I was short-of-breath-giddy to get this jar put together. Since I was a kid, I could pretty much pass on pickles – pickled cucumbers that is, but not these. Pickled carrots, in my little world, are in an elite class of their own. And baby carrots, they top that elite class. It just so happens that I married a lady … Read More
Spaghetti Carbonara. [but not really]
This is a family favorite [new tag!] in our home, and we call it Carbonara, but it isn’t. No egg, hence not actually a carbonara, but we don’t care. Call it what you want, it’s tasty, easy, and oh yeah, tasty. This particular version was actually worth jotting down, as it really impressed with how much it could deliver impact … Read More
Foccacia di Vernazza
Yep. Bread. Again. This time 1/4 whole wheat, and a quadruple batch. I will find out how many kilos of bread my oven can bake at once one of these days. Fortunately, not all of it ended up in bread loaves. Not sure what to make for supper, I stole some of the dough, and made a quick foccacia. Man … Read More
Living on the Edge: Spaghetti & Meatballs
Yeah. Posting about spaghetti and meatballs again. I don’t know what it is. I’m such a huge fan of this dish, it’s a little embarrassing. Because it seems ridiculous to post a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs, I’m going to. This one reads a bit odd, but the flavors and textures make sense in the dish. Ingredients 1 pack ground … Read More
Grandpa Beans
My great grandparents on my mom’s dad’s side were from Vendée [France], where ‘Mogettes de Vendées’ – a well respected French white bean – are grown. [The ‘well respected’ Tarbais bean was recently spotted at $45/kg locally]. My grandfather grew up eating beans, and fed them to his kids, and his grandkids. He makes them, to this day, at the … Read More
Chard, My Way
There’s a soft spot in my heart for chard. So under-rated. So under-appreciated. Among its many attributes: it’s healthy for you; it’s easy to grow from seed; it’s super-prolific – a few plants growing more than most people need; it’s hardy; you can harvest it from early spring to late fall. It’s an easy go-to green that makes you feel … Read More
Fish N Chips: Northern Pike, Take II
What does one do with oil that has been dirtied with deep fried fish? Make more deep fried fish. That, and store it outside in the meantime, as there are far more pleasant odors to have lingering in your kitchen. For the potato debaters in yesterday’s comments: today’s were red norlands. I liked them better. Maybe it was the oil … Read More
The Dantini
It was my very good friend Dan‘s 30th birthday party on Saturday, and I was able to partake in one of my favorite drinks – his ‘Dantini’. And I do mean favorite. I don’t have a passing interest in it. It is not simply ‘okay’. I’m not posting this to be nice. I’m posting about it cause it’s damn-solidly-awesome [notice … Read More
Crème Brulée
I can’t believe how beloved this dish seems to be to dinner guests around here, and how few actually make it. And by few, I believe zero would be fair. So either I’ve unintentionally deceived them into thinking it’s ridiculously difficult to make – or they’re lying to me about how much they really like it. I own the CIA’s … Read More
Braised Shank of Calf Moose
Calf Ribs were the first thing on my agenda with the fresh calf moose this season. I’m glad Phil appreciated the post. On deck: bone-in shank. I’ve ccoked a few beef shanks over the past few months – it even appeared at my 30th birthday party. So when it came to butchering the calves this week, I decided to take … Read More