The Amateur Gourmet - Book Review

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

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

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

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

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

0/8 Seafood Grill/ Twisted Cork

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

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.