Buzz: From Tripe To Turkey, the Food Edition

For General Consumption

Warty pumpkins at the Clinton-Bailey Market. File Photo by the Author.

Don’t gripe — we got tripe

Our friend Ryan spotted a sign outside Bobby J’s, home of Desiderio’s Dinner Theater: “Don’t Gripe — We Got Tripe.” What do we love more — the phrase we got or the word tripe?

Let’s talk tripe. The nation is divided, face it, and tripe is a chief sticking point. Many don’t have the, ahem, stomach for it. Buzz, being omnivorous, always knew we would love it. The first time we saw it — at the Italian Festival — we leapt at it, ordering a Large. We figured our friends would want to try it. They didn’t. Fine by us: more for the believers.

Now, with autumn descending, our thoughts turn again to tripe. It would be great in the Crock-Pot. Alas, it’s pricey. Foods that were once poor-man specials — tripe, oxtails, and, let’s say it, pig’s feet — aren’t cheap thrills anymore. In the afterlife perhaps we can inquire why that is. Meanwhile, we’ll leave it to the pros. Don’t gripe. We got tripe!

The Great Pumpkin is Back

Another sign seen: “Pumpkin is back.” Buzz spotted it in front of Dunkin’ Donuts — now known simply as “Dunkin’” (donut ask why) — and it cracks us up. Not Pumpkin Spice, not Pumpkin Latte — just pumpkin. It reminds us of our friend Danielle, who has the new orange cat by that name. Funniest thing is, we remember writing about this very sign in the Buzz column when it ran in The Buffalo News. Goofy then, goofy now. Pumpkin is back!

Gourd Times

Every year about this time, Buzz panics. What if we can’t find a perfect pumpkin in time? It starts small — we spot one beauty at the grocery, think “maybe later,” and by next week they’re all gone. We’re afraid to go back to Dash because last week, we passed on a huge tub of Amish gourds. It was late at night, our head was spinning, and now we worry they’re gone.

Well, the season is young. Let’s look forward. Last year we wound up with a gourd that looked like a shoe. This year we’re getting it right — the classic orange, round, wholesome kind, like a jack-o’-lantern from a 1950s coloring book. None of those blue-gray heirlooms that look like they belong in a Jane Austen novel. We’re talking true Cinderella pumpkin.

So if you see Buzz driving around with one riding shotgun, don’t worry. It’s research.

Thanks, but …

Gotta love Father Jacek Mazur, who last Sunday at St. Louis Church, in his adorable Polish accent, preached a sermon on gratitude. Looking ahead to Thanksgiving, the padre suggested we all go around the table and say what we’re thankful for.

Buzz, in the sky-high choir loft, heaved a sigh. We suspect that anyone who has ever hosted Thanksgiving gave up on that idea long ago. Sure, we’d love this storybook tradition. But our family is chaos in cranberry sauce. We’re lucky if we can silence the crowd to say a 10-second grace.

Still, Father Jacek’s right in spirit, and hope springs eternal. Is anyone else able to carry this off? Let us know how you do it.

The Buzz

Remember our trip to LynOaken Farms, the apple orchard with 300 apple varieties? Click here if you missed that craziness. The Lubsk Queens are long devoured, but still have a few apples left. We keep them in the fridge and dote upon them. … Reminds us, on our trip there, we passed a stand with $2 pumpkins. Darn it, we were distracted and forgot to buy them on the way back. Is it too late?

Still hungry? Try this digest

Click here for the “We’re Going In” about the orchard with 300 kinds of apples. Crazy to the core!

For another foodie adventure, click here for “We’re Going In: An Old-School City Market” — complete with a stop in a boho tea house that was curiouser and curiouser!

And as long as fall has our minds on pumpkins, click here for “Orange Giant Comes To Town.” We get an up-close look at a brand new Great Lakes freighter that’s all bright hull and full of autumn spirit.

Thank you for sharing in my adventures! See you Sunday for our Sunday Edition.