tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6646092440093850072024-03-13T05:34:21.649-05:00The Disgruntled DinerReruns of my dining episodesAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-42478368389137208782014-04-03T16:31:00.005-05:002022-07-20T15:58:58.972-05:00Kale: There's More To Life Than Waffles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeaeN2oRKo4/UyoMcynF0YI/AAAAAAAALsY/wmlaXWgcNJQ/s1600/20140315_125458.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeaeN2oRKo4/UyoMcynF0YI/AAAAAAAALsY/wmlaXWgcNJQ/s1600/20140315_125458.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Waffles again, yea, I know, but these were SO good! Topped with cashew cream and strawberries with a side of tempeh "bacon" (slices not pictured, as they really can't sell themselves looking like they do), I was so ecstatic to go out for brunch and be told that the gluten free waffles come standard. <a href="http://countercultureaustin.com/index.html">Counter Culture</a> was born in a food trailer in 2009 and moved into its home on East Cesar Chavez, where it's been serving raw, vegan and unprocessed foods from scratch ever since. Highly sensitive to diners with allergies, each item on the menu is conveniently labeled. And those Watermelon Lime mimosas they were slinging last weekend... SUBLIME.<br />
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OH!<br />
I'm about to do you a favor, but first,<br />
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you might need to go to the store and pick up some things.</div>
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Here's what you'll need:<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Kale & Sweet Potato Scramble</i></b></span></div>
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2 giga sweet potatoes, roasted at 400` for an hour, cooled and clumsily cleaved into bite sized pieces</div>
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1 massive bag (1 lb.) of washed, DRY, chopped kale, or 3 big bunches loosely chopped/torn</div>
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4 cloves of garlic, (about 3 T crushed)</div>
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2 tsp coconut oil</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gnLYZuPPyhk/Uyi9ILc7URI/AAAAAAAALrg/WRIcxJ_mC4E/s1600/Ribbet+collage" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gnLYZuPPyhk/Uyi9ILc7URI/AAAAAAAALrg/WRIcxJ_mC4E/s1600/Ribbet+collage" width="320" /></a>Ready?</div>
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<i>After chopping/crushing your garlic, let it sit for 10 minutes or so, (I recommended at least 4 cloves, but follow your heart) as this time allows all the pungent and powerful compounds to develop before cooking so no <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/unlocking-the-benefits-of-garlic/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0">garlic magic</a> is lost. </i></div>
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Heat half a tablespoon of oil on medium high in a stock pot. Toss in half the bag of kale and move it around with a wooden spoon, allowing the oil to coat the leaves as they wilt. As soon as the kale loses half its volume, toss in the rest of the bag and the remaining tsp coconut oil. This part is open to interpretation and may vary based on the size of your pot. Just get the whole bag in there and move it around until it's glossy and slightly wilted. Add the garlic and combine, stirring until the kale is uniformly limp, but not soft, not allowing any garlic to stick to the bottom. Turn off the heat and gently fold in the sweet potatoes.<br />
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Eat it straight, add salt to taste, (though it really is wonderful without) and keep it in the fridge for the week. For a bangin breakfast, fold into scrambled eggs and be the envy of all your friends.</div>
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I originally came across this recipe while cooking for an event at <a href="http://www.premierraw.com/ourmenu.html">Premier Raw Cafe</a> in Austin, where we served this breakfast scramble with marinated mushrooms and a side of fermented sunflower seed. Genius. Jade doesn't like mushrooms, so I make this dish special for her, just to prove that we are friends.<br />
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Not into breakfast greens?<br />
Try some overnight quinoa a' la <a href="http://superfoodsiobhan.blogspot.com/2013/07/overnight-quinoa.html">Superfood Siobhan</a>.<br />
Full of flashy buzzwords like "fiber" "protein" and "manganese", you've probably jumped on the quinoa train by now. If you're into steel-cut oats, you'll be all over this bowl, especially if you're into swapping sugar for sweet mashed banana. It's the way I used to feel about a box of donuts, but with slightly fewer calories and less crazy eye (one of gluten's many side effects).<br />
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Oh, and before you go, please put this extra kale recipe in your pocket.<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Kale & Lentil Salad</i></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pairs splendidly with these things</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
1/2 lb. washed, bite-sized, chopped kale<br />
2 (ish) cups cooked lentils (1/2 bag)<br />
2 green bell peppers, chopped<br />
3 roma tomatoes, chopped<br />
1 medium yellow onion, diced<br />
3/4 (ish) cup cilantro leaves, chopped<br />
<i>DRESSING:</i><br />
1/3 c balsamic vinegar<br />
2 Tbl dijon mustard<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
1 Tbl honey or 1 tsp agave (optional)<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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Toss thoroughly, cover and chill. Or serve fresh, go crazy!<br />
This recipe was born in our kitchen a couple years ago: my husband's adaptation of something vaguely similar that we didn't have the right ingredients for. Sometimes we add garlic when we can't remember what goes in it, and surprise! It's always stellar. As usual, the above measurements are merely probable. Fridge friendly for a good week, the kale stays sturdy and crisp to the last bite.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by, diners, now go, fill your bowls and your hearts with something nutritious and new-agey. You know you want to.<br />
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Wuv,<br />
The DD<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-11658273689772794462014-02-26T11:32:00.001-06:002014-04-08T11:52:29.324-05:00Gluten Free & Easy, now in Texas!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">~Namaste~</td></tr>
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Hey cowpokes, we're coming to you live, from (so close to) Austin, Texas. We said a somber farewell to our Seattle network back in September in hopes of putting down roots beside our family trees in Texas. After eating out for two weeks during <a href="http://ambermoreno.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-great-american-road-trip-2013.html">The Great American Road Trip</a>, Bill and I found great solace in slow food. We've been home a few months now, and living 30 minutes outside of central Austin has rightfully forced us to get back to cooking. My latest sensation is <a href="http://teaberrycreative.com/2011/06/15/reclaiming-my-right-to-eat-waffles/">waffles</a>. Yes, those waffles. Soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, iron-pressed, long lost love letters from breakfast time. I've been making them with Namaste Gluten Free Flour ($10 for an 8lb. bag at Costco), chai masala (for flare) and whipped egg whites to give them the puffy fluff so often absent from GF fare, swamping them in syrup and strawberries and closing my eyes.<br />
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We're living in Round Rock, home of the big, round rock that once guided stagecoaches and wagons around deep waters while crossing the local creek. Fascinating, right? Well, Round Rock has an expectedly limited milk/gluten free menu, so I'm doing my best to stay interested in local dining.<br />
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I've tried the overpriced Cajun fish tacos at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/louisiana-longhorn-cafe-round-rock#hrid:b74-TpT8pkgzA8WnGZbTpA">Louisiana Longhorn Cafe</a> without much amusement, had disappointing pho and vermicelli bowls at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-viet-round-rock#hrid:fFuLa1IKMD9tTbnQvSs45w">Pho Viet </a>and faced the reality of eating gluten and dairy free at my old standby, Taco Cabana. Every time I drive by I shed a tear for their flour tortillas. My local favorite is <a href="http://vazquezrestaurant.com/">Vazquez Restaurant</a>, for their fabulous tacos and ideal location just five minutes from my front door. And yes, I've found that even in a place rife with breakfast tacos, I still find myself disgruntled. Now, for months bereft of my dearest neighborhood assortment of <a href="http://www.seattlefishcompany.com/">fresh Pacific fish</a>, <a href="http://fireflycafe-ws.com/">GF crepes</a> and <a href="http://saigonboatcafe.com/">Vietnamese food</a> I'm scouting the surrounding counties for palatable options.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjN0aTh-pyg/UwI31EJUOEI/AAAAAAAALJc/T2K_TEx3W9A/s1600/20140213_141336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tjN0aTh-pyg/UwI31EJUOEI/AAAAAAAALJc/T2K_TEx3W9A/s1600/20140213_141336.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy's Sky Cafe's Fresh Hummus Rolls </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EVGRSPPDtK4/UwI31I986MI/AAAAAAAALJc/zhWsWurRNvI/s1600/20140213_142013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EVGRSPPDtK4/UwI31I986MI/AAAAAAAALJc/zhWsWurRNvI/s1600/20140213_142013.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy's Sky Cafe's Garden Noodles</td></tr>
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My latest search has turned up <a href="http://www.nancyskygarden.com/">Nancy's Sky Garden</a>, the freshest and absolute best vegetarian food I've ever had. Modestly priced at around $10 a plate, Nancy's serves delicious, colorful dishes on a fourth floor patio overlooking downtown Georgetown. The fresh rolls ($6) are served with a dipping sauce, (almond-ginger, please) and the Garden Noodles are made of sweet potato, full of flavor and dropped in the middle of a wildly festive veggie orgy. (Are you conversely considering an orgy of vegetables, too? I know, SO different.) What will I do without this place when we move into Austin? <a href="http://www.koriente.com/index.html">Koriente</a>. Nancy's original restaurant at 7th and Sabine. THANK you. Thank you thank you.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5VH-xflLuA/UwI31BW3G3I/AAAAAAAALJc/ucOlMGXpS1g/s1600/20140214_124259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5VH-xflLuA/UwI31BW3G3I/AAAAAAAALJc/ucOlMGXpS1g/s1600/20140214_124259.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dos Salsa's Bryan Salad, sans quesos</td></tr>
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I also reasonably enjoyed Bryan's Salad from <a href="http://www.dossalsas.com/">Dos Salsas</a>, sprinkled with tortilla chips (GF?), fried bananas, black beans, avocado, corn, cilantro, and about a half pound of sugared pecans. The greens were unimpressive, but the toppings were plenty distracting. At $9.99, I felt like I was mainly paying for the pecans, and sure, I left out the cheese so maybe the glaring flavor imbalance was my doing, but the fried bananas helped me to forgive. Extremely busy at all hours, Dos Salsas is known as the best in Georgetown, but I probably won't be back in favor of a smaller, sweeter little taqueria yet to be found.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-11x7Fghp7bA/UwI31ECmcDI/AAAAAAAALJc/A_NhNJEKjkY/s1600/20131216_140244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-11x7Fghp7bA/UwI31ECmcDI/AAAAAAAALJc/A_NhNJEKjkY/s1600/20131216_140244.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bouldin Creek Cafe's V-Lux Salad</td></tr>
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Down south in Austin proper, I stopped into <a href="http://www.bouldincreek.com/">Bouldin Creek Cafe</a> for a little nosh and an Italian soda. I had high hopes for the vegan horchata, but it turned out to be grainy and way over-infused. Their V-Lux salad, however was a bright, fresh display of all my favorite things on the same plate. Oh, yes, another salad on a plate. Who, oh who will champion the big salad bowl? Didn't Elaine make this clear? Stuffing a mass of greens past my grill is work enough, do I really have to spend half the meal rescuing fallen leaves from the table? An unnecessary demonstration of my grace and patience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HEI_C_0ZmYk/UwI31Ll4SsI/AAAAAAAALJc/SaaMueiOUmM/s1600/20140215_162727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HEI_C_0ZmYk/UwI31Ll4SsI/AAAAAAAALJc/SaaMueiOUmM/s1600/20140215_162727.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Natural's Veggie Burger<br />
on a GF Sesame Bun</td></tr>
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Then there's good ol' <a href="http://www.mrnatural-austin.com/">Mr. Natural</a>. Back in my vegetarian days before I knew what gluten was, I was all over this place. The Mr. Natural burger on a GF sesame seed bun is really quite a find. A wheat-free patty and a side of fries was just right. If you're from Austin, you know Mr. Natural and <a href="http://www.veggieheavenaustin.com/">Veggie Heaven</a> (can I get a what what for those vegan Spicy Yams???) have the lock on veggie fare, but if you're visiting and those are all you hear about, take a listen here and haul ass to the nearest <a href="http://www.eskaustin.com/">East Side King</a>.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QfRqoca07Xs/UwI4aagIecI/AAAAAAAALJo/KR_Mu0XQJqA/s1600/20131203_230133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QfRqoca07Xs/UwI4aagIecI/AAAAAAAALJo/KR_Mu0XQJqA/s1600/20131203_230133.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Side Kings' Liberty Rice & GF Veggie Meshi</td></tr>
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Asian fusion at it's absolute fancy finest, they can make a good half of their menu vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. Really, you're wasting time every moment you're not eating at East Side King. With more and more locations popping up, the brand is destined to become a national treasure. Don't leave without trying their liberty rice - ginger, garlic oil, basil, cilantro, mint, onion and jalapeno tossed over steamed jasmine rice. My favorite dish is their veggie meshi - literally veggies and cooked rice - it's an orchestra of liberty rice, deep fried shredded cabbage, basil, cilantro, mint, onion, jalapeno and deep-fried brussels sprouts in a sweet-spicy sauce. They originally set up a trailer behind Liberty Bar, and have since spread throughout Austin so chances are, you're not far from one right now. Unless, of course, you're in Round Rock.<br />
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Dine on, readers! And do let me know if you have any vegan/gluten free recommendations up north.<br />
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Love,<br />
<b>The DD</b><br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-86915036198161140762014-02-17T09:44:00.002-06:002022-07-20T16:05:00.218-05:00Dis-glutened Dining Aboard the Carnival Magic<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btMHyDqn07U/UvCKf7Q5GtI/AAAAAAAAK5U/9sB8rhj2ENo/s1600/20140121_171632.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btMHyDqn07U/UvCKf7Q5GtI/AAAAAAAAK5U/9sB8rhj2ENo/s1600/20140121_171632.jpg" width="150" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My first cruise! Thanks to The Sandifers, The Carnival Magic was our home for one week. A Christmas present, we enjoyed seven days of unwrapping chocolate on our pillows, picking and choosing from a full line up of activities, and a 24 hour, floating feast. My favorite was the fitness center overlooking the bow, and the sauna, and the hammocks, the hot tubs, water slides, arcade, daily trivia contests, karaoke, dance club and endless lounge chairs. When they weren't wet from the nonstop winter rains, I'd choose an isolated seat, take in the horizon, write, nurse a cocktail or play my ukulele. In search of a deserted deck to strum on, I ran into a dude playing his recorder, which, for all the world, I couldn't help but snicker at.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ry0kh_lEjHE/Uv5BwtquPcI/AAAAAAAALHM/U4BrfKg4hAc/s1600/MELON.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ry0kh_lEjHE/Uv5BwtquPcI/AAAAAAAALHM/U4BrfKg4hAc/s1600/MELON.jpg" width="161" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">In addition to all the on-board amenities, they do of course, provide you with all the tools you need to behave like a reckless food addict, even if you're milk-free and glutarded. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Though it would've been nice to see a "gluten free" or "dairy free" line on the food labels, I never went hungry. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Plates the size of turkey platters, bottomless everything and 'round the clock dining never more than a elevator ride away, a cruise is the ultimate enabler. Just for waiting in line, they reward you with as many calories as you can carry, encouraging you every step of the way to soak those up with an $8 cocktail in a novelty vessel. But the real problem with seven days of 24-hour dining? The eighth day. Depending on your fridge after a week of nonstop grazing feels like a cruel joke. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Note: The following is a "dramatization" based on the maximum dining possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7am</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ec_EfTTxs9Y/Uv50h-2_RwI/AAAAAAAALH8/KzcrWmi0sKM/s1600/SUNRISE.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ec_EfTTxs9Y/Uv50h-2_RwI/AAAAAAAALH8/KzcrWmi0sKM/s1600/SUNRISE.jpg" width="68" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise<br />
off the stern</td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">A knock at your stateroom door brings your breakfast: two plates of smoked salmon with capers, tomatoes and onions, coffee and juice. The salmon. It's divine! It's gonna be a good week. Your roommates's still dozing, and you're wondering about the offerings upstairs, so... Clad in your robe you shop the buffet. It has yards of bagels, muffins, pancakes, and plenty of standard breakfast fare for the general public. Then, in a neglected corner next to the bacon, sits a sliced loaf of sad, dry, crumbly, gluten free grits & gramflour bread. Not bad! Grab a couple slices, some fruit, head back to your room and make a fabulous salmon sammy. First and second breakfast down in less than half an hour!</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10am</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Not even elevenses yet and you're starving? Thankfully the breakfast buffet is still open, so you grab a few hashbrowns and an egg white omelette cooked to order. Enjoy these with some melon while you watch the waves.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Noon</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The family meets up on the Lido Deck to strategize for lunch. Indian? Burgers? Pizza? Burritos? Heap a few pounds of different salads on your plate and prepare for the next meal. Who knows when it will be?</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3pm</b></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">What's that, a little rumbly? Oh, no! The buffet's closed til 6?!? You could hit the deli for some fries and cole slaw but you decide to trouble the pizza guy for a gluten free pie without cheese.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">This will become a troubling habit over the next 168 hours.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6pm</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Get dressed, you slob! It's time to eat out in the open, with dignity. Utensils, napkins, eye contact with your peers. Each night you can choose from the static menu or the daily specials, always featuring a fish, steak, or fancy option, like escargot, oysters, filet mignon, or lobster. A chat with the host and you'll have gluten free bread, entree and dessert options the whole week.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8pm</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">You went hard at dinner and now you don't know if you'll be able to fit in that late night snack you've been planning on... Take a turn around the ship, burn what calories you can then stop into a bar for some trivia, or some karaoke or maybe a refreshing beverage. Before you know it, you'll be back at the pizza bar like a zombie, ready for more.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll spare you the indignities of the in-between times, but you get the idea. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 1</b> Fun Day at Sea (food)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 2 </b>Funner Day at Sea (food+water slides +! hours of sun)</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s2cH_2r29io/Uv6VzO-P-qI/AAAAAAAALIY/QU0ET32uFaA/s1600/cos-tostones-T7pqGZ-mdn.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s2cH_2r29io/Uv6VzO-P-qI/AAAAAAAALIY/QU0ET32uFaA/s1600/cos-tostones-T7pqGZ-mdn.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 3</b> We stopped in Mahogany Bay, Honduras and rode around in a van touring the slums of Roatan Island, hoping to sample some fried iguana but our guide couldn't quite make it happen. Fresh coconut water and tostones almost made amends.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CnFU5SUYf_o/Uv6UghlS4WI/AAAAAAAALIM/CtOVaNtDoyM/s1600/20140126_021720.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CnFU5SUYf_o/Uv6UghlS4WI/AAAAAAAALIM/CtOVaNtDoyM/s1600/20140126_021720.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 4 </b>Belize! After a two hour bus ride to visit the Mayan ruins, we took in the sights then rode over to the River Wallace where we dined on rice and beans steamed in coconut milk, fried plantains and sampled local wines. Tamarind, pineapple, sorrel, blackberry... all sulfite free. We came back on board with a bottle of cashew wine, locally known as the poor man's whiskey (rumored to guarantee a second day of intoxication 24 hours after imbibing, though after thorough experimentation this proved incorrect). SO delicious, and a little reminiscent of sherry. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1iljEGprMlU/Uv6UghG3yQI/AAAAAAAALIM/tj9JuOf-ZP4/s1600/20140124_194826.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1iljEGprMlU/Uv6UghG3yQI/AAAAAAAALIM/tj9JuOf-ZP4/s1600/20140124_194826.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 5</b> Cozumel! Some pocket Spanish delivered us by taxi to a local beach where we spent a gray day enjoying the sand, picking up coral and boozing. They really do pour tequila like water in Mexico. As it's 100% more distilled than the local tap it's probably just as well. Next time you hit San Francisco Beach in Cozumel, ask for Miguel and be sure to order the Shaky Shaky, a local favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 6 </b>Back out to sea en route home, the reality of Day 7 was becoming clear. We would eventually have to get off the ship, so I spent Day 6 much like Day 1 and 2 - chewing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 7</b> I started the morning with some simple corn flakes and soy milk in attempt to ease back in to the mundane. Vacationing certainly increased my appetite for variety, so going back to Texas (oh, but didn't you know <a href="http://ambermoreno.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-great-american-road-trip-2013.html">I moved home</a>?) is officially a gastronomical let-down.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLmst5Qjhig/UwJp5G_cQSI/AAAAAAAALJ8/OhzdvNMlnZg/s1600/20140122_020552.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLmst5Qjhig/UwJp5G_cQSI/AAAAAAAALJ8/OhzdvNMlnZg/s1600/20140122_020552.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, I left Seattle for Austin, looking for browner pastures, higher temperatures and breakfast tacos, but that's <a href="http://ambermoreno.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-great-american-road-trip-2013.html">a blog post all it's own</a>. Post-cruise blues are in full effect, so if you need me I'm probably in the bathroom, trying to fold my towels into zoo animals.</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Disgruntled Diner</span>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-71356300880756854342013-05-11T12:26:00.001-05:002022-07-20T16:06:34.870-05:00Anniversary Week<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oEtSO0TA0FI/UY1GFMT_S5I/AAAAAAAAG_c/n07w4eaMeY0/s1600/IMAG0903.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oEtSO0TA0FI/UY1GFMT_S5I/AAAAAAAAG_c/n07w4eaMeY0/s320/IMAG0903.jpg" width="191" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>ur 8th anniversary and the fresh is on! We're in the second round of the playoffs and require a lot of time at home so the kitchen's really had a work out.<br />
For this year's celebration, Bill kicked it off by bringing home a watermelon in one arm and tulips in another. The rest, as they say, is in the <a href="http://ambermoreno.blogspot.com/2013/05/anniversary-week.html">anniversary week</a> post.<br />
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Highlights:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">F</span>or a quick, protein-packed, hand-held gnosh, try my<br />
<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><i>Migas Omelet Wrap</i></span>.<br />
You'll need<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp1bu1AHo-o/UY1GEF8oClI/AAAAAAAAG_U/bi2SRyZCwFE/s1600/IMAG0878-1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pp1bu1AHo-o/UY1GEF8oClI/AAAAAAAAG_U/bi2SRyZCwFE/s320/IMAG0878-1.jpg" width="191" /></a>2 eggs, beaten<br />
2 Tbl salsa verde<br />
1/2 avocado, sliced<br />
handful of crushed tortilla chips, (I like <a href="http://www.juanitasfinefoods.com/">Juanita's</a>)<br />
Tabasco, (Chipotle, of course)<br />
Brown Rice tortilla, (I like Trader Joe's)<br />
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First, warm your tortilla to make it more manageable. Brown Rice tortillas especially are apt to tear at the slightest provocation. Pour beaten eggs in a med-high skillet and swirl to coat the pan. While the eggs cook, sprinkle in a handful of crushed chips down the center, top with salsa, avocado and Tabasco. When the egg lifts easily from the edges it's ready to fold. Gently lay the outer edges over the filling, folding like an envelope. Slide the omelet onto the center of your tortilla, return it to the pan and make sure the tortilla is warm enough to fold. Brown both sides slightly, wrap in some parchment and off you go.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0MUOajt2IM/UY1GEcEHFpI/AAAAAAAAG_Y/D7Ulva23gFw/s1600/IMAG0897.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0MUOajt2IM/UY1GEcEHFpI/AAAAAAAAG_Y/D7Ulva23gFw/s320/IMAG0897.jpg" width="191" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>his next one really benefits from some fridge time. So throw it together a day or so ahead.<br />
<i style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">Smoked Sardine Salad on Polenta Coins </i><br />
You'll need<br />
One batch <a href="http://fishcooking.about.com/od/smokebrine/r/sardine_salad.htm">Smoked Sardine Salad</a><br />
One tube prepared polenta, sliced 1/2" thick<br />
Avocado, sliced<br />
3 Tbl of mint leaf chiffonade<br />
2 Tbl tomato, diced fine<br />
Parsley pinches, for garnish<br />
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Top baked polenta with smears of sliced avocado and ribbons of mint. Drop a dollop of smoked sardine salad on each and finish with pinches of parsley and tomato.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>ne night, we ordered pho, vermicelli bowls and spring rolls. There's always leftover sauce. Peanut sauce, spicy citrus vinaigrette, hoisin, chili. So the next night, we had<br />
<i style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">Tuna Shiitake Stir Fry </i><br />
You'll need:<br />
leftover peanut sauce, about 1/4 cup<br />
Dry Shiitake mushrooms (About 2 cups chopped)<br />
3 medium carrots, coined<br />
4 Tbl mirin<br />
1 can tuna packed in olive oil, drained<br />
2 cups broccoli slaw<br />
Something crunchy julienned for garnish (Cucumber, jicama, green apple)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">G</span>uess what guess what guess what?<br />
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I found a new favorite blog. Because of <a href="http://detoxinista.com/">Detoxinista</a>, I found inspiration to plug in my juicer and stuff everything in my fridge down the chute. And wouldn't you know she has a solution to all the shame involved in throwing out your juice pulp?<br />
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<i style="color: orange; font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Juice Pulp Patties</span></i><br />
You'll need <a href="http://detoxinista.com/2011/04/beet-this-burger/">these things</a> and a sense of adventure. But man these are SO good. Especially fried.<br />
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Yesterday, I feasted on apple celery lemon juice, beet apple carrot parsley juice, strawberry mint juice and today I'm all aglow. When I finish this post I'm going to run out into the sun and maybe not look both ways before I do it. IT'S SATURDAY MORNING SUCKERS, and the freakin weekin is about to get loud.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>oday we're going to Portland for a <a href="http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/events.aspx?x=mtg/event/grandprix/portland13">Grand Prix</a>. This morning we went to pancake town.<br />
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Pancakes are one of the great loves of my life. When gluten told me I was finished with pancakes, I told gluten to "get real" with a gleam in my eye. Then I ran to the bathroom and cried.</div>
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Here's what I'm working with these days:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real talk.</td></tr>
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It's almost like the real thing. I add strawberries to stifle the "stale flour" taste of gluten free baking materials and things are almost back to normal. The great thing about this mix? The pancakes flip like Olympic champs. You can pour huge amounts of batter in the skillet and they cook up quick, neat and easy every time, ne'er a drop spilt. I added some ground sunflower seeds to remind me that pancake time isn't playtime anymore, and satisfied my <a href="http://www.dr-kristy.com/balancing-hormones-with-seed-clycling/">seed cycle</a> requirements in the same swoop. Ladies, get on this seed cycle train with me! It takes about three months to regulate, and I'm only in month 2, but I'd love to hear about someone else's progress.<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-27019155638176589492013-05-01T16:18:00.001-05:002022-07-20T16:08:18.644-05:00Dairy and Gluten, An Unrequited Love Story<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hRVNn0hxsbA/UYGBXLtPE0I/AAAAAAAAG9o/54uMOlrMVZY/s1600/IMAG0671.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hRVNn0hxsbA/UYGBXLtPE0I/AAAAAAAAG9o/54uMOlrMVZY/s320/IMAG0671.jpg" width="191" /></a>Hey pals! I've been gone a spell but I promise, I've been diligently dining and whining daily. I gave up writing about it a few months ago (last year) because I got sick of photographing my food at restaurants. For someone who just wants to sit in a booth and privately savor one bite after another and generally coast through life unnoticed, it really wasn't playing my song. But check it out - I turned 30 in February so now I'm free of all that self aware bullshit (or I'm telling myself it is in fact so), and since this ain't for a grade I'm going to continue without ceremony. There. Now I'm just like you!<br />
These revelations must be made. And of course, they're made to be shared so thanks for playing and let's get going!<br />
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By my hippie doctor's orders, I've abandoned gluten and dairy (so long, beloveds), for better living without allergies.<br />
"Allergies, d'you say?"<br />
Allergies. You guys, I've been fighting headaches, unholy itching, bloating, constipation and sleep all these years, just assuming I was atoning for something I did wrong in a past life.<br />
Not so.<br />
After a blood test, I've been thusly classified:<br />
I''m allergic to casein, the protein found in cow's milk, Gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye and barley, Dust mites and Cock roaches. All likely producing headaches, digestive troubles, fatigue, listlessness, and brain fog, (and I thought I was just fried from college). All these years, I assumed everyone struggled with these things, and I was just being a baby. When I couldn't cope, I'd pop some ibuprofen and hit another pint of ice cream. Or some pizza. Or both.You know the drill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not pizza.</td></tr>
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Alas, the list of foods I must avoid grows. After my juice cleanse last fall I've stayed off of caffeine, meat and most processed foods. Now when we're out to eat I'm left staring slack-jawed at menus, and I'm always on the look out for quick meals I can throw together at home. So when Bill throws a Totinos in the oven, I press through my sorrow and open my heart to a little more effort and start chopping. If I'm really pressed for time, I'll grab for *gasp* <i>canned </i>beets, but mostly, timely cooking is a brand new challenge. Here's what I'm working with these days:<br />
Produce, Produce, Produce, nuts, eggs, Coconut milk, Almond milk, Rice, Quinoa, Brown rice pasta, Udi's Gluten Free tortillas, mung bean noodles and other wheat free creations, which, while not found too often in restaurants, are carried by most grocery stores in their "health food" aisle. I call it the "Fivef***indollarsforwhat?!?!?!" section.<br />
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Luckily, swearing off pizza and fast food has been excellent for my brain and body. Though I haven't quite put my mind to it, I imagine losing weight would now be a snap, especially since I CAN'T DRINK BEER. <br />
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My doctor also informed me that my cholesterol is too low, so I've been given carte blanche to gorge on avocado, fish, nuts and chia seeds, and have implemented <a href="http://lindsaybuchanan.com/seed-cycling-natural-hormone-balance">the seed cycle</a>. It's been a couple months now and while I could have been better at meeting the 2-tablespoon-a-day quota, I like to think I'm feeling better.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chia Seed Pudding</td></tr>
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So, if you're feeling like you might be missing out on high performance living, or just want to see if you could maybe feel a little better than you do, holler at me and I'll send you some recipes. Look, here's one now!<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Chia Seed Pudding</i></b></span><br />
I make this at night and have it the next morning. And the next morning and the next. After that I have to make a new batch.<br />
You'll need:<br />
a quart container with a tight fitting lid<br />
1/2 c chia seeds<br />
1 1/4 c vanilla almond milk<br />
1 1/4 c vanilla coconut milk<br />
cinnamon<br />
topping suggestions:<br />
sliced banana<br />
chopped roasted almonds<br />
toasted coconut flakes<br />
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Combine the milks in the container, add as much cinnamon (and/or masala spice) as you like, maybe about a tablespoon total, then add in the seeds. Stirring here helps to avoid clumps from forming but if you're really fast you can just pop the lid on and tell your shake weight you found a new boyfriend.<br />
Refrigerate for at least four hours, shaking whenever you open the fridge, or once, or never. Clumps are not the worst, since most of the milk will get absorbed no matter what, and a clump or two will provide some surprising crunch. Assemble in a small bowl with your preferred toppings and experience omega-3 fatty acids like never before!<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-91493350602077275782012-12-21T13:12:00.001-06:002012-12-21T13:13:27.658-06:00Fall StarsToday is the first of December, and as my hardwired seasonal dogmas tell me, the true start of winter and Christmas. I'm told the world might end (again) on the solstice, so I'm decking the halls double time. Getting into the spirit is the easiest at the start of the season, when you don't feel rushed to plan tomorrow's parties or get your shopping done, and have the sense and wherewithal to enjoy the leisurely hanging of a bit of tinsel. The hard part is letting go of November's savory pleasures. Those sprawling feasts laden with plates of harvest treasures. That lingering golden shimmer of fall, giving way to the dark, crystalline chill. The cold blossoming into hoarfrost, blah, blah... Yes children, winter is coming.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get your moon waffles at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sub-sand-seattle">Sub Sand</a> in the I.D.</td></tr>
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This fall we visited the Chinese Night Market in the International District and found Egg Puffs, light and puffy spheres born of an eggy Chinese batter poured onto a special waffle iron that produces the best fortune cookie you've ever had. We waited on line about an hour for our first taste of egg puff, not knowing what to expect and wondering if they'd be anything like the festival moon cakes we'd seen advertised. While we waited we looked up into the skies and pondered the threat of moon wobble, lending an air of fantasy to our highly-anticipated snack, and by the time we got our bag we'd renamed the whole experience. Moon waffles, available at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/sub-sand-seattle">Sub Sand</a> (a cute little spot with banh mi and great service) are great for any occasion, especially the end of the world. <br />
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Other seasonal favorites:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JW9eB1jeH7s/ULsIbZitAvI/AAAAAAAAG6c/qmdZuLZEPyU/s1600/IMAG0412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JW9eB1jeH7s/ULsIbZitAvI/AAAAAAAAG6c/qmdZuLZEPyU/s320/IMAG0412.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween with Glerp and eyeball</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7PpQ97J7HA/ULsIkjL-myI/AAAAAAAAG6k/kLAcA-nezuE/s1600/IMAG0420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7PpQ97J7HA/ULsIkjL-myI/AAAAAAAAG6k/kLAcA-nezuE/s320/IMAG0420.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cookingconsal.wordpress.com/2011/11/19/butternut-squash-and-mushroom-quinoa-risotto/">Butternut squash and quinoa risotto with sage </a></td></tr>
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Pumpkin is always reason enough for any season in my opinion, and I got away with a lot of it this fall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQbswliR-B4/UNSplJQsSsI/AAAAAAAAG8A/XYGfnNtxaME/s1600/IMAG0428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQbswliR-B4/UNSplJQsSsI/AAAAAAAAG8A/XYGfnNtxaME/s320/IMAG0428.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin mousse</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin scones, ok.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin soup, playa. </td></tr>
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The pumpkin soup was the MVP of my Thanksgiving meal, hosted graciously by Cecilia out in Brooklyn.<br />
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Eating. And giving thanks for it. It's the American way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqY8VFJ8zCA/ULsTnlq9wcI/AAAAAAAAG7M/pH03ISzUt9k/s1600/IMAG0445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bqY8VFJ8zCA/ULsTnlq9wcI/AAAAAAAAG7M/pH03ISzUt9k/s320/IMAG0445.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Onion Soup at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bleu-evolution-new-york">Bleu Evolution</a> in NYC</td></tr>
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This trip to NYC was a luxurious 6 days long, giving us time to see, eat and tour places we'd never been. We finally went to the Cloisters museum up in Washington Heights, but not before dining at Bleu Evolution. The place makes their pasta in house, and really gets down on some soup, especially the Ribollita and French onion. Their gnocchi was outstanding, and though we had some trouble with the bill, we'll definitely be back next time. </div>
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-52050573425009990152012-08-28T17:12:00.001-05:002022-07-20T16:09:57.146-05:00Summer Wins!<div style="text-align: right;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>ello, long lost readers. I'm traveling tomorrow, bound for Canada to meet my dearest friend's new baby girl and eat some Canadian fare, (look out <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.timhortons.com/">Tim Horton's</a></span>). Today, I'm gathering my druthers, my wool socks and the most notable dine-outs from the last two months to put together a catsup episode, so we can pretend I didn't fall out of your newsfeed for the last two months. Summer is distracting up here. There's really no time to sit down and write you delicious love letters every week.<br />
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We'll begin with my salad days. A period during which I only ate salad to combat an infection, it was a fresh, crunchy and lucid few days. The salad here pictured is a pile up of withering vegetable drawer elegance - nearly dead strawberries, bell pepper, cucumber, broccoli and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. The process: mince a clove of garlic, some fresh fennel feathers, a half teaspoon of oregano, a shower of balsamic and a crank of pepper. Rough up your strawberries in the mixture and let it sit a while. The flavors will seep into the berries and exercise your patience, which is also good for infections. Add some bite sized roughage and get down.<br />
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I'm a fan of the home salad bar, because those moments of whimsical counter top invention can really turn my day around, but keeping those ingredients green can be a challenge. Luckily, just down the street is <a href="http://cactusrestaurants.com/menu/"><span style="font-size: large;">Cactus</span></a>, a southwest kitchen with my new favorite, the watermelon salad. Available for a limited time at a snobby southwest kitchen near you, it's spending its lamentable last few days of summer making me its slave. Cactus adds watercress and radish, with small crumbles of cotija, and so far is my favorite. Be sure to try <a href="http://vivapoquitos.com/Poquitos/Menu.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Poquito's</span></a> version, with mint, jicama, zippy little slices of serrano and huge cubes of queso fresco. If you're bored with salad, their totally gorgeous patio can offer prime snob-watching, huge platters of tostadas and any number of ridiculous cocktails, like El Dude - the Mexican caucasian made with tequila and horchata. Yes, horchata. Did I mention they have fried grasshoppers? Something for everyone.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cactus on Alki</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poquitos in Capitol Hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oFCNki12kTg/UDvAHZ4XcoI/AAAAAAAAGsU/IfKrigiOG-Y/s1600/square-watermelon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oFCNki12kTg/UDvAHZ4XcoI/AAAAAAAAGsU/IfKrigiOG-Y/s1600/square-watermelon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally irrational suspicion of square watermelons.</td></tr>
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Also impressive, <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-mox-seattle-2">Cafe Mox</a></span>' spinach/prociutto/chickpea crouton salad. It paired well with a bright vinaigrette, a long game of Ticket to Ride, and just-right vanilla Italian soda. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Outsider's Bean Dip</td></tr>
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It's the summer of salads, bright, sun-slathered patios at happy hour, and any taste of Texas I can get. One notable patio is deep in the dark recesses of <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-innkeeper-seattle#query:outsiders%20inn">The Outsider</a>.</span> When I wasn't resenting my waitress, I was enjoying the bountiful trellises, fiesta ware, and sharp decor. The bean dip was smooth and affordable,and when we'd finished the chips, the fried platanos took over. My friend had the rum punch, which was divine, but they'd just run out of it so I ordered a Moscow mule, which was a little weak, and when I asked the waitress to look into it she had nothing to offer, and then avoided me until she decided I was ready for the check.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Is this thing on?"</td></tr>
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Cool. I've avoided people before. And I understood when they tipped me accordingly. And the world goes 'round.<br />
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Sometimes you just have to pick yourself up, plant yourself in a booth at <a href="http://skilletstreetfood.com/diner_menu.php"><span style="font-size: large;">Skillet</span> </a>and pretend the check won't come if you just keep ordering cocktails, which is actually exactly the way things work. At happy hour, each drink is still about $10, but when they're pouring <a href="http://titosvodka.com/">Tito's </a>for a homesick Texan, money is a distant, laughable threat. Really though, do you know what they're doing over there? Cucumber, cilantro, and Tito's vodka with a splash of maraschino. Yea.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bacon included.</td></tr>
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Good. But then they drop the bacon bloody mary on you. What they call bacon is more of a sweet, smoky, brisket reduction, mashed together in a paste. Throw in some olives, celery, capers and bacon, drown it in bloody mary, salt the rim with some fairy dust and you're there. You may be saying, YES, more bacon in everything or NO, I like my drinks with drinks in them. Fine. Dare I ask how you take your fries?<br />
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Let's talk about poutine, that monumental invention from, you guessed it, Canada. We've talked about it before, but none of that matters now. Because Skillet's gonna sit you down and make you some.</div>
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Hey, angel.</div>
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I could go on and on about Skillet, but you don't have time. They just opened up a satellite counter in Seattle Center so if you're allergic to Capitol Hill, you have some options. Also of note at Seattle Center is <a href="http://www.popgourmetpopcorn.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Pop Gourmet</span>'s </a>new kiosk. Serving up our POPular gourmet flavors, (Chocolate Salted Caramel or Mumbai Delight, anyone?) it's the best way to get your popcorn fix without driving to Renton. What's that? You go to KuKuRuZa popcorn downtown? Well, if you want to fight Pike Market's overflow and look into the dead eyes of the girl working the counter there, by all means eat their inferior corn.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/laKEcYUD77k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe>When it comes to sandwiches, Capitol Hill's <a href="http://www.thehoneyhole.com/menu_day/"><span style="font-size: large;">Honey Hole</span></a> has the lock down on the one spot with the most fool-proof $11 sandwich selection. Bill ordered the Waverider, delicious, yes, and I had the Fast Eddie, a stack of tri-tip steak, pepper jack, sauteed steak, grilled onions, sweet peppers and aioli. Just looking at the menu stirs this song up in my heart. So does tying my shoes, though. It's really an all-purpose number good for any occasion. Thank you, Mr. Penner.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fast Eddie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilled Havarti at Norm's</td></tr>
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Fremont has <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/norms-eatery-and-ale-house-seattle"><span style="font-size: large;">Norm's Eatery & Alehouse</span></a>. As we sat down I realized it was a dog bar, open to dogs, with occasional barking and dog business. I ordered the grilled havarti and veggie sandwich, which was good, but Bill's pastrami was better.The waiter was a total babe, kind of a rom com hottie with Hey Dude confidence, and while he wasn't tending bar served our table of seven with purpose and an easy smile. We ordered a few 40oz pbrs, the house specialty that formerly came to your table dressed in the traditional paper sack, but these days seems to have outgrown in kitchy presentation. Surely, it wasn't claiming to be practical. It doesn't keep your beer cold, shield your hand from unpleasant frost or hide the fact that you probably have another one waiting in the cooler in your friend's backseat. At Norm's, that backseat is under the bar and all you have to do is make eyes at the bartender and promise to pay another $3 to get one. Vicky, this place is for us.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IsEHVkO18gQ/UD0Yr5smtQI/AAAAAAAAGvQ/24TIzCRtT3I/s1600/IMAG0101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IsEHVkO18gQ/UD0Yr5smtQI/AAAAAAAAGvQ/24TIzCRtT3I/s320/IMAG0101.jpg" width="191" /></a>A wedding (catered masterfully by <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://foodmuseinspirations.com/">Food Muse Inspirations</a></span>) took us to Port Townsend, home to Washington's Best Sandwich, according to Food Network. They claim that <a href="http://www.sirenspub.com/" style="font-size: x-large;">Siren's Pub</a> makes a grilled salmon sandwich to rival all other sammies in the state. Don't be fooled, savvy sammichers. This is just an oversized piece of good local salmon, grilled and seasoned with competence and placed on a demi baguette that won't fit in your mouth. The worst part? In trying to manage each bite you're in danger of dropping prized pieces of fish to the floor, which was my number one complaint. Each component of this sandwich was delicious, but needed to be resized and remarried. And for the record, NOT the best Washington has to offer. That sandwich deserves a post all its own, and will be featured here when I'm ready.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">"</span><br style="background-color: white; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"></span></span></td></tr>
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Being a port, everywhere in P.T. has fresh seafood. Before we left Siren's Pub we had a round of Oyster shooters, available with or without pepper vodka, and they were the perfect farewell to our weekend getaway.<br />
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Looking back, my one regret is not getting the Salmon Chowder at <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bltcoffee.com/">Better Living Through Coffee</a></span>, P.T.'s premier fundamentalist espresso bar. I enjoyed my kombucha, but the snickerdoodle tasted like pizza. It's the little things, right? See you soon!<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-91495964408708845542012-07-06T18:46:00.002-05:002012-07-06T18:46:19.343-05:00Back in the Saddle (where we drink all the beers)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-51mAIL2tvsQ/T_Y2STTTvzI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/eYCwCjiLmZo/s1600/IMAG1848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-51mAIL2tvsQ/T_Y2STTTvzI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/eYCwCjiLmZo/s320/IMAG1848.jpg" width="191" /></a>Trips to Texas are the best. Pulling on our boots, our lassos at the ready, we find a pocket of time and make a run for it. Plunging onto the jetway in Austin, I took care not to suffer the heat. Refusing to be smothered by that thick, molten, air, I pointedly took in the smells: intoxicating waves of distant BBQ, hot pavement, Texan ladies' perfume, (deeply infused with hairspray and pheremonally activated in temperatures above 95*) and the promise of hard sun. When I touched down in Austin, I had a special thirst for a beer on Congress, which took me and my sister straight to Snack Bar. We ordered some local craft drafts, Jade had the Rock Star Bagel, toasted, schmeared, and topped with some distinctly dyed smoked salmon, (easily spotted by a savvy NW salmonite), capers, dill, tomato and onion. <a href="http://www.snackbaraustin.com/">Snack Bar</a>'s breezy, shaded patio is a favorite of mine, home to calm and sensible staff with enough time to deliver whatever tragically hip items you ordered off their menu and chat you up about local goings on. <br />
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And that gossip is hot, too. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That cigar smoking clown in the background?<br />Oh, we got him.</td></tr>
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Ready to downgrade for some cheap happy hour eats, we said goodbye to Snack Bar's $1 cans of Pearl, and crossed the street to <a href="http://eatdrinkdocs.com/#home">Doc's</a>, Vicky and Jon now in tow. Finding sunny seating in their barnyard of a street-facing patio, we ducked under an umbrella, ordered Modelos and a fried flight and started in on the locals. Vicky and I are particularly bad about this. We got to dishing out scathing reviews of our waitress right away, who was a scowling mess in bad shorts that gave us away to another server after bringing our second round of beers. Apparently, we were overwhelmingly impressive or oppressive, it's really hard to say. We were busy laying waste to a basket of really perfect fried mushrooms, chicken fried steak strips, queso, chips, and beers, beers, beers. </div>
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A few hours later, Jade and Wyatt and I were at it again, finding our dinner at the <a href="http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/austin/">Flying Saucer</a> in the triangle. Desperate to stay awake from my first day of drinking in the heat, we ordered a pot of coffee, and a few delicious sandwiches. Our local draught emporium, they're modeled after a German pub, serving pretzels, brats, and my favorite, German potato salad. Basically just mustard, fantasy and potatoes. I ordered the Pork Belly Sandwich, a thoughtful answer to their jalapeno-apple chutney, but maybe not the right one. It was palatable, but easily upstaged, and did a fair job at almost being close to nearly being as delicious as Jade's Hippie Burger. Jalapeno-pesto mayo, avocado, and cucumber on a veggie patty and a wheat bun. It was just, so much better than, whatever you're thinking it tasted like. Forget it. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yes it did.</td></tr>
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The next day we met up with Bobby and Braden, slathered on some sunscreen, <a href="http://video.tvguide.com/Portlandia/Get+the+Gear/9427148">got the gear</a> (thanks Wyatt!) and took it all to Hamilton Pool. A collapsed grotto, the pool is deeper than you dare, the wall jutting up and over you, overrun by errant ferns, and dripping down with surprising pressure onto a rock just off the edge. The size and presence of this place is staggering, begging the question of why and how and what did this? Feeding into the Pedernales river via a suspect, creeping creek nearly a mile long, you're guaranteed to glisten on your way from the pool. Leave your flip flops, bring your water hikers, and carefully disguised party favors. Drop your stuff on the bank and wade in the water, children. It's a shallow, smooth sandy bottom perfect for bare feet. Drag yourself onto a rock and nourish your sun-starved flesh.</div>
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You will go to Hamilton Pool if you're in Austin. They charge $10 per car, so start saving now. Old pro at Hamilton Pool? Then you agree, any day is the right day to go and go early. <span style="background-color: white;">And if you like swimming holes, naturally you know all about </span><a href="http://www.texasoutside.com/texasswimmingholes/texasswimmingholes.html" style="background-color: white;">these.</a></div>
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If we needed an occasion to visit, we had some options. The first annual gathering of the Sandifers' Cajun cousins is a good one, or there was Bobby's visit, or we could use Bill's 31st birthday. His mom flew him down, and gifted him an in-home cooking class. Uh, yes!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6YErNUBb_o/T_drjOBe2jI/AAAAAAAAGow/0ReukFsDwI0/s1600/bill+bday+cake+vickys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6YErNUBb_o/T_drjOBe2jI/AAAAAAAAGow/0ReukFsDwI0/s320/bill+bday+cake+vickys.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess we'll be branching out from cake, then.</td></tr>
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It'd been a few months since I'd seen Jade, since I'd played some pool volleyball, and since I worked up a good sweat. So basically, it was goddamn time. Thanks to Jade, Wyatt, Vicky, Jon, Coors, Braden, Bobby, Rush, Amber, Audrey, John, Shan, Judd, Kim, Debbie, Patrick, Po, Bianca, Micah, Mom, Grandma, The Sandifers and their raucous band of Cajuns for making our visit a great escape.<br />
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Oh, friends and family. What a treat.<br />
But the real charm of Texas? The simple things. Like Sonic onions rings. Breaded in donuts, I think.<br />
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also, sexy Shipley's donuts. Like, a lot of them. Plus slightly more.<br />
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But the crowning glory of the south as I know it, are these beauties.<br />
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Tamale, Egg & Cheese and Chorizo, Egg & Cheese from <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/maudies-austin-2">Maudie's</a>, who makes some excellent Jamaica. (Hibiscus tea, dummies.)<br /><br />
Bill's step dad Hershel makes some killer breakfast tacos. And we do a phenomenal job of eating them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O ye holy of holies.<br />Miss you.<br /></td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Dine of the Week</span></i><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_6HFPq6zzi0/T_dzL82VUwI/AAAAAAAAGpE/x-LOcst6dLc/s1600/IMAG1883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_6HFPq6zzi0/T_dzL82VUwI/AAAAAAAAGpE/x-LOcst6dLc/s320/IMAG1883.jpg" width="320" /></a>A serendipitous find by our friends, the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/yellow-jacket-social-club-austin">Yellow Jacket Social Club</a> made me french toast I'll never forget. The company was grand, the Coors was flowin, the heat was pumpin and everything that hit the table was delicious. Not to be missed: The Mister. A ham and gruyere panini dripping with bechamel, it makes best friends fast with that $2 pint of Coors. Also, their frittata. God.<br />
Do yourself a favor. Take yourself to the east side for brunch. Slummin it never tasted so good.<br />
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<br /></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-24175533542444800732012-06-26T18:33:00.001-05:002014-03-10T09:23:24.016-05:00Dining is fine, but whining is better<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just you, me & these<br />
noble giants.</td></tr>
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Yes, it's been a month. Yes, I've been dutifully dining in this interim, but whining to myself. Here's what you missed:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qtFDdFPI7pQ/T-ouTFKyXpI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/YzYASw3rrZM/s1600/IMAG1773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qtFDdFPI7pQ/T-ouTFKyXpI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/YzYASw3rrZM/s320/IMAG1773.jpg" height="320" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wolf song by Christopher.<br />
New trend!</td></tr>
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Went to Seattle's Folklife festival. Where giant xylophones go to show off, and the best acts no one admits to loving shine, like didgeridoo and djembe prodigy <a href="http://trancevision.com/">Christopher of the Wolves</a>. Like most festivals, they had the typical NW festival food train, crepes, corn, elephant ears, and my new favorite, Salmon piroshky.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNcERMSlMXs/T-ouT0c0hVI/AAAAAAAAGkY/lKgWoh6lcsw/s1600/IMAG1776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNcERMSlMXs/T-ouT0c0hVI/AAAAAAAAGkY/lKgWoh6lcsw/s320/IMAG1776.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's that you got there? Can I stuff it with<br />
salmon, dill and cream cheese and deep fry it?<br />
I'll be your best friend...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0rCcfzA3U8/T-ovRzIz2MI/AAAAAAAAGkg/bRD0Nptcvxo/s1600/IMAG1780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h0rCcfzA3U8/T-ovRzIz2MI/AAAAAAAAGkg/bRD0Nptcvxo/s200/IMAG1780.jpg" height="200" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drowning Rama</td></tr>
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I tried <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bell-thai-seattle#hrid:in1iwHyssVFzvZ51oMDmmQ">Bell Thai</a>, ordered the Swimming Rama with tofu and won't do it again. If they fry their own tofu, they're doing it without any dignity, and if they buy it, well, they're skimpin. The spinach, for which I ordered the dish, was indeed swimming, drowning in a peanut sauce that was out of key with the rest of the plate. My top complaint was getting secretly charged $2 for the worst, most limp and overcooked flat rice noodles I've ever had the occasion to complain about. Slimey. Did enjoy the black sticky rice pudding. Plan to enjoy it again soon, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0btDrK24RJo/T-ovaY2jv9I/AAAAAAAAGko/O76FDtt1laA/s1600/IMAG1782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0btDrK24RJo/T-ovaY2jv9I/AAAAAAAAGko/O76FDtt1laA/s320/IMAG1782.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay very good creamy sensation pleasures.</td></tr>
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There was a week where I ate pizza exclusively. The highlights:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D64MDmyanWM/T-pAI6Ju1fI/AAAAAAAAGlw/GI1KSG4VsEc/s1600/IMAG1817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D64MDmyanWM/T-pAI6Ju1fI/AAAAAAAAGlw/GI1KSG4VsEc/s320/IMAG1817.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/slices-on-alki-seattle">Slices</a> on Alki. The salami should be prosciutto, but who's complaining?<br />
Best crust within a .2 mile radius of my home. Like naan. Soft. Doughy, flavorful. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bBm2r_exjEk/T-pGA08gqOI/AAAAAAAAGm8/Nyyn2B7LGbQ/s1600/IMAG1813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bBm2r_exjEk/T-pGA08gqOI/AAAAAAAAGm8/Nyyn2B7LGbQ/s320/IMAG1813.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/zpizza-seattle">Z pizza</a>, best $2 happy hour pizza & beer (after 9pm) within 30 seconds of rehearsal.<br />
Definitely corporate pie, but with local zest. Vegan slice pictured.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j4fcweP87Og/T-pALgLxBiI/AAAAAAAAGmA/NQFtNjiIl3A/s1600/IMAG1828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j4fcweP87Og/T-pALgLxBiI/AAAAAAAAGmA/NQFtNjiIl3A/s320/IMAG1828.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/hot-mamas-pizza-seattle">Hot Momma's</a>: Best/only pesto pizza with a .1 mile radius of rehearsal. Could improve their dough recipe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8a4HdF9fx44/T-pAMUFXJgI/AAAAAAAAGmI/vy7DfsNQUiw/s1600/IMAG1834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8a4HdF9fx44/T-pAMUFXJgI/AAAAAAAAGmI/vy7DfsNQUiw/s320/IMAG1834.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safeway 5 cheese oven ready pie, with some embellishments.<br />
Best bang for the buck.</td></tr>
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We stopped into <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/jillians-billiard-club-seattle">Jillian's</a> for pool & beer. Note, they do games, tv & beer. Not nachos. Don't order these nachos. You want nachos you go to <a href="http://www.cactusrestaurants.com/">Cactus</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJm_Jrclffk/T-pC1r0UYXI/AAAAAAAAGmY/naTwYWnhZX0/s1600/IMAG1807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJm_Jrclffk/T-pC1r0UYXI/AAAAAAAAGmY/naTwYWnhZX0/s320/IMAG1807.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The olives were delicious.</td></tr>
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I took a page from the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/dry-aged-chimney-porterhouse-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown bible</a> and discovered my new favorite steak. Dry aged in the fridge, seared in the cast iron then broiled. I added it to a salad of field greens, nectarines, radish & sugar snap peas. Alton suggests a three day stint in the fridge, finishing the steak under a makeshift outdoor chimney, but a few hours aging and an oven does quick work. After a few quick minutes under the broiler, I let it rest, covered, then sliced it, doused it in balsamic and threw it in. Not to brag, but it was sooOooOoo good.<br />
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Other notable home-cooking success stories include Bill's pancake chefery...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ij3asTvfbmk/T-oxGB_SodI/AAAAAAAAGlM/5Texmnv-5-A/s1600/IMAG1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ij3asTvfbmk/T-oxGB_SodI/AAAAAAAAGlM/5Texmnv-5-A/s320/IMAG1799.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most improved pancake award. Medal to follow.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BtX1SkcKib8/T-ow8xhikqI/AAAAAAAAGlE/ufYylW8xW80/s1600/IMAG1820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BtX1SkcKib8/T-ow8xhikqI/AAAAAAAAGlE/ufYylW8xW80/s200/IMAG1820.jpg" height="119" width="200" /></a>...and my continued command of frying up salmon croquettes. I tried adding a cream cheese, caper & horseradish filling, which was a stroke of melted, savory genius on my part.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Salmon Croquettes</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V1-0EcQ_tS4/T-oyrHWnOhI/AAAAAAAAGlc/6DJwDClAS7U/s1600/IMAG1822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V1-0EcQ_tS4/T-oyrHWnOhI/AAAAAAAAGlc/6DJwDClAS7U/s200/IMAG1822.jpg" height="200" width="119" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YxWod7b_LFg/T-oxHYV1RLI/AAAAAAAAGlU/3hCez_LaozY/s1600/IMAG1826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YxWod7b_LFg/T-oxHYV1RLI/AAAAAAAAGlU/3hCez_LaozY/s200/IMAG1826.jpg" height="200" width="119" /></a></div>
Mash up one can of pink salmon<br />
Add a beaten egg, half a sleeve of crushed saltines, 2 chopped shallots, 1 T capers, salt & pepper.<br />
Blend, form into a shallow patty, make a well and add 1 t of cream cheese horseradish.<br />
Cover with another shallow patty and fry in a half inch of oil until golden brown.<br />
Serve with ketchup. Or something you hold in high esteem.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: orange;">Dine of the <b>month</b>: </span></span></i><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjRm3F_qcxU/T-pC8oFlFtI/AAAAAAAAGmo/6vf8eHiKTZQ/s1600/IMAG1801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjRm3F_qcxU/T-pC8oFlFtI/AAAAAAAAGmo/6vf8eHiKTZQ/s320/IMAG1801.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a><br />
Wild fennel growing taller than me like weeds in someone's yard off the beach. I know. A whole month and this was the best. But it was so good! I didn't even get to the bulb, (I haven't dug up food in someone else's yard in years), but the sweet fronds were so wonderful and unexpected. I crumpled them up and put them in Bill's sweater pocket, where they're now dehydrated, crumbling, but fragrant. I've got to get on this.<br />
See you next time. Missed you!</div>
</div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-64698482578892700902012-05-23T15:44:00.002-05:002012-05-23T15:44:32.245-05:00Dine Out? I'm in.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Before Best Coast last night at <a href="http://stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=1880">The Neptune</a>, Mr. Two Drinks and I stopped at <a href="http://www.cedarsseattle.com/menu.html">Cedar's Restaurant</a> in the U.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GPZ5anp_C4E/T7yvHsHc7VI/AAAAAAAAGQ4/WtCF0Np15Xo/s1600/IMAG1702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GPZ5anp_C4E/T7yvHsHc7VI/AAAAAAAAGQ4/WtCF0Np15Xo/s320/IMAG1702.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't tell me you don't know Mr. Two Drinks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kh20PfNY4-Q/T7yvKOmzwUI/AAAAAAAAGRI/TWhy_pyCcMM/s1600/IMAG1705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kh20PfNY4-Q/T7yvKOmzwUI/AAAAAAAAGRI/TWhy_pyCcMM/s320/IMAG1705.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-flLHNzhsTlI/T7yvI_hK18I/AAAAAAAAGRA/wjE6Na9g04E/s1600/IMAG1703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-flLHNzhsTlI/T7yvI_hK18I/AAAAAAAAGRA/wjE6Na9g04E/s320/IMAG1703.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deliciousher</td></tr>
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Seated instantly, we were served quickly and well tended until it came time to get a box and get moving. It was getting busy, but, you know. I complain. Oh, but the food...</div>
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Against my better judgement, I passed over the highly-recommended garlic naan for the mint naan. Refreshing, its cooling powers were appreciated next to the 3* heat in our Butter Chicken. Close in flavor to a tikka masala, the butter keeps surprising you. Occasionally putting down your fork is recommended, (per usual) to better appreciate the absence of any acidity. "Creamy" doesn't really do this dish justice. Let's say, in a whisper, silky. Silky, with chicken. </div>
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I can't say much for the iced chai other than I wished I'd ordered it hot, because their was a strange flavor I like to think was from the ice. Bill tried it, decided it was heavy on the anise, so I decided to love it. Ah, the power of suggestion, and anise. His mango lassi was delicious, precisely creamy (no whisper needed), and blended with rose water. Purr.</div>
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This past weekend Bianca came through, inspiring me to go beyond the usual egg breakfast. We whipped up a quick Dutch Baby and Fritatta with tea and fruit.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ckc93rqofXc/T7y4aIUZH5I/AAAAAAAAGR8/GCggHjn0CMg/s1600/IMAG1690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ckc93rqofXc/T7y4aIUZH5I/AAAAAAAAGR8/GCggHjn0CMg/s320/IMAG1690.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No you whip it.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvX99f4xwoc/T7yxBdeM2HI/AAAAAAAAGRY/Pqd2WziihjM/s1600/IMAG1685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvX99f4xwoc/T7yxBdeM2HI/AAAAAAAAGRY/Pqd2WziihjM/s320/IMAG1685.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rQSc6kQfmNE/T7yxCii3Y4I/AAAAAAAAGRg/aI6sx0WtL68/s1600/IMAG1686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rQSc6kQfmNE/T7yxCii3Y4I/AAAAAAAAGRg/aI6sx0WtL68/s320/IMAG1686.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> Dutch Baby in a buttery cast iron skillet</b><br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">2 eggs</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1/2 cup milk</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 pinch ground nutmeg</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">1 pinch salt</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">2 tablespoons butter</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting</li>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Preheat skillet, buttered, in a 475 degree oven</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Mix ingredients and add to hot skillet</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Lower heat to 425 and bake 12 min or until puffy>>></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Dust with powdered sugar and serve</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WY1vbtEvMlQ/T7yxD6KvynI/AAAAAAAAGRo/ctV6OGAgi_c/s1600/IMAG1693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WY1vbtEvMlQ/T7yxD6KvynI/AAAAAAAAGRo/ctV6OGAgi_c/s320/IMAG1693.jpg" width="191" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNN2ZH-eOAo/T7yxAty88eI/AAAAAAAAGRQ/234Jp6k90B0/s1600/IMAG1684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FNN2ZH-eOAo/T7yxAty88eI/AAAAAAAAGRQ/234Jp6k90B0/s320/IMAG1684.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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<b>Fritatta Loaf </b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">3 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">A handful of whatever veggies you have, chopped (I sauteed some creminis and shallots ahead of time)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">1/2 cup shredded cheese</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Fresh herbs (Oregano, basil, parsley are all easy, approachable breakfast herbs)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">1 T melted butter</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Heat butter in loaf pan in oven</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Toss vegetables in melted butter, add 3 beaten eggs, shredded cheese and fresh chopped herbs to a loaf pan</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Bake 15 min at 425, allow to cool slightly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Serve on hearty, buttered toast. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><i>Nom of the week</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SHsNM3TUE34/T7yxR5KUwtI/AAAAAAAAGRw/eLcm1aZDnmI/s1600/IMAG1694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SHsNM3TUE34/T7yxR5KUwtI/AAAAAAAAGRw/eLcm1aZDnmI/s320/IMAG1694.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll carry you around like an infant, Juanita,<br />and hold you close.</td></tr>
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No, it's not butter. It's my girl Juanita. We discovered Juanita and her magic bag of chips a few weeks ago, and have been stocking our pantry ever since.When a bag runs low, nothing feels quite so right as buying a new bag. Sure, they're gluten free. But that's pretty irrelevant. They're also bullshit free. These chips are the end of every other chip. Forever. </div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-21813467639760736442012-05-13T14:20:00.001-05:002012-05-13T14:20:54.009-05:00Happy Mother's DayThis morning, we hosted a Mother's Day Brunch without any mothers. Admittedly, we sent out the invites too late.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pYXEJgXH31k/T7AGRpy1YvI/AAAAAAAAGKo/UOfGWxPkiNk/s1600/IMAG0358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pYXEJgXH31k/T7AGRpy1YvI/AAAAAAAAGKo/UOfGWxPkiNk/s320/IMAG0358.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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On the menu, we featured Italian sausage & spinach omelettes, banana yogurt granola bowls, hot tea and fresh mango bellinis in homage to our moms.</div>
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My omelette was duly overcooked, just like Mom used to make. </div>
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Here's to you, Mom.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-39378844478131678122012-05-09T10:04:00.001-05:002012-05-09T10:04:44.750-05:00Seis de MayoBecause Cinco de Mayo came at the end of a tiring week of this,<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eo1HRUcCTYY/T6kyKeHlwaI/AAAAAAAAGHo/T4fzmDHaMK8/s1600/IMAG1568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eo1HRUcCTYY/T6kyKeHlwaI/AAAAAAAAGHo/T4fzmDHaMK8/s200/IMAG1568.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posing in factory apparel. Exhausting.</td></tr>
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my holiday was spent like this after a few Coronas:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqkjXe_dsA8/T6kynaBbWPI/AAAAAAAAGHw/oTdqdngLjEQ/s1600/IMAG1606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqkjXe_dsA8/T6kynaBbWPI/AAAAAAAAGHw/oTdqdngLjEQ/s320/IMAG1606.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ole!</td></tr>
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Sunday morning was a slow-moving, ill-humored wake up, disgruntledly drowsing at the alarm until I actually got going with these increasingly-popular breakfast foods.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T9Fuk3qmOJ0/T6kzArW6PNI/AAAAAAAAGH4/OIz9ZQaAaN0/s1600/IMAG1609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T9Fuk3qmOJ0/T6kzArW6PNI/AAAAAAAAGH4/OIz9ZQaAaN0/s320/IMAG1609.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee/tequila not pictured.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-78kAqN50ZOk/T6fk92a4MDI/AAAAAAAAGG8/kKpEyNTgBjg/s1600/JesseAmberCabin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-78kAqN50ZOk/T6fk92a4MDI/AAAAAAAAGG8/kKpEyNTgBjg/s200/JesseAmberCabin.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Camp counseling, 2003. I taught canoeing,<br />drama, music and salsa eating.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Salsa Verde</span> recipe I picked up long ago from one of the kitchen ladies at <a href="http://www.camparrowhead.com/">Camp Arrowhead</a>. Muchas, muchas, muchas gracias, Senora.<br />
This will make damn near a quart, which is not enough. <br />
<br />
1 small red onion<br />
1 lb. tomatillos, blanched and skinned (or 3 cans) (I know)<br />
1 small tomato<br />
1 lg bunch cilantro leaves and a few stems<br />
2 mean serranos, seeded to reduce the heat (or not, ole!)<br />
juice of 1 lime<br />
1 1/2 t cumin<br />
1t salt<br />
<br />
blender or food processor<br />
<br />
1. Blend/pulse tomatillos, tomatos, cilantro, cumin & lime until mixed.<br />
2. Chop fine by hand or pulse in serranos and onions. Do Not Liquify.<br />
3. Add salt to taste. Then chips. The biggest bag you can find.<br />
<br />
<br />
We took this batch to my cast mate's house for a small fiesta writ large with comida, cerveza and...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pbUBHpDh5Vc/T6qCaIVq33I/AAAAAAAAGJE/5f3gN2rYFqk/s1600/2009_08_20-horchata1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pbUBHpDh5Vc/T6qCaIVq33I/AAAAAAAAGJE/5f3gN2rYFqk/s320/2009_08_20-horchata1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Emily Ho</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Horchata!</span></div>
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What you need for fast aguas frescas:</div>
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1 1/2 cups uncooked rice</div>
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1 cinnamon stick</div>
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1 can sweetened condensed milk</div>
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3 cups hot tap water</div>
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A holding vessel & a pitcher</div>
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Tea towel or cheese cloth</div>
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<br /></div>
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1. Allow the rice to soak with the cinnamon in water, our holding vessel was a tall tumbler. Many people add blanched almonds to the soak. See <a href="http://chefbud.com/2009/05/05/rick-bayless-recipes-at-the-telluride-library/">this recipe</a> for more. Soak overnight or as long as you can wait. A few hours will do. (thankfully)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-75yUE5iFAIM/T6k0p-ZvggI/AAAAAAAAGII/paL5eakNqZo/s1600/IMAG1615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-75yUE5iFAIM/T6k0p-ZvggI/AAAAAAAAGII/paL5eakNqZo/s200/IMAG1615.jpg" width="119" /></a>2. Using an immersion blender, blend/grind the mixture, now softened slightly until smooth. Strain through cheese cloth or a tea towel, like your abuela used to do.</div>
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3. Add the sweetened condensed milk and blend well. Now you have horchata concentrate. Add water to taste (you're aiming at about two quarts total). Chill in a pitcher to make your aguas frescas frio then go to town. I enjoy mine over ice. Maybe with a churro or two. Yes. Vicky I'm thinking of you.</div>
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That same day, Bill and I had a chance to try <a href="http://thetwobells.com/">Two Bells Tavern</a>, a legendary old burger hole that smells like, well, an old burger hole that's seen some grisly days. There is a smell. Their burgers arrive on crusty sourdough lengths with your choice of cheddar, swiss, havarti or bleu, (I hear their blue burger is a siren song.) Bill had the Tavern burger with swiss, and I was in love. I had the basic havarti burger, and must admit it was not as juicy as I had heard it would be. For sides, no fries will do. They make baked beans in house, which I've never had the occasion to rave about before but do so now, since I kept pilfering from Bill's small bowl, and a cole slaw with bacon and a mustard wash, (yes!) Potato salad is also an option, and if you have no heart, there's also chips. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d6MKmWdLalk/T6k0o_qgMbI/AAAAAAAAGIA/CNNiAMx91UE/s1600/IMAG1612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d6MKmWdLalk/T6k0o_qgMbI/AAAAAAAAGIA/CNNiAMx91UE/s320/IMAG1612.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See all of you soon.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-77256959086897603172012-04-26T19:18:00.001-05:002012-04-27T02:48:42.888-05:00Something even worse than going smell blind<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmrjHKg7Gbs/T5nRFvoXm-I/AAAAAAAAF9I/nIHLP2CsRN0/s1600/IMAG1533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmrjHKg7Gbs/T5nRFvoXm-I/AAAAAAAAF9I/nIHLP2CsRN0/s320/IMAG1533.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cold rain took my health, but these berries<br />
lost everything.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last Thursday, I accidentally left myself <a href="http://ambermoreno.blogspot.com/2012/04/museum-week-emp-pacific-science-center.html">out in the rain</a> and caught a cold, which augmented the ferocity of my allergies, cost me a couple days of work and has left my most prized senses debilitated. I'm no blood hound, but if there's a lingering smell left on you from yesterday, I'll usually able to track it. A voracious taster, spicy foods burn me easily, upsetting the delicate palate I rely on to taste the deep, hidden flavors I stay hungry for. I have always had a talent for tasting, but for the last week, I have nearly given up eating, as my taste buds have only been able to detect sweet, salty, and sad, save for a few strange days. I've traded dining out for driving thru, and even then for sustenance only. I was weak and dizzy this morning, and had to take a hard look at what I've been chewing on these past few dismal days.<br />
<br />
Since nothing in my kitchen has made sense, I've been skipping my usual balanced nourishment and opting for Ikea breakfasts, fish sandwiches from McDonald's and Jack in the Box, small servings of leftovers, and light handfuls of nuts and oranges. I've been playing the hunger games solo, but without my tasting tools, I've got no fight left. We had a friend stay over the weekend, and finally visited <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/buddha-ruksa-seattle#hrid:gNozUKQ4Z2taaPVksgaKbA">Buddha Ruska</a>, something I've been looking forward to since we moved to West Seattle, but I only sensed far-away flavors and promising textures while the rest of the table cooed and chewed.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RDbl809FO-g/T5nPHRKdlLI/AAAAAAAAF9A/T72pTIgckpk/s1600/IMAG1534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RDbl809FO-g/T5nPHRKdlLI/AAAAAAAAF9A/T72pTIgckpk/s320/IMAG1534.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetarian field roast pile, w/ grilled biscuits at<br />
Luna Park Cafe. Thank you, Universe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The next morning we hit up <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/luna-park-cafe-seattle#hrid:IRjPZttAK6XXPX6f58RTeA">Luna Park Cafe</a>, where I foreswore my usual Espresso milkshake for water and split a Vegetarian Field Roast Pile. This was not in vain, my 'buds were back, (for a limited time), and were awake and transmitting long enough for me to enjoy the feta, mushroom, tomato, spinach and vegetarian field roast sausage on a bed of hashbrowns topped with two fried eggs. I've mentioned this before, <a href="http://diningthenwhining.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-sat-down-moment-ago-to-start-long.html">here</a>, but go get their biscuits. Ask for them grilled, wait patiently, and when they arrive, go get 'em. Forget about that old "America's bread basket needs more roughage" adage*, and fill yourself with starch, carbs and lingering grill marks.<br />
<br />
*DO NOT forget this. America is stupid for bread. Put the hoagie down, get dressed, and go fill up your basket at the farmer's market. And wear something trendy - you'll shop with more dignity and adventure.<br />
<br />
I've been blowing my nose overtime, trying to purge this curse, and I think I'm finally coming around. Today I cleaned out the fridge on a quest to nourish myself, and I did a bang up job. Veggie burger with hummus, bell pepper and spinach, beans and rice, hearty cereal and a garbage pale smoothie. Wait, how do you get one of those? <br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HMhvLvKcKS8/T5nUIRHSi-I/AAAAAAAAF9U/V8zEcFUsBMA/s1600/IMAG1570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HMhvLvKcKS8/T5nUIRHSi-I/AAAAAAAAF9U/V8zEcFUsBMA/s320/IMAG1570.jpg" width="320" /></a>Gather all the fruits and veggies in your kitchen that have that not-so-fresh pallor, and combine with milk, yogurt and that protein powder you can't seem to work into your diet. I like (to gag on) Designer Whey's Double Chocolate. Alone, it tastes like cardboard made out of wood chips, crushed aspirin and generic hot chocolate mix. I learned that when added to strawberries and spinach, the taste is muted by the overpowering earthiness of the greens, but the smooth creaminess can shine through, gathering mild sweetness from the fruit. I always throw in a frozen banana - one that grew too many spots on the counter (xtra sweet) - and some barely still alive berries. What? Of course throw in some flax seeds! Avoid melon, which tends to sour even the trashiest garbage pale smoothie. I blend until well mixed, then add more spinach. Because it can't hurt.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BOkob3RpM_I/T5nUJtra3LI/AAAAAAAAF9c/XkHRpne4GiA/s1600/IMAG1574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BOkob3RpM_I/T5nUJtra3LI/AAAAAAAAF9c/XkHRpne4GiA/s320/IMAG1574.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do not microwave this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-35259872435243371812012-04-15T01:59:00.001-05:002012-04-15T01:59:54.801-05:00Too Disgruntled to Dine OutDisgruntled means many things on this blog, and today we'll let it sub for "under house arrest."<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2_7LaKOFh8/T4puR-3tlII/AAAAAAAAFu4/0D8yvaXTuys/s1600/IMAG1353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z2_7LaKOFh8/T4puR-3tlII/AAAAAAAAFu4/0D8yvaXTuys/s320/IMAG1353.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
These last weeks I've spent some time mourning meals like the one you see here. In Texas, you end up eating a lot of Tex Mex because a.) it's the reason you're there or b.) wherever you go you're never more than five minutes from a lovable taqueria or cantina. We've tried a few different "Tex Mex" eateries here in Washington, and they just seem to be missing something. The Tex, maybe?<br />
<br />
When the weather turns, then turns again, and you can't take your summer spirits outside lest they get broken by the clouds, take your woes to the store and buy ingredients for an indoor fiesta. These party favors are quick, fresh, healthy and require minimum clean up.<br />
<br />
First, set your oven to broil.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lpckZp__x6s/T4pqA5k_IaI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/aGV5YYe9xDE/s1600/IMAG1418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lpckZp__x6s/T4pqA5k_IaI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/aGV5YYe9xDE/s320/IMAG1418.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
What you'll need for quesadillas:<br />
<br />
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained<br />
1/2 cup fresh shredded cheddar<br />
1 small mango, chopped<br />
1 avocado, chopped<br />
tortillas<br />
cooking spray or butter<br />
salt<br />
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<br /></div>
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plus </div>
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1 poblano pepper,</div>
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1 T dried oregano and </div>
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about a cup of chopped onion. Sweat those together over medium high heat until onion is transparent. Combine with mango/avocado.</div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FDg5cHl7SE8/T4pqBwbH1zI/AAAAAAAAFuY/mCOSfy40pnI/s1600/IMAG1419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FDg5cHl7SE8/T4pqBwbH1zI/AAAAAAAAFuY/mCOSfy40pnI/s320/IMAG1419.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zvAcS-yXIMI/T4pqC82qbgI/AAAAAAAAFug/k5T8pr0IwYU/s1600/IMAG1420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zvAcS-yXIMI/T4pqC82qbgI/AAAAAAAAFug/k5T8pr0IwYU/s320/IMAG1420.jpg" width="191" /></a>Plant some cheddar on half of the tortillas, top with mix and then more cheese, for adhesion & prosperity & extra fat. For love, really. Fold in half, spray lightly with cooking spray and give it up to the broiler til' melty.</div>
If you can't bring yourself to turn on your oven, crisp them up on the stove on medium high.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wA-Jw7lMRAE/T4pqD456-iI/AAAAAAAAFuo/GtWa3mOHkkQ/s1600/IMAG1423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wA-Jw7lMRAE/T4pqD456-iI/AAAAAAAAFuo/GtWa3mOHkkQ/s200/IMAG1423.jpg" width="119" /></a>Look what's left! It's just you and the pan, now. Don't be shy. Grab a spoon and get in there. Or...</div>
<br />
<br />
Focus, think about what you can make without cheese, since you so cavalierly ate the rest of it while cooking, and create a cool, refreshing Tex-Mex salad.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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What you'll need:</div>
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Red Bell pepper, chopped</div>
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4 radishes, sliced thin</div>
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3 scallions, chopped</div>
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1 can black beans, rinsed & drained</div>
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for the dressing:</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1/4 c chopped cilantro</div>
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2 t coarse grain mustard (brown deli mustard will do)</div>
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1 t red wine vinegar</div>
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1 T lime juice</div>
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3 t olive oil</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K6oUWUISFQo/T4ptDdaPWWI/AAAAAAAAFuw/hxW8mt8ER-E/s1600/IMAG1437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K6oUWUISFQo/T4ptDdaPWWI/AAAAAAAAFuw/hxW8mt8ER-E/s320/IMAG1437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whisk together your dressing and combine with chopped veggies & beans. Marvel briefly at the colors, grab a Modelo and eat. </div>
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<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-27812673871075668612012-02-29T14:15:00.001-06:002012-02-29T14:15:06.628-06:00Canlis: A Masterpiece in Three Acts<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last Tuesday got real fancy real fast. Since you weren't there, I invite you to grab your opera glasses for flavor, sit back in your seat, and allow me to regale you with my decadent tale. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I spent all day prepping for an audition, and as soon as I finished I raced across town to grab Bill, only to race home, pull on some evening wear and dash out to dinner. I made a conscious choice to let my frantic momentum run itself into a $20 cocktail as the hostess took my coat and we were led into the beyond.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDsTnBxuQH8/T0ve460_aiI/AAAAAAAAE6A/DN7Mcil9sKc/s1600/IMAG1179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDsTnBxuQH8/T0ve460_aiI/AAAAAAAAE6A/DN7Mcil9sKc/s200/IMAG1179.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best $1 dining<br />
bible around</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JtZWBYdD3z4/T0vfBHw-q1I/AAAAAAAAE6I/e1XcBPjiVwE/s1600/IMAG1180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JtZWBYdD3z4/T0vfBHw-q1I/AAAAAAAAE6I/e1XcBPjiVwE/s320/IMAG1180.jpg" width="191" /></a>Tuesday, February 21st, we left this earthly plane, all its noises, plastic clutter and crude banalities to ascend the gently sloping path to a dinner I'll not soon forget. In William Speidel's <i>You Can't Eat Mount Rainier!</i>, <a href="http://www.canlis.com/food/menu.aspx">Canlis</a> is described as having reached the "pinnacle in decor, service, and taste." This book is adorable. Published in '55, it called to me from a clearance rack after Christmas, and upon flipping through it I found an entry for the mysterious restaurant we'd just received a gift certificate for. I brought the book with us, handed it to the hostess and invited her to pass it around so the staff could enjoy a glimpse into their mighty empire's past.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CXl2YVCZ5D4/T0wVJRT3DmI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/4sJKwGn57A4/s1600/IMAG1164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CXl2YVCZ5D4/T0wVJRT3DmI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/4sJKwGn57A4/s320/IMAG1164.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, help me, John Mason.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cBLGPkVmWII/T02QGIGD5pI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/AVmRCxoWDEo/s1600/IMAG1172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cBLGPkVmWII/T02QGIGD5pI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/AVmRCxoWDEo/s200/IMAG1172.jpg" width="119" /></a>We gave our name to the valet, let our car drive off with all our cares and woes, and headed in. We were early, and so took a seat in the lounge where a piano played gilded versions of today's hits. Brittany, Whitney, Celine, Radiohead - a likely overture to foreshadow the evening ahead; modern in places, but smacking of your favorite traditions. We perused the cocktail list, but I knew right away what to order. My 'Prince In Disguise' and Bill's Old Fashioned arrived just as our table was ready, so we followed our drinks to a table facing the dining room. It was pulled out so we might sit easily beside each other in the booth, and I was lucky enough to find my orientation offered a view of the kitchen window, fully done in copper paneling, casting off soft visions of kitchen business without clearly reflecting any distractions. We took in the other diners as we sipped our drinks. Mine a bourbon fantasy with a slice of apple dusted in cinnamon and Bill's a cold, refreshing toddy. If nothing else, please, take yourself and $50 to Canlis and get a couple cocktails. Really fine work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0V7SSXg7oDs/T0wZ9RPzhsI/AAAAAAAAE6Y/GtwVvaUSY2o/s1600/IMAG1165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0V7SSXg7oDs/T0wZ9RPzhsI/AAAAAAAAE6Y/GtwVvaUSY2o/s320/IMAG1165.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That star anise came home with me. What were they going<br />
to use it for? These things don't just grow on trees.<br />
(Do they?)</td></tr>
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<b>Act One</b> began shortly after Bill learned he would be feasting on his very own plate of oysters, our amuse bouche arrived; a warm, creamy leek soup in sweet little cups that were perfect with nibbles of their house milk & honey rolls. For those of you with private shame about gorging on King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls in a dark pantry, the soft and supple crumb of Canlis rolls will upgrade your addiction. And you can have as many as you want. And they're always warm, because they bring them to you one by one out of a hot, covered basket. Ok. The bread was good. What about the food?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHTyEEjf6xY/T0wiBEDQp1I/AAAAAAAAE6o/IipArrDsAwA/s1600/IMAG1166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHTyEEjf6xY/T0wiBEDQp1I/AAAAAAAAE6o/IipArrDsAwA/s320/IMAG1166.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's coddle an egg together.</td></tr>
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Voted one of the 100 best dishes in America, the Canlis salad has barely evolved since 1950, but continues to dazzle diners, $18 at a time. A crisp foundation of romaine, green onion, grape tomatoes, mint, oregano, bacon, romano cheese and croutons, what really sells this salad is its fresh simplicity, but it might be the coddled egg--which is exactly what it sounds like. I think you pay for that one careful moment where the sous chef pauses, ignoring whatever chaos is going on around them, (does Canlis know chaos?), and delicately places the whole egg into water that was ever-so-recently boiling. Kind of a high-risk job for anybody. Or maybe they have an egg coddler on staff for just this sort of thing.<br />
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Humming along with Gangster's Paradise on the piano, we sighed as our plates left, empty, but lit up as our main course arrived. <b>Act Two</b> opened with Muscovy duck, sliced parsnip and pear in a creamy reduction, a dollop of sticky golden raisins and a duck croquette. The duck was delicious, aged 14 days and prepared admirably, but the croquette, which maybe took minutes to form and fry, sang the song I still can't get out of my mind. As a fan of fried treasures, this one goes straight to the top of my list, and that's all I'm prepared to say. <br />
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In between bites of duck, I moved in on Bill's king salmon. On a bed of shitake mushrooms and pearl onions dripping with something fabulous I'll never know the secret to, the salmon was fresh, thick, and gently grilled. A substantial meal in itself, I ate about half the fillet and left thinking I'd never need another bite of protein. That's value.<br />
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Not pictured are the twice-baked potato - a sixty year tradition that keeps on giving - and a mound of herbed truffle fries, which we were advised to take home and broil the next morning with eggs for breakfast, (encore!) An unexpected intermezzo arrived as I was agonizing over ever standing up again: two dips of goat's milk sorbet. Bravo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2QxTURqH2xQ/T0wrBjkRk5I/AAAAAAAAE7I/d8ArQgJ72Qg/s1600/IMAG1170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2QxTURqH2xQ/T0wrBjkRk5I/AAAAAAAAE7I/d8ArQgJ72Qg/s320/IMAG1170.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Forever!!!!</td></tr>
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Just as I'd lost hope that we'd receive a visit from the distinguished owner, <b>Act Three</b> began: a Grand Marnier <span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">souffl<span style="letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">é</span></span>, cracked and drizzled with creme anglaise by Mr. Canlis himself. Personable and younger than you'd guess, he returned my book and we chatted about more refined dining techniques. The Morenos were climbing the social ladder a little too fast, so we ordered two boozy coffees and slowly prepared for our humble return home. The bill came and went, our serenity unbroken as we handed over our gift card.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTRVL3HvFV0/T02Oir9xpQI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/aB8rlEeaXfU/s1600/IMAG1174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTRVL3HvFV0/T02Oir9xpQI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/aB8rlEeaXfU/s320/IMAG1174.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bow to you, sweet somethings.</td></tr>
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For all there was to love, the one thing that didn't succeed was Bill's Spanish coffee - a mix of armagnac, cointreau, rum, you see where I'm going with this? Not really a "perk up before you drive home" kind of beverage, which we were duly warned about, but it was so sweet and alcoholic I couldn't really enjoy it. Maybe set it on fire? My Irish coffee was just what I wanted, and effectively brought me back to life for the curtain call:<br />
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Rosewater macarons and dark chocolate nibbles filled with peanut butter ganache.<br />
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Clap louder, you swine, they can't hear you in the back.<br />
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<i style="color: orange; font-size: xx-large;"><b>Dine of My Life</b></i><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tx3F1qXSyVI/T02vNPp366I/AAAAAAAAE7g/FF6Qs_GlcW8/s1600/pork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tx3F1qXSyVI/T02vNPp366I/AAAAAAAAE7g/FF6Qs_GlcW8/s1600/pork.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still struggling to pull myself together</td></tr>
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But wait, where was the climax? Who died?<br />
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It was me, I died, and as Vanessa Williams once cooed, I've gone and saved the best for last. The gun shot happened early, in the first act, making expert use of the charcoal broiler Canlis is famous for, and adding star power to huckleberry jus, coriander, and a smashing pickled rutabaga coin. The star in question is pork belly, the softest, fattiest, most breath-taking cut of meat ever to be dusted in pastrami shavings and disappear, between sobs, off my plate. And the rutabaga - (I promised myself I wouldn't cry again, but) - so crisp and commanding, I tried to pace myself but... Before I knew it the feathers were drifting to the floor and my mascara had betrayed me. This dish was <i>so, so</i> good, I'm having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, knowing there's nothing in my kitchen worth getting up for.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span></b>s a diner, I'm not quick to award an establishment simply based on its reputation for excellence, and having read a few reviews slandering Canlis as an over-priced, over-staffed exercise in stuffy tradition, I kept an eye out for missteps. I am easily disturbed by overly-attentive servers, and while the staff was indeed extensive, and we never wanted for anything, the calm at our table never felt threatened. As this particular outing was a gift, I wanted to see the good, but was ultimately and unexpectedly charmed, thrilled, to find that even a diner as disgruntled as I could be healed by a truly fine dine out.<br />
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Special thanks to our investors, <i><b>Bill & Cecilia</b></i>, for believing in us and sending us to the moon for one beautiful evening.<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-71062822389087646382012-02-22T16:35:00.000-06:002012-02-22T16:36:06.052-06:00San Francisco: Money's just food you haven't eaten yet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week around this time, I was looking back on my fantastic trip to San Francisco, hosted generously by Aaron & Genevieve Saenz.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SPJbApxj-xw/T0VFnBKSKVI/AAAAAAAAE4Q/h4EDOXL-SRA/s1600/IMAG1081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SPJbApxj-xw/T0VFnBKSKVI/AAAAAAAAE4Q/h4EDOXL-SRA/s320/IMAG1081.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A: "What did you pay for that?" <br />
G: "Like, an eighth of what it's really worth."</td></tr>
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We made a fair effort to sample the best coffee in the area, which took us to <a href="http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/locations/kiosk/">Blue Bottle Coffee</a>, and after an appropriate waiting period, we were handed two <a href="http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/coffee/preparation-guide/drip-coffee/">ceramic-dripped</a> cups of organic black magic. At home, I use a plastic Melitta dripper for one cup days, the jumbo French press for three cups and beyond. I have to say, the ceramic dripper combined with the organic micro-roasted grounds made my home methods and coffee skills seem inferior in every way, but I think my snooty poseur points are now way up just for mentioning it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7bzhORdJAzw/T0VW4XZul-I/AAAAAAAAE4c/xUUTvJIgLdQ/s1600/IMAG1083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7bzhORdJAzw/T0VW4XZul-I/AAAAAAAAE4c/xUUTvJIgLdQ/s320/IMAG1083.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take off that seat belt, girl. </td></tr>
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As we sipped, we grooved in the sun to a nearby boombox playing all the hits of the 90s while waiting for our table at the highly-trafficked <a href="http://www.stacksrestaurant.com/breakfast.html">Stacks</a>. Beyond popular, a Saturday morning here is harrowing to behold. Hoards of people waiting inside, outside, and jammed in corners, all in the frantic paths of servers and bussers struggling to get to tables. Space is not the issue here. With decor inspired by a Parisian silk flower fever dream, brunchers flock to Stacks for their comfortable food. We enjoyed a short stack of blueberry wheat germ pancakes and a fresh veggie egg skillet, but I was so immersed in our victory at finally getting a table in the center of the action that the food took a backseat. But in a "let's make out in the backseat" kind of way. Really good.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fgn6qIaS2jY/T0Va4wojCII/AAAAAAAAE4o/_OKUCqUkKHU/s1600/IMAG1099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fgn6qIaS2jY/T0Va4wojCII/AAAAAAAAE4o/_OKUCqUkKHU/s320/IMAG1099.jpg" width="320" /></a>Snack time took me and Genevieve to <a href="http://www.isobunesushi.com/">Isobune Sushi</a>, the "original" sushi boat restaurant in Japan Town. I have had sushi mechanically pass me by on conveyor belts, but I've never been able to reach out and pluck it from a floating vessel. I always though sushi boat meant something a little less exciting than actual sushi on actual boats. Isobune's adorable wooden dinghies float along a clear blue canal encircling the sushi kitchen. We were seated quickly, handed hot hand towels to freshen up, served hot tea and took our time choosing our fare. Everything's very compact, and seating is tight, but the bar provides ample privacy for two. Though we tried to linger, we sailed in and out in under 20 minutes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLyoZdZQvVw/T0VgzRlzQVI/AAAAAAAAE4w/n7quyX5AO3c/s1600/A&G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="109" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLyoZdZQvVw/T0VgzRlzQVI/AAAAAAAAE4w/n7quyX5AO3c/s320/A&G.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rapid fire vanity photos. We very nearly did it right.</td></tr>
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With just enough time to spare before our walking tour, we slipped into <a href="http://pikapikasf.com/">Pika Pika</a>, a highly-confusing Japanese photo circus. The art of purikura was one unknown to me until now, and I'm not really sure I actually get it. Here's what we left with.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVoTPsbW1tE/T0Vi-NfIcCI/AAAAAAAAE44/E4EqHz345yU/s1600/IMAG1117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVoTPsbW1tE/T0Vi-NfIcCI/AAAAAAAAE44/E4EqHz345yU/s320/IMAG1117.jpg" width="191" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMOuzjmcj6E/T0VmBsZGQqI/AAAAAAAAE5E/kOZwF6SaKbg/s1600/IMAG1118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMOuzjmcj6E/T0VmBsZGQqI/AAAAAAAAE5E/kOZwF6SaKbg/s200/IMAG1118.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of our favorite afternoons was spent at <a href="http://www.franciscancrabrestaurant.com/">The Franciscan</a>. Overlooking Alcatraz off Fisherman's Wharf, the dining room is flawless. Built in the 50's and recently remodeled, it's a beautiful place to spend an afternoon gazing at the bay while enjoying some fresh antipasti and cocktails. The smoked trout crostini arrived with toy box tomatoes, capers, avocado and a dish of dreamy, creamy, housemade burrata. No idea what burrata is? Mozzarella blended with cream blended with whatever makes life worth while. We were going to stop there, but it seemed absurd to leave without trying their Italian sundae: frozen custard drizzled with olive oil and garnished with flaked sea salt. Woof. And I would have stopped there, but before I knew it I was ordering espresso and sambuca. Genevieve and I get along so famously, it's easy to get a little grandiose.<br />
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Bottomless thanks to Bill for sending me away for my birthday, San Francisco, <a href="http://ambermoreno.blogspot.com/2012/02/dusting-off-ol-birthday-suit.html">Imperial Spa</a>, Tom Brown, Aaron, Genevieve, and their whole rompous, good-time gang for a great weekend.<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><i>Dine of the Week</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dRe6E3eDZNw/T0VnB6Mf1JI/AAAAAAAAE5U/QJ9iOsPcII8/s1600/IMAG1073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dRe6E3eDZNw/T0VnB6Mf1JI/AAAAAAAAE5U/QJ9iOsPcII8/s320/IMAG1073.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey handsome.</td></tr>
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The first stop off the train was to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_232629914"></span>Straw<span id="goog_232629915"></span></a>, one of the first places I ever reviewed on <a href="http://diningthenwhining.blogspot.com/2011/08/catch-up.html">this here blog</a>. Maybe you recall? While in town, I think I measured every meal against the resounding triumph of this one, simple salad. The Aunt Sally. Mixed greens, beets, strawberries, goat cheese & pecans tossed with a sensible balsamic vinaigrette. Nobody's handing out awards here, you could make this at home and play it off as your own reasonably-gourmet invention. The true cause celebre here was the addition of, oh yes, precious bacon. Maple-glazed and shining with emulsified meat-shame and fatty pride, two strips were laid briefly to rest atop my salad to conserve space at our table, and for that I thank our waiter. Fresh, smokey, nutty, I don't want to get too graphic, but this salad has stayed with me, haunting my every trip to the kitchen, and my every dining dream.<br />
I'll be back for you, Aunt Sally.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-45722660860702734372012-02-15T17:14:00.000-06:002012-02-15T17:14:27.381-06:00Winter Bites<div>
Oh, hi! I know it's been a spell, but I've just finished a solid month of power yoga and it seemed to have relieved that pesky urge to blog. Not that I haven't been dining and whining, but it's become more of a dine, whine/yawn/stretch/breathe through it approach.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xzFGdyOPMAw/TzZxVATSwgI/AAAAAAAAEyo/PjqrHwFP1fI/s1600/IMAG0987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xzFGdyOPMAw/TzZxVATSwgI/AAAAAAAAEyo/PjqrHwFP1fI/s320/IMAG0987.jpg" width="320" /></a>It seems like ages ago that we danced, begrudged and sloshed our way through the snow that covered our fair city, but toward the slippery end of that storm I remember enjoying a fine hot dog. My buddy Jeff and I fought our way through rain and slush to the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/pacific-inn-pub-seattle#hrid:Ezwfc1UZEwE4GnqwsqUOJg">Pacific Inn Pub</a> to savor their local brews and divey charms. Their menu is really quite inviting, somehow making you believe that your booth was put there just for you and a basket of fish and chips to take it to the next level. Obscured by darkness and fueled by the joint's "whatever" factor, a bartender came by our table and talked me through my indecision, and in short order we were served dogs with slaw and pickles, a likely pairing with our frosty pints. Go for the atmosphere, the tv, or, whatever.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjbDqRPOQq8/TzZxWMKIFeI/AAAAAAAAEyw/A0DXlKlcNcE/s1600/IMAG0989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjbDqRPOQq8/TzZxWMKIFeI/AAAAAAAAEyw/A0DXlKlcNcE/s320/IMAG0989.jpg" width="320" /></a>On a cold Saturday morning when the wind was up and the tide was high, Bill and I made our way to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/heartland-cafe-seattle#hrid:WskcE7J4fUZKBmvdcT5Fbg">Heartland Cafe</a>, the local everyman of diners. We walked in, took a booth and ordered their highly celebrated cheese curds. With a mustard/beer/cheese/dream dip it's easy to say ...hmm, Valentine's Day.... What a great day to devour a box of cheese curds in bed!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mbok4WiSXew/TzZxXsnR9iI/AAAAAAAAEzA/dGnqJDz8_i8/s1600/IMAG1050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mbok4WiSXew/TzZxXsnR9iI/AAAAAAAAEzA/dGnqJDz8_i8/s320/IMAG1050.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
When Sunday comes, there's always a little part of me that wants to stay in bed, dreaming of breakfast feasts and lazing away the hours of precious daylight. Then something snaps and my brain cries "you're a phototropic animal with dwindling stores of vitamins and you're sculpting heinous bed sores!" So I take a moment to gently panic and gingerly convince myself that I'll have a lovely time strolling through the farmers' market if only I'd get up and get dressed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring your own crumbs, or buy some<br />
new ones at the Junction Farmers' Market</td></tr>
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On a really good Sunday, I can even get Bill to go. This time, before I knew it I'd blown $5 on a really spectacular pop tart by <a href="http://hotcakesconfections.com/">Hot Cakes Confections</a>, filled with dark sweet cherries, figs and fennel, thinking somehow I was investing in something savory. Hot Cakes is sporting take & bake gluten free, vegan & molten chocolate cake pots right now, which are a little wet for my palate, but seem to be garnering some positive attention.We couldn't eat much more than half of our pocket pie, as things were getting a little too sweet by that point, and lunch seemed to be a much more sensible idea.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making beautiful music together at Taqueria Guaymas</td></tr>
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We were wandering through an alley when we decided tacos would be rad, and found ourselves serendipitously facing the back door to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/taqueria-guaymas-seattle-2">Taqueria Guaymas</a>. This spot reeled me in with their festive decor, painted tables & benches and an accomplished salsa bar with spicy pickled carrots, fresh radish and plenty of salsas to choose from. Take a gander at my fish taco (meh on fish strength but muah for fresh flavors) and my asada taco with beans and fresh fresh pico (muah, muah muah! mas musicas!)<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><i>Dine of the week</i></span><br />
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A haphazard walk through the Pike Place Market got me hungry for more than the usual bag of sweet, playful <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/daily-dozen-doughnut-company-seattle#query:daily%20dozen%20donuts">Daily Dozen Doughnuts</a> (more on those much later). I had a few bucks in my pocket and gave them all to the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/saffron-spice-seattle">Saffron Spice</a> counter for a vegetable samosa. Simple in its execution and fierce in its tasty elegance, samosas are hard to complain about anywhere you go. Dreamy masalas and soft, steamy vegetables, basically the most sturdy combinations in Indian cuisine. It was the perfect snack to walk around with, but I took a moment to find a little sun to sit in and enjoy my pocket of warmth. It's not fancy, but should definitely be included in your circuit of finger foods while perusing the market.</div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-19024538742111815592012-01-20T00:49:00.000-06:002012-01-20T00:49:17.450-06:00Snowy days, meringue nights<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Y7VtLHOj-s/TxiVR4_kHvI/AAAAAAAAErc/d6NopBZwdV4/s1600/IMAG0952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Y7VtLHOj-s/TxiVR4_kHvI/AAAAAAAAErc/d6NopBZwdV4/s320/IMAG0952.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go ahead, but use your spoon.<br /> This is a community park.</td></tr>
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Seattle, you are my own personal, high-risk snow cone today. It's been raining ice since before dawn, and the view out my window couldn't be better. Last night I went outside for the first time to check things out, and came upon a snow fort that had been built, defended, and stormed all before I'd happened upon it. It was there, around 10pm that I fortified the walls and took up residence in my first ever snow shack. Just four walls and one big sky light. Bill joined me and off we went exploring in the dark. Whatever tracks left in the landscape were easy to ignore, as the rest was dolloped with extra smooth whipped dream.<br />
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Last week I had a special adventure with strangers. In preparation for joining a food tour team, I was treated to dinner by way of a three hour fermentation tour in Capitol Hill. To begin, we sampled ten different brews at <a href="http://www.elysianbrewing.com/">Elysian Brewing Co.</a>, starting with their palest pale, The Slight Return, and finally rewarding ourselves with the deep, dark Dragon's Teat Milk Stout, a splendid milk chocolatey, roasted coffee dessert brewed with milk thistle - almost health food really. Out of the ten, the Poison Dwarf Scottish-Style Ale was my favorite, taking the seat I usually save for a nice, crisp bottle of Newcastle and replacing it with a decaying folding chair. Then it put that chair outside. In the rain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tavern Law's Lusty Lady, photo thanks to MJ A</td></tr>
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Having tried a fine array of brews, we picked up and headed out for our next stop, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/tavern-law-seattle">Tavern Law</a>. This place is handsome. Unpretentious, dimly-lit and smartly decorated, the revolving menu is chalked up each day by servers in waist coats and watch fobs, (tethered, no doubt, to a USB drive containing their thesis.) We were quickly served two cocktails: the Tittsnascot - a bright and fresh gin and elderflower concoction with a soaked cucumber coin, and the Lusty Lady - a gin and lavender infusion with the creamiest egg white froth you could possibly imagine. Having trouble? Ok, I'll help you. Close your eyes and go to your happy place, fill it with the makings of the finest lavender meringue, dress yourself in full petticoats and replace your feet with balloon whisks. Now hit frappe.<br />
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Our imbibing was politely interrupted by buttery fois gras on warm toasts, a warm beet salad with hazelnuts and ox tail ragout over potato gnocchi. It's really an injustice to squeeze all that into one sentence, so please, let me gush further. Fois gras, for all it's worth, is best kept to a few rich bites anywhere you go. Tavern Law adds an Angostura Bitters gelee, which serves as an extra flavor worth detecting while <strike>chewing the fat</strike> enjoying this dish, but I found it overly rich, per usual. The warm beets had me at first bite, the textures, the tang, the vinaigrette, but were nearly forgotten when I tried the ox tail. If you've ever had roast beast with gravy and liked it, you owe it to yourself to explore what savory glory they're selling over here. Shards of pecorino take the plate over the finish line uncontested, adding a little something you didn't know you wanted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'll take that one, with the beard and moon eyes."</td></tr>
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Days later, having barely recovered from my night in Capitol Hill, (those flavors linger still,) Bill and I walked down the beach to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bamboo-bar-and-grill-seattle">Bamboo Bar & Grill</a>, a Miami Vice-flavored former smoking section of a Red Lobster-themed "beach tavern" - the beta version. It's Moon Doggie meets Gidget's drunk stepmom with a brown-bagged beverage after sunset in an ally. I know, but somehow, this place calls to me even now, from 5 blocks away. They have first-rate french fries, a full bar with sensible happy hour pricing, (which you'll have to remind your waitress about), and draw a pretty rowdy crowd on game days. We always sit in a booth with a built-in aquarium housing three fish and a mini crab who has a crush on Bill. We tested this theory by switching seats and watched the crab follow Bill to the other end of the tank. Hey, I totally get it. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Faux fire-resistant parrots!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A poor vehicle for some sad rye</td></tr>
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We like the mozzarella sticks, (thick, sturdy fried cheese logs with a chunky marinara) and the wings (regular or Caribbean cooked to order with optional nitro sauce), (nitro!), but when we stray from the happy hour menu, things get dicey. For some reason, I ordered the Reuben, which our waitress admitted to never trying, but did recommend <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/west-5-seattle">West 5</a>'s version. The waitstaff here is made up of girls no taller than 5'5", in short skirts and indefatigable stores of good cheer. They're sweet, helpful and busy, just like I like 'em. It's really been a toss up on customer service here in Washington; sometimes you get a super helpful, bubbly assist from a gas station attendant but a dour, begrudged pass from a manager behind the counter somewhere else. Bamboo Bar & Grill is nothing but helpful, unless you're trying to enjoy the perfect reuben sandwich. Too much thousand island and forgettable rye barely deserve to be on the same plate with their slammin fries. They might be double fried and breaded, but they've got their siren song down, putting them in first place for beach front french fries. And we've got three fish & chip joints. </div>
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For breakfast, it was finally time to patronize <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/alki-cafe-seattle">Alki Cafe</a>, and what a job we did. We waltzed in around 2:35 on a Saturday, sat down and started perusing the menu. Our waitress materialized out of nowhere to let us know the kitchen had just officially closed and the quicker we could order, the better luck we'd have getting served. I was thrown into panic mode. Flashes of images assaulted me - I saw the business hours sign, kitchen staff facepalming in unison, grill flames flickering out across the range, doors closing, waitstaff sneering as their afternoon plans were pushed back even further... As an Empathic Diner, I knew at once the roles we'd unknowingly walked into. Bill and I had "last table" syndrome. </div>
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Last Table Syndrome:</div>
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"The group or party who walks in shortly before, during or just past closing time, making them the last table after what the establishment had already considered to be the last table of the day. Effectively, heartless/oblivious assholes with nothing better to do than to go out to eat. Dicks."</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MoBEKjquH6E/TxkDm32IKDI/AAAAAAAAEsA/ZO_r2rwWfN8/s1600/IMAG0877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MoBEKjquH6E/TxkDm32IKDI/AAAAAAAAEsA/ZO_r2rwWfN8/s320/IMAG0877.jpg" width="320" /></a>Remarkably, I was able to choose quickly and just five minutes later, our server was back with our order. As though the kitchen through it together extra quick to express their feelings of "get the f*** out we're trying to clean in here." I should add that there were no obvious displays of animosity from the staff, and maybe there were no hard feelings, but I felt the weight of a hundred grudges before us for every minute that we lingered. Bill ordered a Mr. Pibb, which needed it's syrup levels adjusted but I kept my trap shut, content to be allowed to enjoy my late breakfast. Luckily, there was a real table of lollygaggers camping out a few tables away, so that eased my tensions a little. And the food was a welcome distraction. I ordered the salmon omelet with russet potatoes sliced thick on the bias, fried crisp and dusted with an appropriate amount of Lawry's. Yelp is pretty good about bragging on these potatoes, and rightly so.</div>
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But wait, something's missing!</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><i>The Dine of the Week</i></span></div>
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Halfway through my omelet, my rye toast arrived. The toaster had to warm up, (which I deserved) then some kind soul in the kitchen buttered that deep dark bread until it reached perfect coverage and dropped it on some flashy Fiesta ware. Rye has made a big come back for me, and I'm proud to say that my very own Alki Cafe, a mere two minute walk from my home, has the best damn rye toast in town. Thick, high fiber, perfectly-carawayed rye. I'll be back for you. At a reasonable hour. And yes, the best thing I ate all week was a slice of buttered rye toast. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Unless you count the mouthful of free snowflakes. Which were phenomenal.</span>
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-76817175021597971272012-01-06T01:51:00.000-06:002012-01-10T16:47:19.196-06:00One last Christmas story for the road<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0EwAWdN3W74/Twaera33NaI/AAAAAAAAEoM/gHJbWpdq6wk/s1600/IMAG0203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0EwAWdN3W74/Twaera33NaI/AAAAAAAAEoM/gHJbWpdq6wk/s200/IMAG0203.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Years Eve on Alki Beach<br />
<i>The</i> destination to burn your tree.</td></tr>
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Oh shit, Christmas. Every year. I hate to say it, but I collapsed during the "move on with your life" dance. Yea, I redecorated my Christmas tree this week. It just needed a little more jazz in the right places, and a little industrial rock in others.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably time to take this one down.</td></tr>
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I've chanced to walk by a few trees being callously dismantled by shopkeepers, witnessed a tree burning on New Years Eve, and then realized my uncle had given me some of my grandmother's antique ornaments, and knew they needed a little airing out. So, I wrenched my tree from its swampy stand and lay it gently on its side on the balcony. I was short a chainsaw, so for the next 20 minutes I hacked at the trunk (humming a lil' <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em style="background-color: white; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px;">Ænema</em></span>) with a hatchet to free it from its moisture seal. It had ceased to absorb the strict regiment of liquid vitamin supplements I administer weekly to keep it looking perky and was starting to smell a little too fragrant, if not a little dank. Back on its feet and newly adorned, my tree has the second chance it deserves, and I can listen to Ella's Swinging Christmas all over again.<br />
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With a little Christmas revival, it's got me thinking of all the gifts I've received, not only this Christmas, but all throughout the years. The best Christmas gift I ever received was a 2-step process, somewhere around my sixth or seventh year. Step one: As I approached the tree Christmas morning I found only a note, explaining that there had been a glitch the night before and some elf was getting suspended, (I hoped tortured), for the mix-up. Due to the alarming frequency of this problem, my gift would soon be in transit and should arrive shortly by some new, "special" unorthodox delivery method. My parents, while sympathetic, offered no advice as to how this may be avoided next year so I spent the few days retracing my steps and figuring out how I might be less-noticeably naughty in the coming year. Step two: Mere days before New Years, I received the call. My dad had received a large, bulbous parcel at work, which was across town and I'd have to wait the rest of the day to get it.<br />
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Oh God, the waiting. Unparalleled to this day, I still experience the taste every Christmas, something I squelch and cover with good cheer and concentrated sessions of deep breathing. During the rest of the year, this is probably identified as clinical anxiety.<br />
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When the time came, I emerged from my room, a study in calm, and approached a towering, butcher paper-wrapped pile. I'd waited so long, where to begin? Tear at the seams? Stab through an air pocket and rip from there? There was a measured amount of Gonzo-like apprehension and appraisal before I made my first move.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H7O6bjXO5yk/TwYiXAEHpcI/AAAAAAAAEoA/1Ih111B63Xs/s1600/Amber+Dad+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H7O6bjXO5yk/TwYiXAEHpcI/AAAAAAAAEoA/1Ih111B63Xs/s200/Amber+Dad+color.jpg" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad. 1935-1999.</td></tr>
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I really don't remember how it went down. I think I may have blacked out and woke up wheezing on a bed of hot wheels race track, Disney's Robin Hood, various toys and movies, and one of those race car vhs rewinders that pops up its hood to reveal a kindly rewound tape. Despite the snafu, it remains one of my most memorable Christmases, and Santa's letter, a tome curiously scripted in familiar handwriting, is still in a box somewhere, inviting me to relive it all again. Miss you, Dad.<br />
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This week, in effort to curb my holiday-inspired dependency on sugar and other bad words, I've taken this party bus back to the kitchen. Surrounded by homey comforts of dish towels, cutting boards and reality, I'm trying to get back in the swing of eating with some self control. So I have taken to averting my eyes when I open the pantry and glimpse the last of our Harry & David supply, and remember fondly the day I made the decision to eat as much of the pies as I dared, and fed the rest to the compost bin. It was gross. But I'm on the other side and on the road to recovery now, making wholesome meals by day but still dreaming of sugarplums by night. One day at a time. I'm hitting some jelly beans pretty hard right now. (-) In my tracksuit. (+!)<br />
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We had some leftover smoked salmon, which almost got devoured on its own but I saved the last precious flakes for an omelet. Do try this at home, I'd love to offer a photo, but there really was no time between leaving the pan and setting my fork down. More on omelets, later, as they're my specialitee.<br />
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There's a <a href="http://melissaraydavis.hubpages.com/hub/Vegetarian-Tikka-Masala-Potato-Cabbage-Peas">vegetarian tikka masala</a> I've been resurrecting a lot, both for its quick prep time and spectacular flavor (even without the cardamom, cabbage & peas), a sweet potato and apple puree I've been snacking on, banana & flaxseed smoothies here and there and of course the latest craze, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/butternut-squash-sauce-with-sage-recipe/index.html">Butternut Squash and potato gnocchi.</a> Though I sub veg stock for the chicken, and ignore the chestnuts, (Tyler Florence gets a little bourgeois sometimes) (please feel free to read that as boo-zhee) this dish comes out winning every time. Oh, check it out! Doing the work of at least 3 bulky appliances, is my highly coveted Cuisinart Immersion Blender. Easy to use, easy to clean, and a whiz at slicing up your tongue when you try to lick the dregs out of it's blade well. A housewarming gift (THANK YOU BILL & CECILIA) from last year, not a day goes by that I don't wonder what I'll blend next.<br />
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So, if you have:<br />
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You can have:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KXeDEVoqzrI/Twj6sQojruI/AAAAAAAAEpw/YdL8ro7BzWA/s1600/IMAG0802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KXeDEVoqzrI/Twj6sQojruI/AAAAAAAAEpw/YdL8ro7BzWA/s320/IMAG0802.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And that's good to have.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><i>The Dine of the Week: </i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hqju3Vx2vaY/Twn4e01oXVI/AAAAAAAAEqo/PH7iEpsLak4/s1600/4298344630_1cbc2769aa_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hqju3Vx2vaY/Twn4e01oXVI/AAAAAAAAEqo/PH7iEpsLak4/s320/4298344630_1cbc2769aa_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Noms.in/seattle for your pic</td></tr>
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We traveled north Friday night to <a href="http://nakedcitybrewing.com/flash/#ontap">Naked City</a>, a taphouse serving a rotating selection of house beers and regional shining stars. I started with a Lips of Passion Prickly Passion Saison, an 8.5% New Belgium creation I wouldn't expect to see bottled too soon, though during the summer months I think it could enjoy fleeting stardom in stores, as long as it's competitively priced alongside Kona's Wailua Wheat Ale. Next I ordered Snipes' Christmas Creep, a 6% brown ale heightened with spices and a quiet winter night's hops, not too sweet. An all-American, balanced taste with deep Christmas tones, like me. Check out their website if you're local, it'll lure you in. Matt Norton, you'll love this place.
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-27179812315344578222011-12-31T12:31:00.000-06:002011-12-31T23:58:28.121-06:00When Mystery Meat is meant for you.2011 is fading into the ether, and before it goes, I want to offer a fond farewell to the year we've all shared. 2012 is coming, as is our possible demise here on this earthly plane, so before we all get washed away and John Cusack holds me in his arms just one last time, let's tackle the simple task of reviewing this last week.<br />
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On Christmas Eve, Bill's mom arrived to spend the holidays with us. We were pleased to have Seattle at its best this week, sporting its famous unfailing gloom and some unseasonably heavy rains. Here are the highlights:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8EBNB7F3s2c/Tv9TnQ0iEgI/AAAAAAAAEmU/tzaV-iK9qPU/s1600/IMAG0707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8EBNB7F3s2c/Tv9TnQ0iEgI/AAAAAAAAEmU/tzaV-iK9qPU/s320/IMAG0707.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The breakfast panini at Odd Fellows Lodge</td></tr>
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1. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/oddfellows-cafe-and-bar-seattle#hrid:BZ3R8xnT93zCYUKanP6CJQ">Oddfellows Cafe</a>, a hot spot for off-the-chain quiche du jour and hipster longing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3QXdGipGr78/Tv9UBA_wp-I/AAAAAAAAEmg/e1Rw5Q8pAX0/s1600/IMAG0713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3QXdGipGr78/Tv9UBA_wp-I/AAAAAAAAEmg/e1Rw5Q8pAX0/s320/IMAG0713.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My box of hom bow hom nom nom</td></tr>
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2. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mee-sum-pastry-seattle#hrid:WWmMpYX0jVLTIazz122dsQ">Mee Sum Pastry</a> at Pike Place Market, serving up a savory array of hom bow that keeps me coming back. We enjoyed our buns after a walk through Discovery Park, fueling up before strolling along the Chittenden Locks in Ballard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tbziaa3vcKU/Tv9USeN7pyI/AAAAAAAAEms/Ck9yuslxc6M/s1600/IMAG0717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tbziaa3vcKU/Tv9USeN7pyI/AAAAAAAAEms/Ck9yuslxc6M/s320/IMAG0717.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is an angry jalapeno in here. If you get a mean bite,<br />don't reach for your beer, dummy. That's just gonna<br />throw gas on it. Dummy.</td></tr>
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3. An evening at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-mox-seattle-2#hrid:-8YUFrZRJcSwd7rQsbGDrw">Cafe Mox</a>, where we played Incan Gold and Carcassone, enjoyed some happy hour Nightwatch Dark Ales and a plate of wine-braised steak nachos.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey lil buddy, you still here?</td></tr>
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4. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/siam-pura-thai-cuisine-seattle#hrid:t2F5ieodenQoZ0fB454dTg">Siam Pura</a> Thai restaurant on Alki, where we ordered a late night spread of pad thai, pot stickers, fresh tofu rolls and tom khah I'm still feasting on 5 days later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fine slaw.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_D1U1bIFOwE/Tv9UrdxgQlI/AAAAAAAAEm4/SV0SINSGKSg/s1600/IMAG0735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_D1U1bIFOwE/Tv9UrdxgQlI/AAAAAAAAEm4/SV0SINSGKSg/s320/IMAG0735.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A reasonably famous sandwich.</td></tr>
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5. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/alki-cafe-seattle#hrid:ofKot2D_pDTFOj5t3ok8dQ">Alki Cafe</a>, a popular beach brunch spot that we hit up for lunch. The avocado chicken sandwich has a lot of cred on yelp, so we ordered with confidence, pairing it with their less-lauded smoked salmon sandwich. With a heavy-handed dollop of "caper aioli' (feebly-flavored mayo) and a disappointing pile of salmon, the best thing about the sandwich was the rye bread, which was actually kind of dry. Sorry, guys. No love here. ...Unless you wanna talk cole slaw. Finely chopped green apples, a steady-handed amount of poppy seeds, clean mayo finish, and what? Is that toasted, finely-pulsed walnuts I hear? Probably just a walnut poppy seed dressing from Costco, but a girl can dream.<br />
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6. Wednesday we made the obvious stop at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/talaricos-pizzeria-and-lounge-seattle#hrid:MlTUTR0wTo_ReRdLwBONVg">Talaricos</a> for trivia and pizza. Forgoing my usual $2.50 pint of Mac & Jac to make way for a slice of the Coppola, I made a decision to embrace my least favorite cheese this year - I was rewarded with a 14" feast of roasted red bell peppers, garlic and goat cheese. My first public support of goat cheese, which is slowly becoming my best friend. Which I can already tell is a bad idea. I need to meet more people. Noted.<br />
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7. A spontaneous celebratory dinner at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mizu-japanese-steak-house-and-sushi-bar-tukwila-2#hrid:tFOy8A3xbn55hJ2C5_6NTw">Mizu Japanese Grill</a>. I've enjoyed hibachi once before with a special friend in Austin, and was thrilled to remember it existed again this week. Our chef was delightful, an Indonesian import with tattoos for days and tricks to match. We started with their onion soup-not much more than water and onion to the naked eye, but we tasted worlds more, and sampled their unagi before our grill got fired up. It was all a hit, fried rice, yakisoba, filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, the works. I even got a tip on how to overcome my shrimp allergy, one small bite at a time.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pUCIhn0Ltzk/Tv_vD2YpE8I/AAAAAAAAEno/JBtuJ2vMCzk/s1600/IMAG0746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pUCIhn0Ltzk/Tv_vD2YpE8I/AAAAAAAAEno/JBtuJ2vMCzk/s320/IMAG0746.jpg" width="191" /></a>And that catches us up. This morning we waved goodbye to Bomba (Bill's mom's gambling alter ego) and I set out to decode a strange parcel that arrived yesterday morning.<br />
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Which brings us to<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-large;">The Dine of the Week</span></i></b><br />
A 12lb box of beef jerky, boudin cracklins and three industrial sized bottles of cajun seasoning arrived, unmarked, on our doorstep without a clue as who to thank. In a panic, I went into survival mode and decided it was a message. I'm all dried up. I'm gonna end up in a box. I'm gonna suffocate in the process of being vacuum sealed...Who would send such a message? Who has my new address? Who on my Christmas card list have I slighted recently? Ever? What's next? Seafood gumbo? Do they know about my allergy???<br />
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Who was the mystery sender then? This morning, I called the vendor, and after a reasonable wait, the lady clumsily spelled out a Filipino name I've known well since the 90's.<br />
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My friend's parents. The Lataquins. Thanks guys! When we lose power and have no way of getting through the blizzard, these dried meats will carry us through.<br />
Really. Pounds and pounds of nutrition in here.<br />
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Now, I'm off to smoke my eyes out and don the heels, it's the second sluttiest night of the year!<br />
See you next year, dear diners, and remember, when dining out, it's A-OK to feel disgruntled. I always do!<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-62560308193621713892011-12-24T11:13:00.000-06:002011-12-26T03:48:16.034-06:00A Christmas List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cast Iron Christmas Champignons<br />Prepared by my husband.<br />An eager, friendly, and patient cook.<br /></td></tr>
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Merry Christmas, dear readers. I hope it was memorable and filling. My Christmas morning was filled with the savory smells of mushrooms, garlic and shallots sweating together in a cast iron skillet, under the watchful eye of a handsome man. Thanks, Christmas!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I </span>was perusing <a href="http://illsleepwhentheyregrown.com/2011/12/18/listography-challenge-5-things-that-make-christmas-christmas/">I'll Sleep When They're Grown</a> and found 5 Things That Make Christmas Christmas: a listography challenge. It's not a race, or for a grade, but as a nod of respect to list-making, I abandoned making an important, don't-forget-anything Christmas Eve grocery list in favor of this one. Here we go.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">5 Things that make Christmas Christmas:</span><br />
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1. <i>Bringing home a fresh, fragrant, tannenbaum</i>, trimming it to a pleasing shape, rubbing the clippings all over my hands, then rubbing my hands all over my body.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best friends. One of us has sap in our back pockets.</td></tr>
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2. <i>Taking in the Christmas light displays. </i>This year we especially enjoyed free admission to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens' "<a href="http://www.gardendlights.org/">Garden D'Lights</a>". An inviting stroll through a dormant flower garden hosting a bevy of LED flowers and trees and butterflies, and with more whimsy than Lewis Carroll could shake an acid trip at. We also did drive-bys past the homes of high-functioning Christmas fanatics. This year we sought out the <a href="http://westseattlelights.com/">Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular</a>, which boasts approximately 60,000 lights that are programmed to dance and strobe everyone into epileptic fits of holiday fancy, set to music on a local station.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VCsZlE3qhFA/TvUg6dWUckI/AAAAAAAAEjc/x9UagLgQVXs/s1600/thehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VCsZlE3qhFA/TvUg6dWUckI/AAAAAAAAEjc/x9UagLgQVXs/s320/thehouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still courtesy of West Seattle Blog and someone's debilitating Christmas mania</td></tr>
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3. <i>Feasting my ears on tried and true Christmas songs</i>. I find new favorites every year. Kay Starr's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JoO2vQfjb0">"December"</a> really played my song this season. Plans are loosely coming together to produce a White Christmas film sequence next year. With an elaborate camera crew and a tandem bike this dream could become a reality in a matter of hours.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't go, Christmas.</td></tr>
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4. <i>Christmas card fails</i>. Every year it's always the same. I'll grab a daunting stack of cards, address all the envelopes, and stack them on a pile of good intentions, some of which never get stamped and delivered. I get in over my head with these things.<br />
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<br /> 5. <i>Building gingerbread real estate.</i> This year, I waited too late to get a team together so I'm the lone architect. Also designer, construction foreman, investor, permit office manager, town mayor, etc. As investment broker, I had to scan the markets for wholesale gingerbread, but as we all know, it's tough out there. I looked at my stock options and ended up investing in graham crackers, frosting and an assortment of sugary accoutrements.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GfkCzWfp-qM/TvgWDKK6LUI/AAAAAAAAEkA/NVWP6pzfypY/s1600/IMAG0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GfkCzWfp-qM/TvgWDKK6LUI/AAAAAAAAEkA/NVWP6pzfypY/s320/IMAG0688.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. Rally your materials</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2. Measure, make plans and blueprints you won't use</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZwlC6yZjPs/TvgWGsTScpI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/J7TAEe-wSSE/s1600/IMAG0694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZwlC6yZjPs/TvgWGsTScpI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/J7TAEe-wSSE/s320/IMAG0694.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3. Go. To. Town. </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDuLZFhcaQU/TvgWIarLSiI/AAAAAAAAEkY/-lxkCSggQ40/s1600/IMAG0695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDuLZFhcaQU/TvgWIarLSiI/AAAAAAAAEkY/-lxkCSggQ40/s320/IMAG0695.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4. Stick a sold sign in the yard.<br /> Cuz it just did.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z_RqKniLDhs/TvgdhzdDCSI/AAAAAAAAElA/R07Z7UAYdbo/s1600/IMAG0683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z_RqKniLDhs/TvgdhzdDCSI/AAAAAAAAElA/R07Z7UAYdbo/s320/IMAG0683.jpg" width="191" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n the spirit of the holidays, we splurged this week on a yelp deal and dined rodizio at the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/amazon-grill-bellevue#hrid:tFKI2ApDyYATKH535L8-zQ">Amazon Grill</a>. The buffalo at this place was A+ amazing delicious, but all the other meats came and went in a haze. We sat down with a large party at a clean table and left it a soiled mess. I was excited by the fried bananas with the first round of meats, but some time came and went between the meat visits, and at a big table of primed eaters, the absence stirred up some ill-will toward our servers. Tongs in hand, the table was growing restless with meat lust. You have never felt less like a hunter/gatherer than when you're snapping air with empty tongs meant to delicately fetch you a slice of meat that's too good to eat every night of the week. There suddenly seems an empty place by your water glass where there should be a little bell. To make them bring more meat. Then more still. It's meat fever and you've got it.<br />
Presented nicely with an awkward touch of cafeteria pans, the salad bar had plenty to offer, but seemed a little unenthusiastic. I guess it was a Tuesday. Ultimately, there was plenty of dining and whining to be done that night, making Amazon Grill the Dine <i>and </i>Whine of the week. Merry Christmas, you gave us mixed feelings and meat comas.<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-81229896144913782422011-12-10T21:54:00.000-06:002011-12-10T21:54:50.402-06:00Dine of the week - Veggie StewI'm not famous for consistency, but here's something I really do want to implement weekly: The Dine/Whine of the week.<br />
This Friday, after a long shift at the popcorn factory, (but didn't you know I've taken on seasonal, hair-net-required work?) I came home to a dark apartment with 1. A hungry man 2. an unlit, dormant Christmas tree and 3. a bounty of veggies. I set to work. "Baby, run out to the street and find some rosemary." ("No, wait, where? how am I supposed to see? what if I get hurt?" et al. until the door closed.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pnj4Gzwuomw/TuQlo7Y-0lI/AAAAAAAAEjM/0wZJJwRSJ-g/s1600/IMAG0631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pnj4Gzwuomw/TuQlo7Y-0lI/AAAAAAAAEjM/0wZJJwRSJ-g/s320/IMAG0631.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky readers will find their very own<br />
handiwork in our tree! <br />
No prizes offered at this time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I plugged in my tannenbaum to reveal it's gently-twinkling majesty and filled my nose with its woodsy bouquet. Revived, I headed to the kitchen, (and so should you, ) for it was time for veggie stew!<br />
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Please, share in the magic. Here's your grocery list:<br />
1 zucchini, coined and halved<br />
1 yellow summer squash, coined and halved<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
1 stem fresh rosemary (from the street or your unwitting neighbor's garden), stemmed and minced<br />
3 cloves crushed garlic<br />
1 pint cremini (or button, if you must) mushrooms, sliced<br />
1 large can of stewed tomatoes, in puree<br />
1 teaspoon cumin<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
a crust of bread, rubbed with garlic and toasted<br />
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1. Gently saute the mushrooms in 2 tbl olive oil until tender, add the onion, fry 1 minute, add the garlic, fry 1 minute, season with course salt, fresh ground pepper and cumin, then dump the rest in and bring to a boil. (Add a half cup of water if it's looking a little thick,) and let simmer 10 minutes. Toast up your bread and prepare to sail away on this hearty, simple ship. Serves 2.<br />
Let's break this Dine of the Week down. From 1-10, with 1 being deplorable and 10 being downright distracting for its fabulousness. For ingredients: 10 (most are readily on hand, cheap or free. Especially if rosemary grows on your street.) Effort: 10 (quick, easy, can be prepared while delirious, inebriated or otherwise decommissioned, and clean up's a snap!) This quick, fragrant, flavorful, off the chain recipe came to me back in our NYC days, when we had a pot luck and Daniel Diamond brought this dish to our attention, just before he was never seen again. Thanks, Dan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2iWISEp7Vs4/TuQkY8d-X1I/AAAAAAAAEjE/c--mQKfykWs/s1600/IMAG0629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2iWISEp7Vs4/TuQkY8d-X1I/AAAAAAAAEjE/c--mQKfykWs/s320/IMAG0629.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pic brought to you by the nick of time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-60510458167125243712011-12-05T17:08:00.000-06:002011-12-05T17:08:14.785-06:00Drive Thru! The great American past-time.Yesssss! Vampire Diaries is coming back from hiatus and so am I! I've been living la vida <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">brok<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 31px;">ë</span></span>, restraining my wanderlust, eating from my own kitchen, saving for the holidays, and grumbling on Saturday mornings when all I want is to go try a new breakfast joint. Having just returned from bright, sunny, Texas, where there's cheap gas and a friend on every corner, I'm slowly readjusting to vampire-friendly, dark, midnight-dreary-all-day Seattle.<br />
I was thinking on my title, The Disgruntled Diner, who dines and then whines to the blogosphere, and found that that's not really my style. Sure, I'm a frequent diner who takes no small pleasure in dressing down the waitstaff after they've walked off, but unless my food came out cold and garnished with human saliva, I'm not taking that experience home. I want to write about fabulous finds, hot waiters, cheap eats, espresso milkshakes, you know, happy things. If a server senses my displeasure, it's highly irregular, because I've been practicing unconditional niceness in customer service environments for over 10 years. I shared my feelings with my sister, who found this ludicrous.<br />
We were going through the drive-thru at that greasy southern gem you know as <a href="http://louminatti.blogspot.com/2008/09/one-of-most-amazing-things-i-have-ever.html">Whataburger</a>, and I was tooting my own horn about how sensitive and sympathetic I am toward industry workers. She was quick to correct me, and basically said I'm on par with my mother's unpredictable level of impatience. So apparently, here's what's actually happening when I roll up in the drive thru lane:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MD6x0BZaX4/Ttkvy-18rCI/AAAAAAAAEik/IZYmD3CzARY/s1600/rage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MD6x0BZaX4/Ttkvy-18rCI/AAAAAAAAEik/IZYmD3CzARY/s320/rage.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving and whining since 1994</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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1. The speaker asks if I would like to try a...."No. NO. No thank you. I need JUST A MINUTE. PLEASE!"<br />
2. When I'm ready, I bleat out my order, tack on a friendly, "YOU GOT THAT? HELLO?"and, disgusted,<br />
3. Complete my performance by snickering at whatever desert-of-the-month is offered to me and drive on ahead. Who has time to wait for their total?<br />
Now, you saw all the please and thank you's in that replay, right? I know. My sister's such a Johnny Drama.<br />
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In summation, I'm more likely to whine <i>while </i>dining. Now. Let's dish. Individual links forward to my yelp review. Mostly.<br />
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For the two weeks I spent in Austin, I was always on the go, so I drove thru a lot for meals. Sure, I was treated to sit down fancy feasts at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/another-broken-egg-cafe-austin#hrid:es0SVy1NQ4TCJKBrNdzFXg">Another Broken Egg Cafe</a>, <a href="http://www.snackbaraustin.com/">Snack Bar</a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/chuys-austin-3#hrid:BxvrqFJTAgj8d8Q9AVSqLg">Chuy's</a> and <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/outback-steakhouse-austin-3#hrid:zDDtTDgqzA8ZDaK9Rcu10A">Outback Steakhouse</a>, but if I was paying, I drove thru. When I started driving back in 1997, my favorite thing to do was to swing thru <a href="http://www.mcspotlight.org/case/pretrial/factsheet.html">McDonalds </a>and get a soft-serve cone. Remember when they used to have chocolate soft-serve? The golden days of my youth. It was so tough to decide on chocolate or vanilla, so I'd often get a twist. These days, the option is gone, so in protest I quit Mickey D's. Amongst other reasons.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNBFPozhD7s/Tt0_21Z4F4I/AAAAAAAAEi0/-S_3XT21HW4/s1600/chickcow9494-650x777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pNBFPozhD7s/Tt0_21Z4F4I/AAAAAAAAEi0/-S_3XT21HW4/s320/chickcow9494-650x777.jpg" width="267" /></a>Austin kept dangling Chik Fil-A in my face, and eventually I folded. Closed on Sundays for spiritual gay-bashing and bigotry, (family time?) they serve up the best, most expensive pickle and chicken sandwich I've ever had. Not to mention those waffle fries, did they invent those? Maybe they're under the impression that they've done the world a favor with those fries (true) so of course they can tell you who to marry. All hate aside, they are open to serving gays at every location, but don't you ladies go in there holding hands and talking about curtains, cuz now you're offending their sensibilities. I guess it's time to let Chik Fil-A go too.<br />
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In the southern states bordering Mexico there thrives a 24-hr tex-mex chain called Taco Cabana. I'd been off the plane a good 30 minutes before I was treated to Taco C. During my first few days, I naturally fell prey to some friendly drinking and had to call my sister the next day to deliver some Tex-Mex of the gods. Last week, Bill and I drove thru the Riverside location that was curiously dark. The sparkle of one of my old favorites alive in my mind, I ordered some sopapillas to snack on before hitting up Bingo. Driving off, I opened the bag to find some cold, crusty tortilla quarters dusted with cinnsugar. Whoa. The worst Taco C experience of my life. Judge that book by its cover dear readers; if the lights are off, so are the heat lamps, so proceed with caution. My favorite Taco C combination from way back in my veg. days is a black bean taco ($1.09) and a small chips and queso ($1.99). I open my taco, drizzle a little queso on top and chip dip that black bean bargain till it's dry. Then I roll up that soft, manteca masterpiece and dunk it in the queso till it can't dunk no more. A purveyor of many fine tex-mex platters, what they're famous for is fresh cilantro, tomatoes, an array of fresh salsas and queso so runny you want to hook it up to a hose and spray it on your enemies in a food fight. Food fight? Yes.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EF7b9U2wu90/Tt0z0iV4GxI/AAAAAAAAEis/kInivBJO8n8/s1600/DSCN3280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EF7b9U2wu90/Tt0z0iV4GxI/AAAAAAAAEis/kInivBJO8n8/s320/DSCN3280.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coach and Aunt Vicky, 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table> One evening around 2am in 2009, my associates and I were enjoying some Taco C on the patio when a trio of hardened ne'er-do-wells started to attract attention a few tables away. We did our best to mind our own business, but things quickly rose to a fever pitch and it was hard not to stare. Two of their party went inside to retrieve their food, leaving the third asleep on the table. Having had a rousing night ourselves, Coach went over to her and posed for a photo, but got caught as the other two returned. At this point, the ringleader, ("Magnum" to her friends,) took umbrage with poor Coach and set to threatening him. "Leave it, Magnum!" her cohort advised, "be cool!" but Magnum couldn't be contained. Freeing herself, she leaped at Coach and the whole patio went crackers. We had just come from 80s night at Elysium so we were already sweaty and ready for a dance-off. I couldn't tell you what song was playing, but with every power chord a seemingly-choreographed punch was thrown in slo-motion and flaming Corona bottles were somersaulting through the air - giving the whole number some sweet pyrotechnic cred. We took it to the bridge and flipped their table over, just in time for our 3-in-one air guitar solo that backed them into the parking lot and sent 'em running for their Ford Explorer. Shredded lettuce fluttering to the ground all around us, we resumed our meal, having stood firm and held our turf on a hot Tuesday night at the MLK Taco C.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cM2NDhEZ8lw/Tt1F2nPf9ZI/AAAAAAAAEi8/mbAd_2D1n2w/s1600/DSCN3293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cM2NDhEZ8lw/Tt1F2nPf9ZI/AAAAAAAAEi8/mbAd_2D1n2w/s400/DSCN3293.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know you won the food fight if you danced so hard and fast you dodged all the ballistic edibles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Thanks for the memories, Austin. You are missed.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-2995394477596579682011-11-15T11:13:00.000-06:002011-11-15T11:13:46.838-06:00A Belated Birthday GiftIt comes to our attention here that we are late putting this out into the world. This past Friday one of the most steadfast followers of this blog, Bill's dad, turned 54, so over the weekend we put this little ditty together. It also comes to my attention that another dear, Maru, reader turned 30 that day, and is just as deserving of this love poem. Happy Birthday Kids.<br />
Love,<br />
Amber and Bill.<br />
<br />
Everyone else, enjoy the photo montage of photos you've already seen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6gLlguskig0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664609244009385007.post-60905657727000321292011-11-14T13:55:00.000-06:002011-11-14T13:55:03.146-06:00The Liebster Award, not to be confused with anything about LobsterMy first award, and thanks, to Jellybear, author of <i><a href="http://illsleepwhentheyregrown.com/">I'll Sleep When They're Grown</a>.</i><br />
Here's how it works:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJzRs1eKDCE/TsFeQ5NkZsI/AAAAAAAAEiU/cFVo-itPnbs/s1600/liebster-award.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJzRs1eKDCE/TsFeQ5NkZsI/AAAAAAAAEiU/cFVo-itPnbs/s1600/liebster-award.png" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1.5em; padding-left: 5px; text-align: left;"><div style="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px;">“What is the Liebster Award?”, you may ask. It’s an award that’s meant to be passed along to blogs with fewer than 200 followers. The purpose is to help give awesome blogs a bit of a nudge in the way of followers and fans.</div></blockquote><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">By accepting this award what we need to do is:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">1. Copy and paste the award on our blog.<br />
2. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to us.<br />
3. Reveal our top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.<br />
4. Hope that our followers will spread the love to other bloggers.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">Here are my choices:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">1. <a href="http://illsleepwhentheyregrown.com/">I'll Sleep When They're Grown</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">2. <a href="http://doladiaries.blogspot.com/">The Dola Diaries</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">3. <a href="http://dustinandlaura.blogspot.com/">Life in the Land of Wa</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">4. <a href="http://mainlandmessage.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Message from the Mainland</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #4f402a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: left;">5. I'm holding this spot open. (Until I start reading and appreciating more blogs)</div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08939384818054770609noreply@blogger.com2