hawaii to the rescue

 

OK. A couple of you over on Facebook caught me out with yesterday's photograph in cristina potter, call your office.

I was being a bit impish. The photograph did display my dinner last night, but it is not how I would have served the spaghetti had you stopped by.

There are two primary methods of serving pasta: the American "glop plopped on top" and the Italian, where the pasta is mixed with the sauce before serving. My pasta last night was American. My lunch today was Italian. You can see the difference it makes.

If you had arrived for lunch this afternoon around 3:30, you would have had the "all-dressed-up-in-Monday-best" pasta complete with salad. You will get no argument from me that today's version is far more enticing. But last night's photograph had one purpose -- to elicit the reactions I got because of the color the squid ink imparts.

Now, do I think today's version will change people's reaction to the food? Nope, If so, only marginally. People who reacted to the black last night will react to the black today. And that reaction is not surprising to me.

When I was in Venice several years ago with my cousin Dennis, I ordered cuttlefish cooked in its ink, served with spaghetti. The sight was too much for Dennis. He erected a tall menu in front of him to prevent seeing what was undoubtedly the best cuttlefish I have eaten.

Even though I will not win anyone over to the inky side of this particular culinary chasm, we can all admit that the presentation of this plate is far more attractive, even if it is not more appetizing. I was going for an Italian look with the salad. And then it occurred to me the colors are Mexican, as well.

And that is why we are discussing it on Mexican sites.

QED.


Note -- Oh. The title? Everything on today's plate comes from my favorite grocery in San Patricio. If you stop by, I am certain Alex can outfit you for your own experiments with squid ink.