RadioGastronomy The table as the gravitational center of our lives.
Vegetables
Soba Noodle Salad with Pan-Fried Tofu, Edamame, & Peanuts
“They’re only noodles Michael.” -Kiefer Sutherland as David, the darkly smug leader of Santa Carla’s vampire gang, in Joel Schumacher’s classic 1987 movie The Lost Boys
Raw Kale Salad with Miso Sesame Dressing, Golden Raisins, & Crispy Okinawa Sweet Potato
“I don’t care what they say, kale is a good garnish, I don’t think it’s ready to anchor a meal.” -Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Prichett on the popular ABC comedy Modern Family
Erdäpfelsalat (Austrian-Style Potato Salad)
“I benefit from the Mr. Potato Head syndrome. Put a wig and a nose and glasses on me, and I disappear.” -Phil Hartman, immensely talented and sadly passed-before-his-time Canadian-American comedian, actor, and alum of such awesomeness as SNL, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and The Simpsons
Hearty Wild Mushroom & Barley Soup
“Thank you Mario, but our Princess is in another castle.” -Toad the Mushroom Retainer, guardian of Mushroom Kingdom’s Princess Peach, bumming out 1980′s children everywhere in the wildly popular 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario Bros.
Spanakopita
“Eat your spinach, you no good infink. Eat it. EAT IT. Eat it.” -Poopdeck Pappy, Popeye’s spitting image and reluctant, foul-mouthed father
Braised Yao Choy with Shaoxing Wine & Toasted Sesame Seeds
“Making sex is like a Chinese dinner – it ain’t over ’til you both get your cookies.” -The incomparable Alec Baldwin as Old Man Dunphy in the Farrelly Brothers’ 1999 comedy Outside Providence
Classic Insalata Caprese
“Three tomatoes are walking down the street: a Poppa tomato, a Momma tomato, & a little baby tomato. Baby tomato starts lagging behind. Poppa tomato gets angry, goes over to the baby tomato, & smooshes him…..& says, “Catch up!” -The radiant Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantino’s classic 1994 film Pulp Fiction
Mt. Olympus Sandwiches
“I believe that all anyone really wants in life is to sit in peace & eat a sandwich.” -American writer & actress Tina Fey as alter-ego Liz Lemon on NBC’s 30 Rock
Pickled Red Cabbage & Asian Pear Salad with Poppyseeds
“The time has come,’ the walrus said, ‘to talk of many things: of shoes and ships and sealing wax – of cabbages and kings.” -Lewis Carroll, British author, clergyman, mathematician, and photographer, from his classic book Through the Looking Glass
Kale Chips
“I like to pick my own vegetables.” -Shelley Duvall, iconic & quirky American actress, and creator of one of my favorite childhood Betamax rentals, Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theater
Wheatberry Salad with Orange Citronette, Cranberries, Feta, Wild Arugula, and Toasted Pignoli
“To make a good salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist – the problem is entirely the same in both cases. To know exactly how much oil one must put with one’s vinegar.” -Oscar Wilde, Irish rabble-rouser, author, playwright, and poet
Acorn Squash with Merguez Sausage, Wild Rice, Mushroom, and Toasted Pignoli Stuffing
“The true harvest of my life is intangible – a little star dust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched.” -Henry David Thoreau, American transcendentalist and writer
Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Curried Yogurt Dipping Sauce
“It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems with just potatoes.” -Douglas Adams, British author, satirist, and mastermind of the incredible “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”
Dad’s Roasted Garlic & Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
“The next time I have meat and mashed potatoes, I think I’ll put a very large blob of potatoes on my plate with just a little piece of meat. And if someone asks me why I didn’t get more meat, I’ll just say ‘Oh, you mean this?’ and pull out a big piece of meat from inside the blob of potatoes, where I’ve hidden it. Good magic trick, huh?” -Jack Handey, American author and humorist
Grandma Rose’s Broccoli Gratin
“Fatherhood is telling your daughter that Michael Jackson loves all his fans, but has special feelings for the ones that eat broccoli.” -Bill Cosby, American comedian & author