flavor either.  The Olive Oil, Lemon and Feta variety I picked up was layered with things that made my tongue go like, "Wow!  That's all from a veggie chip?  Whodathunkit."  (My tongue is often skeptical, as you've noticed.)

The portion control bowl.

I will warn you that not every lower fat chip made of vegetables tastes so great.  I've come across some hum dingers in my travels that make Styrofoam peanuts seem like a flavor blast in comparison.  (It's true, some advertisers lie!  Can you believe that?)  But that never stops me from trying the latest and greatest in hopes that I might stumble onto something that really delivers as promised.  Like Humbles does.  I actually troll the natural foods section of Wegmans every time I go in to see what other goodies they've got.  They're making so many great foods from better for you foods than they have in the past.  You're no longer forced to choose between the extremes of carrots or Cheetos.  People want the best of both worlds and companies are listening.

So, read your labels as I feel wise people do, but be open to giving a product like Humbles a shot.  Just because you watch the fat grams doesn't mean you have to give up on great flavor.  Go ahead and crunch your way into lower fat happy snacking.

Nurturing my inner... helping hand

Easter.  A time of pain gives way to hope, renewal, redemption.  So many things in life can be frustrating and disappointing.  Certainly unfair.  Hope is the one thing that keeps us going amidst all the hardship.  Who we are, what we believe, how we conduct ourselves in all kinds of small ways matters greatly.  Even when we think no one is watching.  Our character defines us most and is most defined in our times of heartbreak.  I've been reflecting a lot on that today.  Which I had time to do, as I was preparing lunch.

My family always gathered together for Easter Sunday, but they live just far enough away that I can't really drive home for a weekend.  (Think traffic up 95 North.  Ugh.)  So it was natural for me to invite one of my friends, whose family lives much farther away than mine, over for a homemade meal similar to what I would have had in Connecticut.  It's very likely I would have made this lunch even just for myself, but as we know, it's always better when someone joins you.  (So sayeth the extrovert in me.  I'm pretty sure Winnie the Pooh said it as well.  Wise old bear.)

I did cook some from scratch today, but I also took a little help from Smithfield. Which I heard makes excellent ham.  (And just happens to be in Virgina.)  No one wants to stay in the kitchen all day and miss the fun, so this is a great way to speed up that stove time and get yourself over with your company.  To chat and watch a movie on Amelia Earhart.  (I wanted to stop the movie before she goes missing as if I can change the outcome of things past.)

So, to backtrack a little, though ham was a first thought for me, that famous chain with shanks the size of basketballs was what I envisioned.  That clearly would be no good for a person or two.  (Unless I wanted to eat ham every day for about a month.)  My mom said she had just been to the grocery store the other day and saw these little hams.  Ooh.  Sounded perfect for my luncheon plans.

Just the right amount for two to four people.

The one I got was about two pounds.  And was conveniently presliced.  Ideal!  I put it in an oval Le Creuset baking dish, covered with foil and into the oven at 350 degrees it went.  15 minutes per pound.  Quick math says 30 minutes and it would be hot.  (I always was good at complicated multiplication.  You can tell.)

I could never have sliced it this thin on my
own. That takes special tools.

To spruce it up a little and add additional flavor, I decided I would make my own simple glaze.  I read up a lot on them, and man are there many options.  Orange, mustard, ginger.  But I didn't want to introduce too many crazy flavors.  (And cloves are ridiculously expensive at $7.00 for a small container, so I was definitely skipping that on principle alone.)  Honey and brown sugar.  Cost effective and packed with flavor.

Honey, Brown Sugar, Pineapple Glaze

2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp crushed fresh pineapple
1 tbsp fresh pineapple juice

I wanted a light, thin glaze.  If you want it thicker, add more brown sugar and make more of a paste.

Sweet meet sweet. Well hello.

And to add in a little something fruity, pineapple and juice.  Fresh is best, it was on sale so I was fortunate, but if canned is easy and available to you, go ahead and use that.  What matters most is that you're doctoring up your special holiday ham with added citrus flavor.

Pineapple goes great with ham. It's a
natural pairing.

I took the ham out after 15 minutes to put on the glaze.  You only want the glaze on toward the end so it doesn't burn.  (It is sugar after all.)  This just happened to be halfway through for me due to the size of the ham I was making.

Spooned on top and into the open slices.
It will drip around.

Covered back up and into the oven for the last 15 minutes.  The glaze and the foil helped keep the ham moist.  You definitely don't want dry ham jerky by overheating it.

Smelled wonderful too.

I timed it all pretty well.  (I had thought long and hard over the schedule the night before in bed, I will admit.)  Everything was ready within 10 minutes of my friend's arrival.  Ham with my simple glaze, red skinned mashed potatoes and steamed green beans that I quickly sauteed in a little butter and shallots.  I opened the white wine my friend so kindly brought for us, that went great with today's fare, and put her to work making the caprese salads.  (More help for me.  So lucky!)  We were then 100% ready to eat.

Now that looks like a traditional Easter lunch
to me! (Mom would be proud.)

The Easter Bunny may have made a quick appearance with a little Easter bucket containing a few chocolate treats for said guest.  (Hey, traditions don't stop just because you're over 12.  You got an issue with that?  Blame the bunny!)  And she brought me a bottle of red wine (a kind I've never had before - yea!) and a lovely oriental lily.

Flowers for Easter are perfect. The pink
is so springy!

I always want to buy flowers for myself and rarely do.  So the lily was a thoughtful gift that I get to enjoy for many days to come.  There also happened to be enough leftovers for me to send her home with a box, as well as have some for myself for lunch tomorrow.  Did I happen to mention it was sunny and warm too?  All the makings of a terrific holiday, from start to finish.  Without me having to spend more than one hour in the kitchen!  Happy Easter everyone!

Nurturing my inner... friend to the farmer

May 7th. Mark that on your calendar if you're local. That's the day the Reston Farmers Market opens for the 2011 season. And I could NOT be more excited!! The joy I have every Saturday morning that I can go a couple miles up the street and buy fresh, local, incredible produce just drives me insane. Every Saturday is a new opportunity at discovery. And my cooking attitude from the winter changes. It's no longer, what do I feel like making. It becomes, what is in season and looks most appetizing today. Such a different perspective and a challenge to my creativity. If the tomatoes look particularly awesome that day, I may make a fresh caprese appetizer. If the peppers are plump and colorful, sausage and peppers could be on the menu. Sugar baby watermelon may be juiced and turned into a granita.  And if the corn is in season, well, a fresh corn and basil salad would be in order. But there is always the possibility of something truly wild making an appearance that just floors me. So here's a quick look back to last year's blackberries.


It's so fascinating, it's nearly unnatural.

I know, freakish, right?  How could a common blackberry every get that huge?  And I had a carton full of them.  I put Berryzilla on the right next to an ordinary, fair-sized blackberry on the left for comparison.  It was unreal!

And Berryzilla next to a lime. Almost scary.
Feels like it might attack me.

If you look around, no matter where you live, you can find a farmers market or at least a road side stand with fresh produce.  You have to take the time to pull over and check them out.  What's your hurry on a weekend morning anyway?  We are entering the best part of the entire year for fresh fruits and vegetables and I'm going to take advantage of every moment I possibly can.  In season veggies make such fabulous dishes.  But it's also exciting to discover something new and experiment.  Grow your knowledge; expand your recipe box.  They are continually cross breeding varieties of foods for slightly different outcomes, so you really just never know what you might come across.  I saw orange and purple cauliflower one time!  Purple string beans and bell peppers.  Tomatoes only slightly bigger than peas.  And eggplants the size of, well, eggs.  Oh the clever chemistry of it all!

So don't always plan out every detail of your day or your menus.  Be a little spontaneous and adaptable.  See what looks freshest, most appetizing that day, go home and crack open the cookbooks or search the web for a recipe to match.  I cannot encourage you enough to go to your local farmers market and support your farmers.  (No farms, no food.)  They are your neighbors.  Even if the produce costs you a little more than the large chains you normally patronize, you will get just picked, grown in America, not mass marketed foods.  And that will make you feel good about what you're feeding your family and quite patriotic by supporting the great country you live in.  Doesn't get any better than that!

Now, how many days until May 7th?

Nurturing my inner... catching up

Work. Running class. Fun with friends.  I'm finding myself much more busy than I was this winter, hence, my postings aren't coming as often in recent weeks.  I'll try to improve.  So here is at least a short one.

I met up with a friend recently who I hadn't had the chance to see in months.  And she's so great, that it particularly stinks that we don't get to see each other more often.  We live far enough apart that traffic after work is an issue, oh and she's also pregnant with her third child.  While she's tired from growing a human being, I'm just tired from being one.  We did finally get our schedules together and met up for dinner in Fairfax Corner.  Before we did though, I went to the local cupcakery to check them out.  Cupcakes Actually.  They rotate their cupcakes, so everything you see on their website is not always available, but you're sure to find something you like.  They were running a special at the time, buy five and get the sixth one free!  So knowing I couldn't (shouldn't) eat half a dozen cupcakes by myself, I got a couple to bring to someone at work and some for my friend and me for dessert.

It was so much fun to catch up with my friend, though we did brave sitting outside and it was not quite as warm as I thought it was going to be.  After dinner, I showed her the wonderful box of treats and she had the brilliant idea that we go to a local coffee place down the block to have them there.  So wise.  (And warmer.)  We got to spend even more time talking about all the intricate details of life.  What's been making us happy.  And sad.  As women, we simply must to do that to feel truly connected.  All details, large and small, are absolutley critical to share.

Can you guess? It's like my usual now.

Out of the variety I had picked out, she chose the chocolate fudge cupcake and it should be no surprise to you that I went with the red velvet.  I seem to be determined to try every red velvet sweet on the planet to find the most amazing one.  To make the experience perfect, she treated me to a lovely (hot) vanilla latte.  Took the chill right off me.

It quickly got late, which always happens when you're enjoying yourself.  I continually find it hard to stop conversation when you haven't seen someone in a long time and there is just so much to say.  How can you cover five months in only three or so hours?  Plus, she's a particularly fantastic conversationalist.  A wonderful blend of hilarious humor and deep contemplation.  She reads novels, analyzes current topics and is aware of her world.  She is a great mom, but she also remains a great friend.  So many things I love and admire about her.  (Plus she has a wonderful husband who watched the girls while we got to go play!  Woo hoo!)

I'm glad after about four tries of "We really need to get together, I miss you, it's been too long" emails and postings, we were able to get a date down and meet up.  And take our time.  She's really too special to let so much time elapse between visits.  And a cupcake and coffee were just the right relaxing end to a sweet night all around.  Enough bites to feel satisfied, but leaving ample time to keep chatting.

On the drive home, I was passing by another friend's place and tried to entice her with a special door-to-door cupcake delivery.  (I was safe.  I texted while stopped at the red light.)  Afterall, cupcakes are meant for sharing!  (If you can pry them out of your own small cake obsessed hands.)  So go ahead, be generous and share.  Don't worry, they'll make more.

Nurturing my inner... now that's using my kugel

This time of year, Spring, mostly brings to mind flowers, warmer weather and to me as a Christian, Easter.  But I grew up in Connecticut amongst a large Jewish population, so I am also keenly aware of the beloved time of Passover and its dear significance to the Jews.

Passover is a commemorative holiday of the sparing of the Israelites in Egypt.  God so loved His chosen people that when He sent plagues on to Pharaoh for his oppression of the Jews, He gave His people a way to be protected.  They remember that love and care (and rescue) every year during the special Passover Seder with traditional foods, activities and story telling.  I decided I would make one of those time honored dishes this year.

Unsure of where to start looking for a good kugel recipe, I talked to my mom who lives in Connecticut and works as a nurse.  The doctors in the practice are Jewish and so she asked them for me.  (Go to the experts I say!  I hope there's no copay involved.)  So one of them went home and kindly talked to his wife (who teaches Hebrew at Yale) who so generously emailed me several options!  These were recipes from her friends.  I carefully looked them all over, with my mouth watering, and decided this was the one I wanted to make for my very first attempt.  And also, one that reminded me most of the kugel I had in my childhood.  I followed that recipe pretty closely.

Cottage Cheese Kugel

1 bag broad egg noodles
4 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 lb cottage cheese
1 lb sour cream

So what's kugel anyway, right?  There are a lot of great things to learn that may be outside of your own little world.  I encourage you to go boldly explore other cultures.  (I tend to investigate the world through my palate if not through exciting vacations.)  For starters, learning is fun.  It will give you a broader view of the great, big planet you live on and the beautiful diversity of people.  Plus, you just may find out that kugel is a wonderful baked noodle dish that children through grandparents love.

Egg noodles have always been a staple in my mom's cooking.  They are flavorful in a different way than regular pasta.  Simple, yet tasty.

Mom mostly made them with butter and
Parmesan.

They are light, fluffy and cook up quickly.  I rinsed them with cold water after I drained them.

Twisty. Good for holding coatings.

In a bowl, I melted the butter and then added the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.  (This recipe originally used the cinnamon in the topping, but I thought I might like it incorporated into the dish.  I always have to do something different it seems.)

Smells like a cinnamon bun.

In a small bowl, I put the eggs and then lightly beat them.

Just to break up the yolks.

To add creaminess to the noodles, cottage cheese and cream cheese were next in line.

The milk products have arrived!

I put the eggs and cheeses into the other ingredients.

An interesting combination I would not have
thought of on my own.

And stirred them with a wooden spoon until incorporated.

More delicious than you realize. Kind of
like liquid cheesecake.

Last in went the drained noodles.  And those were gently tossed around until coated.

The mixture needed something to cling to.
Noodle, thy job is yours.

After it's mixed, you're ready to put into a baking dish.

Now that doesn't look half bad at all.

I poured it all into a lightly greased large, lasagna-sized pan, but you can use something shorter and make your kugel taller if you'd like.

That's done. What's next?

Topping

1/2 cup crushed cornflakes (I used cornflake crumbs, so no physical labor needed from me)
1/2 cup sugar

The topping is to give it a nice crunch and add a final layer of sweet.  Which, I am SO in favor of.

Easier than crushing up your own
cornflakes, but that's up to you if
you'd rather get out some aggression.

I mixed the crumbs and sugar together and spooned them onto the top of the noodles.

An even coating.

The dish went into a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour and is done when the top is lightly golden brown.

It will puff up in the middle as it cooks.

All you have to do is cut squares of the kugel with a knife and serve as a side dish.  It's crispy, chewy and lightly sweet.  It may be different to you at first, but I know you'll like it!

Warm and sweet. Cream and crunchy.

I love the diversity of the people I know.  I could never just be surrounded by people who were exactly like me.  How limiting!  It's such an adventure to learn about other people's traditions and dishes.  And even more fun when accompanied by family stories and personal histories.  So reach out to all sorts of people you work and play with, and let them teach you what they know.  (And cook with you, if you're lucky.)  It's a smart idea.  You'll be so much richer in spirit and more interesting for it.  L'Chaim!  (To life!)

Nurturing my inner... pb, no need for j

I had to wait to post this until I gave someone her birthday present about 30 minutes ago.  Didn't want to spoil the surprise by putting this all out there prematurely and having her read my blog.  (Oh the strange problems we have in these electronic, social networking times.)

Spread, the restaurant, gourmet, small batch, all natural peanut butter.  Fresh out of San Diego, CA.  I saw it on Food Network TV, Best Thing I Ever Ate show, and knew I'd eventually have to ship a few my way.

Stack 'em up! Different tastes for different
moods. (Or people.) Yum to them all!

Some of the flavors are: white chocolate pretzel (which I knew my friend would love, so I ordered that specially for her), curry, blonde peanut butter cup, chile mango, cinnamon cranberry, cantaloupe almond, white chocolate blueberry, rose salted basil, butterscotch toffee, hot chile, dark chocolate espresso and even silver and gold leaf!  (I know!  That's what I said!)

For myself, I chose Ode to Elvis: smooth peanut butter, mixed and swirled with dried bananas, organic soy bacon bits, and sweet floral honey.  That may sound a little odd, but it is yummilcious and you're gonna love it!  Bacon, banana and peanut butter together are divine.  Elvis definitely was on to something.  (Besides the crazy hip swivels that made the girls all swoon.)

Since it's natural and not jam packed with preservatives, Spread's peanut butters are thinner in viscosity than you may recall from childhood remembrances or expect from supermarket experiences.  Go in with an open mind.



A thin style peanut butter spread.


You just have to give it a quick stir to mix about all the lovely bits that may have settled to the bottom during shipping.  I really wanted to tell you that I put it on some chewy whole grain bread or a crispy cracker, but it went directly from the spoon... into my mouth.  Mmm, mfso munderfumly delmiscious.  (When said without a mouth full of decadent, irresistible peanut butter, that would be "so wonderfully delicious.")

Who needs bread? Delightful right out
of the container.

Some of the flavor combinations Spread has come up with are so outrageous, so bizarre, you would think the owners have all gone nuts (hardee har har), but they work together more than perfectly.  They are brilliantly inventive.  I like that they push the boundaries of nut butter sanity.  They have landed on a decadent version of an everyday food and there is surely something to suit each and every wild and wacky taste bud out there.

Nurturing my inner... catch of the day

Love a high caliber restaurant.  There is one fav in Reston Town Center that when you're inside, you'd swear you were actually in downtown Manhattan.  The decor is upscale and modern.  Utmost class.  Doesn't hurt that they fly their fish in twice a day fresh and get rid of any leftovers after each shift.  They have small refrigerators they use only for condiments and desserts.  That's all.  You can't get fresher than that unless you had a fishing pole on site and caught dinner yourself.

Passion Fish, Reston Town Center.  Lots of items are great here.  They give you complementary whitefish spread and toasted baguette rounds to start you off.  I like the crab cakes for sure.  But what do I go there especially for?  The blue crab and corn chowder.  It. Is. Incredible.  The presentation is nice because they bring it over in a little silver pitcher and pour it out piping hot into your bowl.  I scoop up each and every drop.  (And then mourn the super clean bowl I have left behind.)

This stuff is so amazing, I have not the right
words to describe. (Some fruity drink in
background.)

Can't get out of there without some sushi too.  Captain Crunch Roll:  Tempura Shrimp + Tiger Shrimp, Cucumber, Avocado, Kabiyaki.  The crunchy tempura bits on top really make it just that much more interesting.

It's sushi, it's tempura, it's amazing.

If you really go all out, it can be a pricey evening.  But it's a wonderful place to make a special trip with some good friends and laugh about the craziness of life over a bowl of the most amazing crab chowder you may ever find.  And for dessert, the crème caramel brulee was divine.  They also have homemade warm donut holes that are so light and terrific with their coffee Bavarian creme dipping sauce.  And this fantastic chocolate mousse praline crunch dome.  (It's all really so insane.)  You can't go wrong with any of it.  I know from each and every decadent bite I've taken.  (When I haven't been stuffed to the gills enough to fit in dessert.)

The meal ends off with a tiny piece of their homemade rocky road fudge for each patron.  (Sweetens the blow of the bill.)  Just first class from start to finish.  I guess that's why it's best to make reservations.  Everybody wants in.  And now, you do too!

Nurturing my inner... veterans day

I read a disheartening story the other day.  About a 95 year old United States war veteran whose birth location was under scrutiny.  It turns out that his American parents had him while in Canada and then moved back to the U.S.  Birth certificates weren't required or well documented back then as they are now.  So he didn't know there would be such a huge problem when he decided that he probably wouldn't live much longer and wanted to die an official American citizen.  To his surprise, they wanted to deport him.  Deport him!  At 95!!!  After having lived in the United States his entire, nearly a century long, life.  After having fought for this country.  His country!!

When I think of all the shady stuff that goes on in this country regarding who the government allows to stay and whom they make leave, I am appalled by how this gentleman was treated.  So I am going to honor him in my own way by making a dish my grandmother used to make many, many years ago.  Something hearty and classic and worthy of a fine, strong American Veteran.

Stuffed Peppers

3-4 large green bell peppers
1/2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups wild rice, cooked
1/4 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Worcestershire
4 ou Cotija cheese, chopped

I had planned all along to use large, green peppers, but had a few small ones left over from another dish.  So that's why those are thrown in there.

Big and small, green, red, orange, yellow.

Here's what you do.  Core the peppers by taking off the top, remove the seeds and any other stuff inside, and make them nice and clean.

As I just mentioned, nice and clean.

You'll need a large pan to fit them all if your green peppers are as large as these monsters.

I stuck the baby ones in the middle.

When my grandmother made stuffed peppers, she used raw meat and rice and stuffed them like that.  I however felt like cooking the meat first.

Lean ground beef.

I cooked the garlic and onions on medium heat in another pan and then added them to the beef.  Along with the oregano and Worcestershire.  And put all that in with the wild rice.

Lots of texture.

Into a bowl and mixed it with my hands.

Beef, rice, nothing too fancy yet.

Where I also did a little something different was add a cheese not normally found in stuffed peppers.  Cotija.

It's Mexican.

Cotija is a very dense, dare I say, nearly rubbery cheese.  That may sound unappealing, but it works well because it's substantial.

Big block.

I added that in last and gave one last quick mix.

Always good to add cheese.

The peppers were all ready to go, so I packed them tightly with filling.

To overflowing.

I tried to be careful when packing them not to burst the sides though.  No good if the filling leaks out.

Everybody's done.

I arranged them with room on all sides.

Evenly spaced.

I was shopping at Whole Foods that day, so I decided to try one of their pasta sauces.  It was okay.  I mean, can't hold a candle to the stuff I bring back from CT, but really now, we knew that would be impossible.

Not sure I could taste the
organicness.

I surrounded the peppers with the sauce and covered the peppers about 1/3 the way up.  I put them on simmer and I would leave them there for 45 minutes to an hour.  Until the peppers are as tender as you prefer.  The little ones were done sooner though.  I took them out after 30 minutes.

Smaller, so done faster.

These were the larger peppers getting their extra time.

Just a little longer.

I like the peppers to stay a little on the firm side, so I turned off the heat after 45 minutes.

A bowl is the way to serve.

Very filling dish.  On a super hungry day I could eat a whole pepper (these were a little bigger than baseball-sized), but most days half is about all I can muster.  So if you are thinking because it's a pepper it's not a substantial enough meal, well let me correct you right there.  You won't go away hungry.  But you can feel pretty good about eating vegetables, lean meat and wild rice.

The inside with melted cheese.

I appreciate every man and woman who has ever fought for my freedom. People I'll never know. Never get to say thank you to, face to face.  Never get to make a meal for.  (Well, not directly.)  But I have thought of them so often.  Every time I watch the news.  Every time I see one in uniform walking down the street.  Inside, I thank them for all their sacrifices.  I always will.

Nurturing my inner... where everybody knows my name

It's so nice to be remembered.  Where I grew up, there are tons of mom and pop shops that my family has been patronizing for years.  Because of these familiar relationships, my mom is often greeted by name.  (Hey Mrs. Lombardo!)  And the butcher or the baker (no candlestick makers, sorry) smile and give a warm hello every time.  With actual eye contact.  Imagine that!  They either ask her if she wants the usual, as they would know what that is from her regular appearances, or if she'd be interested in any specials of the day.  It reminds me a lot of "Cheers," where everybody knows your name.

I don't find much of that living here in NoVa.  The chain places seem to have constant turnover with staff or the smaller places employ people who I think just don't pay attention to who comes in and out.  (Or, truth be told, don't care to establish personal relationships.)  There is one place that is an exception.

The Bagel Cafe in Herndon, VA.  (If you go to the website, don't let the colors blind you.)  It's a local institution that is beyond unique.  Absolutely garish decor, bizarre music of all types, cramped seating in uncomfortable chairs - I love it all.  Having grown up with real New York bagels, I had a hard time finding anything palatable south of Jersey.  But the BC knows what they are doing and is my go to place.

They have TONS of bagel flavors and just as many cream cheeses.  One of my favorite spreads is the green olive.  Salty and creamy on a crunchy/chewy bagel.  Mmm.  But more often then not, I get egg and cheese.

The bagels are ginormous!

But what makes this place extra special is the warm welcome.  (If by warm I mean it has a certain nearly indescribable one-of-a-kind charm all its own.)  My friends and I used to go every Sunday after church, but my church moved towns (no, I'll never get over this) last summer, and many of the guys and girls have gotten married or had kids, so we just don't meet up for lunch much anymore.  I however, have started dashing by on a Saturday here or there on my own for a bagel to go.  (Fortifies me for a tough day of errand running.)  I will note that our absence has not gone unnoticed by a certain someone.

Every time I go in now, I saunter up to the cashier, cautiously, to order and am promptly met by Jerome.  I brace myself.  Jerome has taken personal offense to our group not coming by as much and seems to enjoy taking it out on me.  As the only person from the group in sight.  This is a sample of our conversations, which can go on for some minutes with people unhappily waiting behind me.

Jerome: "I'm sorry, I don't know you.  You haven't been here in a year." (As he puts out a coffee cup for me.  I guess I can never order bottled juice again because this has become my usual.)
Me: "Hi Jerome.  Actually, I was here three weeks ago."
Jerome: "No you weren't.  Y'all don't come in anymore."
Me: "Yep, less than a month ago.  That was me.  The church moved so the others you can get mad at, but me, no.  I'm here.  Notice me here now, for example. Ordering a bagel."
Jerome: "You don't like us anymore.  You don't care about us."
Me: "Right here, still me, still wanting to order a bagel.  Feel the toasted sesame with egg and cheddar love."  (Apparently with a side of hard time for free.)

It's always worth a laugh to me.  I'm glad Jerome remembers me every visit and is comfortable enough to tease me (relentlessly) about my lack of showing up on a regular schedule.  The fact that he takes pleasure in letting me have it every visit seems to bring him joy.  Who wants to rob someone of that?

And in return, I get the most delicious, and affordable, bagel around with the added excitement of the mystery flavor coffee of the day that you don't know until you arrive and read the sign.  ($5.00 for a bagel & schmear or egg sandwich, each with a cup of java, is unbeatable in these here parts.)

 

A completely satisfying, hearty breakfast or
lunch. Never lets me down.

Jerome may be right that I don't show up every Sunday anymore, but he's wrong about one thing - I would NEVER wait a year to go back!  That is just crazy talk.  I love the Bagel Cafe.  (Love, love, LOVE!)  Where else could I go and get great food (they have all kinds of lunch items too), experience interior design out of the 80s (oh yes, there is a hanging mobile in the entry way) AND get harassed by the staff for a mere five George Washingtons?  I'm glad I have all that to count on with every visit and it never changes.  Cheers!

See you soon, Jerome!