While the news from asparagus growers in the northeast might be grim, the forecast is sunny for asparagus farmers in California's San Joaquin Valley. The glory of the green stems was on full view at the recent 29th Annual Stockton Asparagus Festival. The festival celebrates all things asparagus from the educational (growing beds and long handled harvesting knives) to the … [Read more...]
Easter Egg Salad
Easter eggs - before and after. Here are my humble contributions to the egg salad canon: 1. Use olive oil mayonnaise, it as a little more heft. Hellman's makes it now, among others. 2. Sliced pickled jalapenos, and plenty of salt and pepper. Therefore, if neurological professional viagra disorder is the cause for such … [Read more...]
PAPER SHELL PECANS
Right before Thanksgiving the New York Times warned us that "Ill-timed rain, marauding animals and a growing love affair between the Chinese middle class and the pecan has resulted in the worst pecan supply in recent memory. As a result, grocery store prices are up by about 30 percent..." (No Pecans? Thank China, rain and pigs.) Which is how we found ourselves by the side of … [Read more...]
SALT LIBRARY
Flavored and specialty salts have been infiltrating the larder here for some time now. So much so that an inventory was in order. Here's what we found: SPANISH ROSEMARY SALT (The Filling Station) Nice rosemary aroma, nice rosemary taste, pleasing loose … [Read more...]
SPICED PICKLED PEPPERS with a Food Press
All the pickle and relish recipes here on Spectacularly Delicious are worthy in their own unique way. Still, like children, one always has one's favorites even though it's generally a good idea to hide it. With kids psyches get scarred; with recipes readers might think less of the other pickles and relishes if one is named the favorite. But it can't be helped. Spiced Pickled … [Read more...]
IN PRAISE OF PUDDING / DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING RECIPE
I'm not exactly sure when it happened but quite some time ago chocolate pudding fell from favor. Could it have been the ascendancy of fancy French chocolate mousse that rang the death knell for chocolate pudding as we knew it? Or maybe it was misguided notions like Shake-a-Pudd'n. Yes we did that. The Sullivan boys were the envy of the lunchroom. Well, I think it was … [Read more...]
BEST-EVER ASPARAGUS PEELER
Still going strong after being purchased in Germany in 2011, this double bladed asparagus peeler is one of the great joys of the kitchen gadget drawer. When we first made the video they were impossible to find here. Jubilation! They can be had on Amazon, buy them Amazon here. Seriously, if you like asparagus, get you some now. You're welcome. Read more here. What … [Read more...]
BROWN BUTTER MADELEINES
More tiny cake than cookie, these Madeleines get their toasty taste from browned butter. Sure you can skip this step but I wouldn't. Just take care to not burn the butter. It'll bubble for a minute or two before starting to brown, then take if off the heat when it starts to darken. It will continue to color in the hot pan so pour it out before it burns. This recipe calls … [Read more...]
“LOOKING” FOR PERI PERI CHICKEN
The season finale of Looking, HBO's new gay-boys-in-San Francisco show, left fans hanging. Was it a bad career move for Patrick (Jonathan Groff) to have sex with his boss? Can Agustin (Franki J. Álvarez) reverse his downward spiral of drugs, escorts and tacky art? (A unicorn!) What's up with Lynn (Scott Bakula) and Dom (Murray Barlett)? Are they just investor and protegé -- or … [Read more...]
DUBLIN LAWYER: LOBSTER IN WHISKEY CREAM SAUCE
Every time March rolls around the search for new Irish recipes commences. After all, corned beef only gets you so far. Even at its most creative (St. Patrick's Day sausages anyone?) it is still corned beef. That's not to say there aren't a lot of tasty Hibernian dishes. Witness General Vegetable Soup and the Sullivan family's soda bread recipe. A few notches up the gourmet … [Read more...]