Thursday, January 16, 2020

A Search in Vain Rewarded

I once received, as a gift, laden with goodies, as I remember, a glass container with a tight seal lid. The canister would hold maybe three pints, was decorated with yellow daisies, and had an inner lid that was airtight. Found it exceedingly helpful for storing brown sugar. So helpful, in fact, that I went on a search for similar containers for keeping tea, baking powder, and other kitchen essentials that need to be kept securely dry.

Haunted the kitchen supply stores, but no one had anything similar. Some clerks didn't seem to understand the principle, so for a time I carried the canister with me. Finding no success, I quit looking. Until one day I walked into a craft store and found exactly what I was looking for -- in the candle-making department. I now have two more, about one-pint size, and when I need more, I know where to find them.

Monday, January 13, 2020

A Gastronomic Tour of Leavenworth

What better place to start a gastronomic tour of Leavenworth than Pullman Place?
Before horseless carriages, travelers in Pullman dining cars were treated like royalty and offered a tasty cuisine on fine signature china  At Leavenworth's Pullman Place, diners can view souvenir collections of Pullman's best dinnerware and cutlery, while enjoying an equally tasty menu with such modern dishes as Reuben sandwiches.

Besides starters, soups, and salads, the menu offers hot and cold sandwiches, and entrees of fish, chicken, pork, pasta and beef. From the burger section, one can order an Oriental Express, Pioneer Zephyr, Rock Island Line, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, Missouri Pacific or, finally, a Pullman Burger. There is a separate breakfast menu which includes Pullman Pancakes. 

And while the diner is waiting for the order to be filled, s/he can stroll around to view the railroad memorabilia, including a warning to Stay Off Of Tracks. And then, if one uses the ladies restroom, there is also a warning of Please Do Not flush When Train Is In Station.

I had a Reuben sandwich, but next time I go I think I'll try the Pullman Burger, Swiss Cheese and ham on an English muffin, but I'll carry another topping of my own -- caviar!

Saturday, January 11, 2020

First City

I dare say that Leavenworth is the most cosmopolitan city of Kansas.

Leavenworth claims to be the First City, because, to quote from the City of Leavenworth website: The City of Leavenworth was founded in 1854 largely to support Fort Leavenworth, but quickly became the springboard to the west. The settlement was the first official town in Kansas. (And in some ways it's still a camptown.)

Many, many, many people have come through Fort Leavenworth, and interacted with the more permanent residents of the City of Leavenworth. It's the only place that I have seen license plates for both Alaska and Hawaii, both of them more than once.

Between them, Leavenworth and the Fort have so many historic sites there is a distinct shortage of people to serve as volunteers. The Fred Harvey House, for example, is open only by appointment.

And the restaurants !!! Almost no end to the variety of ethnicities represented in the food places. I've yet to explore them all.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Oh, How I Wish I Had Him Back

A decade or so, I bought an Italian Chef timer at the Pot Rack in Leavenworth. He stood about nine inches tall, wore an appropriate chef's apron and hat, and had a matching paunch (never trust a skinny cook). When time was up, he let fly an Italian phrase meaning "time's up". At least I think that's what he was saying, he could have been uttering Italian curses for all I know.

Maybe it was the crazy atmosphere of my kitchen, but one day he went berserk. When time was up he began cursing shouting in Italian. Kept up the harangue for three-four minutes. I'd think he was through and after a brief pause he would take a deep breath and commence again. I thought it was some internal problem, appendicitis or the like, so I ventured a little surgery. Unscrewed him. Alas, his problems were beyond my surgical skill set.

My hearing is going, and I need a kitchen timer that clangs louder and longer.  Every place I look has the same anemic one-size-fits-all, white only timer with a pathetic two-second clang. Oh, how I wish I had my loud mouth Italian chef to keep reminding me to turn off the stove before the food becomes a tasteless chunk of black carbon. I wouldn't even mind if he cursed at me.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Throwing Away the Sunglasses

I have made a most marvelous discovery the guys probably knew all along.

Some years back my son bought me an orange top-of-the-line Baker University jacket. Problem is, the black BakerU is hidden by the flap of the jacket. No one knows I'm a Baker grad.

Couple of weeks ago I decided to remedy that. Went to Baldwin City. Found the book store. Bought a bright orange lanyard, a pair of sweats with BAKER U running up the left leg (which I have yet to take to the seamstress to chop several inches off the bottom of the legs), and a Baker Wildcats baseball style hat. Wore the hat out of the store and into the car. And immediately discovered I was driving into the sun. Frantically began patting the empty passenger side seat to locate my sunglasses.

Which I really did not need. My eyes were relaxed, not wrinkled with my usual squinting. The brim on the front of the hat very effectively kept the sun out of my eyes. The street made a curve -- I reached up and tilted the hat slightly to my left. Might have looked a little daffy on my head, but, heck, while I was driving, who would have looked at me?

Wore the hat all the way home. Adjusted as needed when turning into the sun. Plan to keep a hat always in the car. The guys already knew this.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Lunch at the Hardware Store

It was delicious, Stewart Hardware at 412 Broadway in Valley Falls, Kansas (where else?).

I had sausage on a bun, with warmed sauerkraut (on request), plus two sides of Stewart Hardware's beans. (If any food establishment names a menu item after itself, it's pretty certain to be very good.) I had previously been promised a chance to eat at Stewart's Hardware, but it had not been open the few times we were in Valley Falls.

My son had gone there because of a computer problem, and rather than wait in the car, I left him a note on the windshield and found my way into Stewart's, a longtime, old-fashioned hardware store in downtown Valley Falls, which had re-invented itself into a food establishment. Its hardware store beginnings, however, are very evident in the remaining cabinets on the walls.

I was enchanted by the light fixtures hanging down from the ceiling -- manufactured from old glass canning jars. I'll keep those in mind if I am ever re-decorating a house.

I had hardly started my meal when I was discovered by my son, so I suggested he either order something from the menu, or share what I already had -- maybe that's why I had ordered beans for the two "sides". He got one of the little cups of beans, and half of my sandwich, but I kept all the sauerkraut for myself.

Valley Falls also has a charming little gift shop -- Awesome Blossom -- which I very carefully avoided because I desperately need to be downsizing. Maybe next time.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020