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Zuni Cafe's $8 Nectarine Dessert Is Just a Nectarine; Diners Left Confused

I love white fleshed nectarines though it seems a little pricey for one plain nectarine uncut to be served as a dessert. Presentation is sorely lacking in my book.

For the sum of $4.50 I would have preferred the nectarine slices fanned around the pit with a small dollop of flavored whipped cream. Flavorings could range from a crystallized ginger mixed in with the whipped cream or vanilla bean whipped cream or even a more traditional flavor which compliment nectarines such as cinammon whipped cream. It's not as if simply partially slicing a nectarine is all that labor intensive and it does make for a more visually appealing dessert whether it's whipped cream or simply heavy cream.

Now that I live alone I've found I enjoy a small amount of heavy cream which has been lightly sweetened with either sugar or honey and poured over fruits such as nectarines, strawberries or white fleshed cherries. (something I'd never had before until my small grocer purchased a flat of the white fleshed cherries).

From A Hamburger Today

Photo Gallery: Hamburgers, A Pictorial History

Talk about a blast from the past!

While I don't remember the hamburger stand pictured, I do have many memories of Dumas. I do remember a hamburger drive-in type stand located on the highway where we used to get a hamburger. I wonder if there was any relation.

My grandmother moved to Dumas, Texas when she was a child. She traveled with her family via covered wagon from Tupelo, Ms. and settled in Dumas. She lived there, was married there, raised her family there and died there at the ripe old age of 98 back in 1981. Her husband farmed land very close to Dumas which they lived on prior to moving to town. He died when my Mom was close to graduating from Dumas High School.

I can remember going to several high school football playoff games when the Demons were in the playoffs. The majority of my Mom's family stayed in or near Dumas and we used to visit for several weeks every summer. One year my sister and I were lucky enough to be a part of the Dogie Days Parade. I also can remember going on wheat harvests and riding in the combines. I learned to play bridge when we visited Dumas. Smoked my first and only grapevine one summer in Dumas and learned how to climb and pick cherries from a cherry tree in the backyard of my Grandma's house.

The original farm has grown and is still being farmed by a descendant of my Grandma's. Unfortunately there's only one person left who might remember eating at the hamburger stand you have a picture of. If she was the least bit computer savy, I'd send it to her and ask her about any history she might know about it.

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From Serious Eats

Zuni Cafe's $8 Nectarine Dessert Is Just a Nectarine; Diners Left Confused

I love white fleshed nectarines though it seems a little pricey for one plain nectarine uncut to be served as a dessert. Presentation is sorely lacking in my book.

For the sum of $4.50 I would have preferred the nectarine slices fanned around the pit with a small dollop of flavored whipped cream. Flavorings could range from a crystallized ginger mixed in with the whipped cream or vanilla bean whipped cream or even a more traditional flavor which compliment nectarines such as cinammon whipped cream. It's not as if simply partially slicing a nectarine is all that labor intensive and it does make for a more visually appealing dessert whether it's whipped cream or simply heavy cream.

Now that I live alone I've found I enjoy a small amount of heavy cream which has been lightly sweetened with either sugar or honey and poured over fruits such as nectarines, strawberries or white fleshed cherries. (something I'd never had before until my small grocer purchased a flat of the white fleshed cherries).

From A Hamburger Today

Photo Gallery: Hamburgers, A Pictorial History

Talk about a blast from the past!

While I don't remember the hamburger stand pictured, I do have many memories of Dumas. I do remember a hamburger drive-in type stand located on the highway where we used to get a hamburger. I wonder if there was any relation.

My grandmother moved to Dumas, Texas when she was a child. She traveled with her family via covered wagon from Tupelo, Ms. and settled in Dumas. She lived there, was married there, raised her family there and died there at the ripe old age of 98 back in 1981. Her husband farmed land very close to Dumas which they lived on prior to moving to town. He died when my Mom was close to graduating from Dumas High School.

I can remember going to several high school football playoff games when the Demons were in the playoffs. The majority of my Mom's family stayed in or near Dumas and we used to visit for several weeks every summer. One year my sister and I were lucky enough to be a part of the Dogie Days Parade. I also can remember going on wheat harvests and riding in the combines. I learned to play bridge when we visited Dumas. Smoked my first and only grapevine one summer in Dumas and learned how to climb and pick cherries from a cherry tree in the backyard of my Grandma's house.

The original farm has grown and is still being farmed by a descendant of my Grandma's. Unfortunately there's only one person left who might remember eating at the hamburger stand you have a picture of. If she was the least bit computer savy, I'd send it to her and ask her about any history she might know about it.

From Serious Eats

Zuni Cafe's $8 Nectarine Dessert Is Just a Nectarine; Diners Left Confused

This is what they do in Rome, Italy. When I was 11-1/2, we went to Italy for some of the summer. We went into a trattoria in Rome and I asked for a peach that I saw in a display in the front. They brought me the peach and a knife. I sliced it and ate it. It was the juiciest and most wonderful peach I ever ate! One bad point - it gave me the worst case of gastrointestinal distress I ever had! It was worth every second of it though - I can remember how wonderful it tasted!

Maybe these are the most wonderful nectarine's on the planet. The only way to know is to try one! Yes, it is a bit obnoxious to just give you a nectarine on a plate for $8 when I can buy 4 of them at $2.98/lb at the farmers market - but if it is really outstanding in flavor, then Zuni must feel it is worth it to do that. I've never been to CA so I have no idea.

I'll stick to the $2.98/lb farmers market white nectarine's that I have been getting lately. They are absolutely awesome.

From Serious Eats

Zuni Cafe's $8 Nectarine Dessert Is Just a Nectarine; Diners Left Confused

Nor is it original. Alice Waters invented this Dadaesque approach to desserts many years ago. I sat and watched the jaws of a young man and the girl he had intended to impress drop as the waiter (Probably Pigrim at that date) placed the $8 peach plus knife in front of them. "But," stammered the young man, "I thought it was a *dessert*. It's just a peach!." The waiter looked the length of his nose at the kid, pulled himself up to full height and hissed, "It's the *perfect* peach."

There are a number of birthday suit clad emperors prancing around in a Alice Land, where Gordon Pilgrim and Judy Rogers got earned their stripes. It's not surprising that they picked up a few tricks there. In fact, knowing what the cadre is willing to pay for "perfect", $8 may reflect the standard product markup.

Some of us have learned, however, that perfect is second to best tasting most times. Those of you who visit farmers' markets may have noticed that the better fruit you bring home is never quite as good as the sample..and if you look closely at the sample, it's usually one with a brown spot or two.

From Serious Eats

Zuni Cafe's $8 Nectarine Dessert Is Just a Nectarine; Diners Left Confused

the poor lonely nectarine, rolling around on the plate getting bruised
in it's final moments.....

i understand the cost and value of "pure food" ... but that said, honor the nectarine with at least a cushion prior to its being devoured.... a eulogy proclaiming it's special importance would have seemed appropriate.

i'm not familiar with zuni -- but i'm a little fed up with these high end
places that charge so much money for their food and act like they're
doing you a big favor.

i believe in respecting the customers as well as the food.

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