Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Recipe

21 Sep 2010

Bolognese Sauce with Cloves and Cinnamon

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This bolognese sauce came into my life during the summer of 2002 while I was living in New York City for an internship at YM magazine. Every day after work, I walked from my office on the edge of Madison Square Park to my brother’s apartment on East 22nd for dinner. Most suppers were uneventful and consisted of boxed macaroni and cheese, or something equally processed and convenient. Sometimes though, when the heat wasn’t too overbearing in his apartment, my brother whipped up something extra special for us to eat. Spaghetti bolognese was a rare treat from that sticky summer in the city.

My brother learned how to prepare this sauce from his friend Anastasia. The secret to its fragrant profile and unique flavor is whole cloves and cinnamon sticks. While it might seem strange mingling warm spices with pork, beef, and tomatoes, it works beyond beautifully in this situation. Two hours of slow and low simmering on the stove top marries all of the flavors together, creating a thick, hearty, and complex brew. One bite and it’ll be obvious that this ain’t your average meat sauce.

Olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
Salt
.75 pounds lean ground beef
.75 pounds lean ground pork
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1 can tomato sauce (14.5 ounces)
2 cinnamon sticks
6-8 cloves
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Dried spaghetti (1 pound)
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Whole cloves are the secret to this sauce’s success. Make sure to fish them out to avoid crunchy bits of bitterness. Same with the cinnamon sticks.

Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add in sliced garlic and cook until its edges are golden, about three minutes.

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Restaurant Review

20 Sep 2010

Daisy Mint – Pasadena

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While it’s unlikely that Top Restaurant will ever join the ranks of my favorite Pasadena eateries, Daisy Mint, another recent neighborhood discovery, is battling it out with Cham Korean Bistro for the top spot. Since it took me nearly two years to try this well liked restaurant [J. Gold approved, Pat Sapp approved, too!], I dined here twice in one week to make up for lost time.

Located on a dingy block of Colorado Boulevard, Daisy Mint serves Thai fare in an airy and modern room. I appreciate how the space feels legitimately cool without trying too hard or seeming out of place, which is quite an accomplishment for this part of town. On my first visit to Daisy Mint, I met up with fellow Pasadena worker bee Kung Food Panda to celebrate his birthday.

While waiting for my lunch date to arrive, I sipped a Thai iced tea that was two notches too sweet. I didn’t mind though, really.

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Restaurant Review

17 Sep 2010

Vietnam Restaurant – San Gabriel

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When I go out for Vietnamese food these days, it’s almost always at the suggestion of another (usually The Astronomer). The Vietnamese restaurants in Los Angeles are generally very good, but I’m often daunted by their hundred-item menus and super-sized portions. Rather than risk disappointment, I’ve decided to save my appetite for visits to grandma’s house and return visits to the motherland. The opportunities to indulge in my favorite cuisine may be infrequent, but at least it’s just the way I fancy it when I do.

Even though I don’t seek out Vietnamese restaurants, I find myself sitting at one about once a quarter. My most recent outing was initiated by my friend Craig. He was itching to try seven courses of beef (bò 7 món) and I was game to show him the ropes. Our party of three arrived at Vietnam Restaurant sometime past 8 PM on a Friday night. The stand-alone shack was packed with diners, and after a twenty minute wait, we scored a table by the window.

I started dinner off with nuoc xi muoi, a salted plum drink served over ice. It was an impulsive choice that turned out to be an absolutely delightful punch of salty, sour, and sweet. I ordered another soon after I polished off the first glass.

Before the onslaught of red meat began, I chose two light bites to start. The first to arrive was bánh bèo. The steamed rice cakes were topped with mung bean paste, scallion oil, and fluorescent orange shrimp dust. Not to worry, the shrimp’s hue was the result of natural coloring.

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