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| Dining at an Italian restaurant before "the boys came home" in the mid-40s presented little need for heavy-duty decision-making. Throughout most of America, a diner met a choice of spaghetti, and perhaps ravioli, topped with Marinara sauce - with or without meatballs. Menus in larger towns may also have offered lasagna and eggplant or veal parmigiana. You had to be in San Francisco, New York or another metropolitan area to find a broad array of Italian dishes. Even pizza was essentially unknown before the 'fifties. It's now listed as the favorite food of most kids, and folks are relishing dozens of new and different toppings. As a taste for international cuisine continued to grow after World War II, a well-rounded menu of Italian dishes became familiar. But it was only a couple of decades later that one was apt to find Pesto among them. A quick look at four cookbooks published in the U.S. in the 1960s found neither the word "Pesto" nor an appropriate recipe under another name. Bill Armanino, of Armanino Foods, recalls that he was advised to change the name before nationwide introduction of the firm's Classic Pesto in the early '70s. The marketing people thought the name Pesto didn't sound appetizing. The public didn't seem to have that problem. In no time at all, Pasta al Pesto appeared on menus everywhere and "the green sauce" made its way into a host of recipes.Only basil Pesto, commonly served in the region of Genoa in Italy, was originally associated with the term. Debate ensued about the ingredients of "authentic" Pesto - nuts or no nuts; olive oil, Ligurian olive oil, or any light oil - and whether a proper Pesto could be made other than with mortar and pestle. It is commonly said that the name Pesto is derived from pestle. One respected historical writer, however, claims the word originally meant "crushed garlic." Crushed garlic is a common ingredient in the bevy of new non-basil Pestos now on the market. The beauty of almost any Pesto in the commercial Italian kitchen is its versatility. Pesto can be used pretty much "as-is" to sauce any kind of pizza, pasta or to dress good crusty bread for toasting.As a topping, alone with just a bit of cheese or with a handful of varied garnishes, a Pesto can make a unique and delicious signature pizza. As a seasoning, a spoonful in a soup, salad dressing or salsa can make a memorable difference. Basil Pesto is all but essential to a good minestrone; cilantro Pesto quickly and easily adds an authentic Asian or Mexican note; a bit of roasted red bell pepper or chipotle Pesto added to your ketchup will keep 'em coming back for more French fries and onion rings. A creative chef will reach for a dollop of Pesto the same way he reaches for a dash of spice. Frozen Pesto brings flavor almost indistinguishable from that prepared from fresh produce - but no one in your kitchen has to spend precious time trimming and chopping, and there's no costly waste. The true value of Pesto may be the ease and economy it offers. Pizza Chef's Corner With a Dollop of Pesto Sauce I know that a great many of you have a Pesto Pizza or two on your menu, as well as a number of pasta dishes served with a Pesto Cream Sauce or just a Pesto and Something Sauce. However, just a dollop of Pesto can be a nice garnish to a Spicy Pumpkin Soup or a White Bean and Vegetable Soup at this time of fall. Here is the pumpkin soup menu:
Ed
Zimmerman |
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