An Irishman is the only man in the world who will step over the bodies of a dozen naked women to get to a bottle of stout. ~Anonymous Beer in your ice cream? You betcha! Ten years ago, I attended a St. Patrick’s Day potluck party. What did I bring? Guinness Ice Cream. How did […]
Food
Fantastical fruit in Kauai
One of my favorite things about traveling is trying new food, especially fruit and vegetables that I’ve never seen before. So on our recent trip I was in heaven when we found ourselves surrounded by fantastical fruit in Kauai: mangosteen, longan, rambutan, jackfruit, tiny latundan (apple) bananas, and small sweet low-acid pineapple–just the tip of […]
Kilauea Fish Market
We just returned from two very rainy weeks on the north shore of Kauai. While there we made numerous trips to the Kilauea Fish Market, a tiny gem tucked away in Kiliauea, the town where we’ve stayed on both of our trips to this Hawaiian island. By the end our vacation we were regulars, faithfully […]
Superbowl Sunday: Smokin’ Seattle Seahwawks Stout Chili Recipe
What would Superbowl parties and tailgates be without chili? And what would chili be without endless debate: Beans (and which beans)? Pork, beef, or both? Vegetarian? Vegan? Spices (and which spices)? Then there’s beer. Well, of course, you say. But what about beer in your chili? Absolutely! Beer will boost your chili. It helps tenderize […]
Sweet Potato and Leek Potage Parmentier Recipe
On a cold day (of which, lately, there have been many), there are few things more satisfying than Potage Parmentier. The classic potage (thick soup) is made with potatoes and leeks. Potage Parmentier was named after Auguste-Antoine Parmentier, and is the moniker used for the hot version of the soup sometimes mistakenly called Vichyssoise (named […]
A nice pairing
The pairing of food and wine is a complex and highly inexact science. It is fraught with outmoded rules and a propensity for generalizations. Sid Goldstein, The Wine Lover’s Cookbook “Venison with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy,” would pair nicely with the wine in your glass, said the winery owner’s wife, looking Big […]
Oola Distillery: Hand-crafted Seattle spirits
What do winter wheat, white oak, and a German Shepherd have in common? At Oola Distillery–a lot. A few weeks ago, while out for a neighborhood stroll, we decided to stop in for a tasting at Oola, a craft distillery located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, and one of many micro-distilleries popping up all over […]
Dishes for a song
Back in May 2007, when Big Papa and I moved my dad from Florida to Seattle, we had to make decisions about his belongings–what to jettison and what to keep and ship west. One of the keepers was a set of dishes. Not because we needed any more dishes—anyone who has been to our […]
Mr. Eyes Spoon
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth. ~Pete Townshend Every morning Big Papa, Baby Bird and I sit down at our kitchen table to eat breakfast together. Nothing fancy: he has a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee; I have a cup of coffee too, and a bowl of yogurt […]
Remlinger Farms
Carousel, ferris wheel, hay maze, animals to pet…and a birthday party with LOTS of sugar. That’s how Baby Bird and I spent this past Saturday during our visit to Remlinger Farms in Carnation, Washington. I knew Remlinger Farms as a U-Pick haven: strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in the summer and pumpkins in the fall. What […]