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8/30/2007 New Urban DrinksOne drink, two small plates for $15? At some of the Seattle areas most interesting bars? What could be better than that?
Check out the latest version of dining deals, called New Urban Drinks.
The promotion runs September 2 - 30, Sundays - Thursdays (except Labor Day) and features some great spots like Licorous, 0/8 and Boka.
See the site for the full list and all the details - plus they have a weekly contest for $50 git certificate good for at one of the participating locations! Blues for Food FestHmmmm - this link appears to have been pulled - don't know what's up with that!
Here's an interesting sounding event that comes to us via NWSource:
If you aren't sure what a P-Patch is check this out. 8/29/2007 City Kitchens Birthday SaleFor those of you in Seattle it's that time of year - City Kitchens month-long celebration of their "birthday". From now until the end of September everything - yes everything - in the store is on sale. Some things are marked with special prices but even those that aren't are 20% off. It's a great time to pick up any sort of gadget you've been needing/wanting/craving!
On Sunday I picked up a set of steak knives (1/2 off); several kitchen gadgets (25% off); a couple of frying pans (special price and then discounted) and a baking pan to make teeny-tiny cakes (20%) off. I have a couple other things I may go back for, too.
Check it out ~
City Kitchens
1525 Fourth Ave
Seattle
206.382.1423 8/28/2007 Anticipation and Dread This is the day I have been waiting for. And dreading just a little. The tomatoes have made the turn and will be getting ripe on a regular and on-going basis. Sounds like a gardener's dream, right? Well, it mostly is. But see the Sweet 100s in the photo above? That's what I picked today. There will be another batch with just as many ready to go tomorrow or the next day. They don't call them Sweet 100s for no reason!
I love these little sugary bite-size tomatoes - and can eat a ton of them - but they are just about to out pace me....
8/22/2007 Limoncello – the Finale
When last I left you, my infused vodka was ready to strain and the mix with simple syrup of some strength to make the final Limoncello product. To strain the mix, place a coffee filter in a funnel. Dampen the coffee filter with water before placing it in the funnel so that the filter doesn't absorb the liqueur. Let the liquid drain until it stops dripping, then gently squeeze the filter to release the liquid still trapped in the zest, being careful not to tear or pop open the filter!
Next, mix the infusion with simple syrup. I lied last week when giving you the various ratios I'd seen for making the simple syrup - I had the sugar/water backward. When I looked again at the various recipes that I'd be referencing I realized that they either used the traditional 1 to 1 ratio or a bit more water than sugar. I decided to go with the 1 to 1, figuring I could always add a bit more water later if I felt it was warranted.
To make simple syrup, add one cup of sugar to one cup of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 2 minutes. Let it cool.
Once it's cool add the syrup to the infusion and gently stir. Now comes the hard part - you need to let it sit another 5 to 7 days to let the two liquids fully meld together. So fill your bottles and set it back in that dark cupboard where you'd be letting the infusion work.
Note: This recipe makes about 4.5 cups of limoncello.
Okay - I did sneak a little sip at this point to check the syrup to infusion ratio. Although there was a big alcohol taste at this point, the sweet/tangy flavor seemed to be just what I wanted.
Last night was my big unveiling. I chilled my limoncello until ice cold, then poured a bit into a cordial glass. I took a sip. The lemon essence hits you like a wonderful liquid lemon drop - I mean the candy, not the cocktail. It's very lemony with a nice dry finish (thank you Mr. Vodka!) So refreshing and a little sweet treat after dinner. This baby packs a wallop though! Sip with care!
According to the recipe I followed most closely, the final product would be 60 proof, which is the same as commercial limoncello. According to my calculations, however, this is more like 70 proof. Either way, you can safely keep your bottle in the freezer without it freezing!
Note: The color of the Limoncello in the first photo is a bit green because the bottles are pale green glass.
To make your own Limoncello follow the steps found here: Part I: Making Limoncello and Limoncello Update
Update: Because I actually made this limoncello last year I have had the experience of letting some of it "age" for several months. I would say that the final product really hit it's prime about 3 months after bottling. The flavors had really come together and the overall effect was a much smoother taste. 8/21/2007 Banana Bonanza Every now and then I forget just how many bananas are in a 4 pound package. That normally happens when I'm craving a banana, I'm shopping at Costco and I remember that you can get a big ol' bag for $1.30 or thereabouts.
This happened to me a couple weeks ago and after opening the bag and eating the one I was craving, the others just sort of sat around. And then they sat a little while longer. And then I noticed how brown they were getting and decided to do something about it.
 I made short work of several of them that very day. My first project was a big batch of banana muffins. Now the recipe I use has you fill the cupcake tins to the very brim and then the muffins grow big muffin-tops while they bake, resulting in humongous (and delicious) muffins. I decided to make them a more reasonable size and after eating a couple, I have about 15 or 16 stored in my freezer waiting to be popped out some morning when I need a banana break.
 My next project was another one of the recipes from David Lebovitz' book, The Perfect Scoop, Roasted Banana Ice Cream. This is one of the recipes he made in his class I took in June. I decided to replicate not just the ice cream but also most of the presentation he'd used in the class for a dinner with M and her mom.
My version of the ice cream seemed to be sweeter than what I had in class, but that may have been because my bananas were so super ripe. In class, David made nice petite profiteroles but I wanted something that would hold a "regular" - not gigantic - scoop of ice cream so I made mine a bit bigger. I'd probably rethink that strategy if I did this again. I really did like the petite version a little better.
Once I'd sliced the profiteroles and filled them with the ice cream I drizzled them with dark chocolate sauce. Pretty dang good, I'd say!
 I still have a few bananas left that I've been holding in the fridge - I guess one more project is in order!
8/20/2007 Accolades for Tealuxe So often we complain when things go wrong or a company doesn't meet expectations but we need to also make sure we spread the word when a company performs well.I've talked about Tealuxe before. And although I don't bore you with every order I place and receive from them I continue to enjoy their tea on an ongoing basis. A couple weeks ago I received my latest order. But when I looked at the packages I realized they had made an error. I had ordered one type of Earl Grey tea but received a different version - easy mistake to make, especially since the product numbers are just off by one digit.
At first I thought I'd just use what I had received but a couple days into it I remembered that I really didn't like the version that was sent as much as the one I had ordered. I called the customer service number and talked to a very nice man who, apologized, didn't hassle me in anyway and promptly sent out a package of what I had ordered, telling me to hold on to what I had and use it until the new order arrived.
The box arrived a couple days later with the version of Earl Grey I'd originally requested and it was twice as much as I'd ordered and paid for. Now that is great customer service. 8/18/2007 First Look: Kurrent Restaurant + Bar Kurrent had barely been open a week when R and I stopped by to check it out. I had been anxious to see the place since receiving an invitation to an opening party that had to be delayed - until after the opening! These things happen in the restaurant world so it was really no surprise.
The space is L shaped with a long bar and lounge area on one side and the dining area on the other. The walls sport all the color in this place with their mix of deep purple, chartreuse and rose-red - a combination that works by the way - and the furniture is a very cool white and stainless.
  The bar is pretty long, with a little bend that breaks it up a bit and has an icy, chill strip running the length of it to keep your cocktail chilled while you sip. The drink menu is creative yet appears to stick to classic balance even when adding interesting (and seasonal) ingredients to drinks.
 R and I both started with the day's special, a blueberry Mojito. I always worry a bit when sweet fruit is added to certain cocktails but we both thought the blueberries added just a nice note without overpowering the basic Mojito taste.
  My second cocktail was a Basil-Strawberry Mojito - a drink I first had in San Francisco last year. I know the combination sounds odd but I really like it. I liked this one better than that first one, although as the drink warmed it did get a bit sweet but that's a big challenge when strawberries are a major ingredient - you can only expect so much.
R ordered a True Cucumber Martini made with Hendricks, cucumber water and sporting a slice of cucumber. It was really refreshing.
The Mojitos were served in traditional pint glasses but drinks that require a cocktail glass get the stainless steel glasses. The idea is that stainless steel will stay chilled longer than glass. I can't say if that's true for sure but they make for a pretty cool looking drink and when kept on the chill strip do tend to keep the drinks chilled.
The one problem that I see with the chill strip is that it tends to create condensation on the glass so when/if you set it on the bar itself you end up with a lot of liquid, which may not be that great for your arms and sleeves.
 While waiting for our appetizer we were served a big dish of Wasabi Peas - I love those things and had to move them away to keep from eating the whole dish of them.
 We only ordered one appetizer that night and I have to give it mixed reviews at this point. It was a spicy shrimp dish, Pepper Cocktail Shrimp. The idea was good and the spice was a nice flavor. I thought the shrimp was just a tad mushy - maybe steamed too long or had been frozen and then thawed and not quite cooked right to compensate but I think it was the steaming in the banana leaf, which is a cool idea. R didn't notice that but didn't like that the spice seemed to have been sort of sprinkled on at the end instead of more incorporated with the shrimp, but that didn't bother me.
So I guess the jury is still out on the food - you can't really judge from one dish on any night, let alone a night when they've barely been open. I have high hopes for the kitchen though - if they come even close to the creativity I saw in the bar (I haven't even mentioned the house infusions and bitters) then they will be just fine. I hope to have another chance to check that out in the next week.
Kurrent
600 East Pine (at Belmont)
Seattle
206.323.1923
 8/17/2007 Jam Season Italian prunes (sometimes called Italian plums or Italian prune plums) always remind me of my grandparents and the many Sundays spent at the first house of theirs. First, because my grandparents were Italian but also because of the two prolific prune trees that flanked the little gate from the backyard into the alley behind the house. They bore more plums than the entire combined family of aunts, uncles and cousins could eat in a summer!
 Other than eating a few now and then, I hadn't done much with Italian prunes for years. But this year they called my name and I bought a few pounds of them. My first project was a batch of jam. I think next on the list will be a crostada - maybe combined with a few apricots - for a nice weekend treat.
 8/16/2007 La Crêperie Voilà Better late than never is a great saying when you are talking about trying out La Crêperie Voilà! Tucked into a little space in the downtown Convention Center they have been open for more than two years but last Monday was my first visit. Since I no longer work downtown, and haven't for many years, it's sometimes hard to get to these little places.
 La Crêperie serves both savory and sweet crêpes as well as a few other items such as soups and ice cream. They also list sweet crêpes flambé on their menu. When I arrived on Monday it was shortly before 1:00 pm and there was quite a crowd. Come to find out most people there were friends/relatives of the owner who had just gotten married over the weekend. I discovered this when a man in the crowd asked me if I was with the paper when he saw me taking photos. Once I finally admitted what I was doing he told me he was the owner and explained who the people were. I think he was worried as I did have to wait a few minutes for my crepe once I had ordered but I actually thought that for the number of people in front of me service was very quick!
I really liked the two woman working the counter and making the crêpes, too. Friendly, professional and very economical in their movements so that the line did move quickly.
I ordered a prosciutto, Emmental, and spinach crêpe. It also included an herbed butter spread over the crêpe before the other ingredients were added and a bit of bechemal sauce - but not too much which was nice.
 The classic combination was great! And I really liked that they didn't overstuff the crêpe. Even so I thought it was filling and a great value at $5.25.
 I like this little place and wish I worked closer so that I could make it a more frequent stop. However, they are open until at least 8:00 and sometimes later - it might be just the thing to grab before a movie some night. La Crêperie Voilà
707 Pike St. Kiosk #1 (Convention Center)
Seattle
206.447.3747
 8/14/2007 Farmers' Market Dinner As often happens when shopping a Farmers' Market I get carried away with all the beautiful produce - and often other things, too, like dairy or pastas or meats - but mostly produce.
This last week I knew it would happen and so I just planned for it. Dinner would be a kaleidescope of color and flavor all based on vegetables. In fact, a few night's dinners would be. Above you see the "before" picture and below a sample of the "after": quickly boiled corn; haricots verte, briefly blanched then sautéed in olive oil and bacon drippings, then topped with the crumbled bacon; caprese salad and just out of sight a couple slices of crusty bread.
 Harborside Deck is Open! I probably shouldn't tell you this - it gets crowded enough as it is.... but Harborside has finally opened their patio on the lake. You'll remember that last time R and I were disappointed to find it was still under construction. Well, this time M and I had better luck! So I leave you with just a few photos of Happy Hour on the Deck at Harborside...
    8/13/2007 First Look: Serious Pie I've been falling down on the job lately... how long has Serious Pie been open now? And my first trip there was just a couple weeks ago! Hard to believe. I guess my pizza time has been spent at Via Tribunali mostly. But M and I finally made our way to Tom Douglas' latest place and we were glad we did!
We had heard the lines could be long so thought we get down there fairly early on a Sunday. I was there a bit before 6:00 and already there was a wait. Although it really wasn't surprising considering the size of the place. I knew it wasn't large but it was about 1/2 of what I thought it would be - only about three 2-person tables and then maybe ten that seat six. At those tables it's communal dining for most folks.
 We took a look at the menu and decided to start with a Watermelon Salad. It was such a great combination of tastes! First, sweet, luscious watermelon was sliced into thin triangles, then it was layered with marinated onions that were tangy with vinegar and then it all was topped with ricotta salata which is a fresh young Italian cheese. And every now and then you'd also get a little bite of mint. The sweet, tangy, salty combination was refreshing and complex. I have a little watermelon sitting on my countertop and it will soon be in my interpretation of this salad!
Although our waiter tried to convince us that the pizzas were small and that we should each order our own (when we were trying to decide between two of them) we were glad that we opted to just order one. Yes this is thin crust pizza, but it's not cracker crust pizza - there is still a breadiness and body to it which adds to the "fill you up" factor.
 I thought the crust was tasty but the toppings were amazing! We settled on the pizza with morels, arugula pesto, taula (a cheese) and were very happy with our choice! I guess you really can't go wrong with morels but the arugula pesto was wonderful with it - the whole pizza was very earthy and wholesome tasting.
I ordered an apricot crostada to take home. I thought I'd have it as a treat the next day. When I got home I took a little bite to see what it tastes like and before I knew it the entire dessert had disappeared! How did that happen anyway.
The only thing I didn't like about the place was something I happen to notice at the bottom of the menu. They add gratuity to the bill for parties of six or more - it seems the definition for large group is getting smaller all of the time. I don't remember if this is the same at Douglas other restaurants - now I"m going to need to look next time I'm in one.
Potential forced gratuity aside, our dinner was great. While it may not be the place to have an intimate first date, I can imagine going here for all kinds of other reasons!
Serious Pie
316 Virginia
Seattle
206.838.7388
 8/10/2007 Georgian Room at The Fairmont Offers Special "I-5" DinnerNow this is a novel idea... I just received a PR email from The Georgian Room announcing a commuter special, meant to give you a place to go during the worst of the I-5 traffic over the next three weeks while the repair work is done. Here's the info as it was sent to me:
Vancouver: Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar On my recent trip to Vancouver, BC I was not even in town for 24 hours. Arriving in late afternoon/early evening I did the work I needed to do that day and then around 7:30 or so I was ready to get a bite to eat. Although one of my favorite things about Vancouver is the plethora of great places to eat - and there is always something new to try - I decided to go back to an old favorite, The Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar.
 I'm not sure how long I've been stopping by this place in Yaletown but it's probably been pretty much since it opened. I've been frequenting Yaletown for years and in the early days, as it was working its way to trendy, there weren't as many dining options as there are now. I do remember that on my second or third meal here I discovered it was owned by the same group that also has Araxi in Whistler, another of my favorite places.
 This night I sat at the bar and let the bartenders help me with some of the decision - so much sounds so good on the menu. I started with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and three oysters on the half shell. There menu show a large selection of oysters but is actually much smaller on any given day, as they offer only what is best at any particular time. I was trying to remember which three I chose and I don't remember but it really doesn't matter - they were all great!
 After the oysters I was craving a salad but, I had never realized this before, they only offer one salad and it didn't really catch my imagination on this night. Instead I ordered a vegetable sushi roll filled with cucumber, avocado, asparagus and radish. It was really light and refreshing. It was served along with their own ginger, wasabi and soya-seaweed dipping sauce.
 Next I was on the my "entrée" - actually everything came from the appetizer menu. I decided on the Trap Caught Wild Prawns which have a slight heat to them from the chili in the sauce but the fresh flavor of the shrimp can still be tasted. I also ordered a side of frites as they just sounded great, but ended up eating only 1 or 2, as I was really too full to enjoy them. And to be honest they didn't seem to be that good, which was surprising.
 I finished up with a cup of tea and then made my way to the hotel to watch that evening's fireworks show from the balcony of my hotel room.
One small word of warning. The Blue Water, like Araxi, is on the upscale side of establishments. With the US-Canadian exchange rate now being almost even and prices in Canada generally higher than the US you may want to watch what you order or just stop in for a drink and an appetizer. A meal for two, before tip, can easliy approach $200.
Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
1095 Hamilton St. (@Helmecken in Yaletown)
Vancouver
604.688.8078
 8/8/2007 Peach-Apricot-Blueberry Cobbler About this time of year I fall into the same trap as I do every summer. I go to the farmers' market and everything looks so good that I end up buying more than I can eat before it all starts getting too ripe. And I even tried to manage it this last Saturday, only buying a couple of peaches, a few apricots, okay a huge amount of blueberries and lots of other stuff.
So today I was looking at the fruit flies circling the peaches and apricots and thinking I'd better do something and fast. Cobbler seemed like just the thing.
Instead of making a straight Peach Cobbler, I started with that basic recipe from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book
 , and then made a few changes.
After the cobbler had cooked and slightly cooled, I scooped out a bowlful and added a dollop of slightly thickened, unsweetened heavy cream. Now that's what I call dinner!
Blueberry Banana Sorbet This weekend I made another batch of Fresh Mint ice cream and also made up a batch of Banana Blueberry Sorbet - both recipes from David Lebovitz' book, The Perfect Scoop.
Of course I love the Fresh Mint - otherwise I wouldn't have made a second batch! But this was my first batch of the sorbet. It is also very good! The banana adds a bit of creaminess to the sorbet and it also mellows the sweetness just a bit - sometimes berries can be a bit too sweet on their own.
I modified David's recipe by just a tiny bit, adding 2 Tbsp of vodka, as I tend to keep my sorbet for a bit longer. That little bit of vodka, while not affecting the taste, will help keep the sorbet from getting rock hard.
Again I encourage you to buy the book: Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments
Limoncello Update Well, I've let nearly six weeks go by since we started this and I really should have updated you about three weeks ago! :-( As this is a repost of something I did last year, I'm going to pretend that I posted this when I should have - because really that's the timeline you should use for this project...
Three weeks ago I started my Limoncello project. In this first step, after zesting the lemons you let the zest sit in grain alcohol (in this case 100 proof vodka) until the color is drained from the zest. At first the process seemed a bit slow but between days 14 to 18, the color moved from the zest to the liquid. It actually may have started a bit sooner but was really noticeable in that timeframe.
The fragrance is amazing! When I open the lid of the jar I'm hit with a wonderful strong lemon essence! However, I learned quickly not to inhale too deeply as the strong vodka essence follows right behind!
Later today or tomorrow, I'll strain this liquid and then mix it with simple syrup. That is actually going to be where the challenge comes in. Of the several recipes I've reviewed the most variance is in the simple syrup ratio. "Simple" simple syrup is a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to water. Most of these recipes call for a more concentrated version so that you don't reduce the alcohol percent of the final product too much. But I've seen everything from a 5 - 4 (sugar to water) ratio to a 2 - 1 ratio.
Next week, I'll report on which ratio I chose and how it all turned out!
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