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Port Aransas, TX Hotel Don and I drove from Houston to Port Aransas to check out this 100+ year old hotel. After more than a year of isolating, we were more than ready to let the adventures begin. We booked a night at the inn and made dinner reservations. Tuesday in May There was lots of parking room when we arrived on a weekday in spring. There was lots of space for parking horses, back in the day. This hotel history goes back to 1886. Dining History It was our iconic 1950 cookbook, that actually lured us to the hotel. Page 181. Tarpon Inn's Sea-Food Cocktail Sauce recipe! As always, I packed the book for the trip and looked forward to pulling it out as a converstaion piece, at dinner. Check In After being the first to park in front, we headed up the steps to the lobby. Samantha greeted us from behind the desk. She wore a face mask, but she couldn't hide her enthusiasm for the hotel's history. She pointed out the mounted fish, behind her on the wall. The tarpon's name was Fred, I believe. Tarpon Scales Then she pointed to the wall that held over 7,000 signed, fish scales. I asked if she knew which was oldest and she pointed to a guy named Roy, in 1892! President Roosevelt On another wall, Samantha showed us photos of FDR, when he came to Port Aransas in 1937. He didn't stay at the inn, but he did a lot of tarpon fishing and handed over a signed scale, from his catch. 77 pounds! In the Courtyard We headed through the lobby and peeked out at the courtyard. The pale green cottage looked very inviting, with a large outside deck. Roosevelts I'm not sure where meals were served at Tarpon Inn 50 or more years ago. About 5 years ago, this sweet building was enlarged and opened as Roosevelt's. The structure was part of the original complex and survived the 1919 hurricane. We could have sat out on the deck for a while, but there were some mighty (hurricane style) winds picking up during our stay. The umbrellas did not go up. Dinner at 7:30 We were told that reservations might be a good idea. Roosevelt's is popular with the locals. Don and I arrived for our reservations and were surprised that there was not a face mask in sight, on a guest or an employee. That felt a little odd on May 18, 2021. Don and I were both vaccinated and not really worried. But this was our first indoor dining experience since March 2020. Cheers to Dining Again! The host seated us at a table right below a giant tarpon. I was pretty pleased with that! We toasted to the fun of eating inside at a restaurant after 15 months! Then we started off with Oysters Rockefeller! Fish and More Don went for the Citrus Grilled Mahi Mahi. His glazed fish was served over Savoyard potatoes and served with lobster cream sauce. His asparagus was fresh and healthy... his cheesy, seasoned potatoes were not. I loved them. My Chicken & Shrimp Involtini was mouthwatering! I'll just quote the old menu... "chicken breast filled with baby spinach, jumbo shrimp and dredged in panko served over orzo Florentine, finished with jumbo lump crab and citrus beurre blanc" and the seasonal veggie happened to be brussels sprouts. Wow! Cookbook Time I had a feeling the old cookbook was not going to impress our waiter. He was young and new to the job and busy. I waited until we were almost finished eating and the dining rush was over. I pulled out the book and showed him the recipe page. "Oh no. We don't served cocktail sauce." I was tempted to say, "That's not the point." Instead, I found some other waiters who might be interested. Before long there were surprised faces and cell phones snapping photos of 70 year old recipe. "What! Where did you get this book?" It was not a cookbook fail at all! Meeting the Owner We lucked out, because the owner of Tarpon Inn happened to be dining at a table in the corner. One of the waiters tipped him off and he introduced himself. I told Lee Roy Haskins how much we were enjoying our stay and our meal. Then I asked if he could guess how we ended up coming to Tarpon Inn. When I showed him then book he gave the proper response and laughed over the yellow book with the mostly bland recipes. We ended up talking for nearly a half hour. 50th Adventure? We have 4 of these Ford books and we've used them like treasure maps. The recipe pages have guided us to at least 50 different restaurants. We laughed with Lee Roy over the vintage book, but then he put the book on the table. Then it was time for swapping a few stories. We talked about our favorite iconic old hotels in Texas. Lee Roy talked about his work with oil and gas and drilling all over the world. He talked about how owning the hotel and restaurant was a labor of love. "You don't make money off of something like this." We asked about famous guests and heard a funny story about Tommy Lee Jones... who was not very nice, when he dined at Roosevelt's.
We left feeling full and happy. Our first inside dining adventure, after the the pandemic started! It was a satisfying one.
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New Orleans in 1999 It's throw-back time, again. Today I'm thinking of two visits, to Nola's iconic Brennan's on Royal Street. The first visit was during Spring Break, 22 years ago. Heidi and Scott were 12 and 9 and they weren't exactly thrilled about French and Creole dining. They also weren't excited to stop and pose for this photo, when we were out for a stroll. Brunch Memories But the next day, they warmed up to the idea of dressing up and going to a festive brunch at Brennan's. I have no photos of our outing, but I ran across a journal write up. It amuses me. "After watching some turtles in the courtyard pond, we were seated... all around us, people were being served flaming dishes and mimosas... Heidi frowned into her menu, pouting that she didn't see sausage or bacon anywhere... Scott was just as grumpy, since he was hoping for a Denny's-type of breakfast... Before long we eased into the blissful feast, with 35-dollar Eggs Benedicts and 5-dollar glasses of milk... The kids split a 15-dollar omelet (at the kind waiter's suggestion) and then he brought them a surprise. Strawberries & Cream Blintzes... Don and I lingered over a Bloody Bulls and then we all feasted on Bananas Foster and Chocolate Suicide." The kids still laugh about their first trip to Nola, before they learned to adore the charm and adventure of New Orleans dining. Brennan's in 2019 Don and I made our second visit to Brennan's, in 2019. It was 2 days before Christmas. I'm not sure what my expression is all about. Don and I had gone to New Orleans, to escape the quiet holiday. With both kids married and living in California and Oregon, the house felt too empty. We decided to hit the road and spend a few days enjoying festive decorations, music, food & drink in Nola. A Cookbook Inspired Visit We didn't have dinner reservations on December 23rd, but we stopped at Brennan's anyway. I was carrying my vintage cookbook in my purse... the cookbook that sometimes leads to amusing conversations with people. The cookbook featured a recipe from Brennan's, so who knows? We headed inside to the Roost Bar. Maybe someone in the bar would enjoy an encounter with 2 Texans and a cookbook. (This is the kind of thing that our kids would not have put up with, 22 years ago!) Drinks at the Bar We snagged 2 seats at the bar and ordered. A Sazerac for Don and a French 75 for me. We were patient since our bartender was bombarded with orders. Feeling festive, I struck up a conversation with the woman who dined alone at the bar. She hunkered over her meal and complained about the bad service. She griped about the cold weather. She couldn't believe that my husband and I would actually want to come to New Orleans for Christmas. "I'm from Southern California." She moped. "You can't believe how hard it is to be here for work, when I could be in California." I insisted that I actually could imagine, since I once lived in Laguna Beach. I made some suggestions about how she could cheer up and enjoy Nola... Then, finally she paid her bill and walked away, taking her little black raincloud with her! The Book There was zero chance that Raincloud Woman would care about the cookbook, so I waited until she was gone to pull it out. I thought about showing the featured recipe to our bartender. He might be amused by the recipe for Broiled Squab Turkey. But he was handling a lot of orders. He did happen to mention that he'd just moved to Nola, 2 months before. He probably had little interest in being bothered with a vintage cookbook, or questions about the history of Brennan's. Andrew Then I spotted this gentleman, greeting customers. He didn't appear to be too busy, so I caught his eye and asked if he knew whether Brennan's served Broiled Squab Turkey these days. I didn't capture him laughing in my photo, but he did laugh. Andrew was properly amused by the recipe and book. We had a fun chat with Andrew about the history of Brennan's. The business (originally on Bourbon Street) was founded by Owen Brennan in 1946. About 10 years later, the biz relocated to this 2-story French Quarter mansion on Royal Street. The mansion has a much longer history, since it was built in 1795. Then and Now I wonder about this historic building, when it was brand new in 1795. Was it painted? It looks orange in this cookbook illustration from 1956.It looks pink, now. Who were the people who lived here, when it was a residence? Who were the people who died here? There are stories... I did a little hunting on the internet and found this old photo, below. It was taken long before Brennan's opened. I'm so glad we stopped in for a fun and quick Roost Bar visit. We didn't really have a dining adventure, but we did manage a brief cookbook encounter.
Next time, I want food and I want stories. I want to find out about the ghosts that have haunted the place for centuries. Mostly I want to eat Bananas Foster again! I didn't realize 22 years ago, that this flaming dessert was first created for Owen Brennan's restaurant, using a family recipe! Cheers for that! Dining Adventure in January We had quite a fun time when we visited The Barn Door, last winter. Or is it, The Barndoor? It's confusing. We had a memorable visit to this North San Antonio eatery, last January. The parking lot looked pretty empty when we arrived, just before the doors opened for lunch. The red and white complex looked just as quiet and rambling, in the old black and white photo that I found later. Cookbook Image Earlier, I studied this watercolor image in our old Ford Motor Cookbook. I knew the chances were slim, that we'd see any cows peeking out windows when we arrived. But it never hurts to hope. Exploring Outside I spied no cows, when I wandered around the building before entering. The barn-red color and the decorative pieces of farm equipment, fit with the old images. But it was hard to recognize the original building. Where was that upper floor? In Back Around back, I could spot a higher roof. Was that part of the original Barn Door Restaurant, that Mr. Tassos opened in 1953? And the little door and windows around the side... could that have been the original tavern from the 1920's? I'm not sure, but now that door is an entrance to a Speakeasy! Lots to See We stepped inside at 11:30 and the staff was geared up and ready for a busy Friday lunch. I wouldn't have minded a wait, since there was an awful lot of stuff to look at. But, the hostess was eager to guide us and we were hungry. We followed her past the meat market. We passed by an illuminated case of fresh pies! We headed down a cement walkway, covered in horseshoe prints. It was clear that we were "first-timers" the way I studied our surroundings as we walked. Original Room There seemed to be numerous dining rooms. We were seated in the original room, where Mr. Tassos first began offering no-frills, down-home Texas cooking... with a spotlight on beef. Don and I were right at home sitting on captain's chairs. We sit on them at home. Across the room, there was one very curious tables that I should have asked about. The carved legs looked like little men, struggling to hold up the weight of a huge, table feast! Windows and Walls There was a lot to look at, next to our table. There were framed news articles and photos and a couple of windows that didn't look outside. I was curious and had to investigate. I discovered "The Window Room" and "The Egg Room", which was named for the egg cartons, that were once attached to the ceiling. Sound proofing, I believe. Hanging Hams This old photo of the main dining room looks a little different. They no longer have fancy red chair covers. They also don't using hanging "hams" for decoration. The grill is still in the same place, along the wall. Chef This is the chef who grilled my chicken, perfectly. He's not smiling in this photo but he did chuckle a bit when I asked if I could take this photo. I was impressed with the spotless cooking area. It made me think of Steak-n-Shake. where if it is "In Sight It Must Be Right!" Familiar Image We were just seated a moment, when our server Ally appeared with menus. Right away, I recognized the watercolor art on the menu. Our cookbook from 1963, had the same image, along with two recipes. Ally We couldn't have asked for a better server, to help us enjoy a cookbook adventure. Before I pulled out the book I asked if they had Garlic Dressing. She answered with enthusiasm. "Yes! We serve the original garlic dressing with our house salad!" I pulled the book from my bag and pointed to the recipe. I asked if the old recipe looked the same as the one they use now. She studied the page and said it was. Then her expression changed. "What is this!" I laughed and told how we used the old Ford Cookbook, like a crazy treasure map, while traveling. "We hunt down the restaurants that have managed to survive the test of time." Ally loved that idea. Garlic Dressing and Grilled Chicken Ally was young, but she clearly enjoyed the history of the restaurant. She seemed totally delighted that we were taking interest. I was pretty giddy when my salad was served. I poured the tasty Garlic Dressing from a syrup container! I ordered chicken, which had been grilled just steps from our table. My nicely browned chicken, was juicy and flavorful. Green beans, mashed taters and a big old dinner roll. I was happy! Meeting the Owner Just as we finished our meal, a visitor arrived. Randy Stokes graciously introduced himself, then laughed, "I've got to see that book!" He squatted beside the table and studied the recipe. As he flipped through pages, he asked us where we'd found the book. We asked him about his 8 years of ownership. The 3rd owner since 1953! It was nice to hear his thoughts on finding the right balance... rescuing the old and renovating, just enough! He had an appreciation and understanding for the faithful regular customers, who don't always want change. That's a tricky thing to please old and new customers. He seems to be doing it very well! More Exploring The dining room had filled up by the time we finished. I took another look at some of the photographs on our way out. After studying these photos of the well-loved Grill Master, I met the late Sonny Cochran's nephew, "Junior". We stood and talked a bit about his late uncle. Junior admired his uncle and seemed pleased that I was taking time to learn about him. I couldn't stop studying all the old photos! Junior was extra excited about this bird's eye photo, that showed the old restaurant, before housing grew up around it. So Many Rooms Don and I wandered through all the different rooms. This place must be pretty fun in the evening! We found the same print from the cookbook and menu, framed on the wall. More Book Sharing We didn't make it far, before a couple more servers stopped to chat. These two wanted to see the book, too. I was in cookbook heaven. The old book doesn't usually attract this much attention! It seemed like the entire staff shared a genuine appreciation for the restaurant's history. Since Don and I seek out older, family owned restaurants, we know this kind of staff is sort of unusual. There was such a positive energy! Junior's Cousin? When we were almost out the door, we were stopped once again by someone who wanted to see the book. I believe this super nice guy, was another of Sonny's nephews. (didn't catch name) He and Don talked forever. While they chatted I ran in the bathroom, where I noticed an announcement on the wall. The notice told me that the restaurant would close the next day, for a staff party. A party? What restaurant closes down, to give the staff a night of fun?
A restaurant, with owner and staff, that work together like family! We left feeling like we'd been to a family reunion. How nice to be welcomed by so many, during our little lunch outing! It's been over 7 months and I hope they're doing well during this pandemic. I so hope to get back and enjoy and evening at the Red Barn! Christmas Eve Brunch in Nola This past Christmas, Don and I changed up tradition and spent a few days in New Orleans. We lucked out with some last minute brunch reservations. We wandered from our hotel in the French Quarter and arrived at this iconic restaurant on Royal Street, at 10:30 am. Since 1832 I was excited to finally visit the Royal Street restaurant. The building has been here for 132 years, but it wasn't always a restaurant. The French, townhouse-style building was first home to the Cavalier family. In 1886 the house and street level store was purchased and two sisters from an aristocratic Creole family, opened up a fine notions shop. When we entered the restaurant on Christmas Eve morning, it was hard to picture the space, back in the day. Emma and Bertha would have displayed imported gowns and perfumes in their shop. I wonder where the arched doorway would have led, before it was turned into bar seating? I'm sure the brick fireplace kept the shop cozy on cold mornings. On pleasant days, the sisters would have escorted their special guests, back to the courtyard for cakes and tea. The Courtyard! It was nice to arrive before the things got too busy. The staff was cheery and relaxed, inviting us to take a look around and decide if we wanted to eat in, or out. The famous courtyard is the largest in New Orleans. It looked inviting with its wishing well and fountains. But it was a tiny bit chilly on that December morning. Royal Court and Grand Marquis I found more dining areas upstairs and in the front of the building. They weren't serving in the formal spaces, but it was fun to see all the chandeliers and white tablecloths. The Fein Family has owned and run the restaurant since 1963. I'm how these spaces were used before then. The Sisters closed shop in the early 1900's. I believe the building has been serving food and drink since the 1920's. The Terrace Back downstairs, we peeked in the Terrace Dining Room. It looked inviting, with a jazz trio and large windows, overlooking the courtyard. The dining room was bright and airy, but the green garden colors lured us outside. Table by the Fountain The air was cool, but we warmed up with coffee. Chicory! We knew we were in New Orleans. Our waiter Mario, kept the coffee coming. He said he'd only been at The Court for 2 years, but he had worked at another famous nearby restaurant for 42 years. "You were hired as a baby?" I asked. He laughed and said he started working at Brennan's, at age 12. Buffet It was nice to be some of the first guests to hit the buffet. What a wonderful spread! First I took a good look at all the options in the inviting, black and white serving area. There was an Eggs Benedict station and a meat carving station. There were Creole favorites, like turtle soup and crawfish pasta. Best of all, there were lots of Christmas sweets and pieces of Christmas King Cake! Feasting in the Courtyard While Don and I feasted, I waited for the right moment to share a little something with Mario. When there seemed to be a lull in activity, I pulled the old Ford Motor Cookbook from my bag. "Does this recipe look familiar?" I asked. Mario took a long look at the old book from 1959. He laughed at the courtyard image, that accompanied the recipe for Shrimp Au Gratin. "Where is this from!" Yay! I love adding a cookbook adventure to an already fun meal. It almost always gets a good reaction, but I had been a little concerned about sharing on a busy holiday. Mario showed the book to a couple other waiters, then he happily agreed to pose with us. So fun! Heading Out We finished up and wished Mario a Merry Christmas. Instead of heading out through the old house, we exited through the back of the courtyard. We passed through a gate, that seemed to match the wrought iron in the cookbook illustration. History How have these separate buildings been used over the years? Did many buildings share the courtyard equally? I left with so many questions about this old place. Cheers to three generations of Feins, for keeping this restaurant running on Royal Street for so many years. Cheers to Emma and Bertha! It was a fun dining adventure!
What a Discovery! Last week, Don and I had my favorite kind of dining experience! Our dinner at Grey Moss Inn wasn't just about the food or atmosphere or service. It was also about the adventure of finding the place! We found the 91 year old restaurant in the small town of Grey Forest. It was about 25 miles northwest of San Antonio... and then a short drive on Scenic Loop Road. "Scenic Playground" of Grey Forest We drove through the tiny town of Grey Forest, which had once been some kind of a summer camp community. The 2-lane drive on Scenic Loop Road was intriguing. We spotted a few stone cottages that were built in the 1920's, when the area attracted artists and wealthy San Antonians, looking for a retreat from the city. Long before that, the road was a trail, used by nomadic Indian tribes, stagecoaches and wagons. We didn't know all that... until later. On the Loop The restaurant backed up to the Loop. It wasn't exactly obvious. There was a faded neon sign, that sort of blended with the winter landscape. We might have passed it, if we weren't looking for it. Cookbook Time! But we were looking for it! We knew about Grey Moss Inn... well sort of. It wasn't a magazine ad that informed us, or the internet, or word-of-mouth. We read about Grey Moss Inn, in our 1959 cookbook, put out by Ford Motor Company. We knew that Mary Howell owned the "rustic inn and served apple pie and charcoal-broiled meats... at least she did, 6 decades ago. I'm afraid Mary died in 1976, just a short while after she sold the restaurant. She was 85 and her son had been running the biz. Luckily, the old stone building never stopped serving meals, throughout all the years! That's not the case with most of the restaurants featured in the vintage cookbook! Stone Entrance After I checked the internet and learned that Grey Moss was still in business, I called to be sure. I was surprised when they suggested reservations. I happily made them for Tuesday evening. I was eager to see the place in daylight, so I talked Don into driving over on Sunday morning. I spotted two stone cottages on the left, as we pulled in. Huge Lot The restaurant and patio faced a large gravel parking lot. They weren't open until dinner, so all was very quiet. Don parked and I headed over to have a peek. The image didn't exactly match up with the book's illustration. Outdoor Dining I paused at the locked gate and peered into the patio area. The trees were dripping with Spanish moss, just like the picture. It was a little cool in January for outdoor dining, but they had tables. The building on the right looked nothing like the stone building in the illustration. Did they add onto the front? The Stone Grill To the left of the patio, I spotted the round grill. In the illustration, it looked like a stone wishing well... except for the cartoonish figures, that seemed to be cooking. I clicked one more photo before heading back to the car. I didn't want to cause any concern, in case there were any security cameras. I got a better look at the circular grill when we returned on Tuesday evening. A young man was tending the mesquite fire, when we approached. A little later, he cooked my filet beautifully! Tuesday Evening No one else was on the patio when we arrived at 5:30. There were blue tablecloths and strings of lights. I was glad to be there early and peek around, without bothering other guests. Garden Room We stepped inside and the hostess greeted us. She asked if I was Beth, which gave me a clue that they might not be expecting crowds. I suddenly noticed the original exterior, with the arched doorway and the tree growing up through the ceiling. Emily said the enclosed area with plants and skylights, is now called the Garden Room. We were obviously standing on what had once been the patio. Questions for Emily Since I'd read up a little on the internet, I had a few questions for Emily. She was young enough that she might have rolled her eyes, but she answered with such enthusiasm. I love young people who care about history. She stepped outside with me, to point out the two stone cottages, that remain on the property today. She explained that the original owner Mary, used to live in the first one. "She baked her pies and breads there. In fact our current baker still does the baking over there." The Treaty Tree I asked about the tree I'd read about, with its peaceful energy. Emily pointed to the massive Live Oak, across the meadow. I walked over to have a look. Apparently, this tree represented neutral ground for many land disputes, over the years. Treaties and alliances were signed here, between conflicting Native American tribes and early settlers. So Much History I was slow getting back to poor Don, who was waiting patiently at the table. But I was so curious about this property with its native stone buildings. I wondered about the woman who started the restaurant in 1929. Not the best time in US history to start a business! Mary must have been quite an amazing woman. For so many years, her hard work and passion drew customers to such a remote area. The restaurant's current website even talks about encounters with Mary's spirit! Maybe I should have lingered out there longer. I could have asked Mary a few questions! Cozy Interior Don was checking on the menu when I returned. We had a sweet table for two, beside a window. Of course our window no longer looked outside. If we peeked through the curtains, we could see a room with 3 tables. The cozy addition with the slanted ceiling, had a great view of the original exterior stonework... now painted. While we were eating later, a man stepped into the tiny space and pointed to the table below the oval portrait. I heard him tell his friends that he proposed to his wife there. Sweet. Fireplace My eyes were drawn to the fireplace in the back part of the room. Too bad it wasn't a little chillier outside. A fire would have made things perfect. I spotted a few old photos on the wall, next to the fireplace. I loved this photo. Were those rocking chairs? Who was the woman in the hat with the cat? I think Mary was the woman standing. The curious woodwork above and near the fireplace, hasn't changed. Some Bubbly and Candlelight I was pretty amused by the enormous display of wax on our table! I wonder how many candles and how many hours of burning, produced that! Don and I decided to order a couple glasses of Prosecco first. We quietly offered a toast to our fun adventure! Our waiter Chris, brought us our complimentary (and traditional) "Olive Twist" appetizer. He also introduced us to Jacob, who was shadowing him. Jacob happened to be his younger brother and they made the perfect team. Again, we were delighted to realize how well informed the young staff was, about the restaurant's history. We decided to eat first, before dragging out the cookbook. Our Feast! First we peeked at the wine list, which was huge and varied. They were offering glasses of Altos Hormingas Malbec for $6. that night! Yes! Then Don ordered the 3 course special. Wild Mushroom Bisque, Beef Wellington with garlic truffle mashed potatoes, mushrooms and peppercorn sauce. Mouthwatering! I loved the buttery pastry crust. My choice was the 8 ounce filet, grilled over the mesquite charcoal and basted with the traditional Witches Brew! (another tradition) My photo fails terribly! The meat's flavor was magical! The Grey Moss Squash (with cumin) was made with Mary's old recipe! The "Sour Cream Potato on the Half Shell" was mighty fine! Dessert Time By the time Don's third course arrived, I was stuffed and half my meal was being boxed. His Blue Velvet Cake with Swiss cream icing was dense and delicious and there was plenty to share, but it was time to ask about apple pie. I asked Chris and he said they did have apple pie. "But do you think it's made with this recipe?" I asked. I opened the vintage book and pointed to "The Inn's Own Apple Pie" recipe. Reaction It's always fun to see reactions to the old book. I lower expectations with younger servers, but Chris and Jacob leaned in and laughed with giddy surprise. "What is this!?" Emily rushed over from the doorway and said she had to look too. Emily took a photo with her phone and all 3 flipped through the pages, while we told them how we use this old cookbook like a treasure map. It's not easy to explain, to a generation that hardly knows about Ford Motor Company or cookbooks period. But they clearly loved hearing how the book leads us to interesting places and people! They were happy to pose with the book. I let them pick the best photo spot. Heading Out We finished up and I gathered the book and my precious leftovers. Don and I headed out the door thanking the 3 young people who had treated us well. They impressed us with their enthusiasm. As we walked towards the car, I noticed two nicely dressed men near the grill pit. It looked to me like maybe the owner had just arrived. I couldn't help myself. I headed over, in the dark. First I embarrassed myself by approaching the wrong man, with the cookbook. The dapper gentleman said he was actually Dr. Baeten's driver, but he pointed me in the right direction. Louis Baeten Dr. Baeten was more than happy to put up with my jabber about our delicious meal. I told him how nicely the staff took care of us. He was also pretty delighted when I showed him the book. He and his wife have owned Grey Moss since 1988, so I was surprised he hadn't run across the book in all these years! He asked if he could get a photo of the recipe and Emily assured him she had taken one. I left happy. I also left without my mouthwatering doggy bag. I put it down on a patio table. Rats! Green Sign and a Phone Call I was excited to see the old neon sign glowing, as we pulled out onto the Loop. We drove cautiously through Grey Forest, since Chris had warned us about speed traps. Chris had also asked me to text him photos, when I got them off my Nikon. The next day I realized I'd lost Chris' contact info, so I called Grey Moss. I told the woman on the phone to give my cell number to Chris, so I could text him the photos. "Are you the person with the cookbook?" the woman asked. Kelly introduced herself and said she was the baker. She'd already been given the Ford Cookbook recipe and was eager about getting Mary's original apple pie recipe on the menu.
We chatted a while and she told me a few more bits of Grey Moss history and trivia. I hung up the phone grinning... and feeling hungry! Sometimes I get to carry over a dining adventure to the next day, by devouring leftovers. This time I extended the adventure by enjoying a conversation, with the baker! What a fun time! We'll have to go back for pie! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
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