Recession Dining

We've just completed a round of research on "cheap eats" in Connecticut for the March issue of Connecticut Magazine. Good timing. If economic forecasts prove correct, we'll all be looking for deals when we go out to eat. The article will include free buffets, half-price wine deals, early-bird specials and so on, but my favorites tend to be the places that are no-frills cheap all the time. Here's a sneak preview on a couple. The Cypress in Middletown has been in the same family since it was opened in 1936. You don't go there looking for anything fancy, but the dinner entree prices tend to fall just above and below the $10 mark. You can get a roast turkey dinner for $9.99 and corned beef on Thursdays for the same price. Meatloaf is $8.99, scallops $11.99. You get the idea: It's a trip back into time. The other time trip is Charcoal Chef in Woodbury, which opened up more than 50 years ago and hasn't changed much since (it's from the knotty pine school of roadside eateries). Here, the beef is grilled over charcoal and you can find worthy old favorites such as cube steak and ground beef for around $10 including potato and salad. Locals also love Charcoal Chef for the very grown-up drinks it serves.

Super Bowl Spread

The Super Bowl has become another great American holiday. And other than the actual game itself, a critical aspect of the event is the Super Bowl party. Seemingly no one watches the game by themself, and more importantly, no one watches it on an empty stomach!

Okay, the party I was at yesterday -- the centerpiece was a deep-fried turkey. YUM! There was also a smorgasbord of delicious artery-clogging cheeses and sliced meats, salads and salsas, chips and dips, kielbasa, bruschetta -- heck, someone even got crazy and threw together a plate of healthy veggies and fruit! And then at halftime, the desserts came out -- chocolate-dipped strawberries, cheesecakes, pastry and, of course, my decadent chocolate chip brownies (topped with vanilla ice cream, you know, just because).

At about 9:30, I turned to my friend and said, "Even though I can feel everything I've jammed in my craw stretching my innards to the bursting point, it all looks so good, I just can't stop!" Food, glorious food . . . oh, and there's a great football game, too?

Ahh, Super Sunday -- the Thanksgiving feast you get to have with people you like rather than your family!