Tag Archives: food

But Is It a Reasonably Entertaining Post?

Posted on August 8, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s not easy being me, but it is reasonably entertaining.

That is a favorite saying of mine (one which I made up myself, I add, because I feel rather pleased with it).  I do not know if this week’s Wrist to Forehead Sunday post will properly illustrate it, but I can only try.  It is after 6 p.m., late in the day for me, at least on a Sunday.  It has been a stultifyingly hot and humid day (oh, stop playing that miniature violin; heat is a legitimate problem for me).  I have not gotten done all I had hoped.  OK, I have gotten done very little of what I had hoped.  Why DO I  get my hopes up?  It is very silly of me.

Where was I? Ah yes, Wrist to Forehead Sunday, the day on which I feel inclined to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, on the chaise lounge which I hope one day will grace my house.  In the meantime,  a couch or bed will have to do.

I went for a run this morning (I believe I mentioned it in my Saturday post, which I made late) (why do I insist on calling attention to my numerous late posts?).  I have done an unusual two loads of laundry, one clothes, one towels.  I went grocery shopping.  I went to the liquor (I guess I ought not count that under the heading of Useful Things).  I tried to make guacamole (that might be worth a whole blog post).  I chopped celery and radishes, made a salad, and fixed tomorrow’s lunch.  I washed the dishes I dirtied in doing so.

Well, all of that does not sound reasonably entertaining,  even to me.  But here is a question: why did autocorrect change “chopped” to “stopped”? Chopped is definitely a word.  Why would anybody stop celery and radishes?  Points to ponder.

In the meantime,  I see I am over 300 words.  Reasonably entertaining words? I can only hope.  I cordially invite you all to tune in tomorrow, when I hope to make a Pre-Rehearsal Post.  All Love’s Labour’s Lost All The Time,  remember?

 

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Cool Music on a Hot Night

Posted on July 21, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I noticed that Phil Arcuri was playing at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY.  While waiting to punch out after work, I called my husband, Steve.  The answering machine picked up.

“Hi, honey, I just wanted to put this in your mind before I get home…”

“Get your ass in the shower, we’re going out!”  my work friend Rick shouted behind me.  Steve picked up the phone at that point.  He had not heard Rick’s interjection, so I filled him in on that.  The current heat wave has drained up both of energy (yes, I KNOW other parts of the country have it worse, at least we have fans, we are just big babies, oh, shut up), but we decided it would be nice to go sit somewhere air conditioned, eat some good food and hear some music from one of our favorites.

Oh no, my computer is doing the thing where I add the picture and it does not let me type anything below it.  When I try to the cursor jumps back up here.  Well I don’t have time to futz with it now.  I’ll just leave the picture at the end of the post.  It is not a current picture anyways.  I did not bring my Tablet, because I forgot to charge it.  I took one picture with my phone, which I immediately shared on Facebook, in case any local friends might like to hurry out and join us, but right now my phone is charging.  This is all by the way.  Let’s get back to the post.

Steve and I agree that nobody seems to have more joy in music and living than Phil Arcuri.  It is always a pleasure to hear him play.  Additionally, he includes the setting and audience in his songs.  In “Margaritaville,” he said his “brand new tattoo” is “a Fratello’s cutie,” and in one chorus it was “all Geno’s fault.”  Geno is a member of Fratello’s excellent staff.

Speaking of staff, we had a new bartender, Savannah.  She was new to Fratello’s, too.  I asked her what the Cali sauce was like in the Cali Chicken, available as a sandwich or wrap.  She said it was barbecue and spicy, but not too spicy.  I decided to try it, as a wrap, only with grilled instead of fried chicken.  Geno once suggested that substitution to me, when I wanted the chicken wing salad but hesitated, because deep fried does not always agree with me (although I confess I love it).  It was a delicious sandwich.  Steven contented himself with a salad.

We had not been to Fratello’s for food and music in a while, because I usually have rehearsal for Love’s Labour’s Lost in Little Falls (perhaps you read a few of by blog posts about that).  We were delighted to have the opportunity to go last night.  It made a nice break from hunkering down in front of fans at our house (YES, I am grateful I have fans! Sheesh!)

He always has a great time, and makes sure everybody else does, too!

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Fun with Friends at Salvatore’s

Posted on June 1, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

I missed making my Tired Tuesday Post for a good reason. We were meeting friends for dinner. Oh, OK, I could have come home and made a blog post before bed. I did not. Judge me if you are so inclined.

Our good friends Bonnie and Marty were up from Florida. They attended a wedding elsewhere in the state and took the opportunity to visit other family and friends, including us. Yay! We were happy to introduce them to one of our favorite places, Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Herkimer, NY.

We were invited to sit where we liked. We selected a table near the window but almost immediately switched to one across the room, more in the shade.

“They will not mind if we switch tables,” I said. They did not.

On looking at the Specials board, I had immediately decided on the Chicken Wrappini with spinach, feta, and raspberry vinaigrette. It was as delicious as I had hoped. Bonnie got a calzone, which I may have to get next time. Marty had a Meat Lover’s Pizza, which also looked good. Steve had chicken tenders. I may eat his leftovers.

We enjoyed catching up while we ate, and we had a lot of laughs. I love taking my far away friends to our local treasures!

Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant is located at 650 1/2 W. German St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-866-2600. They are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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Another Good Place to Eat

Posted on May 13, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

We’ve driven by Dibbles Inn in Middleville, NY many times. Our friend, Phil Arcuri, a talented local musician, plays there on occasion. One day recently, we decided to stop for a weeknight dinner. There was no music, but we had a fun time and an excellent meal.

It was a lovely May evening, and several people were sitting at outdoor tables. I was highly amused to see half a mannequin sporting brightly patterned leggings.

We opted to go inside and sit at the bar. We admired the rustic decor (why is my computer underlining “decor”? That is so a word!): lots of wood, a few humorous signs, and another half mannequin with similar leggings. There are also a lot of windows, letting in the bright sunlight, which to me is a lovely thing.

In addition to the regular menu, several specials were available. I was tempted by Taco Tuesday but opted for a Black and Bleu Burger. Steve got clam strips from the appetizer menu. The bartender warned hi that it was not very big, but Steve has a light appetite these days (as an added note, my computer did NOT underline the typos “stirps” and “ut.” What’s that all about, computer?).

While we ate we enjoyed a little conversation with other patrons. I love it when that happens. A man we didn’t know won some money on Instant Lottery and bought the bar a round. We were so pleased he included us. He could have just bought drinks for his friends and we wouldn’t have thought anything of it. We made sure to thank him.

When we left, another patron we had never met encouraged us to come again. We will!

Dibbles Inn is located at 25 Bridge St., Middleville, NY, phone number 315-891-7789.

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Yes, Wednesday is Still a Thing

Posted on April 29, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I had a true Wuss-out Wednesday yesterday and did not post at all. These things happen, of course. What happened was this:

I came home from work and said to my husband, Steve, “Four words: Phil Arcuri at Fratello’s.” That was all it took to get him off the loveseat and into respectable clothes.

Since the music would not start till six, I took the time to go for a run. At no time do I run either very far or very fast, but yesterday was even worse than expected. For one reason, I had underestimated the wind chill and not dressed appropriately. Yikes! But I persevered for what I considered the bare minimum. Then I showered and put on a cute outfit. It was time for fun!

We found a handy parking space and seats on the bar. Phil came over and said hello. He is such a great guy! The bartender, Gino, took good care of us. Steve got popcorn chicken and we split a 12-inch garlic bread with mozzarella. I hesitated over which chicken salad I wanted.

“Grilled chicken is more sensible,” I said, “but the Buffalo chicken is so delicious.” Gino suggested I get the Buffalo Chicken Salad with grilled chicken. Genius! I added black olives and asked for parmesan-peppercorn dressing. The beauty part is I would have leftover salad for lunch on Thursday and Friday.

We did not have long to wait for the music to start, and did we ever enjoy it! We chair danced, sang along, and applauded each number. Phil sang hits from Jimmy Buffet, Johnny Cash, the Beatles and more. I was delighted when Gino requested “Mustang Sally,” one of my favorites.

Sing it, Phil!

I suppose I only could have written this last night, but when we got home I watched Dateline instead. Sue me.

Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to p.m. Sunday. You can follow them on Facebook to find out their music schedule. It’s not just on Wednesdays!

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More Mid-week Music

Posted on March 31, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

At work yesterday a co-worker told me that Matt Grainger was playing at Fratello’s. I guess my Wednesday night thing has become pretty well known, at least in my immediate circle. Yes, my husband, Steve, and I went out and enjoyed food and music. We had a great time.

He’s awesome!

This picture is from a previous performance (no, I have not yet upgraded my WordPress site to allow new images; I really should get on that). We rocked out to the tunes, mostly chair dancing. However, at one point I was dancing my way back from the ladies’ room, and a woman got up and danced with me till the end of the song..

While we listened, we enjoyed good food. Steve got the shrimp basket he had been hungry for since I came home and mentioned Fratello’s. I decided on antipasto salad. I have leftovers for my lunch today. Yum! We also indulged in a glass of wine.

Fratello’s is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to p.m. Sunday. You can follow them on Facebook to keep updated on their food and music.

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A Different Wednesday Thing

Posted on January 27, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

Steve and I have not been able to do our usual Wednesday Thing of going to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort for food and music lately, because of rehearsals for Game Show at Ilion Little Theatre. However, we did manage to have an excellent dinner last night at Sorrento Pizzeria and Restaurant in Ilion, NY.

We had to drop off my car at the dealership for an oil change and stuff (not very interesting, to me anyways). Steve was nobly going to drive it there himself on Thursday and wait for it, but I said why not drop it off? Then I suggested we drop it off and go for dinner at Sorrento’s before rehearsal. I have a good idea once in a while.

As we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed the sign reminding us that reservations are preferred. We had forgotten (I only drive by the place every day; how could I forget such a thing?) Luckily, they were able to find us a table anyways. Soon we were perusing menus. So many excellent choices! But I knew wanted salad, and Steven was thinking of a bowl of soup.

I got an antipasto, while Steven got chicken vegetable soup. We decided to split an order of Bosco sticks. I had overheard the counter personnel mention them in a take-out order, and I thought, Yum! The waitress told me the antipasto was huge, were we splitting it.

“No, it is for me, and it is also going to be my lunch for the next two days,” I told her. That is usually my evil plan when I order salad on Wednesday.

In that case, she said she would bring me a separate place and the dressing on the side. Otherwise the lettuce would get soggy before tomorrow’s lunch.

It was a delicious dinner, and not too heavy, so we were fueled up but not weighted down for rehearsal.

Sorrento Pizzeria and Restaurant is located at 86 Central Ave., Ilion, NY, phone number (315) 894-9991. They are open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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I’ll Give You a Pizza My Mind

Posted on January 17, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about another cooking post, because quite frankly, I ain’t got much. I did leave the house today, but only to go grocery shopping, and it was not memorable. I spent most of the afternoon knitting and watching Snapped.

I almost didn’t cook anything, because I sat on the couch feeling Too Damn Tired. However, once I got out to the kitchen and got started, it wasn’t too bad.

My plan was to make flat bread pizzas. I had purchased whole wheat tortillas for the purpose. I started by chopping up some rainbow peppers I found on sale at the grocery store. I put them in a frying pan to saute, adding some sliced fresh mushrooms.

While they fried, I peeled and crushed some garlic. After it sat for 15 minutes, breathing or whatever it’s supposed to do (I read somewhere that’s how it reaches its full cancer-fighting potential), I whirred it in the blender with some oil, basil, and oregano. I spread this mixture on the flat bread in lieu of sauce.

In addition to the peppers and mushrooms, I topped the pizzas with pepperoni, black olives, and mozzarella. I sliced the olives and grated the cheese while the garlic breathed.

I baked two pizzas at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. They turned out yummy. I have not been cooking much lately, because I have been too lazy. Uh, I mean tired. I kind of miss chopping, mixing, stirring, etc. Perhaps my recipes are not the most exciting of blog posts, but at least it makes a change from whining about how I don’t have enough to say. As always, I thank you for tuning in.

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Saturday Soup

Posted on January 16, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear, I missed another Saturday post. Part of the problem was that I didn’t actually do anything. It was too cold to leave the house, so I did not go running or have any Mohawk Valley Adventures. Full disclosure: I stepped out on the porch twice, putting my weekly postcards on the box for the mailman to pick up.

I did make a pot of chicken soup, so perhaps a cooking post would work, although it wasn’t much of a recipe. I’ll give it a try.

I had a rotisserie chicken from Hannaford which I had been taking meat off for my lunch salads. My mom told me that my sister Diane made soup with the remains of her rotisserie chickens. I messaged Diane and asked her how she did it.

“Boil the crap out of it and pull the meat off, throw out the bones, and add vegetables,” were the instructions. I could do that. Kind of.

I did not have any vegetables, but I had onion and garlic (oh well I guess onion counts as a vegetable), so I added those plus some spices. I also did not have any noodles, so I cooked some ruffles. It turned out pretty tasty. Next time I hope to have a stalk of celery and perhaps a couple of carrots to add. I don’t care for cooked carrots, but Steven likes them.

In the meantime, I am over 200 words. Score! Now let’s see if I can make my Sunday post later today.

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Wednesday Night, What Else Is New?

Posted on January 6, 2022 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here is yet another short post about our Wednesday Night Thing of going to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY for great food and music. It was our favorite, Phil Arcuri.

He’s so fun!

This is a picture of a previous appearance, but it was the same wonderful Phil. He is so fun to watch, and he loves his fans. He incorporated my name into “Under the Boardwalk.” When he sang “Margaritaville,” it was all Steve’s fault. And after we “Sha-la-la-la’d” with him, it was his green-eyed girl, instead of the usual brown-eyed.

As always, we enjoyed delicious food. Steve had a shrimp basket while I tried a Cuban wrap. Yum! We also had an enjoyable conversation with another fellow sitting at the bar.

Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St. In Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 0 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to p.m. on Sunday.

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