VeraBlue said:
That sounds wonderful. I hate to waste any goslings...I find myself buying a bottle every three weeks. Please please let me know how the marinade works out. I may have to share some of my precious rum with a piece of flesh.
so far my attempts have failed. finding the original recipe has become kind of a soap opera.
the story begins with a young, early 20's guy named buckytom, working a ridiculous number of hours in the tv biz, having been
forced to eat in local restaurants to stay alive.
an amazing and eclectic place on the southwest corner of 57th and 10th became a weekly home, named jimmy armstrong's saloon. the said owner was an incredible guy, who, if not for a penchant for fine tequilas, woulda been a ringer for macy's santa clause. the white hair, piercing eyes, matching beard, jellly belly. the whole package.
but to our fortune, he opened a small restaurant on 9th ave. after a storied life as a merchant seaman and cook, eventually to move to the corner across the street from my job on 10th ave.
he had many great, mostly carribbean, central, and south american inspired dishes, but his marinated pork chops could move you to tears.
now, the soap opera comes into play as no one except jimmy and the executive chef knew the exact recipe for the marinade. jimmy, on a few tequila inspired occasions in the afternoon reflection of the setting sun, queued me in to the basic ingredients, but not the amounts, or specific add ons. i never thought then that he'd be gone someday, and i shoulda paid attention.
well, after his passing, on the last night of the restaurant as it had been sold, myself and a few other regular patrons offered the now retiring chef a few hundred bucks as a retirement gift for the recipe. he refused, keeping his loyalty intact to his former boss.
ok, it doesn't end there. i dated the bartender, a beautiful brazillian girl, back in the mid-90's, who on countless times assisted the chef upon making the marinade as it contained specific amounts of gosling's black seal rum, and a run of the mill, from the well sweet sherry.
now, i've been a married guy and dad for a few years, so i can say it's been a tricky proposition to get in touch with an ex that still makes you crazy, even if just for a recipe. so, i sacrificed a great chop for my marriage.
i thought it ended there.
to really make it a sopa opera, i recently found out that she's living with a co-worker/drinkin buddy, and will be around the job, and is looking to get back to bartending in the area.
so the recipe still may have life...