eG Foodblog: little ms foodie - Sauteing in Seattle

little ms foodie · November 10, 2004

I just got finished with a staff meeting, had a cup of tea with milk during it.

This morning for breakfast:

Goat cheese on left over baguette toasted. Espresso in our Gaudi cups, bought for us by friends who were in Barcelona in 2003.

I really love using things up. I hate throwing things out. So when we have leftover baguette I like to toast it up for breakfast or make bread salad or at least breadcrumbs. At our farmers market there is a woman who sells goatcheese toasts. That is where I got this idea.

Priscilla · November 10, 2004

Very cool blog, LMF! Beautiful food. And what a pretty cat!

little ms foodie · November 10, 2004

Very cool blog, LMF! Beautiful food. And what a pretty cat!
←

He's pretty but he is a monster!! Very mean unless there are drinks around! :laugh:

Besides, your dining room makes up for the kitchen!

I LOVE our dining room. Dayne bought the table and chairs before he knew me. They are teak and very Scandanavian designed. We always eat dinner at the table. And the table is always set with nice placemats or a table cloth. Always cloth napkins, he hates paper ones and I like having linens.

We also always eat by candlelight. It's our dinner ritual. One of the things we do as we travel and eat out is to collect matches from different restaurants and bars. We have all the matches in a large stein in the cupboard and when we light the candles for dinner at night we will blindly reach in a pull out a book. then we will talk about our memories there.

Matches from last night.... Mon Ami Gabi is a French restaurant in the Paris hotel in Las Vegas. We had a great long lunch one time there, sitting outside, watching the fountains across at the Belagio. In fact it was the first anniversary of 9/11 and I remember the patriotic songs playing to the fountains. It was hot and we had a great bottle of white Burgundy. And they kept bringing us warm bread and the best salty butter.... :wub:

It's nice to talk about the memories we are making that will last our entire lives.

Wendy

Edited November 10, 2004 by little ms foodie (log)

reesek · November 10, 2004

wendy,

you're doing the PNW proud. thank you for sharing your kitchen...i'm actually very envious. mine is a galley, and there's no room for people to dip spoons into my sauces while i cook. how wonderful for you that you and your husband share a passion. what's his specialty?

by the way - if you should happen to need tasters before your party...i'd be happy to volunteer my services! :rolleyes:

little ms foodie · November 10, 2004

how wonderful for you that you and your husband share a passion. what's his specialty?
←

Oh he is the baker in the family for sure! I don't really have the patience for it. Dayne loves the science of baking. He makes the best pastry crust!! yummmm!!

little ms foodie · November 10, 2004

As if Seattle restaurants aren't great enough twice a year there is a month long event called 25 for $25. I know that other cities have similar events. It is a great way to try new restaurants and a great excuse to go out!

http://www.nwsource.com/advertising/restau...s/25for25_1104/

Today for lunch my girlfriend and I will be going to Oceanaire and trying their $12, 3 course lunch menu. I haven't been to Oceanaire since 1) people say it's quite expensive and 2) it's a chain and not even a local one! :shock:

I have a thing about chains. It ties in with my thing about local. I prefer to dine at restuarants that are run by locals and feel strongly about buying local. BUT that doesn't mean I never go to chains! I just keep it to a minimum. So it seems a bit weird to go to a SEAFOOD chain out of the east coast in seattle! But the 25 for $25 has given me a reason! We will report back with photos :biggrin:

jgarner53 · November 10, 2004

this is just a fantastic blog! That garlic soup and the next day's goat cheese toasts are making my mouth water.

And your cat looks a lot like my sweet little guy.

reesek · November 10, 2004

how was lunch?

by the way - oceanaire is based in minneapolis...not quite east coast :wink: .

little ms foodie · November 10, 2004

Back from lunch, wow talk about bad, slow service!! Good thing we had wine! I'll skip all the comments about service from here on out and just talk about our meal :hmmm:

So lunch at Oceanaire today to taste the $12.50 lunch menu. Fellow (new) eGullet member Della came with me.

They brought us an antipasta with bread and butter. The tray had pickled herring and crudites. The herring was really vinegry/salty/fishy. The taste changed as we ate it, we decided it wasn't our favorite! :blink:

A bottle of McManis CA Syrah 2002 to go with lunch.

Our appetizers were great! Della had the crispy fried catfish with mustard sauce and onion rings.

I had the clam chowder- smoky/spicy flavors. yum!

The appetizers were big! Next came our entrees. I had the salmon which was on a bed of onion confit, blackened and had onion rings on top. It was a bit dry but probably because I asked for the roquefort butter to be left off (I don't like blue cheese :shock:

Della had the very yummy fish stew. Excellent tomato boullion!!

Dessert of Baked Apple with carmel and ice cream....mmmmmm

and Valhrona Bittersweet chocolate mousse!

We were good and didn't finish the bottle of red, Della has it in the trunk of her car! :laugh:

I definately don't eat lunch like this everyday but during the 25 for $25 I will try a few places.

little ms foodie · November 10, 2004

how was lunch?
by the way - oceanaire is based in minneapolis...not quite east coast .
←

Thank you!! I knew I wasn't quite right with that.

Our food was good, some of the fish was a bit overcooked/underfresh. As I mentioned the service sucked!! The wine list was completely overpriced!!! I wouldn't go back as I think there are MANY better restaurants for seafood in Seattle.

Wendy

Ore · November 11, 2004

Ciao Wendy,

Great Blog - I really enjoy reading your writing too! Seattle is one place I really want to go to, especially because Slaumi is there. My next stop here in Italy is working with Salumi so it would be nice to see how close the American version is! Thanks for the blog!

Ciao,

Ore

SeaGal · November 11, 2004

First of all, I love the cat and the martinis--he does look intent on them :laugh:

Second, I absolutely adore goat cheese for breakfast too--your photo makes me want to go out and get some. I also love your cups and saucers. Looks like you might have a collection of them.

Third, I haven't been to Oceanaire yet, but when's the last time you saw a relish tray like that? Very retro. Too bad the food wasn't better.

Unfortunately, I'm going out of town for a week, so I'll miss the rest of your "real-time" blogging, but I'll look forward to reading it all when I get back.

Have a great week!

Jan

eunny jang · November 11, 2004

This blog is awesome.

Savoring everything you've posted so far, and am looking forward to everything to come!

little ms foodie · November 11, 2004

Ciao Wendy,
Great Blog - I really enjoy reading your writing too! Seattle is one place I really want to go to, especially because Slaumi is there. My next stop here in Italy is working with Salumi so it would be nice to see how close the American version is! Thanks for the blog!
Ciao,
Ore
←

thanks Ore, it's good to have you reading!! Check out the Salumi link that Jensen posted on page two. Maybe you can start seeing some of the techniques Salumi is using and see how Americanized it may or may not be??

Third, I haven't been to Oceanaire yet, but when's the last time you saw a relish tray like that? Very retro. Too bad the food wasn't better.

Jan I totally agree! It was very retro, kindof cool because I'm use to getting amuse at nicer restaurants now. Haven't had that kind of tray before.

So tonight after work (I get paid for doing this right??? :blush: ) We are going to stop by one of our favorite wine merchants and pick out a few bottles. Right now our cellar has mainly things we want to keep for a few more years. We make an annual trip to the north Willamette wine region in Oregon for cases of yummy pinot noirs. Our trip is the day after Thanksgiving which is one of two weekends a year when 90% of the wineries in this area all open their otherwise private facilities for tasting and buying!

http://www.yamhillwine.com/events.shtml

We feel the same way about wine as with food. If we can find things we like from WA or OR we will buy those first. We belong to a few of the wineries wine clubs so we get a few 6 bottle shipments each year. But this is our big stock up.

Our wine rack looking a bit depleted!

We have our 'cellar' in the basement. Our house is 104 years old, it's pretty scary! But it also stays cool year around (or maybe that's because Seattle stays cool year around!). We don't really regulate the temp or anything.

Wines are kept alphabetical by type. Magnums are on the 2nd to bottom and champagne on the very bottom shelf. The small table has a 1/2 case of wine we bought as futures 2 years ago that really need to sit a bit, half is on the rack. The bottom box is what's left of the cases of POP! we served at our wedding reception. :wub:

I tag most of the wines. The front has lable info and drinking dates, the back has tasting and price info.

We love our wines and generally have a bottle each night with dinner. We talk about what we are making, options for wines, then head down to the cellar and pick one out. I love doing that!

Edited November 11, 2004 by little ms foodie (log)

**Smithy** · November 11, 2004

First of all, I love the cat and the martinis--he does look intent on them
...
Third, I haven't been to Oceanaire yet, but when's the last time you saw a relish tray like that? Very retro. Too bad the food wasn't better.
...
Jan
←

I love the cat, too. My cat might look that intent, but the kittens would be all over the drinks and food, tipping them over,...

"Very retro?" Come up here to northern Minnesota and say that! Unless you're referring to the actual tray itself, in which case I might agree.... Those relishes, particularly the pickled herring, are standard stock in our salad bars! So, you might say Oceanaire is being true to its Minnesota roots! :laugh:

Added to say: I too am loving this blog!

Edited November 11, 2004 by Smithy (log)

little ms foodie · November 11, 2004

"Very retro?" Come up here to northern Minnesota and say that! Unless you're referring to the actual tray itself, in which case I might agree.... Those relishes, particularly the pickled herring, are standard stock in our salad bars! So, you might say Oceanaire is being true to its Minnesota roots!
Added to say: I too am loving this blog!
←

hey thanks for letting us know that! Obviously different parts of the country have different dining styles (I learned that when I ordered a 'small' steak in Chicago! It was half the cow I swear!!). I wouldn't have thought of that.

Maybe going to certain chains can expand one's knowledge of regional dining?

I forgot to mention they were filming a commercial at the restauarant when we left....we aren't in it! :laugh:

My cat might look that intent, but the kittens would be all over the drinks and food, tipping them over,...

We have a kitten too, she is into everything. So far her favorite things are licking our baguettes, butter and seafood. She is soooo my cat!! :wink:

Della · November 11, 2004

Great pictures from lunch LMF! I have to agree - the service needs not be mentioned but the appetizers were quite good. In fact, I think they were the best part of the meal. (next to the company of course!) Although that caramel on the baked apple was pretty yummy too :biggrin: Thanks for letting me part of your week long food blog experience.

Pumpkin Lover · November 11, 2004

This is so rad: an enormously happy poster with an equally happy blog, and her homegirl posting along! I like this blog a lot, it's cheering me up. LMF, I imagine you as a very bubbly person. :smile:

Yay, blog on!

docsconz · November 11, 2004

Keep it up, Wendy.

Toasted leftover baguette with cheese is one of my favorite breakfasts. The cheeses vary. I will toast a harder cheese like an aged cheddar or pecorino along with the bread or just spread a softer cheese like a chevre, camembert or gorgonzola (I am flabbergasted that you don't like bleu cheese - and I had such respect for you :raz: :laugh: :laugh: :biggrin: ).

I have to admit that the photos of your lunch at Oceanaire did not resemble those from Arzak :laugh:

little ms foodie · November 11, 2004

Keep it up, Wendy.
Toasted leftover baguette with cheese is one of my favorite breakfasts. The cheeses vary. I will toast a harder cheese like an aged cheddar or pecorino along with the bread or just spread a softer cheese like a chevre, camembert or gorgonzola (I am flabbergasted that you don't like bleu cheese - and I had such respect for you ).
I have to admit that the photos of your lunch at Oceanaire did not resemble those from Arzak
←

I actually toasted the bread and then put the chevre on and toasted it again!!

I KNEW I shouldn't have come clean about the blue cheese thing!! :angry: Damn!!

ahhh....Arzak! Actually if you go back to my picture of our dining room table you'll see a few things hanging behind one of the chairs. They are menus from a few places. The largest one is Arzak's! :biggrin:

We got home a bit ago after stopping at the wine shop. They were tasting a new Cab from Columbia Valley so we sipped while we shopped.

Now we are cooking dinner!

For our apps tonight we had one of my favorites! A little duck pate I picked up in St Jean de Luz in July. We drove up from San Sebastian for the afternoon to shop for pates and table linens! Served with bread, mustard and cornichons.

Kirs for sippin!

Jensen · November 11, 2004

Waaahhhh. I want your life....

Great blog.

docsconz · November 11, 2004

I KNEW I shouldn't have come clean about the blue cheese thing!! Damn!!
ahhh....Arzak! Actually if you go back to my picture of our dining room table you'll see a few things hanging behind one of the chairs. They are menus from a few places. The largest one is Arzak's!

Nicely done

For our apps tonight we had one of my favorites! A little duck pate I picked up in St Jean de Luz in July. We drove up from San Sebastian for the afternoon to shop for pates and table linens! Served with bread, mustard and cornichons.

Now how did you get that home! :shock: :raz:

Wendy, this is a wonderful blog. I'm looking forward to more. You do seem to have a very nice life :smile:

little ms foodie · November 11, 2004

For our apps tonight we had one of my favorites! A little duck pate I picked up in St Jean de Luz in July. We drove up from San Sebastian for the afternoon to shop for pates and table linens! Served with bread, mustard and cornichons.
Now how did you get that home!
Wendy, this is a wonderful blog. I'm looking forward to more. You do seem to have a very nice life
←
tee hee, don't turn me in but I brought back a lot of pate, jambon and cheese from spain and france. I just kept pointing them towards my 2 cases of wine that I had and kept my fingers crossed that we wouldn't lose it all!
It's a great story about customs but one that is best told in person. Anyone who is ever visiting Seattle is more than welcome to have lunch with me (at Salumi! ) and I'll share! haha!
And thank you very much for all the nice comments!

little ms foodie · November 11, 2004

Dinner tonight..... so I think I mentioned how I like to buy local and use everything I have right?? :smile:

Tonight we decided to roast some potatoes (from our farmers market) with some sage I have growing outside. Sage is one of my favorite herbs. I love it!!!

My herbs are just in pots and only the hearty are still planted...rosemary, sage and thyme in our backyard.

I wish the herbs grew as well as those weeds coming thru my patio! haha! :laugh:

I just mixed the potatoes (from our farmer's market) with EVOO, sage and sea salt.

Next up we decided to cook up some lentils. I have orange and puy and decided to cook them seperately to keep the colors bright and then mix them later. Simmered them with some onion, bacon, and chicken stock left over from last night.

Then I carmelized the other half of the onion and browned some pork chops. After the pork was almost done I put it in the oven to stay warm. This weekend I was in charge of making apps for a party and I wanted to make a fig/port jam and chevre confit for one. But my expereiment didn't go right the first time so I was left with a saucy concoction of fig jam, shallots, port and thyme. I thought I keep it for sauce. So I deglazed the pan with more port and then added the sauce.

Let's chant....figs, shallot, port, thyme! Damn those are some goooood flavors!!! :smile:

Put the chops back in the pan with the onions on top.

When the lentils were done I had a saute pan of orange mush in one. They cooked faster than the puy and were like smashed potatoes. :angry: So I just took a spoonful or 2 of lentil mush and mixed it into the puy. Then added some diced up chevre (local farmers market) and some white wine vinegar and EVOO, plated the roasted 'taters and my pork chops with sauce.

It was good!!!

While I was doing this silly plating stuff, Dayne was battling kittens and wine shots!

That's our little one Bisou!

Our wine for the night, Carabella from southern Willamette Valley OR (Pinot Noir) very nice! Our matches were from Paseo el Collado in Laguardia Rioja region of Spain. We stayed in this little walled town this summer. If you ever get a chance, run don't walk!!! Amazing!!

Edited November 11, 2004 by little ms foodie (log)

mike_r · November 11, 2004

mmm...sounds like a loverly dinner! sage is one of my favorite herbs as well; i love wrappng it around a porkchop and then wrappping prosciutto around that...yum!

i have a problem getting orange or red chief lentils to come out particularly beautiful either; last time i soaked the lentils, then cooked them regularly...they were so waterlogged that they overcooked almost instantly :angry: so i share your pain...

can't say it enough, great stuff!

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