Darlings, THIS Is The Place For Stuffed Escarole!!!!!!

                            On Saturday, girls, that almost half year milestone was reached--the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island.  It  is something the group of us--Kris, Gerry, Judy, Mr. Mayer, Monsieur and myself--look forward to, not only for the event, but to see each other, and catch up!!!!  It always starts with a leisurely, sumptuous Italian lunch (it is in Brooklyn, after all!!!) and our place of choice of late has been Fiorentino's, just off the Avenue U stop on the F train.

                            How subtly time has altered the occurrence of this event!!!!  While Fiorentino's scores, as always, in the culinary department, the encroachment of, shall we say, maturity, has curtailed the ability to indulge.  Bottom line, dolls--I can't eat as much as I used to!!!!!!!

                            Which was evident, because while the stuffed pork chop, potato croquette and spinach were all luscious, the chop was so stuffed I could eat about half of it.  I don't do doggie bags, dears, and we were not  going home right away,  so I had to be content with what I ate. Which I certainly was.  And, of course, before that, there had been bread, wine, calamari and that special stuffed escarole!!!!  I am telling you, darlings, the next time I am here I will go with something light--like the linguine in white clam sauce!!!!

                             Meanwhile, what did others have??? Kris had the linguine in lobster sauce, which looked scrumptious; Judy had pasta with broccoli ,  Gerry had the stuffed flounder, and my Monsieur had the stuffed shells.   We were ALL stuffed, believe me!!!!

                              The one regrettable thing was the absence of Mr. Mayer, who was at home with a cold. Apparently, he vacillated for about an hour, over whether he should go, as I know he looks forward to it every year.  But I think he made the right decision. And we all agreed, when he is recovered, and things at Coney are less frenetic, to do an event with him at Fiorentino's and such!!!  All the fun, without the inconvenience of crowds, darlings!!!!!!!!!!

                             Fiorentino's is a little oasis in this industrial wasteland section of Brooklyn!!!!
If you want quality off the beaten path, this is it!!!!

                               Mangia, Abundanza, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!