10 September 2010

Meet me at The Savoy


When it comes to food, I’m a consumer, not a connoisseur. I enjoy a wide variety of foods and have very few dislikes. When I was in Czech language class, the instructor asked me to list my favorite foods so she could teach me the names. I told her all I really needed to know was the word for liver. As long as I can avoid liver, I’ll be just fine.

Of course, I have learned Czech words for various foods, as I have to recognize them on the grocery shelf. But my repertoire need not be very extensive, as I refuse to cook. To clarify, yes, I do on occasion actually throw something in a pot or a pan and turn on the heat, but it is very basic cooking. No recipes, no fancy ingredients, no slicing, no dicing or extensive preparation time. When my last child flew the coop, I had been cooking for 30 years, and I decided that was long enough. My kitchen is permanently closed.

Because I like almost any food or ethnic style of cooking, I don’t get overly excited about most dishes. And, gratefully, I’ve never really been a sweets or dessert eater. My one real weakness is ice cream but, even then, I never buy it for home and seldom eat it when out. At least, that used to be true.

There is a restaurant in Prague called The Savoy. The main reason I have gone there in the past is because the ceiling of the restaurant is hand-painted and truly a beautiful sight. I’m not all that crazy about the menu, but they have a nice soup and a huge variety of teas, and I do like trying different teas. Recently, friends and I went to The Savoy for dessert. It is known for having delicious pastries but, since I don’t really like pastries, I ordered the Savoy Sundae.

A bowl was placed in front of me that contained two small scoops of rich chocolate and one scoop of vanilla laced with a hint of strawberry, all perched on a marzipan. Surrounding the ice cream was real whipped cream drizzled with a chocolate sauce and topped with cherry compote. A garnish of biscotti and a dark chocolate disk completed this unbelievable concoction.


I really don’t have the words to describe my reaction to the burst of flavors that took place in my mouth while eating the Savoy Sundae. I am hard pressed to explain why this gastronomic delight has me creating reasons to take colleagues or visiting friends to The Savoy to enjoy the beautifully painted ceiling, and oh, perhaps, a Savoy Sundae while there. I fear this may be an addiction in the making.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

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