The Precious
November 8, 2004

I’ve had The Precious. Have you?

Black and white jam jar I once had a chef instructor at culinary school who always put a “the” in front of general objects when he should have used an “a”. “Have you ever seen the cow?” when he really meant “Have you ever seen a cow?” It always made us snicker or raise an eyebrow in class. He was an interesting man. I suppose perhaps he might have had a specific cow in mind, but if so, we certainly had never seen it.

I was reminded of this chef instructor the other day when a friend of a friend brought a jar of The Precious as a house-warming gift on a visit. I’d heard of The Precious from my friend before and was intrigued and interested to try it. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by something with a name like that? Having “the” in front of “Precious” implies that it is the only one. It isn’t just “Any Old Precious” or “The Other Precious” – it is THE Precious.

The Precious is a condiment.

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Tomato Chutney - NOT The Precious

This chutney is certainly NOT The Precious, nor does it aspire to be. That recipe is well-guarded and I hope it always remains so - precious. This recipe, however, is for a tasty tomato chutney that can be used in the same fashion. Great with strong cheeses, hot or cold meats, and try it as a sandwich spread.

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