May 2008 Archives

As a young chap, I lived with my grandparents in the typical "Everyone Loves Raymond" environment; that is to say, my parents lived on the second floor apartment of a two family home while my grandparents occupied the first floor apartment.  On most Saturday afternoons I would wander down to my grandparents place and receive a boatful of kisses and the eternal question, "what do you want to eat for lunch?"  And my answer would always be, "Nonna,can I please have Pasta Alio e Olio?"  

Pasta Alio e Olio, translated literally as pasta with garlic and oil, is still one of my favorites and I end up making it a few times a month and when I'm filling particularly lazy once per week.    

Ingredients:

• Pasta: linguine or linguine fini works nice for this dish 
• One bunch of finely chopped parsley
• Thinly chopped garlic (5-6 cloves).
• 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
• Red Pepper Flakes

Process:

Bring a large pot of fresh water to boil and drop the pasta into the pot.  Add a bit of salt and stir (linguine usually takes between 7-10 minutes, depending on brand). 

While the pasta cooks, add olive oil to a hot pan along with the garlic, sautéing slowly.  Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Drain the pasta and save a bit of the starchy water.  Add the pasta to the saute pan along with the parsley and mix well (at this point either add a bit more olive oil or some of the pasta water, I usually do both).  Use kitchen tongues to work the condiment into the pasta. 

Finally, add the cheese and mix one more time.  Plate the pasta and add a little bit more cheese. The pasta dish is simple, classic, and real southern Italian comfort food.

The New York Times ran a front page article this morning with the title, "Monkeys Think, Move Artifical Arm as Own." and my first thought was how are we defining "think?"  For example, there are certain bees that engage in very organized flight patterns that convey, "danger", "food", etc. to other bees, but the academic community hasn't come out and declared that bees have language!  The same holds true for the monkeys in the experiment cited in the New York Times; that is, while the primate has willed the artificial arm to move, we can't logically conclude that the monkey can now ponder whether God exists or if chicken would make for a nice dinner.  "Think" is a very strong word and the New York Times should have thought longer about the usage in a headline on the front page.

The 2006 World Cup is a bit stale at this point, but I can't help but get excited when I see video collages of the Italian national team.  For example, see the following clip (especially minute 1:42 where the Italian announcer Fabio Caressa begins to scream in total joy, "Beppe, or Joe, we are going to Berlin, we are going to Berlin <meaning the Final game against France at Berlin Stadium>, it's finished, it's finished!!"):  

Notice also how the second broadcaster (Beppe) is silent for a few moments only to acknowledge in complete ecstasy, "yes, we are going to Berlin!!" 

If you ask me the World Cup is high drama and better than good wine, a riveting movie, or two or three laps on a closed circuit in a Porsche Boxster S."  It's no wonder the Italians are crazed when it comes to calcio or soccer.

Are you looking for the perfect summer salad, but with an added protein punch?  If so, give the following salad a try:

1. 1 can of black beans (dried beans offer better value and quality, but they do require prep work)
2.  Half a bag of frozen organic white corn
3. 1 finely diced red onion
4. 1 bunch of fresh cilantro finely diced
5. 1-2 small Kirby cucumbers finely diced (remove seeds and skin)
6. olive oil, salt, and pepper all to taste (don't skimp on the olive oil)
7. dried oregano to taste
8.  1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  I usually like to make a big batch and use as a side dish throughout the week!  Oh, I think the salad goes well with Zinfandel, so try the two together next time!

Memorial Day has come and gone but I already have fond memories of this year's BBQ Ribs!  It all starts with the ribs:

A full rack of pork, baby back, ribs with the membrane (or tough outer skin) removed.

As soon as you've prepped the meat prepare the following dry rub:

1. 1 tbsp. paprika
2. 1 tbsp. brown sugar
3. 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4. 1 tbsp. garlic powder
5. 1 tbsp. kosher salt
6. 1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
7. 1 tbsp. dried thyme

Mix the ingredients well in a small bowl and rub into the ribs (paying close attention to really work the rub into the meat - including both sides).

Thereafter, transfer the ribs to a plastic zip lock bag and add 2 tbsp of olive oil and a 1/4 cup of Siracha hot sauce.  Work the olive oil and hot chili sauce into the ribs and let sit in the zip lock bag (refrigerate for about 4-6 hours). 

Finally, it's time to grill the ribs!  Like most experts will tell you, tender ribs are all about slow cooking, but I'm going to dispel that theory.  My recommendation is to sear the ribs over a hot flame and then move to the side of the grill (cool zone) and let cook for another 20-30 minutes.  The last step is to add your favorite over the counter BBQ sauce and after cutting the rack of ribs into individual ribs sear them individually over the high flame (be careful here or the ribs will burn).  Cutting the full rack into individual ribs will ensure that you get "full sear coverage", that is, you'll get a more crunchy and zesty exterior.

The last step is to enjoy with your favorite beer!  Currently, I'm really into Smuttynose Summer Weizen out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The 2008 French Open kicked off at Roland Garros this past weekend.  Roland Garros is actually the name of the tennis center where the Open is held; more specifically, Roland Garros was a French aviator and WWI hero.

The French Open is played on red clay versus the Decoturf surface at the US Open in Flushing, Queens.  Red clay surfaces are made up of crushed red brick and traditionally play slower than harder surfaces, including the grass surface at Wimbledon.  Specifically, clay produces a higher bounce and removes the "big power" advantage that most US players are used to on harder surfaces.  In my view, the clay game (including HAR-TRU surfaces) is tons of fun, more strategic, and is not just about battling it out at the baseline, but rather necessitates that the player has an overall game (including the ability to play at net, lob, slice, etc.).

Check out Ralphael Nadal, who many consider to be the best clay court player alive today:

I can't say enough about Mary Palmer's excellent cookbook, "Cucina Di Calabria" which, in an elegant manner, documents the many simple dishes of the most southern province of Italy (at least on the mainland). 

Palmer's recipes, like all Italian cookbooks published for a US audience, are a bit more on the "Italian-American" side, but she does hold true to many longstanding Calabrian dishes, including a few of my favorites.

• Squash flower fritters
• Roasted rabbit
• Swordfish with onions and lemon
• Pastina

In addition to the recipes in the book Palmer gives the reader a primer on espresso, wine, and even the history of Calabrian province. 

The Jackson Hole Diner opened its doors (New York City) in 1972; more recently the diner opened a New Jersey location in Englewood.  The diner is famous for its 7 oz burgers, but I'm personally drawn to their "Bronco" Chicken sandwich with melted blue cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.  The sandwich roll is toasted and buttered, but I think the real secret is the 24-hour marinated chicken breast (the owner told me the marinade is a secret, however he then proceeded to say the chicken is marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and steak sauce!).

If you're in NJ or NYC any time soon, go and have a burger or, better yet, a chicken sandwich.

There are certain things that, in my humble view, can't really be improved (given the current state of the art) here are three examples in three categories (Automobile, Music, and Food)

The 2008 Honda Accord

I can't remember which Auto publication used the following phrase but the newly redesigned Accord was described as the, "perfect people mover."  The Accord has a wonderful engine (in either the 4 or 6 cylinder variant), best in class interior ergonomics, brilliant space (no knee crunching in the back seat), and classic exterior styling (that is to say, the design will not age too quickly).  Why would you buy any other vehicle on the market today?

The Rock Band Queen

My cousin and I purchased each and every Queen CD by the time we reached the age of 12. We spent countless weekends listening to Freddie Mercury's wonderful voice and wondered how on earth someone could sing rock songs so well!  If you're into the rock / pop thing you can't get any better than Queen.  For a nice primer on Queen see some clips from their concert at Wembley.  

Olive Oil

The first thing I reach for when I begin cooking each night is my bottle of olive oil.  Olive oil has tremendous health benefits and can be used in virtually every type of basic food prep including: in salads as a dressing, in sautéing for meats and vegetables, in soups as a base for your carrot, onion, and celery mixture, in pastas for most sauces, etc.  And, if push comes to shove, you can use olive oil as a shoe polish, cleaning agent, hair conditioner and or styling agent, and as a shaving cream substitute (don't laugh, my Calabrian grandfather had a smooth face, shiny cow-hide shoes and lovely hair).

The American Idol finale took place last night and for the most part the show featured slightly washed up singers (attempting to mimic Freddie Mercury) and "Brady Bunch" like numbers by the 12 finalists.  The highlight of the show was Gladys Knight, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Junior performing the song, "Midnight Train to Georgia:"

For a critical look at American Idol see the recent New Yorker article.  Oh, the New Yorker seems to think that Idol does, indeed, work.

It doesn't feel as though Spring has officially arrived here on the East Coast, but you can welcome Spring by preparing the perfect Spring lunch (well at least in the opinion of this humble cook):

The Wine:

Start with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, preferablly from Australia and, moreover, from the Marlborough region.  Chill the bottle nicely and don't pay beyond, say, $12.00 (you used to be able to get wonderful Sauvignon Blanc for under $10.00, even around $7.00 -  $8.00 but the wine snobs have caught on and the prices are rising).

The Eggs:

Buy some organic eggs or visit a local farmer's market (if you have the option).  Eggs are perfect for the Spring and Summer (light, but yet filling).  Make a nice omelet with a little fresh cream, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley.  You can fill the omelet with cheese (no American Singles, please); rather use some nice white cheddar from Wisconsin or a nice French Brie.  The key to egg making is NOT to overcook the eggs and NOT to let the curd set up (you don't want a tough chewy egg, rather you want the egg to be a bit runny, whether you're doing scramble, fried, or omelet style preparation). 

So, for an omelet beat the eggs well with all of the ingredients except for the cheese, thereafter adds eggs to a warm (not scalding hot) pan and here's the trick: move the pan and your wooden spoon quickly, forming small delicate curds.  Let the curds set up a little (given that you'll need the egg to be a bit firm to hold the cheese) and add the diced cheese to one side of the egg.  Thereafter turn the egg over to one side and plate the omelet.

The Bread:

Buy some wonderful bread.  If you happen to leave near New York City go and buy some Sullivan Street bread.  Good bread is a good enough reason to live in a major city in the U.S. (there are other reasons but this one is pretty important).

The Olives:

Buy some olives (the French kind with Herbs De Provence are nice), these are called,  Nicoise.  Kalamatas or Greek olives are tasty.  I prefer tiny Italian (black) olives from Calabria.

The Tuna in Olive Oil (please not water packed Starkist):

Buy canned Italian tuna packed in Olive Oil and dress it with a bit more olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano.

The Finish:

That's it!  Sit outside in the sun, but covered underneath an umbrella (that's not a paradox!) and enjoy.  And don't rush.  Oh, finish the meal with an espresso and a nap.

A while back Vanguard published Dilbert's guide (Scott Adams) to Personal Finance:

• Make a will.
• Pay off your credit cards.
• Get term life insurance if you have a family to support.
• Fund your 401(k) to the maximum.
• Fund your IRA to the maximum.
• Buy a house if you want to live in a house and you can afford it.
• Put six months' expenses in a money market fund.
• Take whatever money is left over and invest 70% in a stock index fund and 30% in a bond fund through any discount broker, and never touch it until retirement.

The 8 step guide is fairly simple, but do you follow any or all of the principles (or disagree with any)? 

There is a moving article in the New York Times this morning about a couple (Wang Zhijun and Li Wanzhi) that survived last Monday's earthquake in China. 

The article reminded me of the book, The Long Walk the story of a group of Siberian prisoners who escaped and trekked 4,000 miles to their freedom in India.

Showtime launched a new series last year called, The Tudors starring Jonathan Rhys as a young King Henry The VIII.  At first, I didn't pay much attention to the show (partly because I am not a Showtime subscriber), but when season one become available on DVD at my local library I became an immediate fan.  Rhys is pretty convincing as the angst ridden king, though I may be a bit bias given his role in Woody Allen's Match Point.

The Wii Fit is receiving a ton of media attention as of late and was featured on the Today Show this morning and in the Fashion and Style section of the NY Times on Thursday (why not the Sports section?). 

I'm not convinced the attention is warranted but if the video game system can get American's just a few inches off the couch (I'm thinking most folks have their console near their couch and TV), then Nintendo has created a winner, correct?  Only in America!

Okay, it's my tenth post and I should tell you a little more about my last name and the domain name of this site, Scordo.com.  Both my parents hail from the extreme southern province of Calabria, Italy - think of the tip of the boot (they were born there and could see Sicily from the Mediterranean coast near their 200 year old stone homes). 

So, apparently my ancestors had pretty bad memories because Scordo literally means, "to forget or have forgotten."  My last name is actually pretty appropriate given that my short term memory isn't exactly best in class.  Take my inability to remember first names at cocktail parties or business meetings; I've been known to embarrass myself at the aforementioned events on more than a couple of occasions (I do recover gracefully, however).    Anyway, better to have a short term memory lapse as opposed to a receding hairline or oversized gut (both of which, I'm happy to report, I don't possess, as of yet).

Well, the search is over!

Heather Armstrong runs a blog called, Dooce.com which has recently been all over the media.  Armstrong also just published a collection of essays entitled, "Things I Learned About My Dad" 

I read Heather's blog pretty regularly and I'm not quite sure why, but I think it has something to do with how engrossing and ever changing the content is.

I also like Jason Perlow's blog, Off the Broiler and Jason Kottke's blog, kottke.org/ . 

Off the Broiler is foodie centered and Jason has great reviews of local Northern New Jersey food spots, while Kottke.org is more of a generalist blog focused on culture, technology, etc.

Oh, Sharyn Morrow runs a blog called, Weapons of Mass Distraction which follows her daily goings on with her son.

There's lots of talk about how traditional classroom learning is dead, see:

However, and I don't know about you, but I really enjoy the small lecture type experience (ask questions, get a response back kind of thing).  And I think deep learning is not about text messages, Facebook, or web enabled distance learning (they're not bad instructional tools), but a liberal education is about classroom debate, idea formation, writing and re-writing, 1:1 instruction, etc.  So, yes technology and educational theories change, but basic human cognition and learning stay the same (unless someone is predicting a big paradigm shift in human biology).  My advice: get out your copy of Plato's Republic and start reading.

I've always told friends, colleagues, and family that the New Yorker is essential reading.  After all, where else can you, as an amateur intellectual, get the best in short stories, profiles, feature stories, book and movie reviews?  The New Yorker is not only essential reading, but critical to continuing one's life-long education.

The latest book review from The New Yorker focuses on whether technology drives history - with great tidbits on Tesla and Edison and Marx's stance on technology.

pre pubescent musical excitement to the web. 

I've been listening to "SumAgency's" mix and loving it!

Who says that today's college student is only interested in making money?   According to the New York Times, college students are still opting for the "examined life" and pursuing philosophy as a major - learning critical thinking, presentation, and writing skills along the way. 

Looks like those bearded guys reading Kant and Rorty weren't wasting their time after all.

Personal finance is not taught formally in elementary / high school in the U.S. and you can see the consequences in adult financial behavior:

• Abysmal savings rate
• High debt
• Credit card dependence
• Percentage of salary devoted to housing and other living expenses

But personal finance isn't difficult as long as some basic rules are followed:

• Live below your means
• Save at least half of your salary (yes, it's extreme but necessary)
• Use only 20-23 percent of take home income for housing
• Cars are poor investments
• Do not eat out often
• Live and spend time with like minded individuals 

There are other rules or tricks, of course, and some good sources include: The Simple Dollar, Millionaire Next Door, Two Income Trap and a series of very simple but effective video clips from accountant Scott Gutterson.

I recently read an interesting introduction to espresso in Mary Palmer's cookbook in which she talks about the origins of coffee in Ethiopia. Palmer states that in the 15th century coffee was introduced to the Europeans by way of the Venetians. In 1855, a Frenchman thought up the idea of making quick coffee to be served aboard trains. But the Italians thought the process was too long and devised a way in which to make fresh coffee quicker. In 1903, the Gaggia family in Milan improved on the idea of quick coffee. In 1948, Gaggia perfected espresso by inventing the modern espresso machine using steam, thus allowing the barista to make hundreds of cups of fresh coffee in no time!

La Cucina Italiana has a nice overview on the history of espresso as well as a quick guide to make the golden nector (though they don't specify equipment).  

If you're looking for the best espresso machine for home use you can go two ways:

1. For $20 you can buy a simple stove top espresso machine that yields decent coffee (Bialetti is the standard) or,
2. Splurge and purchase a $550 brass boiler infused machine like the Rancillo Silvia (the best bang for your buck semi automatic machine on the market in my view).
3. Recently, a few handheld machines have entered the "home use" category, including the Handpresso Wild ESE, Handpresso Domepod, and MyPressi Twist

Nevertheless, if you can find a real deal espresso bar in the U.S. (sorry Starbucks doesn't get it right) then you'll be in heaven. If you're in the NYC/Westchester area go to Cafe Latte in Dobbs Ferry for southern Italian style espresso or Hastings Station Cafe in Hastings on the Hudson (the owner Avi is a great guy and takes espresso seriously) !

New applications of Graphical User Interfaces will flood the market in coming years, for example, a gesture based interface is starting to become ubiquitous on Apple devices (iPhone, Macbook Air, Touch, etc.).

New Scientist recently ran an article on mobile devices using non visual feedback so drivers do not have to take their eyes off the road while driving.

And, of course, everyone remembers Minority Report, right: