Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits & Gravy

Betty and I had a lovely Birthday dinner tonight.  She wanted to go out for dinner even though I just opened one of my last 2 bottles of Le Cuvier 2002 Zinfandel.  We love the full body, big boysenberry notes and hints of anise, the giant bouquet and the 16.82% alcohol content that is typical of Le Cuvier Zins.  Like all Le Cuvier wines, this Zinfandel was aged in neutral oak barrels for 3 years and has been resting in the bottle for the last 11 years.   After discussing numerous dining options from Italian to Mexican, I asked Betty to choose and Hungary Hunter was it.  Cool, I just cut a coupon from the paper on Sunday.  No, it was not the senior discount or early bird special.

Neither of us had been to the Hungary Hunter for quite some time.  Dinner was nice, what can I say; Hungary Hunter is a quality chain restaurant.  Since this is a food blog I should say that if you want a quality meal and a nice atmosphere, give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.   Dinner salads are nice and fresh and made at the table to your order with your choice of goodies.  We had prime rib and baby back ribs.  Both were high quality, cooked fine and seasoned well.  The mud pie is a gigantic gooey ice cream bomb loaded with whipped cream with a thick crunchy chocolate cookie crust. 

On the way home with the left overs, via Rosedale Hwy, I pointed out; there is the new Pep Boys where I got my flat tire fixed on Sunday.  The guy there wore a name tag, “Jack”, and he had a mustache just like the Pep Boy on the sign.   I commented:  “Home of Manny, Moe and Jack.  And you are Jack.  Looking at the sign, I asked, “Where is your cigar?”  He smiled in good humor.

Betty asked, what used to be there?  “I think it was that Texaco Food Mart that closed.  It was known years ago for their great steaks on Fridays.”  And I started laughing.  That’s one of my favorite stories.  Remember Brad our old neighbor?  He worked at the Belridge gas plant where I sold filters for 24 years.  Quality filtration is critical for efficient gas processing.  I provided the Pall filters for the gas plant and co-generation plant for 24 years.  The gas from the field needs to have liquid and particulate contaminants removed to keep the compressors and plant processes clean.  Glycol dehydration needs filtration and the Cogen fuel gas and high purity water required filters.  The higher the efficiency of the filtration, the less maintenance was required and fewer problems the plant experienced. 

Brad and Julio were plant operators.  Brad, my old neighbor was a big 6 ‘5” guy about my age and was a perfectionist and a very picky eater.  He would not eat anything spicy, nothing international or unusual.  His yard was always neat and his garage was always clean.  I notice those things about my neighbors.  Julio was a little older and a big heavy guy.  And he was a food critic as well as a filter service critic.  He had me running out there anytime he thought there was something wrong with my filters or needed to place an order.  Almost every order was an emergency.  Being single, he had most of his meals at restaurants and was really picky.  He would complain if things were not just right and he did not hesitate to send food back.  Brad and Julio were frequently arguing and teasing each other.   Julio couldn't wait to tell me about the time they stopped for breakfast at the Texaco Food Mart on Rosedale Highway one morning on the way to work.  Brad and Julio were both eating biscuits & gravy at the counter and Brad was chewing on something a little too long when he pulled a used band aide out of his mouth.   He got totally grossed out and sick to his stomach when he realized what it was.  They both started yelling, gagging and heaving and Julio ran to the refrigerator case and grabbed the biggest bottle of Mountain Dew he could find and started chugging.   I guess it was his big chance to get a Mountain Dew and have an excuse not to pay for it.  They had some heated complaints to the cook and cashier.

For years afterwards I would ask them if they have had any biscuits & gravy lately.  Julio would always laugh and retell the whole story and Brad would hold his stomach with both hands, shake his head and moan like he was going to be sick again.  Julio was a dedicated company man and a hard worker.  I really earned his respect when I put on my coveralls and helped him change filters in the middle of the day in July with it was 105 degrees out.   The filter vessel was 4 feet in diameter and 12 feet tall and closing & opening the valves and vessel closure and changing the 96 filters was the job of a full crew.  

Julio always looked forward to retirement.  He had it all planned out: his saving; his house all paid off.  He just wanted to sit in his easy chair and relax, he said.  He never got a chance to enjoy retirement though.   I was really sad when he had a heart attack and died one day at work.  Today being my 58^th birthday, I think about stuff like that.