Can you spare $9? Donate $9 on 9/9!
09-Sep-2008
Today Food Lifeline is running a campaign to raise money to help bridge the gap for the growing need for food here in western Washington. As we are all aware, the economy is creating circumstances that are sending more people to the food banks to help make ends meet each month. Between increasing mortgages and high gas prices, which are effecting more than just what you put in your car, many folks are finding that their monthly income doesn’t quite cover their expenses.
Food Lifeline did some analysis and determined that if everyone in our area donated $9 we could make up most or all of that gap. You’ve heard it before – skip a couple of lattes and you can easily help feed those in need. There’s nothing wrong with lattes, of course, and if you’ve worked hard to enjoy them that’s great. But maybe, just for a couple days, you could get energized from the feeling of doing something really good. So many of those in need are children. If we all give a little, it can do a lot.
You can donate online here.
As you may be aware I like to work with Northwest Harvest, too, and you can find their online donation form here.
If you are in other areas of the U.S. you may want to find a local food bank organization to donate to. Just google the name of your area and "food bank" and you’ll see a list of local organizations. You can also find Hunger Action Month events in your area here.
Or donate to Feeding America (formerly know as America’s Second Harvest) here.
And if you happen to read this post after the 9th? That’s okay – your donation will still help no matter what the date, so don’t think you "missed" your opportunity!
Finally!
08-Sep-2008
My tomato plants are loaded with fruit. But just when they should have started ripening like crazy our weather turned cold. Unseasonably cold. Even for Seattle. I’ve been watching the little guys as they seemed to hunker down and suspend all activity. Then, the last few days, we’ve had more summer like weather. Although the nights are getting colder than they should.
But the tomatoes have responded and finally I have lots of little Sweet 100s and Golden Plums while the 4th of July tomatoes to slowly but surely ripen a little at time. The Green Zebras are also starting to come on. My big disappointment are the Brandywines. They seem to be rotting on the vine, as are many of my peppers. But I’m not going to think about those right now. Instead I’m going to enjoy this lovely bowl of gorgeous summer bounty and look forward to picking more of it over the next few days.
Savor Summer Evenings
04-Sep-2008
This is the perfect time of year to enjoy the summer evenings outside. It’s not too hot and we all know the opportunities to be outside in the evening are numbered. With the days getting shorter you want to pull something together quickly so you don’t lose a moment of the sun.
Think about mixing up a batch of gougère and just holding the batter in the refrigerator overnight or for up to three days. Then, when you get home from work the next night set up a baking sheet with a batch of gougère and while they bake set out some charcuterie, maybe a few cheeses, slice some tomatoes from your garden or the farmers’ market, maybe include some olives or pickled vegetables for a little contrast and pour yourself a glass of wine.
As you probably know I love Salumi salami but there are lots of other great options. The meat in the photo above is from a package that Costco sells made by Daniele. Since the package is sealed you can hold it in the refrigerator until the opportunity to enjoy it presents itself. I like the variety of meats in the package. It includes Hot Calabrese, Pepper Salame and Hot Capocollo.
When the gougère have baked you’re ready to sit on the deck or in the yard, sipping a favorite wine and nibbling on some savory little bites. And it was all done in less then 30 minutes leaving most of the evening for soaking up the final days of summer.
By the way, the wine in the photo above is Kestrel’s Sangiovese which lends itself perfectly to this sort of evening.
Harvest Fair at Seattle Tilth
04-Sep-2008
This Saturday, Seattle Tilth is sponsoring a Harvest Fair from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The fair will be held at Meridian Park behind the Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Ave N) in Wallingford.
There are numerous planned activities and events! Check out the Marketplace, Community Village, live music, chickens, goats, bees and much, much more. From their press release…
For 30 years Seattle Tilth has been educating people about growing their own organic food, supporting local farmers and creating a strong local food system. If you have interest in fresh local food, gardening, supporting a local economy, improving the environment, your personal health, or having a good time, then you will not want to miss Seattle Tilth’s Harvest Fair. With a theme of “Celebrate Local Food,” the event boasts a full day of hands-on activities, educational opportunities, sustainable shopping, great food and good old fashioned fun not found anywhere else.Attend one of the many free presentations by local experts. Chef Lesa Sullivan will demonstrate methods of food preservation to help you eat locally year round; nutritionist Acacia Larson will discuss health benefits of eating local food; Garden Hotline educator Emily Bishton will illustrate why wildlife friendly gardening works as natural pest control; and “local hero” Sue Mc Gann, of Lettuce Link’s Giving Garden at Marra Farm, will connect local food choices to a global perspective. Interested in foraging? Then take a walk with local plant guru Arthur Lee Jacobson and learn about Wild Edible Plants, then have him sign a copy of his book “Wild Plants of Greater Seattle”.
For all the information about the event and to plan your day, check out the details on their website.
It’s Apple Season!
02-Sep-2008
A few days ago I happened to mention this drink, called an Apple Manhattan, to a friend of mine. Last night as I was winding down my "chores" I thought, "And why haven’t I made one for myself lately?". I didn’t have a good answer and so I mixed one up.
This is a perfect apple-flavored but not sugary-sweet cocktail. Try one out, you might find they are great for fall sipping.
Farmers’ Markets
01-Sep-2008
I’ll take a chance that I’ll sound like a broken record – I know I’ve said this many times before and you know you’ll hear it many times in the future – now is a great time to visit your local farmers’ market. We’re at the time of year where the early vegetables are still available and the later crops are coming in. And fruit is pretty much at it’s peak with the stone fruits, apples and melons all gracing different stalls at the market. So if you haven’t been to your local market lately make plans to go this next week or weekend.
If you are in the Seattle area you can use this site to find one near you. For other areas simply google "farmers market" and the name of your city and you should find a site that lists markets near you. These photos are all from the University District Farmers’ Market.
Banana Bread
30-Aug-2008
The mornings are dark now, and autumn is creeping in around the edges. When I go outside in the morning I have to look for the webs the spiders built overnight to ensure that I’m not what becomes entangled in them. The house is cool in the morning so it’s nice to get up and bake. Today’s project: Banana Nut Bread. I made a double batch – one to eat now and one to pop into the freezer.
Banana Bread
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2 ½ cups flour
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1 ¼ cup mashed banana
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⅓ cup milk
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½ cup sugar
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½ cup packed brown sugar
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¼ cup soft butter
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2 eggs
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1 Tbsp baking powder
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp baking soda
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1 cup chopped nuts
Heat oven to 350º F. Grease bottom only of 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.
Beat all ingredients in large mixer bowl on low speed for 15 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally for 30 seconds. Pour into pan.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 65 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing.
Palomino
29-Aug-2008
When I worked downtown the Palomino was a standard when it came to business lunches. You could always count on the menu, creative specials and good service. Plus the location in the heart of downtown was pretty perfect. Then they added their little Cafe Express section – more casual fare ready to pick up to go or to eat at the bistro tables overlooking the escalators in the City Centre building, and it became a great place for an everyday lunch, too. On top of that, they had a fun Happy Hour menu and so it became a place friends and I would meet after the work day.
But I haven’t worked downtown for years and with it’s location on the third floor of City Centre it has been a case of out-of-sight/out-of-mind for me. Luckily that’s not the case for everyone!
After our dinner on the deck at The Pink Door, my friends and I stopped by Zig Zag for a quick cocktail. Then, while one had to get home to prepare for a busy work day the following morning, the other suggested dessert at Palomino and I was game!
We made our way through the night time Seattle streets which is always a little interesting but soon found ourselves in the warmth of the City Centre building. All the shops were closed but up on the third floor Palomino’s second Happy Hour of the day was being enjoyed by several tables of folks.
We found a seat at the bar, ordered drinks and the dessert my friend had been craving – Caramel Pear Bread Pudding. When the giant piece arrived, with a side of ice-cream, drizzled in caramel and a little bowl of rich butter sauce to finish it off my eyes nearly popped out of my head. It was huge! And, apparently, larger than normal.
We happily dug in to it, enjoying every piece of pear, cinnamon-infused bread and the sauces. What a pleasant way to end a lovely evening.
There are several Palominos across the country. Check the site for one near you.
Palomino Seattle
In City Centre
1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 350
Seattle
206.623.1300
Cafe: 206.623.5752
King’s Hardware
29-Aug-2008
Last night the photography group I belong to had one of our monthly meetings at a local pub. We met at King’s Hardware in Ballard, one of the many new places that have been popping up in that little neighborhood over the last couple of years. Every time I go to Ballard it seems that new places appear and my list of "places to try" keeps getting longer. So I was glad the group headed to King’s last night – one place I can check off the list!
King’s has actually been around a couple of years now. It’s a really great space, warmed by the wood tables, chairs and booths with lots of funky stuff decorating the walls which could provide hours of viewing exploration.
I arrived a bit before the bulk of the group so that I could check out the food before diving into the conversation and general rambunctiousness that accompanies these events. I sat at the bar with two guys who turned out to be newer members of our group who had also arrived early. We got to know each other while I sipped Mandarin on the rocks – the pour seemed a bit on the short side – and they had beers, which are on the Happy Hour menu. I also ordered a plate of sliders, the only food on the Happy Hour menu but since it was the thing I was interested in that worked out well.
The sliders took their time arriving. Apparently one of the servers had mistakenly picked up my plate to fill their order but the bartender was great about tracking it down and getting a replacement plate made up as soon as she realized what had happened. They were great little sliders! A couple bites of beef on nice fluffy tiny buns finished with a 1000 Island type sauce, sweet grilled onions, and crispy fresh lettuce. Lots of folks from the group ordered and loved the sweet potato fries and the other burgers I saw delivered out all looked very good.
King’s also has a rather unique perk. They sit right next door to a Rudy’s Barbershop and there’s even a little door between the two. If you arrive at Rudy’s and there’s a line, you put your name on the list, then head over to King’s to enjoy a beer while you wait. When your turn comes up, they’ll come over and find you.
I liked this place and will definitely be back to sit at the bar. I think it will be especially nice on some of those gray winter evenings that we know are coming in the way too near future.
King’s Hardware
5225 Ballard Ave
Ballard
Seattle
206.782.0087
The Pink Door
28-Aug-2008
As a native Pacific Northwesterner I have always been aware that summer is fleeting and every gorgeous day must be enjoyed to the fullest. Like many who live in this area, I generally spend as much time as possible outdoors, or at least at a window soaking up the sunlight, from May through mid-October when the weather turns once again to mostly grey. At least most years. This year has been particularly challenging as the months we normally count on for good weather seemed to have other ideas about what they would provide.
I was talking to a few friends a couple weekends ago and we all realized something that is normally on our "things to do during summer in Seattle" had not yet been accomplished. The task? Happy hour on the rooftop deck of The Pink Door.
The Pink Door is a Seattle institution. It’s been around since 1981. That’s the same year I moved to Seattle and I think I’ve been eating there from nearly the beginning. It’s a bit of a funky place. The only sign at the door lists hours, no name, but the door is pink. If you enter from Post Alley, where the pink door is, you immediately descend one story of stairs to the main, rather dark, dining room. This room fills later in the evening but during the early evening hours everyone heads through the dining room into the more brightly lit bar. And, if you are lucky as we were on this day, the doors to the outdoor, rooftop deck will be wide open.
Although Seattle sits right on Puget Sound there really are very few restaurants with outdoor views to the water. More have opened in recent years but for a long time, other than a few tourist spots right along the waterfront, The Pink Door was the main place for outdoor dining with a view. Trellised fencing surrounds two sides of the deck letting in light yet separating you a bit from the surrounding gritty rooftops. A third side is protected by the restaurant building and the fourth is wide open to the view of Puget Sound. The deck is also covered with lattice providing dappled shade and a place to hang brightly colored lights and lively planters filled with trailing flowers. The plastic tablecloths and gaily colored chairs add even more to the riot of color that greets you as you walk out onto the deck. Seating here is always in demand so arriving early (the nicer the day, the earlier you need to arrive) is the only way to guarantee a seat.
I arrived in time to secure a table along one wall. While waiting for my friends I started with Angelica’s Kiss, a Prosecco and raspberry puree concoction. It was the taste of summer if a bit on the sweet side. Once my friends arrived and ordered wine we set about negotiating what we wanted to eat. The first item, bruschetta made with local heirloom tomatoes, was a no-brainer decision but then we needed to weigh the pros and cons of several items that looked very good. We finally settled on the risotto of the day, made with crab and rock shrimp, and a big bowl of clams and mussels in a garlicky broth.
The bruschetta was heavenly as simple food often is. Just toasted country bread, big slices of the tomato, lots of fragrant olive oil with a nice sprinkling of salt and a little basil. Simple and satisfying. The mussels and clams followed the same idea – just local, fresh shellfish, steamed in broth until they opened. Popping the sea-fresh morsels in our mouths and dunking more of the sturdy bread into the broth was a very pleasant way to spend the early evening. Add to that the rich seafood risotto – soft and creamy, with a generous drizzle of that same fruity olive oil and there’s really not much more to ask for.
Besides the great food served here The Pink Door has a variety of entertainment throughout the week. Most nights it’s music of some sort but on Saturdays they bring in a burlesque show. I haven’t seen it but hear it’s a lot of fun.
The Pink Door
1919 Post Alley in Pike Place Market
Seattle
206.443.3241
Culinary Fool 