Food…and Nuts Too!

Once again it’s time for me to take a break from our July road trip…just to change the topic and report on more recent happenings impacting our day-to-day existence.

We finally have a Freddy’s within a reasonable driving distance from our home!  This fast food chain’s full ‘name’ is actually Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.  We were first introduced to Freddy’s in Omaha Nebraska while visiting our son and his family, then we partook of the menu again while visiting Laurie’s family in the St. Louis Missouri suburbs.  Then, like a tease, a Freddy’s opened up in Oak Ridge, about 45 minutes from our home.  But very recently this location in Lenoir City Tennessee finally opened its doors.  Hooray!

We waited about 3 weeks before stopping by for dinner.  We’d figured that that amount of time would give the operation a chance to get their act together while at the same time, the intent was to avoid the rush as locals tried this new fast food venue…

The take-out line wrapped around the building and, because Freddy’s makes your food after you order it, progress was slow…

Freddy’s menu is all about the burgers and the frozen custard although they do have an average chicken sandwich and hot dogs that we haven’t tried yet.

We are not fast food aficionados although we do like McDonald’s French fries as well as Chick-fil-a’s and Popeye’s chicken sandwiches.  Then again, we do take out from Kentucky Fried Chicken 6 – 8 times a year.

At this point in time, we’re still doing take out at fast food restaurants…just until we get our Covid-19 booster shots.  There is no point in folks of a certain age taking too many risks…

In our opinion, Freddy’s French fries are as good as McDonald’s and either chain’s fries are better than any other fast food operation’s.

This is a Freddy’s Original Double Steakburger with cheese.  For condiments, we opt for just mayonnaise and pickle slices.  FYI, the pickle slices are lengthwise and they provide both texture and flavor to the burger.  The burgers are fried much like Steak ‘n Shake fries theirs…smashed, with crispy edges but definitely juicy when served.  FYI, Freddy’s steakburgers are definitely better than Steak ‘n Shake’s version.

Freddy’s was founded in 2002 and the chain’s headquarters is in Wichita Kansas.  They now have over 380 locations in 34 states reaching from California to New Jersey and from Florida to Idaho.  Our local Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers is at 956 US Hwy 321 in Lenoir City Tennessee.  Phone: 865-317-1475.  The Company’s website is found at https://freddysusa.com/.

Back at our home, over the last ‘fun year’ we’ve all been through, we haven’t been exactly inspired when it comes to creating meals.  Recently though, Laurie made one of my favorites…Salmon Patties.  Side them with a vegetable and ensure that a good balsamic vinegar is on the table and I’m a content diner…

Of course, there were leftovers.  I reheated a salmon patty in a frying pan with butter, placed it on top of a slice of buttered toast and then topped it all with a couple of easy over fried eggs.  Yum!

At the first peek of cooler weather, Laurie decided to go all out and make one of her specialties…and one of my favorite meals!  The photo shows all of the ingredients she needs to make up a big pot of her spicy chili.  It is quite a process and I serve as her sous chef during the effort to create this cool or cold weather treat.

The first photo shows the way that Laurie likes her chili…with saltines.  In my case, I like mine ‘straight up’ as is with a slice or two of buttered bread on the side.  As amazing as it may seem to those who follow my blog, I do not add Tabasco to Laurie’s chili!  It is plenty spicy on its own…enough so that many of our family and friends wouldn’t enjoy her creation.

FYI, we had three meals just from this batch of chili!

Now for a different type of ‘food’…

So why am I showing you this photo of our backyard in the early fall season and why is the grass so heavily interspersed with that brown stuff?  Most of it doesn’t look like leaf's…or food either.

That’s because that brown stuff is really a record bumper crop of acorns as produced and dropped by our big oak tree!  Our backyard is carpeted with them and until mid-month they were raining down on our deck and bouncing off our windows…sounding a bit like gunshots.  The positive impact of all these acorns has been that we sure have seen more deer and turkey in our yard in the past few weeks than we have for the rest of the year.  They are all feasting on nature’s food, building up their staying power for the winter that will soon be upon us…

The nut crop…acorns, hazelnuts and walnuts…must be particularly massive this year as we haven’t heard any pleas for acorns to help the bears survive the winter in the Smoky Mountain National Park.  I did eat one myself...bland with a little bitter aftertaste.

That’s it for now… Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave