Sleepy_Dragon

Either Sosio's or Frank's for mushrooms. Sosio's will have a larger variety but they also tend to be a little more expensive. There are other stalls close to those two as well, so no harm in checking them out and comparing for what seems best on that day. There are three spice shops in the market, The Souk, Market Spice and World Spice Merchants (on Western Ave). The Souk specializes in Indian and Pakistani spices, staples, groceries and gifts, and Market Spice is a tea 'n' spices kind of place. World Spice Merchants is the largest and most comprehensive of the three, haven't been there myself yet though my chef instructors recommend them highly. Pat

I like the ones at Lowell's in Pike Place Market (both "NW style" with smoked salmon and the originals), though suspect that's more for reason of their being an olde tyme institution than anything else. Pat

No argument from me about the article. For what it is worth, I do think this is going to change, I can see it in my class. The majority are women, some of them fresh out of high school, and in some cases, high school which included culinary programs. I wish I could have had their start, but I'll play my hand to the best of my ability from later in life. It's one of the things about culinary school (well, with thanks to predecessors who fought for us go to school in the first place) which I think is an unquestionable improvement over the traditional apprentice system: many more power checks in place to prevent instructors from giving female students sexism-based grief. I'd also include the notion of "brain-space" for lack of better terms. The more background crap one has to worry about, the less there is available to pursue something with a single-minded passion and focus. Not to say that it can't or hasn't been done, but it's not something to disregard as a thing of the past. That kind of thing really does affect whether or not you can focus on perfect julienne. I'm also reminded of Jacques Pepin mentioning in his autobiography regretting not doing more for the black cooks he came across, especially as their communities were where he was able to find all the lovely innards and offal he wanted to cook but just couldn't find anywhere else in the states. Pat

Hehe I was at the U Dist. market too today, though near its closing time. Got a bunch of apples, Honeycrisp and Fuji. Also got a tub of Quark (German yogurt cheese) and a brick o' cheddah. The mushrooms did look amazing, especially the lobster mushrooms. Missed the fried chicken ones though, will go back for them next time. Pat

Pan Africa on 1st Ave between Pike and Pine recently introduced dinner hours and an expanded menu. They're now open until 10pm from Tuesday - Saturday, and offer brunch from 9am - 3pm on Sundays. Also chatted a bit with the owner, he's got a 4 course tasting menu in the works, and is also waiting on a license for beer and wine. Furthermore, after 5pm he'll validate parking for anyone who parks in the Pike Place garage on Western Ave. Pat

Friday is definitely buffet lunch, and menus for Tuesday - Thursday of next week for both Square One and One World will remain the same as well. Pat

I got to visit the emergency room today. Didn't properly curl my fingers while slicing a baguette and sliced myself going right through the middle of the nail on my middle finger with a serrated knife. Got to see Jaded Triage Nurse, who said I needed to work on my knife skills. Gee thanks! It was quite an ordeal in the ER: two fresh and eager interns accompanied the doc, who turns to them and asks if either of them have done an injection of anesthetic into the webbing between fingers before. Both shake their heads. Thankfully the doc goes first, but shows them what to look for: "Insert the needle here and keep going until you hit bone... hear that clicking sound? *wiggle wiggle click click* That's the bone, now go a little deeper..." They needed to shoot up my finger six times like that in order to numb it enough to insert scissors under the fingernail and cut it away. So now I have a metal splint on my middle finger, left hand. And due to the pressure of blood in fingertips, I have to hold it above heart level to avoid more pressure and pain. This makes me look like I'm just flipping off everybody I pass by. Of course, many of my fellow culinary students think that's awesome. After the ER, I went back to class to attend lecture at least, and chef says "You know what you did wrong, right?" At least for the next two days I rotate to sous chef. "Magic Finger says clean your station!" Pat, typing one-handedly

No problem, and yes it will be carried over to next week. Pat

Should still be the buffet. I'll double check tomorrow just to make sure and will post again, but I know people have been discussing the buffet for Friday today. Pat

My bad, Takohachi's hours are: Lunch Monday - Friday 11:30am - 1:30pm Dinner Monday - Saturday 5:30pm - 8:30pm Pat

Tomorrow begins our lunch service. In addition to Square One's menu right above this post, the following is the menu for One World, it is Sicilian: Starters: Porcini Mushrooms with Grilled Onions & Basil Oil Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Figs with Arugula Braised Fennel Salad with Pears & Gorgonzola Spinach, Arugula & Walnut Salad Entrees: Sicilian Couliflower with Bucatini, tableside Gnocchi with Oxtail Ragu Crispy Black Bass with Endive & Saffron Vinaigrette Baccala Mezzelune with Golden Tomatoes & Green Olives Rabbit in Sweet & Sour Sauce with Chickpea Fritters Cod Sauteed with Olives and Salted Capers Swordfish Involtini with Broccoli Rabe Cavatelli with Broccoli Rabe ..sorry about the lack of prices, I grabbed this list off the corkboard in the kitchen. Pat

Might be the iron associated with proteinaceous deadthing. At least, I get that way too. Without red meat during PMS, when the actual event hits, I'm basically wiped out and bone-tired. A slab or three of deadthing keeps the worst of it at bay. The cheese makes sense too for the calcium. Chewable calcium tablets keep my cramps away. Mmmmmm cheeseburgers, steak and pho. Pat

Yes, I can tell too, especially with Tyson and Butterball. Not only the processed taste, but the texture too, especially when barbecued. And a roasted Tyson or Butterball turns into a hunk of chicken-flavored deli loaf when eaten cold the next day! I notice this with mass-produced turkeys too. Well, I'm inclined to agree with that insomuch as the first time I tasted an organic free range chicken, it was such a revelation. It tasted like how the chicken of my memories of childhood tasted (my mother used to get fresh killed ones from Chinatown). It really struck me then that much had been done to the mass production of chickens over the last two decades to let my tongue grow accustomed to their taste and texture. Pat

We're starting up our lunch service for fall quarter, beginning next week Wednesday, October 6, 11:15am - 1:00pm. Service next week is Wednesday - Friday, then after that it runs Tuesday - Friday. Friday is always our buffet lunch. I've got the menu for the Square One bistro, will post One World's menu when I can get my mitts on it if nobody else beats me to it. For those of you who've been coming here for awhile, there should be some interesting changes in store thanks to our new fourth quarter chef instructor. SQUARE ONE BISTRO October 6 - 14 All entrees served with choice of soup or salad Swiss Chard Fritters & Heirloom Tomato Salad -- $5.25 Garlic aoili Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Fig & Ruby Port Demi-Glace -- $5.95 Quillisascut Chevre Potatoes & Sauteed Kale Phyllo Wrapped Pesto Salmon -- $5.75 Seasonal Vegetable Napoleon Grilled Chicken Breast with Corn & Sweet Marjoram Waffle -- $5.95 Slow Roasted Tomatoes Seared Halibut Cheeks & Arugula Bread Salad -- $5.95 Creamy Carrot Fennel Sauce Desserts -- $1.95 Beverages -- .75 coffee/tea/decaf, Coke/Sprite/Diet Coke/Diet Sprite Pat

Not only another vote for dark meat here, but the thighs specifically. All the extra fat in them makes them very juicy indeed. I don't like the leg as much because of that one tougher muscle on the side with the tendon going through it. I prefer the white meat for grilled or roasted recipes. Pat

Another three for me, I just ordered both of Monica's books and Suvir's as well. My collection is still way puny compared to most of you though! Pat

I get that way too. Like today. We were catering a wedding party where the entree choices were either beef tenderloin or grilled salmon, and there were plenty of leftovers, but I just didn't want to eat any of it, even though it did look good. Sometimes I just plain forget to eat, and make myself do it just to make sure I have enough fuel to get through the day. Anyway, yesterday's staff meal: some kind of prawn and cream sauce thing, mushroom risotto (same batch from two days ago), salad. Today's staff meal: beef, broccoli, cauliflower and risotto (hehe) all mixed into a stew, salad. Good thing we all like risotto, and it's rib-sticking food too. Also snacked on a croissant, two skewers of chicken satay, and chunks of pineapple and melon while making fruit salsa. Won't be eating any dinner tonight. Pat

Saba is mackerel, and shioyaki means salt grilled. In other words, anything done shioyaki style is rubbed with salt, allowed to sit for a bit, then grilled for a crispy salted taste. Oily fish like mackerel and salmon are especially good that way because the oils add to the crunchy caramelization. It's one of those simple yet oh so good homey preparations, and they often come with a bunch of grated daikon and maybe a soy or ponzu-like dipping sauce as condiments. One thing I miss about visits to Los Angeles were the Japanese breakfast places, where one could get sake (salmon) shioyaki for breakfast. Pat

Not related to Shiro's or Saito's but a Seattle Times article on another sushi place worth visiting, and Seattle's oldest, Maneki: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/rest...39_sushi20.html I love going here, it was the first sushi place I went to when I first moved to Seattle around 11 years ago. Great homey food and loaded with maneki neko statues. I'm looking forward to live uni season, it will be soon, and Maneki serves theirs live on the half spikey shell when it's available. Pat

I dunno, unless the whole thing was somehow too subtle for me, I didn't enjoy tonight's dinner that much. Nothing was bad, the beet and candied nut salad was pretty good, but the rockfish wrapped in grape leaves wasn't that interesting to me. Dessert was definitely my favorite, enjoyed the fig tart, and wouldn't have thought of goat cheese sorbet to go with it, but it made perfect sense on eating. Won't stop me from getting to Lark one of these days though. Pat

Takohachi is in the ID on Jackson between 6th Ave S. and 7th Ave. S. It's the sort of place one would find lots of homesick international students. They're open Tuesday - Saturday for lunch and dinner. Another good place in that same vein is Fort St. George, one floor above the International Hobby and Toy shop in the ID. Though not such a good idea for people sensitive to smoke, it is a very smoky place with a bar area in it. I like Maekawa Bar across from it as well, also on the same floor. Mmmmm takoyaki! This place is for drinking sake and eating a variety of carefully prepared Japanese dishes tapas style, with some full dinner options. 6pm - ?? every day. If what you're after is a fine dining experience, Takohachi and Fort St. George won't fit the bill. They really are a particular style of Japanese casual fare/home cooking. Pat

I like Takohachi too. Was just there last week in hopes of the nabe they always do during autumn and winter, but they said they don't start serving that until this week. Mmmmm chili nabe.... Mmmmm kimchi nabe... I miss Koraku, near the old Uwajimaya building, though still enjoy Takohachi's take on grilled mackeral and salmon. Pat

No worries. Though like anything else, it's still worth taking with a grain of salt depending on the day you go and the other sundry factors that affect consistency in family-run holes in the wall. I tend not to be bothered too much though, if anything the prices are usually low. If you go with friends to Fasica and order the Fasica combo, they'll bring a big platter to you and still charge the same price on the menu, no matter the number of people. At one time I did try to eat at all the Ethiopian places in Seattle, thus the list. Kinda got burned out a bit though, so I'm taking it more slowly now, hehe. Also, if you go to Tagla for weekend Ethiopian breakfast, they won't have a menu. Just ask for whatever seems good. Pat

I like Saito's too, wish I could go there more often. He does very nice omakase. They used to have the most out of this world ginger ice cream and black sesame ice cream around 3 years ago, but according to Saito-san himself, the place they got it from was sold and the new owners changed the formula. Bummer. The new desserts he's added to replace them are no slouch though. Even so, I'd kill to know how that ice cream was made. Pat

Beef sauteed with onions and broccoli, cheese and saffron risotto with chanterelle mushrooms, green salad, and some chicken wings. The risotto was all extra left over from a catering thing. I took a bag of it home with me too. Pat