A million calories and counting

"The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star," observed the gastronome Brillat-Savarin, whom I quoted in my first column for this newspaper 25 years ago this month.

I still believe he was correct, but I find it hard to believe a quarter century has passed since then. Time really does fly when you're having fun.

I've certainly had fun writing about everything from foie gras to funnel cakes for the Southeast Missourian. I've tracked down the best baklava in Istanbul and the finest gelato in Rome, traipsed around the streams of southern England to see how watercress grows, learned how to use the secret ingredient in Oreos in my own baking, judged the National Pie Championships and even sneaked photos of my grandchildren into occasional columns. Along the way I've chalked up hundreds of recipes, thousands of words, and millions of calories. No wonder when people ask me what my favorite column was, I can't give a better answer than, "The last one."

I could go on reminiscing about old articles, but the truth is I hope I have many more yet to write. So for my silver anniversary as a columnist I'd like to alert readers to possible future articles. Thanks to Gastro Obscura, a marvelous book chronicling food adventures, I've learned about a lot of foods, and the places where you can find them, that I've yet to experience. Now, to be sure, the book does identify some foods that I am in no hurry to try, like maggot pecorino, which is exactly what it sounds like, and stuffed camel spleen, but that still leaves plenty of others. Here are just a few I can't wait to try.

A slice of homemade Sicilian Cassata Cake studded with fruit and chocolate is what will have to satisfy Tom Harte until he can get back to Sicily to try the more elaborate holiday version they make there.Submitted by Tom Harte

• Iranian Cotton Candy: this sophisticated version of what you might find at the SEMO District Fair is made by hand pulling. The result looks a little like wool and comes in flavors such as cardamom and sesame.
• Cassata Siciliana: I regret that the last time I was in Sicily I was too distracted by the gelato to try this showstopper of a dessert made of cake, ricotta, nuts and candied fruit. I've made something called a cassata before, but apparently it was no match for this.
• Singular Strawberries: Japanese princess strawberries are as big as a tennis ball and, as only 500 or so are grown annually, cost around $4,400 each. Since I typically travel on a budget, I might opt instead for the less expensive and closer-at-hand white strawberry of Chile, the mother of the modern strawberry.
• Black Fruitcake: Containing a pound of butter, a quart of rum and a pint of stout (which confers its color), this centerpiece of Christmas in Belize offers fruitcake lovers like me further justification for our holiday habit. Preparation may begin as early as a year in advance.
• Threads of God: The rarest pasta on earth, these noodles, so intricate that only three women in the Italian village of Lula know how to make them, are stretched in the air by hand until they form more than 250 gossamer threads.

Rest assured readers, when I try any of these during the next 25 years, you will be the first to hear about it.

An enticing compendium of interesting and unusual foods around the world, the Gastro Obscura has plenty of ideas for future columns, which Tom Harte intends to pursue.Submitted by Tom Harte

Sicilian Cassata Cake

I first made this recipe adapted from Time-Life nearly 50 years ago. It will have to hold me until I can get back to Sicily.

• 1 pound cake loaf
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons triple sec
• 3 tablespoons candied fruit, chopped
• 14 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate, divided
• 3/4 cup coffee
• 2 sticks butter

Trim crusts from cake, leveling top. Slice horizontally into 1/2-inch slices. Beat ricotta until smooth. Beat in cream, sugar and liqueur. Fold in fruit and 2 ounces chocolate. Starting with bottom slice, layer cake and ricotta mixture ending with plain slice of cake on top. Press loaf together to compact, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Melt remaining 12 ounces of chocolate with coffee until smooth. Remove from heat, beat in the chilled butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and chill to spreading consistency. Frost cake, swirling decoratively on top and sides.