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Carolina Capers: Trailblazer & Food

March 31, 2024March 31, 2024 JWF 1 Comment

I’m still enthusing about spring here and reveling in the beauty of droopy, fragrant Chinese wisteria (header photo), early azaleas, and the lovely slim branches of the redbud trees.

A SINGULAR WOMAN

Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Dray

If you spend any appreciable time in mid-coast Maine, you are likely to become aware of Frances Perkins, first Secretary of Labor and first female U.S. cabinet secretary. She was originally from Newcastle, Maine, and served for 12 years in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s cabinet. Her homestead is now a designated historic site and open to the public certain times of year. The Chief Penguin and I learned about this site and a few years ago briefly met her grandson Tomlin Coggeshall who was instrumental in establishing the Frances Perkins Center.

Up to now, I only thought of Miss Perkins, as she was known professionally throughout her life, as a devoted and dedicated unmarried public servant. Stephanie Dray’s historical novel presents a much more rounded, fuller portrait of this woman while also detailing her critical, essential role in creating, advocating for to Congress, and implementing the Social Security program. Many of us benefit from this program today.

A reserved New Englander, Perkins was ambitious, smart, and an astute judge of people. Her initial encounters with FDR were off-putting as she found him shallow and too full of himself. She was friends with Sinclair Lewis before his success, got to know Eleanor Roosevelt a bit, and ultimately married Paul Wilson, a wealthy economist. Theirs was a love affair later disrupted and strained by his mental breakdowns.

Frances kept her personal life extremely private and shielded her daughter Susanna as best she could from the worst of her father’s illness. Her later encounters with FDR were more fruitful as Frances began to work with him in the New York State government and then during his presidency. It was a partnership that benefited both.

There are several biographies of Frances Perkins, most of them written 15 years ago or more. What Dray does so very well here is capture what this woman was like outside the office. Relying on documents and letters, the novel is written from Frances’ perspective. But being very thorough, Dray provides an in-depth afterword stating where she has deviated from the historical record and made novelistic assumptions. I found this a totally engrossing depiction of a trail-blazing woman and heartily recommend it!

Related Works

Earlier I enjoyed very much both Dray’s The Women of Chateau Lafayette about a historic castle in France and My Dear Hamilton. She makes history and these individuals come off the page.

As a footnote, I was somewhat amused to read this week in the Boothbay Register that a Maine woman, Ruth Monsell, has written a new biography, Frances Perkins: Champion of America’s Workers, that will be released mid-April. It will be interesting to see if this work covers new ground. (~JWFarrington)

ADVENTUROUS EATING

Bosphorus

Earlier this week, we joined a group for lunch at Turkish restaurant in downtown Cary. In existence since 2006, Bosphorus is a welcoming small restaurant. Service was friendly, and the Chief Penguin and I ordered the lamb shish kebab and the chicken shish kebab, respectively. Each came on a bed of bulghur pilaf with a house salad of lettuce, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes plus a cucumber dip. The portions are generous and tasty. Turkish tea was offered for dessert along with baklava.

The menu also includes a selection of appetizers (hummus, tabouli, stuffed grape leaves et al ), wraps, salads, and Turkish pizzas. The dinner menu is similar to that at lunch. A casual place with good food.

Note: Header photo and redbud tree ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Tidy Tidbits: A Book & Dining Out Options

March 10, 2024March 10, 2024 JWF Leave a comment

BOOK OF THE WEEK

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley

In a time of family illness and subsequent loss, Patrick Bringley found a job and solace in a place he first visited as a child with his mother. Mired in grief over his older brother’s death and only 26, he began working as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum. He loved the quiet, almost uninterrupted, stretches of time it provided, and he took in the art in a studied way.

His book is both an account of the inner workings of the museum’s security force: the various gallery assignments and the rotations that happen in each workday, and a portrait of some of his fellow guards and the friendships he made. He also provides detailed discussions of some of the paintings, sculptures, and objects he particularly likes or was struck by. Some of these works are illustrated by delicate black and white sketches.

Bringley was a museum guard for ten years. During that time, the reader experiences his growing maturity, his marrying and becoming a father, and when he reaches the point he felt ready to leave the Met’s cloistered world.

Having read this, I doubt I will ever view museum guards the same way, and I will appreciate the Metropolitan a bit differently on my next visit. I would recommend this to art lovers in general, but particularly to anyone who already has some familiarity with this museum. Thanks to my friend Gale for sharing it. (~JWFarrington)

EATING OUT—BRADENTON-SARASOTA FAVORITES

As I get ready to leave Florida, I thought I’d share a list of some of the restaurants the Chief Penguin (my favorite dining companion) and I have enjoyed over our years here.

BRADENTON & CORTEZ

Bonefish Grill—close by at 75th Street, a chain restaurant, but consistently very good! We love the sinful Bang Bang Shrimp and I, their shrimp and scallop combo with two sides.

Chateau 13—in our opinion the best fine dining restaurant and the most sophisticated in the greater Sarasota-Bradenton area! Small plates as well as full-size entrees. I loved the stuffed piquillo peppers and the French salad. Menu changes seasonally.

Cremesh—Over in restaurant row on Manatee by Publix and Staples, this Austro-German restaurant serves delicious hearty fare. Think schnitzels, beef goulash over noodles or mashed potatoes, or a salmon picatta. Simple décor and friendly wait staff.

Cortez Kitchen—One of the first casual places we tried here. It was the essence of funky with its mix of snowbirds, tourists, and regulars plus live music on the weekends. The food was good, not superb; we liked the coconut shrimp and the mahi sandwich. Cindy with striped hair was our favorite regular waitress. Now Cortez Kitchen has been taken over by the Swordfish Grill owners and gussied up.

New tables and chairs, including some of those awful high tables, but an enlarged seating area and more protection from the elements. The humorous signs are gone (“If you’re here to forget, please pay first” and “Time spent drinking beer is not deducted from your lifespan”), but we had lunch there recently and were delightfully surprised. My mahi sandwich was truly excellent, the Caesar salad very good, and the C.P.’s Cuban sandwich a treat. Worth visiting!

Clam Factory—a roadhouse on Cortez Road serving delectable fried fish, a mean meatloaf special, and, if you’re a fan, fried clams, of course! Additional seating outside.

Mean Deans—The name is misleading. This is a casual place, but the food is better and more interesting than you might expect. Good salads, lovely swordfish, and nightly specials. Watch for New England or New Orleans weeks with an appealing mix of land and sea options.

Modern Chop—Next to Blake Hospital this steak house also serves fish. It’s a step up from Mean Deans in décor and ambiance and is good.

Pesto—Sitting on Cortez Road almost at 86^th St. West, this cozy Italian eatery serves generous portions of pasta and meats. Outside seating on a pleasant evening can be a welcome change from inside.

Swordfish Grill—Since they covered their tiki deck, Swordfish is now more appealing in almost any weather. Fish, of course, calamari, salads, and sandwiches; it’s an extensive menu. Food is good, but in my opinion, not outstanding. Go to be at water’s edge!

Tide Tables—A family favorite of ours. Their grouper and mahi sandwiches and baskets are wonderful with cole slaw or baked beans on the side. Very fresh! As a special treat, the homemade key lime pie is luscious! On the water so you can see boats and walk on the short dock.

Thai Palace—One of several restaurants on Cortez Road we like. Small inside, but attractive, and one of their curries always satisfy my Thai yen.

ANNA MARIA & LONGBOAT KEY

Mar Vista—One of a handful of restaurants where you can enjoy a table on the sand. Other options are inside tables or on the partially covered patio. Fresh fish, great salads, and their trademark tater tots!

Whitney’s—Who would have thought a gas station would have a second life as a casual seafood restaurant! Seasonal fare, a bit more elaborate preparations than the usual (fish with rice entrée, for example) and very tasty! No reservations, so go early, especially during the season.

Shore—A date night, special occasion place just down the road from Whitney’s. A big place with lots of seating, some open air, and often a bit noisy. Food options are varied and with some creative twists.

SARASOTA

Beso—One of Sarasota’s newest eateries offering a wide range of tapas. It’s in the Mark complex and looks to have a lively bar scene as well as dining. We’ve eaten here twice and enjoyed the shrimps in olive oil, patatas brava, and other small plates.

Duval’s—A longtime favorite on Main Street. Duval’s serves lunch and dinner and their fish is some of the freshest around. Décor is traditional to slightly dated, wait staff is friendly and competent, and we’ve enjoyed many good meals here. Wide choice of sandwiches and salads for lunch and entrée portions at dinner.

481 Gourmet—Located in the Rosemary District, 481 is a fine dining venue with both indoor and outdoor seating. Their menu includes pasta, scallops, shrimp scampi, duck, lamb, and of course, beef.

The Rosemary and Thyme—A slightly pricier restaurant, The Rosemary shares a patio with 481. Menu options run the gamut from some intriguing appetizers like escargots and a Chimichurri kebab to halibut, grouper, and steak frites entrees.

Pho Cali—Also on Main Street, Pho Cali is the essence of straightforward Vietnamese cooking. Extremely casual serving super noodle dishes and stir fries. Very popular at lunch time. I occasionally crave my favorite, chicken with broccoli stir fry with rice, to which I add a trace of hot pepper.

El Melvin Cocina Mexicana—Hankering for a good margarita and some guacamole and chips, this place is perfect for lunch at a sidewalk table. Follow that with enchiladas, a quesadilla, or even some tamales and you’ll soon be satisfied.

Note: Header photo of courtesy of Toast.

Tidy Tidbits: On Screen and Plate

January 14, 2024January 14, 2024 JWF Leave a comment

FRENCH WHODUNIT

Anatomy of a Fall ($ Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

Vincent, a lawyer & Sandra (The Daily Beast)

This is the third excellent new movie we’ve watched this season. Sandra, her husband, and their son Daniel are at home in Switzerland. Sandra, a writer, is being interviewed. A thud is heard. Investigation reveals the body of a man lying in the grass. How did he get there?

This French film, much of it in English with subtitles when French is spoken, is a fascinating and occasionally suspenseful examination of what or who caused the man’s death. It’s also an excavation of a marriage, a fractured one with issues and disappointments. One spouse has been more successful than the other, and their son had an accident which compromised his capabilities.

French filmmakers like dialogue so perhaps some viewers might wish it were more concisely written. Nonetheless, the Chief Penguin and I were fully engaged. The courtroom scenes with a cool and calm Sandra are especially compelling. Highly recommended!

CRIME IN GOTLAND

Murder in Sweden, Season 2 (Prime Video)

Titled, Maria Wern abroad, Murder in Sweden is an outstanding crime series. Lead inspector Maria is a youngish widow and mother of a son and a daughter. She’s also in a developing relationship with her colleague, junior detective Sebastian. The rest of the team consists of two other men, Ek and Arvidsson; a tech person, and their boss Hartman. Together they tackle challenging cases from chilling attacks on a politician, to death at a teen party, to the strange illness of a man on a plane claiming a murder has been committed.

The cases have a dark side that can be hard to watch. One of the most unsettling ones concerns online bullying and threats to Maria’s son’s high school class. Over the course of the season, Maria both learns more and has more questions about her policeman husband’s death ten years before.

Each case is solved in two episodes and there are 8 episodes total. In my opinion, Season 2 is better than Season 1, which I also watched. Recommended!

LUNCH OUT

Indian fare near Venice

Our good friend in Venice invited us down for lunch at Tikka Indian Cuisine. This is a popular small restaurant located in a strip mall on the 41 Bypass with a Big Lots. We were advised to arrive early as it quickly fills up. And indeed, we got there about 11:15 and by noon, it was almost full. When we finished, folks were lined up at the door awaiting tables.

The lunch menu offers a selection of appetizers (samosas and the like) and combo lunches. Combos include your choice of entrée with sides of rice, naan, and chef-selected appetizer and dessert. We three ordered the korma, rogan josh, and vindaloo, all with chicken. Other options were lamb, shrimp, paneer cheese, or vegetable. The korma was appropriately mild, my rogan josh was medium spicy which was plenty of hotness for me, and the Chief Penguin bravely went for the vindaloo. Even at medium level, it was very spicy—but then vindaloos are typically the hottest of Indian curries.

Each combo was served on a thali (round metal tray). The day’s appetizer was a generously sized samosa and the dessert a rice pudding. For vegetarians, there are several main dishes including yellow lentils, chickpeas, and a potato and cauliflower dish. And if you dine in the evening, you can select from several tandoori dishes including one with salmon that our friend recommends. Yum!

Fall Potpourri: Eating & Viewing

December 3, 2023December 3, 2023 JWF Leave a comment

THANKSGIVING IN NORTH CAROLINA

We spent Thanksgiving week in North Carolina. I was pleased to see burnished fall colors on the trees as we landed at RDU. That’s something I miss about living in Florida. But it was a cold week, and this Florida wimp wore many layers to stay warm, even on the afternoon we explored a new park in Cary.

There was plenty of warmth on Turkey Day with several generations of family celebrating. Our granddaughters and our son and daughter-in-law, my two sisters and spouses, along with nieces and spouses and one other kid. We toasted with mimosas and sparkling cider and nibbled at an assortment of fine cheeses, jalapeno popcorn, and chips before attacking the table’s bounty. With roast turkey and a ham, tasty sides (including mac and cheese), and a choice of pecan pie, apple cake, and yummy cookies to finish, there was no cause for complaint. We had much for which to be thankful—not least the sheer joy of being together.

DINING HERE AND THERE

Magone Italian Grill & Pizza, Chapel Hill

As an antidote to turkey, many of us decamped to Magone Italian Grill the next day for dinner. This unprepossessing place appeared casual in the extreme. It looked like they focused on takeout business. I explained that we were going to be 10 people and was it possible to have a table. The young waitress quickly sprang into action, leading me toward the back, pushing two tables together, and offering to bring water for everyone.

The menu is long and extensive, making one initially wonder if they would deliver on quality. We were not disappointed. My chicken piccata with angel hair pasta was delicious, while others enjoyed shrimp with pesto over penne, a pizza with pepperoni and fresh basil, and other classic dishes. Throughout, our server was pleasant and helpful. It was a relaxed dining experience, and I’d happily return!

BESO, Sarasota

The Chief Penguin and I had a favorite Spanish restaurant in San Francisco, Coqueta, near the Ferry Building. In Manhattan, we were regulars at family-owned El Porron until they closed due to the pandemic. Consequently, we were delighted to read about the opening of BESO (kiss in Spanish), a tapas restaurant in The Mark in downtown Sarasota. We had dinner here with friends and were wowed by the food, the space, and the service.

Had I not been so involved in sampling what we ordered, I would have taken a photo or two. As it was, we tried the patatas bravas (best I’ve had), mini pork & chorizo meatballs, shrimps in garlic oil, croquetas, fried artichokes, and bread with olive tapenade. Portions are small as tapas are meant to be, and we happily shared what we ordered among the four of us.

The menu includes a variety of Spanish wines by the glass or bottle, cocktails, and, of course, several flavors of sangria. For those who want a more leisurely experience, it’s possible to order one of three paellas (allow 45 minutes.). I can easily envision this restaurant becoming a favorite! It fills a hole in the local dining scene.

VIEWING—FOR FANS OF BRIDGERTON

The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)

Nan in center with her compatriots (Hollywood Reporter)

Loosely based (very loosely) on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name, The Buccaneers is an exuberant series of high emotion and high society. The time is the 1870’s. Five young women, daughters of rich American fathers, have journeyed from New York to London. They have hopes of snaring a duke or a lord as a husband. Unlike the more reserved English girls, these Americans romp and run around outside, feet off the ground, arms high in the air.

The central focus is on Nan (Annabel) who attracts the attention of two worthy men, one a duke, the other simply impoverished. Nan has a rich father, but she is not entirely whom she seems. One friend, Conchita, marries quickly and just as quickly discovers marriage is not all that she expected. Her British in-laws expect her to be demure and subdued.

Jinny, Nan’s sister, follows with a wedding to Lord Seadown, a controlling figure. Others in the group are not sure men are what is needed in their lives. What begins as balls and parties and gaiety soon dissolves into the messiness of life and unrealistic or unfulfilled expectations.

The gorgeous costumes, the lavish settings, and the modern musical soundtrack provide a wonderful backdrop to the dramas being played out.

The series runs to 8 episodes with new ones released weekly. I have watched the first four episodes, enjoying the series more as the five women are more individually defined. Indulgent, fun, and occasionally poignant! Recommended!

Category: Restaurants

Carolina Capers: Trailblazer & Food