oldcoot
Senior Cook
This "al dente" (to he tooth) thing has been rather overdone by many, including too many restauants. I recall dinner at my niece's a year or so ago, when she served green beans, "al dente" : tough, raw, flavorless.
But yesterday turned out to be an absolutely perfect day for this old coot. First, perfect weather. Then one of our lovely neighbor ladies (37, phillipina) burst in to give me a kiss and an apology for "ignoring us" on the weekend. Then another lovely neighbor lady (50, looks 20, latina) stopped by for a visit and again I got a kiss. Then last evening a neighbor lady - a tall, slender, blonde Swedish model!(26) - visited and once more I got a kiss. And, when I later went to bed, my second best girl - my old dog, Lady, (12, Belgian) also kissed me goodnight, as did B/W (she won''t tell! Canadian). It's a burden for an old curmudgeon like me to be so irresistible!
But the real topper of the day was the dinner B/w prepared for the three of us.
Coquillles St. Jaques, a green salad, wine, and...
Mixed vegetables (including young peas right out of our garden) stir fried to crisp, tender, flavorful, PERFECTION! Honestly, I don't think it would be possible to have made them any better. I am not a fan of stir fry, but that may have changed my mind. What "al dente" was meant to be!
All through dinner - all beautifully prepared - I thought of of the rest of humanity who could not enjoy such delightful and delectable cuisine! You poor things - you just don't know what you're missing!
Now don't ask me how she did it. She said she simply started with the things that take the longest to cook, and proceeded to those that cooked more quickly. Then a glaze of soy sauce and cornstarch & MSG, and voila! - it was done. But such wonderful flavor! She must have done more that she did not reveal to me.
But yesterday turned out to be an absolutely perfect day for this old coot. First, perfect weather. Then one of our lovely neighbor ladies (37, phillipina) burst in to give me a kiss and an apology for "ignoring us" on the weekend. Then another lovely neighbor lady (50, looks 20, latina) stopped by for a visit and again I got a kiss. Then last evening a neighbor lady - a tall, slender, blonde Swedish model!(26) - visited and once more I got a kiss. And, when I later went to bed, my second best girl - my old dog, Lady, (12, Belgian) also kissed me goodnight, as did B/W (she won''t tell! Canadian). It's a burden for an old curmudgeon like me to be so irresistible!
But the real topper of the day was the dinner B/w prepared for the three of us.
Coquillles St. Jaques, a green salad, wine, and...
Mixed vegetables (including young peas right out of our garden) stir fried to crisp, tender, flavorful, PERFECTION! Honestly, I don't think it would be possible to have made them any better. I am not a fan of stir fry, but that may have changed my mind. What "al dente" was meant to be!
All through dinner - all beautifully prepared - I thought of of the rest of humanity who could not enjoy such delightful and delectable cuisine! You poor things - you just don't know what you're missing!
Now don't ask me how she did it. She said she simply started with the things that take the longest to cook, and proceeded to those that cooked more quickly. Then a glaze of soy sauce and cornstarch & MSG, and voila! - it was done. But such wonderful flavor! She must have done more that she did not reveal to me.
Last edited:
