dinner | Peaches Prattlings

{April 21, 2024} It’s Sunday…let’s go!

Yesterday, after the Biker and Bike Blessing, I loaded up the convertible, kissed PSM and the dogs buh bye, jumped into said convertible, dropped the top and away we went! We being me and the cah! [I said cah because I was heading to Bahston!]

PSM gave me a way to avoid the traffic in Connecticut, that Connecticut is so famous for and makes people not want to go or drive through Connecticut. Ok, so maybe people want to go, I spent a great weekend there with CWB two years ago, but driving through it to get to Boston, not my favorite, or my husband, or my dad, or anyone else who has to do it. That being said, PSM gave me a route that would add about 100 miles to my trip, which meant about an extra hour, but I would avoid Connecticut, and it worked!

I arrived at my sister’s about 830p, eyes were slits, but I made it! After visiting for a bit, I was done! Down to the sofa in the basement, set up the blankets, jammies on, and I started talking to you and couldn’t sleep, really?!

I did not set an alarm for this morning, but lucky me…I woke up about 530a, fun! I lay there not thinking or doing anything, I just snuggled deeper into the covers, it was cold in the basement, but I was toasty under a few layers, works for me! Eventually I got up and wandered upstairs and my sister was in the kitchen with EJS, she was heading off with ACS, to do a father-daughter college tour and soccer ID clinic. Can you believe it…college tours! O M G!

MGS came down eventually, she had a soccer game in the afternoon, she was going to chill until then. GES and I started to cook some of the dishes we would need for the Passover seder tomorrow and Tuesday. She hosts first and second night. I’m always at first night and when I started dating PSM, we go to second night with his family. Their first night seder is usually held in a hall with a lot, when I say, a lot, I mean a lot of people! They’ve had up to 100 in the past! That would be something to see!

We have to strategize what we’re going to cook because there’s only so many good size burners and only so much oven space! We started with a matzoh brittle, y u m! This is one cup of brown sugar, one cup of butter, melted, then you put it on a tray of matzoh, which goes into the oven for 5 minutes at 350. When it’s cooled, you break it into pieces. Some people make it with chocolate chips and nuts, I’m a purist. You’re welcome, you’ll thank me later!

I started on the veggie matzoh ball soup, y u m! Then we made I lost count of how many hard boiled eggs, then the potatoes, we had gefilte fish to make too. This is where the musical burners comes in because there are only two large ones and we use large stock pots for everything!

We had thumbprint cookies to make, coconut macaroons, matzoh apple and peach apple kugel, charoset for just the two of us, since we can’t eat apples. I think that’s everything. You know…I really need to give you our recipes for these dishes, they are sooo good! Other people would be bringing items tomorrow, so we don’t have to cook everything like we used to when we were kids.

About 1030am, we went over to a friend’s house to help them with the crafts for her son’s bar mitzvah, it’s a baseball theme and she needed a little extra zhuzhing it up [you just have to say the word out loud]. That was a lot of fun, there were glue guns, batteries, lights, baseballs, the whole nine yards! And she had a Cricut, so I had someone to chat Cricut, you know I was in heaven!

After the craft party, we headed back home to cook some more. When we got there, dad had arrived! The family is together! We chatted and caught up while we made a few kugels, then everyone left for the soccer field, I stayed behind a few minutes to get the kugels out of the oven, the off to the game I went.

Great to see MGS on the field, it was a lot of fun, she’s really getting so much better! This was her first game with this team, definitely a new experience! I’m so very proud of her! I hope she knows that!

Let’s just say, I had my top down on the way to Boston, today…I couldn’t warm up fast enough when I was back in the car after the game. I could not feel my feet or fingers, thank goodness it all came back to me! Back at the house, a little more cooking and then it was time for dinner. They brought in pizza and salads, I had a nice big salad, I had to go to the grocery store earlier and got some of my favorite vegan cheese, Chao Cheese, the brand is Field Roast, I actually never noticed the brand name before! I was always focused on the flavor. It is a full, rich, cheese, and melts nicely!

Dinner is always fun at my sister’s house, lot’s of chatter, banter, silliness, and laughter, what more could you want?! After dinner we did the last of the cooking we needed to, cleaned up the kitchen, everyone else went up to bed and GES and I sat on the sofa and relaxed! What a day?!

I know I nodded off a few times while we were sitting there scrolling through our phones and watching something on tv, I know this because I kept waking myself up! ha ha. After a bit, I went downstairs and here I am telling you about my day.

I’m going to say Bonne nuit (bon nwee), that’s french for good night.

{January 8, 2024} Tap & Still: Burgers, Booze, and Beer

Best burgers in the USVI! And the cheapest meal to boot!

If you’re in St Thomas, St John, or Sint Maarten, we can’t recommend Tap & Still highly enough! Honestly, the atmosphere is great, the food is good, and as I said cheapest meal going!

The one we went to was in Red Hook, on the east side of St Thomas. We almost went to the one on St John but ended up passing. I do have to tell you, the first time we went, it was better, I don’t mean the food, that was spot on both times! the atmosphere, staff, and clientele have a lot to do with a dining experience.

This is definitely a local’s hangout, not to say that tourists don’t go there, once someone tells you about it, you understand why it’s so popular. First of all, the food in the USVI ain’t cheap, I’m sure you already knew that, but to give you an idea…at the airport, it’s not inexpensive, but not unreasonable, on the mainland, that is. When we were at the airport to leave, 2 burgers, fries, plantains, and 2 drinks…$52! That might tell you something. Back to why we’re here….Tap & Still.

It’s open, from front to back, which is on the water, looking at the boats docked, this is where several boat tours leave from, two of ours in fact. There is an open window that you can order food and drink, no worries about walking around with open container, it’s all good. When you walk in, there is a bar in the middle, everyone is just hanging out at the bar or the few tables against the wall. We love to sit at the bar, it’s usually an easy way to get a seat and you meet all sorts of people that way. We sat next to a guy who, when he sat down, a beer magically appeared, that kind of place.

The ceiling had dollar bills taped to it with people’s signatures, the cabinets were covered with stickers people had added, not sure if there was extra space to put another sticker! Posts were the same. It was also decked out for christmas with tinsel and lights, same with the bar tenders!

Ordering was simple, take an order slip and a pencil, mark off what you want: burger, hot dog, veggie burger, grilled cheese, chicken sandwich, wings, or a BLT, simple. Next, toppings, a bunch were no charge, a few cost a little extra. Do you want fries? Check the box. Do you want funnel cake? Check the box. Best part? Burgers: $9, Fries: $4, seriously? Hand in your slip, don’t forget to put your name on it!

Have a drink while you wait, talk to the bartenders, talk to the other patrons having some food, talk to each other, listen to the music, stare out at the water, whatever makes you happy. I even asked for them to cook mine on tinfoil, they said they did, I’m hopeful! When the food comes out, doesn’t matter if you’re eating in or taking out, it comes out in a paper bag, burger is wrapped in foil, fries are hanging out in their own bag. Grab some paper towels for napkins and you’re good to go!

When the food came out, we opened the bags and dug in. What good burgers, oh my! And the fries, fresh cut, the only problem for me is I found the pound of salt at the bottom of the bag! Oh my! but up until that point, y u m!! We ate, talked to the bartenders, talked to each other, talked to people hanging out at the bar.

Talk to anyone on the island, best place for burgers..Tap & Still. I love the concept and the food, would love to see something like that here on the mainland. oh, I know there are places like it, but not quite this and it just has that island vibe. So…if you’re in St Thomas, St John, or St Marteen, if you’re in the mood for a good burger, maybe even some fries at a great price…you know my recommendation! Man, I wish we had had the room to try their funnel cake! Next time!

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