Nelson's - Guest Blogger: Steve Higgins

Being handed the last plate of Nelson’s chicken fried steak while a pack of hungry carnivores stands impatiently in line behind you makes one feel slightly like an usher at The Who’s 1979 Cincinnati show.

When this happens twice on consecutive visits, one may wonder if next time things could get ugly.

It’s a testament to the well-oiled (and I mean well-oiled) machine that is Nelson’s Ranch House (né Buffeteria) that the next sizzling hot batch of CFS is only minutes away. By the time the beef-craving horde has tucked into its plates of pillowy, gravy-smattered mashed potatoes, green beans cooked to the brink of deterioration and, of course, steak, they’ve happily drifted off into a state of comfort-food bliss, completely forgetting about the minor delay in service.

This is down-home cooking as it should be – no frills, no apologies and no substitutions. The potatoes manage to be lump-free and at the same time, still taste like potatoes. The unctuous white gravy covers everything cozily, like grandma’s favorite quilt. The other “sides,” (aka vegetables) are mostly an afterthought, but the okra and mac n’ cheese are satisfying enough to make it worth the trip for a vegetarian at the table. (A “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is encouraged when it comes to the use of pork fat in the green beans.)

And then there’s the steak itself. The hallmarks of classic CFS are all there: Tenderness, check. Crunchy crust, check. Ample size, check.

Yes, the food lives up to its lofty heritage. But in the end, Nelson’s doesn’t sell lunch as much as it sells nostalgia — a communal road trip back in time to a Tulsa where people’s lives seemed simpler and happier. Did that Tulsa ever really exist, outside of our gravy-clouded psyches?

Maybe or maybe not. But order the pie, just in case.

You're going too far, Andrea. Too far.

While I hate the idea of managing another twitter account - I'm not that great with the ones I'm doing now - I do think a Twitter account for CFS Club could be handy. But what should the profile pic be? Someone have a good picture of some CFS. Maybe smiling or something? Open to suggestions... Lemme know.

grease-filled memories...

Just read through these old blog posts. Wow. Memories. Do you all remember?

The ambitious plans we had for the club. The disappointments when our lives got in the way. The randomness of the conversations we had. The plethora of CFS we enjoyed.

Good times.

Today was the first CFS Club in a few months. And, it marks the first time since 2007 that I've posted on the blog. Seems like a good time to revive it. If for nothing else than the snickers my friends will get from my early posts. Back in the good old days. The internet was new. Blogs were practically unheard of until this one became famous. And I was in my 20s.

Thanks to twitter, planning a CFS Club meeting is easier than ever. No email lists to keep up with. Just post it, read it, tell a friend, show up, enjoy CFS, repeat. Easy. (Follow me or CFS Club for the latest, greatest information you'll by dying to know)

Look forward to telling you about today's fabulous meeting of fabulous minds. New post to come.
Peace, Love, CFS (had to revive the old sign-off. :)

Andrea