It was freaking fantastic. )<\/em><\/p>\n We went to A&S Fine Foods \u2013 an upscale Italian deli near where I work. As soon as I walked in, my senses were assaulted with the aromas I have come to love \u2013 garlic, onion, the oh-so-lovely smell of cooking sausages. <\/p>\n There was so much to choose from \u2013 Stuffed Peppers, freshly made Polenta, rice balls, orzo and pine nut salad, red pepper, roasted garlic & garbanzo sauce, 20 different salads, 15 different entrees, enough different varieties of breads to keep your lunch different every day for 2 months, fresh pasta drying on racks, aging sausages hanging, plus 100\u2019s of Italian delicacies \u2013 Imported olive oils (of types I have never seen, hand wrapped in paper), anchovies, sauces, spreads \u2013\u2014you name it, it was there. There were different types of beef, chicken, lamb, and 4 or 5 different fish, all ready to eat, plus beautiful cuts of beef \u2013 porterhouse, rib eyes, strips, chops just waiting to be grilled.. I was drooling and I had only been in the place for 20 seconds. <\/p>\n The woman I went with, being pregnant and hungry for everything, came away with I ended up choosing a daily special for lunch \u2013 it had just come out for serving, and was steaming hot.<\/p>\n The bottom layer was a marinated-grilled portobello mushroom, topped with saut\u00e9ed spinach and garlic. The next layer was a thick (1 inch thick), spicy Italian sausage. To top it off, was a thick slice of polenta which had been grilled with garlic & oil, and then topped with melted mozzarella. There was enough for both lunch and dinner, and once I finished every last bit, I wished I for more. <\/p>\n Though I probably won\u2019t ever make this at home \u2013 not for just my son and I, I cannot get the flavor and texture of the excellent polenta out of my mind. I plan to make some polenta this week, and experiment with flavors. I\u2019ll let you know how it turns out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This past Friday, being the end of the week, was rather an occasion \u2013 not a real-honest-to-goodness occasion, just a \u201cHappy It\u2019s Friday\u201d type of occasion. To that end, we went out for lunch.. ( I normally would try this … Continue reading ![\"sausage_soppressata2\"](\"http:\/\/thisfoodthing.files.wordpress.com\/2008\/08\/sausage-soppressata2.jpg\")
<\/a> sliced Soppressata<\/a> (pronounced Super Sotta), sliced provolone cheese, a 9 inch round roll of bastone bread, roasted pepper dip, baked ziti, rice balls smothered in a rich tomato sauce, and a 2 pound roll of freshly made mozzarella. <\/p>\n