Another endearing character in the neighborhood that gives this massive city a sense of small town and community is our very own Iron Chef.
A caterer who recently befriended my mother works for one of the finest hotels in the city. A knock on her door and an out stretched hand holds a plate of elegant hors d'oeuvres, or freshly baked croissants, some days it's a plate of Norwegian smoked salmon, or a box of petite fours. "Why cook" she exclaimed this morning "...when you have your very own personal chef?" as she accepted a plate of luscious looking crepes? To supplement the meal Mom's son-in-law brings fruits when he drops off the Daily News and Post every evening. Months ago, when Spring first came to NY, the warm weather brought out the fruit carts that line the avenues, sometimes within feet of a supermarket. The fruit beautifully displayed is much less expensive than the neighborhood stores. Passing a local cart everyday, my brother-in-law got to know one of the vendors, and one day charitably offered to mind the stand as the fellow ran off to handle a body's necessity. It became a daily habit and now he minds two neighborhood fruit stands remunerated with bags of fruit and vegetables, endowing Mom with the makings of healthy salads, and dazzling fruit bowls. It has saved her hundreds of dollars and saved me many a trip to the grocery store! Last night I made an apple compote for dessert, and tomorrow morning we'll have a strawberry and banana smoothie for breakfast, if not, the luscious looking crepe left over from this morning!
