Cheese Soufflé
I finally got around to making a soufflé. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long. I guess when I’m making brunch for a lot of people it didn’t seem like an experiment that I wanted to try. And for some reason I never thought to make one when it was just two or a few of us. I almost missed another opportunity this last weekend but luckily as I was searching for something – I don’t even remember what now – a soufflé came up in the results. And I was off!
You may have heard how hard it is to make a soufflé. It’s not. I admit I was a little worried as it was baking because I’d created my own recipe from two I’d found. The soufflés took longer than expected to bake but still turned out great! And…. since I had some leftover mixture I decided to see what would happen if I saved it to bake later. After refrigerating it for eight or nine hours I baked it and it was great! Finally, I had some of the cooked soufflé leftover so I refrigerated it and microwaved pieces of it the next couple mornings – delicious still! No longer super puffy, but delicious.
I think the big thing to remember is do not open the oven until it’s done, or very close to being done. Honestly, though, since the soufflés I made for the party took so much longer to bake than I thought they would, I opened the oven several times during the last 15 minutes (they took a total of about 30 to bake) and they still puffed and browned very nicely. I think that was flirting with danger, however. I’ve made a little adjustment to the recipe so the baking time should be a little less than 30 minutes if you follow the recipe below.
I’ve come to the conclusion that a soufflé is one of those things like gougère that have an undeserved reputation for being hard to make. And the reality is that it’s probably the fear that makes them fail. So go for it and make a soufflé. They’re fun!
The photo at the top of the post was the one I made with the leftover mixture. For the party I used taller dishes, although both shapes hold 1 cup. At the end of the post you’ll see what it looks like once it deflates.
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The Farmers of Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market has been a shopping destination for me since I moved to Seattle in 1981. I was lucky enough to work downtown for several years so the Market was just a short lunch time stroll away during that period. But even as my work location has changed over the years, the Market has remained a key part of my shopping plan. I have access to farmers and producers; it’s just a short stroll away from the waterfront; there’s often entertainment – whether it’s a street side busker or the antics of the crowd; and numerous dining options, from quick takeout to fine dining, abound. With all that it offers it is the heart of Seattle.
It’s easy to lump Pike Place Market into the general category of “tourist attraction”, especially during the summer when it becomes jam-packed with cruise ship adventurers and other out-of-towners. But summer is when the number of local farmers and producers increases, especially on the Farmers Market on Pike Place days (Friday through Sunday) from late June until the end of September. Without local support the Market would not be the healthy, vibrant place that it is. Tourists are nice but they basically shop once, take home a few items and then move on. It’s the locals who come to the market on a regular basis who provide the income, establish relationships with the vendors, and keep the doors open.
And, good news…. now there is more than one way to avoid the summer crowds! My plan is to arrive early – generally around 8:00 am, sometimes sooner. The earlier you come, the easier it is to move through the market and purchase things but the trade-off is that not all stalls will be open that early. However, over the last several years Pike Place Market has introduced three satellite markets around Seattle. They call them Express Markets. They are smaller, focused on fresh fruits and vegetables but also include a few other specialty items. Check the link for locations and days – you may find that Pike Place is closer than you think. And here’s a third option: I noticed that Pike Place Market is staffing booths at the Seattle Out to Lunch concert series this summer, too! They’ve filled Pike Place Market totes (I just received one of these and they are really great!) with fruits, veggies and herbs. For $15 you can take one home – sort of like a mini-CSA box without a long-term obligation.
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Skillet Diner Ballard
Okay, before I even get into this post please read this next statement carefully. The soft opening is tonight. That means it is their (unadvertised) first night in business. That means there may be problems. Probably for the next month or so. Don’t expect a flawless experience. A new space, new staff dynamics, new menu – no matter how much a crew practices, things are going to crop up. So give ’em a break. If they do things well, that’s great! If not, come back in a few weeks and try again. That’s what I do and it works for me. Okay, enough of that.
Friday I had the opportunity to attend a pre-opening party at the new Skillet Diner in Ballard. It’s a gorgeous new space. Much larger – especially when you include the patio seating – than the Capitol Hill location. It’s light and bright and curvy. All things pleasant to the eye.
But pleasant looks can only go so far. The food and service have to carry place. The food we had on Friday was representative of the menu. By that I mean, the menu has Swedish Meatballs which are served on pappardelle with wild mushrooms, creamy beef sauce, lingonberry jam and rustic bread. What I tasted on Friday was a meatball (or maybe I had two..) on a skewer covered in a creamy beef sauce with a dollop of lingonberry. Not exactly the menu item but close enough to get an idea of the menu.
Dim Sum at TanakaSan
TanakaSan (spelled different ways on the website) is one of the latest Tom Douglas restaurants. He has a habit of opening multiple new places within a few days of each other and this time was no different. TanakaSan is one of four new places located on the ground floor of the new Via6 apartment building just north of the main downtown core on Sixth Ave. A coffee shop, a market/take-out counter combo, and a florist shop round out the other new places. There are also a couple of non-Tom Douglas businesses like a bike shop, barber and bank in the Via6 complex.
It’s a great set-up – one that has me thinking about what it would be like to live there…
But back to TanakaSan. They call Happy Hour Dim Sum, although it’s not the traditional dim sum with rolling carts delivering small plates to your table. It is an interesting collection of small plates, sake slushies and a few other beverages all offered for $5. The day we visited was a little cool and we were sitting on the outdoor patio, so a sake slushie didn’t sound appealing but the Buffalo Trace bourbon did! My dining companion chose a traditional lemondrop, which is not one of the Happy Hour menu items.
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Garden Update
I’ve had a good but rather odd gardening year. And even the odd has often been good! We had a pretty long spell of warm weather early this year which gave everything a good jumpstart. Then it cooled for a couple of weeks and then the warm weather returned.
During that warm early season my rhubarb didn’t produce very well. The stalks were thin and I thought I was going to need to divide the plant this fall, even though it didn’t really seem crowded. Then during the cool weeks it came back and I’m just finishing up harvesting it. During the cool weeks a lot of my garden seemed “on-hold”. So things that were starting to grow suddenly took a little vacation. For instance, the red peppers in the photo are cayenne peppers which should grow about 6″ long. These early peppers stopped growing and ripened. The peppers currently on the plant are getting nice and long like they should. I had a few tomatoes that ripened really early and then they slowed and now I’m just waiting for the rest of them to ripen. There have been a few other anomalies but overall it’s been a good year.
We’re at what I think of as the change, when the early producers die off and fruits and vegetables that need heat come into their own. My lettuce, green beans, strawberries and rhubarb are done. I’ve harvested the last of the kale, for now – it will probably send up another crop in the fall. The peppers are coming on strong, the blueberries are starting to ripen. I picked a couple of figs today but the bulk of the crop will ripen later in the early fall. The tomato plants are loaded – now they just need to ripen. I think I might actually get eggplants this year! Last year was the first time I planted them and they didn’t get to full size, but I planted late and we had a cool summer. Keeping my fingers crossed that those on the plants continue to grow…
Most of my herbs are growing like crazy. I’m trying an experiment with mint this year. I’ve made a couple batches of mint infused simple syrup that I’m freezing in small containers to use later in the year. We’ll see how that works. The one exception is the basil which I’ve had all kinds of issues with this year. I may try one more time to get some decent sized plants going.
With the beans and lettuce completely finished I have some room in the garden and am thinking I should try to plant some fall crops – maybe I’ll try cauliflower. Or carrots and parsnips. Looks like it’s time to do a little research. If you didn’t have time to get a garden started this spring, it’s really never too late. Visit your local nursery and see what inspires you!
Apple “Pot Pie”
I love apple pie – or any type of pie, really – but don’t like the idea of eating an entire pie on my own. So I normally only make them when I’m entertaining or can take one to a family event or potluck with friends. One way I’ve solved this “problem” is by making small, rustic tarts instead of pies. But I thought of another solution a couple of weeks ago and it’s one of those things that I can’t believe I didn’t think of years ago!
Every year I make small, savory pot pies in the cool months, especially right after Thanksgiving when I have leftover turkey. It occurred to me that I could use this same idea for fruit pies, too. And so I did. And it worked great!
Although you can both line and top the ramekins with pie dough I prefer to only top them with dough. This makes me feel a little less guilty about indulging.
If you plan on doing this you’ll need to figure out exactly what works for you based on what size ramekin you’re using. The one in the photo is about 4″ across and about 2″ deep. It takes one large apple, sliced, to fill it. I mix the slices with sugar, flour and cinnamon just like you would any apple pie. You’ll want to place the slices in the ramekin, to really pack them in and slightly heap them in the center.
Once you have filled the ramekins, roll out and cut the pie dough. Use one of the ramekins as a guide and cut the dough just slightly larger than it. Make steam vents in the dough and place evenly over the filled ramekin. Use a fork to press the dough to the rim of the ramekin, so that the dough will not shrink up as it cooks.
A single pie crust will make about 6 toppers for this size dish.
Wrap each ramekin first in plastic and then in foil. Freeze until ready to use. When you want to bake the “pot pie”, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the pot pie in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then, turn down the oven to 375°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes. The top will be golden and the filling should be bubbling and steaming. Carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool, at least slightly, before eating.
Seabrook: Mill 109
If you’re staying on or visiting the Washington coast around Ocean Shores, dining options are rather limited. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good basket of fish and chips or burger as well as, maybe better than, most people but every now and then I want something a little healthier.
My go to place is Mill 109 in the planned community of Seabrook, which is a little less than 20 miles north of Ocean Shores. The lunch menu has interesting and delicious salads and sandwiches. And also, fish and chips and burgers – so there’s something for whatever you have a hankering for. I seem to always be there around lunch time but some time I’d like to try the breakfast and dinner menus, too.
The dining room is smaller than it appears from the outside so on busy weekends you may find yourself waiting for a table at prime times. I generally don’t have to wait if I arrive a little before or after the noon to 1:00pm hour.
Seabrook itself is a pretty little community, even if it is a bit Stepford-ish. And it sits on one of the prettiest areas of the beach, accessible via stairs just across the highway. You can’t miss Mill 109. It’s immediately to your right as you enter Seabrook from the highway.
Mill 109
5 W Myrtle Lane
Seabrook
Pacific Beach, WA
360.276.4884
The Demise of The Bite of Seattle
Clockwise from lower left: Cuoco’s smoked pork; O’Asian’s barbecue pork pastry; The Repp’s duck breast; Din Tai Fung’s veggie-pork wonton; PinkaBella’s root beer float cupcake; Shanik’s spiced eggplant, squash and tomatoes; Luc’s cod rillettes on profiterole
I was at the first Bite of Seattle in 1982. It was held at Greenlake and there were only a couple dozen restaurants participating but the festival was a wild success. It was so much fun to hang out at Greenlake, sample little tastes from the restaurants (most of which I couldn’t actually afford to eat at, at the time) and plan which ones I’d visit when I could afford to.
Fast forward several years and several iterations of the event. The Bite has been held at Seattle Center for many, many years. For a couple of years they charged an entry fee to help with cleanup costs but attendance plummeted. Some years “rules” that the restaurants needed to have a small $2 or $3 “bite” helped keep the festival affordable and graze-able. Most of the changes attempted to improve the overall experience.
I don’t remember exactly when Hinterberger’s Alley (John Hinterberger, beloved, former Seattle Times restaurant critic) was introduced. But from the beginning it offered several small bites from top restaurants for one price. And the proceeds have always gone to a charity. Kathy Casey hosted for a couple of years after Hinterberger gave it up and Tom Douglas has hosted for the last eight years. Tom just “passed the whisk” to next year’s host, Jason Wilson of Crush.
The Alley is my favorite place at The Bite and often I swoop in, run through it and then get out and away from the crowds. So it’s been some time since I actually strolled around the rest of the event, which I did this last Sunday.
What a disappointment.
You know what I found? There were very few “real” restaurant booths once you got outside of The Alley. Nearly everyone selling food at the bite was a street fair vendor. I saw a few food trucks – which I will count as “real” restaurants, a couple of ice-cream shops, and a few ethnic eateries. That was it. I’m guessing less than 20% of the vendors have brick and mortar establishments. Heck, probably barely 10% can be reached when there’s no festival in town. How incredibly sad.
I don’t know when this change took place. I’m sure it was little by little and I just didn’t notice as I made my way to and from The Alley each year. And, I guess, if you had never seen how great this event used to be it could still be fun. But I found it pretty depressing.
Homemade Chocolate (+) Ice Cream
Just because it’s summer….
Chocolate Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp espresso powder
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
5 large or 4 extra-large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur
Warm 1 cup of cream with the cocoa powder and espresso powder over medium heat, stirring until thoroughly blended. Bring to a near boil then simmer for 30 seconds to 1 minute to ensure all the powder dissolves, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate, stirring until blended.
Pour into a bowl and add the other cup of cream. Stir until blended
Warm the milk and sugar. (You can use the same pan.) When warm, pour about half of the milk mixture into the egg yolks to warm them and then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan stirring constantly so that you don’t get scrambled eggs! Heat until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon or spatula.
Place the bowl with the chocolate mixture into a water bath and top with a strainer. Pour the egg mixture through the strainer into the bowl.
Stir together until the mixture has cooled. Stir in the salt, vanilla extract and Kahlua. Place in refrigerator and cool for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
First Look: Le Zinc
It’s hard keeping up with all the new places opening – especially on Capitol Hill! It almost makes me want to move to the area so it would be easier to visit them all on a regular basis. Almost…..
Le Zinc bills itself as a French gastro-pub and opened only about three weeks ago. I was a little hesitant about visiting, as Le Zinc is owned by the same folks who own Maximilien in the Market. I love Maximilien’s deck but have found the food a little hit or miss over the years. But last night a friend and I popped in about 5:00pm for the Le Zinc Happy hour.
I love the design of this new place. Low tables surrounded by groups of chairs fill the bar area – very cozy and relaxed. The bar itself is very handsome with gorgeous hanging light fixtures, stools and what I assume is a zinc top. The dining area sits a few steps below the bar and is further divided from the bar by an interesting sculptural metal piece. Apparently the architect designed and built some of the more unique elements in the restaurant.
Several appetizers and small plates dominate the menu with a smaller selection of main courses backing them up. The selection of steamed mussels, however, is what caught my eye. They offer four different preparations – two traditional options and two with a twist. Lucky for me during Happy Hour all mussels are half price.
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Culinary Fool 