The Good, the Bad, and the Absolutely Delicious
plus my FDA faux pas
Avocados. I thought I knew everything: how to cut them, how to tell if they’re ripe, their history in California, etc. My sister and I built an entire museum dedicated to them, for goodness sake!! Still — it wasn’t until recently that I thought to try the much-hyped water storage trend. I gotta say, it works. I had three ripe avocados stay perfect for three weeks using this method! Magic!!!
Here’s the thing — the FDA does not recommend. In fact, they STRONGLY discourage it. According to this article: “Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.—that may be residing on the avocado surface, may potentially multiply during the storage when submerged in water." So I guess it’s dangerous?? Don’t do it??? Or, at least, do it at your own risk. (Maybe just don’t do it.)
the good
All I can say is THANK YOU to my dear friends, Katie and Jess, for bringing this over the other night. The Angeleno Spritz from Ventura Spirits is light. It’s fun. It’s not too sweet, and just a little bit bitter. It’s perfect for an impromptu picnic in Palos Verdes.
the bad
How could something so beautiful turn out so completely underwhelming??? Unfortunately, that was the case with this Caramelized Corn and Asparagus Pasta. The best part was the ricotta, which I ate by the spoonful. The worst part was the complete lack of flavor. Nary a red pepper flake to be found, and the sauce that just wasn’t … saucing.
Save your energy. Make Daddy Pasta instead. Add some sautéed veggies on top (and, of course, the ricotta) and you’ll be MUCH better for it.
the absolutely f**king delicious
The inspiration was this:
The Sheet-Pan Roast Fish with Sweet Peppers is great! But I hate olives. So I riffed a bit, and it became THIS:
Likely the best meal I’ve made so far this year, with just a few swaps:
Ditch the cod — opt for halibut
Don’t like olives? Mix butter with Calabrian chili (I used this from Trader Joe’s), and cook the fish with that
Top with a quick tahini sauce to offset the spice
Happy Eating!!
Mary