Only at Uwajimaya!

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!

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

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!

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

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

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!

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!