Sunday, April 8, 2012.
Church. Emmett's Chicken. The Miracle Of Italian Stuffing.
Mary Ann says that she dreads going to Mass on Sunday because of the stress of having to fulfill my only request: that we arrive early enough to avoid the ignominy of standing up in the back. She does not share this imperative. The first time we went to Mass together in our months of dating, we stood in the back. And many times since then. To quote what a perfect stranger told me once, as we both stood highly visible in a side aisle, "If I were as recognizable as you are, Tom, I'd be sure to get to Mass early."
But Mary Ann just doesn't do early.
What often happens as a result of this divided outlook is that we go to one church, find ourselves shut out of the pews, leave, wait, go to another church, have it happen again, and finally either go to the last service of the day miles from home, or not at all.
The latter option is not tenable on Easter. We went through the first iteration of the routine at St. Benedict's. Not even standing room there. We were early enough at Mary Queen of Peace to actually have our choice of seats. Alleluia, alleluia. The church shortly thereafter filled with standees. I'm glad I wasn't one of them, because in the middle of the Mass five young people were baptized. I don't mind a long service if I'm sitting down.
Besides, if you're standing you have no song book, and can't sing. I like to sing. And the choir sounded good. Afterwards, I asked the director what night they rehearsed. Wednesday, she said. Oh, well. I had to drop out of my last choir when they moved the rehearsal to Eat Club night. Any choirs out there practice on Monday anymore?
Mary Ann made a call on Emmett's meat market in Elmwood a few days ago, trying to sell him advertising. She came away with no deal, but with a deboned whole chicken stuffed with artichokes and artichoke stuffing. I baked that for our dinner today, while the Marys made the other courses.
The chicken was great, but how could it not be? That mixture of bread crumbs, herbs, garlic, olive oil, lemon, and parmesan cheese may be one of the world's most alluring flavors. Not only is it used to stuff artichokes, but also as the topping on Italian-style baked oysters (the kind made popular at Mosca's). And the dressing for spiedini of most kinds. And veal pockets, and more than a few other dishes.
There is no question that Italian bread stuffing is a cheap thrill. But only a snob could turn away from it. I could eat it at every meal for quite a long time before getting tired of it.
In fact, once at Ristorante Filippo I began a meal with his oysters areganata, which fill the restaurant with the aroma of that irresistible dish. Then I had chicken spiedini for the entree--essentially the same flavor. If there's one thing I believe in, it's contrasts from one dish to the next. But I liked this anyway.
I spent the rest of the afternoon tackling the job I barely started two weeks ago: replacing the faucets on the bathroom wash basin. As it turned out, all four valves--the supply valves under the sink as well as the ones on it--were leaking like crazy. The hard part was, as it always is, getting the old hardware off.
The project went on for hours, during which MA told me I was a fool for not getting a plumber to do it. But O she of little faith! At around six, I ushered her in to see the brand-new, perfectly operating fixtures. My manhood is once again established!
Emmett's Fine Meats And Seafood. Elmwood: 5618 Jefferson Hwy. 504-733-0901.
