When a Major American Airline (MAA) built the DFW airport, they needed people to staff it. MAA told her employees that if they would transfer to the DFW area, she would pay the moving expenses. DFW opened January 13, 1974, 38 years ago.
Meanwhile, back at LaGuardia airport, the bag busters were sullen after yet another long, bitter East Coast winter. Richie, Red, Mike Stolz and a bunch of other guys all decided that Texas would be better. This was a major concession on their parts because traditionally, New Yorkers and Texans each hate the other. At the newly-opened DFW, you would hear muttered asides, such as "Stupid cowboys!" or "Damn Yankees" if you listened closely.
Mike, in particular, was the most alarmed and would tell his mates, "They're gonna get us! You know they're gonna get us!" It may have been the opening salvo of what would become raging paranoia.
Richie only lasted three years at DFW; no one had bothered to tell them about the searing summer heat or the sudden Blue Northers that could drop the temperature as much as 40 degrees in an hour. He high-tailed it to LAX (and paid for the move himself. Any price to get out of Texas.)
The rest of the gang stayed where they were. They were married or getting married; they had kids or were expecting them. Mike married, had a kid, divorced. He had bought a house and had begun collecting weapons of mass warfare against "Them" -- pistols and rifles, antique and new; a bullwhip, sword canes, knives and dogs he named after gun manufacturers. I remember "Lugar" and "Beretta." The only time we visited the house, he showed me a prized possession: the head (and some of the neck) of a rattlesnake in a plastic cube. I am terrified of snakes so you can imagine my reaction.
I remember this, too, about our only visit to the house, maybe 20-24 years ago. He had told us to come in via the alley and park in the driveway at the back of the house. We dutifully did and out of the open garage door came Mike with a huge, black Doberman on a lead and his second wife, Bernice. The humans greeted each other and I bent to look into the dog's face, murmuring, "What a beautiful dog!"
Mike yanked the leash back and screamed, "Don't look in his eyes! He'll attack you!" Suitably chastised, I drew back and we all went into the house. We went through the kitchen, around to the right and into the dining room which was about one step above the living room next to it. A short, white, wrought-iron fence separated the two areas. The other end of the living room was blocked by a baby gate and the dog was put in there.
We sat around the dining room table, drinking cold ones and visiting. I was closest to the railing and all of a sudden, I felt something warm and wet on my right forearm. It was Beretta, who had gently clasped my arm in his mouth to get my attention. I immediately began to talk to him and stroke his head; he instantly let go and stretched his neck toward me in appreciation of the attention.
Bernice had freaked out and was screaming, "Let go of that! Let go! Come here! Don't make me have to get the belt!" I couldn't let that go, so I whispered to the dog, "Stay" and turned back to the table.
Seemingly casually, I remarked, "Can you believe anyone would teach their dog to come -- and then beat the dog? How confusing is that to the poor dog?" and gave a little fake society laugh. I didn't know Bernice all that well and I didn't want to be rude to either of them in their own home. Bernice got it. She even said, "That makes sense."
We never saw them again. After the third time Mike cancelled a trip to LA at the last minute by a phone call in the dead of night or at dawn the day of arrival, we distanced ourselves. He always had an excuse, but the truth was he could not bring himself to get on a plane.
We'd send the odd birthday or Christmas card, but finally even those minor contacts vanished. Most of the other MAA guys said they never heard from him or sought him out either. It was just too difficult to deal with Mike.
Red said that over the past 14 years, after his retirement from MAA thatMike had become a recluse. Friendly visits, quick lunches never happened and calls were not returned. Bernice, 27 years younger, worked for a computer company. Red told Richie that Mike's son had died (alcoholism) and Richie sent a condolence card. Mike called Richie to thank him and contact was lost again after that. More time passed.
Then at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 28th, Red called, unusually early for him. I answered the phone. His voice was taut, he was abrupt. "Is Richie up yet?"
"Sure! He's on his second cup of coffee!"
"Let me talk to him and then he can tell you."
As I handed Richie the phone, I mouthed, "I bet Mike is dead." I was very wrong. Mike had gone down the rabbit hole. He killed Bernice.
If you want the full story, Google "Man Kills Wife After Dog Defecates in Home." It was a fairly gaudy story; you may have already read it; it made The Drudge Report. Additional details: she died Saturday of a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Bodies were not discovered until approximately 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Mike was at home (as far as is known) all of that time.
We've all read bizarre news stories, but it really smacks you across the face when you know one or more of the parties involved. The moral is: Even distant events can reach out and bite you. Or as Mike would no doubt say, "They're gonna get us! You know they're gonna get us!"
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Small Discoveries
A reader loved the sound of "Sambuco Cream Sauce" for the pancetta-wrapped, grilled prawns (and I loved the taste) so I Google'd and found it's basically 1/4 cup heavy cream, heated and a splash of sambuco tossed in and then stirred. Keep an eye on it and let it boil down just a bit before you serve it.
The only time Richie is a practising Catholic is meatless Fridays during Lent. This in the past put something of a strain on me because I won't eat fish (except canned tuna) and I got real tired of mac and cheese every Friday night and of sauting-salmon-in-olive-oil-with-a-squeeze-of-lime-juice-and-black-pepper.
Because his Southwestern Chicken with a balsamic taste was such a success, I got to thinking about balsamic vinegar and salmon. I came across the recipe for a glaze for salmon. The original recipe was for six filets, but I was using only one, so I cut it down. These are the amounts for one salmon filet:
pinch of minced garlic or 1/4 teas. minced garlic in a jar
1/2 teas. white wine (optional; you can substitute water)
1/2 teas. honey
1 1/2 teas. balsamic vinegar
1 teas. Dijon mustard
Mix all this togther and when the salmon is done in the pan, plate it and then de-glaze the skillet with the sauce and pour it over the salmon. Richie loved it.
The recipe says to bake the salmon and glaze with sauce as it cooks, but this is considerably faster.
Raise your hand if you don't particularly like cauliflower. Me, too. It seems the only way to eat it is steamed with a cheese sauce. Feh.
When I read that roasted cauliflower was delicious it made sense to me. Many winter vegetables are good roasted. It couldn't be simpler. Break up the cauliflower into medium pieces, toss with olive oil and black pepper and chunk it into a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, pull out the pan and flip them and back into the oven for another 10 minutes. You want the cauliflower to brown just a bit. The taste was very reminscent of Fall -- the coziness of being inside when the weather is gray and raw...
The only time Richie is a practising Catholic is meatless Fridays during Lent. This in the past put something of a strain on me because I won't eat fish (except canned tuna) and I got real tired of mac and cheese every Friday night and of sauting-salmon-in-olive-oil-with-a-squeeze-of-lime-juice-and-black-pepper.
Because his Southwestern Chicken with a balsamic taste was such a success, I got to thinking about balsamic vinegar and salmon. I came across the recipe for a glaze for salmon. The original recipe was for six filets, but I was using only one, so I cut it down. These are the amounts for one salmon filet:
pinch of minced garlic or 1/4 teas. minced garlic in a jar
1/2 teas. white wine (optional; you can substitute water)
1/2 teas. honey
1 1/2 teas. balsamic vinegar
1 teas. Dijon mustard
Mix all this togther and when the salmon is done in the pan, plate it and then de-glaze the skillet with the sauce and pour it over the salmon. Richie loved it.
The recipe says to bake the salmon and glaze with sauce as it cooks, but this is considerably faster.
Raise your hand if you don't particularly like cauliflower. Me, too. It seems the only way to eat it is steamed with a cheese sauce. Feh.
When I read that roasted cauliflower was delicious it made sense to me. Many winter vegetables are good roasted. It couldn't be simpler. Break up the cauliflower into medium pieces, toss with olive oil and black pepper and chunk it into a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, pull out the pan and flip them and back into the oven for another 10 minutes. You want the cauliflower to brown just a bit. The taste was very reminscent of Fall -- the coziness of being inside when the weather is gray and raw...
Saturday, March 31, 2012
As Promised! Vacuums and Missions Impossible
Both of these recipes call for margarine which I haven't thought about since 1945 when "margarine" was a plastic bag of white fat with an orange dot included for coloring. My job was to squish all of this together until the yellow color was uniform.
VACUUM CLEANER COOKIE BARS
(Ever wondered why cookie, singular, is not "cooky"?)
1/2 cup margarine - do not use butter - melted
1 18.25-oz. box of yellow cake mix - don't get the kind with pudding in the batter.
3 eggs
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (the only relatively-healthy thing in the whole mixture)
Set oven at 325 Cream together the melted margarine, the cake mix and one egg. Put this mixture in the bottom of a well-greased 9x13 in. pan.
Beat the two eggs slightly and blend in the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in the coconut and walnuts and pour over the rest in the pan. Smooth it out evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it's a golden brown. Cool to room temperature before cutting into bars. Source: Rhonda Nelson, Warren High School, Downey, Calif.
I don't like pie crust; it seems unnecessary to me - just added calories. This recipe is said to make it's own crust so it's worth a look to me.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE PIE
4 eggs
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour (whatever that is)
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup coconut - what is this? National Coconut Day?
Beat the eggs together, add the margarine, sugar, flour and milk. Continue beating until it's all well-mixed. Stir in the coconut and pour it all into two UN-greased 8 in. pans and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. Source: Linda Heinbach, Yosemite High School, Oakhurst, CA
VACUUM CLEANER COOKIE BARS
(Ever wondered why cookie, singular, is not "cooky"?)
1/2 cup margarine - do not use butter - melted
1 18.25-oz. box of yellow cake mix - don't get the kind with pudding in the batter.
3 eggs
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (the only relatively-healthy thing in the whole mixture)
Set oven at 325 Cream together the melted margarine, the cake mix and one egg. Put this mixture in the bottom of a well-greased 9x13 in. pan.
Beat the two eggs slightly and blend in the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in the coconut and walnuts and pour over the rest in the pan. Smooth it out evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it's a golden brown. Cool to room temperature before cutting into bars. Source: Rhonda Nelson, Warren High School, Downey, Calif.
I don't like pie crust; it seems unnecessary to me - just added calories. This recipe is said to make it's own crust so it's worth a look to me.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE PIE
4 eggs
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour (whatever that is)
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup coconut - what is this? National Coconut Day?
Beat the eggs together, add the margarine, sugar, flour and milk. Continue beating until it's all well-mixed. Stir in the coconut and pour it all into two UN-greased 8 in. pans and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. Source: Linda Heinbach, Yosemite High School, Oakhurst, CA
Friday, March 30, 2012
Richie's New Chicken Dish
Having mastered Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Picatta, Richie turned to a cook book entitled "World Wide Recipes" compiled by a group of Home Economics teachers!
Ah, 8th grade Home Ec(k) -- the memories flooded back ... too hurried to use hot water when we washed the dishes; the teacher's ensuing wrath .. But we were hardier back then. No one ever came down with the bubonic plague or anything.
Our first dish which was called "Eggs Goldenrod." Take one hard-boiled egg, separate the white from the yolk. Chop the white and grate the yolk and set aside. Make a white sauce (butter, flour and milk aka "gravy") then put in the egg whites, stir well and serve over toast. The grated egg yolks are the garnish. To this day, this is a favorite comfort food.
Richie's Southwestern Chicken Breasts is nearly as easy.
Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
juice of two limes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teas. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
pepper to taste
Mix the above together in a bowl big enough to hold the marinade and four skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir it around every now and then.
Then set the marinade aside and grill the chicken using the marinade to baste it. Or do as he did --put the chicken and marinade together into a suitable pan and on into the over at 400 degrees for half an hour, turning once.
He used only two chicken breasts, consequently the dish was a little over-powered by the balsamic vinegar. If you use only two, recommend halving the amounts above.
Having eaten our nice, healthy chicken tomorrow we will turn our attention to desserts; specifically, Vacuum Cleaner Cookie Bars (so good you vacuum them down?) and Mission Impossible Pie that requires no crust - it makes its own. Save room!
Ah, 8th grade Home Ec(k) -- the memories flooded back ... too hurried to use hot water when we washed the dishes; the teacher's ensuing wrath .. But we were hardier back then. No one ever came down with the bubonic plague or anything.
Our first dish which was called "Eggs Goldenrod." Take one hard-boiled egg, separate the white from the yolk. Chop the white and grate the yolk and set aside. Make a white sauce (butter, flour and milk aka "gravy") then put in the egg whites, stir well and serve over toast. The grated egg yolks are the garnish. To this day, this is a favorite comfort food.
Richie's Southwestern Chicken Breasts is nearly as easy.
Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
juice of two limes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teas. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
pepper to taste
Mix the above together in a bowl big enough to hold the marinade and four skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir it around every now and then.
Then set the marinade aside and grill the chicken using the marinade to baste it. Or do as he did --put the chicken and marinade together into a suitable pan and on into the over at 400 degrees for half an hour, turning once.
He used only two chicken breasts, consequently the dish was a little over-powered by the balsamic vinegar. If you use only two, recommend halving the amounts above.
Having eaten our nice, healthy chicken tomorrow we will turn our attention to desserts; specifically, Vacuum Cleaner Cookie Bars (so good you vacuum them down?) and Mission Impossible Pie that requires no crust - it makes its own. Save room!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
No Doggie Bag 'Cause We (Nearly) Licked the Plates Clean
We first visited Aliotta's Via Firenze several years ago - I vaguely remember blogging about our delight with the food and service then. We drove by it the other day and I said, "You know ... we need to get back there.." visions of the Gamberini Don Mike floating temptingly through my mind. Last night we did.
Aliotta's is located in a corner of a strip mall which is an unexpected place to find a "romantic" restaurant. "Suspension of disbelief" comes to mind. After we were seated, I gazed at our surroundings - "rustic romantic" would be my overall impression - three huge chandeliers, a faux balcony. Very tall walls, black leather armchairs and white table clothes with a beige cloth overlay. Maroon napkins twisted into coils popped out of the water goblets. the silverware was over-sized -- the pasta/soup spoon was as big as a 12-year-old's fist.
"Who cares what the room looks like! What about the food?" you cry. Very well. First came a basket of little pillows of warm Italian bread. Already on the table was a square white plate for the bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar that sat next to it. Richie ordered a glass of the Pont Merlot ($7.50) and I splurged on a half-bottle of Prosecco ($18) which proved to be an economy -- three full flutes of wine from a fat, thick bottle that kept it cold until the last drop.
Richie ordered Saltimboccca, a classic dish - veal scaloppini topped with parma proscuitto in a sage-wine sauce. ($24) I started with a Caesar salad of insanely-fresh Romaine that had been thoroughly tossed in the good, thick dressing. Gobbling slightly, I offered some to Richie, who eagerly joined me. Our hot dishes arrived together - mine was the appetizer-size Gamborini Don Mike - four prawns, wrapped in parma prosciutto and grilled with a sambuca romana cream sauce. ($15) Yes I did use the bread to sop up the leftover sauce! You would have, too!
Aliotta's has a huge menu; in fact, I just now noticed Capracci Della Casa - thin-sliced, cured beef tenderloin with lemon, capers and shaved Parmigiano, drizzled with extra olive oil. ($14) Read the extensive menu at aliottas.com.
Visit Aliotta's at 4485 Torrance Boulevard (NE corner of Torrance and Anza) Torrance, 90503 310-371-9555.
Aliotta's is located in a corner of a strip mall which is an unexpected place to find a "romantic" restaurant. "Suspension of disbelief" comes to mind. After we were seated, I gazed at our surroundings - "rustic romantic" would be my overall impression - three huge chandeliers, a faux balcony. Very tall walls, black leather armchairs and white table clothes with a beige cloth overlay. Maroon napkins twisted into coils popped out of the water goblets. the silverware was over-sized -- the pasta/soup spoon was as big as a 12-year-old's fist.
"Who cares what the room looks like! What about the food?" you cry. Very well. First came a basket of little pillows of warm Italian bread. Already on the table was a square white plate for the bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar that sat next to it. Richie ordered a glass of the Pont Merlot ($7.50) and I splurged on a half-bottle of Prosecco ($18) which proved to be an economy -- three full flutes of wine from a fat, thick bottle that kept it cold until the last drop.
Richie ordered Saltimboccca, a classic dish - veal scaloppini topped with parma proscuitto in a sage-wine sauce. ($24) I started with a Caesar salad of insanely-fresh Romaine that had been thoroughly tossed in the good, thick dressing. Gobbling slightly, I offered some to Richie, who eagerly joined me. Our hot dishes arrived together - mine was the appetizer-size Gamborini Don Mike - four prawns, wrapped in parma prosciutto and grilled with a sambuca romana cream sauce. ($15) Yes I did use the bread to sop up the leftover sauce! You would have, too!
Aliotta's has a huge menu; in fact, I just now noticed Capracci Della Casa - thin-sliced, cured beef tenderloin with lemon, capers and shaved Parmigiano, drizzled with extra olive oil. ($14) Read the extensive menu at aliottas.com.
Visit Aliotta's at 4485 Torrance Boulevard (NE corner of Torrance and Anza) Torrance, 90503 310-371-9555.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Could Everyone Just Sit Down, Shut Up and Think?
I was appalled to see that a group calling itself the "New Black Panther Party" was offering a $10,000 bounty on one George Zimmerman who was involved in an episode with the late Trayvon Martin more than a month ago. So I went to Google...
Wickipedia says the group was founded in 1989 in Dallas, TX, by Aaron Michaels. The Party's idealogy is: Black nationalism, Pan-Africanism (whatever that is,) anti-Zionism (sadly, I do know what this is,) anti-imperialism which is howlingly funny to me. If you go with them, imperialism - theirs - is dandy! Tsk, tsk, isn't that always the way with the zealots.
Before the bounty offer, several members were arrested in Philadelphia during the 2008 presidential election for voter intimidation.
Yesterday the leader (not going to give him more publicity by using the name) issued the insultingly paltry sum of $10 grand for "a legal citizens arrest" of Zimmerman, adding "I don't obey the white man's law, I don't follow the American law."
Meanwhile the "real" Black Panthers have their knickers twisted into knots and want all to know that New Panthers have nothing whatsoever to do with Old Panthers (many of whom must be Graying Panthers by now.)
The Anti-Defamation League and the US Commission on Civil Rights both consider the group as a "hate group." My question to them is, "Why don't you consider the Rev. Al, Jesse Baby and Maxine Waters as "hate individuals?" The LA Times described these men as "community leaders" which begs the question, "Where is their community? Inside a plane, flying in to lead yet another demonstration?" I want a map to their community! Let's all tour Sharptonville, Jesseland and Maxinela.
Wickipedia says the group was founded in 1989 in Dallas, TX, by Aaron Michaels. The Party's idealogy is: Black nationalism, Pan-Africanism (whatever that is,) anti-Zionism (sadly, I do know what this is,) anti-imperialism which is howlingly funny to me. If you go with them, imperialism - theirs - is dandy! Tsk, tsk, isn't that always the way with the zealots.
Before the bounty offer, several members were arrested in Philadelphia during the 2008 presidential election for voter intimidation.
Yesterday the leader (not going to give him more publicity by using the name) issued the insultingly paltry sum of $10 grand for "a legal citizens arrest" of Zimmerman, adding "I don't obey the white man's law, I don't follow the American law."
Meanwhile the "real" Black Panthers have their knickers twisted into knots and want all to know that New Panthers have nothing whatsoever to do with Old Panthers (many of whom must be Graying Panthers by now.)
The Anti-Defamation League and the US Commission on Civil Rights both consider the group as a "hate group." My question to them is, "Why don't you consider the Rev. Al, Jesse Baby and Maxine Waters as "hate individuals?" The LA Times described these men as "community leaders" which begs the question, "Where is their community? Inside a plane, flying in to lead yet another demonstration?" I want a map to their community! Let's all tour Sharptonville, Jesseland and Maxinela.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
