L'Shanah Tovah

Happy New Year to all of my peeps! May it be a good year for all.

Chickie's and Pete's!!

Upon entering the original Chickie's and Pete's, on Robbins Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia, I was whisked a few years back in time by the fantastic aroma of crab spices. It was all I could do to contain my enthusiasm as I ordered for our table!



Crab fries, cheese on the side!

Folks- it just doesn't get any better than this. The concept is easy enough (crab seasoning on french fries), but the following that Chickie's crab fries have is legendary. So much so that Lincoln Field (where the EAGLES play) has a Chickie's and Pete's and the most popular food ordered is...you guessed it...crab fries. They're crispy, hot, crabby and the cheese to dip them in is so good- and a mystery. Nobody can figure out what it is. People have tried to duplicate it without success. It's american cheese, it's creamy and doesn't harden as it cools. It's rich and delicious, and exactly what a crab fry needs to be dipped in!



Two orders of hot shrimp (the real test since recently trying to duplicate the recipe from memory)! The shrimp were spicy and definitely loaded with italian herbs. The hot shrimp I made are close, TLMM even said she likes mine more (awww, so sweet). I noticed that the real thing has more garlic chunks and more herbs and probably no butter. The taste is like no other!



As I was savoring the hot shrimp, the lobster tails arrived. They're small and plump and (I think) cooked with paprika. Very good.



The littlenecks - fresh and perfect with a little dip in the butter.



The mussels deserve special mention because of the red sauce. It's thick, garlicky and worthy of eating by itself with a spoon. In fact, I couldn't stop myself from doing so! One person in our party is from Boston and considered seafood her own comfort food- and she said these were the best mussels she had ever tasted. I savored every bite, trying to commit all of the flavors to memory.

Chickie's and Pete's keeps their recipes a secret- and for good reason. Nobody does it like they can.  We all enjoyed our dinner, especially me- finally back at Chickie's- I felt like the luckiest girl in the world...and the eggs.

Tony's Tomato Pie- There's Nothing Like It!

Tony's Place, in Northeast Philadelphia, has a secret weapon that sets it apart from every other neighborhood joint. Their tomato pie! It is perfection in its simplicity.



Dough is formed into a crust.



Mozzarella is dealt like cards over the dough.



A garlicky, thick tomato sauce is spread over the crust. A drizzle of olive oil over the top and it's ready to be cooked!



The pie goes in the oven and...voila. Tomato pie.   The crust is so thin that it bubbles slightly when done.  A sprinkle of Italian seasoning goes on top and it's ready to eat.  

I don't think that words do this pie justice.  I always order a garden salad with Tony's homemade Russian dressing - it goes perfectly with the pie.  After eight years in Philadelphia, and four years in Miami without a bite of tomato pie, I can honestly say that my taste buds missed this more than anything else in Philly.  The crust is almost cracker-thin but each bite has enormous taste.  If you find yourself in Philadelphia, stop in at Tony's and ask for Sue.  For their website, click here.  Sue will treat you like family- and, evidently, never forgets a face...and the eggs.

Yo! Vacation!

I'll be back on September 22nd so look for a post shortly thereafter. Our plans include Atlantic City, Philadelphia, the EAGLES vs. Steelers game (watch it on national TV Sunday, Sept. 21st at 4:15 PM!!) and many restaurants, including the original Chickie's and Pete's.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!! Let's all sing now! Fly, Eagles, Fly..on the road to victory...and the eggs.

Prime Rib for One, or, How I Ended up Alone and Afraid in a Boarded Up House

Let me tell you a little bit about how I ended up here. TLMM and JAM planned a trip to Pittsburgh for a family event for a few months, and the day before they were scheduled to leave, the path for Hurricane Ike brought him straight to our area. What to do? In order to create a scenario where, if necessary, I could evacuate with the pets as quickly as possible (which would be no small undertaking with three dogs, a bird and a JAM's cat), TLMM decided to put up the hurricane shutters before her departure. As she was outside in the front of the house shuttering profusely, the neighbors inquired to find out what all the premature shuttering was about. She explained that she was going out of town and needed to get the shutters up since I was going to be here alone. Later, as we were pulling out of the driveway, another set of neighbors approached the car to comment - and again, she told them that I would be here ALL ALONE. She was telling them this because she wanted them to be cognizant of my presence in case of emergency, which I do appreciate. One family (who shares three teeth between them) even sent me the message to just "come on over" since they have a generator. The next morning, TLMM and JAM left for their trip.

Later that afternoon, Ike's path shifted south, and remains so two days later. As time wore on, I realized that I was less concerned about Ike and growing more worried that my animal-sacrificing, Santeria observant neighbors knew I was here alone. What sounded like a great idea on Wednesday now means I am sitting in a house with no natural light, afraid that I might be the next offering to Orisha or, perhaps, simply killed for sport by one of my other gun-toting, dentally challenged neighbors. I am sure my mother knows someone who died in either of these ways. During the day, it's not so scary...but at night, my mind wanders, and I realize that I could be murdered in cold blood and not one of my cries would be heard through the thick aluminum shells covering every orifice of my home. If there ever was a scenario calling for comfort food, this was it.

I went to the good Publix and browsed the beef section, thinking I could make myself a nice rib eye steak (my favorite). Whatever I decided to make would be without a grill, which was wrapped up and put in a "safe place" so that it wouldn't be damaged or damage anything as it became a flying projectile in 135 mile an hour winds. Among the overpriced packages, I found a small 2.5 pound rib roast, which was obviously only there because someone asked that a package be split. As luck would have it, it was cheaper than the steaks and would be perfect for inside cooking! Home it went, along with some silver queen corn and lima beans.



Preheat oven to 500 degrees.



Rub the roast with kosher salt, white pepper, sage and garlic powder. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. I let this one sit for 30 minutes since it was only 2.5 pounds.  It's so lovely I have to show you another shot of it!

Place in oven. Set timer for 30 minutes. This is what it looked like after 30 minutes:



Turn temperature down to 350. Cook for another 30-45 minutes until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. A 2.5 roast took another 45 minutes after turning down the heat to 350. Done. PERFECT.



As I sat down to eat, I wasn't thinking about weather or dogs or listening for drum beating, chanting and other strange noises. It was the perfect distraction. It was nirvana on a plate. I savored each tender, juicy, flavorful bite. The limas were al dente and the corn was corny.  I truly enjoyed the meal.  There wasn't even much clean-up, although I did make sure not to leave any large knives drying conveniently on the kitchen counter.  A few hours later as I lay in bed watching the unending local news coverage of the ever-south-moving Ike, I was finally content. I realized how fortunate I was that TLMM cared enough to work so hard to put the shutters up for me in the first place (because if she hadn't, I am convinced we would have been hit). I also found comfort in that fact that what might have been my last meal was the meal of my dreams...and the eggs.

Better Late Than Never!

Click on graphic to enlarge. When GW was asked what journalists like to eat, he said "brie and cheese".

Okay, so I was a little behind on reading my calendar.