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Recipe for a Delicious Merluzzo Dinner
Merluzzo, or whiting, is a mild-flavor fish that is excellent for baking or frying. One of my favorite ways to make merluzzo is the recipe that follows. It’s easy to prepare and an excellent choice for a vacation dinner or an elegant Christmas eve. Tip: when buying your merluzzo, look closely at the eyes of the fish: they should be clear and glistening to indicate it is very fresh, as pictured below. Ingredients (2) 1 kg or (1) 2 kg whole, cleaned and de-scaled merluzzo/whiting 2 -3 medium potatoes (Yukon gold) 2 large cloves garlic, thickly sliced 1 large shallot or tropea onion, sliced Zest of one large lemon, reserve…
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Garden in Full Splendor
The hard work of April and May is now bearing fruit- or vegetables and flowers- as the case may be. The garden is in full, splendorous bloom. Fava beans are already 5-6 inches long; the pods shiny, light green. Oddly, the pods are constrained to the mid and lower half of the plant stalks. I see immature flower-pod combinations near the top of the stalk but few are maturing, instead shriveling away. So there is definitely an issue going on, just not sure if it’s due to the previous damp weather and then sudden heat or its an insect. I’m leaning toward an insect issue, but it doesn’t diminish the…
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Ireland Part 2
Ireland Day Three: It would be really hard to top the trip to Great Blasket. But that experience sits on its own; it was amazing that it all came together so perfectly: the time of year, choice of tour guide, our location and journey distance, weather and the participation of the marine life. Blarney Castle and Gardens We decided on a shorter journey. Blarney Castle and Gardens, Cork city and the English Market are less than a 40 minute car ride from Kinsale. We decided to visit Blarney first, in case the weather turned. If you go during the summer, it is probably best to buy your tickets in advance…
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Cornwall, U.K. Part 1
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Preserving the taste of Summer
Late summer signals the beginning of what I call ‘preserving the taste of summer’ time. Tomato ripening is hastened by the unrelenting heat of August. Whether your garden produces enough plum/’roma’ tomatoes to jar or you purchase them at a local market in 25 or 50 pound crates, canning is worth the effort. At my house, we make it a family endeavor – it has to be since this is a LOT of work. The bulk of which is spent preparing the tomatoes; some for sauce and others will be jarred whole. Preparation is key and this is what I’ve honed as my system. All large, deep stockpots come out…
