PERFECT HOME FRIES

When Kay and I first started thinking about writing a book about our relationship we planned to base it around food, in particular home fried potatoes!! Sounds crazy but we had traveled up and down the East Coast of the U.S. several times and had eaten lots of good, mediocre and bad home fries so we fancied ourselves to be an authority on the subject. Then we changed our minds and decided to present "Sisters by Heart" differently telling the story about our lives together and relegating our favorite recipes to their own separate place in the book with running commentaries accompanying each recipe or menu.

Back when we were still researching the home fried spud, our favorites could be found at Young's Restaurant in Durham, NH. That's before we'd had them at Amore Breakfast in Ogunquit - their's are excellent and I defy anyone to find any better. What makes them so good is they're cut small, have some onion and something sort of tangy and they're grilled until they're dark brown and crispy.

Recently we began to think about the various places we go to enjoy the special foods we don't prepare here at home. Such as, multi-grain waffles - the best are at the Circle Restaurant in Epsom, NH. The best thin crust pizza is at UNO's and those restaurants are everywhere and they're consistent and dependable in presenting the same well prepared thin crust pizza at any of their places.

However, if you're looking for regular pizza - three-cheese, white pizza, or regular with your choice of topping - Alexander's in Dover, NH is the perfect place. Also, Kay won't have Egg Plant Parmesan at any other Italian Restaurant.

The best prime rib of beef is at The Common Man Restaurants in New Hampshire. There are a lot of them conveniently located. I always order the end cut because I don't like rare meat and the end cut is usually cooked the way I like it and has lots of flavor because it's an outside piece. Clay Hill Farm in Ogunquit also has a good end cut of beef.

Restaurants where two outrageous older ladies feel comfortable going out to eat is important. No one seems particularly aware that we're a same-sex couple who have been together for almost thirty years. Having been a waitress at one time in my life, I know the feeling when a party of women - with no accompanying male - is seated at a table in your station. "Small tip", was always the thinking and the faster you could get them "fed and fled" the better. We never feel that way and I hesitate to think it has anything to do with the fact that both Kay and I are pretty sure of ourselves and not the simpering type at all. We're in a gay relationship and that's the way it is.

If anyone reads this and would like to share their favorite place to eat out and what the specialty is, please leave a comment.