For a Great Cioppino, gather the following...
The Base
2 quarts fish fumet or stock -
You need to start with a good base. It's the foundation that everything is built upon.
The Body
a pinch saffron -
Nothing adds body like a hint of saffron. Wars have been fought over this simple flower part.
The Lubricant
6 tbs. olive oil -
A good oil can bring the flavors together, and it can also keep items apart.
The Aromatics
5 large garlic cloves, 2 medium onions, 1 head fennel -
Aromatics fill our senses. They draw attention to particulars we might have passed too quickly by.
The Dry Spices
Grey salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbs. toasted fennel seed, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp. dried oregano -
Although these are considered dry, they are still very potent when used appropriately.
The Acids
2 tbs. tomato paste, 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes -
It's the acid in food that delivers the spark. A wine without acid is flat. The proper use of acid in food delivers that same spark and vibrancy
The Wine
2 cups dry white wine, 1/2 cup Pernod -
Some say wine make the world go round - I say it's the wine that makes Cioppino SING!
The Heat
5 whole jalapenos -
The heat of the Jalapeno brings out the intensity of the flavors. Cooking for just myself, I prefer the slightly hotter Serrano. If I'm cooking for the family, it might be the low level Poblano. To each their own.
The Herbs
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves, 3 tbs. fresh chopped basil leaves, 2 tbs. fresh chopped tarragon leaves -
Fresh herbs. There's nothing like fresh to bring out the best in a dish. Never substitute frozen when you can have fresh.
The Fish
2 lbs. littleneck clams and PEI mussels, crab legs, large shrimp, 2 lbs. halibut fillet, 3/4 lb. sea scallops -
Everyone knows to use only the freshest fish. Just one piece of bad fish will ruin the whole dish. Know where your fish comes from and how fresh it is. Do your homework.
The Butter
1 stick unsalted butter -
Butter brings it all together. It makes everyone happy. Always invite butter to the party.
All in all there is nothing like a great Cioppino to help celebrate the holidays.
And like a great loan officer, a great Cioppino brings together many different ingredients.
It's the combination of those ingredients and not one single ingredient that makes both great.
NOTE: I read every single post written by a Loan Officer or Mortgage Company over the last week. Every single one! It was the first time I had done this. I was surprised at how many posts were cut and paste hacks, or reposted over and over again in hopes of Search Engine Rankings. If I found your first post wonderful and enlightening, it was eliminated when I saw it reposted again with just a few keywords changed.
Also, if your post started out as great but was abruptly halted with a Read More... it wasn't really a post here on ActiveRain was it? Sorry about that.
If your post was marked by a splot it wasn't good enough for AR, so I figured it wasn't good enough for me. 
What I did learn was that it was so easy to make the Mortgage Week in Review. All you have to do is write compelling original material. Do that and do that once.
Enjoy the Cioppino and Happy Holidays!
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Maybe.
Lots of good reading here Mike. I find the mortgage articles as interesting and necessary as the real estate posts these days.
Thanks.