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The Language of Spice: Chili, Chile, and Chilli
If you enjoyed reading last week’s hot chocolate recipe and happen to be interested in the language surrounding food, you may have wondered about the spelling of one of the key ingredients: chile. As I write up the recipes that hopefully will inspire your own home cooking, I occasionally come upon the name of an ingredient or traditional dish that requires a little bit of editorial finesse. Take, for example, my recent pasta e fagioli. I faced a decision of whether to translate the name into English for those who were not familiar with this Italian soup. Since my grandmother pronounced this dish and other Italian classics so fluidly, it’s…
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Chile Hot Chocolate
Decadent hot chocolate spiced with ancho chile, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon is a dessert I love to serve in demitasse or espresso cups. Less thick than my French-style hot chocolate, but much bolder than hot cocoa, this drinking chocolate is satisfyingly rich and requires no extra sugar than what is already included in the chocolate you select for this recipe. I finish mine with whipped cream and a touch of extra cayenne pepper on top. With Valentine’s Day almost here, consider serving this chile hot chocolate to a loved one or treat yourself to some. While the correlation between romance and chocolate may be attributable more to lore than to…
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Quick Pickled Cherries
“Cherries of the night are riper Than the cherries pluckt at noon” – From “Cherry-Time” by Robert Graves Fresh cherries are one of the addictive pleasures of summer. Sweet and shiny with just enough meatiness to sink your teeth into, they are easy to devour by the bowl. Still, with the abundance of cherries on my counter, I can’t resist the urge to bake, pickle, and otherwise transform them into even more deliciousness. Quick pickling allows you to take the freshest cherries and infuse them with spiced, briny flavor without the hassle of the canning process. They won’t keep the same way as preserved versions, so make sure to keep…
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Earl Grey Cocoa Pecans
Lately I have been combining chocolate with earthy ingredients like smoked salt. While enjoying some chocolate covered pretzels I had sprinkled with an applewood variety, I had a craving for a strong cup of Earl Grey. Later that night I found myself coming up with these delicious cocoa pecans. As a poet, I love delving into the meaning of words and the connection between strings of words. Playing with ingredients and their qualities is a process that can be similar to the act of writing. Understand and test the limits of individual parts. Combine them. Take them apart. Often poets and novelists will say they have to write – that…
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Roasted Red Cabbage with Blue Cheese
Around here a couple of cooler days briefly interrupted the late summer heat and jolted my appetite for fall food. While it may not be time for sauerbraten just yet, some fall-inspired side dishes are the perfect way to preview the upcoming season and squash the end of summer blues. After finding some beautiful red cabbage at the market, I decided to pair it with vidalia onion and some incredible, creamy blue cheese as my own personal welcome to the coming autumn.
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