Warren "Strawberry" Mahuron

Strawberry owned with my grandmother, Miriam, a bakery in Salem, Indiana namesaked, "Warren's Sweet Shop".  From this bakery came the best donuts, cakes and baked goods in Washington County, Indiana.  At least so I'm told, I wasn't yet a glimmer in my mother's eye when in business.  In fact, my mother was born during its operation.  My grandpa would do most of the baking and my grandmother would decorate the cakes.

My grandfather made and assembled this cake and it was decorated by my grandmother.  My mom was born the next day.

My grandmother Miriam, took over the daily baking at the bakery when my grandfather was stationed in the Korean War as a cook.  I have very few memories of my grandfather talking about this time in his life, except for one.  SOS, and no, this is not Morse code.  It is fondly known to military men from the era as, Sh*t on a Shingle.  I'm sure that this one sticks in my mind because it is one of the only times I heard him swear.  The other is when he would tell the joke about the guy who died in a round barn (he couldn't find a corner to ---- in).  I would be shocked and then laugh because I knew it was supposed to be funny, even though I didn't know why.  Ok, I'm digressing now, but these were the moments when he and I were driving around in the country on his mail route that are my memories and mine alone.  Let me get back on track, SOS was a common dish served in the military.  Ground beef was served up with white gravy over toast.  Oddly enough, my husband loves SOS.  But me, not so much.  I'm not even sure if grandpa ever made SOS after the war ended, but I remember the story and the name and I think of him everytime someone mentions it being served or eating this dish.
Oh, the stories and memories I could share and fill pages about my grandfather. He was a wonderful man, caring and thoughtful.  A man who would help those less fortunate in any way he could.  He was a father, brother, friend, uncle and veteran.  And we all loved him.  Here is a little nonsense saying he would quip from time to time, "Onery, Orey, Ickery, Ann, Filison, Foloson, Nicholas, John: Queevy, Quavy, English Navy, Stingalum, Stagalum Buck."
My grandfather never participated in combat, but he made sure those who did got the best meals he was able to put together with the ingredients made available.  I'm so grateful for him and all other men and women who have and who do spend their days in service of our country.
 

CREAMED BEEF ON TOAST (SOS)

Ingredients

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 Tbs flour
1 C evaporated milk
1 C water
2 Tbs butter

Directions

Brown ground beef in its own fat. Remove excess fat and save for making roux. Season with salt and pepper. To make roux, place 2 tbsp. reserved fat in heavy pan. Slowly add flour, stir constantly over low heat until thoroughly blended. Cook for five minutes. Do not brown. Combine milk and water. Add butter and scald (not burn) in  medium sauce pan. Add scalded milk to the roux and stir constantly until thoroughly blended and there are no lumps. Add meat mixture and cook about 10 minutes, or until desired consistency. Serve on toast. Yumm!Tweet

Prepared Med-Well Done
I have always found that the best steakhouses are studies in simplicity. Think about it, the best steakhouses are the ones that eschew fancy presentations and preparations, and broad, extensive menus. They stay their focus on the meat itself, only serving quality grade meats and grilling them to absolute perfection.

I have heard accolades for McGraw’s for years, yet had never stepped foot in the place. So, my husband and I joined friends, Charles and Paige to take a stab at it. We tried to make reservations to no avail. With all of tables in the dining room reserved, we were instructed to ‘come on in and have a drink at the bar and we would be able to get a table in the bar within 30 minutes’. My advice for would be diners is to place reservations at least one week in advance. Reservations fill up quicker than you can say ‘order up’.

As instructed we arrived early, 6:00 pm and had a drink at the bar while waiting for a table within the bar area to come available. Just like that in roughly 30-40 minutes we were seated in a cozy corner table in the bar. Man, this place gets packed and quickly! Again, I stand to be redundant, but call for reservations way in advance!

One of the appealing aspects of McGraw’s is the location. It is tucked away west of town on a forested plot of land. Located along the river, guests are free to peruse the grounds or sit at an outdoor table, riverside, while their table is prepared. Unfortunately, outdoor dining is not yet available.

After being seated we quickly reviewed our options for entrees and appetizers. There is no room for pretentious food here. In my opinion steakhouses should be the culinary equivalent of a sure bet. What you see is what you get. Appetizers and Entrees included on the McGraw’s menu included just what you would expect. Appetizers included Boneless Chicken Wings, Stuffed Portabella Mushroom, and Cheddar Cheese Garlic Fries. Rib-eye and New York Strip steaks, Porterhouse Pork Chop, Chicken McGraw, Sautéed Walleye, and Fried Catfish were just a few entrees that are offered. All entrées include your choice of soup or salad and one side dish.

When you ask the server for a recommendation, do not do as I did and order something else. In opposition to the server’s suggestion of Fried Shoestring Onions, I ordered the Shrimp martini. Obviously there was a reason for her advice not being the overpriced shrimp cocktail. The shrimp, while rather large in size, were overcooked, tough and flavorless. Our dinner companions ordered the Cured Salmon appetizer. While appealing in presentation, the Smoked Salmon was too thickly sliced and overpowered the small amount of horseradish cream within. Here again, we were at a steakhouse and not a gourmet restaurant. However, at the same time, the kitchen staff at McGraw’s should also not try to stray from what they excel in, unless it is of the same high quality.

Our salads came and were pretty much below average. They included what appeared to be bagged iceberg salad mix with a few mixed greens tossed in. Now, be in mind that this was during the midst of the ‘spinach scare’ so perhaps that could have been part of the problem. Our guests had the blue cheese dressing and exclaimed that it was very good. I had the balsamic vinaigrette which was too sweet and over salted for my palate.

My husband and I both ordered that night’s special, Hickory Smoked Prime Rib, which was perfectly cooked, well smoked, tender and juicy. I haven’t had a good prime rib in many years and this one, while after the shrimp martini was anticipating disappointment, completely exceeded my expectations. My side dish was the hickory smoked corn, which I felt could have been better. After all we are in Indiana and fresh corn in this season isn’t hard to come by. However, it appeared and tasted to be frozen corn that had been smoked a little too long, therefore drying it out.

My friend, Charles had the Rib-eye with black pepper crust and baked potato. The Rib-eye was peppery without being overpowering. It was an excellent cut of meat, and was bursting with flavor and juiciness. The potato was just what it should have been. Honestly, you can’t mess up a baked potato.

Paige, ordered the Shrimp Scampi Alfredo. The fettuccini, flawlessly al dente was coated with a creamy, well balanced garlic white wine sauce. Again, however, the shrimp were overcooked. The dish was good, but it may well have been excellent with succulent, pink shrimp as opposed to their stark white, dry counterparts.

McGraw’s is celebrated for their extensive and impressive wine list. For the past three years (2004, 2005, 2006) they have been presented with the coveted Award of Excellence from Wine Spectators list of restaurants in the United States for their excellent wine selection.-a triumph that no other restaurant in Lafayette has yet to accomplish.

As for service, don’t come here expecting a formal, polished treatment in a serene atmosphere. The restaurant is loud and noisy. This can be accredited to the fact that everyone is enjoying themselves. What you can expect though, is friendly, forthright service. The staff is knowledgeable and accommodating. We didn’t wait long for a table. The food came out quickly and was steaming hot upon arrival at our table.

McGraw’s is the perfect place to bring guests and family for a casual night out. Remember to make reservations in advance, listen to your server-it is what they get paid and tipped for-I knew this and chose to make my own decisions. No matter how knowledgeable you may or may not be concerning gastronomy, there is always someone else who can, and many times will, have beneficial knowledge to enhance your dining experiences.

McGraw’s is located on 2707 South River Rd. in West Lafayette. Would be diners should call 743-3932 for reservations.