Giusto Gusto

Megs and I have been talking about moving downtown (or ITB meaninng Inside the Beltline) for almost 3 years, but selling a house by owner is not the easiest of tasks. Nevertheless, we managed to get that ish done and we’ll be in our new diggs as early as this weekend.

What can we all look forward to? The answer is two-fold:

1. It’s a 5 minute walk to the Raleigh Farmers Market, home to all things local and delicious and the subject of so many @TheFarmersMarket posts. This will inevitably have a prominent role to play in the seasonality of my recipes, good news all around.

2. The new GiustoGusto kitchen is huge compared to my current crotch-rocket of a catering hall. But what I’m most excited about is the ample light provided thru the ginormous 15′ windows and the 150 year old floors acting as a photography backdrop. No more dimly lit plates on the edge of the table begging for character, no more I say!

It will take a few days to settle into our new home, organizing and reorganizing the kitchen as I become more comfortable, but I expect the wheels to spin uncontrollably thanks to the inspiration of a new kitchen and a world-class farmers market an arms-length away.

It’s sad to leave our first home together with so many memories built at the dinner table, breaking bread and passing wine behind the hum of a rolling pasta pot. It’s almost improbable to think nearly every recipe on this site was born over uneven electric coil burners or on a 5′x5′ patio/grill holder. It’s been a rad journey and I’ll miss this little kitchen (kind of), but it’s on to bigger and better things and new memories to be made and retold until the next venture. Cheers!

Food is an endearing and inspiring subject to write about. There are no universal rights or wrongs, no static opinion or public standard, and especially no one way to do anything. Every ingredient, recipe, cook and region is worth it’s weight in literature and scribbled praise.

I’ve only dabbled in the art of the charta gastronomica, a mere 3 years of writing this beloved site I call GiustoGusto, but I’ve recently drawn substantial envy and awe in the writing of others. Cleverly detailing a recipe or meal is one thing, but reading another’s perfectly descriptive tale that mimics your personal experience so well is – well, f*cking frustrating. But it’s food! Not even, it’s writing about food, which I can neither scoop nor spin onto my fork, and so I take note and enjoy the eerily-similar feelings of my fellow gastronomes and aspire to their level of narration:

Cereal Magazine
readcereal.com

Cereal is a brand-new magazine from the UK focused on world-wide cuisine. It’s inaugural volume visits places like Ravello, Copenhagen, and Westonbirt, England to name a few. The combination of casual writing and incredible photography is hard to put down, lets hope the next volume comes out soon.

Diner Journal
dinerjournal.com

Diner Journal is an awesome resource for recipes, sometimes as many as 30 in a single volume. That may not sound like a lot compared to Food Network Magazine, but the two are working on different wave lengths. Diner Journal’s recipes are warm and styled after home-cooked traditions, Food Network Magazine is built for quantity and the recipes suffer in quality. I’m not saying, I’m just saying.

Gastronomica
gastronomica.org

This magazine is incredibly worldly, with as many as 25 articles per volume, most of which detail ingredients or cuisines I know next to nothing about. If there was an encyclopedia gastronomica to start building, this is where I’d start. The addition of Chef’s Pages in each volume, including an interview with a worldly chef, is rad too.

Lucky Peach
mcsweeneys.net/luckypeach

Lucky Peach is the punk rock, subway bombing, take no shit little brother of the culinary magazine world. The cover art is insane, the articles are outside the box, and the entire editorial experience is fun, whacky, but informative. Articles by Bourdain, volumes on Chinatown, and the ridiculously cool design of it all makes this magazine one the most entertaining of the lot. It’s just food, and they know it.

Kinfolk
kinfolkmag.com

Last but not least is Kinfolk, a beautifully written, photographed, designed, and executed devotion to small gatherings. It’s first 3 or 4 volumes were a tad on the feminine side for my taste, but that does not detract from the quality of writing or photography. Since then, each issue has had a great balance of things relatable to both men and women including surf-trip camp meals, chef interviews, and great recipes. The authors and photographers are spread out around the world, giving each article a distinct perspective into something food-related. What I appreciate most about this magazine is the editors choice in top-notch authors and their ability to describe what I wish to describe in a way I never knew possible. Maybe I should spend more time planning my words? Ah, maybe next time.

Happy Reading folks.

One day late, I know, but no way I’m letting my birthday month slip by without a Boozey finish.

Let me also apologize for the lack of writing lately. Besides a harrowing start to the new year, there’s been a fury of excitement around Vesta Headquarters. For those who don’t know, Vesta is a spicy topping created by my Pops over 10 years ago and something we’ve been producing and selling as a jarred product for the past 5.

It’s been a grass-roots production since it’s inception but there’s big news on the horizon that’s required my full and undivided attention. So again, I apologize, but I guarantee your patience will be rewarded.

And considering things are heating up on the home-front, I thought it only fitting that this month’s Booze of the Month be spicier than Beyonce’s half time performance. On second thought, nothing can compare to the bodacious pelvic thrusts and bootylicious sways of Sasha Fierce, but it’s a close second:

Sriracha Bloody Mary

2 Shots Vodka

1 Cup Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix (or your preferred mix)

1-2 Tbs Sriracha (depending on how hot you want to go)

Vesta & Celery Heart Stalk for Garnish

Start by dipping the rim of your glass in water, then rolling in Vesta to coat the rim. I go “Hot” for this because the “Very Hot” Vesta variety will burn your taste buds before you get to the drink. But that’s just me.

Next, fill the glass with large ice cubes. Add the Vodka, Sriracha and Bloody Mary Mix and stir to combine thoroughly. Add your celery heart stalk and an extra dash of Vesta on top to finish.

The Vesta-lined lip adds a quick hit of pure chile before sipping the deep, sriracha laced tomato-yness of the bevvy. It’s bright, exciting, and hotter than a full booty drop in 6″ stilettos.

Word to the wise, keep sipping these bad boys because things are only going to get spicier. Vesta 2013 or bust!

The last few weeks have been hell on earth dealing with the passing of my Aunt Con (who’s had plenty of Giusto press here & here) and I thank many of you for your condolences. Beyond the love of a nephew and his aunt was a kindred appreciation for and love of our heritage, often shared in the kitchen laughing over a crowded stove and a martini in hand. We were proud of where we came from but most importantly we were proud to be family.

And yet, amidst the anguish and cries of last week’s ceremonies, I found an unexpected gift to lift my spirits as the despair continued. On a table next to a stack of mass cards and old polaroids was a print out from a local Long Island newspaper. The article, something I only barely remembered hearing of, was a brief interview with my Aunt Con describing her love for food, family, and her NY-Italian roots. It brought both smiles and tears to read, even a chuckle at the mention of my father and I carrying on the cooking traditions of the family.

It’s no surprise they chose to interview my aunt –  she was a strong and positive role model for so many as a personal trainer in Long Beach, NY. The answers and attached recipe are simple and elegant, humble but passionate – just like my Aunt Con.

My Zia was as generous as she was inspiring, so I’d like to share this half-page cutout that served as a surprising crutch during our struggles this past week. I hope you’ll find it as delicious as I found it comforting.

Ci Vediamo Zia.

It’s been another productive, and tasty, year on GiustoGusto thanks to our beloved readers, commenters, contributors and tablet-tapping sharers. Record-high viewers, CookingChannel blog highlights, food competition awards, and a wealth of new friends is more than a food-crazed dude can ask for. From the bottom of my soon-to-be cholesterol stunted heart, Thank You!

Winter has indeed come Mr.Starck, and I for one am only lightly amused. Winter is not my bag, sorry, but atleast it comes with the comforting flavors and aromas of cold-weather dishes. The hearth is alive with the likes of hearty soups, braised meats, roasted roots, and rich decadents to warm the soul as the winds whip. Fortunately for anyone living in or around Raleigh, the Farmer’s Market is overflowing with the seasons best:

Tough greens like cabbage, swiss chard, kale, and mustard greens.

Nuts on nuts! Pecans, chestnuts, walnuts, peanuts and hazelnuts ready to store in your gullet like a fat DC squirrel.

Brussel Sprouts, not a personal favorite but edible at least when roasted or fried.

UFO-sized heads of Broccoli. Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

Salad greens from across the globe like Mizuna, Tatsoi, Arugula, Chicory, and Endive.

Taters, precious. Sweet Potatoes reign supreme around NC, but there are a few fingerling and purple stands along the market.

And of course, one does not sample Carolina in the winter without a sturdy supply of hand-picked apples. Every variety, every color, every shape, all waiting to be plucked and noshed down to the core.

I began this year looking back, recollecting the sounds, smells, and shared meals with friends and family but it’s impossible to capture it all. No matter how many recipes I collect, photos I take, or articles I publish nothing can replace the time spent at the table or over the stove. So I implore you, if you still lack a new years resolution, choose to build memories in and around the kitchen with friends and family, old and new. Time is relentless and cruel but the good memories make up for all the bad, especially when there’s food and drink involved. 2013 or bust!