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Culinary FoolCulinary and cocktail adventures in the kitchen, out on the town and (sometimes) around the world!
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7/17/2008 Malibu: Neptune's Net While staying in Venice I took part of a day to visit the Getty Center and then continued on up the coast to Malibu. I'd met up with a friend from the area and he had a specific place in mind for lunch. It's a place that I may have discovered on my own but with the limited amount of time I was in the area chances are good I would never have thought to stop there and that would have been my loss.
Neptune's Net is one of those beach shack places that has been around forever. A place that families have gone to for years and have probably always taken it a bit for granted. It's located near a popular surf spot and much of the clientele crosses the busy PCH to stop in for a bite to eat after a few hours of surfing.
 The front of the house serves all kinds of typical drive-in type food - burgers, tuna melts, clam strips - but the real treasure is in the back of the house. There you'll find a seafood market which not only sells fish to take home but will also steam or boil your order for you on the spot. They have live seafood (lobsters, crab, oysters...) and other fresh seafood like shrimp. We had planned to order clams and shrimp but they were out of clams when we arrived so instead we just ordered a giant pile of giant shrimp!
 I ordered a little bread to go along with my share and my friend ordered corn on the cob. To accompany it all we had a couple of beers.
We sat on picnic-style tables on a covered patio and gorged ourselves on that shrimp. Fresh, sweet, seafood. Finger-lickin' good! Perfect for the day and especially the location. The weather was perfect and the beach was right across the street. Could it get any better? I don't think so and I wish I live a few hundred miles closer!
Neptune's Net Seafood
42505 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA
310.457.3095
Bite of Seattle Don't forget the Bite of Seattle is this weekend. It runs Friday through Sunday and there is so much going on that you could actually spend all three days there and still have things you'd like to taste or do!
There are two great options for trying smaller bites this year: "The Alley", sponsored by Tom Douglas, not only gives you lots of small bites for under $10 but the money goes to Food Lifeline so your munching supports a good cause; Just a Bite is a new feature with five restaurants offering smaller bites for $3.75 or less.
Whatever you choose to do, it looks like we're going to have a perfect weather weekend so get out and enjoy! For all the details see the Bite of Seattle website.
7/16/2008 Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon Sunday I attended the first Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon sponsored by Taste TV and held at the Bell Harbor Conference Center. I had actually been asked to be on the tasting panel, which just meant that in addition to tasting I had a list of categories for which I was supposed to nominate chocolate companies. This was a hard, if enviable, task. I tried very hard to have a little taste from every chocolatier but even that small amount soon became chocolate overload. And I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't taste the entire line-up each chocolatier was offering - that would have sent me over the edge for sure! In case that sounds like a complaint it's not. Just sort of setting the stage so you know the context for my comments to follow.
So let me provide you with the list of official winners. This is from yesterday's news release:
Some of my nominations lined up with the winners and some did not, but honestly there were very few ways to go wrong with all the chocolate talent in that room. And, I find, that with chocolate as with many other things, personal preference plays a big role. I tend to skew towards the dark chocolates while others may prefer milk chocolates better. The one thing I found a bit surprising is that flavored chocolate has become so popular that "plain" chocolate does not even exist in many of the companies' products. And I think that's a shame. I had the idea that I'd try all the plain chocolate to try to keep judging on a level playing field but soon found I wouldn't be able to do that. So here are just some observations from my tasting. Listed in random order.... Cocoa Chai: The truffle I tried was a little spicy and very smooth - very good. They were nicely decorated, nothing too garish or odd. The only thing I was surprised at was I asked if she used a specific type of chocolate and her answer seemed to indicate there was not a real rhyme or reason to which chocolate was used. Perhaps she didn't fully understand my question. Cadeaux Chocolates: I loved these chocolates. Very smooth. I had a bittersweet espresso and it was perfect. The espresso was present and it enhanced not overpowered the chocolate. Kekau Chocolatier: I actually tried three of their samples because the flavors were so interesting. All were good, but my favorite was the smokey blue cheese. I know, sounds weird but it was really good. And I just realized that the blue cheese they use is from Rogue Creamery - no wonder I like it so much! E. Guittard: I sampled their 91% cacao bar among other things. It is way too bitter for eating on it's own but for baking or to use with a sweeter chocolate it would be perfect. I use their various chocolates quite often in baking and always love them. Poco Dolce: They have the most gorgeous understated packaging. I'm not really sure why it appealed to me so strongly but it did. I am sad to say that I didn't have a chance to really taste their chocolate. I had one small bit of one type and I thought it was okay. I meant to come back when the table was less crowded, as I felt my taste was not representative, but didn't have an opportunity. Alma Chocolate: Alma touts their chocolates as being (almost) sin-free. Some might take offense at their nod to the spiritual world with designs based on world religious icons but it seemed very light and rather whimsical to me. I tried one of their salted lavender caramels and it was heavenly! Oh! Chocolate: Thinking this was a new venture I asked the guy some questions only to find out they've been in the Seattle area for about 20 years! How have I missed them? Especially with all the press they've received over the years? I don't know but I'm glad I know about them now. They had two chocolates that I really liked. The first was a Pinot-Noir flavored truffle that was topped with pink peppercorns. It was delightfully spicy! The second was a blackberry chocolate with good blackberry flavor that wasn't too strong but complemented the dark chocolate. And they've just opened a Madison Park store... L'estasi Dolci: I tried two of their offerings but found they were not really to my taste. I found both the mint-ginger truffle and the Pinot Noir truffle to be just too sweet, although the taste of the mint-ginger was good. Amano Artisan Chocolate: I loved talking with these folks. They were really knowledgeable and handled their tasting more like I was expecting; sort of like a wine tasting. They were tasting three premium chocolates, all 70% but each sourced from a different country and each with different characteristics. I think these were the only guys who talked about holding the chocolate on your tongue and letting it melt to realize all the characteristics of each type. I was really surprised that wasn't a common theme as that is the only way to really pick up on chocolate nuances. This table was educational as well as interesting, similar to a wine tasting but with chocolate! Grendel Sweets: They were too sweet for me. Cosmic Chocolate: I liked the sample of chocolate I had here but I would probably never buy these chocolates. Most of the designs I found to be a bit garish or more suited to teenagers than adults. And their website drives me a little crazy, too. Dilettante Chocolate: I think I've been guilty of taking Dilettante for granted. Sometimes I forget about those tried and true companies - especially if they are successful and grow outside of the bounds of what we consider "artisan". But growth and tenure aren't always bad and Dilettante proves that. Their chocolates are still excellent. And I had a great time talking with Dana Davenport, the founder. So amazingly knowledgeable and his love of the business was so evident. Island Angel Chocolates: In talking to the man at Island Angel I was really looking forward to sampling his chocolates. He seemed so interested in what types of tastes I preferred and recommended a lavender chocolate for me. I did not like it at all. I was so disappointed. I wanted to like it. And now I don't know if it was just his recommendations were off or if I really didn't like their recipe. I think it was the latter, unfortunately. Posh Chocolat: I sampled one of their Fleur de Sel Caramels. I think the underlying chocolate was good but there was too much salt on the candy to really be able to tell. Theo Chocolate: I'm already skewed when it comes to Theo. I really like their chocolate. Although they had all of their bars available to sample I restrained myself to two new bars, the Hazelnut Crunch Milk Chocolate and the Fig, Fennel and Almond Dark Chocolate. Both were good and I do like their milk chocolate as it is 40% cacao. Still my favorites are their Origins bars. Lula's Chocolates: This seems to be the only casualty of the day. I'm pretty sure I really liked these but I can't read my notes! Dang it. But I must have liked them because the part I remember is that they are currently only in California but will soon be in Whole Foods here in Seattle. That and that Lula was the grandmother who's recipes are used today. ;-) Claudio Corallo Chocolate: This was another table where I learned a lot! I really liked these people and the photo at the top of the post was taken at their table. What you are looking at are the roasted cacao beans. I tried them. They are a bit bitter but not as much was I'd expected and you can see where the final taste of the chocolate comes from. I tried their 75% chocolate and I liked the taste but felt it was a bit grainy. Fiori Chocolatiers: I only tried one of their samples and it was so good! I had the Lavender y Miele which was the most lovely and delicately flavored chocolate! Hints of lavender and a bit of sweetness (but not too much!) from the raspberry blossom honey enhance the gorgeous chocolate perfectly! Intrigue Chocolates: I've had these chocolates a few time and always find their flavors intriguing.... On Sunday I had a sample of their St. Basil. That herb is just lovely with chocolate. I've missed a couple but got nearly all of them. In addition to the chocolatiers there were a couple of tables with chocolate spa products and one brownie maker. All in all, it was a nice event and I encourage you to go next year. I took photos of nearly every table, however betweent the lighting and the crowds none of them are really great. However, they will give you an idea of each of the chocolatiers offerings. You can see them here.
Venice, CA: Hal's Bar and Grill I recently spent a week in Venice, California. While Venice is famous for its boardwalk and the colorful cast of characters found there, food tends to run to the touristy, beachy sort of fare. At least along the boardwalk. Take a walk a few blocks the other way to Abbot Kinney Boulevard and there you will find several interesting options.
The first place I found I liked so much I came back a second time and probably would have spent a third evening there except for the crowd - I was too hungry to wait for a space. Hal's Bar and Grill is a warm and welcoming place with lots of friendly patrons. It's a big place with about 40% of it dedicated to the large wood bar and several tall tables. The other half is filled with cozy, wooden booths and, as with many Venice establishments, is filled with art created by the local community. And the food is great, too!
 My first night there I started with a Caesar salad, then had a beautiful plate of salmon, scallop and ahi sashima. So good! I finished it off with one of the best bread puddings, warm and fragrant with pear, cinnamon and vanilla. I was a very happy camper. The second night I had a huge hamburger. It was also very good.
Besides the good food, though, what I really liked about the place was the friendliness of the clientele at the bar. Both nights I talked to several locals which made the experience very enjoyable.
For a nice place to relax, grab a tasty bite and meet some interesting locals Hal's can't be beat.
Hal's Bar & Grill
1349 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA
310.396.3105
 7/15/2008 Raspberry Jam I generally make cooked jam. This year, since I have room in my freezer, I decided to make up a batch of freezer jam. It's super simple to make, takes no time at all and the resulting jam is very fresh-tasting. However, the containers are not nearly as cute as my canning jars... The one on top is for immediate consumption. The others are what will go into the freezer.
To make your own, follow the recipe specific to your pectin manufacturer or find a non-pectin recipe, if you prefer. Fado Irish Pub Friday night I met up with some photographer friends to take what we call a "photostroll" around Pike Place Market, the Olympic Sculpture Garden and then down the waterfront towards Pioneer Square. After a couple hours of walking around a few of us decided to stop in at Fado Irish Pub for a bite to eat and drink.
 Fado is one of those places that provides consistent, if not stellar, food. You can always count on a good burger or fish and chips and they have several items on the menu that are Irish derived. Bangers and Mash, Shepherds Pie, and Corned Beef and Cabbage come to mind. They have a good selection of beer, but sometimes their mixed drinks leave something to be desired. They are accommodating to large groups, which is very nice. They have all types of events including music, poker and featured sporting events on the TV.
All in all, Fado is a friendly and welcoming place. And sometimes that's all you need.
Fadó Irish Pub
801 1st Avenue, corner of 1st and Columbia Seattle
206.264.2700 And several other locations around the US.  7/13/2008 Summer Salmon In the summer I like to make simple foods. But simple doesn't mean your meals need to be boring. In fact, it's often just the opposite! By using what is currently available in your area you can pull together meals with minimum preparation and yet have some of the tastiest fare of the year.
Yesterday I made salmon for dinner. I used an Ivory King Salmon, which is actually the same as a "regular" pink King but for unknown reasons has a beautiful buttery white color. I also think the flavor is more buttery but that is a matter of debate - some say it tastes exactly like the pink Kings.
Either way, with this Alaskan salmon we have available at this time of year I like to make sure you can really taste the fish so I don't do a lot to it. Yesterday I prepared a mild teriyaki glaze (soy, brown sugar, honey, garlic and a few drops of srikacha) and just lightly basted it as it cooked on an alder plank on my grill.
When it was finished I topped it with my finds from the morning's trip to the farmers' market. I made a salsa of grilled peaches and red pepper, blueberries, young red onion, basil, salt and pepper. For side dishes I added some sliced tomatoes with a bit of sea salt, balsamic vinegar and some shaved Parmesan and fresh-from-the-bakery French bread.
Simple, satisfying, scrumptious. 7/12/2008 Seattle Chocolate SalonI know that the number of entertainment options seems to be exploding - this is summer in Seattle and we all try to cram in about a million things before the rains return - but if you are looking for something tasty to do this weekend I have an idea for you.
Sunday from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm you can sample chocolate to your hearts content at the Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon. Once you are in the door all of the tastings and demonstrations are included in the price of admission so you can taste to your heart's content. According to the site the participants include:
The event takes place at Bell Harbor Conference Center. You can get full details on the site.
Since so many Seattleites seem to be allergic to any temperature over 80° , hanging out in an air-conditioned conference center might be just the way to beat the heat! 7/9/2008 Running of the Bulls at Txori Monday night found MO and I bellying up to the bar at Txori (pronounced Chori) having a bite to eat while waiting for the "Running of the Bulls". Txori's owners hail from San Sebastian, Spain and this is the week in Pamplona, Spain that lots of crazy people take to the streets with the bulls. The Seattle version was much more tame, however. The "bulls" were dressed up shopping carts and runners paid a $20 entry fee which got them a T-shirt and was donated to the Seattle Blood Bank. As you might imagine, the actual running was corny and silly and fun.
 But, as normal, the highlight of the night was the food. Because the tiny place was packed we stood at the bar in front, which made this experience feel more like we were back in San Sebastian. Not only did we get to enjoy the small bites (pintxos) we ordered but we got to watch the chefs making and plating all the orders going out - it was a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds!
 Everything we ordered was great! Some of the items we chose were the Boquerones (anchovies), Gambas (shrimp), Chorizo con Chocolate, champiñones, lamb, pork and a Flan de Café to finish it off. All of this was accompanied by a glass of wine, of course!
The menu changes fairly regularly - not so much in what items are offered but in how they are prepared. So, for instance, boquerones are always on the menu but sometimes they may be paired with tapanade or sometimes with jámon.
Txori has special events going on all this week. While I'm sure they will all be fun, go for the food and you won't be disappointed.
See more photos here.
  7/8/2008 Ladies' Summer Brunch It has been a very long time since I did one of my Ladies' Brunches! But finally, this last Sunday, I scheduled one. I was a bit worried that a lot of people would be on vacation or have other obligations with the holiday weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to see that fourteen people were able to attend.
So Sunday at 10:00 am the guests started arriving (and the sun starting breaking through the clouds!) and we assembled on the deck with a glass of juice or sangria in hand. Shortly after 10:30 am we moved to the long table and the dining began in earnest.
I often serve these brunches buffet or family style but I decided to plate some of this day's courses.
Here is the menu for the day:
 We started with the sliced fruit, then I brought out the tart plated with the greens and passed the sausage, vegetables and scones.
 When everyone had completed the main portion of the meal I brought out the Grapefruit Sorbet as a palate cleanser and a little break in the dining.
Then we finished with cheese blintzes topped with framboise whip cream and mixed berries.
It was a really fun party as it always is - I have great friends who make it so. And it helped that the sun was out which lightened everyone's spirits. I love doing brunches as people tend to linger around the table and just enjoy the conversation after the dining is done. The key to planning a successful brunch is to choose dishes that can be assembled the day ahead of time and then just finished the morning of the event. So, for instance, with the Goat Cheese Tart, I'd baked the shell and mixed the filling on Saturday. On Sunday I put the filling in the shell and baked them. And, this dish can be served warm or at room temperature, which allowed me to bake it when I got up and then it was ready to be cut and served.
Lots more photos here. 7/4/2008 4th of July I am so excited! Yesterday I picked my first tomato of the year! This is way early for tomatoes here in Western Washington. But when I was buying plants from my Farmers' Market guy, Billy, he said this was a great and early ripening plant. It's name? 4th of July! Because the first tomatoes ripen about this time. And it worked! I picked it yesterday and am just about ready to eat it today!
And the best part is there will be more to come...
 6/30/2008 Delayed Gratification Our strawberry season here in the northwest was seriously delayed this year with all the cool weather we had in May and June. Normally I can pick a few berries in early June and then they continue ripening through early July and sometimes later. But I'd picked only one or two by the time I left town on June 21st. Then the warn weather finally came last week while I was gone. I was out of town for a full week and didn't water that area while I was gone. Several of my plants are pretty wilted at the moment, although I think they will eventually recover.
In the meantime it just makes the few sweet gems I pick all the more precious and delicious. 6/11/2008 Lavender Lamb The first time I had this recipe was in a cooking class several years ago. It was the recipe that got me thinking about lavender as a culinary herb, as well as something the scented soaps and lotions. I was amazed at how simple and delicious the lamb was with this very simple preparation. The original recipe used rack of lamb, cut into 6 chop racks but it also works equally well on these little individual chops that I love.
All you do is heat a little honey - I used about 1/4 cup for four of these little chops - until it's warm and easily flows. You can microwave it for a few seconds or just gently warm it over low heat - either way is fine. I have a warming burner on my stove and I use it.
Using a pastry brush, lightly paint one side of the lamb chops. Sprinkle them with a little salt and freshly cracked pepper. Place about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of culinary lavender in a shallow dish. Dip the honey side of the lamb in the lavender. It should thickly coat the lamb. Set the chop down on the plate with the lavender side down.
Paint the other side of the chops with honey, sprinkle with salt and pepper and then dip in the lavender. I know it looks like a lot of lavender but much of it will come off during the grilling.
 I like to do mine on my outdoor grill but you can also do these under the broiler. I have a searing element on my grill, so for these thick-cut chops I first sear each side for a couple of minutes and then move them to a rack over medium heat to cook a bit more slowly. I normally cook these about 5 minutes per side until they are medium-rare. You'll need to adjust the time based on the thickness of your chops and how you like your meat cooked.
If broiling you may want to start with the rack close to the broiler to sear and then drop it down to the next level to finish them.
That's it - can you believe how simple that is?
 Since I had the grill going I also grilled some asparagus (as I was writing this up I realized just how often I eat asparagus at this time of year - I'm not sure I've really talked about any other vegetable for months!) and some Walla Walla green onions. This significance of the Walla Wallas is twofold. First, because they are such a large onion completely grown, the green onions tend to be pretty big and meaty, too - prefect for grilling. And, because they are such a sweet onion, grilling them gives you a lovely sweet, caramel taste.
I also had sliced tomatoes topped with a little bit of parmesan and basil to round out my meal.
6/7/2008 'Color" Arrives in Farmers' Markets I was so happy as I perused the U-Dist Farmers' Market this morning! There are still tons of "green" things - lettuces, onions, asparagus, plant starts, etc - but now the colors are sneaking in. In some ways there has been a lot of color for some time - in the flower stands, for instance - but I'm talking about color in the produce stands, color you can eat. This morning I found cherries, strawberries and tomatoes (yes the tomatoes are hothouse grown on the East side of the mountains but still a fairly local version of a fairly decent tasting tomato).
 6/6/2008 Homemade Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream I wasn't eating my blackberries quite fast enough and I didn't want them to spoil so I decided to use them in ice cream. I turned to my favorite ice cream book, Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz and chose a recipe I'd used before. All you need to do is make your favorite vanilla ice-cream and once it's finished in the ice cream machine, layer it with mashed blackberries that have had a little sugar added to them. You can also add a little vodka to them (like a tablespoon or two) to help keep them from freezing too solidly.
When you scoop the ice cream from the container the layers create a swirl effect. Simple! If you don't have an ice-cream book I really recommend David's. I have three ice-cream books but his is the only one I really use.
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