I have always liked clam chowder and now find myself in clam chowder mecca.  And not that icky tomato based stuff they sell in New York City.  I'm talking about the cream based delight that you can find at seafood restaurants.  They have clam chowder every where you go in the Bay Area.  I have tried it on the Fisherman's Wharf, in Sausalito, in Tiburon, in Monterey , Carmel, Santa Cruz, Napa, but I have found the best.  It has the perfect consistency and a hint of sausage plus clams that aren't too big and the right amount of salt.  You can find it at Stacey's at Waterford.  The restaurant just happens to be owned by Scott Adams of Dilbert fame and the menus are a riot to read. 

Who would have expected the best chowder to exist in an East Bay restaurant in Dublin, California? 

Now if I could just find some hushpuppies to go with that, I would be happy.

 

It's bad enough that there is a three hour time difference between the East and West Coasts but here's the really confusing thing.  The water's on the wrong side.

When you spend your entire life making directional choices based on whether you are heading towards or away from the water and the water changes sides, it is a problem.  (You know people from South Carolina don't use maps, you saw the Miss South Carolina beauty pagent contestant, didn't you? )


In one of my first trips out here, I was thoroughly convinced that the signs were wrong based on my internal awareness that oceans are always on the East of any starting point.  It was thoroughly mind boggling when I tried to get this through the head of the person on 411 who was trying to help me get from point A to point B.  She just couldn't grasp the problem at all. 

When I finally somehow managed to reach my destination, a very amused co-worker reminded me that I was on the West Coast now and that the Ocean had in fact gotten up and moved to the other side of the bed.  And the darn thing had apparently decided to change its name from  "Atlantic" to "Pacific". 

I knew I should of brought me some of that moonshine Mommer and 'em keep down in the basement. 

BBQ

2/3/2008

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What is "Tri-Tip"?  I have never heard of the stuff before and now it is what passes for barbeque out here.  Everywhere I go, people try to serve you beef and call it barbeque.  But this tri-tip thing really floors me.

Let me set the record straight, there is only one kind of real BBQ and it has to involve pork.  There are disputes about the proper kind of sauce (whether it is mustard-based or ketchup-based) and the right kind of coleslaw to accompany it (mustard-based or vinegar-based) but the constant ingredient in the south is pork.   And you must always have a side of over-cooked, bacon flavored green beans to go with it or you just aren't havin' a good meal.  And don't get me started on Brunswick stew.  I can't find it anywhere out here.  Where's a good ole Sonny's BBQ when you need one?  I did finally succeed in locating a spot that had fried okra but  it closed a week later (the owner apparently suffered a heart attack from the greasy fare, but I bet he died happy.)