Daily Munch

Seattle International District Breakfast

2009-06-23T05:41:10Z

This morning I was looking for breakfast in Seattle's International District. Searching the usual restaurant sites turned up nothing, Google was useless, so I ended up walking around until I found Duk Li Dim Sum. While I won't rate Duk Li as best dim sum in Seattle, it does the trick for an early morning breakfast, opening at 7am to serve customers shumai, pork buns, congee, turnip cakes, Chinese dough and other dim sum standards. Total price for breakfast for two was $11.02 including tip. I'll continue to update this post as I find more place open for breakfast in the Seattle ID.

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Starbucks VIA Ready Brew is an Instant Coffee that Doesn't Suck

2009-02-28T22:17:03Z

I'm picky about where I get my coffee from and generally I avoid Starbucks if there's any other alternative nearby. Today I opted for convenience over taste and went to Starbucks. They had samples of the new VIA Ready Brew coffee available for sample, so I took one just to see how it tastes. Quite honestly, it's far better than I expected. That doesn't mean VIA is great or that I'll be switching from finding Stumptown or Zoka whenever possible, but I would drink it over coffee at the local diner.

The flavor is nothing like Folgers Crystals or any of the other jar instants you see on the store shelves. It's a bit like getting an Americano at Starbucks, which isn't a great Americano, but it's reliable. Instead of being giant coffee chunks like other instants, VIA Ready Brew if finely ground and smells like you just opened a free bag of beans when you tear open the little pouch. You stir the powder into hot water and you're ready to go. As the title says, while I wouldn't trade my brewed coffee for instant, as instant coffees go, Starbucks VIA Ready Brew is at the top of the heap.

How to Make Butter Horn Dinner Rolls

2008-12-24T16:44:32Z

I don't eat rolls very often, but I love this recipe from my grandma. She used to make butter horn rolls for holiday meals and I could never get enough of them. My mom has since carried on the tradition of making the rolls, although this year, I've taken over the baking duties.Because of my dairy allergy, I substitute soy milk for the milk in the recipe (but I leave the butter in because I haven't found anything that tastes good). I also added an egg wash to get a more even brown color on the rolls.

1 envelope of active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup of scalded milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten
4 cups flour

1) Dissolve yeast in warm water. In a separate container beat the eggs.

2) Scald milk and add butter to melt.

3) In the mixing bowl with the yeast, stir in sugar, salt and milk with melted butter. Add some of the flour and then stir in the eggs, making sure the temperature of the mixture isn't warm enough to cook the eggs. Gradually add the rest of the flour.

4) Once the dough is mixed, let it rise.

5) Divide dough into three parts. Roll each part into circle. Cut each circle into twelve wedges with a knife or pizza cutter. Roll up each wedge starting a wide end. Pinch tip to seal. Place tip side down on pan. Let rolls rise until double. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown and no longer sticking to pan.

6) Optional: Make an egg wash with a single beaten egg and a little bit of salt, brush the wash on each roll.

How to Make Handcut Homemade French Fries

2008-12-11T05:03:00Z

Fries are one of those things that almost always taste better at a restaurant than they do at home. I'm sure the industrial fryer is part of the reason, but the real secret is that the restaurants who make great fries cook those potato slices twice. Yes it takes a little longer, but the results are outstanding. The procedure is similar to what we used making kettle chips at home. I've managed to make great fries this way twice, without any assistance from Robin, so I'm pretty sure anyone can do it.

French Fry Ingredients
2 large Russet potatoes
24oz Canola, peanut, or California rice oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
Cast iron dutch oven
Thermometer

Procedure
1) Heat oil in cast iron pan, with thermometer in oil to make sure temperature reaches 305 degrees.

2) As oil heats, clean your potatoes and cut them into long strips of approximately the same size. Place sliced potatoes in a bowl of water to keep them from turning brown.

3) Remove potato slices from water and pat dry on paper towels, place enough slices in oil to have one layer covering the surface of the oil.

4) Allow slices to blanch, cooking until they turn from a shiny color to a more matte appearance. This is typically about the time the temperature starts rising in the oil again. Remove from oil with tongs and place in a pan lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

5) After blanching all potato slices, increase the temperature of the oil to between 350-375 degrees.

6) Repeat process of layering potato slices in the oil, this time cooking them until they turn a golden color. Cook longer for fries that are more crisp.

7) Remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil, season with your favorite salt while still hot. Garnish your fries with herbs, garlic, or any other flavor that suits your palate.

How to Brine and Cook a Turkey

2008-12-09T03:13:12Z

Brining a turkey before cooking is an excellent way to increase the bird's ability to retain moisture throughout the roasting process. It results in an extremely moist turkey with excellent flavor. At the most basic level, you can brine your turkey simply by combining the salt, sugar, and peppercorns listed in the ingredients below. Using the additional seasons helps enhance the flavor of the bird. You may want to err on the side of a shorter brining time if you're concerned with having your turkey be too salty.

Brine Ingredients:
2 c kosher salt
1 c raw sugar
1 c honey
2-3 bay leaves
2 Tbl peppercorns
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp celery seeds
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon
2-3 sprigs thyme
2-3 sprigs sage
10-14 lb turkey
1 brining bag

Roasting Pan Ingredients:

2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 lemon, sliced
4 cloves garlic
3-4 sprigs thyme
3-4 sprigs sage
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Brine Procedure

Combine all brining ingredients in brining bag with 2 qts water; remove giblets from inside turkey and add to brine; make sure turkey is completely submerged, you can place the whole thing in the roasting pan or stock pot in case of a bag leak and refrigerate 12-24 hours

Turkey Roasting Procedure

1) Remove turkey from brine and dry with paper towels; stuff turkey with some of the onion, garlic, lemon, and herbs; tuck the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together with some butchers twine; rub the entire bird with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper

2) Place bird on a rack in a large roasting pan; scatter the remaining vegetables around the roasting pan and drizzle with a little olive oil

3) Place bird in a 350 degree oven for 30 min, then reduce temperature to 325 and roast bird till thermometer reads 165 in the thigh area at the deepest part of the muscle; you will want to baste with juices from the pan or more olive oil every 30 min or so; you can factor around 13-15 min per lb for total time, however don't rely on time... temperature is what matters; cover the bird with foil if the skin is becoming too dark in places. See our guide on turkey cooking times for a good time estimate.

4) When the bird reaches the correct temp remove it to a platter to rest 10 min while you make the gravy

Turkey Gravy Recipe

2008-12-08T07:16:00Z

Not having gravy for the mashed potatoes and stuffing at your Thanksgiving and Christmas feast is like having your uncle show up with his nudist girlfriend - incredibly awkward to explain to the kids. Gravy is one of those holiday treats meant to be enjoyed. I've had many variations I enjoy tremendously, this one is best prepared while drinking as much wine as you add to the pan (or maybe a little more).

Roasting pan of turkey drippings
4 Tbl butter
3 Tbl flour
1 c white wine
1 qt chicken stock, homemade or low sodium store bought
2 Tbl chopped parsley, thyme, and sage
Salt and pepper

1) Place roasting pan on stove top over burner on medium heat; add butter and flour and stir to cook flour approx 3 min

2) Deglaze with wine, stirring constantly; whisk in stock till lumps are completely dissolved

3) Simmer for 5-7 minutes till desired thickness, add more stock to thin or simmer longer to thicken; stir frequently

4) Season with salt and pepper to taste; strain through mesh strainer into a serving bowl and mix in herbs at the end

Serves 4-5

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2008-12-08T07:07:09Z

Mashed potatoes are my personal holiday kryptonite. It could be because my grandma started me on mashing potatoes before I could see over the stove, or maybe it's just because they are nearly perfect. I could miss most of the rest of the meal and simply fill up on a heaping plate of smashed Yukon gold with turkey gravy pouring over the sides of a mashed potato wall. This is an excellent variation on that theme, taking true sweet potatoes, combining them with some Yukon gold spuds, and adding a little parsnip for flavor. I wouldn't trade plain old mashed potatoes for anything, but these are a worthy rival.

3 medium sweet potatoes, yellow
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes
2 parsnips
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbl parsley, chopped
1/4 c chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

1) Peel and quarter sweet potatoes, potatoes, and parsnips; toss with olive oil and salt and pepper; roast on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for approx 20 min till golden and soft

2) Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on medium, add garlic and cook till fragrant and slightly brown; add to a bowl with the roasted veg; mash with salt and pepper and chicken stock till light and fluffy; add herbs and serve.

Serves 4-5

Robin's Foolproof Turkey Stuffing with Sausage

2008-12-08T06:53:56Z

Stuffing is one of those things no holiday feast should be without. It's a perfect savory accompaniment for turkey and cranberry sauce. I call this Robin's foolproof stuffing because it's easy to make and I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like it. And of course, it's Robin's because she's the brains of the food operation at our house. Drying the bread can be done ahead of time so that you're not trying to do everything at the last minute. If you don't eat pork, you can round out the turkey theme with a turkey breakfast sausage instead of pork.

Ingredients

1 loaf sliced bread of choice, buttermilk white is good
1/2 lb turkey or pork breakfast sausage, bulk
Giblets reserved from turkey
4 Tbl butter
1 onion, small diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 core of celery, with leaves, small slice
1/4 c white wine
3 c chicken stock, maybe more to moisten
3-4 sprigs sage, leaves chopped
2-3 sprigs thyme
1/2 tsp celery seed
Salt and pepper

1) The day before lay out bread slices on oven racks and set temp for 200 or warm setting; allow bread to dry completely for several hours or overnight

2)Break bread into small pieces into a large mixing bowl; brown sausage in a little olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat

3) Remove sausage to mixing bowl with bread and sweat onion, celery, whole thyme sprigs, and garlic in butter till translucent; chop giblets into small pieces and add to onions to cook 2-3 minutes

4) Deglaze pan with wine and reduce by half; add chicken stock and season with salt and pepper and remove thyme sprigs; add to mixing bowl along with herbs and celery seed; stir to moisten and add more stock if needed, it should be moist but not dripping

5) Butter a baking dish (glass is best) and add mixture to dish; press stuffing into dish and bake at 350 degrees for approx 30 min, if top begins to brown too quickly cover with foil to finish; sides should be brown and center should be set and not gooey

Serves 4-5

Cranberry Compote

2008-12-05T06:26:55Z

It's hard to compete with the simplicity of canned cranberries during a busy holiday meal preparation, but you won't impress any of your guests with can shaped slices (they are certainly a guilty pleasure). This recipe provides a subtly Indian spin on the required cranberries at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It keeps well so you could make it up several days ahead of any feast, which also allows the habenero flavor to sink in just enough to tingle the tongue.

2 pints fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
½ c sugar
1 habenero pepper, split
2 whole pods star anise
2 cinnamon stick
1 shallot, minced
1 Tbl allspice, whole
½ tsp black pepper

Simmer cranberries on medium heat with all ingredients in a sauce pan till berries are burst and jelly like; serve as a condiment with turkey, chicken, or lamb

Serves 5-6

How to Make Homemade Green Bean Casserole

2008-12-04T06:16:54Z

Growing up, green bean casserole consisted entirely of canned goods. Canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, and canned Durkee French fried onions were the primary ingredients. I still have a fondness for that version of this holiday favorite, but rich flavors of making it yourself from fresh ingredients give a whole new dimension to this old favorite. Since I don't eat dairy, we left the heavy cream out of the version we made at our house, but it's admittedly better tasting if you leave it in.

Green Bean Casserole Ingredients

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1/3 lb porcini mushrooms, or favorite variety, sliced
4 shallots, 1 minced, 3 sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2-3 sprigs thyme
2 Tbl butter
1 Tbl flour
2 c veal stock, or beef stock (low sodium if not homemade)
1/4 c port, ruby or tawny
1/4 c heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1 Tbl parsley, chopped

Crispy Shallots for Topping

1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp onion powder
2 c canola or high heat oil

Preparation

1) Blanch green beans in boiling, salted water till bright green but still crisp; remove and cool; drain off all water and set aside in a medium sized baking dish

2) In a medium sauté pan brown sliced mushrooms in butter, thyme sprigs, and a little olive oil; add garlic and shallots and cook till fragrant; add to beans in baking dish and remove thyme

3) Add butter to sauté pan and melt; add flour and cook for 1-2 min then add stock and reduce by ½ till thickened; add port and cook another 3-4 min; add cream and heat to simmer; season with salt and pepper and pour over beans and mushrooms; mix to coat and cover with foil; bake at 350 degrees for approx 15-20 min or till bubbly

4) Meanwhile, mix the flour for the crispy shallots with the spices; heat the oil in a heavy sauce pan (cast iron is best) on medium high heat; add sliced shallots to the flour mixture and toss to coat

5) Shake extra flour off shallots and fry in small batches, they should float and brown quickly; remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain; sprinkle with salt

6) When beans are done top with crispy shallots and parsley

These Boots Were Made for Drinking

2008-11-25T00:21:25Z

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are most certainly spoiled by the huge variety of local, hand crafted, lip smacking micro brewed beers. But order one up at your favorite watering hole, and it will probably arrive in the same old boring pint glass.

"I want to drink my beer out of a giant glass boot!" You scream, while shaking your fists up at the starry night sky. But there really is no reason to scream. You can enjoy a brew in a boot at Die BierStube; a German-style bar tucked into Seattle's Roosevelt neighborhood.

Boot boozing is more of an organized occasion than a leisurely after work drink. In order to order one, there must be at least three thirsty people in your party. Once your two liter arrives, the game begins. Pass the boot around, but never ever let it touch the table. If it does, that person will be penalized. I hear the punishment is supposed to involve chugging the entire boot, but my friends and I hold the guilty person to a rousing round of Truth or Dare. Boot drinking isn't for the weak - it involves some skill. Once the beer level drops to the ankle, you have to tilt the glass just so...or end up with a face full of foam.

Beer lovers will be tickled with Die BierStube's selection. There are more than a dozen German brews on tap including one of my favorites, Franziskaner WeissBier, a wheat ale with notes of banana. If you crave the classic beer and pretzel combination, Die BierStube's are big, warm, and soft and served with squirts of grainy and spicy/sweet mustards.

So say goodbye to boring old pints of beer. But I'm warning you: once you go boot, you never go back.

Prost!

Uncork the Beaujolais: Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!

2008-11-14T00:39:06Z

Beaujolais get such bum rap: they're lightweight, immature and spoil easily. (Hmm.. sounds more like a bad date.)

But oh, the release parties! So much fun!

Over 65 million Beaujolais nouveau bottles are distributed and poured around the world as people celebrate its release on or around the third Thursday of November. Grab a pitcher and drinking partners and join the rest. À votre santé!

Fête de Beaujolais Nouveau at Le Pichet
Thursday, November 20, 6pm 'til last call
1933 First Avenue, Seattle
I've gone the last few years and it's not to miss. Sip various Beaujolais en primeur (freshly made) by the glass, pichet or bottle. Snacks will be street-food style. Hot Club Sandwich-- Django-inspired live Gypsy jazz-- will entertain. No cover, no reservations. The renegade way.

Beaujolais Nouveau dinner at Maximilien
Thursday, November 20, 6:30pm and 8:30pm
81A Pike Street in Pike Place Market
Enjoy 3-course dinner with a sampling of Beaujolais Nouveau selections. Options of pumpkin bisque or saucisson en brioche (garlic sausage in brioche) for starters, joue de porc braisée au Beaujolais (pork cheeks braised in red wine) or bass au vin rouge (seared bass with red wine sauce) for entree, and tarte d'hiver (winter tart, chocolate tart with orange and caramel) for dessert. $35 per person. Call 206.682.7270 for reservations.

Beaujolais Nouveau dinner and author event at Crémant
Thursday, November 20, 7pm
1432 34th Avenue in Madrona
James Beard award-winning cookbook author Jennifer McLagan will sign her book, Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes. $100 per person includes the book with Beaujolais wine and dinner pairing. Chef Scott Emerick will prepare pâté, cassoulet de Toulouse, duck confit and other dishes inspired by the cookbook. Call 206.322.4600 for reservations.

Beaujolais Nouveau dinner at The Corson Building
November 19-22, seating starts at 6:30pm
5609 Corson Avenue S in Georgetown
Chef Matt Dillon will create dishes to pair with Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais Blanc, Cru Beaujolais and Crémant. Dinner costs $50 per person on Wednesday and Thursday and $90 per person on Friday and Saturday. Fee does not include wine. Call 206.762.3330 for reservations.

Le Festival du Beaujolais Nouveau hosted by French-American Chamber of Commerce
Friday, November 21, 6pm-10:30pm
Lake Union Armory, 860 Terry Avenue N in South Lake Union
2008 Beaujolais Nouveau wines from Georges Duboeuf, Joseph Drouhin and Terres Dorées will take the spotlight. Buffet stations will serve oysters on a half shell, charcuterie, grilled sausages, crêpes suzette au Grand Marnier and more. The event will also feature a silent auction and live music by Hot Club Sandwich. Tickets are $55-$80. More info here.

Other noteworthy wine events (not exactly Beaujolais related):
Fête by the glass at Faire Gallery Café
Saturday, November 15, 5pm-1am
1351 E. Olive Way on Capitol Hill
Taste around 15 French wines from Bourgeois Family Selections, a small French wine importing company who work exclusively with family-owned vineyards that practice sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming. $20 covers wine tasting, light hors d'oeuvres and live jazz. Click here for tickets or call 206.652.0781.

20something, The New Vintage
Saturday, November 15, 7pm-11pm
Fremont Studios, 155 N 35th Street
Hosted by the Washington Wine Commission, this event caters to young professionals and encourages to sip/spit, mingle and patronize Washington wines. Local winemakers will be pouring $30 and under vinos, while up-and-coming chefs from Tom Douglas Restaurants, Waterfront Seafood Grill and others serve bites to pair. Participating wineries include Vin du Lac, K Vintners, Forgeron Cellars, Woodward Canyon, Guardian Cellars, Paradisos del Sol, L'École and more. See the line up here. Tickets are $50 each or $90 for two. Click to purchase.

Sips & Shoes
Sunday, November 23, 4pm-7pm
Grand Hyatt, 721 Pine Street in downtown Seattle
Tickets are $35.
About 36 wineries will be pouring juice while guests bid on shoes to benefit Ryther Child Center, a child welfare agency, at this Seattle Uncorked event. Attendees are requested to bring new or barely used footwear to donate. The Seattle Burn Foundation firefighters will be there to assist, I mean, sign their 2009 calendars. Ooh la la..

Top Chef Season 5: Viewing party for foodies without cable

2008-11-11T19:58:44Z

Top Chef starts this Wednesday, November 12 at 10pm on Bravo.

Filmed in New York City, Season 5 "cheftestants" hail from Whitmore Village, Hawaii; Chicago, Illinois; Taos, New Mexico; Niceville, Florida; Florence, Italy; Tampere, Finland and others. None are from the Northwest this time around.

Their backgrounds range from executive chefs, chef de cuisine, sous chefs, culinary student, caterers and restaurant owner.

Let's see who's going to have more attitude than talent, who will surprise, and most of all, who will make the cut.

So, what to do if you don't have cable? Head over to Faire Gallery Café on Capitol Hill (1351 E. Olive Way, between Melrose & Bellevue Avenues, in Seattle) and join the weekly viewing party. A friendly neighborhood stomping ground, Faire also hosts free jazz nights, wine events, art exhibits, spoken word, comedy show and Project Runway screening when in season.

Fall Cider Celebration

2008-11-11T18:10:23Z

Taste over 30 varieties ranging from dry, sweet, semi-dry or blend from a dozen cideries. Northwest cideries featured include Eaglemount Cider of Port Townsend, Irvine's Vintage Cider of Vashon Island, Red Barn Cider of Skagit Valley and Wandering Aengus Ciderworks of Salem, Oregon. Click here to view the map of cideries in the region.

Hard ciders are made from fresh pressed juice of vintage cider apples providing the right balance of sweetness, tannin and acidity. "Good ciders tastes no more like apple juice than wine taste like grape juice," according to Northwest Cider Society who is co-hosting the event with Ivar's Salmon House.

Ron Irvine, founder of Northwest Cider Society, will be on hand to discuss various types from artisan, craft and vintage hard ciders. $25 admission also include seafood hors d'oeuvres to nosh for pairing.

Details: Thursday, November 13, 5:30pm-8:30pm. Ivar's Salmon House, 401 NE Northlake Way, Seattle. Buy tickets online or call 206.587.6500.

A Healthy Breakfast, Shakshooka (Shaken Eggs)

2008-11-11T00:20:01Z

Shakshooka is a dish made of tomatoes and eggs. It is a great breakfast dish since it has protein and vegetables. Use any tasty bread to dip into it.
Shakshooka in Hebrew comes from the verb "leshakshek" which means "to shake". The dish is basically eggs that have been shaken.

Recipe for 2:

2 tablespoons of oil
3 garlic cloves
Half an onion or 1 full onion diced
3 large tomatoes or 5-6 smaller ones cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of chili pepper or anything else that is spicy
4 eggs
Salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil and saute the onion with the garlic.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook on low heat, partially covered for 15 minutes.
3. Season with chili pepper, salt and pepper.
4. Add tomato paste and taste the seasoning (it should be spicy).
5. The egg part is very important. You have to make room for the eggs. Make holes
in the sauce and break the eggs inside each hole one at a time (You can break the eggs into another bowl first and then transfer them but make sure to do one at a time.)
6. Cook on low heat until eggs are stabilized. They should look like sunny side up eggs in tomato sauce.
7. Use your favorite bread to soak up egg mixture.

Note: You can also add a little cooked sausage or chorizo for extra flavor.