Seventeen hours of sunshine

what happens if gas reaches five bucks?

2008-06-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Has anyone else been forced to change their eating habits based on the high price of gas?

I find myself making consolations left and right to adjust for my seemingly out of control petrol habit.

To make matters worse, most of the things I like to eat are increasing in price at a rate that rivals the pump!

Here is a short list of things I've had to reconsider recently:

Bread. I really like good bread, but I think it should cost $4 or less per loaf. As it approaches/crosses the $5 mark I look for substitutes and start considering the store-brand wheat bread at $2.79

Milk. I used to buy the cheapest gallon of milk I could find ($1.99 or so) now the prices have gone way up AND I have a newly acquired taste for things that are hormone free/organic. This means my average 1/2 gallon of milk is $3.79 or 3.8X as much as i used to pay. I wonder how my bone density will fare if I pull back a bit on the milk?

Far flung restaurants. Living in suburbia has pros and cons, but one painfully clear fact about living where we live is a complete lack of interesting food (sorry Mia Roma.) In years past we would simply drive to the purveyors of our favorite (name your food category) whether they were located in West Seattle, Maltby, or Ballard. Today we factor in both the time and escalating cost to drive to our far-flung faves. Bummer.

Beer. I have a very simple system for assigning value to beer; "good" beer has flavor, substance, nuance, and is often made in smaller quantities. Some examples of this are Elysian beers, Rogue, and Maritime Pacific. "Commodity" beers are those that come in packs of 24 and up, differentiate on the can liner, and are promoted on large plastic signs around the country. "Good" beer should cost between $1 and $1.25 per bottle or $6- $7.50 per six pack. Today I pay as much as $10 per six pack or $5 for a 24 oz bottle of the stuff. Commodity beer is up as well, but I don't buy much of it anyway.

Now the good news! There are some things that have not risen dramatically, and in fact pack some serious value for you bargain shoppers out there!

Today I can fuel myself at Aca Las Tortas for the same five bucks I could a year ago. Same great ingredients, same great price! This keeps me going all day which is more than I can say for $5 worth of gas.

Pagliacci Pizza. This is not the world's cheapest pie, but it is my favorite and it seems to be holding steady. They make the pizza and salad just the way I want **almost** every time, and if they don't they send me a certificate for a free one next time.

Pearson's Nut Rolls are without a doubt one of the most perfect foods known to man. Salted Virginia peanuts, nougat, caramel...damn those are good. Next time you're on a roadtrip and the sting of buying gas has got you down...get a king size Pearson's Nut Roll and just try not to smile. They're tasty!

So here's my plan of action for the looming five dollar gas demons

ride my bike
grow edible stuff in my yard (well, my wife will do that and I'll eat it)
eat at home even more
steady diet of mexican sandwiches and nutty confections

the weather is messing up my program

2008-04-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

One of the only ways I'm forced out of a culinary rut is by the changing seasons.

If it were always summer I'm pretty sure I'd be grilling salmon in my shorts, alternating between pinot noir and sauvignon blanc every other day.

If springtime were permanent I'd have a nice mixture of dishes and the excitement of a fresh crop of vegetables and fruits to enjoy.

Unfortunately we seem to be stuck in a never-ending '07-'08 winter cycle in the Pacific Northwest and its got me stuck in a rut that I can't seem to shake...

So what is my winter rut you ask? I'm pretty sure I can break it down into four bullet points:

My own homemade spicy red sauce
Big, bold red wines
Thai food from Pen Thai
Pagliacci pizza

This is a great rut to be in from a sensory point of view...you've got all the major food groups (spicy, meaty, tomato-y, and wine) but it tends to put me in a "sit on the couch and watch Entourage repeats again" mood

if I'm ever going to fit into my speedo this summer I need the gods to comply with my request to change the freakin season so I can eat some other stuff.

How are you?

2008-04-15T10:54:00.001-07:00

Its been some time since my last post. I attribute the gap to a couple things including a hectic lifestyle, some laziness, and a lack of culinary inspiration.
Sometimes I wish I didn't know about great food and drink. Imagine if it were possible to ignore Whole Foods, Pete's Wines, or your favorite sushi joint.

I recall a day not too long ago when my trips to the grocery store involved large packages of mass-produced tortillas, a five pound brick of Tillamook medium cheddar, a massive jar of salsa, and some sort of macro-brew (preferably with a nice can liner to impart that bottled taste.)
Sounds boring, yet to the early 20s Scott this cheezy-spicy-light beer combo was pretty damn good morning, noon, or night!

Somehow along the way I was introduced to new foods...and it didn't happen all at once. It was a gradual transition that led me from the simple, easy to find joy I had at Rosauer's to the hard to find, difficult to pronounce, and wallet-taxing experiences I have at Whole Foods today.
If you're not following what's happened, here is a simple "before and after" chart that should illustrate what used to be a staple in my world to what I'm enjoying today:

Carl Buddig proccesed "ham food" => sliced Safeway Select Turkey => Wine cured Proscuitto

Tillamook "baby loaf" => Irish cheddar => Ridiculous cheese habit

Tap water => bottled water => tap water (I'm not playing that any more unless forced)

Keystone Light => Red Hook => Rosemount Shiraz => Start a food and wine company

Iceberg lettuce=> Romaine => organic baby greens

Grocery store wheat loaf => baguette => kalamata olive bread

White mushrooms=> portabellos=> chantarelles=> morels

I could go on and on, but I think the bottom line is I have (with the help of shrewd grocery marketing gurus) slowly changed my taste across the board. The end results are pretty interesting. I am harder to please, I have to search harder and go to more places for the specific items I'm after, I spend WAY more on the most basic of items, and above all I absolutely love a good meal more than ever.

I hope you're enjoying whatever it is that you're eating today.

2008-01-16T15:28:00.001-08:00

Have you been to Utah recently? Yeah, me too...last weekend.
Having never been to Ogden i didn't really know what to expect. What would it be like? Is a "dry" cold better than a "wet" cold? Is there such thing as "traditional Mormon food?"
So let me address these points before I drone on any more:

1) What was it like? bland. its like any other third-tier western city...only whiter
2) It doesn't feel as cold when the humidity is low
3) No, there doesn't seem to be a high profile Mormon food, but I hear lime jello may be a contender

While in Ogden I had the pleasure of meeting a whole slew of nice people and sampling some local fare. I'm not going to highlight any particular establishment in this rant, but I will say Ogden has all the same sorts of restaurants we enjoy in major metropolitan areas, but without the high prices or tasty ingredients. The culinary focus is not on creating interesting tastes and textures, but rather filling your plate for $8.95.
here is a handy reference you can use to decode the somewhat **tricky** Ogden fare:

Bolognese = Ketchup and ground beef
Gourmet Pizza = doughy bread and greasy cheese
Butter = "gold n soft" margarine
Phad Thai = oops, sorry...no Thai food
Pint of Pale Ale = $4.00 to join a "private club" and $3.50 for a bud lite tall boy

There is one standout food experience I need to share in the Ogden area, and its actually located about 20 miles away in tiny Huntsville, Utah. The Shooting Star Saloon is as old as dirt (and seems to be covered in a fine layer.) We went for lunch and enjoyed a surreal meal in this seriously old school saloon. The food options are limited (you can have a burger, a cheeseburger, a "mini star" burger, or a "star" burger, the last two include a nice knockworst on top of your patty! Don't ask for substitutions, don't ask for table service, and bring cash...cause they don't take American Express.

On a completely unrelated note, I have added another "favorite" torta joint to my list. Its simply called "Aca las Tortas" in Canyon Park and it is run by the same bunch that make my Tortas at the Kenmore roach coach at 80th & Bothell Way. They literally have 22 Torta options so it can be a bit overwhelming...but you'll get over it. Check it out yo.

What the heck is Yule?

2007-12-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

Hey yule over there! Happy Festivus already.

Does anyone else have the feeling that the holiday season will soon be the holiday trimester?

I'm pretty sure Costco had pallets of Christmas swag before the trick or treaters came a knockin'.

Anyone ever eat a Yule log? Sing songs that include Yuletide greetings? Do you know what you're eating? do you know what you're saying? I didn't think so.

Turns out the the term "Yule" dates back many years to aboriginal Scandinavians and meant "celebration of the winter solstice." I'm sure you already knew that, but it was news to me.

Well, I digress...

For the three of you that read this blog I want to share with you some of my favorite holiday treats in no particular order:

1) The twice-baked potato. I was raised on these delectable treats. Not sure why I like them so much, but its kinda like a potato eating a cheesy pastry then falling asleep in a tanning booth. All crispy and baked on the outside, fat and gooey on the inside. mmmmm mmmm good.

2) Spritz cookies. Not sure what I like more about these, the taste or the process. I'm pretty sure its the process since anything that requires a specialized "gun tool" is a-ok in my book. They taste good too and they give me a reason to use food coloring. Fun stuff.

3) Large format wine. This is another mystery to me, I'm just not sure why I like massive bottles of wine so much. I buy them, I horde them, but I rarely open them. The holidays represent a time when I can go the northwest corner of the wine cellar, find a big fat magnum, dust it off, and show my friends and family exactly how much I care...1.5Liters worth!

If you haven't been to Stevens Winery, you may want to schedule a visit soon. Their latest release, Stevens Merlot is arriving and Tim has a few magnums available for purchase.

Lastly, here is a shameless plug for my little venture, Northwest Exclusive where we seek out the best food and wine we can find from the Pacific Northwest, wrap it elegantly, and ship it all over the place on our customers' behalf. In fact I'll be hosting a dinner party tonight consisting of our Northwest Prime filet mignon and some fabulous NW wines . If you need some last minute holiday gifts let us know, we'll help you out.

Cheers

Scott

They can't take that away from me

2007-11-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Call it vice, indulgence, or life's little luxuries, we've all got things that we take part in or consume in order to stave off the tedium that is everyday life.

A little while ago i ventured out of my office for a bit. I walked down the hall and saw a massive tub of soda on a co worker's desk. I rode down the elevator and smelled freshly huffed cigarette fumes. I walked out onto 4th Avenue and recognized the legions of Starbucks patrons streaming in and out of the local java spot...and then I thought to myself...these things are all kinda the same.

Everyone needs to feel entitled to something. Your job may suck, your kid might be remedial, your life may not measure up to your expectations, but no one can take away your **insert stupid habit here**.

Here are my (current) personal indulgences:

Cafe Ladro grande nonfat latte. It tastes a lot like coffee...which is nice
Theo Chocolate OR Dagoba Chocolate either one is good really
Expensive magazines has anybody noticed that magazines are really freakin expensive? here's a tip: do not buy a magazine in Canada with US dollars. Why? 'cause they jack you, that's why. Your $5.95 magazine is all of a sudden nine bucks CAD...which is now $23 US. ARGH!!!

Whenever I think about how much money I waste on stupid shit I get mad at myself for a minute...then I need to calm down so I treat myself to a nice cup of coffee, a little chocolate, and peruse a magazine that doesn't really have anything to do with my life.

I hope you and your vices are doing fantastic!

2007-10-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

Cooking is one of life's great joys. I'm not a great cook, but the more I learn about cooking the more comfortable I get...and sometimes that extra comfort leads to burning some shit.

I've always loved eating, but it wasn't until college that I fell in love with cooking for myself and my friends. It turns out that while your parents support you emotionally and financially (if you're lucky) they can't really be there to provide things like pot roast on Sundays, interesting pasta creations mid-week, or even a fridge stocked with condiments. So, rather than succumbing to a life fueled strictly by pizza pockets, the ambitious student begins to experiment.

The early experiments were more about utility than flavor, and often involved some combination of Carl Buddig meat products, ranch dressing, and tortillas. That worked ok for the fellas, but quickly fell out of favor making way for the more ambitious fare like fettuccine Alfredo which while still very basic, seemed to lend itself better to meals with the opposite sex.

Skipping ahead a good 10 years I marry an amazing woman who happens to be a much better cook than I am. So what does a food focused fella like myself do in a situation like this? Settle in for 50 years of the little missus' cooking, or try to do culinary battle by claiming the kitchen as my own? The answer is neither...I've opted to play a bit part in our kitchen production, typically chopping a bit of this or that, or doing the dishes (I challenge any of you to a dish duel...my skills are wicked.) I have however built a small portfolio of "signature dishes" that I whip up from time to time and here they are in no particular order:

"Sauce" On any Sunday afternoon in Kenmore during the rainy season (heh) you can find me in the kitchen working on some sort of hearty red sauce. I never do it the same way twice, but ask anyone who has tried it whether its good...it is. You can make it lots of ways, but I would include some combination of great canned tomatoes (you'll need to experiment here, but these are most likely imported and come from San Marzano Italy) combine these with fresh shallots, garlic, red wine, and olive oil. You then need to decide if this is going to be a meat-focused sauce or not. If so, you should have started by browning the meat (beef, Italian sausage, or chicken sausage.) This sauce will require some serious simmering time so leave it on the stove for as long as you can (hours.) lastly you should top a meat sauce with a dollop of ricotta, and a veg sauce with good Parmesan **hint-its not in a plastic tub**.
Lasagna. This one takes a lot of work, but my lasagna includes spicy chicken sausage, spinach, mushrooms, and a bunch of other great stuff. you want one? have a baby and i might swing by with one of these in hopes that you get a break from multi tasking
Spicy grilled prawns. I think this recipe is in Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchens book, but I can't recall. you basically take some big-ass prawn, dip them in good olive oil (truth be told I am still trying to figure out how to source a high quality olive oil at a good price) you then chop fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, bread crumbs, and garlic together. throw in some salt and pepper, then coat the oily prawns with this multi-colored stuff and grill them briefly over a medium-hot grill. Don't overcook them.
Salmon. If you see some of my early blogs you'll see my whole salmon spread...its good if a little predictable
Patagonian Toothfish I'm not going to call it by it's real name 'cause some people think it is endangered, but it rhymes with "filetin' tree grass" and I only buy through reputable distributors. This one is easy. buy the biggest, fattest piece you can get your hands on, marinate it in a big zip loc with Yoshida's Teriyaki Sauce, some sliced Walla Walla onions, and a little garlic. Sear it on both sides, then place the fish on a bed of the sliced onions on some foil. leave it on the grill on fairly low heat for ~10 minutes (need to monitor based on thickness) pull it off the grill and let it rest before you eat it. pair it with the Conundrum, some fresh greens, and a sunny deck. Savor this meal and think about how freakin' lucky you are to have a Whole Foods nearby.

So this past Saturday I broke out of my rut...I decided to try some new things. To be fair, some of the things were not really new (steak) but Emily felt like a filet so who am I to argue? Here's what I made:

appetizer: crab/artichoke spread on plain crackers with Prosecco (just ok)

starter/side: Dungeness crab and spot prawn mac and cheese! (ridiculous)

side: asparagus with chanterelle mushrooms, tarragon, shallots, and butter (nice)

main: prime aged filet mignon topped with morel/chanterelle cream sauce

all paired with a bottle of 2000 Elderton Shiraz. In a word, amazing.

Unfortunately my ability to multitask is limited so I overcooked the steaks, but the rest was a work of art. I kind of got the cooking thing out of my system for a while now, so the Pagliacci hotline is pretty much my go-to recipe this week.

Bon appetite!

When good restaurants go bad!

2007-10-29T10:39:00.001-07:00

Kinda Jerry Springer eh? Or maybe Maury Povich...

Regardless, this installment in my critically ignored drone about food and beverage is all about restaurants that had "it" and lost "it". I'm sure you've experienced this sort of thing; a place you enjoy thoroughly once (or many times) that becomes a little too proud of their success and begins to slip.

As you may know if you've read my rants before, I am a creature of habit. For me a new restaurant experience is exciting and fun, but a restaurant that consistently performs is something to be revered.

Recently I had a chance to visit two restaurants that I've enjoyed in the past and was disappointed by both. These two restaurants are very different, yet occupy a similar place in the value chain for me...known quantities...places you go when you want a "sure thing." Turns out their status has changed.

#1 "my nyc neighborhood Italian joint" Puttanesca has been a favorite for a couple years. Its casual, comfortable, tasty, open late, and is a short walk from the hotel I frequent when I come to NYC. Historically I've been treated to prompt service, great food, and a reasonable price tag...but the last two times I've visited it has been sub-par.

About two weeks ago I went to Puttanesca on a Tuesday night. It was lively but not overly crowded. I was seated quickly then ignored for about 15 minutes. When my server did appear I got indifferent service and he went away for five more minutes before I got a glass of wine.

Next came the basket of bread... which did not include their foccacia which I love, but rather some very stale wonderbread-like rolls. My entree, a squid-ink pasta dish was bland and luke-warm, and the same waiter spilled a glass of wine on the woman next to me.

This single instance does not mean I won't go back...but they are currently in limbo as far as my "go to" restaurant status...stay tuned to learn their fate.

#2 The Slanted Door is a fairly famous San Francisco restaurant featuring Vietnamese food with a twist. Although I can't say I frequent the Slanted Door, I have been a few times and I fondly remember the first time I enjoyed lettuce cups at the "old" Slanted Door location and found myself very disappointed when I visited last week.

My wife and I made a reservation for Sunday dinner last week. The current location in the Ferry Building is fantastic and worth a trip. We strolled down the Embarcadero, peeked in the many interesting food and wine shops in the Ferry Building, then checked in for our dinner at the 'door.

We were seated a bit late at an extremely small table. Our waitress was attentive at first, then disappeared for the evening. The food was uninspiring, under-seasoned, and served without any explanation. to tell you the truth, I don't even recall what I ate. We left without finishing and agreed that we probably will not go back. With so many great restaurants in SF, why waste time with one that clearly has let it's reputation go to it's head?

On a more positive note, Arby's has been running their tried and true "5 for 5.95" promo recently and from what I can tell they still deliver the goods.

Cheers

-Scott

Laguna on a budget

2007-10-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Emily and I had a chance to visit Laguna Beach and I've gotta say it is a very nice place to spend a weekend.

It almost seems too perfect; Ferraris at every stoplight, perfectly tanned, tucked, and tailored "clone-people" cruising around (who make it very hard to concentrate), and a plethora of great culinary options!

I'll get to the eating shortly, but I want to touch on the "budget" idea covered in the title...this is sarcasm, plain and simple. If you want to find a budget beach vacation, go to Ocean Shores 'cause Laguna is not about "deals." Lucky for us we have some very generous friends who let us tag along for their weekend away, otherwise I'm not sure I could have dealt with the sticker shock. I'll leave it at that.

So back to the food! There are a TON of great restaurants in this area ranging from taco stands to very high end establishments. I enjoy both ends of the spectrum (and all points in between) so lets just say I had a great time.

Driving down the PCH its hard to miss the many fish-focused restaurants, Mexican joints, and of course the obligatory California cuisine. Lucky for us our host had some great recommendations in hand so we didn't have to guess!

We arrived Friday evening and the plan was already in place. We drop our bags, open some very good wine (our contribution to the weekend) jump in the resort's Lexus SUV, and head to 230 Forest Ave . This place looks like many other casual restaurants; crowded bar, some outdoor tables, kind of cramped. But once we sat down and took a look at the menu we knew we'd found a gem.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Lobster Alfredo. Shortly after that my forearm whisked by my right love handle and steered me away from this decadent entree, but one of our party ended up ordering it and gave it rave reviews.
I had the Ono special and some lobster mashed potatoes washed down with a wonderful Cakebread Cellars Sauv Blanc.
I could probably go on about everyone's entrees, but I won't bore you. All you need to know about this place is it is very good, very busy, and pretty reasonable. They have a nice wine list with several great wines by the glass, the service was excellent, and I am positive we will go back.

The next evening we went out for an amazing Mexican meal. We're not talking Azteca here, this is interesting Mexican food and drink. Javier's Cantina is a bustling, loud, electric scene complete with some of SoCal's most enhanced patrons.
Most of our crew enjoyed the house margaritas; rocks, salt, Sauza...very well done indeed. The entrees run from the run of the mill enchilada platter to some very interesting meat dishes with complex sauces, spices, and sides. I very much wanted to figure out how to get back there for a follow-up meal but couldn't swing it.

So the bottom line is this: if your friends invite you to join them in Laguna, take them up on it and get ready to enjoy yourself!

Cheers

Los Taco Trucks

2007-09-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

If you ask me what I'm most inspired by lately I'd have to say my crazy wife...and I mean that in the most positive way! Crazy as in always having ten things going on, bringing people together, keeping our house from falling down, building a business, and making sure we have plenty of fun!

But if you asked me what kind of food inspires me right now I'd have to say Tortas! These tasty Mexican sandwiches somehow eluded me for more than three decades, then all of a sudden they appear miraculously to brighten up my life. So what's so special about a sandwich you ask?

Let me count the ways I love the Torta...

Flavor. These things are not dainty, bland, boring fare...they have spice, flavor, and substance!

Size. Don't let anyone tell you a Torta is a snack, 'cause you will pay dearly. Come hungry and be ready for a little Costanza-style napping under your desk

Intrigue. There is a very good chance there will be ingredients on your Torta you cannot identify, and a 100% chance you won't be able to pronounce them

Location. the taco truck is pervasive. Check THIS out!

Value. I like to go to the truck in Kenmore at 80th and Bothell Way where I get a SWEET Torta Hawaiiana with chipotle relish for $5.50 all in.

In case you want to visit the epicenter of the north end taco truck revolution:

TAQUERIA EL TACONAZO
Where: 8002 Bothell Way N.E.; north side of Bothell Way Northeast and 80th Avenue Northeast at Kenmore Texaco Star Mart
What: Fairly new taco wagon serving tacos, tortas and burritos; no outdoor tables or chairs Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
What's good: Tortas!
Contact: No phone

Copper What?

2007-06-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Anybody out there like Salmon? If you're sitting there nodding your head then I guess this is just about your favorite time of year!

Any salmon aficionado knows that in May and June the Copper River salmon run, and it is known for being the best example of the breed.

I really can't say that I'm a die-hard fan of the Copper River salmon, in fact I've often said that the Copper River marketing folks are absolutely brilliant since they've created this amazing brand for a product that isn't really that different or special. This year I think I've changed my mind however.

Last night we had a small dinner party and since we've had enough great steaks and it is Copper River season we figured we'd try our hand at a Tom Douglas-themed meal.

If you haven't been, you really need to check out Tom's restaurant Etta's which is adjacent to Pike Place Market, and where he serves his best fish dishes.

We started out with an appetizer Emily invented. She took chunks of watermelon, drained them, then skewered them with toothpicks, added prosciutto, and a small chunk of Grana Padano cheese, then drizzled aged balsamic over them and nestled it all in a bed of watercress. **IMPORTANT** If you are going to do this, don't try to substitute some sort of Stella shrink-wrapped bullshit cheese either, you gotta have some really good cheese and the GP is the one. Tasty!

For dinner we had the Copper River of course, some little squashes, and Tom D's cornbread pudding hint: you don't have to use heavy cream. try 2%, your arteries will thank you.

Here's how I did the salmon:

-I bought about 2.5 pounds of Copper River Sockeye to feed six adults

-Portioned the fish in equal yet delightfully robust pieces

-Coated the pieces with Tom D's "rub with love" about two hours before grilling

-Soaked cedar planks for two hours before grilling

-Preheated the grill to 500

-Put the planks on the hot grill five minutes before touchdown

-Once the planks start smoking/smelling i pull them, oil the grill

-Sear the top of each salmon portion for about a minute

-Pull the fish off the grill, put the planks back on, then put the fish skin-down on the planks

-Close the lid, cook for eight minutes

-Pull the fish, put it on a large cookie sheet, and tent loosely with foil for a few minutes

The result was one of the best meals I've ever had...seriously! The flavors go together so nicely, and the Copper River was flaky, moist, flavorful, and has a little extra fatty goodness.

We paired the meal with a very nice Pinot Noir from New Zealand called Amisfield and it went perfectly with the meal. I highly recommend this wine, and it may very well be available at your local Costco!

To top off our "Tom D at home" experience we served the famous coconut cream pie from Dahlia Bakery and basked in our fullness.

So if you are interested in trying Copper River salmon, and you're not in a region where it is readily available, I suggest you look up our friends at Wild Alaska Salmon Company. Sara can ship you fresh salmon straight from Alaska overnight!

Cheers

What is BBQ 2U?

2007-06-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

Do you love barbecue? or is it bar-b-que?
Any way you slice it, I like bbq. I like to eat it, cook it, even type it. It just feels good.
I've been enjoying some bbq lately and I imagine you're probably doing the same.
I thought I'd share some of my recent discoveries and favorite things about the big bbq season.

You know what? it turns out nobody likes chicken that's black and crispy on the outside and cold and salmonella-y on the inside. That's where slow cooking comes in!
I recently had a little dinner thing (or my wife did and I was a key contributor?) anyway we decided we'd go old school and have chicken...complete with bones and skin no less!
In anticipation of the event I broke out the trusty barbecue bible (thanks ian and julie for the fine wedding gift that i'm still using!) some great recipes and directions on cooking fast or slow.

I called my friend Matthew who happens to be a chef (the real deal) and an amazing barbecue-ist (heh) Matthew played Master Po to my Caine as I walked the earth searching for moist poultry and left me with this tidbit...use a subtle marinade of olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Do not be shy about the oil. Do not salt and pepper until 30 minutes before cooking. do not baste with a sugary sauce until you are almost done cooking. All of this was very important advice indeed.

Have you tried cooking with a little smoke? no, i don't mean breaking out the phatty before you fire up the grill, i mean using wood chips or pellets to enhance the flavor of your meat while cooking! I tried some apple wood pellets and I was pretty pleased with the results.

So here's the blow by blow:

-Chicken pieces; breasts, legs, thighs etc
-marinate in olive oil, lemon zest, rosemary, red pepper flakes for as little as two or as much as 24 hours
-heat grill to medium, then turn off the section you will be cooking on (indirect method) leaving the other burner(s) on
-Salt and pepper the chicken before putting on the grill
-Place chicken on grill, turning occasionally. Cook for ~75 minutes at 325ish
-At the 55 minute mark bust out the bbq sauce. baste the bird every five minutes 'til done
-Remove pieces and place on a platter, loosely tented with foil
-Serve with some piping hot cornbread, potato salad with the skin left on/tossed with blue cheese, and some sort of greens

Some other recent barbecue victories:

Opah . Do not confuse this fish with the popular talk show host, its just not nice. Grilled this one up over the weekend. Its like a tuna steak that smells less like tuna. i really like it.
Scallops wrapped with bacon. This could not be easier. Get some bacon. wrap the biggest scallops you can find with it. secure it with a **wooden** toothpick (don't ask) and grill over medium heat for about 10 minutes. AMAZING
Northwest Exclusive steaks. Yeah, its kind of like saying "my kid is the cutest" but the reality is my steaks are better than yours. Check out the fathers day special which includes a couple killer, aged, prime ribeyes and a bottle of Stevens 424 red blend. I'd like to receive this little gift but since I'm only dad to a yellow lab and he doesn't have any money I don't think I'll be getting one.
Great bbq technology. Have you noticed what's going on with the grill these days? Its like some sort of bbq renaissance! If you don't have 62,000 BTUs and 830 inches of cooking area you are just not a player. For great value in grills, I like Vermont Castings which are available at your local Home Depot.

So there ya go, there's my early-season take on bbq. Now get out there and grill.

Go north young man

2007-05-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

So you're looking for a fantastic meal eh? I'm not talking about your run of the mill, generic, faceless, uninspiring yet sufficient fare that is readily available in any town of size. I'm talking about the kind of meal that you can really dig into literally and figuratively.

For those of you who know me, you know I have a pretty big place in my heart reserved for Whistler. Two massive and very different mountains featuring the most amazing lift-serviced terrain on earth, which funnels you down into an array of pubs, clubs, spas, and of course restaurants.

I could probably write all day about my dining experiences in Whistler Village, but this entry is all about a little place you can't walk to from the lifts, the Rimrock Cafe
I have eaten at the Rimrock about a half dozen times. Not every visit has been "A+" but it has always been WAY better than average.

Last weekend after a long day of setting tile and moving furniture, Emily and I went to the Rimrock for a late dinner. They just happened to be running their off-season prix fixe promotion which pretty much means three courses for the price of an entree.

Here's the blow-by-blow for my favorite meal of spring 2007 (excludes anything cooked by my wife or enjoyed with my mother)

Wine list is fantastic. Washington, Oregon, BC, California, French, Italian, Spanish, Argentinian, Chilean, and of course that wonderful wine-producing commonwealth country Australia are all well represented. I really like the fact that they have interesting wines from $38 CAD/bottle through $500+. Regardless of your taste or specific situation they have a wine for you. I knew I'd be enjoying some sort of game so I went straight for an Aussie Cab from Pirramimma that blew Em and I away. A great big bomb of a cab with subtle yet firm tannins, big cherry/berry flavors that give way to a nice smooth finish.
So many great starter choices, and the list changes daily. I chose to start with an iceberg wedge salad topped with Gorgonzola, grilled pears, and candied/spiced pecans. Its like they know me!
Next I dove into the lobster and scallop ceviche. very simple preparation, lots of garlic, lime, cilantro, and of course super fresh fish. WOW
Then comes the real deal. This is why I go to the Rimrock....Mixed Grill! Lamb Chop, beef tenderloin (blue rare) and caribou. This is not for the faint of heart my friends, nor is it for anyone on a diet. While no single portion is large, the combination is pretty much deadly.
We finished up with the sticky pudding which I really can't describe very well, but its sticky, sweet, and absolutely worth the trip. I paired this course with a snifter of Armagnac (paying homage to Peter Morse if you're out there) which was clearly not in the same league as the one he shared with me a couple years back.

The service was exceptional, the vibe casual yet comfortable, and the company was perfect. Pretty hard not to love a meal like that.

So while Whistler remains a ski town for most, it deserves a trip in any season and those who visit during the off season will be rewarded with surprises like the Rimrock's seasonal promo.

Two mountain passes, kielbasa, and beers

2007-04-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

Its official...spring has sprung.
This past weekend Emily and I made the obligatory trek to the middle of Washington state to dust off our little summer place, clean the boat, and soak up a little sunshine.
We left on Saturday around noon with no real plan other than grab a coffee and point the wagon east. Lacking any sort of real agenda we decided to travel over Stevens Pass via Hwy 2 then stop in Leavenworth for a late lunch.
The plan could not have been better! We were greeted with nice spring temperatures which ranged from the low 60s when we left to 70 degrees when we arrived at our final destination at Crescent Bar
The views along Hwy 2 are spectacular this time of year. The high peaks such as Mt Index are still snow-capped and seem to tower miles above the winding road. If you travel this route be sure to leave some time to stop, stare, and take a few pictures. I can't imagine a more beautiful place on earth than Washington in spring.
The rivers are running quite high right now and the amount of whitewater visible from the road is awesome to say the least.
a little less than two hours into our trip we reach the Bavarian-themed tourist village Leavenworth. Yes, it is cheesy. No, I wouldn't want to spend more than a day or two. But all the same I enjoy stopping in, checking out the sights, and grabbing a bite to eat.
Since we were traveling with our dog Fletch we really wanted to find someplace dog-friendly and preferably outdoors. Our prayers were answered when we walked into Munchenhaus a purveyor of German sausages and brew. This place is fantastic! Excellent Kielbasa, great German and American micros on tap, seven varieties of mustard, and a big vat of steaming sauerkraut at your disposal.
The seating is outdoors and features big communal picnic tables, some shade, some sun, and best of all they are dog friendly. My kinda spot.
We left Leavenworth around 4PM and made a beeline for Wenatchee where we planned to connect with one of the wineries we work with at Northwest Exclusive, CR Sandidge .
CRS was pouring wine at a new coffee and wine bar called Tastebuds in Wenatchee. Great little place with an emphasis on small plates of interesting food, coffee, and Northwest wine.
After this short stop we made our way up to Crescent Bar for the night, a little pub grub and some bad dancing before we called it a night.
On Sunday we did some Spring maintenance, went for a walk, then headed out to I-90 and decided we'd find a nice hike on the way home. There are so many trails along the I-90 corridor there's no way you can go wrong...right? Well, without a decent guidebook it is not necessarily easy to identify a good trail that is a) somewhat near the hwy and b) accessible in spring.
We spent some time exploring Lake Cle Elum and after driving quite a while, exploring several dead ends and running out of time we packed it up and headed home over Snoqualmie Pass.
The drive over Snoqualmie is not quite as dramatic as Stevens, but it is still pretty amazing and you can peg the cruise at 75 and get home fast.
If you haven't enjoyed Central Washington recently I highly recommend a spring road trip, you'll be glad you did it.

The Herbfarm vs. Austin, Texas

2007-04-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of weeks I've been on an absolute tear!
Emily and I went to Austin for a few days and fully loaded up on Tex-Mex and Margaritas.
If you haven't been, I highly recommend a trip to the lone star state's capital. Between the **truly** friendly nature of folks, the amazing food, and non-stop music, Austin is a phenomenal place to visit.
A few places you should check out if you go:
Gueros is pretty freakin cool. this south Congress Ave joint is packed with a very eclectic mix of folks and the energy is palpable. Margaritas are served in a tumbler with limes, tequila, and salt...that's it!
Shady Grove is a great spot for a lazy weekend brunch. In Austin, brunch includes many tex-mex options such as Migas and Huevos Rancheros. I went around 1:30 in the afternoon and 90% of the Shady Grove diners seemed to be just waking up...Good times. If you don't feel like brunch, try the brisket burrito
If you're out for a special meal, it would be hard to go wrong at Eddie V's We went with a large group and enjoyed top shelf service, dry-aged Prime steaks, and a fantastic wine list. No, its not unique to Austin...but if you need your steakhouse fix this is the place.
I really enjoy Austin's laid-back, chilled out, friendly southwest vibe and can't wait return!

About a week after returning from the southern swing I had a chance to take my Mom to the Herbfarm It was my second visit and her first. If you love food, wine, and celebrations then I suggest a trip to the Herb Farm is mandatory.
Dining at the Herbfarm is kind of the antithesis to eating Tex Mex in Austin...

Reservations: in Austin most restaurants seemed to prefer "walk in and wait". At the Herbfarm they ask you to call months in advance and put a deposit on your meal
Libations: Austin offers great margs and bottled beer...Herbfarm offers rose geranium infused cocktails and a 23,000 bottle wine cellar
Crowd: Austin draws UT coeds, funky musicians, and tech workers...Herbfarm draws food critics, surgeons, and tech workers
Food: Austin offers chipotle-laced dishes served with beans, rice, and tortillas...Herbfarm offers nine courses of preparations you've never heard of much less tried
Cost: Well, lets put it this way I could go to Austin for the weekend (airfare included) for the equivalent of dinner for two at the Herbfarm

So which one did I enjoy more? Both !

Its really kind of silly to even compare the experiences, but if you know me or have read my blog you know I am big on value. The one thing eating Tex Mex in Austin and going to the Herb Farm have in common is value. For twelve bucks you can spend an afternoon chatting with Austin locals and enjoying some amazing grub and a pint of beer. Or you can splurge on a very memorable experience at the Herbfarm where each member of the staff is the best at their role, each ingredient has been chosen on it's own merits, and each bite is better than the last. To some the latter may not seem like a great value, but if you really love food I think you'll get your money's worth.

Right now the Herb Farm is offering their "Chambers of the Sea" menu featuring an amazing array of Northwest seafood and wine, check it out.

Whirlwind tour

2007-04-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Since I last posted I've been on kind of a crazy journey!
It would take hours to provide the kind of detail I'd like to, so I think I'll create a bulleted list of the highlights of the last month in terms of food/wine

Birthday! My wife threw a fantastic little dinner party for me and a few friends on March 9. On the menu were five spice duck, a vertical pinot noir tasting, and pear tart from the Dahlia Lounge followed by some sloppy Guitar Hero. Great stuff indeed
Birthday! My wife followed up the amazing dinner party on Friday with a really fun dinner with friends at http://www.baroloseattle.com The space is great, I love the lighting, and the menu looks great. The food was just ok and the service kinda sucked. Luckily I was with great friends and it just didn't matter! If you're considering Barolo...point your car northwest and hit http://www.volterrarestaurant.com/ instead.
Vancouver. This is a very special city for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that Emily and I were engaged there. We went up for a night on our way to Whistler and had a great time. Met with some old mobile game cronies and then hit http://www.cincin.net for a nice little dinner at the bar. No, its not the newest, trendiest, or most interesting choice in Vancouver...but it is always good and the service rocks. We started with the Gnocchi con cinghiale (red wine braised wild boar) then followed it up with a large helping of Gnocchi con cinghiale! The wine menu is great, both by the glass and by the bottle. We tried a couple different things but settled on a barbera that was just right with the boar. Next time you roll Robson, stop at the Cin Cin bar for some boar and barbera, you won't be disappointed
Whistler. We went up for a nice little vacation with a heavy maintenance component. Had to get our act together and make some improvements to the condo and so we did just that. Didn't get everything done we wanted, but we are well on track. While in Whistler we actually ate in more than out, but we had one noteworthy meal with our friends Rob And Missy at Elements. This PACKED little tapas joint isn't much from the outside, but on the inside its absolutely buzzing with energy and the food was phenomenal. Its an eclectic mix of small plates with Asian influence and Canadian sensibilities (ie: great and varied meat)
Orlando. Yes, that's right, Orlando. Went for the big mobile show CTIA and while the show itself was pretty stale, the fact that I can go to a party thrown by MTV, featuring Grandmaster Flash and hang out with everyone I've ever worked with is pretty freakin fantastic. Great to see Levin, Alex G, Drew, Kate, Jeff C, Golden, Flanders, Aunkur, Peachey, a bunch of old Jamdat folks, and so many others was a blast. I did have one good meal while in Orlando, and it did not occur in a theme park. Drew and Kate invited me to http://www.sambaroom.net/ which serves solid Latin-fusion cuisine and the atmosphere is really fun. I had the skirt steak and some great Argentinian wine, Bodega Norton Privada which was a cab, malbec, merlot blend....niiiiice
Scotland, Part I: long story short, I went to my sister's wedding in Northeastern Scotland. The wedding was followed by a great dinner/reception where they featured Angus beef which is from the Angus region of Scotland. Great meal followed by very bad dancing.
Scotland Part II: Stayed two nights in Edinburgh and enjoyed some local fare. I can't say i'm going to miss meat pies or haggis, but I tried them and they're ok. The liver with bacon I think I'll probably skip next time.
London: $40 for a greasy breakfast complete with cold toast, beans, and something puck-like they call pudding? Blech. Here's my advice for eating in London: if the meal is on someone else's dime, find the Timeout magazine, select a restaurant that is expensive and highly rated, and be prepared to be underwhelmed. If you are paying out of your own pocket think about having something less than traditional such as pizza...http://www.strada.co.uk/ serves solid if less than inspiring Italian fare, some decent pizza, and good wines by the glass without breaking the bank.

So now I'm back, jetlagged, and glad to be within the range of Pagliacci. Hope life is treating you right.

Twenty Five 4 Twenty Five

2007-03-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else love the annual 25 for 25? If you aren't aware, one of the best deals in dining is happening right now in Seattle (and surrounding areas.)
http://www.nwsource.com/contests/restaurants/25for25_0307/

So basically its a chance to try out a restaurant you've been wanting to try, or enjoy a great deal on a meal at an old favorite. The menu is prix fixe and typically includes a variety of starters to choose from, 3-5 entrees , and a number of dessert items.
Although I have been to some restaurants that come up with a new and "cheaper" menu for this event, most seem to offer some of their favorites and don't cut corners.

Sunday my wife and I were heading downtown for a concert and stumbled across the ad for this year's 25 for 25 and decided we'd try and catch the blue hair special at Etta's.
We called and were lucky to snag a table at 5:15 AND confirmed that some of our favorite Tom Douglas items were on the menu.

Tom's "rubbed with love" salmon, cornbread pudding, and a wonderful endive and beet salad were my choices, followed by a brownie. My wife also opted for the salmon, but chose the short rib appetizer and the coconut cream pie.
The salmon was fantastic, and no they do not reduce the quantity or quality of food when you opt for the cheapo menu...great stuff. The cornbread pudding was decadent as usual, and both the salad and short ribs were wonderful.
The only minor disappointment was the brownie, but the massive slice of coconut cream pie made up for that (thanks for sharing hon.)

I have noticed sometimes this kind of promo can bring out the worst in both diners and servers; diners who abuse the opportunity to sample some great stuff at these restaurants sometimes fail to see the value provided, and servers fail to see the value in a customer who may not represent a huge bill tonight may fall in love with the restaurant and come back often if treated well.

Etta's delivered a top notch dining experience (again) and while we didn't spend a ton of money, we received exceptional service and made sure to tip our server well.
Next weekend I'm hoping to make a trip to the Barking Frog as they are taking part in the promo too. Last year the 'Frog included some special wines to celebrate the 25 for 25 which were both interesting AND discounted significantly. NICE!

If you are considering visiting one of the 25 participants, check out the site for the list of restaurants and book as early as possible. Most of them run the promotion Sunday-Thursday through March 31st, and serve a prix fixe lunch for $15 or dinner for $25.

My short list includes:

Barking Frog
Tulio
Oceanaire
Zoe
Campagne

Which ones will you try?

Fish tacos

2007-02-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

I'm in a rut. well, scratch that...I have several defined patterns that I follow at every opportunity and do my best to make sure they play out in the same way every time.
Is that a rut? maybe rut (s) ? or perhaps neuroses...

Regardless, for some reason I very much enjoy having "go to" options in my life. These include the way I drive the work, the shows I watch on TV, the jeans I wear, and most importantly the food I eat.

Typically I like to write about outstanding meals/items I find in my travels, but more often than not I am eating things that are pretty pedestrian. For some strange reason Rovers doesn't offer a fast breakfast sandwich, and Elemental isn't providing me with fast lunch fare I can eat at my desk.

So I have developed a system whereby I assign value to "everyday" breakfast/lunch options. I suppose its like my own internal Zagat rating system for less than inspirational food.
Here are the areas I tend to consider:

Time: What is the total time it takes to get in, get out, get back?

Ingredients: Is this thing going to kill me if I eat 200 of them this year? If the answer is no, then does it taste pretty good?

Cost: I should pack my lunch and eat breakfast at home, but i don't. Therefore I like to impose a daily cap of $10 to my breakfast and lunch fare. Not to say i don't break that cap from time to time, but its a good guideline

Reliability: I like places that are open when they say they will be, stock the items I like, and the same people help me every time.

These four key attributes are equally important, but the time element seems to trump the rest. Proximity to my place of employment is critical, so even though I know many places that serve better grub all over the city, I frequent the following:

My breakfast rut: Beba's. It is in the Darth Vader building (just like me) and the couple who run it are extremely nice, reliable, and know me. Every day I order the same thing...a toasted bagel with light cream cheese and tomato slices. Incredibly dull, but effective, inexpensive, and reliable. Beba's always has tomatoes, cream cheese, and fresh bagels. The only variation is the bagel flavor. I like to order either multi grain or jalapeno. I guess its good that they don't always stock the same flavor or I would have the exact same thing every day.

My lunch rut(s):

Option 1: Taco Del Mar. I like this rut because it gets me out of the office for 15 minutes or so. I walk the four blocks to TDM, check out the scenery/crackheads, and clear my mind. I think having a destination is what I like most, not the actual fare.
The overall meal fits within my system however;

time: 15 minutes including the walk. these fellas are efficient.

ingredients: not Whole Foods, but not Burger King either. I like the two tacos, black/whole beans, a little rice, and some soda. Its not health food but I've seen worse.

cost: the meal is $5.99. $4.99 on Tuesdays, and Mondays are double stamp day which gets you 20% towards your goal of a free meal...so if I eat there every Monday (double stamp), every Tuesday ($4.99 meal) and one other day during the week, after two weeks and an extra Monday I end up paying for five full price meals, two reduced price meals, and get one meal "free" based on my 10 stamps. So at the end of the day my out of pocket is $4.99 + tax per meal. Not bad.

reliability: I have two TDMs within four blocks. The one on first and blanchard rocks, the one on 4th and olive doesn't.

Option 2: Ralph's Deli. This is my other "go-to" lunch choice. It is overpriced, funky, and doesn't always have what I need, but they play Van Halen at about 90 db which kinda makes it worthwhile.

time: Five minutes in and out. It is literally across the street.

cost: this kinda throws me off. The sandwich is six bucks, then if you want anything else you pay a premium. example: diet pepsi...2 bucks.

ingredients: i get the same thing every time and i tell them precisely what i want on it so its pretty healthy; whole wheat bread, roasted turkey (they roast on site daily), lettuce, tomatoes, Dijon mustard, light mayo, and occasionally some guacamole. The pickle spear is a nice touch.

reliability: i'd say Ralph's is 82% reliable. pretty good, but not great. some variability in sandwich artists and occasionally they forget to roast the turkey which throws me off.

So that's my routine. Pretty lame, but its mine and I can count on it.
Got a better one?

Cafe Juanita

2007-02-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I had a chance to visit Cafe Juanita, and I've gotta say it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time.

We settled in for about four hours at CJ to celebrate my Mom's 65th birthday!
I'm glad we didn't make any other plans that evening because it was worth taking time, exploring the menu, and besides they aren't in a rush to get you out the door (more on that)

The wine list at Cafe Juanita is pretty spectacular, and while I didn't have an opportunity to sample any vino this time around its clear they spend a great deal of time stocking the cellar with wonderful wines from all over Italy as well as great selections from the NW and California. In addition to wine, CJ has a nice selection of "aperitivi" which include small bits of interesting food paired with cocktails. Em and my Mom tried the Prosecco and aged Parmegiano which they both seemed to enjoy. Dad had the scotch and it comes with...scotch.

Once our beverages were in place (took some time) we moved on to appetizers. We shared the seared foie gras and the grilled octopus. Both dishes were excellent.
The foie gras was served simply with a vin santo drizzle. The portion was actually pretty substantial and it was perfectly done.
Our octopus was very nice and came nestled on a base of chick pea and fennel seed sauce that I could have eaten a bowl of.

Between our appetizers and salad we tried the barbaresco risotto which i found quite nice but "powerful." The flavor was intense and best enjoyed in small portions.

The salads were very well prepared. I tried the pear salad with pine nuts, parmigiano, and white truffle oil. This one is a MUST HAVE.

By the time the main course showed up I was already feeling a bit full, but the rabbit was too good to pass up. To call this dish tender would be a big understatement, it was literally falling off the bone and the flavor was outstanding. Served with a small crepe, pancetta, and porcini mushroom it was the highlight of my meal.

We finished up with dessert which was just ok for me...a small and not terribly interesting chocolate souffle and some even less memorable item I can't recall.

The servers were very good, pacing things quite well in general. the only thing that seemed off in that regard was beverage service. My wife wanted to try specific wines with courses and the wine got "lost" a couple of times which meant she practically finished her appetizer before her first wine arrived and the same thing happened when she ordered her entree.

All in all I was very impressed with the quality of food, the imagination of the chef, and the presentation of the meal. If you love food like I love food, do yourself a favor and make a point to visit Cafe Juanita. If you've hired a sitter to watch the kids, make sure they don't have to go home early, 'cause you probably won't make it home before 11.

cheers

Whole Paycheck

2007-02-13T10:07:00.000-08:00

I love Whole Foods.
Yeah, its really freakin expensive, and I find it annoying that they don't have Diet Pepsi, Tide detergent, or absorbant paper towels...but they do have KILLER fresh foods.

Recently WF opened a new store in downtown Seattle on Westlake which is slightly different than the other stores I've been to. When you walk in there is a heavy focus on prepared foods, the wine section is closer to the entrance than other locations, and the canned/dry foods sections seem smaller.
Every weeknight between 5-7 they offer samples of food throughout the store which is very cool, but can easily spoil your appetite.

Last night I went to the new WF on Westlake, found free parking immediately, got in and out within 10 minutes! The fish selection at this particular store is beautiful, and on most days they have my wife's favorite (Chilean Seabass) as well as a new favorite, Turbot from Greenland.
I like to pan sear the Turbot with a little olive oil, lemon, white wine, shallots, and capers, then put the whole pan (covered) in the oven for a bit and serve medium rare. Try it with a nice Sauv Blanc.

If you don't have a Valentines dinner planned, consider dropping by WF for:

Heart shaped crabcakes
St Andre triple cream cheese
Maybe a nice Oregon Pinot such as Medici
fresh berries and ice cream

Cheers

Great event

2007-02-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

Following up on my post from last week, we did in fact throw a great party on Friday night.
Northwest Exclusive hosted about 50 guests at the Barrel House in Yakima, where we offered a tasting menu of Beechers' cheeses, fruit, five cuts of aged beef, and several wonderful wines topped off with Ivory Coast Truffles from Theo Chocolate.

The feedback we got was overwhelmingly positive, and I'm pretty sure no one went away hungry!

The Chef for the evening, Paul was going full steam trying to stay ahead of the hungry tasters, and was very successful in preparing each sample perfectly. Thanks Paul!

Both Kestrel and Wineglass Cellars joined us and were kind enough to bring some very special pre-release wines for the group to sample. I was very impressed with both of these wineries, their new wines, and the great people. Wineglass Cellars brought their new 2004 Sangiovese which I found to be delightful; soft, smooth, and fruit forward but not sweet.
Kestrel brought both 2003 and 2004 Malbec as well as their Old Vines Merlot which was HUGE, powerful, and to my palate very "un-merlot." I love it.

These events are a fantastic excuse for us to share our passion for Northwest food and wine with our network of friends, colleagues, and known foodie/wine freaks. I can't wait to host another event one day soon. Watch for an upcoming Seattle date!

What I'm eating: Pagliacci Pizza Salumi Primo
What I'm drinking: O'douls Amber
Who I'm hanging out with: Em, Fletch, Baia, Matt, and Amy

Cheers

Prepping for Northwest Exclusive opening (east)

2007-02-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

Here we are, t-minus two days before our second tasting event at Northwest Exclusive.
I really enjoy these events because I get to actually share a little bit of my favorite flavors, foods, wines, and brands from the great Northwest.

As you may or may not know, we held our "opening" in mid-November at Stevens Winery in Woodinville. The intent was to rally some foodies, wine freaks, and friends in order to explain what the heck we are up to with this little venture and provide them with some great food and wine to sample.

Tim and Page Stevens (owners of Stevens Winery) were kind enough to provide the space, pour the wine, and make it pretty damn easy to throw a fun event. I'm hoping our second event is as successful!

So we're invading central Washington, Yakima to be specific. On Friday we'll host about 50 guests and I'm pretty sure they're in for a treat. We'll serve four kinds of beef including Prime filet mignon, ribeye, and ny strip, as well as American Kobe ny strip steaks. We plan on pairing the steaks with a minimum of two great wines...probably selections from Wineglass Cellars and CR Sandidge.

This time around we're expanding the tasting menu a bit to include a pre-release sample of a very special wine (not telling,) and the most amazing truffles I've ever tried (Theo Chocolate truffles.)

My hope is we're able to show the folks in Yakima a good time and solicit some candid feedback about our products, packaging, positioning, and overall value proposition.
At a minimum I'm guessing they won't go away hungry.

If you find yourself in Yakima Friday evening, send me a text...I'll guide you over to our event.

Cheers

What's so great about salmon?

2007-01-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

I mean beyond the obvious; omega-3 fatty acids, tender flaky texture, beautiful color and presentation, and of course proximity to my home state.

My business partner brought up an interesting question yesterday, he asked me whether I could differentiate between salmon varieties. When I think about it, I really don't have strong feelings about a particular brand or breed of the fish.

I just plain like salmon. I like Sockeye, I like King. I like Copper River, I like Yukon River. For that matter I've had some pretty good farm raised salmon from Costco (don't tell anyone.)

Recently I had an opportunity to try some salmon from Wild Alaskan Salmon Company www.seabeef.com and I've gotta say it was pretty special. They sent a flash-frozen, perfectly portioned piece of King salmon filet that had to be three inches thick! Before I tried this fish I thought "fresh, never frozen" was the only way to fly, but I learned that flash-frozen is actually less "fishy" because it is immediately processed/frozen at sea rather than making the long trek from fish boat to processor, to shipping facility, to warehouse, to your local supermarket.

My company, www.nwexclusive.com is considering adding this line of salmon to our product catalog because it is special. I'd like to find the perfect Oregon Pinot Noir to complement an alder-smoked chunk of "seabeef" and provide it to our best customers later this spring. Stay tuned...

You know what? i think I'm going to make a reservation at Etta's tonight to satisfy my craving for good salmon. Ever try their "rub-with-love" king salmon with cornbread pudding and shitake mushrooms? RIDICULOUS.

Cheers!

Seattle's Worst Coffee?

2007-01-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

Heh heh.
I don't think I could possibly identify the WORST coffee in our city, but today I'm eeking out a living fueled by the great caffeine bean so in honor of our city's favorite cloudy day beverage I'm going to throw down the gauntlet and declare the best coffee experiences in the area.
Now I realize this is HIGHLY subjective, correlates directly to where I live/work, and if anyone in the area were to read this I might get shot...that is how passionate we are about our coffee here.

So with that said, here are the categories and respective kings of said categories:

1. Best coffee. I'm not talking about the best barrista, best wifi, best fireplace, or anything else. I'm talking about the beans. In order to qualify for this category I'm looking for rich flavor, limited bitterness, flexibility (does it work for drip and espresso?) and of course...availability.
While this company lost some of it's luster when Starbucks bought them, I still love the beans and place them at the top of my list. TORREFAZIONE

2. Best eastside coffee house. If you find yourself in Redmond, or anywhere nearby for that matter it is worth your time to drop into Victor's Coffee Company. They roast their own beans, make a mean drip coffee, an even better cappuccino, and they have wicked baked goods to boot. On any given day you'll find a nice smattering of Microsofties, fire fighters, Cingular..er AT&T folks, and soccer moms rolling in for their daily brew.

3. Best on Capitol Hill. This one is tough...I know there are a ton of great places up there, but my favorite place for a cappuccino is Cafe Vita. They make some of the best beans around, their barristas are pros, the space is great, and I have an opportunity to see what the latest piercing/branding/tattooing trend is all about.

4. Downtown. Real. Serious. Coffee. Zeitgeist.
But seriously, I like to go down there, grab some coffee, and head to Bud's Jazz Records in Pioneer Square...there's something magic about that combination.

5. Uptown. If you find yourself near Beltown or Queen Anne, I think a trip to Uptown Espresso is worth your time. Although I don't think its right to grade a coffee joint on flavored drinks, I've gotta say that their mochas are ridiculous. For that matter their cappuccinos are pretty damn good. They're just good.

6. On the fly. I like to avoid the drive-up espresso shack. nine times out of ten the experience is lame and I end up either a) letting the milk-laden beverage become tepid in my console or gulping it down just to get the caffeine. So when I found Northern Espresso located at the Bothell Chevron I was elated. This little gem does it right...they start with great coffee, use proper equipment, the barristas are pros, and they top it off with a killer chocolate covered coffee bean or two.

7. New To My List. Found this one today, but I've gotta say its one of the best coffees I've had in a long time. I stopped in to Motore Coffee at 9th & Stewart downtown Seattle. Had a big latte and it was fantastic. In fact I was able to ignore my seasonal affective disorder for more than 2 hours based on this beverage alone. Thanks Motore!

Tonight I'm pretty sure I won't be doing this:

-Eating fall-off-the-bone tender osso bucco with chantarelle mushroom risotto
-Drinking Stevens424 red blend from Stevens Winery in Woodinville
-Dining with my buddies Steve C and Bill M in DC

but, if I could I would.

In spring a young man's fancy turns to...

2007-01-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Kick ass red wine from Washington?

I guess I'm not really that young, and while it is kinda sunny outside its really not quite spring yet...but I did just receive a spring release announcement from Betz Family Winery so I've got that going which is nice.

Bob Betz is a local Washington winemaker, Master of Wine, and by all accounts a helluva nice guy. Betz Family Winery really represents what I love about what's going on with Washington wine. As a wine fan I can actually go to the winery, talk to the man about his wine, hang out and have a great time, and leave with some of the best wine being produced anywhere.

In March, Betz will release their two big reds; Pere de Famille and Clos de Betz.
Check out Tanzer's early notes on Pere de Famille:

"Bright, deep ruby-red. Musky, minerally, spicy aromas of blackberry, blueberry, leather and tree bark. Quite penetrating on the palate, with terrific intensity and cut to the black cherry and currant flavors. Denser and larger-scaled than the Clos de Betz. This, too, finishes with excellent cut, growing sweeter and longer as it opens in the glass. There's firm tannic spine here but no impression of dryness 93+"
I'm pretty excited to try these bad boys, and while I don't currently have nearly enough Betz in my cellar I am making room for some of each of the '04 releases.

Welcome to my world

2007-01-23T17:31:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting here overlooking beautiful Elliott Bay, fuming over the fact that I'm missing the "Triple Winemakers' Dinner" at El Gaucho in Seattle...featuring none other than Mark Ryan and Stevens Wineries (two of my favorites.) No, they didn't sell out but I did. I'm taking a bit of time off from my vices to "clean the machine."

I decided to start this blog in order to keep track of some of the wonderful food, wine, and goings on I run across in the Pacific Northwest. I don't think anyone will read this drivel, but at least I'll get it down in "print."

In order to justify my unnatural preoccupation with all things Northwest food and wine, I've actually started my own company, Northwest Exclusive www.nwexclusive.com .
We focus on... you guessed it premium food and wine from the Pacific Northwest. Check it out.

From time to time I'll drop in, tell you what I'm really into in terms of PacNW food and wine, maybe complain about some of the bullshit I see in my day to day existence, and tell you what I'd be eating/drinking if I had the choice.

Since I'm surviving on odwalla and eggplant right now i can't tell you about the great stuff I tried today, but I can tell you what I'd have/do given the choice. Here goes:

Food: NW Prime petite filet and a few langostinos
Wine: CR Sandidge 2002 Tri*Umph
People: My buddy Derek and Chuck D from Public Enemy (its my blog and I can eat with Chuck D if I want to)

Later.