Random Food Bits

It's time for some culinary amusement, folks.  Looking through my collection of photos from the last several weeks, I noticed that there are quite a few food related pictures in there, so it's time to unload some of them and their stories onto you.

The first set of photos I took weeks ago while on an errand into the heart of Reading, Pennsylvania.  Now Reading has a fairly high per capita crime rate, so it's not my favorite place to go.  However, finding and having brunch at this diner made my travels that day happy.

You see, I have this love affair with diners, in case you didn't already know.  If I see one, it's hard for me to pass on by, so I stopped.

The Route 61 Diner is one shiny polished place.  When I first arrived and then later when I exited, I was struck by all the sparkling silver on the exterior.

As with any new diner, if I am having breakfast or lunch I give it the cheese omelet test.  This place passed the test, and served some fairly delicious and non-greasy hash brown potatoes on the side, too.

I never took any interior pictures, because frankly so many people were coming and going at all times, that it wasn't convenient to get good shots.  I suppose that's a good sign, when each table fills as soon as it is vacated.

I'm still upset, though, that I wasn't able to get a photo of that decadent looking pastry cabinet sitting just three feet across the aisle from my booth.  I truly debated just eating a meal from that cabinet and skipping the eggs.  Coulda, shoulda.

The experience of having a meal at this fine establishment was unique for me, due to the fact that I was, for once, in the minority.  It was a bit of an isolating feeling to not be able to understand any of the Spanish conversations going on all around me, both at the tables and among the staff.  No matter, the food was good, the place was hopping, and I would not hesitate to go back to the Route 61 Diner.

In other food news, the husband/lover/best friend was NOT a happy diner at a recent stop for lunch at our local McDonald's.  (Not a good dining choice, but for whatever reason that day we needed a quick meal.)

Upon receiving his sandwich, he asked the rhetorical question to nobody and everybody, "How hard is it to line up a few ingredients onto a hamburger bun?  What is this world coming to?"

Then he went on some kind of rant about the gradual and ongoing dumbing down of our citizens, and who's gonna be able to run this country 20 years from now if they can't even put a hamburger together, and, and....."

Well anyway, the next time I looked over there that burger of his was gone, and we were on our way.

It wasn't too long though before I started noticing some restaurant signs that were a bit "off."

I was wondering if the "D" from "SERVED" had fallen down below the sign, but after passing this same sign many times over the next several weeks, I've just decided that either the manager is not very smart or does not care to fix the error.

Here's another one I am wondering about:

I was OK with the sign in general until I got to the red letters on the bottom line.  39?  324?  I thought perhaps the numbers referred to a date range, like March 9 to March 24, but I was reading this sign much later than March.

Last Saturday night son Caleb had 30+ friends over for a cookout and campfire.  He told me this event was to happen like a potluck.  Although as hosts we  provided some beverages and a dish to share, everybody brought food along and believe you me, there was no shortage of food or drinks.  My husband was tickled pink that a lot of the leftovers were left behind, too.

The young people laughed a lot, played yard games, and ate and grazed until almost midnight.  I love having them come to our place.

For my final food related tidbit, I've found a three ingredient recipe I'll be making tomorrow.  That's my kind of recipe, and I think I can even make it allbymyself, on one leg. 

Stay tuned for the tasty details!