December 2009
8 posts
1 tag
ginger molasses makes a holiday.
My “Christmas” holiday came and went without a hitch while pointedly lacking any sort of reverence. As an atheist, these last couple days carried little significance to me other than the looming challenge of shopping/cooking with the impending urgency/ inconvenience of the local grocery being closed. No worries…I hit the co op hard on the 23rd and made away with what I felt like...
smoked salt.
As an admitted salt fiend, onewould’vethought that the recent salt trend would have really struck my fancy. I recall when the mania erupted, folks were dizzy with the endless varieties- bacon salt, lavender salt, pink salt, black salt…blah blah blah. Iwasn’ttoo impressed…in fact I kind of dismissed the craze as bullshit. I do love salt- deeply. Where some folks have a sweet...
2 tags
making mustard.
Mustard on meats and cheeses, saltine crackers, tortilla chips, cucumbers and bell peppers- even on apple slices. His windowsills and shelves, the top of the refrigerator- all these spaces were crowded with little stocky pots of various recipes in progress. Miles was a mustard man…a true connoisseur. We met while working together at a popular cafe in Tucson- a shared sarcastic sense of humor...
1 tag
the softest sugar cookie.
I dont want it to be just “sweet”- I like a more sophisticated sugar cookie with defined flavor qualities and a smooth character.Here is a recipe where the taste of warm vanilla, rich creamy butter and spice in the base are all gently illuminated in a cookie as tender as cake. Beautifully simple and blissfully delicious, part of the appeal in working with such a fundamental recipe is...
"battle in seattle rematch"- an entertaining night...
Tuesday nights “Battle In Seattle Rematch” - the food was delicious, the drinks generous, the atmosphere appealingly party-like. At the judges table, my peers were three discerning Seattle chefs, the Assistant Coach of the Seattle Sounders (he was a lot of fun- a real pleasure to chat with) and the Pres. of a large online social networking company. The theme was “Surf and...
2 tags
drinking and distilling with the fellas at dry...
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“Booze for breakfast eh?” Karissa is squinting at me in the tender morning light, her coffee cup tucked between her knees as we begin our drive. “Its lookin’ like it.” I’m sure my tone conveys that the idea is not exactly appealing at this hour. We’re headed out to Dry Fly Distillery where without a doubt there will be sampling....
judging.
I have been asked to be on the panel of judges for “The Battle in Seattle Rematch” this Tuesday. The event is an Iron Chef-esque cook off between Chef David Hahne (Enotria) and Chef Takashi (Rain Sushi). How can I turn that down? I cant is how- its food, booze and being given official authority to appraise the efforts of two great chefs pitted dangerously (well maybe not really...
1 tag
kurtwood farms, vashon island wa.
In the car then on a ferry- 20 minutes later, Brian and I land in a place thatseeminglytime (or maybe just population increase) forgot…ie Vashon Island. Oh its fucking beautiful- woodsy jagged shoreline with rocky beaches, there’s a tiny town in there somewhere but take a second to browse the radio and you’ve missed it. Kurtwood Farms itself is gorgeous…open and organized,...