Savvy Savorer

Moved to www.franticfoodie.blogspot.com

2008-02-21T10:49:00.000-08:00

Pike Place Market

2008-02-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

Greek Gods Contest Winner

2008-02-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

The winner of the Greek Gods Greek Yogurt Contest is Lisa Carr from Connecticut. And now for the winning recipe! Lisa received a 150 dollar gift card to the restaurant of her choice!

North African Chicken with Yogurt Cumin Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/ teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, dividedd
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
!/2 teaspoon black pepper
, divided
4 6 ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Greek Gods Regular Yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped English cucumber
1 cup dried brown lentils
2 sprigs parsley
1 slice Spanish onion ( 1/2-inch thick)
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
4 very thin slices proscuitto
3/4 cup minced Spanish onion
3 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 ( 6 ounce bag) prewashed baby spinach

Combine 1 tablespoon oil, zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt,
paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken; turn to
coat. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, Greek Gods Yogurt, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley,
mint, cumin and garlic in food processor; process until smooth.. Place
yogurt mixture in medium bowl; stir in cucumber. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place lentis, parsley sprigs, onion slice, thyme sprig and bay leaf in a
large saucepan; cover with water to 2-inches above lentils. Bring to a boil;
cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Disard
parsley sprigs, onion slice, thyme sprig and bay leaf.

While lentils are cooking, wrap 1 proscuitto slice around each chicken
breast. Place chicken in a 10-inch by 10-inch baking dish. Bake at 375
degrees for 25 minutes or until done.

While chicken is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium
heat. Add minced onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add
zucchini and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lentils,
spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cook 5 minutes or until
spinach wilts. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoon chopped
parsley. Serve chicken over lentil mixture; drizzle with the yogurt sauce.

Makes for 4 servings

Tomato Basil Soup with Yams

2008-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

The contest is over and there is a winner. More details very soon...
For now, a soup recipe!

Tomato Basil Soup with Yams
This is a recipe for tomato basil soup with yams. The yams make it extra creamy and less tomato- like. The texture and combination of flavors make it irresistible.

3 tablespoons of oil
20 grams of butter
1 onion ( diced)
3 carrots cut into big cubes
5 garlic cloves ( minced)
2 yams (peeled and cut into big pieces)
9 tomatoes grated
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of sugar
Salt and Pepper
2 liters of water

Fresh basil as desired (about a handful)
Fresh cilantro as desired,

Serving suggestion: Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil and butter in a pot.
2. Add onions and sauté until soft.
3. Add carrots and sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add garlic and sauté for one minute.
5. Add yams, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper and water. Bring to a boil.
6. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Blend soup in blender.
8. Return to stove and bring to a boil.
9. Add basil and cilantro. Cook for another minute. Cover and let stand for a few minutes.
10. Serve with parmesan.

Seattle Food Blogger Event at Sorrentino

2008-02-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

The last food blogger event was almost a week ago but I couldn't find the time to write. Better late than never. Here goes...
The bloggers.....No particular order (actually I think it's the way they sat in the restaurant)

Eileen at Mintz your words
Sara at From food to dinner and Adventures of a Hungry Girl
Mohini at Mango Power Girl
Rachel at Eateateatenjoy and Stick a Fork in it
Ronald at Cornichon
Katrin at Simply Culture
Jay From Seattlest

Of course some of the bloggers bought friends but I decided to mention only the bloggers themselves.

Sorrentino
The food was authentic Italian food. Hand made pasta, pizza and other Italian food made of all natural ingredients. I ordered the three-meat sauce specialty pasta with
slow-simmered ragout of homemade pork sausage, chunky beef and veal meatballs, topped with fresh ricotta. I really enjoyed the dish especially the sweet sausage which they make themselves. My hubby ordered the pizza which I couldn't stop eating!
Thanks Everyone!

Note: It was super bowl night so some of the bloggers couldn't come but don't worry guys there will be another event soon.

Foodie Gossip

2008-02-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

Union has adjusted it's menu to make prices more accessible....
They have many options for fewer than 20 dollars
Some pasta options...
Pennine with Tuna Confit, Capers, Olives - $13
Umbricelli with Lamb Bolognese, Parmigiano Reggiano -$14
Chitarra with Mediterranean Mussels, Parsley Pesto - $13
Potato Gnocchi with Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Mascarpone - $15
Some other options....
Roasted Veal Liver with Thumbelina Carrots, Rutabaga, Aged Balsamic -
$16
Ocean Trout with Cauliflower, Meyer Lemon, Yellowfoot Chanterelle
Mushrooms - $17
Skate Wing with Marinated Beets, Blood Orange - $15
Pork Tenderloin with Braised Red Cabbage, Roasted Onion, Bacon - $16
Moulard Duck Breast with Celery Root Purée, Chestnuts, Cherries - $17

Capital Grille finally opened in Seattle! The Capital Grille is known for its dry-aged, or hand-cut beef selections. It also has an extensive wine list. The place seats 250 guests and has private dining rooms as well. It is located in the 96 year old Cobb building at 1301 Fourth avenue.
Yes, it's a chain but a high- end chain with upscale food for those who can afford to
pay for a great steak.

Wine Trails of Washington- Wine Book for Lovers..

2008-02-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening I attended the book launch party for Steve Roberts book , Wine Trails of Washington, A guide For Uncorking your Memorable Wine Tour.
The event took place at The Tasting Room, the comfy wine bar located in the post alley of The Pike Place Market.

Roberts signed books, made everyone smile, and just made sure his positive energy naturally rubbed off on the wine loving crowd.

The book(608 pages)gives details of wineries all over Washington with contact numbers, tasting hours, maps and lots of information that will keep your morality high and your wine glass full as you visit the abundance of wineries that Washington has to offer.

I also found out about Vin Du Lac Winery, located in Lake Chelan and the chocolate wine pairing events in February. They are even pairing some unique white chocolate with the wine. Apparently many wineries do chocolate pairing in February, how romantic!

cover and design of book by Lisa Pettit Design
To order Roberts book or just check out the website for book, click here

Greek Gods Are Coming

2008-02-05T23:37:00.001-08:00

The contest deadline is Feb 8th....just a few days...
No pressure....
Hmmmm !150 dollar dinner....at restaurant of choice
Perhaps you will win some other great prizes....
Come on, a little yogurt never hurt anyone...

Enter at your own risk...

The Big List of Valentine's Day Dinner Options

2008-02-01T21:58:00.000-08:00

Valentine's day is just around the corner. I put together a list of some of the Valentine's Day dining options. Make your reservations quick. Come on, before it's too late.

Volterra
5411 Ballard Avenue, Seattle
A four course meal for $65 plus 20% gratuity and sales tax
(206)789.5100

0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar, 900 Bellevue Way, Bellevue
The soft, acoustical guitar from Angelo Pizarro will serenade the dining room and create the perfect mood for lovers.
(425) 637-0808

Ponti Seafood Grill
3014 3rd Ave.N
5 course menu
$70 per person exclusive of beverage, tax and gratuity.

Valentine's day dinner for the vegetarian at Cafe Flora
2901 E. Madison St., Seattle
45$ per person, tax included
(206) 329-9100

Icon Grill, 1933 Fifth Ave., Seattle
Have a romantic dinner and some decadent desserts ....

Sorrentino
2128 Queen Anne Ave. N
50$
Highlight: Fettuccine with salmon & peas & Ravioli with rose-petal ricotta & pomegranate seeds
206-694-0055

How to Cook a Wolf
2208 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle
5-courses and a glass of prosecco for $65/person
(206) 838-8090

Union
1400 First Avenue, Seattle
The 7-course menu is $95/person

The Oceanaire
1700 7th Ave, Seattle
Chef Eric Donnelly will be creating a number of special items for the special occasion.
206-267-2277

His and Hers' Desserts from Purple Café and Wine Bar
Examples...
His: Chocolate Hazelnut Cigar with Brandy Anglaise, Chocolate hazelnut roulade cake, rolled in chocolate, covered in cocoa nibs, drenched in a liquor sauce
Hers: Honey Panna Cotta with Raspberry & Rose Champagne Sauce, Creamy panna cotta filled with a raspberry mousse, drizzled with a rose champagne sauce, sprinkled with toasted options

Valentine's beer lover's dinner at Pike Brewing Company
Full dinner and lots of beer (sneak peak: Pike Chocolate Salami).
Beer only(65$+tax and tip)
Wine or beer(75$+tax and tip)
206 622 6044

Troiani Ristorante Italiano, 1001 Third Ave, Seattle
206.624.4060

Valentine's Day Dinner at Tavolàta
2323 Second Avenue, Seattle
Tavolàta will be offering a 5-course menu in the dining room for
$65/person.
(206) 838- 8008

Valentine's dinner for a great price- $79.99 per couple(excluding tax and tip)
Zephyr Grill & Bar, 240 W. Kent Station St. #104, Kent

35th Street Bistro
709 N. 35th St, Seattle
Five-course prix fixe menu will be offered from 5 p.m. for $65 exclusive of beverage, tax and gratuity. Vegetarian options are available as well as optional wine pairings ($35).
206-547-9850.

Beato
West Seattle at 3247 California Avenue SW
special five-course tasting menu for $70 per person, With wine pairings, the cost is $90

Live music and latin love feast at the Palace Ballroom
2030 Fifth Ave, Seattle
Early Show
$105 (plus gratuity and tax) per person and includes entertainment, 3 flights of tapas, dessert, and 1 drink.
Late Show
$55 (plus gratuity and tax) and includes entertainment, 1 flight of tapas, dessert, and 1 drink.
For Reservations contact Christina Logman 206.448.2001 or click here for more info

For those who don't like the crowd on Valentine's Day, the celebration continues.....

Sunday, February 17
Sweetheart Brunch at Waterfront Seafood Grill
2801 Alaskan Way, Pier 70, (206) 956-9171
For $150 per couple, enjoy a bottle of bubbly and roses at the table, the restaurant's spectacular view, live New Orleans flavored jazz and an interesting menu.
2801 Alaskan Way, Pier 70, (206) 956-9171

Post-Valentine's Day Lunch at Rover's, $50 (Valentine's day is booked)
2808 E. Madison, Seattle
Menu will feature amuse bouche, 3-course lunch, champagne and mignardises. Wine, tax, and gratuity are not included.

If you have more options, please add them in the comments section.

Last Week before the deadline for Greek Gods Yogurt Contest, click here for more details.

Wine Dinner at Columbia Tower Club.

2008-01-31T13:42:00.000-08:00

Check out this wine event.... Friday, February 1st

Fifth Annual Platinum Wine Dinner at Columbia Tower Club

Eric Degerman, Associate Editor of Wine Press Northwest and his panel of judges chose
fifteen Platinum Wines from the Pacific Northwest.

Braiden Rex Johnson, Wine Press Northwest columnist and author of Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining, will be available throughout the evening to sign her new book.

The wine dinner begins at 6 p.m. with a wine and hors d’oeuvre reception.
Seating is at 7 pm.
A five-course dinner paired with five wines, prepared by Executive Chef James Hassell. Tickets are available to nonmembers for $130, plus tax and gratuity, including a one-year subscription to Wine Press Northwest. For reservations and more information, call the Columbia Tower Club at (206) 622-2010.

Avocado Salad with a Tomatillo

2008-01-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

Last night I got a ripe avocado and decided to make an avocado salad. It was full of flavor with a an interesting spicy kick.
The tomatillo adds a slight sweetness. I didn't think of this myself. A while ago I had lunch at Austin Cantina and after being especially impressed with the guacamole I asked the waitress what gave it a hint of cherry flavor. She said it was the tomatillo. Now, mine doesn't taste anything like cherry but the combination of flavors is delicious.

Avocado Salad

1 avocado
1 hard boiled egg
1 hard boiled egg white
1 tomatillo (diced)
Juice of half a lime
Chili powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
A small bunch of chopped cilantro (about one tablespoon or more).

1. Mash all ingredients.

Don't forget to enter the Greek Gods Recipe Contest.

Pancetta Bites - Good Ciao

2008-01-26T23:51:00.000-08:00

Contest Reminder: Feb 8th is deadline for the Greek Gods Recipe contest. Come on, I know you want to win a 150 dollar dinner!
Click here for more details....

I don't like to have too many cookbooks anymore. I am one of those people who uses one or two recipes from a book and then forgets that I have it. Since I got this book, Good Ciao last week , I have already made six recipes. The cookbook is a collaboration between Italian Chef Roberto Russo and Salty's Co-Owner Kathryn Kingen and Salty's Chefs.

All the recipes are simple with flavorful ingredient combinations and are written in both English and Italian. The recipes include easy pasta dishes, quick but impressive appetizers and a section of Northwest dishes with recipes of Salty's Restaurant Chefs.
I was debating which recipe to share and I decided that these pancetta bites are a fun, easy appetizer with a delightful combination of flavors. The recipe is unbelievably quick.

Pancetta Bites

2 bananas
20 slices of Pancetta or substitute bacon, thinly sliced
12 dried prunes
1/2 cup of Fontina( cubed)
Freshly ground Pepper

Peel the bananas and cut each into 4 pieces.
Wrap each piece with a slice of pancetta.
In a bowl combine the prunes with enough warm water to cover and set aside to soak for 3 minutes. Drain and pit the prunes. Fill each prune with some of the Fontina and wrap each with a slice of pancetta.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the pancetta-wrapped bananas and prunes in an oven safe baking dish. Transfer to the oven to broil until the pancetta is crisp about 10 minutes.
Remove the bananas and prunes from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Season with pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Note: I bought pitted prunes that were already soft. I skipped the soaking part.

Beecher's Cheese Needs You!

2008-01-25T09:33:00.001-08:00

Do you always look through the window of Beecher's and wonder what it's like to make the cheese? Beecher's needs cheesemakers!

Apply down at the famous Pike Place Market to become one of the cheesemakers at Beecher's Handmade Cheese. The position requires heavy lifting and flexible hours. Apply in the market at 1600 Pike Place and ask for Brad or Blain. 206-956-9019.

Culinology in Seattle

2008-01-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of culinology? Culinology is the blend of culinary arts and food technology.
Read about the culinology program

The Research Chefs Association will be having the next conference and culinology expo right here in Seattle. Many subjects will be discussed such as Myth Busters: Molecular Gastronomy, Ice Cream: From Cow to Wow and Meat Alternatives: Exploring your Options. For more subjects, click here

When and Where? Conferences: Thursday, March 6 – Sunday, March 9, Sheraton Seattle Hotel
Culinology Expo: Friday, March 7, 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Washington State Convention and Trade Center

What? Conferences regarding many food related subjects and companies showcasing their food products.

Who would be interested in this conference?
Anyone who is interested in food, food development, networking or students in culinary school who want to explore more possibilities in the food world.

The last day for early bird discounts is January 31, 2008

To enter a Greek Gods Yogurt Contest and win a 150 dollar dinner, click here!

How Super are You?

2008-01-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

For the blogger event, I got some Supertaster strips. I thought it would be fun.
I tried mine at home with hubby, we have these little quarrels about parmesan cheese.
He likes to grate parmigiano reggiano and regular parmesan and make me try them both. He likes to see if I know the difference. He hasn't got me yet! So we tried the supertaster.
You place the supertaster strip in your mouth.
a) If you can't taste anything, then you are a non-taster
b) If you can taste a bitter taste, then you are a taster.
c) If the taste is really bad, you are a supertaster.

My hubby was a taster and mine was really gross. It tasted kind of like the glue on an envelope maginified 10 times. I did actually gag but I am still not sure if I am a taster or a supertaster. There should be something in the middle.

Either way it was a fun experience and a great way to get everyone laughing at the party. It's a great icebreaker! I will order some the next time I have a party with other people. The price is cheap: 4.95 for 2 strips.

My blogger buddy Herbivoracious posted his results on his blog too.

Greek Gods Greek Yogurt Recipe Contest

2008-01-15T08:45:00.000-08:00

Are you good at inventing recipes? Are you looking for a place to take your date for Valentine's day? Do you want to enjoy a romantic dinner for two? Do you love using the Greek Gods creamy thick Greek yogurt in your cooking?

Contest: Blog about any recipe idea, traditional or modern, consistent with a Mediterranean lifestyle influence. Recipes should have qualities representative of the Mediterranean Region. Recipes do not have to be Greek but should incorporate one or more of the Greek Gods Yogurts as a substantial ingredient. All entries must be submitted no later than February 8, 2008. If you are blogging about it, please include a link to: www.greekgodsyogurt.com and to this blog post as well.
Submit all recipe entries to: recipecontest@greekgodsyogurt.com
No blog required. Just send an email. Recipes will be judged on creativity, appearance and taste.

First Prize: $150 Gift Certificate for dinner on behalf of the Greek Gods at your favorite restaurant(you choose) and the winning recipe and photo will be posted on the Greek Gods website and on this blog.

Other Prizes: Greek Gods T-Shirts and/or your recipe and name posted on Savvy Savorer blog with a link to your blog.

Check out some of the funky T-Shirts at www.greekgodsyogurt.shirtcity.com

*** All judging will be conducted privately, and judging participants will be selected at the sole discretion of 3 Greek Gods, LLC.

More Information About Greek Gods......................

THE GREEK GODS - EXPERIENCE THE MYTH TM

The Greek Gods are a Mediterranean foods company based near Seattle, WA. Since 2003 its original 3 founding members have actively taken an enthusiastic and direct approach to continually promoting and expanding an awareness of Greek foods and the Mediterranean lifestyle associated. Greek Gods products embody those specific flavors as well as processing techniques that are unique to the country of Greece.

Greek Gods Greek Yogurt is an extremely popular line of cultured dairy products available throughout the United States. Greek Gods Yogurt is a thick and creamy yogurt, full of body and rich in taste. All Natural wholesome ingredients, rBST/rBGH free milk, and 5 live and active cultures (including Probiotics) make up a healthy Mediterranean style yogurt. Greek Gods Yogurt is available in the Honey, Fig, Pomegranate, Traditional Plain, Reduced Fat Vanilla blend, and Nonfat plain varieties, both 6 oz grab and go or 24 oz family size.

Greek Gods has recently introduced a new and truly unique Greek gourmet super-premium ice cream known as: Pagoto Ice Krema. In modern times, Greek Pagoto (ice cream) is enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean for its unique flavors and creamy texture. Greek Gods Pagoto Ice Krema, made the traditional Greek way, using wholesome ingredients and mastic-resin to deliver a creamy and flavorful experience.

Mastic (also know as Chios Tears) comes from mastic trees grown in six villages (Mastichochoria) in the south of the small Greek island of Chios. Also know for its health properties; People in the Mediterranean region have used mastic as a medicine for gastrointestinal ailments for several thousand years.

Flavors include BAKLAVA, HONEY POMEGRANATE, and CHOCOLATA FIG.

Retailers such as Whole Foods Markets, Wild Oats, Earthfare, PCC, Metropolitan Markets, Haggen Foods, Top Foods and Drugs, New Seasons, Zupans, HEB stores, Vitamin Cottage, Market Street Stores, QFC, Bristol Farms, Gelsons, Ralphs, Lunds and Byerly, community Co-ops, etc…. all carry Greek Gods products. Go to www.greekgodsyogurt.com or www.greekgodspagoto.com for more locations in your area. Also, feel free to contact the Greek Gods at ggyfeedback@greekgodsyogurt.com to request that their products be made available in a store near you.

Spaguetti Squash Macaroni and Cheese

2008-01-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

At the potluck I hosted this week, blogger Catherine made a Spanish Macaroni and Cheese. I was inspired by her dish to make something cheesy at home. I came up with this Spaghetti Squash Macaroni and Cheese. It is not exactly like macaroni and cheese but a healthy, quick substitute. The creaminess reminds me of a risotto. Nice for a dinner when you are dining alone. A weekday supper.

The recipe makes 1 large serving or 2 side dish servings

Here is my recipe for Spaghetti Squash Macaroni and Cheese.

2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon of butter
Half a spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 a cup of grated Cheese (I used Beecher's Flagship and Parmigiano-Reggiano)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Chopped Chives

1. Place squash cut side up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash. Cook more if necessary and comb out strands.
2. In a saucepan, saute the garlic in butter.
3. Add spaghetti squash, 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir.
4. Add Cheese and stir until you get the consistency that you like. Add more cheese or milk as needed.
5. Chop chives and mix in. Season with salt and pepper.

I used olive oil with chives in the food processor to decorate the plate. I placed it in a squeeze bottle and made little circles.

Spaghetti Squash Macaroni and Cheese

2008-01-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

At the potluck I hosted this week, blogger Catherine made a Spanish Macaroni and Cheese. I was inspired by her dish to make something cheesy at home. I came up with this Spaghetti Squash Macaroni and Cheese. It is not exactly like macaroni and cheese but a healthy, quick substitute. The creaminess reminds me of a risotto. Nice for a dinner when you are dining alone. A weekday supper.

Here is my recipe for Spaghetti Squash Macaroni and Cheese(1 serving or 2 appetizer servings)

2-3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of butter
Half a spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons of flour
Milk as desired
1/2 a cup of grated Cheese(I used Beecher's Flagship and Parmesano Reggiano)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Chopped Chives

1. Place squash cut side up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash. Cook more if necessary and comb out strands.
2. In a saucepan, saute the garlic in butter.
3. Add spaghetti squash, 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir.
4. Add Cheese and mix until you get the consistency that you like. Add more cheese
if needed.
5. Chop chives and mix in. Season with salt and pepper.

To decorate the plate(only if you want to feel like you are in a restaurant). I used olive oil with chives in the food processor. I placed it in a squeeze
bottle.

Food TV For Seattle Bloggers

2008-01-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

I videotaped each blogger's dish at the Food Blogger Event. Here they are!

Here is the Yemenite pita that I made from the recipe found in the December issue of Gourmet.
Lachooch

I made Iraqi Style Kuba, looks bad but tastes good

Sweet Potato Pancakes, Labane,Lachooch and Zaatar

Winewall

Anticiplate

Herbivoracious(listen to Michael's daughter saying "I want some water).

Italian Woman at The Table

Listen to Ronald from Cornichon give tips on Italian Cocktails and where to buy cheap wine.

Cakespy

Madeleine

Seattle Food Bloggers Event

2008-01-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

All the recipes had been building up inside, the food obsessiveness was starting to show exterior signs, the foodie twinkle in our eyes was starting to shine, our mouths were watering waiting for the next dish and most of all we needed other food obsessed bloggers to assure us that it is okay to immerse yourself in the food obsession.
It was time to release all the foodie tension. What a better way to do it? Another food blogger event!
This time we had a potluck brunch. Michael from Herbivoracious brought a white bean salad with grilled onions and his gorgeous daughter.
Chef Paul Redman and Helen Redman of Winewall brought country style pate made of pork from a pig that Paul actually butchered himself.
Kari of Anticiplate brought a fig and goat cheese crostini and her taste tester husband Eric.
Catherine from the Madeleine was a little late because she was taking her dish out of the oven, Saffron Fideos con Chorizo y Piquillos en Cazuela (Spanish Macaroni & Cheese). Her hubby Ken has all the tasting qualifications since he has worked as a chef himself.
Mr and Mrs Cakespy brought fruit scones and some of Mrs. Cakespy's uber-cute artwork. Candace of Italian Woman at the Table brought biscotti with chocolate chips.
Ronald of Cornichon made Italian Cocktails for everyone. Actually he set up his own little bar which was just what we needed to wash down the the gargantuan amounts of food. Not a blogger, but foodie, Lucy Mohl of Crosscut brought roasted beets from Porcella Urban Market.
I brought Iraqi Jewish style kube which are meat filled semolina dumplings and Orna and Ella Sweet Potato Pancakes. I also made Labaneh, a yogurt cheese.
My hubby made Lachooch, a Yemenite bread that is a pancaky flatbread with a sour taste. We had a few little raffles for prizes, a gift exchange and a supertasting contest. I am working on uploading videos of all the dishes so hopefully in a few days I will succeed to put them up. All in all the eatoggers(people who eat to blog and blog to eat), had a great time and love was in the air!

Seattle Food Bloggers meet up once a month for a foodie event. If you have a blog and want to be added to the list, please send me an email to Kerenlovestocook@gmail.com.

Blogger Introduces Menu Item

2008-01-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Today there is a review of Cafe Flora in the Seattle PI. I heard great things about the place from food blogger Michael Natkin of Herbivoracious. He has taken a break from his computer job to do an internship at Cafe Flora. Last time I saw him he told me that he had actually invented something on the menu, Winter Green Dumplings in Shiitake Broth. In the review today, the dumplings got a graceful and delightful review, The green dumplings managed to pull off a bit of Italian-Asian fusion, as ricotta-filled won tons floated in a lovely shiitake mushroom broth. A shower of Parmesan and lemon zest provided a dramatic finishing flourish.
Just proof that dreams can come true! If I were him I would put on my bathing suit and immerse myself in the broth, with dumplings as pillows of course. Is he allowed to do that?

The Year I learned to Embrace Food

2008-01-03T23:34:00.000-08:00

This year I learned to embrace food. I learned to feed my body what it wants. Sometimes it wants healthy vegetables dishes and sometimes it wants gooey, gunky, buttery plates of food.
I started this blog a little while after I had decided that I want to learn how to cook.
I knew a bit about cooking but never thought that I could learn so much in one year.
I started my journey with random cooking classes until I realized that I was lacking techniques. I took two classes at the Art Institute and learned the fundamentals of cooking. Yes, it was extremely expensive but I learned that everything could be made from scratch.
Chef Paul Redman taught me all the basics and from then on, no yeast, no dough and no amount of work could stand in my way( he and his wife Helen have a really nice blog).
I learned to appreciate the allurement of seasonal produce, to relish at the sight of fresh herbs and to detect great meal components from a mile away.
I learned how to throw dinner parties without getting stressed out.
I took up yoga which taught me how to appreciate life, to meditate and most of all breathe which I can't believe that I didn't know how to do before.
I met some great chefs this year, went to fascinating food events and most of all learned to absorb any info that I could find about food. I got my appendix out this year which is not as bad as it sounds.
I also got engaged and married to the love of my life.
Thank you readers for your comments(yes, you Twinkies dad) and emails. I am grateful for all the support.
Whooo! What a year!

Protein Bars

2008-01-02T12:14:00.001-08:00

I was just going through some old posts when I realized that I wrote this one. One of my resolutions last year was to eat more protein so I think I have been keeping this up pretty well. I am trying to focus on chicken, eggs and peanut butter but sometimes I get a bit lazy.

Protein Bars
The more I am introduced to new foods, the less I eat of the old ones. I am conscious of what I eat. I would rather not eat then pile up on Subway or some other fast food that I don't really crave. Some mornings I practice yoga and the last thing I want is to feel is food in my stomach while my body is upside down. My solution for those "I don't feel like eating moments"…..tadaaaaa.........nutrition bars.
I am not running a marathon or working out heavily so I can't really eat most protein bars. All of those calories would just stick to me. I need to choose ones that are low in calories and still keep me full.
Does anyone eat protein bars? Does anyone have any recommendations? My next step is to find a bar that doesn't have so much sugar. I haven't found one yet but you never know.

My top picks are:

Luna Peanut Butter Cookie
calories per bar 180 (48g bar)
protein : 10 g
Sugars: 13 g

Pria Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch
Calories per bar: 110 (28g bar)
Protein: 5 g
Sugars 10 g

Update: Since then I have discovered some new bars and all of them have minimal sugar. This year I discovered ..............
Pure Protein
calories per bar: 190
Protein: 20 gr
sugar: 2 g
sugar alcohol: 6 g

Think Thin
calories:240
protein: 20g
sugar: 0
Sugar alcohol:15 g

I have been eating both for a while. I recently tried a Snickers protein but could not remember how much sugar was in it. Anyone know?

The Day Ice cream Died

2008-01-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

What do you think of this video? Does it hurt you to watch it?

New Year's Eve Food Stuff

2007-12-31T08:48:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I have to acknowledge the New Year. I have no choice. It's coming soon, really soon. Here are some things that I found to do.

1. Tap House Grill .The prix fixe dinner includes the evening celebrations and is $50 per person; seating begins at 6:00 p.m. and continues until 8:00 p.m. Without dinner, the New Year's Eve party is $25 pre-sale and $30 at the door.
2. Serafina's New Year's Menu
3. Sorrentino
4.There is a 7 course tasting menu at Union for 95 dollars.
5. Rover's

More New Year's Eve Dinners

Boots in Cheese at Beecher's

2007-12-28T17:57:00.001-08:00

A while ago, I posted that I would love to stomp in the cheese at Beecher's while wearing yellow boots. Dreams do come true! Actually, pretty close. So I don't have yellow boots but I have these blue and white ones.
Yes, I got to put my feet in the cheese, actually in the leftover milk that was going through the drain on the floor(it felt so warm).
Did you really think that they would let me stomp in the cheese?
The place was squeaky clean which I didn't expect. I always imagine that behind the scenes you find out about some nasty hygiene secrets that you weren't aware of. Nope, not here. The only secret here is that you could probably eat of the floor.

The people were extremely friendly. Brad, the head cheese maker made sure that I felt like a part of the cheese making family.

My dream came true! I got to witness the cheese making process.

Here is my Beecher's Story. I hope that the pictures tell it all.

The Big Cheese: Beecher's Flagship Cheese, a cheese made of Gruyere and Cheddar cheese cultures(this is the cheese that they made that day). Read more here.

Meet the Cheese makers.....
There is Blaine. Blaine studied communications at Arizona State University.
He worked in the fish section of the market and decided to move into the cheese direction. He couldn't handle the dirty looks that he would get for smelling like fish on the bus. He loves making cheese and invests all his passion into the cheese.

There is Bjorn. He studied molecule biology at Washington State University. He has a unique choice in music and a real love for cheese.

This Cloth is used to filter any debris or grass from the milk.

The Test
This test checks for antibiotics in the milk. The test looks like a pregnancy test, a certain color comes up if antibiotics are found in the milk.
If antibiotics are found, all the milk is dumped and the farmer gets in trouble. The
farmer then finds the cow responsible for this. Poor cow!

Cheese Components

1)Pasteurized whole cow's milk
2)Cultures
3)Rennet- used to thicken milk(they used a vegetable based Rennet)
4)Salt- They used kosher salt(large grains of salt)

Cheese Fact: Ten thousand pounds of milk makes about one thousand to eleven hundred pounds of cheese.

In the pictures, you can watch the cheese change textures(say it fast, 10 times).
I started my day at 8 A.M but the ingredients really transformed into cheese at around noon.
That's it, now you know the secret. The best time to peek through the window is at noon or 12:30 when you can really get a glimpse of the action.
You can grab a serving of the World's Best Macaroni and Cheese and sit right in front of the window to savor the beauty of the cheese.
Being inside was really interesting, I felt like a fish in a tank. Everyone stared as they walked by. Oh and from one angle, there is a machine in the way. So all I could see were jeans lined up on the window. I couldn't see the people's upper bodies or heads. I wanted to take a picture but I didn't want to scare the people away.

After a day of cheese, only one thing was on my mind. Poutine. Since I grew up in Montreal, I am used to eating big plates of fries, drowned in gravy and covered in melted cheese curds. I guess I'll get some Beecher's curds this week and make myself some Canadian comfort food or maybe I'll head to the Steelhead Diner where they serve Poutine made from Beecher's Curds.
Beecher's Handmade Cheese
1600 Pike Place
Seattle, Washington 98101
206.956.1964

2007-12-24T10:38:00.001-08:00

This is part 3 of my foodie tour of the market with a friend who just moved here. Click here for
Part 1 and Part 2.

After the Spanish Table, I took my friend to Beecher's. This is where you can peak in the window and watch them make cheese or just hop in to the store and have a cheesy meal. Frantic Foodie Gift Tip: How about a Cheese basket? Choose your favorite cheeses and the Pure Flavor cookbook with the recipe for the "World's Best Macaroni and Cheese".

The next stop was at The Souk(1916 Pike Place). I love the Middle Eastern spices and all the fascinating exotic food products. Frantic Foodie Food Tip: Get the labaneh and the zaatar spice. Labaneh is a Middle Eastern cheese that tastes like a mix between yogurt, sour cream and cheese. In a post a while back I wrote about how to serve it.

The next stop was La Mexicana(1914 Pike Place). This is a little Mexican store where I like to warm up with a tamale before I continue my walk.

Then I took her around the corner to my favorite secret in the market, Cafe Yarmurka(1530 Post Alley 3A). I eat there all the time! I order stuffed cabbage rolls with a dollop of sour cream. I introduced this place to a Russian friend from New York and she refused to eat anywhere else for the two weeks she was here.

We then continued to Cinnamon Works(1530 Pike Place) to drool as we looked at the pastries. Huge cinnamon rolls, enormous muffins and all the ingredients are listed. Great for people with allergies.

Next stop was Sotto Voce (1532 Pike Place) for an olive oil tasting experience. Frantic Foodie Tip: A high quality olive oil is a great gift.
The next stop was The Confectional. Luckily it was their anniversary that day and they were giving out Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles. Give the gift of chocolate!
The last stop for the day was at La Bueno Tavola(1524 Pike Place). I like to taste the interesting dips and truffle oils. Frantic Foodie Gift Find: Beautiful kitchen towels(see picture). They have wine tasting everyday between 1-5. 5 dollars for 3 wine samples. Read my post for more.
We called it a day. We were stuffed and really tired. We sat near the water to relax.......
I love Seattle.

Any suggestions? Other Foodie Finds?

Frantic Foodie's Frantic Finds ,Part two

2007-12-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I told you about some of the places I like to go shopping for foodie finds.
Here is part two.

After our stop at Market Spice we walked to the street behind the market. I like Market Spice when I need a few last minute spices or want to find interesting teas. When I have time to kill and the patience to look around, I wander to another spice stop. This one is bigger and less touristy. I stop at World Spice Merchants (1509 Western Ave). Here, I can open the jars and actually smell the spices. The staff is knowledgeable and very helpful. This is when I start asking all the questions about my recipes. Frantic Foodie Gift Tip: Buy a friend a spicy gift. Buy little spice bottles and fill them with some exotic rare spices. Attach a recipe for each spice.

The next stop is the Spanish Table (1426 Western Ave). This store is one of my favorite stores for
foodie inspiration. I eye the chorizo sausages, the interesting Spanish cookies and stunning Spanish dishes. I like to buy a whole bunch of the individually wrapped cookies and try a different one each time. Frantic Foodie Gift Tip: Cookbooks!They have a huge selection of cookbooks on sale. They even have some cookbooks for 10-15 dollars. They also carry Mediterranean cookbooks that are hard to find at other places.
Look out for part 3 of Frantic Foodie's Frantic Finds, In and Around the Market.

My Trip to the Market and Sorroundings

2007-12-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

I copied this post from my other blog.... This is what I love to do in Seattle

A friend of mine just moved here from out of town and this was a great opportunity to take her on my personal food tour. These are the places that I like to go when I need some inspiration of any kind and of course when I need to get food gifts for other food obsessed friends.
I started my food tour at the Westlake Center. Just a short walk from the Pike Place Market.
Daiso(Westlake Center, 400 Pine St) is my first stop whenever I am planning a dinner party or need some new teapots. It is a kind of Japanese dollar store with most items priced at a dollar fifty or three dollars. I get kitchen stuff, mini baking pans, special cake pans, decorations for homemade food gifts and everything else for the house.

Our next stop was the Chocolate box(108 Pine Street). They have just about anything chocolate in Seattle. There are also lots of samples and marvelous chocolate gifts to get for your friends.

The next stop is at Delaurenti(1435 First Ave)in Pike Place Market. They have a huge selection of everything; all the cheese that you can dream of, wine and so many specialty products that you can't find anywhere else. They also have truffles! Shopping tip: Get the red roasted peppers in a jar to add flavor to sauces or pasta.
Next we get a knish at the I love New York Deli (right across Delaurenti) and then we continue to Market Spice(1501 Pike Place)for a tasting of their Signature Market Spice Tea. We also got some of the spices that we need for our holiday recipes.
So many places, so little room in this post. I will continue this post some other time.
Look out for part two, coming to my blog soon.

Peet's Coffee

2007-12-17T10:57:00.001-08:00

Last week I went to a coffee cupping at the new Peet's Coffee and Tea on Queen Anne. It was my first cupping experience.
First I learned how to taste the coffee.

Coffee Tasting
1)You swirl the coffee which cools it down.
2)Shove your nose in it. Smell the aroma!
3)SLURP! You actually make a huge slurping sound. This allows you to spray your palate.

What to look for?
1) Body, thickness, viscosity of the coffee.
2) Acidity. How acidic is it?
Do you taste a ripeness or a liveliness?
Do you taste an aftertaste? Does it linger on your tongue?
3)Aroma. What do you smell?

Now try to sense the different flavor touches. Is it fruity or floral? Can you taste cocoa? Does it have a woody taste?

After we tried a few different coffees, we discussed food pairing.
Some combos that go together.
Coffee from Kenya with chocolate.
Indonesian coffee goes with cinnamon or really creamy textured desserts or foods.
Ethiopian coffee with a fruit dessert, a berry or lemon tart.

Call Peet's to find out when the next free cupping will take place.

* There will be a fundraising event for the Sacred Heart Shelter on Dec 24. Peet's will be serving free brewed coffee and tea. People can donate as they wish. The donation will be matched by Peet's Coffee.

Peet's Coffee
2201 Queen Anne Ave. N
206 826 9001

Zen Asian Bistro in Bellevue

2007-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

The newly opened Zen Asian Bistro is the greatest new addition to downtown Bellevue.
The place has an alluring atmosphere with a clean but classy, minimalistic decor.
Even before your meal arrives, the experience starts. You are presented with a smoky soup, edamame and a pot of tea. At first I thought it was some kind of lunch special but the same pre-meal pamper is served on the dinner menu as well. I enjoyed the Zen’s chicken in soothing lettuce cup and the vegetable tempura. The vegetable tempura was crunchy and not soggy with a great selection of vegetables. The Chicken Pad Thai($10) was a great blend of flavors and really well done. The sate was nothing special which was totally fine considering everything else was well executed. The staff was genuinely friendly and patient considering that I manically asked them if the food had M.S.G. Nope, none in sight. The prices are reasonable for such trendy and presentable fare($10-15 per entree). I am looking forward to my next Zenful evening because I haven't tried the sushi yet. The place is open until 2 am on some nights of the week.
If you want a great atmosphere with impressive food Zen go there soon.

Zen Asian Bistro
989 112th Avenue NE, Bellevue,
Washington 98004
(425) 453-2999

Truffle Chex Mix

2007-12-15T22:52:00.000-08:00

Every time I open my freezer I get a whiff of the Truffle Salt that I bought a while back. I decided to use it make Truffle Chex Mix for a girls night out I hosted this week. The girls
found it addictive and everyone was asking where I got it.

Truffle Chex Mix

6 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of Truffle Salt
3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
9 cups of Chex Cereal
1 cup of mixed nuts
1 cup of pretzels
1 cup of vegetable chips(I used Terra Exotic Mediterranean chips)

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Melt butter in microwave.
3. Stir seasonings in with butter.
4. Mix all ingredients together.
5. Bake for an hour, mixing every 15 minutes or so.

Comments:
It tasted nice but I felt like there should be more chips. Next time I will add more.
I am refraining from making this for myself because I will probably end up eating it all in one day. That's what guests are for.

Truffle Salt is from La Buona Tavola, 1524 Pike Place. 206-292-5555
Chips are from Whole Foods.

Greek Gods Baklava Ice Cream

2007-12-10T23:17:00.000-08:00

For the blogger event we received samples of foods and one of them was the Greek Gods yogurts and ice Cream. I contacted them after I tried their yogurt and fell in love. The plain yogurt has been my favorite for a really long time. I love the creamy almost sour cream like consistency. It tastes great instead of sour cream as a side to my favorite foods. Hubby and I topped our ravioli filled with kabocha squash with the yogurt.
I also received a sample of the Baklava Ice cream. I don't like Baklava because it is way to sweet but this ice cream is a unique mariage of walnuts, honey, cinnamon and almonds. It truly is wonderful! There is so much flavor in it. Every time I need something sweet, I stick my head in the freezer and grab a spoonful.

When Food Obsessed Crazies Get Together- Seattle Food Blogger Dinner

2007-12-06T05:38:00.000-08:00

After two weeks of planning the day finally arrived. The Food Blogger Dinner was an extensive menu of foodies all under the roof of Quinn's, the restopub created by the owners of Zoe, Chef Scott Staples and his wife Heather.
Some of the foodies had to cancel because there is a terrible flu going around. All I can say is that the round up was nothing short of the perfect amuse bouche. A combination of blogalicious flavors and lots of amazing bouche action, in other words: excessive foodie chatter.

The Menu:

Italian: Candace Dempsey from Italian woman at the table is proof that food bloggers can be great friends even before they actually meet. We have become close merely by reading each other's blogs and she gave me a beautiful present, a huge amount of Tunisian saffron leaving me feeling like a queen holding a stash of gold. Candace is currently teaching a food writing course online,
a great opportunity to get a bite of her expertise. You can also find her in The Seattle PI, right next to my Frantic Foodie blog.

Vegetables: What would a dinner be without the best choice of seasonal vegetables.
Michael Natkin from Herbivoracious knows how to turn vegetables into a meal with motivating dishes and story-telling pictures.
His glorification of vegetarianism actually motivated me to create my birthday dinner without an ounce of meat.

Cornichon. What would life be without the saltiness of a Cornichon. Ronald Holden of Cornichon needs no introduction.You can find him in Seattlest and in Delicious City as well.
Don't expect Ronald to hold back if he doesn't like your food, pity is not his thing. He speaks out with plenty of sarcasm and manages to write about virtually every food related event around.

SEX: Ha, I got your attention. You can count on Jay Friedman for an original take on sex education comparing women to crock pots(slow cooking) and men to microwave ovens(heat up fast)in the sexual arousement area. You can catch his food writing in Seattlest. Decadent!

Menu:
Now what is a restaurant without a menu. Katrin Rippel specializes in menu translation and other cultural issues associated with food. She has worked as a chef in restaurants and knows the food world from behind the scenes.

The Gastrognome:What would an event be without someone to eat and tell? Naomi Bishop tells is like it is on her blog, Gastrognome where her keen palate shows through. She also works as a Marketing Coordinator at Chow Foods.

Food Writing: Now comes Anne Beckham, writer and editor at Antioch University. She wooed us with her food stories especially the one where she got to travel to Jordan. That is where her friendship with Candace started and I have one word to say. Lucky!

Stick a Fork in it: Rachel Belle is a reporter who also co-hosts Stick a Fork in it, where she reviews food in a unique, comical and interesting way. You can download the shows online. Now you know why it took me so long to post this.

We also had a gift exchange where people got interesting second-hand cookbooks, hand made chocolates by Katrin herself and some other foodie products.

Quinn's was the perfect choice for the dinner. The place had a positive vibe, a kind of bistro meets chic lacking the pretentiousness sometimes found at places with great food. I ordered the 8.oz snake river farms wagyu beef burger with cheddar, bacon and fries. I ordered this after reading on food forums that this is a a generous pick. I was ridiculously hungry. It sure was. The burger was tender and the bun! Oh my, the bun! It was kind of sweet, a combination between a brioche and a doughnut. There were lots of fries. One fellow foodie remarked that all he could see were fries from across the table. That's because I devoured the hamburger, buddy.
My hubby ordered the cheese plate, the rabbit pate and the pear salad, endive, frise, green beans and stilton. Everything tasted marvelous. I am already planning my next visit. I am curious to see the Quinnesque take on a Sloppy Joe(Yes, Ronald) and fish and chips.
The prices were quite reasonable which you can see on the menu.

The next blogger event will be in a few weeks so if you want to be invited, this is the time to send me an email. I got so many emails from people the night of the event which was too late. Kerenlovestocook@gmail.com

For another take on the dinner Herbivoracious.

Quinn's
1001 East Pike Street
206 325 7711

Pimp My Bubby!

2007-12-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up I was the only Jewish girl without a bubby. We called my grandma Safta, which is a word in Hebrew. Bubby is the word in yiddish for Grandmother. I felt so deprived to not have a bubby.
I was very excited to find that someone is offering his bubby to others.
How sweet of him! Check out the bubby and her recipe for potato latkes, a potato patty eaten on Hannukah.
You don't need a bubby to make these. You can have a nana, grand-maman or whatever else. All Grandma's are the cutest.
What do you call yours?

How I Ate The Voodoo Doll

2007-12-03T11:12:00.001-08:00

Warning: Some of the descriptions might be too graphic for some.

How to Eat a Voodoo Doll

1. Drive to Portland.
2. Tell the GPS where to go.
3. Listen to it say "You have arrived at your destination".
4. Run into Voodoo Doughnuts
5. Ask for the voodoo doughnut.
6. Run to the car and shove the pretzel into your mouth.
7. Savor the saltiness.
8. Bite the doll's head off.
9. Savor the doughy texture.
10. Keep biting until you get to the bloody insides(cherry filling)
11. Leave the legs for your significant other(that's all my husband got).
12. Done!

Notes from the eater: If you are not into voodoo then you can get the Nyquil Glazed and Pepto-bismo doughnut. Right now it is not available. I wonder why.
You can try the lemony one, the dirt one( raised doughnut covered with vanilla glaze and Oreo cookies) or the Grape Ape(raised doughnut with vanilla frosting and grape powder). There are also some others that are too dirty to mention. If this is too graphic for you, get a vegan one. They have lots of those.

Voodoo Doughnut
22 Sw. Third Avenue
503-241 4704

A Baby is Born- How to Cook a Wolf

2007-11-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

Put your resto-radar on because there is a new restaurant in town.
How To Cook A Wolf or Wolf is the new addition to the trendy Queen Anne Neighbourhood. Chef Ethan Stowell and business partner, Patric Gabre-Kidan have opened this new place with room for a little more than twenty guests and a bar with room for ten.
Chef Ethan Stowell is father of both Union and Tavolata so you can kind of get an idea of the feel of the place.
There are over a dozen small plates that are between $5 and $15.
Grilled Venison with Controne Bean and Shallot Salad, Ahi Tuna
Crudo with Chilies and Lime, Prosciutto di Parma, Hard Cooked Eggs with
Anchovy Mayonnaise, Panini with Mortadella, Provolone, and Watercress
Salad, and Grilled Branzino with Broccoli, Garlic, and Chilies.
House made pasta ranges in price from $12 to $14.
Spaghetti with Garlic, Chilies, and Shaved Tuna Loin, Pappardelle with
Rabbit Bolognese, and Farroto with Lamb Shank, Celery Root, and
Braising Jus.
Location: 2208 Queen Anne Avenue North (at
Boston Street) atop Seattle’s Queen Anne Hill.
Hours: Dinner from 5pm to 12am Thursday –Monday
It is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information,
call (206) 838-8090 or visit www.howtocookawolf.com (coming soon).
Wolf does not take reservations.
I can't wait to check it out. Will you beat me to it?

Brush Up on Your Food Writing Skills

2007-11-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

Do you want to learn how to write about food? Do you want to start your own food blog? Check out this online food writing class offered by award-winning travel and food writer Candace Dempsey.

The Knish is Delish

2007-11-28T08:20:00.000-08:00

It's about the time of the year where everyone is sniffling. No shaking hands, no friendly hugs, perhaps a wave from from across the room. Everyone around me is sick. What does one need?
Chicken soup with matzo balls, the ultimate comfort food.
Finally there is actually a place to get some in the Pike Place Market. I Love New York Deli
The kosher style New York deli is a small little place with lots of appetizing choices. Hot corned Beef, hot Pastrami, beef Brisket or other huge piles of meat. All this is served in dark rye, club roll, onion kaiser, sourdough or honey wheat bread. Did I mention the New York pickles? Oh yeah, those too.

I only tried one item so far because the last time I went it was 10 A.M. I ordered the knish. A Jewish doughy square or circle filled with potatoes, kasha(buckwheat), meat, onions or any other filling that is tasty when hot. I figured that I would try a few bites and finish the rest later. HA! I devoured the gigantic knish in a few seconds. It was hot and perfectly flaky with heaps of filling.
This knish is delish!

Cranberry-Cornmeal Quick Bread and other Thankgiving Stuff

2007-11-23T14:50:00.000-08:00

I attended a potluck yesterday and this is what I brought.
Tomato with pine nuts salad
Sweet potato pancakes(actually yam pancakes)* Yam should be used instead of sweet potato. This was the success of the evening, not one pancake was left!
Cranberry-Cornmeal Quick bread.( This came out amazing!)
Wild Rice Dressing with Roasted Grapes and Walnuts. This turned out okay Not as great as I expected but I would make it again. I forgot to chop the walnuts!

What did you make?

Tomato With Pine Nuts Salad

2007-11-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Here is one of my favorite salads. I love soaking my bread in the leftover sauce.

Cherry tomatoes or other smaller version of tomato(cut in halves or quarters)
Pine nuts(a handful)
Lots of basil
olive oil
salt

1. Toast pine nuts.
2. Place tomatoes in a bowl with basil and pine nuts.
3. Add olive oil and salt.
Voila, the pleasure of simplicity!

Seattle Food And Wine Festival

2007-11-19T09:58:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I decided to stop by the Seattle Food and Wine Show. The teacher traits in me suddenly emerged. I felt like saying " you have so much potential. Too bad you are not fulfilling your potential". This city is packed with foodies just looking for some new food ideas. Unfortunately, there were not enough products to taste, not enough booths and just not enough of anything! I have to admit that the list of
chef demos was pretty impressive though.
Some interesting finds..........

1. Poggio la Noce, A great tasting organic olive oil. It can be found at McCarthy and Shiering .
2. Tasty and cute handcrafted chocolates from Cantare Chocolate Company.
3. Kagome Juice- A sweet tasting juice that is made with veggies. Try the Yellow Mango Orchard.
4. New cooking videos by Sizzleworks cooking school. Formerly known as Rain City Cooking school. Instructional videos like poultry 101.
5.Oil and Vinegar- Interesting flavored oils and vinegars. All the oils and vinegars can be sampled at the store in Bellevue square.

Michael Ruhlman at the The Art Institute of Seattle

2007-11-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

Michael Ruhlman visited the Art Institute this week to answer the culinary student’s questions and sign copies of his new book, The Elements of Cooking. Michael charmed the students with his direct personality, his culinary experience and his sincerely straightforward manner of sharing his food adventures. He made a strong point about salt being the most powerful ingredient in the kitchen. This he discovered from a conversation with Thomas Keller. He explained that one must know how to salt and when to salt. Never did I realize that such an important part of cooking is also the area in which I am the weakest. I am definitely lacking salting capabilities at this point. He kept sharing personal experiences with a passion that could only inspire one to get off their behind and write, write, write or cook, cook, cook.
After such a whiff of inspiration, what does one do first? He also answered personal questions about career choices individually asked by the students in line. He answered with sincerity and made sure to stress that if you want to be a food writer then you have to write everyday. I ran home to decide whether I should write or cook. I decided to read his book which inspired me to write and cook. Each page is filled with so much information that a bubble tea straw wouldn’t be big enough to slurp it up.

For more about this experience, read the Wine Wall.

Seattle's Food and Wine Festival

2007-11-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

It's here again. The Seattle Food and Wine festival. Three days full of food tasting, chefs and wine.

Nigella on Northwest Afternoon

2007-11-14T16:08:00.001-08:00

My day started in the audience of Northwest Afternoon. I knew Nigella Lawson was going to be there so I thought that it would be sweet to start my day with some cooking inspiration. Her smile was just as beautiful as it is on all her book covers with a magical nuance to it. She made a salad with halloumi cheese. Halloumi is salty with a firm tofu-like texture and it tastes great lightly fried. She also made a chocolate dessert which I will not reveal since all of you can catch the segment on Northwest Afternoon this Friday. Maybe you'll catch me drooling in the audience.
Nigella breezed through the cooking with a poise that would make any chef blush. Everything went by so fast and the segment was over before I could even digest what was going on. I was hoping that at one point we would get to sample the food but they took the trolley of goodies away. I was left intoxicated with a dominating chocolate aroma that is stuck in my head like the lyrics of song that I am unable to forget.
My day only got better. In the evening, I went to see Michael Rhulman, author of "The Elements of Cooking "who left me with enough inspiration to keep me motivated for the next few years. I will post about it tomorrow because such an interesting experience deserves a
post of its own.

Attention Seattle Food Bloggers

2007-11-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

What do foodies do? They eat!

I will be organizing a Seattle Food Blog dinner sometime soon so please send me
an email if you are interested. kerenlovestocook@gmail.com

Nigella in Seattle

2007-11-12T17:38:00.000-08:00

Hey foodies,
Just a reminder: Nigella Lawson will be signing books in Seattle tomorrow. November 13. If you don't have time to go then you can catch her on Northwest Afternoon.

Correction: The taping will be tomorrow but the show will air another day. You can call and still get tickets to see the taping.

Does Meat Make You Stink?

2007-11-12T10:17:00.000-08:00

Spending two weeks with yogis taught me a lot about food. Most of the people in the yoga course were vegetarian and some were vegan. The other day I spoke to one of the guys and he mentioned that some other guy smells.
"He smells because he eats meat" he remarked in such an assertive but nonchalant manner. Thoughts ran through my head. Do I smell like a walking hamburger? Do all meat eaters need extra deodorant?

I did the odor test. You know, the one where you put your arm up to scratch you head and gently place your head near your armpit. Nope, no smell. Even after 3 hours of yoga. Would I give up meat if I noticed a smell? No, probably not. Not even if I could smell like basil! We continued walking until we got to Fremont Coffee where I ordered my favorite turkey sandwich with some adjustments. The turkey sandwich has cheese and mayonnaise so I always ask them to put lots of basil instead of these ingredients. The sandwich is served grilled with a side of those kettle-like chips. Great place to bring your laptop and surf the net for articles about meat and
body odor. Does meat make you stink?

Ommmmmmmmm. I Mean Mmmmmm

2007-11-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

I want to explain why I haven't been writing as much lately. I am taking an intensive yoga course with practices at 6:30 A.M. and lectures all day long. Instead of making mmmmmmm sounds I have been making ommmmm
sounds.
Yoga? A foodie who does yoga? Do they go together? I always get this question. Now I have a question. Does peanut butter go with carrots? Do scrambled eggs go with ketchup? In my world they do. Yoga gives me balance in life. Yoga has taught me how to enjoy my food more. It has taught me to sit down, breathe and then take a bite. It has taught me that every food that I eat is blessed. It has taught me that my body deserves more than pizza pockets. Yes I deserve huge market tomatoes and fresh basil. I deserve creamy risotto and Osso Bucco too. I enjoy my food more when I take the time to savor it. I especially enjoy my breakfast after two and a half hours of yoga. Yoga enhances my sense of taste.
My course is over in a few days and I will have more time to write. I will still be doing yoga and obsessing over food. Namaste.

Dine Around Seattle

2007-11-05T17:06:00.000-08:00

The Seattle restaurant promotion is back again this month. You can enjoy a 3 course dinner for 30 dollars. Last time it was 25 dollars! I guess the 5 dollar difference won't hurt anyone.
Plus, this time there are more restaurants to choose from.
Some of the places have lunch for 15 dollars as well.
The promotion started November 1st and ends Nov 29 th(Sunday through Thursday).

Bahama Inspired Holiday Recipes

2007-11-05T00:17:00.000-08:00

The holidays are slowly approaching which means it's just about time to turn our recipe radars on. Did you hear that? Now hunt down your recipes and start practicing. Trying the recipes first is a great idea. I believe that this will save guests from having to fake wrinkle producing smiles and uncomfortably gulping down your little mistakes.

Here are some interesting recipes from the Bahama Breeze Restaurants. What do you think?

Creole Baked Goat Cheese
Serves: Two to Four (Great for sharing)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Garlic, fresh, minced
½ cup Sweet onion, ¼" diced
4 oz wt Fresh chevre goat cheese
1 each Vine-ripened Roma tomato, seeded and diced ¼"
1 Tbsp Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 TbSP Fresh parsley, chopped
¼ tsp Hot pepper sauce
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Roasted red pepper cups (see recipe below)
Garlic croutons

PREPARATION:

Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and onions and sauté just until the onions become translucent. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Transfer the onion-garlic mixture to a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula to thoroughly blend. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.
Fill roasted red pepper cups with goat cheese mixture and bake in a 350 ºF preheated oven for 10 minutes. Now, place the garlic crouton rounds in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the pepper cups to the center of a serving platter and arrange the baked croutons in a circle around the pepper cups. Serve with a fresh tomato salsa on the side.

Note: When eating this dish, we recommend cutting the pepper cups into wedges for the full experience of eating the filling with the red pepper.

Roasted Red Pepper Cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 Medium sized red bell pepper 1 Tbsp Olive oil as needed Salt & pepper

PREPARATION:

Cut red pepper in half to form a top and bottom. Remove and discard the seeds and trim the stem to allow the top half pepper cup to stand up. Rub the inside of the pepper cups with olive oil and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place them in a pie plate, cut side up, and bake them for 5 minutes in a 350 ºF, preheated oven. During this roasting step you will be just slightly softening the pepper. The final cooking will take place after the pepper cups are stuffed. Allow the cups to cool upside down to allow the excess juice to drain out prior to filling with the goat cheese mixture.

Crab Claws St. Thomas

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz wt Blue Crab Claws
¾ cup Passion Fruit Butter
1 loaf Cuban or French Baguette

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 500°F.
Place crab in a baking dish.
Melt passion fruit butter in microwave and pour over the crab.
Slice the loaf of bread into desired size.
Place crab and bread in to the oven.
Remove from oven when bread is golden and crab is bubbling hot. This should take 4 -5 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Passion Fruit Butter

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz wt Butter, salted
¼ cup Passion fruit pulp or nectar, no seeds
1 Tbsp Sugar
½ tsp Cajun Seasoning, your favorite

PREPARATION:

Heat butter in the microwave in 10 second intervals until the butter is softened but not melted.
Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix well using a wire whip until evenly combined.
Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Here Comes the Bride Eating Sorbet

2007-11-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

After months of preparation the day finally arrived. It was a day like no other. The happiest day of my life, the way a wedding day should be. As nauseating as this may sound, it was perfect in every way.
The day started with a picture field trip with the photographer. We even stopped for some good old lemon sorbet. Lipstick can be easily be reapplied but the tangy lemony texture of sorbet lingering on your tongue can not be neglected, not even for my own wedding.
Chandeliers and white flowers were placed on top of silver and black tablecloths giving the hall a ballroom flair. There were many square shaped vases filled with fluffy banana shaped candies, color bursting gummy worms and other colorful sugar confections. Candy at a wedding might sound slightly bizarre but I knew it was just perfect when I saw women with updoes elegantly slurping worms into their mouth.
What would you expect from a foodie?
The food was served Asado style. I of course didn’t have time to eat. I was too busy puckering up for the cameras and dancing with the guests to the D.J’s tunes which were mostly hit songs from the 80’s and 90’s.
The hilarious part of the night was when my relatives put us up on chairs and swung us in the air. A crazy Jewish tradition that gets everyone dancing. I shook with fear when the chair raised up in the air. Just as I started to relax my face muscles, they tipped me over and I slid down the chair hitting my chin on the other chair and falling smack in the middle of the dance floor. Mind over matter, I picked myself up and pretended that everything was fine until the end of the song when I met my mom at the bottom of the stairs to count the teeth in my mouth.
Did I mention the walking down the aisle part? My nervousness had some negative effects on me.
I got sick to my stomach right before I had to walk down the aisle. I can’t imagine what the guests were thinking. Finally I made it out and put on a cool, relaxed face. To this day, a lot of people don’t know why it took us so long to walk down the aisle.
I can't imagine a better wedding day, a day full of smiles, happy people and a few
endorphin releasing laughs.

Keep It Simple Stupid

2007-10-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you want simple
no fancy words
quick recipe
enough said !

Free Turkey Advice

2007-10-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Do you need some help with your turkey?
Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, will lead 45-minute classes on turkey preparation. She will be teaching at two different locations on November 3. Both classes are free!

Location 1: Top Food and Drug 1301 Ave. D, Snohomish
Time: 10:30 a.m

Location 2: Haggen Food & Pharmacy, 8915 Market Place N.E., Lake Stevens
Time: 1:30 p.m

The classes are limited to the first 50 people to register at the guest services counter of each store or register by phone (Snohomish, 360-568-1395; Lake Stevens, 425-377-7100)
Class attendees will receive a $5 coupon toward the purchase of a Butterball turkey.

The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line will be open from Nov. 1-Dec. 25. U.S. and Canadian consumers with questions about preparing turkeys may call toll-free (800) BUTTERBALL – 1-800-288-8372. Bilingual English/Spanish support is available.

More about turkey talk line

Amateur Gourmet Almost Gives Up Restaurant Reviews

2007-10-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Amateur Gourmet has taken some new turns lately. A new book, an improved website. Fame is the name of the game.

I am an avid reader of his blog
for a really long time so I feel like I am part of his blossoming process into a real time
writer. Too much credit for myself, possibly. Don't forget that it's the little people that count.
I really enjoyed his post about restaurant reviews. He mentions his inner conflicts about how much to write and how critical he can be. He suddenly has to be careful not to ruin any of his contacts.
He now knows what it's like to be criticized. It's so easy to ruin someones business with a few innocent words. It's also easy to lose readers of your own when you are not sharing all the information you know.
Read the comments to the post as well. They tell you a lot about what his audience likes.

What do you think? To write or not to write?

Churro- Dunkable doughnuts

2007-10-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

Thought I would check in and say hi. I have been busy in brideland. The last week before the wedding is the most stressful and all I can think about is the wedding.
Every time I go out to eat, I remember a wedding invitation that I once saw.
The bride has been living on lettuce for 3 months. The least you can do is come to the
wedding. I am not one of those, I had chocolate today. I swear. I don't have
bridearexia.
Two days away from the big day.
I just realized that there will be no churros at my wedding. This was one of the options on the tasting menu but I was scared that people would want desserts that are more chocolaty and less fried. I thought I would post the picture. Just in case someone has never heard of these crunchy, dunkable doughnuts. Please add this to your food repertoire.

My Wedding Dinner

2007-10-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

My Wedding Food Tasting
Finally the wedding is getting closer....less than two weeks to be precise. Yesterday, I went for the second tasting before the wedding. The food will be served Asado, which is a kind of Argentinean barbecue. Asado is the name for grilled beef. The waiters will come to the table with the beef on sticks. They will slice the meat hot and serve it directly to the guests.
There will be five different types of beef. There were chorizo sausages on the menu
but some of my family members had a problem with the idea of sausages being served at a wedding

As for the salads, I had to choose six salads out of so many. I chose cherry tomatoes,
wild mushrooms, a salad with a lemony vinaigrette, spicy coleslaw, cucumbers with a creamy sauce and grilled eggplant with tehini sauce. All I know is that I didn't choose the beets or the sweet potatoes because most people I know have a problem with beets and there are thick fried potatoes in the stations at the beginning.
I am not going to go through the whole menu because I can't remember most of the stuff from the stations and the hors d'oevres are a blur to me.

All I know is that people will need to be hauled out of the hall with such heavy food. I was thinking of putting warnings on the tables: Warning: more meat to come. Do not keep eating.

Are All Sausages the Same?

2007-10-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

We tasted all the wedding food today. I got to pick and choose what I like. Details
to come( I need to download the pics). My future mother in- law had a bit of a fit when she found out that they want to put chorizo sausages on the menu?
No weiners on my menu! No way! No how! I thought it was cute. She called them weiners. To her, a weiner is a weiner even if it is spicy and delicious.
I wasn't about to argue. I could live without the damn sausage.
No pun intended. Really!

Who Let the Lettuce Out?

2007-10-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, the lettuce is not here. Not in my salad. Only tomatoes, cucumbers, onions
olive oil, lemon juice and salt. All cut into teeny weeny squares.
Now this is a salad!

Halva Heaven Dessert

2007-10-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

This is a dessert that I witnessed a friend of the family create 5 minutes after dinner. Since I was already a witness, she had to give me the recipe.

Halva Heaven Dessert(only for people who love the taste of halva)

Ingredients:

Ice cream
pistachios(toasted)
halva(the kind that comes in chunks)
tahini
date syrup(honey would probably work too, date syrup is hard to find)

1. Scoop ice cream into clear bowl
2. Break up halva and sprinkle generous amounts onto ice cream.
3. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of tahini on the ice cream.
4. Drizzle date syrup on the ice cream.
5. Repeat with 2 more tablespoons of tahini and date syrup. Cover with pistachios.

Note:

She only gave me the list of ingredients and I wasn't able to guess amounts.
Most of the ingredients can be found in a Middle Eastern store such as Byblos Deli.

Rockfour Music Tour

2007-10-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

I know that this is a food blog but once in a while I can sway away from the main topic if there is some correlation with food. Rockfour, is not the cheese but an uber talented band all the way from Tel-Aviv. Their songs are in English and they are touring the U.S in October. Unfortunately, they will not be coming to Seattle.
To hear their music and see where their touring, click here
Check them out and tell me what you think?

Empty your House Pasta

2007-09-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

I was on the way home when the hunger hit. It was 3 oclock and I realized that all I ate was a protein bar. This wasn't intentional at all. I usually eat every few hours. After a day of running around like a crazy woman, the hunger devoured me and I could eat anything in sight. I imagined what I would eat all the way home.
We just got back from our trip and there is no food in the house. I am spoiled, I usually only use fresh herbs when I cook. I searched the fridge and there was not a sprig in sight. I rummaged through the pantry. I eyeballed some canned goods that I bought a year ago before I had learned to cook. This was going to be a mish mash dinner with everything I could find. I used cream corn instead of cream to add a thickness to the sauce.

Empty your House Pasta

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Pasta
3 cloves of garlic
1 gigantic onion
2 small cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of creamed corn
oregano
Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Cook the pasta according to directions.
2. Saute the onions and garlic.
Add tomatoes, corn, tuna and oregano. Simmer for a few minutes.
3. When pasta is al dente, reserve some of the cooking liquid.
4. Add sauce and a bit of starchy cooking water to pasta.
5. Top with parmigiano Reggiano.

I have to say that this is not the most incredible pasta that I have ever had but it was just perfect for a day when I don't have time to cook but would like to enjoy
some nice healthy comfort food.
Note: The pasta in the picture is before I added the cheese

UPDATE: My fiance got home and tried the pasta, he loved it!

A Short Trip to Banff and Sorroundings

2007-09-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a pre-wedding vacation in Banff. I needed to stock up on energy
for a crazy month. Yes, actually less than a month until the day that I say those meaningful words " I DO". Okay, I am not going to make anyone nauseous with details but I still have to choose the menu and taste all the choices, send out the invites, choose the music that I want the D.J's to play and turn in to bridezilla for at least a bit. I don't know if you can become bridezilla a month before the wedding. Maybe it will be an overnight transformation, like what happened to the guy from Teen Wolf.
Most of the food we ate was either fast food or stuff we bought at the supermarket.
I even changed my views on Safeway. In Seattle, Whole Foods is my favorite place to
grocery shop. There are so many choices, Q.F.C, Trader Joe's and Metropolitan Market. In the Banff area, the only one I could find was the Safeway. I have to admit that it isn't that bad at all.
My most memorable meal on the trip was dinner at The Red Deer Lounge. We stared through the window at erect pine trees, side by side like toy soldiers, forming a stunning green gate of perfection.

I grew up in Montreal so Canada brought back so many memories.....fat kid memories. I was one of those kids that ate junk all day. My eyes lit up at the mere sight of Smarties, Poutine and
Maple Leaf cookies. Thank Heavens, I grew out of that stage. Now that I think back,
I think I never realized that Cabbage Patch Dolls were actually associated with vegetables. If I only I would have known. I probably would have begged my mom for more Strawberry Shortcake dolls.
These days kids play with swollen lip hooker dolls called Brats. What ever happened to the innocent wrinkly California Raisins? Did they get Botox or go on a diet?

Question of The Day

2007-09-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

My question got chosen as the Serious Eats question of the day:
Are there fruits and vegetables that you discovered this year?

Come on, we all need some motivation to try new things. Now here are a few new names to look out for.
Jep posted purple potatoes, Golden Kiwi and plucot.
Cool name lived up to her/his title using all the possible names for each food. Husk tomatoes AKA strawberry tomatoes AKA cape gooseberries among other names.
Pousse Pied AKA sea beans AKA glass wort.
Hillary from chew on that posted durian, batata, sapute, lychees and a horned melon.
"Erin loves to eat" posted that she finally overcame her fear of licorice resembling fennel and that she also discovered jicama.

Now that you are hungry, add your own!

Nigella Lawson In Seattle , Nov 13

2007-09-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Send a recipe to the Seattle PI and win a chance to meet her!
For more info....

The Discovered Palate

2007-09-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

My fiance and I are always having little discussions about our palate. He claims that
I have gotten my palate used to certain foods and my standards for food are much higher. He doesn't taste the difference between tomatoes from Fred Myer and tomatoes from the market. It took me a whole month to convince him that
heirloom tomatoes taste different than Roma tomatoes and that they are worth 5.99 a pound. The other day at Whole foods, he actually bought some for dinner. I could not believe my eyes(yes, on sale) but still he agreed to pay 4.29 a pound for tomatoes.
I decided to think back and make a list of a few new vegetables or fruits that I discovered in the last while.
1. Heirloom Tomatoes
2. Fiddlehead Ferns
3. Donut Peaches
4. Wild Ramps
5. Squash Blossoms
6. Meyer Lemons
7. Elephant Garlic
8. Truffles
9. Kobacha Squash

What are your discoveries?

Padma's Cellulite

2007-09-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Emily from the last season of "Top Chef" lets her big mouth loose. Her claim that Padma has cellulite reminds me of why women are so jealous and why women should only have men friends. Women can be so nasty! Brace yourself girl, you wish you had one precent of Padma's beauty. Listen for more complaints.... that's all she does!

Listen here

Pink Cake

2007-09-17T09:40:00.001-07:00

Check out this cake.
Can you guess what it is?

The Amateur Gourmet - Book Review

2007-09-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

Practically every food blogger is aware of the Amateur Gourmet. He is the one that puts ridiculous songs on his blog, never hesitates to post his mistakes and has become a blogger celebrity in the last few weeks. Oh and I am sure that his blog is nothing short of one the most popular food blogs around.
I have been looking for his book for a while and I finally got my hands on the little thing.
The book is a simple story of someone who teaches himself how to cook. A lot of the things will get you saying things like "oh, I did this" or hey "I never noticed this". When I went into a store to ask for it, the lady said " I don't need this, I already know how to cook". The truth is this is not a book to teach you how to cook, there aren't many recipes and all of them are borrowed from other books. This is going to remind you how much fun cooking is and how many mistakes we tend to make, how important it is to discover food and how blogging is the single best way to never forget these experiences. This is a blog that you can cuddle with in bed without feeling the heat of your laptop and imagining the damages it is doing to your body, perched on your stomach. A quick, easily read, antidote to an otherwise boring day!

To get the book

Food Network Star in Seattle

2007-09-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Do you think you cook like a star? If you missed the Food Network auditions today then you still might have a chance.
Send an email to:nextfoodnetworkstar4@gmail.com.

Read my other blog , for details.

Austin Cantina

2007-09-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

Saturday, I finally got to try out the new restaurant, Austin Cantina. The place is
super casual with cactus paintings and a miniature cactus on each table. The atmosphere is laid back and despite the fact that the tables were full, the chef
greeted people at the door with a smile. It reminded me of a diner but Mexican style. It was doing well for it's one week Anniversary.

I ordered the nachos with homemade guacamole and salsa. I tasted cherry in something but I couldn't figure out what it was. Was it in the salsa or in the guacamole? I asked the waitress and she explained that they roasted the tomatillos in the guacamole which gives it a unique taste. It tasted perfect! I ordered grilled northwest chicken with a sweet chipotle glaze. It came with black beans and rice. The chicken was extremely moist which is pleasantly surprising because a lot of the time chicken in restaurants is dry. The food tasted great. I regretted not ordering the plantain empanadas. I am trying not to eat too much fried food. I think the table next to me noticed me staring at their empanadas. I should at least try not to drool next time.

The total came out to 19.60= chips and salsa 5.50+ coke 2.50( not even real coke but R.C Cola)+ polla la plancha 10.50 + tax. This was the only downfall, a tad bit pricy.
I would definitely go back, seems like the type of place where everyone knows your name.
Cheers!

New Teas by Chao Dao

2007-09-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Do you have trouble deciding if you want coffee or tea? If so, there is an answer for you, Yin Yang.
Yin Yang is a blend of fresh black tea and coffee.
I picked this up at Whole Foods this week. The only problem is that I am not a big fan of coffee. Once in a while, I have a craving for ice coffee so I figured this
would be a good choice. I am probably not the best judge since I don't drink a lot of coffee but this one tastes pretty good. The bitterness of the coffee is balanced by the taste of tea. It is also very sweet, kind of like a really strong iced tea with a dose of coffee in it. It's the kind of thing to drink on a really hot day when you don't want the heaviness of a coffee with milk.
Calories: 60 for the whole entire bottle(16 oz)
Antioxident flavonoids: 132 mgs

The second drink I tried is the Jasmine tea with lemon which is absolutely wonderful. The mix of Jasmine tea and lemon is a perfect combination and it is totally refreshing and sweet.
Calories: 80 for the whole entire bottle(16 oz)
Antioxident Flavonoids 320 mgs

For more information about Chao Dao beverages, click here

Cooking Light In Seattle with Chef Bily Strynkowski

2007-09-07T15:07:00.001-07:00

To Read my post about this event, read my other blog

0/8 Seafood Grill/ Twisted Cork

2007-09-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

Seattlelites beware! There is a worthy happy hour on the Eastside. I have written about the Twisted Cork before in my other blog because I truly love the place.
Last night, I tried the new menu for the first time.
While we debated on what to order, one person suggested calamari. The thought of a deep fried crusty batter crossed my mind. Do I really want all that grease in my body(pretending to be somewhat health conscious before my wedding)? Then I realized that it's seared. What a bright idea? The seared calamari is so much more delicate than when it's fried and it was cooked up with lemon grass and cashews. As for the scallops, what a lovely plate. Everyone ranted and raved about them including my friend who stated earlier that we should "order anything but the scallops". The ahi tuna poke was surprisingly tasty served alongside a glass of a lemon grass dry soda spritzer(wine and dry soda)used to clean the palate. The poke was then followed by a Chateau St Michelle Muscato. The spicy tuna is made with mango,cucumber and ginger. It is topped with crunchy wonton pieces and toasted sesame seeds. I usually don't care for ahi tuna but I liked it this time with the crunchiness of the wontons and sesame seeds.
Happy Hour is not the only option for those on a budget, you have until the end of the month to take advantage of New Urban Drinks , where you get two small plates and a glass of wine for 15 dollars. We had to do get a piece of the urban drink action as well. The mushroom ravioli with pea vine salad and chive oil is a delightful choice . I won't tell you about all the plates but I mentioned my personal favorites. Now I'll let you look at the pictures.
Allow your palate some eye candy!

0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork
900 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue
Read my interview with the Chef

Sorry about the dark pics, I was having trouble with my camera. The beautiful glass
podium trio is the "ahi tuna poke" with the wine spritzer and Chateau St Michelle wine.

Bake Cookies in Your Car

2007-09-05T21:54:00.000-07:00

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Better yet, get into your car.
Actually the heat in the car is enough to bake cookies. Check out the article. Perfect for those men who are obsessed with their cars.
Another excuse to spend your time drooling over your wheels.

Would You Rather?

2007-09-04T23:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a game. Feel free to Play. You can add a question if you like.

Would you rather eat pasta every day for a month or pizza for a month?
Would you rather give up on bread or give up on cheese?
Would you rather a big kitchen with a few gadgets or a small kitchen with the best gadgets?
Would you rather give up sugar or give up fried foods?
Would you rather eat moldy cheese or freezer burnt bread?

Last Call for Cooking Light

2007-09-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder about the cooking light event....

Cooking Light hosts supper clubs in different cities each time and they are finally having one in Seattle.

Details:

Date: September 6, 2007
Time: 6:00 pm
Price: 65 Dollars per person

There will be cooking demos, recipes, a wonderful meal and lots of fellow foodies. If you are up for it, sign up quick before it's too late!

In Concert with Communities

2007-09-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

Thursday September 6
Benaroya Hall, Samuel and Althea Stroum Grand Lobby, 200 University St., Seattle

This event showcases the partnerships between Washington State University faculty and the community members—farmers, ranchers, fishers, business owners, and non-profit leaders—who work side-by-side with their land grant university to steward the environment, create jobs and businesses, raise fresh, healthy, local food, and offer lifelong educational opportunities to the citizens of Washington state.

Try appetizers prepared by some of the area’s top chefs.
The list includes chefs from....Waterfront Seafood Grill, Troiani Ristorante Italiano, Cafe Flora, and 0/8 Seafood Grill, using Washington-grown ingredients supplied by farmers and ranchers attending the event.
Admission is $50 per adult and $20 per child (ages 5-18) at the door; children under 5 are free. For more information, contact Dory Straight, at (206) 335-2243 or visit cahnrs.wsu.edu/event.
Found this via Randall Pr

My Barbecue Last Night.

2007-09-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

I tried grilling every vegetable possible. It was great except for the cucumbers on the grill. I thought I would give it a try. Nasty!

Cache Seattle

2007-09-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

I just discovered Cache Seattle. It's a private dinner club in Belltown.
People sit together, communal style and the menu has a different theme each time.
The price is a suggested donation which includes food, drinks and wine. The only downfall is that is sold out until the end of October.
I found this on Delicious City.

New Restaurant in Ballard- Austin Cantina

2007-08-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

There is a new visitor in town. Austin Cantina, a Tex Mex Restaurant opening on September 1.
I have a good feeling about the restaurant especially since there will be some interesting dishes like the chile dusted calamari with chipotle mayonnaise and the empanada de plantain made of mozarella, chorizo sausage poblano chiles and warm corn tortillas.
The enchilada filling options are mole, pot roast, pulled pork or vegan zucchini stew.
Judging from the chef's blog, it will be a nice, friendly place and as I noticed on the menu, the prices will be quite reasonable. I strongly believe that you can't judge a person, until you've read their blog.

Will you be one of the first to try?

Austin Cantina
5809 24 Av NW
Seattle

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Hands Free Cooking

2007-08-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Do you use your hands to toss lettuce or do you whip out some snappy tongs?
Is using your hands more accurate than using a gadget?
This is the question in this article titled " The Power of Touch" , featured in Food and Wine.

In my kitchen, I use my hands for everything but embarrassingly I usually use those clear disposable gloves. I am a closet germaphobe. I am always scared that maybe there is some miniscule germ that jumped into the crevices of your hand and can't be removed with soap and water.

The truth is that a real chef has to touch the food in order to be passionate about it. I wouldn't want the chef to make my food routinely, slabbing the chicken on like those teenagers that work at Subway? I would like to believe that the chef enjoys cooking and molding our food with a passion that only a 4 year old making play dough aliens could understand?
Some questions then arise. Where were those hands before? Does this chef have a cold? Does he/she clean under his fingernails?
What do you think?

Does the use of utensils instead of hands compromise the quality of our food?

Funny Looking Vegetable

2007-08-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't hurt to laugh. So here is a picture that will crack you up.

Maybe you would rather a carrot doing yoga.
OMMMM!

Don't underestimate the power of laughing!

The Incredible Feast- Where the Farmers are Stars

2007-08-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

An event to to raise awareness about Washington’s local family farms, and to raise money for disaster relief for farmers in need.

Many famous chefs will star in this feast. There will be live shows and lots of great food.
Chef list:
Renee Erickson/Boat Street; Juli Guillemette/Brasa; Ande Janousek/Carmelita; Taichi Kitamura/Chiso; Scott Emerick/Cremant; Amy McCray/Eva; Christine Keff/Flying Fish; Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez/Harvest Vine; Julie Andres/La Medusa; Emmanuel Piqueras/Mixtura; Philip Mihalski/Nell's; John Sundstrom and Aleks Dimitirjevic/Lark & Licorous; Dan Braun/Oliver's Twist; Lisa Nakamura/Qube; Thierry Rautureau/Rover's; John Neumark/Serafina; Seth Caswell/Stumbling Goat; Maria Hines/Tilth; Ethan Stowell/Union and Tavolata; Don Curtiss/Volterra; Vicky McCaffree/Yarrow Bay Grill; Scott Staples/ Restaurant

When: Sunday, August 26, 4 - 7 pm
$50 per adult, $10 per child 12 and under (children 3 and under free)
For more info and tickets

Food Bloggers in Seattle

2007-08-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

Attention all Seattle food bloggers. I think we should meet up sometime.
I am thinking Pike Place Market, cheap food. If you want to be invited, post a comment on my blog or send me an email.

Beecher's Cheese

2007-08-21T23:30:00.000-07:00

I was walking around the market on a really hot day. Yes, this happened in Seattle. I decided that it's time to grab a snack. I got this Beecher's cheese stick and Flagship tomato soup, which is also made with cheese. What a combination! Perfectly dunkable dough infused with the aroma of cheese paired with a slightly cheesy tomato soup. Then I eyed the new book on the counter that contains the recipe for the " World's Best Macaroni and Cheese".
The book titled "Pure Flavor" was written by Kurt Beecher Dammeier. For more details on the book, read this post in Cornichon. So back to the mac and cheese. I tried to sneak a peak at the recipe, cheese stick in hand. I was ready to challenge anyone who dared to bother me in the process,sneaking peak after peak trying to make it unnoticeable. Then I looked into the window and saw the machines creating cheese. My A.D.H.D mind was on another path, imagining how much fun it would be to put on yellow rain boots and play in the cheese. The truth is I don't remember anything about the Macaroni and Cheese recipe so I guess I'll just have to get the book. Another proud moment in Seattle, we got the big cheese.
Word!

Chateau Ste. Michelle Winemaker Dinner at Icon Grill August 30

2007-08-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

6:00 PM
There will be a question and answer with Chateau Ste. Michelle Winemaker, Bob Bertheau, and moderated by Sommelier David LeClaire.
Free

7:00 PM
The guests can move upstairs to the Icon's private dining room for dinner.
Cost is 79$ not including tax and gratuity.

Executive Chef Nick Musser's menu includes:
Green Peppercorn Duck Pate En Croute with summer vegetable salad
Eroica Riesling 2006
Chile Cured Bacon Wrapped Seabass with creamed lobster and sweet corn
Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay, Horse Heaven Hills 2005
Venison Tenderloin with Manchego and barley risotto, black currant jus and grilled delicata squash
Ethos Syrah 2004
Basil Sorbet Stuffed Heirloom Tomato with Micro Greens
Sweet Goat Cheese Tart with almond-shortbread crust and summer berries
Kobe Beef Sirloin with Stilton bleu cheese and Yukon Gold potato gratin, roasted sweet onion and mushroom demi glace
Château Ste. Michelle Artist Series Meritage 2004
For reservations, Icon Grill at (206) 441-6330

I Found this via Randall Pr

My Posts This Week

2007-08-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

Another week has gone by really fast and I attached a list of some of the posts I wrote in my other blog. This week was special because I taught my first cooking class.

If you are looking for something to do today, then check out the healthy living fair.
I wrote about it in this post.

Need something nice to make today. Try my bruschetta recipe.

Food Bloggers Are Here to Stay

2007-08-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

I came across this article in Serious Eats about a blogger who became a food critic.
I know many people are getting chills up their spine as we speak. A lot of people don't like the blog world. They might feel threatened, feel that it's not fair or are just not able to connect with this nonchalent style of writing. For me blogging is my life. I sit down almost everyday to write and on the days that I don't I feel gulty, sad, distant. I feel like I am being a bad girlfriend. Blogging makes me feel complete. It has opened up my world to a life of words. It has taught me to write again, even if some may not consider it writing. It is practice. It is like sharpening your brain everyday. Elderly people should blog so they can stop the again process.
Blogging has introduced me to so many people. I have a whole bunch of blog friends.
People I can turn to when I am down. People that live in other continents. People that are food obsessed like me. People that speak languages that I will never understand.
I am part of a blogging community and no one can take that from me.

Buffets

2007-08-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have a problem with buffets. I thought about this last week at an Indian buffet. The fact that you can go more than once grosses me out. Mounds of food on my plate remind me of Chef Boyardee, no matter how good the mounds taste. The Indian buffet was really delicious but the fact that all the food touches each other and the sauces blend into a mushy colorful mess doesn't really appeal to me. As I bit into my spicy colorful palette, I noticed some Indian women eating. They had only two different colors on their plate and they ate slowly, dipping the Naan bread lightly in the spicy sauce.
It was as graceful as Swan Lake. I was eating like the ugly duckling and they were eating so peacefully. I was now, not only disgusted with myself but jealous.

I don't like the waiting in line in buffets either, the fact that everyone breathes over the food and their hair touches the food really suppresses my appetite.
What do you think? Are buffets worth it?

Some of my posts this week..............

2007-08-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

I have another blog and I chose a few posts that might interest some of you.

Book Review on Chocolate Cake Sutra- A bit of how to improve yourself all described in recipe format

My Favorite breakfast Shakshuka, eggs in tomato sauce

Interview with Chef Philippe Thomelin of Olive Tree Catering and a recipe for crusted
lamb cutlets in citrus breadcrumbs, artichoke barigoule and tapenade.

Last Minute Cooking

2007-08-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

I woke up yesterday with a migraine.I decided to pull myself out of bed to a yoga class. I figured it might help. It did help for a few minutes but then after yoga I went to bed for an hour. Then I realized that I have guests. I sprang out of bed and started cooking. The guests have little kids so I made my favorite meatball recipe. Every kid and every adult seems to love this recipe. The recipe calls for matzo meal but I used Panko bread crumbs instead.
I made white rice to soak up the sauce. I made a salad. I made a pasta with peas, corn and cream. I boiled some fresh corn on the cob from the farmer's market. I almost forgot. I started the meal
with bruschetta. The bruschetta was made of tomatoes, olives and onions. As for dessert, I made meringues, covered with homemade peach gelato( no ice cream maker required) and topped it with fresh fruit.
I made all this in about 3 hours, except for the ice cream which I made the night before. Things went fine and the guests enjoyed. What I learned from all this....
If you put gummy worms anywhere near the kids then don't expect them to eat too much food. I also learned that even easy recipes can be made for guests!

Amateur Gourmet Isn't an Amateur Anymore!

2007-08-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

One day the thought crossed my mind about blogging? Will I have something to say?
Could I Write once a week? Then I found an article titled " How to start a food blog" in the Amateur Gourmet. That was it. I started my blog in the Seattle PI, promising to write twice or 3 times a week. HA! I write almost every day! Now I have my own savory blog because my food obsessed mind has way too much to say.
All this thanks to the Amateur Gourmet! Today I realized that the Amateur Gourmet
upgraded his site! If you read food blogs, then you probably know the Amateur Gourmet. So way to go! I am so proud to say that I am the third person to add comments to his post about upgrading his site. When you read this, there will probably be atleast 20 comments or maybe 200.
Good luck with your new look, Amateur Gourmet.

Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi

2007-08-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

I grabbed a book from the library titled "Rude Food" by Vir Sanghvi. I expected to read about real stories in the kitchen, how hard it is to survive in the dirty culinary world, how chefs fight and spit in your food. O.K, I'll stop. I think I expected an Anthony Bourdain type book, one of those books that will scare you into ever even thinking of opening your own place
and might convince you that chefs are possessed with the worst job on earth.

Vir Sanghi is slightly negative about the culinary world but not in a depressing way. He paints a picture of the restaurant world as it really is, minus a constant nagging negativity. He knows how to give credit when needed and makes sure that every detail on every subject is thoroughly explained.

Although a lot of the stories are about Indian cuisine, he writes about every type of cuisine, gives you surprising facts and history and most of all motivation to try foods that may seem odd at first.

The book is compiled of short essays of only a few pages each on basically every trend in the culinary world from truffles which he compares to the smell of sex, to caviar to a whole section dedicated to explaining diet trends.

If you are obsessed with food, the history of food, the smell of food or just want to learn some culinary tips, this is the book for you.

And as far as the subject of wanting to be a chef or learning how to cook( been harassed a lot lately):
All I hear is how this world is so hard. I shouldn't bother because my legs will hurt all the time,
working in a hot kitchen is really bad for your pores. But hey, wake up and smell the coffee
culinary fools. Working is rarely fun and everyone gets sick of their job at one point.
I would rather have a smiling belly then even dream of doing something else.

Orna and Ella Pancakes

2007-08-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe for sweet potato pancakes. It is from a really amazing restaurant in Tel Aviv. Every person who tries them is hooked!

Orna and Ella's Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 1/4 kilo sweet potatoes(750 grams after peeling and cooking)
2 tb soy sauce
3/4 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh black pepper
butter for frying

Cream sauce

3/4 cup of chives
250 grams of sour cream
1/3 of a cup of mayo
salt aand pepper as desired
mustard and lemon as desired

1. Peel potatoes and cut into big pieces
2. Cook in a pot of water until soft.
3. Place in a strainer for an hour or two in order to drain the water out.
4. Place potatoes in bowl, add soy and mix with hands.
5. Add flour, sugar, salt and pepper and mix with hands(remove any hard or black parts).
6. The batter should be soft, even and a bit sticky. If it is watery add some flour.
Don't overmix or it will become too sticky.
7. Heat a teflon pan with butter on medium heat.
If you want to perfect it, you can put it in an icing bag and use that. You can also use a spoon or your hands to make little rounds. The dough is a bit sticky so you have to practice on the first few in order to get them to come out perfect. Fry on each side.

The Sauce: Mix all ingredients and season as desired.
* This recipe is from Israel and the sour cream is a bit different. You might have to be creative and use a different cream or yogurt. I noticed that recipes from different countries may vary because the products are slightly different.

Kiddie Food

2007-08-06T09:53:00.001-07:00

To read my post about car cookies and pizza, check out my other blog.

Five Foods You Should Know About!

2007-08-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

1. Meyer Lemon

Is it a lemon or an orange? I am a big fan of cooking magazines so there are always ingredients that I stumble upon that I am not very familiar with. I found a recipe that required a Meyer lemon so I went out to find one. First stop, Whole Foods. I asked the man in the produce section if he had any. He kindly replied that there are none left and went off for a second. He came back holding a lemon and orange in each hand. He rubbed the two together like you would rub rocks to start a bonfire. Then he said " smell this." " This is what a Meyer lemon smells like, a cross between a lemon and an orange."
I was determined to find this citrus mystery so I went to the Pike Place Market and searched all the stands. There it was, the beautiful citrus treasure. I took it home and started to put together a vinaigrette until I felt compelled to taste it first. I expected it to be sour like a lemon but it tasted more like an orange with the slight bitterness of a lemon. I peeled it into segments and ate it like an orange. A citrus delight!

More about Meyer Lemons

2. Elephant Garlic

Elephant garlic is garlic for the garlicky challenged. It looks hefty and is elephant like in size but is light on taste. It's the Eau de Toilette of garlic, the light version of this smelly kitchen basic. It is not exactly a garlic but more like a type of leek.
See the description here
Each clove is enormous in size and closer to the size of regular bulb of garlic. You only have to give the the garlic one whack to uncover an oversized chunk of garlic. So for those who want a subtle hint of garlic, this may be what your looking for. This may be less potent, but no promises that you won't stink!

3. Bubble Tea

My girlfriends are all bubble tea girls, we never go out for coffee but we are always up for bubble. Originally from Asia, bubble tea is a tea that comes in many flavors, filled with little pearls made of tapioca. These tapioca balls, otherwise known as Boba or Pearls have a gummy texture and can be found in different flavored teas, from sour apple flavor to green tea with chocolate. These chewy balls are sucked through enormous straws so that each pearl can plop into your mouth individually. This tea, usually found in Asian cafes can be flavored with a milky sugary mix and can be made hot or cold.
As Bubble tea is becoming increasingly popular, the pearl can be found at juice bars all over the Seattle area. If you are a bubble tea virgin, your first encounter should be with cold bubble tea at an Asian cafe. It may taste akward at first but it becomes addictive after a few slurps.
More on Bubble Tea

4. Pho

Pho, pronounced fa is a Vietnamese soup , that is served in big bowls with heaps of noodles and your choice of protein.
The broth is a clear brownish color garnished with green onions and an assortment of herbs such as basil, mint and even white bean sprouts. The soup is served with thin white rice noodles and hoisin sauce. The amazing thing about this soup is that it is a full meal in one bowl. Usually after a bowl of this, you can hardly think of ordering anything else. It is also fairly inexpensive. For under 6 dollars, you can dine out and be very full. More about pho

5. Panko Bread Crumbs

Panko bread crumbs are a Japanese type of bread crumbs that have invaded the cooking world and made regular bread crumbs seem like they need to get a life. These extra coarse bread crumbs are usually irregular in shape and will promise a crunchier, non soggy breading on anything from fried vegetables to fried chicken.

Five Things I learned Since I Started Cooking

2007-08-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

1. Mise en Place
As a French speaker, it is an expression that I understood right away. Mise en place means putting everything in place. This is the entire organization of your workplace before starting to cook, including chopping all your ingredients and setting them up in little bowls or neatly organized on a big chopping board. This means to saute or do anything that it says to do in advance. This way when you start cooking your recipe, you do it quickly and effectively and you don't end up burning one thing while looking for another. It's one of those cooking terms that you probably hear all the time on cooking shows but have never really paid attention to.

2. How to Chop
For many this is the most tedious, time consuming task to be done in the kitchen. I used to cut my salad in all different shapes and sizes, which made it not only unsightly but hard to eat. You need to take a class and get a good chef's knife for this(see number 3 for a better explanation). If you are going to invest in any cooking class it should be a knife skills class
because there are certain things you just have to learn hands on. There are also many sites that can help.
Click Here to Learn How to Chop an Onion
Most people hate cutting onions, but learning the onion cutting technique can make chopping them a lot of fun. I have heard from quite a few chefs that chopping onions is their cutting preference.

3. Get a Good Chef's Knife. This is probably the one thing that any chef or instructor has recommended to me. Yes, you have to spend a lot of money for this! Of all the things that I bought for my kitchen, this is one investment that I feel that I got the most use out of.
The brands that I have been recommended are Henckel or Wustoff but I am sure that there are many out there to choose from. A good knife should cost anywhere between 30 and 100 something dollars. There are better ones of course for more. Just make sure to take good care of the knife and never ever for any reason in this world put it in the dishwasher.

4. Don't Get Fancy on Your Friends. Picture this scenario. My friends are over for a dinner party. I decide to make homemade pasta. I make it in advance. My mise en place is ready and I am ready to toss the pasta in a pan for each one individually. They are waiting, they have already eaten the appetizers and are practically eating the furniture. Then, I realize I don't have enough plates. So I serve three people because some is ready and then continue sweating and grunting obscene swear words while trying to make the rest of the pasta. In the end, I join them after they have all finished eating and my sweating forehead and flustered cheeks reveal that this dinner was not as much fun as it should have been for me. Keep it simple. Make whatever you can in advance because when you have a dinner party, that's what it should be, a party. Even for the host.

5. Your Ingredients Count. If you are making quick meals for dinner just to feed the starving kids or find no pleasure in the act of cooking, then ignore this. I have come to the conclusion that Parmigiano Reggiano is not just a flashy name for a type of cheese, cheap olive oil is a lot of the time tasteless and fresh herbs really do taste better than powdered spices.
It's unrealistic to buy everything fresh all the time but spices like fresh rosemary, basil and thyme go a long way. When I do buy spices, I prefer to buy them at specialty spice stores or in bulk because you never know how long they have been sitting on the shelves of the supermarket.

Funniest Girl Ever!

2007-08-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

Whenever I want a laugh I watch this video.

Squirt and Swirl

2007-07-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Do you need a new trick to woo your guests? Do you want to add some flavor to your soups? Flavored oils!
You can make flavored oils by mixing any fresh herbs with olive oil in the food processor.
My favorite is rosemary but you can do it with any fresh herbs. It adds taste without being overpowering.

Rosemary Oil Recipe

1. Pull leaves off a few sprigs of rosemary.
2. Place in food processor with a bit of olive oil.
3. Process for a few seconds and then transfer to a squirt bottle.
Use the squirt bottle to squirt a nice swirl design in your soup or decorate your mashed potatoes.
The only downfall with flavored oils is that they go bad quickly. So keep the oil in the fridge for a day or two. I tried to research this, some internet sites say that it is good for 3-4 days but I wouldn't take the chance.

I found a recipe on Emerill's site for cilantro oil.
His voice kind of annoys me but his food always looks so terrific!

This recipe for lemon oil looks really interesting too.

Have fun squirting and swirling your oily designs!