Black-pepper pasta wasn't intentional

The white top with holes, left, came off with the screw cap, and I inadvertently dumped nearly one-third of a bottle of Malabar Black Pepper into my pasta sauce.

Editor's note: Today, I discuss a dish born of a kitchen accident, and take a look at the latest Perdue chicken label.

Hurrying to prepare a pasta sauce for dinner on Monday night, I emptied a half bottle of marinara into a non-stick pan and followed it with a can of anchovies and oil, red-pepper flakes and dried Italian herbs.

What about black pepper, I thought, then grabbed a bottle from Costco Wholesale I had in the cabinet, unscrewed the top and shook it over the sauce -- dumping one-third of the bottle into the pan.

The loose-fitting cap with holes came off with the screw top.

I scooped up as much as possible, but the result was a peppery whole-wheat spaghetti unlike anything I have ever tasted before.

I'm planning to take back the bottle of Kirkland Signature Coarse Ground Malabar Black Pepper and ask for a refund.

Black-Pepper Pasta with Black Tiger shrimp.

For breakfast today, I had Black-Pepper Pasta with two organic eggs.

Can Can poultry

The current Perdue label shows a mythical farm house.

Perdue poultry is 40% off during the 10th anniversary Summer Can Can Sale at ShopRite supermarkets, but the low-quality birds are almost always on sale.

The newest label boasts of an all-vegetarian diet and  no animal byproducts, but is silent on the use of antibiotics to keep the chickens from getting sick in the close quarters of huge poultry houses.

Also missing is a statement the poultry is raised humanely.

The package says "no hormones or steroids added," but that's meaningless because federal regulations bar those harmful additives.

And "raised cage free" also is meaningless.

When in ShopRite, look for antibiotic-free Readington Farms or Coleman Organic poultry. 

You'll pay more, but get a tastier bird and one that's better for you.

Garden salad

Red-leaf lettuce and cucumbers with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Now, when I have a Garden Salad, it actually comes from a garden, the one behind my house.

We're also harvesting a few black figs; fresh mint and oregano, and we're waiting for tomatoes.