little ms foodie

Daniel it all looks great but the mushroom napoleons would definately be my favorite, wow!! g-man, that wine sounds delish!!! how is the 2000 drinking?? not really dinner but we were invited to a party with a Northwest theme, we made the hot pepper wings with cilantro sour cream (not shown) from Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen book

we make larger baskets and fill them with salad, for these we use a small non stick skillet on the stove top, very hot, and as soon as the coarsly grated cheese gets a light golden brown we slide it out over an upside small bowl or large ramekin. The small ones I've found it easiest to use spice jars or shot glasses, Thomas Keller recommends egg cartons but i've found it hard to get them pressed down well as they are so hot! In the oven we do them on silpat and the temp is about 375-425F We always do a goat cheese filling for the small ones. I also like them left as chips and put onto a bowl of soup

Friday night date night at home started with gingerini's, marinated olives and Point Reyes Blue with caars crackers Then we made the veal chops stuffed with chorizo, leek, spinach and fontina out of last months F&W. served with mashed sweet potatoes with sage. 2001 Witness Tree Pinot Noir Select in the glass

yum that looks like such a perfect meal for today's stormy seattle weather! beautiful. I'm a fan of making your own ricotta also, it is very simple and I like the texture much better. I'll be interested to see how you do your Elie.

I can not believe how great those dumplings and the pancakes look!!! holy crap! yum moules! and will you be having frites with them?? Love Love Love the mussels, we do ours Marinere style.

I had actually read many reviews that mentioned how quiet the room here is. Although the food gets high scores I think someplace just a bit less subdued is better? But it's on my consideration list!

Many thanks!!! (voice inside says "must find rugelach in Seattle!")

I love the rugelach from "Not Just Rugelach". It's so good it kind of makes the name seem silly, since it very much IS the main reason to patronize them. They often operate out of Bowling Green park, so I've had it from there a few times when working downtown. The chocolate hazelnut is my favorite too. ← I'm just catching up (great start bergerka!!) and I have a question.... What is rugelach??? I haven't heard of it, sorry!! Also bergerka will you explain your screen name?

spaghetttti that looks like a wonderful meal!!

This is exactly why I like a tasting menu, spot on. I also like to have the adventure of trying more items.

Excellent everyone, thank you! A few questions regarding Le Bristol- I think they offer 2 tasting menus?? A seasonal and a grand? Can anyone give me an idea of the price on each?? This may be the one!!!

Oh I am so happy you both chimed in, thank you!! I looked at the Bristo site (after all it is a THE!) but I couldn't get a good idea of the tasting menu....... is it really only 75 E for the seasonal menu??? that can't be can it??? John, your review of L'Astrance looks soooo up my ally. What do you think of the space. Can I giggle because I've had a bit too much wine without getting the cold shoulder?? Also I'm editing my post to change to I'll be celebrating my 37th birthday..... oh my god.... I can't believe I don't even know how old I am!!! and I posted that BEFORE cocktail hour.

Meagan how would you know to put sesame on pears?? that sounds so great!! I would never think of that. After a few celebratory drinks (my husband had his last day at his old job) we came home and made the ultimate (for us) quick meal. Frittata with chanterelles and gruyere and salad with hot bacon mustard dressing served with a Silverlake Chardonnay reserve, 2001

I know it's been done and I've read a mountain of threads but here we go again!! I'll be celebrating my 36th birthday in Paris this year with my husband and one of my best friends. My husband has GENEROUSLY offered to treat us to dinner, where ever I want to go! Wahhhhoooooo!!!! I'm thinking (based on posts I've read here) of L'Astrance, Le Grand Vefour or Le Meurice. I'm obviously a fan of restaurants which are THE Here's what I like, I loved Taillevent (and I don't consider myself wet behind the ears), I didn't have such a great time at l'Ateiler Joel Robuchon, I took my mom once to Jules Verne because it was a once in Paris trip for her..... In the states I think French Laundry is very good but it could be more fun. WD-50 was a bit too 'challenging'. Babbo is my favorite (even though it's Italian and my favorite food is french) I love Arzak, but don't know if my friend would........ I like tasting menus So I want something that is more traditional cuisine with a hint of flare, not too stodgy and not over the top romantic......and most of all a good value of cuisine and service for the money. So do you have opinions on my choices based on all that? Have I missed a restaurant or 2 all together that I should be considering? Birthday is next month so I gotta start begging for reservations soon. Thanks!!!

Susan, you have to hide it! In the veggie drawer! haha!

ding ding!! that is it. Seriously after just finishing another bowl for lunch, I have to say this chili kicks ass! Some of you may want to add a bit more spice but it is just perfect for us. another winner, I picked up a boneless pork shoulder roast at the butcher. The use of bacon is also the recipe's idea, I can't take credit. But I will say that it makes it even that much better. I made the bacon on sunday and just crumbled it and stored it in a ziplock in the fridge.

Thanks Daniel, Pacifico is mexican lager from the west coast, very light. We drink ours with a lime in it. It's my favorite mexican beer. No piping bag, just my husband's fancy spoon scoop!

I've made this Butternut Squash Soup a number of times and it is delish.

for the chili cookoff.. spicy red pork chili topped with scallions, cheddar, jack, bacon and sour cream. Garlic toasts on the side. Pacifico in the glass.

We made our chili partially on Sunday before going out to dinner with friends. Here is our mis en place for spicy red pork chili into the fridge after browning the pork and adding all the spices, beer and water. Yesterday we simmered it for 2 hours and then added the kidney beans. then back in the fridge. Here is is today, I simmered it a bit more and the flavors were just excellent! the meat melt in your mouth tender. Perfect amount of spice for us. in the bowl before condiments we topped ours with bacon (the meat was browned in the bacon fat), jack and cheddar cheese, scallion and sour cream. Sides were garlic toast and Pacifico. This was definately one of the best chili's I've made. It's a keeper!

I can't see all your wonderful pictures!!

We have Wi Fi in our house so the laptop finds it's way to the kitchen on a regular basis. We have done cook togethers here in the PNW on the Apple ecookbook and there are plans to do the newest one also.

we started with a snack of gorgonzola, pepperoni and some marinated olives with cocktails.... then made chicken with fennel and potatoes seasoned with rosemary and mint out of Oct. F&W served with a 2001 Bethel Heights Syrah, Del Rio vineyard

Where are you coming from?? In the downtown core I would look into threads on Matt's in the Market, Le Pichet, Lola, Palace Kitchen, Union, Cafe Campagne. Seattle has it's 25 for $25 going on all thru November so you can check out a few places on the cheap! 25 for $25

We had a little dinner party last night, here's the table set for 6 starters include marinated olives I made from the Buchon book others brought mushroom pate, an eggplant dip and smoked salmon. Kir royal was served with the apps. First course was a frisee and mache salad with hot bacon, cognac mustard dressing and a poached egg. (we forgot to take a photo). Served with Silverlake Chardonnay Reserve Next was boeuf bourguignon on top of garlic rubbed toasted baguette slices with a boiled potato We served 2 single vineyard Pinots from our cellar, a 2002 Patricia Green Anden Vineyard and a 2000 Erath Prince Hill Vineyard. both were exceptional wines and completely different in taste and bouquet. Next up was a cheese course with a WA Quillasacut (sp?) UFO goat cheese drizzled with Dark Wildflower honey from our farmers market and some sliced red pears. Also forgot to take a photo of this but the cheese was excellent!! Will be buying more of it today! Dessert was made by my husband out of the French Laundry cookbook. Chocolate Veloute on Cinnamon Stick Ice Cream. DiStefano Sweet Catherine dessert wine.