We've all heard stories about food "rules" - the chef who refused to serve a food writer for ordering a Diet Coke with her meal, the waiter who wouldn't bring ketchup to the table because the frites were "supposed to be" eaten with garlic mayonnaise. Ordering the steak well done is sacrilege! Don't you dare put extra wasabi in your soy sauce dish - the sushi chef has already put in the exact right amount!
Writing in the New York Times Magazine, Robert Trachtenberg discusses the issue of food rules with an essay on the Italian taboo against putting Parmesan on seafood pasta. Trachtenberg knows it's against the rules, that traditional Italian chefs claim it masks the delicate seafood flavor. But he's not buying it - he likes it that way. Chefs chastise him, waiters serve him in secret, whispering that they fear for their jobs.
Seems pretty silly to me, the idea of rigid food rules. On the one hand, I'm always keen to eat the "original version" of a food, the way it's supposedly been eaten for hundreds of years in Thailand or made by grandmothers in Mexico for generations, yada yada yada. Tasting things the way the locals eat them is a way of connecting with the culture, of expanding your own horizons. And certainly I wouldn't want to disrespect a culture or a chef by doing something truly rude.
On the other hand, sometimes you just know what you like and what you don't like. And why is it anyone's business to tell you different? I would be pretty darn annoyed if a waiter withheld my Parmesan because the chef felt the pasta was better without. If a dining companion warned me against putting more wasabi on my sushi I would probably tell him to shut up. I really like wasabi. The very phrase "It's a matter of taste" is used to point out that taste is subjective, and necessarily varies from person to person. And does food really need to be taken so seriously anyway?
What do you think about following/breaking food "rules?"
This photo on Apartment Therapy definitely called my name. "Elllllllen..." it whispered. "Bloooooggggg about meeeee...."
Making a mental note to lay off the hallucinogens, I decided to relay the recipe. Apartment Therapy offers it as a "low-fat, no cream" alternative to heavier, creamier pasta sauces, but I saw it as a great vegan option, and a welcome reprieve from pesto or marinara. AT uses butter and beef or chicken stock, but you could easily use Earth Balance or veggie/faux chicken stock, and omit the Parmesan, or use one of the many awesome soy or rice-based cheeses.
After a four-and-a-half month hiatus, Slashfood in the Kitchen is back! (I'm sure that you have leaped out of your seat and are cheering upon reading this). This time Scott and I make a quick weeknight dinner that is easy to throw together, tastes pretty darn good and is relatively healthy to boot. We start out with an easy pasta dish much like the ones so many of us grew up eating (pasta, bell peppers, onions, ground beef and tomatoes) and finish things off with some sauteed Swiss Chard (one of the quickest cooking veggies around). Best part of it was that it made enough for two nights' worth of dinner (if you have more than two people in your household, your mileage will vary).
We'd like to thank Mastercard for sponsoring Slashfood in the Kitchen. They'd like us to remind you that whether you're an art-lover, a traveler, or a connoisseur of fine dining, search and you could win priceless prizes beyond compare.
And, if you missed them, you should check out the first two episodes we made last fall. You know you want to learn to roast brussels sprouts and make apple sauce!
Everyone needs a go-to mac and cheese recipe; this is mine, from a 1994 Gourmet magazine via Epicurious.com. I've made it for numerous Fourth of July parties, birthdays and summer lunches by the pool and it's the freakin' definition of "crowd pleaser." Nothing fancy, no additions of curry powder or green onion or smoked mozzarella (though those would probably all be good), just elbow macaroni, cheddar and Parmesan, bread crumbs, milk and butter, with a dash of cayenne, dry mustard and a little flour. Baked in the oven with a bread crumb topping and sliced into wedges, it's dense and creamy in the middle with a delicate crunchy top.
If you do want to try some additions, dozens of Epicurious commenters have left their suggestions. But I think it's just perfect for what it is, which is why I wanted to share. I'll be making four batches later for my pig pickin'. More on that later...
It's Leap Day, and zoos and animal organizations across the world are kicking off "Year of the Frog," which aims to highlight the impact of global warming and pollution on our amphibian friends. In honor of the cause, here's a rundown of some notable frog-themed foods (though nothing containing actual frog, that seemed a bit crass):
Freddo Frog - An Australian treat since the 1930s, this chocolate cartoon frog is made by Cadbury and comes in different flavors and fillings. Weird note: I bought an aquatic frog from the pet store when I was seventeen and named him Freddo, with no knowledge of the Australian candy connection. Guess it's just a good name for a frog. Freddo's still alive.
Haribo Frogs - the white, marshmallowy underbellies are my favorite part of these lime-flavored German gummies.
Frogaroni - frog-shaped pasta, in regular and spinach green.
Frog Cake - Little sponge cakes coated in fondant and decorated with froggy features are a specialty of the South Australian city of Adelaide.
This is for all you guys out there who aren't the best of cooks but want to make something special for your honey on Valentine's Day. It's pasta, which you were probably thinking of making anyway, but in a shape that gives it that extra special touch that showed you made some effort.
It's Artisanal Heart-Shaped Ravioli! Marx Foods is selling them in a lobster, herb, and creme flavor: steam lobster meat mixed with herbs, butter, and lemon juice. This isn't something I would get because I don't like lobster, but they also have ricotta, mozzarella, and asiago, goat cheese and asparagus, and coconut and shrimp (the company has other ravioli as well). The site has recipe ideas too.
Heart-shaped ravioli that you can get Fed-Exed to you overnight. I love the web!
I've been posting about pasta a lot here lately. Just in one of those moods. Now comes National Fettuccine Alfredo Day!
Here are several recipes from AllRecipes, and here's one from Epicurious. Or maybe you like the Olive Garden's Fettuccine Alfredo and want to make it at home (I have no idea if this tastes exactly like the restaurant version or not, but if you're familiar with it, try it out).
And yes, as you can see above, you can even buy a T-shirt to celebrate the day.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I love everything Rosemary. And I'm always looking for new ways to make pasta (especially since I've cut down on pasta in general and heavy sauces specifically), so I'm always happy to find a recipe where I can combine the two.
Like this recipe for Spaghetti with Rosemary from The Silver Spoon cookbook. Does that look great or what?
For the record, we never called it "pasta" when I was growing up. Never. It was always "spaghetti."
Everyone's favorite comfort dish gets a tofu twist.
Macaroni and Cheese with Tofu From: Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Serves: 4-6
You will need: 12 oz. pasta (white or whole wheat)
Cheese sauce: 12 oz. low fat silken tofu 1/2 cup skim milk 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt 1 up grated cheddar cheese 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 2 tsp. yellow mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 cup minced onions 1/4 cup fresh parsley 1/2 bread crumbs mixed with 1/4 cup grated cheddar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-qt. baking dish with oil.
Bring water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions.
Combine all cheese sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree.
Drain pasta, and mix it along with cheese sauce, onions, and pasta, into baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumb/cheddar mixture on top. Bake for 30 minutes covered, and then 5 minutes uncovered.
I love baked spaghetti, even if I haven't had it in many, many years. I first had it over a friend's house. His wife made it once in a while and it tasted so fantastic - all salty and cheesy. She made it without any tomatoes or tomato sauce of any kind, and I'm not sure of her exact recipe (I'll have to call her soon to get it), but this recipe sounds damn good too. I don't think my friend uses Gruyere and Gorgonzola (she probably uses cheddar, mozzarella, and/or Parmesan), and she used to break apart her spaghetti so it would be easier to eat, but I'm going to try this one.
My family is rather traditional when it comes to holiday dinners. We usually have turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, squash, turnip, and cranberry sauce for dinner, and then a giant table filled with cookies, pies, brownies, nuts, and cheeses for later. This year we're trying to do things a little bit differently. We're still doing turkey, but we're mixing in some pasta dishes, chicken dishes, and meatballs as well, along with some different vegetables. This doesn't include what my sister is serving tonight at her annual Christmas Eve party.
What are you making for Christmas this year? Do you have a menu you follow every year? Are you doing anything differently this year?
Have you ever stashed a Coke in the freezer, hoping to chill it quickly, then forgotten all about it, only to have it explode all over your frozen peas?
Today might not be the best day to kiss your significant other, but it might just be the day to eat Italian.
We've all heard stories about food "rules" - the chef who refused to serve a food writer for ordering a Diet Coke with her meal, the waiter who wouldn't bring ketchup to the table because the frites were "supposed to be" eaten with garlic mayonnaise. Ordering the steak well done is sacrilege! Don't you dare put extra wasabi in your soy sauce dish - the sushi chef has already put in the exact right amount! 
It's Leap Day, and zoos and animal organizations across the world are kicking off "
The cover this month is food porn for those of you who love 
This is for all you guys out there who aren't the best of cooks but want to make something special for your honey on Valentine's Day. It's pasta, which you were probably thinking of making anyway, but in a shape that gives it that extra special touch that showed you made some effort.
I've been posting about pasta a lot here lately. Just in one of those moods. Now comes National Fettuccine Alfredo Day!
I love baked spaghetti, even if I haven't had it in many, many years. I first had it over a friend's house. His wife made it once in a while and it tasted so fantastic - all salty and cheesy. She made it without any tomatoes or tomato sauce of any kind, and I'm not sure of her exact recipe (I'll have to call her soon to get it), but 
My family is rather traditional when it comes to holiday dinners. We usually have turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, squash, turnip, and cranberry sauce for dinner, and then a giant table filled with cookies, pies, brownies, nuts, and cheeses for later. This year we're trying to do things a little bit differently. We're still doing turkey, but we're mixing in some pasta dishes, chicken dishes, and meatballs as well, along with some different vegetables. This doesn't include what my sister is serving tonight at her annual Christmas Eve party.
A big selection of 
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
