September 21, 2017
Days Until. . .
Last Day Of Summer Fettuccine Frenzy: Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays through September @ Middendorf's.
Today's Flavor
This is National Spinach And Artichoke Dip Day. We will live to see that stuff pumped through pipelines around the country, with terminals in every chain restaurant and supermarket deli. The popularity of "spindip" (the chain restaurants' name for it) is only slightly explained by its appeal to the palate. A more powerful engine is that it's inexpensive to make, and restaurants earn a stunning markup on each order. The presence of spinach dip on a restaurant's menu speaks of a dearth of imagination in the kitchen--unless it's also the kind of place where you'd conceivably eat a hamburger.
All that said, it must be admitted that a good version of spindip makes for tasty party food. Perfect for, say, watching a football game on television. The challenge in making it is to prevent the glop effect from taking over. I like it best when the leaves of spinach still are firm enough that you can feel them in your mouth while eating. It's also easy to make spindip too rich. The cheese aspect particularly should be kept under control. I have the recipe we use here at the Cool Water Ranch later in this newsletter.
Deft Dining Rule #507
Ordering spinach dip lets the waiter know you're an inexperienced diner and possibly an unskilled tipper. If you must have it, get the youngest person in the party to order it.
Gourmet Gazetteer
Sweet Pea Lane is in Live Oak Manor, a housing subdivision between Avondale and South Kenner, right on the Mississippi River. Sweet Pea Lane runs from River Road three blocks inland. The nearest restaurant of note is the unique, famous Italian trattoria Mosca's on US 90, three miles south of Sweet Pea Lane.
The Old Kitchen Sage Sez
If you have the time, it's worthwhile to soak artichokes for an hour or two in a mixture of a quarter-cup of lemon juice and one quart of cold water. Do this after you've rinsed them but before cooking. It tenderizes the leaves and adds something to the flavor.
Edible Dictionary
chorizo, n., Spanish--A sausage made from chopped pork and pork fat, made reddish in color by the addition of dried red pepper or paprika. Often (but not always), chorizo has a peppery flavor, sometimes very much so. The chorizo from Spain tends to be quite firm, from having been cured and dried. It also has a smoky flavor, but that comes from the paprika. It can usually be eaten as is. However, some kinds of chorizo--especially in this country--are uncured sausages made with fresh ground pork and a good deal of cayenne, and must be cooked. It's much like the Creole-style chaurice (hot sausage), with which it shares a common ancestor a couple of centuries ago.
Food In Show Biz
Chuck Jones was one of the guys who directed Bugs Bunny, the Road Runner, and other Warner Brothers cartoons. He was born today in 1912. He must have been quite a gourmet, because I've seen his drawings of Bugs on napkins in quite a few restaurants. There's a good one on the stairs at Arnaud's, for example. Comic actor Bill Murray was born today in 1950. Murray performed an unforgettable food bit in the movie "What About Bob?" in it he plays a nutcase who stalks his psychiatrist. The psychiatrist gives him a snack, and Murray goes into what could only be called a foodgasm.
Food In Literature
Today in 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit. Hobbits were a race of small beings separate from but somehow related to humans. They lived quiet lives of peaceful indulgence. They ate six meals a day and enjoyed them enough that they could be called gourmets.
Food Namesakes
All of the birthdays today involve members of Congress for some reason. New Jersey Congressman Bob Franks was born today in 1951. . . Theron M. Rice, a Congressman from Missouri, was born today in 1829. . . Clarence C. Dill, a Senator from Washington, was born today in 1884. He put forth the Radio Act, the first regulation of commercial broadcasting, a desperately needed law in the 1920s.
Words To Eat By
"I'm a nut, but not just a nut."--Bill Murray, born today in 1950.
Words To Drink By
"Wine is the most healthful and the most hygienic of beverages."--Louis Pasteur.
