Cold Dishes

They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. I've been thinking about the concept of crime and punishment a lot lately, as I've run across some plain old mean folks in the last few months. That is a story to share for another day, but the aftermath, the "what do I do now?" remains to be pondered.

My grandmother was famous in our family for holding a grudge. She once refused to talk to my Aunt Jean for thirteen years- yes, YEARS- because of something Aunt Jean said that none of us can remember, not even my grandmother. She was a hot-blooded Italian woman who knew what made her mad, and she was not afraid to let it be known. Hot-blooded, according to Webster's dictionary, means passionate, and who has ever been faulted for a little passion now and then. But, the traditional meaning behind revenge as a "cold" dish implies cold-blooded action- heartless, mean spirited, even cruel. Cold-blooded revenge is that which we enact before we have the time to think it through, because most likely our judgment would take over and stop us. And we certainly couldn't let that happen.

Revenge is something as old as humankind, as far reaching as Cain and Abel. We have revenge as the basis for some of literature's most famous pieces of work- The Count of Monte Cristo, Moby Dick- and in some of film world's more famous outputs- think, Revenge of the Nerds or The Empire Strikes Back. The concept of avenging the death of a family member or some perceived wrong done, the famous gentleman's duels of history, all lead me to wonder if we all don't eat off of this icy platter once in a while.

As I think about the idea of revenge served cold, I think about dishes that are best served cold. Now, I'm not talking about dishes that MUST be served cold- who wants hot ice cream for example? I'm talking about where you have a choice, and the cold is the better option. Gazpacho... Salad... Ceviche... Sushi... All of these are good tasting, but in my humble opinion, aren't the most satisfying of dishes. I've never made a meal of just soup without raiding the fridge later on, and even with sushi, I end up eating way too much of it to give my stomach that comfy feeling a good meal should leave. While a cold dish is good as a side or a snack, I would argue that it's the warm dishes that truly leave us feeling good and cozy. When we think "comfort food", it's the mashed potatoes, the meat loaf, the bread and butter with gravy that come to mind.

So, I would argue that if it's best served cold, I'll leave it for another day. I would rather serve up something warm and satisfying, something that makes those I feed feel happy and comforted. And, by loving my enemy with kindness, I probably am exacting the best kind of revenge after all.

Warm and Comforting Pasta

1 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into quarter inch cubes
1 lb orecchiette pasta
5 or 6 ounces of smoked Fontina cheese, shredded
olive oil
crushed red pepper
chopped garlic- as much as you like since garlic is so good

Heat oil until ready for the onion and garlic, then toss those in. Cook for a minute or two and then add the fennel and potatoes. Saute until soft and brown and crispy in some bits- yum! Add crushed pepper to taste (only a little if you're cooking for my husband). Cook a little longer til all the flavors mix and taste yummy when you sample it.

Meanwhile, cook paste til al dente. Drain and set aside in a big ol' bowl.

Add potato mixture to pasta and stir it up. Throw in the Fontina and stir again. Eat with Parmesan cheese and feel cozy.