Well, I can tell you in one word. TRADITION!
Our tradition of dining at The Federal is four years old now and we see no reason to change. We have always arrived between the breakfast and lunch rush, at about 11:15 a.m. We like to arrive when we do because we can sit for a while and sip good, strong American style coffee. We can take our time and study the menu and discuss what we'll try this time. Then, after they've topped up our mugs, we place our orders and wait in anticipation....tradition.
There are not many people here now. It is a quiet time. Jeanne is studying the choices carefully.
The staff is busy though.
It feels like home to us now.
Remember Twin Peaks? Twenty five years has passed and it's back. And The Federal is promoting it.
Look at that sugar dispenser. That's the way to do it. Real old fashioned style. No ripping open little paper pouches at the Fed.
I'm having something new today. The duck liver parfait with pickle juice jelly no less. I can't wait.
It turned out to be better than I thought it would be. Very light, but with plenty of ducky flavor. Those are lines of balsamic vinegar across the parfait. (like a pate that has been whipped) The pickle juice jelly is just visible behind the parfait. This combination scored a 10 with us both.
Update: The lines across the parfait are a red-wine reduction. I asked about it during our lunch with Allie.
Update: The lines across the parfait are a red-wine reduction. I asked about it during our lunch with Allie.
My second course, matza ball soup. Needed a little salt, but otherwise it was great.
Jeanne stuck with her favorite, a chicken salad sandwich. I should have taken a picture of that too.
It was overcast when we arrived but is sunny now. I waited to take a picture until we left and it's good that I did.
Half a block away from the deli is Auckland's distinctive Skytower. We just missed a jumper coming down the fixed line...maybe I'll catch one next time we come. You'll have to make do with this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9obsK0kikw
BTW, those are leaves that are littering the sidewalk around the singer, not rubbish.
After leaving the Skytower, we walked back down Queen Street, which was thick with street musicians. Here is one of them. Queen Street is a busy place at 1 p.m. on Friday.
BTW, those are leaves that are littering the sidewalk around the singer, not rubbish.
We then continued our traditional pursuits by walking down to the wharf, about half a mile away, and basking in the sun before hopping back on the train for home. We picked up the boys from school a short time later. What a great day.
For dinner, Allie took us to Burgerfuel on Lincoln Road. We returned home for Jeanne's home made cheesecake with blueberry topping.
On Tuesday, Jeanne went to the office at the Ministry of Geezers and signed up for her Supergold Card. Once that arrives in the mail, and she buys a $10.00 ATHop card at either New Lynn or Britomart, she will start enjoying free travel with me and 5% off at Aussie Butcher. I love retirement. -djf
Love what you had off the Federal's menu this visit - I don't think I would have tried the duck parfait with pickle juice jelly otherwise but it was vicariously delicious! (smiley emoji) I know matzo ball soup must be a Jewish tradition - but just what IS a matzo ball? and is that ox tail with it? Your side story features Allie's first visit to the Federal - I can't believe she hasn't been there before! (unless this was from a previous visit a while ago)
ReplyDeleteI liked your you-tube clips. It was fun to see the one from Fiddler on the Roof - and I actually listened to the words. Your sky-tower clip was in slo-mo - nice effect! and the street musician was not bad at all - hope he made some decent money - at least he's not standing on a street corner with a cardboard sign like the panhandlers here.
O - and before I close I wanted to mention that I got a kick out of Jeanne's visit to the Ministry of Geezers to become an OFFICIAL and GENUINE GEEZER! Congratulations Jeanne!
A matzo ball is like a doughy dumpling thats made with matzo meal, and egg and traditionally, chicken fat. You might want to look at your supermarket. They probably have a m. ball soup mix on the shelves there. I've bought them for years from a store in Escanaba.
ReplyDeleteMy soup was a chicken soup with a little dill on top as you see. (That long piece of meat is a piece of chicken breast meat.)
Actually, I was told by a waiter that the 'matzo balls' in the soup pictured are made from bagel dough, they're not true matzo balls. They are denser than a real matzo ball is. I like the soup nontheless and forgive The Fed this one indiscretion.
This blog had it all--great music; great food and great family. I love that musical! I would have had your meal exactly as it was. Fabulous. Of course, I do love chicken salad however. Yesterday, I had a new food. I had a tomato salad for breakfast that featured a perfectly poached egg on top of the salad with a balsamic dressing. It had crunchy fried prosciutto in it also and a smoked cheese of some type. It was wonderful except for too much dressing. Like your matzo ball, I forgave them because the rest of the salad was so wonderful. I love that restaurant. McKenzie
ReplyDeleteWe are very lucky, aren't we, to be able to try new things? Like your salad/egg breakfast. And talk about healthy. You hit a home run with that one I think. Maybe you'll have to add it to your home repertoire of breakfasts but substitute Fred's famous hot sauce for the balsamic.
DeleteYes. That would be a good option. I forgot that it also had grilled asparagus on it so that reminded me of you and Jeanne's garden. It did come with toast also so it was like a breakfast. Oh, also Happy Birthday again to Jeanne. I hope that she enjoys the train pass. McKenzie
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