We Are Always Home
We Are Always Home
A conversation with Fanny Singer. A picnic in paradise. Great dry pasta. And my favorite fast recipe.
Last week I spoke with Fanny Singer about Always Home, the astonishingly appealing book she has written about growing up with her mother, Alice Waters. (Tickets to join this virtual conversation, part of The Scripps College Family Weekend, cost $5 and you can buy them here).
The conversation reminded me of the article I wrote about wine merchant Kermit Lynch, which featured a beautiful portrait of Fanny at age 7. Just for fun, I’ve added a couple of photographs I took of Kermit and legendary winemaker, Hubert de Montille, when I went along on a wine buying expedition in 1978.
Chez Panisse used to leave a little basket outside the restaurant with the menus for the week. When I was still living in Berkeley I’d grab one every time I walked by, imagining how each dish tasted and trying to decide which day of the week I’d prefer. Personally, I’m very attracted to that menu from May 13, 1983. Which menu most appeals to you?
You’ve probably made this pasta a thousand times. I certainly have. It’s my go-to when there’s nothing in the house. Just olive oil, garlic, parsley, anchovy, lemon, chiles and Parmesan, it might be my favorite thing to eat. And if you haven’t watched this video of Fanny and Alice making what they call Coming Home Pasta, it will probably give you a few tips you haven’t thought of.
And if you’re looking for excellent dried pasta, I have fallen in love with this Fellicetti spaghetti. (They recently started selling it at Guido’s in Great Barrington, one of the great American grocery stores.)
Love your newsletter. Maybe whoever scans the old articles can get them into sharper focus?
I am a FCS teacher and have an 8th grade student who is doing the FCCLA Career Investigation competition event. She selected "Food Critic" as her career, and is supposed to interview 2 people in that field. We are from a 1A school in West Texas, and there are no food critics around! She contacted a local newspaper journalist and emailed a food critic from London, but the Regional judges wanted her to actually do another food critic. When we searched for an American food critic, your name came up! Would it be possible for us to email you her questions so she can get more points when she competes at State? My email is jodie.lamm@region16.net. Thank you so very much!