reesek

yum. as usual. jinmyo, is your pancake batter made with rice flour? a friend made korean food the other night and i loved the elasticity of the batter, but it didn't brown as well as pancakes i've had in restaurants...i don't know her full recipe, but wonder if you use a combination of flours...baking powder etc? thanks also - you note that this kimchee was purchased - do you (all) ever make your own? i've been curious, but don't know anyone who's done it. my latest...saturday night i made a scallop/apple/watercress starter - inspiration from andy lynes blog. i followed that up with a chicken tikka masala of sorts. i used prepared paste, onion/garlic puree, butter, tomato puree and yogurt. served it with my attempt at polow. last night made flank steak with pureed cauliflower and a tasty mushroom/red wine sauce. i also roasted a butternut squash and a bunch of garlic and onions. i simmered all that with some veg. broth and the rest of the apple from the salad the night before. pureed the lot then ran it through a food mill. dinner tonight is either flank steak larb or soup...depending on when rob gets home.

i live in west seattle ← haha! well I think you and your cute guy should make some this weekend too and then we can do a taste off here in Pioneer Square ← he is cute, isn't he? almost as cute as your bao! drool drool. must make bao. chris - how much pork did you use?

horseradish sauce is also really easy to make. you can grate it fresh if you like, or buy prepared horseradish (not cream style) and blend with lightly whipped cream and salt. simple and delicious!

i second that. so would union. so would the met for that matter. i only started re-eating meat about 6 months ago and eating out in seattle was never a problem for me. ← Is it ok if I politly disagree with that? ← i'm laughing...can i say no? i've only ever eaten at harvest vine as a carnivore once and still always loved it. but i love cheese and anchovies and the chefs have always been lovely about cooking the a la minute items without the ham (clams, etc) the union thing sounds like a major drag for your friend...and for you! i guess i've been very lucky. i do think though, that a phone call to union / lark would help. i am certain that they would accomodate special requests - especially with a call in advance. for this circumstance, it might be better to leave well enough alone and go somewhere "easier" but i've always been so impressed with the willingness of chefs in seattle to accomodate special requests...and i hate the idea that you (halland - or anyone) should feel restricted by the choices of your friends.

i second that. so would union. so would the met for that matter. i only started re-eating meat about 6 months ago and eating out in seattle was never a problem for me.

Abra, I don't think i'd recommend la spiga for a vegetarian diner given that even the bread is made with lard. serafina is more MIL appropriate - i agree, and there are tons and tons of menu choices. that said - i prefer the food at lago. and i too lament the dearth of good, simple, bistro italian. has anyone been to la medusa since lisa becklund and sherri serino sold it to their sous? they used to take reservations for 6+ and the space is definitely cozier than lago. and lago provided much of the inspiration for medusa.

i live in west seattle

perfect is very subjective...the first meat i ate in 4 years was a whopper at 2am after the wedding of a dear friend. that was perfection. but the perfect one....let's see. good meat - enough fat to be juicy and flavorful, but not enough to be greasy. grilled over wood or coal. toasted buttered bun. toppings - there must be something pickled and mayo. everything else is negotiable. in summer - it's got fresh tomato, but not too thick. cheese please. any kind is fine. avocado, chipotle mayo and paper thin raw onion. leaf lettuce. on the side - lots of good french fries. many varieties can fit that bill, and as long as they're very hot and crisp, i'm not that picky.

today - a massive juicy pink grapefruit. yesterday - bulgogi with red bean paste, radish kimchee, seafood pancake and lots of wine. cooked by a dear friend.

congratulations on the dinner! halibut is another firm, unfishy fish you might try... i roast my garlic a little differently than the rest of the free world, but it works really well. i peel the cloves and wrap them in foil with a bit of olive oil. i roast (and steam, really) at 350 until they're soft to the touch. (30-40 minutes) if i want a little chewiness or crispness, i'll unwrap the package for a few more minutes.

roasted sprouts are divine. i've never had fresh limas...only favas (they're different, right?) but super fresh peas make me giddy.

what are you looking for (aside from "not crazy"?) price? manly atmosphere? great wine? good beer? any dietary restrictions? i love the brooklyn for oysters and a clubby east-coast atmosphere. out-of-towners love it too, though anyone actually from the east coast will get oyster sticker shock ...many people swear by the Met for great steaks and wine...i love the bar at Union - less formal than the main room with no prix fixe pressure (real or imagined by me). I've also had nothing but excellent service there. Brasa is fun and festive... your message implies that you're the groom - if so - congratulations!

oh chufi! wow. that meal looks incredible. can you elaborate a little on the dessert? my boyfriend loves risotto, but i've got to admit - i'm not a fan. but that looked delicious!

this weekend i made my own pasta. saturday night we had oysters and prosecco followed by papardelle with prawns and tomato sauce put up this summer. last night i served mint and pea ravioli (a la chufi & moby) in (my first homemade) "brodo" (a la therese) followed by roasted swordfish and root vegetables (carrots, celeriac, jerusalem artichoke & onion) and fennel and blood orange salad. no pics of that...i get shy when we have company.

andy, i'm really enjoying your blog - i can't wait to see a photo of those scallops! your son is going to SLAY the ladies once he's a teenager and lets his hair fall across his eyes...

raspberries and champagne (side of cream) mushrooms, butter, garlic and sherry saffron and shellfish favas (or peas) and mint feta and oregano and fruity olive oil hob nobs and tea horseradish and roast beef and potato nutella and my finger unsalted butter, toast + salt unsalted butter, toast, cinnamon & sugar creme and brulee french fries and aioli corned beef and rye potato pancakes with both sour cream and applesauce toast points and caviar tomatoes and salt warm apple pie with crumb topping and vanilla ice cream

i bought it at TJ's on Cap hill in november.

last year we took a camping trip in oregon. we hit part of the oregon wine country first though and stocked up. i brought a pantry including aluminum foil, plastic baggies, spices, oo, vinegar, pasta, tea, & sugar and a cooler with butter, cheese, eggs, fresh herbs, & milk. cooking implements included a cutting board, chefs and paring knives, frying pan, 6 quart pot, spatula, can opener & wooden spoon. we cooked on a wood fire exclusively - and brought our own rack to place on top of the fire or (if we were lucky) the rack in the fire pit. i remember buying mussels at a local fish shop and cooking them up with scallions, wine, and garlic. i remember roasting (and burning) potatoes in foil in the embers. cooking scambled eggs with smoked salmon and mushrooms we got at farmstands. one night we made thai tom yum soup with herbs i'd brought from home...knew that coconut milk would come in handy. and of course - there must be smores. i am the marshmallow toasting master. we drank a lot of wine that week, and our hair reeked of wood smoke even after repeated washings. i'm smiling at the memory.

sage derby? it's not english, but i've seen bravo farms sage cheddar - almost a cinderblock design. i'm also not mad for it. they have a chipotle variety that isn't bad though.

we're both still full this morning! my favorites were the duck - (moist, salty, & crisp - trifecta of glory) the lobster (g-c summed it up well) and the fried rice...rob liked the steamed rice, the honeydew fish and the lobster the best. rocky - thanks for putting this together and being such a great host. it was good to put handles to faces for so many of you - sorry we fled at the end...sensory overload i think. which led to a strange dream wherein i borrowed mamster's self-titled cookbook from someone i haven't seen in 8 years to hunt for a rice cake recipe...these

ohh abra, that sounds delicious. as perfect as the espresso was, i was kicking myself for forgetting to have a cafe cortado - basically a shot of espresso (or 2!) with just a bit of steamed milk. sounds easy, but no one ever knows what they're doing.

next to always makes me feel like i'm on the bus. right angle or ftf. if the table is too big - right angle - i hate having to vault across the table to grab a hand...or a sip of his wine. next to when we're with other people.

as, i hope are accolades! congratulations jen - and thanks so much for blogging!

from the recipe it appears that 2 lb is not a typo. not without all that talk of scattering and what not. if the roast/brisket whatever is tightly covered - wouldn't there be enough moisture to keep the leaves from catching fire? i bet they do smoke though...i wonder if that's the point? shelora brings up a curious point though - the recipe is clearly calling for the toxic leaves - unless they're just covering their bases... in any case - al - will you post photos? i've never been, but my sister and BIL love it.