A Working Lunch


People living along Spain’s rugged northern coast have gathered shellfish, well, forever, and mussels are one of their most prominent harvests.  Naturally, in common with food lovers everywhere, Galicians have developed hundreds of delicious ways to highlight – and to enjoy – local products.  One of the most tempting of these is today’s submission, Mussels… Continue reading A Working Lunch

Along Italy’s Pacific Coast


Wait, what?  There’s the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, but when did this whole Pacific thing happen?  About 150 years ago, actually, when Italian immigrants to the U.S. made their way westward and those of a more nautical disposition found work is San Francisco’s fishing industry.  While many in the Bay Area discovered wealth inland extracting… Continue reading Along Italy’s Pacific Coast

Focus!


How skilled is your imagination?  More so than my photographic abilities, hopefully. It was bound to happen eventually – after snapping dozens of pictures for this journal, I finally managed to botch one.  Oh, the dish turned out well, in fact, much more so than may be said of its photo.  Sorry, recipe. Speaking of  focusing, maybe I should concentrate on… Continue reading Focus!

Salmon, While Swimming


…which probably is the closest English equivalent to this dish’s original French title, Salmon à la Nage.  Actually, it makes sense.  The fish nestles among mussels and the asparagus suggests seaweed, doesn’t it? The name applies more prosaically as well.  Being a French creation, it’s not surprising a wine and butter sauce submerses everything.  The salmon swims… Continue reading Salmon, While Swimming