Comments on Want to be a free thinker but still a nice person: Brenda's big adventure

Cute Sunflower story. I worked on their advertisin...

2008-04-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Cute Sunflower story. I worked on their advertising account when I worked in Jackson in the early '80s and the owner just loved Paul Ott Caruth and wanted him in his commercials. He insisted his wife have a starring role too. I think she had a little trouble with her lines like, "And the prices are good too." Is he still active in his career?

I think Sunflower Stos are &%^$#---sold out to som...

2008-04-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

I think Sunflower Stos are &%^$#---sold out to some other chain. The heir to the Sunflower fortune was that effeminate guy from whom we bought a house---remember, he was showing us around, and exclaimed, "When [wife] and Ah saw this house, Ah just said, 'Heah is a STAR waitin' to be BORN!'" They're the couple who had that dawg named something like Rebel (pronounced "Rubble") or some such.

I loved me them Sunflower groceries, too. Me and Truman Capote used to cruise the aisles selecting ingredients for them lunches he hosted. And LE's grandfather died in one! He was buying a nice ribeye steak, and just fell out right there in the meat department.

Naw, you have provolone at Kroger's -- that's wher...

2008-04-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

Naw, you have provolone at Kroger's -- that's where I used to see it. Do they still have Sunflower grocery stores over there? I have such nostalgia for them.

Same prob here, although I have bought the pre-sli...

2008-04-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

Same prob here, although I have bought the pre-sliced smoked provo for LE's lunch sandwiches (it isn't real Eyetal provo, just some Sara Lee stuff.) There are many food websites from which you can order fancy cheeses, but I never do that...I mean, at the end of the day, it's just foodstuff, gone as soon as you eat it,so...

Interestingly, one can often find really good imported cheeses at Sam's Club.

Sounds good but provolone is hard to get in Readin...

2008-04-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sounds good but provolone is hard to get in Reading supermarkets. I used to have it on my pizzas when we lived in St Louis and tried to do that here but the cheese isn't readily available; same with Monterey Jack.

The funny thing is, there are no recipes---Daniela...

2008-04-23T06:31:00.000-07:00

The funny thing is, there are no recipes---Daniela cooks like I do, throwing in whatever seems good, amount-wise. Here was a favorite that is super-easy and unbelievably delicious:

Creamy Tomato Cheese Sauce over Fettucine

Some tomatoes (need to be good ripe juicy ones, otherwise use good-quality canned ones, drained)

garlic
chopped yellow onion
olive oil

Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil, and add tomatoes. Simmer very low until the tomatoes aren't quite so runny and have kind of fallen apart.

Turn off heat and add:

Mascarpone or ricotta (we used the former and the sweetness is nice)

Smoked provolone, cubed

Stir well---the mascarpone will blend, but the provolone cubes will sort of stay whole and just melt a bit.

Serve over fettucine.

The important thing is that the provolone be SMOKED---it provides the main flavor. Interestingly, other than salt and pepper to taste, Daniela didn't add any spices or herbs. Some chopped Italian parsley for color would be good, though.

I put the same comment twice due to zealous over-c...

2008-04-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

I put the same comment twice due to zealous over-clicking so had to delete one.

Post one of those fabulous Venetian recipes when y...

2008-04-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Post one of those fabulous Venetian recipes when you have time, Brenda. But it has to be easy; no Moliere Pie recipes for me now when I'm working so much.