Props for Portland!

More words of praise for PDX from the New York Times* dining section this morning. For those of us who live here, and live to eat, tell us something we don't know. For those of you who read this, bet you're hungry and making travel plans when you're done!


*As I've said before, the registration feature that makes the NYT online edition available for free is a ridiculous opportunity to read the best paper in the U.S. No spam emails, nothing but info. And on Wednesdays, the best food section in the country!

Like an addiction is a bad thing.....

Like any good addiction, it built slowly. First, one box bought at my local farmer's market was enough. Then, by mid week I was jonesing again, and found myself walking away from the Viridian Farms stand with two boxes. Last Saturday, on my way to the market, I was actually starting to sweat, feeling a little panicky that they might be out by the time I got there and I wouldn't get my fix. I jumped out of the car, practically running to the Viridian Farms stand, only feeling relief upon seeing box after box of the cute, wrinkly little green gems known as pimientos de padron lined up on their counter. Knowing others were coming for dinner, I bought the largest box they had, my sense of well being intact as I wandered around the rest of the market, feeling its reassuring weight in my shopping bag.

I'm telling you, one taste of these late summer miracles will have you anticipating your next hook up as much as I do. This is the easiest, tastiest, most crowd pleasing appetizer you could ever serve. If they're not in your local market, well, I can only feel for your half empty lives. Me, I'm feeling pretty smug, as the folks at Viridian said they'd be around until the first frost. Imagine, WEEKS of satisfaction ahead!

If you're reading this in PDX, you can get them at the Viridian Farms stand at the downtown Saturday and Wednesday markets. If you're reading this and you live elsewhere, maybe they can overnight you some. It's worth it, I promise!!

The finished product, awaiting consumption!














******************

Sautéed Pimientos de Padron

ingredients:
1 dozen, more or less, pimientos de padron
olive oil
coarse sea salt (available at most markets. I get mine at Trader Joe's- BB)

method:
Pour olive oil to barely coat bottom of nonstick sauté pan, then add a smidge more. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add peppers, toss some sea salt on top, and sauté until brown and white marks appear, about four or five minutes. Serve immediately, using the stems as convenient little handles.

Give me a fish......

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life" is an old Chinese proverb. Give me a fish from ABC Seafood out on SE Powell Boulevard here in PDX, and I'll like a king for a night, and as long as ABC keeps in touch with those who do the fishing for them, the rest of my life looks pretty sweet!

I saw the following recipe for crispy sea bass in Mark Bittman's book "How To Cook Everything". I had never attempted to crisp a fish of any kind, so in the interest of broadening my horizons while at the same time satisfying my constant hunger, I headed out to ABC, where they had a perfectly fresh specimen that they thoughtfully cleaned and scaled for me, because as much as I like to play with my food, the idea of pulling out fish entrails and having fish scales flying around my kitchen wasn't too appealing. Besides, the woman at ABC did in about two minutes what would have been for me an endeavor that would have completely demoralized me while at the same time hacking apart this beautiful piece if piscine goodness.

So here it is. A very easy, satisfying dinner with no emotional trauma involved. Just the way I like it!
********************

Crispy Sea Bass with Garlic-Ginger Sauce
From Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything"

Time: 30 minutes

ingredients
Vegetable oil as needed
2 black sea bass, each about one pound, gutted and scaled with heads and tails left on (I used one 1-1/2# fish for the two of us, which was plenty- BB)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon peeled and minced or grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Minced cilantro leaves for garnish

method
1- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetable oil to a depth of 1/8", more or less.When the oil shimmers, put the fish in it. Cook, undisturbed, for about 8 minutes on the first side. Turn carefully.
2- As the fish is cooking, heat the peanut oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to color. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and keep warm.
3- Cook the fish 6-8 minutes on the second side. It is done when the flesh offers little resistance to a knife or chopstick; if in doubt, peek next to a bone- the flesh should be opaque.
4- Remove fish to plate(s), drizzle with sauce, garnish, and serve immediately.

Fish On!

Sick of tomatoes yet? I hope not, because not only is it going to be a long, cold winter without them, but you haven't made a couple of killer dishes that have been whipped up at the 50th Avenue Kitchen lately. Last night, with w and I desperately in need of lighter fare, I scoured my cookbooks in search that perfect fish dish, that would also hopefully use up some of my seeming bushels of tomatoes that are taking over my kitchen. Once again I found inspiration and salvation in one of my new favorite resources, Starting With Ingredients by Aliza Green. This is the second spot on recipe from this book I've tried which bodes well for future success. Most of her recipes have very few ingredients, which really allows the flavors of whatever you're using to show through, and of course saves time in the whole hunting-and-gathering thing. Check it out, I'm guessing you'll find something delicious. But first, check out this delectable dish while your local farmers markets are brimming with fresh tomatoes!
********************
Mahi-Mahi with Corn, Tomato, and Red Onion Ragout
From Starting With Ingredients
ingredients
4 (6-8 ounce) mahi-mahi filets
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, diced
1-1/2 cups diced red and yellow tomatoes
kernels from two ears corn
1/4 cup thin strips basil
lime wedges

method
1- sprinkle salt and pepper all over filets. In a large skillet, preferably cast iron or non-stick, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, and brown the fillets on both sides. Remove from the pan and keep warm in the oven.
2- Pour off any excess oil, add the remaining one tablespoon oil and the red onion and sauté one or two minutes until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and corn to pan. Sauté until brightly colored but still firm, one or two minutes. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter and top with fish. Serve with lime wedges.
notes: I had a hard time finding mahi-mahi locally, until I happened into our local Whole Foods, who had wild caught, frozen 6 ounce filets that worked perfectly. You could also substitute black cod or halibut. Adjust cooking times accordingly.- BB

Getting Saucy!

Like me do you have an abundance problem? Too much of a good thing? Pounds and pounds of round red orbs falling off of your tomato plants, overflowing your baskets, rolling across your counters? Fruit flies buzzing about? I don't know about you, but no matter how freaking delicious they are right now I can only eat so many. And I've been eating dozens! So here's what ya do, so you can enjoy them when the dark days of winter are sapping your spirit...say January or February...when all seems cold and gray and tomato season seems to be not just months, but years away: MAKE SAUCE! In particular this sauce because nothing could be easier. I mean really easy in that walking down the street and breathing sort of way. If you don't have tomato plants at home, get yourselves to the nearest farmer's market, because tomato season is on! And come February, when you have your delicious, steaming platter of spaghetti with marinara sauce in front of you, and after that first bite you taste the sunny warmth of summer, think of me and know I'm probably doing exactly the same thing!

********************

Summer Fresh Tomato Sauce
(thanks to w's friend Kathleen for the inspiration!)

ingredients:
1 dozen (or more....or less) fresh tomatoes (I would use medium round or Roma/San Marzanos. Save the big beefsteaks for your burgers and BLT's)
kosher salt
extra virgin olive oil

method:
Preheat oven to 250*. Destem tomatoes. Slice tomatoes in half and arrange cut side up on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with olive oil. Slide baking sheet in middle of oven and roast for 3-1/2 hours. remove baking sheet. Carefully slide a spatula underneath each tomato and drop into work bowl of food processor. It may take a couple of batches. Pulse tomatoes until chopped to your desired consistency. Eat fresh, or remember that winter will soon be here and freeze a few conatiners.

*cook's note: I read a lot of recipes that called for adding herbs sprinkled on top while they roast. I think this takes away from the essential freshness of this sauce. Save the herbs to add when you heat up the sauce later.

A life well lived...

The September 5th selection of the Reading Club for the Food Obsessed is one many of you have probably worked through already. But since I just finished it yesterday, I'm putting it on everyone else's list. The book, of course, is My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme. It is a fabulous memoir of life in France, as lived by Julia and her husband Paul from the late 1940's to the mid 80's. The book is so well written, and only increased my respect for "Julie" and made me appreciate even more what she accomplished in her career, when women in the kitchen were a true rarity. Plus her stories of "la belle France" in the mid-century will have you eating your heart out and leave you ravenously hungry. A great, satisfying escape for those of us who dream of food, cooking, and France!

Make "Our Kitchen" your kitchen!

How nice is it when you have a place you know without fail is going to make you happy? For GWB, it's the ranch in Texas where he can forget about those thousands of young Americans he's needlessly killed...errr, sent to fight the "terraists". For (ex)Senator Larry Craig, it's a stall in an airport bathroom. And for lovers of beautifully prepared authentic Mexican food in Portland, it Nuestra Cocina. My friend and confidant DOR recently found ourselves there for a long overdue dinner out, and chef/owner Benjamin Gonzalez's food once again absolutely knocked us out.

The crazy good qeusadilla and rockfish ceviche




For me the place to sit at NC is right at their kitchen counter, where you're about three feet away from where Benjamin and his sous chef are throwing your plates together. This is one of the best counters in town, you are right in the action...I love it! For me it is a must to start with one of their "traditional" margaritas, made with fresh squeezed juices. Always gets me in the correct frame of mind, and goes perfectly with the complimentary plate of freshly made corn tortillas and salsa. My usual, must have starter is their addictive sopes, but this time we skipped those dishes of goodness and opted for a couple of their specials, a qeusadilla filled with stuffed squash blossoms ad a rockfish ceviche that were both unreal. The quesadilla was a brilliantly conceived bit of seasonality, and the ceviche was citrusy and mouthwateringly fresh. We followed those fabulous bites with a trio of their carnitas tacos, and a filet of black cod on fresh sweet corn and snap peas. Again, too good, and fabulous to have Benjamin sourcing this great local produce and implementing it in surprising, and very satisfying dishes. For dessert, we worked our way though a mango upside-down cake and a chocolate cake with cinnamon house made ice cream. God, what a way to go. Happy? You bet your ass!


Black cod on summer vegetables and two delectable desserts.

Happy feet!

Because I care about you and your comfort, may I humbly suggest that all of you immediately go online at rei.com and order yourselves some of these Keen "Newport" shoes. I got mine last weekend during their Labor Day sale...$69.99 versus $90...and I have been living in them. I've been wearing them to work every day at the wine shack, walking the dog in them, sleeping in them...okay, maybe not that, but you get my drift. I'm about to order another pair as backup. Crazy comfortable! You and your feet will be thanking me, I guarantee it!

Paley's Pleasure Principle

Paley's Place here in Portland is one of the rare restaurants in town that regularly gets written up in all the national food rags, everyone raving about Vitaly Paley's ultra seasonal cooking and the dining room ambience inspired by his wife Kimberley. I have to say I hadn't been there for dinner for years...and I'm talking, except for a quick visit to the bar a couple of years ago, 6 or 7 years...despite the raves I heard from everyone. I think it has to do with so many good places to eat on the eastside here in PDX, why cross the river? It's kind of like going to the Upper West Side from Greenwich Village. It's not a long trip, but when all your favorite places are a five minute drive (or walk) from your house, even a short 20 minute drive seems like a lot. So anyway, on date night last Saturday w and I made a long overdue pilgrimage. It actually didn't even take twenty minutes to get there, so really we have NO excuse.

I had reserved a table out on their front porch, which starting out on this warm evening was the perfect place to be (a little later it got cool, so we had them switch on the heaters that are thoughtfully arranged above each table). We each had a cocktail and jumped right into the fray with an order of Dungeness Crab Beignets with local microgreens (you see microgreens everywhere these days. What were they called before? Watercress??) and a green goddess dressing. This was wonderful, the beignets were perfectly puffy and light, just a hint of crab matching up deliciously with the green goddess dressing, which is the retro dressing du jour in restaurant world. We also had the thing I was most excited for, which I had on my brief refreshment visit a couple of years ago, Vitaly's perfect Kobe Beef Tartare, served with a bright yellow farm fresh egg yolk on top....SO good, and my first real carne cruda style treat since our Italian sojourn several months ago.















Bouncy beignets and Paley's version of carne cruda...yummm!!

We were ready for entrees, and another thoughtful thing they do at Paley's is offer all their mains in 1/2 portion sizes, which allows you to sample more choices at a very nominal markup. We had a middle course of a 1/2 plate of Corn and Chanterelle Ravioli with cherry tomatoes and basil. This was a lovely interlude, the sweet corn set off by the earthy mushroom flavor, with a nice bite provided by the sweet/tart cherry tomatoes. Again, seasonal cooking at its best.

Ravishing ravioli





After that treat, and just starting in on a slurpy good bottle of 2002 Torii Mor Pinot Noir Reserve (it didn't show much fresh out of the bottle, but after about an hour it was absolutely delicious. Surprisingly we drank slowly enough to get to enjoy it at its best!), our main plates arrived, looking exceedingly fetching. w had ordered their fish special (top pic below), a piece of black cod filet on a bed of lentils with mirepoix and surrounded by steamer clams scattered around the plate. Cooked just right, the fish super fresh and tender, the sauce providing a savory thrill with every bite. I had their Crispy Sweetbreads (bottom pic below), as I have yet to meet the thymus gland that didn't deserve my attention. It was served with grilled peaches and string beans and was superb. Memo to food fearists: do not fear the thymus! This was really good, right up there with the glandular perfection served at Alba Osteria. And again Paley's signature seasonality shining through on practically everything we ate.














Finally, we absolutely did ourselves in with their Summer Berry Trifle and the dessert special which was a super rich peanut butter pie with banana ice cream. Crazy good, totally crushed us like a good dessert should, and left us both knowing that Paley's is slinging some seriously good chow, and my return will be much sooner than later. I'll make it easy for the rest of you: if you live here, put it on your list. If you're visiting, put it on your list!

Dessert deliciousness!












The spoon, honey...USE THE SPOON!!!!

If the whole teen beauty queen thing doesn't work out, I hear Bush is looking a new speech writer...

Not that I expect these people to be Winston Churchill or anything, and you know I hate to be the one to pile on, but I think most U.S. Americans will find this brutally funny, such as.

Keep 'Em Coming!!

In my continuing quest to not let any tomatoes that are dropping off of my plants almost faster than I can eat them go to waste, last night I trotted out another new recipe at the 50th Avenue kitchen. I had halibut on my mind, a cold bottle of J. Christopher Zoot Allures Blanc in the fridge, and a pile of cherry and roma tomatoes to get through. After doing a little recipe research, I came across this one at epicurious. Now, before you judge the dish by the picture, I admit this isn't my finest photographic effort. I should've served the compote alongside as per their suggestion. But I was slingin' food, and trust me when both w and I found this to be pretty damn delish, and we went with their whole serving suggestion of grilled zucchini and buttered egg noodles. Everything worked, and once again this was a quick, easy, seasonal plate of satisfaction. Oh, and the sauv blanc based Zoot was a perfect match, it's bright fruit, zippy acidity, and slight grassiness matching perfectly with the sweet, sharp tomato-caper sauce!

********************

Grilled Halibut with Warm Tomato Compote
adapted from epicurious.com
makes 2 Servings.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 6- to 8-ounce halibut fillets (each about 1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1-2 cups chopped plum tomatoes/halved cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon (packed) chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 or 2 tablespoons salt packed capers, rinsed

preparation
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Melt butter in heavy medium skillet. Brush fish on both sides with half of butter. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add shallots to butter remaining in skillet. Cook over high heat 1 minute. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook until juices evaporate, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add wine, tarragon, and capers and boil until compote is thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and keep warm.
Grill fish until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Spoon compote alongside fish.

Czech-mate!

You may have read a couple of months ago about the incredible schnitzelwich that the Tabor cart on SW 5th Ave here in Portland cranks out. Big, deep fried, and delicious! Plus the couple who runs the cart are the maybe the nicest people you could hope to meet. So imagine my delight when I spied the Tabor cart at our local Montavilla Farmer's Market on a recent Sunday. I had raved to w about the glories of the schnitzelwich, so we stepped up to place our order. NO SCHNITZELWICH?? Damn. Quickly regrouping from this devastating hit to my tastebuds, we checked out the menu, and ordered a cup each of their chicken paprikash and Hungarian goulash. Holy shit!! This stuff is the real deal: rich, savory, intensely flavored, served with a few slices of rustic baguette. Some of the best cart food in town, hands down. You HAVE to make the Sunday trek out to SE 72nd and Stark in the next couple of weeks while the market is still happening (or hit the cart downtown during the week and get the best of all worlds!). We've been there the last two weeks for more, and there's a good chance we'll hit it this week on our way to our backpacking expedition.

Supremely Seasonal Summer Dinner!

Maybe it's the lazy days of August as summer winds down, but until recently, I admit to not feeling very creative, or motivated, in the kitchen. Relying on a bunch of fallback recipes, while satisfying our tastebuds, hasn't added much luster to the recipe repertoire. But I think the doldrums are coming to an end, and if I had to say why, it must be the onslaught of tomatoes off of our overloaded plants and the exploding colors at our local Montavilla Farmer's Market. If you can't get excited by wandering outside into your garden to pluck still-warm cherry tomatoes off the plant, having their sweet burst of flavor explode in your mouth, or being dazzled by the riot of color that is high pepper season at the market, then perhaps you'd be better make eating your way through the Lean Cuisine section of your supermarket your life's culinary work. For the rest of us, we'll be getting our fill of all that is delicious and fresh.

A bowl of brilliantly colored potato & roasted corn salad









Which brings me to last night's dinner, where for further motivation my sister's family was popping over for dinner. I always feel the need to do more, because besides being an über-talented cook herself, I know my sister will bring a fabulously fresh seasonal dessert for apres dîner. My stuff had better measure up! And after a bit of online research and a brand new cookbook for motivation, I have to say last night's food fest was one of the best start to finish meals I've had in a long time. From the apps of artisan cheeses with flutes of bouncy, fizzy prosecco, on to the first course of rice-stuffed tomatoes (the picture up top) followed by a stunning trout main course (I usually don't give myself that much credit, but this dish was off the f-cking hook!) with a deliciously seasonal potato salad, and finally followed by a perfect peach galette from my sister, it was one satisfying bite after the next. Ah, summer!

The trout and pot salad, looking quite delicious!










Here's the recipes for my contributions. These are all very easy and will knock out your guests, I promise! I have linked above to my sisters peach galette. Bonne chance et appréciez!!

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Pomodori a Riso
(Tomatoes stuffed with rice)
from Saveur Magazine
and thanks to my friend Francesca for the inspiration!- BB
serves 4-8

Ingredients
8 firm, ripe medium to large tomatoes
1/2 cup raw arborio or other risotto rice
2 tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
3 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Position oven rack in top third of oven, then preheat to 400 degrees. Pull or carefully cut stems off tomato tops, then trim about 3/4" from bottom of each tomato and set ends aside. Working over a medium bowl, use a small spoon to carefully scoop out inner pulp without puncturing the walls of the tomatoes. Reserve scooped out pulp. Arrange scooped out tomatoes open end up in the medium baking dish.
2. Pass tomato pulp through a food mill or pulse in a food processor to a chunky paste, then transfer back into bowl. Add rice, parsley, basil, garlic, and oil, then season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon filling into prepped tomatoes (there may be a little filling left over) and placed reserved tomato ends loosely on top of each stuffed tomato. Drizzle a little olive oil over tomatoes and bake until rice is swollen and tender and tomatoes are soft and well browned, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.
#### #### ####

Potato and Roasted Corn Salad
from epicurious.com
makes 8 servings.

ingredients
3 ears fresh corn, unhusked
2 large red bell peppers
2 pounds 1 1/2- to 2-inch-diameter unpeeled red-skinned potatoes, quartered
4 thick bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
1 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

1.Prepare barbecue (high heat). Grill corn until husks are blackened on all sides, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Remove husks and silk. Cut kernels from cobs.
2.Cut 1/2 inch from top and bottom of each pepper. Quarter each pepper lengthwise. Trim ribs and seeds from peppers. Flatten pieces, breaking slightly, if necessary. Place peppers on grill, skin side down. Grill without turning until skins are blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Peel peppers; cut into 1/2-inch squares.
3.Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; let cool 5 minutes in strainer. Transfer to large bowl.
4.Sauté bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels.
5.Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1/4 cup dressing over potatoes; toss to coat. Add corn, bell peppers, bacon, onions, oregano, and 3 tablespoons additional dressing (you can also add the blue cheese at this point. We left it out because the salad was tasting so fresh without it, and it made it a little lighter- BB); toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Add remaining dressing by tablespoonfuls to moisten, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
#### #### ####

Pan Fried Trout with Lemon and Pine Nuts
adapted from Starting With Ingredients by Aliza Green
serves 4

ingredients
1/2 cup Zante currants
1/2 cup brandy
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
8 boneless trout filets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Flour, for dusting 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato

1.Preheat the oven to 200. Soak the currants in the brandy. Using a fork, mash together the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the liquid is absorbed and the butter is creamy. Set aside.
2.Lay fish flat, skin side down., and season with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess. In a large skillet (preferably cast iron or non-stick), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown four filets on each side about 2-3 minutes, or until done to desired firmness. Remove from skillet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining four filets, adding more oil if necessary (and it probably will be- BB).
3. reduce heat to low, pour off excess oil. Add pine nuts and brown lightly, shaking often. Add the currants and brandy. Averting your face, flame the liquid. Shake the pan and cook until the flames die down, Add the diced tomato, heat gently, then remove skillet from heat. Stir in the reserve lemon butter, plate two filets per dinner plate, pour sauce over fish and serve immediately.

Falafel Fanaticism!

I haven't had it this good since Paris! And I had it about five miutes from my house!! What else would I be talking about except the greatest falafel in this city....maybe in any city!!! The fresh, crunchy, spicy, and savory deliciousness that is Fat Kitty Falafel, made by the very not-shy and retiring Al Herre. I had been told of the goodness that comes flinging out of his cart on SE 21st and Division by my friend Greg Z. This was several months ago, and usually when I hear about something good to eat, I am on it fast. My main problem is I'm off Sunday and Monday, and so is Fat Kitty Al. But yesterday the wine shack was undergoing some floor repair, so I had an unexpected day off, and I was driving up Division to get my luxurious mane of hair whacked at Rudy's, and drove by Al's shack. Eureka! A quick u-turn and five bucks later I am digging in to greatness. Al scoops out the falafel batter fresh, dumps it in his mini-fryer, and tops this little wrap with fresh lettuce, and, as I had it, some cilantro-garlic tahini that rocked.

Al (holding that Lebanese mag) and his staff photographer



You give Al an inch of breathing room and he's off and verbalizing, and he was immediately shoving this middle eastern magazine in my face that had a feature on Fat Kitty! How that happened I still don't know, but if some Lebanese rag is giving you props, then you've gotta have a pretty good thing going on. Anyway, if you're cruising around and feel the need for some falafelness, make Fat Kitty your next stop!

If only I could grow applewood smoked bacon........

Just wanted to brag.....my first Big Boy tomato of the season. BLT's for dinner!!!

Pie Fight

I know this is a little bit of a gratuitous advertising piece (wait, that's a redundancy isn't it? Gratuitous...advertising....), but I think it's a really fun piece of fluff, with a great soundtrack and eye candy for all.

Back soon with more food, I promise!

Seasonal Satisfaction

How fortunate. Just as tomato season kicks into high gear, I have the perfect opportunity to showcase this most seasonal of foods and get a little much needed culture at the same time. Not to go all Monte Burns on you, but all I can say is "Excellent!"

The occasion was w's friend Sue's b-day, which she had thoughtfully chosen to hold in Laurelhurst Park here in PDX at an evening performance of the Portland Festival Symphony. As our contribution to the potluck on the grass, we brought along some freshly roasted yellow and red peppers (from pepps we picked up at the Montavilla Farmer's Market that morning), as well as an über-seasonal fresh tomato and basil pasta that we adapted from an article we saw a few weeks ago in the NYT Sunday Magazine. All the food was fab, and again I thank the Gods of All that is Edible that my friends all seem to have mad skills in the kitchen, but I have to say our little pasta killed! It was so easy to throw together, nothing could be prettier with the vibrant yellow and red tomatoes practically jumping off the plate, and of course crazy delicious in that super-summery way. Try this soon, while the tomato bounty is in full swing. Your friends, and your hungry tummies, will thank you!

How nice of them to play at our dinner party!





********************
Summer Pasta
adapted from the New York Times Magazine

ingredients
5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
12 basil leaves
5 or 6 large ripe tomatoes (red and yellow make a great visual)
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 pound dries penne (or rigatoni)
3/4 lb fresh mozzarella
Country bread

1- Take out large bowl. Add garlic. Pour in olve oil. With scissors, snip the basil leaves into shreds over the garlic mixture. Gently combine. Let sit all day.

2-About 2 hours before serving, chop the otmatoes and add to the bowl. Gently combine.

3- When you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until done. While pasta cooks, cut the mozzarella into small cubes.

4-Drain the pasta and pour it on top of the tomato mixture. Do not stir. Spread the mozzarella on top of the pasta and toss only the pasta and cheese; the cheese will soften slightly, and the pasta will get coated with fat. Then gently stir up from the bottom, incorporating the tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread.
Serves 6

DRINK: Wine, preferably cold and crisp. We took a well-chilled bottle of 2006 Palazzone "Terre Vineate" Orvieto Classico from Italy that was perfect! I could also easily get with an icy cold dry rosé from France or Italy.

économiser les enfants!...

...or if you prefer, "save the children!" Listen up, kids....um, I mean parents....grow up! This caught my attention on Chez Pim's blog, where this was "found on the 'menu' at an underground restaurant with a super cute name, Le Lapin Tant Pis, in Forcalquier, Provence". Like her, nothing to add except her perfectly stated "Amen brother!":
***************
Ici il n'y a pas de "menu-enfant" C'est à dire, pas de steak haché d'origine incertaine, pas de jambon poly phosphaté, pas de poisson carré ni de "cordon bleu", pas de purée industrielle, pas plus que de ketchup ou de sodas ... Ici les enfants ont droit aux plaisirs de la table et à celui de découvrir les saveurs. Ici ils mangent de la vraie cuisine comme papa et maman. Le goût est culturel, il s'apprend et malheureusement ce n'est pas dans les cantines scolaires que nos enfants le découvriront. Peut-être est-il encore temps de réagir !!!

(Translation)
No children menu here.

That is to say, no hamburger meat of uncertain origin, no chemically treated ham, no fish sticks nor "cordon bleu", no dehydrated spuds, not even ketchup or soda. ... Here the kids have the rights to the pleasure of the table and the discovery of flavors. Here, they eat real food, real cuisine, just like daddy and mommy. Taste is cultural, it is learnt, and sadly it's not something our children can acquire in the school cafeteria. Perhaps there is still time to do something about it!!!
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Mr. Smooth....

This is a picture taken by my friend Nisu with his sneaky cell phone camera at Safeway at around 6pm Friday. Is this guy READY for a big night or what?

Let's see: All black outfit..check! Bottle of cheap Spanish bubbles...check! Box of Trojans if the bubbly works...check, baby!!!

About that grande light chocolate no-whip mocha.....

According to the old adage, "we are what we eat". Are we what we drink, too? I hope not, because being described as "clueless" by the Starbucks Oracle didn't do much for my self-image. But it was pretty fucking hilarious. Get you and your friend's coffee drinking personalities analyzed while you're looking to kill time at work!

BTW- according to the oracle, the moment we set foot in in S-bucks we're all tools....but don't we already feel that way anyway??