can there ever really be too much spice?

my sister was kind enough to share with us her linguine with red clam sauce. my sister is a great chef... (it must run in our blood.... well, my other sister and twin brother arent the next michel citronelle by any means.... more like ronald mcdonald... so maybe its not a blood thing...;)) but jeannie, my sister, and i have always admired the fine art of cuisine. we like to have little cook offs... we'll both cook the same dish and see whose is better... i humbly admit that in the baking department, she is hands down the barefoot contessa... but when it comes to creating a unique recipe i def hold the chef's hat... i think it may have to do with the fact that she is a total left brainer, whereas i am totally a right brainer... she's very analytical and precise... maybe a little anal when it comes to everything in the kitchen and life... i am more on the creative and spontaneous... def a little ambiguous when it comes to ingredients and techniques in the kitchen and in my life. i think our personalities define our cooking styles. she can imitate any of martha stewarts recipes to a t and probably make it taste even better than martha did... whereas i never ever use recipes... which is proving very difficult in writing my cook book. brandon says that when i make something he loves he gets a little sad because he knows i will never make it the same way again because i always end up changing a technique or ingredient. (he’s a bit dramatical... but correct in that sometimes if its been a long time since ive made something, and ive been using newer techniques lately i'll make things a little different...) this is what galvanized me to start writing down my recipes, so i could replicate brandons fav dishes.




wow, def diverted in a lot of different paths in this blog... back to the topic at hand... my review/critique of jeannie's linguine with red clam sauce. i def give it thumbs up... well... a thumb and a half... there were things that def tantalized my taste buds... her proportion of clams to tomatoes was impeccable, and the flavors were married throughout the sauce very nicely. what struck me the most was the heat... thus the title of this blog... can there really ever be too much spice..? YES there can be...but this pasta def had the perfect punch of heat. those who like squorchers may think that it was a little mild... to those individuals i say, GO EAT MEXICAN! why do spice lovers expect every dish to bend to their love of spice? dont get me wrong... i am guilty of this illicit affair with mr. jalapeño, miss chile, and ms sarachi.. i LOVE spicy food.... but there are certain dishes and cuisines that shouldnt be drowned in hot sauce... i know i know... the horrors of that statement! i dont know ifs the fact that jeannie doesnt really care for spicy food... the fact that shes preggers... or the fact that shes dumbed down her taste buds over the last few years having eaten off the kids menu with two young kids... but she has a gift of not over spicing food that is not supposed to be over spiced... whereas someone like myself has on more than one occasion over spiced a dish/sauce to the point of tears... both at consumption and digestion... yes i went there. :)



i had one suggestion for her sauce, and that was to add sliced sautéed fennel... i believe the fresh licorice taste would complement the spice and tang from the clam juice and tomato sauce and red pepper flakes... and most importantly it would add an element of texture that the consumer would not expect, but surely appreciate. this is what i do folks... i eat food and figure out how to make a good dish GREAT... :) i really believe fennel is an under used ingredient... it has a unique fresh flavor as well as this incredible crunch factor. it goes especially well with seafood and poultry. next time you are roasting a chicken or cornish hen, or duck... add fennel to the onions, carrots, and celery you put on the bottom of the roasting pan... the aroma... the carmalization from the roasting process... you wont be sorry!



what took half a thumb away from her dish was the pasta... which was prob not entirely her fault as she used a drop and boil pasta... which im sure she did and then one of her adorable kids prob grabbed her attention and she forgot to make her pasta aldente... or my brother in law was the one who made the pasta and he likes mushy pasta... i know.... i know... mushy pasta is like a cardinal sin in the world of foodies... so you understand why i had to take away half a thumb from an otherwise delectable dish. my experience with pasta is always to undercook it, because pasta continues to cook even after youve taken it off the heat... and the best time for pasta to absorb flavor or sauce is when it is hot, fresh from the boiling water... though its not as pretty as serving a swirl of pasta with a spoonful of sauce on top... mixing your pasta right in the sauce pan is a sure way to guarantee that your pasta dish will be full of flavor. and presentation can still be beautiful... you can serve it family style in a big bowl... or if you are inclined to serve in individual dishes... scoop and twist take a couple of fresh basil leaves and rip them with your hands and sprinkle on top of the pasta... it adds a beautiful flash of color and also a nice fresh flavor. and of course dont forget the parmesan cheese! but grated cheese is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo last season. buy a wedge of fresh cheese, grab your vegetable peeler and make ribbons of cheese atop of your pasta and wala! remember, a diner always eats with their eyes first.... presentation really is important and is prob the simplest task in the whole process... so dont skip it!



ok... so its bedtime for me... look for my review of Chef Geoff's (Downtown DC) next! im heading downtown to see the Nutcracker at the warner theater with my very good friend jennbo, and we're having libations and supper! :) i'll make sure to take pictures so you can have visuals of what im reviewing!



bon appetite!