Monday, December 13, 2010. Cold Fingers. Cold And Hot At Carmelo. It didn't get as cold as was forecast last night. But the block-long walk to the mailbox (drop off trash, pick up newspaper) well demonstrated the veracity (and velocity) of the wid chill effect. It was thirty-three degrees out there, but the north wind was fresh. As I write these words not long after that walk, my cold fingers make many errors.
Speaking of erratic fingers on keyboards: I was writing something yesterday in which Emeril's name came up. WordPerfect's spellchecker flagged the name and gave two suggestions: Amoral and Immoral. If I were Emeril, I'd sue.
Mary Leigh came home, her first semester at Tulane finished, and her dorm soon to close for the holidays. It wasn't two hours before she was complaining of boredom. She's counting the days (twenty-one) until she goes back to school.
We celebrated her return to the home hearth by leaving it for dinner at Ristorante Carmelo. We started as usual with a pizza: mozzarella and cream cheese with pesto, mushrooms, and white truffle oil. "That smells funny," said Mary Leigh. Mary Ann kicked me under the table, to keep me from commenting on what that aroma is said to resemble. She accuses me of not censoring myself enough in conversations with our daughter, who is quite worldly wise.
Next, a platter of antipasto: prosciutto and melon, several kinds of fresh cheeses, olives, and salami. Funny how all that cold stuff somehow felt warming to eat on a chilly day.
Carmelo came by and said that his daughters were home from school, too. And they too have made themselves scarce, at least around the restaurant. But I remember what it was like when I was in my late teens and early twenties. I didn't want to be anywhere my parents were, either.
Next, a half-dozen oysters areganata, served on the half shell, aromatic and good, with bread crumbs, garlic, and bacon. Not quite enough sauce for Mary Leigh to scoop up. She had enough to eat anyway: pasta bolognese, made very well here. Mary Ann dined on the most expensive dish of the night, a red snapper off the grill with crabmeat and herbs. All good. Not very busy, but more so than it has been on any previous Monday.
Ristorante Carmelo. Mandeville: 1901 US Hwy 190 . 985-624-4844.
