Crumble & Flake
I’ve always understood why food critics visit a place several times before they report on it. And my recent experience shows that’s a good idea.
I first visited Crumble & Flake on a midweek morning, although not at opening by any means. I’d heard tons of great things about them and one bad thing – that they generally ran out of pastries fairly early in the day. Still, I wasn’t expecting the veritable wasteland of emptiness I encountered that morning. I picked out three of the remaining six macarons and another cookie/cake thing which I think they call a Cheweo. I felt bad for the woman behind the counter who apologized for the limited selection. I hoped that no one had or would give her grief as she stood behind the all but empty case, probably wishing the last few things would sell so she could go home.
I wasn’t really impressed with anything I purchased that morning. The filling of the macarons was too sweet; the cookies and filling seemed to have become so integrated that there was no ending/beginning between them. So I went away thinking I couldn’t really say if I liked the patisserie or not but it didn’t seem worth the effort to make a trip to Capitol Hill to try again.
Fast forward several months later. I was wandering around Capitol Hill this past weekend and happened to walk right by Crumble & Flake. I almost walked by without stopping – I think it was around 10:00 am and I didn’t want to face empty cases again. But I changed my mind and popped in. While the display cases were not overflowing there was a broader selection this time and even some backup on rolling racks behind the cases!
The first thing I noticed were the canalé. The only other place in Seattle I know carries them is Honoré in Ballard. The last time I tried to buy them at Honoré I arrived too early in the day and they weren’t available yet. The time before the line was about 1000 people long, although that might be a slight exaggeration… Anyway, at Crumble & Flake right there in front of me was a tray with several canalé calling my name. And they had a tray of beautiful cinnamon rolls, too. I exited with one cinnamon roll and three canalé. I had a hard time waiting to get home!
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Restaurant Catch Up
Citizen Coffee
Over the last few months it seems I’ve been spending time at home or running back and forth to Oregon for family obligations. I have managed to get out and about a few times, though, and here are a few notes about Citizen, The Whale Wins, Bar Sajor and Bar Cotto.
Black Forest Crepe at Citizen
Citizen
This little coffee shop/restaurant/soon-to-be-bar (depending on time of day) is tucked into a side street on Lower Queen Anne. I was in the area for a class in early March and wandered over for lunch during our break. Luckily it was one of those unseasonably warm days because the place was packed! I grabbed a table outside but soon those tables filled, too. I chose a Black Forest Ham crepe for my lunch. The server and I had a little miscommunication so it arrived topped with the optional fried egg. I didn’t really mind the egg so I kept the order and the server graciously removed the charge from my tab.
I was expecting the crepe would be warm however it was served in a traditional crepe style but was more like a wrap, with a cold filling. Once I got past the surprise all I noticed was how fresh and light it was. And the egg was a nice addition.
I’ve been back since for coffee but, again, the place was packed. There’s a seating bar that runs along the window on the first floor that’s great for grabbing a morning wake-up but it was full. Instead I sat upstairs at a communal, low table surrounded by eclectic chairs. I was the only one at the table but I felt a little like odd-man out. I’ll drop by again but only when I want a proper meal or have a friend in tow.
Citizen
706 Taylor Ave. N
Lower Queen Anne
Seattle
206.284.1015
Kitchen Nightmares Fan?
Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay
Then you might like this info from the publicist…
…We also would love to get the word out to the Seattle community so that they can come eat at each restaurant during the shooting of the re-launch episodes. They can request a reservation by emailing seattlerest@gmail.com for Yanni’s and everettrest@gmail.com for Prohibition Grille. Please note they will be responsible for paying for their own meals and beverages.
Episode 1- Yanni’s Greek Restaurant
7419 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle, WA
Re-launch of Yanni’s on 12/2 (dinner service at about 6:30 PM)
Note: they are taking reservations at seattlerest@gmail.com
Episode 2- Prohibition Grille
1414 Hewitt Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
Re-launch of Prohibition Grille on 12/6 (dinner service at about 6:30 PM)
Note: they are taking reservations at everettrest@gmail.com
Make Your Own: Preserved Lemon
I’m just back from two weeks in Morocco! I’ve been fascinated by Moroccan food and culture and have wanted to go for years. In fact, when I hosted the very first cooking club meeting the theme I chose was Morocco.
The trip was really fun. I decided for my first visit I would join up with a tour (something I’ve never done before) so that I could make sure I understood customs before venturing out on my own. In most ways this was a very good choice and it also allowed me to see much more of the country than I would have on my own. However, it did have a little of the “If this is Tuesday it Must be Belgium” sort of feel to it.
Before leaving on the trip I’d already begun planning a Moroccan dinner that I’d have when I returned. Since we are rushing into the holidays the dinner will be in January and that allows me time to make a batch of preserved lemons, an ingredient found throughout Moroccan cuisine.
Although you can buy preserved lemons, they are really easy to make, you just need a little time to let the process work. I’m using the recipe from Paula Wolfert’s The Food of Morocco. If you have access to Meyer lemons, use them. They are similar to lemons found in Morocco.
Preserved Lemons
5 organic lemons, scrubbed and dried
About ⅓ cup kosher salt
½ to 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (3 to 4 additional lemons)
Soften the lemons by rolling them back and forth on a counter or cutting board. Quarter the lemons from the top to within ¼ inch of their bottoms. Generously sprinkle salt on all the exposed flesh, then reshape the fruit. Pack into a glass jar, pushing them down and adding more salt between each layer. Top with more lemon juice, making sure the fruit is completely covered. Leave some air space before sealing the jar.
Allow the lemons to ripen in a warm place (the countertop is fine) for 30 days. Every few days turn the jar upside down to distribute the salt and juice. If necessary, open the jar and add more juice to keep the lemons covered.
After 30 days store the lemons in the refrigerator where they will keep up to one year.
To use the lemons, pull one out of the jar and rinse it under cold, running water. Remove and discard the pulp unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Generally you’ll only use the rind.
The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook
I’m looking through the brand new The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle
There are several chapters you’d expect like cookies, pies, tarts and cakes. And some you might not expect like english muffins, tomato soup and grilled cheese, and jams and jellies. And it looks like they’ve included at least some of their signature recipes – for instance the Triple Coconut Cream Pie recipe is included, as are the Dahlia Donuts. My only disappointment is there are very few bread recipes. I was really hoping for the pecan flax whole wheat recipe. But there’s so much in this book, I probably won’t really miss it.
Although I haven’t made anything from the book – yet – other cookbooks from Tom Douglas have always had recipes that work like you expect them to. I’m sure this is due to the hard work of Tom’s co-author Shelly Lance who does most of the testing and tasting for the cookbooks, among other things.
This would make a great Christmas gift for family or friends who enjoy baking. At first glance it also looks like it would be a good gift for those learning to bake. In addition to detailed instructions I’ve seen several sidebars with additional information.
The official release date is tomorrow. You can get the cookbook here.
Elliott’s Oyster New Year
Before I dive into the information about Oyster New Year, I want to mention how much I like the remodel of Elliott’s Cafe, formerly known as Steamers Seafood Cafe. The physical changes were fairly minor, but the result is a cozy spot, window seating with views of either the street or the pier and a tiny bar. Stop by and check it out, if you haven’t yet seen the changes. I didn’t actually sample their new menu, but Elliott’s Oyster House has great food and the cafe shares the same executive chef so I’m sure it’s delicious.
Now on to the main topic!
Thursday night Elliott’s hosted an Oyster New Year preview party at Elliott’s Cafe. What is Oyster New Year, you may ask? As the waters of the Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean cool back down after the summer, shellfish enter their prime. You’ll see a few restaurants around town celebrate this in different ways. Elliott’s has the biggest celebration, though, with 44 days of festivities including the big Oyster New Year Bash on November 3rd. Besides being a fun way to enjoy our local seafood, the really great thing about these events is that they benefit the Puget Sound Restoration Fund.
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Making Up for Lost Time
Those of you who live in the Northwest know that our summer was late to arrive and gardens were slow to take off. Some things performed better than others. My green beans and kale were great; my eggplants are still teeny-tiny. I had tons of peppers but they are smallish, which still works. I had a hard time keeping basil alive for much of the summer. The tomatoes finally really started coming on in September and have been going pretty strong ever since. I picked this batch this morning – wanted to get them in before the rain starts in earnest and they split.
The yellow tomatoes are called Golden Rave. I’ve grown them the last few years and they are a great performer! Normally they ripen fairly early since they are a smaller tomato. They are sweet and thin-skinned – great for everything from salads to roasted tomato soup. In the back are San Marzanos. They are the ones I generally preserve for use later in the winter. In the front are a couple of Brandywines. A really great tasting and beautiful tomato but they need a decent summer to really produce. I got quite a few this year but there are a lot of green ones still on the vine.
My tomato season was late but I sure am enjoying it now!
Pumpkin (Winter Squash) Curry Soup
It’s soup time! Although the fall weather here in Seattle is still fairly warm and sunny, the shadows are long and there’s a tinge of crispness in the air, even in late afternoon. The perfect remedy for the cooling weather is soup.
If you’ve been to your local farmers’ market lately you’ll have seen the piles of winter squash – so many beautiful shapes and colors! I love to use it many ways but the following recipe is one of my favorites. Once you have the pumpkin roasted, it comes together in a snap. It’s just as good on day two or three, as the first day, and it freezes well. You’ll see some ranges in the ingredients list. The instructions include how to choose the amount you need.
Café Besalu
Café Besalu sits in a quieter area of Ballard. A few blocks north of the hubbub of Market St and Ballard Ave you’ll find an unassuming block of businesses quietly serving the local community. Parking is still free on this section of 24th Ave and it’s generally easy to find a spot within a block of the bakery.
The first time I tried to visit this little gem, I was disappointed to find it closed. The second time, they had just closed and were in process of the end-of-day cleaning. Persistence paid off, however, and in subsequent visits I’ve sampled several of their delicious items. The number of options is limited but everything is packed with flavor. I can honestly say I’ve loved everything I’ve tried and everything has been beautifully crafted. On a recent trip I left with a cheese brioche, a chocolate-hazelnut (flourless) cookie and a peach pastry – sort of voul au vant, although they called it something else that slips my mind. I have yet to try any of the quiche but one of these days I’ll drop by for lunch and that’s what I’ll choose. While the pastry choices change with the seasons, the perfect French technique remains constant.
On nice days grab a table on the sidewalk or you can choose an inside table if you’d like to stay awhile. Just make sure you note their hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Café Besalu
5909 24th Ave NW
Ballard
Seattle
206.789.1463
The Tin Table
The Tin Table moved into the OddFellows Building on Capitol Hill a few years ago. You probably are familiar with the building as the home of long-time tenant, The Century Ballroom, or the streetside OddFellows Cafe.
The second floor location of The Tin Table may not have street appeal but that hasn’t kept it from becoming immensely popular and with good reason. On a recent Thursday I met friends there for an early dinner. When we arrived a couple of people sat at the bar, another in a cozy nook off the main entrance, but the dining room was empty so I was surprised when we asked for a table and ended up in the back room. Not that the back room is bad, in fact it’s a nice quiet place to dine with friends and the windows keep it from being claustrophobic. That lull in the dining room seating was only temporary. I could hear the tables filling as we dined and by the time we left there wasn’t an empty table.
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Culinary Fool 