A sleepy Sunday for me. Finally, I got myself together enough to head out to Hillview Family Diner & Ice Cream tonight around 6:30 p.m. Several of the folks inside were watching the PGA major event at Valhalla and my server, Pat West, was pulling for Phil Mickelson. (As it turned out later, McIlroy won, finishing 16-under ahead of 15-under Phil Mickelson and 14-under Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson.) Personally, I had no golf favorite, but I allowed it would be nice for McIlroy to win, and I am pleased and proud that such a major event was being held here in Louisville. However, sitting by myself, I largely ignored the TV, because I liked the view out the window. OK, my mind was on salmon patties. Carol Pittard Livers has reminded me via Facebook that Hillview’s Sunday special was salmon, and I was on a mission. Pat West is “Mom” to Hillview owner/cook Lisa Stewart and “Grandma” to co-owner Paige Hayes. The threesome were busy enough in the brightly lit, friendly little café but by no means overwhelmed and, most important, they had not run out of salmon. I got succotash and home fried potatoes with onions as my sides along with a nice slab of cornbread. When the loaded plate came out, I noted that the salmon patties were pancaked, looking more like browned flapjacks than fat patties. One taste was all I needed to decide that this must be a fine way to do it! The salmon might be the best I have ever had in a restaurant, though my benchmark is still my own home-cooked salmon patties. The pea sauce was tasty, but I like it much thicker and creamier. Why pea sauce for salmon anyway? I like it — a lot! — but who made pea sauce popular? At home I usually have mashed potatoes and peas with my salmon. Anyway, I poured some Heinz ketchup on the potatoes and, as usual, shot a few photos before diving in. While I was making photos, a voice behind me prompted,” Why don’t you put the cornbread in the picture, too!” It was “Mom” West, my server. I realized that was a good idea, so I complied. “Next, she’ll be telling me to finish all my vegetables before I can have dessert,” I predicted. I meant to take Pat’s picture, as well, but just plain forgot. While I was eating, daughter Lisa Stewart stopped by my table and, as we talked, I asked her, “Why the thin, flat salmon patties?” “That’s so I can cook them in my electric skillet,” she explained. “Big patties wouldn’t fit in!” I thought to myself, “They’re wonderfully good. I’m going to try flattened patties at home in my iron skillet!” Who knew? “No, I don’t know who came up with pea sauce for salmon croquettes,” Lisa continued, ‘but that’s what we always had with salmon at home. As for corn and lima beans being called succotash, maybe that came from the Sylvester the Cat cartoon. You know, Sylvester was often grumbling ‘Suffering succotash!’ when he wasn’t chasing after Tweety Bird.” :-D Lisa and I think alike! ;-) I’d arrived downright hungry, but I couldn’t finish the huge portions, so a carryout box was in order. I had no thought of dessert; plus, Lisa had remarked she was out of cake and pies. Then a bearded fellow named John in a big white hat and wearing sunglasses — I think many folks know him as “Colonel” — came into view with two luscious scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone, and I took notice. I asked for a chocolate cone. Blue Bell ice cream is delicious! By 7:30 p.m., I was heading home. Mission completed. Perhaps another nap would be on the agenda for this sleepy Sunday. Like Sylvester the “Puddy Tat,” I do need my rest! (By the way, most of us can ditch the black background and comments sidebar that surround photos on Facebook and view just the photo itself full screen by clicking an expansion arrow in the top right corner of the photo! First, you have to click the photo that appears on your news feed once to make it somewhat bigger. Then, if you move your mouse around a little, a double-ended arrow will show in the upper right corner of the photo — and you click it to see the picture full screen. If you don’t see the arrows, then click on Options at the bottom of the screen and select “Enter Fullscreen.”)
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 03:17:40 +0000