Love Child, Born in Poverty

The famous Paulownia tree, the invasive weed like-tree that thrives in the Gowanus.  The lightest hardwood in the world, often called the aluminum of timber, claims the sign on one of the trees. They are used to make surfboards, guitars and skateboards.  They have a gorgeous smell and the subject of the main metaphor of the book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  They are one of my favorites because I respect things and people that can bloom even in tough environments and circumstances.  Even though the gorgeous gardens of Cobble Hill really are all that, to see a purple majesty standing out amongst the grey and decrepit areas of town for me is more heartwarming. 

My grandmother on my dad's side, used to stay with us from time to time back in Fort Wayne and she made sopa de fideo when I was very little.  Thin vermicelli fried and then cooked in a light tomato sauce.  Her style of cooking was like peasant food, very simple but delicious and pure.  Thinking of her dish, led me to consider that given the freedom, one could make a spaghetti sauce that eats like a soup and have the bennies of ground meat, onion, whole tomato, and garlic as well, which I did here.  Next time I will toast the noodles to achieve that missing flavor profile and report back because this might be a mash up idea worthy of note.