a good day

I started my three day weekend today by immediately going to the Red Iguana today. It opened in 1985, I started eating there on cinco de Mayo '86. Son #1 and three of his buddies wnet there tonight. My wife and I kinda crashed their festivities. Strangely enough they were seated at the same table that I first ate at 23 years ago.

I don't eat at Red Iguana as much as I should. It's mainly the distance involved....and the wait. We left there tonight a bit after 8:30 on a Thursday night. It was still standing room only. Why? For me it is the moles. The poblano is a perfect combination of sweet/spicy/smoky. I no longer eat mole the traditional way, served over pork/chicken or TURKEY (Lord have mercy!!) because I don't eat meat any more. But I got a cup of poblano and dredged tortillas through it.

The problem with eating it to start my weekend? It's all downhill from here. Barring something truly spectacular.

Naturally, my thoughts at some point turn to Ramon Cardenas. The honcho until he died a few years back from an aneurysm. I spoke with him only once. He no doubt forgot our conversation. In fact he was quite annoyed with me at the time. My wife and I had ordered a paella the day before. We had reservations and our table was set for paella. After we were seated, our drink orders was taken. I asked for an appetizer. The waiter gave me a strange look and disappeared into the kitchen. Ramon Cardenas came out, carrying a large non-knife kitchen implement, and coarsely informed me that there would be nothing else served with our paella. I honestly expected I was going to be beaten to death.

Two minutes later the paella appeared. Saffron rice, peas, clams, shrimp, mussels, chicken, chorizo, lobster, peppers. A classic, perfectly balanced and prepared dish. Everything prepared separately and perfectly and combined in the final minutes before my arrival. As we were finishing Ramon sat at our table and lamented the fact that he was not able to prepare it outside over a fire......and then he left. A few weeks later we were able to share an even larger paella with frineds of ours. Sometime after that I read the obituary for Ramon Cardenas. With it the artistry of paella was snuffed out. I've not had anything like it since. Every time I go to Red Iguana I get misty eyed. A few times afterwards, I have cried tears when I am alone.

Food carries the potential for emotional responses. I have had some food epiphanies in my life. I also carry memories of people that are attached to the food. I remember Beulah and Ray and the El Charro and the tacos and salsa that are like no other. There was Miriam at the della Fontana and the Salsiccia fresca dolce. I fondly remember the parties thrown by, my childhood neighbors, the Ybarras. There was the beef teriyaki by Mr. Ryujin at the Dai Enko Tei. And of course, the paella by Ramon.

I was feeling real good before I started this entry tonight. I review the prior paragraph and think about these good things that are lost forever. I am overcome with melancholy