This week, I felt like food won. I tried hard to resist, but too many delicious things came my way.
It started with lunch at a new restaurant. How can one pass up fries with a fried egg on top?
Then, the deconstructed Croque Monsieur and heavenly puff pastry dessert.
I tried to compensate by skipping dinner and tell myself it was one day, just one day..

Two days later, it was the trip to the new donut shoppe..Buttermilk Old fashioned and Apple Fritter.
I attempted to look up points on Weight Watchers for this snack..Yikes.
I ended my work week with one too many Bourbons and some chicken fingers.
Today I had a Bahn Mi for lunch and dinner. So much for one day.

I thought about my week, after I took the last delicious bite of my Bahn Mi.
Maybe some times we need to give ourselves a break.
I recognize that I have to get back on the straight and arrow, and I will.

But this week, Stephie=0, Food=1


Til next time,

Childhood memories are strange.
Do you actually remember things, or do you just hear the stories so many times, you think you remember them. My best memories, of course revolve around food. And I do remember.

My parents got divorced when I was four years old. I spent Sundays with my Dad.
I don't recall much of the first year. Things changed when I turned six years old.
I now had a step mom and new brother.  It was a difficult time, and Sundays weren't always so fun.
But Summer Sundays, were the best.

Every Sunday, we would head to Coney Island for the day. This meant a few things.
I would get to hang out with my Dad, swim and eat.
My Dad would make sandwiches for us to take to the beach.
These were no ordinary sandwiches. No ham and cheese for the Cochin family.

I would watch my Dad, over a giant pan filled with eggs, potatoes, onions and peppers.
He would just grab globs out of the pan and pop them in his mouth.
He would groan and shake his head, not even feeling the heat of the pan.
Then, he would show me his giant fresh rolls from the bakery.
He carefully wrapped each fluffy egg filled delight in tin foil, and packed them up.
A plum or peach would be thrown in for good measure.

I would sit in the car on the way, just thinking abouth the moment I could open the tin foil and take my first bite. My new brother could care less, and would disappear the minute we got there.
Dad would make a least two sandwiches per person, and I savored both of mine.
I loved these days at the beach with my Dad. If I was lucky, there might even be a trip to Nathan's on the way home. Nathan's had it all! Pizza, Cotton Candy, and of course Hot Dogs.
I loved to watch my Dad pop a whole hot dog in his mouth, gone in two bites.

I didn't always connect with my Dad. Our love for food, was our connection.
Things got tough between us at the end, and I didn't always care to talk to him.
But, every time we did speak, his first question would be "What did you have for lunch?".
I would describe each bite of the best meal I had that week, and he would do the same.
Somehow, things could be simple between us, just like those days at Coney Island.

Til next time,

Another "restaurant week" is coming to a close here in Chicago.
What is "restaurant week" you ask? For 10 days more than 250 restaurants in our amazing city offer price fixe lunch and dinner at discount prices.
If I could, I would eat lunch and dinner for all 10 days, but my wallet and waistline will not allow.
So, I settled for 2 lunches and 2 dinners. Today, I had my last meal of the 4.
To be honest, it was the only 1 of the 4 that I truly enjoyed.

Which lead to me to some thoughts..

Most restaurants, do not put their best foot forward. They offer the least expensive and probably least ordered dishes. Most of the meals I had, there were 1 or 2 standouts at best. The rest was mediocre.
And let's be honest, after the diet cokes, coffees and "special desserts", it's not such a deal.

Why are we so obsessed with going to these restaurants and participating in this ritual?
Why? Because we love to eat! It's just an excuse to show off our fancy palettes and say we have been to..fill in the blanks. Deep down, we just love to eat, and it's a great excuse.

Last night my fellow foodie and I experienced some new things. Potato ice cream, Pig tails and grilled cheese for dessert. Did we like it? Not so much. We both wanted to know where the salt was..

Today at lunch, we had a great waiter. We discussed restaurant week with him.
He kinda hinted that "restaurant week" started in New York, and maybe that's where it belonged.
Now, you know that I agree with that, don't be mad.

But I will stick up for Chi-town. When I moved here, it was Gibsons, Spaggio and Trotter's.
How far we have come. This is a world class food city. The highest rated restaurant int he U.S. is here in Chicago. So props Chicago, you do not disappoint. but at the end of the day, do we need "Restaurant Week"?

All we want here in Chicago, is to eat.
It could be a special night out at fancy place, or just good tater tots and chicken fingers.
I am okay with the latter.

Til next time,

It's the 1960's. I am at table in the Catskills, surrounded by my big Jewish family. The waiter asks me what I would like..I answer "The roast beef, rare please". The table explodes in laughter..
What 4 year old, says that? This one does.

Every since I can remember, my relationship with food has been different than most people's.
My childhood is marked by memories of food. some are good, and some are bad.
My grandmother's cooking, my mother's concern about eating, and my father's obsessive love for food have all played a part in how I feel about food and eating it.
My search for something delicious at all times, started then and has never ended.

I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I have been very fat, and I have been perfectly normal.
I have never stopped wanting to eat. It is a challenge every day. In my dream world, you can eat what ever you want and not gain weight. Just like that Albert Brooks movie. But that is just a dream.

I am the point in my life, where I don't want to be overweight, ever again.
I have learned to eat healthy and still have days where I can eat something delicious.
I live in amazing city with so many great places to eat.
I work in a industry, where you are wined and dined weekly. It's tough.

I have decided to write about my experiences with food, and share my stories about great meals.
I also want to share my struggles, and how hard it is to keep it under control.

This a food obsessed society, I am one of many.
Here we go..

When I was kid, I stayed with my grandparents every weekend.
My grandmother was about 5'0 tall and about 180 lbs.
Calories were not an issue, which meant they weren't an issue for me.
I could take a break from the Tab and Fig Newtons, I got at home

Once a month, Grandma had the ladies over for Mah Jong.
To say I was excited about this is an understatement, it meant the spread was coming out!
Plates of lox, bagels and cream cheese layered the Mah Jong table.
Delicious homemade tuna salad, egg salad and rolls, some of Ida's brownies.
"Come mamala eat something"..Oh I did. I still smile, when I think about those nights.
I was still to young to realize, being fat was bad. I could eat with abandon.

I knew then, that the way I felt about food, was different than most kids.
Spagehtti O's, no thanks. PB and J, I'll pass.
A big fat NY bagel smothered in scallion cream cheese and lox, yes please.

This is one many stories I want to write about.
Hope there is someone out there, who can relate, or at least enjoy reading this!

Till next time,