Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Last Marble Rye and Chicken Salad on Rosemary Currant Bread

Do you ever feel like your life is a Seinfeld episode?

Last Saturday, while making my rounds from bakeries to food boutiques for the items I needed for the Tea for Ten, I stopped at Europane for lunch and a loaf of rosemary currant bread.

I waited in line and got a little nervous when I spotted a single loaf of the necessary bread on the shelf. And then the lady in front of me politely announced, "I'd like the loaf of rosemary currant bread." Panic set in. I HAD to have that loaf.

"Are there any more loaves in the back?" I asked, trying hard not to sound as though my tea depended on it. "I'm sorry," the clerk reported. "That was our last loaf."

I couldn't help it; I was incapable of hiding my disappointment. "But I need rosemary currant bread to make sandwiches for my Tea for Ten tomorrow," I moaned.

And do you know what the kind lady in front of me did? She handed the loaf of bread to me. (I guess if my life was really like a Seinfeld episode, I would have had to wrestle her to the ground.) She chose a loaf of walnut bread instead, and I only wish that I had forked over the $5.15 for it.

Tarragon Chicken Salad ala Europane

2 chicken breasts, poached in water, white wine and tarragon leaves
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 green onions, finely minced
2 celery stalks, finely minced
2-3 tbsp. fresh tarragon
salt to taste

Shred chicken and combine with remaining ingredients.
Spread on rosemary currant bread, if available.

(For another Seinfeldesque Challah story, go to the blog of the Two Writing Teachers.)

23 comments:

Cafe Observer said...

SC, you should know with EP the best selection, and best chance of getting, is before lunch. Especially on a weekend!

IF I were to bring something from EP to our picnic Sat, I wunder what I should bring?

Susan C said...

I learned my lesson about Europane.

IF you bring something from EP to the picnic, you can't miss, whether sweet or savory. Bread would be nice.

By the way, I finally made it to Auntie Em's yesterday. I read on Chowhound that they serve biscuits and gravy, but it's only sometimes on the weekends.

Margaret said...

What a lovely woman. And now she has surrounded herself with good karma, so it's all good.

Susan C said...

We can never have enough good karma in the bakery, er bank.

Anonymous said...

Such a sweet story. When you started the post my mind's recollection went straight to the gassy horse. I like your ending much better.

Cafe Pasadena said...

So, what did u have @ my Auntie Em's??
(Weekends is buzy there too)

Susan C said...

PA, I just realized that it wasn't a babka (as I wrote in my headline), but a challah. The gassy horse reminded me of that. (Babka is in another, less confrontational episode.)

CO, I had the French toast with berries and, because I needed something savory with sweet, I had a side of scrambled eggs. My bill, with tax and tip, came to $15. A little pricy for such a funky place.

Anonymous said...

What a nice lady! Just when I think so much of civility has gone out the window, stories like these give me renewed hope. ;)

Cafe Observer said...

Well, but you're also paying for the funk, SC, as well as the rare privilege to maybe eat next to a german shepherd.

French toast, however, is not their best 4 breakfast, IMHO.

Desiree said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Desiree said...

Great story!
Auntie Em's:
you must have the red velvet cupcakes.
After those, nothing really matters.
And I mean that in the best possible way.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a nice story - it's so refreshing to hear that there are kind people out there willing to give up a loaf! :)

Nelle said...

I love it when a stranger performs a "random act of kindness" and I try to do this at least once a week myself.

Susan C said...

Carolyn, Yes, I do love civility. Just when I think it's vanishing, something like this happens.

CO, I'll keep my eyes open for German shepherds next time and will try something other than the French toast. Sounds like I'll have to go for the red velvet cupcakes Desiree recommends.

Megan, I just hope if I'm ever in the same position, that I'll be willing to "give up a loaf."

Nelle, Yes, aren't random acts of kindness the best, whether we're the give or receiver.

mattatouille said...

very cool food blog!

JCK said...

It was lovely of the lady to give it to you. And wonderful of you to say aloud what your plans were...so that she could offer. :)

Great to see you this afternoon at the Altadena Library! I look forward to tomorrow's picnic.

pasadenapio said...

This morning at about 10 a.m. I was sitting at home and suddenly began to smell my mother's fantastic Waldorf Salad that she always made for me on my birthday -- the classic recipe with her own twist of chicken, fresh herbs and a wee bit of sour cream added.

I went all around the house trying to figure out where the aroma was coming from, and even went outside expecting it to waft from one of my neighbors' houses.

Went back inside and it was still there for a few more minutes.

I sat and talked to my mom and grieved her passing a little more, then decided that next time I'm in San Diego I need to hunt for her recipe -- assuming it's not lost to the ages -- so I can make it in her memory.

Susan C said...

JCK It was such a nice surprise to see you at the library. Your children are completely adorable.

Ann, Aren't memory and the senses amazing things? I hope you find that recipe. (And, please, share it with me when you do.)

Petrea Burchard said...

A lovely story, Susan! May that woman receive many gifts for her kindness.

Ann, I like your story, too.

Doug Willis said...

Whose life isn't a Seinfeld episode. Hopefully you did not have to tie a string around it and raise it up to the second floor.

It was nice to meet you at the Picnic. Thanks for saying hellloooo!

PasaDeena Willis said...

I am glad to hear you got your marble rye- I mean rosemary currant bread. Great to meet you over the weekend. Your blog makes me hungry. Well Done!

Susan C said...

Doug and Deena, it was great to meet you both at the picnic. And, Deena, I had to once again change my headline. It wasn't a babka, and it wasn't a challah. It was, as you mention, a marble rye.

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