Savannah Nah Nah Nah

Savannah

Before I retired, I found myself reflecting on what to do in the next chapter of my life. I didn’t have a clear direction, but one thing I knew for sure—I wanted to travel. Not out of wanderlust; I had already explored much of the world in my twenties. But this time, I wanted to create new memories with my daughter.

Years earlier, I had promised her a special graduation gift: a mother-daughter trip to Europe. Our two-week adventure to France and Belgium was planned, and we couldn’t wait to immerse ourselves in the culture and history. Then, COVID struck. The world shut down, and so did our plans.

As time passed, the vaccine was developed, and restrictions eased. It felt like something out of Brigadoon—the world reappeared, vibrant and inviting. Yet, there was still uncertainty. Traveling overseas seemed daunting and not safe yet, so we chose to stay closer to home. For her birthday, my daughter had the honor of picking our destination, and she set her sights on Charleston. I asked if would be ok if we also went to Savannah and she said yes.

Charleston-Rainbow Row

 We had an incredible time on our trip. Savannah immediately stole my heart it was so charming. If I could recommend one thing, it would be the hop-on, hop-off bus tour. We stayed on for a full loop, using the ride to plan our stops. The drivers were amazing—they had fantastic humor and a deep knowledge of the city's history, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Saying goodbye to Savannah was difficult, but we had already committed to visiting Charleston.

As much as I appreciated Charleston’s charm, it didn’t hold the same magic for me as Savannah did. By the end of the trip, we both agreed: we should have spent the entire time in Savannah. My daughter even asked if we could go back someday.

While I’m open to revisiting Savannah in the future, there are so many other places to explore right now. We’ve started making two lists, new cities to explore and those to return to, and Savannah will definitely be at the top. For now, I’m excited to discover new destinations and create more unforgettable memories.

My daughter shot a short video of Savannah and Charleston, click on the link to watch. 

And now for my book recommendation one that has been around for awhile but I was inspired to read because of my Savannah trip. The book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is set in Savannah and really does bring the city to life with its rich storytelling and atmospheric setting. It felt incredible to walk through those same streets, seeing myself in the places described in the book.

The book has been out for a while.  If you read it tell me what your thoughts are.  If you haven't read it yet please put it on your must read list. 

Blue Plate Special--The magical meatloaf

 

Back in the day, diners and some restaurants had what they called blue plate specials. For all you youngsters out there me included, blue plate special is a term that was used in the early part of the twentieth century to describe a low-priced daily special that typically included the entire meal.  None of this nonsense about ordering the entree and paying for a side separately.  How ridiculous!

As you can see from the menu at Ari's Diner (no idea location of Ari's), Monday's special happens to be Meatloaf a dish which was a very popular choice at diners when I was growing up.  Even today, meatloaf and mashed potatoes remain a beloved comfort food for many. Before Jake’s Good Eats (featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) was torn down to make way for a Publix here in Charlotte, one of its specials was meatloaf and mashed potatoes. 

My Mother was obsessed with meatloaf.  She would make it once a week using a different recipe or one, she made up in her head.  Each recipe was worse than the other and finally my father told her to stop making meatloaf. 

A little back story here. My Father loved my mother more than anyone on the planet.  He basically ate anything she made. They rarely if ever argued, a miracle in itself.  However, one day, with firm yet diplomatic honesty, he gently asked her to take a break from making meatloaf. For him to actually request that she not make it again, it must have been truly bad. I can attest to that. it was.  My mom took a break for a while, but she went back to her meatloaf mission, and in later years her meatloaf actually was edible.

 These were examples of meatloaf recipes my mom made:

    Meatloaf with hardboiled eggs

    Meatloaf with cheese

    Meatloaf with tomato sauce

    Meatloaf with brown gravy

With the exception of meatloaf with whole hard-boiled eggs, we always had high hopes that each variation would turn out well. Unfortunately, the ground beef portion often ended up hard and tasteless—but I have to give her high marks for effort

My Mom passed away in 2016 but I felt her quest for a decent meatloaf recipe should live on so I now carry the torch. I figured since I am now semi-retired, I have the time. I found this recipe which I made, and I got a thumbs up from the family when I served it. I did make a slight change.  I started with a layer of the ground seasoned beef, added a layer of Swiss (grated or sliced), then spread the mushroom mix on the cheese.  I repeated this one more time ending with ground beef.  You can just make it as written if you want to keep it simple. Here is the recipe.

   

Mushroom Swiss Cheese Meatloaf

Hearty Meatloaf with Savory Mushrooms and Melty Swiss Cheese

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated

1/4 cup milk

1 large egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a skillet, sauté the chopped mushrooms, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have released their moisture, about 5-7 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, sautéed mushroom mixture, breadcrumbs, grated Swiss cheese, milk, egg, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing for a tender loaf.

Transfer the meat mixture to a loaf pan, shaping it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C).

Let the meatloaf rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 65 minutes | Total Time: 80 minutes

                                        Susan's Blue plate Special

If you make this recipe let me know how you like it.

Bring out the Hellman's???? Or Duke's???

 

Growing up on Long Island, there were basically two sandwich condiments in our fridge, Mustard and ketchup.  Mayonnaise was sacred because we hardly ate it. My Mom was the original "eat healthy guru".  There was no bologna and white bread but had there been it would have been made with mustard no mayo.  I still grew up in the north the mayo war was between Hellman's and Kraft.

I was driving to work one morning, listening to the Bob and Sherri Show on K104.7, my go-to- drive time station. A woman called in to speak with the hosts, and her voice carried so much sadness that it caught my attention. It turned out that she had just learned some shocking news: Duke’s, the beloved mayonnaise of the South, had been sold to a Northern company.

Ordinarily news about a food product being bought and sold would not faze me in the least.  It would go in one ear and out the other.  But in this case the sorrow in her voice and the fact that it was a very popular condiment that had been made by a company in the South made me sad as well.

Duke's mayonnaise stands out amongst the other mayonnaise brands not only for its bold taste but because of its rich history. The founder was Eugenia Duke, a very industrious woman who lived in South Carolina and was active in the passage of the 19th ammendment.

In 1917 Eugenia and her daughter began selling sandwiches at an army canteen as a way to help support their family. These were not your ordinary sandwiches. Each was generously slathered in her homemade tangy sauce.  She started bottling her mayo in 1923. Her condiment was so popular that she could not keep up with demand and she sold her company to C.F Sauer Company which by the way was a family-owned business for 132 years until it was sold.. 

But wait, there is more to Eugenia Dukes story. When her daughter moved to California, she followed. Once again, she used her entrepreneurial and founded a new company Duchess Sandwich Company as well as the Duchess Catering Company. Today we take what Eugenia accomplished as no big deal, but back in the day it was very unusual to have a company that was founded and run by a woman. This made her achievements even more impressive.

Recently Advent International purchased Sauer Brands Inc., the parent company of Duke’s Mayo, from Falfurrias Capital Partners.  Falfurrias Capital Partners is a Charlotte based equity. Advent is a private equity firm based in Massachusetts that focuses on international buyouts, growth and strategic restructuring. Although it is not readily apparent, they must have had a good reason to buy Sauer Brands.

As I get older it saddens me to see products I grew up with disappear or be "tampered" with, so it is no longer recognizable. Duke’s Mayonnaise, however, has been a staple for over a century, and its loyal fans are adamant that the recipe remains unchanged.  Hopefully, Advent International, please recognize the magic of what makes Duke’s so beloved and stay true to the brand.

Happy Mother's Day

 A warm and heartfelt Mother's Day for all of you with children and fur babies in your life.

Wine Club 1.0

 

A long time ago in what seems like a different life, I worked for a Home Health Agency supporting their computers and software. It was one of the best jobs I ever had.  The work was challenging, but more importantly, the people were fantastic. The staff got along well, which was a refreshing change from my previous job at a satellite company, where, putting it gently, the staff was not very nice.

One of our physical therapists received a diagnosis that included the dreaded "C" word: cancer. In a home health organization, everyone is geared toward taking care of others, so after her surgery, a group of us brought dinner to her home and spent the evening laughing for hours. We had such a great time that we decided to meet regularly. To make it even more fun, we turned our gatherings into a wine club.

 At first, we rotated hosting duties and met locally. But as luck would have it, Peg, one of our resident foodies, had a cabin in the mountains, and Sharon, one of our resident artists, had a beach house. .

The first out-of-town trip we took was to Peg’s spectacular cabin in the mountains of West Virginia. Since that adventure kicked off our tradition, we named our group the Wild Women of West Virginia Wine Club. We've been meeting ever since continuing the laughter, the friendship, and, of course, the wine. Now, several times a year we meet up at the cabin Moondance or at the beach house, Happy Place

I kept your warm tone while improving readability and transitions. Does this version capture what you envisioned? Happy to tweak it further if needed! The staff got along well, which was a refreshing change from my previous job at a satellite company, where, putting it gently the staff were not very nice.

One of our physical therapists, had received the dreaded "C" word diagnosis: cancer.  When you work for a Home Health Organization, where everyone is dedicated to taking care of others, the news hit hard. After her surgery a group of us took dinner to her home and just sat there and laughed for several hours. That night was so amazing we decided to make this a regular occurrence.  

To add a touch of fun, we transformed ourselves into a wine club. We have had many wine tastings with blind tastings and prizes for the most popular wine.

Thankfully our friend received good news. She had caught it early, allowing the surgeon to remove everything. Once she recovered and was allowed to drink, we became a dedicated wine club.  Initially, we rotated host duties and met locally. But it just so happens Peg, one of resident foodies, had a cabin in the mountains and Sharon one of our resident artists, had a beach house. 

Our first out-of-town trip was to Peg’s breathtaking cabin in the mountains of West Virginia. That adventure marked the beginning of a beloved tradition, and so, we named ourselves the Wild Women of West Virginia Wine Club. We generally spend Kentucky Derby Weekend at the beach. We’ve been meeting ever since, continuing the laughter, deepening our friendships, and, of course, savoring the wine.

I have moved making it difficult but never impossible to meet with my beloved sisters of the vine.  So, to fill the void I recently formed a new wine club.  I am so excited.  I will let you know how it goes.

Bakeries There is always Room for Cake and Pie

I grew up on Long Island in Oceanside.  My mom and dad loved entertaining, and they had a friends club comprised of friends my mom grew up with plus their husbands.  My Mom was one of those people who made friends for life, and they remained friends until their passing. Most of the women in that group had met in elementary school and remained friends up to the end of their lives.

Whenever my parents hosted, my mom would cook a delicious dinner. But the highlight of every meal was always dessert—a cake and pie from Ebinger's.

Ebinger's was a beloved New York bakery founded in 1898 by George Ebinger, a German immigrant. In their hay day they had about 50 locations.  The first location to open was the one on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge Brooklyn.  Since we lived on Long Island we went to the Rockville Center location.  I loved walking into the bakery with my mom.  The smell of freshly baked breads and pastries overwhelmed the senses.  It was a magical place. 

She would always buy the same two items, their glorious and decadent Blackout Cake and their creamy and citrus laden lemon meringue pie.   In fact, the Blackout cake was so delicious it was often featured in articles written for the newspaper, etc. You would think with a popular cake like that, the bakery would be around forever.  But sadly, (and I say that with a deep sigh) by 2005, Ebinger's closed their doors. Many fine dining restaurants and bakers have done a fine job coming up with an approximate copy, but somehow it is not quite the same.  developed a love for lemon cake and pie after eating it.  

We, the people, along with grocery chains in America, contributed to the decline of many beloved bakeries. When grocery stores added the bakery department, bakery products became more accessible and affordable leading to the demise of many traditional bakeries.  I miss those bakeries.  No matter what people say and think, the mass-produced products cannot replace those bakery items made lovingly by bakers using recipes passed down from generation to generation. Not really. Whenever I travel and find myself in a new city where a bakery still operates, I make it a point to stop in sample their goods. In future posts, I'll share my experiences when I discover a new bakery.

I am hosting my book club this month (April) and I am planning on baking my own dessert.  I have a hankering for lemon, and blueberries are in season.  I will make something that will include those two ingredients.

Spice up your Life

 

I have recently become obsessed with spices.  Now that I am semi-retired, I am focusing on improving my culinary skills and taking my time in the kitchen.  Gone are the days I have to worry about rushing to get food on the table because my daughter needs to eat something between field hockey and orchestra practices.  My husband is now fully retired, and he is just happy when dinner is served.  With so many of my friends being such great cooks, I feel inspired to step up my game.  Mastering the art of spices feels like the perfect first step in my plan. Pam and Peg, you are my gurus.

I buy my spices from a variety of places.  Penzes is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, the pandemic led to many closures of their brick-and-mortar stores Charlotte location being one of them.  Thankfully their online store is an excellent substitute. McCormick spices are also a staple in my pantry and buying bulk spices from Cosco helps me to fill in gaps and provides the foundation for some of my creations.

As with everything else in the grocery store these days, spice prices are climbing rapidly.  With spices already marked up, I just wonder how much higher they will go. Despite the fact that there is an initial cost in building my spice collection, I see it as an investment and just as important the greater ability to craft my blends, my way, no fillers or unwanted ingredients. I also hope to avoid duplicates and prevent spices from becoming too old and stale in my pantry.  

Herbes de Provence is such a delightful mix, and I love adding it to my dishes. It brings a distinctive aroma and flavor. There are many variations of the mix which are readily available online. Some are made with Lavendar and fennel, while others do not.   I am not trying to reinvent the wheel, but I am currently working on recipe that contains Lavendar.

Lavendar is not readily available in the market, so I have decided to grow my own alongside several other spices.  I think using fresh herbs that I dry myself will add more flavor.

So far this is what I have:

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp savory

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp of dried parsley

1 tsp Fennel

1 tsp of dried lavender flowers

If you make your own blend of Herbes de Provence, please feel free to share.

And before closing, I just read that McCormick's, is adding a new set of spices.  Maybe I will try one or two. They are:

• Smoky Garlic & Rose
• Balsamic & Herb
• Brown Butter
• Zesty Lemon
• Watermelon Lime

If you make your own herb mixes and would love to share them, please let me know.

T