Still in a bit of a fog following a very full week in Denver last week for the IACP conference. Much as we have opportunities to get out on the town for meals and excursions, cocktails and random breaks -- it never really feels like I'm able to do justice to a [...]
I count this among the small pleasures in life: flipping through the day's mail, as I did last week, to see that it includes a copy of Seattle magazine's annual "Best Restaurants" issue. Not only because I'm an adamant fan of our local restaurants and love to see what's on the [...]
Like I needed one more decadent treat to have on my list of favorite vices.... But I found one anyway. I had an errand to do at Theo Chocolates in Fremont yesterday (honest, I really did). While there, couldn't help reliving a couple of my favorite bites from a previous trip. [...]
Wow. Ten years already. I was at, if not the first, definitely the second Cask Ale Festival put on by the Washington Brewer's Guild. In fact, I think this festival was among the earlier ventures the Guild took on after forming in the late 1990s. The first cask festival had [...]
This is one of the easiest, tastiest dinners that has become a reliable favorite on nights when I don't have inspiration for much more. Like last night. Just three things to buy at the store: chicken thighs, yogurt (and no, you can't use nonfat yogurt for this, not allowed) and [...]
Last weekend, in the midst of our mingling and visiting before sitting down to dinner here, a friend pointed out my bottle of cassis from Clear Creek Distillery in Portland, Oregon, noting what an extraordinary example of the traditional black current liqueur it is. Yes, I agreed wholeheartedly. And despite the fact that [...]
Yes, we are going to "spring forward" tomorrow. And the vernal equinox is just two weeks away. But the little crocuses blooming in my planter boxes can not drive away the winter chill. Earlier today at my house in West Seattle (very near the highest point in the city) it snowed [...]
Interestingly, it was Bob's idea that we go for the menu degustazione on Saturday night. He's definitely not a picky eater but for health reasons has to be a little selective about what's on his plate. Maybe he was just feeling indecisive. Or adventurous. Or maybe this was just one [...]
I fell in love with endive while at cooking school in France, one of many ingredients I'd had little interaction with before embarking on that adventure. Among salad greens, endive has a bit more character and flavor than everyday lettuce, not as bitter as radicchio, and is more versatile than [...]
This wine "holiday" has become one of the highlights of the year around our house. For me and my friends, it will be Open That Bottle Night number three, though the occasion is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. I was just slow to catch on! Open That Bottle Night [...]