Culinary Fool

Sweet Dulcinea

19-Mar-2008

The introduction of miniature watermelons has increased my consumption of watermelon dramatically. I’ve always loved watermelon but would only purchase one if I planned to have a crowd over. Buying one for just myself was just not a very attractive proposition when I thought about storing the gigantic leftover piece and eating it for days on end. Seeing that big hunk of fruit in the refrigerator came to feel like an obligation instead of a treat.

So when these small fruits became available I jumped on that bandwagon! When they first came on the market they were pretty spendy and they are still not cheap, when compared to a full size melon, but in my area I can now regularly find them for $2 – $3. And that seems like a fair price to me.

And another benefit of these little melons is that they seem to appear off season more often than their larger siblings. Although I am a big proponent of buying local fruits and vegetables sometimes I just need a the color and taste of summer to help me make it through the gray Seattle winter. And nothing says "summer" quite like a watermelon!

If you haven’t tried these little gems yet I encourage you to look for them and give them a try. They’ve been in my local market off and on for the last couple weeks.

Lola

02-Mar-2008

I owe Tom Douglas a huge apology. Just like some relative or friend that has been part of your life for so long that you tend to forget how much they mean to you, his suite of restaurants is such a Seattle mainstay that I often take it for granted.

I have spent countless lunches at Dahlia Lounge tables; many evenings sipping cocktails at Palace Kitchen; been privy to fun events at Palace Ballroom; and been applauded for my recommendation of Serious Pie as the place to get pizza downtown. It’s been awhile since I’ve spent serious time at Etta’s – and I think that’s a mistake. I’m so easily distracted by all the new and shiny pennies in our dining scene that I just assume you know about Tom’s empire and that it will always be there.

While the second part of that is probably true, the first part may not be. And that was something that I was thinking about during a recent lunch at Lola.

I’d checked myself into a downtown hotel for the weekend. I needed some serious R&R and thought it would be fun just to be a tourist here in Seattle, something I like to do. I was able to check into my room just after noon and once settled in I took a short walk to Lola for lunch. I sat at the bar, as I do in most places.

I arrived past the main lunch rush and so overall the room was quiet. A couple of other people at the bar and while many of the tables were full most were finishing up. It didn’t take me long to place my order – although it was a little tough as there is so much I love on this menu – the lamb kabobs were my choice for the day, and I’ll take the Greek salad to go along with that. (The other option is Greek Potatoes.)

My order arrived in no time. In addition to the kebabs and Greek salad, freshly made (and still warm) pita and tzitiki graced the plate.

The lamb was slightly sweet, tender and succulent. Dipped in the tangy tzitiki it was heaven on a fork – the contrast of sweet/tangy, warm/cool, rich/fresh just made me close my eyes and concentrate on the wonderful contrasts. The salad was so good that when I arrived home I made a list and the next time at the grocery store I picked up all the ingredients so I could duplicate it at home. I don’t really like making salads but this is one I am happy to assemble. It is so fresh and clean tasting.

The homemade pita was so soft and comforting I would have liked to take a really big one, cover myself with it and take a little nap. Okay, not really but it was good enough to do that! Instead, I dipped it in the tzitiki for another wonderful taste combination.

I ended my meal with a nice pot of tea. Refreshed and ready for an afternoon of adventure playing tourist in my hometown.

Lola

2000 4th Ave (At the corner of 4th and Virginia)

Seattle

206.441.1430

Dine Around Seattle

02-Mar-2008

Today is the first day of Dine Around Seattle (formerly know as 25 for $25). Thirty restaurants offering 3-course dinners for $30 and some offering 3-course lunches for $15. You can see why they had to change the name…

This is a great opportunity to get out there and try new places or even "old" places that you’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten to it. There are always great options on the list of participating restaurants.

The promotion runs Sunday through Thursday until March 31, excluding Easter Sunday.

For a list of all restaurants and links to their $30 menus see the Dine Around Seattle website.

March 4: Dine for Darfur

25-Feb-2008

Last year’s event raised $70,000. This year the number of participating Establishments has increased AND Portland, OR as well as Seattle is represented. Here’s the full press release:

Dine for Darfur: March 4, 2008

One Day, One Cause, One Goal

(Seattle WA and Portland OR) – On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, the restaurants, coffee shops and bars of the Pacific Northwest will offer customers a chance to eat and drink for a better world. Patronize a ‘Dine for Darfur’ establishment on March 4^th and 25 percent of your tab will be donated to support relief efforts in Darfur.

Two states are better than one: After last year’s successful event raised $70,000 in Seattle, organizers at Chow Foods Restaurants decided it was time to issue a challenge to their neighbors to the south. Mt. Hood Beverage Company in Portland, Oregon picked up on it, and Dine for Darfur was set for March 4^th, 2008 in Washington and Oregon.

How do I pick just one place? From Northwest classic Palace Kitchen to popular doughnut chain Top Pot, to Dine for Darfur founders, Chow Foods, we know it is hard to pick where to eat, so Dine for Darfur encompasses the entire day, from your first coffee through that final pint at the end of the night. Don’t hesitate to buy that second latte or that third pint on March 4^th, because just $12 more dollars earned by Dine for Darfur will keep another displaced person supplied with clean water for the year.

Keeping it all in the neighborhood: Dine for Darfur is the result of generous donations by the Northwest’s neighborhood restaurants, cafés and bars. In keeping with their neighborhood ties, money raised through Dine for Darfur will go to a local organization, Mercy Corps. Mercy Corps works to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided more than $1 billion in assistance to people in 94 nations. Headquartered in the Pacific Northwest, the agency’s global programs employ 3,400 staff and reach nearly 14.4 million people in more than 35 countries, including the Darfur region of Sudan.

Dine for Darfur will occur all day on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Each participating establishment will donate 25 percent of its sales on that day. For more information and an up-to-date list of participants, visit www.dinefordarfur.org.

Happy Valentine’s Day

14-Feb-2008

I treated myself to a little V-day snack this morning. A festively adorned chocolate cake doughnut with chocolate frosting from Top Pot Doughnuts and a cup of tea.

Wishing you a day of sweet treats!

Top Pot Doughnuts

2125 Fifth Aveniue

Seattle

206.728.1966

Food & Wine Likes Washington Reds

13-Feb-2008

Yesterday my March issue of Food and Wine magazine was delivered. I read it last night and was happy to see an article called Terrific Washington State Reds including a list of twenty the writer, Ray Isle, especially enjoyed. A number of the wines listed were on the spendy side but I was really pleased to see the Waterbrook Melange Red ($15), which I’ve recently used for a couple of large-scale events and one of my all time favorite Washington reds, Hedges Three Vineyards, were also on the list. The Hedges was highlighted as a star selection. This wine is good enough to make an impression but at $22 can also sneak into the "wine I like to have around just for me" category.

Chicken Noodle Soup

12-Feb-2008

Last Sunday I roasted a chicken and it was the perfect main dish on that wintry day. I cleaned the chicken from the bones for storage and then saved the roasted bones and the neck that had been part of the giblets pack.

Today, I made a simple chicken stock with the bones, chunks of sweet onion and celery, garlic, and I tossed in a handful of green beans I had in the fridge for a little additional flavor. Since the chicken had been roasted with lots of rosemary even the bones were full of that flavor so I opted not to add any other herbs or flavorings at this point. I covered the everything with water and then set it so simmer for about 3 hours.

I strained the stock – removing all the solids. I kept some for today’s soup and divided the rest and froze it for use another day.

The stock for today was transferred to a clean saucepan, and then I added more chunks of onion, one hot pepper, several sprigs of sage, salt and pepper. Next in were noodles. I let the noodles boil for about 10 minutes and then added lots of chicken meat. I continued heating until the noodles were completely cooked and the chicken was hot. I found I needed a bit more salt at this point.

I scooped the soup into a bowl, inhaled the sage saturated steam and then began to eat a very satisfying lunch.

Mini Banana

07-Feb-2008

My local Central Market carries a wide array of fruits and vegetables, including items you can’t find anywhere else in town. Their produce section is housed in what used to be an entire store. The place is huge. I’ve been eyeing their large banana selection for quite a while and this last weekend picked up a few miniature bananas that are reported to be super sweet. They are so cute! Just 4 or 5 inches long. This variety was yellow. The first one I ate was still a bit green and seemed like any other green banana to me, with one exception. The flesh seemed more dense than normal.

I let the bananas ripen more before eating the next one. This one was very sweet – in fact, so sweet that it tastes more of sugar than banana! And again, the fruit seems very dense. It’s almost like a regular banana was compressed to remove any bit of air or space. I like them as a nice little treat. Just a four or five bite snack.

Please Join Us if You Can

07-Feb-2008

It was last year about this time I found out about Moises’ stomach cancer. He fought a good fight but in the end lost it. Many of you in Seattle will have known him. Please join us if you can.

Drink for a Cause!

05-Feb-2008

Hard to believe today is already Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras. But it is! All over the world people are celebrating and partying. Here in the US the biggest party, of course, has always been in New Orleans. Mardi Gras, New Orleans; the words are nearly synonymous.

And, as you are probably aware, the city continues to struggle to get back on its feet after Hurricane Katrina. The good news is that the city has not been forgotten and there are many grass roots movements that continue to raise money for those most affected.

Starting today and running through the end of the month, Tini Bigs is featuring the "Hands On" martini and this drink packs a double punch! First, $2 from the sale of each martini will be donated to the Seattle Works’ effort to rebuild New Orleans. And, this cocktail is made with Absolut New Orleans vodka. 100% of profit from sales of this fruity mango and black pepper vodka go to Gulf Coast based charities. For more information about which charities and the projects Absolut is sponsoring see their website.

Also, on February 21, 2008 from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Tini Bigs will be hosting a party to allow martini lovers to mingle with volunteers from Seattle Works. So come to the party to hear about the work first-hand or just slip in after work to enjoy a quiet Hands On martini with friends. Never has drinking felt so good!

Tini Bigs
100 Denny Way
Seattle
206.284.0931