So, I've ditched my hubs and the kitties and taken off for a long weekend to hang with my grandparents in Florida. Not happenin' Miami, but quieter Fort Lauderdale - much more chill now that all the Spring Breakers have been booted. I'm a little bit behind, as I've only eaten 3 bagels and 2 knishes since my arrival late late Thursday night, but I do plan to rectify that oversight.
Earlier this month was my grandfather's (hereafter and always known as Papa) 85th birthday.
I'd say he's still holding on to that sense of humor!
Anyhoo, we're all Chicagoans around here. My grandfather did grow up in Philly - but got to Chicago as soon as he could. For this reason, my aunt and I got together to send Papa an Italian Beef kit from Portillo's. If you don't know from Italian Beef - well... it's like a Chicago Philly cheesesteak, sorta, in that they both have thinly sliced beef, and they're on rolls - but from there, take away the cheese and add sweet or hot peppers and douse it in au jus - "wet".
So - this Italian beef kit apparently contained enough fixins to make 8 sandwiches, of which 4 had been eaten by the time I got into town. This meant 4 were left and I GOT ONE AND YOU DIDN'T NA NA NA HA WOO!
This kit is a pretty straightforward heat and toast and eat.
First, Papa made salads, for a bit o' greenery.
Then you tear open your bag of Turano bread (though some would have palpitations that it isn't Gonella) and toast, or steam...
While these are toasting, heat the gravy/jus in a pan and add the beef...
Then, ladle the beef into your tasty bread, get you a bowl of jus, and eat.
This was really quite nice - a good taste of home.
We even had bright pink Cherry Passion for dessert! Not that I think this is a particularly Chicago thang - but it did go well, and it did mean we had Papa's favorite dessert after his favorite meal.
To complete this circuit of Papa's favorite things, we then retired to the drawing room and watched a screening of Cat Ballou... which the New Yorker apparently described as "A lark from beginning to end."
Erm.
A good time was had by all! (Of course, all the pictures I took of the copious laughter came out extra-blurry, so you'll have to take my word for it.)
(My Aunt Thelma - one of my grandparents' oldest and best friends... checking out some literature.)
(Granny, visiting while keeping an eye on Lee Marvin.)
Today, we went to a giant flea market - their food court had no less than 4 separate places where you could buy a knish. Yum.
And - it's almost time for us to go head out for Cuban food. I think I'm still full of knish, but since when has that stopped me?
girlie
