Weekend Cookbook Challenge—The Beginning

This was my first ever cookbook. My lonesome self picked up a copy after watching this guy named Jeff Smith and his HOTTIE little chef-friend Craig cook on PBS. My family and I had just moved to Salt Lake. I had no friends. So I played in the kitchen.

I look back on The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian with more fondness than any of my yearbooks smattered with "Hey Q.T.! Have an AWESOME summer. Let's keep in touch!" This book was my friend. I sat with it every Saturday, keeping up with the episodes cooking polenta, rolling out pasta, and kneading dough. I made notes on it. It gave me papercuts. But most importantly, it gave me something to do. Something I really wanted to do. I wanted to be part of the Frugal Gourmet World.

Who the hell wouldn't want to eat and celebrate your way through Italy? Especially with that Fun-Size Chef Assistant Craig Wollam. He was totally anal. And sometimes on air, you could see him get annoyed with our culinary Methodist minister. But for a 14-year old who's other major crush was Bono, he was total eye-candy.

Whenever Jeff Smith took a sip of red wine, I'd micmic with a sip of Cranberry Crystal Light out of Mom's fancy glassware (the rents didn't drink wine). When Craig made Filled Rolled Bread, I made Filled Rolled bread. I'd imagine myself as the final component to a Frugal Gourmet Trio. I'd stir things in the sautepan and banter with Jeff in between making out with Craig in the pantry.

For a teenager, I became a bad ass in the kitchen. Making my own lemon olive oil with the Costco extra-virgin and insane amounts of lemon rind. Mom's sesame oil stood next to the big marinating tub, along with my balsamic vinegar. I tried just about every recipe. And some, like the Sicilian Tomato Sauce, are still part of my weekend cooking ritual.

When I wanted to make Penne alla Vodka, very-very-nice-and-didn't-know-any-better Mom took me to the liquor store. She looked for Dad's scotch while I scoped out the vodka. A store clerk suspiciously eyed me in my Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt. "How old are you?" he asked.

"14. Hey, do you know if this bottle is good in sauce?"
"Excuse me?"
"Tomato sauce. I need some for pasta."
"You're not supposed to be in here. State law," points to a a very official looking sign.
"But I'm going to make pasta. I need something with flavor."
"Flavor? Young lady, underage people who look for vodka want it because they'll get drunk. Vodka doesn't have flavor."

Au contraire Mr. State Liquor Store Man. Granted, it was another two years before I could get my hands on half a cup of vodka for the tomato sauce. But it was worth the wait. The tangy tomato mellowed out. Sexed up. Finally, I added the penne, dripping hot from the colander, to the pan. "You added the booze to the sauce?" my new friend (and vodka-source) asked. "You're not going to drink any?" "Nah," I replied. THAT'S how much of a nerd I was. Didn't even think of dipping into underage drinking fun. But I made a mean penne alla vodka.

Penne alla Vodka adapted from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian
The original calls for crunchier onions, but I found that cooking the onion and garlic together got the desired texture. Don't bother with the Belvedere. You gotta have the cheap sort of liquor—the stuff that'll burn off esophogeal linings and put hair on your chest. Don't worry—there's only 1/2 cup for 6 servings. Cook it out if flavor is too strong.

2 tablespoons olive oil * 1 medium yellow onion, diced * 2 cloves of garlic, minced * 1/2 white wine OR chicken stock * 1/2 cup of cream * 1 cup crushed tomatoes OR Sicilian Tomato Sauce * salt and pepper to taste * 1/4 cup grated Parmesan * 3/4 pound penne, cooked * 1/2 cup vodka

Heat the olive oil in a sautépan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the wine/broth, cream, and tomatoes to the pan. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in the vodka. Quickly toss in cooked pasta and grated cheese. Serve immediately. NOTE: Lightweights like me may start to feel the effects of penne alla vodka ONLY after attempting to eat the WHOLE PAN...which I don't recommend. Unless you're drunk already.

*Thanks to Ali and Sara for the first Weekend Cookbook Challenge.

Comments

[Kalyn]

Hey nice job again. You are turning into a pro yourself. Notice that great minds think alike in the choice of cookbook authors. I just ordered his "Three Ancient Cuisine" book (China, Greece, Rome) from Jessica's Biscuit for some incredibly cheap price, I think like $6.99. I'll have to look for this one too. Thank goodness for low carb pasta.

[Jaay]

ohmygoodness!! this totally takes me back. I remember watching the Frugal Gourmet. I don't remember what his assistant looked like tho..hmm now you have me wondering.

This recipe sounds sooo yummy!! =)

[Rorie]

The Frugal Gourmet!!!!! Used to watch his show all the time when I was a kid - and this penne with vodka sauce sounds sooo familiar! I'm gonna see if my mom still has this cookbook! I bid you peace ---!

[mae]

This sounds great. The photo looks so tempting.

I love the story behind this.

[Rep.Dan]

Sounds totally tasty. Can other alcohol be mixed with tomato sauces? Someone should write a book. Definitely a good story.

[vanessa]

Rep.Dan—I've come across recipes where ouzo was mixed into a tomato-based sauce. wine definitely. other things would be up to the cook. my say—get funky. a book eh? know a publisher?

mae—i totally forgot about the anecdote until i opened up the cookbook for the weekend challenge. and when i found my notes all over it, the memories came flooding back.

Rorie—ha! I love it! you just need a glass of wine to toast the viewer as you say it. It's a great cookbook. Too bad what happened to Mr. Smith toward the end of his career, though. Yikes.

Ms. Jaay—Craig was mini. Half the size of Jeff, I venture. Always wore his little chef's coat. But now that i think about it, maybe he was just super hot because he was standing next Jeff Smith :)

Kalyn—I tried the Dreamfields pasta and it was great. Thanks for the recommendation! Tell me how you like that book—I've been eyeing it on various sites. And hey, congrats on the upcoming podcast!

[LisaSD]

Vanessa--Just stopping by to say Merry Christmas and I'll be back online next week. Peace to you and yours!

[Christi]

Hey, I thought I was the only one that was in love with Craig. One day in about 1993ish I thought I saw him in Little Italy in San Francisco. I kept walking up the street but swore that if he was still there when I got back, I would ask if it was really him, it would be, and we would live happily ever after. Alas, when I turned around he was gone and out of my life forever except for on t.v.

[daye]

The pic of your pg 256 in Italian cracks me up. My has a star and "Craig's Bread" written in one inch tall letters. I enjoyed your blog.

[Andrew]

I am a huge Jeff Smith fan, his was the fisrt cook book (cooking with wine)I ever bought as a 13yrd. He was my inspiration to become a chef as I am today in ACY
and went on to buy all his book along with many others, I was very distrought over allegations surrounding him and his death. He also had his kids on every now and then, I always wondered what Craig was doing now. My latest favorite it Alton Brown...