Culinary Fool

Ladies’ Summer Brunch

08-Jul-2008

It has been a very long time since I did one of my Ladies’ Brunches! But finally, this last Sunday, I scheduled one. I was a bit worried that a lot of people would be on vacation or have other obligations with the holiday weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to see that fourteen people were able to attend.

So Sunday at 10:00 am the guests started arriving (and the sun starting breaking through the clouds!) and we assembled on the deck with a glass of juice or sangria in hand. Shortly after 10:30 am we moved to the long table and the dining began in earnest.

I often serve these brunches buffet or family style but I decided to plate some of this day’s courses.

Here is the menu for the day:

We started with the sliced fruit, then I brought out the tart plated with the greens and passed the sausage, vegetables and scones.

When everyone had completed the main portion of the meal I brought out the Grapefruit Sorbet as a palate cleanser and a little break in the dining.

Then we finished with cheese blintzes topped with framboise whip cream and mixed berries.

It was a really fun party as it always is – I have great friends who make it so. And it helped that the sun was out which lightened everyone’s spirits. I love doing brunches as people tend to linger around the table and just enjoy the conversation after the dining is done. The key to planning a successful brunch is to choose dishes that can be assembled the day ahead of time and then just finished the morning of the event. So, for instance, with the Goat Cheese Tart, I’d baked the shell and mixed the filling on Saturday. On Sunday I put the filling in the shell and baked them. And, this dish can be served warm or at room temperature, which allowed me to bake it when I got up and then it was ready to be cut and served.

Lots more photos here.

4th of July

04-Jul-2008

I am so excited! Yesterday I picked my first tomato of the year! This is way early for tomatoes here in Western Washington. But when I was buying plants from my Farmers’ Market guy, Billy, he said this was a great and early ripening plant. It’s name? 4th of July! Because the first tomatoes ripen about this time. And it worked! I picked it yesterday and am just about ready to eat it today!

And the best part is there will be more to come…

Delayed Gratification

30-Jun-2008

Our strawberry season here in the northwest was seriously delayed this year with all the cool weather we had in May and June. Normally I can pick a few berries in early June and then they continue ripening through early July and sometimes later. But I’d picked only one or two by the time I left town on June 21st. Then the warn weather finally came last week while I was gone. I was out of town for a full week and didn’t water that area while I was gone. Several of my plants are pretty wilted at the moment, although I think they will eventually recover.

In the meantime it just makes the few sweet gems I pick all the more precious and delicious.

Lavender Lamb

11-Jun-2008

The first time I had this recipe was in a cooking class several years ago. It was the recipe that got me thinking about lavender as a culinary herb, as well as something the scented soaps and lotions. I was amazed at how simple and delicious the lamb was with this very simple preparation. The original recipe used rack of lamb, cut into 6 chop racks but it also works equally well on these little individual chops that I love.

All you do is heat a little honey – I used about 1/4 cup for four of these little chops – until it’s warm and easily flows. You can microwave it for a few seconds or just gently warm it over low heat – either way is fine. I have a warming burner on my stove and I use it.

Using a pastry brush, lightly paint one side of the lamb chops. Sprinkle them with a little salt and freshly cracked pepper. Place about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of culinary lavender in a shallow dish. Dip the honey side of the lamb in the lavender. It should thickly coat the lamb. Set the chop down on the plate with the lavender side down.

Paint the other side of the chops with honey, sprinkle with salt and pepper and then dip in the lavender. I know it looks like a lot of lavender but much of it will come off during the grilling.

I like to do mine on my outdoor grill but you can also do these under the broiler. I have a searing element on my grill, so for these thick-cut chops I first sear each side for a couple of minutes and then move them to a rack over medium heat to cook a bit more slowly. I normally cook these about 5 minutes per side until they are medium-rare. You’ll need to adjust the time based on the thickness of your chops and how you like your meat cooked.

If broiling you may want to start with the rack close to the broiler to sear and then drop it down to the next level to finish them.

That’s it – can you believe how simple that is?

Since I had the grill going I also grilled some asparagus (as I was writing this up I realized just how often I eat asparagus at this time of year – I’m not sure I’ve really talked about any other vegetable for months!) and some Walla Walla green onions. This significance of the Walla Wallas is twofold. First, because they are such a large onion completely grown, the green onions tend to be pretty big and meaty, too – prefect for grilling. And, because they are such a sweet onion, grilling them gives you a lovely sweet, caramel taste.

I also had sliced tomatoes topped with a little bit of parmesan and basil to round out my meal.

‘Color” Arrives in Farmers’ Markets

07-Jun-2008

I was so happy as I perused the U-Dist Farmers’ Market this morning! There are still tons of "green" things – lettuces, onions, asparagus, plant starts, etc – but now the colors are sneaking in. In some ways there has been a lot of color for some time – in the flower stands, for instance – but I’m talking about color in the produce stands, color you can eat. This morning I found cherries, strawberries and tomatoes (yes the tomatoes are hothouse grown on the East side of the mountains but still a fairly local version of a fairly decent tasting tomato).

Homemade Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream

06-Jun-2008

I wasn’t eating my blackberries quite fast enough and I didn’t want them to spoil so I decided to use them in ice cream. I turned to my favorite ice cream book, Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz and chose a recipe I’d used before. All you need to do is make your favorite vanilla ice-cream and once it’s finished in the ice cream machine, layer it with mashed blackberries that have had a little sugar added to them. You can also add a little vodka to them (like a tablespoon or two) to help keep them from freezing too solidly.

When you scoop the ice cream from the container the layers create a swirl effect. Simple! If you don’t have an ice-cream book I really recommend David’s. I have three ice-cream books but his is the only one I really use.

First Look: Branzino

06-Jun-2008

Tuesday night Branzino opened; Wednesday night M and I checked it out. We were very excited for it’s opening as Branzino is owned by Peter Lamb who also owns Queen City Grill. For years Queen City was our normal hangout and then a few years ago a lot of the staff turned over and things just seemed to change. Although I still pop in now and then it’s not as regular a thing as it once was.

Branzino is located on the corner of 2nd and Wall and is the north anchor for a row of newer restaurants that seem to be more focused on food than some of the original Belltown eateries. It’s just down the block from Txiro, Tavolata and a bit further down is Zoe. This is becoming an interesting stretch of Seattle real estate.

As you may know if you’ve been around my blog for long, I never "rate" a place based on such an early visit. I generally wait until they’ve been open a few months and have all the processes running smoothly before I form a decision. Having said that, with just one small exception and one disagreement (M liked one thing and I just thought it was okay) we found the food to be very good and the service almost too focused, but that will mellow over time.

If you are familiar with Queen City you will see similarities in the restaurant design and in the menu – not so much in the actual menu items but in the style of the menu. It’s not huge but focuses on doing a few things well. The only thing I thought was odd is that branzino is the Italian name for sea bass which might make you think this is a seafood restaurant. While there is fish on the menu there is nearly as much meat and game. I’m not complaining just sayin’. And the night we were there they didn’t have sea bass. I heard rumors that the shipment was sent back for quality purposes but can’t say for sure.

As we were finishing up our meal it was fun to see many of Seattle’s Italian restaurant "nobility" arriving for a group meal at a big table next to us. The table was set for 16 or so and about half had arrived by the time we’d paid our check. Great to see them all together.

Branzino

2429 2nd Ave

Corner of 2nd and Wall

Belltown
Seattle

San Francisco: Slanted Door

05-Jun-2008

Another post that wasn’t transferred over…
Originally posted to The Spirit World, June 16th 2006

The Slanted Door is one of those places that has been around for awhile and has appeared on all kinds of "best of" or "must see" lists. On my trip to San Francisco it was one of many places I had tucked away in my travel folder as a place I might check out.

On Saturday, after wandering around at Fisherman’s Wharf and the Embarcadero for most of the morning and into early afternoon, I took a little break in my room and then decided to head back to the Ferry Terminal to check out the famous Saturday Market. I blew it though. When I arrived there was nary a market stall to be found! I looked high and low but didn’t see a thing. Apparently, the market only lasts until 2:00 and I arrived about 3:30. I was so disappointed. As I made my way up and down the various nooks and crannies of the Ferry Building,

I did a more thorough search of one area that I’d previously skipped over. As I came to the end of the hallway I caught a glimpse of a bar through a glass door. A closer look revealed an interesting place, so I made my way to the front door to enter. It was then I saw the name of the place – The Slanted Door.

Now in a modern setting, the restaurant was originally located in the Mission District in a building where the door didn’t quite meet the jam squarely. Hence the name, The Slanted Door. At this time of day the restaurant was busy but not packed. Lunch service was over but dinner service had not yet started. Food choices were limited to the bar menu, which had a nice selection of food and several specialty cocktails. I noticed that the cocktail menu made good use of the Hangar One vodkas – that was a nice little circumstance, considering my field trip on Friday. I was happy to see the Jasmine was one of the special offerings and so started with it, while perusing the food options.

The bartender made the drink directly in front of me and so I was able to watch the care and craft that went into the drink. And, once served to me, it was evident in the first sip. This was a really beautiful Jasmine! For a little nibble to go along with my cocktail, I ordered the Slanted Door Spring Rolls.

While waiting for them to arrive I took a look at what others were eating and noticed the beautiful presentations and how fresh and inviting everything looked.

I was not to be disappointed when my springrolls arrived. Filled with pork, mint, peanut sauce and beautiful whole shrimp, the rolls were fresh and clean, providing sustenance that invigorated. My only disappointment was that I could not finish the entire order and it seemed such a waste to let them go!

I decided to order one final cocktail that had caught my imagination when first looking over the menu.

It was called a Phantasm and captured my attention for two reasons. First, it was made with lemongrass infused vodka and second, it was made with Falernum, an ingredient I’ve recently learned of but don’t see in too many cocktails.

I had been talking with the bartender off and on througout my time at the bar but she was fairly busy. About this time a woman sat next to me and we started chatting. Turned out she was waiting for a "blind date" or at least a first date with a man she’d met on Match.com. She was rather nervous and already planning that it wouldn’t work out. Interesting way to start a date, but I guess it’s probably the way many people approach the situation.

The Phantasm was interesting and even good but the Falernum actually added too much sweetness for my taste. The lemongrass vodka was a very nice element. I like the idea of this cocktail but probably wouldn’t order it again – espcially since The Slanted Door listed many other specialty cocktails that sounded good. About the time I was finishing my Phantasm, the woman’s date arrived. As I paid my check and exited they were engaged in an animated conversation – maybe there was hope after all!

The Slanted Door

1 Ferry Building #3 (Northeast corner)

San Francisco

415.861.8032

Salmon Season

05-Jun-2008

The Copper River Salmon season is in full swing. It’s expensive again this year but I still am compelled to purchase it. I love it. One thing that helps the cost a bit is to purchase Sockeye instead of King. There are two reasons this helps. First, the price per pound is quite a bit less and since Sockeye is a smaller fish it’s easier to get a smaller piece. When purchasing King fillets you really can’t buy one pound of fish. The piece would be about 1/2" wide and a foot long – not good. So a "small" King salmon purchase is usually at least 1.5 pounds and often closer to 2. At this year’s going rate of $40/lb that’s an expensive proposition. I do like the King better but the Sockeye is also very yummy.

When cooking this oil-rich salmon I really prefer simplicity over fancy. Often I do a Blueberry marinade but I also like to do a simple butter, onion, lemon (or lime) treatment and then grill it. That really lets the taste shine through.

Add some grilled asparagus, a salad and rice or cornbread and you have a nice summer meal.

This last weekend I decided to spice up my corn bread a bit. Take your favorite recipe and add a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh basil and about 3/4 cup of blueberries. The cornbread gets a nice little savory/sweet flavor to it. I also just happened to have a fish-shaped cast iron muffin pan. Adds a bit more fun to the plate.

Herban Feast and SoDo Seattle Venue

04-Jun-2008

Every now and then I am invited to attend a special event in regards to food or wine. Sometime these are restaurant opening parties and I love the opportunity to get a sneak peak at a location and the food someone will be serving. A couple weeks ago I was invited to see the new location for a catering company, Herban Feast. Herban Feast is an established catering company but has always come to your location. Now, they have a really great facility to offer for events.

Some of you may remember a pottery/outdoor furnishings company called Herban Pottery. They were originally in a little building in the U-district and then expanded to a larger spot in what we now call SoDo. I’m not sure what happened to Herban Pottery but their old location in SoDo is the new location for Herban Feast.

The building has been totally transformed. The character of the 1907 building has been retained and enhanced with high exposed beam ceilings, polished wooden floors (a bit uneven in places due to the original nature of the building), lots of large windows and other historical details. The day of their opening event they had several different "scenarios" set up so that we could see some idea of the offerings. Some areas sported traditional round tables with full linens; others were set with tall, smaller bar type rounds; one section sported a "patio" look with wooden decking and teak tables and chairs; another section brought to mind a living room with couches, cozy chairs and benches. Although the building is really great as is, there are plans afoot to add more options – an outdoor space, for instance.

One of the benefits of this location is that they can take care of everything. In addition to the space they handle the tables/chairs, linens, china, glassware, etc.

Herban Feast focuses on local and organic ingredients recognizing, of course, that to provide the perfect experience they sometimes need to bring in supplies from further afield. But what really impressed me about this company was the desire to be part of the community. The building adjacent to theirs houses several small businesses and the general manager who led us on a tour of both buildings was well-versed in those neighbors and talked about ways they hoped to partner with some of them. His enthusiasm was contagious and I really liked the idea of pulling together local resources, whenever possible.

This attitude was also in evidence during this showcase event as Herban Feast partners with other local niche businesses to provide a full suite of offerings for your event. A valet service was available; photographers roamed the venue; a local DJ played tunes; and several bakeries showed off their wares, including sample wedding cakes.

The food they presented that day was very nice and I really liked some of their creative presentation ideas. As you would expect they are a full-service catering company and provide a very wide range of services and options for your event, including things like a hot Dim Sum bar which was staffed by two chefs that day. In addition to this opening event I had the opportunity to attend a "real" event this last Sunday and while the food for that event was fairly streamlined and simple it was also very good and creative.

So if you are looking for an event location this might be the place you are looking for. And if all you need is catering at your own location, chances are Herban Feast can help you out there, too.

The website has all kinds of information, including upcoming events that are open to the public or places you can sample their offerings.

Herban Feast SoDo Location

3200 1st Ave S.

Seattle

206.932.4717

Lots more photos here.