April 2009 Archives

Recipe: The Perfect Pre-Dinner Cocktail / Aperitif - Americano

By Vincent Scordo on April 30, 2009 | Comments | 1 TrackBack

As a young kid, I used to marvel at how sophisticated our Genoa-born neighbor Amelia used to appear as she sipped her pre-dinner drink on the back porch. Amelia would often put together a bitter aperitif (usually red vermouth and Campari), along with a few toasted pieces of bread and Italian cheese, and sit elegantly waiting for her pasta water to boil (not a bad way to spend your retirement years). Amelia has since moved from my childhood block in New Jersey, but I've kept her pre-dinner cocktail ritual alive and well! Recently, I've fallen in love with the Americano which combines a refreshing, yet bitter, taste with just the right amount of alcohol (don't get me wrong I enjoy the occasional Martini, but I'd like to be sober after a cocktail so I can enjoy dinner with a glass of wine). Here's a super easy Americano recipe; first, the ingredients:

- 1 1/2 ounces Campari
- 1 1/2 ounces sweet, red, vermouth
- Cold club soda
- Slice of orange (you can also use lemon)
- Fresh ice

Pour the Campari and vermouth over ice in a glass, then fill with club soda. Garnish with a slice of orange (or lemon).

Here's a video of the drink being prepared by a master bartender:

Recipe: Pork Scaloppini with Butter and Lemon

By Vincent Scordo on April 28, 2009 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Given the recent news coverage surrounding the swine flu outbreak I thought a tasty pork recipe would be in order! Now don't get me wrong any flu that gets the World Health Organization's level 4 pandemic alert should be taken seriously (wash your hands and run away from folks who cough incessantly), but I'm hoping folks do not stay away from some well prepared swine (as the CDC is saying it's ok to eat pork)! Here's my recipe for pork scaloppini in a butter / lemon sauce.

Let's start with the ingredients:

- 4-5 pieces of thinly sliced pork chops (bone removed)
- Juice of half a fresh lemon
- 5 sprigs of parsley (finely chopped)
- Quarter stick of unsalted butter (or less)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 cup of flour

Start by laying out your sliced pork chops and flattening each piece with a good quality meat tenderizer (I've used the following for about 5 years and it's a solid tool). Next apply flour to each of the pork cutlets and remove excess; you simply want to coat the meat (do not over apply flour). Next heat up the olive oil and about half of the butter in a large pan - you can add 2-3 pieces of pork at one time but do not overcrowd the pan. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper (while in the pan) and turn after about a 1 minute (you should get a nice brown color). Repeat the same for the other side of the pork and remove the meat to a clean dish. Next add the juice of ½ lemon and the rest of your butter (being sure to use a wooden spoon to loosen all of the tasty brown bits in your pan). Finally add the pork back to your pan, along with the freshly chopped parsley, and mix well. Serve the pork scaloppini in a large white dish with the pan sauce spooned over the meat! Serve the pork with some simply prepared stuffed artichokes (they are currently in season) and a glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (and please don't spend more than $10.00 per bottle)!

7 Tips For Staying Cool in Hot Weather

By Vincent Scordo on April 28, 2009 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Apparently the Spring season has decided to bypass the East coast this year as the temperature today is expected to reach a record high of 90 degrees! I broke a sweat just climbing our stairs this morning; ok, I was doing some early morning work but it's not fun to sweat especially if you have Mediterranean blood in you!

Sweating is actually your body's way of keeping cool, so it's not a bad thing outside of feeling uncomfortable. So, you may be asking yourself how one can keep cool during a stretch of extreme temperatures? Well, I'm glad you asked because I have 7 tips for you:

1. Dress appropriately - this means loose fitting clothes and no socks or shoes (if possible). I aim to wear sandals outside of the office during the Spring and Summer months.

2. Take a shower - taking a shower will give you immediate relief from a hot and humid day. And the cooling sensation should last about an hour!

3. Draw the blinds in your home and shut all your windows during extreme heat (open windows actually let hot air into your home and a good set of window blinds should block the sun).

4. Run your AC on medium to low along with ceiling fans. Running a ceiling fan along with your AC can help you conserve electricity and also make your home feel cooler.

5. Drink, drink, and drink some more (cold water is best, but so is sparkling water or mineral water)!

6. Eat spicy foods! Ever wonder why folks in other parts of world consume spicy food (especially in hot areas like India, Mexico, etc.)? Well, it's because spicy foods increase perspiration, thus leading to a cooling effect on the body!

7. Mind over matter - If you think hot then you'll feel hot. Humans have dealt with hot weather for thousands of years (and well before AC), so try to focus on the fact that the sun is shining and it's not the middle of winter! Personally, I love playing a couple sets of tennis in extreme heat (provided I can rest in the shade between games and have access to plenty of water)!

10 Best Cities For New College Grads

By Vincent Scordo on April 22, 2009 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(The following is a guest post from Gradspot.com - a resource for soon-to-be and recent grads making the transition from college to the real world.)

(photo via wwworks)

With commencement season around the corner, seniors are starting to look at potential post-college cities like they once looked at schools. Where is the best party scene? The best food? The greatest opportunities for enrichment?

And, perhaps most importantly, how much will it cost?

In a way, the main concerns are not so different, but the real decision-makers lie in the details. To help seniors and other recent grads assess their options, Gradspot.com has published its first annual Top Ten Cities for Recent College Graduates report, with top marks going to Chicago, New York, and San Francisco.

In addition to relevant stats like bar closing times and average apartment costs, the report provides colorful testimonials from recent grads living in each city. Most seem to genuinely love the city they chose, but look out for some moments of brutal honesty, like the writer's assistant in Los Angeles who says, "LA's a terrible place. It's a city designed based on its fair weather, and, as fate would have it, all of its citizens are fair weather in their friendships and fandom."

Even in the economic downturn, the post-commencement diaspora is sure to send grads all across the country looking for the right environment and job opportunities. To keep things realistic, Gradspot's list focuses on industry hubs where jobs tend to be more abundant in certain field. (So while Little Rock is awesome, don't expect to see it represented.) Here is the top 10 in its entirety:

1. Chicago

2. New York

3. San Francisco

4. Washington D.C.

5. Seattle

6. Boston

7. Houston

8. Denver

9. Los Angeles

10. Atlanta

Gradspot.com's Guide to Life After College, a humorous manual for tackling the first year out of school, is avaliable on Amazon.com or as an e-book at gradspot.com/book.

Career Advice or The Next Big Thing

By Vincent Scordo on April 9, 2009 | Comments | 0 TrackBacks

A recent article in Wired Magazine by Jonah Lehrer entitled, "The Brain, Revealed" points out the massive research project underway to map the entire human brain. The project is funded by one of the founders of Microsoft, Paul Allen. And with any large contribution to a particular scientific endeavor one usually gets a research building named after them, so the current brain mapping project is taking place at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle.

Working on the brain today is the equivalent of working on the web in the early 1990's, the software industry in California in the early 1980's, or being Isaac Newton and transforming the physical world in 1687; that is to say, the fields comprising the brain sciences (neuroscience, cognitive science, neurobiology, etc.) are poised for a revolution. We know a bit about the brain and understand which parts of the brain light up when we speak, think, experience pain, etc., but don't really understand how the brain produces thought and action vis-à-vis the real world (the brain game is not as easy as monitoring the firing of a neuron and correlating, or reducing it to, Joe burning his finger with a match).

So, if you're looking for the next hot field or area look no further than brain science. As soon as the academic world figures out how the brain works we'll see commercial applications for products, services, etc. (just like the internet developed in the academic community). If you're currently a student now is the time to arm yourself with a basic understanding of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, neurobiology, computer science, and, yes, Philosophy (or the sub field philosophy of mind) so that you're prepared for the next big thing!

Moral Intuition or How To Figure Out What is Right and Wrong

By Vincent Scordo on April 7, 2009 | Comment | 0 TrackBacks

David Brooks has a thought provoking ed-op in the NY Times today called, The End of Philosophy. Brooks argues that moral judgments are intuitive and not really informed by reason and rationality (as the Western tradition has taught us). Brooks points to modern research in cognitive science and psychology to argue that, "Moral judgments are...rapid intuitive decisions and involve the emotion-processing parts of the brain." These so called moral emotions are most likely shaped by evolution and the need to get along in large groups (after all, figuring out what is right and wrong is not an academic exercise related to sitting at a nice wood desk reading obscure text, rather morality is about one's relation to his or her community and important influencers (i.e., mom, dad, Pastor Jones, etc.).

Brook's op-ed got me thinking about the sorts of things in life that don't need a deep analysis and the things that do require reflection and a little bit of rationality:

1. Reading people = Go with your gut (you can usually tell right away what sort of person is standing in front of you; look at his facial gestures, observe his smile or grimace, listen to the tone of his voice, pay attention to how he's standing in relation to you, etc.).

2. Buying things = Use reason (you don't want to go with your gut when you're involved in the buying process; this is especially true with big ticket items such as a home, car, flat screen TV, home renovation, etc.).

3. Falling in Love = Go with your gut (this one is pretty obvious, but you first need to define what love means to you. Does love mean a long term relationship filled with kindness and great experience or does it mean something entirely more practical?).

Do you have other examples? When do you go with your gut versus a bit more thought?

On an entirely different bent (and to move away from the heavy thinking), I've been listening to the singer Adele and I've been completely mesmerized by her song, "Hometown Glory:"

* The image above is the Sacrifice of Isaac by Caravaggio (it depicts the moment when Abraham, about to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God's command, is approached by an angel).

« March 2009 | Main Index | Archives | May 2009 »

BECOME A FAN OF SCORDO ON FACEBOOK:

GOOD READING:

MORE ABOUT US:

FEATURED STORIES:

Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil Recipe
Don't settle for the canned varieties found at supermarkets; find out how to make your own [+]

H ow to Make Authentic Tomato Sauce
This is the authentic Scordo family recipe - straight from Calabria. You'll be amazed at how simple the recipe is to make [+]

Guide to Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
My grandfather produced his own extra virgin olive oil in Italy and I've put together an olive oil buying guide just for you [+]

How to Make Rice Balls or Arancini At Home
The ultimate Italian street food - these fried treats are great for the holidays or for any lunch or dinner; try them with your kids [+]

Guide to Making Espresso at Home
Making good espresso at home isn't easy but once you master a few easy tips you'll never settle for the junk served at most cafes in the US, including Starbucks [+]

Why You Should Not Eat Out
My argument on why eating out doesn't make sense [+]

Guide to Italian Meats: Salame, Capicola, Prosciutto, etc.
Learn all about the great "deli meats" and authentic cured specialties from Italy [+]

Scordo Pizza Recipe
Who doesn't love pizza, but did you know it's real easy to make at home [+]

Italian

^{English to Italian Translation Powered by}

↑ Grab this Widget

SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, SUPPORTERS:

Independent Budget Backpacking Travel Tips

DONATE AND HELP KEEP US GOING:

Feeling generous and want to help keep Scordo.com producing fresh and original content?

QUESTIONS, IDEAS, TIPS:

Note: The views expressed herein are solely my own and should not be attributed to my employer in any way. This site is not maintained utilizing my employer's resources or on company time.

Subscribe to Scordo.com via RSS

Search