Elizabeth–if you ever read back here–I got some good Moroccan oil cured olives at Whole Foods last week. I will try them in the puttanesca when next I make it.

You know, I never really thought of it, but you are right. I do tend to give my dishes whimsical names. Part of it has to do with my sense of humor, and part of it has to do with my dramatic nature, and part of it has to do with my belief that food should not be taken too seriously.

I loved culinary school, but past a certain point, all of that haute cuisine stuff becomes pretentious and boring. It is food, for God’s sake, not a piece of architecture! All of the garnishing and carving and plate decoration and stacking bits and pieces up so high one must disassemble one’s entree before eating it is ridiculous.

How can one possibly take something called Whorehouse Spaghetti seriously? Or Chupacabra Chili. (See, you spelled it right.) Or Garlic Booger Chicken. Or Aztec Gold Brownies. Or Too Hot Chicken.

I make serious food, but I give it silly names because I don’t want people to be intimidated by it, or to think too much on it. I want them, above all to enjoy it, and let it make them happy.

So, I guess that is where the funny names come from.

Of course, if I ever opened a tiny restaurant (for it would be tiny), I would call it Tigers and Strawberries….