Patty Melt (Revised)

VB has revised this post as a result of a comment by the managing editor of Serious Eats, Adam Kuban.  The Boss Man always says VB is, "Not always right, but never in doubt," (meaning, of course, VB thinks she's a know it all) which, for some odd reason, really fits in here for an explanation too discombobulated to refine.

Apologies to Ed Levine and all the folks at Serious Eats.  Believe VB, she is seriously eating her words and pretty damned embarrassed about this.


VB likes to read food blogs. One of her favorites is called Serious Eats. It's a blog originally started by Mario Batali, Ed Levine (apparently he's been on a diet for quite awhile now). It went defunct for awhile, and then was reborn. It's now an amalgamation of various contributors. VB usually ignores most of the recipes, but was drawn to one in particular.

Recently someone posted a recipe for a Patty Melt. It appears to be based on a recipe from Saveur Magazine, VB's favorite cooking magazine. Anyway, reading this little post, and it's links brought back memories (you know, like those "fond" ones everyone talks about).

VB's parents owned three restaurants, at different times. A woman named Stella worked as a waitress in our first restaurant.  VB practically went through grade school with her, and she even threw VB a birthday party.  See!

We knew her and her family. Stella's husband owned some sort of fancy sports car and would pick her up from work (he always reminded VB of Jackie Gleason).   When VB's parents closed the restaurant (through reasons beyond their control) Stella went to work at a Toddle House. Stella's sister lived a few blocks from our new apartment, in a totally new  (and totally black) neighborhood where VB and her mom moved to (due to circumstances related to the aforementioned loss of the family's first restaurant.) We would visit Sella's sister (who owned a talking bird).  VB would play with the bird, while VB's mom, and Stella's sister drank coffee, catching up on the news (i.e. gossip).

Even though we kept in touch, after VB became an adult and moved away (far, far away) she would continually stop by the Toddle House on Clifton Avenue, to visit Stella.  The Patty Melt was VB's favorite dish there (besides breakfast after a very loopy night - Stella probably knew more about VB than VB's own mother)!    Stella made the perfect Patty Melt.   She could do it with her eyes closed.   At a Toddle House the waitress was also the cook, dishwasher, busboy and manager, particularly at night, which was when Stella worked. She was always good humored and laughed about everything.  And, because of her sense of humor and good nature, she had quite a few regulars.  VB remembers the night she visited to tell Stella that VB's mom had died.  At first it wasn't so funny, but Stella could pick out pieces of the past that reverberated in humor. VB and Stella sat, drank coffee, and smoked cigarettes that evening.  VB has a hard time eating when she has a big lump in her throat.  One night VB showed up and was told, by another waitress, that Stella had passed away.  It was a sad evening.

Later, after VB's search for her own mom's past history (another, very lengthy story altogether) Stella's daughter gave VB some photos.  At this point both mothers had passed away.

In remembrance of my visits with Stella at the Toddle House, and her excellence in The Patty Melt, VB presents the following:

(Below): Two very old photos of Stella. The first inside VB's parents' restaurant, and the other outside. The Chinese Laundry next door (run by a real "Chinaman" with a long braid, who spoke extremely broken English, and who fed VB some sort of wonderful broth), where Stella is standing, got axed at the same time as the restaurant (this is what happens when you don't own the building / business, and you have a greedy owner.)

Below: VB's Patty Melt - it's a bit on the thick side.  It was delicious!  That griddle on the new stove The Boss Man bought VB is just short of amazing!  VB almost feels like she's back in the restaurant business all over again.

And, what'll you have?

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Fall Colors

Vagabondblogger apologizes for the late posting - for her excuse - read on.


(The two tone van was spotted on Road 9, near the carpet salesman's corner.)



Since Vagabondblogger left Cairo in late October, she was sure she would miss the fall trees, which are usually spectacular, especially on the east coast. She has met Emiratis from the U.A.E. who made yearly pilgrimages to Boston, and it's northern neighbors, just to view the changing colors of the trees. A week or so before
VB left Cairo, she saw a sign, which she did not recognize. It meant, "yes VB, you will see wonderful colors when you return to the States." The sign? An orange and cream colored Vanagon and two bugs, one yellow and one orange, that changed color in the shade.


Thankfully, weird climate changes are taking place - well, thankful for the late color, but maybe Al Gore might think it's a sign of more nefarious doings.

Now Vagabondblogger is visiting The Mistake By The Lake. VB lived here for about nine years on and off. The Boss Man said they were going somewhere special. He was able to find one of the only hotels in town that took dogs, but no wifi (among other things)! Thus, complicating VB's life. Then Lotus chewed through the phone wire (it was already hanging by a thread.) In addition, both The Boss Man and VB, drove through pouring rain, along the highway following Erie Canal route, for ten hours on Monday just to get here! Remind VB never to let The Boss Man make arrangements for travel again.

Most of the leaves have fallen and the weather is definitely taking a change towards the wetter and colder climate we usually experience. So enjoy the colors while they last, cause after that rain, most leaves have now fallen.


( Yellow bug, found in Maadi Digla.)

(Orange bug found in Maadi Digla as
Vagabondblogger was walking from Kimo Market to Miriam Market. This bug appears to be in very nice condition.)

VB will try to post some news updates later, but for now, thanks to Nevin, from LIMBO for this link on some amazing tricked out and totally reconfigured bugs: What can be done with a VW Beetle, Part 2, at Dark Roasted Blend.






























Bruce Springsteen - Pay me my money down - Erie Canal