Catiline Dines at Home

This page is devoted to recipes of the classicists. Inform Catiline of any recipes that need to be added.

Kathy Sinkovich, who is married to Dana Sutton, has contributed her spaghetti sauce, to which Dana is (by his own confession) addicted. See what you think.

Kathryn Sinkovich's Spaghetti Sauce

Saute bacon with sausage in large heavy pot until cooked through; add hamburger and cook until it is no longer red. In small frying pan, heat olive oil and margarine or corn oil; add onions and saute until soft. Add minced garlic and saute for two minutes. Do not allow the garlic to become brown. Combine the two mixtures in the large pot, and then add all other ingredients, putting in tomatoes and puree first. Simmer slowly for about 1 1/2 hours. Taste for salt and additional oregano/pepper/basil. Makes about 2 - 2 1/2 quarts of sauce. Serve with your favorite pasta.

My friend Dana has taken up the challenge of my barbecue sauce, and contributes his own. You pick.

Dana Sutton's Zing Sauce

(Clipped from a local paper about 25 years ago, a constant companion). Zing sauce has three advantages. 1.) Unlike most sauces, this requires no simmering and can be thrown together in about 15 minutes in case of barbecue emergency. 2.) It works equally well with just about anything you would want to grill, ranging from beef to fish. 3.) It keeps well in a refrigerator about forever (if you make a large batch no doubt it freezes too).

Blend in a blender (low speed)

I've had several requests for my barbecue sauce, and I'm tired of writing it out, so here it is. Now I'll tell you, if you want a hot fight, just get two Southerners talking about barbecue. The basic ingredients for traditional American barbecue sauces are: ketchup, vinegar, water, oil, Worcestershire sauce (thank God for the British!), pepper, salt, onion, garlic and then a host of "secret ingredients." The arguing centers on proportions and secrets. So here's my sauce, a Florida-style sauce (it's the same as the Memphis style), fairly heavy on the Worcestershire sauce and light on the vinegar. Note to heart patients and to the weight-conscious: This is a fat-free recipe, so eat up.

Catiline's Barbecue Sauce

The spicy heat of this recipe will depend on how fresh the chiles and chile sauce are, and how much you use. With old ingredients, this is a mild recipe; with fresh, it's hot. I dislike putting sauces on my meats before they are cooked, as it interferes with the smoking process. The fact is that barbecue without smoke is like alcohol-free beer: what's the point? Now, if you cannot smoke your meats while cooking them, try adding the "liquid smoke" to the sauce to make up the shortfall. This recipe makes about a half-gallon (2 liters); if you can't use it up, you might try pressure-canning it, but I wouldn't do open-kettle canning on it (Can you say Clostridium botulinum?). Simmer all at medium heat for at least 30 minutes. Serve warm at the table with warm fresh-smoked or baked meats (beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, bear, deer and probably elk, moose and goat, but not fish; alligator might get too tough in baking, so save your 'gator for a stew), fresh hot bread, salad (preferably cole slaw and/or potato salad) and lots of beer to wash it down. It helps to have good friends over to improve the flavor of any meal.

This recipe was given to me by Deborah Hobson at York University. According to her, it came from Rostovtzeff's wife, Sophie. I've never had enough people over to use this much eggnog, so I can't say how good it is. I recommend against trying to keep this several days, as this recipe calls for. You only get botulism once. I have transcribed the old mimeograph sheet exactly.

Sophie Rostovtzeff's Eggnog

As the mixing of this eggnog is the important part, tedious but worthwhile, this is the procedure:

  1. Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs, putting the yolks in a large cold bowl, the whites into a separate bowl, placed in the icebox (this is an old recipe!) until needed.
  2. Beat the yolks with a rotary (or electric) beater until very light. Add sugar gradually, beating until the yolks will absorb no more and begin to feel gritty.
  3. Throw in a wine-glassful of old brandy and beat for a few minutes; add the whiskey a little at a time, stirring meanwhile. Let stand about 10 minutes to ripen.
  4. Add cream very slowly, still stirring mixture. When well mixed, this is a good time to taste it in case more sugar is needed, or more whiskey.
  5. Add milk a little at a time, slowly. When milk is all in, continue to mix for a few minutes.
  6. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and add mixture.
  7. Sprinkle nutmeg over egg nog.

If the eggnog is to be served in the usual large bowl, the egg whites are supposed to be floating on top and should be put in in gobs. It looks prettier that way, but the nog tastes better if the whites are mixed into it smoothly.

NEVER PUT ICE IN THIS EGGNOG. TO KEEP COLD, PLACE BOWL IN LARGER BOWL PACKED WITH ICE.

All ingredients should be fresh and very cold before using. This recipe makes nearly a gallon, depending on the size of the eggs used. Use a punch ladle for mixing, as it enables to fluff it, which helps.

PS by Perkins: more whiskey and brandy will not go amiss. Following Mrs. Rostovtzeff's suggestion, I added about a half-cup (125 milliliters) more whiskey and another shot (45 milliliters) of brandy to each batch. A pound (500 milliliters) of sugar is quite enough for each batch.

This should be made several days before using it since it gets better the longer it stands. The ingredients never separate, and even the fluffy egg whites seem to keep their shape indefinitely. This has been kept three weeks, and the end is as good as the beginning -- how much longer it could be kept is unknown since it tends to get consumed.

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