It's My Secret Recipe!

I really want to comment on a subject that I have not seen much opinion on and it happens to be my pet peeve because it illustrates a lack of understanding of what food is all about.

We all have experienced it. You go to a family gathering usually, Thanksgiving, Christmas, a friend's Super Bowl Party and there is a dish that someone mentions they prepared and you are polite and complimentary. Usually it is mediocre, but being a courteous person, you inquire casually "What's in it?" or "How did you make it?"
Then it comes......the person becomes haughty, looks you in the eye for your reaction...."It is my secret (family) recipe!"
Now, I take a deep breath and count or bite my tongue so as to not let onto what I am really thinking: " OH, PLEASE. You can't tell me that you have, on your own, created something that has never been done in the history of human culinary experience and is not on the Internet! You are narrow minded, and your attitude flies in the face of what the culture of food is all about: Sharing!

I strongly believe that we have survived as a species because, when migrating to different environments, we are able to share the discovery of new foods as well as how to prepare them so they are palatable. Having a secret recipe you won't share flies in the face of this wonderful, essential culture of cuisine that we as humans have developed and has been essential to our prosperity and ensures the survival of our children.

It's a secret family recipe? When we as human beings seek to understand a different culture, the easiest and most direct, immediate way of doing so is to experience and share the cuisine and how it is prepared! We incorporate it into our culture! It is an essential and underestimated ingredient of understanding and living in peace in a multicultural society. It keeps from killing each other. So, the "secret family recipe" just doesn't hold up here either.

What I say now is softened. I simply point out that it is very easy to loose something special if it is not shared. If you share it more people can make it a part of their food culture.
I will have to make an exception for commercial restaurants or products that use it as a part of their draw or reputation ie. Bushes Baked Beans. (Nobody really believes that anyway, and they are the best canned beans.)

I will make one last point too. The secret recipe thing curiously only happens in American .
Now, in Italy for example everyone makes the best red sauce and they will tell you how it or any dish is made to the point where it becomes an hour dissertation as what defines the dish.
And, yes, everyone does make the best red sauce. Why is this the case? Because each sauce is made with local tomatoes that have been planted for generations and have adapted perfectly to that area and the character of the sauce is also influenced by other cultures, herbs, etc. in various parts of the country. This is called Terroir. This is the secret recipe.

So if you truly want to create something that is unique it takes more than substituting thyme for basil and calling it a secret recipe. It takes more than substituting ranch dressing instead of mayo in your Super Bowl dip. It takes, if you don't do it yourself, understanding and supporting local growers and producers who make it a commitment of their life to carry on the real tradition of what makes cuisine unique! Terroir.

Extreme Boat Dog

Boomer the Boat Dog has decided to follow a trend in popular culture that focuses on the fascination with the "extreme" in many different aspects of athletics and life. He has now proclaimed himself : Boomer the Extreme Boat Dog.

The following is a harrowing story of how Bommer, a four month old Miniature Schnauzer, survived a doggy death defying plunge.

It all started with the seemingly innocent pastime of chasing, maiming, shredding, harassing, and ingesting every bug he can find on the deck of Mosey. ( usually it is us he is trying to maim, shred and harass) Daddy was on the bow pulpit and Boomer had spotted an enormous spider just below the gunnel , port side of the bow, which was to be his prize catch to date! The spider hung six or so feet perilously above the dark river and Boomer was determined to make it his. The only problem was that Boomer, in his daily regime of bug hunting had not trained properly for this scenario and neglected to take into account his center of balance as he leaned over the gunnel. His front feet slipped off of the gunnel and he took, head first, the long plunge into the waters of the Sassafras.

Daddy's first clue was a splash. Then he noticed Boomer was not where he had been standing a few seconds ago. To his horror he looked down into the water and saw little Boomers eyes as big as saucers looking up at him from under the water. "Swim, Boomer, swim!" Boomer and the neighbors heard him cry! And he did! All the way around the bow of the boat and down the starboard side trying desperately to find a way out; fighting the wakes. Finally his daddy jumped in and pulled him out.

When I came home about an hour later, I saw Boomer and his daddy sitting in the swing relaxing. I gave them both a suspicious stare. "Why is my dog wet?"

Was Boomer humbled by his brush with death, did he jump into my arms and want to be comforted. No, he's even cockier now- worse than he ever was before. He struts around now "Dude, I survived the puppy plunge of death. I'm , like , an extreme boat dog."

The Book Club Cruise

Well, it is fall now and I am trying to get back to my blog!

Lisa and Pat brought their book club, with lots of food and wine, out to Mosey for an evening cruise. We had a blast. I met new friends and everyone turned out to be an interesting wonderful person!

Captain Ken was happy to have Mosey out even for just a few hours! Everyone was so appreciative of the special treat Lisa arranged for them.

Lisa brought her famous mini crab cakes and the wine surprise of the night was a beautiful Brachetto from the Piedmont Region of Italy. It is a sparkling very well balanced slightly sweet red sparkling wine. It pairs well with any desert really and if you got creative it would probably be a sensation with some main courses as well (especially some fruit or wild mushroom based game dishes ie.. boar, squab, rabbit. Venison would be magic!)

http://www.globalwinespirits.com/wx/en/catalog.WINE/BRACHETTO+D27ACQUI+SPUMANTE+DOCG+-+TESORI/31009921/COLTIVA

The mystery drink was a Limoncello lemonade:

1. Muddle or chop sugar and fresh lemon verbena together.

2. 1 part Limoncello, 1 part good vodka, 1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice.

3. Pour over ice and add sugar/lemon verbena to taste. Depends on how sweet you want it.

4. Garnish with a lemon flavored yellow cherry (if you can find them) or lemon twist.

5. Finish with a spritz of seltzer water. We also had a mystery guest!

New News:

Douce's Debutante Ball, Llewellyn returns in October, new boat dog Boomer, the Miniature Schnauzer. Baby Nate and, very soon, Baby Carter Jr.