Monday, August 24, 2009

This is why you are Fat

I have decided it is time to trim a few pounds. Eating out has its downside, eating at home can be a challenge also. Decisions, decisions, what to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner means plans have to be made in advance, grocery shopping will be a must if you are following a recipe. There is rarely everything in the house to whip up a recipe.Well! you could cheat and adapt, use what you have on hand but then will the recipe be the same.
I am a firm believer in stick to the recipe.
So I searched the web and came up with a excellent site that will help me achieve my goal. It is my ambition to try each one of these recipes. What do you think I should make first? Check out my choices
My thanks to tiwyf for providing me with a meal plan.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Roadfood Junkie on Fine Dining

Fine Dining is for those special occasions, so is it any wonder a roadfood junkie would expect it to be special? What are the differences separating fine dining from roadfood or family dining? Is it the food? Specially prepared with the freshest of ingredients, giving it that unique blend of flavors not normally found in family dining, or could it be the atmosphere, the special attention to service? As far as service, I couldn’t give a rats.... if they grind my pepper or spread the napkin on my lap. I do expect friendly, and I do expect food taste to be a step beyond a Mom and Pop family diner.
It certainly can’t be the prices, unless putting out the bucks jerks your chain and makes you feel special.

It was our anniversary and the whole family got together for upscale dining at a fine dining restaurant in Port Dover,Ont. Hemming’s Broken Plate. Yes! Sometimes I upscale from roadfood eateries. It was wonderful to be with family and I looked forward to a new adventure in dining out. It was my choice where to go; I enjoy new adventures in dining. We had never eaten at this particular restaurant before and I had heard some mixed reviews.

The restaurant is a beautiful remodeled century home, they have maintained the charm and with the subdued lighting it had that romantic feeling. Our service was great.



The food was so, so. There were no rave reviews.
The meal started with a Caesar salad, which was very good.
My wife ordered beef tenderloin 8oz., garlic mashed potatoes and vegetable.
Tenderloin was an inch to inch and a quarter thick like a fillet’, vegetables equaled about a tablespoon. The plate did look lonely in my eyes...bring on the parsley decorations.
I had a 14oz rib eye steak with same sides. Daughter and son-in-law also had the rib eye steak, we all shared same comments.
The comments -
The rib eye- was a few ounces short 14 oz.The consensus was that if the wife’s beef tenderloin was sliced in half; both halves would equal one rib eye. Which was no more than ½ inch thick with a bone attached or.... was that gristle? It was doubtful, if it was a 10oz steak. It needed salt and lacked that fine dining special taste. Anyone can do steaks the same at home.
Beef tenderloin- wife enjoyed her steak, very tender. The vegetables she didn’t eat. Garlic potatoes were very good.

The vegetables bordered on uneatable, taste like they had been seasoned with Chili seasoning or Cumin and came from a can. Did I mention the sparse serving of vegetables which didn’t matter in this case?
Good serving of Garlic mashed potatoes which were very good.

The restaurant has all the ingredients for fine dining. Good atmosphere, good service, but not with a $34 meal that shouldn’t venture above 20 bucks and that is being generous. I was feeling less than satisfied and could have gone for a hot dog.