olivina

I picked way too many green walnuts on Lummi Island this past Saturday and was wondering if anyone in the Seattle area would like a batch. They are in great shape, I think the trees mature slower up there than in Cali or in eastern Wash. Give me a holla and I'll hook you up! Hate to see them go to waste!

Back in the day when I lived in an apartment equipped with a quirky electric stovetop I bought myself an electric griddle from Target. I can't sing the praises of this homely appliance loud enough! The very even heat helps make perfect pancakes, flat BACON that doesn't burn around the edges and the best crostini ever. My husband has seared scallops on one and gets an amazing rich carmelization. They are coated in teflon however. But the griddle does not heat up over 300 degrees, supposedly teflon is at it's scariest when it heats to 700 and above. And if you are super careful about using only plastic utensils on it, ehhhh...I don't know... Short of installing a wood-fired oven in your apartment, I'd recommend buying one if your electric stove is less than perfect. Good luck and welcome to Seattle!

OK, here I go again with the contrarian thing. I thought the article was kind of interesting. I've often wondered what makes food critics tick. It may have been self righteous and too defensive, but I think it was a bit brave for her to come out. How do we know that other critics don't feel the same way and just don't want the bad publicity by fessing up?

Don't be sorry, t. I love kids, remember? Lago is always full of them, mine included. I second Vios. Most kids love Chinooks; nice view, well designed space and halibut/chips. Blue Sushi in U Village or Fremont is usually a kick.

Anyone from eGullet is welcome to call Lago the day you plan to come in and have a piece or two reserved. Mention my name, say you talk to me on eG, Carla not olivina, I know the owners.

Nooo! I can't believe you found that. Don't look!! It is all messed up and a work in progress that I haven't had time to deal with! Or if you look, don't judge harshly, just give me advice. Is that story in the cannoli thing bad? Boring? Stupid? I know I have to add the recipes and that lasagna recipe is way too long... Are the pics ok? Email me if you'd like or eGullet me if that's ok. So embarrassed, Carla

It would be AOK with me if something else opened in our hood. FYI and BTW, sorry, just found the site: http://www.netlingo.com/ However, the lunch crowd in Montlake is slim at best. Unless it is a Husky game day. Which presents it's own problems. Drunk frat boys fighting in the street and peeing on Cafe Lago's building? good times... 1FAAF1, Carla, the juvenile ps. I think Stone Way is way cool. Just don't open a wood fired pizzeria there.

Bum, Whatever you do, stay away from any suggestions CitySearch may give you. The customer reviews are bunk (unless they are positive ) and the site itself is profit driven (duh). That said, Seattle is a tough place to find a new location. Look for a neighborhood you yourself want to hang in and go from there. That's my $600,000 worth of advice. Carla

Abra, I found really large canning jars (very cool ones) at The Madison Park old fashioned hardware store. About 10 bucks. They also had cooler ones for 28 bucks (too much for me). I looked at the usual kitchen stores with no luck. The other thing I did was go to Cash and Carry and bought maraschino cherries (yuck) in large glass pickle jars. All of the other usable food stuff was in plastic. 12 bucks...

Anita, Thanks for the compliment but I don't think I had anything to do with how good the nocino turned out. I followed Trillium's directions and chopped green walnuts, added a vanilla bean and some 100 proof...a nut, a bean and some moonshine. I did add a little anxiety, worry and self-doubt last year but didn't have those ingredients on hand this year. uh oh... Carla

That sounds kind of funny..

I have 15 green walnuts left from my nocino extravaganza. The nuts have a few brownish spots and I regret not seeing the suggestion to keep them in the fridge. They don't smell rancid..what do you all think? Should I make a little vin de noix with them? Out of the million french recipes that Abra led us to, which one didn't someone make so I can report on another? Goin' a little nutty, Carla

Here I go again. I just received 20 pounds of green from Mt. Lassen. Last year I got 2 pounds... Ten times more nocino sounds alright to me!

It is the stuff of my dreams.. Italian-american is good, no? Does Boston have those storefronts packed floor to ceiling with Italian foods, little wood counter with a cash register, walk thru the store into a little restaurant? I want one of those here. I'm having major nostalgia

Ken, Do you mean the kind of Italian delis found on the east coast, who sell amazing meatball sandwiches, muffaleta, canolli, anchovies in salt by the piece, not just fresh mozzarella but curd as well, aged, ager and agest (?) reggiano, strong olives cured in the house, hard crust bread with that soft to die for crumb, green olive oils from Tuscany to fruity ones from Calabria and anything else a hungry person could want? Sorry, nothing like that here....Just kidding! But you won't find it all in one place. One must travel to all the aforementioned stores (salumi, delaurente...) to buy what they do best. Hope you have a car. Where are you from anyway?

Yep Carla, I've been meaning to mention that you're just a little too hospitable at your place. A hissy fit here and there might really liven things up. You have that big open kitchen, and you're just squandering away all that opportunity. ← Maybe you can help me stage one? We could really do it up right! It could start with me throwing pizza dough at loud people talking on thier cell phones.

Its just that Elemental sounds so wonderfully quirky, us provincial types in Seattle can't help but have a little fun. . The owner/host's attitude does have a precedent often found in sitcoms and diner restaurants in NYC. The food sounds great and maybe the guests that Phred is nice to feel special, because it is so exclusive. I think he has gotten a LOT of airtime on this board because the place is not like a regular restaurant. I haven't even tried it, but have spread the word around. Phred is a marketing genius!

Seriously? Was it about her jacket? Did she say anything back? I'm planning on trying to maybe or maybe not have dinner and/or get yelled at there this wednesday, but I'll be with a couple of big guys in case anything gets nasty.

You are right lala, I was incorrectly assuming that Nancy might be upset by Rain's ad. I have no doubt that she will handle this with grace. I don't condone Rain's nasty ad. I was just thinking of writers, movie makers or restaurants (never me, of course) who have been panned and have considered retribution. Just for the sake of argument and because I am a trouble maker.

Wow, giving in to temptation; never a good idea..at least not in public. Not that I would ever consider such a crude response, but is there an argument to be made that if critics can dish it out, shouldn't they be able to take it?

olivina: i'm guessing you'll get plenty courteous service, doubly so if you feel like revealing who you are. they both seem to be very happy when fellow industry folk pay them a visit. if not, your input to them will no doubt be invaluable. (you being an incredibly gracious host yourself, that is.) ← aw shucks jon, thank you for the compliment. But I really would like to experience the abuse. Sounds kind of fun. A sort of theatre maybe. I can be a sick puppy at times. Just so I am hip to the scene, do you think the treatment is part of the business plan? Intriguing, if so.

Believe me, a first time restaurant is a learning process. Phred will no doubt look back and regret how he acted. Sounds like they have great potential because of their love for food. They will figure the gracious part out, it ain't rocket science. I can't wait to eat there and be verbally assaulted as well. Its been a while.

← There is a women's chef organization. I'll give them a call and see if there is an interest.

If your raw food chef is interested, it might be fun to hold a raw food cooking (wrong word) class for us. I would sign up, I've never eaten a raw food menu per se, and am kind of intrigued by the idea. I wonder if it is as labor intensive but intensely delicious as I've been told.

Any ideas out there for a grass roots protest? Any eG people with political ties or anyone who is publicity savvy? Lets try and fight the man. Is it even possible? Is it too 1960's? It would have to be more than picket signs or tying ourselves to the cow field gate. I know several restaurant owners ... and a LOT of militant foodies...Alice Waters would be all over this, not that I know her...anyone want to fight? Does anyone know if the owners of Smith Dairy might support an effort on their behalf? I don't like to whine about issues without trying to do something. Its just that this quote from Danny Westneat's Seattle Times story seems so cynical, resigned and hopeless: "So what we have is the government, prodded by large corporations, saying it is helping small family farms by destroying one of our most successful small family farms. Come to think of it, I guess that is American-style capitalism after all."