lala

Please don't slam me for what I'm about to say... I love going to Tully's on Alki to get some of their really good soft serve ice cream (vanilla) with a shot of espresso over it. It's not about the coffee, which is servicable. It's about the creamy rich ice cream surrounded in the spoon with the sharper espresso, the contrast of hot and cold, sweet and almost savory... while sitting at the beach, watching the ferries glide by... I love the overall experience...so simple, so nice. It's the best dessert on the beach. As for coffee, (other than Vivace), I'm an Uptown girl...Uptown Espresso, that is. Or Lladro.

At Metropolitan Market, I've seen the Poilane bread in quarters. QUOTE (lala @ Apr 26 2004, 11:52 AM) QUOTE tsquare said: "Le Painier in the Pike Place Market has very good bread and little press." I love their pastries. It's a good stop for a latte and croissant for a break when shopping! Eclair or tart slice of some kind for me. I love getting enveloped in that warm butter-saturated atmosphere as soon as as I set a foot in. Ohhhh...yes, that aroma! So decadent... mmmm.....butter......

There can be a marked difference in pasta cooked in plain vs salted water. Think of it as part of the flavor 'layering' process - it's just another componant in the dish, and you would season all componants in each dish. Do you salt the water that you boil potatoes in? Same idea... Or else overseason your sauce to make up for the fact that the bulk of the dish (pasta) is unseasoned...

If you're squeamish about throwing a live one in the pot, put it in the freezer for about 20 minutes first (well, that's 20 min for a dungie. maybe a shorter time period for a blue crab?). This slows them down, so when you put them in the pot, they don't fight. Personally, I just toss 'em in live. My fishmonger rolls them neatly in newspaper, so I break the seal on that and unroll him into the sink, onto his back. Grab him from the back, so he can't claw you, and pop him into the boiling, well salted water. And no, never eat one that was dead before you cooked it, just like clams, oysters and mussels.

Cool. I haven't worked downtown years, and now I sort of skip around the perimeter of downtown, so I likely just missed it. I'll have to check it out!

It is possible that you may have a sensitivity to some of the wild yeasts from that area or yeasty byproducts. Is your problem true with all Ravenswood zins or just some? They have a wide range of grape sources. For example, do you have the problem with "Napa" and not "Lodi" or vice versa? What about other zins? I'm not sure that I would be terribly concerned about potential anaphylaxis unless you were having symptoms in addition to itching. I certainly would be very concerned if you concurrently had any difficulty breathing. Aha! It could be the yeasts...I always assumed sulfites, but as I mentioned, I have a problem with yeast, too. This is worse in products that use natural yeasts...like sourdough bread, so this makes absolute sense. I don't think it's the tannins, as I drink lots of tea without problems. It's the blended Zin, not a territorial, but I can't rule out the territorial, as once I started reacting to the Ravenswood zin blend, I stopped drinking Ravenswood. I went to their site, and they say that the blend uses up to 40% of their own Zin. I don't recall having much of a problem with Napa/Sonoma wines, so maybe it's something on grapes from another grower? Wow. So how the heck do I find out what terroir I'm allergic to? Rhetorical question - I really don't know how one would do this! Thanks for the help! Damn, but I love this site

"There is also Le Pain du Four / Biofournil on 4th in Belltown" Where? Is this new? "Le Painier in the Pike Place Market has very good bread and little press." I love their pastries. It's a good stop for a latte and croissant for a break when shopping!

Not the case, I'm afraid - from the beginning, challengers have always cooked in their specialties, and "cross-cuisine" battles were rather common on the original IC. At least 110 of the 274 regular episodes (that's around 40%), and quite a few of the specials. Well, I must not have seen those, as I distinctly remember that both Chefs cooked the same cuisine in the shows I've seen (which according to your numbers, is the Majority, anyway). I still say it'd be more fair if it didn't compare Southwestern and Japanese (Flay battle). That's just ridiculous.

I've been wondering about this for years...I know that wine has naturally occuring sulfites. I also know that I'm sensitive to sulfites. What's odd is that my reaction (massive itching) varies widely between varietals/quality of wines. It's only red wines that do this, and the higher end wines are less allergenic. Except for Zinfandel. Particularly Ravenswood Zin. Can't drink the stuff. I was abruptly reminded of this the other night at dinner. I was out with a friend, I had a glass of Cab, I didn't notice what she ordered. She never drinks more than half a glass, so when she's done, she usually pushes her glass over to me, so that if I want a bit more wine, I can sip on hers. After about 4 sips, the warning itches started, and I asked her what it was. She confirmed that it was the Ravenswood Zin, and I immediately chugged a glass of water to dilute its affects. I also have yeast sensitivities, which may be complicating matters... I'm not complaining at all, I've found many good wines that I can enjoy. I'm just perplexed. Why Zinfandel? Why Ravenswood?

Just as Kiliki said. Other than having to buy Dahlia bread at the bakery, most of these other bakeries mentioned sell their bread in grocery stores. I go to Metropolitan Market (Queen Anne, Admiral, and up north somewhere), and they carry Essential, Macrina and Grand Central, as well as Poilane. MetMart (Metropolitan Market, otherwise known as 'YupMart', short for Yuppie Market in my group) also makes good soups. Sometimes when I'm beat, I just head up there for a container of the homemade soup and a Guiseppe roll. Mmmm...a bowl of Wild mushroom (or Carrot curry, or Asparagus), Guisepe roll with Plugra...simple and tasty! I think that Larry's carrys most of these breads, too, as well as Whole Foods.

Lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, S&P...heaven on just about any fish/seafood.

Ok, I know it's just TV, but that's awful... I was about to post, when I saw that... Anyway, what I don't fully understand is that on the original IC, the chefs each cook the same cuisine: French, Chinese, Japanese, whatever. Here, each chef did his specialty, so they're not even working in the same vernacular. I realize they wanted to use Flay, Batali, and Puck, as they're the big stars on FN, but it was comparing apples to oranges, not apples to apples...

Welcome to both eGullet, and Seattle! I used to eat Acme bread exclusively when I lived in SF, and when I visit my friends there, a few loaves always come home with me. That said, if your particular requirement is a great baguette, I second Mamster's recommendation for Dahlia Bakery. Their baguette is the best this side of paris. Second, I'd nominate Essential bakery, and their baguettes, especially the seedy baguette. Macrina does good bread, and I really love their Guiseppe rolls (better than the Guisippe loaf. Must be the crust to crumb ratio). For whole wheaty type bread, the Macrina Volkhorn loaf is outstanding, and terrific with aged cheeses. And Essential Bakery does a Mille Grana that is just wonderful.

I bet you anything that they were just too full, and decided on that as a tactic to not pay for your delicious dessert.

Wasn't that chef/judge guy on a ICJ episode? I seem to remember him totally flopping... he has some restaurant in Vegas, and seems to be a real wanna-be. They need better judges, and they should be the ones asking semi-informed questions, not the floor guy who misidentified every single foodstuff that he described. Without an audiance, it just seemed sterile, as everyone has said. A few times Morimoto did some mugging for the audiance, but the audiance wasn't there. One thing that I don't remember seeing on either version is how the Chefs decide what to make - they all just sprint off and start chopping. I'd love to see the huddle and strategizing at the beginning. So far the secret ingredient has been something live that must be killed. Is this a trend for this series?

Sounds delightful...can you please confirm that $14.50 price on the dessert?

My first job, I was 18, had my much saved for 10" Wusthoff. Left my area and returned to find the prep crackhead slicing open plasticised, string laden potato bags with my treasured knife. I tore him a new one.

Valhrona 70%, Plugra, Farm fresh eggs, Reggiano, good wine, good meats, excellent quality veggies. Excellent knives. Le Crueset. And paying off my credit card bills (only one more to go!)

I'm not quite understanding this logic. I'm not happy if I either ruin an expensive dinner, or chip a knife. However, if I see that knife falling, I get the hell out of the way so it doesn't go through my foot!

Many years ago, I found myself in Portland overnight, after a month of heavy travel. I wandered into the Heathman (solo), and was treated like royalty. I ordered three appetizers, and they happily accomodated me, suggesting an excellent wine (don't remember what at this point), and allowing me a relaxing, delicious luxurious evening. It was lovely.

New Years week = Sugar Bowl. 100,000 screaming college football fans, probably from out-of-state. Bad idea.

Yes! Forgot about that one. My $10 blender from the hardware store 15 years ago is still pureeing just fine!

I had been hankering after a mandoline for eons, but bought the $30 Japanese slicer, and I Love it I can slice my fennel thinner than paper for salad, and julienning is a breeze. Oh, and paring knives. I buy cheap paring knives because they fit my hands better. A $5 knife works just fine. Although for any other size knife, I do use my Wustoffs, etc... And my huge Lodge cast iron frying pan is my favorite, and it cost, what $15? Amazing. Other than that, I don't buy the cheap stuff, because I had to use that stuff for so long, due to personal economics, and hated it. Revereware sucks, and I've actually broken those cheap wooden spoons making pate a choux. I really enjoy using the good pots and pans, olive wood spoons, etc. But I Do wait until our local kitchenware store has it's mondo annual sale to get these items, so I get them at 50% off. Does that count?

An addendum to my original query: How's NOLA for either Christmas week or New Year's week? We've just learned at work that if our company hits a certain profit point, we're all getting an extra week of vacation, with the caveat that we have to take one of those weeks. I know the weather could be iffy, but are restaurants and attractions open those weeks? Are they extra busy with the holiday revelers, or would I still be able to get in to dine? Would it be worth it to go? What goes on during those weeks in town? I like the idea of going when there are no mosquitos!

At least in Spokane you can move around downtown without being subject to the weather, in Seattle you've just got to take the wetness as it comes. In Spokane, you take the SNOW as it comes. Rain is much friendlier.