Category Archives: food

Breakfast at IHOP (Again)

Teardrop trail log: June 19, 2016

FAST Biryani Logo

After exploring Madison, we noticed FAST Biryani. Finding new culinary adventures is one of the reasons we love to travel and this looked like an opportunity to explore a unique restaurant, especially in a neighborhood of chain eateries. Later, we would learn that FAST stands for Flavorful, Aromatic, Spicy and Tasteful, authentic Hyderabadi Indian cuisine in the Nizam tradition. The experience was amazing, the perfect balance of spices in recipes that had been handed down for generations. Conveniently located across the parking lot from the Econo Lodge.

Chicken Biryani

After dinner it was a short walk across the parking lot and we were back to the motel. As we climbed the stairs, we looked down on the lobby. It always seemed to be awash in activity, busy staff trying to run the hotel complete with an array of eccentric guests speaking lots of different languages – a true international Fawlty Towers.

We awoke from a deep sleep the next morning. Although breakfast came with room, we decided to not dine amidst all the chaos, but sought out the offer of predictability and comfort food of a nearby IHOP, located in a strip mall just down the street. Bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast!

Classic IHOP breakfast

Dinner with Carole and Merritt at La Brioche

Teardrop trail Log: June 18, 2016

There are opportunities when traveling, and being near Madison was no exception. In a former life, I collaborated with Carol, a colleague on several conference papers and presentations for the IT Leaders Program, Educause and the Distance Teaching and Learning Conference in Madison. Since both of us worked in higher education information and instructional technology, we were interested in how well today’s universities were meeting the needs and expectations of the digitally sophisticated students who studied there. As part of our work, we enjoyed trips to Seattle, Madison, Austin, Berkeley and State College, Pennsylvania. I hadn’t talked with her in several years and wanted to catch up.

: La Brioche dinner in Madison Wisconsin

: Another La Brioche creation

We joined Carole and her husband Merritt for our first dinner in Madison. They promised to take us to one of the most unique restaurants and they were true to their word. Although situated in a strip mall, La Brioche True Food is remarkable. This bistro and bakery is run by Jackie Patricia, feng shui expert and classically trained pianist with her husband, David Yankovich who was a student of Madison culinary pioneer Johanna Guthrie. Her vision was to serve people through conscious food and service. The website describes the space as “removed from the hustle-bustle outside – that you breathe and relax into yourself…” The atmosphere is amazing. Mahogany wainscoting, high back tapestry chairs and a warm light from the chandeliers. Another source says that they aim for a higher-ground culinary experience utilizing local organic food prepared well with just the right amount of fuss. Right on all points.

Tasty Trail Red Power Food

Teardrop Trail Log: June 17, 2016

The Tasty Trail has taken us to some amazing culinary adventures with a variety of great eats and fairground cuisine at each of the Red Power Round Up events. At the Racine County fairgrounds, many of the food concessions were operated by community organizations like the Kiwanis, Future Farmers of America and 4H bringing a local perspective to the menu.

A fairground 4H breakfast

For breakfast, we selected the 4H concession. They were serving up biscuits with ham and cream gravy, like the gravy often found on Chicken Fried Steak. This comfort food has a long history, with a balance between flour and grease for the perfect consistency. As we waited for our food, we watched as the adults teaching youngsters to take orders, write tickets and place orders while preparing the iconic fairground breakfast. It was so tasty, we returned the next day.

Another day, we waited in line for mouth-watering brats for lunch at the stand run by members of the Kiwanis club. It seemed that everyone else had been lured in by the amazing smell of brats that wafted around the grassy area in the middle of the grounds.

photo of Proctor Silex 33116Y Slow Cooker

Proctor Silex Slow Cooker

For dinner – we decided to add a small crockpot to our Teardrop kitchen. It was a perfect way to have a wonderful dinner at our campsite at the Racine County Fairgrounds. I loaded up the tiny cooker before going out for the book signing and my presentation on Irma Harding. Dinner was waiting when we returned. Here is our recipe.

Teardrop Pork Chops

2 boneless Pork chops (3/4″ thick)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup hot water
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 small onions
freshly ground pepper

Sear the pork chops. Dissolve bouillion in the hot water, add mustard and stir.
Cut off the ends, and peel the onions, then cut in half cross wise to make 4 thick “wheels”.
Place the onions on the bottom of the Crockpot in a single layer.
Once chops are seared, place them atop the onions.
Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, and slowly add the liquid over all.
Cook for 4.5 hours

Octane Press Red Power Reception at Waterstreet Brewery

Teardrop Trail Log: Thursday, June 16

Canning, Pickling and Freezing with Irma Harding

Octane Press, the publisher of my cookbook, Canning, Pickling and Freezing with Irma Harding was holding a meet-and-greet in conjunction with Red Power Round Up. The invitation offered an evening of appetizers and libations. We established camp at the Racine County fairgrounds and un-hitched the Ambassador. Then Jim and I headed down the Teardrop Trail to the Water Street Brewery in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

Octane Press, founded by Lee Klancher, began in the Mid-2000s. Lee had always loved books and the company now publishes his own work and the work of others. Octane has more than 50 titles in print with about 6 – 12 new projects each year. Octane has been working with International Harvester on a variety of projects that range from calendars to coffee table books.

International Scout Encyclopedia

Since this year’s Red Power Round Up was held in Racine where Case IH Headquarters is located, this party was an opportunity to meet Sarah Pickett, from Case IH Marketing Communications and many of the folks I’d been working with on the cookbook project. There were other Octane Press authors in attendance. Jim and I enjoyed meeting many of the folks, especially Jim Allen and John Glancy, who had just published the International Scout Encyclopedia.

Since 1987, The Water Street Brewery has produced more than 78,000 half-barrels which is approximately 12,987,700 glasses of beer. The Oak Creek location opened recently in a modern, well-lit building that has one-of-a kind beer and brewing artifacts, featured in the book “The World of Beer Memorabilia” Book. It was great to have Jim was accompanying me and we enjoyed a great dinner of fish tacos and tasted a few more of the delightful brews.

Good restaurant too

On the Tasty Trail – Cherry Valley Café, The Best Fries Ever!

Teardrop Trail Log: June 16, 2016

Worth climbing over the construction

Thursday, we were heading north on I 39, when we embarked on the Tasty Trail in Cherry Valley, a quaint, mid-nineteenth century Illinois town with a cobblestone main street, lined by red brick buildings from a by-gone era. We spotted the Cherry Valley Café, located in an old bank built in 1909. A family restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner – seven days a week. Just our kind of place. We dodged the barricades for the road construction on State Street and opened the door to be transported back in time. The vibe was very friendly, small town. The customers greeted each other and the staff had been described by one review as “Flo-esque,” very friendly and attentive. Happy Days?

Chicken Sandwich

Jim ordered the BLT and I chose the Chicken Sandwich. The best way to describe the plates was artful home cooking. On my sandwich, the chicken peaked out from under the bun ever so slightly and the garnish was a small symphony in red and green – lettuce, tomato, topped with perfectly placed pickles. Jim’s BLT was amazing. Carefully cut triangles of perfectly toasted white bread with layers of lettuce and ripe red tomato slices. The real center piece of the plate was the mound of crispy, mouth-watering fries, piled artistically around the sandwich. He selected one of these tasty morsels and plopped it in his mouth. His eyes lit up as he exclaimed,”Yum.” He is always kind enough to share a few fries. I really appreciated his generosity. They were amazing. As we left the Cherry Valley Café, we speculated on the secret process that created this amazing culinary experience. One reviewer had written that they have extra breading or something that increased their flavor and texture over normal fries. Jim observed that perhaps they were dipped in tempura batter. He is completely convinced that these are the best fries ever!

Cherry Valley Café

Can you call Tech Support?

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

Motel 6 – WiFi Fail

The heat, raccoons and trailer problems had taken their toll, and by late in the day, we were looking forward to a rest in a clean, comfortable room. Marilyn had arranged a reservation at the Motel 6 in Peoria, and it looked good as we rolled in. Check in was routine, and the clerk accommodated our request for a room overlooking the Lady and Ambassador’s parking place. A quick shower and we would be on our way to dinner, checking into the ‘net, and a night of rest.

Except — we couldn’t seem to connect with the Motel 6 Wi-Fi. Hmmm. Back to the front desk. The clerk was sympathetic, but couldn’t help. She suggested I call Tech Support and provided a telephone number. Once an IT guy, always an IT guy. You can’t escape it. Back in the room, I called the number. Telephone-based tech support is the same the world over, and after getting through the call attendant system, I reached a human. It was clear he wasn’t located in Peoria and was probably part of a larger contract support service, but he did acknowledge there was a problem. Could we try connecting again in an hour or so?

Dinner didn’t sound bad, and there was a Grand Village Chinese buffet nearby (the high-octane fuel of tech workers everywhere) and we decided to try it out. Inside, the place was huge, and clearly designed to deliver a variety of tasty calories in the most efficient manner possible. The food was good, and the restaurant well attended. A popular place is always a good sign. Soup, appetizers, and several main courses later, we rolled out and headed back to the motel. A good meal always helps the mood.

Back at the room, we checked the wi-fi. Connection was iffy, and there didn’t seem to be any throughput. We would have to be happy with our cell-based data again. They might leave the light on for you, but they forgot to pay the Internet bill.

On the Tasty Trail

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

We decided to take the scenic route after leaving Mark Twain’s birthplace. As we pulled into the small town of Perry, Missouri around lunch time, we saw the Hootenanny Cafe on corner of Main Street and Palmyra Street. Discovering local places to eat is one of our favorite parts of traveling. One online review described the menu as “a small town take on fast food that reminds one of granny’s cooking.” From lemon meringue to apple, it was hard to miss the amazing pies, being placed on display as they came out of the oven.

A fine lunch at the Hootenany

Walking in the door, there was a homey atmosphere, the quintessential American heartland cafe. This was clearly a gathering place for some of the locals. Two ladies at a table across the room could have been the reincarnation of my grandmother Tina and her best friend Beulah from their print dresses to their sensible shoes. Our table was set with with tall, Pepsi plastic glasses, the black metal napkin dispenser as well as the yellow mustard and red catsup plastic squeeze bottles.

Jim had a BLT and I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. He chose fries and I got the onion rings to share. Yum. To Pie or Not to Pie, that became the question after lunch.

On the Mocha Trail

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

I have a problem. It’s not a big problem, but around 3 in the afternoon, I start wishing for a Mocha Latte. I acquired the habit while working at the university, where a Starbuck’s was conveniently located across the street from my office. I would often have meetings there in the low-key, jazz-infused atmosphere. Good times.

The habit persists, and I am usually thinking about Mocha by 3 in the afternoon. In fact, it is afternoon as I write this and there is a Mocha within arm’s reach. Chocolatey goodness. The itch can be hard to scratch on the road though. Starbuck’s, and coffee houses in general are a city thing — much harder to find in rural and small town America. Nevertheless, Marilyn begins the Internet quest for Mocha each day we’re on the road in the hopes of a treat.

Funny Pages Cafe

We were approaching Moberly in north-central Missouri, and I was sure I would have to do without. With a population of just under 14,000 and relatively distant from larger cities, it seemed unlikely to have such amenities. Then Marilyn announced a Mocha stop in a few miles. The Funny Pages Cafe advertised a bakery and coffee drinks. We stopped.

Mocha Latte

The interior was fun. Peanuts, Felix the Cat, Bugs Bunny, Betty Boop, Popeye — many of my favorite comic book and cartoon characters were posted on the cafe walls. The smell of fresh baking. An appealing menu of burgers, fried chicken and seafood. Too bad it wasn’t dinnertime. We bought some fresh bread for breakfast and in no time, my travel mug had been filled with a Mocha Latte.

Ritters in Moberly

Ritter’s, nursery and farmers market was right next door. With a metal building, greenhouse and tables of colorful flowers, it was an inviting way to stretch our legs. Inside, there was a wide variety of produce — beautifully displayed. Also, there were plastic tubs containing bulk seeds; Peas, beans, corn, onion sets and smaller tubs containing dozens of other vegetable seeds. I hadn’t seen anything like it since I was a kid in Nebraska visiting the small town near my grandparents farm.

: Amish tomatos

: Amazing produce

A Masked Marauder – Raccoon!

Teardrop Trail Log: June 13, 2016

Travel completed, we arrived at Lake Jacomo County Park near Kansas City and our cares dissipated. The place looks more like a city park than a camp ground with a well-manicured lawn and plantings, and a stylish restroom and bathhouse. Best of all, Marilyn had thoughtfully stashed a beer or two into the ice chest. I would have cold beer even though the solar fridge system had failed. We each began our setup and dinner tasks.

The weather was warm but not too bad, and I enjoyed setting up camp. Marilyn was already working on dinner — a chicken recipe that we both like. With the new stabilizers, I was done in no time, and sat down to enjoy a cold one while checking the day’s events. The prospect of a a leisurely dinner in the twilight beckoned.

As we sat down to dinner about 30 minutes later, we heard a crash by the camp picnic table. Investigating, Marilyn discovered the pasta pot had been knocked to the ground. This was new. There was no wind to speak of, and we weren’t near any other campsites. What was going on?

North American Raccoon (theivous cuteus)

I then noticed some movement near the tree. iPhone at the ready, I snapped a picture, the flash went off, and we had the evidence. There was a raccoon relaxing by the tree and apparently pondering it’s next move. Attracted by the pasta cooking water, it was unconcerned and seemed to say: “I’ll just wait here for dinner.” As we finished our dinner rituals, I spotted it outside of camp again — eyes aglow from my flashlight. Hmmm. Very persistent and comfortable around humans. Did we have a new challenge for our trip?

Patience and persistence personified

Kansas City Bound

Teardrop Trail Log: June 13, 2016

The clerk touted the free Wi-Fi during check-in at Camp Motel 6. As we sorted through our soggy gear, anxious to catch up on email and other online delights after a challenging day on the road, we soon realized that the results were grim at best. Jim, who had lots of experience in many things tech, described it as a data dribble. Later I would read that we had encountered the perfect storm of hotel Wi-Fi problems – lack of workable access and very poor capacity. The “perfect” end to the “perfect” day – #WiFiFail. The outside world would have to wait. It was time to turn off the lights and drift off to sleep, listening to the sounds of the rain outside.

Classic IHOP breakfast

In the morning, we headed to IHOP, located conveniently across the parking lot. Normally, we would seek out the most amazing local eatery for a culinary adventure, but today we needed to go promptly. As we entered, a flood of memories returned – many road trips as a child with stops at IHOP. The chain started in 1958 and continues to offer predictability in each of its 1,650 restaurants around the world. Chow time! Bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast. Comfort food on the road.

We loaded the Ambassador and headed north. Paris, Texas, up through Oklahoma and on to Missouri. We had been in Missouri last summer for Red Power Round Up in Sedalia. Rather than exploring off the beaten path, this time we elected to hit Interstate 49 for Kansas City. We would be meeting Sarah Tucker, the editor of Cool Tears magazine. She had suggested a county campground near her home. Yes, we were on the Teardrop Trail again….

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