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Glad the reports were of interest. It was a good exercise to write this up and realize how many different things I did try. I think food can provide interesting insights into culture. I was told a number of stories, some of which have been related here, about how and why some of these dishes came to be. This led into discussions about history and politics, as well as current trends in culture and food policy. Chloe, Thanks for filling in so many gaps in my notes and comprehension! What keeps you from visiting the Algarve? Fear of not wanting to return home or of ex-pats? It was very comfortable there, though of course, slightly off season. I can imagine it being overwhelming if full of tourists and sun seekers! Bux, Also a land of soupy noodle dishes. I was thinking I had not had any pasta in weeks, then remembered the meal at Monte da Eira. That was very tasty.

"Baltasar and Blimunda" by Jose Saramago. Lots of interesting talk about 18th century Lisbon, including food and scandals.

Installment 2 – The Algarve From this point on there are typically five of us dining together at most meals, some of the descriptions apply to things shared or just sampled. Faro – a bright restaurant Restaurante Adega, Dois Irmaos Funado– Monkfish with prawn kabab interspersed with bell pepper, onion, and tomato, served with boiled potatoes and a little salad, red wine from Mealhada Cooperative “Tojal”. The monkfish is firm – very lobster like in flavor, the prawns are served whole with shells and heads. There is a note on the bill that may say something like, “if you don’t like the cataplana, please inform the owner and you won’t be charged.” (Or maybe my deciphering is way off and it says you will be served in the next order!) Tavira - Lunch riverside from the Mercado da Ribeira. Vinho Verde Casal Garcia. Cockles with lemon and cilantro. We eat two platters of these sweet small clams. A little presunto sandwich. There is the river, sun, and good company. Dinner is at a restaurant near the ferry to Ilha de Tavira, perhaps Quatro Agus (wasn’t paying attention.) The couvert (the stuff they set on the table to tempt you with and ruin your appetite and up the bill – but usually worth the extra couple of euros) includes bread, tuna salad spread, olives, and garlicky carrot salad. Dinner of squid and prawn kebab served with rice with raisins and a vegetable side of carrots and cabbage. We split 4 or 5 desserts (a chocolate cake, an almond cake, a cake filled with egg yolk and sugar that is spun into hot oil to make a nest looking confection, and a sponge cake with fruit, as I recall), drink espresso and port. Dinner wine is red, Maria da Fonseca, Periquita, decanted and served in big balloon style glasses. Lunch the next day is at an Oceanside café near Cacela Velha. The bamboo shaded terrace and restaurant are almost empty, the season hasn’t started. More bread, cheese, olives, and cockles, oysters fresh from the adjacent beds have excellent texture and taste of the sea on a good day. An entree of baby squid, fat pink roasted with garlic and oil, are served with fries and salad. I sample cuttlefish – a bigger version of squid, a little frightening to behold, but sweet and tender. Fresh orange juice is served in tall glasses, icy cold. We watch a man kicking small crabs out of the surf for bait, and carting buckets of clams. Dinner (really, there was a lot of walking and sightseeing between meals) – in Tavira at Patio. Red wine Caves Velhas, Dao, white wine Vinho branco seco reserva 2000 Douro Planalto. The couvert is excellent cheese, tuna pate, carrot salad, and bread. We split two cataplanas – one with monkfish, clams and prawns, the other with pork and clams. Cataplana is the name of the cooking utensil – a copper clamshell like device that is used to gentle cook the selected combination with tomatoes, potatoes, carrot, herbs and wine, I’m guessing. There are probably a lot of variations on this, but the point is to end up with a fragrant and delicious pan of food, meant for sharing. After dinner there is a round of bitter almond digestive. Breakfasts haven’t been discussed. Usually, it is uma bica and a pastry or bread with cheese. At hotels, they set out a buffet with weak coffee, tea bags, cocoa powder, juice, scrambled eggs, some meat – bacon, sausage or something, cold sliced meats and cheeses, yogurt, butter and jams, cold cereals (cocoa puffs, museli, and bran-type are typical), breads, and sweet pastry items. Lunch in Loule is the worse meal in Portugal. A tosti – toasted sandwich. There was plenty of it, such as it was, but don’t get me wrong, there was too much of it no matter what! The concept seems perfect with the great ham and cheese we’ve been eating. But this sandwich included ketchup and mustard and I’ve forgotten what else, mercifully. A vegetarian pizza is topped with cubes of once frozen peas and carrots, as well as green beans, plus some fresher peppers, onions, and spinach. It’s all just wrong. Out into the country, we dine near Querenca, perhaps near Loule? Casa Paixanito. An aperitif of white Port. It’s very light, but hits me like a ton of bricks. Wine is Douro Doc Casa do Doura Reserva Douro 1999 by Sogrape. I just wrote down everything, not sure what is important here. Couvert of bread, salmon pate, olives, lupini beans – “tremucos” boiled and salted, slip them from the skins for eating. They are wide and flat and addictive, but out host says they go better with beer. The restaurant was a way station on the road between Lisbon and the coast. It’s grown into this excellent and attractive restaurant serving tapas style dishes. We eat cod fritters, clam/corn mush (don’t know the name), thin sliced beef tongue, blood sausages with apples, fava beans, roasted peppers, and goat cheese with honey and almonds. Dessert is chocolate mousse ladled out of a big silver bowl, part frothy and light, and part dense and intense. Lunch today is a riverside picnic – you guessed it, bread, cheese, wine, pastries, and a Portuguese specialty – spicy sausage cooked at the table over flaming spirits! They have terra cotta dishes especially for this. This smells great, and tastes pretty good except for the blacked skin, but it sits heavy in the belly. A fine dinner at Monte da Eira, again somewhere near Loule. Red wine, Jose de Sousa 1998, vinho regional alentejano. Good red with leather. Couvert of bread, olives, carrot salad. Entrée of seafood and elbow macaroni stew/soup made with mint, clams, shrimp, and fish. I sample lamb cooked with potatoes and bread (that’s what my notes say anyway) and more mint and herbs and vegetables. We are done in and dessert is vanilla gelado – ice cream. A light lunch of sandes (sandwich) and a bite of cake in Silves. Dinner in Lagos at Don Sebastiao Restaurant. The wine cellar here is immense. We drink red, Alentejo Borba Montes Claros Reserva 2000. Couvert with extra order of carrots. I recall a chunky livery type dish, intense and rich. I eat lamb chops with mint sauce that seem awfully English, though quite good. Taste some fresh sole, also kid roasted in red wine and served with boiled potatoes. Another poor lunch in Sangres. The place is barely open – looks to be a better place to drink and meet at night. Stomach has had it. I eat a small tuna salad. Dinner is at the Pousada do Infante Sangres. Couvert, I choose a broiled prawn appetizer as my entrée. There is a dessert buffet that includes a great selection of cheeses, fruit, nuts, cakes, and flan. I eat a small piece of chocolate cake and a wiggly sliver of flan. Perhaps it is crème leite? A great lunch follows at Restaurante Sitio do Forno on the cliffs at Pontal. Surfers paradise, when the wind and surf are right. Today, the waves only serve to carve the cliffs. A Fonseca white wine, extremely fresh sea bass and rock fish served whole from the outside grill. Big salad, a platter of cooked fresh broccoli, carrots, and potatoes. A final dinner. I’m done, but I taste two appetizers meant for a Sunday brunch. Smoked salmon on toast with cream cheese, and scrambled eggs with sausage, tomato and fresh mint. I order Portuguese duck with rice, but can eat only a few bites. It is good, kind of like duck fried rice, but I just can’t eat anymore. A few sips of a robust Palha Canas Vinho Tinto 2001, Estremadura Casa Santos Lima (13.5%) and of Quinta dos Murcas 1999 Douro (perhaps even more robust?) Missed out on drinking firewater, especially that made from arbutus or figs. Brought home a bottle of Ginja, cherries bobbing around in a potent liquor, and a bottle of Licor Beirao, an herbal concoction. All along the walking trails in the Algarve, the hillsides are covered in productive trees of almonds, loquats, olives, figs, carob, and orange as well as flowering plants such as poppies, rockrose, iris, calla lily, and herbs. I identified angelica, anise, borage, purple and yellow lavenders, mint, a rosemary looking plant that didn’t have much scent, sage, and thyme growing wild as well as cultivated crops of grapes, favas, peas, cabbages and kale. Already, I am feeling drawn to return.

On Pike Place between Stewart and Virginia Streets in the northernmost block of the Pike Place Market.

The new Pike Place Market and Deli - North end (same space as the old market and deli) - has lots of swell specialty groceries! Saw 16 oz cans of Schokinag chocolate bits from Germany for under $10, plus smaller bars and cocoa, some interestingly flavored (earl grey, green anise) bars of Dolfin (?), and a bunch of stuff you usually have to mail order - oils, viengars, preserves, etc. Didn't ask what they are trying to do, but I wish them well.

I guess it's a scoop. I'm not at liberty to reveal the whole story (or as much as I know.) I thought it would be in the paper by now, but haven't seen it.

Rumor has it that by year end - or early 2004, there will be a chocolate maker in Seattle, from beans to bar to bon bons. It's more than rumor - but not sure if they will make the schedule. Stay tuned.

I love my library and support them financially - voluntarily - not just in overdue fines. I've read most of the food related essay type books, and skimmed many new cookbooks through their collection, as well as fiction and other non-fiction works. We have on-line reservations - frequently, I get uncirculated books when I am paying attention to what's coming out. I haven't looked for older magazine issues in many years - but I would guess I would see significant lapses due to unreturned or damaged goods. Circulation here is still significant. Twice a year, there is a Friends of the Library book sale - ask HeyJude about how she adds to her cookbook collection! (How much damage did you do last weekend?)

It was the sort of desperation that comes from hiking uphill a couple of hours to the castle and palace, and back down, too early for most restaurants to be open for dinner - and on a Sunday when many don't open at all. Hadn't tried all the options of Portuguese food yet, so it seemed like cheating. But the place was quite attractive and the food well prepared. I've eaten lots of cheap Chinese food in England and Ireland as a reliable option when touring. Eric - Thanks for the clarification on the alheira de Mirandela - I did hear that story, but in a different context. This makes more sense. Alas, a huge regret - went through Mealhada 3 times, but not at dinner time - no suckling pig for me!

Heads up donut fans. Sign has gone up on a building on 5th Avenue, north of downtown, Coming Soon! Top Pot! It's that cool building that was a frame store for many years, stand alone, parking, I think. Maybe around Blanchard?

Adventures in eating and drinking, Portugal I found Portugal to be a place of great contrasts. It has traditional customs and dress juxtaposed against pierced, tattooed rock stars; ancient fortifications, castles, and palaces yet the spare elegance of Siza’s modern architecture; and twisted-alley hilly-formal cities as well as white-walled sun-drenched seaside villages. It has port (fortified wine) and cured meats such as presunto and sausages, fields of fresh oranges, almonds, favas, carob, and figs, and an abundant shoreline well stocked with fish and shellfish. Eating was a pleasure. In Lisbon, I wandered into A Nossa Churrasqueira in the Alfama district. Lunch included a half chicken cooked over live coals, served with rice, french fries, and olives. A mixed salad, composed of green leaf and cress, sweet onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes, is liberally oiled and salted. The bread is crusty, the crumb light, the cheese – quetjo fresco. A glass of house white. A small espresso down the block at a cyber café. Everywhere, the coffee is espresso, and very good. Served in china – no paper here. Also, a stop at Pastelaria Centro Ideal de Graca for some sweet and savory pastries for later. (Since they didn’t acknowledge speaking English, I gave up on trying to say hello from our musician in New York.) Another day, more pastry – Pasteis de Belem for uma bica (small coffee) and the famous egg custard tarts. I preferred the ones yesterday – slightly caramelized on top rather than dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Dinner at O Fumerio just off the main boulevard and the anti-war protest march. Red wine Vinho Regional Alentejano “Charneco” 1999. Smooth and fairly light. There is fresh crusty bread along with house made mild white cheese, and gooey stinky cheese, sliced smoked meats, and feijoada – beans and greens topped with a wild assortment of cured meats, ham hocks, blood sausage, garlic sausage, spicy sausage, and I’m guessing, tripe. Woke in the night to a 15 minute display of fireworks – end of football season, I am told. In Sintra, there is more pastry, including an odd, not too sweet cheese tart that is a specialty of the area (and sold at the airport as well!) I am amazed at the kitchens in the old palaces, but eat out of desperation at a Chinese restaurant. The sizzling prawns and rice are actually pretty good. In Coimbra, at Adega Funchal, I finally have caldo verde (very green kale/cabbage soup with smokey sausage slices) and bacalao (dried salt cod, soaked and in this case, fried), served a with salad composed of beans, eggs, onions, and olives dressed with oil and vinegar, and white wine Dao Nelus Colheita 1999, also, more wonderful crusty bread and a country cheese made from sheep, cow and goat milk. For dessert, there is a caramel cake – two layers of deep golden cake, a filling tasting like butterscotch cream, and a lovely deep golden brown topping of chilled caramel topped with chopped nuts. In many store windows, you will see candied nuts – sweet, but with a little kick, marzipan in many shapes and colors, cocoa dusted almonds, licorce, sugared almonds, stuffed dates, and more. The local pastry special is “Tentugal” – flakey pastry logs with an orangey/yellow filling, fairly dry and not too sweet. I come to learn this is some variation on the theme of “egg yolks and sugar”. Another dinner in Coimbra at Restaurant Giro. Bread, cheese, a red wine “Brasinha” Adega Cooperative de Vilarinho do Bairro Anadia, salada mista, and a mixed kabob brasa (gilled). The bread has a slightly toasty flavor, the salad of lettuce, shredded carrots, tomato and onion is redundant to that served with the kabob (along with rice and fries!). The kabob has slices of onion, green pepper, and carrot as well as a variety of tender chunks of meat. Dinner in Porto – Restaurant Viuva. A glass of house red, bread, pork chunks grilled and served with rice and fries and a salad. The pork is tender and flavorful, though quite salty and peppery. This dinner, with tip 5 Euros. A train ride out to see the port vineyards (not exactly the right season for this!) End of the line is Mirandela. Half the stores in town have huge displays of presunto and sausage hanging in their windows! Nothing more alluring than eating small sandwiches made of crisp light bread and freshly sliced presunto! Late dinner back in Porto at A Tasquinha. They charmed me with wholemeal and fluffy white bread (I turned down a beautiful plate of presunto, olives and small fritters), two mackerels served with the heads on, along with roasted potatoes, rice, and salad. House white Adega Cooperative de Santa Marta de Penaguia vinho regional Terras Durienses, Caves Santa Marta. For dessert, she makes me a plate with 4 slender slices of their beautiful cakes – a fruit/sponge, a specialty of the Douro – dense with almond, a multi-layered biscuit with liquid chocolate and egg white, and a something else –notes are failing me – served with a glass of Dona Antonia reserva pessoal port by Ferreira. Followed by a basket of fresh walnuts. All the cakes are remarkably light, yet creamy. A last meal in Porto at a little café Confeit Barbarella. Fried egg (such an orange color yolk), salad, rice, fries, bread, and sausage Mirandela – it is poultry (?), but deep fried! Good thing the streets are hilly and my days of walking are long! Next installment – the Algarve.

Thanks for the recommendation on Mela. I was put off by the fact that they advertise in the tourist guide / Welcome to London distributed by the TI, but it was close to the hotel and theater so I went anyway. Ate there last Monday evening on a stopover in London. The silky paneer with spinach in a tomato sauce was just right, with naan, of course. The masala tea comforted me. If only I had more of an appetite - or others to share with! What a bright and cheery place. And I left with a complimentary gift (are all gifts complimentary?) of a set of bracelets. What do they give the boys? Only other meal was a roasted butternut squash, rocket, roasted peppers, toasted pine nut, goat cheese salad with pesto, at Riviera. That was quite good as well. (Recovering from fish/meat/wine overload of the past 2 1/2 weeks.) Ah, London.

Boa tarde! Just back, thanks for asking. I need to cull some highlights from my notes and will post. Food and wine were very good, plentiful, and inexpensive. Missed so much, but managed to try an awful lot too. Traversed from Oporto (and Mirandela) to Coimbra, Lisboa (and Sintra), and Tavira, Querenca, Lagos, and Sangres. Saude!

Welcome Dave, Be a little careful with all the coffee grounds. I've seen gardeners overdo it and get poor results. Not sure exactly what happened - maybe they are too high in acid or nitrogen eating or something? My favas are 18-24" tall, with flowers starting to appear - overwintered - no cover - here in Seattle. Mustards are starting to bolt! And don't the slugs love those budding mustard flowers? I separated out the kale and chard a couple of weeks ago, and they are starting to beef up. Still waiting to see if any of the peas will come up (or maybe the birds and slugs have been helping themselves?) Planting potatoes for St Paddy's Day.

Nah, I'm just running low of vocabulary brain cells today.

Sorry, as much as I like the idea of the Ark and Shoalwater, I ate at both last year and was not impressed at all. Stopped in at both last month and was overwhelmed with the scent of restroom cleaner and underwhelmed by the lack of hospitality. Didn't bother to try the food at either thist visit. (I did enjoy both of them about 6 or 7 years ago.)

Went to Brasa - the main menu has changed and there were some really great sounding things - but the 25 for $25 was good enough. Had pumpkin polenta with truffle oil - yum (I could even taste the truffle flavor!) Lamb tagine with panir - yum, yum. Caramel Profiteroles for dessert - what, no chocolate? Just kidding, they (two) were good. Intrigued by a new starter - quail on chocolate polenta...

I'm so glad you responded, though this wasn't my post. I'm headed to Portugal soon. Will be in Lisbon and area, as well as Porto, and places in between. Big city recommendations? (I'll be in the Algarve too, but under someone else's planning.) Some time, wherever the wind (and public transportation) takes me - so any must sees/eats? Moderate (not necessarily cheap) preferred, but $$$ for the real deal. Thanks!

Thems fighting words, especially if you tell it like it is - vegan donuts! (Not that I care, since all of 'em are wasted on me.)

You might want to call first - I looked in on Feb. 20 and they were not even close to done with construction - I would guess a month away easily. Majorly dissapointed.

Absolutely not, but the place feels like you should dress up. A year or so ago, they attempted to make the place less formal. Not sure they succeeded, but I went in casual clothes and no eyebrows were raised. The food was very good, the place - spacious. I think it would be a hoot to take a rowdy crowd in and liven up the place...so have fun.

With a warm winter, and a typically mild climate anyway, the daffodils in the yard, and all about town are already blooming. The ornamental cherries are pink, white, fluffy and fragrant. Trilliums are poking their noses up out of the ground while clematis is perfuming the air. The overwintering greens - arugula, mustards, chard and kale are starting to fill out, while peas, planted for President's Day (or soon thereafter) are sprouting. Blueberry and raspberry plants are budding, as is the kiwi and the fig. And soon, I ( the human rototiller) will be turning the cover crops into the soil, preparing the soil for another summer season of tomatoes, beans, potatoes, squash and corn (and other crops that decide to bless me with their presence.) Happy spring dreaming to all gardeners.

Don't you need to footnote that?

Friend and I hit Etta's for lunch. Saw Ms. T.D. running around keeping an eye on things. Room seems bright - maybe the sun coming out, or fresh paint? Such a steal! Squid appetizer with green olive tapenade. You could tell these were seafood, thick rings lightly battered, not chewy -vs- Ham hock and black bean soup with a green salsa (tomatillo?) that was smokey and rich. Pureed. Salmon with spinach, blood oranges, cornbread pudding (?). A fine and rich piece of fish, "rubbed with love" -vs- linguine with clams and pancetta (yum, bacon.) A tureen of rubarb crisp with marscapone (hmm, didn't get a taste) -vs- the famous coconut cream pie (and a big ol' generous portion of it.) If you've never been or thought it was just for tourists, I'd say, give it a whirl.

Similar menu this round - there are 4 entrees (the fourth being a baked crab dish) and two desserts (the second being a shiso sorbet). I had the same dishes as tighe (the cod and the ginger ice cream). Enjoyed it all and was quite full. They offered hot tea and rice gratis as well. The chocolate orange cookie was made by "Roccoco" (?) that I had read about but not tried. It was good, but I think I can make better. I liked the simple elegance of the room, the very welcoming service, and the interesting mix of diners - from vocal toddlers to old money elders. The fish in the sushi case looked outstanding - the fattiest tuna I've ever seen. And some of the creations looked amazing - rainbow rolls, cones with tempura shrimp, and so on.