Red or white? How about both?

One major cause of chronic indecision: fear of making the wrong choice. While I can't decide if these 'reversible' glasses from Turkish company Gaia&Gino are clever&lovely or odd&unfunctional, they do provide an option for indecisive drinkers. Sherry with your sake? Its an option.

The concept is "a cacophony of reversible glasses consisting of diverse forms and volumes inspired by the mixture of people that is Turkey today." If not quite necessary for everyday use, they would be fun, functional conversation pieces -- maybe next year's Halloween masquerade? 

See the website for more entertaining styles.

Fonte's Sage Latte

Image borrowed from Cooking Light

Image borrowed from Sarah + H on flickr

I am a coffee addict. There, I admit it. And, in true Seattle fashion, I am a Starbucks hater -- though not for the typical anti-corporate-stick-it-to-the-man reason. I just don't like their coffee. It's bitter, burnt, acidic and boring. There, I said it. While Zoka's may be my one true love, as of late, I find myself having a repeated 10am affair with a 12oz 2% extra hot latte from the new Fonte Coffee & Wine Bar on 1st Ave that adjoins the Four Seasons.

While at first I found the interior coldly modern and sleek, complete with a dingbat baristra who (no joke) squealed at her horrid attempt at a leaf pattern in the foam, I decided to give it a 2nd chance. And then a 3rd, 4th...and...well...the coffee is just so damn good! And don't even get me started on their pastries...and the homemade jam? DE-licious. But, in all seriousness, in the past 2 months since it's opening, the cafe has certainly found it's footing, with an incredibly sweet team of baristas who literally start making my drink before I've even walked through the door and play the best (old) local Seattle music (I had totally forgotten about Damien's Where Shall You Take Me Album).

But, back to the point of this post (mindless wordy meanderings is inevitable when you start a blog post at 12:30am) -- today I tried one of the most inventive fall coffee drinks -- a sage latte -- complete with a rosemary rubbed cup. While my first sip took me a little by surprise (think forest in a cup), it's earthly, green, herbal goodness started to grow on me. And best of all, no sugary syrup was used! Though this was a Friday special, I'm hoping it'll still be on Monday's menu.

Take that Starbucks pumpkin latte.

Steak au Poivre

Dedicated to my friend Jill, an enthusiastic carnivore and giver of Julia Child cookbooks (from where I took this recipe).

Cosmetic companies and chefs share a secret: decorate a simple item with a french title, and it becomes infinitely more fancy. Steak au poivre, steak with pepper, is easier and faster than most weeknight dinners. With the exception that good cuts of beef are more expensive than many other proteins, there are really no barriers to preparing this.

Steak au Poive, adapted from The French Chef cookbook by Julia Child. (By adapted, I mean I left the book at work, and so made this up from memory.)

• 2 good steaks
• Lots of crushed or coarsely-ground pepper
• Salt
• Oil or butter

Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, coat lightly with oil, and salt well. Spread pepper over a plate, and press the steaks down to coat the first side. Re-pepper the plate, and flip the steak to do the second side.

Heat a little oil and/or butter in a pan on medium/high. Saute the steaks, turning when browned well on the first side. For medium-rare, this is about 4 minutes on each side. Remove steaks to a plate and tent with foil. They should rest 10-15 minutes. Turn heat to low, or off.

For sauce:

This is actually a sauce recipe for four steaks, but worked well with our two.

• 2T minced shallot
  
• 2T butter
  
• 1/2 C extra dry vermouth
  
• 1/4 C beef stock (I never make beef stock, so I keep something like Better Than Bouillon around -- opt for a reduced-sodium stock or base, so it doesn't get too salty when reducing.)
  

Spoon excess fat from pan, add shallot and vermouth. This should deglaze the pan easily, but scrape up any sticky bits. Alcohol should cook off very quickly. Add stock. You can also pour in any juices leaked from the resting steak. Reduce to sauce consistency. (The original recipe called for cornstarch in the stock, but I didn't use any and it seems unnecessary. This sauce reduced nicely.) Turn off heat and swirl in butter. Spoon over steaks before serving.

Potatoes are the traditional accompaniment. I roasted fingerlings, because the timing was easiest: toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and put them in the oven before you start the meat. They'll bake at 475 for 20-30 minutes -- if they're done early, just keep them in the warm oven until serving.

To brighten the otherwise-brown plate: present with a colorful vegetable, red wine, and a very satisfied smile at preparing such a damned fancy french meal. :)

Poetry of Food: a collective memoir

I'm excited to discover Poetry of Food this morning. The new project looks more magazine than blog or database, with cleverly-titled columnists, a cover story, and lovely photography and design. Plus, opportunities for readers to create their own content. The "curator," Rony Zibara, calls it a "global food memoir," a collection of food experiences from a variety of perspectives.

The "Food and Travel" section makes me swoon, and I'm interested to see what "Recipes from Mom" will offer. The concept of food+memory, and food as a sentimental, imperfect thing (not polished or manufactured), is very appealing to me and very of-the-moment. Current culinary trends encourage us to refer to our roots, cook what we love, and concern ourselves with taste over perfect presentation. A little piece by the curator captures this in a comparison of Martha Stewart and Julia Child -- as much as I love Martha, I'd pick a dish from Julia if both were cooking for me.

So I've barely skimmed the site, but it looks promising. I'm excited to see what they bring to the table! ;)

Superhuman Dish Rack

If you've got $50 to spend on a dish rack (and who doesn't?) this is the the coolest one I've ever seen -- and I've seen a lot of cool dish racks. I feel like I'm pretty good at packing the dishwasher to it's max, but when it comes to my dish rack, well, I haven't quite mastered it's spatial arrangement and always find it annoyingly full after only washing 4 dishes.

This rack features 2 levels of storage (2!) which is perfect for those pesky bowls that seems to take up the entire space. The top section can even detach and be used for storage, however, then you would be back to a 1-level dish rack which defeats the whole point of this product. It also features side loops that are perfectly designed for holding wine glasses and other delicate mugs that I otherwise fear will be crushed under the weight of the other dishes.

The rack can be purchased at simplehuman, which, at a quick glance appears to have a lot of other sophisticated, modern looking products that I'm sure I will post about at a later time.

Pho: 5 Season's Grill

Today, I vowed to blog about something other than soup, soup, soup. 

But tonight, I wanted pho, and remembered a recommendation for 5 Season's Grill from our home's former owner. Marvelous soup within walking distance? Oh my!

Brian tried beef, a very meaty option. I stick with veggie: carrots, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, along with the usual bean sprouts, noodles, a big sprig of basil, onions, parsley, lime. Plus an unfamiliar little knot of pastry (not sure what that is -- if anyone can identify, clue me in).

Dinner for two, with spring rolls: $18, and only 5 minutes away. We may have discovered why the previous owners pho'ed so often. 

Rustic Pear Tart

A regular reader of A Lovely Morning (a blog I stumbled upon while wedding researching and have been loving ever since), I was drawn to a yummy looking recipe for a plum tart Kristina posted this past summer. While she served her's for breakfast, I decided to make mine an after dinner dessert for my mom's birthday this past September. It was a hit, and I made sure to save the recipe in my archives. Aside from the beautiful deep red and purple colors of the plums, my favorite part of this recipe is the crust. Not only is it the easiest-no-wait-crust EVER, but it is also delectably sweet.

The Crust

• 1 cup (4.5 oz) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly whisked
• 3 tablespoons firm but not hard unsalted butter, cut into a few chunks

With Raven's housewarming party coming up, I knew I wanted to bake something special to bring. With not a ton of time (as Nate and I are still in the process of moving into our new house) I needed something that was quick yet still pretty in presentation and, of course, tasty. I quickly dug up the plum recipe, but instead of using plums, I opted for a more fall appropriate fruit: pears. I decided to pair (hahaha, clever yes?) the crust recipe with another filling recipe I found for a gingered pear tart.

The Filling:

• 3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/3 cup sugar (I used only about 1/4 cup and that was plenty)
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

As per Kristina's recipe, press the dough evenly around the bottom of 9 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, making sure to press the dough firming into the scallop edges of the pan (this is what gives the tart it's pretty border). Position the pears in a fan-like pattern and bake at 375 degrees for roughly 50-60 minutes. Check on it from time to time and remove when the edges are golden - do NOT let it brown too much or you'll get an annoyingly crunchy crust. Let cool for as long as your patience allows and transfer to a serving platter. I was fortunate to get this lovely set (brand is called "The Cellar") from Macy's as a wedding present.

Autumn Roast Chicken & Vegetables

A weekend away with friends needs only a few things: lovely seasonal weather, time to sleep in late, and plenty of good food. We began weekending together in Summer 2008, and while the weather is out of our hands, the food keeps getting better.

2 teaspoons took over the kitchen on Saturday night, for roast chicken and vegetables. Simple food. The ingredients and measurements are estimates -- adjust to suit your tastes and availability. Whole chicken would be nice practice for anyone attempting their first Thanksgiving turkey -- just remember that while the process is the same, the details will differ (specifically cooking time, and possibly your herbs).


Autumn Roast Chicken
One whole chicken was more than enough for six people (though admittedly we were not starving, thanks to plenty of snacks and a big late breakfast).

• 1 Chicken
• Fresh herbs: 5-15 springs of thyme, oregano, anything else growing in the garden
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• Olive oil
  
• Salt and fresh pepper

Rinse and pat dry the chicken, and lay breast up. Stuff with halved or quartered lemon and orange, quartered onion, and peeled garlic cloves, and about half of your herbs. You won't eat this stuff, so don't worry about perfect cutting or peeling.

Twist the wings up and back, and tuck the tips under the body -- your bird will be posed as if basking in the sun. (If you really love crispy wings, skip this step.) Tie legs together with kitchen string (or perhaps dental floss, if you happen to be weekending some place without kitchen string -- we won't tell anyone).

Drizzle bird generously with olive oil, or brush with butter. Salt and pepper well, and tuck the rest of your herbs under the chicken's wings, between the legs, and around the outside. We also recommend rubbing the zest of the lemon and orange on the entire chicken for extra flavor. Surround with vegetables (next recipe).

Bake at 400 for about 1.5 hours. Chicken is done when legs wiggle easily and juices run clear.

Earthy Root Vegetables
For those unaware of what exactly constitutes as a root vegetable, here's the short of it: it's the edible part of a plant that grows underground. Root veggies are typically packed with carbohydrates and dietary fiber. They are also easy on the wallet and you can get a nice selection for a meal for under $6-7. Now, most people are aware of potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions, (and probably beets -- Raven is a beet fiend and has been cooking a ton of great recipes with them lately. See her recent beet soup recipe here.) but there a few other notable roots out there that you should have on your radar:

Rutabaga - Think of it as a cross between a turnip and a potato (don't forget to peel this one)
Turnip - A little on the blah side, but here's a tip: the smaller the turnip the sweeter the taste
Parsnips - My new favorite root addition this season. It's definitely carrot-esque, though it has more spice than sweet.

I have always loved the ease, flavor, and heartiness of root vegetables. You really can't mess up this recipe. Simply peel (you can leave the potatoes unpeeled if you'd like) and cut the veggies, drizzle (well, more like pour) a good coating of olive oil over the entire dish. Season with salt, pepper and fresh herbs to your liking. We used fresh thyme, rosemary, and oregano straight from the garden. Dried herbs will work as well, though for this dish I highly recommend splurging on the fresh stuff.

You can either cook the veggies in the same pan as the chicken, or, if you plan on pairing this with a different entree, you can cook them in a separate dish at 450 degrees until the veggies are soft (about an hour). Check on them from time to time, and if anything starts looking a little dry, just drizzle a little more olive oil on it.

Despite our initial fears of preparing a whole roast chicken (come on, buying a whole bird is a little intimidating) this meal turned out to be extremely simple in both preparation and necessary ingredients. The most time consuming part of this meal was peeling and cutting all of the vegetables, and waiting the 2 hours for the chicken to fully cook. But when there's enough beer, wine, cheese, rock band and good friends to distract you from the delicious smells that will most surely tantalize you for the next 2 hours, the time seems to fly by.

Wine, with brunch

Aside from infrequent mimosas, wine is not something I drink before noon. But my love of both prosecco and brunch made Eva's invitation to a four-course Sunday brunch with wine pairings irresistible. Pinot nior and lamb hash? Don't mind if I do!

The event was the innagural collaboration between Jack's Cellars and Hudson Public House, adjacent establishments in the relatively uninviting intersection of 15th and Lake City Way. Inside, Hudson pub is warm and open, with friendly staff and a surprisingly ambitious menu.

I can't say every plate was successful -- too courses of duck is a bit odd, the basted eggs were undercooked, and the lamb hash was under-seasoned. Brunch, to me, is not a place to worry over fat or sodium content -- butter it up, and give me some salt. Overall, though, the ingredients were interesting and everything was thoughtful: breakfast food aiming for dinner caliber.

The highlight: a wine flight. Expert pairing and generous pours made restitution for any lacked luster on the plates. Glittering prosecco always makes me happy and I love a full-bodied red, so the first and fourth wines won me over before they hit my palate. We went home with the latter, a 2006 old vine zinfandel from Klinker Brick, and I'll look for the former, Fantinel NV Extra Dry Prosecco, next time I'm in need of bubbles. The first course was a basic cheese and fruit spread (decent figs), and the finale a fairly delicious, very peppery chicken sausage wrapped in a nicely-crispy crepe.

Our tablemates included another new-homeowning couple. She's the writer/photog for needle+thread, a Seattle street style blog; he's a web developer who recommended Basil Hayden. Regardless of whether one's first passion is fashion, food, or politics, I don't think I've met a Seattlite in years who's life isn't thoroughly knit with technology.

The second and third courses brought Neyers Carneros Chardonnay and Fess Parker Pinot Noir, served with a smoked duck and shallot fritatta and a lamb hash with basted duck egg, respectively. I'm neither a chardonnay nor pinot fan, but found both of these appealing enough to finish at least a glass of each -- possibly due to being already tipsy, among good company, and having nothing more pressing at home than a nap. And, ultimately, this sense of leisure is undoubtedly the most compelling part of a Sunday brunch -- to savor the indulgent, indolent moment between work weeks. If someone wants to pour me a few glasses of wine to aid this endeavor, I will not turn down the invitation.

Butternut squash risotto

My personal squash staple is acorn with butter and brown sugar. This favorite from my childhood could turn anyone into a squash-lover -- or at least convince butter- and sugar-lovers that squash is an acceptable accompaniment. 

Butternut squash, acorn's shapely cousin, has a beautifully autumnal orange flesh, a smooth, dense consistency, and a fairly tiny number of seeds -- I'm sure all qualities that have kept it at the top of the squash popularity charts over the last few years. Butternut ravioli seems as ubiquitous in Italian restaurants as free bread. Also find recipes for soups, salads, stuffings ... the list goes on.

Not one to completely ignore a trend, I decided I needed some more experience with butternut before it becomes passe. My inspiration: an autumn comfort food, butternut squash risotto.

The squash holds its shape well, so cut it into smaller-than-bite-size pieces to begin with. Don't pay so much attention to the overall quantity of liquid you use -- just add a little at a time and stir, stir, stir, then repeat many times until your rice is fully cooked. 

Risotto as a main course doesn't pair well with many side dishes, but lightly-dressed green salad would balance it well, as would  a glass of that sauvignon blanc you used in from the recipe.  :)

More soup: this time with beets

At the risk of revealing myself as a soup addict, I must share this gorgeous beet soup I made tonight.


No recipe is needed here, and the details don't matter except that the vegetables should be roasted first and include beets (if you want the amazing bridesmaid-dress pink). If you're unlucky enough to not have a pile of leftovers in the refridgerator, gather your favorites, drizzle with olive oil, and roast them.

Pile roasted veggies in a pot, add enough chicken or vegetable stock to almost cover, and heat. Puree with your handy immersion blender, and stir in more chicken stock to bring to desired consistancy. Season to taste, and add butter if you want (who doesn't want?). Puree again, to reach a perfect velvety texture -- or if you're feeling lazy, leave it a bit coarse and call it "rustic."

Discovered online:

(Click for to view larger.)

Cheap date: chicken and cake

Last week, Brian and I warmed our new house with about 20 friend and a big plate of friend chicken from Ezell's (world famous) Chicken. The local chain has five take-out-only locations, a short menu of classic southern (Texas) comfort food, and devoted followers including Oprah and a collection of Seattle Seahawks.

Brian and I became fans when I suggested Ezell's and a picnic at Volunteer Park, not far from the original Ezell's location in the central district. The picnic went awry when we were attacked by rabid squirrels, but the chicken came home with us.

The menu offers sweet potato pie, greens, beans, and other predictable items, but this short list is longer than we need. We stick with spicy fried chicken (not very spicy, very delicious), potato salad and coleslaw, and too many of those fluffy white-bread rolls they throw in. It's a little messy and definitely not health-food, but perfect summer take-out.

A testament to the local reputation: While discussing an upcoming social event at work last week, my fellow event-planning and food-buying colleague suggested Ezell's for low-budget catering. I was so excited with the idea I jumped up from my mid-meeting drowsiness and clapped wildly. The rest of the group was equally enthused, and we predict an increase in attendance by at least 200% when we advertise this popular local flavor as part of the event agenda.



Brian and I also got a giant chocolate cake from Costco, to honor his birthday and my love of giant chocolate cakes. While hoisting it into our cart, an old lady congratulated us on our choice and declared that she "used to make the best chocolate cakes for year and years, but not after discovering these!" Apparently Costco is not only the northwest's source for bulk mayonnaise and mini-wheats by the bushel, but also a convenient replacement for a lifetime of baking experience.

So long, farewell.

Just as I was coming to terms with the newspaper industry dying, I got a shocking dose of reality that magazines may not be that far behind. According to the New York Times, due to financial difficulties, Condé Nast is closing it's classic (almost iconic) Gourmet magazine in addition to 3 other publications. As a publication designer, I'm terribly saddened by this loss. While I was not often impressed with Gourmet's design, their food and lifestyle photography was absolutely beautiful and inspiring, and the way their articles blended cooking and travel (my two favorite topics) was incredibly smart, thoughtful and entertaining.

I'll be OK. I'll move on. But please, just don't take away my Bon Appétit.

An Apple Cider a Day

Put on your raincoat and galoshes, kids -- fall is officially here. As a person who generally gets chilled in balmy 80-degree weather, this is not good nor welcomed news. However, to help me come to terms with the gray and rain, I am trying to find a few things that I am looking forward to this season. Cozing up with a cup of hot apple cider is high on the list.

While catching a ride home from work with a friend last fall, I heard a clanking of glass coming from her backseat. Curiously, I asked her why she had so many glass jars in her car. She excitedly informed me that these glass jugs contained the tastiest cider in the world and that she had just purchased them from a local farmer's market. Always attempting (and always failing) to kick my coffee habit, I decided to hit up the market the next weekend and give it a try.


Rockridge Orchards and Cidery is the name of the farm, and it didn't take long for me to locate their stand at the market as there were swarms of people politely inching their way forward to claim their prized sample. The farm is located in Enumclaw, Washington, and while they sell a medley of other products such as dried fruits, syrups, honey, and wine, it seems apparent that cider is their crowd favorite.

As I sipped on the 3 apple-blend sample, it was confirmed that yes, this is indeed the best cider in the world. Needless to say, I promptly bought a jug. The cider is a bit on the pricey side: $8 will get you a gallon, which I found will generally last the entire week. Also, if you end up becoming an addict (and you most certainly will), bring back the empty jug the following week to get $1 off your next gallon. A year after my first taste, my favorite is still the 3 apple cider blend, but others worth mentioning include the spiced cider, asian oear cider and raspberry apple cider.

The Seattle forecast will no doubt call for perpetual gray skies for the next 9 months, so you've got plenty of time to go pick up your own gallon. Heat it slowly over the stove (I liked to add a bit of cinnamon and cloves) and finish with a dollop of caramel and whip cream. Sit back by the fire with a blanket and book and you've got yourself a cozy fall evening.

All images borrowed from Rockridge Orchards & Cidery