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5/31/2007 New York: Schillers Liquor Bar After our good start at Thor, M and I made our way to Schillers Liquor Bar. This post will be short and sweet as our stop at Schillers was short and not-so-sweet!
We had high hopes for this new entry to the Lower East Side. Schillers is owned by the same folks who have Pastis (Meatpacking District) and Balthazar (Soho), two places in New York that we both love. Schillers is smaller than either Pastis or Balthazar but there is a familiar feel to the place in the use of tile, the way the bar is set up and the look of the menus.
It was crowded when we arrived but we managed to find a place to squeeze in near the bar. We planned to order a couple of cocktails and then a little bite to eat - our goal this night was to get a feel for a few places. M ordered a Tequila and Grapefruit - one of her favorites as long as the grapefruit juice is fresh-squeezed. I wanted to try something from their menu and ordered a Raspberry Bramble.
While waiting for our drinks we noticed an odd interaction going on with some of the staff. One of the servers seemed to be bullying and really trying to aggravate one of the bus boys. The bus boy attempted to ignore it and just go on with his work. But the server kept at it. And what was odd was no manager (or anyone) stepped in.
Our drinks arrived, M's was good but mine was too sweet - the bartender had too heavy a hand with the Chambord. The server continued to pick at the bus boy and at one point actually caused the bus boy to drop and break a glass into the bar ice. Which then meant he had to totally empty the ice bin, clean it out and fill it again. And still nothing was done.
This was truly the oddest interaction I have ever seen in any restaurant. It was all completely visible to the patrons and other staff members. It did not seem to be in fun or jest, it seemed very mean-spirited.
We didn't even finish our drinks. The whole thing was just too uncomfortable. We paid the bill and made our way to a place we hoped would be much more convivial. We might be the only people who didn't like this place but we won't be back again. There are way too many great places in New York to waste time in one that does not feel good.
Schillers Liquor Bar
131 Rivington St (between Norfulk and Suffulk)
Lower East Side
New York
212.460.4555
F train to Delancy and Essex or V train to 2nd
 5/30/2007 New York: Thor No I haven't been back to New York -I'm still trying to get caught up on all the things I did while there way back in late October!
In earlier posts I may have mentioned that M and I were staying in an apartment on the Lower East Side - living like locals! We happened to be staying just a few blocks from one of the latest neighborhoods starting to become "the" place to go. Sort of like the Meatpacking district was, maybe ten years ago. Rivington Street is the heart of this resurgence and you'll find all kinds of interesting restaurants and bars either already firmly established or opening their doors.
On my first night in town (M arrived in town before me) we decided to take a little tour of the local scene.
Our first stop was Thor, located in the Hotel on Rivington. The name is actually the acronym for The Hotel on Rivington but brings to mind Nordic times and the clean lines of the room and decor support this idea. Although the entry way is rather odd and makes you feel a little like you are entering some Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole.
We arrived early - at least by New York standards - and joined just a few others in the bar/lounge area of the restaurant. While sitting at the bar we chatted with the friendly bartender about other up and coming places in the neighborhood.
 Since we had plans to try a few places that night we kept our order fairly simple - a bowl of delicious house-made potato chips; a charcuterie plate and a couple of cocktails. I ordered a "Gin and Juice", which was basically a twist on an Orange Blossom. Fresh-squeezed orange and lemon juices blended with gin and topped with a little black pepper. That little spice on the top was really nice. The charcuterie platter was a nice selection of six meats, pieces of Parmesan cheese, cornichons and caper berries.
It was a fun, quiet start to our evening. I have a feeling that later in the evening the place would be much more lively and can imagine groups of friends draped along the low couches in the lounge area. At that point it might not be the place for quiet conversation but would certainly be an entertaining place to be!
There are so many great places in New York that I can't say if I'll ever make it back here again, but I do know if I was in the area I'd certainly be interested in stopping in, checking out a few more things on the menu and chatting with both locals and hotel guests who frequent the bar.
Thor
Hotel on Rivington
107 Rivington St (Between Essex and Ludlow)
Lower East Side
New York
F train to Delancy and Essex
 5/29/2007 It Must be Summer... I know it's summer - or at least very close to it - when I make the first batch of Orzo and Wild Rice Salad. This salad is a staple of my summer dining for a couple of reasons. First, it's tasty! It's also easy to customize or vary each time you make it and it's a great way to use up odds and ends of leftover things. And, it's a nice light, healthy alternative.
Start with equal amounts of cooked orzo and wild rice (sometimes I even vary this and use Forbidden Rice or black beans instead). Then add some savory things - in this version I used the leftover asparagus and corn from my previous salmon dinner and chopped green onions but use whatever you have on hand. Next add something a little sweet. In this version I used dried blueberries (soak in boiling water for 10 minutes or so to plump them up, drain thoroughly, then toss them in) but any dried fruit or even fresh fruit pieces will work.
Finally, either make or purchase a light dressing. I really like the line of Paula's No-Oil dressings. There are several really flavorful options. I used the Lemon & Dill on this salad but other favorites include the Tangerine & Mint and the Orange & Basil. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten it all but it should not be swimming in dressing.
This salad will easily keep a few days - especially if you use only dried fruit.
"Personal" Watermelons I have to say that one of the best "inventions" in recent years has been the personal size watermelon! I love watermelon but used to rarely buy it as, even with two people in the house, eating an entire regular-size version can be a bit daunting. And more than eating it, storing it was sort of an issue - those guys take up a lot of room in the fridge!
So I was very happy when the first little ones starting showing up in the markets and I'm now a diehard fan! I can easily eat one of these on my own in just a couple days. I've never had a bad one, they've been bred to be super sweet, and even if they have seeds they are small and barely cause a crunch, if you choose not to spit 'em out!
If you haven't seen these little guys yet take a look around the next time you are shopping. While a higher cost per pound than a normal size, they often are on sale for just a couple bucks. And the prices have come down each year as they become more widely grown. For me the convenience is well worth the extra cost. 5/28/2007 More Copper River King! Another weekend, another piece of beautiful Copper River King. In case you haven't noticed from previous posts, I don't like to "do" a lot to fish. I mainly try to subtly enhance it more than top it with something that will overwhelm it. This week was no different.
Originally I had planned to do a dry rub for this piece of salmon but was feeling a bit lazy to even do that much work - okay that must have been a lot lazy since making a dry rub is not all that time-consuming! Instead I decided to use a cedar plank - to add just a hint of smoke, and instead of the rub a prepared marinade. I used a Tom Douglas' Chili Teriyaki Sauce which it looks like he no longer makes. Dang it! The thing I like about this marinade is that it's super light and even though it is called Teriyaki, the taste seems to lean more toward the chili in my opinion.
 So after soaking my cedar board for a couple hours (very important!), I placed the salmon on it, lightly brushed the salmon with a bit of the marinade and placed it on the grill for about 20 minutes. I also added a couple ears of fresh corn I'd picked up at Central Market to the grill. Now, the sign said it was Northwest grown but they didn't say Northwest of where! I don't ever remember seeing corn this early even from Yakima or other points in Eastern Washington. Hmmm. Finally, a few spears of asparagus joined the party on the grill. When all was said and done it was a great dinner!
 Pissaladiere Last week I got together with a bunch of friends to start planning our upcoming trip to France. This fall almost twenty of us will descend upon Bordeaux for a week of touring, wine tasting, eating and hanging out around our Château. This party was to share information, introduce those who didn't know each other and basically just to start the eating and drinking now. :-)
To get us in the proper mood everyone brought a bottle of Bordeaux and an appetizer - preferably something French. I had planned to make Pissaladiere, which is kind of a French version of pizza. I planned to make it from the ground up - dough and all. When I started to make it last week I suddenly realized I must have lost my mind at some point during the day as there was no way I had enough time to make the dough - what was I thinking? So I decided to defrost a sheet of puff pastry and use it as the base instead. Well, once it was defrosted I realized that I didn't even have time to cook the onions down properly! So I scrapped the whole idea and went with something I could get out in the time I had left.
In the meantime, I now had a defrosted sheet of puff pastry and all the ingredients for the Pissaladiere. So this weekend - on a day I had lots of time - I decided to make it. This was really great with the puff pastry base! A little goes a long way as the richness of that buttery crust and the pure sweetness of the cooked down onions is so satisfying!
It's perfect with a glass of wine (and would go well with a beer or any cocktail) and holds well overnight so it would be a nice addition to a party menu. This is very similar to the onion tart that I've made in the past. The main differences are in how the onions are cooked, there's no cheese and this version includes the nice salty taste of anchovies and olives.
Pissaladiere
adapted from Saveur Cooks Authentic French
Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil to a large frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Slice the onions very thinly and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, then add the springs of marjoram and rosemary. Cover the pan with a lid and let the onions slowly simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid from the pan and continue cooking until the moisture has evaporated and the onions have cooked down to a marmalade-like consistency, an additional 30 minutes or so. The onions will become a golden color. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the stems from the herb sprigs. Preheat the oven to 450°. On a floured board roll out the puff pastry to a very thin sheet - you should have about a 10"x14" rectangle. Place the pastry on a baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of anchovy paste over the dough. Spread onion mixture over the anchovy paste. Arrange the olives* and anchovies (if using) over the onions. Bake for about 20 minutes until crust is golden-brown. Remove from the oven, cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. * Niçoise olives are rather small and a bit difficult to pit. I chose not to as I was the only one eating this over the weekend. And, oddly enough the recipe did not specify to pit them and the photo looked like they were whole. Once cooked they pits come out easily but you will need to warn your guests! Or, if you'd like to pit them before, I find that dipping olives in boiling water for just 30 seconds or so soften them enough that the pits are easier to remove. 5/27/2007 Smash Wine Bar & Bistro Well, this was a very busy week. It seems I was out and about nearly every night and often with two different events planned, one right after the other. I am now happily recovering by spending the holiday weekend mostly around the house. I love getting out but it's also fun to hang out and enjoy the house for a change. :-)
Thursday night found me out with the "SAFECO Girls" or, actually, women. I've mentioned the group before. We've known each other for 20+ years when we all met through our common workplace. We generally get together as a group about once a month, although this was our first gathering this year. Everyone's lives seem to just get busier and busier.
 This month we met at Smash Wine Bar and Bistro in Wallingford. Every time I have passed this place it has looked crowded, but Thursday we were pretty much the only group there. It was a beautiful day so we sat outside to take advantage of the weather while we could. Although this was prime Happy Hour time, what immediately caught my eye on the menu was the well-priced wine flights. Since the day was so summery I tried a flight of rosé. My flight consisted of the Syncline 2006 (Washington State); Cune 2005 (Spain); and Melipal 2006 (Argentina). The Melipal didn't really grab me but the others were great. Syncline is really starting to get their rosé down.
.
 There were specials on food which the others had ordered before I arrived. There was a plate of Hummus and Muhummura with Pita; a flatbread covered with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and feta (I think); and an order of crabcakes. The reaction to the food was mixed and some of this was based on people's past experiences there. I liked the bites I had but there was some discussion whether the crabcakes were actually crab or not. However, when this was brought to the server's attention, he immediately removed the charge from the bill.
Anyway, this is another great little neighborhood spot - seems I've been in everyone's neighborhood but my own this week! And I think their wine selections look very interesting.
Smash Wine Bar and Bistro
1401 N. 45th Street
Wallingford
Seattle
206.547.3232
 5/26/2007 Book: Educating Peter, by Lettie Teague This post is way overdue! I've been enjoying this book so much that I almost forgot that I should let you know about it. First, to make sure we are above board here, I need to let you know that I was contacted by someone from the publishing company, Simon and Schuster, Inc who asked if I'd like to receive a copy of the book, Educating Peter: How I Taught a Famous Movie Critic the Difference Between Cabernet and Merlot or How Anybody Can Become an (Almost) Instant Wine Expert
 , written by Lettie Teague. I've mentioned this to you all before but I do accept these "gifts" as long as it's understood that if I choose to write anything about them it will be my true opinion. So the book arrived quite some time ago and I soon started reading it. If you are not familiar with Lettie she is the wine writer for Food and Wine magazine, and you'll often see her presenting at different food and wine events around the country.
I've always enjoyed her style as she is not pretentious at all and many of her columns are based on finding good value wines that might be otherwise overlooked. Having said that, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book.
Well, I can tell you now that I absolutely love it! I'm actually not done with it as I'm savoring each page much as you would a wine that you really enjoy. I read just a chapter or section of a chapter each night. Within the first few pages I'd picked up several bits of information that were new to me. But, more than just wine information, the book is very entertaining as Lettie recounts her conversations and experiences in providing a personal wine course for Peter Travers, Rolling Stone's film critic and self-proclaimed wine novice. The book is written in a very easy to read style, with each section providing good detailed information but not so much as to overwhelm. In addition, both Lettie's way of presenting the information and Peter's way of relating to it (often through move references) provide a good frame of reference that helps you relate it to something.
I actually plan to finish this book and then read it again. This first round through is helping me become aware of all the various topics and I'm focusing a lot on the amusing stories. Next time through I will really focus on the wine information and I expect a lot of it to stick with me and become useful bits as I'm buying and tasting wine. After that I will share with as many friends as possible!
No matter if you are a complete wine novice or consider yourself fairly knowledgeable on the subject this book holds a little something (or more!) for everyone. Plus, it just such a fun read that even if you know it all, I think you should read it just for the stories!
First Look: Betty Wednesday evening M2 and I checked out Betty, Crow's little sister and the latest new restaurant on Queen Anne Hill. Although Betty has only been open about 2 weeks it seems to already be quite popular with local neighborhood residents. Our friendly bartender greeted several "regulars" as we tried a couple of cocktails and shared a few plates.
 My cocktail for the evening was the "Counterbalance", a nice blend of mostly Ruby Red Absolut and lime juice. If you are not aware the use of a counterbalance was the way the city's first trolley cars to traverse Queen Anne were kept under control, ensuring that they didn't plummet down the steep hill. The counterbalance would be put in motion to counteract the force of gravity on the weight of the cars. (Side note: Although for those of us from Seattle, Queen Anne is just a very steep hill, if you lived in Cincinnati you might think of it as "Mt Queen Anne". The first time I visited Cincinnati everyone there told me I must see Mt. Adams and so I did. It's just over 800 feet above sea level; Cincinnati is at nearly 700 feet so the total increase in elevation is about 150 feet. Queen Anne sits at 450+ feet above sea level and Seattle is considered to be "at sea level". That all means that one of our hills is about three times as tall as Cincinnati's mountain!) But back to Betty...
 Betty has a fairly small menu - which may be partially due to the age of the place - but what is on the menu sounds great. M2 and I decided to try a few things to get a good sense of what they could do. We started with a basic meat platter (charcuterie) and a side of frites - how can you go to a place that offers them and not try them?
 The charcuterie was very nice, nothing super special but the sort of thing you'd want if you were looking for a lighter bit to go with a nice glass of wine. The frites were wonderful! Thin cut, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside - perfect! They asked if we wanted ketchup and we accepted but I will tell you the fries were so good on their own that I didn't want anything mucking them up!
 The third thing we ordered, Chicken Ballotine, was completely new to me but M2 was very excited to see it on the menu as she was planning on making it for a party this weekend but had never actually seen it. I am so glad that we tried it! Basically it's a chicken leg with thigh attached that has been de-boned but skin left on and then it's stuffed - in this case with lovely mushrooms. And Betty's version was served on a bed of white beans and chunks of spring asparagus in a light broth. It was very good!
Compared to Crow the vibe here is much more laid back and neighborhood-y. Crow is such a large, almost industrial space while Betty is much more intimate. Betty maintains the great open kitchen and eating bar that Crow has but the bar bar at Betty is much more pleasant than the one at Crow. If I lived on Queen Anne I'd stop in again soon. And even though I don't, I'm sure I will be back again in the near future. I think Crow's little sister will give her a run for the money.
Betty
1507 Queen Anne Aveune N
Queen Anne
Seattle
206.352.2773
 5/24/2007 First Look: Copper Gate When M2 and I attended the Vagabond dinner at Portalis, we sat at a table of ten but were really only able to talk to the people closest to us on our end of the table. At the end of dinner, as we were preparing to leave one of the other guests and I suddenly realized that we "knew" each other. Virtually at least - through Flickr and the blogging world. Since everyone was leaving we didn't really have much chance to talk but through email agreed to get together again for a proper conversation.
On Monday Jess T (hogwash), and I met at a newly renovated tavern in the Scandinavian neighborhood (moving from it's fishing roots to upscale urban area on a daily basis), Ballard. The Copper Gate retains it's rough-around-the-edges exterior and inside is very lean and clean - well except for all the depictions of topless women. There are booths and tables around the perimeter and the bar divides the space in two. They had an interesting idea for bar seating, although it needs a little work. The bar actually has two sets of barstools (which are bolted to the floor) - one row behind and offset behind the other. This is actually a clever idea if you have a group of friends gathered there as it allows for a grouping instead of a line of people. The only problem is that the first line of stools - those closest to the bar -are too far away from it. And when just two people are trying to have a conversation, as Jess and I were, you sort of have too much space between you - certainly so if you were trying to have any sort of private conversation. Of course the bar is not really a place to have a private conversation.
I like the idea but as we discussed with the (very Scandinavian) bartender the place is still a work in progress. They have a decent list of Aquavits as any self-respecting Scandinavian bar should. I tried one that is distilled in Portland but they had plenty of traditional offerings, too. Jess had a cucumber inspired cocktail that seemed very refreshing. We split a plate of Swedish meatballs - made as they should be and served with mashed potatoes and the traditional lingonberries.
I like this little place and will be back again. If I lived just a little closer I could see it being a neighborhood hangout - and I'm sure it will become that for the lucky Ballardites who live nearby. Especially since they have a nice little Happy Hour with discounts on drinks, Aquavits and the food.
It was nice to spend a little time getting to know Jess in real life - it's always amazing to me when virtual and real worlds collide! I have to say it's led to some really wonderful experiences for me!
Copper Gate
6301 24th Ave NW
Ballard
Seattle
206.706.3292
 5/23/2007 Copper River King It's the time of year that many of us have been waiting for...... The Copper River fishing season is open! Last week the first fish were flown in and met with pomp and circumstance at the airport. Since then they have been making their way to local fish markets and restaurants.
Each year the price per pound gets a little bit higher. There are some that say the price isn't worth what you get. That could be true, but I just have to have some! The amazing silken quality of this oily (in a good way) fish is so amazing. The King are my favorites but I'll also indulge in Sockeye, too, as it is priced a bit better.
As with other fish, I really like to make sure the flavor of the fish comes through and so I don't do a whole lot to it before grilling it (my favorite way to cook these babies).
I really like a Blueberry and Basil marinade that I first created several years ago. Although it is dark colored due to the blueberries, it is very light in taste. Also, I don't use the marinade as a soaking solution but just lightly baste it on the fish while it's cooking. Then I usually serve a little of it on the side for those who want a bit more.
The other thing I like about this recipe is that at this time of year I'm trying to clear my freezer from any leftover fruit from last year - need to make way for this year's crops! So this is a perfect way to use up any blueberries you have hanging around.
I'm afraid this is one of those recipes that I measure by eye and taste - but as I've mentioned before you want to come up with something you like so this is a good place to start. This recipe makes enough for 1 - 2 pounds of salmon.
Blueberry and Basil Marinade or Sauce
Put the blueberries, garlic and onion in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until berries have popped and onions are getting tender. Add the sugar to taste. Add balsamic and lemon juice until the sauce is thin but not runny. Check the taste again to see if you need a bit more sugar but the sauce should be a bit tart - more on the balsamic side than on the sweet side. You can either tear up the basil and mix it into the sauce at this point or, what I prefer to do, is tear the basil into medium sized pieces and place it on top of the salmon - it should sort of stick to the surface. Then paint the salmon with the sauce. Place on a hot grill over medium high heat. The thickness of the salmon and the size of the pieces will determine your cooking time. As soon as you see the "white stuff" (it's actually called albumin protein*) coming to the top surface remove the fish from the heat. It should still look a little uncooked in the center if you cut it open immediately. * Many years ago at a cooking class I took from Tom Douglas he taught this little trick for knowing when the salmon is done. I've seen lots of people (on the Internet) looking for ways to keep the protein from forming but as long as you take the salmon off right away, it doesn't look bad and it's a perfect way to tell when it's done!
You can serve whatever your heart desires with the fish - a perfect vegetable at this time of year is asparagus. If you are looking for a good wine, one of my favorite combinations is a big Pinot Noir. There something about the Pinot/Salmon combination that I think is perfect. And it's especially good with this blueberry sauce as Pinot often has a strong berry or cherry flavor. There are lots of good options but I opened a bottle of Domaine Serene for my dinner. It's a bit on the spendy side but when you are paying $28/pound for the fish, who's really counting?
I had some salmon leftover and the following day I used it to make a scrumptious version of a fish taco. I grilled some Walla Walla Sweet onions (tossing them with a little olive oil and fresh thyme). Once they were caramelized I warmed the fish just a little. Then I heated a flour tortilla on the grill, smeared a little of the leftover blueberry sauce on it, added the onions and fish and wrapped it up for a quick lunch. If I'd had some cabbage on hand I might have shredded a bit of that to include, too! If you want to check out this salmon, don't dally! Copper River season only lasts a few weeks with the King season shutting down earlier than the Sockeye.
5/22/2007 French Cheese Tasting at the Seattle Cheese Festival In addition to the cooking class at The Harvest Vine I attended one other seminar at this past weekend's Seattle Cheese Festival. I wasn't actually scheduled to take it but then M called me as another friend wasn't feeling well and they had tickets for the "Tour de France des Terroirs", a class focused on French cheeses and understanding how terroir affects the taste and characteristics of each cheese.
The class was led by two very interesting and knowledgeable instructors. Laure Dubouloz of Herve Mons Affineur Company and Francois Keautret, Vice President at Peterson Cheese Company. The first thing I learned is that an affineur is a person who finishes cheese. So the farmer or cheese coop starts the cheesemaking process and gets the cheese through it's first month or two of life and then they are handed off to a company like Herve Mons for the final aging. These affineurs will have caves in one or more locations, where the cheese is stored and, depending on the type of cheese, the may also complete the final washes or other processes necessary to get the cheese to its ready-to-be-sold state.
For this class we sampled twelve cheeses from six regions in France. We were also provided with a selection of wines to go along with the cheese.
For each region, Laure and Francois would talk about the influences in the region that affect the animals used to produce cheese, the local flora that might impact the flavor of the cheese and other elements such as climate, history or terrain. It was very interesting! Then we would try one or more cheeses from that area. Generally, for each region we tried cheese from different animals - cow, goat, or sheep and sometimes a blend from two.
The six regions we "visited" were: Normandy; Loire; Jura; Savoie; Pyrenees; and Auvergne.
This was a really great class and I think I may have a new way of participating in the cheese festival! I loved the amount of information and the ability to really taste and learn about each cheese, plus the information they provided for us to take home was very complete and will be a useful reference in the future.
I'm already looking forward to next year's event!
 5/21/2007 First of the Year I generally try to wait for the first Seattle area strawberries to come on the market before I buy them. But every now and then I have to jump the gun and buy California strawberries. Normally I am disappointed when I do - the insides are white and they aren't as tasty as I was expecting.
On Saturday night I was at a party and someone had brought a big platter of berries, bananas, truffles and creme fraiche. And the berries were really good. So yesterday I took a little trip to Costco (after finding out that's where they were from) and picked myself up a little 4 pound container of them.
They are making me pretty happy today. 5/20/2007 Cooking with Cheese at The Harvest Vine Restaurant The Seattle Cheese Festival kicked off Friday afternoon with a few cooking classes taught by local chefs. Although all three classes sounded interesting I knew immediately which one I was most interested in taking. If you have ever been to The Harvest Vine, the tapas bar in Madison Valley, you'll know exactly why and if you haven't been there it's high time you checked them out.
At The Harvest Vine, Chef Joseba Jimémez de Jimémez works magic in a tiny kitchen as he brings the tastes of his hometown of San Sebastian, Spain to this Seattle neighborhood. The menu is comprised of tapas, the small plates of Spain. He brings in many authentic ingredients to create these beautiful, tasty, creative morsels. And because the plates are small, any dining interlude here can encompass a multitude of experiences. There's also a great wine, sherry and port menu to check out.
I am particularly fond of small bites in general but especially those of Spain so I was very excited to have the opportunity to learn from Chef.
Friday at noon found ten of us lining up along the copper-topped bar that surrounds the tiny kitchen. As seems to always be the case, I sat between two very nice women, one who works at the cheese counter for Metropolitan Market and the other a photo editor for Microsoft. Foodies are a very diverse group of people!
Chef started the class with background information about the Cheese Festival, his background and the Basque region and then we got down to the demonstration and sampling!
The first dish featured beautiful, fat white asparagus that, unfortunately, are shipped in from a grower especially for the restaurant so not available to us. However the dish can be prepared with the smaller white asparagus that are available locally or even a green version.
The simplicity of this recipe, as well as the others, is part of the appeal of these dishes. Basically the asparagus were topped with a flavorful béchamel sauce and then a little grated agour cheese, a sheep's milk cheese. Chef used a kitchen torch to melt and lightly brown the cheese before serving.
 Next up was a dish I wanted to rush home and replicate! I could see making this for breakfast, lunch or dinner! The only thing that might change would be what you served along with it.
 The dish started with sautéed oyster mushrooms (including garlic and onions). Chef started out with the mushrooms on the plate but the recipe suggests starting with toast made from a nice country bread. I think you can't go wrong either way. The next layer consisted of eggs fried until the whites were just set but the yolks still golden yellow liquid.
 Those were topped with a few slices of Serrano ham, quickly fried in the same pan and then the whole dish was topped with grated Gabietou cheese.
  Our third and final dish of the day, falls into the category of pinxto (canapé or appetizer). It was simply toasted bread, topped with a layer of blue cheese (in this case bleu cheese de Bearu from the region), a thin slice of lightly roasted pear, a little more cheese and then walnut pieces. The pintxo are placed in a hot oven for a couple of minutes - just long enough to get the cheese melting. (These were very similar to a version I made for my Holiday Party in December.)
 All of these little plates brought together amazing flavors and textures yet were fairly simply prepared allowing the wonderful ingredients to really shine.
Chef offers other classes and wine dinners from time to time so you may be able to experience the magic on your own. And, of course, you can always drop in for dinner and try a few things out. Sitting at the kitchen bar is a great experience - even when there isn't a class in progress.
And, good news! A new location is being planned to open in late summer in the Belltown area - at least if the permitting process allows. This new location will feature pintxo options and will have a standing bar such as the traditional locations in San Sebastian. Located at 2nd and Blanchard it will become part of a new dining trifecta including Zoe, the "old" star of that corner, and Tavolata another newcomer about 1/2 way down the block. With those three options that will be a corner I'll be strolling often.
A few more photos from the class and from a previous meal there can be found here.
The Harvest Vine
2701 East Madison Seattle 206.320.9771  5/17/2007 It's Time for the Cheese Festival
There are also several seminars you can attend. I'm getting a jump on it all by taking a class on Friday with Chef Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez at his restaurant, Harvest Vine, which I am very excited about! If you've never been to Harvest Vine put in on your list of places to go. There's also a movie at the Seattle Art Museum, The Cheese Nun, about Sister Noella Marcellino, who is an artisinal cheesemaker and an internationally known expert. She'll be leading a discussion at the completion of the movie. If you go make sure to check out all of our local producers who are really producing some gorgeous cheese! And, of course, this is your opportunity to try cheese from all over the world. Just a little piece of advice - take a deep breath and just go with the flow. It gets pretty packed, although I'm expecting them to have made improvements in traffic flow again this year. Last year was much better than year one and I think this third year will see even more improvement. 5/13/2007 Fresh Mint Ice Cream I love mint. And I happen to have an abundance of spearmint growing in my yard. It's hard not to have an abundance of mint if you have any at all, as it's one of the most pervasive plants around. I use tons of it in the summer but am always looking for new ideas.
So this week's ice cream experiment from David Lebovitz' book, The Perfect Scoop, was his recipe for Fresh Mint Ice Cream. And I am happy to report that is is very good! I decided to add a bit of chocolate to create that combination made in heaven. David has some recipe ideas and suggestions in his book but I happened to have a jar of Fran's Dark Chocolate Sauce on hand and decided to use it.
As I was scooping the ice cream from the ice cream machine into the storage container I just poured in some of the chocolate sauce every now and then. (As you scoop it out it will look more ribbon-like.) Once completely frozen it's the perfect blend of sweet, refreshing mint and dark decadent chocolate.
It's a bit hard to tell in the photo but the ice cream is a lovely light shade of pistachio. There is just enough green so that you know it's not vanilla but is not that fluorescent green we've come to associate with mint.
It's another good reason to buy the book: Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments  5/11/2007 Boka Kitchen + Bar I had a meeting at Boka Kitchen + Bar last night. I keep meaning to spend more time there. They really have a creative list of cocktails and little bites. I need to go back again soon.
You can read my first impression here.
 Boka Kitchen + Bar 1010 First Ave Seattle 206.357.9000 5/9/2007 Blueberry Bread Pudding One of the things I hate is not using up all food that I've purchased - especially if it's something I really like! But sometimes it happens that I can't quite get to everything before it begins to get past the prime eating stage. With some things I will try to pop them in the freezer but sometimes I forget or don't realize that they were on their way out until it's too late.
That just happened to me with a lovely baguette from Tall Grass Bakery that I purchased at the U-District Farmers' Market this last weekend. This morning I was going to slice off a few pieces for a little toast with my tea but when I started to slice the loaf I realized that it was pretty dried out but not yet hard as a rock! So I decided to make a sweet bread pudding. And this is one of those times when having fruit in your freezer really pays off!
Each year over the growing season I freeze whatever local produce I can get my hands on - some of it comes from family and friends, some from Farmers' Markets. Even if you don't have access to local produce or don't have the room to freeze and store it there are lots of good alternatives at your local grocery. Keeping just a couple bags in the freezer can really help out.
Adjust this recipe based on how much bread you have to use - this one is just based on what I came up with this morning.
 Blueberry Bread Pudding
Mix the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, white sugar and cinnamon. Add a pinch of salt.
Put the bread cubes in a medium sized bowl, pour the cream mixture over the top and toss well.
Let the bread sit for about 30 minutes so that it can absorb much of the liquid.
Meanwhile butter 3 - 12 oz ramekins. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add a layer of bread and then toss in several blueberries. Add another layer of bread and more blueberries. Repeat until the ramekin is full, ending with blueberries. Pour any remaining liquid over the bread in the ramekins. Sprinkle each ramekin with a little brown sugar.
Place ramekins in a flat baking dish and then fill the dish about half way with hot water.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the pudding is solid. Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.
Shrimp on the Barbie You've seen this sort of preparation before but last time we were sautéing them on the stove. Now that spring has sprung it's time to grill shrimp on your grill!
 Again, the preparation is super simple - peel the shrimp but leave the tail and last section of the shell intact. (This becomes a nice little "handle" when it's time to eat them!)
Toss the shrimp with a little olive oil, finely minced garlic (or use a garlic press), and some hot pepper flakes.
Thread the shrimp onto skewers (keeps them from falling through the grill and makes them easier to turn).
 Place the skewers over medium-hot heat (either coals or gas burner) and grill for just 2 or 3 minutes per side. As soon as the shrimp turn pink turn them and when the second side is pink remove them from the grill.
Serve with salad, a side of rice, grilled bread or just eat them all on their very own! Whatever sounds good to you!
5/8/2007 Estrella Family Creamery So can you tell I've been in cheese mode lately? I always love cheese but I really get inspired when meeting all the producers at the local Farmers' Markets. I think I became aware of Estrella Family Creamery just last year, although it may have been two years ago. They were at the Cheese Festival (coming up in just a couple weeks - are you ready?) and I fell in love with several of the samples they were offering. The one pictured is Red Darla a strong, smooth, earthy cow's milk cheese. The have a couple of blues that I adore and one they call Guapier, which is like the French Morbier, that I buy often.
Their site lists locations where you can find their cheese. |
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