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malarkey

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Posts posted by malarkey

  1. Just want to add we just had a fabulous dinner last night at Boat St.

    We started with a half bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, in fact the last bottle poured off a cask they'd gotten for the Thursday night 'est arrivé' party.

    Apps were a special pork pâté that really was great. It was a chunky country style and the flavor was wonderful. We also had the arugula, pear, walnut & Bleu d'Auvergne salad: people, get this if you are going soon. the flavors were incredible. I've never had a better blue cheese than this one.

    Entreés were the poussin, and yes little miss foodie is right, the sauce is to die for. We also had the savory flan which happened to be Leek last night. These things are SO good, no matter what is in them. Also on the table: Shrimp done in a sort of diavolo sauce, crispy, spicy, and came with a baguette spread with goat cheese crottin that had been toasted under the broiler. yum.

    But the killer combination on the table was the pork belly with romesco sauce and sweet pickled onions. The flavor created by having all these in one bite was just stunning.

    We had a bottle of red with all this, and to tell you the truth, the only thing I remember is that it was french :raz: but it was lovely.

    chocolate pot de creme for dessert, panna cotta with blackberries and of course, how-can-you-leave-without-it: the amaretto bread pudding. :wub:

  2. Oooo- Just had The Last Caprese myself last night.

    For some reason, my local grocery store carried lovely ripe heirlooms up until yesterday. Then, they vanished, overnight. I had two left over last night, and happened to have some leftover buffalo mozz from the caprese I had over the weekend :rolleyes:

    ... picked up some fresh basil at the store and voila, my Last Caprese of the year. I even contemplated the last bite of tomato for a few seconds, realizing that it would likely be next July or even August before that flavor crosses my tongue again.

  3. I was most impressed by the spectacular pastry/confectionery department--desserts, many marked "baked in house," that are a step above what I've seen at other WF stores (at least in appearance; I haven't tasted any yet),

    The Morning Roll and the Pecan Sticky Bun. Yum!

  4. There was a new vendor at the U-District market today selling duck eggs, which were unfortunately sold out by the time I got there. Sea Breeze Farm, from Vashon. 

    Ling, if you are into eggs, you GOTTA try the duck eggs from Sea Breeze Farm. They are (gasp!) $8 a dozen, but good god they are fabulous. Rich, huge orange yolks. The last dozen I bought were so big the carton wouldn't close. Fry 'em up in a bit of duck fat and drizzle them with white truffle oil :wub:

  5. We have many good markets here in Seattle, most notably Pike Place Market, home not only to many amazing fish, meat, fruit & veggie vendors, but also to more than a few lovely eateries with some fantastic views thrown in for good measure.

    We also have several Metropolitan Markets (formerly Queen Anne Thriftway) and the now demised and may they RIP Larry's Markets. But we also have huge asian markets (both Central Market and Uwajimaya) AND we also have the wholesale places that happen to have retail outlets: Mutual Fish and Pacific Food Importers. The importance of these last two can not be overstated :cool:

    Not to mention our own little Carniceria El Paisano, a mexican meat & grocery market, selling the most amazing chiccarones! And we can't forget World Spice, where you can find any and all of the freshest spice & herb mixtures; and our beautiful bevy of farmer's markets, some of which run year round.

    Interestingly enough, when I go to prepare a special meal, I still end up making multiple stops to find all the ingredients... but somehow, I don't mind, and I do think that's part of the joy of it all.

  6. I too have made the quiche recipe twice now in a springform pan with no leakage. I am rolling fairly thick, but really about 1/4 inch and not more.

    Guess I've been lucky! I love how silky soft and custardy it is. I will NEVER eat a hard-scrambled egg type of quiche again.

    My only problem is I can't seem to keep my ingredients from floating to the top during cooking. I'm talking about the florentine version.

    I need to make the lorraine. damn, it looks so good.

  7. Welcome to Seattle, LDLee. Do post about your experiences once you are back.

    I personally would switch out Wild Ginger and Chez Shea, but they, that's me.

    I think I'd put Lark and Le Pichet into those slots :-)

    Herb Farm has a format that many, MANY people have complained about on this board. However, I'll bet you will NOT be disappointed in the food. At least, I never have been. I've had dishes there that still live in my memory...

  8. There are a lot of people who have not been exposed to "dining", and don't have a lot of money, who confronted with a strange city may just opt for Burger King because it is familiar. Even with the tourism shows, she is promoting trying something new. That can't be all bad.

    This is a good point. I haven't watched all her shows, but the ones I've seen she does go to locally owned restaurants, thus giving them national exposure. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, has she ever promoted a national chain on $40 a Day or Tasty Travels?

    in fact, I would consider the person who can appreciate BK as well as Ducasse to be a true gourmand!!! Certainly a cut above those snobs who can't enjoy a tasty burger once in a while!

    Well, that would be me, :rolleyes: however, I wouldn't put BK at the top of my "burger" list. I do tend to avoid national chains, preferring to support the local economy by finding the down-home diner or roadhouse.

    Really, it's her persona that bugs me. The giggling is awful, the cutesy perky thing is awful. Just not my style. Plus, I'm interested in more serious cooking. I'm just not in her demographic.

  9. i'm planning on icing my pumpkin cake with burnt sugar icing.  i just attempted to make the burnt sugar syrup (1/2 cup sugar & water) after i melted the sugar in the pot i added the water and cooked till all the sugar melted (a few minutes).  then i poured it into a bowl to cool.  well i just went to "pour" my syrup and its hard.  did i cook it too long after i added the water or not long enough?  thanks so much.

    I've made this before and there's a really fine line of when its just right and when it will turn into a rock. LOL ~Also, I think you should have iced your cake immediately when the frosting was done (and still warm).

  10. The reports I've heard so far indicate that Szechuan Chef is either exactly as good, or not quite as good, as 7 Stars. I'd love to hear other opinions-any dishes you think SC does better than 7SP? Anything they do that 7SP doesn't? I just don't want to make the drive to the Eastside unless I know it's worth it.

    It's worth it. Last time I ate there it was knocked OUT.

  11. Wow! You've set to cooking right away! As you've noticed, we're having a bit of a respite from the dreary fall weather. I was really hoping this would happen, as this is what a Seattle fall is SUPPOSED to be like. Warm golden sunlight.. the trees turning... Luckily, the farmer's markets all keep going for quite some time, and some even go year round. You'll find more crafts than veggies in the winter, but there is always something interesting going on.

    Have you made it to Ballard Farmer's Market yet? A vendor there is making crostini with toppings for small snacks and they are divine! As we get deeper into fall you'll see heavier greens galore: chard, kale, mustard, all wonderful for braising or sautéing. I even had a grilled kale at Vij's once that was killer-good but I have NOT been able to duplicate that one at home!

  12. There is an annual festival in Yakima celebrating fresh hops, called, unsurprisingly, the Fresh Hop Festival.  This year it takes place on October 7.

    Oh gee, look, Sierra Nevada won first place two years in a row. What a surprise :raz:

    Interestingly, while they are extremely hoppy, the flavor of fresh hops is quite different from that of dry hops. The beers made with them often have a mellower, herbaceous, grassy, and floral hop flavor instead of the biting citrus or pine character associated with dry hops.

    gawd, I so love that flavor. Um, anyone from Seattle going over for this??

  13. On the Bond Street series web page, under the announcement of the Pilsner, it sez, "Next up, HOP TRIP - A Fresh Hop Pale Ale!"

    We tried the Lagunitas Zappa tribute beer, Freak Out! last night.  It's a great, complex, piney West Coast IPA. 

    Ohhh good news indeed. These are now on my list and a trip to Bottleworks is impending. I have a bottle of the 18th Anniversary Pils but haven't opened it yet.. last night: Twilight Ale, as the summer starts to fade...

  14. I've read this thread with the various opinions of Canlis, but maybe someone can tell me if it's right for this situation:

    We're looking to have a small (4 person) celebratory dinner. Cost isn't really an issue (though we are treating, and we're off the Paris and Provence the next morning and the less we spend on dinner here, the more we can spend there...) We will be dressed up and definitely want this to feel like an event. One member of our group is a very fussy eater (the type of woman who lives on chicken breasts). The two men like all food but to quote one of them "I'm so over small plates." My own 1st choice might be Mistral-I haven't eaten there but have been tormented by Henry and Ling's posts, but maybe I should save that for a time when it's just me and the mr. and it's more about the food than the celebration. I'm thinking Canlis will make us all happy, and I did grow up here and have never been.

    Comments? Is Canlis our place?

    Actually I would say 'yes' but mainly because you will have picky eaters in tow. The "chicken breast" eater and the "no small plates" guy will not appreciate Mistral. I think Canlis will be right up their alley.

  15. Interesting that everyone just assumes that IC#1 is Lorna and IC#2 is Henry, without actual confirmation from either one of them. And then, Renka says this:

    Lorna and Henry,

    Even though I know who made what . . . (ha ha, maybe Iron Chef #1 did her research . . .

    ...which is a strong indicator of who IC#1 is!

    Plus the other giveaway was Lorna commenting that the peach "foie" idea was actually a Ferran Adria recipe, which of course, is her way of outing Henry's originality LOL :rolleyes:

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