Sandy Supposes....

Sundridge Snacking

Wednesday 5/11 ~ Home Sweet Home Prompt
What food or foods are your town/area noted for? What's the prevalent cuisine? Where is your favorite place to eat out in your neck of the woods?

         Hmmm, nothing special, nothing of culinary wizardry exists in my neck of the woods. Two diners and now a new pizza joint call Sundridge home. Thanks to the close-down rules of Covid those two family restaurants have yet to fully recover. Mask and vaccination mandates have been lifted, but no one has returned to offering evening dining. I suppose no one trusts that a complete and sudden lockdown will never happen again. Imagine stocking a kitchen and arranging staffing only to shut down at a moment's notice.

         Both eateries offer the usual limited fare and both are okay, not spectacular, but okay. I've yet to sample a pizza from the new venture. I'm somewhat leery because they refer to their creations as 'pie' and that's an American description of pizza. Pie and pizza are nothing alike.

         I am nostalgic for Michael and his delicious cooking. For several years he graced the local main street with a British-style restaurant. His name for his establishment was not big on imagination. He simply named it Michael's On Main and this was an insider joke because the Main Street is two, maybe three blocks in length. Many residential buildings grace that same street. No one could ever claim to become lost and wander for miles seeking his place.

         Michael had been a transplant from England with a dream of utilizing his chef experience. Stupid, uncaring Covid interfered. Like so many other business owners Michael depended upon the tourist trade to keep his doors open. Restricted travelling and governmental red tape limited his profit. He shuttered the restaurant and moved away.

         I miss his giant Yorkshire pudding stuffed with delectable beef, kidney, gravy and veggies. His servings were more than generous. No one waddled away suffering hunger pangs.

         I loved his Sticky Toffee Pudding with the not-so-secret ingredient, date puree. Wherever you are Michael I hope you are satisfying appetites.

         To dine and actually have a choice of food, hubby and I venture forth to either of two towns both a forty-five minute drive distant. There we can opt to eat at chain-type restaurants established in many bigger centres, or choose one-of-a-kind, specialty eateries. We can placate our cravings for Italian, Greek, Chinese, or more.

         Surprisingly, one of the best breakfasts is found at such an establishment. It does sport the rather strange and limiting name of Burger World. I often wonder how many people pass it by because they are not looking for a burger. There is always a line-up of patrons. The same, familiar, friendly staff work there year after year, so should I presume it's a great place to work?

         To answer the prompt question, nope, Sundridge does not have a prevalent cuisine. Then again if I wished to join the outdoorsy set of hunters and fishermen-folk I might challenge that opinion. Many locals consider moose, bear and deer to be desirable. Yes, I will admit to tasting this game, but it has never become a staple in my household. At this time of year, smelt 'run' in the waterways. It's a brief fishing season. It's okay, but meh, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat it. As far as I know no one dines upon the leeches that folklore insists lurk in Lake Bernard.

( 578 words minus the 34 words included in the prompt )