Although modern spice companies use wide-mouth jars (e.g. San Francisco's fabulous Spice Ace) few kitchens are complete without a decent complement of narrow-necked McCormick bottles. The ones with openings too small to fit even the 1/2" and 1/4" teaspoon measuring spoons. Problems solved with these . They're just the right size to dig all the way down to the bottom of … [Read more...]
PENNE ALL NORMA: A BARILLA PASTA GAY-FRIENDLY FAMILY RECIPE
The Barilla Pasta “we don’t think gay families represent our values” dust-up last fall reminded me of a Barilla-sponsored luncheon I attended in '07 or '08. Pasta was on the plate and family mealtime was the topic at table. Although it's taken a while to dig into my files (i.e. piles of papers and random flash drives) I supposed that there must have been a … [Read more...]
SAMPHIRE ASPARAGUS VINAIGRETTE
One of the thrills of foraging is tapping into Mother Nature's limitless abundance. While some treasures of the earth are hard to come by (see: truffles) wild samphire is abundant here on eastern Long Island and at its peak now, in early summer. Samphire, a.k.a seabeans, sea asparagus, salicornia, or picklewort, thrives in the marshy, sandy shores of Three Mile Harbor in … [Read more...]
PEA SHOOT PESTO
Turns out early summer isn't such a bad time to join Weight Watchers. Facing the somewhat grim regimen of Points, Power Foods and vanishing carbs is easier when fresh produce (for the unlimited fruits and vegetables the program allows) comes into abundance. These pea shoots were on offer at an East Hampton farm stand. The guy said they would make a nice pesto. True … [Read more...]
PERSIAN BLUE SALT
Another reason to love San Francisco: Spice Ace in Pacific Heights. Where this exotic Persian Blue Salt was acquired for our salt library. It's rock salt with a light mineral taste. Proprietor Olivia Dillan oversees an encyclopedic collection of spices and is eager to have you sniff and taste to your hearts content. I hear tunes and songs on television shows also that … [Read more...]
SALTED CARAMEL PECAN CAKE
Picture #1: Salted Caramel cake as made by House Beautiful food columnist Alex Hitz. Picture #2: Salted Caramel Pecan cake as made by Spectacularly Delicious. Although these two cakes wouldn't be mistaken for identical twins they do bear more than a passing resemblance looks-wise. But down in their souls, their very essence, they are one in the same: lightly salty, … [Read more...]
MEXICAN CHORIZO
For cooks who enjoy process and transformation, leisurely, at-home sausage making can make for a very satisfying afternoon's work. This Mexican chorizo recipe is a delicious example. Not to be confused with Spanish chorizo, which is a cured sausage, dense, dark, and hard, Mexican chorizo is a fresh pork sausage spiked with chiles, cumin and coriander. A generous dose of … [Read more...]
PURPLE ASPARAGUS
After our not-so-wonderful winter and spring, opening day of the North Main St. farmers' market in East Hampton was gratifyingly robust. Witness these gorgeous, freshly cut stalks of purple asparagus. And they're organic to boot! The violet hue is not the only difference between purple asparagus and its green brethren; the purple variety is sweeter and less fibrous. The … [Read more...]
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
One of my food rules (and there are many) is always order the things with avocado when in California. The west coast seems to have a way with them, consistently butter soft and flavorful, enriching eggs, sandwiches, quesadillas and just about anything else you can think of. This rule was validated on a recent trip to San Fran and L.A. One of the highlights was a Green … [Read more...]
CUPOLA di BUCATINI / PASTA DOME RECIPE
Frequent readers will know that Spectacularly Delicious has a fondness for tall food. From croquembouche pyramids to kugelhopf ziggurats, the peaks of Mont Blancs to tumbling cascades of lobster, we take the "haute" in haute cuisine very seriously. That goes for alta cucuina as well. The arching swell of Spec D's Pasta al Duomo is joined by another architectural marvel: … [Read more...]