What do you miss the most about the old world (2019)? (Opinion)

For me, since I moved the studio to my home as my protest against the absurd corporate and government policies regarding masks, vaccine guilt and separation, I miss the "old days".

Having so many friends in the restaurant industry, we've done our best to order take out on a regular basis, and tipping as if we were in the restaurant, to help the businesses struggling so much. We now know the vaccine and the government policies are irrelevant, nearly an 80% decline in cases over the past six weeks, and hospitals at no more than expected seasonal capacity attest to that, but still in states like New York and New Jersey, lockdown policies persist.

One of the things my wife and I miss the most is our weekend trips into New York City. I've written about our relatives who moved to the Big Apple, our weekend restaurant experiences and how to enjoy NYC in 22 hours. At best, those days are a few years away given the number of restaurants that have closed for good and the horrible political leadership, which has created a climate of crime and tension which we're gonna avoid for the near future.

One of the things about working from home is I don't need to worry about what to wear out the door since I'm already in the office. This morning I put on my trusted vest, which I wore instead of a jacket for most winters (I run hot and enjoy the cold). It's been about a year since I wore the vest evidenced by the receipt I found in the pocket. It was from a restaurant called Raclette. Actually recommended to us by Dan Zarrow, we tried it and were immediately hooked. The smell of cheese filled the small space as melty cheese was spread by skilled wait staff over just about any dish you can imagine.

Instead of heading out, we're bringing the "Raclette" home. Yes, you can buy Raclette cheese at the supermarket. The key is how to melt it efficiently to cover your dish. This weekend we chose a side dish of roasted asparagus to enjoy.

• First, cut a few inches of the thickest stalk from the asparagus.
• Then spread over a baking pan and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• We add a few red pepper flakes for a little heat and some lemon juice.
• Then a few sliced lemons over the top.
• Preheat the oven to 425 and insert the pan in the heated oven for about 15 minutes.

For the cheese, easy:

• Just slice it about a 1/4 inch thick and place on a piece of parchment paper after coating the paper with a non-stick vegetable oil spray.
• Under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
• Take it out and with a knife, slide the melted cheese onto the asparagus.

Also works with roasted potatoes and steak. Enjoy!

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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