Hello, Dear Readers! DT and I have some news! We are loading-up the Magna Peregrinus and hitting the road! Pointing her south. Looking for sun. Looking for adventure. Looking for peace. We will visit DT's family, the Lovely Lisa and spend time with My Dear Dad as he adjusts to his new life without My Mother.
My parents in San Diego, December 2005. I just love this photo!
Leaving March 1st, we have made plans to visit family in California, and we will also visit Death Valley National Park, Las Vegas, Phoenix (to attend Seattle Mariner Spring Training with my Dad), Mexico, Borrego Springs, Palm Springs... and who knows where else. I think we will probably see a few track meets and visit with many friends. Golfing will occur. No doubt, a few delicious meals will be consumed. We will be away for several months.
I hope you all come along with us - via this daily blog!
And now, back to our regular program:
I don't know if you noticed, but many of the latest food magazines featured meatballs this month. Do they all meet to discuss what is "hot"... or what they want us to think is hot? Or are the magazines infiltrated with gourmet spies? I can't answer my own questions, but I know meatballs have been on my "to cook" list all week. I also had a package of bucatini calling to me from my pantry. Bucatini is a long spaghetti-like pasta with a hole down the middle - like a tubular spaghetti. I was dreaming of bucatini and meatballs... similar to the photo on the left on the cover of bon appetit.
Of course, I did not actually use one of the many magazine recipes. I just made my own. I used beef. 10% fat beef. Grass-fed. Free range. Hormone and antibiotic-free. Meat from a real cow.
My meatballs included freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, fresh basil leaves, fresh Italian parsley leaves, salt & pepper.
Ready to cook
I ended-up frying my meatballs in a little olive oil. Served them atop a bed of bucatini sauced with a premium tomato-basil sauce.
I put another meatball on my plate after I snapped this photo. Hey, a runner gets hungry!
Until my next update, I remain, your travel-ready correspondent.