Puttin' the Jack in Jack O'Lantern

OK, so without the open flame and the carvings, it's not a true Jack O'Lantern, it's really just a mutilated pumpkin.  Tomato, tomaaahhto, right?  The point is, I wanted to drink out of a hollowed-out pumpkin and I wanted to drink whiskey.  The result?  A festive, creatively presented whiskey punch that makes me feel like Martha Stewart and Ernest Hemingway's love child. 

Try this recipe and presentation at your next autumn gathering! 


Pumpkin Punch Bowl & Cups

1 large pumpkin
mini-pumpkins
cinnamon sticks

mini-pumpkin cup

Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the stem top off of the large pumpkin.  Scoop out the seeds and the flesh (reserve the seeds if you want to make toasted pumpkin seeds - recipe below!), and scrape away the mushy pulp until the inside is smooth.  Set aside.

Repeat the above step for each of the mini-pumpkins, and place a cinnamon stick in each mini-pumpkin cup. 

Once your pumpkin punch bowl set is complete, you need to determine how much punch to make to fill your pumpkin.  To determine how much punch you'll need to make, fill a 16 oz/500mL measure with water and pour it into the pumpkin.  Repeat until the pumpkin is full, noting how many measures it takes to fill your pumpkin.  This is the number you'll use to multiply the punch recipe.  For example, if you've used three measures to fill the pumpkin, multiply the ingredients in the punch recipe by 3.  So, if you're one of those brats who sat in math class and said, "When am I ever going to need to know any of this crap?!?," guess what?  Now is that time.   

Once you've determined the volume your pumpkin will hold, immediately pour out the water and pat the inside of the pumpkin dry with paper towels.  Set aside until you're ready to pour in the punch.



"Jack in Jack O'Lantern" Punch

this recipe will fill one 16-oz/500mL measure - multiply as necessary

2.5 oz. Jack Daniels whiskey
1.5 oz. apricot brandy
1 1-inch cinnamon stick, cracked
1/4 t. whole cloves, crushed*
1/4 t. cardamom seeds, crushed*
1 12oz. bottle ginger beer

Combine the whiskey, apricot brandy, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom in a large cocktail shaker.  Shake well for 30 seconds, then set aside for 15-20 minutes.  Shake again, then add the ginger beer.  Give it a few swirls, but do not shake. 

Using a strainer, pour the cocktail mixture into your pumpkin punch bowl.  Ladle the punch into the mini-pumpkin cups, and sip through the cinnamon stick. 

* to crush the spices, simply place them between two spoons and squeeze the spoons together.  This helps release the flavor.



Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

seeds from 1 pumpkin
kosher salt
1 T. olive oil
1 T. smoked paprika, divided in half

Preheat the oven to 400 and bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil.  In the meantime, rinse the pumpkin seeds in a strainer until all the pulp is rinsed away and they are slippery, but not slimy.     
Add 1 T. of kosher salt to the water for every 1/2 c. of pumpkin seeds.  Once the salt is dissolved, add the pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes, then drain and let them cool until you can touch them. 

In a bowl, combine the olive oil and half the smoked paprika, then add the pumpkin seeds.  Toss until all seeds are coated, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the seeds are golden, then remove from oven, sprinkle with the remaining paprika, and set aside to cool. 

Once they are cool, they make a quite addictive and very nutritious snack.  Some people crack the outer shells and only eat the inner seed, but I prefer the whole thing. 

The Royal Wedding

Aw, come on - it would be morally reprehensible for me to let the Royal Wedding go by without giving you a cocktail recipe using Crown Royal.  Marrying whiskey with muddled strawberries and champagne, the undisputed royalty of all wedding beverages, this is the only Royal Wedding I want to hear about today.  I wonder if a couple of these would inspire Queen Elizabeth to do the Electric Slide?


The Royal Wedding

1-2 very ripe strawberries, sliced
1 oz. Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
3 oz. chilled champagne

Pour the whiskey over the strawberry slices in a tumbler.  Muddle until the strawberries are crushed.  Pour champagne over, give it a stir, and drink up! 

From bluebutterflydesign on Etsy.com

Bring on the Bagpipes, We're Drinkin' Some Scotch!

To quote Ron Burgandy:  "I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch scotch."

Last night, I attended a Dewars' Discovery event here in Boston. Dewars holds these events every year, and this is the first I've been able to attend - they fill up pretty quickly. A combination between a tasting and a class, the event itself was similar to The Wine Bottega's "Wine 101" lesson in that we were given samples of scotch, as well as samples of the flavor/aroma profiles to look for in a blended scotch - honey, citrus, floral, vanilla, and smoke. Then, using the varieties of single-malt scotches in front of us, we were asked to create our own blend, which I did, and I loved, even if I didn't follow directions. We also learned about the four scotch-producing regions of Scotland and the traits of their whiskys.


Here are several things I learned:

Speyside is where most of Scotland's distilleries are located, and its scotches are citrusy.


Lowlands scotches are lighter in texture, with a sweeter flavor.


Highlands scotches are floral, due to the presence of Heather.


Islay (shown on the map as "island") scotches are smoky, complex, and the absolute best thing to claim Scottish ancestry besides me. OK, most of that sentence is based on opinion rather than fact - but if you're looking for a smoky scotch that tends to bite the back of your throat, go for an Islay single-malt, such as one from Ardbeg or Laphroaig.


Being that this was not only an informative event but a promotional one, the Brand Ambassador obviously extolled the virtues of blended scotch. I have no problem with blended scotch, I've consumed many a bottle of Johnnie Black or Dewars' White. But I'm a single-malt girl, I like that thick smoke flavor you'll taste in the Islay scotches. However, in many cocktails, the complexity of a single-malt will be lost, so this is where blended scotch gets to shine. I've posted recipes for scotch-based cocktails that would work well with a blended scotch (Godfathers, and my original, the Consigliere); Dewars' also presented us with some nice options, such as one that appeared to be a scotch-based mojito, and scotch with ginger beer and lime.


When we got to create our own blends, we were asked to try to create a balanced blend. I didn't want to. I added the entire contents of my smoky Islay scotch to my glass, then I added the entire contents of the floral scotch , followed by half the citrusy scotch , half the vanilla scotch , and just a few drops of the honey scotch. We were explicitly told not to use the entire contents of the smoky scotch, but I've been explicitly told not to do a lot of things in my life. Just sayin'.


My blend would definitely not be approved by the Master Blenders at the Dewars distillery, but I certainly enjoyed it. After all, blending scotch is like making a tomato sauce, which is like creating art - there's no right or wrong answer because taste is subjective. Whether you prefer blends or single malts, smoky or sweet, mixed in a cocktail or served straight with a single ice cube, the important thing is that you enjoy it responsibly, and you enjoy it with friends.


Slàinte!

Sunday Dinner, Sunday Drinks

As I'm writing this post, I'm watching the snow coming down outside my window.  My roommate's pup is curled up on the chair next to me, and I'm drinking a ginormous cup of hot coffee.  All perfect things to do when it's cold outside.  Other perfect things to do when it's cold outside?  Start a slow-cooked, stick-to-your-bones Sunday dinner, watch football, and enjoy a smooth, spicy cocktail!

Yesterday, I started the day with an Irish coffee made with cinnamon and vanilla infused whiskey.  This spice blend made the whiskey taste completely appropriate for the season, and I think it would be great served on the rocks, but it will also lend itself to plenty of delicious wintry cocktails, which I will explore at a later time.  For now, I'll give you the recipe for the whiskey, and recommend throwing a splash of it in your coffee. 

Last night's dinner consisted of a Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast, and Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sage.  A meal like this is best enjoyed when it's chilly outside.  I seasoned both the roast and the polenta with sage, fennel, garlic, and black pepper.  This spice combination compliments heavier foods extrremelly well, as the fennel and sage cut some of the richness to create a perfet balance of flavors.  The flavorful pork and the creamy polenta pair well with a cocktail made with scotch and Cardamaro, a spicy, bitter Italian liqueur similar to Amaro, but distilled from cardoons and artichokes.  Similar to a Godfather (my favorite drink) in that this is made from smoky scotch and an Italian liqueur, I appropriately named this new drink "The Consigliere."  Toast to Tom Hagen if you try one. 

Cinnamon and Vanilla Infused Whiskey

1 pint bottle Irish Whiskey (I prefer Jameson)
2 cinnamon sticks, cracked
1 vanilla bean, split down the middle

Start by removing about 1 shot from the bottle (a/k/a, do a shot).  Next, add the cinnamon pieces and vanilla bean to the bottle.  Close tightly, and shake for about 30 seconds.  Let sit for at least 24 hours, shaking occasionally. 

It is ready to go after 24 hours.  If you keep the vanilla and cinnamon in the bottle, it will continue to develop flavor.  If you like the seasoning to be subtle, remove them from the bottle (you  may have to strain it and re-bottle). 


Bacon-wrapped Pork Roast

1.5 pound pork loin roast
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. minced sage
2 t. rushed fennel seeds
generous amount of cracked black pepper
splash olive oil
4-6 slices center-cut bacon

Combine all the ingredients except the bacon in a large bowl.  Allow the pork roast to marinate for about 2 hours, turning it occasionally and rubbing the spices in with your hands. 

Preheat the oven to 500.  After the pork has marinated, lay the strips of bacon side-by-side on a small plate.  Place the pork roast in the center of the bacon strips.  Now, carefully pick up the plate and the roast, and invert it, placing the pork roast in a shallow baking dish so that the bacon-side is facing up (as shown). 

Use string or roast ties (they look like rubber bands but are oven-safe and heatproof), secure the bacon to the pork.  Now, place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven, and bake for 15 minutes at 500. 

Once this is done, reduce the heat to 275.  Do not open the oven door.  Cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (if you are using a meat thermometer, you want the center to register at about 155 degrees)

When the pork is done cooking, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.  Remove the string or ties, and carve into slices with a sharp knife.  Serve alone, or make a gravy out of the pan drippings (I like mine plain). 


Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sage

2.5 cups water
2 t. cracked fennel
1/2 cup instant polenta (I prefer Pastene brand)
3 T. chopped sage
2 T. butter
2 oz. mountain gorgonzola (also called "gorgonzola piccante")
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the water and cracked fennel.  Bring the water to a rolling boil.  Add the polenta in a slow stream, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring.  The polenta will start to thicken up; at this point, add the sage, butter, gorgonzola, salt and pepper (you may want to go easy on the salt; gorgonzola tends to be salty).  Continue to stir - do not stop stirring, or the polenta will become lumpy and stick to the pan. 

Once the polenta is thickened, pour it into a shallow baking dish.  Spread it with a spatula so that it is about 1/2" thick.  Let the polenta "set" for a few minutes, and serve in slices along with the pork roast. 


The Consigliere

1.5 oz. smoky Scotch (I like Islay single-malts, such as Ardbeg)
1.5 oz. Cardamaro
1 oz. Limoncello

Combine in a tumbler over 2 ice cubes.  Stir, sip, and stay off the road. 


The Wartime Consigliere

This version adds Grappa, a fiery, potent liqueur made in Italy from the remnants of wine grapes. 

Follow the recipe above, using only 1/2 oz. limoncello.  Add 1/2 oz. grappa.

Around the World in Eighty Bites - Portugal

When I discovered that Bacon, Butter & Booze has readers in Portugal, I could not have been more thrilled - not only did one of my co-workers just turn me on to Portugal’s wondrous Vinho Verde, which Bon Appetit featured several months ago, but I also got the excuse I needed to try Cataplana, a Portuguese recipe I’ve always paused on while reading one of my favorite cookbooks, Jeff Smith‘s “The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors: Recipes You Should Have Gotten From Your Grandmother.”

I am not very familiar with Portuguese cuisine, which is surprising, considering that Coastal New England, especially Massachusetts’ South Shore, is home to a large concentration of Portuguese Americans. Here’s what I know about Portuguese food: Linguica sausage, seafood, and kale. Thanks to Wikipedia, I learned that salt cod (bacalhao), olive oil, garlic, and chiles are very popular. Portuguese cuisine is very similar to Italian cooking, especially southern Italian. Apparently, great minds really do think alike.

I’ll start with the wine, which I’m drinking while I write. The other day at work, one of my co-workers raved about Vinho Verde. Never having tried this variety before, she brought in a bottle for me, and did I ever enjoy it! My friends and I killed the bottle the other night, and I bought a new one of the same variety tonight. I’d try to give you some information about the winery, but their website is in Portuguese! The wine is very fresh, slightly effervescent, not very aromatic, acidic, and light (thank you, Wine 101!).

Onto the recipe - Cataplana is a dish of pork shoulder and clams cooked in a spicy wine broth. I picked up the pork from DiPaolo & Rossi and my clams from Mercato del Mare. Originally, I was going to buy cockles, but Liz and Keri, the shop’s owners, were familiar with my recipe and suggested that I use littlenecks. Their tip was right on the money - had I used cockles, the delicate clams would have gotten lost among the other flavors and textures, but littlenecks are larger, meatier and more substantial, so they worked wonderfully. And the pork - superb! It seems like it’s getting more and more difficult to find pork with a lot of flavor, but the meat they sold me actually tasted like pork! The recipe called for dry white wine, so I used Vinho Verde, and instead of the plain paprika called for in the recipe, I used smoked paprika from Penzey’s spices, a spice company that ships all over the country and sells some amazing spice blends. My final alteration was a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes.

While researching, I discovered that some versions of this recipe use several other ingredients, including tomatoes and red and green peppers. While I’d like to try those additions in the future, I’m glad I stuck with the basic version, because I got a great sense of the flavor of the sauce without it being overwhelmed by other flavors. I’d also like to make my own piri piri sauce, which I did not do for this recipe - instead, I used some red chile and garlic paste, thinned down with a bit of olive oil. I’ll reprint Jeff Smith’s recipe for Piri Piri, taken from the cookbook referenced above. I’d love to try this recipe with the real thing!!!


Cataplana (Portuguese Pork & Clams)

Based on Jeff Smith’s recipe in “The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors”
1 lb. Boneless pork shoulder, cut into chunks
1 ¼ cup Vinho Verde
2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 t. Piri Piri (or another non-vinegar red chile sauce thinned with olive oil)
½ t. each salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
Olive oil
2 t. smoked paprika
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. Littleneck clams, in their shells (scrubbed)

In a large bowl, combine the pork, Vinho Verde, garlic, Piri Piri, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Marinate for two hours.  

After the meat has marinated, remove the cubes and reserve the marinade. Heat a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or frying pan with high sides over high heat, add a generous splash of olive oil, and cook the pork until it begins to brown.

Once the pork has browned, reduce the heat to low. After about a minute, add the reserved marinade and the smoked paprika. Simmer the meat in the marinade, uncovered, until the liquid has almost evaporated (approx 45 minutes).

In the meantime, heat another heavy frying pan with a lid (preferably a transparent lid) over high heat, and add another generous splash of olive oil, and then add the onions. Cook the onions until they are soft but have not changed colors. Now, add the clams and cover with the lid. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the clams have opened. You may want to shake the pan a few times during the cooking process, but do not remove the lid until the clams have opened.

Finally, once the clams are cooked, add the clams and the onions to the pork mixture, stirring well. Serve over cooked potato cubes or boiled rice.
　

 

Piri Piri

By Jeff Smith, “The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors”

2/3 cup hot red peppers (tiny Thai peppers work well)
½ cup whiskey
1 cup olive oil

Combine in a jar and shake well. Cap the jar and let sit for a month before using, shaking frequently during the curing process.

Spiced & Spiked Shortbread

It’s been quite some time since I’ve cooked anything with Scottish flair, so last night I decided to bake a batch of shortbread cookies.  Quick, easy, and inexpensive, these cookies are buttery and rich without being ridiculously sweet.  I cannot begin to explain why, but these cookies truly taste best when you eat them on a rainy or snowy day while curled up under a blanket and sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea!

Spiced & Spiked Shortbread

8 oz. butter, softened at room temperature

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup powdered sugar*

½ t. ground cardamom

¼ t. ground aniseseed

1 t. grated fresh ginger (you can substitute ½ t. ground ginger)

1 T. Scotch or Irish whiskey

Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl (make sure to use a deep enough mixing bowl, otherwise your kitchen will end up looking like a scene from Scarface).  Using a mixer on low speed, beat until the butter has formed into tiny clumps and the ingredients have the consistency of moist sand. 

Pour mixture from bowl into a pie plate or a brownie pan.  Pat the mixture down (as shown) so that it is compressed, but not tightly packed.  It should be about a half-inch thick. 

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top begins to turn golden.  Next, remove from oven and let cool completely, then slice into desired shapes.

VARIATION:  Add ¼  c. chopped nuts or dried fruit to the butter/flour/sugar mixture. 

*  Commercial powdered sugar often contains cornstarch or other anti-caking agents which will affect the texture of the finished product.  This recipe turns out better if you make your own powdered sugar by placing ½ c. of regular white sugar in a blender or small coffee grinder and grinding until it reaches the consistency of commercial powdered sugar.

Battle of the Butchers

How many of you purchase your meat from butcher shops? I’m guessing not many. Old-school butchers seem to have gone the way of the dinosaurs and the Zack Morris cell phone, but I stumbled across two butcher shops in Boston’s North End - DiPaolo & Rossi and Sulmona‘s. I had to stop into both and decide once and for all who gave me the best steak.

I’ve shopped at a real butcher’s before - Hill’s Meat Market in the Wesleyville neighborhood of Erie, PA, my hometown - and I consider myself lucky to have grown up with the experience of walking into a small, family-run store and hearing my mom ask, “What’s fresh today?” and planning a meal around Donny’s recommendation. Sure, my mom and I also shopped at supermarkets and other specialty retailers, but as a kid, I remember our meat wrapped in thick paper the color of Crayola’s Burnt Orange crayons; no Styrofoam tray, no moisture-absorbing paper, no plastic wrap.

My Godfather Joe owned Joe Zak’s Market, a neighborhood grocery store in Pittsburgh with an on-site butcher (read more here). Although I was only three when Uncle Joe retired and closed the store, the article from the Pittsburgh Press style section reporting on the closing hangs in my kitchen, and I get to look at Uncle Joe and Aunt Eleanor while I prep. The article talks about the history of the store and the neighborhood’s reaction to the closing, and talks about how pro baseball players used to help Uncle Joe prep the turkeys for delivery. You’d never see an article like this about the local Stop & Shop going out of business.

 How did I evaluate DiPaolo & Rossi vs. Sulmona’s? At each store, I bought a 6 oz. Sirloin steak approximately ¾" thick. I cooked them at the same time, in the same pan, for the same amount of time per side, and with the same seasoning and sauce (recipe below). I allowed the flavors to speak for themselves, and I found that DiPaolo & Rossi’s sirloin was more tender, while Sulmona’s was tougher but more flavorful.

So who won? I’ve got to give them a tie - the only logical way to solve this dilemma would be a dance-off. In the big picture, the winner is the customer - buying meat from a local proprietor who cares about his/her product really does make a difference. Small, independent shops may not have the selection that big-box chains offer, but at the same time, you know the product hasn’t been sitting in a freezer case for months hoping to be thawed, and you won‘t smell more plastic wrap than meat when you open your package. The butcher will cut the meat as small or as large as you’d like, and you’re not going to be stuck cutting away ginormous chunks of fat. When you buy from a butcher, you get meat your way and you’re not at the mercy of some corporate store manager more concerned with administrative BS than what’s in your shopping bag. The best part of neighborhood shops is that while they don’t always have what you’re looking for, you know that if you ask for it, they will get it for you, or you could challenge yourself, walk in and ask, “What’s good?” and then base a meal around what they offer you - not so unlike a Top Chef challenge!

Obviously, steaks were on the menu, and I decided to base the meal on seasonal ingredients, using pumpkin, porcini mushrooms, kale, and a touch of bacon, butter, and booze. Serve these steaks with broiled polenta squares over braised kale. Complete the prep work ahead of time, and you can fix this meal in about ten minutes.

Sirloin Steaks with Whiskey Cream Sauce

2 oz. pancetta or uncured bacon
2 6 oz. sirloin steaks, approx. 3/4" thick, rubbed with salt and pepper
1 T. butter
1 shallot, finely minced
1 1/2 oz. whiskey
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 T. reconstituted porcini mushrooms, finely minced (see below)*
1 t. fresh thyme leaves

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron is preferable) over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the pancetta or bacon and fry until crisp. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to absorb grease; pour grease off pan (I save bacon grease, it makes a great soup base!) When the pancetta or bacon has cooled, crumble it into small bits and set aside.

Turn the heat up to high. Add the steaks and cook for approximately three minutes per side for medium rare. Once the steaks are cooked, remove them and set aside on a plate. They will continue to cook and distribute their juices, do not disturb the steaks while they rest.

Now it is time to make the sauce. Remove the pan from the burner for a minute or so to reduce the heat so that the sauce ingredients do not cook too quickly and burn. Next, place the pan over low heat, and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the shallots and saute them for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Now, add the whiskey, cream, mushrooms, and crumbled pancetta or bacon, stirring constantly until all the ingredients are blended. Remove from heat, pour sauce into a small bowl, and add the thyme, stirring until blended. Spoon a small amount over your cooked steak and serve.


Broiled Polenta with Pumpkin and Pecorino

several pieces dried porcini mushrooms*
water
1 cup polenta
salt and pepper
2 T. butter
1 cup shredded raw pumpkin
1/2 cup shredded pecorino romano
2 T. crumbled pancetta or bacon

In a small bowl, add 1 cup of boiling water to the porcini mushrooms. Soak for 10 minutes, then remove the mushrooms, chop finely, and set aside. Pour the mushroom soaking liquid into a large saucepan with 3.5 additional cups of water and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

When water has reached a rolling boil, slowly pour the polenta into the water, stirring quickly and constantly. When all the polenta has been added, continue to stir. Do not stop stirring, or the polenta could come out lumpy. The polenta will begin to thicken; keep stirring for about 5 minutes, until the polenta becomes very thick. Add the butter and stir until it is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, then pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish, spreading with a spatula so that the polenta forms an even layer approximately 1/2" thick. Set the polenta aside to cool, once it has cooled to room temperature, place it in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour. This step can be done the night before.

Once the polenta has set, cut it into 12 squares (for a nicer presentation, use a cookie cutter and cut them into rounds, saving the leftover polenta for a random snack). Place these on a baking tray, and preheat the broiler on high. Next, sprinkle the shredded pumpkin on top of each polenta round, making sure all the pumpkin is used. Repeat this step with the pecorino romano cheese, with the crumbled pancetta or bacon, and with the minced porcini mushrooms.

Place under the broiler for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted. Serve on top of a bed of braised kale.

* If you cannot find dried porcini mushrooms, they can be purchased online.


Braised Kale

Lacinato kale is also called Tuscan kale, dinosaur cale, or cavolo nero. Curly kale can be substituted if lacinato kale is not available.

1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, chopped into 1" thick strips
4 sprigs fresh thyme
pinch salt and pepper

Rinse the kale in water; do not dry. Add the wet kale to a large pot with a lid with the thyme, salt, pepper, and approximately 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium low heat, until the kale begins to wilt. Serve, season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Eating vs. Refueling, Putting Food On Your Family, Salad and Cocktail Recipes

Time certainly flies when you’re having fun!  I spent this weekend in Portsmouth, NH visiting my mom, and – as always – we spent a majority of the time shopping for food, cooking food, and eating food, with a quick trip to the gym, a visit to the flower gardens at Strawberry Banke, and a few movies and I Love Lucy reruns thrown into the mix.  Compare sprawling out on my mom’s couch in my pajamas, eating a bowl of homemade cream of mushroom soup, and drinking a glass of wine at 3:00 in the afternoon to today’s eating experience – shoving a few Fig Newtons in my mouth between sips of mediocre pre-ground coffee and pesky phone calls, taking in small spoonfuls of Au Bon Pain soup and keeping my fingers crossed that nobody speaks to me while I’m on my lunch break, and hoping I have time to microwave a package of Top Ramen to snack on this afternoon.  There’s eating, and there’s refueling via introducing edible substances to one’s digestive tract.  I much prefer eating.

Remember when George W. remarked, "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family?"  Although eloquence escaped him, he didn't reference putting food on the table or in the refrigerator.  There is a connection between food and family, and the thought that food and family are separate entities is completely foreign to me.  The way I was raised, where there’s food, there’s family, and where there’s family, there’s food.  I know that this isn’t necessarily common anymore, especially among non-Italian families.  I have to wonder if eating together as a family makes a difference in how one approaches food.  Did sharing meals with my mom throughout my childhood cause me to view food as a social tool and not a function of survival?  I don’t dare to explain it; I just sit back and feel thankful that something necessary for my survival happens to be my life’s greatest joy.

So what did my mom and I eat this weekend? Cream of mushroom soup made with homemade chicken stock, bacon-topped stuffed peppers, real mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, pancakes, breakfast sausage, fruit salad, maple nut ice cream, fried green tomatoes, egg salad sandwich rolls, beef tenderloin tips, sautéed broccoli rabe, creamy polenta, mixed green salads, and a fun new whiskey drink – the Gaelic Bellini.

Here are the recipes for two of the above-referenced dishes:

Individual Mixed Green Salads

2 cups shredded green leaf lettuce
1 cup chopped dandelion greens
1 t. finely minced red onion
1 T. grated parmigiano-reggiano
Splash olive oil
Splash wine vinegar *
A few drops chile oil, or a pinch of crushed red chile flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss until well-mixed.

*  Red and white wine vinegar are generally interchangeable. To spruce them up, try adding combinations of herbs and spices. Some of my favorites are: rosemary and de Arbol chiles in red wine vinegar; lavender, crushed fennel seeds, and basil in white wine vinegar; tarragon, crushed green or black peppercorns, and a splash of dry vermouth in white wine vinegar. To make these, simply add 1-2 T. of your selected seasonings to a 12oz. bottle of wine vinegar, shake well every day for about a week, at which time they are ready for use.  I like to combine them in pretty, decorative bottles that would make Martha Stewart proud!



Gaelic Bellini

1 oz. Irish whiskey (I prefer Jameson)
3 oz. peach nectar
3 oz. ginger ale

Combine in a highball glass, stir, and serve.