SylviaLovegren

Been reading and reading and enjoying and enjoying. Also totally envious. Except for the sweet omelet -- my mom would make them occasionally and while they looked yummy, there was something about the puffiness that made my head ache. Sounds stupid, but it's true. What I did love that she made that was similar but didn't have the headache making puffiness was the Dutch Baby, which is kind of an eggy popover, also baked in the skillet, and served with powdered sugar and lemon juice. Or jam. So glad you're going to be extended!

Grilled or broiled with salt, garlic and either rosemary or oregano (I prefer rosemary), then finished like the Greeks do it (or at least my Greeks) with lemon wedges for each eater to add as much lemon as wanted. The lemon really counteracts the heavy flavor of lamb and makes eating all that crispy delicious fat guilt free (the calories vanish!).

You might look for Ed Behr's long articles on bread in France in the Art of Eating archives. He spent a lot of time looking for good bread and talking to bakers -- the results were a bit depressing but he did find some who still made real bread. Here's a link: http://www.artofeating.com/breadcoll.htm

Since it is in a loaf pan it is described, at least in the U.S., as a "quick bread" (meaning a bread raised with chemical leavens like baking powder or soda rather than slow yeast). If you baked it in a cake pan, you could call it a coffee cake or the new (and annoying, to me) "snacking cake." These are casual cakes not as fine, rich or carefully crafted as a classic "cake". I've heard British folks refer to northern American muffins (such as bran, blueberry, etc.) as "cupcakes" -- although in North America those muffins are too coarse to be considered cupcakes, but are instead another type of quick bread. Confusing, isn't it?

One of my favorite polenta toppers comes out of Cooks Magazine from the 1980s (very different than the current Cooks) -- it's basically bacon, sausages and mushrooms cooked together, pan deglazed with some wine, then topped with a gremolata (finely minced parsley, lemon and garlic) and served over polenta, either soft or fried. The earthiness of the meats/mushrooms is great with the dull sweet taste of the corn, all brightened by the gremolata. Wow, wish I had some right now!

I finally got around to counting mine, which are mostly older cookbooks that I read like novels. The total is -- give or take a few -- about 1450. The thing that I find odd, or maybe sad, is I cook from about 5 or 6 of them. My latest acquisitions have been older (last 60 years or so) Canadian cookbooks as I explore our new home.

I make scallion pancakes like regular pancakes --eggs, milk/water/yoghurt (whatever you like), flour , salt, a little bp, chopped scallions, cook as pancakes in whatever oil takes your fancy and fits in with your menu.

Out of the fridge? Mallomars and Thin Mints? I've never tried them IN the fridge, but I see fun new experiments in my future! I do like partially frozen marshmallows. Don't ask me how that was discovered.

Never tried anything out of the GC but it IS a really fun read. Interested to hear reports!

So many different and delicious sounding things to try. A recipe I saw a few years ago (Cooks? Greens? can't remember) I really like for summer. Cut eggplant into bitesize chunks and saute until soft in olive oil with onion and garlic, salt and pepper. Let cool, then dress with a few sprinkles of balsamic vinegar and torn basil leaves. A nice room temp salad/side dish. Good with bread and cheese for a hot summer day, also really nice with grilled chicken.

Thanks for the info. Will try to stop on our next trip down. Yay!

Is there a local cuisine in Monaco? I'm just loving this.

Sounds like it was too hot.

We're never in Newark but pass through Syracuse occasionally. Is Dinosaur good? What kind of BBQ? Hmmmmm, road trip!

Here's another friend who lives near Elliott Bay (the water, not the restaurant/book store!): Etta's is in the Public Market and great for fish and sit in a booth and get the coconut pie also. Red Mill for burgers on Phinney Ridge. Piecora for pizza close to the Seattle University. Monsoon, asian and local ingredients, really good on 19th on Capitol Hill across the street from Kingfish a place owned by black sisters with southern/soul food and no reservations, and kids can't be in big room where they have alcohol, so check out times and come in right when it opens so you can sit at a front table, gets too hot and uncomfortable in the back. Great family photos and go check out the bathroom ! At night the trout and chicken is good and soup whenever and known for huge pieces of cake and other big desserts. Tamarind Tree is a thai place in a funky mall at edge of chinatown. Dim sum in Chinatown. Lola's downtown is Greek and terribly busy right at lunch and dinner so go a little off hours. I'm ready to come visit now, too!

And, not to shut up here , but two more fun places that I know myself. The first is a great and unusual trip for kids anyway, to visit the locks (Hiram Chittenden Locks, to be exact) where they raise and lower the water level and boats passing from the lakes to the Puget Sound. There are fish ladders, big boats maneuvering, water doing stuff, very cool to visit. There's also a very good fish and chips place there, the Lockspot Cafe. Best fresh halibut I've ever had. Another fun fish and chips place, and very old Seattle, is out at Alki Beach, which is also a nice beach to visit in West Seattle -- Spud Fish and Chips, 2666 Alki Ave SW.

OK, my niece who lives in Seattle came through big time. I'll just copy and paste what she sent me. Take it away, Curtis: There are so many places outside of downtown that I can think of but if they are staying in the downtown area I would say the Tom Douglas restaurants are all really good. They are a bit pricey, but the quality and service makes up for it. The kid freindly places are both Serious Pie locations (pizza), but they can be crowded. Seatown in the Pike Place Market, they are open for dinner but also serve breakfast till 3 which would keep younger kids happy. Serious Biscuit in the South Lake Union area is great for kids. And Ting Momo has great noodle dishes. His other restaurants are more adult oriented but Dahlia Lounge is a good place if they want to have a fancy dinner. Also the Virginia Inn at the Market is great for lunch (kids). Dinner more of a loud bar crowd. Pink Door is also great for lunch but dinner maybe not with kids. Il Fornio is great for the whole family. It is up at Pacific Place. And Lecosho at the Harbor Steps is a great place. The staff is nice and if called in advance could tell them if the menu has somthing good for kids. They serve lunch and dinner. If they want to roam the city...Northhill Bakery (Cap Hill 15th). All Cupcake Royale locations (Cap Hill, Madrona, Downtown). Hi Five Pie (Cap Hill – savory and sweet). Skillet Diner (Cap Hill – casual, great, but crowded). La Spiga (Cap Hill - Italian – fancy). Oddfellows (Cap Hill –fancyish-but not good for brunch or lunch if kid is tired, dinner the seating is odd but they have mac and cheese and take reservations. My favorite place). Elliot Bay Books Café (Cap Hill). Essential Baking Co (Madison Valley – casual), Café Flora (Madison Valley – Vegetarian, great for kids, fancyish for dinner, weekend brunch and weekday lunch casual), Hi Spot (Madronna – breakfast & lunch only, causal, highly recommend but long wait), St Clouds (Madrona – fancyish - very kid friendly, sometimes they have choco chip pancakes and kid friendly dinner menu. Probably the best nicer restaurant in Seattle to take kids). Café Lago (Montlake, fancyish). Ivar’s Salmon House of course. Cloud City Coffee (Roosevelt). Ten Mercer (lower Queen Anne-fancy), Betty or Crow (upper or lower Queen Anne – fancy), Both Chaco Canyon locations (U Dist and West Seattle – hippie food but really good), West Five (West Seattle – casual with great historic Seattle kitsch all over), Hangar Café (Georgetown-casual break and lunch only), American Pie (Georgetown – savory and sweet and really good), Lottie’s Lounge (Columbia City – not too casual), Julia’s (Wallingford, Issaquah, Cap Hill, casual, they also have a great dinner drag show on Cap Hill but I don’t know if kids can go).

Morels are the apotheosis of mushroom, for me. Very strong umami, deep mushroom/earth/beef, like an intense cepe. Definitely in the button/portabello family of taste but stronger, deeper, purer. God, I love those things. My dad used to get them every year in the northwest. Sigh.

Well, these are old-timey but still good, I think, and fun for kids. Ivars Acres of Clams down at the waterfront is a real tradition. Get some good fried clams (or other fish) and chips, sit on the dock and feed yourself and the gulls. You can find plenty of cheesy touristy waterfront things to do while there -- and I highly recommend the Seattle Aquarium, which is easy walking distance from Ivars'. And then there's Dick's Drive-In burger joints. The original Dick's (near Elliott Bay) is still there, but they're all over town now. Excellent old-fashioned burgers and delicious shakes. Here's the website: http://www.ddir.com/ People may try to entice you to the Red Robin for burgers but unless it's the original one at the foot of Capitol Hill, they're not particularly good anymore. Also look for donut shops or bakeries to get maple bars -- a long baton-shaped donut with creamy maple frosting. Yummy and a northwest tradition. I'll ask family for recommendations for more fancy places and report back.

Cat yukk is perfect. Hope it tasted good!

My Greek family always serve lentil soup with a cruet of vinegar for each eater to splash to his own taste. I make it the way my mom did with onion, garlic, bay leaf, carrot, celery and a ham hock, then serve over rice.

A friend of mine lived in Norway in the 80s. She took a dish of celery to a family party --- no one would eat it because they'd never seen it before. Really surprised her.

The great thing about Jell-O was that if you put mayo on it, it was a salad. But if you topped it with whipped cream it was desert. How versatile is that? My grandmother used to make a layered jello salad with lime jello, sour cream, avocados and canned pears -- the avocados and pear pieces floating in the clear layers -- topped with mayo because it was a salad. And served on a lettuce leaf, also because salad. I LOVED it.

Do NOT understand the love of Nutella. Think it tastes awful. Gianduja I love. They have only ingredients in common. Please explain. The only explanation possible is that you're from another planet. Seriously. Nutella is one of those things... Even though I HATE hazelnuts in chocolate, Nutella is just deliciousness in a jar. I still think you should try pear and yoghurt. Although I'm thinking guava might also be really really good.

That reminds me and how could I forget!? There's a Deborah Madison recipe in the first Greens cookbook that is caramelized onions with walnuts with pasta. Truly sublime. I never made it with the rosemary pasta, just with regular store bought pasta, but truly one of the best things I've ever eaten. Here's the recipe. Greens Onion Walnut Pasta