My “Christmas” holiday came and went without a hitch while pointedly lacking any sort of reverence. As an atheist, these last couple days carried little significance to me other than the looming challenge of shopping/cooking with the impending urgency/ inconvenience of the local grocery being closed. No worries…I hit the co op hard on the 23rd and made away with what I felt like resembled a post apocalyptic survival stash of food. None of the meals prepared have been particularly fancy…although crepes were made for breakfast on the 25th accompanied by champagne heavy mimosas. Wes has a talent with those damn crepes that is beyond me- this is a food that I have inevitably fucked up time and again in past attempts. He has a hand for them I suppose…a grace with the batter and pan that is lovely to behold. We ate…we drank…we lazed about the house and when antsy made our way outside to walk the dog along the chilly deserted streets of our city. (more…)

As an admitted salt fiend, one would’ve thought that the recent salt trend would have really struck my fancy. I recall when the mania erupted, folks were dizzy with the endless varieties- bacon salt, lavender salt, pink salt, black salt…blah blah blah. I wasn’t too impressed…in fact I kind of dismissed the craze as bullshit. I do love salt- deeply. Where some folks have a sweet tooth, I have a salt tooth- I just cant get enough..but really? How good can some of these salts be? In my head salt is salt. I like a good chunky sea salt- thats all, thats it- Im a simple broad. Well…that was all until I came across Alder Smoked Salt at the Pike Place Market. Jesus fucking God. The shit is delicious. It makes EVERYTHING TASTE LIKE BARBECUE- need I say more?

Mustard on meats and cheeses, saltine crackers, tortilla chips, cucumbers and bell peppers- even on apple slices. His windowsills and shelves, the top of the refrigerator- all these spaces were crowded with little stocky pots of various recipes in progress. Miles was a mustard man…a true connoisseur. We met while working together at a popular cafe in Tucson- a shared sarcastic sense of humor bonded us fast friends. I lived out of my VW bus (which was bliss- simple, cozy…my life held the constant romance of a camping trip) and Miles was kind enough to give me unfettered access to his home for the purpose of using his shower, washing my clothing, watching an occasional movie etc. It was during this time that I found that there was more to him than his charmingly apathetic chain smoking habit and an astoundingly extensive record collection- he was very much enamored with mustard. Perched on his kitchen counter, swigging a beer I would watch him experiment with ingredients for hours. He would pull out spices, harvest fresh herbs from his backyard garden, chop fruit, dice vegetables…adding, subtracting and combining in order to create unusual blends- mustards the like of which I had never tasted. (more…)

I dont want it to be just “sweet”- I like a more sophisticated sugar cookie with defined flavor qualities and a smooth character. Here is a recipe where the taste of warm vanilla, rich creamy butter and spice in the base are all gently illuminated in a cookie as tender as cake. Beautifully simple and blissfully delicious, part of the appeal in working with such a fundamental recipe is the potential for creative freedom. For example, if one feels so inclined to make it a kick more exciting (as I did here)- spice adds a lovely complexity. Cardamom is a personal favorite but if you dont care for that this is a gratifyingly easy recipe to experiment with. Add ginger, lemon or orange zest, almond extract or any number of flavors to the base. If you’d rather keep the batter basic, feel free to sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar before baking or make a simple icing or frosting to top them with after they cool….the possibilites are pretty damn endless. Bite into the softness of one of these little bastards and you’ll find an intense disdain developing for any cookie of a crisper/crunchier texture. Its true. (more…)

Tuesday nights “Battle In Seattle Rematch” – the food was delicious, the drinks generous, the atmosphere appealingly party-like. At the judges table, my peers were three discerning Seattle chefs, the Assistant Coach of the Seattle Sounders (he was a lot of fun- a real pleasure to chat with) and the Pres. of a large online social networking company. The theme was “Surf and Turf”. (more…)

“Booze for breakfast eh?” Karissa is squinting at me in the tender morning light, her coffee cup tucked between her knees as we begin our drive.
“Its lookin’ like it.” I’m sure my tone conveys that the idea is not exactly appealing at this hour. We’re headed out to Dry Fly Distillery where without a doubt there will be sampling. I’m trying not to think about it, instead focusing on the road and doing my best to keep my own hot cup from spilling onto my lap. Fortunately, we don’t make it to Spokane until after lunch. The drive wasn’t any longer than we had expected but our hunger certainly surprised us 3/4 of the way there. A Subway sandwich shop tucked inside a massive truck stop complex would suffice. It was for the best, to begin drinking on an empty stomach (before noon nonetheless) sounded disastrous. Black coffee & booze does not strike me as a good way to start the day (although Im sure plenty would disagree). (more…)

I have been asked to be on the panel of judges for “The Battle in Seattle Rematch” this Tuesday. The event is an Iron Chef-esque cook off between Chef David Hahne (Enotria) and Chef Takashi (Rain Sushi). How can I turn that down? I cant is how- its food, booze and being given official authority to appraise the efforts of two great chefs pitted dangerously (well maybe not really dangerously) against each other. Sounds interesting if not fantastically entertaining. It takes place at Rain Sushi in Wallingford on Tuesday, December 8th @ 6pm. Ill be there lookin’ all sorts of  ”judgey” (you know, all haughty and pretentious-like)…or trying my damndest to anyway. Tickets are $45 per person and are available for purchase at both Rain & Enotria. Word on the street is that tickets are going fast so get a move on.

In the car then on a ferry- 20 minutes later, Brian and I  land in a place that seemingly time (or maybe just population increase) forgot…ie Vashon Island. Oh its fucking beautiful- woodsy jagged shoreline with rocky beaches, there’s a tiny town in there somewhere but take a second to browse the radio and you’ve missed it. Kurtwood Farms itself is gorgeous…open and organized, 13 acres of pretty pasture studded with a few rustic buildings that house all manner of magic. Mainly, theres the cabin where Kurt lives (which is in fact a historic landmark) next to a small building that is home to a commercial grade kitchen plus dining area (a loooong family style wood table). Besides those…I cant forget to mention the cheese room, the small milking barn, the stone oven, the elevated beds, other gardens, pigs, a couple dogs, Jersey cows/calfs etc. etc. Theres so much and all of it is lovely, quiet, simple- a landscape that begs to be captured in sepia tinted photos. (more…)