One bottle of limoncello, plenty of options
Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan recently joined Washington Post food staff to answer questions about all things edible. Here are edited excerpts from that chat.
Q: Recently, on a whim, I purchased a bottle of limoncello. It is way too strong to sip straight, so I’ve been mixing it with sparkling water. What other cocktail mixers can you suggest?
A: I agree with you on limoncello — strong and super sweet. I like cutting it with gin, cutting it with more sour citrus juices and other juices too. If you like bittersweet, giving it a hit of a red bitter like Campari or Aperol along with club soda or tonic water will make a nice combination. And I suspect some spicy ginger ales would be a good option as well! — M. Carrie Allan
Q: One thing I have difficulty with is how much dry pasta to measure per person. While dry a handful doesn’t look like a lot, when cooked up it’s a huge plate full.
A: Our rule for nutritional analysis is two ounces per person, but that might be a little slight for some appetites. I usually do more like three or four, and then hope for leftovers! — Joe Yonan
Q: I made a cioppino last night for dinner, which turned out amazing. I substituted seafood stock for water, however I still have two cartons left of seafood stock. What do you suggest I cook next?
A: Poach a mess of cocktail shrimp in it, or individual portions of salmon. Or how about making paella, gumbo or risotto? — Bonnie S. Benwick
Q: I’m wondering about the trend toward kosher salt (fine or otherwise) in recipes rather than plain old table salt. Rarely does the particular form of salt make a difference in that any salt quickly goes into solution in the dish. The problem is that there is more sodium chloride in a teaspoon of table salt than in a teaspoon of coarse kosher salt. Keep it simple, I say, and stick with table salt unless you are looking to have the salt stick to a piece of meat.
A: We tend to call for kosher salt because it makes for a friendlier nutritional analysis. Also, table salt often contains iodine, which we get from other daily food sources. And, we like the coarse texture — if you only want one salt to buy, it can be used as a finishing salt as well. — B.S.B.
Q: I bought some pea shoots for the first time for a recipe this week, and I love them — sort of a more substantial, tastier alfalfa sprout that doesn’t feel so much like a hairball when you eat it. But they can fit an awful lot of them in a container! I have a ton left. What else can I do with them before they go bad? I’m cooking for one, no food restrictions.
A: You can toss a bunch into your favourite stir-fry or risotto just before it comes off the heat; use them as the greens on a sandwich or burger or in a grain bowl. — B.S.B.
Q: I’m a single person who used to love to cook. When my kids and their spouses and kids are home, I’m in kitchen heaven. But other than those times, I resort to Lean Cuisine and take-out. I read your columns and can practically taste some of the recipes but ... back to the frozen stuff. How can I reignite my former cooking passion?
A: Maybe set a modest goal? A new recipe per week? Pick in advance, buy the ingredients, pour yourself a glass of wine and have at it. Or perhaps buy a cookbook that really sings to you and work your way through that. A motivator might be to get together with other people. Find other folks like you? A cookbook club is another fun way to do this. If you really need that push, knowing you have to make something to feed other folks (like with your family) might just help. — Becky Krystal