Guacamole

Soft, smooth, creamy and yielding…  somehow I don’t think those adjectives came to mind to the first Mesoamericans that stumbled across an avocado.  Fortunately, their discovery was the world’s gain.  I love to celebrate that discovery every now and then by smashing together some avocados along with other new-world crops  and making what the Spanish called “the butter of the poor”, but what we’ve all come to know and love as “guacamole”.

Steamed Mussels in Spicy White Wine Broth

It’s hard to resist the appetizing siren call of a big bowl of steamed mussels, drawing you in with the smells and contrasting colors.  Give in to this dish, in which mussels  are steamed in an aromatic white wine broth with a playfully spicy kick, and is ready to devour in mere minutes.