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Monthly Archives: May 2012

Good Morning, Gourmet.com – Road Trip: 10 Must-Try Seattle Eateries

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Restaurant Review, Seattle, Writing/Publishing

≈ 3 Comments

Ever wonder where to eat in Seattle?  Wonder no more!  Gourmet.com just published a list of 10 Must-Try Eateries.  How cool is that?

What’s even cooler is the fact that I got to contribute to the list and write about one of my favorite Seattle bakeries:  (full link to the post)

What is the city’s best bakery? And what pastry or bread can’t be missed?

Do not be alarmed by the lines that are likely to greet you on weekdays and weekends at Bakery Noveau. Instead, make your way to the counter and order a double-baked chocolate croissant. This flaky, sweet, buttery pastry packed with dark-chocolate decadence is worth every second of waiting and every penny spent. And don’t miss the jewel-colored macarons. My favorite flavor is cassis, with beautiful black-currant mousse between two wispy almond wafers. Pack your sweets in a brown bag and enjoy them on a stroll along Alki Beach with an unbeatable view of Seattle, rain or shine.

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Ever Wondered what Two Dozen Oysters Look Like?

23 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in Restaurant Review, Seattle

≈ 5 Comments

Happy hours are fantastic!  You save a dollar or two on a drink, perhaps order an appetizer, and hang out with your friends earlier in the evening.  But what happens when a happy hour is for oysters? 

Yesterday, I joined my friend Lera for the Oyster Happy Hour at Whole Foods.  I arrived to two platters holding four dozen oysters, and mistakenly assumed that Lera preordered oysters for the four of us.  Wrong!  As if I haven’t known this girl for years.  The oysters were just for Lera and her boyfriend, Travis.  So off I went to order my own two dozen and a glass of wine. 

The oysters arrived with wedges of lemon, cocktail sauce and a delicious habanero sauce with rice vinegar and mirin. Our group thought it would be great to have a grilled baguette to go along with the oysters. Whole Foods – are you listening? 🙂

I was going to share the oysters with the Artist.  However, once I started slurping these delicious morsels, I quickly figured out that the Artist would have to get his own two dozens, I wasn’t going to share.

I’m not sure if it was the wine or the oysters, but I was quite “happy”, and possibly tipsy, by the end of the happy hour.  Can’t wait till the next one!

Cost of dinner: $22.  Happy hour information:

Oyster Happy Hour from 5pm-7pm! Join us for .69 oysters on the half shell plus wine ($4.99/glass) and beer ($1.99/bottle)! Shuck yeah!

(206) 621-9700
2210 Westlake Ave, Seattle, WA
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Boozy Sour Cherry Tiramisu ~ Sweet Recipe for Success for Mother’s Day

22 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in cherries, Cooking, Dairy, Dessert, Mother's Day, Recipe

≈ 2 Comments

A few years ago, I wrote a simple post for Mother’s Day that turned this blog of mine upside down.  That recipe for Sausage and Broccoli Egg Muffins brought thousands of you to my site and fed thousands of hungry mouths.

Every Mother’s Day that follows, I try to create a new recipe that will bring joy to my mom and live up to the popularity of that initial post.  I can’t guarantee the latter, but the former is definitely true!

This year, I whipped up Boozy Sour Cherry Tiramisu ~ my adaptation of one of Italy’s most popular dessert.  You will find mascarpone and ladyfingers in my version, but the coffee is replaced with delicious sour cheerry juice, that’s not so sour! Won’t you give this one a try?  And if you are looking for more tiramisu recipes, check one made by MangoTomato with pomegranate!  But if cherries are more to your liking, you will also want to make Sour Cherry Crustless Cheesecakes ~ baked inside your muffin tin!

Boozy Sour Cherry Tiramisu



Ingredients 

1 pint whipping cream

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

1/3 cup cherry liqueur (I used the bottle of Ginja I brought from Portugal)

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

24-ounce jar pitted sour cherries

2 cups sour cherry juice

3 packs Italian ladyfingers

Directions

1.  Beat together whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, cherry liqueur and powdered sugar in a large bowl, until stiff peaks form.

2.  Drain cherry juice from the jar of cherries and combine with the other two cups of juice.  Quickly dip ladyfingers into sour cherry juice and line them on the bottom of the 9×13 glass dish.

 3.  Spread the first layer of ladyfingers with 1/3 of the mascarpone and sprinkle with 1/3 of the sour cherries.

 4.  Repeat with two more layers of ladyfingers and mascarpone, leaving the cherries off the last layer.  Cover the Boozy Sour Cherry Tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

 
5.  Remove the cake from the refrigerator and garnish with the remaining cherries.  Eat up!

The cake gets better as it sits and the layers of ladyfingers absorb the rich, boozy, sweet mascarpone cream.  Enjoy a slice (or two) with a cup of tea or a shot of cherry liqueur!

What did you make this year for Mother’s Day?

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Potatoes 101: Smashed Red Skinned Potatoes

16 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Potatoes, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

Because there are never enough ways to cook potatoes, I wanted to share with you this recipe for Smashed Red Skinned Potatoes.  I prepared these to go along with the Seared Halibut with Tomatoes and Capers.   Trust me though, you would be happy with a plate of these crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside potatoes on their own — perhaps with a sprinkling of sea salt and coarsely ground pepper.

For best results, use small, new potatoes – they will cook up quickly, smash nicely into a perfect portion size and look beautiful on the plate all at the same time.

Before you start, you might want to invest in a cast iron skillet, fish spatula and a meat tenderizer!

Smashed Red Skinned Potatoes

Ingredients

6 new red-skinned potatoes
salt
olive oil

Directions

1.  Place potatoes into a pot and cover with cold water; salt.

2.  Bring the water to a boil; lower heat and simmer potatoes until tender.
3.  Drain potatoes and cool completely.

4.  Smash potatoes using a meat tenderizer or any other flat heavy utensil you might have on hand.  Be careful not to break apart potatoes completely – you want them to hold together and be approximately 1/2-inch thick.

5.  Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook potatoes 3-4 minutes per side, or until crisp and heated through.

6.  Season with extra salt and freshly ground pepper; eat immediately.

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First Time for Everything: Tuna Melt Sandwiches for Grown-Ups

13 Sunday May 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Fish, Recipe, Sandwich

≈ 3 Comments

I love tuna salad.  I probably love it because it contains a copious amount of mayonnaise.  When I was little, my mom would make the salad with chopped boiled eggs, cooked rice, and lots of dill.  We would eat the salad on its own, without bread, crackers, or potato chips.

As I grew older, I started incorporating more ingredients to my tuna salad.  I love the color and flavors added by pickles, onion, celery and cilantro.  I usually try to make the salad several hours ahead so it can have plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator.

But what about a hot tuna salad sandwich?  I was skeptical for the longest time, but then I made these Tuna Melt Sandwiches with the help, encouragement, and guidance of my dear friend Alla — and am now a convert.  Will I change your mind with these delicious melts?




Ingredients

1 can tuna*

1 boiled egg, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup cooked rice

2-3 dill pickles, finely diced

1 tablespoon finely diced red onion

1 tablespoon finely diced celery

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon spicy mustard

salt and pepper to taste

2 slices of bread

shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese

*(I prefer mine in water, but feel free to use the kind in oil, just be sure to buy the best quality tuna you can afford.  Be aware of ethically-fished and sustainable tuna brands.)



Directions


1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top.  Set aside.


1.  Mix together tuna, egg, rice, pickles, onion, celery, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Taste for seasoning and adjust the flavor.  I personally like to add more pickles.  You should feel free to play with proportions of ingredients.

2.  Spread the tuna salad on bread and sprinkle with cheese.  Transfer the open sandwiches on the prepared baking sheet.

3.  Bake the sandwiches in the oven until they are heated through and the cheese has melted.  This will take about 15 minutes.  For extra crispness, cook the sandwiches under the broiler for the last two minutes.

4.  Eat the sandwiches immediately.  Or, if you are at my house, you sit on the couch, waiting for a sandwich while I take photographs.  And if you are Alla, you probably pout… a lot!

Serve these Tuna Melt Sandwiches with extra pickles and Pop Chips or your favorite potato chips.  I also drizzled some hot pepper sauce for an extra kick.

Enjoy!

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Birthday Celebration at Anita’s Crepes ~ Seattle’s Creperie

10 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Restaurant Review, Seattle

≈ 2 Comments

Crepes.  The world’s thinnest pancakes.  Round, golden brown, and delicious, they wear many hats.  They can be simple or complex, sweet or savory, but they must be delicious!  I grew up eating my mom’s crepes and finally matured to cook my own.  But when it came to celebrating my birthday with some of my favorite Seattle girlfriends, I turned to Anita’s Crepes. 


It was an especially cold and rainy Sunday morning and the girls and I huddled outside of this small, charming restaurant, waiting for our table to be ready.  We stared impatiently inside the restaurant, almost drooling, as we saw the lucky patrons sipping on bright orange mimosas and steaming coffee while enjoying plates of crepes, both sweet and savory.  Unfortunately, Anita’s Crepes does not take reservations, but the wait was very much worth it.

Our server was amah-zing!  She quickly put together two tables and got us seated.  Fortunately, we had some time to inspect the menu while we stood outside, waiting for the table, and were ready to order right away once our server returned with our drinks.  Word of advice: the white substance in the little bowls at the table is salt, not sugar.  Do not put it in your coffee…This one is for you, Carly.

I loved the fact that you could order your crepes made from regular flour, buckwheat, or a low-gluten mix (especially great for gluten-conscious guests).

We were all too hungry and too busy talking to take pictures, but everyone truly loved their crepes.  Several of us ordered the mushroom sauce on a side to go along with the crepes – delicious!  Savory, creamy, and earthy, the sauce made the crepes so much richer.

Are you surprised that there was room for dessert?  After all, it was a birthday celebration!  All of us shared this gorgeous dessert crepe (pictured above) filled with sweetened ricotta and candied papaya, and garnished with chantilly, pistachios, powdered sugar, and raspberry sauce.

I am looking forward to visiting Anita’s Crepes this summer to enjoy their crepes on the outside patio.

Anita’s Crepes

4350 Leary Way NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 838-9997
Thank you for making my birthday special!

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Pan Seared Halibut, Braised in Diced Tomatoes with Capers

08 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Fish, Gluten Free, Recipe, Tomatoes

≈ 1 Comment

I was thrilled when I came home to a box of goodies from Muir Glen Organic.  Over the next months I will feature recipes using items from the box as inspiration.  Today, I want to share a three-ingredient recipe with Red and Yellow Diced Tomatoes.  This recipe for Pan Seared Halibut, Braised in Diced Tomatoes with Capers took under 30 minutes to prepare and sang with bright notes of flavor.
The halibut, one of my favorite fish, turned out perfectly tender after leisurely simmering in diced tomatoes.  Salty, briny capers snuggled along the fish and imparted a vibrant, lemony taste.
I served the fish along with Smashed Red Potatoes (recipe to come) and Simply Broiled Asparagus.
 Pan Seared Halibut, Braised in Diced Tomatoes with Capers

Ingredients

12 ounce halibut fillet
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
14.5 ounce can Muir Glen Yellow and Red Diced Tomatoes
2 tablespoons capers
Directions

1.  Season halibut with salt and pepper on both sides.
2.  Heat oil in nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Sear halibut, presentation side down, for 5 minutes.

3.  Flip the fish and add tomatoes and capers.  Lower the heat, tightly cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

4.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.  The fish is ready when it’s flaky, bright white, and springs back to the touch.

This was a surprisingly simple meal – after all, only three ingredients!  Try this recipe with your favorite fish.  Serve with smashed potatoes and asparagus, as pictured below, or pieces of crusty bread to soak up the tomato goodness.

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Discovering Arabica Lounge in Seattle ~ Not Another *$

04 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Chocolate, Coffee, Dessert, Restaurant Review, Seattle

≈ 5 Comments

No offense, but when it comes to coffee, I prefer to stay away from the mega blockbusters of coffee shops (yes, I’m talking about you, Starbucks).  On a recent visit to Capitol Hill, I met with my friend Priya at Arabica Lounge for a cup of coffee and something sweet. 

The place was buzzing with the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, and cherry blossoms stuck in glass jars adorned beyond-gorgeous wood tables.  I wanted to pull out my laptop, or grab a book and settle in for an hour or two.  Short on time, I waited on Priya to arrive, ordered a “cup” of coffee and a chocolate cookie.  A word of advice ~ if you are serving a naturally gluten free item, like this delicious flourless chocolate cookie, perhaps you should call it a Flourless Chocolate Cookie instead of Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie.  Thoughts?

The experience at Arabica Lounge left me amused and caffeinated.  Let’s discuss the amusing parts first.  My coffee was served in a glass jar, rather than a cup.  I suppose that gives it a more rustic, down-to-earth feeling, but I would have preferred a cup with a handle and a thinner rim to sip the coffee.

Instead of a register to take the payment, the Lounge used an automated, touch-screen computer for credit cards.  Everything was touch-screen and automated.  I had to ask for the receipt to be printed.  Adding a tip was almost forced, since your server waited for you to add it in before printing the receipt.

I loved the community table at the center of the cafe.  While sitting at the table with Priya, the gentleman across from us, seemingly of European decent, struck up a conversation with us and suggested a few cocktail lounges/bars to visit in the area.  Priya – we still need to go!

The array of baked goods in the display case was quite appetizing.  I decided to go for a Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie, which I think should be renamed to a Flourless Chocolate Cookie.  The cookie was thin, dense, and chocolaty rich.  It reminded me of the cookies sold at the Apple Pie Bakery at the Culinary Institute of America.  The top was lightly crackled.  I could’ve had eaten another one, but shared the one I had with Priya, instead.

Next time you are in the area, skip the overpopulated, big-name corporate coffee shops, and stop at Arabica Lounge instead.
Location:

1550 E Olive Way
(between Denny Way and Summit Ave)
Seattle, WA 98102
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
(206) 347-6093

Hours: Mon-Fri 7 am – 10 pm; Sat-Sun 9 am – 9 pm

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I am Finally at Allrecipes.com! New Work Project

03 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Allrecipes.com, Seattle, Writing/Publishing

≈ 3 Comments

Hello world! I wanted to share exciting news about my new project.  I am the newest contractor with Allrecipes.com and will be working with their Video Production group for the next six months.
Here’s the welcome email I sent out to my new group.  Perhaps you will learn a thing or two about me as well 🙂

About me:

On the day of my interview I snapped a photo of the Allrecipes sign at the entrance to the building.  On my first day of work, I posted the photo with a caption “Dreams do come true!”  I have been trying to get a job at Allrecipes for the last four years and can hardly believe that I am finally here!  Orange is my favorite color.  I love food.  I love to write about food.  I love to cook.  I couldn’t have found a more perfect place to work.  Originally from Russia, I moved to the United States when I was thirteen.  Following the traditional path of high schoolàcollege, I graduated from UW with Bachelors in Economics and Political Science and headed to Dallas, TX to work for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.  After five years filled with regional economics, charts, and graphs, I decided to go to culinary school and found myself in Hyde Park, NY at the Culinary Institute of America.  six-month stints in Iowa and Alabama followed, and I was ready  to return to Seattle. 

Outside of work I find myself traveling, salsa dancing, cooking and enjoying the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  This winter I finally got back on skis after 20+ years – it’s just like riding a bike.  I look forward to meeting you all!

Brush with Fame:

When I was just about to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America, I took a train down to New York City to drop off my resume at several magazines.  As I was walking into the building that housed Gourmet Magazine, I ran into Sara Moulton.  Sara was at the school a few weeks ago for a food writing panel, so I decided to be brave and say hello.  We briefly chatted and I headed up the elevator to Gourmet’s HR office.  I didn’t make it past the reception desk (after all, I was “cold calling/dropping” my resume.)  Making my way back to the elevator, I was greeted, once again, by Sara Moulton.  Seeing that I was still there, Sara invited me to step into her office, filled with a multitude of cookbooks and magazines.  We chatted about my hopes for the future, what I wanted to do, etc.  Sara listened, shared her personal stories and advised me on how to proceed.  Sara looked a lot smaller in person than what I had imagined, but she was incredibly warm, honest, and kind.


Do you love Allrecipes.com?  Share your favorite experience with the site.
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