A conversation with Seattle
Curtis approvingly cites a spruced-up Manhattan, mentions Oregon’s Rogue Spruce Gin, and notes that spruce is showing up in beer, too, but it doesn’t seem that he has heard of newcomer broVo’s Douglas Fir Liqueur. Continue reading Spruce or Douglas Fir? Cocktails Gain the Taste of Trees
The Earl of Harlem is, for American palates, the obvious entry point: “A smoky, rich and fragrant black tea, The Earl of Harlem contains citrusy layers mixed with traces of bergamot and other floral aromas,” Marcus Samuelsson says. (He also has an iced mint tea recipe for you.) Continue reading Marcus Samuelsson’s Ambessa Teas Come to Seattle
The beginning is nigh, as the opening of Roz Edison and Kamala Saxton’s second brick-and-mortar outpost, the first in West Seattle, nears. Marination “ma kai” means “along, near, or by the sea,” rather appropriate for the Seacrest Boathouse spot at 1660 Harbor Ave SW. Continue reading Marination Ma Kai Brings Aloha to West Seattle’s Seacrest Pier
It’s been a week since returning from the four-day festival/feeding frenzy known as Feast Portland, and I find myself reflecting on the easily lost words that followed the colon in the title: “A Celebration of Oregon Bounty.” The festival included an array of tastings, dinners, seminars, and speeches that were thought-provoking, inspirational, and thoroughly filling—in mind and stomach. Continue reading Feast Portland, a Week Later: Reflecting on a Bounty of Food and Philosophy
The reply wasn’t at all what I expected: “Late container. We have plenty of product in stock and ready to ship.” That was a long way from “not being distributed.” But so long as Franziskaner is flowing again, I am not inclined to quibble. Continue reading The Great Franziskaner & Spaten Drought of 2012 is Now Over
A “secret” dinner enables chefs to play and experiment. The Hegsteds construct menus with one ingredient (or technique) providing the transition from one course to the next. For example, charred corn with shaved pecorino and truffle was followed by shaved celery with peanut butter and carbonated raisins, which gave way to peanut butter-chocolate tart with raspberry and sourdough ice cream. Continue reading Good Food Attitude at VUDE
Cha-kaiseki strikes me as a sort of performance art. Instead of a meal, it’s an event about hospitality—even if the rules feel rigid at times. For me, it’s a source of learning and an experience to remember. For the Japanese, it’s a way to hold on to heritage. Continue reading My Cha-kaiseki Experience: A Klutz at Kaiseki