A Tale of Two "T's"....

While the flutters were away from home, demons (aided by SMECO) infested the router severing communication with the net, hence the bit tardy "wrap up"...it's always something


Airline travel (this time with “A” seats), rental car, drive in more rain, lug the bags into the digs, and a less than normal turnout for trick and treat finds us back in the park, watching rain come down once more. Thus concludes our second trip this month, this one book ended by a couple of “T’s”.

“T” Number One

The first part of the week was an immersion in Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens (as you know from the numerous pictures and verbiage). We all remember Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, but there was so much more to him than those books. I had always sort of thought of him as the author of those books and not much more. Wrong, oh retired engineer! There were many layers and facets to the man.. The people at Hannibal’s Boyhood Home museum are endeavoring to tell more of the story of him, and not just his characters. He had very strong feelings about society and in particular racism and slavery. We listened to a lot of his writing that one might not casually come across, and much of it is great stuff. I could aspire to his style and humor, it is really memorable. I am currently reading his “autobiography” (by Charles Neider) which was constructed from his writings, because although there were a few attempts by Clemens to write one himself, it never really materialized into a single coherent book. He did specify that nothing could be published until after his death:

“I speak from the grave rather than with my living tongue for a good reason: I can speak thence freely. When a man is writing a book dealing with the privacies of life – a book which is to be read while he is alive – he shrinks from speaking his whole frank mind; all his attempts to do it fail; he recognizes that he is trying to do a thing which is wholly impossible to a human being”

Clemens never shrank from speaking his "whole frank mind" regardless of consequences…he also appreciated the finer things in life, especially food. In speaking of his boyhood memories of summers on his uncle’s farm:

“In the summer the table was set in the middle of that shady and breezy floor (of the farmhouse), and the sumptuous meals – well it makes me cry to think of them. Fried chicken, roast pig; wild and tame turkeys, ducks and geese; venison just killed; squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, partridges, prairie chickens; biscuits, hot batter cakes, hot buckwheat cakes, hot “white bread”, hot rolls, hot corn pone, fresh corn boiled on the ear, succotash, butter beans, string beans, tomatoes, peas, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes; buttermilk, sweet milk, “clabber”; watermelons, muskmelons, cantaloupes – all fresh from the garden; apple pie, peach pie, pumpkin pie, apple dumplings, peach cobbler – I can’t remember the rest” Great stuff.

Many thanks to the folks who organized and kept us straight on the tour..

“T” Number Two

We finished the week with the long awaited family dinner at Tony’s, perennially considered to be St. Louis’s premier restaurant. We had not visited it in a long time, and wanted to refresh and be joined by our family. So (M&)FOJTE and (M&)FOJTY arrived at 6:30 and all were beautifully DFD. What followed was a memorable meal and evening. Were there a couple of feeder discernable flaws here and there? Yes (mostly service related). Did I care or did it really interfere? No. The restaurant was beautiful, the table nicely set, food was impeccable, the service attentive, the conversation great. What more can you ask?

At this point dear reader, the feeder will depart from his usual practice of describing the meal in detail. To praise one dish would do a disservice to the 20 or so others that came to the table. Lobster, shrimp, beef, veal, ravioli, pasta, risotto (with white truffles – oh, God), white asparagus (and I can't remember the rest) in wonderful preparations and presentation, all graced our presence. There were lovely breads, one sparkling wine and three still reds. Several of the dishes were finished table side, not because it was a show, but because it could be served perfectly prepared. There was always an eye on the table and any little detail was attended to immediately. Vince Bommarito. the venerable owner strolled around the room and stopped by our table to make sure everything was correct. Not flashy, just wanting you to have a good meal. A genuine person.

We finally begrudgingly left the table and retired to the “living room” where we had coffee, desserts and port while the elder flutters opened their combined birthday gifts from the “kids”. We were served a small little cakes with cards wishing us “Buon Compleanno and Felice Anniversario Da Tony’s”. What a great meal. Especially when we could share it with our family. Worth whatever it costs, it’s what life is about. I was reminded of the quote from Thomas Keller:

“A great meal is the kind of journey that returns you to sources of pleasure you may have forgotten and takes you to places you haven’t been before”

Who always
DFD