I love to cook. It is one of my favorite things. Perhaps only second to eating. In the evening, pouring myself a generous glass of red wine and making dinner is my favorite part of the day.
If I were to pick a favorite type of cuisine, it would probably be Italian. From the time my daughter could understand English, she has heard me yammer on about al dente pasta. I’m a total pasta snob. Do not think about bringing up in here your sad-ass, mushy pasta. I have no time for that shit. I really do wear my family out on this point. I need my pasta to fight me a little bit. I always have—even as a child. Mushy pasta is horse shit.
I was recently listening to a podcast featuring the great José Andrés. He is my favorite chef as well as one of my favorite humans. He is a delightful, funny, kind, generous and talented man.
As much as I love to cook, I do not watch cooking shows. They are just not my jam. However, I have heard multiple interviews with José and I have all his cookbooks, thanks to a dear friend who introduced me. I have also been to Spain and love the country with my whole heart. José is the ultimate Spaniard.
Have you seen the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Remember how the dad was with Greece? No matter what you said the dad could and would always tie it back to Greece. That is how José is with Spain. He loves his homeland and the food so much. It brings me great joy.
So, back to the podcast. He was talking about spaghetti and how the best tomato sauce recipe ever was in his Vegetables Unleashed cookbook. I was working as I listened, but thought, “I have that cookbook.” I got up from my desk immediately and went to look at the recipe. It is surprisingly simple with few ingredients. I decided that shit was happening.
I got the components, poured some wine and got to work. Here’s the thing with José, he cooks with his heart. He talks to his food and he listens to what it has to say back. He is an artist.
I became stressed out early on when there were no exact measurements for things such as sugar and salt. Apparently, all tomatoes are different and you just have to wing that shit. This made me nervous, but I soldiered on.
As the tomato sauce progressed and started to smell amazing, I began to relax. It could have been the wine. Who knows? I channeled my inner José. I also made my husband taste it and give me his thoughts. I was having such a good time with this recipe.
It is not the first recipe of his I have made, but it may have been the most fun. There were only seven ingredients, but oh my god, the flavor. José is brilliant! Seriously, I love this man.
What really set this tomato sauce apart from any other I have ever had, and I have had a lot, was the pimentón. That is Spanish paprika, y’all. It was a game-changer. José had this to say about it, “I add the pimentón at the end because I love the smokey undertone—it’s the Spanish in my blood. Never forget: The first recorded recipe for tomato sauce in Italy was called ‘Spanish Sauce.’ Boom!”
When the sauce was done and my pasta was al dente (of course), I served it up for the two of us. We also had some Italian bread with freshly roasted garlic and butter along with a salad.
This was such a simple meal, but barely a word was said at the table as we scarfed it down. I loved and savored every bite. It was perfection and why I absolutely refuse to give up carbs.
My husband fussed at me post-meal because he ate too much. I did too, but had no regrets.
Food is my love language. Absolutely nothing makes me happier than cooking a meal people enjoy. I will be making José’s tomato sauce for years to come and I thank him. The best meals are not always complicated, they are those made with the most love.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
