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...]
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...]
ASPARAGUS FESTIVAL / ASPARAGUS SALMON PENNE RECIPE
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...]
PASTA PRIMAVERA: AUTHENTIC AND OTHERWISE
Culinary purists and in-the-know gourmands maintain that the popular dish Pasta Primavera isn't an "authentic" Italian recipe. Quotations because when all is said and done, what really constitutes authenticity? Pasta Primavera was birthed in this country by the esteemed Italian food authority and cookbook author Ed Giobbi. He's Italian. He's an expert. His recipe … [Read more...]
Best Way to Peel Asparagus: The Elusive Two-Bladed Peeling Tongs
The very best asparagus peeler of all time is, alas, not readily available here in the United States of America. And we call this the greatest country on earth. Ha! The beauty of this German-made number is the opposing peeling blades facing each other on the inside of a pair of tongs. Hold the asparagus stem near to top end, gently clamp down on the stalk with the tongs and … [Read more...]
CARROT FLOWERS DELUXE
The new How to Make Carrot Flowers (part 2) video is the sequel to our first How To Make Carrot Flowers. This Youtube video has received nearly a half million views. Lots of people like it. This idea for these groovy blossoms was served up on a plate in Paris. Literally -- at a small bistro the rim of the dinner plates were decorated with a halo of happy carrot disks, as … [Read more...]
BUTTERED RADISHES
As made by the incomparable Gabrielle Hamilton, James Beard Award-winning author or Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef and chef/owner of NYC's celebrated Prune restaurant. I was told the secret is to mix a tiny bit of cream into the melted butter, then dip in very cold radishes. Trim the bottoms in advance so they sit flat on the … [Read more...]
POPPED CHERRY TOMATOES
You know when you go a restaurant and the food seems simple and straight forward and yet it tastes so much better than you expected it ever could? Out in San Francisco Tyler Florence's Wayfare Tavern and El Paseo restaurants serve up these epiphanies plate after plate, night after night. Having access to the best meats, freshest vegetables and fine butters and oils and … [Read more...]
SPECTACULAR SUMMER SALAD OF SHAVED VEGETABLES
For a limited time only: A Spectacular Summer Salad of Shaved Vegetables. This dazzler is less about a recipe than having the best ingredients and some easy techniques. Isn't it the Italians who say you first taste with your eyes? Armed with a few key kitchen tools and an abbodanza di verdure (heaps o' fresh vegetables) straight from the hand of God you can't go wrong. The … [Read more...]
Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella
Once we placed this brilliant platter of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil on the table it was fast work to snap a picture before the spectacular rainbow was demolished. (Note the serving pieces reluctantly hoovering above.) Luckily our friend and party planner MJ Vineberg (a.k.a. Marge in Charge) had equally lovely back-ups ready to go. Pasquale Langella of East Hampton's … [Read more...]