Friday, March 27, 2009
Parker's Drive-Inn
Somehow Parker's Drive-Inn has managed to survive the proliferation of fast-food places in American Fork. There are other "indie" hamburger places in the north valley (JCW's, Purple Turtle, Chadder's), but Parker's is one of the originals. Lillian Parker has owned and operated Parker's for 55 years, and you can still find her working the grills in the back. As I've said in another entry, "Parker's is what Arctic Circle was 50 years ago." I like the fact that you can get a "stake sandwich" there (it's taste that matters, not spelling) as well as some truly "old school" burger joint extras: lime rickey, foot-long hotdog, brown topper, and some great shakes. The only setting at Parker's is outside (at one of the busiest intersections in American Fork), so plan on carry out. You should also be prepared to stand in line, not because they are slow, but because they are busy. They do a brisk call in business (why don't I ever think of this?), and woe to you if you get caught behind the call-in order from Cabela's or Doug Smith Autoplex. (I've had both experiences.) In an age of mass production of food, I'm not sure how long Parker's will stick around, but given the following it has, Parker's might occupy the corner of 500 East and State Road for a long time. (Check out the Herald Extra story on Parker's.)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Luck + Cash = Girl Scout Cookies
Girl Scouts never come to our door selling cookies, which is too bad, because we buy just about everything that some kid is selling--football, cheerleading, Boy Scouts, and especially band. (But for some reason, I don't buy anything from those kids who are part of some program to "keep them off the streets"--obviously not working.) We're only able to score GS cookies once every few years, and it's usually by chance. I got some several years ago because someone at work was selling on behalf of her daughter. My son and his friend happened upon some in the parking lot at The Canyons ski resort.
Leaving work on Friday, I found a few girls selling boxes at on the corner across from the bottom of the Maeser hill, just off BYU campus. Knowing the city of Provo, this is probably illegal. Let's hope that if they police did show up, they bought some cookies before moving the little girls along.
The other amazing fact was that I actually happened to have some cash in my wallet--enough for two boxes. ($3.50 per is the going rate.) My favorites? Thin Mints and Do-Si-Dos.
A word to moms and other adult leaders who help with the cookie sale--let the girls actually do the selling. When I got to the little card table, I asked the girls if they had Thin Mints. The adult accompanying them took over immediately. Remember, Courage, Confidence,and Character. Girls will learn this by taking the responsibility themselves. The adults should just be kicking back in a lawn chair nearby.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Licorice
What we normally think of as "licorice" flavor is really anise, a plant closely related to the carrot family, which includes dill, fennel, coriander, cumin and caraway. (The leaves, stems, seeds, and bulb of the fennel plant are used in all kinds of cooking, and they all add a licorice flavor.) Only recently did I learn that the true licorice plant is entirely different. It a legume (think peas and beans) used in a lot of European black licorice candies. The common ingredient in anise, fennel, and licorice is anethole, the chemical that gives all three that "licorice" smell and taste. But licorice also contains glycyrrhizin, a sugar 30-50 times sweeter than sugar.
Twizzler's Black Licorice, as an example, has a trace amount of licorice extract, but most of the flavor comes from anise. If you want to try authentic licorice (made from the extract of the plant), I recommend Kookaburra Liquorice (imported from Australia), or RJ's Licorice (imported from New Zealand). Both are available at local grocery stores. (I bought mine at Macey's.) Both companies also make licorice allsorts, but the classic allsorts are Bassett's, made by Cadbury.
On my mission in Denmark, I also discovered salt licorice, or salmiak, truly an acquired taste. (In Denmark, it's called saltlakrids.) Salt licorice doesn't actually have any salt. The salty taste comes from ammonium chloride, or sal ammoniac. The name salmiak derives from this compound. If anyone knows where you can buy this stuff locally, I will be much obliged. (The great thing about developing a taste for salmiak is that you usually don't have to share.)
Red licorice, of course, isn't licorice at all, but it's the most favorite variety of the candy. Black licorice was originally just "licorice," but when red licorice came along, black licorice got its name. This linguistic change is called a "retronym." (For example, some people refer to "Rocky" as "Rocky I" to distinguish it from all the other movies. World War I didn't get that name until World War II.) The red licorice topic raises another important question: Red Vines or Twizzlers?
Twizzler's Black Licorice, as an example, has a trace amount of licorice extract, but most of the flavor comes from anise. If you want to try authentic licorice (made from the extract of the plant), I recommend Kookaburra Liquorice (imported from Australia), or RJ's Licorice (imported from New Zealand). Both are available at local grocery stores. (I bought mine at Macey's.) Both companies also make licorice allsorts, but the classic allsorts are Bassett's, made by Cadbury.
On my mission in Denmark, I also discovered salt licorice, or salmiak, truly an acquired taste. (In Denmark, it's called saltlakrids.) Salt licorice doesn't actually have any salt. The salty taste comes from ammonium chloride, or sal ammoniac. The name salmiak derives from this compound. If anyone knows where you can buy this stuff locally, I will be much obliged. (The great thing about developing a taste for salmiak is that you usually don't have to share.)
Red licorice, of course, isn't licorice at all, but it's the most favorite variety of the candy. Black licorice was originally just "licorice," but when red licorice came along, black licorice got its name. This linguistic change is called a "retronym." (For example, some people refer to "Rocky" as "Rocky I" to distinguish it from all the other movies. World War I didn't get that name until World War II.) The red licorice topic raises another important question: Red Vines or Twizzlers?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Applebee's Makes it Up to Us
After my long rant against Applebee's (and an email to corporate), I got a call from the manager of the store in American Fork. She explained that what I experienced is not their normal level of service, and they wanted to make it up to me somehow. So she agreed to send me a voucher for two free meals including entree, dessert, and drinks. (It turned about that it didn't include dessert after all, but that was all right.) She also made a particular point of saying that I should call ahead so that they would know I was coming.
But what is the point of announcing that you're coming? Of course you'll get good service that way. AnneMarie and I stopped by without advanced notice because I wanted to get the same service that regular folks get and also because I didn't want everyone fawning over us to make sure they got everything right. The food and service were fine. When we gave the voucher to the server, the manager came over to make sure that we had had a good experience.
Overall, I feel that they're at least trying harder over at Applebee's (although I still like Chili's better for consistently good food and service).
But what is the point of announcing that you're coming? Of course you'll get good service that way. AnneMarie and I stopped by without advanced notice because I wanted to get the same service that regular folks get and also because I didn't want everyone fawning over us to make sure they got everything right. The food and service were fine. When we gave the voucher to the server, the manager came over to make sure that we had had a good experience.
Overall, I feel that they're at least trying harder over at Applebee's (although I still like Chili's better for consistently good food and service).
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Sorry about that . . .
I heard this phrase several times at Applebee's tonight. I'm not sure why we keep going to the one in American Fork. I like some of the menu items, but usually it's disappointing, and the service tonight was terrible. You would expect the A team on a Saturday night. If this was it, then I can't imagine what it would be like on a Wednesday night.
1. The Wait. I don't mind waiting 30 minutes on a Saturday night--in fact I have come to expect it. But while we waited, I counted 14 empty tables, just waiting to be cleared and wiped down. And the two hostesses were having a hard time figuring out how to match tables with customers. They kept talking about the need to get people seated, and yet . . . . For some reason, they kept running out of menus too. Obviously, they were short handed.
2. The Wiping. When we were finally seated, they still hadn't wiped down the table, so we had to wait even after we were shown to our table.
3. Napkins and utinsels. We only noticed that we didn't have these when we got our food and had nothing to eat with. We had to flag down our server to get some. I couldn't even swipe any from another table.
4. Bruschetta Burger. AnneMarie and I both like this dish designed by celebrity chef Tyler Florence, but if Tyler could see how they were preparing them lately, he would probably take his name off the menu. These are supposed to come with garlic fries (fries with olive oil, garlic, and shaved parmesan cheese). But they didn't. And every time we order a "broosketa" burger, the server "corrects" our pronunciation to "broosheta." I don't mind if people want to go with the Americanized pronuncation, but it bugs me when they consistently correct the proper pronunciation. At least they get "fajita" right.
5. More water, please? We got one glass of water each and the server kept threatening to bring us more. When she finally realized that she hadn't, it was time for the check. (She probably should have brought some anyway.) The receipt had the manager's cell number on it. I kind of wanted to call right then.
I would like to say that it was just an off night, but I've had similar experiences each of my last visits to Applebees. So if you're in the neighorhood of the Meadows in AF, then check out Chili's.
1. The Wait. I don't mind waiting 30 minutes on a Saturday night--in fact I have come to expect it. But while we waited, I counted 14 empty tables, just waiting to be cleared and wiped down. And the two hostesses were having a hard time figuring out how to match tables with customers. They kept talking about the need to get people seated, and yet . . . . For some reason, they kept running out of menus too. Obviously, they were short handed.
2. The Wiping. When we were finally seated, they still hadn't wiped down the table, so we had to wait even after we were shown to our table.
3. Napkins and utinsels. We only noticed that we didn't have these when we got our food and had nothing to eat with. We had to flag down our server to get some. I couldn't even swipe any from another table.
4. Bruschetta Burger. AnneMarie and I both like this dish designed by celebrity chef Tyler Florence, but if Tyler could see how they were preparing them lately, he would probably take his name off the menu. These are supposed to come with garlic fries (fries with olive oil, garlic, and shaved parmesan cheese). But they didn't. And every time we order a "broosketa" burger, the server "corrects" our pronunciation to "broosheta." I don't mind if people want to go with the Americanized pronuncation, but it bugs me when they consistently correct the proper pronunciation. At least they get "fajita" right.
5. More water, please? We got one glass of water each and the server kept threatening to bring us more. When she finally realized that she hadn't, it was time for the check. (She probably should have brought some anyway.) The receipt had the manager's cell number on it. I kind of wanted to call right then.
I would like to say that it was just an off night, but I've had similar experiences each of my last visits to Applebees. So if you're in the neighorhood of the Meadows in AF, then check out Chili's.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Women and Girls Out by 8:15
I've often thought it must be an odd experience for anyone just traveling through Utah to pull off the freeway at a local eatery about 8:15 pm on the first Saturday in either April or October. They would find themselves surrounded by famished hordes of men and teenage boys wearing white shirts and ties. It's a semi-annual male-bonding experience.
Unless you want to be waiting for a long time, you need a plan. Some eat dinner before the meeting and go for treats after. We like to go for dinner afterward. We've tried different strategies. When we went up to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, we stopped afterwards at Crown Burgers on North Temple. Here we met a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of hungry men and boys with a handful of bewildered out-of-towners. I think CB served about 15,000 people in an hour. The next visit to the Conference Center, we stopped at the Denny's just off the 4500 South exit. Here there was no crowd at all, but some suspicious looks from the few people there. (Don't people in Murray go to General Priesthood meeting? Or to they just not go to Denny's?) Getting out of the downtown certainly makes a difference. (You'll be dining late either way.)
Here in American Fork, we've tried Arctic Circle in Lehi (moderate crowd), Quiznos (moderate), JCW's (ridiculously crowded), and Gandalfo's (our little secret). In the race to your chosen place, a few minutes can make a huge difference. We've decided against going to a church closer to where we want to go, but we quickly learned that it's a good idea to back into your parking place and plan a route that involves mostly right turns. It's bad form to leave during the closing song, and you should at least put away any folding chair that you sat on, but otherwise, it's quickly out the door. Remember to drive with courtesy and caution, but also with purpose.
Don't even think about some place like Chili's, Applebee's, Cold Stone, or Maggie Moo's. These are probably still occupied by the mothers and daughters who basically own the town between 6-8 pm. But there oughtta be a rule that all girls need to clear out by 8:15. Ladies, it's in your best interest. Otherwise, you'll find yourself surrounded by deacons and their dads. (The only real difference between these two is the size of their bank account.)
Unless you want to be waiting for a long time, you need a plan. Some eat dinner before the meeting and go for treats after. We like to go for dinner afterward. We've tried different strategies. When we went up to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, we stopped afterwards at Crown Burgers on North Temple. Here we met a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of hungry men and boys with a handful of bewildered out-of-towners. I think CB served about 15,000 people in an hour. The next visit to the Conference Center, we stopped at the Denny's just off the 4500 South exit. Here there was no crowd at all, but some suspicious looks from the few people there. (Don't people in Murray go to General Priesthood meeting? Or to they just not go to Denny's?) Getting out of the downtown certainly makes a difference. (You'll be dining late either way.)
Here in American Fork, we've tried Arctic Circle in Lehi (moderate crowd), Quiznos (moderate), JCW's (ridiculously crowded), and Gandalfo's (our little secret). In the race to your chosen place, a few minutes can make a huge difference. We've decided against going to a church closer to where we want to go, but we quickly learned that it's a good idea to back into your parking place and plan a route that involves mostly right turns. It's bad form to leave during the closing song, and you should at least put away any folding chair that you sat on, but otherwise, it's quickly out the door. Remember to drive with courtesy and caution, but also with purpose.
Don't even think about some place like Chili's, Applebee's, Cold Stone, or Maggie Moo's. These are probably still occupied by the mothers and daughters who basically own the town between 6-8 pm. But there oughtta be a rule that all girls need to clear out by 8:15. Ladies, it's in your best interest. Otherwise, you'll find yourself surrounded by deacons and their dads. (The only real difference between these two is the size of their bank account.)
Willie Mae's Scotch House
Willie Mae's Scotch House is old-fashioned Southern cooking at its best. This restaurant lies on St. Anne's Street in the Treme neighborhood just outside New Orleans' French Quarter. New York City's Ed Levine ("the missionary of the delicious") describes Willie Mae's fried chicken as the best he has ever had. After a recent trip to New Orleans, I have to agree.
For $10 you get three pieces of chicken. The chicken has a light flour coating that leads to a crisp skin (so crisp that it has a light "snap"). There's also a bit of heat from ground red pepper and whatever other spices they use. It's not overbearing, but it does sneak up on you a little. The chicken is moist and juicy and has probably been soaked in buttermilk. You get your choice of several sides: French fries, red beans and rice (my favorite), butter beans and rice, green beans and rice, potato salad, or green salad. You could also choose the breaded pork chop, which is about as good as the chicken. They have bread pudding for dessert (if you have room).
In 2005, after cooking chicken for nearly 50 years, Willie Mae won an "America's Classic" award from the James Beard Foundation, an award given to "down-home eateries that have carved out a special place on the American culinary landscape." Later that year, along with much of New Orleans, Willie Mae's restaurant was destroyed by Katrina and the flooding that followed. With only the clothes on her back and her Beard award in her purse, Willie Mae fled before the storm. When she returned, the restaurant had been ruined.
Led by the Beard Foundation and the Southern Foodways Alliance, volunteers stepped in almost immediately to rebuild and restore this legend. It's now run by Kerry Seaton, Willie Mae's great-granddaughter, who follows the original secret recipe.
The inspiring story of this rebuilding has been told in Gourmet Magazine, on the Travel Channel, on CNBC, and on Food Network's Good Food with Dave Lieberman.
If you're planning a trip to New Orleans, take a taxi out to Willie Mae's. The area right around the restaurant is safe, but it's a long walk from the French Quarter beneath the I-10 freeway (where you will still find dozens of tents housing those still displaced by the storm). The restaurant will gladly call you a cab for the return trip. Allow some time, because they take their time to get it right. You also want to get there earlier in the afternoon because they start running out of popular items (such as a the delicious Creole-style red beans and rice). They are open for lunch, 11-5.
Here is a great video telling the story, but it's several minutes long.
For $10 you get three pieces of chicken. The chicken has a light flour coating that leads to a crisp skin (so crisp that it has a light "snap"). There's also a bit of heat from ground red pepper and whatever other spices they use. It's not overbearing, but it does sneak up on you a little. The chicken is moist and juicy and has probably been soaked in buttermilk. You get your choice of several sides: French fries, red beans and rice (my favorite), butter beans and rice, green beans and rice, potato salad, or green salad. You could also choose the breaded pork chop, which is about as good as the chicken. They have bread pudding for dessert (if you have room).
In 2005, after cooking chicken for nearly 50 years, Willie Mae won an "America's Classic" award from the James Beard Foundation, an award given to "down-home eateries that have carved out a special place on the American culinary landscape." Later that year, along with much of New Orleans, Willie Mae's restaurant was destroyed by Katrina and the flooding that followed. With only the clothes on her back and her Beard award in her purse, Willie Mae fled before the storm. When she returned, the restaurant had been ruined.
Led by the Beard Foundation and the Southern Foodways Alliance, volunteers stepped in almost immediately to rebuild and restore this legend. It's now run by Kerry Seaton, Willie Mae's great-granddaughter, who follows the original secret recipe.
The inspiring story of this rebuilding has been told in Gourmet Magazine, on the Travel Channel, on CNBC, and on Food Network's Good Food with Dave Lieberman.
If you're planning a trip to New Orleans, take a taxi out to Willie Mae's. The area right around the restaurant is safe, but it's a long walk from the French Quarter beneath the I-10 freeway (where you will still find dozens of tents housing those still displaced by the storm). The restaurant will gladly call you a cab for the return trip. Allow some time, because they take their time to get it right. You also want to get there earlier in the afternoon because they start running out of popular items (such as a the delicious Creole-style red beans and rice). They are open for lunch, 11-5.
Here is a great video telling the story, but it's several minutes long.
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