Fourth of July Celebrations

I am currently in Otsego County visiting daughter Misty and her new baby Mira, and we have attended several fourth of July events with the baby.

On Friday the 2nd, "The Oldest Church" had their annual Ice Cream Social (from 5 to 8) and the Village of Cooperstown had their fireworks event (about dark-thirty).

We saw Mike and Marcie Schwartzman at the Ice Cream Social and the Fireworks event!

Brendan worked on Sunday, but Misty and I went to a cook-out with the Morrell clan at Renay's Mom's house. Renay and her sisters were there, some of the big kids, all of the little kids, a few other of their relatives, and some old family friends. They grilled hamburgers, hot links, steak, and the best hot dogs I've had in quite a while. Everyone brought something, too, so there were potato salads, a great pasta salad, some baked beans and some coleslaws, including Misty's own home-made. Beverages included an array of iced tea, soft drinks, and plenty of cold water, and Renay made cupcakes for dessert, enough food to feed three armies.

On Monday Springfield had their Independence Day Parade, a pretty big deal. Veteran's clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, civic organizations, aspiring and incumbent politicians, car clubs, beauty queens and fire departments from all over Otsego County were represented in the parade, which lasted nearly two hours. Here is a picture of "Old Number One" from Cooperstown. Saw a bunch of our old pals from CFD in that parade. 

Afterward we made our way up to Richfield Springs and had a bite at the Tally Ho: 2 BLT's, a batter fried fish sandwich, and a turkey Rueben. I had the Rueben and someone asked me how it was. I said it was a little too turkey for me - next time I'll just have the traditional Pastrami Rueben.  The fries were pretty good, though.

Later today I have a date to meet Renay downtown Oneonta for a meal. We brainstormed several possibilities and finally came up with a place on the main drag. I couldn't remember the name of the place (Common Grounds?) but it's run by an outfit called Twelve Tribes, apparently a pretty controversial group. I don't know what they do, or what it is alleged that they do, but when we invited Brendan, he said it was a cult and gave such a reaction that I said, "Hey, we're not planning to join, we're just going to eat there. We heard they have really good food." He didn't seem interested, and when we tried to invite his mother, her reaction was more strenuous and more sustained than Brendan's had been. Yikes! Wishing to defuse things with a little levity, I tried to say again that we weren't going to join, we were just going to eat there, but I don't think she ever heard me. It seemed odd to me, these reactions, the way things are when someone is very excited and you don't know why and you can't get them to settle down. Kinda piques my curiosity about this Twelve Tribes outfit! How about I post again tomorrow about what I find out about it when we go there?

Tino's Cold Cheese Pizza

When we lived in Cooperstown there was a little pizzaria, Tino's, on Chestnut Street. Tino had a fairly typical menu for such a restaurant and would do slices for lunch. One of his menu items was Cold Cheese Pizza and all his menus bore the phrase, "Home of the Cold Cheese." Best I could determine, he was talking about cold cheese on a pizza.

Cold cheese on a pizza? Why? I didn't get it. It sounded gross.

My friends, co-workers, husband and I, as well as most visitors we entertained, enjoyed Tino's slices for lunch and whole pizzas for dinner and other occasions. We came to be such regulars that when Tino would see our shadow cross the door, he would himself call out our order, and it would be ready by the time we got to the counter. We ate a lot of Tino's.

Then came Jason. Jason Schiellack, then Manager of Membership (now promoted to Director of Membership) at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, hails from Wisconsin. Everyone liked to rib him about being a "cheesehead" but he really is himself one cheese lovin' dude. It didn't take Jason long at all to sample that cold cheese pizza. Jason is the one who successfully introduced me to it. I must say I was hesitant to try this strange arrangement of cold cheese on a pizza, but from the "The First One is Free, Kid," Department, I was hooked from the first time I tried it.

The next time I went in, I asked Tino, "What's the story on that cold cheese pizza?"

Tino explained that when they had a pizza shop in Oneonta (a college town) they'd get these big rushes of diners, say, at lunch time or when classes or an entertainment event would let out. They'd be overrun with a shop full of hungry college age kids ordering slices! Slices! Slices! and they'd be back there slingin' pizzas as fast as they could. They'd pull those bubbling hot pizzas out of the oven and slice 'em up, but they were way too hot to eat - loosen the skin right off the roof of your mouth (Ouch!) - until someone had the ingenious idea of throwing a handful of cold shredded mozzarella cheese on top of those extraordinarily hot slices to keep from injuring thier avid, loyal, ravenous and impatient customers. Soon people began asking for slices that way. A cult of pizza was born.

When my sister, who has never been to Cooperstown or Oneonta, learned that I love cold cheese pizza, her response was same as mine had been in the beginning - "Cold cheese on a pizza? Why? I don't get it. Sounds gross!"

Unfortunately, any explanation I can offer in black words on white ground can not possibly come anywhere near doing it justice, but try to think of the most excellent thin crust cheese pizza you can imagine, piping hot - the way the crust bends down when you try to pick it up, so hot the topping almost slides off, melting - with a handful of shredded Mozzarella cheese thrown on top as it goes on the plate. Be assured, the juxtaposition of cold cheese on hot pizza is a delightful surprise. If you ever have the chance, try one. It'll change your life. Trust me.

We still get the weekly Cooperstown newspaper, The Freeman's Journal. Comes in the mail every week, right as rain. It's fun to keep up with the goings on in the village where we spent the last seven years of our lives. We always liked to say the village is so small, everyone takes turns being on the front page of The Freeman's Journal. It's real home towny. I saw in the FJ recently that someone bought Tino's.

That is happy and sad news to me. Happy if it was what Tino wanted, happy for him and his if he came out well on the sale. Sad to think Tino's won't be there any more. The new guys might even still call it Tino's if they paid him enough for such a priviledge, but it sure won't really be Tino's if Tino isn't there.

I am familiar with the other restaurant owned and operated by the people who bought Tino's. I certainly wish them the best, but I have to say, they're no Tino by a long shot. Not even close. So I guess we'll see. On the other hand I don't suppose I really need to trouble my pretty little head about it because I don't live there anymore!

Tino, wherever you're going and whatever you do, I bid you a fond farewell and wish you Health, Happiness and Prosperity. I thank you for having opened up a shop in Cooperstown, for your friendship, and for the exquisite experience of Cold Cheese Pizza. Cheers, buddy.

Tuesday April 21, 2009

This mini suite we're in here at the residential hotel has a main living area with a television and a kitchenette, a good-sized bathroom and a bedroom. Like a teen-inesy apartment. Carpet everywhere except in the bathroom, so that is where the catbox is.

Muffin totally loves being this close to "Mom" all the time, but I am also seeing that I may be able to socialize Cookie a little more in this small space. She still spends most of her time hiding under the bed, but she is coming out a little more - every once in a while I enjoy the pleasant surprise of velvet against my ankles, and even more rarely she will join me on the bed at night or let me pull her into my lap for an ever-so-brief love-fest.

There is a lot of debate among cat owners as to whether cats should ever be let outside or not, but I do let mine out under certain conditions...one being that I can get them back in at night! So over the years we have formed the practice of taking up the food dishes in the morning and feeding in the evening so I can get everybody to come when I call. With a cat who may or may not answer when you call, feeding time can be an excellent motivator. Another plus for me with once-a-day feeding is that I can see who is eating what (yes, I watch them eat).

We started this feeding-at-night thing when we first lived on the acreage, and then more consciously when we lived in Cooperstown - if one, some or all the cats happen to go outside during the day, it's my way of making sure they all come in at night. Believe it or not, even in Cooperstown there are scary, dangerous things about at night - raccoons, skunks, dogs, foxes, and the like. In the hills around the village they also have bears, but those guys rarely enter the village. (Notice I did NOT say they "never" enter the village!)

At the acreage in Oklahoma, we have all that, plus owls, coyotes and bobcats, so while I occasionally let my creatures out to enjoy the day with me, I'm nearly anal about making sure everyone is securely inside come nightfall. To this day, wherever I am, if I awaken in the night to the sound of coyotes I sit bolt upright in a panic until I have taken a mental roll call of all my pets.

This tiny room at the residential hotel is showing itself to be a good way for Cookie and I to rebond, which will be good when it's time for the cats to go to the acreage.

The former renter is all moved out, so we're going out there today to evaluate, to triage what needs to be done, and to work in the garden. Overalls, work gloves, notebook, camera, ice chest and sack lunches; I'm just sorry the cats don't get to go yet. Big job ahead, I know that, but I so love that place.

The day awaits!