tsquare

Ode to Waring: Mine is 53 years old, inherited from my parents wedding! Chrome base still shines, original ribbon glass jar and black lid, two speed is all she needs, and dinged up blades still do the job. I was able to find replacement sleeves for the pronges on the base last year, so it sits nice and tight.

Definitely will be planting, but may not start seeds before mid-April, which means buying tomato and pepper starts this year. Seattle Tilth Sale is a good place to buy interesting organic and heirloom starts...probably late April or early May. A fun place to buy seeds is at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show - Territorial Seeds brings a much wider selection than I've found in town. Somehow, I never manage to mail-order. Other seeds too, but I lose control at TS.

I'll second that.

A balmy Saturday night brought in the first dinner in February. Walking into Belltown, I passed beneath a young man playing guitar and singing softly from the balcony of one of the new apartment buildings along 2nd Avenue. Even the slightly unsavory characters hanging out in darkened doorways were in good moods, calling out “Good evening” to passerbys. Zoe had seated my dining companions. We selected a glass of wine and a split of French champagne to sip as we decided on our menu. After some descriptive assistance from the enthusiastic server, we ordered a house signature item of Grilled romaine salad with bacon and apples, and a ravioli appetizer stuffed with winter squash and marscapone, topped with hazelnuts, crumbled amaretti, and a balsamic reduction. The romaine was smoky and warm (and delicious), the bacon and apple didn’t seem to quite meld into the dish. The ravioli (one very large one) was tender and creamy – as good a case for pasta as any I’ve tasted in a long while. Entrees selected were seared sea scallops with parsnip flan, grilled yellowfin tuna (served rare) with couscous, eggplant, and chutney, and veal cheeks served with spatzele and pea vines. The sides were tremendous, flavors bright, quality top notch. The mains were excellent as well. Portions were ample without being indulgent, plating was attractive though not fussy. For dessert, we split a rustic pear tart with vanilla ice cream, a special that evening substituting for a winter bread pudding. The tart was picture perfect in a homey way, the crust buttery and tender. Pacing for our dinner was well handled (we mentioned an 8:oo engagement). The room was comfortable in temperature and sound level, with music functioning well as white noise. The room is quite pleasant, though somehow, there isn’t a great table that I could identify, none seemed particularly bad either. The window tables are nice – out of any traffic – but look out onto a still rough stretch of Belltown. We thought the dinner was quite good and look forward to returning to try other menu items.

Did you see they have red ones shaped like hearts for V-day?

So it's an unseasonable warm January - well, it was. Gelatiamo has just brought back Blood Orange gelato. A soft pink color tasting something like a cross between orange and grapefruit. Amaretto's back too!

Harbor Place - sign on the door says to watch for their reopening! Someone should open a restaurant there called "The Black Hole", or maybe "The Bermuda Triangle"? Actually, that wouldn't be such a bad idea what with the giant rooftop patio and the western sun exposure.

Wandered past Il Fornaio today - they are advertising free pizza and antipasti from 4:30-6:30. Free food.

Market Street Grill, in Ballard, has added a 5-7 pm and after 10 pm "happy hour" for food & beer. Popcorn shrimp, chicken wings, fried calamari, mussels, burger, or bruschetta for $3-6, and tap beers $2. Every mussel in the bowl was presented belly up, plump and perfect, with a light seafood and saffron reduction, topped with fried leeks. The bread has a crunchy coat of corse salt - great for mopping up the broth. Their chef, John-Paul Kunselman, was formerly the saucier at Rovers. On the full menu, interesting appetizer menu (fois gras and sweetbread club sandwich!), pastry chef on board (didn't write down the name) and some lovely pairings of sides and entrees (such as duck breast with carmelized pear & turnip, peavine, blood orange reduction - $19). Closed on Sundays. Great to combine with a movie at The Majestic Bay.

Thank you all! Looking through some cookbooks/tourbooks, I'm anticipating a fine time and great food.

Finally, a trip to Portugal in the works. A week in the Algarve is fairly well planned, but there is another week or so to enjoy Lisbon and the area, and Porto, if all goes well. Food, restaurant, and lodging recommendations for early spring most appreciated! I'm anticipating lots of wine, port, sausage, seafood, caldo verde, and cream cakes. Getting a book (or two) on Portugese cooking this weekend, to get a better idea of what to expect. Thanks!

And all those crinkles are great for storing aphids! This stuff grew well here in the PNW last summer, but one of the bugiest kales I've tried to grow. Something of a problem with all of them. No problem with chard (or at least only very minor.) Tried Safer Soap, washing well hand removal...maybe we just need a good freeze.

Not watching it, but snacks...I'd make a big batch of stove top candied nuts (I think walnuts may be even better than the almonds in the original recipe) flavored with cumin, orange peel, and red chili flakes. Original recipe in The Hay Day Country Market Cookbook. These are sooo good.

Wow! Missed that last reply! And now, Hiram's.

I've also had it as a special at Matt's in the Market, and it's on the current menu at Stumbling Goat (I thought it was very good last year - if slightly lighter than other versions.) Went to a lunch class at Brasa and helped make it - and then ate a bunch, with wine and dessert! We didn't eat what we made...the staff did! We got the good stuff. Good entree to split - helps keep the boredom factor down, if it becomes too much of a good thing. I'll get to Cassis one of these days...

Thought this was an excellent beginning of a story worthy of national attention - may need more hard facts? All about 3 restaurant chefs "taking over" food service at UW. The writer is also the chef at an environmental learning center catering to 4th and 5th grade students. http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/...y=greg+atkinson

okay, but the same holds true for unpaid positions in all these "professions." Doctors intern (I realize at some point they get paid, but part of it is during schooling), lawyers clerk (maybe always paid?), architects intern, typically during schooling, to get experience, very frequently without pay, especially in high profile offices. Not that I think it is right, but it exists. Some well known architects have been known to run their offices with free labor. Is there a difference here?

And so pro bono professional services are? (Medical, legal, etc.) Being a dumb volunteer for numerous social and cultural organizations, I disagree. Less often, but on occassion, I have provided pro bono professional services (architecture related, you wags) for both benefit to the client and to my resume. Does this differ? The question of liability is the only downside - and making sure you aren't being taken advantage of - agreeing to only as much as you are comfortable giving away.

I made my first oxtail stew - long time cookin' in the oven after a quick start atop. Lightly floured and browned in olive oil, sauced with homemade chicken stock, red wine, garlic and herbs. After awhile, added home grown potatoes and fresh carrots. Late in the roasting, fresh mushrooms and celery. It was very good and great for a frosty night or two. A lovely loaf of Perrin bread - fig, walnut, and pear in a wheat loaf - from a local bakery. Also, tangerine gelatin! (Too much fresh juice in the house going to waste.)

Sea Salt- try Chef Shop's store/warehouse (they have a tasting bar!) or the spice shop on Western, north of the hillclimb. Probably The Spanish Table too. And no doubt, Larry's and Admiral Thriftway.

Just received these as a gift: dash = 1/8 teaspoon pinch = 1/16 teaspoon smidgen = 1/32 teaspoon That's definitive according to Restoration Hardware.

Just picked up a blackened (lightly) halibut sandwich with cole slaw (fresh and tasty) from the Market Grill in the market, across from Uli's sausage place. For a bit under $9, you can have fresh grilled salmon, halibut, prawns, cod, or chicken in a sandwich or on a plate with rice or salad. There are 8-10 stools at the counter, lots of people watching, and chowder. House made tarter sauce or rosemary mayo too. Starting to rely on this place for one of my weekly fish intakes.

When the Seattle scene was blistering hot, the new restaurants identified their pastry chefs on their menus. It was exciting to see what they were creating, and sometimes amazingly good to eat those creations. As the economy cooled, the pastry chefs were let go. For awhile, the same desserts stayed on the menus, though the quality started to erode. Now, it seems like most of these places (not all) have simplified their offerings. Lots of variations in house made ice creams - some wonderful flavors - accompanied by a sweet bite of something else, like warmed fruit or cookies. Rounding out the menus are fresh fruit pies/crisps, lemon tarts, the occassional cake, or the ever popular gooey chocoalte molten soft center mini cake. I still like to look, but am less likely to save room for dessert. For entrees and desserts - I prefer to order things I am less likely to make at home. Gives me a reputation for ordering the weirdest thing on the menu, but I am more selective than that these days.

A bit self serving? Anyway - have you all forgotten Amazon's menus on line (not necessarily completely up to date): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-h...6717947-4240639

The Bungalow Wine Bar in Wallingford has called it quits.