Duck Confit: works better than a government bailout!

The great duck confit deed has been done, and like the government's bailout of the American financial system, it was an unqualified success! What...what's that? The bailout isn't working? And I soon won't be able to afford to eat duck legs? AND I won't have a home to cook them in?? Hmmm, better rethink my definition of success........

Well, even if the government doesn't get everything right, I did when I followed Michael Ruhlman's duck confit recipe (with a couple of adjustments) he posted on his blog. As I stated in a previous post about this very recipe, duck confit is one of the greatest of God's inventions. Moist, succulent meat, a cap of crispy skin around it with that meltingly tender layer of fat underneath. Mmm, just thinking about it makes me have that certain......yearning. And before last week, to satisfy it I always had to go and have someone else take care of my needs. No longer, though, as all I found I needed was a few duck legs (I got mine in Portland at Nicky USA), a whole lot of olive oil, and plenty of time. Luckily, I was fat in all three categories.

Ruhlman's method was to poach the legs in olive oil rather than the traditional duck fat. Which was good, because going to Trader Joe's and grabbing a liter of olive oil was much easier than buying a tub of duck fat. Although I have always wanted to have a tub of duck fat. Just because. Actually it took about a liter-and-a-half to cover the legs (I did two legs in this initial attempt), which is why I used regular oil rather than EVOO. Never having done it, I was worried that the legs might somehow become too infused with the oil flavor after nine hours of poaching (I told you it takes time), but they didn't pick up any oiliness at all. In his recipe he recommends roasting them in the oven to crisp them up after the poaching. I don't know if his oven is different than mine, but that didn't work at all. After keeping them in the oven and seeing no such crisping of skin and worrying about my labor of love drying out, I yanked them out and crisped them in my cast iron fry pan, which is what I should have done in the first place. And I have to say they turned out spectacularly. The meat was very tender, there was this nice layer of fat under the dark, crisp skin. With each bite I knew my life had somehow just changed for the better!
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Olive Oil Poached Duck Confit
adapted from Michael Ruhlman

ingredients:
6 duck legs, about 5 pounds/2.25 kilograms
Salt as needed (or if you’re unsure use .3 ounces of salt per pound/8 grams per 500 grams of duck)
4 whole cloves
6 peppercorns
3 cloves/25 grams garlic
3 bay leaves
olive oil as needed

method:
1. Trim excess fat from duck legs and reserve. Sprinkle duck pieces all over with salt, a generous amount, the way you would a roast chicken or thick steak before you cook it.
2. Roughly chop cloves and peppercorns with a knife and distribute evenly over the duck pieces
3. Slice garlic and press slices onto each piece of duck
4. Break bay leaves in half and press one half leaf onto each piece of duck.

the legs after application of flavoring agents
before they went to rest in the cold confines of the fridge

5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.

6. Rinse ducks under cold water, wiping off all garlic and seasonings. Pat dry.

the legs right before they get their poach on

7. Take reserved duck fat, if you have any, and place in poaching pot. Place legs in a pot and cover with olive oil. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then place uncovered in a low oven (180 degrees F./80 degrees C. is optimal for 6 to 10 hours or until the legs are completely tender, the fat has become clear, and the legs rest on the bottom of the pan.
8. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Be sure the duck is completely submerged. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a month.

out of the oven, ready for the pan

9. The day you plan to serve the confit, remove it from the fridge several hours before reheating to allow fat to soften. Remove the legs from the fat. Place them skin side down in a preheated sauté pan (preferably cast iron) that has been over medium-high heat. Fry until the skins is crisp, but be careful not to burn. Turn over, and fry for another minue or two. Serve immediately.

bb's cook's note: I took some advice I saw from a similar recipe that Emiril did on FoodTV and strained and refridgerated the lightly duck leg-infused leftover olive oil for future use lke roasting potatoes, sautéing vegetables, etc. He said the oil should last, covered, for up to a month in the fridge.
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one year ago @ E.D.T: an unusual, and unusually delicious recipe for Bucatini with Raw Nut Pesto and Tomato Sauce

Tony being Tony

Anthony Bourdain, entertaining as ever on his TravChan blogposts. His latest must-read post: all about his filming in Vietnam, his impending year long move to Vietnam, his obsessive love for all things Vietnam....oh, and Rachael Ray as a New York Dolls fan (WTF??!) and a hilarious heads up about the Sandra Lee FoodTV Kwanzaa cake, perhaps the ugliest dessert ever televised (vid below), as Bourdain called it "a piece of video every American should see as a cautionary exercise-like a particularly gruesome highway safety film". And that is yet another reason why I love Bourdain!

Bar Exam: Monte Carlo Cocktail

You worked hard today, didn't you? Giving back. Improving your world by the mere fact you exist in it? Yeah, me too. Now, Mr. and Ms. Responsible Citizen, it's you time! Time to forget the cares of the outside world. Time to stop worrying about Tim Geithner being picked on by all those congressional bullies in The District Playground. Save wondering why Obama is dissing Special Olympics bowlers, because right now he needs all the friends he can get, for another day(by the way, Mr. President, they're pissed). No, this moment is all about you, and what better way to sit back, relax, and think "you know, I'm okay" than with a delicious, refreshing, soul warming, perfectly balanced cocktail like the Monte Carlo. Within your first couple of sips, well-being will wash over you like a bonus to an AIG executive, because like him you did some good work today!
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Monte Carlo Cocktail
from Jason Wilson/The Washington Post

from Wilson: "This is a variation on the Manhattan, with Benedictine standing in for vermouth and Peychaud's bitters for Angostura bitters. Rye whiskey is significantly different from bourbon; it's spicier and funkier, and it mingles well with different liqueurs and bitters. Be sure to use a higher-proof rye, such as Rittenhouse Rye (100 proof) or Wild Turkey 101."

1 serving

ingredients:
Ice
2 ounces rye whiskey, preferably 100-plus-proof
3/4 ounce Benedictine
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Maraschino or brandied cherry, for garnish

method:
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice. Add the rye whiskey, Benedictine and bitters. Shake well for at least 30 seconds, then strain into a cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with the cherry.

Cellar report: 2002 Chateau de Chorey...aka "Real pinot noir"

Today's first economics lesson: Good Product + Good Price = Happy Customers

I'm thinking about this because last night I was swilling down this awesome 2002 Chateau de Chorey les Beaune. A French pinot noir, this is everything domestic pinots wish they could be at a lower price than way too many of them. The economics lesson comes to mind because I have a wine shop in the heart of Oregon wine country, where over-inflated pinot noir pricing is seemingly a rite of passage. Now there are some guys, actually a lot of producers, who seem to keep their egos in check and offer their customers good value for every dollar spent...Cameron, St. Innocent, Westrey, J. Christopher, Patricia Green and many others. Then there are those who seem to have insatiable egos that are only fed by emptying their victims...er, customers wallets as fast as they can with their one dimensional, over-ripe, over-oaked wines....Archery Summit, Beaux Freres, Domaine Serene, Bergstrom come to mind. There are a couple of Oregon wineries who actually charge $100+ a bottle for their wine. To which I can only reply "Are you fucking kidding me??!"

Today's second economics lesson: If you pay more than $50 a bottle for Oregon pinot noir you are a sucker. If you do it more than once you're an idiot.

I always think of this when I drink yet another satisfying bottle of French Burgundy like the Chateau de Chorey. Now this is a around a $38 retail bottle, not cheap, but it delivers more pleasure than ANY comparably priced domestic noir. 2002 was an underappreciated red burgundy vintage, and the wines are just now creeping out from under their youthful shells. This is a classic case in point. Still tight when the cork gets popped, as it opened up blueberries, spice, fresh flowers and that Burgundian earth came cascading out of the glass. On the palate the longer it sat open, the more "weight" it put on, filling out in the mouth with each passing minute. Beautifully rich, pure fruit. Smooth, elegant, perfect acid balance, with tons of complexity and years of life ahead of it. Plus it was so freakishly good with my grilled lamb chops. The other sad fact of American winemaking is that domestic grape juice will never have the exquisite food affinity the Euros seem to do as a matter of course. Don't think I don't like Oregon pinot. I do...a lot. I also don't expect Oregon pinot to be like Burgundy and get the differences, but when I have something like this I realize how good life can really be.............
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: do you know what white people really like?

Eating Indian: Pork Vindalho

Many things India-related escape me. I don't get cricket. I've only been to two yoga classes so my cosmic consciousness probably isn't quite where it should be. I've never seen a Bollywood movie....I didn't even see Slumdog Millionaire. Beef is apparently unacceptable. But the rest of the food...my universal language of choice...now that I get!

From chef David Anderson of Portland's Vindalho Restaurant, this pork vindalho is absolutely sensational. I first tasted this amazing subcontinent creation at a beer dinner I attended at Vindalho and was enthralled. Why? First off it's braised pork shoulder, my current favorite cut of meat. Add to that an amazing melange of freshly toasted and ground spices (in the pic at left) that are the definition of sensory overload, give it all a few hours in the oven for magical things to happen and prepare for feelings of intense pleasure. For some working on their yoga sastra will help them connect. For me the path to true enlightenment is marked with platefuls of vindalho!
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Pork Vindalho
From David Anderson/Vinadlho Restaurant

ingredients:
1/2 ounce dried arbol chilies, stems removed
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in the mortar
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
Toast chilies and the whole spices separately.
Cool and combine in a bowl. Grind together in
a coffee grinder.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium yellow onions, sliced (about 2 cups)
¾ cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne
5 pounds boneless pork shoulder,
cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
3 cups water
Salt to taste

method:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Heat half the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and fry until brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. Drain the onions and cool on a plate. Puree onions in the blender with a splash of the vinegar to form a smooth paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add ground spices, turmeric, cayenne, and the rest of the vinegar and blend together.

agents of flavor: the onion paste mixed with the spices

Heat the rest of the oil in a heavy pot. Salt the pork, brown in batches, and set aside. Set heat to medium and combine ginger, garlic, and spice paste and fry for a few seconds. Add the water and salt and bring mixture to a simmer.

the mix right before the pork goes in. LOVE that color!

Add pork to spice mixture, cover, and bake in the oven for at least two and a half hours (checking occasionally to see if there is enough liquid) until the pork is very tender. If liquid is needed, add smallamounts of water at a time. To serve, ladle pork and spices into a bowl and serve with a side of rice.

EATER'S NOTE: This dish kicked ass right off the bat, but we finished it two nights later and it was even better. The spices and other flavors all came together beautifully. So I would think it might be best, if you can plan it, to make it one day and have it the next. I reheated it at 350* for about 30-40 minutes.

Yin and yang

The differences between mediocrity and greatness were never more evident than they were to us last weekend. We made plans to meet with our friends K&D for some happy hour noshing, and w had read a couple of interesting things about the preciously named H5O (h-five-oh) Bistro and Bar on the ground floor of the Hotel 50 downtown. We walked in about 3 and found ourselves to be the only ones there (although a few other people wandered in as we were leaving). They're trying to pull off the updated mid-century aesthetic with varying degrees of success. The gas fireplace in the middle of the bar is pretty cool, but what's up with the hideous head shaped cocktail table? And the dining room, which has a nice view looking out over Waterfront Park, seems almost like an afterthought, leaving a room with about zero feel.

But we were there to eat and drink, and the bar space itself was pretty comfortable. K and I started out with Manhattans (pic at top left) which seemed thin, almost like they had been sitting in the cocktail shaker too long. D & w tried a couple of their house cocktails. w's pomegranate-something was so tart it really needed some simple syrup to bring it back into balance, and D's ginger-vodka infusion drink was, well, pretty good. The happy hour deal is $1 off well drinks, a couple of wine specials, and $3 off their bar menu items, which could make for some pretty sweet deals. Note the "could make". We tried four different things, with varying degrees of success, but overall I went away pretty unimpressed. The Venison Burger ($9 on happy hour- pic at left) was good, juicy, well cooked, a little blandly seasoned but with an intriguing apple slaw on it that I did like. The trio of crudos ($6 for beef, salmon, and tuna- pic at right) was very attractively plated, but the flavors lacked that slap to the palate that something really fresh delivers. The razor clam strip I thought was tough, but the others liked, saying they liked the chew. I like some chew, too, but to me there's a difference between "toothsome" and "overcooked". We also had the charcuterie plate, which seemed to consist of Sysco-provided sliced meats (if I'm wrong I will definitely print a correction), which in this town of incredible house-cured meats just doesn't cut it. So all in all a sadly uninspiring attempt at satisfaction.

Luckily we knew just where to go to regain our equilibrium, which was across the river and up SE Hawthorne to EVOE at Pastaworks, where once again chef Kevin Gibson knocked out our tastebuds with his über-fresh creations. We ordered a bottle of the 2007 Tedeschi Soave which was perfectly bright and crisp to keep our palates clear for what was to come. What came? How about his famous fennel salad with guanciale crisps on top? Or some perfectly seared scallops with a mouthwatering grapefruit-avocado salad? And we were just getting started.

Even though we had been eating quite a bit, the thing I find at EVOE is that with Kevin's light, balanced touch with food, the more you eat the more you want to try. Everything on the menu seems to call to me. It's like "if that is THAT good, then that other thing must be amazing". And it usually is. So keeping those gluttonous thoughts in mind, we also tried the meltingly tender razor clam on toast (at left). Take notes H5O...this is exactly how clams should be cooked! Then we noticed the duck confit. I think I made my feelings about duck confit clear a couple of posts ago (in fact, I have Ruhlman's recipe poaching at home in the oven as I type this at work) and EVOE's (pic below right) was sublime. The duck was awesomely tender, the skin crisped just so. Between w picking away at it and D cleaning the bones down to the bone I only got a few quick bites (that's why I love eating with those guys. Every diner for themselves!) and it was stellar. After that we were ready to leave, but Kevin put it upon himself to bring out a plate of the Pastaworks house-cured lardo (pic at bottom left), basically the cured fatty parts of a prosciutto, with some julienned apples. If ever the Lord was to take me, that would have been the perfect time because I would have died a happy man! This was incredible... the lardo smoky, perfectly seasoned, so clean.

the fennel salad and scallops at EVOE

Even though I've pimped EVOE a lot in my posts, it is truly one of the 2 or 3 best restaurants in town right now. Every time I go i find something new to get excited about. And I was struck once again at how Kevin is able to squeeze so much flavor out of so few ingredients. He gets the maximum, texturally and flavor-wise, out of every ingredient, yet everything is always simple, light, and balanced. This is great cooking, and if you haven't been yet, you NEED to go! Just keep in mind if you see me coming, hurry up and clear out of that chair!!
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: one of my fave apps, Piquillos con Atun!

Pasta 101

If you don't know your Ballerine from your Cappello napoletano, or your Gianduietta from your Messinesi, then you'd better head over to the pasta shapes page at food-info. Not only visual representation, but a handy cross-reference guide. Did you know that Perciatelli is also known as Mezzanelli? Or that Fusilli is also called Eliche? Come on, you did not!

Simpatica Dining Hall Benefit Dinner

Just got this email from Benjamin Dyer at Simpatica here in PDX about a benefit dinner they're having March 26th. Sounds like a pretty incredible deal with amazing chefs and killer wine included in the $125 ($75 tax deductible) tab. This is gonna sell out fast!
From his email:
"Okay, last but certainly not least... I've been putting together a very special benefit dinner for later this month - Thursday, March 26th, to be precise. In order to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) through Team In Training, I've put together an all-star cast of chefs and winemakers who have been generous enough to donate their time/wares. So far I've got the following folks lined up to help me out - each chef will prepare one course, paired with one or two of the minemakers listed below. Here's who and what I've got lined up so far (I should have a menu written for you within a few days):

Chef Pascal Sauton Carafe Restaurant
Chef Jason Barwikowski Clyde Common
Chef Troy MacLarty Lovely Hula Hands
Chef Benjamin Dyer Simpatica Dining Hall

Winemakers/Vineyards
Scott Paul Wines
J. Christopher Wines
Daedalus Cellars
O'Reilly's Winery
Sineann Wines
Andrew Rich Wines

Stellar, huh? I think I might try to line up one or two more chefs; I'll have that dialed in the next day or two, with all of the other details, but I wanted to get you marinating on this one early. Tickets will (likely) be $125 per person, which includes food and wine - all proceeds will go directly to benefit LLS and $75 of the ticket price will qualify as tax-deductible donations - it's a win-win! Please feel free to make reservations starting now, I think this event should go fairly quickly once word gets out... to do so, please call the Dining Hall at (503)235-1600 or email us. "

Dungeness Crab Cakes a la Bittman!

It is crazy how lucky I am to live in a place where the world's greatest crab is available at insanely cheap prices. w and I tend to get that "I have to have it...now!" glint in our eyes with ever increasing regularity during the cold weather months when our Dungeness crabs are at the peak of their delicious powers. Usually when the "need" strikes we'll head up to ABC Seafood on SE Powell and have them yank a couple of unlucky specimens out of their hot tub-sized holding tanks and take them home, all the while listening to them clawing futilely to escape their paper sack in the back seat. Which is actually kind of creepy to listen to...something you know that has these sharp pinchy claws and is probably really pissed off making this "scratch...scraaatch" sound right behind you while you drive, like they're going to jump up and grab you from behind..."You think I'm going into that pot of boiling water, asshole? Guess again!"

But this time there was no such fear as our local QFC market had already-boiled crabs on sale for a measly $4.99 a pound. $4.99!! As soon as I saw their ad, I knew crab cakes were shortly to follow. We LOVE crab cakes. So savory, so delicious, and if you follow Mark Bittman's perfect recipe, so easy! These are all about the crab, with very little filler to distract you from the whole point of your efforts: to eat some kick ass crab! With our Dungeness crab cakes, I don't make any sauce, just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is all I want. This recipe makes six really good sized crab cakes, so if you can restrain yourself you'll each have one left for breakfast the next day (I had mine with a poached egg...yum)!
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Dungeness Crab Cakes
adapted from How to Cook Everything
time: 20 minutes plus refrigeration time

ingredients:
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat (make sure all cartilage is removed)
1 egg
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 cup scallion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs, or as needed
about 1 cup flour for dredging
1 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
2 tablespoons peanut, olive, or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter (or use all oil)
lemon wedges for garnish

method:
1-Mix together crabmeat, egg, bell pepper, scallion, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add sufficient bread crumbs to bind the mixture just enough to form into cakes. Start with two tablespoons and use more if you need it.

2-Refrigerate the mixture until you are ready to use it (it will be easier to shape if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes or more, but is ready to go when you finish mixing)

3-Season flour with salt, pepper (and curry if you like). Preheat a large skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil and butter and heat until the butter foam subsides. Shape the crabmeat into six cakes, carefully dredge each in the flour, and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary and turning once (very gently), until golden brown on both sides. Total cooking time will be about ten minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Quick Bites PDX: Miwon BBQ

When hunger hit midday on another classic spring day here in Portland....driving rain, then sun breaks, then driving rain and hail, repeat as needed....I was seriously in need of some comfort food. I had read a blurb about Miwon BBQ in the Fubonn Plaza in the Willamette Week "Cheap Eats" guide. Talk of crispy skinned duck and bbq pork, bowls of steaming noodle broth, and all at a stupidly affordable price....you know I'm in! So with a downpour chasing me through the door of Fubonn, I wandered the halls and made my way into the very brightly lit interior of Miwon BBQ. Taking a seat, given a menu and tea and immediately knew I had to have the Super Bowl "A". Okay, I was also tempted by the Triple BBQ Delicacies with steamed rice....I mean with that name how could you not be? But is was soup and noodles with generous amounts of protein that had my head. This was a really great bowl of soup. The duck was perfectly cooked, and most importantly maintained its crisp skins even sitting in the broth. And no, I don't know how they do that. There were numerous slices of bbq pork, and two ground pork dumplings with a satiny smooth wrappers that melted in your mouth. This was all on top of noodles with baby bok choy. For $8.50, there was more than I could work through. Most importantly, it makes me want to go back and try even more of their menu....soon! They have about twenty different noodle soups that run from $4-$6.50, and about the same number of Lo Mein dishes all priced at $6.75 (I'm already craving their crispy roast pork lo mein even without having it!). You can also buy whole or half roast ducks and various pork products by the pound. I am seriously smitten!!
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Vintage Chicken is mom-style comfort food!

Small but powerful

I admit to being somewhat of a gadget whore. Of course kitchen gadgets always get my attention. But when I saw this circular bit of audiophilia at the local Apple store, I knew it wouldn't be long before I had one of my own. I mean, first off the Altec Lansing Orbit mp3 speaker is pretty darn sweet looking. Plus the name...Orbit...cute, right? I was picturing throwing it into my suitcase for the hotel room. Or taking it out camping and backpacking, because otherwise what are you going to listen to? Nature? Please. Then I further rationalized my impending purchase by doing some due diligence through online reviews. Those who didn't give it raves just sounded like whiney bitches. I grabbed it through Amazon for $31 with free shipping. It's here, and just so ya know, you need one of these! The sound is amazing, rich and clear. For the money it's a steal. And if you need any rationalizations, I think I've got you covered above.

Quick Bites PDX: Castagna

Heeding the call of our president that we all must do what we can in this moment of national crises, I have decided the best way I can help the economy...and by extension the United States of America...is to take every opportunity to stimulate the local food economy. I am pledging to all of you loyal E.D.T. readers eat even more delicious food, caring not at all about personal consequences, sacrificing my waistline in order to better others lives. With that altruistic thought foremost in my mind, I gathered some like minded friends together the other night for a dinner at Castagna here in Portland. I am a way-too-regular bar rat at the café side of Castagna, and haven't had dinner the "regular" restaurant for some time. It is without question one of the best restaurants in Portland, but with all the satisfaction the café provides next door, it inexplicably falls off my radar.

Seeking to remedy that oversight we walked through the doors into Castagna's coolly elegant dining room. Now there are some people who don't like the minimalist, sort of Euro-clean aesthetic of the room. I used to be among them, thinking it was too stark. But over the years it has really grown on me. I very much like the feel, open and airy, a room that keeps your focus on the seasonal, immaculately prepared food. There were six of us, so I knew we'd be able to sample a full range of the temptations on the menu. We started out with cocktails and prosecco while we pondered our options. We couldn't resist the Duck Confit Agnolotti in brodo, which were tender, savory little stuffed pasta bites in a clean yet rich broth. The Dungeness Crab and Pea Shoot salad is a Castagna classic, with generous portions of crab and bits of pea shoot filling a martini glass, dressed with a very lightly creamy dressing and topped with a chopped egg "mimosa". We also shared the Tres Tapas (pic at left) of chorizo buñuelos, mussels escabeche, and grilled prawns with Seville Orange Aioli (and yes, that aioli was as crazy delicious as it sounds!); the Mache and Beet Salad; and the Monterey Bay Calamari with fideos (small bits of pasta) and aioli. All were done really well in Castagna's signature clean, not too heavy style. To share with everyone (did I mention my selflessness? oh, I did??) I brought along a bottle of 2001 Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet "1er Cru Morgeot". Pretty good chardonnay if I can say so. Well, actually it was incredible fucking chardonnay....rich, creamy, minerally, still bright fruit and acid, this long, luscious finish, drinking right where you want it. The kind of chardonnay that only the Burgundians can make, and what American winemakers can only dream about!

From that promising beginning, we were moving on with our evenings "work". Entrées were ordered...short ribs (pic at right) for me, muscovy duck leg for w, and around the table a grilled New York steak; Vol au vent (puff pastry filled with creamily sauced mix of Oregon black truffle, salsify, and potato-leek potage); and I am missing what the other two were. Doesn't matter, because they were good and we already have enough to cover. My short rib dish was about as rich and decadent as a beef entrée can get. Braised in red wine with yellowfoot chanterelles and pancetta, along with a side of potato purée, I was in heaven. I've been on a serious short rib kick lately, and the tender, fall-off-the-bone meat at Castagna hit all of my "nice" buttons. w thought it was a tad rich, but that just meant for me it was just right! w's Muscovy Duck Leg was braised in Seville orange juice and served with polenta and a crispy speck-cabbage roll. I thought this was a fabulous plate of goodness. The sweet-bitter braising liquid couldn't have been better with the naturally rich duck, and the slight crunch of the roll and soft polenta filled you mouth with so many different textural sensations. One of those rare plates that would keep you coming back for more to see what happens with each bite. I thought this was a very nicely thought out and executed dish. The New York was of course perfectly medium-rare, the meat from Cascade Natural, only confirming that the NY steak is about as good as a piece of cow can get. The Vol au vent while good was the only dish that didn't really knock me out. I thought it could have had a little more intensity, and fell a bit flat. But then I took another bite of the glory that was my short rib, and all was well. Drinks with this course: 2006 Joel Rochette Morgon "Les Micouds" ($35), the reason why the gamay grape is one of the world's great food reds; and a 2004 Rabasse-Charavin Cotes du Rhone Villages "Cairanne" ($45), southern French character and just what the steak and short ribs needed. As an aside, I wish they would have had the '04 Rabasse-Charavin "les Cailloux", which is actually a bit less money and I think delivers much more flavor impact. Not that the "Cairanne" didn't work it pretty hard, but in my fantasy world everything is perfect, you know?!

So that left us with the sweet task of ordering desserts, never a problem with this crowd. Ordered and consumed with much delighted moaning:
-Pistachio Praline Semi-freddo with chocolate sauce (pic at left)...gorgeous to look at AND eat. The best of our desserts.
-Lemon Tartelette with huckleberries...sweet-sour lemon with sweet berries. Do I even need to say this was a great match?
-Chocolate Pavé...a chocolate soufflé cake layered with chocolate ganache. I am a whore for good chocolate cake and this was one that I would happily sleep with. No, I really would!
-Vanilla Panna Cotta....I hadn't had a good panna cotta since Italy almost two years ago (including a "crime against humanity" version at DOC). This reassured me that someone other than the Italians really gets what custard should be (yes DP, another custard you would love!).
And of course we had to share the greatest after dinner dessert wine that always works with virtually anything you match it with, a bottle of 2007 La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti "Biancospina". All the lightly fizzy, peachey refreshment you could ask for.

This was a such a well done dinner, and it's interesting but not surprising how the food echoes the dining room...clean, comfortable, fresh, keeping your your focus on the basic pleasures good food provides. It seems that too many people look at Castagna as a "special occasion" restaurant, but it really shouldn't be be with their reasonable pricing on both the menu and wine list, the always excellent service, and regularly changing, seasonal menu.
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ADD CASTAGNA: For three consecutive Thursdays, starting on March 19th, Castagna will be putting on Thursday Flight wine dinners featuring lesser known Italian and French winemakers and their organic and biodynamic wines. A flight of three wines paired with a four course dinner is just $45, which if it is anywhere near the experience I had Thursday qualifies as a helluva deal! Click here for details.

"Oh, how I love duck confit."

Those words in the title, written by Michael Ruhlman on his blog, totally echo my own sentiments. I eat it just about every time I see it on a menu, but have never made it at home. I'm one of those who are somewhat daunted by the, as he writes, "quarts of duck fat to poach it in". But then to my astonishment, my utter delight, my soon-to-be-satisfied craving, he follows that up with "But I’m here to say, olive oil is just as good." OLIVE OIL? The stuff I have by the gallon at home? And then...AND THEN....he follows it up with about the simplest to follow recipe to make your own duck confit at home. OMFG!! Memo to my next dinner party invitees: you get one guess as to what we might be having!

photo from flickr

Impregnable vault? Tell that to $100mil worth of diamonds!

The Antwerp Diamond Center's vault after the break in

If you want some riveting reading, I just came across this incredible story on Wired Magazine's website about a jewelry heist in Antwerp, Belgium, where the thieves made off with a reported $100 million dollars worth of gemstones. Antwerp is where an "official" tally would show that around $3 billion worth of diamonds are bought and sold every year. The actual number is much, much higher as many transactions are off the books. Forget your George Clooney/Brad Pitt movie vehicles, Italian jewel thief Leonardo Notarbartolo (in pic at right) and his gang are the real thing!

pictures from Wired Magazine
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: late winter warmth with the Manhattan Cocktail!

Restaurant wine service: what do you think?

A good post on the NY Times wine writer Eric Asimov's blog today about restaurant wine service that hit several chords, among them:
-Waiters who encourage you to order your wine before you've even had a chance to look at the list or menu or consult with your dining companion(s). Just a tad pushy, although it is my understanding this is one of the reasons martinis were invented.
-Wine that either comes to early or too late for your intended use, i.e. my glass of white I ordered some time ago that comes when I'm halfway through my crab appetizer, or the bottle of red that by the time the entrées arrive is halfway empty
-And my biggest pet peeve, waiters who insist on pouring your wine for you, much less without asking whether you're ready for more or not. Whether they are doing this as a service or a way to get the glass full and bottle empty as quickly as possible (in hopes you'll need more), I really find this annoying, and invariably tell them I'm quite capable of pouring my own, thanks. Asimov's post also links to this great essay on this very subject by Christopher Hitchens.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: dinner with mom at Caffé Mingo.

I'll ask what Asimov asked: any comments from you on this subject?

Cooking Class 101: Turkey Jerky

One of the things I love about cooking is learning new things. Take the dinner I attempted last night. I've never made herb-infused turkey jerky before, but learned it really isn't that hard to do. You don't even need a formal recipe. Here's what you do:
Turn oven on to 375*. Take a previously frozen 7# turkey breast you've been thawing in the fridge for a couple of days and...now this is the important part...assume it is completely thawed out. Do your prep, carefully stuffing a butter herb mix under the skin and put into the oven to roast. Open carefully chosen bottle of wine to have with dinner. Happily prepare the rest of your meal. Check the turkey in an hour or so when it is supposed to be done. Insert your insta-read thermometer into the deepest part of the breast to make sure it is up the required 165*. When the thermometer shows a 95* interior temp, assume a puzzled look. Pour another glass of wine. Put breast back in oven because obviously it just needs a little more time. Check again in 15 minutes and see the temp has gone up 15*. Slide turkey back in oven. Stand by attentively as side dishes get cold. Pour a third glass of wine. Pull turkey out again and mutter "WTF" as the temp has only gone up another 15*. After 2 hours, pull breast out of oven and decide to eat outer parts which must be done. Question the sharpness of your chef's knife as it fails to slice through the breast. Finally get a slice off and wonder about your teeth as they barely chew through a piece that has the tenderness of a Firestone tire. Finish bottle of wine. Accuse your wife of trying to sabotage your relationship after she comments that "the turkey seems a little tough". Toss your 7#'s of turkey jerky into the garbage as you enjoy your tuna sandwich which is what you really wanted for dinner anyway.

A VERY happy ending!

I told you there'd be a part three to my "babysitting" story. To me, any good story needs a happy ending, and since my particular story ends with me slathering spoonfuls of Denise's sensually satisfying crème caramel into my mouth that was honestly THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD, this is nothing less than a deliriously delicious denouement. Like a good crème brulée, crème caramel is perhaps one of the most abused desserts. Rarely does it transcend the "just okay" category, and with all things custard being one of my favorite ways to clog my arteries, I have had uncountable disappointments. Last Saturday "just okay" wasn't an option. These ramekins of creamy delight didn't even glance in that direction and rocketed directly into the rarified "oh-my-fucking-god" category. D&K, this was a crazy finish to an amazing dinner...thanks....I've never felt so well-cared for! Although next time if you could arrange a driver home.........
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The verbiage is all Denise. She said I could edit it, but when it's so fun, I wouldn't dare!-bb
Creme Caramel for 6
(all the recipes I found were for 4...but seriously, why would you just make 4?)
(I combined a few recipes by erring on the side of a richer custard...mmmm, eggyolk...though less sweet. Egads...it was still plenty sweet. From what I can tell this is a VERY forgiving dish since ingredients and techniques vary wildly online.)

Caramel:
- 1 c sugar
- 4 T water

Custard:
- 3 c milk (any combo will work as far as I can tell so use whatever you have / want. I used 1 c whipping cream and 2 c lowfat milk)
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2 eggs plus 6 egg yolks, beaten

Caramel:
Put a frying pan on medium heat. When hot add 1 c sugar and enough water to moisten the sugar. Swirl / stir as it melts to ensure all the sugar is wet. In about 5 minutes it will start to bubble; stir / swirl to brown evenly all over, and when it reaches a nice caramel color, remove from heat. (Depending on the heat retention of your pan it will keep cooking, so take it off the heat / keep swirling accordingly.)

Evenly distribute the caramel among 6 ramekins. (Next time I'd try a squirt of Pam...or a heavier pan for my bain marie...because while there was plenty of liquid caramel, there was also a thick sheet of candy stuck to the bottom.)

Custard
While your sugar's carmelizing, break and beat eggs into a large bowl. Add 1/4 c sugar to the eggs and whisk until frothy and color lightens.

Heat the milk/cream combo, add vanilla, remaining 1/4 c sugar and salt, stirring until it comes to a boil. (Unsure of the logic of half the sugar in the milk and half in the eggs. Some recipes put it all in the egg; whip a bit longer.)

Slowly pour the milk mixture though a sieve into the eggs, starting with just a little to temper the eggs. Once the egg mixture is warm you can add the rest of the hot milk quickly. Stir, divide between the ramekins.

Place the ramekins into a pan with hot water 2/3 up the ramekins, bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees, checking and rotating the bain marie halfway through the cooking time. Remove when custards are jiggly but set. Remove from the hot bath, cool, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

To serve, run a knife around the outside and invert on a plate. I pulled mine from the fridge a few hours ahead and put the ramekins back in a hot bath so the custard wouldn't be ice cold.

(I used 6 1 c ramekins, but use whatever you have, adjusting cooking time based on how deep / shallow your cups are.)
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: little effort, high reward Indian-style with this amazing Goan Shrimp Curry!

As if they weren't worried already

“I haven't trusted polls since I read that 62% of women had affairs during their lunch hour. I've never met a woman in my life who would give up lunch for sex.” - Erma Bombeck

Restaurant owners around the country are sweating it out hoping Erma is wrong, or at least that today's poll on CNN that asked what would you give up first to save money. Asked to choose between car, cable service, dining out, cell phone, or nothing, the runaway winner at 70% is dining out, followed a long way back by cable service at 17%. I saw this tidbit on the Serious Eats blog, and yes dining out is the easiest thing to give up among the choices offered, but still it has to give restaurant owners another reason to be nervous. As if they didn't have reason enough already. I for one will be dining out tonight. Won't you join me to fight the zeitgeist??

Au maison de grands-mère

When I went over to my French grandma's house last Saturday and heard she was making this dish, I couldn't wait to dig in. Because Denise...who in actuality is neither French nor any sort of familial relation...had spneding the day channeling her inner grand-mere. This is the kind of steaming plate of goodness you'd want to tuck into at some Alpine mountain bistro, where a fire is roaring in one corner, bottles of wine are spread around, and large tureens of this chicken in white wine sauce are waiting your consumption. The rich, mushroomy sauce with the chicken cooked in it was fabulous served over small rectangles of baked puff pastry, a really nice presentation that I highly recommend you copy!

Wine recommendations: in keeping with the French feeling this inspired, I brought along a 2003 Joseph Drouhin Chorey-Les-Beaune which was elegant pinot noir personified, as only the French seem to be able to do. Even better was a bottle I brought from the wine shack, a 2004 Rabasse Charavin "Les Cailloux" Cotes du Rhone Villages (whose winemaker is the divinely named Corinne Couturier), its peppery blackberry and earth flavors matching up beautifully with the mushrooms and rich sauce. This was a classic southern French red that knocked everyone out. Great stuff! We also worked our way through an earthy, character-filled 2004 Martin Codax Rioja "Ergo" that was earthy and spicy, just like I like 'em! Oh, sure, you could go with a white....a rich St. Veran or Meursault from Burgundy would be my pick. But in this French fantasy I was living... il est, bien sur, vin rouge toute la soirée!
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Denise said this recipe looks complicated, but really isn't and actually took less time than yesterday's truffled potato app.

Chicken in White Wine Sauce a la della Santina / Pelissier (grandma)
Serves 6

12 pieces of chicken on the bone, trimmed of excess fat, skin left on. 2 to 1 dark to white proportion, I omit backs and wings, and cut half breasts in half again.
5 cloves of crushed garlic
Flour for dusting (I keep mine in a big shaker)
Olive oil for frying
Pat of butter for frying (Dad uses more butter than oil; I just use a little)
1 large onion sliced thinly, or 2 medium onions
1 to 1 1/2 pounds white mushrooms cut in quarters
2 1/2 cups (?!) white wine, sharp/tart, non-oaky, cheap
1-2 T dijon mustard
1 small jar capers with juice
1/2 cup sour cream & 1/4 cup whipping cream (optional) or 3/4 cup creme fraiche. More if sauce is thin / tart, less if thick / mellow.
Salt and Pepper
Large pinch herbes de provence or thyme
1 package thawed (takes 1 hour to thaw) Pepperidge Farm puff pastry (1 sheet yields 6 rectangles) or patty shells
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Rub chicken with crushed garlic, salt and pepper, dust with flour (this is how I prep ALL my braised meats)
Fry in a medium hot pan with olive oil to brown skin / sear, maybe 10 minutes?; do in batches if necessary. Remove.
Add a little butter to to the oil / chicken fat mixture and saute onions, crumble in herbs and a pinch of salt
Add mustard and wine, scrape bottom of pot, and boil down a bit until the alcohol smell dissipates (10 minutes?)
Add chicken pieces to pot (hold out breasts); liquid should cover 2/3rds of the chicken. Add more wine if it doesn't, and cover.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes, add breasts, mix and check liquids, should come up at least halfway up chicken, cover for another 15 minutes. If you don't use breasts, you can just dump in the rest of the ingredients now.
Add capers (1/2 to whole small jar) and caper liquid to taste. More if it needs to be tart, less if already salty and / or tart.
Preheat oven to 400, bake 6 rectangles of puff pastry for about 15 minutes.
If you're shy of liquid, add raw mushrooms to pot, salt lightly, and mix in. If there's a lot of sauce or it's really thin, saute mushrooms separately and add when sealed. To "seal": heat pan to high, add a little olive oil, add mushrooms to hot pan and don't touch! Flip or stir before they burn, and then leave alone again. Not touching them will stop them from giving off water. When almost cooked, lightly salt and add to chicken.
Add cream / sour cream / creme fraiche, reduce heat so it simmers slowly but doesn't boil. Correct salt. Can sit this way for 30 minutes; if longer just turn off the heat and let it sit. Warm up gently.
Cut cooked puff pastry in half horizontally, put half on the plate, cover with chicken and sauce, top, add more sauce and garnish with parsley.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: speaking of my French grandmother, comfort food, and chicken, you have to try this Alsatian Chicken in Riesling!

Quick Bites PDX: Ten-01's chef search is over

Posted on The Oregonian's website this morning is news that Ten-01's owner Adam Berger has settled on a choice to replace the departed Jack Yoss. San Francisco chef Benjamin Parks, late of the Italian restaurant Ducca, where he received three out of four stars from Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer, will be the new exec chef at Ten-01. Parks is yet another national name drawn to Portland by our blossoming organic farmer-driven food scene. In the chef version of the sports clichés "It is what it is", "I just want to win", and it's not about the money", Parks says his cooking is "all about showcasing the ingredients." Hey, he may not be Winston Churchill, but apparently he's a helluva cook. Berger chose Parks out of six finalists who cooked a sample dinner because "His food was perfect". We'll see.............

My favorite babysitters....or "Recipes?? We don't use no stinking recipes"!!

There are some, I suppose, who would consider it embarrassing to have to have a babysitter as an adult. Normally I would be, too. I found myself in this post-post-adolescent predicament because w, while we were out to dinner with our friends Keith and Denise, mentioned that she was going away for the weekend. Denise immediately offered their services if I needed "babysitting" for a night. As I said, normally I would be somewhat offended to have someone think I couldn't take care of myself. But I also knew that if I played my helpless card right, I'd be in for an evening of amazing food and beverage, as Denise is an incredible cook and her man Keith not only makes one bad ass martini, but also makes the most perfect poached eggs on the planet (which were atop a beautiful salad), because according to new motto at the K/D house, "Everything is better with poached eggs"! What more could a lonely, needy, and hungrily conniving person want for an evening? So with that I showed up last Saturday night, and (over)indulged....yet again. Denise is endlessly curious and enthusiastic about food, and if you click this link to her blog you can check out her recent trip to the south of France where she and her family ate their way through all that is decadently delicious about French cuisine. Mouth-watering, envy-inspiring reading. In any event, I, along with our friends Jill and John, were treated to some staggeringly good home cooked fabulousness. Being a natural cook (you know the type....one who doesn't make use of a whole lot of recipes and just cooks) Denise, as always when I ask how she made something, goes "well, you put some of this in there, add, oh, some of that, and you'll know when it's done". Um, okay, a little more specific please? So she relented, and over the next three days I'll share three awesome recipes (if I can get her to give up the crème caramel how-to). Remember, this is cooking by feel, with suggested measurements, so don't be shy, just feel it!

The picture at the top is courtesy of Keith and his artistic eye that puts my lame efforts to shame. Thanks K!
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We started with these set out on a plate, and given my love of all things tuberous named potato, I could've happily stuffed dozens in my mouth!
Deviled Truffle Potatoes...or faux deviled eggs
for 6

15-20 Small yellow creamers / yukon gold potatoes
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Deviled mixture...can be any proportion or combo of the below; use whatever you have on hand and go by taste and texture
3-4 T finely minced shallot or mild onion
3-4 T green herb...I used chive but could be parsley, maybe even tarragon...
4 T (?) sour cream
1 T mayo
1 tsp mustard
1-2 T olive oil
2 T whipping cream to lighten up the gloop
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Rock salt plus table salt
1 T truffle oil

Boil potatoes gently in heavily salted water until tender. Cool, cut in half and scoop out centers into a bowl. Smash up with a dash of salt, a dash of truffle oil, and the other deviled ingredients. If using whipping cream to lighten the mixture, add it towards the end.

Thinly coat a plate with truffle oil and a mixture of kosher and rock salts. Roll the potato bottoms in the oil and salt, stuff with deviled mixture, et voila.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: the perfect lazy Sunday with Cinnamon French Toast!

Quick Bites PDX: Ping

It was something new and much anticipated, and I so much wanted to love it. Like when w got her new Mini Cooper, I was almost as excited as she was. And we both LOVED it. Totally exceeded expectations. That was the hope I had when we met with friends at Andy Ricker's new Portland spot Ping, his love letter to the street food of southeast Asia and a follow-up to his über-popular Thai joint Pok Pok. The buzz had been huge in town. Talk that this could begin the revitalization of our incredibly lame and tired Chinatown/Old Town area. Its location on NW 4th Avenue is excellent, with windows along two sides, and across the street from the parking lot that hopefully...please God...will become the downtown Uwajimaya store. The place itself is very cozy, with tables to the right and left and a bar facing the open kitchen. The wood paneled walls gave it a warmth, and the vintage radios along the north wall (that had been salvaged form a radio repair business in Old Town) were a pretty cool touch. So was my love requited?

We went in with five people, knowing that would give us a pretty good chance to work our way through a lot of the menu. We each had a cocktail or two, and I thought the gin collins was just about perfect. Tart, fruity, great paired against the spicy food to come. Our server dropped a plate called Miang Kham (pic at left) on our table. Peanuts, ginger, thai chilies, fried dry shrimp, toasted coconut, lime, and shallots to wrap in betel leaves. This was an incendiary intro to their menu. Two words: be careful! Then we made our way through the menu, ordering in two rounds to avoid to much table crowding. Among the offerings we tried:
-Vietnamese style short ribs skewer (bottom in pic at right)....good flavor, slightly skimpy, but decent.
-Baby Octopus Skewers....could these have been any chewier? Again good seasonings, but way too tough. One of our friends (who owns a restaurant in town and understands such things) was somewhat surprised as she chewed away, going "is this ever going to go away?" A huge step below the perfection that is the Andina Octo Skewer.
-Quail Egg Skewer....a tiny, perfectly cooked quail egg wrapped in bacon with a slightly spicy mayo sauce that I could have eaten dozens of. Delicious!
-Spicy Chiang Mai Sausage...that wasn't that spicy or flavorful, surprising considering all of the listed ingredients.
-Plaa Meuk Ping....was toasted dried cuttlefish (top in pic at right) pressed and served with a sweet chili sauce. Hint: take it out of the toaster earlier next time to avoid that burnt taste.
-Steamed Gai Lan....I love gai lan, and the Ping version was steamed just right, with a nice bite. But what's with the pool of garlicky oyster sauce. The sauce was good, but there was way too much of it.
-Ju Pa Bao....a bone-in pork chop that is served unadorned in a soft roll. This was good, classic street food, but I don't think you'd lose any authenticity by cutting the bone off before serving. It made for a somewhat awkward eating experience.
-Laksa....a Malaysian coconut curry noodle soup. I thought it was pretty good, but three people at our table thought it had a funky element going on.
-Salted Duck Egg Salad...again, some nice spice, but seemed to lack a little soul. Not that exciting.
-Rice Soup....in a pork broth, this was also goo0d, but didn't have the depth or impact it could have.

The overall impression we left with was this is good, and of course has great possibility, but somehow the execution seems to be lacking. Some things were very good, some not so, and it's that unevenness that needs work. While we were sitting at our table we talked with a couple of friends who stopped by to say hi, and when I asked one of them what she thought, she said she had been there the previous week and had a so-so experience, but it was better tonight because now she knows how to order. Which to me isn't good, because you shouldn't need to 'know how to order". Everything should be good.

We were talking about in the car with our restaurant friend, and she posited that sure, Andy really knows this food, and how to prepare it, and what it should taste like, but just because he does doesn't mean it is so easy to teach cooks here. It's one thing to eat it over there with people who have worked with these flavors their whole lives. Quite another to try and teach cooks here what to do with what are unfamiliar ingredients to most of them. It is one of the reasons that I think that a lot of people I know have had somewhat uneven experiences at his Pok Pok restaurant as well. Would I go back to Ping? Sure, but I wouldn't rush back. I liked the vibe, the service was good, and I'm interested to see if things come together.

They're vertically challenged, appendage deficient, AND they vote!

Some things can't go by uncommented upon, so taking a quick break from the travelogue/food adventure of Juneau, I was reading last Sunday's Frank Rich column in the NYT about the hopeless scramble that is the Republican party message (where to be bipartisan he also had warnings about the pitfalls that could lie ahead for "that One"), and he linked to a story in The Washington Times about RNC chair Michael Steele, who said that to win back young voters who cost them states like North Carolina and Virginia, he is planning an “off the hook” public relations offensive to attract younger voters, especially blacks and Hispanics, by applying the party's principles to “urban-suburban hip-hop settings.” Steele went on...“We need messengers to really capture that region - young, Hispanic, black, a cross section ... We want to convey that the modern-day GOP looks like the conservative party that stands on principles. But we want to apply them to urban-suburban hip-hop settings.” Now doesn't that sound like a well thought out plan?
And showing his true compassionate conservative cred, he finished with this bit of warm-hearted humanity:
But, he elaborated with a laugh, “we need to uptick our image with everyone, including one-armed midgets.”
Ah, the Grand Old Party. I'm sure that short people everywhere, even those with BOTH arms, are jumping right in line.

North to Alaska

There may be a paucity of posts these next couple of days as we visit one of w's best friends Karen and her hubby Phil up in Juneau, Alaska. Like I acknowledged previously, "Winter" and "Visit Alaska" aren't two things I would normally be down with. In fact, last night at a dinner party at friends of K&P's (where we had a multi-course feast at their friend's Rory and Jan's with a kick ass bouillabasse as the main course and two awesome desserts. I was thinking how funny that even though we don't know anybody here, somehow we end up with foodies!) more than one person said "You decided to come up in February, why?" But we did happen upon some beautiful weather, and Juneau itself is in a truly beautiful setting, facing the Gastineau Channel on one side with snow-covered mountains rising straight out of the back of town on the other. Today we drove a short 15 or 20 minutes with K&P to the Mendenhall Glacier, which is my first glacier and one of the most impressive things I've ever seen. You walk across a frozen lake maybe 1-1/2 miles to the very front of this, sadly, fast receding wall of ice. To show my gratitude to our hosts for showing me one of the true wonders of my world, I have a big pot of short ribs in the oven as I type. Meantime, here's some pics of our "adventure".....

The front nose of the Mendenhall, about 3/4 of a mile away

At the front wall, with gigantic columns and walls of pure blue ice rising above us

Some adventurous souls wandering between the columns to show some scale. We were told this wasn't the wisest thing to do as this glacier is always on the move, and sudden shifts aren't uncommon. In other words, they'd better be ready to get their asses out of there!
One of the fantastical pieces of ice that break off he glacier
and become frozen in the ice.