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Folks, the time has come for me to move on
and therefore, this is my last column. I want to thank everyone at the
Monterey County Herald, especially Carolina Garcia and Mike Hale. I hope
that I have helped to make the food section a little more interesting to
read over the past 8 years – wow! Thank you also to all the readers over
the years that have sent in questions, recipes, hellos and even a little
criticism. It’s time for me to do other things while I’m still young. I
want to thank my friends for sticking with me during some tough times,
for you are my true friends. You are the ones that have accepted me
totally with all my faults and imperfections. Thank you to all of the
loyal customers who have frequented
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my restaurants over the years. Finally,
special thanks to my partners, workers and bookkeepers as well as Devin McGilloway, Juan Valdez, Mario Roman and my office staff (-
just think, Julie & Kevin, no more Tuesday 11 am deadline). It’s time to
focus more on the most important people in my world – my wife and
family. But I’m not finished yet, and will continue to run the Whaling
Station and Blue Moon in addition to looking forward to my 18th
season of my TV show, Monterey’s Cookin’ Pisto Style.
P.S. I think the best part of this writing
this column has been the researching and investigating. I’m especially
talking about the farmed salmon issue. To support our neighbors and
friends, we should all |
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eat wild salmon when it’s available and
reasonably priced. But when the wild is not
available, then fresh, farm-raised salmon is the perfect alternative. I
proved it by going to British Columbia and seeing the farms myself and
learning about the real truths behind the myths. The whole thing has
been political, and that’s the truth. That’s what journalism should be
all about – getting at the truth. The salmon issue was about politics,
not the truth. Powerful lobbyists working on behalf of the wild salmon
fisheries, spread misinformation and actually discouraged people from
eating one of the world’s healthiest foods. If you have been there and
seen it for yourself, you know what I mean. |
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Q). Recently, I had dinner at Domenico’s on
the Wharf and had a dish called Pasta Capri. I have never tasted
anything like it. The staff said that you invented it. What’s the story?
Gene S.
Modesto, CA
Via e-mailA). The Pasta Capri
story is one I
remember fondly. Back in 1981, when we first bought Lou’s Fish Grotto on
Wharf #1 (which was to become Domenico’s), I hired a chef to run the
kitchen. His name was Tom Vitale and I trained him at the Whaling
Station until we |
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were ready to open Domenico’s. One evening, I noticed he was serving a
pasta dish prepared with linguine, a little tomato, bay shrimp, olives
and “a little of this, and a little of that…” I tasted it and thought it
was incredible (it must have been the “this and the that”). It was
obvious to me that we had to put this on the new Domenico’s menu. We
eventually tweaked it a little and came up with an absolutely
never-before-seen pasta dish. When we opened the restaurant, we featured
it as our nightly special pasta. Folks would order it as an appetizer,
tossed and portioned at the table - a monster hit! As with |
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most successful ideas came the imposters. These are people that have no imagination and
instead, steal other peoples’ ideas. It eventually was served at many
restaurants on the peninsula and who knows where else. The dish is
absolute simplicity in a combination of eight flavors that just happen
to work together like magic. Oh, by the way, the name “Capri” was named
by me for my daughter’s granny Theresa, who happened to be from the
Italian island of Capri. The recipe? Sorry, you’ll just have to go to Domenico’s and have it there.
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~~~~~ |
Q). Hello Chef Pisto,
My husband wants to serve one of your salmon recipes (from your cook
book) for a dinner party. It has a cumin dry rub, and it is served with
a sauce of crushed tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers and mint. What do
you suggest serving with this dish? Appetizers, sides, desserts? Thank
you!
Lisa Chapman
Via e-mail |
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A). First Lisa it’s not crushed but
sliced tomatoes. As for appetizers, I recommend an assortment of
bruschetta of any kind: green tomatoes, goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes,
or a simple tapenade (a flavorful spread made with pureed or finely
chopped olives, olive oil and capers). For a side dish, any fresh
vegetables of the season sautéed and dressed with extra-virgin olive oil
and fresh lemon. When it comes |
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to dessert, stick to something light like
tiramisu, fresh fruit and cheeses. |
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Index of Articles & Recipes |
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