Father's Day

 Happy Father's Day to all the fathers and grandfathers out there. My day began as usual, up with the dogs and then coffee. The man of honor woke at 11am and his mind went immediately to food. I took a quick shower and thanked all that is right in the world that I have just had a haircut, and it is easy to dry and style. We were out the door and heading up the drive in 20 minutes flat. Would have been quicker had the man fed the canines instead of sitting there waiting for me.

"Where are we going?" I asked. I thought it was apropos for the circumstance. It is, after all, Father's Day should be all about what he wants to eat. He actually got angry because I wouldn't choose a restaurant. Let me explain about eating establishments and the fact that a lot of them are closed on Sunday. I was more than willing to cook; he is the one chomping at the bits to eat out.

There are just a handful of eateries to choose from. He expressed his desire for Longhorn Steak House. We arrived at 1:00. In a different city we had to travel to. The parking lot was overflowing into a strip center adjacent to the restaurant. There was quite a crowd waiting outside. The impatient father was not going to wait. Off we went in search of an alternate place to stuff our faces.

With most of the downtown restaurants not open, we ended up at Cook's Country Kitchen. We ate there once a long time ago. It was okay. We ordered off the menu and the prices reflected the goodness of the food. Today, as we approached the door there was a sign telling us it was buffet only today for $24.99 per person. It boasted prime rib and fried chicken. Remembering my last dining experience there, I did not want to stay and spend $50 on a dinner I wouldn't enjoy.

But, they had him at prime rib. The prime rib was pre-sliced and floating in some greasy fluid on the hot table. There was au jus, so they were not totally unfamiliar with the dish. The fried chicken was burnt. There was some fried fish and limp french fries that I did not even consider. Shrimp in the shell and an array of vegetables. Sweet potatoes with a layer of marshmallow atop it, collard greens with bits of ham floating in it. Green beans, baby lima beans, mashed potatoes and brown gravy. Italian breadsticks lay limply under the heat lamp at the end.

After a fight with the prime rib that wasn't quite cut all the way, I procured a piece and sloshed some au jus on it. I figured it would be impossible to mess up sweet potatoes, so I dumped a dollop on my plate. Collard greens were next and a breadstick.

The prime rib had a good bit of fat hanging onto it, it was really chewy, and I still don't have my new tooth to chew stuff. Not to mention, it had no taste and neither did the au jus. I added a little salt and pepper, but nothing could help the rubbery texture. I gave up. The sweet potatoes were canned, and nothing had been done to enhance the flavor. The collard greens were crunchy and over salted. I discarded that plate without even trying the bread. Next trip I chose the fried chicken. After I removed the burnt breading, I was surprised to find the meat was not dried out, but juicy. Would have been great with any kind of seasoning. I added salt and it was okay. The green beans and lima beans were blah, as well.

The only thing I enjoyed was the ice cream cone and I am pretty sure there was no dairy in that machine. Suffice it to say, that meal was not worth $50! The moral of this story? If ever you find yourself in the North Georgia mountains in Blairsville, do not eat at Cook's Country Kitchen!

After a very muggy day, we are now watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory. The father of the day is a big fan. I am waiting patiently for bedtime.