31 Jul 2012 12 Comments
in Observations Tags: Chef Boyardee, cooking, food, Gordon Ramsey, Italian cuisine, pasta, pomodoro, ravioli, Skinny Girls
When I was a younger cook, I was more prone to kitchen disasters of either of three varieties — the huge mess, the ill-conceived flavor combination, or the flesh wound. With age, experience and wisdom has come the know-how to avoid most kitchen disasters in any of those categories. But every once in a while, I get broadsided by a new ingredient, tool or technique. And discover that disaster is never far at bay. More
27 Dec 2011 1 Comment
in Cooking Tips, Recipes, Video Tags: Bologna, Bread, Christmas, ciabatta, dough, kneading, Mario Batali, pasta, pizza, recipe
I recall when I worked in pizza joints as a pimply kid, big beachballs of pizza dough churning in cavernous steel bowls beneath a massive metal Popeye arm. Industrial mixers made quick work of enough flour, yeast and water for 100 pies. But if you’re a home cook, why deprive yourself of the meditative pleasure of kneading?
Fresh savory rustic bread, just out of the oven
I sometimes see TV chefs mixing their dough in a Cuisinart. While this works perfectly well, your dough will never have that intangible mojo the best food has — the love that comes from a human hand. More
08 Nov 2011 6 Comments
in Recipes, Video Tags: Amatrice, bucatini all' amatriciana, cooking, Genoa, Italy, pasta, recipe, Rome, video
One of the most interesting parts of cooking, to me, is discovering the roots of particular types of cuisine and dishes. The etymology of food, if you will. For example, you may claim to love tacos. But in Mexico, regional variations range from the familiar fish and shrimp tacos of Baja to the grilled sandwiched mulitas of Oaxaca to the fried tacos de cazo of Mexico City — often filled with pig’s esophagus. The people of central Mexico eat wriggling live larvae in their tacos. Do you love that?
The coat of arms of Amatrice
A favorite pasta of mine is called bucatini all’ Amatriciana. It has long been part of my Italian repertoire. But making it one evening, and videotaping it for this blog, I realized I didn’t know much about it’s origins. So I decided to investigate. More
19 Jul 2011 6 Comments
in Observations Tags: Austria, Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Niko Alm, pasta, pastafarian, Vienna
I always enjoy good food-related humor. So when my mother forwarded me a link with the subject line, “Austrian Man Wins Right To Wear Pasta Strainer In License Photo,” I couldn’t resist taking a moment from my busy day and clicking through.
Niko Alm's driver's license photo
According to the story featured on the NPR website, a Viennese man named Niko Alm had been petitioning the Austrian government for three years for the right to wear a pasta strainer on his head in his driver’s license photo. More
01 Jul 2011 3 Comments
in Recipes Tags: broccoli, estate, Italy, pancetta, pasta, penne, primavera, summer, sun gold tomatoes, tomatoes
Sometimes I’m pressed for time and have to come up with a meal quick. And often, without the leisure to peer at my fridge or sit around thinking about the possibilities, I make the best food. This is one such dish, breathtaking in its simplicity.
Penne l'estate with glass of rosé
skinny girls & mayonnaise 