kiliki

I'd suggest that novice gardeners get a book that is specific to gardening in their region. Some of the advice/warnings given here about a plant's invasiveness or ability to thrive don't hold true for many places (ie lupines are not invasive at all where I live, and us NW gardeners have the worst time growing dill).

For all the reasons that Varmint stated, I'm probably going with a Ventahood as well for our remodel. It was the quietest fan I tested in the appliance showroom, and I've heard nothing but good things about them from others.

My favorite is the Cook's Illustrated light and fluffy pancakes from a few years ago-I can't find it online but this one from their show is quite close: America's test kitchen blueberry pancakes

I have greens in containers-lettuces, spinach and arugula-that are almost ready to start eating. Y'all are making me a bit jealous. I had plans to build a huge raised bed for vegetables next to the house this spring, but the kitchen remodelers told me that unless I WANTED asbestos and lead paint bits in my soil, to hold off until they're done in late summer. And I don't want to put too much more in containers, since I'm going to be in Hawaii (boo hoo, I know) for work for at least a month this summer and I don't want to burden the mr. with too much garden work.

When I containered tomatoes I always used BIG (whiskey barrel sized) pots. I have the worst time with dill, too. It starts out well then gets sort of sticky and dies.

I've been to the Mojito Cafe and I'm pretty ambivalent. Some things were good, others not so good (overcooked meat, weak drinks).

I don't think there's any point in planting tomatoes outside this early. It's still only in the upper 40's at night.

Mama's isn't where you go if you want good Mexican food, but sometimes it's a place to go if you want cheap, filling, cheesy, junky food. Sometimes it really hits the spot though I'm kind of embarassed to admit it.

This page might give you a general overview of Washington's wine producing areas, which are located in the southeastern part of the state (too far for a day trip): WA tourism April's Sunset Magazine (NW edition) had a nice, fairly lengthy article on touring Walla Walla Valley's wine country, including info on restaurants and inns-perhaps you could get your hands on a copy? There are wineries near Seattle in the suburb of Woodinville that are easily done as day trips, the most well known of which is Chateau St. Michelle: Woodinville wineries I'll let others tell you if these are worthwhile. I grew up in the Woodinville area and started taking field trips to St. Michelle in 4th grade, so they really don't excite me anymore. Sorry I don't have more specific recommendations but I thought that might be helpful.

The salesman at a rather high end appliance store raved about the Dacor ranges and cooktops-he thought it was the best combo of quality and value.

I'll second the above post-I always finish the frittata in a preheated oven or under the broiler so the bottom doesn't get overcooked. I don't think I've ever actually used a recipe-I just put cooked (sauteed onions and potatoes, steamed asparagus, etc etc) or raw (tomatoes) vegetables in a non-stick pan, dump beaten seasoned (salt, pepper, fresh herbs) eggs on top, maybe add a little cheese, then cook on the stovetop until the eggs begin to set. Then it goes in the oven to finish.

Everyone was very helpful in my countertops and floors thread, and now I want to ask something about ranges and stovetops and ovens. I've read a lot of archived threads that discuss particular models, and I've gone shopping and read Consumer Reports, but I still have not decided even the most basic questions. So: I know the basic pros and cons of having a range v. separate appliance, but does anyone want to weigh in on how happy they are with having one or the other? Has anyone had space issues with their wall oven? What particular feature can you not live without, or didn't get that you wished you did? If you got a 30" cooktop, is it enough, or would you recommend working in a 36" if at all possible? Though in general we're getting mid-range appliances, we've considered splurging on a cooktop or range, but no appliance salesman has been able to explain why we should pay the extra thousands for a Wolf, for example. Really, just any general thoughts that will help me in the decision process would be great. Fyi, we are two people who cook everyday but who only occasionally have dinner parties. Thanks!

Has anyone had any experience growing black huckleberries? I found some black (they had red, too) huckleberries in Swanson's native plant section yesterday and bought two. I already have the native evergreen huckleberry, but I'd been on the lookout for these, which are so abundant and tasty in the mountains, for quite a while. I read they do "okay" at lower elevations so we'll see if I get fruit.

I think I started this exact thread a year ago-I too am dying for a good granita. I am only halfway kidding when I say that I am going to Italy in June just to get a good granita (though I am not going to Rome where my favorite is). Does Bottega offer anything besides lemon these days? That was the only choice the times I've stopped in. And what Torrefazione are you talking about? I didn't actually know they were still around.

I wish Holly's advice held true in the West. Without a doubt, some of the worst food you'll ever have is at mom and pop places in small western towns, so no, I can't always find good food. Where else will you get margarine with your pancakes?? So I ALWAYS research before I leave-even if all I can find is a local tourist guide online, I can make a pretty good guess as to where the decent places will be. Some guidebooks, like the Moon Guides, are surprisingly good at recommendations as well.

A question for all you non-PNW'erners: When you buy salmon, is it simply labeled "farmed" or "wild?" Or perhaps just "wild King" or "wild sockeye?" Here in Seattle, branding has become standard. Even in the most mainstream grocery stores, if I look at packaged salmon, it's going to be labeled with who caught it, how it was processed and what type it is. Ie, "Bruce Gore's troll caught Coho FAS." If it's under glass, the guys behind the counter (we're still talking regular supermarket, not specialty fish store) will be able to tell me the same things. Maybe I'm naive, but it seems like there's less chance for fraud when labeled this way.

*Groan* ....If they only had a retail shop. I've found good ones in NYC and SF in the past year but still none in Seattle.

Toasted, if I wouldn't eat dinner my parents gave me the cereal option, and I reportedly ate nothing but cheerios until I was 8. And now I love all sorts of different foods, so don't despair that doing that will ruin them. And actually, once I was about 8, they'd let me cook what I wanted for dinner, so I'd stand on a chair at the stove and make grilled cheese and salad if I didn't want to eat the meatloaf. This is how I became interested in cooking-very soon I was looking through cookbooks and asking my mom if I could make such and such for dinner.

Laurel, I absolutely agree. The last place that disappointed me with their mussels was the Dahlia Lounge. They're so easy (and inexpensive) to make at home that I've completely given up ordering them at restaurants. Hamhocks, thanks for posting. I wonder what it is about not having the name on the door-Via Tribunali is like that, and a bunch of bars/clubs that I just went to in NYC were like that as well. Is this a hipper-than-thou thing that is just now catching on in Seattle?

Are we talking about the same place on 70th? They only opened the beginning of last year and don't have booths. Unless I am having a major memory lapse. Which isn't out of the question these days.

BradS, have you been to the Barking Dog? They have a nice selection of Belgian beers, much better than average pub-type food, and the majority of the space allows minors.

I've been back a number of times and service has definitely improved. It's still hard to get a glass of water, and the practice of bringing entrees at separate times drives me nuts, (though I know that this isn't unheard of at Asian restaurants). But I would go for their fresh spring rolls alone (so many places make these badly!), never mind the fact that almost everything else is delicious, too.

We went to El Chucacabra (sp?) last night, a new little place right were Greenwood starts to bend south into Phinney Ave in the old Stalk Exchange space. It's actually a bar that serves a small selection of burritos, tacos, nachos and poppers. There were quite a few confused looked neighborhood folks in there, many with kids, since I think we all thought it was a full service Mexican restaurant. The owners are formerly of Linda's and the Storeroom, which gives you an idea of what it's like. The food isn't anything to write home about, but it's nice to have a full service bar on the street, it's got a pool table and jukebox, and when the weather is warmer the deck will be a nice hangout.

The wild could also mean the chum-no one farm raises that. Also-I'm curious-where do you live where those are your only options?

I'd never heard of Chinese salmon, and, being curious, googled it. I found the website of a company that exports the product around the world, and they specifically say that the salmon is sent to them from other countries, mostly the US, and that the product is either farmed Atlantic salmon (bleh) or Chum salmon (double bleh). But, no matter what your feelings on those fish (I can afford to be picky, since I live in Seattle), Chinese salmon may just be a well traveled version of the same stuff you could have bought at the store. Chinese salmon