Boy Do I Miss NY---Sometimes

Being a transplanted New Yorker, via Rhode Island, and then to Tennessee, I yearn for some of the food items that we took for granted. Growing up in the Bronx, we often went to the deli for lunch or dinner. It was the "deli." Period. Being of a different faith, we never realized it was an institution called a "Jewish Deli." Terrific corned beef, pastrami, tongue, chicken liver and onion sandwiches, knish, whitefish, lox and so on. You could even order "extra fatty" corned beef. Lean was not a positive description back then. Thoughts of our expeditionary trips to Katz' or Lindy's, or the Second Avenue Deli (not on 2nd Avenue anymore) in the "the City" still makes my mouth water. On the last few trips to lower Manhattan on business, I made sure that I stopped by Katz' for a trip down memory lane. I even made arrangements with my son--the Chef--- to join me as he lives just north of the City. He had never been to Katz' and I started to wonder if I was really that neglectful in raising him. He was 21 years old and had never been to a real Jewish Deli. Shame on me, but I would rather be late than never, as they say. Six inch high pastrami sandwiches; knoblewurst with enough garlic to stop a freight train and, of course, the pickles. Things couldn't be better. The $20.00 sandwich prices were tough to swallow, but the egg cream was as smooth as can be.

A day later reality hit and I was back in Nashville realizing that it may be awhile before I can enjoy Katz' pleasures again. I'll speak to Nashville's version of a Jewish Deli soon.....