The Walrus and the Carpenter


The Walrus and the Carpenter in Black Rock is the best new thing to appear in Bridgeport for a long time. It took the place of the Ash Creek Saloon, of which the less is said the better.


I went there with some colleagues from the University of Bridgeport and we dug into a menu full of heart-stopping treasures, from poutine (above) to maple pork belly (below).


Fried oysters...

Pulled pork...


Scallops and pork belly (a different cut as you can see, thick and wonderful)...


 And ribs, which I had. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention their cornbread, which was delightful. Not a bad dish in the lot; everyone went home satisfied and pleased. High-quality smoked meats (done right on the premises) served with class and genius. Keep up the great work!


Big Book Club Getaway 2014


Enjoyed appearing at the Big Book Club Getaway this year. Dr. Ruth (above) appeared with her usual energy, and Debbie Macomber headlined. We actually had no idea what she looked like and offered to sign the copy of History of Connecticut Food that she was carrying around!


I was on a panel with Diane Smith (the "ambassador of Connecticut" for those who don't know), Garrison Leykham of Those Diner and Motorcycle Guys, and Chris Jones of the Monte Cristo Bookshop in New London.


It as an honor to meet Diane Smith, who is currently reading Becoming Tom Thumb in preparation for another event, my appearance at the Old State House in Hartford this summer.


And Garrison and I had a good time signing each others' books and chatting about Connecticut diners! The event had more people than last year, and I can only hope that every year gets bigger and bigger.


Philly's Cheesesteaks, Norwich, Connecticut


 
Stopped by Philly's Cheesesteaks in Norwich the other day. Recommended by the Travel Channel and many other outlets, Philly's is acknowledged as the best cheesesteak east of the Hudson River. 
 


I can say that it probably is. The place itself is charming and the owners are delightful.


The steak is the best part of these sandwiches - super tender and delicious. The cheez whiz is solid, but I liked the one on the right, which had both cheez whiz and regular cheese. The other elements were all excellent. The only part where they fall short of the great cheesesteaks of Philadelphia is the roll. They need to import a firmer, more toastable roll. If they had that...well, I think they might be BETTER than the cheesesteaks I've had back in my original home state.


One more note. We had the barbecue chicken fries (see below) and they were fantastic. The reason was that the chicken pieces you can see there were absolutely tender and melt in your mouth good. They care about the quality of the meat at Philly's, and it shows. Keep up the good work, guys!


Four Blue Eggs


Time to run out and get a copy of my wife's new book, Four Blue Eggs. It's a beautiful collection of insightful, crisp poems. Here's what the cover says:

"Four Blue Eggs is sense music, an exploration of beginnings and of endings. In this collection of poems, Amy Nawrocki intuits fireflies and sapphires, observes gardens rooted in glasses of water, and tests the bindings of old books. Solace abounds-in winter's white, in the hefty doors of an Oldsmobile, in half melted candles. Stick figures walk in this terrestrial moonscape, birds nest in improbable trees, daughters survive without mothers and fathers. Her poems propose that though "we earn the favor of being by breaking," the pieces are salvageable; bruises heal from the inside through the universe's infinite surrogacy. The collection contemplates how to tether the salty wounds of sadness, how to find our treeness, and how to say good bye."

Catullus

He came from the north. He lived a brief, passionate, unhappy life. He wrote magnificent poetry. And he introduced a new word for 'kiss' into the European languages. Although he was a superb poet, only one solitary copy of his poems survived the Dark Ages - a single, battered manuscript, preserved in his home, Verona. Yet, even if that lonely copy had perished and all his poems had been lost, one of his creations would have remained. Whenever a Frenchman says baiser, whenever an Italian speaks of un bacio, when a Spaniard says besar or a Portugese beijar, they are using the word which this poet picked up and made into Latin to amuse his sweetheart. The woman was unworthy. The poet died. The word lives.
                                           - Gilbert Highet, Poets in a Landscape

Interview on Homebound Publications

A few questions for Eric D. Lehman, author of Afoot in Connecticut.

1. What books are on your nightstand?
 
At this moment – Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Lionel Casson’s Travel in the Ancient World.
 
2. What book are you an evangelist for—what book do you feel that everyone needs to read?
Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows. I didn’t read it until I was an adult and fell in love with it then. So I make sure to nudge adults into reading it, and of course give copies to all my nieces and nephews.
 
Read the rest of the interview here.

Mine Hill, Roxbury


Visited Mine Hill in Roxbury, owned by the Roxbury Land Trust. it was much more impressive than its status as 'mere' land trust property might indicate. I immediately thought "state park" at least. 


 The remnants of the foundry, the roasting ovens, and the rest were amazing, as well as donkey paths up the mountain to abandoned mine shafts. Don't go in them, though - they are dangerous.


Easton Historical Society


Amy and I had a lot of fun speaking at the Easton Historical Society the other day. So many people turned out - it was great to see the enthusiasm for our state's culinary treasures.


Nearby is the Helen Keller Middle School - she lived in Easton for three decades! Most people in Connecticut don't even know that. We'll be discussing her more in our next book.


Waiting for Godot with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan


Went to the Cort Theater to see Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart act in Samuel Beckett's masterpiece, Waiting for Godot.


They brought it to life in a surprising and funny way, with a pathos created by their actual friendship.


Their true affection for each other came through in the two homeless vagabonds they portrayed.


It was a masterful performance, almost too good. How will I ever settle for ordinary acting again?

Sapporo, Midtown Manhattan


Tried Sapporo in Midtown during an excursion last week. It was totally packed for lunch, but we managed to squeeze in after a 20 minute wait. It was worth the trouble.


Amy had the Tan-Tan-Men Ramen, something they just don't have at Connecticut restaurants (yet). Meaty!


I had the Berkshire Pork Katsu curry. Amazing. Again, Japanese curry is hard to find even in New Haven, so it was great to have again. A perfect Manhattan lunch experience.


Roseland Apizza


After hearing so many good things about Roseland Apizza in Derby Amy and I had to try it out. So, we went, and got a mozzarella and garlic pizza. It was very good. Was it as some say as good as the New Haven pizzas (Pepe's, Sally's, Modern, Bar). No. Not even close. It was very good local pizza - probably the best in Derby and the surrounding area. But I can name better pizzas in the county without going to New Haven's elite - Zuppardi's in West Haven, Little Rendevouz in Meriden...even Eli's Brick Oven on Whitney has a less greasy, richer slice. I would go back for another pizza there, definitely. Don't get me wrong! But to rate this above many others in the county is impossible.


Dottie's Diner, Woodbury

 
 
Stopped by Dottie's Diner in Woodbury the other day. They are in the Insider's Guide to Connecticut, and are known for their doughnuts.
 
 
The doughnuts are the crusty, cakey kind, which is not my personal favorite kind of doughnut. But for those who love that kind, these are amazing.


What's more surprising is that the diner has other amazing food, too. Amy said that the Eggs Benedict above was the best she's had.


The corned beef hash was absolutely full of corned beef, and was spiced with thyme and cumin. (?)


And the mac and cheese was a step above diner mac and cheese - and swimming in several different kinds of cheeses. A wonderful dining experience, and certainly worthy of the Guide.


 

Winter Goldfinch




We regularly have a dozen or so species at our feeder. But this little one was a mystery. Finally we figured out it was a female goldfinch in winter colors. I think. If you have a better idea, let me know! She was very small, definitely finch sized.