DEAR SUN SPOTS: A few years back you had the recipe for Graziano’s delicious chicken cacciatore. I made it several times and loved it. However, a few years back I misplaced it when moving.

Do any of your readers still have it? I sure would love to have it.

Also, does anyone knows where I could buy cappilletti soup? Thank you. — Debbie, debrod@roadrunner.com

ANSWER: Sun Spots’ search of the online archives turned up a recipe for chicken cacciatore, but it’s from Marco’s, not Graziano’s. Possibly you recalled the wrong restaurant? Or perhaps the recipe you sought didn’t make it onto the website.

At any rate, here is the one Sun Spots found, which is from an “Eats” story in the b section, Dec. 6, 2009. You can read the additional cooking tips that went with the original story at sunjournal.com/node/548612.

According to the story, cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. Classic chicken cacciatore was a hunter’s stew, often using rabbit or chicken and adapted to the offerings of the hunter’s region and to outdoor cooking. Mushrooms and spices were common ingredients, with onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, wine and other flavorings becoming popular additions over time.

1 pound chicken, thinly sliced into tenders

1 small onion

1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced

1/8 ounce fresh oregano, chopped

1/4 ounce fresh basil, chopped

8 to 10 medium-size mushrooms of your choice, chopped

1/2 cup sweet vermouth

18 ounces tomato sauce

2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

Coat a preheated, large (12-inch) frying pan with oil and cook tenders over medium high heat, turning to cook both sides; salt and pepper.

Add onion and peppers, sauteing a few minutes before adding oregano and basil. Add in the mushrooms at this time, but if you prefer them less soft, add them during the last cooking step. Add 1/4 cup of sweet vermouth to deglaze, simmer for a few minutes.

Mix in 18 ounces of tomato sauce, the remaining 1/4 cup of sweet vermouth and one tablespoon of Romano cheese. Serve on cooked pasta, sprinkle with remaining Romano cheese to finish. Serves four to six people.

Sun Spots doesn’t know where you could buy cappilletti soup locally, but there are many recipes for it online.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: For the lady who contacted me about chives, sorry, I lost your phone number. Chuck’s Corner, 699 Sabattus St., Lewiston, 78-48176, now carries this item. — Jan McDonald, motor42@roadrunner.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am writing to thank you and to let you know how far reaching your column is.

Since I wrote to you (Oct. 24) concerning the Youth Cavalcade that my brother, Ted Theriault, and his friend Bill Lauvat were in in the 1950s, I found many childhood friends that I lost contact with more than 50 years ago.

Mary and David Shortill were our neighbors in Lewiston. Also, Mary was in college with Bill Lauvat’s sister, so they are going to reconnect. So great!

This has been quite an experience. We are all very excited hearing about each other again. All this through your column. Thank you. — Louise Richard, Rumford

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Each year Safe Voices sponsors the Adopt-a-Family program to match donors with families in need of assistance during the Christmas season. This year we have more families in need and not enough donors.

Help us make this a special holiday for families affected by domestic violence, short on resources and unable to provide gifts for their children.

To sign up to sponsor a family, please call me or Kim at Safe Voices, 795-6744. — Janet Allen, jallen@safevoices.org

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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