Porky is safe to wallow another day!

So Sad! I will be unable to celebrate


National Pig Day at the Vineyard!

Just not enough time to get it organized so that it is fun for everyone, including the cook! The weather also enters into the decision, still just too cold!

I will definitely have a day to grill at the vineyard as soon as it warms up! Hope you will join us then.

fix a big pot of Cioppino!

Cioppino is not only one of my go to meals when I am having company, but it is one of my favorite foods! Although its history has never been verified, most agree that cioppino was created in San Francisco. The story goes that cioppino was invented by the Italian and Portuguese fishermen who concocted the stew based on the day's catch. Cioppino was originally prepared on the boats while the fishermen were at sea, with fresh catch straight from the water. Its name was supposedly derived from ciuppin, a possible corruption of the Genovese word for suppin, or "little soup." Another theory is that the name came from the foreigner slang to "chip-in-o," or, to chip in, as the fisherman partaking in the stew were expected to contribute fish to the meal.
As a result of the haphazard ingredients, based on what the ocean yielded, cioppino is a happily versatile dish. It's usually a stew based comprised of tomatoes, onion and garlic, but the herbs run the gamut from thyme to sage, and within the soup itself clams can be substituted with mussels, different white fish can be used, and red wine occasionally replaces white wine (I prefer Red). It's really a matter of preference and availability.

Cioppino

1/4 cup olive oil or salad oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
2/3 cup chopped parsley
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes
1 cup dry red or white wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
12 clams in shell, suitable for steaming, scrubbed
1 pound large shrimp, (30 per pound), shelled and deveined
2 live or cooked large Dungeness crab (about 2 pounds each), cleaned and cracked

Preparation:In 6-8 quart pan over medium heat, combine oil, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and parsley. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes (break up with spoon) and their liquid, wine, bay leaf, basil, and oregano. Cover and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. To broth, add clams, shrimp, and crab. Cover and simmer gently until clams pop open and shrimp turn pink, about 20 minutes. Ladle hot broth and some of each shellfish into large bowls. Serve with warm sourdough bread. Yield: 4 to 6 servings