col klink

Damn Suvir! I'm really upset! All this time I've been thinking that my leg of lamb was the epitome and I go and read your lamb recipes. Right now I'm just too upset to do anything . . . Oh wait, I can respond. Yes, if it wasn't for our mutual love of food, my girlfriend and I (probably) wouldn't have lasted this long. It also happens that she's pretty damn good looking and intelligent. Although we both really love food and talking about food, to this day I still can't believe she puts up with how much I talk about different recipes, methods of preparing meat and dining out. Let me put it this way, our Memorial day surrounded roasting a duck (I've only smoked a duck) with a rhubarb/maple sauce, an idea I came up with while reading (guess what) egullet. Yup, I like talking about food. Unfortunately my favorite meat shop was out of fresh duck. Luckily though we live in Seattle and we made a seafood with fresh scallops, mussels and clams that was just terrific. As far as her curry mix goes, it's a commercial mix that isn't too rare. I'll make sure to get the name. However, we're going to the Canadian Okanogan for the rest of the week so I don't know when I can get back to you on that.

I've done lamb steaks and other lamb roasts and I prefer it medium rare. For some reason, done roasted lamb doesn't do it for me. As far as other lamb dishes in Seattle, my girlfriend Batgrrrl, made me a wonderful lamb curry and I have to say that that dish is easily my favorite lamb meal I've had that I didn't do myself. Of course it's completely different than when you're doing a roast. This was a typical braise with onions and her curry mix which I can't remember at the time. As it was her first time cooking for me, and in retrospect, it was clear she was trying to impress me. I should mention that I already cooked for her, smoked chicken, bacon/garlic mashed potatos and steamed brocoli with balsamic vinegar and pepper.

Suvir, great topic! I find myself cooking lamb more than I cook goat. But that's because my primary source for meat carries the most magnificent lamb I've ever seen. If I want to do goat, I have to go to a place which would rather sell cigerattes. They have decent goat, but I'd rather go to a place that specialized in meat. Also, I can think of at least 6 or 7 different places where I can get lamb and only one where I can get goat. I live in Seattle by the way. As with 90% of the meat I cook, I smoke it, more than likely with maple. With goat I've had the best results when I brine it first. Sometimes I like to throw some curry in my brine as well. My favorite part of the goat has been the forequarter. You get some shoulder meat, arm meat and rib meat. At my bbq a little over a year ago, everyone was hovering over the front quarter and every once in a while you'd hear "Oooh! I've found a new pocket of meat!" For lamb I prefer a leg, butterflied. First I sliver pockets in the meat for cloves of garlic, then I marinate it in a mustard vinaigrette with whatever fresh herbs I can find, usually parsley and cilantro, and then some hotsauce. I smoke the leg for about 3 hours at around 175 degrees F and it comes out smokey and medium rare. Next time I smoke a leg of lamb I'll do everything the same except I'll put the bones back in the butterfly, that way I can smoke it longer and still have the roast be medium rare. But sources aside, I've always found lamb to be juicier and less gamey than goat. Now if only I can find some place that'll sell me mutton . . .

Jaymes, you never cease to amaze me.

There's a gas station chain in Central Texas called Rudy's that is now more known for their bbq than gas, but they have my favorite creamed corn. I still miss it.

I just had a carnitas taco and it is taking every once of my self-restraint not to use obscenities to describe how incredibly effing good it was. Beautifully grilled tender pork in decent chunks on a small corn tortilla with nothing but onion, cilantro and their green sauce. If you ever have a chance to drop by, do, you'll thank me. Also, don't forget you can get sodas the way they were meant to be had, in glass with cane sugar bottled in Mexico.

Damn, that sounds tasty. Thanks stagis for posting this topic, I've been thinking about creamed corn since May.

Here, here. I need to cook dinner (or reheat leftovers) at least twice a week or I get irritated. That is of course if I'm lucky enough to go out for sushi. If I could afford it, I'd eat out for sushi 6 nights a week. The chef has to have at least one day off a week.

Fatguy was in Seattle on the 1st and 2nd of May. On the 2nd of May, the Pacific NW forum gave Fatdog, Mr. and Mrs. Fatguy a good old bbq. I don't know if Fatguy will ever write about what happened between Austin and Vancouver, but if you absolutely must hear about something that happened in Seattle, click me. re: edit, this damn Mozilla browser posts the message when you're finished entering the link, before you can double check.

No, I wouldn't say that, I once spent a weekend in the suicide capital of Washington, Aberdeen, and I'd rather be in your neck of the woods than there. Luckily there was plenty, and I mean plenty, of booze at the reception and the ceremony was very short. I should have noted in my earlier post that I rarely eat hamburgers. Even before I read Fast Food Nation, I rarely ate hamburgers. However, despite that, I have never had the evil feeling from KV or Red Mill and would be glad to recommend them to anyone.

Red Robin's burger's are all right, but I don't like the idea of spending $9 on a hamburger. That's why I second Red Mill on Phinney Ridge. It's my favorite, their bacon cheese burger is scrum-diddly-umptious. In a pinch I'll go to Kidd Valley 'cause I like their fried mushrooms but I like Primo burger better. Probably because I like the idea of ordering a "big kahoona burger."

Hi Southern Girl, glad to hear you're making it to Seattle! Definitely save your sushi experience for when you're downtown. If you want sushi close to the Inn at the Market (that's where Tony Bourdain stayed when he came into town on Valentine's Day), definitely go to Shiro's and you must sit at the bar. Make sure to bring your cell phone, you can give them your number and then get a drink half a block south at Wasabi Bistro. Or you could just sit at their sushi bar and order their tempuraed Seattle roll, smoked salmon, cucumber, cream cheese in a standard roll and then the whole thing is deep fried. Very tasty. I should note that you really should go to Shiro's instead of Wasabi. But if you want to go to the most interesting and I believe the best in town, go to Mashiko's in West Seattle, 4725 California Ave. S.W., www.sushiwhore.com. And of course, sit at the bar. Hajime's style is most similar to Nobu in New York and I believe other locations (disclaimer, I've never been to any Nobu, but if you sit at the bar at Mashiko's, you can see a Nobu cookbook). Anyway, Hajime loves to do sushi outside of the norm and I haven't found anyplace in Seattle that can do better albacore, or do a better omakase. Oh yeah, anywhere you go, ask for omakase (chef's choice). If you're lucky they'll still have sawagani, the fresh river shore crab the size of a quarter that's deepfried whole and eaten whole, a lovely experience. I'll leave your Eastside dinner to others with better experience. By the way, what days of the week will you be in the Seattle area? Are you doing the last two days of the tourney, Saturday and Sunday? If Sunday is your second day, you'll want to call ahead to the sushi joints to see if they're open: Shiro's: 2401 Second Ave., 206-443-9844 Mashiko's: 4725 California Ave. S.W., 206-935-4339 Wasabi Bistro: 2311 Second Ave., 206-441-6044 Have fun!

Woodchuck IS available in Seattle, I know this on good authority. Many pubs/bars now have Woodchuck like the Pacific Inn in Fremont and the College Inn Pub in the U District. You won't be able to find it at the big grocery stores like QFC, Safeway or Albertson's but you can find it at the independents like Ballard Market, Market Time, Fremont Fresh Market and City Greens. But I don't know if you'd like Woodchuck if you like Spire's. Spire's is far too sweet for my pallette and Woodchuck is nice and dry.

No roasted tonight, it's a little too warm in the kitchen already. However, in lieu of the roasted garlic, I'm trying something new tonight: very thinly sliced garlic (think paper), sauteed in the oil from the anchovies until almost golden brown. The result is almost the same consistancy as roasted garlic and almost the same flavor but with a touch of the sea.

I mainly stuck with the grinders, bagel dogs and chili.

You might want to add a beer thief to your list of equipment, it helps in taking gravity measurements immensly without disturbing the cider and it's a lot easier than setting up the siphon. Plus they cost less than a couple of bucks.

I just have to say I read your diary and I'm utterly fascinated by which items are prepared and the delicate nuances which make them professional. Great work! Hopefully my local library will have the same books you're using and I can work along!

Rochelle, thank you so much for posting about culinary school. I'm enjoying every bit of it and picking up new tips like the wet paper towl. Thanks!

Yup, my buddy Shamus has one and I've plenty of experience with it. We've done a lot of bbq together. And I'll tell ya, I love the Smokey Mountain for precisely that reason, almost hands-off smoking for hours. My barrel smoker requires attention at least every half-hour if I'd like to keep a steady temperature. Plus, you can get your SM to really low temperatures for doing long-term smoking like salmon. That said, I still prefer my barrel smoker, and so does Shamus. Yes, it does take a lot more work, but you just can't get that deep smoke flavor like you can get from a completely wood fire. Everything ends up being more flavorful on the barrel smoker. Besides, you get more bragging rights when you say you've been up since three in the morning smoking your hog legs and that you've had to take turns working the smoker.

The College Inn Pub is on 40th and the Ave, under the College Inn. It's the closest to "dank" as I can find and they're usually something great on tap. And to make things better, about a year or two ago they added Woodchuck cider and hard alcohol to the menu. If you drop by, make sure to order the bagel dog and bowl of chili. Very tasty. The wait staff is very cool there.

I've found that all of my grilling needs have been met with a weber. But I'll admit that I primarily use a smoker for roasts and rotisseries. What I admire most about the weber is the ability to control flare-ups, almost instantly. The only times I've had problems with not being able to keep coals lit are when the coals are damp. Ever since I started storing them indoors, I haven't had a problem.

In Seattle I'm particularly fond of The Pub in the U District. Lot's of memories, some of which are forgotten. I also like the Pacific Inn in Fremont.

Malarky, you definitely need to try still twitching sweet shrimp. The meat is delicate but plump and ever so slightly sweet. And Welcome! Then there's the experience of eating something that just a few moments prior, was happily (presumably) swimming around, as full of life as can be. Not that I enjoy the taking of a life, but the freshness can't be beat. Shiki guarantees live sweet shrimp with their tank of shrimp right there on the bar. I also look forward to the head returned a moment or two later deep fried, quite succulent and crunchy too! I simply adore uni when it's in season. But you need to be careful, if it isn't the freshest, it can taste a little gnarly and you might not like it ever again. I've had great uni at Shiro's and Mashiko's, but I liked Mashiko's better. And yes it does taste of the sea, more so than any other sushi I've ever had, but it's not the taste that turns people off, it's the texture. Oh wait, if it's not fresh, the taste too. Uni's really neat because you see it as a blob, but as soon as it touches your tongue, it's gone! It dissolves very quickly. I like Mashiko's version because Hajime mixes textures by presenting the uni on a bed of sliced squid, very tasty. When you ask for omakase, you can get sushi like this because it isn't typically on the menu and the chef is free to prepare according to his/her whimsy.

I haven't been there yet, but I wouldn't trust Citysearch's reviews. Try looking in the Times or the PI.

For me it's Pho (pronounced "fuh" as far as I can tell). It's a Vietnamese beef soup, served with eye of round, brisket, flank, tendon, tripe or combinations thereof. The meat served in a beef broth with fresh scallions, cilantro, lots of basil and jalepeno. Very tasty and cuts through the cold.