Blaukraut

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:49:52 PST
David Ehrlich wrote: "I remember the first time I made pizzoccheri..."

Thanks, David, that's interesting.

Pizzoccheri are new to me; I had to Google that one. I noticed that they
also have the German name Graubünden. That's very northern Italian, isn't
it? Do they taste anything like soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles)? 

I knew about Rotkohl; if someone sent me out for Blaukraut, I probably would
have brought back a green cabbage with a heavy glaucous bloom - in other
words, the wrong one. I know this is wandering more and more off topic, but
cabbage is one of the culinary delights of my maturity. I hated it as a kid
because no one I knew knew how to cook it. It turns into a disgusting,
stinking, slimy mess when boiled too long, and that's all I got as a kid.
But blanched briefly and then sautéed in seasoned fat or oil - wow! 

I thank my mother for teaching us to love blue cheese, and certain other
foods such as crabs which a lot of people won't touch. Until recently I
wouldn't touch anchovies. 

I think as a kid vivid green was my idea of the color of poison (did that
come from Snow White or the Wizard of Oz?). Yet I've always loved
vegetables. As an adult, blue still seems to be the most unnatural of colors
for food, although as you note there are plenty of delicious foods which are
bluish.  

Have you ever tried the little blue pea flowers sometimes sprinkled on
Indian food? 

I think it's time to go in and fix dinner!

Jim McKenney 



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