Melancholy
Yesterday I pushed a four drawer metal filing cabinet up a set of rickety stairs into my attic. Mrs. Fussy was in the attic to guide it into position. But before we even attempted it, we had a little fight about her ability to take accurate measurements without the use of an actual measuring tape.
Fights are normal for moves. Moving is stressful for everyone. But it’s all water under the bridge.
This weekend involved multiple trips to Goodwill and multiple trips to the storage facility. We had to replenish our supply of moving boxes. And now the house is really starting to look empty. It was a productive weekend, and the work needed to get done. But I’m bummed to have missed out on a weekend of exciting eating.
Did anyone actually go to Hop Chef? I think Stanford Steph mentioned she was heading over. I spoke to Dimitrios at The City Beer Hall in advance of the event and he told me about his dish – a twist on steak and eggs. It sounded amazing, with multiple layers of flavor, and the sheer madness of preparing an ungodly number of deviled quail eggs.
Unless I’m actually judging an event or otherwise on the clock, Fridays are reserved for Shabbat dinners at home. And this was the first Friday we were all home in a long time. So while I missed the festivities, the crispy skinned roast chicken with challah, the last of the fancy butter, and some pan-seared green beans were a lovely way to spend the evening.
What I really missed was the Troy Pig Out and the reinvention of Bacon Fest. Wow. Living vicariously through social media is a real stinker. So many bacony treats. With pork on the mind, I popped into Chipotle for a quick plate of carnitas tacos on their soft corn tortillas. They were good, but surely didn’t compare with all of the smoked meat being enjoyed across the river.
Sunday night there was no Bastille Day celebration. A long day of packing left no time for cooking. So we heated the kids up some franks and beans while the adults fueled up with cereal. It had to be fast, because I wanted to make one last trip to our storage unit.
I suppose it’s for the best that I missed out on Bacon Fest. I’m still not at my fighting weight, and I’ve got an August filled with the prospects of good eats all around the northeast. The potential Paris trip that was tentatively scheduled right after arriving in New Jersey is now a go. And in Princeton, I’m only going to be an hour’s drive away from The Best Sandwich in America.
In all honesty, five years ago I would have been giddy at the notion of packing up and leaving upstate New York. Now, it’s more complicated.
These events from this past weekend are only the tip of the iceberg. Sure, there will be new adventures, new things to eat, and new people to meet in New Jersey. But there is plenty that I’ll be missing. For example, now that The Chocolate Mill has closed, where will the very talented pastry chef Frank Vollkommer end up? I’ll be absent during the first anniversary of The Cheese Traveler’s shop opening. When Whole Foods opens its doors in Colonie Center, I won’t be there to write a post for All Over Albany. By the time I get back the Dave & Busters will have lost that new video game smell (I just really hope they have decent pinball). And what will transpire with the supermarket wars?
But still, the most mind-blowing thing is that there are people out in the Capital Region who will actually miss me. For someone who is not short of vocal detractors, it truly means an awful lot.
Thanks for all the support.
FUSSYlittleBLOG 
Daniel, of course we will miss you…I was at the Pig Out yesterday…it was sooooooo hot…we had an awful pulled pork sandwich from a vendor who I won’t name, let’s just say…overpriced, greasy tasteless sauce, the pork was not pulled, instead it was sliced, then cubed. The left the chin bone in …which was on the sandwich, not too smart on their part, we tossed it out after just a couple of bites. We did have awesome mac & cheese with bacon in it from 333 Cafe, Their other items looked great too. Got to talk with some of the competitors in the back and checked out a variety of smokers and rigs. If it wasn’t so hot yesterday, we would have stayed longer.
I miss you already (weepy).
I was at the Hop Fest and will have a post on it tomorrow. It doesn’t mention the City Beer Hall entry, however. Didn’t work for me.
What in the world makes you think the Fat Darrell is the best sandwich in America? (That is a question.) It looks like an abomination to me.
It appears Maxim Magazine named it the Best Sandwich in America. So at least it’s a step up from self-proclaimed.
Of course, Daniel’s also going to be closer to another “Best Sandwich in America,” this one more appetizing, if you ask me: http://www.thebraiser.com/adam-richman-names-best-sandwich-in-america/
Man. I hate that guy. I’ve been going to DiNic’s since 2010. And the lines were bad then. I’m told that now they are off the charts.
So you’re going to Paris…We went there for the first time I think it was 2009 or 2010 AND I went kicking and screaming, “Why would anyone want to go to Paris?” Well, we’ve had three trips there and there will probably be more in the future. If you would like some restaurant recommendations, I can pass that along as my wife keeps a journal of our trips. A must have is “The Paris Mapguide” Penguin Books, although if you have a global smartphone that might work to. It’s a small book at $8.95 but the maps are excellent!! We always stayed in the left bank 6 or 7 arrondissements. Best of luck on the move and transition.
I will miss you too Daniel B. Although I only had the pleasure of meeting you 1 time in person, it was a great evening sharing dinner. I wish you and your family all the best & look forward to your return already! Have a great time in Paris and NJ.
That sandwich sounds like the Shen Bomber at Halfmoon Salad & Sub Shop — but theirs is a wrap with buffalo sauce (and doesn’t have veggies, though I imagine they’d add them if you asked). That thing is dangerously delicious.
Hate to be a stick in the mud, but if you want the BEST sandwich in America….Go to Katz’s Deli and have some Pastrami on Rye. Even with all the great food around here and in the city, Katz’s is definately my ‘last meal’ favorite!
You have been a kind friend and supporter to our baby, fin – your fishmonger. Thank you. We’ll pop some fresh-made fishsticks into the freezer when you are about to return. On another note: Make a quick trip and have a real sandwich, whydontchanow, at Pat’s Steaks in South Philly.
Daniel, we’ll miss you and your continuing support of our little venture. You’ve got me thinking about the 1 Year Anniversary, now. If we pull together something awesome, do you think we can get you back up to the area for a day? (You might have some sort of business in Albany.) It’s exciting to hear about your your going to Paris again. I can’t wait to hear about it. How about next Bastille Day considering a simple celebration with French cheeses?
Fat Darrell’s is what it is… the sandwiches are more like huge indulgences than carefully prepared slices of heaven on rye, but it’s fun. My girlfriend’s sister lives just outside of New Brunswick, so we wander over every now and again. As for DiNic’s… well, quality speaks for itself, and it’s actually heartening that people want it. I sometimes stand in line at a place (Blue Bottle in the Ferry Building would be a good example) and bitch to myself about the length of that line, and then think: well, isn’t it a good thing that people are still willing to put up with this in order to enjoy a wonderful experience? Then my internal grumbling dies down a little bit and I concentrate on the menu.
Like others here, I’ll miss your posts about Albany, but it sounds like you and Mrs. Fussy will have some culinary (and other) adventures ahead of you in NJ and, of course, Paris ahead that will be wonderfully satisfying. I’d love to read about them – particularly your dining recommendations for both (NJ will be very useful; I don’t think we’ll be back in Paris until next year – those pesky finances). What I think is most important is that when we engage with a blog we feel like we gain a friend of sorts. And I think a lot of people here, including me, consider you one.
We’re all going to miss you! You’ve done so much for the local food scene. Your voice carries weight and has done so much to promote the places doing it right. I’m hoping for some Jersey-centric posts since we pass that way quite frequently but we’ll still l be counting down the days until your return. Until then, we’ll turn to your excellent blog roll and demand the best from local menus and promote the hell out of those who deserve it. Maybe during one of our Philly visits we can meet at RTM to enjoy a sandwich from DiNic’s. I’ve managed a counter seat on a few occasions so it IS possible!
I’m envious that you’re going to Paris- again!
You’re going to hate Jersey. I lived there for 20 years. It’s pretentious and sadly one of the worst places to meet people- even as densely populated as it is. Whenever I hopped over to NYC- all people would do was ask me “how do people meet other people there? There’s no sense of community.” And they were absolutely correct. Also, Outdoorsy? What? No one I knew there growing up was anything of the sort.
I wish you luck. I suppose there are worse places to be, but I’m sure happy I live here. Rather than there.
Who will be the temporary fussperson? Hard shoes to fill. But new adventures await you and your family. Enjoy the year and y’all come back, hear?