Culinary Fool: Blog

Mini Donuts and More!

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:18:49 GMT

Yesterday morning I finally made it (on the closing day...) to the special exhibit at SAM of Roman art from the Louvre. The show was amazing and I so wish I had gone earlier so that I could have gone back a couple times. On Sunday I arrived early, anticipating the crowds that would come on this last day, and when finished found myself downtown on a crisp, clear morning. I wandered up to Pike Place Market. I love the time before The Market is officially open but many of the early-bird vendors are open or are setting up.

The first thing I noticed was that the Daily Dozen Doughnuts stand was in full operation and there was no line! That is nearly unheard of on the weekends. I wandered over and ordered a half dozen of cinnamon-sugar minis. They came straight out of the fryer into the paper bag where they were tossed with a generous coating of cinnamon-sugar. The last one (number 7 - sort of a baker's half-dozen) was tossed with a flourish into the air and then expertly dropped into the bag courtesy of the guy behind the counter. Something that most likely wouldn't have happened had I been there during the rush hours. He told me he'd been practicing a lot so that he could add that little flourish - sort of like flair bartending. I love that! A couple of those hot-off-the-grill donuts were enjoyed right at that moment; the rest followed me home to be savored while sipping a mocha and reading the morning paper.

Wandering through the market at this time of morning you'll find the vendors relaxed and willing to spend a bit extra time. Don't get me wrong, the vendors in the market are some of the friendliest, most helpful people I know but when you are part of a long line the focus is more on business and getting everyone in and out - not so much on non-essential interactions.

I encountered this several times yesterday. Two of the most notable interactions were with the periodical vendors, one the guy I bought my Real Change from and the other the man at First and Pike News. The Real Change guy not only told me a joke but actually gave me a list of joke topics to choose from! By the way, if you don't know about this organization take a look at them. It's a great way to help out without giving a handout.

If you haven't been to The Market early in the morning I suggest you give it a try one of these weekends. Especially with summer on the way (hopefully, anyway!) it's a great way to get to the market, get some shopping done and avoid the tourists who are dilly-dallying in the aisles.

Farmers' Markets

Sun, 11 May 2008 22:35:01 GMT

Although my local farmers' market is now open year 'round it's only now that I really think of it as a farmers' market. Over the winter months you'll find lots of cheese-mongers; folks selling meat, fish and shellfish; food stalls with lovely pastries and breads but only now do you start seeing the flowers and produce that have traditionally been the heart and soul of the markets. I am so happy.

I picked up a few fresh veggies on Saturday and also bought several starts: tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Now it's time to get to planting!

36th Dinner Club Meeting: Germany

Sun, 11 May 2008 03:43:04 GMT

Thursday night my group met once again for our on-going dinner club activity. This was a notable event for two different reasons. One, this is the first time anyone has ever had to miss a meeting. ;-( Normally we select a time and get it on our calendars and if something happens to come up for someone we reschedule. But on Thursday M2 was sick (she thinks with food poisoning) and by the time she was able to let us know she couldn't make it, all of our courses and dishes were well under way so the show had to go on.

The good news is that she seems to have recovered now so she's back in the game. The second thing was the theme, Germany, seemed to prove a bit challenging. This doesn't happen very often but every now and then we have a meal that isn't quite as gratifying as some of the others. Then again, that's half the point of this group: we are trying to stretch our skills, knowledge and experience and sometimes that means you'll fall down!

M2 was scheduled to bring the appetizer, which sounded so good! She was hand-making big pretzels and was going to serve them with a cheese spread. But since she didn't come we didn't have them - dang it! We'll just have to try those at some other point.

For the main course I chose to make Braised Knuckle of Lamb with Shallots (recipe below). "Knuckle" is what we call shank. I was really happy with this dish! As you may have read in this blog in the past, I love braising as it allows you to do all the work early on and then, while it finishes cooking in the oven (generally for 2 or 3 or more hours), you have plenty of time to do other last minute things or just be ready and relaxed when your guests arrive.

This is a real Flintstones dish as, while braising, the lamb shrinks on the bone and when finished you have a "handle" on one end and all the meat in a sort of ball on the other. This was a great dish that I'd make again.

To accompany the lamb K made a super cheesy Spaetzle and R made a refreshing cucumber salad. Unfortunately the recipe for the cucumber salad called for paprika and she used a smoked Spanish style that she had on hand. It wasn't the best choice. Still I loved the refreshing cucumbers and sour cream, especially when paired with the rich lamb and spaetzle.

And finally, M made her first cake ever! It was a Black Forest Cake. It looked great but it didn't turn out quite right. After much discussion we think her baking powder was too old. Still it was a very nice effort and you could see how great it might be.

All in all we had a fun evening, even though we missed M2. But since she is hosting next time, that won't happen again!

Braised Knuckle of Lamb with Shallots

4 knuckles of lamb (shanks)
1 carrot
2 onions
1/4 celeriac (we call it celery root, you could also use a stalk or two of celery)
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt
Pepper
2 Tbsp Tomato paste
2 cups red wine
6 potatoes
4 shallots
Oil

In a hot pan, fry the knuckles of lamb in a little oil for about 12 minutes. Peel the carrot, onions, garlic and celeriac and cut into cubes. Add the cubes to the meat along with some thyme and rosemary. Salt and pepper.

Stir for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste. Stir for a moment over medium-high heat.

Deglaze the preparation with the red wine. Fill the pan with water. (until the shanks are about 3/4 covered)

Cook in the oven at 200°C/390°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Peel the potatoes and shallots. Cut both into cubes of similar size. In hot oil, fry the shallots and salted and peppered potatoes. Serve with the knuckles of lamb with their sauce, surrounded by the golden potatoes and shallots. Garnish with thyme and rosemary.

Recipe from Culina Mundi World Cooking, p 726

Fooled

Fri, 09 May 2008 15:05:33 GMT

Yesterday, while wandering through the grocery store picking up a few things for last night's dinner club dinner I noticed a big stack of corn. Now it's way too early for corn from our area but the gorgeous kernels were irresistible. This corn didn't just call my name it actually jumped into my cart all on its own!

I only bought one ear since dinner club is always a big meal and generally there are leftovers but I thought I could make this one ear for lunch. And I did. And I should have known better. The kernels were large but I was prepared to overlook that. However, it had been off the stalk for too long and the sugars were already well on their way to becoming starch which meant it had very little sweetness left at all. Now, I'm not a big fan of the super sweet corn that we see so much of today - the kind that tastes more of sugar than corn - but this tasted like farm animal food to me.

Oh well. For a minute I was full of anticipation and now I know to just wait for the "real" stuff. I think I actually knew that but still one can always hope!

Belated Cinco de Mayo

Thu, 08 May 2008 03:39:26 GMT

I ended up being busier than expected on Cinco de Mayo and so I didn't do anything special to celebrate. Yes, I know this is something we celebrate here and it's really not that big of a deal - at least celebration wise - in Mexico. But I still like to be a little festive. So tonight I pulled together a simple, belated Cinco de Mayo meal.

I had some leftover small steak pieces that I just quickly sauteed then drizzled with a little lime juice; warmed up a couple of corn tortilla shells; added the steak, some onion slices, avocado and drizzled a spicy sour cream (made with a little chipotle in adobo sauce mixed with the sour cream) over it all.

Add a bottle of chilled Mexican beer and you have a simple celebratory dinner.

Orcas Island: Cafe Olga

Tue, 06 May 2008 14:01:04 GMT

I just got back from a weekend on Orcas Island in the San Juans. It's a gorgeous place, although it rained a bit much even for me. Still, I managed to get out and about and enjoy much of the island.

On my first day there I had lunch at Cafe Olga a little place co-located with the Orcas Island Artworks, an artist co-op, in the little hamlet of Olga. Located in a historic strawberry packing building it's a charming place with great food. The regular menu is small but creative and the numerous daily specials add seasonal variety.

For my lunch I had the special Crab Quesadilla. It was packed with amazingly fresh, sweet Dungeness crab, Monterey Jack cheese (a bit too much) and mild green chilies. Really quite wonderful.

Cafe Olga

103 Olga Road

Eastsound

Orcas Island

360.376.5098

Osteria La Spiga

Thu, 01 May 2008 16:32:11 GMT

Grabbed a little dinner with M last night at Osteria La Spiga. This place has been consistently good - for years! A couple of years ago they moved to a new, larger location and managed to keep the charm of their old space and, if possible, even improve it.

Last night we had a bit of everything. We started with Stuzzicchini, a chef's selection of small bites; and then moved on to Tortelli ai Carciofi, an artichoke filled pasta flavored with brown butter and sage; and Crostini del Poggio Rosso, crostini topped with a luscious pate, slices of grilled tenderloin and truffle oil - so decadently rich.

Osteria La Spiga

1429 12th Ave

Seattle

206.323.8881

Rhubarb Reminds Me of SoCal

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:32:49 GMT

I know that rhubarb and Southern California are really not generally associated with each other. In fact it seems a bit odd to think of them together since rhubarb is a cool weather vegetable and needs lots of water to stay "sweet", which is a relative term since rhubarb is actually quite tart all of the time. Because of those two factors I'm fairly certain rhubarb is not grown commercially in SoCal, although maybe for Farmers' Markets there is some production. But still rhubarb and SoCal for me are forever intertwined.

When I was in college three friends and I took a road trip from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon to Cal Poly Pomona in Pomona, California to attend a conference for the student chapter of the IIE. It was a memorable trip for a variety of reasons: the fact that one person, Jeff, drove the entire 14+ hour trip without ever sleeping and we drove overnight and it wasn't until later that I realized he was dropping speed the entire trip; the mudslide that closed I-5 at The Grapevine just north of Los Angeles allowing my friends and I to play Frisbee on the freeway for 2 hours; we stayed at Jeff's family's house in one of the ritzy neighborhoods near UCLA which was my first exposure to real wealth; the Silver Fizzes Jeff's dad served us for cocktail hour; and the rhubarb cake his mom made for dessert.

The Silver Fizzes had made all of us feel very grown-up and we were in a very festive mood throughout dinner. At that time in my life there was never even a thought of turning down dessert and so I eagerly accepted a piece of the cake, at the time not knowing it was rhubarb. Moist and tender, fragrant with cinnamon and topped with cream cheese frosting I thought it was amazingly good. I had grown up with rhubarb but we mostly had pies or sauce - I'd never had a rhubarb cake before! I was hooked.

I got the recipe that night and I still have the original plain, white, lined 3"x5" card that we all used to share recipes in those days.

I've made this recipe many times and it's always been great. A couple days ago I had the bright idea to use it to make cupcakes. Well the bright idea wasn't really all that smart. As mentioned the cake is super moist and it also doesn't raise much. While I was prepared for basically flat cupcakes I hadn't realized how unsuited the moistness makes the cake for cupcake liners - it's really just too soft to work well. I'd never want to serve these to anyone, although I don't mind eating them myself!

Here's the recipe for the cake - just don't try to get creative with the pan! And Grace was not Jeff's mom's name but who the recipe originally came from.

Grace's Rhubarb Cake

2 cups diced rhubarb

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 well-beaten egg

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

Combine rhubarb with 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

Cream remaining sugar with the shortening. Add the egg and beat until well mixed.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Add alternatively with the buttermilk.

Stir in the vanilla and the rhubarb.

Turn into greased 11"x7"x2" pan. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Cool and top with Cream Cheese frosting, if desired. (It really can be left plain and used as a coffee-cake, too.)

Things that make you go, hmmmmm.....

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:21:00 GMT

I'm all for creativity and trying out new concepts when it comes to food and the dining experience. In fact there are many little gimmicks that catch my attention. For instance, Happy Hour is really a gimmick but one that has been around so long that we all just accept it as "natural". And, as you may have realized I happen to love Happy Hour! But every now and then some new promotion comes up and I really just wonder what the chef or PR person or whoever was thinking.

That's the case with this latest idea from Veil. I haven't been in for a little while so maybe they need to boost numbers or maybe they just thought this would be a fun thing to do but their latest idea is an upscale TV dinner.

Here's some info from the press release:

"Stylish, heavy, porcelain plates with a main dish nook and three compartmentalized squares for side dishes along the top are debuting on Veil's bar menu every Tuesday night. But rather than the one-dimensional Salisbury steaks of the past, diners can expect dishes like all-natural baked chicken, with two-year-old Cabot cheddar macaroni and cheese, fresh and local vegetables, and a confectionary treat like Cree's Valhrona chocolate brownie with house made cinnamon marshmallow. TV dinner components will change weekly, and are priced from $16 to $20, but will always include a winning combination of protein, starch, vegetable and a delicious sweet treat."

And there's a photo of the new compartmentalized plate. I don't know, call me a stick-in-the-mud, but for some reason this whole concept doesn't really resonate with me. Or with what I think of when I think of Veil.

A Good Apple Year?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:13:18 GMT

Apples, like all fruits produce in cycles. A couple years ago I had a ton of apples. Last year none - which was unusual but this is a young tree. If the number of blossoms is any indicator it looks like this might be another very good year. Although if all these blossoms become apples I'm going to need to thin them - something I'm bad at. I just hate "killing" the little tiny guys. But if you don't then all the resulting apples are small. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Sometimes all you need is...

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:32:02 GMT

... a burger and a beer. Best burger deal in town? McCormick and Schmick's $1.95 Happy Hour burger. Find a location near you.

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:38:16 GMT

I may have shared these with you before but if I have it's been awhile. And they are so good that it's worth sharing again! This recipe makes about 8 nice sized pancakes.

Buttermilk Banana Blueberry Pancakes

1¼ cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 beaten egg

¾ cup buttermilk

¼ cup milk (maybe a bit more)

1 Tbsp. cooking oil

1 very ripe mashed banana

Blueberries

Mix together dry ingredients. Combine all remaining ingredients except blueberries. Mix wet ingredients into dry just until blended. The batter should be thick but spreadable. Add more milk if necessary to get the texture right.

Cook on griddle. Add blueberries to pancakes on griddle.

Strawberry Banana Daiquiri

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:46:05 GMT

Well, our warm weather continues. Not quite summer weather yet, but close enough for me! I had a few bananas that were getting a bit too ripe and so I decided to make something that I usually reserve for the truly warm days of summer - daiquiris! In this case strawberry-banana daiquiris.

And, in case you are not aware, you can freeze bananas. So if I have some that are too ripe but can't use them right away I pop them into a plastic bag and into the freezer. They can be used in baked goods or are great in this cocktail.

One of the things I really like about this drink (as foo-foo as it is!) is that it's easy (in fact best) to make a batch at a time. If you only need one, you just put the rest of the batch in a plastic container in the freezer. Since there is alcohol in the mixture it won't freeze solid. Then, when you want one, you just scoop some of it into a glass and let it sit for a few minutes to soften and you are ready to go!

It's especially nice if you, for instance, have some hot outdoor work to do. Scoop up a glass and leave it in the fridge until you are done with your work. Then it should be ready when you are. Or it's great for entertaining as you can make up a batch (or two) well before guests arrive and then just pull the pitchers out a few minutes before your party starts.

Frozen Strawberry-Banana Daiquiris

1 pint of fresh or frozen strawberries
1 small ripe fresh or frozen banana, peeled and sliced
4 oz of fresh lime juice
4 oz of simple syrup
5 oz of rum (I prefer golden but use what you like)
2 trays of ice

Add all the ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth but not watery. Serve immediately or store in freezer until ready to use.
To serve immediately pour/scoop into stemmed glasses. If mixture has been stored in the freezer it will be frozen but soft enough to scoop into glasses. Let thaw a few minutes before serving.

Dreaming of Summer

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:50:46 GMT

The weather finally seems to be making progress towards more spring-like temperatures. I took advantage of yesterday afternoon's sun, sat on the deck and had what I consider to be the epitome of a summer drink - a gin and tonic.

Like any mixed drink they are so super simple. Simply add a shot or two of gin to a glass filled with ice, then fill the glass with tonic water. Finish it off with a slice of lime. Easy to make for one or a crowd!

French Toast Supreme

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:35:45 GMT

I love French Toast. For breakfast, lunch or dinner. I was buying bread over the weekend and suddenly the loaf of Raisin Pecan from The Essential Baking Company jumped into my hand demanding to be used for French Toast. I decided to oblige it. So that's exactly what I did.

I used just a basic batter - one egg and a little milk- dipped the bread and let it soak just a little, then pan-fried it until nicely browned on both sides. Then I topped it with warm maple syrup, sliced pears, and a little brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. A pretty fine way to start the day!

First Look: Quinn's

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:33:07 GMT

Well, this post is about five or six months overdue. My "First Look" at Quinn's was one week after they opened last fall. My second, a week after that. And I've been back several times since. The circumstances, however, have always left me without decent photos - even the night I was there with a group of photographers! This current set still isn't great but it will give you a little idea of what to expect.

Quinn's is the little sibling of Zoe in Belltown, both literally and figuratively! Scott Staples chef/owner named Zoe after his little daughter. I love Zoe's but don't go that often as it is not really a place you can drop into. There is a bar but it's very small and more appropriate for those who have arrived a bit early for a reservation than for those who's only intention is to sit in the bar. It's crowded into the back corner and on some nights the bartender seems to drift back and forth between several duties including tending bar. The food there has always been great, though. But I tend to think of it more as an occasion place - somewhere you go when you actually make plans in advance.

So I was happy to hear that Scott was going to add another location, a more casual place. Quinn's (named for the Staples' son) opened last fall on Capitol Hill. This location is dubbed a "gastro-pub". More bar like; louder; smaller plates; more focus on beer, wine and other alcoholic offerings, this location is the perfect drop-in spot. That is if you can get a seat. Every time I've gone there has actually been a crowd waiting outside the door when they open at 5:00. And the staff is not always great about actually opening exactly on time. Sometimes it's 5:05 or 5:10 - not a huge deal but bothersome when you are standing in the rain and the staff is just on the other side of the large windows taking their time finishing their staff meeting. Once the doors open the first floor generally fills within 30 minutes. I have yet to go upstairs and take a look at the second floor but it also seems to fill soon after.

The menu changes often, although it seems to be just a little at a time with just one or two plates migrating to something new. I have yet to have anything I didn't like there and so far I've tried the Meatball sliders and rabbit pate (both pictured); braised oxtail; duck and duck rillette (that's one dish); wild boar sloppy joe; wagyu beef burger; sauteed spinach; gooey gougere; and more. I thought the spinach had a few too many currents which made it overly sweet and I decided I prefer "plain" gougere (Quinn's are stuffed with melted cheese) but those are both preferences not issues.

I guess probably the biggest compliment is the fact that I have been back so many times. In this town with so many great places to go - and more opening all the time - it sometimes takes me quite some time to get back to the places I like. The fact that I've now been to Quinn's half a dozen times speaks volumes.

They have recently started opening for lunch as well as dinner.

When they first opened they did not take reservations. I'm not sure if they have changed that policy as their website doesn't address it. I think, however, if you have a large group they will work with you. At least it has seemed that way in the past.

Quinn's

1001 East Pike St

Seattle

206.325.7711

First Look: How to Cook a Wolf

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:33:58 GMT

When some of you read that title you may have thought I'd be talking about a book, How to Cook a Wolf, the famous book by renowned food writer MFK Fisher. And in a way, I was but not directly. Ethan Stowell, chef/owner of Union and Tavolato opened a third location late last year and named it How to Cook a Wolf. For those in the culinary world this novel is one that defines and inspires but it still seems an odd name for a restaurant. I'm sure over time it will come to known just as "Wolf".

Odd name or not, the tiny space is cozy and welcoming with big stone structures (the bar and the divider wall between bar and kitchen), undulating wood walls and large windows. There is only seating for about 35 people, including the ten seats at the bar, and this place has been packed since it opened. Since they do not take reservations it's a bit of a gamble when or if you'll be able to find a seat.

M and I arrived at 6:00 - I was actually there at 5:45 - and were able to grab the two last chairs at the bar. We were seated near the hostess and after that the folks that came in, especially those hoping for a table, were told it would be a 90 minute wait. I actually thought that the hostess was a bit rough with people (trying to come in and spend their money!) and seemed frustrated when people asked any sort of clarifying question. I'm sure it's challenging seating people in the tiny and popular place but it really seemed she could have been a bit more pleasant in her dealings with the potential customers.

The good news is that they will take your name and cell phone number so that you can wander over to somewhere like The Paragon or one of the three nearby coffee shops to relax or stroll Queen Anne Avenue to make sure you are ready for the meal to come.

How to Cook a Wolf has an Italian influenced menu but it's different than Tavolata's. The bulk of the menu is devoted to appetizers (my kind of place!) and includes four pasta options. There are also half a dozen cheese and dessert options to finish your meal.

Sitting at the bar, watching the food come out of the kitchen we had a chance to see many of the menu itmes before ordering. We decided to start with Tombo Crudo which, we were told, was Hawaiian albacore, although that is not the translation I get when I look it up. No matter. While waiting for our Tombo we were served the Asparagus Salad, as the chef had made one extra and we were in the right place at the right time! The asparagus were cold, crispy and very lightly dressed. They sat on a layer of thinly sliced bressola and were sprinkled with large, lightly pickled wild capers. Such a fresh presentation! Although we hadn't ordered it we were really glad we had this dish.

Our Tombo Crudo arrived soon after. So impeccably fresh! Beautiful squares of the albacore with a hint of hot chili and lime juice. It seemed more Mexican to me than Italian but I'm not going to argue that small point. It was a beautiful dish and I really loved the flavor combination.

We finally made up our minds about what other items to try - the menu is challenging as it all looks so good - and next to arrive were the perfectly grilled scallops on a white bean and porcini puree. I love scallops and I'm very picky about their preparation. These were really lovely. Grilled until slightly caramelized on the outside yet tender and tasting of the sea on the inside. The puree had a slightly different texture, a feel of creaminess, and an earthiness from the mushrooms yet didn't take away from the essence of the scallop.

Next, and I know this sounds like a lot but portions are small and we were sharing, our bowl of spaghetti arrived. Flavored with garlic, chilies and anchovy and topped with olive oil and a mound of grated Parmesan it was simple and satisfying. When we'd first ordered we thought we might have to take some of it home with us but there wasn't a speck left when we were done.

M decided to order an espresso to finish and I asked for tea. This was my personal disappoint of the night. No tea. Not only no tea but our server was a bit callous about it, recommending I just go to one of the nearby coffee shops in a sort of condescending manner. I don't know what their reasoning is for not having tea - the espresso machine is certainly equipped to make hot water and a couple boxes of tea bags don't take up much room - perhaps it's not Italian enough, but it seems to be a silly decision or oversight. That being said, our server did make an adjustment to our check and I think it was to compensate for the lack of tea, which was nice.

We really loved this meal and the whole feel of How to Eat a Wolf. I wish the staff would be a bit more mindful of their attitude and treatment of customers in some ways but I'm willing to excuse it for the time being and to hope that corrects itself or that what we saw with the hostess and my tea request were just oddities. And I did appreciate the adjustment to the check, which makes up for a lot.

My recommendation for getting a seat at this already well-loved location is to get there as soon after 5:00 pm as possible; wait until about 7:00 to grab a seat as the first round vacates; or simply plan on stopping by, adding your name to the list and spend a pleasant hour wandering or having a pre-dinner cocktail.

You can see a few more photos here.

How to Cook a Wolf

2208 Queen Anne Ave N.

Seattle
206.838.8090
No Reservations

Currently closed Tuesday & Wednesday

"Buyer" Beware: OpenTable.com

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:04:47 GMT

So right off the top I'm going to tell you that this is my own fault as the information is in their FAQs on the site but I still think the way it's handled stinks.

Occasionally I use OpenTable.com to make reservations mostly at local establishments but I had been thinking that I really should use it more often when traveling. However, I don't use it regularly for a number of reasons: I'm a pretty spontaneous diner; my friends and I generally prefer to sit at the bar instead of in the dining room; hardly anywhere in Seattle really requires a reservation unless you are really set at eating right at 7:00 on a Friday night; a lot of places that I like to go are not available through OpenTable; most places that are on OpenTable also take phone reservations.

If you're not familiar with the site it does offer a few nice features. For instance, you can put in a date and time and it will show you all restaurants in your area that have open tables which is a lot easier than searching for them one by one. And the primary reason I liked it was that for each reservation you get 100 points (sometimes more during promotions) and once you have 1000 you can redeem them for a $10 certificate - at least that's how it started. Now you can't redeem until you hit 2000 points and you'll get a $20 certificate.

Well, I hit 1000 quite some time ago but thought I'd hold out until I had 2000 since a $20 certificate just sounded better than a $10 one. But for several months I've been lingering in the no man's land of more than 1000 but not yet 2000 points. Apparently I've been lingering there for over a year. And apparently if your account hasn't been used in a year they take back all your points. Which I realized today when a newsletter was delivered to my mailbox and it said "Your balance is 0." And so I scurried to check my account and sure enough the balance was 0 because the last entry was a negative entry for the exact number of points I'd accrued.

As I said, when you read the FAQs it's right there plain as day so I'm totally at fault. But what I think is stinky is that they didn't even bother to send some sort of warning. And of course, they probably hope they don't have to pay out rewards so why would they? Well, maybe because part of their compensation comes from the restaurants and is based on how many reservations are made through the site so by reminding me it might have spurred some activity on my part because I wouldn't want to lose my points. And it would have kept me from writing this post which is now warning all of you to make sure you remain active on the site. (Although even bad publicity is good publicity, right?) Or maybe you should just skip the site altogether because, at least in the Seattle market, it really doesn't offer that much. That's probably what I'll do from now on. I'm sure the loss of my activity won't break the bank but I think, in general, it's always a bad idea to lose customers.

Dining Out for Life - April 24th

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:30:37 GMT

Dining Out for Life is celebrating its 15th year! Wow. It's such an easy way to do some good - all you have to do is eat. Make your plans/reservations today - it'll be here before you know it! Here's more info from their website:

Dining Out For Life, one of Seattle's favorite ways to fight AIDS, is back on Thursday, April 24, 2008 for its amazing 15th year! When you dine at one of the 150 participating restaurants on this day, a portion of your bill goes directly to Lifelong AIDS Alliance, the largest HIV and AIDS service organization in the Pacific Northwest.

Check out the participating restaurants page to see which of your favorites are supporting Dining Out For Life this year!

Lifelong AIDS Alliance provides a variety of services to people living with HIV and AIDS in the Puget Sound region, including fresh meals and groceries from Chicken Soup Brigade, Lifelong's food program. Other services include housing, insurance, and education and prevention programs. For complete information on Lifelong AIDS Alliance, visit www.llaa.org.

And for information on this event in other cities visit the main Dining out for Life site.

Tart and Tangy

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:52:08 GMT

Rhubarb is in season! Real, local rhubarb! I bought my first bunch this last weekend at the U-Dist Farmers' Market. I made a cross between a pie and a tart - two small "personal" sized ones, in fact. I don't have much more to say about that but since a picture speaks a thousand words I'll let the photos do the talking!

Weekend Dinner

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:57:12 GMT

You may have noticed that I sometimes get a little "stuck" on certain ingredients. Mostly that's because I tend to use what I have around and if I happen to have purchased a large amount of something you'll see it being used in various ways throughout the week. So you may notice this looks a little like the breakfast I made on Sunday. The difference is in amounts of the ingredients, the seasonings and, as is obvious, what's being served with it.

For this dish I sauteed a large number of onions and mushrooms, added just a bit of spinach and when it was all done hit it with a healthy dose of balsamic vinegar to give it a really nice tangy-ness.

The lamb was marinated in olive oil, red wine, garlic, rosemary and lavender; grilled for about 5 or 6 minutes on either side (still very pink inside) and then placed on the veggies. The tart of the vinegar was a nice counterpoint to the sort of sweet taste of the lavender and rosemary.

Sur la Table: Free Knife Sharpening

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:36:23 GMT

It's April and that means time for Sur la Table's free knife sharpening offer. Bring in two knives and have them professionally sharpened. You can do others for $1 per inch. I'm sure turnaround times will vary but in the past they've often done mine within an hour!

For all the details see this page and here's a list of all Sur la Table locations.

Lavender Shortbread

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:37:03 GMT

I've been craving cookies lately and over the weekend I finally got around to scratching the itch with a batch of Lavender Shortbread. I love the buttery, sugary, crisp-tenderness of these cookies. Adding the fragrance and slightly sweet taste of lavender is just a bonus.

There are tons of recipes for these delicious cookies but I use the one in the The Herbfarm Cookbook. It's really easy and the cookies are perfect every time!

What's in the Fridge? Breakfast

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:23:33 GMT

Toast one large or two small pieces of country-style bread. Place in the center of a plate and set aside.

Chop and saute ½ piece of bacon over medium-high heat.

When the bacon is starting to brown add ¼ cup chopped onion.

When the onion is translucent and soft add ¼ cup sliced mushrooms. You may need to drizzle a little olive into the pan if the onions absorbed all the bacon renderings.

When the mushrooms are starting to soften but not totally done add two handfuls of baby spinach.

Saute until the spinach is wilted.

Place the vegetable mixture over the bread. Grate a little cheese, a Parmesan or Asagio is nice, over the hot mixture.

Return the pan to the heat. Add a little butter or oil, if needed. Add an egg and fry until it's cooked to your desired doneness.

Slide the egg onto the top of the vegetables and grate a little additional cheese over the top.

I believe that summer will come

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:30:16 GMT

Here in the Seattle area we've had a colder than normal spring. So cold that the last days of March/early days of April actually brought snow - and not just in the mountains. Today however the high will be around 70 degrees! It will only be for just this one day and then we'll go back to "normal" with temperatures in the 50s, but 50s are still better than what we have been experiencing.

Yesterday was nice, too and while I was out running some errands I happened upon a whole display of fresh herbs. I have herbs that grow year round but basil is a tender, temperamental annual herb. It needs consistent nighttime temperatures at 50 or above to survive. But one I'd brushed against it and smelled summer wafting about me I was hooked! I bought a couple starts, one green and one purple. I'll need to haul them in and out of the house for several weeks but just for the fragrance alone it's worth it.

And besides, it's helping me have faith that it will at some point actually get warm here in the Northwest.

First Look: Skillet

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:04:28 GMT

Well, it's my first look at Skillet anyway but not for many others. In fact Skillet is adding another stop to their traveling schedule next week and even opening a non-mobile location in May! But let's not get ahead of ourselves....

Skillet is a foodie's dream version of Meals on Wheels. An Airstream trailer has been retrofitted into a commercial kitchen. The folks who are running the show are trained chefs. Their idea is to "...provide seasonally relevant, locally sourced and impeccably executed bistro style food up and down the west coast…...out of our airstream trailers". And they seem to be doing a very good job at meeting that goal. I think every Seattle (and some national) publications have given them a big thumbs up. So I've been anxious to see what all the fuss is about.

You may remember that a couple weeks ago I had plans to try them out. But my plans were thwarted when their support vehicle was stolen. Well, it turns out it wasn't actually stolen it just wasn't in the place where it had been left the night before. Illegal parking will get you towed in this town... So that's a (mostly) happy ending to that story! But today was the day I finally had my chance.

I found them stationed in the alley behind the Old Pequilar in Ballard. I was there on the early side - about 11:30 - but already people were milling around waiting for their orders to be ready. Since I'd looked at this week's menu online, I already knew what I was going to order, Fish Tacos. But not just any old fish tacos. These were made with local halibut which, if you aren't aware, is at peak season at the moment. I placed my order with Josh, who was outside the trailer facilitating the order process. He asked if I was a blogger which was sort of apparent since I walked up with camera in hand. We chatted just a quick minute and then I wandered for a bit since nothing is cooked until an order is placed so they take just a few minutes to pull together.

Once my order was ready I meandered out to the sidewalk along Market Street to grab a seat on a bench. While walking I took a bite of the black beans accompanying my tacos - they were so good I almost forgot about the tacos! Well, not quite, but the beans were tender but not mushy, a little spicy and bursting with flavor. I am a big black bean fan and these exceeded my expectations.

Once I was at my bench it was time to try the main course. Each taco was assembled in a double layer of tortilla - the same way the little taco trucks do it if you've been to any of those. And it's a good thing there was a double layer. The tacos were filled with smoky, flaky (but not dry), thick-cut halibut, a roasted tomato salsa, sprigs of cilantro, a cilantro flavored sauce and topped with beautiful red cabbage slaw. Each element on it's own was delicious and the combination even better. The only change I would have made would have been a bit more of the cilantro sauce - that flavor of that sauce made me very happy.

A couple of things for you to know: the menu is limited to just five or so choices for each meal (Skillet is open for breakfast and lunch only). And, other than the burger which seems to remain fairly constant, the menu changes frequently so by the time you get there fish tacos may or may not be on the menu, for instance. But I'm betting they will have been replaced by something equally wonderful.

I really like the idea that they will be moving their location around - although I know that might bother some of you. But for me, I figure it's a chance to visit different neighborhoods now and then. I'm sure I'll be back soon - that burger was really calling my name but I told it to just hang on. When it's halibut season there's really no other choice for me!

Skillet

Various locations

Currently serving Ballard, South Lake Union and SODO once a week

Next week Capitol Hill is added

In May (or maybe June), a take-out window opens in the ID

Local 2008 Nominees for James Beard Awards

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:24:53 GMT

The 2008 James Beard award nomintions are out. The award ceremony and reception takes place on June 8th. Here are the nomimees from the Northwest.

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR AWARD

Presented by Waterford Wedgwood

A working restaurateur, actively involved in multiple restaurants in the United States, who has set uniformly high national standards as a creative force in the kitchen and/or in restaurant operations. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least ten years.

Tom Douglas
Tom Douglas Restaurants
Seattle

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR AWARD
Gabriel Rucker
Le Pigeon
Portland, OR

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL AWARD
Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of New York
A winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least five years.

David Lett
The Eyrie Vineyards
McMinnville, OR

OUTSTANDING SERVICE
A restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least the past five years.

Canlis
Seattle
Owners:The Canlis Family

BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Scott Dolich
Park Kitchen
Portland, OR

Maria Hines
Tilth
Seattle

Holly Smith
Café Juanita
Kirkland, WA

Ethan Stowell
Union
Seattle

Jason Wilson
Crush
Seattle

2008 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Awards
Maneki
304 Sixth Avenue South, Seattle
Owner: Jean Nakayama
With a rich history that stretches over a century—it has been around through both world wars, Japanese internment, and has even seen one of its former dishwashers become the Prime Minister of Japan—Maneki is the only surviving restaurant from Seattle’s once-bustling Japantown. Comfort food dishes like agedashi tofu and takoyaki share the menu with sushi and sashimi, satisfying homesick Japanese locals and introducing a new generation to traditional Japanese cooking.

The complete list of nominees.