The Kaffee Klatch

Welcome back to Romance by Design! Our story continues today with Goldie and Ryan at the Kaffee Klatch restaurant. If you are new to my blog, please begin the story with Chapter One HERE.

Chapter Five

“Frieda, over here.”

With a smile, Goldie waved at her friend who owned the Kaffee Klatch. Frieda would not believe that Goldie’s blind date was a handsome, normal guy this time.

Frieda waddled to their table in the corner. “Hi-ya, Goldie!” Her wire-rim glasses glinted in the overhead lights as her dark eyes took in Ryan. “How are yous this evening?”

“We’re great!” Goldie motioned toward Ryan. “Frieda, this is my date tonight. Ryan Collins.”

“Hi-ya. Nice to meet ya.” Frieda smiled as she stuck out her hand.

Ryan popped up to shake Frieda’s hand, towering over her. “The pleasure is mine, ma’am.”

Goldie breathed out a wistful sigh. Such a gentleman! Frieda seemed impressed, too, and that gave Goldie a warm feeling. Frieda was like a second mother to her.

“Did Lori tell yous about the specials?” Frieda gestured toward the thin waitress who flitted from table to table. “The Dutch Goose is wonderful good tonight, and then there’s the Chicken Pot Pie.” She tapped a thick finger on the top of Goldie’s menu. “But yous order whatever. Dirk is the best cook, and everything is good.” With a smile and a wave, she shuffled to another table.

Ryan studied his menu. “I’m surprised they have goose here. And it’s so inexpensive!”

“It’s not goose meat, Ryan. It’s really pig stomach.”

He jerked his head up. “What?”

Goldie laughed. “Dutch Goose. They take a pig’s stomach, stuff it with sausage and potatoes and bread and seasonings, and then bake it.” She shrugged. “It’s pretty good.”

“Fascinating.” Ryan stared at her. “I might have to order that. I love to try new foods.”

She looked down at her menu. “Have you ever eaten Souse? Or Chow chow?”

“Wait! What are those?” He leaned over the table toward her.

She stared back into his hazel eyes. If only he were fascinated with her, but evidently it was the food he was interested in.

With a little sigh, she sat back. “Chow chow is a vegetable relish, and Souse is also called head cheese. It’s made with the meat from the head, ears, and sometimes the feet of pigs.”

“Wow, they really use the whole animal, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do.” She laid down her menu. “I think I’ll get the pot pie. It’s really more like chicken and dumplings, but it’s wonderful good.”

Sitting back, he grinned. “I like living in Pennsylvania Dutch country. It’s amazing that these people still hang onto the old ways from their Dutch ancestors.”

“German.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Beg pardon?”

“Their ancestors weren’t Dutch, they were German.”

“Okay. So they’re called Dutch, just like a pig’s stomach is called goose.”

Goldie smiled. “Dutch is taken from the German word Deutsch, which somehow ended up as Dutch in our country.”

Ryan shook his head. “Crazy.”

Lori came by to take their order and then left, but Ryan hung onto his menu. He asked Goldie about every Pennsylvania Dutch entrée. What ingredients did they use? How did they cook it?

She answered his questions, feeling like a cooking professor. Why was Ryan so interested in the local cuisine?

Finally he laid the menu aside. “Thanks for the info. I’m going to get on the computer tonight and study more about their dishes. Maybe I’ll find some recipes I can try out.”

“So…” Goldie raised her eyebrows. “I take it you like to cook.”

“Love it.” He folded his arms on the table. “Foods are fascinating, don’t you think?”

She gave a little shrug. “I have my favorite dishes.” If someone else cooked them. She had lost interest in meal preparation when she accidently set the school kitchen on fire in eleventh grade. Now the microwave was her best friend.

A smile lingered on Ryan’s face as he looked around at the hex signs on the walls. “I see they have authentic Pennsylvania Dutch décor also. This place is just so interesting.”

Goldie leaned her chin into the palm of her hand and gave a wistful sigh. He was the interesting one. Her mind drifted back to her lackluster dates with Joshua and Nathan and Aiden, and the other three guys she dated—all at the Kaffee Klatch. Boy, tonight was so different!

“You know, Ryan, you’re the best blind date I’ve ever had.”

His eyes connected with hers, and a look of panic crossed his face. “Oh, I forgot! The blind date.” Frowning, he scanned the room, as if looking for someone.

“Ryan, is something wrong?”

“Uh, no. Not a thing.” He looked back at her and gave her a thumbs up. “I think we’re good.”

Goldie frowned. What was his problem? Maybe he wasn’t so perfect after all.

* * *

The "blind date" continues tomorrow.

Until then, God bless!