A Series of Small Plates For A Holiday Sunday

A diva, a pair of TV shows and some restaurant news

Happy Sunday after Thanksgiving! When I covered the airline industry for the New York Times, I learned that today is the busiest travel day of the Thanksgiving holiday, not the day before. People space their outbound flights, with some able to take the entire week off. But, many people collectively head back today.

This Sunday night is also a terrible time to go grocery shopping. People set down their suitcases and head to the store. Anyone who has stood on line in Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods in Manhattan can attest to that. See if you can wait until early in the week.

I’m basking in the outcome of the Michigan-Ohio State game on Saturday (Go Blue!) so I’m bringing you a menu of small plates in this newsletter. To quote Lessons in Chemistry, let’s begin, shall we?

Two wonderful series on Netflix

With my unpacking finished last week, I was searching for something light to watch to ease my cardboard and paper-weary brain. I couldn’t have been more delighted to discover Samurai Gourmet, a quirky show from Japan.

Like a number of Japanese series, it is based on a manga. The central character is Kasumi, a newly retired salaryman, age 60, who is trying to fill his time. His younger wife, Shikuzo, tells him he needs a hobby, and implies she is not going to spend all her time with him.

He starts walking each morning, and pops into different types of restaurants. The food is a wide range of dishes, from ramen, to tempura, to pasta, and the strolls allow him to find cafes where he ate as a college student. In the process, Kasumi sees customers being rude to the staff, or getting into arguments with other diners. But, he us too timid to get involved.

Enter the samurai. In each episode, a traveling samurai from his imagination. arrives on the scene to deal with the troublemakers. The episodes move quickly and about halfway through the series, you find yourself anticipating the samurai’s appearance.

I loved seeing the food prepared and Kasumi’s pleasure in the first bite. He’s a beer drinker and his satisfaction makes you want to join him for a cold glass.

I also discovered that High On The Hog, the much-praised show hosted by writer Stephen Satterfield, is back on Netflix for season two.

In season one, he traced the origins of African-American cuisine. In season two, his exploration of Black history, cuisine and culture takes him to Chicago, New York City, New Orleans and Atlanta. I was delighted to see my friend Natalie Moore, the author and broadcaster, participate in the Chicago episode, along with award-winning chef Erick Williams.

There is also a conversation about the Black Panthers. If you aren’t familiar with the years just after the Civil Rights Movement, it is an informative history lesson. I just re-watched Summer of Soul, Questlove’s sparkling documentary, and the episode dove tails with that era.

I’m always interested to hear which shows you’ve discovered, so please share your recommendations with us.

Two Beloved Restaurants Suffer Losses From Fires

Just last week, Calumet Fisheries in Chicago reopened after dealing with inspection issues. Then another blow hit. The restaurant’s roof caught fire, forcing the South Side fixture to close yet again.

Cal Fish, a James Beard Award winner known for its fried and smoked seafood, hopes it can reopen in time for Lent, which starts on Feb. 14. Thankfully, no staff or customers were hurt. They told me they hope to cover the cost of repairs through insurance.

A devastating fire also took place at Horn BBQ in Oakland, California, last week. Chefs across Instagram posted their dismay and support. And Horn is far from giving up. Even though the kitchen was unusable, owner Matt Horn still held his third-annual turkey giveaway.

He and the staff distributed frozen birds, pies, stuffing mix and bottles of water to people in needed. “It’s always been community first with us," Matt told KTVU television. "I’m still dealing with the shock and the emotions of that, but to come out here to give turkeys away to those who need turkeys, that’s the most important.”

They’ve launched a GoFundMe in hopes of raising $200,000. You can contribute here.

Barbra Streisand Doesn’t See Why It’s Called An Egg Cream

Have you started reading Barbra Streisand’s 900-page autobiography, My Name Is Barbra, or are you listening to the audiobook?

You’ll find that she talks a lot about food. For one thing, she was not impressed with those old-school Jewish delis that gave you half a pound of meat with each sandwich. “They gave you too much meat,” she complains. “I couldn’t get my mouth around those sandwiches.”

She went on, “I would go to the Gentile ones and order my favorite… a roast pork sandwich with mayonnaise on soft white bread. Delicious.”

Well, okay. She also likes chicken, she explains elsewhere in the book, and Chinese food. But she isn’t a fan of the classic NYC drink, the egg cream. I happen to be a fan of an authentic egg cream, made with Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup, milk and fizzy water. I had my first one when I lived in Brooklyn and I make them every so often.

Barbra doesn’t share my enthusiasm. “I don’t know why they’re called egg creams. There’s no egg in them,” she kvetches. Barbra actually thinks Hershey’s chocolate syrup is the better choice. In a word, oy.

Two Fast Food Brands With Growth Plans

You might not have thought about Jack in the Box for a while. But, they might be back on your radar soon.

Jack in the Box announced that it signed 123 commitments to open new restaurants in 2023. It is entering four new states: Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and Wyoming. The brand also signed a 22-unit commitment to enter Mexico.

Meanwhile, its sister brand, Del Taco, announced 138 new commitments in 2023. New markets include Texas, Montana, and Wyoming, along with 52 additional commitments in Florida.

We had both brands when I lived in Phoenix and I will occasionally swing by Del Taco in suburban Detroit. Del Taco recently added birria tacos to its lineup (the kind you dip into au jus) and has even introduced ramen. You may end up getting one or both where you live, so keep your eyes open.

Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman

Last week, I was a guest on my friend Jeremy Hobson’s new weekly radio program, The Middle. Along with professor Nooshin Warren, we had an interesting conversation about consumers and brand loyalty. The show is airing on nearly 360 public radio stations at 9 pm ET each Thursday.

Jeremy takes calls from listeners, so feel free to weigh in. You can also sign up for its podcast and listen to the show at your leisure.

The finale of the Great British Baking Show airs this coming week (stay off social media until you can watch if you don’t want the outcome spoiled). Tomorrow, in Red Beans & Advice, I’ll review the semi-final, which hit Netflix on Friday. If you’re interested, you can read with a paid subscription.

Here’s how you can get in touch with me.

Website: www.michelinemaynard.com

Email: culinarywoman (@) gmail.com

LinkedIn: Micheline Maynard

Threads and Instagram: (@)michelinemaynard

Have a good last week of November. December arrives on Friday and we will be in full holiday swing. I hope something festive will be on your plate. Next month, I’ll be bringing you my annual “The Best Things” posts and I’m looking forward to writing them.

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