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Q). Joan in Monterey wanted to know a
contact for the Green Goddess dressing? The Vermont Country Store in
Rutland, Vermont has a vast array of foods, candy, goods, and brands
that are hard to find from yesteryears too! The dressing was advertised
just a few months ago. Pat, via e-mail
A). Hi Pat, Green Goddess dressing? Why not make
your own, it's easy. It was taught to us
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in chef's school (a few years ago).
It was real popular for a long time and needs to come back, judging from
all the responses I received this past week. Try this: Blend well
2 cups mayonnaise and 1 cup of sour cream and set aside. Then in a food
processor add 1/2 cup chopped green onion, 1 cup chopped water cress,
2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 5 anchovy
filets and salt & pepper to taste. When emulsified blend into mayo and
sour cream mixture, enjoy yourself and save the rest for later.
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Chestnut lovers! Annual
Barbecue and Chestnut Roast. Celebrate, pick nuts dance and eat to
Balich accordions. This is great folks, just like Italy in Northern
California! Call for directions (707) 895-2670. |
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Q). Dear Chef Pisto,
With Halloween coming up soon, I thought it would be
a good idea to make home-made pumpkin pie. I make a great crust, and I
am good with canned pumpkin, but I am not sure how to use the gunk that
comes out of my Jack-O-Lantern. Any suggestions?
Via e-mail
A). Try fresh yams instead. That's right,
the orange ones! It's a lot easier to work with than the gunk and I
don't think you can really taste the difference. Especially once you put
all the spices and sugar in there. Be easy on yourself.
Observation:
I recently took a trip to Sicily and noticed that my family
over there doesn't use a lot |
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of fresh garlic.
WHAT! Yes, hardly any. Then I tasted a bit of the local cloves and, wow,
I had heart burn all day! Their garlic is at least 10 times stronger
than ours. Their garlic was hot, fiery burning, ours is much more mild.
We spent a whole month there really trying to understand more of the
local culture and the relatives we stayed with were a real delight. I
also shot four new shows so stay tuned.
Dear John,
Back in the late forties, I had a commercial
license and worked my dad's 26' boat fishing sand dabs and rock fish. I
would get up at 3 am to get my set lines out at first
light. I sold to a market on the wharf and had to be in by about 10 am.
I believe I got about 3 cents/lb for sand dabs and 7 cents for rock
fish, but
I lost so much gear in the
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rocks, I spent most of my time with
the sand dabs. I worked my butt off and barely made enough to run the
boat and replace lost gear. I wasn't a very good or smart fisherman, but
I loved being out on the water. The reason I tell you this is that I
would always save out a couple sand dabs for breakfast at about one or
two when I got home after cleaning up the boat. As I recall, I usually
fried them in a little olive oil with corn meal. My mom sold the boat
for $25 in 1951 the day after I went into the Navy. I am told the guy
that bought it took it to Moss Landing where it sank.
Carroll Briggs, Via
e-mail
A). Whole fried dabs, that's the ticket,
they are the best! By the way, I do believe that you made a great
decision in your life, although that must have been quite a boat. |
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Q). Dear Chief Pisto, Do you have any
good recipes for Blue Whale? Would you sauté, bake or broil? Thanks,
D. Knight, Seaside, Ca.
Via e-mail
A). Do you have any extra? There's nothing like a
piece of blue whale steak in the morning - just kidding. I do believe
that if you sautéed it in seal oil and finished it off with some sea
cucumbers and a bit of sea lettuce it would be delicious. Or you can do
what the Indians do - boil until tender and dip in soy sauce?
Q). Dear Chef,
Since the holidays are just around the corner and
homemade goodies are the best and most thoughtful gifts, I thought I
would ask you for suggestions on Italian cookies, breads or other ideas
that can be made in advance and frozen. I would like to start early so
that my gifts would be able to contain variety but still taste yummy. It
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also helps to spread out the expenses
and the work. Fall mornings and afternoons are so perfect for cooking.
Diane Downey
Salinas, Via e-mail
A). Here you go Diane - Bake your little heart out. Cookies for
everyone! Hey, everyone that knows Diane - be prepared to get a batch of
cookies.
Readers: Mrs. Berti sent this recipe for Italian cookies. This is a
very old recipe from Italy called "Dead Bones" - very interesting. If
you're a cookie baker you've got to try this one. More about Mrs. Berti
in next week's column. |
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Dead Bones Cookie Recipe |
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6 egg whites beaten stiff |
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4 cups sugar |
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2 to 2 1/2 cups flour (depending on the egg whites) |
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1 cup almonds (cut small) |
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1/2 tsp sweet anise or vanilla |
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Drop by teaspoon - Bake at 350 degree for 20 minutes. |
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Q). I do love the show! I have a
recipe for Veal with Peppers. The recipe calls for "Cubanelle" peppers.
South Carolina is not the best place to find authentic Italian produce.
What would be an acceptable substitute for Cubanelle Peppers?
Thanks,
Ron Frier, Columbia, SC
Via e-mail
A). Cubanelles are also known as banana peppers or
Italian sweets. What's wrong with green peppers? Or, how about yellow
peppers or red peppers? They will all work fine, Ronnie Boy!
Substitution, that's the key. Italians in South Carolina? Do you speak
Italian with a southern accent? Ciao, y'all! |
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