A solitary lunch

One of the things I miss about traveling for business is dinner out at a nice restaurant. Lucky for me, I haven’t traveled out of town for business the past few months. Most times, dinner was a solitary affair – just me and one of my favorite magazines. At the end of a long day, a nice dinner, a glass (or two) or decent wine, and an hour reading one of my favorite magazines was a real treat.

But please don’t get me wrong – being home every night, having dinner with my family – or picking up the boys from track practice, or watching a movie together, or going to Graeters for ice-cream, or taking a walk with my wife – those are all absolutely great. But I have grown to like my ‘alone’ time too; the introvert in me basks in that time, at least for a while.

So anyway, today Melinda had gum surgery and I stayed home to care for her. Having become familiar with what gum surgery entails, and how it is hereditary, I thank God that my parents had good gums (Thanks God! And mom, and dad too!). So we get home around 11 AM, she crashes after taking numerous pain & etc pills. I found that there was one more prescription to fill –so off to Kroger I go.

Now, I really like grocery shopping. So, I drop off the prescription and hit the rest of the store. I’m looking for interesting foods for my lunch…. A pre-packaged bacon-wrapped filet-mignon? But it’s supposed to rain soon – but I have a grill-pan, so in the basket it goes. At this point I’m running through a mental list of what’s in the ‘frig…. Now the produce aisle – shitake mushrooms… sure! Gotta have some good bread – and there’s an ‘artisanal’ 7-grain boule. Got it. Lunch is starting to come together.

When I get home. Melinda is zonked-out, slobbering all over the pillow (she’ll *kill* me when she reads this). I take care of that, and the prescription, and I’m off to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Get the grill-pan heating while I get a bottle of wine from the wine cellar (yes, I have a wine cellar)…. Coat the steak with a blend of chili pepper, cumin, salt, and coriander; put it in the grill pan. Do we still have that asparagus in the ‘frig? Yes! OK, here we go. Cut the asparagus into chunks, trim and slice the mushrooms. Saute them both in olive oil, add some salt and pepper, and add some leftover grilled potatoes from last night. Yum and done. A couple minutes more and the steak is done. Oh yeah, cut a slice of bread and warm it in the grill pan, drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil.

Now, I sit down at the table, alone. The only sound is from the approaching thunderstorm. I spend a good 30 minutes, eating my lunch while reading the latest issue of Saveur. This is nice. Not that I want to do this every day, but it’s a nice change. Kind of like ‘old’ times.

I forgot about getting dessert at the grocery store…. In the pantry we have a box of Nutty Bars, and that works for me.

The pain pills have kicked in and she is sleeping through this raucous thunderstorm. A few bolts of lightning seem to strike really close, and the rain overflows the gutters. I made it halfway through my magazine, and feel replenished.

Comments

[Ono]

You like grocery shopping???

Grocery shopping for me is tense. I have a list from my wife and coupons and . . . it is just plain tense. (Somewhat like cross-stiching, you should try that sometime, it is tense.)

Steve, I am also very concerned that you would eat a pre-packaged bacon-wrapped filet mignon??? Like we wouls say in the Pentecostal church, you need deliverance, bro! Steve, I love you, I think you are the world's greatest guy, but don't you ever buy pre-packaged bacon-wrapped filet mignon. That's just not right.

I do have to say the prep sounds delicious.

My sympathies to your wife. I had four wisdom teeth pulled in one day. Actually it was a couple of days before I was forced out of the USCCB, so it wasn't the mot pleasant time. I felt like my lip was the size of Kilimanjaro, drooping, and I was a slobbering mess. Add being drugged up to that list and I was not pretty sight.

I didn't do no where as much biz travel as you did, but I really did not like eating in restaurants alone. I much preferred to do room service and watch a movie.

Anyway, I'm glad you got a few quiet moments to yourself, but please, in the future, stay away from pre-packaged bacon-wrapped filet mignon.

[Rick]

Wine from the cellar, filet, fresh asparagus, 7-grain boule...and nutty bars.

One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong......

[Steve Bogner]

Ono - It was all about convenience. There used to be a great little independent grocery store in the neighborhood that would cut fresh steaks and bacon-wrap them to-order, but they closed a while back. And I shop for groceries by myself - no one else in the family likes to do it - so maybe that makes it more enjoyable.

Rick - How about a 'barre de écrou' instead of a nutty bar? A barre de écrou covered in milk chocolate...

[penni]

i laughed out loud at rick's comment...

sounds like a wonderful lunch, prepacked filet and all (philistine!) (just kidding) and i love saveur magazine. i was sad when our subscription ran out.

[anj]

Oh - this sounds nice. Pre-kids I used to travel a lot - I still miss it at times. Len, my husband, traveled a lot(internationally) when we were first married. he, too, has quit the travel to be home more. I think, in that area, he is quite likely a saint. You have left me pondering a question - what type of wine? :)

[Steve Bogner]

Hi Anj - It was a basic Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. I save the good stuff for those times I don't eat the prepackaged steaks.

[Rick]

'barre de écrou?? Much better.

Fresh from Krogiette, no doubt;-)

I have no issues with the pre-packaged filet -- you cooked it yourself, after all.

[anj]

Oh- I like Chilean Cabernets. A very nice daily drop!