New Yorkers love their food

Andrew was remarking the other days about different foods that are unique to Buffalo. My mouth started to water and I thought perhaps yours might start watering, too.

1. WINGS. Couldn’t start this list without that one. They were invented at The Anchor Bar, but everyone has their own local favorite. We love Pasquale’s and those from The Bar-Bill Tavern, in East Aurora.

2. Beef on Weck.

3. Mighty Taco.

4. Sahlen’s hot dogs. They are amazing and you can buy them in the grocery store. Awesome.

5. Ted’s Hot Dogs. See above–Ted’s is a chain of hot dog stands and they serve Sahlen’s. Even our hotel serves Sahlen’s on their hot dog night. Really, hot dogs in general are all over the place. Some call them “red hots” and there are chains and stands all over. I don’t get it.

6. Pizza. Just like hot dogs–everywhere. Unlike Ohio or Chicago, there isn’t a distinct “style” around here–no exceptionally thin or thick crusts or weird toppings. People just really like their pizza. We love Pasquale’s, (see Wings) hands down.

7. Ice Cream. It’s everywhere, and I mean, EVERYWHERE. Andrew once told me he saw something on TV about how there are more ice cream shops/stores/stands in the Northeast than in the South (where it’s actually hot). It’s so true. New Englanders and Northeasterners love their ice cream! (I realize ice cream is not unique to Buffalo, but it’s still EVERYWHERE. I’m in heaven.)

8. Sponge Candy. It’s a little weird, but people here love it. It’s kind of like a chocolate truffle, and on the inside is an airy, toffee-like flavored candy that dissolves almost immediately in your mouth.

9. Schwabl’s. They’ve been open forever and it has that ‘old-fashioned’ feel. They’re famous for their beef on weck, but I didn’t think it was that special. Apparently they serve Hungarian Goulash on Saturdays, so we’ll have to make sure to try that next.

…and the one thing we CAN’T find much of around here: ETHNIC FOOD. There are some places, and we’ve tried a couple different Thai establishments, but there just isn’t the variety that you can find in other places. Sure, closer to Buffalo there are more choices, but trying to find ethnic food closer in East Aurora is pretty much impossible. And no, I don’t count Chinese take-out as ‘ethnic.’

you know you’re addicted to granola when…

…you have multiple UNOPENED containers of it and you keep buying it.

Yes, I do.

These are all unopened. Brand new.

BUT! Before you judge, listen to me justify:

-the two bags on the left were from OpenSky and are a fundraiser for another blogger with cancer. If I had cancer, I would want a nice stranger to buy granola to support me, too.

-the box in the front: one of two I got for a steal at Wegmans shortly after we got here. Granola is relatively pricey, and I was in a ‘quantity not quality’ kind of mood that day.

-the two boxes in the rear on either side: Trader Joe’s finds from my trip in August. Mango on the left (because I have an open jar of their mango butter with which I use to flavor plain yogurt, so it seemed like a nice pairing) and Ginger Almond on the right because, well, I love ginger and have never, EVER seen it in granola like this before. Can’t wait to try it.

See? Now doesn’t it all make sense? Happy granola-eating to me 🙂

hello, stranger

It’s been awhile.

Well, not really that long. What, a day or two?

Gosh, it feels like forever. I don’t like not having time to blog.

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to get used to it. Or not do my schoolwork. Or work on better time-management skills. Or all of the above. (Except for the not doing my schoolwork part.)

So, working on better time-management skills it is! I still want to do all the things (and more!) that I used to, like working out, blogging, writing, cooking, reading, having some sort of social life…not to mention fixing-up whatever fixer-upper of a house we decide to buy…

…AND I still HAVE to do all the things I HAD to do before, like walking the dog and laundry. And grocery shopping, but I LOVE grocery shopping. It’s therapeutic. So is cleaning.

I digress.

Bottom line: This girl is gonna be BUSY! I just keep telling myself that if Pioneer Woman can homeschool four children, feed her family and myriad other people made-from-scratch food, manage her enormous “blogging empire,” write two books and two cookbooks AND have some semblance of sanity left, then I can SURELY handle a husband, a dog, and school.

SURELY.

Say a prayer for me, folks!