So I got the newest edition of Food & Wine Magazine in the mail today, and as I quickly flipped through it, this photo on page 62 almost gave me whiplash:

Oh, and I’m more than happy to pass along the photo credit, ’cause the dude’s name is QUENTIN BACON!

So this photo was accompanying a recipe for “Orecchiette with Veal, Capers & White Wine“.

Boom! 

It was settled.  That was going to be my dinner tonight.

After work, I ran over to the new Nester’s at the Woodward’s Food Floor to get my ingredients.

Then, off to the Crosstown Liquor Store for a crisp, white Italian wine which I’ll literally get into later…

Time to throw on some music & get it all started…

9:08 pm

Alright.  I got all of my stuff out.

Already a couple changes.  There was no veal at the store, so I’m using lean ground buffalo, which I think will be the most similar.  I also couldn’t find any orecchiette pasta, so I’ve settled for ‘pasta shells’ which should do the trick of harnessing the herbs, meat and capers in every bite.

Now to boil water and prep the ingredients further.

9:17 pm

I need one chopped MEDIUM onion.  Is this medium or large?  It’s not small, is it?

I’m going to use 2/3 of it.

9:25 pm

So I totally didn’t realize how much time blogging would take, so all timing is out of whack.  I’m trying not to burn things while my back is turned and this could quickly become a 90 minute recipe.

This is the cooking and drinking wine.  Citra Palio Pecorino Terre di Chiete IGT 08.  Floral, citrusy and full of zing.  It’s what I was hoping for.

Something’s smoking…

9:43 pm

So, Jake Skyped from San Francisco to check in on progress, which is chugging along.

The olive oil got a little too hot in the pan, the garlic got a little too brown, but the meat is simmering away in the wine and the pasta’s pretty close.

9:58 pm

Home stretch.

Chicken stock is added to the meat, with the fresh herbs.

It simmers, and next I add the pasta, Parmesan, and ideally – it works!

10:10 pm

thisclose

10:16 pm

Dinner is served!  And it looks somewhat similar to the picture in the magazine!

One more update coming with a recap…

10:34 pm

Okay.

First of all, I really should have thought that through before diving in.  The whole ‘blogging while cooking’ thing wasn’t quite as fun and whimsical as I thought, plus any ‘clean as you go’ theory was out the window.

But it was delicious.  It was a bit too salty, but I could have easily overdone the capers, chicken stock or, uh, salt in my haste. 

The wine was great.  It’s about $16.  Plenty of white flowers on the nose that led to a big, bold citrusy, juicy flavour profile.  The acid was sharp enough to cut through the richness of the dish, and the fruit was bright enough to keep up the pace.

The recipe?  Recommended.  The wine?  Also recommended.

Live-blogging the preperation of dinner?  Not so much.

A fun, delicious experience nonetheless.

And thanks to those of you who followed along live.  Interestingly, most of you were American, followed by a decent handful of Canadians, one of you was from Ireland and to the person in Sweden – tack själv.

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