Sometimes, Change is Difficult to Palate

Dining with Duvall by Lynn Duvall

I nodded in agreement as I sat in a college classroom long ago, learning about the philosophy of Heraclitus.

He defined the natural world as complex and ever-changing. Decades later, I still find the world complex, but my understanding of the nature of change is no longer an academic paradox. Change has become a challenge.

Last week brought two fresh opportunities to flex my “coping with change” muscles when I heard the news about a change in ownership of Damon’s Steakhouse in downtown Glendale. I felt a bit anxious. Damon’s has been a fixture in my life since I made my first visit as a child to the original Orange Street location. My children laughed at the monkeys teetering over the edges of Polynesian canoes hanging from the ceiling of Damon’s, just as I did when I was little. I still think of the Brand Bouevard location as the “new” Damon’s, even though the move to larger quarters took place 25 years ago.

In Damon’s, at first glance, everything seemed the same. But as I tasted my Wednesday chicken fried-steak lunch special, I noted unexpected differences. This is a meal I have enjoyed hundreds of times. I want it exactly the same every week.

Wednesdays at Damon’s holds a sacred place in my heart. During difficult life passages, I pepped myself up with the mantras “Only two days ‘til Wednesday at Damon’s” or “Yeah! It’s Wednesday - only two more days until the week is over.”

Every year, my daughters and I would go to Wednesday lunch at Damon’s the week before school started. Damon’s makes the best Shirley Temple in the world. The girls would sip their cherry drinks, while together we set academic and social goals for their school year. We’d go again during Christmas vacation for a progress update. As school closed in June, we’d make another pilgrimage to evaluate the year. When the girls grew older, we drafted our young neighbor Sarah to join us.

Of course we went to Damon’s for dinner, too. In the evening, we opened the menus and made choices. We never bothered to open a menu at Wednesday lunch.

I am reminded of a time my son, Nathan, lost patience with his grandmother. She embarked on a series of variations on her rice custard recipe, testing new versions on us. One day, Nathan, usually an even-tempered, polite child, went ballistic over another pudding experiment.

“Grandma, you shouldn’t mess with a classic,” he implored. “Give us back the old, good one, please.”

Now, of course, we can’t find that original recipe. Wednesdays at Damon’s may become a lost classic, too. Next week, I’ll visit with the managing partner at Damon’s to get a positive picture of the new management at this venerable Glendale eatery.

Returning from Damon’s, I checked the mailbox to find a post card announcing the closure of a La Canada institution, Tudor Cottage. For Daina Johnson, who opened her gift shop 30 years ago, closing the door to the rambling cottage on Rinetti Lane is a happy change. At Tudor, one room was devoted to Christmas collectable and the rest of the cottage decor reflected the changing seasons. Customers flocked to the store every holiday.

“Daina’s going out at the top of her game,” longtime employee Virginia Gram says. “She looks forward to having a real holiday now. At last we can all enjoy the holidays. We can have the same happy times at home as our customers.”

The going-out-of-business sale at Tudor Cottage, 4542 Rinetti Lane in La Cañada, ends May 28. Business hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

When I interviewed Daina three years ago, she recalled early times at Tudor.

“It was the candy that kept us going. Children loved our jelly beans. They brought their parents. Now customers say, ‘I used to come here with my mom for Jelly Bellys.’ I remember one little boy who rode over on his bicycle with an order list. He bought candy for his classmates, adding a small delivery fee.”

At the same time, I spoke with Bonnie Zavala who managed Tudor for many years. Bonnie explained that she and her husband, Gil, took their eldest daughter, Yvette Corey, on a vacation to Hayden Lake, Idaho, years ago. Yvette loved the town and moved her family there. Next, her brother, Lance Zavala, moved there with his new wife, followed 18 months later by his sister, Michele Storm. Only son, Damon, who has a medical practice in Reno, resisted the allure of Hayden Lake.

Last year, Bonnie and Gil made their dream of living close to their grandchildren come true. Contractor, Gil, built a two-story house near Hayden Lake for the couple. Virginia, who has seen photos of the house, deems it, “beautiful.”

Bonnie’s birdhouse collection, which used to grace her La Crescenta front garden on Danny Street, is now on display in Idaho.

At one time, Bonnie baked professionally. Her Apple Crisp is the most praised and frequently requested recipe I’ve published. By repeating it today, I’m honoring memories of happy times and insuring that one classic recipe will endure without change.

Write Lynn Duvall at boblynn@ix.netcom.com or in care of the Valley Sun.

Apple Crisp

Filling

6 cups tart apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice.

Topping

1 1/2 cups oatmeal 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup chopped nuts, (pecans or walnuts)

1/2 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, toss the apples with sugar and cinnamon, until well coated. Stir in raisins and lemon juice. Put into a 1-1/2 quart baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, sugar, flour, nuts and melted butter. Spread topping mixture over fruit. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, until top is lightly browned.