Maynards Market

This past Thursday we stopped in at Maynards Market for dinner. This is the second time we've been here, and I think we can say that we'll be going back.

We arrived around 5:30 and were met by the hostess and promptly seated. Perusing the menu, we both decided on the Mac' and Cheese side (large), and one of us had fries as a second side and the other had chard with raisins and pine nuts. Let me tell you, the large Mac' and Cheese is a meal. Do not make the mistake of ordering it to go along with something else. As it was, we had to take home a small box for the next day.

After a wait of about 20 minutes, two large, extremely hot, bowls of M&C were brought to the table. Covered in slightly toasted, garlicky, bread crumbs, it was obvious that these were done in the oven as all good M&C should be. Taking a bite, one could tell that they used a smoked Gouda along with Parmesan, and probably some Mozzarella to add to the stringy consistency. Wow! This is how M&C should be made!

The fries, well, they were fries, nicely done and crispy, and the chard with raisins and pine nuts, was quite good. Unfortunately, we did not have room for dessert, but of coarse there's always next time.

The vibe at Maynards is quite Tucson-like. Instead of trying to make the train depot conform to the restaurant, the restaurant conforms to the depot. Drink menus hang on a railroad spike at the table, and the main dining area looks out over the tracks so you can watch the trains go by. Overall, Maynards is bit on the noisy side, but that was just because it was quite busy. I hope it stays that way.

North Shore

As I mentioned in the last post, we took a quick vacation up north. To the North Shore of Lake Superior, in fact. It was quite nice to see the bright new green showing up everywhere in the spring, and the area was just beautiful. I'd highly recommend a trip up there.

We spent a few days going along the shoreline, pretty much covering the area from Duluth to Canada, stopping to wander out to the lake shore, or watch the cascades of snow melt tumble down rivers on the way to the lake. Every time we would see the rushing cascades, I would think of the story Paddle to the Sea by the wonderfully named Holling C. Holling and winner of the 1942 Caldecott Award.

For those that haven't read Paddle to the Sea, you are missing out.

Ice Break

This year it looks as though I missed the ice break on the Rillito. We took a short vacation up to one of those northern climes. You know the kind of place -- where the real ice had broken just a week or so prior. Really. In fact, right up near the Canadian border we happened to see a lake that was still covered in ice! And when we arrived back in Tucson, the radio announcer said it was a lovely 100° degrees in Tucson.

Here in Tucson, we don't have real ice on the rivers, or even water for most of the year, so we make up our own version of an ice break. The first day above 100°. This year it was on May 7th.

Keep cool.