A Famous Pasta Dish Without The Pasta

Plus: Dad's 75th Birthday, Houston's Lunch, and Cherries.

Hey everyone,

Am I a culinary genius? No, I’m definitely not. My speciality is writing fast-paced, moderately witty, food-related newsletter dispatches like the one you’re currently reading.

Yet, every so often I pull a rabbit out of my culinary hat. And that’s what happened this weekend when I came home with the ingredients to make spaghetti con le sarde and instead wound up making roasted fennel with sardines and toasted garlic breadcrumbs.

What drove me to such insanity?

Well, after five days of celebrating my dad’s 75th birthday in Boca (more on that in a sec), I craved something a little lighter. Whether or not this turned out to be light is a matter of some debate, but the point is, it’s a fun riff on an Italian classic. And I just did a big blog post about it, so click the link for more pictures, the story, and the recipe.

Now, as for my dad’s 75th, I think it’s safe to say he had a terrific birthday.

Strawberry Shortcake for my dad’s 75th at Trattoria Romana in Boca Raton.

As is the way with my family, the majority of it featured lots and lots of food. Thankfully, there was also lots of swimming with the niece and nephew too.

The main birthday dinner took place at my family’s favorite steakhouse; the one we’ve been going to for over twenty years: New York Prime.

Of course, I had steak: here’s my petit filet which is the perfect amount of meat, it turns out… especially with onion rings and creamed spinach.

Craig and I snuck off one day for lunch and went to my favorite Boca restaurant, Houston’s, which also exists all over the country. The one in Boca is very… aggressive. Still, I survived the waiting area and wound up with this terrific chicken salad with peanut dressing. Craig of course had the burger which he wants to write an essay about, he loves it so much.

Finally, we came back yesterday and in addition to buying the ingredients for the deconstructed pasta with sardines, I bought a big bag of red cherries.

Nothing makes me happier than a big bowl of real red cherries in the spring. And though they’re expensive (that amount of cherries cost $15), I think of them as a once-a-year treat, meant to be eaten in season. And considering that a cocktail these days costs $22, it’s a bit of a steal.

Hey, let’s look at some links:

• How long does a chicken last in the fridge? I made Craig read this, but he still doesn’t believe me (NYT);

• What a wine opener tells us about a wine drinker (Taste);

• Rachel Roddy’s recipe for spinach and ricotta gnudi (The Guardian).

That’s all for today, folks!

Sorry for the lack of a Thursday newsletter last week: I got caught up with work and family stuff. But hopefully this one made up for it.

Until next time….

Your pal,

Adam