Hilltowns Senior News for Friday, April 22, 2016

I admit it. I’m as much of a food snob as the rest of the people running around these days, and I’m actually pretty good at foreign languages, but there is a limit. I do not think that calling food by an unfamiliar name automatically makes it better

Coquille St. Jacques is scallops, and it would be nice if once in awhile a menu would tell you that. Mussels Meuniere frites is fairly close to steamed clams and fries (Yes, I know that a mussel is not a clam, and that they’re fixed with wine and not just plain water, but you do get my point).  Aioli is mayonnaise, but of course you couldn’t charge as much if you called it mayonnaise.

I’m not complaining about putting something on the menu in its original language, as long as you provide a translation. More restaurants are doing that these days, and I applaud them for it. A restaurant is supposed to make you feel good, not stupid. I’m not sure I want to patronize a place that puts showing off above pleasing customers.

I’ll allow a certain amount of obfuscation and unfamiliarity; I don’t think it’s too demeaning to ask what orecchiette is (pasta in the shape of “little ears”), but I’m sorry, I don’t automatically know what goes into “Asian Slaw.”

Coulis is a great-sounding word, assuming you know how to pronounce it, but couldn’t they tell you it just means a smooth sauce?  Actually, I’m not sure that even those snooty restaurants are using the name correctly. According to the first American edition of “Larousse Gastronomique, the Encyclopedia of Food, Wine, and Cooking,” introduction by Auguste Escoffier, a coulis is meat juices from a roast, poultry, or seafood, which can be served as a sauce or soup. Where the fruits and veggies wormed their way in I do not know.

You tell me that Eggs Cocolte contains bacon, tomato, goat cheese, and gruyere, but I still don’t know what you did to the eggs themselves (Hard-boiled? Scrambled? Or maybe “coddled”?) I think it can be fun to learn new words, providing that you tell me what they mean. Pechuga De Pollo A La Parilla is a bit daunting, but the restaurant kindly tells me that that is grilled chicken breast. Same with  Chuleta De Cerdo Frita O A La Parrilla, when you are informed that it is only a lowly fried or grilled pork chop.

It is not OK to tell me that “Mofongo (Sin Chicharron)” is “plain mofongo,” and Mofongo Con Queso  is cheese mofongo. (There is one tiny piece of essential information missing here, in my opinion).  Chateaubriand does not immediately advise me that what I’m ordering is steak and buttery fries.

I also do not think that putting together weird combinations equals great food. I’m not sure that I want to try beets (raw or cooked?) with apples, baby arugula, pecans, and a vinegar dressing.  Falafel salad sounds a bit odd, since falafel, as I recall, is a deep-fried chickpea ball, and mixing it with cold greens and salad dressing sounds like the result would be wilted salad and cold, greasy dumplings.

I caught a glimpse of something on one of the foodie TV channels that was a grilled-cheese sandwich with American cheese plus that tangy/sour Feta cheese, along with whole blueberries and some kind of meat. I might take one bite, but I get goosebumps thinking about it for more than a second or two.

I really don’t want to try octopus ice cream, or most of the bizarre combinations that are invented on those chef competition shows, either.  Why doesn’t somebody open a restaurant for nice, homey comfort food, like meatloaf and macaroni and cheese?

Coming up

On other topics, the Helderberg Senior lunch program will be putting on another Bluebird House-building class on May 10. Sign up now at the senior center.

They are trying to set up a trip to hear the Albany Senior Orchestra at The Sanford Library in Colonie on Thursday, May 17. The concert starts at 2 p.m. More information will be published as soon as we have it.

The Albany Guardian Society has announced its spring schedule.

A few of the upcoming events are:

— A workshop on “Getting Your Affairs in Order (So Your Kids Don’t Have To)” on  April 26, from 9 to 11 a.m.,  at their building at 14 Corporate Woods Boulevard, Suite 102 in Albany;

— On April 27,  from 1 to 4:30 p.m.,  is “Solve Your Tablet Challenges” for iPads and Android tablets. Workshop  at the Guardian Society. Call 434-2140 to register;

— On May 3, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., “Effectively Using Your iPhone” at the Fenimore Gallery of Proctors Theater at 432 State Street in Schenectady;

— On May 3, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., “Aging in Place: Your Home for Your Lifetime” at the Guardian Society;

— On May 4, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., “Nutrition for Seniors” at the Guardian Society;

— On May 10 from noon to 1 p.m., “Gizmos and Gadgets: Handy Devices to Help Caregivers” at the Guardian Society;

— On May 10, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., “Eldercare GPS: Navigating the Maze of Available Services” at the Guardian Society;

— On May 11, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.,  “What in the World is a Facebook?” at the Guardian Society;

— On May 11, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., “Container Gardening for Seniors” at the Guardian Society; and

— On May 12, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., “Lifestyle Choices for a Healthy Heart” at the Guardian Society.

Once again, the Guardian Society is at 14 Corporate Woods Blvd., Suite 102 in Albany.  They can be reached at 434-2140, or e-mail at   director@albanyguardiansociety.org.

Senior Summit

Yours truly from Berne,  and Charlotte Fuss and Pat Lightbody from Knox, went to the Senior Summit held last Saturday at St. Sophia’s Church in Albany

The purpose of the Summit is to provide resources for caregivers in the Capitol District, but there were informational booths set up for a wide variety of services, from veterans’ programs, adult day care programs, senior housing facilities, counseling, legal advice,  healthcare, Alzheimer’s disease, and many others. We plan to line up speakers from several of the organizations to come talk to us after lunch over the next few months.

Menu

And finally, we get to the original purpose of this column, which is to let you know the menu for next week’s lunch at the Senior Center.  Doors open at 11 a.m., and lunch is served promptly at noon.  We have games and cards on Mondays and Tuesdays, and live music by Nancy Frueh on Fridays. Bingo intermittently, as the spirit moves us.

— Monday, April 25, chicken parmesan, pasta with tomato sauce, romaine salad, whole-wheat bread, milk, and citrus ambrosia;

— Tuesday, April 26, turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted squash, stuffing, milk, and applesauce cupcake;

—Friday, April 29, chef salad with ham, cheese and egg, tomato salad, whole-wheat roll, milk, and lemon cake.

    Please call 24 hours in advance to 872-9400 to reserve lunch.  E-mail , or sign up when you come in. Tell us how many are coming, your name, and your telephone number.  If you’d just like to come and help out, give Mary Moller a call at 861-6253, or e-mail her at , and put “volunteer” in the subject line.
    Lunches are provided by Helderberg Senior Services, the Albany County Department of Aging, and Senior Services of Albany. The Hilltown Senior Center is located at 1360 Helderberg Trail (Route 443) in Berne.