Latest Recipes and Articles

The Italian National Soccer Team at the 2006 World Cup

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 […]

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Black Bean and White Corn Salad

Are you looking for the perfect summer salad, but with an added protein punch?  If so, give the following salad a try: 1 can of black beans (dried beans offer better value and quality, but they do require prep work)  Half a bag of frozen organic white corn 1 finely diced red onion 1 bunch of fresh cilantro finely diced […]

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BBQ Ribs Rub Recipe and Smuttynose Summer Weizen

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 tbsp. paprika 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tbsp. crushed […]

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What’s Up With the Red Clay at the French Open?

What’s Up With the Red Clay at the French Open?

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 […]

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Mary Palmer’s Cucina Di Calabria

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 […]

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Jackson Hole’s Marinated Chicken Sandwich with Blue Cheese and Bacon

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 […]

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The Perfect Package – How the Accord, Queen, and Olive Oil Conquered the Consumer World

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 […]

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Does American Idol Work?

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 […]

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The Connection Between Status and Diet

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. 

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The Perfect Spring Lunch – Sauvignon Blanc, Eggs, Olives, and Tuna in Oil

The Perfect Spring Lunch – Sauvignon Blanc, Eggs, Olives, and Tuna in Oil

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 […]

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