LeslieKellywhininganddining

Have You Ever Been Hungry?

2011-09-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling pretty feverish about the increasing number of homeless people I'm seeing on the streets of Seattle. There's this guy near my neighborhood who is now going around barefoot and it breaks my heart. I know he's mentally ill and I consulted my cousin Suz, a police officer who worked in social services, about how I could help.

She suggested I try and hand him a pair of socks and I did that yesterday. He told me to go away. I left the socks and I'm now carrying a few spare pair in my bag. It's not much, but it's something.

I know many people who are on the streets struggle with addiction. They've made bad choices and now they're screwed. They're panhandling for booze or drugs, but I am seeing more people who look like they've been tossed out of the middle class and are now toting their lives on their backs. And I want to help. I just am not sure how to help.

I've been on the board of the U-District Food Bank for four years and in that short time, we've seen the number of working families who seek help rise significantly. The economy continues to suck and we're now seeing stories about class warfare. I'm currently in the "haves" camp, not the have-nots, but I've been poor before.

My parents were both alcoholics and my mother left me and my brother and sister when I was 8. My father was this pie-in-the-sky guy who tried to spin our sad circumstances: So what if we don't have a fridge kids! We'll just keep the milk outside. Hey! Who wants breakfast for dinner? (Not again?)

BK always took pride in never letting us go hungry, but there were plenty of lean times. I learned to cook when I was 8 as a matter of sheer survival.

Maybe I feel so strongly about the issue of hunger because I've been there. Just two years ago, my husband and I both lost our steady paychecks. We scrambled to pay our bills. We talked about moving in with my father-in-law. I went from spending $30,000 a year on eating out as a restaurant critic to pinching pennies. We ate a lot of rice and beans and at one point, I thought I might have to use the food bank. It was depressing.

Fortunately, we were able to turn things around. We both found work, though our nest egg is in the dumps and there are student loans to pay back. I don't want to dwell on that, though. I consider myself damn lucky. And I want to help those who are less fortunate. Isn't that the duty of every good citizen? But how?

Here's one way. You can buy a ticket to this year's U-District Food Bank auction this Saturday, Oct. 1. Tickets are $75 and the event's fun. There's great food and beer and wine and lots of cool items to bid on. If you cannot make it, please consider making a donation to the food bank. It's easy to do on the Website. I have set up a monthly donation. If that food bank doesn't ring your bell, do something, anything, else. It feels good. And because, damnit, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. (I told you I was feeling feverish!) OK? OK!

So, here's what I've been up to

2011-04-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

There's nothing more BORING than the blogger who neglects their blog and then pops back up out of nowhere to blather excuses about why they've neglected their blog. YAWN!!

No excuses, but here's what I've been up to lately:

Filling in for a bit as lead blogger for Seattle Weekly's Voracious, which means writing three posts a day. That's a lot! Here's one of my favorite posts from that stint: 10 Reasons Seattle Should Be Jealous of Portland.

Writing about cooking and eating for Al Dente, Amazon's food blog. I love this blog because it pays well and the subject matter is wide open. I've written about everything from how to prepare fiddlehead ferns to the history behind the tradition of dunking cookies. How cool is that?

Though it's been a few years since I lived in Memphis, I keep my fingers stirring the pot of Southern food by contributing to the StateofQ.com. I'll be heading to Memphis in May's World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest soon, to eat and write and eat some more.

I'm working on Chapter 7 of The Big Dipper Chronicles, a story of the making of a cult Merlot by Northstar Winery, a tale that appears on the winery's Web site, but will eventually be made into a book. (And who knows? Maybe a movie!!) It chronicles David "Merf" Merfeld's making of a very special wine from the vine to the table.

Just finished a story for Seattle Mariners magazine about a chef who's joined a culinary dream team to create an awesome lineup of restaurant-like food at Safeco Field.

I write about wine for Seattle magazine and was part of a committee this year that honored restaurants with Washington wine-centric lists as part of Taste Washington. That was a blast.

I'm working on a book project with Seattle's celebrity chef, Tom Douglas, and was just asked to write a cookbook focusing on chefs who showcase local, sustainable foods. (Can you guess my answer?)

I also write blurbs about restaurants and helped out with a "best of" app. Oh, and write newsletters for MSN.com.

Whew. That's about it. Well, except for the on-going daily adventure of eating and cooking and eating some more. Just this week, I had a bread baking lesson!! And, yes, before/during/after all the eating and cooking and dining out, I Tweet and Facebook about it. I'm exhausted/exhilarated just thinking about it. If only there were more hours in the day!

Dinner Diary, Part 9

2011-02-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

So, haven't been cooking much. I've been dining out a whole lot lately. Went to Vancouver and Whistler recently, and, despite a major spill on the hill, I'm so glad I did.

Last week, I hit three happy hours. I guess I was feeling a little burned out in my own kitchen.

When I run out of gas, it's usually about meal planning. I am happy to respond to requests, and most nights, I know what I'm going to make. But then, there are those lazy days when I don't want to go to the store. I punt.

Yesterday, I had no clue what I was going to make for dinner. But I was at the Pike Place Market and a stroll through DeLaurenti and -- boom! -- dinner was a done deal: Butternut squash ravioli, on top of a bed of lightly dressed arugula, topped with shaved Parm, chopped hazelnuts, sauteed Delicata squash and fried sage. Dang! So good!!

Dinner Diary, Part 7 and 8

2011-01-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Last night, Johnny kept going on and on about how well put together dinner was... an artichoke pasta finished with sherry and porcini butter. Yes, it was.

Sunday night, I made an Olsen Farms rack of lamb (WOW) seared and slathered in mustard and seasoned breadcrumbs and baked at 450 for 20 minutes. Too rare for J.

On the side: Brilliant puzzle. What is it? I asked Johnny. Apples? he guessed. Pears? Nope, not even close. Salsify. A stunning recipe from my friend Martha Foose from her upcoming book, A Southerly Course, which I love at least as much, if not a little more --- no, wait, I cannot pick a favorite --- than her James Beard-award-winning debut, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea. I was there in New York City the night Ms. Martha won and my deep regret is that I did not go out with her to celebrate. Next time for sure!!

I truly believe salsify is going to blow up big. Try it! It's like a parsnip on steroids. YUM!!

Dinner Diary, Part 6

2011-01-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

This is the most ridiculously easy recipe based on a signature dish from my late mother-in-law. I almost feel like a cheat doing it because it comes out so dang delicious with so little effort.

I've promised to share the recipe with my daughter, who is starting to get into cooking... finally. I was the world's worst teacher. No warm and fuzzy moments in the kitchen. So, we'll try some long-distance lessons.

Dorothy's Beef Burgundy

2 pounds boneless chuck, cut into generous chunks
1 shallot, diced
1/3 cup flour
1/2 pound mushrooms, washed and quartered
1 tablespoon herbs de province
2 tablespoons salt/pepper (one each, then later taste and adjust... I also used truffle salt toward the end)
1 bottle red wine

Put the prepared beef and shallots into a Dutch oven. Sprinkle flour and seasonings on top. Pour in bottle of wine. Bake in 350 degree oven for three hours. Add mushrooms. Taste and adjust seasonings at this point. Bake an additional 30 minutes. Serve with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.

Dinner Diary, Part 5

2011-01-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

It's been so cold. I know, it's winter. Anyway, I decided to make a chicken/pumpkin curry with stock I made from leftover roast bird from Monday.

Only hitch: No chutney in the pantry! So, I made some quick pickle Granny Smiths and all was swell. Topped with slivered almonds and toasted coconut.

It made up for the disaster earlier in the day. I ruined a batch of brownies. Distracted, I added baking soda to the butter/sugar/egg mixture instead of sifting it into the flour and cocoa and the pan looked like a science experiment gone wrong.

Bummer. But I'm going to get back on that brownie bandwagon again soon. Maybe tomorrow.

Dinner Diary, Part 4

2011-01-06T13:18:00.000-08:00

Made oyster po' boys last night. Which was accomplished in record time because Johnny and I went to see The Fighter and got home after 7. Sitting down by 7:30.

I totally love the Louisiana Fish Fry. It's perfectly seasoned and fries up super crisp. Use it for catfish, too.

Dressed these sandwiches in duck egg mayo, sliced tomatoes, shredded savoy cabbage on a hoagie roll. I wish the bread was better, softer. But pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Dinner Diary, Part 2 and 3

2011-01-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

Made white bean minestrone Monday night with greens from the farmers market. Cooked the beans in Nana's bean pot. I like doing them that way because they stay intact. I added a little liquid smoke to the pot since I was going vegan with this batch of soup.

On Tuesday, I roasted a Stokesberry Farms chicken. It cost nearly $20, but it was really good: moist, flavorful, not fatty. I've got some stock simmering with the leftovers. I sure do love soup this time of year!

Dinner Diary, Part 1

2011-01-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

Geez Louise!

Haven't posted anything since August, and yet... my comment box continues to fill up with spam.

So, I've decided to post a pic of my dinner making efforts. This might sound like a lot of navel gazing. Oh, lookie what I can do. But, honestly, it's about keeping a record of my efforts.

Last night, it was fried catfish, roasted fingerlings and Asian slaw. Oh, and homemade tartar sauce made with duck egg mayo. So good.

Oh, and did I mention, I'm available for doing some personal cheffing. I have references. And photos, of course.

The Egg A Day Experiment Is Toast

2010-08-18T09:21:00.001-07:00

You can't see it, but my wheels are spinning as fast as they can... In my constant hustle to make my bloated mortgage payment, I have had no time to dedicate to record my quest to do the egg a day thing. It's a pity, too, because there's still so much to say.

I'm sending the experiment off in style, though, by pimping out my favorite ingredient at a demo at the Queen Anne Farmers Market tomorrow. Making mayo, potato salad, deviled eggs. Come and I'll make sure you get a bite!

Not exactly sure what direction I'm heading next. Might make this space about yummy pics, but that's so played. Another idea I'm considering is offering simple tutorials for my daughter, who's going to have her first kitchen at school this year. Any other suggestions?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 53

2010-06-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, appetite. I've missed you.

I have been sick with the crud for two weeks. Nothing tasted good. I've been battling this bug by slurping pho, Cream of Wheat and eating crackers. I was not hungry. I did not think about food every waking moment. This was some seriously abnormal behavior.

Who doesn't hate being sick? I think it's even worse when it's beautiful outside. But I could not buck up and get my sad sick self out of bed, let alone out the door. I am a complete wimp when it comes to being sick. I do not remember ever being this sick before, but I say this every time I get sick.

I know I must be feeling better because I'm hungry again. I'm craving protein. I want eggs again! I fried up a beauty I bought at the Pike Place Market yesterday, from Maltby Produce Market. I sure have missed the runny yolks and this one tasted extra velvety today. Beautiful. I feel ready to go out and kick some tail!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 52

2010-06-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this issue of Gastronomica? The egg as a cover girl!

I interviewed a cook recently and asked about making the perfect sunnyside up egg. He gave me a demo, showing me how to break up the slimy section of the egg with the tail end of a fork. And then slide it under the broiler for a sec. Done!

Eggs cooked that way are certainly eye candy, yes? Especially on the cover of a fancy food mag!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 51

2010-05-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Would you pay $24 for a dozen eggs? Heck no, right? But most diners think nothing of paying a little extra for an egg on top.

The other day, I went to Nettletown for the first time. I loved the welcoming vibe and the intriguing menu. So many things sounded so good, I didn't decide what I was going to choose until I got to the counter to order and then I changed my mind at the last minute.

I went with the spatezle and got a poached egg on top for $2. This cafe is all about sourcing and I really wish I would have asked about the origin of the egg because I would have felt so much better about it if it had come direct from a farmer. I suspect it did.

The dish, which included sauteed cabbage, was good. The egg was a nice touch. But I didn't love it. I wanted a little more flavor, a bit more seasoning. I wanted it to pop. Still, that doesn't mean it was a fizzle, either.

Because the energy was so positive, I'm pretty sure I'll go back again soon. Ever feel that way about a place? Like you're rooting for it even when it's not all that it should be?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 50

2010-05-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

I am pretty crazy about Shultzy's, the Mom-and-Pop pub in the U-District. I worked there last June and had a blast. Learned a lot, too. It's not fancy food, but food made from scratch, seasoned just right.

The sausage burgers are my favorites. Think sausage, without the casing. Whenever I go to Shultzy's, I order a Ragin Cajun with a fried egg on top. It makes the sandwich a knife and fork affair, but I don't care. I slide the top bun off and have at it.

Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by the sight of a fry cook doing his/her thing, flipping eggs like they were hotcakes. If there's a chance to sit at the counter and watch, I surely will. Like at Knight's Diner in Spokane. Breakfast and a show.

Diners can see into Shultzy's tiny kitchen, kind of. But not enough to watch the fast and furious action on the grill. I interviewed the sausage king for Seattle Weekly's Voracious blog this week. He's super chill despite how hot and heavy things can get in that tight space.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 49

2010-05-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Please fill in the blank:

Eggs and ... what?

Bacon? Sausage? Baked beans? Hash browns? Fried tomatoes? Spam?

What's the best accompaniment to a couple of eggs at breakfast? Something about the creamy neutral quality of the egg makes it cry out for something salty. I wonder who first came up with the now classic combo of bacon and eggs.

The other day, I met some friends for breakfast at Kona Kitchen and asked if I could swap out the burger patty on the loco moco for fried Spam instead. Yes, but it'll cost you, the server said.

It was pretty tasty, but I had an upset stomach after the meal. (I walked it off!) Probably should have gone with the straightforward bacon and eggs on my first visit to the place, to see how they handled the basics. The restaurant was packed and had a sweet family vibe, but I prefer Kauai Family Restaurant in Georgetown.

So, what's your favorite match for your morning scramble, fry or poach?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 48

2010-05-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

I am crazy about pepper sauce. Not just Tabasco, though there are at least four flavors of those hot numbers in my cupboard: the green, the habernero, the chipotle and the classic.

Then, there's Crystal and Frank's Red Hot. I know I'm leaving off a couple.

One of my favorite things to sprinkle pepper sauce on is eggs. It gives them a whole lot of personality. Like the icing on a cake.

And the eggs mellow out the sharp fire, too. Such a winning combo.

So, is more better? The other day, I mixed some green and red pepper sauce on my fried egg and, yes, it was pretty darned good.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 47

2010-05-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, the versatile egg appears on menus morning, noon or night, but I still think of them as the breakfast of champs. If I need fuel to blast me into the late lunch land, I will scramble up a couple and heap them on a piece of toast. Nothing fancy, but it works.

Protein-packed and cheap, eggs have heft. Yes, they have cholesterol, but there's loads of good stuff in them, too. When I was growing up, my father went to work .... ever so briefly... for a company that was marketing a low-cholesterol egg. I know this because I have an old clipping from a newspaper, a photo of him holding these miracle eggs. Like I said, it was a short-lived career.

I know plenty of people must monitor their cholesterol and worry about heart disease. I'm lucky that way. I've got good numbers. It kind of cheeses off my hubs because he works out everyday and I'm a slug and his cholesterol is higher than mine. It's genetics!

So, bring on the eggs. In the morning, I love them scrambled and fried and poached or omeletized. If I eat 'em for breakfast, I'm good to go until well past the noon hour, maybe even into dinner time.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 46

2010-05-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

I hosted our culinary book group this month and because we're reading an obscure book called The Physiology of Taste by a French guy named Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, I wanted to make something mentioned in the book. It was written in the late 1800s and that was a bit of a challenge.

So, I went on a tried-and-true dish -- French toast bread pudding -- and gave it a twist. Taking a cue from the fab Mother's Bistro in Portland, I put some crushed cornflakes on top. Drizzled those with clarified butter and sugar. Folded in some blueberries and it turned out fine.

The recipe, which actually made two casseroles, uses half a dozen eggs, a cup of buttermilk, a cup of milk, one teaspoon vanilla and one loaf of challah bread, cubed and dried. One thing I've learned about doing eggs in a French toast recipe is that you've got to beat them before adding the milk. Otherwise, the whole thing gets gummed up.

Today, when I added the buttermilk, the liquid got so thick, I was concerned it might be too dense. So I added some milk and a couple of clugs worth of OJ. Then, I tossed that mixture with the bread and let it sit for 20 minutes or so before putting the cornflakes on top and baking it at 350 for 45-50 minutes. I do love bread pudding, both savory and sweet variations.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 45

2010-05-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

For many years, I didn't put hard-cooked eggs in my potato salad. Usually dressed the spuds in a balsamic vinaigrette. Heavy on the tang.

Then, I tried my sister, Laurel's potato salad. She made it for Claire's BBQ grad party last June and it was so fantastic, a mess of eggs, pickles, chopped onions, mayo and mustard. It's even better on Day 2.

So, I made Sissy's Spud Salad yesterday, but had some concerns about the hard-boiled eggs, which had been in the fridge for more than a week. I peeled them, smelled them, and then dumped them in the bowl. I might have been pushing the freshness envelope, but they sure tasted good in the potato salad.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 44

2010-05-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

I went to Flower World this weekend, after my whirlwind trip through Woodinville's Warehouse Wine district for a Seattle Magazine story I'm doing. But first I got lost and ended up stopping at Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream's plant and parlor, where I got directions and a double shot of boozey ice cream: Kentucky bourbon made with Maker's Mark and Tennessee whiskey spiked with Jack Daniels. Freaking mmmmmmmm!

The cute counter jockey gave me directions and soon I was amid acres of green stuff. I picked up a few herbs, some lavendar, rosemary and lemon balm before getting in the long line for the cash register. Now, you know how they put stuff by the front to tempt you into one more ca-ching thing. That's when I spotted the "eggs for sale" sign. They were local eggs and quite lovely, so I took the bait.

Which, naturally, started a chain reaction. The couple behind me asked how much they were and were appalled at the price. Well, I said, what if you went to Denny's? These eggs are still cheaper than a couple of Grand Slams, right? The woman seemed mildly offended that I suggested she would patronize Denny's. "Oh, that's one place we'd never go!"

Well, what about the Maltby Cafe? Now, that's a $10 breakfast. "Yeah, but you can never get in there anyway," her hubby chimed in. I left with my purchases and never looked back to see if they bought those pricey eggs. Got home and Johnny went into sticker shock, too. "Well, you know, those eggs are $6 at the farmers market," I said.

He got over it, especially when those eggs made such a beautiful frittata on Mother's Day.

What's the most you've paid for a dozen eggs?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 43

2010-05-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

Johnny's cooking breakfast, which means frittata time. He makes 'em super thin, like a pancake, but he told me he just read in a cookbook the way a traditional frittata is much thicker, more like a quiche. It's funny when you go down a path and suddenly have someone tell you that you're lost.

I like how Johnny sautes all the ingredients separately, getting those onions extra caramelized and the bacon super crispy. He finishes it by sprinkling cheese on top at the end and popping it under the broiler for a minute. Really good.

It might be interesting to try a traditional variation one of these days, but not on Mother's Day. Stick with the tried and true today.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 42

2010-05-07T10:49:00.000-07:00

I first tried Bibimbap in Memphis. Everybody thinks of barbecue and fried chicken and Elvis and his peanut butter and banana sammies when they think of food in M'town, but I've got to say I was very impressed with the diversity of the global fare in that village by the Mississip!

I loved the sushi at Sekisui and Do. There was a tiny Vietnamese place I loved going. Oh, the claypot catfish... And my first Korean rice bowl with an egg on top was at a place called the Petra Cafe on Madison that had a wildly eclectic menu featuring a mix of Korean and Mediterranean. Fellow writer and brilliant musician Bill Ellis talked me into trying the bibimbap. He had lived in Japan and LOVED Korean food and he was a good guide.

But it's been a long time since I've eaten this dish. Never tried it in Seattle. Snapped this shot in Portland at the amazingly wonderful food carts you find around that crazy creative town. So, I'm on the hunt for a good Bibimbap. Know the way?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 41

2010-05-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you Melissa Clark, for your excellent egg recipe in today's NYTimes!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 40

2010-05-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

Loco moco baby!! Ono kine grindz, right brah? You got your rice, your hamburger patty, a fried egg on that and a whole mess of gravy.

I never order the loco moco when I got to Hawaiian plate lunch places. I cannot get past the katsu chicken. Oh, man, there was a place in Spokane that made a killer katsu chicken curry. Hot dang, I still crave that even though I do not remember the name of the long-defunct joint.

Went to Kauai Family Restaurant with a couple of gal pals the other day. They had never eaten Hawaiian plate lunch, so they asked the server for advice. First of all, I dug her because she told us to call her Auntie. Now, that's living Aloha!

The loco moco was on the breakfast menu and I liked it a lot. I might order it again. But what I loved was the mac salad and the kimchi cukes. And the guava cake! Da kine!!

The Egg A Day Experiment Parts 36, 37, 38 and 39

2010-05-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a good egg run the past few days, starting from the bottom and moving up with homemade biscuit sammie, a terrific happy hour pizza at Serious Pie, asparagus flan with an egg on the side and an egg tucked into a ravioli, the latter two at Saffron in Walla Walla. I saw Tom Douglas make that ravioli last summer at his culinary camp and couldn't stop thinking about it. So incredibly rich. I'm gonna learn to make that!

Again and again, eggs show off as stunningly versatile ingredients. They're chameleons. They're the stars of so many recipes, but never scream: Hey, look at me. Well, maybe on the plate with the asparagus flan. Another dish that inspires me to get in the kitchen and try to copy it.

What do you think? See anything here you'd eat?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 35

2010-04-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

Curried eggs!

Never would have dreamed of trying this knock-out recipe from the absolutely awesome 660 Curries unless I was embroiled in this egg exploration. Mighty glad I stretched my wings on this one, though. It was so delicious. The chalkiness of the cooked yolks turned velvety when simmered in the intense curry sauce.

The finished eggs were nested in brown rice, alongside stir-fried pea vines and red cabbage, onions and shallots I finished in a shower of balsamic vinegar in the wok. Kind of turned out like a warm slaw. Darned tasty, fairly healthy dinner, which was what I was craving after a weekend of really rich food in Portland. (See below.)

This success has inspired me to go on the hunt for more world-food egg recipes. Can you help?

Read how this experiment was hatched in Part 1.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Parts 31, 32, 33, 34

2010-04-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

The challenge with this experiment is the natural tendency to gravitate toward the familiar. I went into the weekend determined to shake things up; to seek out some wild eggs.

I found some gems in Portland, Oregon, one of my favorite eating cities. I went there to check out the cool deals offered through the Portland Perks package, including lots of breaks at area restaurants. I love the diversity of the dining scene there. The city is home to stylish venues as well as hundreds of food carts that stretch the limits of culinary creativity. I stopped at Swamp Shack and Violetta, a new truck that features local meat and produce. I was nuts about the nacho fries at Big Ass Sandwich. Now, if only they could have put an egg on top. Nuts! I guess I should have asked.

First fantastic egg of the trip was served at the lovely dining room of the Heathman Hotel, which I would make my second home if/when I win the Mega Millions. It was a poached duck egg served with trotters. Holy cow! That dish was rich, rich, rich. The duck yolk, extra golden.

Next two eye-openers were served at exotic Ping. Throughout dinner, Johnny and I kept wondering aloud: Why isn't there a place like this in Seattle? It's so fresh, so original. Asian street food done with tons of style and a great value, too. I can't say enough about the raging hot egg salad, a vinegary mix of greens and chili with sliced eggs on top. YUM!

Then, the tea-marinated egg. WOW! This hard-boiled egg took on a smoky/salty flavor. I've got to try making this at home. Is this what some cookbooks call the "100-year egg"? More research is needed!

Before hitting I-5 North, we ate a swell Sunday brunch at Nel Centro. Johnny ordered a fluffy omelette, fattened up by goat cheese and sweet spring asparagus. I got the corned beef hash topped by a pair of poached eggs. This was probably the most traditional egg dish I ordered all weekend, but it came with a twist. Not truly a "hash", this meat-and-potato saute was a refined variation of the diner specialty. A fine pedestal for those eggs.

Nothing like a couple of days out of town to stir the pot, providing fresh inspiration. Next up on my egg agenda: curried eggs.

An Egg A Day Experiment, Part 30

2010-04-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

Years ago, I interviewed a Memphis Grizzlies player named Bo Outlaw. I heard he was a chowhound, so I said, let's break bread together.

It was challenging. He was a one-word answer kinda guy. And when I asked why some folks didn't consider his native Texas part of the South, I thought he was going to thump me. He drew me a map on the placemat of the Barksdale, a diner in Midtown, where we met.

But finally, he cheered up when the food was set in front of him. He slid his fried eggs into a bowl of grits and stirred furiously. Hmmm. I was new to the South and had never seen that done. Well, that was the first and last time I saw a wild scramble of eggs into grits.

Now, a beautifully poached egg nestled onto a heap of rustic polenta-like grits is a whole 'nother ball game. I am madly in love with David Chang's version of shrimp and grits, which calls for an egg and bits of bacon on top. The egg serves as the sauce for this dish, the golden yolk spilling out and adding richness.

I wonder what Bo Outlaw would think of Momofuku's shrimp and grits.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 29

2010-04-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

Smoked salmon deviled eggs. Genius! Why didn't I think of that?

Darlene, cook extraordinaire, made them for our book group yesterday. Along with a wonderful chicken and bacon strata -- a savory bread pudding, so more eggs -- and yogurt with homemade granola. So good.

In answer to that age-old question, the deviled eggs came before the chicken strata. But seriously, which came first? My daughter Claire and I talk this one over occasionally. The egg? OK, but the chicken would have to lay the egg. But the chicken comes from an egg.

You rarely find a dish that combines chicken and eggs, right? Ah, that strata. Chicken salad with hard-cooked eggs? Maybe. Wonder what chicken salad stuffed into deviled eggs would be like?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 27 and 28

2010-04-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today was a double egg day. Eggs in the morning, eggs at night.

Huevos Rancheros, the much-abused dish. Rarely done right. It's all about the beans, right? Because without the beans, do you have anything? Yes. Huevos (eggs) on Rancheros (red sauce) is so simple, so straightforward. But it constantly gets screwed up. Embellished with crema, mucked up by cheese.

Guess what? A food writer named Clementine was credited with introducing this dish to America in the 1950s.

I have eaten so many crappy Huevos Rancheros, I stopped ordering it. But this morning, I tried again. At Citizen. The crepe place in my neighborhood, which I like so much except. Darn it. The food is pretty average. The people are so nice, but the food is just ho-hum and served lukewarm. The eggs were overcooked. They should be runny. You know what? I took a picture, but it's just not pretty. Especially the banged up avocado. Oh, all right. I will include the pic.

The egg wasn't runny like the poached egg I perched on some asparagus. It was perfect. I love that combination of textures, the squishy egg, the tender-crisp veg. A rich layer of olive oil, shredded Parm kind of melting into the background. And so pretty!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 25 and 26

2010-04-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

I do not like Green Eggs and Ham. I do not like them Sam I Am.

I just read that book to my three-year-old neighbor, Lila, the other day. Of course, he ends up liking Green Eggs and Ham once he tried them. I always love the sing-songy rhythm of Dr. Seuss and I am crazy about the Green Eggs and Ham at The Crumpet Shop.

It's pesto mixed into eggs and nuked, yes, microwaved eggs. It's the only time I like eggs cooked that way, served on those thick crumpets. There are loads of things I like on that tidy menu, but the Green Eggs and Ham are at the top of the list.

Part 26

My husband, Johnny, (Mr. Nelson to the kiddos he just student-taught at Bear Creek Elementary), is a breakfast burrito master. He can go on and on about how much he loves stuffing things in tortillas, but scrambled eggs are his fave. Nothing special, he makes 'em a little toasty in the George Foreman.

We ate them standing in the kitchen this morning, as the cable guy hooked up a new HD box. We now can watch the Seattle Mariners in high definition, but the install was frustrating. Extra expenses for this and that and extra cable. Not exactly the scenario for a relaxing meal. But that's the beauty of a burrito, right? You can eat it on the go.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 22, 23 and 24

2010-04-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

What do you fry your egg in? I'm talking about butter, bacon grease, olive oil...

As much as I love butter, I like a more neutral flavor for cooking a fried egg. I want don't want anything to overpower the egg-y goodness. So I use short blast of olive oil spray. I fry it hot because I like the edges of the white to get a little brown and crispy. And it works.

My grandfather was a big believer in keeping a can of bacon grease around to fry his daily egg and I think if I had to go with a fat, I would choose that over butter. Oh. Just remembered I have some duck fat in the fridge. Wonder how that would be? Guess I'll have to try it.

Part 23 and 24:

Saturday was a big day for eggs in my kitchen. I made a rhubarb upside down cake, the batter a golden yellow hue thanks to a couple of eggs. It was a smash hit. Next time, I think I might add another egg.

Also made meatballs, the egg as the binder holding the mix of ground beef, pork, chopped oregano, onions, garlic, bread crumbs. I did something a little differently this time, soaking the bread in milk. It made for a softer, almost delicate texture.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 21

2010-04-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Went to a wonderful three-hour lunch in Bellevue yesterday, a media/blogger preview of Artisanal's new spring menu. The six-course meal was impressive, but there was one dish that stood out as a "what does not belong in this picture?"

It was a pork belly bowl with soba noodles. Not exactly something you'd expect to find on the menu at a French brasserie, huh? Well, guess what nudged it back toward France? The most beautiful poached egg. I wish I would have asked the chef, Terrence Brennan, how the kitchen acheived such a feat.

As it does, the egg added richness to the deeply flavored broth. It's somehow exotic, yet simple. The bowl was a hit. I'm still a little puzzled about its place on the mostly French menu. C'est la vie!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 19 and 20

2010-04-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

My better half makes a mean frittata, the open-faced omelet, pictured up top with ham, spinach and sharp cheddar. He sautes the various components before sliding the eggs into the pan and adding those cooked ingredients back on top and finishing it under the broiler.

But yesterday at breaky, we talked about how cool it would be if you could make an omelet like Julia Child did. Beaten eggs in the pan, shake it violently and, voila, a perfect omelet is served. She made it look so easy. Click here to watch her!

Omelet failure is what drove Johnny to fix the frittata instead. He was frustrated when the center wouldn't set. He tried cooking it fast and slow and everything in between, but it was either dry or slimy. Not cool.

Maybe what we both need is to buy a couple dozen eggs and just practice. Oui?

Part 20... I went to lovely Tilikum Place Cafe for lunch yesterday and saw a plate pass by that turned my head and stirred my rumbling tummy. It was a fried egg sitting on top of baked beans and toast. A regular English breakfast, that.

I ended up ordering something else (the special, which was kielbasa, braised red cabbage and perogi, pictured above), but it got me thinking: Why did the English breakfast never take off in this country? With the beans and the fried tomato? I lived in England when I was a college student and flopped at many cheap-o B and Bs. But no matter how tatty the accommodations, I could always look forward to a cooked breakfast. It fueled me until I could ramble into a pub and get a ploughman's lunch. (Pause for nostalgic sigh.)

OK, I'm taking a pledge right now: More beans and eggs in the morning!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 18

2010-04-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

So, I think I might be onto something with this egg business.

How do I gauge that? One of my most devoted blog buddies just sent me a link to a great piece that appeared earlier this week, dissecting various ways to deal with post-Easter egg overload. Thank you No Sluggo Dave for this link. If he's my thermometer, I think this egg experiment might be pretty hot. If not, heck, I gave it a shot.

Yesterday, I made meatloaf and struggled with the number of eggs to crack. Should it be one or two or even three? I went with one, but will do two next time. I know egg plus ground meat plus bread crumbs is the basic formula for meatballs and meatloaf. Because I rarely use recipes, I sometimes forget what I've done in the past. So what? I like a moving target. I think the end result is almost always better as it evolves over time.

This version including a fistful of fresh herbs from my dinky plot: two kinds of oregano, thyme, a little rosemary. Wish I had Italian parsley growing out there. I'll plant some this season. I add a small can of tomato sauce, juice it with some habanero pepper sauce. Homemade bread crumbs. Salt and pepper and ketchup on top. Organic ketchup, if that makes it seem slightly less kitschy.

I like the idea of baking hard-cooked eggs into a meatloaf. I think it would look really cool. Next time, maybe.

Just thinking about the unlikely pairing of hamburger and eggs suddenly gives me a craving for loco moco, the egg-topped burger from Hawaii. Or the special request I make at Shultzy's for an egg on top of my sausage sandwich. Wouldn't it be sad if you didn't like eggs? Because you would never know how good those dishes taste.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 17

2010-04-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

When I was a food writer for daily newspapers, there were certain seasonal stories I dreaded doing: Thanksgiving leftovers, lean cuisine for post-holiday dieters, Mother's Day Brunch menus (can't you take Mom out to dinner, for heaven's sake? Why's it always about brunch?)

But I don't believe I ever wrote about the morning after Easter, when you've got cartons of hard-boiled eggs and you're wondering what the heck to do with 'em.

As I've mentioned before, hard-boiled eggs were never my thang. I wasn't crazy about the rubbery whites and the gritty yolks. Frankly, I thought egg salad stank. But that was before I tried the egg salad at Roses Bakery Cafe in Eastsound, Washington. It was a thing of beauty, served open-face, intensely seasoned. It was a treat. (My sister ordered it and let me have a few bites.)

Since then, I've been looking for a recipe that goes beyond the mix of mayo and mustard and I've yet to find anything. Though I'm tempted to try my anchovy mayo as a foundation for this sandwich spread. Anybody care to share their favorite egg salad recipe?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 15 and 16

2010-04-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

While Claire and I were out on a walk, I saw a pink Easter Bunny patting kiddos on the heads while they hunted for Easter eggs. Cute, huh?

Well, here was the problem: The lawn at the church where the Bunny had done a pretty lousy job of "hiding" eggs was covered in plastic. Who invented these foul things anyway? Probably somebody who was a victim of a wayward Easter egg that went all stinky.

It's been years since I colored eggs. Claire's hunting days are long passed. (The photo above was taken when she was 3.) And, back then, I didn't really know what to do with a bunch of hard-boiled eggs. I wasn't into deviled eggs or egg salad. The first time I remember the hard-boiled egg light going on was at a restaurant in Spokane I loved dearly. Paprika's genius chef, Karla Graves, made an enchilada with chopped hard-boiled eggs, topped with a pumpkin seed sauce. I recently found that recipe and I'm going to try to recreate that dish that was so damn exotic, yet familiar somehow.

Anyway, no Easter eggs at our house this year. Not even chocolate ones.

Part 15: Last night, I made carbonara. Sauteed pancetta, beat eggs and poured them into hot pasta. Shaved Parm, salt and pepper, some local spring asparagus on the side. So satisfying. And simple, too. I don't add cream to carbonara, relying on the eggs for the richness. It probably isn't, but it seems lighter than a heavy cream version.

You know another noodle dish that uses egg for depth and character? Pad Thai.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 14

2010-04-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

I used to be afraid of making mayo. Why? It's so easy. It's crazy easy. Really!

When I was prep cooking at Alpha Sigma Phi, I got lots of practice... because the fantastic head chef Darlene Barnes (whose excellent deviled egg is pictured above) made lots of Caesar salads for the guys and the dressing was from based on an anchovy mayo. I love that anchovy mayo. It's so rich and exotic, but you cannot taste the fishy fish. It's the oboe in the symphony.

So, here's how I conquered my mayo-phobia: Drop one clove garlic and one anchovy into the whirling blade. Add a pinch of Kosher salt and one egg. I know using a raw egg can be risky, but I use farmers market eggs, so what? Then, while the blade is spinning, I drizzle in olive oil... until I hear it thicken. You'll know. Stop. Check it. Yeah, go ahead and stick your finger in that! So freaking delish, right?

If I were to finish that recipe for a Caesar, I would add some lemon juice... to taste... a dash or two or three of Worchestshire and Tabasco and some shredded Parm. Give it a whirl. Taste. Add to shredded romaine. Top with more Parm and fresh cracked pepper. OMG!

So, backing up... I use the anchovy mayo to the egg yolks for my deviled eggs, version 1. My favorite version. The dish I top with a caper and can't stop eating. They're heavenly.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 13

2010-04-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today's experiment: What happens when you deep-fry an egg?

It's dramatic: Splatter, sputter, crackle. It's done in less than 10 seconds. It was not pretty.

Why the hell did I even try? Well, because sometimes you've got to break a few eggs when you're experimenting. I already had a pot of oil going.... for my chocolate fried pies. Yes, they're as good as they sound. I've made them twice now and dang, it makes me nostalgic for the South. Where, by gum, they know how to deep-fry.

It drives me crazy to hear the fat police bashing deep-frying when bacon-wrapped-bacon is on menus or pork belly or mac-and-cheese. When done correctly, deep-frying isn't as bad as its made out to be. Besides, I walked five miles today, mostly in my kitchen. From the fridge to the counter to the sink and to the stove and back again.

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend deep-frying a plain old egg. But put some meat and breading around it and you've got Scotch eggs. The perfect pub grub?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 12

2010-03-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

So, I took my deviled eggs (see Part 11) to a tapas party and they were warmly received, but the finger food that made me happiest was sardine-topped crostini. And, guess what? It had diced egg on top.

Now, I feel like most people miss the boat when it comes to sardines. The haters will say they're too fishy. But they're really pretty mild. Especially in this lovely preparation: Smear a bit of harissa paste onto a toasted piece of bread. Top with shaved shallots, sardines that have been seasoned with a little white wine vinegar and chopped eggs.

That's a whole lot of flavor, but the richness of the fish is balance by the spiciness of the chili paste. The eggs added a mellow note. They weren't the star, but an important supporting player. I am going to make that preparation myself and soon. Maybe even tonight.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 11

2010-03-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm going to a tapas potluck tonight. Scallops from Taylor Shellfish are the star of the show and fritters from a Red Cat (the famous pub in Brooklyn) recipe. Can't wait!

So, what am I bringing?

My kick-ass deviled eggs. I've said this before, but it bears repeating: I'm a fairly recent convert to the charms of these heavenly bites. It wasn't until I lived in the South that I got to taste deviled eggs as they were meant to be, the yolks turned velvety instead of gritty because somebody had the good sense to add a little butter. Be still my sluggishly beating heart.

Since my deviled egg epiphany, I've been playing around with making my own. It's harder than you think. The biggest challenge for me is peeling the eggs. It seems like those shells would slide right off, but no... They crumble and shatter into a million sharp little pieces that you have pick off the egg one by one by one until you're ready to SCREAM!

Please, somebody show me the way! How's it done? If you share, I promise to print my secret recipe for deviled eggs that have the power to make saints into sinners.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 10

2010-03-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

I picked up a loaf of Challah bread on Friday and then forgot about it. (Don't know how that happened. Bread is usually inhaled in our home.)

Nothing like stale bread to inspire a batch of French toast. After eating at Mother's Bistro in Portland last fall, I've changed up the way I make my French toast, giving the egg-and-milk-dunked bread a coating of corn flakes before frying. It might sound goofy, but I love the contrast of the rich, soft bread and the crispy cereal. (I use Trader Joe's Organic Corn Flakes.)

I spiked my French toast batter with whatever juice I have in the fridge for a little extra character. The other day that was apricot nectar. I also had some apricot syrup from the Farmers Market. Oh my goodness.

Hey, I just got another egg-y inspiration! Next time I make a breakfast bread pudding, I'm going to try topping it with corn flakes. Mmmmm!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 9

2010-03-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

My life is filled with good eggs. Kind, thoughtful family and friends. I have no use for bad eggs.

I did a little noodling around, trying to sniff out the origins of the term, good egg. It was used by Brit wiseacre P.G. Wodehouse in the 1920s. Maybe a prep school twist on the bad seed? Nothing definitive.

Yesterday, I went to the U-District Farmers Market and talked to the goat farmer who sold me the eggs with the fragile yolks. I told her a few of the dozen shattered when they hit the pan and asked if she had any idea why this happened. She wasn't sure, but she was sorry to hear about the bad yolks.

But she insisted I take another dozen, no charge. Well, thank you. She sure was a good egg.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 8

2010-03-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

I love Mario Batali's recipes. They turn out. They make home cooks look like heroes.

Yesterday, I made Barolo Short Ribs and a ricotta tart from Molto Italiano. The tart -- which I'm guessing was perfected by pastry chef extraordinaire Gina DePalma -- calls for a half a dozen eggs. Eggs in the crust. Eggs in the filling. An egg wash on top. A whole lotta eggs.

The egg wash is particularly interesting to me. The power to lacquer food is an amazing thing. I wish I understood how it worked. I think I need Harold McGee to tell me. But it does, as you can see from the photo above.

I liked how this tart wasn't too sweet. I love lemon-y desserts and this was a fine example of rich ingredients that don't feel heavy after you've eaten them. The citrus lift.

There really aren't many desserts worth eating that don't break a few eggs to achieve body and velvety texture. Oh, the custards and flan and cakes and cookies. My grandmother's rhubarb pie recipe would be a runny mess without eggs.

What's your favorite eggs-centric treat?

Read how this project was hatched.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 7

2010-03-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

Breaking news: This just in from Pike Place Creamery's Nancy Nipples... after more queries on that burning question about breaking yolks, the milky detective came up with a few more possibilities:

Maybe pan was too hot.

The membrane around the yolk is delicate and a lot of jostling on the way home could’ve broken it.

When a hen starts laying again after winter and/ or when a young hen just starts laying their yolks are very fragile.

Could have to do with what is in their feed.

Finally, she dismissed the egg is old theory, saying "I am having a hard time believing that eggs you purchased at a Farmer’s Market would be old."

But then, yesterday, I stopped by the Creamery to ... pick up a dozen eggs, which the cashier decorated with a clever illustration... pictured above. And I told her those two were the only yolks that broke: "Well, then, they could be old. When I raised chickens, they used to hide their eggs. They were very sneaky."

The bit about the changing of the season makes the most sense to me. Oh, and, when I buy eggs from the Creamery, I like to get the small ones. It's one of the few places that sells them. I don't know about taste. I just like the way they look in the pan. I'm frying up a couple for breakfast.

Does size matter? Do you always go for the extra large?

Read how this project was hatched.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 6

2010-03-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

I would like to award the cook who first thought of breaking an egg on a disc of dough with the Nobel Pizza Prize. What genius! Especially if that egg is nested next to a pile of pancetta or prosciutto.

I first spotted this brilliant combo at Serious Pie, where it's pretty hard to draw attention from the flat-out amazing crust. It's made the day before so the flavors are really rich. The texture is chewy, but never tough. It's a crust of substance. I love that dang crust. Big kudos to Wendy and her crew in the bakery for making that crust so special!!

The lineup of toppings at Serious Pie are interesting, too. A few weeks ago, I had a pie topped with creamy stinging nettles. It was a close-your-eyes-and-moan kind of experience. What? What are you people staring at? Haven't you ever seen "When Harry Met Sally"?

On the current menu, a soft egg shares the billing with guincale (cured jowl meat) and arugula. There's a symphony's worth of flavors and textures in just a few ingredients. Wow! I tried making my own version at home and it turned out pretty darned good. That's it in the pic.

What do you think? Can you picture an egg on your pie?

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 5

2010-03-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Bartender: Gimme a shot and a beer and an egg chaser!

I almost always think of eggs as a morning meal, the sunny yolk making waking up a little easier. But, of course, eggs show up at all hours of the day. Egg salad sammies for lunch, frittata for din-din. Hard-boiled and peeled in the dark for a late-night snack.

A very pretty egg was one of the highlights of a recent happy hour at Matt's in the Market, perched on top of a Sloppy Joe. I wonder who was the first Joe to throw an egg on top of a pile of meat? A great moment in history. Do you think it was Ben Franklin? He is, by far, my favorite egghead of all time.

When you think about it, eggs are a pretty perfect bar food. A blast of protein that fortifies the cocktail-er. Sustenance that's straightforward and easy to eat. Maybe that's why huge jars of pickled eggs were fixtures at many a dive bar. Are they still? Been a while since I've seen pickled eggs. Or pickled pig's feet, another retro bar snack.

All this talk of foods with pucker power puts me in the mood to try making my own pickled eggs. Coming right up!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 4

2010-03-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

I got baked this morning.

Actually, this egg was technically shirred. Or broiled. On top of a piece of ham, fresh herbs sprinkled on top. A dusting of Parm and four minutes under the flame. Simple, tasty. Why have I never shirred?

I was thumbing through Mastering the Art of French Cooking in bed last night. Yes, I keep it on my nightstand. Which can lead to some pretty saucy dreams.

Ms. Child does all sorts of interesting things to eggs, including mummifying them in aspic. Doesn't really sound appealing, but I bet it would be good. I came around on aspic while living in Memphis, tomato aspic in particular. Especially with some homemade mayo on top. That's the staple of the Lenten lunches at the Calvary Waffle Shop, a seasonal slice of heaven.

But let's get back to baking eggs. What excited me most about this morning's preparation was the casserole dish I got to use. I bought it in the French Alps years ago. It's designed especially for a potato casserole called La Tartiflette. Which, come to think of it, would be even better with an egg on top.

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 3

2010-03-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Read how this experiment was hatched, Part 1.

Why do yolks break?

This runny state of affairs has vexed me so often, I gave up frying eggs. Easier to just scramble 'em in the first place.

But I love plopping a perfectly fried egg on top of a piece of toast and then cutting into the yolk, letting the river of yellow flow over the crusty bread. So, I occasional try, try again to fry.

I picked up a dozen eggs at the farmers market on Saturday and thought they would make the perfect candidate to crack into a hot skillet. The plan was to compare an egg from the supermarket and those truly farm fresh eggs. I imagined the eggs from the plucky hens to soar above those inferior supermarket eggs. Guess what? It didn't go that way. Both yolks from the $6 dozen -- yes, SIX BUCKS -- burst as soon as they hit the pan. They looked like a stove top Picasso.

The taste was no great shakes, either. Huge bummer.

I might use the rest to make deviled eggs. I've heard older eggs are the best to devil and I suspect these might not have been moving quickly at $6 a dozen.

So, I called Nancy Nipples, the owner of Pike Place Creamery, and asked: Why do yolks break?

"Honestly, I'm not sure," she said. "But let me ask around."

She called me back and still wasn't certain, though she had lots of interesting conversations about this breaking issue. "Sometimes, farmers market eggs are laid by chickens that don't get fed oyster shells, so their shells are harder. You have to whack 'em a little harder and the shell could puncture the yolk."

Guess what I found out? Ms. Nancy's adorable store is stocking goose eggs right now! They're $2.50 apiece and she says she likes to eat them poached and served on a piece of sourdough. Got to try that!!

The Egg A Day Experiment, Part 2

2010-03-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

So, I'm reading the Sunday New York Times and Sam Sifton's writing about hash browns, but also includes a recipe for scrambled eggs with trout caviar. Which might make some people cringe. Egg on egg? I was a skeptic, too, until I had the most sublime dish at the French Laundry.

I was tagging along with a whole lot of wonderful people from Viking and we were getting VIP'd, I knew it from the very start. Our amuse was a hollowed-out shell that had been filled with the most delicate custard and a dollop of caviar. It was pure bliss on mother of pearl spoon. Nobody spoke during those first few bites, just low moans of pleasure. Then we all agreed we had never tasted anything so incredible. At least until the next course. Which I do not recall... but I remember the egg.

Today, I'm making Mother's Bistro French toast for brunch. Without eggs, pain perdure would be milk toast. Which has got to be one of the most vile things ever fed to a person in the name of trying to make them feel better. My grandmother would occasionally use it to try and figure out if we were really sick. "Maybe what you need is some milk toast," Nana said, hands on hips. That would roust us quicker than the threat of a spoonful of castor oil. Another weapon in her get well toolbox.

Back then, she could have also given us the willys by offering to serve us... yup... fish eggs. When we were kids, those were the bright pink salmon eggs my grandfather used to catch trout. They stank. It was that sense memory that stuck in my head, putting me off caviar of any kind until I got hooked on the flying fish roe used on sushi. Thank goodness I turned the corner. So I could fully appreciate the caviar on that lovely November evening in Yountville in the company of Carol and Martha and LeAnne and John T.

Get Crackin'... The Egg A Day Experiment

2010-03-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

My grandfather, Guy McMurtry Kelly, ate an egg every day of his life. And he lived to be 97.

I'm not saying there's a connection, but maybe... I was contemplating the power of the egg while reading Michael Ruhlman's Elements of Food, one of the breeziest reference books I've ever picked up. He goes on and on about how much he loves eggs. Their power to enrich and strength, to emulsify and turn oil into mayo or even better, rouille. His words stirred something in me. A new appreciation for the humble orb.

So, what better day to start something new and egg-centric than the dawning of Spring? I know it's been done to death, but I thought I'd do a daily tribute to the egg... until it gets stale. So, LET'S GET CRACKIN'!

When I cook eggs for breakfast, it's almost always scrambled. Because it's so quick and easy. You don't have to fret about breaking the yolk. You can even -- horrors! -- nuke/scramble in the microwave if you're desperate.

But Ruhlman's prose nudged me into poaching territory. He borrows a technique from Harold McGee to poach the perfect egg, cracking it into a ramekin before sliding onto a slotted spoon where the runny stuff drips out. No more ragged edges. This worked pretty well when I made Momofuku's fan-flipping-tastic Shrimp and Grits, but I don't think I'm going to fuss with it at breakfast for myself. Especially if I'm going to gently spoon that egg onto a bowl of grits.

In the photo above, those are Alber's Quick Grits I made according to the directions on the package, adding a little extra water and then finishing them by folding in shredded Drunken Goat cheese and some shaved Parm. And lots of salt and pepper. And, finally, a few dashes of Tabasco's Habenero sauce on top.

I wonder what Papa -- who liked his one fried egg on a piece of dry toast -- would have thought about that presentation.

Would love to hear any other poaching pointers!

Something new to chew on....

2010-03-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

This space definitely needs some serious spring cleaning!

It's sad and forlorn and empty of content and character. Because I'm working my tail off trying to make some dough that's why. Since the demise of the print P-I a year ago, my plate is heaped higher than your average all-you-can-eat Spokane buffet.

Naturally, I feel guilty about neglecting W&D and miss the great conversations I've had here over the years. So, I've hatched a plan. I'm not going to say what it is until Saturday, the first day of my favorite season. From that day forward, I pledge to post here once a day for a year. Promise!

Betting on better biscuits

2010-02-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

So, sane people start the new year resolved to diet/exercise/quit swearing and such. Every Jan. 1, I take a vow to overcome my flour-phobia.

This year, I've been kneading, baking pies and trying to get my biscuits to raise to cathead heights. So far, I'm not even batting .500! This is typically the spot on the calendar when I throw my head back and scream into the heavens: "Why can't I bake?"

But I will not be deterred this year. I am going to keep practicing until I get it right. And, now, I have even more incentive. I tossed out a biscuit bake-off challenge on Facebook and a couple of friends bit. So, it's on.

I've been using the recipe on the can of baking powder, but I am going to experiment with a couple modifications, including using melted shortening. That's one of the secrets of the best biscuits in the world, at Bryant's in Memphis.

Once I get my biscuit technique nailed down, I'll figure out the particulars of this bake-off. And then ponder: What's best spread on them? Jam? Jelly? Honey? Sorghum, perhaps. Or sausage gravy and a couple of eggs?

Pea-con or Pea-kan?

2010-02-01T08:36:00.001-08:00

Made my first-ever pecan pie this weekend and it was mighty tasty. Had a slice straight up, but thinking it could only be better with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Ever since taking a pie-making class, I've been sharpening my dough-making skills. I'm getting there. Even the "mistakes" still taste pretty darned good. Like the lemon meringue that was so close.

There's a recipe in my friend Martha Foose's "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" book that's up next: Sweet Tea pie! Doesn't that sound like a slice of summer?

What's the most unusual pie to join your recipe rotation?

Thinking about Mary Beth...

2010-01-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

I was completely shocked to hear last week that Mary Beth Lasseter, the can-do force at the Southern Foodways Alliance, had brain surgery last week. She seems invincible. This news just sucks and, like so many others, I'm wishing her a speedy recovery.

She would be the first to marshall an effort to lend a hand. In fact, she did just that after Hurricane Katrina, when she organized a bunch of well-meaning folks from across the country who came together to help rebuild a landmark restaurant, Willie Mae's Scotch House. It turned into a monumental project. That's Mary Beth, third from the right in this photo, taken in 2006, as the rebuilding was heading into the home stretch. The Scotch House has been frying its famous chicken again for a couple of years now.

This startling drop on the roller coaster of life is beyond a Hallmark moment. Sending a card isn't enough. I feel compelled to send a care package of freeze-able, comfort food-type meals: New Orleans-style red beans and rice, mac-and-cheese, clam chowder, smoked salmon pasta and a big helping of this sentiment:

Get well soon!

My first-ever lemon meringue pie...

2010-01-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

... was OK. Good, not great. If I were going to be my own toughest critic, I'd say the crust could have been flakier. There wasn't quite enough custard, though it was tang-a-lious.

I also used a couple more egg whites than the recipe called for and would have liked a little taller pie. But, like I said: It was my first try. So, I'll try, try again.

During this Sunday cook-a-thon, I also baked bread, made chicken tortilla soup and oysters Rockefeller, which were damn good. Used the Tom Fitzmorris recipe, which uses watercress, fennel, green onions, flat-leaf parsley. It also calls for green food coloring, but I skipped that. Did add a splash of Pernod. I could eat a dozen of those all by myself. But I shared!

Only at Uwajimaya!

2010-01-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

Would you find chittlins next to a Red Baron pizza!

I spent nearly an hour roaming around the Asian supermarket yesterday before going to lunch with friends at Thai Simple Curry, a decent hole in the wall down the block.

A couple of years ago, when my kid was doing volunteer work in the neighborhood, I would drive her to the International District and spend some time shopping. Every single trip, I saw something I had never seen before and wondered: What the heck do you do with this stuff?

Yesterday, I was on foot, so I couldn't carry a lot, but here's what I put in my basket: Banana sauce, Tom Yum paste, lard, collard greens, shallots, chili coated peas, won ton wrappers, gyoza wrappers, okra, a Japanese white yam, green tea. Can't wait to go back!

Happy Birthday Elvis!

2010-01-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

The King would have turned 75 yesterday, an occasion I celebrated by going to a totally fantastic show at The Triple Door.

Vince Mira is probably best known for his tributes to Johnny Cash, but he belted out some Elvis tunes -- both well-known and obscure -- that had the sold-out crowd cheering for more.

I'm not exactly sure when I became an Elvis fan. Must have happened during the three years I lived in Memphis and took at least a half a dozens tours of Graceland with various visitors. E just kind of grew on me, his humble, country boy charm was no put on. And, boy, he was generous. There's one wall in Graceland covered in cancelled checks written to charities.

Even if you're not in the fan camp, it's interesting to see Graceland, a place that's frozen in time. A snapshot of 1970s decor complete with shag carpet and garish furniture. It's not The Jungle Room that fascinated me, though, but the kitchen. Very simple, very inviting.

It really rubbed me the wrong way earlier this week when I got a news release from a company hawking vodka. They had come up with some drinks that would be perfect to go with some of Elvis's favorite food, which according to the release, including "burned bacon." Hmm, I've never heard that one. Elvis was not a drinker either... except he was hooked on Pepsi.

I also heard Elvis loved meatloaf. So much that he would go for weeks eating the same dinner night after night. I learned that after interviewing Jerry Schilling, a member of the Memphis Mafia, his posse.

On the evening of his birthday, in that stylish club in Seattle, I ordered something I'm sure The King would never have experienced in his too-short life: Monk's Curry with veggies and tofu and chicken laab, a tangy salad that's tucked into cabbage leaves. The spicy fare was a fine accompaniment to the sweet sounds of an uber-talented singer-songwriter paying tribute to one of the biggest names in show business. Fever! What a lovely way to burn...

2009 Bites! The Dessert Edition

2010-01-02T18:01:00.001-08:00

Eat dessert first, right?

From top to bottom:

Christmas cookies. Bridget's the frosting artist.

Daily Dozen Doughnuts, Pike Place Market.

Hubig's Pies, New Orleans.

Momofuku Milk Bar's Crack Pie, Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium, Oxford, Miss.

Claudio Corallo Chocolate.

The Pie Shop, DeValls Bluff, Arkansas.

Milkshakes at Lunchbox Laboratory, Seattle.

Blackberry Pie, Orcas Island.

Peaches from River View Orchards, Rice, Washington.

2009 Bites!

2009-12-31T12:30:00.000-08:00

Yup, it's that time of year. Even though I've hung up the professional feedbag, there's just something about the end of the year that shoves me into a reflective mood, compelling me to boil 12 months worth of eating into a bite-size list.

It was a hell of a year. The newspaper folded. Our Baby Girl went off to college. And so did Johnny. He's this close to getting a masters in elementary education after putting his 30-year newspaper career to bed on March 17.

Still, this roller coaster ride of 2009 has had a whole lot of thrills, especially when it comes to meals shared around a table filled with friends and family. Here's to 2010 and all the great bites to come!

Some of my favorite morsels of 2009, pictured from top to bottom:

One of everything please at Couchon, New Orleans.

BLT handroll at Do, Memphis.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion taco, Walla Walla.

Claire's high school graduation party on the water at Lincoln Park: BBQ pork sammies, Nana's beans and cake from the same bakery where we got our wedding cake, Borracchini's.

Deep-fried dill pickles at Luizza's On the Tracks, New Orleans.

Go meet the new pastry chef at Barking Frog, Woodinville.

Post-hike bratwurst with my brother Chris at Munchen Haus, Leavenworth.

Duck egg ravioli made by Tom Douglas at the Tom Douglas Summer Boot Camp, Seattle.

Charcuterie and local cheese plate at The Pike, Seattle.

Hitting the snack bar at The Seaview Theater, Orcas Island.

Getting piggy with my barbecue guru at Central, Memphis.

Breakfast at Mother's, Portland.

2009 Bites! Part Two

2009-12-31T12:10:00.001-08:00

More incredible/memorable bites from 2009, from top to bottom:

Bacon-wrapped scallops and kale at Black Bottle.

Craig's BBQ in DeValls Bluff, Arkansas.

Roast chicken at Soul Fish in Memphis.

Everything at Pam's Caribbean on the Ave.

Everything at Salumi.

Yellowtail tataki in Whitefish, Montana.

Oysters at Taylor Shellfish Farms, Samish Bay.

I'm dreaming of oysters for Christmas

2009-12-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure when it happened, but my daughter has become oyster lover. Baby Girl used to be so dang picky, so parents of persnickety kids should take heart.

When we were working out our holiday menus, she suggested oysters on Christmas Eve. Which sent me into a shellfish fever. What would it be? On the half shell? Fried? Wrapped in bacon? Rockefellered? How about yes to all of the above. I'll make oysters a dozen different ways, I foolishly declared.

Now I'm in a pickle. I can only come up with 10 recipes. What am I missing?

On the half shell
A Bloody Mary shooter
Dredged in a curry powder and flour and fried
Po'Boy
Angels on Horseback
Oysters Casino
Oysters Rockefeller
Oyster Stew
Oysters Bienville
BBQ-ed Oysters

Maybe I should quit fixating on coming up with a dozen. Ten's a good number. Unless somebody's got a savory suggestion.

Pointing my compass toward Northstar!

2009-12-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

Heading to Walla Walla this weekend for Holiday Barrel Tasting, snow forecasts be damned.

I've always loved trying wine in its earliest stages. It's a sneak preview of the wonderful things to come. But this fall, I'm particularly pumped because I've been following one wine at Northstar that I think has the potential to be a true superstar.

I've been chronicling the story of the Big Dipper since last summer, when winemaker David "Merf" Merfeld put nearly 300 miles on his pickup showing me some of his favorite vineyards. That journey reminded me how vast and how beautiful this state's wine country is. I know it's often compared with France, given our shared latitude. And many of the sites reminded me of vineyards I saw in Bordeaux, which is cool because Merf's definitely got an Old World state-of-mind about crafting the Big Dipper. He wants to make a wine that will age. A noble aspiration in our instant gratification wine-drinking world.

We won't get a sneak peek at Big Dipper this weekend. I'm bummed, but it's understandable. There's a limited amount of wine from various vineyards tagged for Big Dipper and Merf needs every drop for blending purposes. But super tasters will get to sample sips from other wines produced this year, which should give a good indication the direction they're headed. Can't wait! Will I see you there?

Along with barrel tasting, there's going to be live music Saturday and Sunday, tasting of older wines and a selection of cheese to sample. Find me there on Saturday afternoon and whisper "Big Dipper" in my ear and I'll buy you a drink!

Thanksgiving: The Aftermath

2009-11-28T08:35:00.000-08:00

Did everybody have a wonderful Turkey Day?

At our home, it was a Northwest feast: miso salmon wearing purple potato scales, oyster dressing, sauteed kale, curried delicata squash soup, salad dressed in a pear and cranberry chutney vinaigrette. Apple pie for dessert. We were all mighty thankful for the 1999 Cabernet from Woodward Canyon.

Select leftovers were folded into pasta last night, as we sat around the table one last time with friends and family from out of town. They buttered me up with compliments. There were no dramas, just lots of laughs and sillyness.

We went to movies, skipping the Black Friday sales, and did a quick visit to the Seattle Art Museum and hung out at the UW Bookstore. Packed in a whole lot this weekend. I'm not the kind of person who thinks company is like fish. Starting to stink after three days.

I'm happy to see them come and sad to watch them leave. And hope they come back again soon.

Digesting Food Inc.

2009-11-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

Finally saw Food Inc. last night and was worried I would have nightmares. It was damn scary.

This morning, I heeded the call to action and started planning an entirely new Thanksgiving menu, sourced entirely at neighborhood farmers markets and my husband said: "You know, sometimes ignorance is bliss."

Yes, that's true. It takes a lot of effort to do the right thing. I know I'm late to the table with this question, but I can't help wondering: How did seeing this movie affect you? Did it bring lasting change to the way you cook/eat?

Most people have good intentions about eating right, but the system's gamed. Cheap food comes from factory farms, that's the bottom line. It costs more to buy directly from farmers, I get that.

I am going to redouble my efforts to support sustainability as much as my super tight budget will allow. Starting on Thanksgiving. Just put in a call to Olsen Farms, asking what was available. Maybe I'll see you at the U-District Farmer's Market tomorrow?

What a great trip!

2009-11-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

Sure had a filling trip to Memphis and Oxford, Miss., for the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium, three days of food, fellowship and big, big fun.

The combination of scholarly discourse and incredible food is what keeps coming me back to this annual event. I've met so many interesting people, all coming together to celebrate food traditions of the South.

This year's focus on music was so perfect, given the depth of musical talent to come out of that region. Serving red beans and rice cooked on a recipe inspired by a gone, but not forgotten restaurant in New Orleans before talking about the way musicians gathered at that venerable place was brilliant.

Sunday morning's Chitlin ballet -- formally called Pork Songs -- was followed by a banquet of baked fish, greens, grits and heaps of bacon and biscuits cooked by John Currence's crew at City Grocery.

That was my second breakfast. I had to go back to Big Bad Breakfast to taste whether the grit cake (pictured with a side of tomato gravy, a biscuit and andouille sausage) was as good the first time I tried it. Heck yes!

Already looking forward to next year.

Love being a tourist in my hometown

2009-10-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

Had a friend from Atlanta visiting last week, in Seattle taking photos for a book on street food. Angie and I packed a whole lot into two days.

In between sampling meals on wheels -- the Cuban place on 90th and Aurora was my fave -- we also had a wonderful dinner at Crow, ate oysters at Elliott's, sandwiches at Salumi, cookies from Bakery Nouveau, biscuits and gravy at Citizen and spicy Bloody Marys at Taste at the Seattle Art Museum. Not in that order, mind you.

It wasn't only about the food. We saw the new Alexander Calder exhibit at SAM, went up in the Space Needle, walked around the Pike Place Market and rode the Monorail. Good fun.

What do you do when out-of-towners come for a visit?

Will Brake For BBQ

2009-10-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

Stop! There's smoke. And where there's smoke, pouring out of a cooker, there's bound to be good barbecue, right?

I don't know how many times I've tried to find the holy grail of meats cooked low-and-slow over wood in the Pacific Northwest. I thought I had hit the jackpot today in Duvall, a teeny town north of Woodinville.

Ordered up the Bone Jour at Armadillo Barbecue. A combo that included beans, potato salad and slaw on the side. The meat -- cooked over alder -- looked so promising. But... it was underseasoned, the sauce was too sweet, the chicken was dry and the ribs were too fatty.

I really, really wanted to love Armadillo, which has been open about two months in this location. (The original is in Woodinville.) The staff was so nice. The price was right, under $10 at lunch for the generous combo. The sides were excellent. But the meat just missed the mark. I doctored it up at home with some Rendezvous dry rub and sauce. Much better.

Is it possible to find great BBQ in/around Seattle? I'm not convinced.

Bacon Maple Bar? Mmmmmm!

2009-09-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

Had to see what all the fuss was about at VooDoo Donuts in Portland. Really lived up to the hype. The crunchy/salty bacon the perfect contrasting note to the sticky sweet maple frosting.

What really cracked me up about this funky spot was the "Cock and Balls" taking up some serious space in the whirling display case. The cream-filled donut is shaped like, you guessed it... just like the name says. And, they'll write anything you like on it. "We're not shy," the woman behind the counter said.

Come early, though, because: "Your best chance to find a cock is in the morning," she advised.

I just about spit out my coffee when she served up that line with a straight face.

Go into the light: learning some new photo skills

2009-09-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Lou Manna is a force, a photographer from New York who has been in the business for 30 years.

On Sunday, he led a small group of shutterbugs through Pike Place Market, trying to get us to look at things in a whole new light. Whether that light happened to be tinged with orange, washed out with bright white or soft and blue-y.

I learned a lot, even though I'm at best a point-and-shooter. Today, all I had was my Flip video camera, but I muddled through and got a few pics I think don't stink. I was inspired by the others in this feet-on-the-street lesson. Their images were brilliant. Trouble is, I think I need a new $1,000 camera. When I start shopping, what should I look for? Nikon? Cannon?

And on a serious note...

2009-09-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Forgive me for going way off-topic, but my Baby Girl's about to fly away, leaving a very empty nest and I don't mind telling you I'm more than slightly freaked out.

She's a good kid. I trust her to make good choices, but I read the news. And I've got a cousin who's a cop. She told us there's a persistent problem with young women getting drugged and raped. This scares the hell out of me.

Anyway, we had lunch with Officer Suz and her husband, Officer Chris today for a little self-defense 101. The best defense is a good offense, they said. Instead of opting for a powerful pepper spray, they advised us to get a strong flashlight. Shining it in somebody's eyes if you feel threatened is instantly disarming.

I know this has nothing to do with dining. It's food for thought, though, in this scary world. Am I being a paranoid, over-protective mother? Excuse the cliche, but better safe than sorry!

My new magnet!

2009-09-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

I've got a junk drawer full of fridge magnets. There's just not enough room for all of them.

But I'm pretty fond of the newest one to join the silly collection. Hot Dog! Yes, I found this tube steak at The Cheesemonger in Leavenworth during a recent trip.

Here's a little something I wrote about my sausage search for Serious Eats: Click here for the link!

Tums, Rolaids, Maalox: What works best?

2009-09-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

I like to think I've got an iron gut. I can eat just about anything and it doesn't upset my stomach. But occasionally, I feel the burn. Heartburn.

Yesterday, took a long walk and had to make a detour in search of some relief. Stopped at the IGA Kress downtown. First time I've been in the only supermarket in downtown Seattle. Impressive.

Yet, I couldn't find a small roll of antacids. Only big bottles. I bought some water and asked the clerk if I had overlooked them. No, they don't stock them. But, you know what? He offered me one for the road from his bottle of Tums. How sweet! Even in this day of germ phobia, I accepted.

And the rest of the walk was a pleasure. I'm deeply grateful. And Tums is my favorite brand, though, recently I've had good luck with Rolaids. Any preference?

Canning: Fun, but a whole lot of work

2009-08-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

Had a "Canning Across America" party this weekend and every inch of counter space was sticky by the end of the day. We started around 10 and finished after 5... a long, sweet day.

As much as I enjoyed it, I don't know if/when I'll do it again. Especially as a solitary project. What made it so enjoyable was the good company and the team work. Everybody pitched in to tackle 40 pounds of peaches and 20 pounds of green beans. Which, it turns out, isn't as much as you might image.

My friend Laura, aka the Canning Queen, said she usually does 100 pounds of peaches in a day! Oh my.

The peaches were absolutely beautiful, golden, juicy orbs that will be most appreciated in the dead of winter. That's really the incentive, isn't it? It's not exactly something you do to flex your thrifty muscle, is it?

Adding it all up, the cost of the jars, the sugar, the fruit, the time spent prepping and cleaning and cleaning some more, it doesn't really pencil out. Unless you're canning free fruit. Or you become so proficient that you can tackle a project and get 'er done in a couple of hours.

Maybe it's like any other cooking? The more you do it, the more accomplished you become.

Me? I've still got a couple dozen jars to fill. Searching for something to put in them.

Happy Birthday Macrina!

2009-08-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

When I moved back to the Northwest in 2007, after three delicious years in Memphis, I probably gained 10 pounds eating my way through the spectacular pastries and artisan breads at Macrina Bakery.

I’m crazy about the cookies and the cupcakes and the scones. I’ve ordered layer cakes for special occasions and have cashed in quite a few “buy 12 loaves, get one free” cards. I don’t know if I could pick a favorite.

Owner Leslie Mackie didn’t hesitate when I asked her top picks for loaves and sweets: the seeded baguette and the fresh fruit coffee cake.

Tomorrow, Macrina celebrates its 16^th birthday by treating customers to a cup of coffee. Sweet!

Macrina started small, doing mostly breads in a teeny 847 square feet space. Just one bench for seating. The operation has grown to three locations, each with its own charms. Lately, I’ve been drawn to the SODO spot (in the photo above) because I love watching the crew working the dough through the windows into the huge production space.

A good reminder, Mackie said, that everything’s made by hand.

And the winner is... Rachel Yang from Joule

2009-08-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

Had an absolute blast at the Ready, Set, Go... Cook competition at the U-District Farmers Market today, an annual event that's a fresh take on the Iron Chef.

This year, there was a twist. In addition to shopping at this incredible market, chefs had access to some pantry items from the U-District Food Bank. Today's winner, Rachel Yang from Joule, took advantage of the eclectic selection and incorporated, among other things, some Spam.

She made a lovely congee and folded in chopped zucchini vines, diced zucchini and finished the dish by sauteeing diced Spam, yellow squash, fried squash blossoms and, then, the brilliant finishing touch: an egg yolk "cured" in soy sauce. Wow.

I was so impressed. She also made a pan-roasted veggie salad with Japanese eggplant, which she scored, so it cooked more quickly, and wedges of fennel. She finished that with some purslane, a green that looks like a weed, but has a nice citrus-y flavor.

Really inspiring to see the way the pros use the incredible raw materials. Great job!!

And, by the way, Joule's Sunday series continues tomorrow with JFC: Joule Fried Chicken! Heck yeah, I'm going! You?

Never thought I'd fall in love with a farm

2009-08-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

Just spent a few amazing days at the Quillisascut Farm School of the Domestic Arts and I'm still high from the good vibrations. It was an amazing learning experience. Tough and tiring, but really rewarding.

I wasn't sure what to expect when we rolled up after a nearly six-hour drive from Seattle. That included a pit stop at the still-adorable Billy Burger in Wilbur. When I lived in Spokane, I made many journeys through Washington's wheat country on Highway 2 and this trip brought back loads of happy memories.

During the four days of Farm Culinary 101, we did all sorts of chores, but there were times for reading and reflection. I loved sitting on the deck (the view pictured above) and listening to the birds and the soft wind moving the leaves on the trees.

As we went around the table during our final morning meeting, we talked about the word grateful. I said I was grateful to reconnect to my sense of smell, triggered by the barnyard perfume of compost, the sweetness of lavendar, the intoxicating aroma of bread baking and the odor of sauerkraut fermenting. I forgot to include how grateful I was to go and jump in Lake Roosevelt after a sweaty afternoon of wandering orchards or pulling weeds.

What made this such a powerful experience was sharing it with strangers who became fast friends. The first night was quiet polite conversation, the last was filled with laughter and one wild prank. (Sorry, I'm sworn to secrecy.) There are few times in your adult life when you can give in to child-like feelings of joy and this was one. Only trouble is, now I'm missing life the farm. I feel like I'm going through withdrawl.

I'm going to be on Martha Stewart Living Radio!

2009-07-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

How cool is that?

I'm going to be on Morning Living with Kim Fernandez and Betsy Karetnick Wednesday, July 29 at 6 a.m. PST, 9 for my friends on the East Coast. The segment's called "The Dish" and it features restaurant critics from across the country talking about some of their favorite things, trends, seasonal stuff.

But we're also going to talk about my Critic-Turned-Cook project, which, this week, involves a trip to Culinary Farm School 101 at Quillisascut Cheese. Can't wait to take my turn on the milking stool.

You can sign up for a free trial of Sirius XM Satellite radio to hear my interview on Martha Stewart Living Radio. Here's the link.

Got any suggestions/advice/tips? Where's your favorite place to eat in Seattle these days?

The saddest day of summer...

2009-07-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

Every summer, we have family from overseas visit for several weeks. There's a whole lot of shopping and prepping and cooking and eating and doing dishes and starting all over again.

I just took the extra leaf out of the dining room table and seating for six has gone back to a four-top, set for just two this week. We get a taste of the so-called empty nest syndrome soon to be a permanent piece of our lives because Baby Girl's gone to Maui with the in-laws... on their trek back to Cambodia. (My brother-in-law works for the CDC and has lived in Asia and Africa for nearly 10 years.)

These quiet, post-visit meals always take some getting used to, especially since there's a lump in my throat. I hate saying goodbye. (Especially at the curb at SeaTac at 6 a.m.)

This summer visit, we shared some spectacular spreads: grilled King salmon on the Fourth, a Thai feast prepared by Ubon (and, no, she didn't give me recipes...), a weenie roast at cousins Marge and Jim's, seared flank steak and caramelized Walla Walla Sweets, gingerbread pudding. But no matter what we're eating, it's the sitting around the big table and talking and laughing and teasing and occasionally breaking into song that I love.

It's corny, but these gatherings feed me. The meals take me back to childhood memories, hanging out in the kitchen with my grandmother. Believe me, it sure wasn't all Norman Rockwell. There were some damn dark times, too, but I'm not going to go there. I'm just going to close my eyes and think about the lazy Sunday supper when my 17-year-old nephew suggested a post-dinner game of hearts. That moment was sweeter than any dessert.

What about you? Do you have visitors this summer? What are you feeding them?

Apologies to chef Holly Smith

2009-07-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

My friend and I were walking to the Pike Place Market today and didn't notice the signs that said "crosswalk closed", so she ended up walking onto some freshly poured sidewalk. Red-faced construction worker yelled at her and others who took the same path. A policeman showed up. Big drama.

But it was an honest mistake. Not like the muck I stepped in yesterday when I casually Twittered a helping of idle gossip I heard this weekend about Cafe Juanita being on the ropes. I very quickly heard from chef/owner Holly Smith, who was rightly upset. (That's chef Holly pictured above at the James Beard Foundation Awards in NYC in May.)

I also got chewed out by various followers on Twitter. I should have known better. I apologized. But I don't really feel like that's enough. I want to turn this negative into a positive by pledging to get myself out for a meal at Cafe Juanita as soon as possible.

While chef Holly and her hard-working crew are still pulling in appreciative diners, if the restaurant is like any other fine dining venue, I'm going to guess their numbers are down from this time last year. It's a tough business and getting tougher all the time.

I met the GM of Campagne last night and he told me the landmark restaurant near Pike Place Market is doing a makeover. Out with the white linen tableclothes, in with the bistro butcher paper and three courses for $30 daily. Chef Daisley Gordon recently launched a blog, letting fans know what he's up to in the kitchen. The Campagne lounge, not to be confused with Cafe Campagne downstairs, is one of the unsung gems of the happy hour circuit. All y'all get in there and support this fabulous place.

In fact, please go and eat and support your favorite fine dining restaurant. Heck, any restaurant. I know the end of my gravy train had to have some impact on the local economy. Last year, as the P-I's food critic, I spent nearly $40,000. Shocking, right? Three of those meals were at the Herbfarm, which was $500 for two.

I know belts have been tightened, but I would like to remind people that a vibrant restaurant scene is part of what makes Seattle so special. Please go out and dine.

Anyone want to join me at Cafe Juanita? (Where I'll be eating humble pie!)

Just wondering...

2009-07-16T07:50:00.001-07:00

.... what has happened to pasta genius Justin Neidermeyer from Spinasse? Keep hearing gossipy dish that he was fired from the restaurant he launched because he wasn't showing up for work.

.... does anybody else notice a striking similarity between the menu at the new Bastille and Le Pichet/Cafe Presse?

.... even after glowing reviews Tillikum Park Cafe is often empty? Get in there and support this place!

.... how some lousy restaurants manage to stay open in this down economy when good ones go under?

.... when diners will finally get over this obsession with upscale mac-and-cheese? Yes, everybody's favorite comfort food tastes damn good, but it's a sign of a lazy, unimaginative kitchen. Let's move on.

.... why Tom Douglas isn't as famous as Mario Batali?

.... when there's going to be a backlash over review sites like Yelp.com? Oh, wait, that's already happened.

.... why more chocolate lovers haven't made the pilgrimage to Claudio Corallo in Ballard?

.... where can I find authentic Cajun-style boudin in the Northwest? (There is a boudin blanc on the menu at Le Pichet I wanna try.)

The first person who answers all these questions gets a picnic lunch at the Seattle Art Museum's Sculpture Park catered by me, Critic-Turned-Cook. Ready, go!

Spreading myself too thin?

2009-07-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hey guys and gals....

I wanna apologize for neglecting this space. I've been playing the field. Writing for other sites that actually -- gasp! -- pay me good money. (Thank you so very much SeriousEats.com and AlDenteBlog!)

While I feel a bit like I've been cheating, I also think there's enough food to go around. Three meals a day and snacks and reading and viewing while chewing make for endless options to chat about what's on everybody's plate, right? What I've always loved about blogs is the conversation, so I'm wide open to suggestions about what we should talk about. Recipes? Restaurant trends? Bizarre stories about service snafus. (Just got an earful from a friend who was so turned off by the behavior of a server, she left in the middle of the meal. She paid for the first course, but was too uncomfortable to stay. And, then, the owner chased her down on the sidewalk to ask why she was leaving. Well, I hope you come back someday, she said. Not bloody likely.)

Rants and raves aside, I wanted to share a couple pieces I wrote this week about my recent trip to New Orleans. I'm particularly psyched about the little film I made while touring Hubig's Pies. Click here for the link.

Also warmed by the memories of Cajun country and the hunt for the best boudin, which I wrote about for Serious Eats. Thanks for checking it out by clicking here.

FREE CHERRIES!!

2009-07-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is the best news I've heard all week: Friday at noon at the Pike Place Market, roving Northwest Cherry reps will pass out Rainier cherries. Sweet!

For a list of some Seattle restaurants giving cherries the star treatment they deserve, check out this link.

What's your favorite way to enjoy cherries? I love/love/love 'em straight up, eating them until I get a stomachache. You?

Cooking lessons: Thai chef in my kitchen

2009-07-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Ubon is a fantastic cook. Though she grew up in Thailand, she is a globally inspired culinary artist. Still, I'm forever asking her to teach me her secrets from her homeland.

I long to master complex curries and satisfying noodle dishes. But for those dishes, she works quickly and uses sense memory, not recipes.

Today, she's coming over for a visit and I'm determined to shadow her until I can soak up some knowledge. Will update this entry with photos and recipes. Any special requests?

New Orleans report: Part 5, The Aftermath

2009-07-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

I sure hated to leave, so brought a little bit of New Orleans and beyond to my home sweet home. Here's what was in my very heavy luggage:

Swamp Dust

Hubig's Pies

A whole muffaletta from Central Grocery

Cajun seasoning from T-Coon's

Community Coffee

Pat O'Brien's Hurricane Mix

A crawfish paddle (picture a small oar)

Uncle Bud's Deep-Fried Cajun peanuts

A spray bottle of Cajun Grilling Spice, looks like Windex on fire

Two Cajun cookbooks

A Hubig's Pie apron

A crawfish magnet for my fridge

Roux mix

Wish I had room for a whole lot more. What's the wackiest food souvenir you've carted home after a memorable trip?

New Orleans report: Part 4, Sure do hate to go...

2009-07-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

Such a great trip! Anybody who really loves food has to go visit New Orleans!! More details to come!

On the road to Lafayette: A whole lot to digest

2009-07-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Started the day at Le Jeune's Bakery in Jeanerette, aka Sugar City, a spot with some ancient funk. And I mean that in the best possible way. The secret to their deeply satisfying loaves and po-boy rolls? Using malt instead of sugar to feed the yeast and using lard. The ovens at this special place looked like they belonged in a museum.

After a killer lunch at T-Coons (crawfish ettoufee!), we did a little drive-thru daiquiri and a "turn here, turn here, turn there please" detour to Tiny Prudhomme's House of Meat. Best damn cracklins ever.

During dinner at Prejean's, we were seranaded by a three-piece band that sounded as sweet as the smoked duck and andouille sausage gumbo was spicy. Another Abita please.

A pinky-size finger of Pappy Van Winkle neat and I'm off to dreamland, visions of two-steppin' couples at The Blue Moon dancing through my head.

New Orleans report: Part 2... Boudin balls, bourbon flights, oysters, milk punch and more!

2009-07-01T05:41:00.001-07:00

After the biggest eating day of my life, I woke up hungry. Imagine that! Details on yesterday's moveable feast in magical New Orleans to come.

I'm rushing out the door to hit the Boudin Trail... Best Stop. Then Zydeco Country, Lafayette.

New Orleans report: Part 1

2009-06-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

I woke up in this amazing city thinking about the dinner I ate last night. I'm looking out at the Mississippi River from my room at the Hotel Monteleone, the home of the famous Carousel Bar. (The seats at the bar go round and round...)

Flew into the Crescent City yesterday, past wicked thunderheads, the clouds looking like cauliflower cotton candy. It poured on the drive in from the airport, but the rain offered sweet relief from steamy temps.

The first meal of this moveable feast set the bar very high. It was at MiLa, the super stylish spot created by culinary power couple Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing. The menu is nouveau New Orleans: Oysters Rockefeller Deconstructed, Sweet Tea Rotisserie Duck, a reimagined root beer float, sweetbreads on black truffle grits. All pretty dang brilliant.

A word about those grits: Chef Allison -- recently featured in Bon Apetit -- came out to the table while our party was devouring dessert and I asked about the secret to those great grits. "You've got to cook them in milk," she said. "We don't use fancy grits, but we cook them in milk and finish them with butter and cream and bits of truffle shavings." The flavor was intense.

Come to think about it, that's what I love about this city and its incredible food... the flavors are so intense. Dishes are seasoned assertively. There's no timid sprinkle of something. It's bold. And beautiful. I wish I had a better photo to share of the lovely oysters, the most petite bivalves I've had from the Gulf, bite-size beauties perched on a throne of sauteed spinach, a crispy piece of bacon on top.

The best chefs inspire imitation, don't you think? And I'm already dreaming of trying to recreate some of the incredible dishes I ate last night.

So high on summer

2009-06-27T13:43:00.001-07:00

Had the best trip to Eastern Washington. Some Walla Walla highlights: Great meal at Saffron included sensational rabbit lasagna and the newly released 2006 Northstar merlot. Talk about a great combo!

Also a yummy blackberry shake from Ice Berg Drive In, French onion soup made with Walla Walla Sweets at Brasserie Four, a meatball sammie at T. Maccarones and the best $1.50 taco from a truck on the west end of town.

Then, driving back to Seattle, I stopped at Chinook, one of my all-time favorite wineries to pick up a bunch of rose. It had just been released and when I poured it alongside my pesto-Walla Walla Sweet Onion Tart last night, I was blown away. If there's a better rose made in this country, I want to hear about it. This one is so well-balanced, the soft fruit perfectly matched with a crispness that makes it so fine for summer sipping.

If scoring the wine wasn't cool enough, winemaker Kay Simon invited me to help myself to the cherries on the trees near the tasting room. She helped me pick! I came home with two bags.

I also came home with 50 pounds of Walla Walla Sweets! Who wants some? Or, who wants to share some onion-centric recipes?

Out of this world oysters!

2009-06-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

There's a new oyster grower on Orcas Island that I'm predicting is going to blow up big. Buck Bay Shellfish, down the road from Olga, has only been around for about a year, but man, they've got some great product.

I loved that you get to pick your own from crates sitting in water out of the postcard-pretty Buck Bay. Owner Toni invites customers to use the oyster knives just outside the shed to pry open the succulent bivalves, which were perfectly bite-size, salty and a kiss of sweet.

They buy the seed from Taylor Shellfish -- they grow native Pacifics and sell several sizes, including monsters that look a lot like Gulf oysters -- and talk about the advantages of being in a bay that has a lot of tidal action. So far, no restaurants in Seattle have come calling, but this gem won't be a secret for long.

I know there's no "R" in June or July, but there are still heaps of oysters to eat. What's your favorite?

What's your favorite pie?

2009-06-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

Just returned from an incredible trip to Orcas Island, where I had some memorable meals and the best piece of blackberry pie at Cafe Olga. Because we're still weeks away from blackberry season, these berries had to be frozen, but they didn't taste like it.

My frustration with making blackberry pie is the filling is always way too runny. I'm determined to get a handle on this come August, though. (And would appreciate any helpful hints in my quest to make the perfect pie filling.)

As my sister, Laurel, and I savored this generous wedge of bliss, we talked about our all-time favorite pies. Peach and apple and coconut cream. I absolutely love lemon meringue. Why is it so hard to find a good piece of lemon meringue? Yesterday, while driving through Magnolia, I spotted a hopeful sign: Coming soon, Seattle Pie Company. I hope it's the sweet kind of pie, not a pizza joint. Stay tuned for tasting notes.

In the meantime, let's go to that sweet spot: When it comes to pie, what's your favorite flavor?

Thinking and drinking pink

2009-06-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

I've been on board the rose fan wagon for a few summers now. Lucky me because the numbers of interesting pinks just keeps growing.

I wrote about a few of my faves on Al Dente, but I'm wide open to suggestions.

As much as I enjoy a crisp, ever-so-slightly fruity pink, it seems to me as though there's a bigger chance of getting a post-wine headache than when drinking reds or whites. Can anybody explain to me why that happens? (And, yes, it is possible it might be about quantity rather than quality. Those roses go down easy, especially with warm weather fare).

Geoducks are cool!!

2009-06-05T07:01:00.001-07:00

Been wanting to try making geoduck crudo since having it at Ethan Stowell's Anchovies & Olives shortly after it opened on Cap Hill this winter. Wrote a report on turning the funny looking creature on the left into the delish dish pictured on the right for Al Dente, Amazon's Food Blog on which I'm now a regular contributor.

Like so many wonderful things to eat, this was a pain in the neck to make. But, man, was it tasty. Which makes me wonder: Why isn't geoduck a bigger deal on restaurant menus? Probably a tough sell, but once people try it...

When is it all right to practice a little menu mystery writing? Maybe calling it crudo, serving it as an amuse and getting diners hooked.

Here's a short video I made of the geoduck crudo prep.

The Pulled Pork Project

2009-06-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm cooking for a huge group next weekend for Baby Girl's grad party and decided to experiment by oven-roasting pork shoulder low-and-slow. It was largely prompted by the 99 cents a pound sale on pork shoulder at QFC. A enourmous hunk was less than $4!

Consulted with my BBQ guru, aka The Bottomless Pit, shortened to BP. This is my photog buddy who took me on a four-state, one-day epic BBQ tour a few years ago. (Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi.) He gave me the in-a-pinch scenerio, which calls for covering the meat in a thinner-style sauce and cooking it at 250 degrees forever and ever. Low and slow and all day long.

Did that on Sunday. Pulled it after it cooled. Beauty chunks. Then, fired up the charcoal to finish it off. Kind of like they do on the flat-top at Big Abe's in Clarksdale, Mississip, at that famous crossroads where bluesman Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil. Not really, but it makes for a heckuva story.

Had the pork sammies tonight and, gotta say, it was some mighty fine swine. Even if I didn't have the right sauce. (Only a thin sauce from Coopers in Texas, which I mixed with ketchup. Desparate times, desparate measures.)

At the dinner table, we talked about our favorite sauce. Mine's a toss-up between The Bar-B-Q Shop and Rendezvous. Claire loves Central. Ditto for Johnny. Course, those aren't available in Seattle. But I'm gonna try and get some sent. Any others to add to that list? Anything local?

What a ham!!

2009-05-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

Had lunch at Earth & Ocean today and was blown away by the house-cured ham made from Berkshire pigs raised by Mangalitsa maverick Heath Putnam of Wooly Pigs fame. (Profiled in a James Beard award-winning story by my friend Rebekah Denn.)

Can you see the marbling? It is so beautiful. Like every steak wants to be, but is not quite. The flavor's intense and delicate at the same time. The texture is an an exercise in that over-used adage: melt in your mouth. Liked the blueberries on top, but Northwest rhubarb maceated in sugar might have been even better. And the olive oil drizzle on top was overkill. The amazing ham stood on its own. It was some of the best damn ham I've ever eaten. Go. Get some.

Let's take a tour of chef Adam Stevenson's charcuterie. Click here.

Best menu I've read in a long time

2009-05-25T17:56:00.001-07:00

Sure do wish I were still reviewing so I could sing the praises of the wit of the menu scribblers at the Feedback Lounge in West Seattle.

Give it a look-see and betcha it'll make you giggle.

Next time you're in Cashmere...

2009-05-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

Made a quick trip to Wenatchee Thursday and on the way back over the mountains, I called my Auntie Eileen and asked: "Where's the best old-fashioned bakery?"

This is my dear aunt who used to hand us kids a wad of cash and her standard shopping list:

Milk

Bread

Goodies

I loved going to her house to gorge on Twinkies and Ho Hos and Ding Dongs. She should have owned stock in Hostess.

Anyhoo, she sent me to Sure to Rise Bakery in Cashmere, where the cases were loaded with cookies, doughnuts (including a Big Foot, a sorta maple bar with chocolate frosting on the "toes"), butterhorns, cinnamon rolls as big as a hubcap and pies just out of the oven. Drat, they were out of strawberry-rhubarb, but the blackberry was beautiful and a steal at $7, plus change. Brought a whole pie home and was impressed by the flaky crust, the not-too-sweet, thick, but not too thick filling.

Artisan bakeries are wonderful. I love them. But think there's also room enough for places doing it old-school. Like Nielsen's in Queen Anne. Where else?

Hot scoop: Neil Robertson going to Cafe Juanita

2009-05-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Was on the phone talking to chef Holly Smith (pictured at this year's James Beard Awards in NYC), asking if I could come in her kitchen. She said sure, and if I waited until August, then I could work with the new pastry chef.

Who's that? I asked.

Neil Robertson, who recently left the building at Canlis. Neil Robertson who is one of the best pastry chefs in Seattle. Maybe even the best. I cannot wait to taste what he does at CJ! Can't wait to cook in chef Holly's kitchen.

Craving (Devil's Food) Cake

2009-05-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Pity the poor layer cake!

Those darling cupcakes have stolen your spotlight, shoving the majestic layered beauties into the deep background. It seems as if it's practically impossible to find a piece of layer cake in restaurants around Seattle. Or am I missing something?

In honor of National Devil's Food Cake Day (May 19), I'm going to take a crack at making one. Why not? When I was younger and had a house full of siblings to help tackle a big batch of sweets, I'd make sheet cakes all the time. The sticky business of frosting a layer cake was vexing, though. It always turned out lumpy and bumpy.

But, as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. I'll post a pic of my effort. Anybody care to share a failproof recipe?