(At YVR.)Knowing I’d be at the airport over dinnertime, I stopped at my favourite Italian sandwich shop (funny that I actually have one) on Commercial Drive – although I’ve been in plenty of times, I still can’t recall the name of it, except that “Grotto” is in there somewhere, and “fromaggi”, probably in reference to the cheese display at the front of the shop.
Wait, I have the receipt. La Grotta del Formaggio. Sounds a little sleazy/cheezy. 1791 Commercial Drive, Vancouver.
The Italian ladies behind the counter are true sandwich artists – they split open an Italian loaf the size of a small boat and drizzled both sides with olive oil, then balsamic vinegar (as per my request) and spread one side with pesto mayo. A difficult choice of meats, cheeses and toppings, but I would up with salami, provolone, smoky roasted peppers, chunky sun-dried tomatoes, salty pickled eggplant and fine bits of purple onion. My breath on the flight home is going to be stellar. It was pressed for a good long time in the panini grill, but didn’t hold its heat through rainy rush hour traffic between the Grotto and the airport.
R and J and I ate it in the food court waiting for my boarding call, cut into salty, messy pieces with a plastic knife.
To wash it down, an espresso truffle from Starbucks (hot chocolate with espresso shots). yum.
December 01 2008 | eating out | 5 Comments »
In Vancouver tonight. Just a quick in and out to spend the evening with S&R, the husband and twin sister of my lovely friend Rachael, who died a year ago today of brain cancer. (She was 36.) A few others came too, so the 5 of us ate and drank by the fire – what Rach did best – roasted carrot hummus I brought in my carry-on and explained to security was not liquid nor gel; goats’ milk feta, olives and Dry Sack sherry (Rachael’s favourite snack), sweet/spiced rosemary pecans and half the caramel cake from last night that I’m sure improved with age, the frosting developing into a sort of soft caramel fudge. (Also transported in my carry-on and half smushed by a laptop.)
And White Russians and bubbly Moscato.
And K baked a Bubble and Squeak – or what her mom used to call Bubble and Squeak, but was really more of a Shepherd’s Pie – out of leftover roast chicken, roast vegetables, gravy and mashed potatoes they had last night, which she baked and then broiled to get it crispy on top and we ate steaming hot out of small ceramic crocks. (That’s it at the top, before going into the oven.) Bubble and squeak is really an English dish – really a mixture of chopped veggies and potatoes (and sometimes leftover meat), cooked in a hot skillet until crispy on both sides. More like my Mom’s hash, which she generally makes with leftover roast beef and potatoes and is great with ketchup.
Everyone adores these pecans. They make a fantastic Christmas gift.
Sweet Spiced Rosemary Pecans
2 cups pecan halves
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
a few drops hot sauce
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
Toss everything in bowl to coat well. Bake at 325F for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pale golden and fragrant. Cool completely.
Makes about 2 cups.
December 01 2008 | appetizers and leftovers and snacks | 5 Comments »
