May 2008 Archives

(Tossing pasta with olive oil, garlic, and parsley.)

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, you know what I like, can I please have Pasta Alio e Olio!" - picture a small boy with a Beatles type bowl haircut and deep brown eyes. 

In honor of my grandmother and our shared love for pasta here's a class pasta dish recipe (for two servings):

 

1. 1/4 pound of dried pasta - linguine or linguine fini works nice for this dish (preferably De Cecco; pleaese do not buy dry pasta manufactured in the US or make fresh pasta for this dish, it will not work).
   
   
2. Freshly chopped parsley (I'm not sure why markets sell non-Italian parsley, but make sure you buy Italian parsley).
   
   
3. Freshly chopped garlic (5-6 cloves).
   
   
4. 1/4 cup of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano - the king of cheeses.
   
   
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
   
   
6. A sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes.
   
   
7. Olive Oil (you can use Extra Virgin Olive Oil if you'd like; my grandmother would combine corn oil and olive oil because Extra Virgin Olive Oil was expensive in the late seventies - mid eighties).

The preparation is fairly straightforward:  Get a large pot of water boiling and drop the linguine into the pot.  Add a bit of salt and stir (linguine usually takes between 7-10 minutes, but go for the shorter cooking time as pasta should always be served al dente).  And no need to waste olive oil in the water as it will NOT prevent sticking (the best way to prevent sticking pasta is to have enough water in the pot).

While the pasta cooks, add olive oil to a lukewarm pan and add garlic (slowly sautéing).  Add salt and pepper.  Add you red pepper flakes.  Drain the pasta and save a bit of the starchy water.  Add the pasta to the saute pan (which should have a flame going) 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 or mix te pasta in the saute pan. 

Finally, add the cheese and mix one more time.  Plate the pasta and add a little bit more cheese (oh, try and grate the cheese fresh as it will make a big difference in flavor, it's the same principle with grinding coffee beans before brewing).  The 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.

The New York Times ran an article on the correlation between food/diet and social status.  In turns out that the lower your status the more junk food you are prone to eat / include in your diet. 

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.

OK, so you know how sometimes you find a new love, maybe you start playing tennis on a given weekend in the Spring and have a realization about how invigorating it feels to drive a crisp forehand over the net or maybe, on a whim, you decide to try the local Sushi place and realize how nice raw salmon tastes with a bit of soy sauce?  Well, that level of enjoyment, across a wide variety of experiences, is just how far most folks go with a given hobby or interest (and for most things that's far enough); but what about a topic or interest like wine?  Should you, as a casual drinker, merely "play" on the periphery or should you really dive in and become a pro?  

Wine, I will argue, should not just be a weekend hobby or "corner store" type of thing (don't settle for that smelly shop around the block from you that happens to sell beer, wine, and peanuts).  Wine deserves more of your attention and more of your brain's processing time!  For example, let's just take how wine experts "taste" wine.  The wine expert usually assesses a wine on a couple of different fronts, beginning with:

- Color
- Aroma
- Taste
- Mouth Feel

On the taste front, the expert assesses what's happening in his or her mouth across three different ranges (thanks to Dr. Vino for making this so simple):

- "attack"
- mid palette
-  finish

If you've seen Sideways, for example, you know that Paul Giamatti is a lover of Pinot Noir because a good example of the varietal has a very long finish (the range that most wine drinkers appreciate most - it's the last thing that happens in your mouth, after all).

Wines like Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon all have very strong beginning taste as well as strong finishing characteristics.

Lately, I've been drinking lots of wine from the Mendoza Region of Argentina called Malbec.  Many "wine experts" believe Malbec has a weak finish and a strong mid palette and they are probably correct, however some experts use the way the wine behaves in the mouth (especially at the end of the tasting) to downgrade a wine.  I don't think this should be the case, after all you wouldn't judge a man's outfit simply via the tie he is wearing, you would probably have a look at his shoes, touch the fabric, and maybe even look at the quality of his dress shirt.  So, the same should hold true for a wine, in turn here are some wine tasting tips:

1. Taste the whole wine before making a judgment

2. Don't just be influenced by the "attack" and "finish" stages, think about: Beginning, Mid, and Finish

3. Remember, it's not just about taste, swirl your glass to get the aromas going and take short, quick sniffs of the wine (a long sniff is going to quickly die out, so keep that glass swirling and take many short sniffs).  What do you smell?

4. Use your memory when you smell and think of things in past that smell like the wine (don't say cherry, tobacco, lemon zest); be more creative and honest, what do you really smell, if you don't smell anything that's ok, as you taste and smell more wine you'll begin to notice the subtleties).

5. Forget about "mouth feel" and "color" when you've just started to take wine seriously.

So, drink what you like but take risks and experiment with different wine regions and price points.  

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.

Well, what wine should you buy? This is a big question, maybe even equivalent to other big questions such as, "Does God Exist?" , "Do we have free will?", and the classic, "What is Truth?" Unlike big philosophical questions, however, figuring out which wine to buy for dinner, long term storage, or just for a nice night by the fireplace isn't too difficult.

Because my preferences for wine are informed by my pallate, food types, and background, the following list of perferred wine styles (all Reds, by the way) is just a suggestion. Drink what you like, but don't be afraid to experiment and ask your local wine guy/gal for recommendations (best tip I ever got was to walk into a wine shop and ask the salesperson to "build a case of wine" <say, in the $15-$30 range> with varried styles and world regions in mind).

Wines of Calabria

While not the most well known wine region, Calabria is the home of my parents so the wines of the region are the very first wines I tasted and also happen to map well to the types of food I enjoy (afterall Bordeaux and Caberney do not pair well with pasta and sauted escarole). Calabria has two key environmental qualities making it ideal for growing grapes: constant sunshine and mountain air. Ciro is the most well known wine producing region of Calabria. Ciro produces wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Gagliopppo. Ciro also produces two full bodied red wines: DOC Rosso Classico and DOC Rosso Riserva. Other well know reds include Gragnano, Pollino, Lacrima di Castrovillari Pollino, and Savuto. Most Calabrians also produce a house wine or homemade wine which is vibrant and full of flavor! Thanks to the book, Cucina di Calabria, for the primer on wines of Calabria.

Bordeaux

Maybe the king of wines; produced in France and heralded by big time wine guys like Robert Parker. Bordeaux has big flavor and lots of tannins and is usually blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This is the type of wine that can store well.

Barolo

As an Italian, I can tell you the French having nothing on a big, bad bottle of Barolo! This wine is made from the Nebbiolo grape and can store for decades. The wine is made near Torino (in Piemonte) and is rich and full bodied. This wine will explode in your mouth! My overall favorite!

Southern Rhone Blend

Made primarily from Grenache, which is a sweet red grape. On its own Grenache doesn't have much character (in my opinion) but when blended with Syrha or made into a Rhone blend it is outstanding!

Tempranillo

This grape is native to northern Spain and usually blended with Grenache (sometime Cab) to produce a velvet red wine with very rich flavors

Pinot Noir

OK, you've seen Sideways so you know this wine (it doesn't just grow in CA however, the Burgundy region of France is famous for this type of wine, usually blended to produce Côte d'Or. The movie got it right, though, so drink up and enjoy. Pinot noir contains loads of fruity flavors such as cherry, as well as light spice.

Cabernet Sauvignon (or Cab)

Many of the world's best wines are made from this grape (including Bordeaux). Loads of flavor here with high tannins, hence the wine can be stored for decades, maybe even centuries (if the correct vintage is had).

I'll aim to post wines and price going forward, but can't promise much! Go to WineLibrary for good wine recommendations and easy ordering. Cheers!

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.

Remember making that mix tape for your girlfriend in high school?  The mix tape was a right of passage for US teenagers in the 1980's and now Muxtape has brought all that 

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: