Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland
A book I'm working on is set in this town.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Say what?

It amazes me what people will call their food. At Munich airport, I had a lunch of curry wurst and potato salad...neither of which really fit my idea of either food. The "curry" was more like a sweet barbecue sauce; very tasty but not curry. The potato salad was potatoes and Cumin (I think) and cucumber. It wasn't the hot German potato salad like I'd get at Schilo's Deli in San Antonio or the cold mustard-based one with eggs and onions and pickles and carrots and splashed with beer...but again, it was tasty.

So...I get to Toronto and even though it's really like 3am by my body clock, I'm starving. There's a joint next door to my hotel that says BBQ. It's not. At all. It's Mediterranean Halal food claiming to be barbecue. What I wound up with was okay, but it was like two long cylindrical hamburgers on rice. No sauce at all.

One thing I do definitely miss about Texas is the barbecue. Be it Bill Miller's or Rudy's or even The County Line (with their to-die-for mushrooms), that state knows BBQ. And chili. It's ridiculous how poor everyone else's is. I may break down and go to Rochester to have some of the so-so kind at Sticky Lips. A "close but no cookie" kind of sauce over decently cooked meat.

I'm feeling pretty ripped up, right now. I made myself stay awake till midnight, last night, and slept till 8:30, so I should be back on track for NY time...but I'm feeling so friggin' exhausted, right now. I think the combination of heat and lack of ventilation at the university in Munich -- and dealing with a room full of boxes of old journals covered in dust that probably hadn't been touched since 1915 -- freaked my system out. I can't handle anything but water and hot tea, right now, without feeling a bit nauseated.

Of course, it might also be age. I'm going to be 61 in a few days. I've probably worn myself out. I'm treating myself to a serious dinner, using a gift card I've had for six months, then kicking back to near bread and water for the month, since I won't have half my income.

I'll get back on dealing with Jake and OT soon. Right now my place is a catastrophe and I don't have the energy to deal with it.

We'll see what happens tomorrow.

2 comments:

MAC said...

You're right, Texas does have the best Bar-B-Que. Bill Millers is my personal fave. I love their condiment bar. Be sure to load up on pickles and onions!

JamTheCat said...

They're good, quick, and cheap...but I like Rudy's sauce a bit more. Touch of tang to it.