Diners - America's orginal 'comfort' food

What is it about Diners that makes the experience so, well, magical? I love Diners. They have that awesome true Americana feel to them. You can always count on friendly but no-BS staff, basic but gooooood food, and charm out the wazoo. We found a new diner for us today in a nearby town that was the epitome of what a diner should be. Southern accented staff who can't do enough for you (or each other as demonstrated by the manager busing tables and bringing out food for her waitresses), good basic comfort food staples (i.e. fried chicken, chili cheese fries and chicken fried steak), metallic vinyl seated chair, bar style seating and cheap prices.

Diners are an experience and one must truly understand the experience to appreciate it. Don't expect 5 star anything at a diner. It ain't gonna happen. But, if you can get beyond that, dining at a diner brings a feeling of nostalgia unique to these establishments that only adds to the overall experience.

You instantly feel at home in a good diner. There's no worry about being too loud or having to mind your "p's and q's". Now, that's not to say that one should be without manners at a diner. Just, you can speak at a normal volume and not feel like you are intruding on your neighbor's dining experience. You can put your elbows on the table and eat with your fingers (finger foods of course) without feeling 'gauche'. You can literally laugh out loud at your child or spouse's commentary without worrying about calling attention to yourself. Nobody cares. They're all too busy enjoying their own company and food and laughing as well.

Food at a diner is basic but good. Burgers are greasy and messy and amazing. Fries are hot and fresh and have that deep fried taste that makes them too good to leave any on your plate. You will find foods that you can't find at restaurants . . . chicken fried steak smothered in gravy is a staple as well as old fashioned meatloaf sandwiches and fruit cobblers.

So, tonight we went to a diner. It had all the neon light signs and decor that you think of when you think of the 50's and diners. The menu was thorough but basic. DH had the chicken fried steak with white gravy, side salad and black eyed peas. DS had a bacon cheeseburger with chili cheese fries and I had the chicken fried chicken with mashed taters, brown gravy and side salad. For dessert, DS had the best chocolate-peanut butter shake that I have tasted in a long long time (they use chunky peanut butter and you get little pieces of peanuts when you are drinking it). My only disappointment was that they didn't have any cherry syrup to put in my coke to make a cherry coke. Sigh. I guess nothing can be perfect right?

Miss Tina was our waitress and she was attentive, funny and efficient. We never were low on drinks and she came by just enough without being annoying. Families were sitting all around us, couples on dates, buddies out for a quick bite after work, etc. The walls were covered in pictures that looked like they came from the local HS yearbook for the last several decades and the music was classic rock 'n roll from the 50's.

It was great. Real Americana nostalgia in a single meal. All for $6.50 - $8 for our entrees. Now, where else but a diner can you get all that?

BTW, if you are interested. I have YET to finish "dragon tattoo". I did finally get 'into' the story but ran out of time to finish it for book club and although I am now truly interested in seeing it through to the end, I am not madly crazy about the story enough to not be able to put it down.

Next up for book club is "Loving Frank". Anybody got any feelings on that book?

Look at what I just found.

I just joined BZZAGENT and have started to do some survery and reviews for them. In relation to my reviews, I just found this:

Visit HeatEatReview

How cool is this? I have to get frozen foods for us as sometimes I just don't have time to cook from scratch. Who wants to cook after working 12 hours and being out of the house for nearly 14? Anyhow, often I would like to try new companies or meals but get leery as I have had quite a few meals that I just don't like or that are so pitiful in amounts that I have to eat something else right after. I think I will be using this reference when looking for new options. It even provides all the nutritional info I want to look at.

Who knew?

'Tis the Season. . . . .

for a Christmas MEME! haha. Here goes:

Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE ! Just copy this entire post and then replace my answers with yours!

'Tis the Season to be NICE !

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper but gift bags for things that are too hard to wrap or way too big!!!

2. Real tree or artificial?

BOTH! We have an artificial tree that's our "formal" tree in the formal living room. It's all decorated with Burgundy, Green and Gold ornaments and ribbons. We have our real tree in our family room. That's the one with all our family and annual ornaments. There is so much fun in going out and finding "the" tree and then reminiscing while putting up all the family, home-made and annual ornaments. . . . that reminds me. I need to go get out 2007 ornaments. YIKES!

3. When do you put up the tree?

On Black Friday! It's the only thing that I will go out shopping for on that day! It's a big tradition to go find the perfect tree and set it up. Then we decorate the formal tree that day while waiting for the branches on the live tree to drop. That whole weekend is spent on christmas decorations around the house while playing christmas music!

4. When do you take the tree down?

Not until after Epiphany. Being Cuban, we celebrated Epiphany each year and we continue to do so as a family now.

5. Do you like eggnog?

It's alright but I prefer coquito (hispanic eggnog)

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

Anything Barbie.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

I think that at last count I have 3 - maybe 4? There's one in the formal living room, one in the dining room and another in the family room. . . . hm, I think I am missing the little one that goes in my bedroom come to think of it. . . .

8. Hardest person to buy for?

DH and his Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for?

DS and my Mom

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

I don't remember any sticking out in my head as bad so I guess I really haven't had any?

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail

12 . Favorite Christmas movie?

The year without a Santa Claus (the heat and cold misers crack me up) and Santa Claus is coming to town (love how the explain all the things about santa in that one plus the mean guy that runs the town is funny)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Believe it or not, I start to look for stuff around Halloween time. I hate last minute shopping b/c I feel like I end up buying stuff just to get stuff. I prefer making sure that I get the 'right' gifts so, I start early.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Nope.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

If I could, I would have the traditional Cuban Pig Roast dinner like when I was growing up! Since I can't I love my Turkey dinner complete with canned cranberry jelly. Yum-O!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

Tee hee, again, it's BOTH. Clear on the formal tree and colored on the family tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

O Holy Night

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home?

I must say I prefer just staying home but you can all come visit if you'd like!

19. Can you name all of Santa's' reindeer?

Yep!

20. Angel on the treetop or star?

I know, it's getting old but, again, BOTH. Angel on formal and Star on family tree (in fact the star we have is the one that DH had growing up).

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Christmas Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Crowds at EVERY SINGLE STORE regardless of whether I'm christmas shopping or not. Why do people insist on waiting until the last minute? UGH!

23. What I love most about Christmas?

Seeing DS running down and watching his face when he first sees the presents under the tree. I love going to Christmas mass as well. It really reminds me of what Christmas is all about.

24. What's your favorite Christmas Memory?

DS's first christmas when we put him in the stocking we got from the hospital and took a picture of him under the tree. He's been the best christmas present EVER!

25. Believe or Not?

ABSOLUTELY Believe!


Now, I think that I will Tag Miss Pink, Miss Jennifer, Miss Jeanne, Miss Amy and Miss Lolly. Tell us all about you and Christmas!

Happy Turkey Day!

(The above turkey is from Ruthlessknitting -isn't it darling? I wish she had the pattern available now!)

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the US. I have today off as well so we are going to do the last minute grocery shopping and cleaning. We aren't having a HUGE celebration but we are having a neighborhood family come on over. Our friends have 2 boys and were staying in town as well so we thought we would spend the meal together. I have the turkey and pumpkin pie to do. She's doing the apple pie, shrimp cocktail, wine and stuffing. We are each doing a potatoe dish (she sweet potatoes, me regular potatoes) and a vegetable (she's doing green bean casserole and I'm doing ???????). Pretty fair distribution I think.

The boys will be able to play together before and after the meal and the men can watch football while we finish up the cooking. Luckily, my house has an open floor plan that allows us to talk with them from the kitchen while they watch the games. We've already decided that the men will do the cleaning up (we might have neglected to tell them that so far. . . . .tee hee) and we will KNIT! Yep, she knits as well and has recently been inspired by my knitting to start knitting again. Yeah!

I'm looking forward to a great day.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and I hope that the coming year brings you all plenty more to be thankful for!

Fortunes. . . .

First, Thanks to all of you for the kind words and well wishes regarding the recent anniversary. It was so nice to open my email and find your congratulations there. What a pick me up! Thanks again.

So, I originally had had this grand idea of posting a different fortune every week. At the time, I was going to my FAVE sushi lunch spot weekly so, it was a plausible idea. And then, my summer got really, really busy. So, the weekly sushi lunches went by the wayside. Sigh.

So, I have a new fortune to share and I guess that this will be a sporadic thing rather than weekly but, it makes for good blogging content (at least I think it does). So, I will add it periodically.

'Nuf said.

Today's fortune?

"The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything."

Amen to that.