[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: October 26, 2009]
Appropriate, I suppose, that as the Yankees carry off their fortieth pennant, my diary falls open to the World Series of 1999 - which was all over by October 27.
What this means as far as gastronomic adventures are concerned is that eating was fitted in around the games that week. So no restauranting, as such, to report. There was plenty of home cooking, as I continued working my way through pork chop recipes from Waverley Root's classic The Food of France. Chops à la Vosgienne, and à la Bayonnaise - not to mention grilled pork and plum sandwiches (no, I've no clear memory of how I came to make those).
Worth mentioning that I was buying first rate meat back then from the French butcher on Second Avenue between 22nd and 23 Streets. A large, emotional man and first-rate butcher, Armand Carré had previously manned the meat counter at Les Halles. His Second Avenue shop (now in different hands) stocked excellent - and expensive - meat, and also sold very good prepared dishes, fine cheese, and the best foie gras I've ever eaten in New York. What became of him, I wonder?
I managed to squeeze some non-sporting entertainment into my life before the serious ballgames started: Mark Nadler in the upstairs cabaret room at Sardi's, and Ally Sheedy in the popular Hedwig show in the Village. And then it was Saturday, and the Yankees at the Braves. The Sunday game went with meatloaf and papaya salsa. There was a day off on Monday and I made chicken casserole. Tuesday and Wednesday saw games three and four, and that was the sweep and the last, to all intents and purposes, of John Rocker.
Happy days, and hopefully an augury of more to come. Peacock Alley for a game blow-out next week.
