Haines His Way

Good Afternoon!

Well, I didn't walk past my local video/DVD rental place, so I didn't rent "Last Tango in Paris" or anything else for that matter.  *Actually, Fan Video is quite a wonderful store.  Tons of videos and DVDs packed into that place!  And they always get in copies of the more "artsy" films and foreign ones.  And they have quite a nice selection of other (wink, wink) titles available for browsing in discreet black, three-ring binders.  -At least that's what I've heard.

 

What I did walk past were all the various storefronts in Carytown.  Unfortunately, I didn't see any of the restaurants putting out their statues of David in solidarity with the folks at Grapevine II.

On the way back, I stopped into the New York Deli for a late-late lunch/early dinner.  I got their "Famous" Open-Faced Sandwich Platter.  And, once again, I forgot that I should only order this platter when someone else is at the table with me.  It consisted of four open-faced "halves": mortadella and provolone, corned beef and swiss, liptauer cheese, and tuna fish salad; plus a full-size "Hot Sailor" (hot pastrami and Swiss topped off with a knockwurst.  All on rye.  With a big cup of potato salad and two big pickle spears.  A LOT OF FOOD!

As usual, I just ate the "fillings/toppings" off the halves - which really only came down to a few small slices of each of the meats and cheese, plus schmears of liptauer and tuna fish salad.  I ate almost all of  the pastrami this time - it was really good today - and the knockwurst.  But I only ended up having a few spoons of the potato salad which was very plain and white - I think it was only a mix of potatoes with mayo and sour cream with some salt.  No ground pepper in site.  It was good, but...  I just wish I didn't have to leave almost four full slices of rye on my plate when I was done (as well as a small pile of pastrami).

Needless to say, I ate more than I should have, but the meal should hold me through the evening.  And maybe through dinner time tomorrow!

-And I washed everything down with a Doc Brown's Black Cherry Soda!  Mmmmmm.

-And I picked up a small bar of Belgian chocolate at the counter for "dessert" later tonight.  

And that concludes my food post for today.

In a strange transaction today, I picked up a used copy of Coppola's APOCALYPSE REDUX; in taking it to the cash register, I was informed that Marlon Brando had died today.

In the dvd player:
I AM CURIOUS YELLOW
I AM CURIOUS BLUE
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
and, well, I guess tonight's purchase.

In the cd player:
RAGTIME - OBC
Joe Nichols' REVELATION (and it is).

Jane, I was in something called The Danube hotel. That backs right against the River.  I used to take my morning walk right along it.  It stands in the shadow of that castle on the hill and by the bridge that has that tower restaurant on it.  I think the Carlton, close by, was in dissarray when I was there.

Matth, I too loved Yancy Derringer.

Der Brucer, well, the first part of Greystoke was close to Burroughs, then it devolves into some real cheap psychology and Tarzan in civilization becomes something of a wimp.  A very flawed movie and a missed chance.

Of course Jane knows that I'm a ruder pest who wants to hear about Budapest -- but can wait until she's not quite as jet-lagged.

Media check:

VCR: OUTWARD BOUND (1930 version)
         WHAT'S UP DOC (hadn't seen that since I w as a kid)

DVD Player: TIME OF YOUR LIFE 1937 musical with James Cagney

and the Bollywood movies for this weeked:

ANDAZ (1949)

Nargis plays a "modern young woman who dresses in Western style" who meets a dashing young man (Dilip Kumar) who misreads her friendship and assumes that she is in love with him.

Yes, Jose posted this link to an Richmond Porn site.

der ever-helpful Brucer

Personally, I think covering the statue of David is a great idea, as long as all the waiters at the restaurant are similarly dressed.

...With a big cup of potato salad......I only ended up having a few spoons of the potato salad which was very plain and white - I think it was only a mix of potatoes with mayo and sour cream with some salt.  No ground pepper in site....

So, what you're saying is that der Brucer's in-laws can find a job at the New York Deli if their farm ever goes under?

CP the Danube looks like a nice hotel.  The tower restaurant is currently closed for renovations.  How was the view from up there?  We walked along the river and ate at an excellent restaurant: “Leberfinger.”  We had the best garlic soup…ever.

Our son, who has to wash his clothes in the tub, enjoyed the laundry services at the Carlton.  He said his clothes haven’t been this clean since he left home.  The hotel underwent a multi-million dollar renovation about 18 months ago .  The restaurant was nice but the bar was BEAUTIFUL.  It also served yummy mandle bread-type cookies.  The rooms were quite nice but the bed, sheets and pillows were somewhat uncomfortable.  Needles to say, Keith & I didn’t get much sleep there.  The view from our room was lovely as it looked out over old town and the opera house.

...yummy mandle bread-type cookies.

I think you're referring to Mandelbrot cookies.  This recipe, from the Food Network, gives something that sounds like an almond-flavored biscotti.  Sounds delish, of course.

PS: I love seeing buildings lit up that way.  So simple, but so elegant.

[size=8]PIXILATED![/size]

That's what we all are!

There is a remedy for that, DR RLP. . . BUT, this is a family site.  

We're having a late dinner...yet again.  I've got artichokes cooking, haven't done that for some time.  We'll have them simply, with melted butter and maybe some bottled (!!!) hollandaise to go with the hearts.  (OK, I haven't gotten around to making my own hollandaise, how many of you have?)

Well, I HAVE!  

Actually, when I usually make hollandaise, I make a very easy "blender" one.  I forget the exact proportions right now, but it's very easy...

In a blender - a "bar blender" works best for this, squeeze your lemon juice, then add your egg yolks.  Blend until very well combined, and lighter in color.  Meanwhile, melt some butter in a small saucepan.  Heat it until it is completely melted, but not until the milk solids burn.  As soon as the butter is melted and hot, start up the blender again, and slowly drizzle in the hot, melted butter over the egg yolk and lemon juice mixture.  Add a dash of cayenne, and Voila!  *If you happen to keep clarified butter in the fridge, then that is even better.  Just heat it up until it is good and hot.  **Of course, if you have "egg/health" issues, this may not be the best method for you since the egg yolks may not get cooked all the way through.  However, you can then pour the sauce out of the blender into a bowl over simmering water and "cook" it to be safe.  -And then if you mix in some tarragon, etc...

*One of my best clearance racks finds at Sur La Table was/is a double-boiler insert type bowl/pan.  It's bottom is fully curved so that a whisk can get all around the pan, and it has a handle.  I think it was originally designed to make zabaglione (yum!), but it works perfectly for melting chocolate and making sauces.  And it was originally priced at $42, and I got it for $5.50!

Jane! Thanks for coming back so impressively with the photos!

Pat Echo for Minx & I!

Those truly are great pics, Jane!  You picked the perfect time of day to take them.

Well, I HAVE!  

Actually, when I usually make hollandaise, I make a very easy "blender" one.  I forget the exact proportions right now, but it's very easy...

In a blender - a "bar blender" works best for this, squeeze your lemon juice, then add your egg yolks.  Blend until very well combined, and lighter in color.  Meanwhile, melt some butter in a small saucepan.  Heat it until it is completely melted, but not until the milk solids burn.  As soon as the butter is melted and hot, start up the blender again, and slowly drizzle in the hot, melted butter over the egg yolk and lemon juice mixture.  Add a dash of cayenne, and Voila!  *If you happen to keep clarified butter in the fridge, then that is even better.  Just heat it up until it is good and hot.  **Of course, if you have "egg/health" issues, this may not be the best method for you since the egg yolks may not get cooked all the way through.  However, you can then pour the sauce out of the blender into a bowl over simmering water and "cook" it to be safe.  -And then if you mix in some tarragon, etc...

Jose, how many eggs and how much butter??  My sister frequently makes a white sauce and complains that she's never made a hollandaise sauce.  I think she might be willing to try this, but if I give her a recipe, I know she'll want some amounts...not just "your egg yolks" or "some butter."  Thanks.  It sounds very good and easy enough for even me to try.

Jane, those are beautiful pictures of beautiful buildings.  I hope you are able to post more!