Thursday's Tourist Our Daily Dinner

Thursday's Tourist

chuckieb 9 years ago
Good Morning Everyone! Today is our last day in Cambridge. Boo. :) It's still a tad cool but the sky is bright and sunny. I think I'm just going to take a nice stroll down town one last time and say 'Good-bye' to everything. Have some leftover dumplings for my lunch from dinner last night.
A co-worker of Jim's here has booked us for dinner at
http://www.ristoranteilpiccolomondo.co.uk/
this evening. It's rated quite highly by Trip Advisor and Jim and I have been wanting to try it for awhile now. I for sure want to try the Deep Fried courgettes. (Zucchini blossoms) The Pollo alla Diavola looks okay, although you know I'm not keen on the side of mixed vegetables and meh on the potatoes. Maybe the Fettuccine al salmone? To be honest, nothing is majorally jumping out at me and saying "Try Me, Try Me!" :)
Sorry to hear your head is hurting Laurie. Hope by this morning you're feeling way better.
Joce, hope we hear from you today so we know you're okay.
Wishing everyone a most lovely Thursday. You have your friends coming for lunch today I believe Karen.....Have fun!
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Good4U 9 years ago said:

Janet, You know me too well:) I was really feeling very under the weather yesterday and I really hate to come on just to complain, about my pains, it is just the way I am. Gee I like their menu, Janet. For starters how about the Crostini al salmone Thin slices of bread topped with mozzarella cheese and smoked salmon, lightly toasted and dressed with a drizzle of butter. I know Jim would probably like the deep fried Calamari for starters. Myself I can't totally decide yet, but I would have either the Scaloppine di vitello al limone Escalopes of veal gently pan fried with fresh lemon and butter or Crespelle di ricotta e spinaci Pancakes filled with ricotta cheese and spinach baked with cream and tomato sauce. Now I am leaning towards the Medaglioni dei due papi Medallions of Scottish fillet steak cooked with contrasting gorgonzola & Marsala wine sauces. I bet any of those dishes would be very good. However, depending on their fresh fish and seafood they have today. If they have Scottish salmon it might win out overall:) My your time in Cambridge this time has gone by extremely fast!

Laurie, I hope you are feeling much better today.

Michelle, How was you day at the Pleasure Pier yesterday? I meant to tell you the other day. I found organic coconut flour at Foodsmith's our local natural food store and OMG! The price for it is outrageous! I would say the package I found might have been maybe almost 2 pounds of coconut flour and they wanted $13.99 for it!!! LOL Another reason for me not to try the Paelo Diet:)

Karen, Good luck with your luncheon today. I am quite sure everything will turn out just fine:)

Tina, I am very envious of you having all those figs! Fresh figs are very very expensive here! When they have really good looking ones at Foodsmith's they are about $4.00 each! I don't know how to tell how to pick a good one or when they are perfectly ripe to eat. I have only ever had them served as an appetizer or on the side in a restaurant. The very best of luck to Fred on his eye surgery today.

Marie, I think your Mom learning how to use her new tablet is fantastic! She rocks!
Shona, Please drop in and let us know how you are!!!

It is overcast yet again we have more rain in the forecast! It rained all yesterday afternoon and all night again! Enough already! Janet, when you come back home, I hope you bring lots of sunshine with you! I have a very ripe banana to use up, banana muffins with either chocolate chips or blueberries in them will be on my agenda for today. Dinner is yet to be decided. I will let you know what I decide on later.

Hoping everyone has a good day!

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mommyluvs2cook 9 years ago said:

Morning!! I can't believe your time in Cambridge is already over, time goes by quick huh!? For dinner with you I would like to start with the Affettato Misto and then I think I'll give the lamb a try! Have a most wonderful last day in Cambridge!! :)
Lol Joce, I know Paleo is expensive. The coconut flour I got from our health food store was 4.99 for a 1 lb. bag. The almond flour is the killer. The only kind I can find is Bob's Red Mill, which is a ridiculously expensive brand, and that is $10 for a 1 lb. bag. Let's just say, I am limiting my baking :) I can't believe the amount of rain your getting, it's just crazy!! Yum on banana muffins, my stomach is growling, I need breakfast!!
Pleasure Pier was fun! It's definitely a once in a while thing, overpriced as we figured. I did ride the swings that went up so high all you could see was water, and it was crazy! A lot of the rides made you feel like that, it's hard to explain. I did ride more things than I thought I was. Just nothing that went upside down or too aggressive. Bri's rode the Iron Shark roller coaster 3 times! Omg, I can ride some pretty scary stuff, but I cannot do roller coasters anymore, just the thought makes me nauseous. Bubba Gumps is okay, but IMO the portions are WAY too small for the price. My salad was $15 and it was tiny.
Making a meat market trip today, I'm hoping they have some breakfast sausage, we are getting a little tired of bacon (gasp, I know!) and we need chicken. I am going to give this recipe a try tonight
http://lexiscleankitchen.com/2014/01/19/paleo-meatball-subs/
Look at those cauliflower buns, they look amazing! I hope mine turn out that well. Okay, off to make some breakfast, have a good day!!

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chuckieb 9 years ago said:

Neither Jim nor I tend to order appetizers as we seem to fill up quickly and then not be able to finish our main. And you're right Joce, Jim ADORES calamari, but doesn't like it breaded. I did eye up those ricotta filled pancakes as well. I'm thinkin' it's more like a crepe than a pancake? I also did like the sound of the steak, but I'm inherently cheap and 23 pounds translates to $42. I have a hard time spending that much. :) Ouch on the price of the coconut flour alright!
I saw what I thought looked like lovely 'fresh figs' today at the Outdoor market. They were selling 3 for 2 pounds. So $1.21 a pc.
I'll try bring back some sunshine! :) Yum on muffins. Glad you're feeling a little better today over yesterday. :)
I wouldn't be surprised if Jim joined you in ordering the Lamb Michelle. :) Are the kids on Paleo as well? Ouch on the $15 salad.
I love meatball subs (Have to admit the cauliflower buns scare me though!) :)

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mommyluvs2cook 9 years ago said:

Yikes $42 is pricey! Better be one heck of a steak lol!
The kiddos follow Paleo to an extent. I don't like to force them to eat things they don't like. My kids like certain veggies so if I make squash for Michael and I (which they hate) I will make them a small side of something they do like, like broccoli. When we have lettuce wraps I let them use tortillas. If we have "cauliflower rice" I make them a small side of regular rice, or mashed potatoes. My kids are so skinny I don't think it hurts them to have the extra calories lol!

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notyourmomma 9 years ago said:

Aw, Janet I didn't know your trip would be over so soon. Dinner for me would be the same appetizer Affettato Misto as Michelle and then the calves liver in red wine sauce, Fegato ala Montanaro. Enjoy your walkabout. I am shocked at the fresh fig prices.

Joce, nice to see you...sorry you were not feeling well. I understand completely. Very high fig prices for you too!!! I got two big baskets of Black Mission Figs as a buy one get one at Publix...so it was 6.99 for two full baskets. They taste just like candy.

Michelle, glad for the report on Bubba Gump's. We won't be adding them to our must try restaurants at those prices and portions. Glad you had fun at the Pier. I'm sure the kids had a fun last hurrah before school starts. Ouch on the almond and coconut flour prices.
Good luck on the meatball subs.

Laurie, so sorry you had such a nagging headache that won't go away. Headaches are just awful. How is Rachel feeling? Any relief on her back pain? Sending healing thoughts.

Karen, have a great luncheon with your friends.

Marie, stay cool dear. We hit 105 as a feels like temp last night. Today is the same, heat and humidity is the bane of my existence.

Fred did fine for his left eye. He is resting now. Dinner if I can get to the store for the shrimp will be foil packet shrimp boil, with new potatoes, corn on the cob chunks, some sausage and a splash of beer to steam it in.

Time for a quick nap myself, need to get my legs elevated.

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Good4U 9 years ago said:

Janet, At first I thought the fellow who made the reservations for you was paying:) LOL @ you being inherently cheap though:) I hadn't noticed:) I guess, b/c we don't eat out as often as you and Jim do all the time and everywhere. You see so many different priced menus all over the world. However, I was quite impressed with the many positive reviews on Trip Advisor about Ristorante Il Piccolo Mondo. I might jump at the price for a Scottish Steak or the veal to try. You never know it might be a very very memorable meal or maybe order two starters and as they say you can do a starter with the pasta dishes instead of a main. http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g186225-d3741275-Reviews-Ristorante_Il_Piccolo_Mondo-Cambridge_Cambridgeshire_England.html
Maybe they will have a great special for the the evening? Who knows enjoy you meal:)

Tina, What an incredible price for figs! Holy I would be in Fig Heaven! Stilton or a very very old sharp cheddar cheese and figs with pears! OMG! YUM! Glad to hear Fred's eye surgery went well. Your foil dinner sounds awesome! I love the easy clean up as well. Both you and Fred need to rest and relax:)

Michelle, I did not notice the price of almond flour I will have to look for it there too! Now I would be too cheap to order a $15.00 salad unless it had shrimp, crab,
lobster, beef or something a little substantial in it! I would starve until I got home! LOL @ you drooling over things which imitate bread things all the time now:) I have to admit like Janet, the cauliflower buns scare me too!

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MissouriFarmWife 9 years ago said:

ALL IS DONE! I decided to sit down for thirty minutes before putting together the Bloody Mary Caprese Skewers. I also did grapes with either mozzarella or prosciutto-wrapped-mozzarella cheese on toothpicks, summer sausage, prosciutto-wrapped-mozzarella, cherry tomato, mozzarella cheese on bamboo skewers, and a platter of deli meats and cheese to make their own sandwiches on Hawaiian sandwich buns. We have green tea, with citrus, to drink or gatorade if the guys are overheated from working outside. Yes, it is past time they came inside to cool off.

The animals were not cooperating.

1. A.C. escaped and cornered Geezer in the carriage house. An hour later they were separated - the yowling had ceased for some time....when Wayne went to get him he got a scratch from grabbing him by the tail as he flew under the storage shed. I felt like committing cat-i-cide at that point. Twenty minutes later he came out but avoided Wayne. So I walked over, grabbed the brat and hauled his 14 pound, growling, miffed body inside. He will reside in his crate today when our friends come over. Unfortunately his crate is in the store room, not ten feet away, so he will have ample opportunity to complain and tell them how badly he is treated. I firmly hope Geezer trounces him next time. Geezer is able to fend for himself and doesn't put up with anything from anyone.
Fortunately the two old kitties were on the porch.

2. Mel and A.C. went on a rampage in the living room, necessitating my stopping and refereeing.

3. Homer threw up his breakfast all over the living room floor, so I had to stop and clean it up.

IF any critter does anything to bug me I may clobber them. I have served notice.

P.S. The are NOT listening.

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NPMarie 9 years ago said:

Hi all:)

Janet, enjoy your "last" day in Cambridge...you have seen some beautiful sights...and those you missed, well, there's always next time:)

Joce, I'm so glad to see you here today, glad you're feeling better my dear:) Yeah, my Mom is something alright! I decided to get a library card..it has been YEARS since I've stepped foot in a library...when we were young, Mom always made sure we went to the library every week to check out books to read...I miss that..

Hi Tina! It has actually been cooler here lately..it will be warmer starting this weekend..been in the 80's!!! That's MY kind of Summer:-D I couldn't handle the humidity were you are..we were in MO near Springfield a few years back visiting friends and I about melted..give me California dry heat anyday! Guess you adapt to your weather:)

Hi Michelle, what an exciting day you all had yesterday! Yum on the chicken meatball subs:)

Dinner will be Elk (oh wow) burgers for Rick (he had a pkg in the freezer someone gave him) I'm feeling sick just talking about it:-D I'll have a turkey burger..we'll probably just serve them on lettuce with a fresh tomato slice & a thin slice of red onion.(I don't have any buns and we like just the patties sometimes..a bit healthier:)

Hi Michelle, what an exciting day you all had yesterday! Yum on the chicken meatball subs:)

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chuckieb 9 years ago said:

I think at the bottom of it is I'm not a gambler. It doesn't interest me in the least....and guessing whether the steak is going to bring me $42 worth of enjoyment doesn't seem like a good bet. I'd just as rather not try it as if it didn't meet expectations (and man, I'm sorry it'd have to be super, super good.....like SUPER good, then I'd be ticked....and I'd rather not be ticked) :)
You sure did get those figs at a good price Tina! I so have to try them someday.
I forgot today was Fred's surgery Tina. So glad to hear he came through it fine. Last time he slept a lot if I remember correctly.
Yes Joce, Pete wanted to show us "Piccolo Mondo" because it used to have the #1 Restaurant Ranking in Cambridge and it's located right in his village of Bottisham so he's quite proud of it being 'local'. It got bumped out of the #1 spot by "The Urban Shed" just recently. A coffee, sandwich bar type place. He assures me Piccolo Mondo isn't 'fancy' because I didn't bring any dress clothes. It'll be a fun evening. Pete and his wife are good company.

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notyourmomma 9 years ago said:

Fred's face is numb. Dr. B had to give him a nerve block for the left eye. He is complaining a lot. He has been up and down four times in the last hour and a half. I probably was not the best person to drive home. My vision is so blurry. It is the blind leading the blind. Good thing I can type with my eyes closed. LOL

Janet, I'm sure you will have a lovely dinner and a nice night with your companions.

Marie, I'd much rather have a turkey burger instead of elk. I would trade this humidity to anyone. When it is 84 at 8:00 am, you know it will be a miserable day for running around.

Karen, I'd be ready to commit cat-a-cide with the morning you have had. What a nice luncheon. I do hope you get some peace from the critters! Enjoy your company and relax, you deserve it.

Laurie, when are the girls back in school?

I am going to lie down now!

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Good4U 9 years ago said:

I am sorry if I hit a nerve, Janet:( It wasn't intentional.

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chuckieb 9 years ago said:

SP Marie. Excellente on the library card. I love libraries. I'd eat either the Elk or the Chicken burgers. Love burgers of any kind. :)
Eeesh....I hope Fred's okay. It doesn't sound pleasant.
LOL Joce. I'm not sure what I said that made you think you'd hit a nerve. All nerves intact. No worries. :)
SP Karen too! :) What a lovely feast you've prepared for your friends. It sounds most delicious. Uh oh on Geezer and A.C. And ROFL @ all the rest of the behaviour from the critters. :) ROFL. You had your hands full alright!

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MissouriFarmWife 9 years ago said:

Hope Fred is feeling better, Tina. Try to get some rest.

Elk burger would be my choice, also, Marie and Janet. I love venison burgers so that might not be so different. The bunless sandwich would suit me fine - not a bread eater. I live about 100 miles from Springfield. The humidity can be bad. Today is to be 97-ish. But heat index may be quite higher. Guess every place has its good and its bad side, no matter what. We love it in the middle of nowhere.

Janet - when we were in Germany we would exchange $ for Deutsch Marks. Once the "play money" (ha ha) was in our hands we figured what the heck - it isn't real money. (Like, right - LOL). But I spent the foreign currency much faster than I would have the American dollar. So I would say to go ahead and order the $42.00 steak and either live the memory forever (sigh) or grouse about the tough old English beef for the rest of my days (ha ha). You only live once.

A.C. was banished during lunch. As soon as Wayne comes inside I will let him out of his large, economy sized crate to rejoin us. Mel flew back with Mary and will be happy not to move until everyone is gone. Homer just slept through it all.

Lunch was really nice. We had a nice visit and they did like the sun room. Now they are on their way to an appointment (they do all their running at once, like we do, to save on gas. Everything is so far away!) After the guys check out the tractor, that is.

The Bloody Mary Caprese Skewers went over well Also the other skewered fruits, veggies, cheeses. Marsha brought a really nice salad - lettuce mixture, feta cheese, tomatoes, olives, dried cranberries, dried raspberries, super good. She has this little gizmo that is shaped like a shell and you dip out your salad with it. Cool! The tea was good. I really need to use the recipes I have for flavored tea - they are so refreshing on a warm day.

Dishes are stacked in the sink, DW is full of clean ones so need to empty it and add the luncheon dishes. I think a nap is in order - LOL.

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mommyluvs2cook 9 years ago said:

Hi Tina, glad to hear Fred's eye is doing well, hope he isn't in pain for too long. Hope the doctor gave him some Vicodin or something lol, that should calm him down :) Love the sound of your dinner, yum on cooking it in beer!
Joce the cool thing about the almond flour is I have actually been making my own. I make my own almond milk (which I go through like crazy with smoothies) so the "pulp left over from making the almond milk can be dried out in the oven and ground up in the food processor and that's is almond flour! Works beautifully and is a great money saver! The salad yesterday did have chicken on it, and would have been a fine price if it was a suitable sized salad, but it was the size of like a side order salad you would have with your meal or something.
Hi Karen, your food spread sounds great! Glad everyone enjoyed it. Lol on your animal problems, I really hope they calm down for you!! That's why we only have a hamster and a couple of hermit crabs :)
Wow I'm with you on the Elk Marie, not sure I could eat it! Wonder if it's anything like deer meat? Then I would eat it lol!
Made some Paleo banana bread, it turned out delicious!

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notyourmomma 9 years ago said:

Michelle, while I was dosing a bit, the Vegan Life was on PBS TV. She showed how to make almond milk, and she said "dry the solids in your dehydrator, grind it in a food processor, and you have almond flour!" I didn't dream it. PHEW

The numbness in his face is easing up. He is jumpy, jittery and grumpy. I hope dinner will cure the savage beast.

Karen, so happy lunch went well. Always nice to visit with friends. A nice nap is in order!

And on the play money, cool idea to ease the twinge of guilt. "when in Rome" is my motto!
Carpe Diem.

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Good4U 9 years ago said:

Karen, Your lunch sounded delicious! I am glad it went very well for you. LOL Your cat saga stories are quite entertaining:)

Michelle, I would never have thought of making my own almond flour like that! Very cool and would be worth doing to save money, if I was on your diet. ! I must admit I am not at all a fan of almond milk. LOL Paelo number #4 reason not to try the Paelo diet:)

I would probably try Elk no doubt it is like venison.

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mommyluvs2cook 9 years ago said:

That's such a coincidence about the show you heard Tina lol! Good luck with Fred today :S
Joce, homemade almond milk is SO MUCH better than the crap from the store. That's the main reason why I make my own.... and that it cost a little less :)

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chuckieb 9 years ago said:

Past my bedtime! Had a really lovely evening. Bottisham is an adorable little village and the restaurant was awesome. The four of us ended up sharing the Deep Fried Calamari (none for me, bleck), and the cured meats with sundried tomatoes, olives etc. I ordered the Fettucine with Smoked salmon. Very, very good....too big though, couldn't finish. Jim had the special of the evening, Lobster and Spaghetti.Turns out I got mixed up and the Deep fried courgettes was simply a tempura covered zucchini stick, not a blossom. But I tried some.....and....wait for it......had seconds! Me! Seconds of Zucchini! :)
Glad to hear you had a lovely lunch with your friends Karen.
Very cool you've been making your own almond flour Michelle. And almond milk as well. Goodness! You're like the Pioneer Woman. :)
Hope Fred has a good night Tina. You too.
Joce....loved that Dill Pickle dip pin you sent me. :) Pretty soon it'll be Dill Pickle soup season again.:)
Must hit the hay. Have a lovely evening everyone. Sleep sweet Kimmer.

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MissouriFarmWife 9 years ago said:

It is after 5. The nap was long and good. My legs hurt from being on them all day, the dirty dishes are still in the kitchen because the dish fairy messed up and stopped at someone else's house. Sigh. It is so hard to train dish fairies to come do your dishes. I guess Wayne and I will have to see about that before I fix supper. We did eat the lone surviving brownie, sort of a dessert first sort of idea, I guess.

A.C. has forgiven Wayne and has curled up on the chair beside his recliner. I am not fooled. He is plotting his next escapade. Plans are to make the little monster an outdoor cat after our two senior citizens are no more. I informed him he was catta non grata (excuse gross misspelling, please) after the last great escape.

Homer gave us this long, suspicious look when we motioned him to join us in the sun room for nap time. So we had it to ourselves.

Janet - did you succumb to the steak? I really want to know what they do to make it worth that much. I plan on ignoring prices IF we ever go to Morimoto's in Philadelphia. My goal is to drop some weight before hand. Of course, if we keep downing the last brownies, that will be rather difficult. Hmmm.

Tina - when Wayne is sick he can be grumpy, too. Well, not so much grumpy as wanting this, wanting that, usually at the moment I sit down after clearing away dishes - that sort of thing. When I am sick I disappear and go to sleep. As a kid, my mom said I was the easiest to care for because my brothers weer wanting a drink, wanting this, wanting that every 5 minutes. So it may be a "man thing." LOL. Hang in there. This, too, shall pass.

Joce - Enjoy the library card - I worked in libraries for about 29 years, 24 of which were in the same one. The first one was manual everything, books only. When I retired from the last library, it had CDs and MP3s, DVDs and BlueRays, eBooks and audio books, periodicals both paper and online, and was computerized.

Michelle -I had a couple of pet mice as a kid but graduated to cats, dogs, then horses. I drew the line at raccoons - the little bandits can remain wild. They do not make good pets. Even if they are cute.

Hi Marie & Laurie.

Wayne left to feed horses and get the mail. I best head for the kitchen and start to make order out of chaos so we can see about supper. Am not in the mood to go out this evening. Probably will curl up in front of the TV or relax in the sun room. One or the other.

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