Culinary Fool: Ingredients

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!

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.

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.

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.

Please make a note....

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:55:46 GMT

Potatoes have minds of their own.

Sweet Dulcinea

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:45:36 GMT

The introduction of miniature watermelons has increased my consumption of watermelon dramatically. I've always loved watermelon but would only purchase one if I planned to have a crowd over. Buying one for just myself was just not a very attractive proposition when I thought about storing the gigantic leftover piece and eating it for days on end. Seeing that big hunk of fruit in the refrigerator came to feel like an obligation instead of a treat.

So when these small fruits became available I jumped on that bandwagon! When they first came on the market they were pretty spendy and they are still not cheap, when compared to a full size melon, but in my area I can now regularly find them for $2 - $3. And that seems like a fair price to me.

And another benefit of these little melons is that they seem to appear off season more often than their larger siblings. Although I am a big proponent of buying local fruits and vegetables sometimes I just need a the color and taste of summer to help me make it through the gray Seattle winter. And nothing says "summer" quite like a watermelon!

If you haven't tried these little gems yet I encourage you to look for them and give them a try. They've been in my local market off and on for the last couple weeks.

Mini Banana

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:37:58 GMT

My local Central Market carries a wide array of fruits and vegetables, including items you can't find anywhere else in town. Their produce section is housed in what used to be an entire store. The place is huge. I've been eyeing their large banana selection for quite a while and this last weekend picked up a few miniature bananas that are reported to be super sweet. They are so cute! Just 4 or 5 inches long. This variety was yellow. The first one I ate was still a bit green and seemed like any other green banana to me, with one exception. The flesh seemed more dense than normal.

I let the bananas ripen more before eating the next one. This one was very sweet - in fact, so sweet that it tastes more of sugar than banana! And again, the fruit seems very dense. It's almost like a regular banana was compressed to remove any bit of air or space. I like them as a nice little treat. Just a four or five bite snack.

Forelle Pear

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:59:52 GMT

I came across the most adorable little pear a couple days ago. It's a Forelle Pear. And I really should have added something to the photo to give a bit of perspective to it, as it's pretty small. You may be familiar with Seckel Pears, and these are very similar in size. This one is just a little over 2½" tall. I had never seen a Forelle before so I bought one to try it out.

I ate it for a snack today and was a little disappointed as it was still a tad bit green. But it had promise! It reminded me of the more common and much larger Bartlett, which is one of my favorite pears. And with its size it's a perfect little midday snack. I think they would also make a great pear for a nice dessert - maybe poached and served with blue cheese, for instance. With their smaller size they would be a nice petite finish to a meal.

Holiday Baking is in Full Swing

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:34:19 GMT

Made these two loaves of bread for Thanksgiving. They are already gone - one eaten Thanksgiving morning, the other tucked away in my Dad's freezer. They mark the official opening of the holiday baking season!

Citrus Season

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:50:36 GMT

Fall also heralds the beginning of citrus season. Yes, in our current world economy we can get citrus nearly year round. And no, citrus is not grown locally here in the Pacific Northwest (at least not commercially) but I still consider this time of year the local citrus season as the juicy and flavorful fruits from Florida and California become more abundant.

And with that the big 'ol bags of grapefruit are back at Costco! Fresh juice every morning now!

Flavorful Fall Foods

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:25:49 GMT

While I always look forward to those first, fresh tastes of spring that eventually turn to the full-flavored summer fruits and vegetable I am especially fond of fall food. It comes with built in memories and the feelings of home, comfort and cozy dinners.

While many of the foods I love are found at Farmers' Markets or, even better, in your own garden many of them are just one step removed from the producer. These are things that local food artisans have incorporated into their offerings. Essential Baking Company has some breads that are specifically found in fall and winter. One of my favorites is the Sweet Perrin made with pears (obviously), figs and hazelnuts.

It lends itself to many variations - sliced and popped directly into the mouth!, toasted with a little sweet butter, covered with a thin layer of cream cheese and thinly sliced pears - the opportunities are endless.

Yesterday I decided it would be great as French Toast - and it was!!! I just used a basic egg/milk combination and added a bit of vanilla. I thought about also adding cinnamon or nutmeg but decided against it, although I think it would be a good idea!

Once cooked I topped it with warm maple syrup and some chopped dry-roasted hazelnuts for a delicious breakfast.

A Cozy Taste of Fall

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:32:09 GMT

A friend mentioned to me that after an excursion this last weekend he'd come home with a big bag of apples. I told him he should make apple crisp.

A couple days later I decided I should make apple crisp!

Guess what I had for lunch today?

Time Out

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:24:05 GMT

I will get back to talking about my trip to France but this is just a short intermission to bring you a little peek into what's going on at the local Farmers' Markets. Fall is really settling in here in Seattle - it's been raining (that is just a little too early, if you ask me!); the overnight temps are down in the 40s; and the days seem to be getting shorter in leaps and bounds. But there is one good thing - fall produce.

I love the earthy colors, the rich and hearty flavors, the solid weight of it.

This weekend while stopping at the U-District Farmers' Market I found lots of treasures: pumpkins and squash that will find their way into soups, pasta and maybe quick breads; eggplant for baked dishes like moussaka; corn to eat right off the cob. Even the lettuce I picked up was a bright red - as if choosing to wear its fall wardrobe, too. Pears and apples were also in abundance. Yes, it's definitely fall.

The Current State of Tomatoes

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:35:19 GMT

The explosion has taken place.... two varieties still waiting to ripen.

Anticipation and Dread

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:42:55 GMT

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....

Banana Bonanza

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:49:08 GMT

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!

Jam Season

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:38:40 GMT

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.

Rotisserie Chicken

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:56:25 GMT

I think I may have mentioned that I recently purchased a gas grill. My first one ever. I had resisted for many years because I just love the taste of charcoal grilled food and I liked the whole ritual of using charcoal. But it's hard to grill for a crowd on charcoal - at least without having multiple grills - so this year I finally upgraded myself to gas.

And of course I love it, and the ease of firing it up, and the fun of outdoor cooking made easy. It's been really great! When I got my grill I was happy to see that it came with a whole rotisserie setup and had been looking for an opportunity to try it out. A couple of weekends ago, I had a quiet evening and decided this would be a good time to see how the rotisserie worked. I hadn't used a rotisserie in many, many years and I thought it would be good to practice on myself before subjecting my friends to this process!

I wanted to do a fairly simple preparation and so early in the day, I mashed up some garlic, chopped up rosemary and tossed all that in a little saucepan, covered it with olive oil and let it gently heat for about 30 minutes to make a quick infused oil. I removed it from the heat and let it sit the rest of the day.

When I was ready to grill the chicken I used pretty much the same preparation as I do for oven roasting: I filled the cavity with shallots (any type of onion is fine), rosemary (any type of herb is fine), and lemon; and tied the legs and wings close to the body. Then I ran the rotisserie rod in through the neck and out the back end and put the pointy gripper things (I'm sure there's a real word for those but either I don't know it or it escapes me at the moment...) on the bar and into the chicken to hold it in place. Then I basted it with the rosemary-garlic oil.

While I had been preparing the chicken I pre-heated the grill by turning all three burners up to high so that the grill was super hot, but before putting the chicken in to cook, I turned the burners down to low to keep the temp at about 375F. I put the rod into the motor and the little chicken was slowly spinning in no time!

I basted the chicken about every 15 minutes with the oil and at an hour I started checking temperature. My guy (which was a 4lb+ chicken) was done at about an hour and 15 minutes. Beautifully browned but still moist on the inside. For a first try it was pretty good!

A couple of things I would do differently next time though. I needed to tie the legs much tighter to keep the vegetables that I'd placed in the cavity, in the cavity! During the cooking process nearly all of it fell out. Also, I had planned to place a tray of vegetables under the chicken as it turned to let them roast in the chicken drippings but the grill pan I had was a little too tall so that didn't work as planned - I could have just placed the veggies on perforated foil (to keep them from falling through to the flame) or I can look for a grill basket with lower sides, as that is still a good idea.

Overall I was happy with the whole process, though, and will be doing more experimenting soon. I seem to remember a pork loin in the freezer that might be just perfect for the next round!

The Garden is Growing!

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 19:11:24 GMT

I planted everything nearly a month later than I normally do but I am happy to report that there are lots of signs of

progress!

Mussels in Thai Basil Coconut Broth

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 12:31:03 GMT

I've talked about this recipe before but the other day I was looking for a photo for a friend and I don't think that I have one. So a couple days ago, when I made these again, I decided to take care of that. I love them at any time of year but right now my Thai Basil is really coming on strong - what better way to use it than for these mussels?

Serve them with plenty of bread as you'll want to soak up the sauce. A green salad and a crisp glass of rosé or Pinot Gris/Grigio will round out your meal!

Cooking from the Farmers' Markets

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:34:39 GMT

Spinach is plentiful at the Farmers' Markets right now. One of my favorite things for breakfast uses spinach so I'm a pretty happy camper! And actually, it's one of those dishes that is good for any meal of the day. This dish doesn't look super pretty but it makes up for it in taste.

Basically, I just sauté onions in a little olive oil until golden in a large pan. Then add a couple handfuls of spinach and cook until it's wilted. If the spinach is a little bit wet this will go a lot faster. And if the spinach is young you don't really need to do anything to it, if it's a bit older and larger I may tear it up a bit and remove any tough looking stems. I sometimes add a minced garlic at this point. And if I'm going to add meat - bacon is my favorite - I'll add it now, too. I generally cook the meat separately but you could cook it first and use the drippings instead of olive oil.

Once the spinach is wilted and the meat is warmed, I add a beaten egg into the pan. It will cook super quickly at this point and almost immediately, I'll grate a little cheese over the top. A couple final stirs to make sure the egg is cooked and everything is equally distributed and then out on the plate! I often just have this by itself but it's also nice to add some toast or fried potatoes or even a little salad, if this is lunch or dinner for you!

It's Cherry Season!

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 18:04:53 GMT

Just in case you hadn't noticed - Bings and Rainiers are everywhere! Time to enjoy!

Fresh!

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:36:11 GMT

I love fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice! Even better than fresh-squeezed orange juice - and I like it a lot! And I love Costco for their 15 pound bags of grapefruit that make it easy for me to enjoy this citrus treat on a daily basis.

Basil - The Sweet Smell of Summer

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:08:34 GMT

Thai, Purple Ruffles and Italian Sweet Basil

I know that fresh basil is pretty much available year-round now in the markets. And I purchase it throughout the year. Still having my own basil plant right outside my back door is a summer pleasure that I look forward to. Temperamental little plants, they need temperatures above 50° F at all times to thrive. So in my area, May is the earliest we can plant it outdoors.

Last night my kitchen was filled with the wonderful sweet-spicy fragrance of this gorgeous herb. I wasn't cooking with it but simply needed to pinch back my plants to they wouldn't get too leggy. I'll keep all those little pinched off sprigs and dry them for use next winter if they don't get used fresh in the next day or so. If nothing else just inhaling the fragrance is enough to make me happy!

Things Are Growing!

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:09:20 GMT

My little garden - such as it is - is pretty much planted for this year. Among other things, I grow a few peppers in pots on my deck. This year I'm growing Ancho/Poblano, Corno di Torno and Thai Dragons. I may add one more variety but really I already have more than I need. The Thai Dragon (above) is already showing off little babies. I love this plant - it seems to always be very prolific and the peppers are one of my favorites. They dry really well. And while they are very hot if you add just a little to any dish it will just add a little extra dimension of interest without really adding heat. At least not that you are aware of.

It Must be Summer...

Tue, 29 May 2007 14:06:02 GMT

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.

More Copper River King!

Tue, 29 May 2007 04:33:17 GMT

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!

First of the Year

Mon, 21 May 2007 17:01:42 GMT

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.

Estrella Family Creamery

Tue, 08 May 2007 16:21:42 GMT

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.

Fish Kabobs

Mon, 07 May 2007 03:48:37 GMT

Cut dense fish like Ahi, swordfish or marlin into 1" cubes. Toss with olive oil or a citrus flavored oil such as Ginger Lemongrass Grapeseed Oil. Season with salt and pepper. Just before grilling sprinkle with a little lemon or lime juice.

Thread the fish onto skewers, alternating with sliced of lemon or lime and vegetables such as onion.

Place on medium-hot grill.

Cook the fish 3 or 4 minutes on each side being careful not to overcook.

Serve with lemon slices and chopped chives.

Radish

Sun, 06 May 2007 02:34:56 GMT

I think radishes are overlooked way too often. Among my foodie friends I'd be hard pressed to name someone who buys them on a regular basis. Or even on an occasional basis. I love them - always have. Each week there's at least one bunch in my haul from the local farmers' market. And today with all the various types and colors available there's a radish for every taste. But I still love these basic red globes - fresh, sweet with just a little spicy bite.

Spring is Springing...

Wed, 02 May 2007 14:09:09 GMT

...and many of the neighborhood Farmers' Markets will be opening or extending their hours this week or later this month. While fresh vegetables will be making a showing don't forget to look at the other wares available. Lots of preserves, meats, eggs and local cheese will be also making an appearance. One of my favorites is Mt. Townsend Seastack - a creamy cow's milk cheese. It's actually available in lots of retail outlets but there's just something special about picking it up as part of of my Farmers Market booty.

Pan-Grilled Sea Scallops

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:57:20 GMT

Although there are lots of times that I live to make complex recipes I am just as likely to pull together something rather simple. And that is especially likely to happen when the base ingredients are just so good and fresh that you really don't want to hide them in anyway. Instead the goal is to showcase their attributes.

Sea scallops are something that I generally keep to a super simple preparation, as in this case. These were giant scallops - over an inch thick and two to two and a half inches in diameter! I pan grilled them in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side, which still left them a bit rare in the middle. I drizzled a plate with Black Bean Sauce (I was trying a bottled version which I really didn't like - too salty), heaped some jasmine rice that had been cooked in chicken stock in the center, added three scallops (two would have been enough!) and then sprinkled some chopped green onions and black sesame over the whole thing. That was it.

The rice took some time to cook but the whole meal was done in less than 30 minutes. Take that Rachel Ray! ;-)

Caffe Lusso

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 14:08:21 GMT

One of the items I purchased at the benefit for Moses Olmedo was a cupping at Caffe Lusso, a microroaster located out in Redmond.

A cupping is to coffee what tasting is to wine - sort of. There's a little more of a process around it to make sure that what you experience represents the coffee at it's best. Our cupping entailed more than just sampling, however, as we were also treated to a full-on learning experience about the company, coffee growing and selection, a recent trip to a Nicaraguan farm and more.

We sampled four coffees, one from: Costa Rica; Peru; Ethiopia; and Sumatra.

Caffe Lusso uses a lighter roast than most Seattle companies, thereby allowing the individual flavor profiles to be more evident. What surprised me more than the flavor differences, though, were the mouthfeel differences. The coffee from Ethiopia was especially lush and almost creamy in the mouth.

Tea has always been my primary beverage but I often venture into the coffee world so I found this event to be really interesting and to give me a good basis for further exploration. And since there are so many similarities to wine tasting - coffee even has it's own flavor wheel - I can see that researching coffee might be one of my new avocations.

There is a ton of information on the web about coffee cupping so I won't go into full detail here but instead will let the photos tell the story.

If you live in the Seattle/Redmond area Caffe Lusso offers public cuppings - not as detailed as our private event - every Thursday from 2pm - 4pm.

Caffe Lusso Coffee Roasters

17725 NE 65th Street Suite A-150

Redmond, WA 98052

866.587.6800 (toll-free)

More Photos

Early Taste of Spring

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:53:06 GMT

While at my Dad's house over the Easter weekend I took the opportunity to pick a big batch of rhubarb from his garden. Although I grow a little at my house he has so much and it comes up a little earlier than mine that I take advantage of the abundance whenever possible. I picked 6+ pounds and didn't even make a dent in his crop.

I've already enjoyed rhubarb crisp and think I'm going to can/freeze about half of it for later use. With the rest I think something like a Rhubarb Galette might be in order. If you don't have your own rhubarb plants start checking the local farmers' markets as it should be available now or very soon!

Another Use for Hot Buttered Rum Batter or ...

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 22:40:25 GMT

How to take a relatively healthy dessert and make it not so healthy!

I've talked before about keeping crisp topping in my freezer and then using it for individual fruit crisps of one sort or another. And normally when I make the crisps I eat them just as they are when come out of the oven - juicy, sweet fruit topped with a little crunch topping. And while the topping is made from butter and sugar it is also made with a lot of oatmeal and nuts and so the overall dessert is a pretty decent choice if you are looking for something to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Well, I made a little apple crisp recently and while it was baking a remembered I had heavy cream in the fridge and decided to make my crisp a little extra special by whipping up a bit of cream to top it. When the crisp came out of the oven I set it aside to cool and pulled out the cream to whip it. Well, a quick check of the cream showed it had turned (and it wasn't even close to the pull date!) so I dumped it out.

But now I was left with a little craving for something creamy to top my crisp. I don't keep ice-cream around so no luck there. And then I happened to remember the Hot Buttered Rum batter I have stored in the freezer.... Made with ice-cream, cinnamon and nutmeg it would perfectly complement the crisp. Just one small issue - it's also made with butter and two types of sugar. Oh. Oh, well.

So I tried a small scoop on the hot crisp and it was really very good! However, not something I'd want to do on a regular basis! I'm not even going to think about the calories and fat that were part of that "healthy" dessert. It was good though!

Sweet White Carrots

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:22:17 GMT

Fresh Grapefruit Juice

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 02:46:46 GMT

I was shopping at my local Central Market over the weekend and came across the most wonderful display of Texas Pink Grapefruit. The fruits were huge - like a small child's head! And they were heavy which meant lots of good juice. I picked just one that day - just to make sure that they were as good as they seemed to be before I invested in a big bag of them.

When I sliced it open the sweet, tangy smell of luscious grapefruit escaped from the cut and the surfaces glistened with their precious juices. Each half was so large that it nearly overwhelmed my juicer! But I wiggled and shifted and maneuvered them around until they had released every last drop of juice into the waiting glass.

Each half fruit produced over 6 ounces of the slightly-but-not-too-tart, flavorful, dark pink juice. It was a little taste of sunshine on a very grey day! I'm heading back to the store to load up now!