Blue Heron

I'm surprised to say that Kau Kau is the only place I've checked out for take out Chinese barbequed pork & duck (their five spice chicken is also very good), so I'm not sure if it's 'the' best, but it sure is good, and cheap. I found out about it early on (maybe 15 years ago). I've never eaten in the restaurant part, always bought from the take out window inside. He chops it up in front of you and packs it to go. The extra five-spice(?) sauce in the little pastic cup is really good, too. I'd love to get the recipe for that. I have fond memories of Shea stadium, as that's where I had my first legal beer at age 18 (and I kept the plastic cup as a souvenier through my youth). It would be another 3 years before I had another legal drink, in WA state. col klink, I think I read Seattle Supersmoke smoked poultry/meats is at Safeco field. Did you see them? For those of you that eat peanuts at the stadium... do you throw the shells on the floor like everyone else, or do you pack them to throw away? I can't imagine throwing shells on the floor. It must feel quite liberating as long as it's ok? Is it ok or do people just do it? ps... Is THE "peanut man" (I forget his name) still there tossing peanuts? He's such a nice guy. I knew him tossing peanuts maybe 15 years ago at the Kingdome.

col klink, sorry I can't help you out with food suggestions, as I haven't been to a Mariner game in years. However, Mr. Heron has taken me on a couple of tours (when the stadium was empty) as his engineering co. designed Safeco Field, and he helped design the retractable roof. If you see those shiny diagonal dampers (shock absorbers) on the roof, those are his design. He also had some equipment set up in the control room, so I got to see the amazing array of switches and panels that control the stadium lights, roof and who knows what else (and I controlled any impulses to operate any of them :p ) If I were to go to a game, I think I would try your idea of stopping for a banh mi on the way, or maybe some of Kau Kau's take out barbeque pork or duck in the International District. If you try anything, let us know how it was.

I remember mamster saying that the bahn mi place shares the same parking lot as the market that I said sells cartons of pork blood. Now if I could just remember the name of the market that sells the pork blood, we could look up the address...was is Viet Wah, or Than Brothers or something else?

I never thought about it before this thread, but most of my favorite Mother Goose stories & rhymes had to do with food (maybe because many children's rhyme's involve food?). ie. Five Little Piggies (this little piggie went to market), Old Mother Hubbard, Little Miss Muffet (I always used to wonder what curds & whey was), Sing a Song of Sixpence a pocket full of rye, four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie... Georgie Porgie Pudding & Pie, Peas Porridge Hot, Little Jack Horner sticking his thumb in his Christmas pie and pulling out a plum, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, even old Pat-a-Cake. No wonder I grew up to be food obsessed. :D One food story I liked as a kid was the one about Nail Soup, where the fellow came to the house of a cranky old woman and asked for some food, and she said she didn't have any, so the man told her he would make her a soup from an old nail he had, and then tricked her into adding potatoes, carrots and a little meat, to make it a tasty soup... a memorable food image of mine.

Of particular interest to Ellen, for when you arrive in Seattle....Seattle has one of the few (if not the only) real Sherpa restaurant in the USA. It's called Himalayan Sherpa Restaurant, 4214 University Way, Seattle, specializing in Nepalese, Sherpa, Tibetan, Bhutanese & Indian Cuisine. It is owned and operated by A.C. Sherpa, from eastern Nepal, who is related to a Sherpa who accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary on his historic climb to the top of Mt. Everest. In addition to his restaurant, A.C. Sherpa is an expert climber and has a trekking business (Bill Gates has hiked with him). To see his menu, which includes Momo dumplings & other traditional food click:Himalayan Sherpa Restaurant I haven't eaten there before, but the Seattle PI gave it 2 1/2 stars in 1999. If you don't have time to eat there, you might like to stop by and say hello anyway, and have at least a Momo! :) If you would like to read more (a short article) about A.C. (Ang Chhira) Sherpa, who I believe is also writing a book, and producing a film about sherpa life, click: A.C. Sherpa I have heard mamster is coordinating a get together for when you are in Seattle...I (and the rest of the NW group) will look forward to meeting you! Have a great trip! (edit was a typo).

Jinmyo, what are some examples of things you par cook earlier for finishing in the evening? I would like to do more of that myself, to make it easier when it comes to putting the dinner together, especially for when having company over.

I have a practical question that I'd like to get your opinion on. I would like to bring a potato side dish, such as Scalloped Potatoes, Potatoes Dauphinois, Potatoes Savoyarde, or other gratin type dish to our family Easter dinner. Is there a technique that would work well for making it ahead and reheating it successfully (without drying out)? Could I assemble ahead, and then bake there, or partially bake at home and finish baking there, or would it be best to fully bake at home and then reheat? Or would this type of dish not lend well to making ahead and is there something you could suggest that might work better for a make ahead dish? How do restaurants handle this type of 'make ahead' issue? Thanks!

I was just reading about "Oyster Bob" Skinner and his crew from Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House attending this year's Oyster Olympics! Here is the link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html....25.html

Tonight is the 13th Annual Oyster Olympics at Anthony's Homeport Shilshore Bay, Seattle. Have any of you been before? I went a few years ago, complements of my nice next door neighbor who gave me tickets (tickets are $75, not cheap, but it's a benefit for Puget Soundkeepers who keep our Puget Sound waters clean). If you like oysters, you'll enjoy sampling freshly shucked on the spot oysters from the more than a dozen different oyster growers represented. It's really an oyster on the half shell tasting (plus wine, and more). One notices the different brininess of the various waters they come from, some a little more mineral tasting, some more salty, some sweeter. I remember I liked the kumomoto and olympia the best (alas I can't go this year). For more details, see: Oyster Olympics On another note, does anyone have a favorite oyster restaurant in the northwest? I've been wanting to go to Xinh's Clam & Oyster House in Shelton, WA. Xinh is a champion oyster shucker and does oysters & other seafood with an asian twist. Xinh's Clam & Oyster House Who's got good pan fried oysters? Or does anyone have any oyster stories worth sharing?

I just called Costco to refresh my memory. The brand name was Ready Crisp fully cooked bacon (so there is still hope that Hormel will be ok). I heated it up according to pkg directions (I forget if I microwaved it or pan fried, it was actually more like last summer when I tried this) and served it for b-fast with fried eggs and toast. I'm a real bacon lover normally....thin, thick, crispy, limp, maple, smoked, peppered, I've even eaten turkey bacon in the past. I've also eaten hospital cafeteria bacon, and bacon bits from the jar. Ready Crisp bacon might be the worst of any bacon product I've tried. The off tasting chemical flavor was perhaps their version of smokiness? If you try some, let us know how you like it! As an alternative snack for travelling, you could also try beef jerkey, or landjaeger.

It was such a bad experience that I've pretty much blocked the memory, but as I recall the problem was that it had an artificial (chemical) taste to it and didn't taste like normal bacon (maybe similar to the difference between real popcorn and microwave pop corn, although I will eat microwave popcorn on occasion). I think it's a problem in the processing of it. It didn't have the right mouth feel to it either. I remember wondering to myself if I could maybe salvage the rest of the package(s) by using it in BLT sandwiches, and then deciding that the BLT would not disguise the artificial flavor to my satisfaction. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has tried this product and their thoughts...maybe it's just me (and hubby) that didn't like it.

I really love bacon. A couple of months ago I bought a large box (I think it comes in a dbl pkg) of precooked bacon from Costco (I forget the brand name). It's a bacon that doesn't need refrigeration and sits on the shelf, and sounds like what you are describing. I thought...what a great idea. Anyway, it wasn't very good. In fact it was really awful. I would not recommend it. We ate 2 slices and either threw the rest out or gave it away. ps.. glad to see the site back up again :)

I haven't seen the book, but I did try her recipe for Roasted Cabbage yesterday for St. Patrick's day. It was pretty tasty, but was not as good as the Roasted Cauliflower. If I make it again, I would cut the dill in half, and roast it an additional 5-10 minutes, also maybe experiment with 1/2 butter, 1/2 olive oil instead of all butter. It turned out better than I expected though, and was nice for a change.

girlchow's comments on this new restaurant really piqued my interest, so imagine my surprise when I did a quick google check on Seastar Bellevue, and the following excellent, extremely well written article popped up: Seastar article from Eastside Journal The raw bar idea sounds fantastic as well as the $10 lunch deal! girlchow, please keep us posted! Thanks!

Could it be that the Alaska King salmon season begins with the Copper River King, beginning mid-late May, and the Copper River Salmon season begins with the Sockeye mid May (so there could be some overlap)?

This is so interesting! I always thought all these years that the King salmon had the most fat and flavor, and that the Sockeye, while being prettier (more red) was not quite as flavorful, had less fat, and was more for the tourists. Either it's a subjective sort of thing, or I haven't given the Sockeye it's due respect! And same goes for smoked salmon, I always thought King makes the best, and that people buy Sockeye for the color, although it's more dry. That said I like both Copper River Sockeye & King, as well as the white King (where ever that comes from). I basically like all wild king, from wherever. I love Steven Shaw's idea of having the Copper River salmon RAW, gosh that sounds good, as in sashimi, especially since it's my belief that what makes the CRS so premier is the care they take in processing it so quickly, which makes for a fresher and tasty fish. I have also heard how wonderful the Yukon River salmon is, but don't believe I've had the pleasure yet to try it. I really miss my old seafood guy at Safeway (who has since moved to another Safeway). He knew me as a regular at his seafood counter, and would occasionally give me free stuff to try out. Most memorable was a couple large thick steaks of first of the season Copper River Salmon he gave me to try out, another time 2 large wild white King salmon steaks. Both were delicious. I sure miss him, did I say that already? My worst salmon experience was at The Admiral Thriftway. They had flash frozen wild King on sale, but the main seafood guy tried to substitute Chum salmon in it's place. I told him I knew the difference between King and Chum, and refused to buy any seafood of any type from then on (& that's probably why I got to know the guy at Safeway so well!). Fortunately, the offending seafood man at Thriftway is gone now, so I can buy from them once again, albeit cautiously. I think one of my best salmon tastes was actually a fresh caught steelhead (salmon-trout) that my brother's friend caught and gave to me. I don't know why, but I have never forgotten the wonderful flavor of that wild steelhead.

I'm curious if anyone has an opinion on the Copper River Salmon? Do you think it has the best flavor, or do you think it's all marketing hype? What are your salmon preferences? What do you think of flash frozen salmon?

Just in time for St. Patrick's day... I came across a recipe for Dilled Roasted Cabbage today in the Seattle Times. It comes from From "The Roasted Vegetable" by Andrea Chesman. Here is the link: Dilled Roasted Cabbage

My husband's favorite Seattle bread is the Grand Central Bakery Campagnolo, so that's what I usually buy. I love their Como, which is even better toasted. I had no idea they had stores in Portland, too, or about those other items they carry in Portland. The cheese rolls sound really good! I never get to their bakery in Pioneer Square either. I buy their bread at the grocery store. For anyone intersted in architecture, as a side note only, Mrs. Bassetti, the founder of Grand Central Bakery, is the wife of well respected architect Frank Bassetti, founder of Bassetti Architects located in Seattle, Wa. I met him once, he's a pleasant fellow! These are their numerous projects (which include Gateway Tower, Seattle City Hall, Redmond Library: Bassetti Architects

I have to admit I'm also a fan of Washington wines, however, I'm biased of course! oops, I have wandered your thread off topic...ok, back to wine writer's guides... good luck on your quest!

ckbklady, I just had that feeling that you might be from Canada, and now you have confirmed my hunch (I spent 5 of my formative years in Kamloops). Do you ever go wine tasting in the BC Okanagon? Any favorite wineries or BC wines? I've been on one wine tasting vacation in the Penticton area, and look forward to a return trip.

I've never had geoduck in a raw or stir fry presentation, but have had them numerous times as pan fried cutlets or pan fried geoduck strips, so to speak. This is a true delicacy! They are pounded, cut, breaded and then pan fried in oil/butter. (somewhat similar to pan fried razor clams only sweeter, I think, more like how I used to remember abalone tasted, although it's been years since I had abalone). Our family is fortunate to share a beach with Taylor Shellfish Farms (they are the largest producer of clams on the west coast) See article: Farming the Tidelands near Shelton, WA, and we have sometimes been the recipient of the generosity of the shellfish growers when they are harvesting. They are growing geoducks by the thousands in several little inlets in Puget Sound, including the one where our beach house is located. Up until about 4-5 years ago they grew oysters on our beach, but have switched to a more profitable business of Geoduck's. (note: they still grow oysters on the other beaches, as well as mussels, manila clams, scallops & crabs, but our particular beach just has the geoducks, and a few wayward oysters also remain). We have also had the experience of digging a natural growing geoduck one time. It was buried in a mix of sand/clay. It was really hard work digging that one up, and then when we fried him up, he tasted of the clay he had been buried in all those years. That's not an experience we will repeat! The farmed ones taste MUCH better!

Absolutely! (just incase he reads this!).

This is also my husband's favorite leftover. He loves any kind of left over macaroni or penne dish fried in a pan the next day, especially if it gets a little crispy & browned. He tops it with grated parmesan and a dash of maggi. He might enjoy it this way even better than the original preparation.

stellabella, your neighborhood oyster roast party sounded fantastic! cabrales, I never thought about it, but our neighborhood has some of the elements you describe. My neighbor across the street (until she passed away last year) used to bring me homemade Russian borscht, piroshky's and pelmeni dumplings. A couple of times she had me over to let me help her make the piroshky's so I could learn how. Next door to her, my neighbor grinds her wheat & brings me fresh baked bread and home made wild huckleberry jam. Another neighbor goes fishing to Alaska every summer, and when he gets back, he goes up and down the street offering fresh salmon steaks to all of us (he's the same neighbor that provided the salmon for the block parties). My next door neighbor who is a home gourmet cook has invited me over to dinner for tonight when she heard my hubby is away on a trip (I can't wait, she always makes something really delicious!). I've also been the lucky recipient of homemade muffins, cookies, fresh fruit in season from various neighbors. In exchange, I offer my homemade pickled apsparagus, fresh garden tomatoes when they are in season, otherwise, sun-dried tomatoes; homemade soups & meals to new mothers; salads, soups, shrimp cocktails to ill or elderly neighbors. During the teenie beanie craze, I used to buy happy meals to get the beanies and give the happy meals to the neighbors!