A Visit to NJ
With all the fuss and bother of the Winter Seasonal Holidays (insert your favorite, we probably had at least a nodding acquaintance with it) and trying to work around everyone's schedules, it's taken me until now to get in a visit to fileg, notarysojac, Christopher and Chris.
Last night, they introduced me to Harold's New York Deli and Restaurant in Edison, where the amazing Caradras-cake came from. Lest any of you think that Tay was exaggerating about the size of this monster, I can tell you that the take-home "slice" from last night is currently residing in the kitchen in a pastry box that is normally reserved for complete, full-sized, triple-layer cakes. Chris took home a foot-long wedge of apple turnover. Me, I opted for a slice of NY-style cheesecake that weighs approximately the same as a standard builder's brick, and I expect it'll take me several sittings to get through it.
We ordered, then started off with a visit to the "Pickle Bar", which offers some great sours, semi-sours and Kosher dills, and a selection of breads to keep you from starving before your meal arrives. The "sandwiches" served there - which are only sandwiches in the sense that somewhere, buried below all the filling, there's a slice of bread - are truly immense. Chris and I agreed to split the mid-sized corned-beef Reuben and an order of sweet-potato fries. The sandwich, when it arrived, was the diameter of a dinner plate, and about six inches high. We each finished about half of our respective halves before admitting defeat and requesting boxes. Fileg ordered the smallest sandwich on the menu (I think it's intended by the management for anorexics), which only has about a pound and a half of meat, and ate less than a quarter of it. Notarysojac ordered an omelet, which completely filled the 9x15" platter and was about as high as the Reuben, and came with a "side" of home-fries big enough to feed six.
But the most amazing sight was Christopher's "sandwich" - a house specialty called an "In-Between", it was nearly two feet high and consisted of at least six pounds of pastrami and corned-beef between three 10" potato pancakes. Our waiter - who seemed to have been hired for his very New York accent and attitude and ability to fast-talk - maneuvered this amazing structure, supported by four long wooden skewers, onto two large platters and placed it in front of Christopher. We all goggled at the sight. While the rest of us are going to get maybe three or four meals out of our leftovers, judging by the percentage he managed to down last night, Christopher's got at least nine more hearty meals left.
So, stunned into submission by carbs and protein, I didn't manage to stay awake much past midnight. I'm planning on staying until early evening, though, so I should get to see more of everyone... As a matter of fact, there's Chris at the door now!
More later... TTFN!
Last night, they introduced me to Harold's New York Deli and Restaurant in Edison, where the amazing Caradras-cake came from. Lest any of you think that Tay was exaggerating about the size of this monster, I can tell you that the take-home "slice" from last night is currently residing in the kitchen in a pastry box that is normally reserved for complete, full-sized, triple-layer cakes. Chris took home a foot-long wedge of apple turnover. Me, I opted for a slice of NY-style cheesecake that weighs approximately the same as a standard builder's brick, and I expect it'll take me several sittings to get through it.
We ordered, then started off with a visit to the "Pickle Bar", which offers some great sours, semi-sours and Kosher dills, and a selection of breads to keep you from starving before your meal arrives. The "sandwiches" served there - which are only sandwiches in the sense that somewhere, buried below all the filling, there's a slice of bread - are truly immense. Chris and I agreed to split the mid-sized corned-beef Reuben and an order of sweet-potato fries. The sandwich, when it arrived, was the diameter of a dinner plate, and about six inches high. We each finished about half of our respective halves before admitting defeat and requesting boxes. Fileg ordered the smallest sandwich on the menu (I think it's intended by the management for anorexics), which only has about a pound and a half of meat, and ate less than a quarter of it. Notarysojac ordered an omelet, which completely filled the 9x15" platter and was about as high as the Reuben, and came with a "side" of home-fries big enough to feed six.
But the most amazing sight was Christopher's "sandwich" - a house specialty called an "In-Between", it was nearly two feet high and consisted of at least six pounds of pastrami and corned-beef between three 10" potato pancakes. Our waiter - who seemed to have been hired for his very New York accent and attitude and ability to fast-talk - maneuvered this amazing structure, supported by four long wooden skewers, onto two large platters and placed it in front of Christopher. We all goggled at the sight. While the rest of us are going to get maybe three or four meals out of our leftovers, judging by the percentage he managed to down last night, Christopher's got at least nine more hearty meals left.
So, stunned into submission by carbs and protein, I didn't manage to stay awake much past midnight. I'm planning on staying until early evening, though, so I should get to see more of everyone... As a matter of fact, there's Chris at the door now!
More later... TTFN!