Liver and the Russian Tea Room

Growing up, I hated liver. Normally my mother's cooking was superb, but I guess no one can get it right all of the time, not even her. Her liver was sufficient reason for an impromptu fast; 'sorry Mom can't eat tonight, going swimming tomorrow'. Never mind the logic, any reason not to eat shoe leather which tasted and smelled like it had already walked a thousand miles.

But then fast forward about fifteen liver-less years away from New York and I found myself working back in the City; in midtown Manhattan. One day, a colleague suggested we take lunch at the Russian Tea Room, one of the most famous eateries in town. The RTR is down the street from the renowned Carnegie Hall and is one of those places frequented by actors, musicians and celebrities.A place where the cast of a new Broadway show would go to await the morning papers and the make or break reviews.

Although I was almost a native New Yorker, I had never eaten in the Tea Room and was excited to do some possible celebrity watching. I was not disappointed, for as soon as we walked in, there were three or four faces I immediately recognized seated in the plush red upholstered booths. The walls were adorned with photos of stars of screen and stage and I suddenly felt that this was a really cool place to be.

But then we were seated and the menu came out; my reverie instantly vanished as I tried suppress a gasp at the prices. It would take about two or three month to recover from this one meal. Not to worry, said my friend who could see my distress, the special of the day is always reasonably priced. The special of the day, of course, was LIVER! So now, the choice was simple: go bankrupt or eat liver; I chose the latter.

Mind you, this was not my mother's liver. This was calves liver sauteed in butter with onions and new potatoes. But to me at the time, liver was liver and I hated it all. It could not be rehabilitated; it could never be made palatable. I am not only not embarrassed, but happy to say that I was dead wrong.To this day that meal ranks as one of the best I have ever had. And of course since then I have been a devotee of liver.

I know I can never duplicate the succulence of RTR liver but this Friday 19 February 2016 we will be serving beef liver with bacon, onions and baked potato with sour cream. I can personally attest that liver is one of those things one either likes or hates. But if you are in the latter category, come on by and give us a try. Maybe Milford's Corner will become your Russian Tea Room.