Author Archives: dgourmac

April Blog…

records an eclectic mixture of food, travel, and experimentation. Food A simple and satisfying supper: A new dish from my wife’s cookbook club — a Shallot Tart: Baking my favorite sourdough boule… Improving my technique cooking marvelous fresh Porcini… Yet … Continue reading →

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Melitzanopilafo – Greek Eggplant Pilaf

I often turn to Greek dishes when I am looking for healthy, flavorful, satisfying meals based on good vegetables. You will find a number of such meals in this blog, such as Briam, Tourlou, and Soufiko. Tonight we added a … Continue reading →

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Machu Picchu

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Octopus, Potatoes, and Whatever You Like

I continue to be amazed with how many delicious dishes can be made when you start with octopus and potatoes. Today’s lunch, for example, began when I grilled three tentacles from my latest octopus. After peeling one Yukon Gold potato, … Continue reading →

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Off-the-Wall Salad

I usually find salads to be boring. Flavorless lettuce and tomatoes in plastic packaging does not inspire me in any way. However, when I have access to interesting fresh vegetables, I find a way to make exciting salads. Lunch the … Continue reading →

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Sautéed Spinach and Tomatoes – Recipe from Burgundy

It’s a Monday night and it’s my turn to cook dinner. One of the deciding factors determining our meals is the status of ingredients. Tonight’s near-crisis was a dish on the kitchen counter with 5 small fresh tomatoes which were … Continue reading →

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It is Nearly Impossible…

 It is nearly impossible to make a bad meal with grilled octopus and potatoes. Today’s case in point was an experiment that came out great. The primary ingredients were little baby (“one bite”) potatoes and one and a half grilled … Continue reading →

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Torchietti Lunchtime Pasta

One of my favorite packaged pastas is this one (Torchietti) from Trader Joe’s. Sadly, this product is no longer available from them (or anyone else apparently). We have had 1/2 box leftover for about a year. Today I decided to … Continue reading →

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Opening an Old Burgundy

Old wines are full of surprises. Tonight’s version was a result of my desire to open a bottle of Aloxe-Corton 1978, a Burgundy of moderate importance, but always interesting. First of all, I had to get the cork out and … Continue reading →

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Obscure Grapes

I’m a big fan of obscure grapes. You know, the kind that only grow in two small villages in Italy. This past weekend I came across a new variety for me — Gamba di Pernice, a red grape in the … Continue reading →

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