Our newsroom outing to Miss Mary Bobo’s had originally been scheduled for last week, but there was a funeral that most of us needed to attend, and the folks at the restaurant were kind enough to let us reschedule for today.

In spite of my dieting and the fact that I had wisdom teeth removed two days ago, I was determined to splurge and enjoy myself. I was not disappointed.

The renovation has been a success; they have not wrecked the home’s historic appearance. The rooms still look the way they used to, it’s just that there are a few more of them, pushing capacity from 60 to 90 at a given seating. There is also a nice little gift shop.

The food was just as good as ever. Our main dishes today were chicken in pastry and pork tenderloin, and our dessert was pecan pie, topped with whiskey-spiked whipped cream.

The famous Lynchburg candied apples were on the table, as always. If you click on the link, please note; the recipe on their web site differs substantially from the recipe on the post cards they sell in the new gift shop. The postcard recipe calls for 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons of butter and specifies 1/3 cup of whiskey, while the web site recipe says 2-3 cups (!) of sugar, 1/4 cup butter and whiskey “to taste.”

I skipped the fried okra. There was a yummy tomato casserole that even our general manager, who is not a tomato fan, thought was terrific. That recipe, unfortunately, isn’t on the web site, although I think it’s in the cookbook which one of my co-workers bought.

I did not attempt to diet, but then again I don’t think I overindulged as much as I have at times in the past. I did have seconds of those apples.