I told myself I was going to go to Reading Terminal Market once a month – and actually was doing it. And then I wasn’t. Today I did.

Got that?!?

Victor had the day off and we were able to get our Nonna-Sitter to stay for a few hours [I had to buy her two cannoli from Termini Bros.] so off to the train station we went. Victor got off at 30th Street Station to take pictures with his new camera and I continued on to the market. Picture-taking and food-shopping are pretty much solitary endeavors in our house. Both have their singular plan and vision. It works.

The market was bustling and first thing I did was head over to Old City Coffee for a cuppa and a couple pounds of Viennese Roast Sumatra and a pound of the San Francisco Blend. I really enjoy a good Viennese Roast coffee – it’s not quite taken to the French Roast stage – and Old City does a great job with their Sumatra. They do a great job with all their coffees…

Fortified, I headed over to Downtown Cheese to see Rachel and get some really good cheese. I love being able to pick her brain on what’s good and what’s worth getting. Since we’ve known each other for years, she is always right on the money with her suggestions. Today was a Raclette – that I used for tonight’s dinner – and two Italian cheeses – Moliterno al Tartufo and Piave. The Moliterno has black truffles running through it – it’s going to become a risotto on Sunday – and the Piave will be a grating cheese, most likely. It’s similar to a parmesan from northern Italy.

Yum.

My other big stop was Martin’s Sausage. They are my number one purveyor of sausages. They have so many varieties – and they’re all excellent. And the price is right, too. I picked up 21 sausages – 3-each of 7 varieties – for $32.00. It’s a steal. I bought: Fresh Peppers and Onions, White Wine, Garlic, Parsley, and Lemon, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese and Fresh Basil, Fresh Apple, Fresh Garlic, Fresh Chorizo, and Luganega made with Romano Cheese and Fresh Parsley. We’re going to have some fun meals!

A total spur-of-the-moment-impulse-buy was a couple of porterhouse steaks at Giuntas Prime Shop. I was actually buying a reasonably-priced hangar steak when I said “and two of those.”  What the hell.

A loaf of bread at Metropolitan Bakery, some Easter-y cake decorating sprinkles at The Head Nut and I was done. Years ago I would have grabbed so much more, but I really have gotten selective over the years.

I headed over to Termini Bros. for Donna’s cannoli and noticed Victor had called. In a couple of minutes we were sitting down at DiNics for sandwiches. We really should have ordered one to split. Really. It was way too much food. But damn! They are good! They are definitely one of the best sandwiches in the city.

And the cooks were fun, as well. They spied Victor taking pictures and had to say hello!

Fortified, we headed home where Nonna greeted me with “what are you making delicious for dinner?”

The sausage was definitely going to be center stage on this one, and since we had plenty of potatoes, onions, and peppers already in the house, a simple skillet dinner was born.

Roasted potatoes with onions, peppers, sausage, and raclette cheese melted over everything.

First were the potatoes…

Just cubed and doused with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some herbes d’ Provence.

And then the onions and peppers – along with some roasted garlic I had in the ‘fridge. Standard fare.

Next was the sausage. I used the fresh garlic for this one…

It is just sooooo good.

Then the raclette… It’s such a great melting cheese It brings back a lot of memories from my years in the mountains at Tahoe.

And it all came together under the broiler.

Really really simple food, but really good quality. It took me 30 minutes start-to-finish, and there’s plenty left over for lunch, tomorrow. This is how I really love to eat – a few great flavors and textures blended together. No muss and no fuss. Crusty bread on the side.

I’m already planning my next trip – and I haven’t even made the risotto, yet!