Every town in America - and I do mean EVERY - has at least one restaurant that claims to have "home cooking". I have personally eaten in about a thousand of these places and can report that as a general rule "home cooking" is a relative term. In many areas you are left wondering how the locals can bear it if the food you just ate is indicative of their daily fare: runny instant potatoes, canned soups and jarred spaghetti sauce - hardly the stuff of grandma. Surely if this is their idea of "home cooking" domestic skills are lacking in the region.
The city of Altoona, PA has a place named Granny's Family Restaurant. It was a winner of their local newspaper's poll under the heading of Where The Locals Eat. I landed here while driving in search of sustenance from a non-chain eatery. Tonight's special was pork and sauerkraut, with real (slightly lumpy) mashed potatoes. Now I recognize that not everyone comes from a half-breed ethnic background like myself (Croatian and PA Dutch) where pork and sauerkraut was the equivalent of ambrosia. But, for me it's one of those dishes where my Slavic and Germanic sides converge. Obviously with this prejudice I tend to give such cuisine two thumbs up.
However, think about it. Only a restaurant that actually has home cooking would even think to serve pork and sauerkraut. And not just pork and sauerkraut, but pork cooked in the sauerkraut and broken up into nice chunks. Then they serve it with an additional two wieners - also cooked in the sauerkraut - on the side. Included in the price was a soup and salad bar where the soup was "homemade" ham and bean. Not canned, but obviously made on site with irregular pieces of ham. The salad bar was one of those that has cottage cheese and apple butter.
After leaving a 35% tip I walked out feeling all warm and secure for under $12. They have a flyer/calendar with their nightly specials. I took one for November. Next Monday is stuffed green peppers. It's almost a shame I never eat here on Fridays - fish fry all day!
The city of Altoona, PA has a place named Granny's Family Restaurant. It was a winner of their local newspaper's poll under the heading of Where The Locals Eat. I landed here while driving in search of sustenance from a non-chain eatery. Tonight's special was pork and sauerkraut, with real (slightly lumpy) mashed potatoes. Now I recognize that not everyone comes from a half-breed ethnic background like myself (Croatian and PA Dutch) where pork and sauerkraut was the equivalent of ambrosia. But, for me it's one of those dishes where my Slavic and Germanic sides converge. Obviously with this prejudice I tend to give such cuisine two thumbs up.
However, think about it. Only a restaurant that actually has home cooking would even think to serve pork and sauerkraut. And not just pork and sauerkraut, but pork cooked in the sauerkraut and broken up into nice chunks. Then they serve it with an additional two wieners - also cooked in the sauerkraut - on the side. Included in the price was a soup and salad bar where the soup was "homemade" ham and bean. Not canned, but obviously made on site with irregular pieces of ham. The salad bar was one of those that has cottage cheese and apple butter.
After leaving a 35% tip I walked out feeling all warm and secure for under $12. They have a flyer/calendar with their nightly specials. I took one for November. Next Monday is stuffed green peppers. It's almost a shame I never eat here on Fridays - fish fry all day!
1 comment:
Even in Italy "home cooking" can be a gimmic. ... mmm...I could go for some lumpy mashed potatoes and saeurkraut!
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