Fooding ...

Library Paste for Dinner - Two Nights in a Row!

 Last Sunday, we attended the South Bay New Orleans Jazz Club monthly gala,  We attend every Sunday that we're in town and go out for an early dinner afterward (around 5 p.m.)  Off we went to Charlie's, a NY Joint, on PCH in Redondo.  The new addition to their menu is Shrimp Scampi, six or seven big fat shrimp in the traditional olive oil, crushed garlic, panko crumbs scampi combo.  They are delicious!

I ordered Pasta Alfredo and there I found the above-mentioned library paste.   The cheese sauce was not rich, but gummy.  Any flavor to be found was too elusive TO be found.  I ate a bite or two and asked for it to be boxed.  I will give it a pat of butter, a shot of milk to thin out the paste a bit, add some chopped cooked bacon, a handful of green peas, lashings of Parmesan and a garlic clove or three, minced.  I believe these measures will get it banished from the library.

Last Monday we met with "D" and Mouton for our monthly dinner together.  The venue of choice was Jackson's Food + Wine, 2041 Rosecrans, El Segundo.  When I saw "D" had brought a bottle of champagne, I was appalled - "D" they won't let you do that!" and he smiled evilly and said, "Corkage."

Sure enough, out came flutes and the usual flutter that attends champagne.

I ordered a Caesar salad (well dressed and tossed - every leaf had dressing) to be followed by their macaroni and cheese with bacon and jalapenos and  roasted garlic.  Presented in a wee iron kettle, this dish looked quite appealing with an au gratin crust of bacon, flecks of jalapeño and invisible roasted garlic.  Once under this crust was "normal" macaroni and cheese and both were gooey.  The crust had all of the good stuff.  I asked for it to be boxed after digging around for awhile and last night I slapped some butter in the pan to heat it and dropped a thin slice of Velveeta on top, heated, stirred and finally had "Macaroni and Cheese."

It was quite tasty.  But I don't plan on ordering Alfredo or Mac and Cheese again at either and will be wary of it on other menus, other places.  

Whole Foods 
Just got busted for cancer-linked packaging chemicals.  The items were deli and pastry packaging.  Trader Joe (no deli) had zero!  Yay, TJ!  And a big fat "Ha ha!" to you Whole Foods (Healthy my sweet patootie!)