On/Off Recipe: Gabba-Gabba-Donna Hay!

I have a love for magazines that the digital world will never quite take the place of. There's something really satisfying about curling up with a furl of printed pages that a laptop cannot capture, and to be truthful, I hope books and magazines never go the way of 8-tracks and sock garters. That being said, one of my favorite food magazines is Donna Hay, its namesake being the Austrailian equivalent of Ruth Reichl or Martha Stewart, in terms of her ability to present food and lifestyle in a visually appealing, don't-you-just-envy-my-life kind of way. The food is simple and familiar, the production quality of the photos are divine, and it's just a really solid magazine full of foundation cooking recipes that's worth a free flip-thru when you're browsing (aka, loitering) in the Borders magazine aisle. It was a great inspiration piece, whose breakfast dishes and a roasted tarragon chicken recipe pushed me into the kitchen, so with the fury and fire of the Ramones, I said, hey-ho... let's go!

Be honest, it's way better than Wheaties - photo by Wasabi Prime

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Especially when it's covered in hollandaise sauce. I was egged-on (har har) by Donna's Eggs Florentine photo and recipe. I liked the idea of combining the poached eggs with spinach, as runny eggs and wilted greens are an edible experiment gone horribly right. Confession time: I didn't follow St. Donna's recipe to the letter. I skipped the toast and added some bits of pan-crisped proscuitto to the wilted spinach. And even more of a serious foodie trespass, I cheated on the hollandaise, going with a shortcut from Bon Appétit magazine, for a "mock hollandaise" sauce. Don't chase me out of food blogdom with pitchforks, people -- it was still a savory rich sauce, the eggs were poached to lovely gooey-ness, and it was served within the walls of our humble household, where Brock won't look down upon me if I take a shortcut now and then, God bless him!

Donna Hay magazine - totally worth the import price - photos (of magazine) by Wasabi Prime

I attempted to make up for my shortcut sins and made her Chicken with Mushrooms and Tarragon recipe for dinner. For something that looks like it would take several hours, it's relatively fast. It uses skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, which makes the finished chickadee quite moist and tender. I know it's tempting to substitute this recipe with breast meat since it's low-fat, but it's also low-flavor, and can get dry as all get-out, so don't skimp on this one, as a lot of the richness and flavor will come from the chicken.

Winner winner, tarragon chicken dinner - photo by Wasabi Prime

The final cooked dish would have been enough on its own, but I was leering at the kale chips on Lorna Yee's Cookbook Chronicles , featuring a recipe by way of chef Dan Barbar. I made a last minute decision, confirmed by the two-for-one special on kale at the store. Once separating the dry, papery leaves from the tough center rib, the leaves were tossed with a barely-there drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt/pepper before baking. It took a couple of batches per head of kale, as the leaves got all crispety-crunchety when they had ample space around them for the heat to scorch the bejeebus out of them.

Hot chicks and crispy veggie chips - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The final result produced a satisfying meal for a home cook like myself who inevitably colors outside the recipe lines, sometimes to much FoodFail. To entice others to stay on-recipe, I included the Donna Hay recipes below. I think you'll be as pleased as I was with the results, as it made for a great Oh Donna weekend!

Eggs Florentine
4 free-range eggs
20g butter
120g baby spinach leaves
Toasted sourdough or rye bread and cracked black pepper, to serve

Lemon Hollandaise
150g butter, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 free-range egg yolks
Sea salt flakes

To make the lemon hollandaise, place the butter and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until melted and bubbling. Place the egg yolks and salt in the bowl of a small food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the hot butter mixture and process until thick. Set aside and keep warm.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the eggs and cook for 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and run under cold water. Carefully peel and set aside. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted. Top the toast with the spinach and eggs. Spoon over hollandaise and sprinkle with pepper to serve. Serves 4.

Chicken with mushroom and tarragon
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 X 150g chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
300g speck* or flat pancetta, chopped
8 sprigs tarragon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon chili flakes
200g Swiss brown or Portobello mushrooms, halved (4 large portobellos, sliced into bite-sized pieces)
1/3 cup (80ml) dry sherry
1 ¼ cups (310 ml) single (pouring) cream

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (355 degrees F). Heat oil in a heatproof heavy-based baking dish over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin-side down, for 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from dish and keep warm. Add the speck and tarragon and cook for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic, chilli, mushroom and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes or until golden. Add sherry and cream, return chicken to the dish, cover with aluminium foil and roast for 15 minutes. Remove foil and roast for a further 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serves 6-8. *Speck is smoked pork, usually sold in a slab from delicatessens.

* Post Script: Thanks to Foodie View for posting both breakfast and lunch, as inspired by Donna Hay! Additional delicious thanks to Tastespotting for putting the seared chicken thigh pic on their site! Additional thanks still to Serious Eats' Photograzing, for doing a quadruple whammy post of pics on their om-nommy site.

FoodTrek: Grilling in the City Event - For the Love of Food

Seattle is called the Emerald City, which is just a polite way of saying we're inundated with so much rain that everything stays green. But I think there's something to be said about this whole area, much like in the Wizard of Oz, that it can be a place to inspire people and find within themselves the impulse to follow their own bliss. I was lucky enough to attend the first Grilling in the City event, hosted by the Downtown Bellevue Network and 425 Magazine, at the Bellevue Towers, to sample some local food and beverages. Getting a chance to meet some of the people behind these food businesses, you get a sense that they all had a pair of Ruby Slippers of their own when they got to the City of Emeralds, and clicked their heels three times to make their own magic happen.

Trophy Cupcakes - purveyors of twee sweetness, bane of dentists everyhere - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Shea, the smart cookie, er, cupcake, behind the well-loved and local darling known as Trophy Cupcakes. It's no surprise that the success of Trophy's boutique sweetness has inspired them to make the jump to the Eastside, readying for an opening at the Bravern on September 12th. She explained that it's been a round-the-clock flurry of activity, getting the new shop prepared for the big day, but it was a nice thing for her and the cupcake posse to share both baked treats and their time with a chatty food blogger with a helpless sweet tooth. I've been a fan of Trophy not just because they have a quality product of spongey, sprinkled goodness; they get the Ruby Slipper nod because it was a business built from the ground-up, with a lot of heart and personal touches, featuring food as an experience. They have a menu of rotating flavors that evoke comfort memories and simpler times, and when you walk into their shops, they want a visitor to be fully immersed in their world of celebration, attention to detail, and the holy union of cake and frosting. I look forward to visiting the new shop when it opens. I also look forward to having another Pineapple Upside Down Cupcake, as it's not just a baked good, it's more like a baked great.

Say it with me now: Yes, you CAN haz hamburgers - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Continuing to follow the Yellow Brick Road (ok, it was just concrete), I got a chance to meet Rebecca and David Makuen, owners of BuiltBurger, who could be considered the new self-made burger mavericks on the block. They offer handmade, uniquely-flavored burgers that are frozen and shipped to one's door, ready for gatherings or any personal burger-crave emergency (hey, it happens). Recently started in Seattle, with a store in Ballard, BuiltBurger hooked onto the keen notion of gourmet offerings for a busy lifestyle, and they present their goods with a sincere understanding of a love for comfort foods. Their site describes burgers as An emotional mouthful synonymous with good times, and it's as spot-on as their burger flavors. I was surprised when I saw the frozen patties hit the grill, but once the ice melted away and the meat began to take on the lovely sear marks, the colors of their multi-ingredient burgers really came out. I know some burger purists don't like to add a lot to the meat, but I prefer strong, bold flavors, so I didn't mind when I saw burger names like Thrill BBQ Pork, Luxe Italian, or Utopia Chicken get bandied about during the event. The deep-flavored and spicy Thrill BBQ Pork, and the caramelized onion-sweet Pinnacle Bacon Bleu were probably my two favorites. I was especially impressed with their Utopia Chicken, since poultry is notorious for being dry and becoming overcooked as a burger, but BuiltBurger wisely mixed their chicken with savory, Thai-inspired ingredients that helped the meat get perfectly cooked. If burgers are as comforting as a warm blanket, then BuiltBurger takes their admirable love of comfort food and turns it into a cashmere Snuggie. With a TV remote.

BuiltBurger's David Makuen spreading the good word of Burgerology, and CUPCAKES!!! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Along with the delicious food and treats, guests were treated to an Ayinger brew, courtesy of Merchant du Vin, and a cocktail of Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea, a Southern style iced tea-flavored vodka. Both were delicious options to enjoy with the food, as well as the summer-perfect patio of the Bellevue Towers. I had not yet had the opportunity to walk through the new construction that's right on 106th, next to the Galleria, so it was a treat to be able to walk through the beautiful lobby and enjoy a perfect summer evening on their 6th floor oasis with a view.

Cheers to beers -- and sweet tea! Photos by Wasabi Prime

A very special Wasabi Thanks to the good foodie-friendly folks who put this event together: Downtown Bellevue Network for keeping us in-the-know online, 425 Magazine for keeping us in-the-know in print, Bellevue Towers for letting us hang out at their rockin' new pad, Merchant du Vin for bringing the drinks, and of course Trophy Cupcakes and BuiltBurger for serving up the good eats. Total shameless plug, but pick up the latest 425 Magazine, Sept/Oct issue -- aside from the conversation-worthy list of reader picks, a letter I wrote to the editor, hopeful for more wine adventures, was published. Yay! Thanks again, to everyone who put the Grilling in the City event together!

FoodTrek: Viva la Taqueria Guadalajara

If you are familiar with the Eastside city of Bellevue in Washington State, you'll hear a lot of recent press about all the new high-end restaurants and bars coming into the downtown area, each one trying to beat out the other for being the coolest kid in school, but sometimes it's not about that intangible and somewhat irksome coolness factor. Sometimes it's just about delicious street food and following the lunchtime crowd to discover that it's quite hip to be square.

Magical Animal and a Slip of the Tongue - photo by Wasabi Prime

Right off the busy snarl of intersections on 148th Avenue, in the Union 76 gas station parking lot in the Overlake neighborhood, Taqueria Guadalajara has set up its truck to feed an ever-growing line of hungry lunchgoers. The crowds are a mix of young and old, white collar professionals and burly construction dudes. There is no particular type of customer, as they really are a food purveyor to the people. Truly everyone comes to this place. There should be a sign put up at the entrance of the parking lot: Abandon all Hunger, Ye Who Enter Here. A line of customers curve alongside the asphalt, doing their best to avoid getting mowed over by cars heading to the gas station. Despite the risk to life and limb, it's worth it, as this magic bus is delicioso.

The food is simple and familiar, having offerings including tacos, quesadillas, tortas and burritos. Pricing ranges from $1.25 per taco, to a whole $5 for the Guadalajara Torta, a hefty grilled sandwich overstuffed with the works. The meaty options range from the everyday chicken, to the more traditional lengua (tongue), for a few cents more. There's the typical array of sodas, but they also offer horchata, a milky, nutty-flavored beverage that's popular in both Mexico and Spain. Lunches are made to order, a mad flurry of activity within the confined taqueria truck, before a savory plate of wonderful is served up. One can eat on the narrow bar table attached to the truck, sitting below the order window, or do what a lot of people do, hover in groups and just eat while standing, enjoying the sun if it happens to be out for a lunchtime visit.

Power to the Hungry People! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

As much as I wanted to eat everything on the menu, I stuck with what my gut said and that afternoon, it was pleading, dos tacos, por favor. I picked two different animals for lunchtime, getting one taco al pastor (pork) and one con lengua, which was most likely beef tongue. I know it's a cut of meat that people don't immediately jump for excitement about, despite the fact that we all admit to eating hot dogs and a good portion of the rest of the animal. It can be a tough cut, but the lengua they served was chopped finely and cooked tender. The pork was especially naughty-good, as it was delectable little fatty chunks, fried crisp from a short waltz on the grill. The tortillas were hand-sized, doubled-up, and tasted of handmade white corn goodness. Probably lard, too, but that's OK. A generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro, sliced radish, a wedge of lime, and lunch was served. I ordered a tamarind flavored bottle of Jarritos, a Mexican soda that comes in a kaleidoscope of colors. I always see them lined up in the stores, thinking the syrupy sweetness wouldn't go with much, other than a severe case of diabetic shock, but the tart tamarind paired nicely with the savory, fresh tacos.

I got a chance to sample off friends' orders as well, and can say the quesadilla was something special and worth another visit. Far more appealing than the aunt from Napoleon Dynamite yelling to her dimwitted nephews: "Go and make yourself a que-sah-dillah!"

If you have a chance to make your way to Taqueria Guadalajara's mobile kitchen of heavenly delights, I highly recommend it, especially before the summer ends. Ignore the hype of hot opening restaurant-newness for just a little while and just enjoy something delicious and uncomplicated, appealing to both body and soul.

UnRecipe: Tough Turkey, Marsala!

Some dishes just aren't meant to be fancy, just quick and easy. That being said, don't be a lazy fool like me and make dumb grocery store choices. For the most part, I think simple meals with a modest list of ingredients can easily become favorites, since they work so well into a weeknight schedule, and chicken or turkey marsala is definitely one that falls into that category, as long as one knows which shortcuts to take and which ones to avoid.

Who you callin' Turkey? - Photo by Wasabi Prime

My usual go-to for finding recipes is Epicurious.com, and they have an ample online library of dishes, old and new. If you wish to follow a more traditional chicken marsala recipe, I'd recommend using one of their recipes, like this one with sage. The version I wound up doing was a bit more truncated than what Bon Appétit had to offer. In general, I recommend doing any dish the traditional way at least once, so you get the full experience of the flavors. And then you can be a harried late-night grocery shopper like me, rushing to grab whatever I could at the last minute.

As mentioned before, this weeknight meal was inspired by the lack of time and planning. I knew the basics for the traditional recipe, but super-simplified things for the sake of getting a meal on the table. I know, I know, food is life, but when you're a part-time food blogger and a full-time cubicle jockey, sometimes something's gotta give so you don't wind up in the drive-thru agreeing to get fries with that. The finished sauce was all marsala wine, no broth, but I enjoy the dry, sweet sherry flavor, so it didn't bother me. I should have run out into the garden to snip some fresh herbs, but it was already dark when I was cooking, so a sprinkle of dry thyme won out -- fresh is absolutely better, so don't succumb to my mistake of late-night cooking.

Something worth noting: my new favorite side dish is broiled broccoli. Inspired by the Broccoli Blasted at Seattle's Belltown neighborhood wine/foodie bar, Black Bottle, I started taking large chunks of broccoli, tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper, and laying them out on a baking sheet right underneath the broiler. It just takes a few minutes to get get the tops crispy, and turn the whole thing a bright, perfectly-cooked green. The broccoli remains crunchy, but with a smoky flavor of the nearly-torched florets. I think drizzled with a bit of pork fat, it would make the dish even better, getting smoky under the heated coil, and then served with the crispy cracklins sprinkled atop the greens, but I'll save that experiment for another day when there's bacon in the fridge.

'Shrooms make everything better, even tough cuts of meat. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Nearly on the outskirts of FoodFail, my only regret was that I used pre-cut slices of turkey breast -- pesky meat department shortcuts! Their thin cutlets belied an unanticipated toughness, and no, I didn't overcook it. Maybe this should have been called Jive Turkey Marsala. So let that be a lesson to shortcut-takers everywhere -- butterfly some chicken breasts and pound the living Valhalla out of it to make a proper whisper-thin paillard, as your efforts will be rewarded in the all-important eating phase of the meal. I usually make this dish with chicken, but I hadn't defrosted any chicken breasts and I totally admit to being sucked into the siren song of pre-sliced turkey breasts on the late-night grocery store run. A mistake I'll not soon repeat. Aside from that one transgression, the meal was still acceptible to hungry tummies, and leftovers were swiftly cleaned up, so the Wasabi household did not turn their noses up in effigy to tough turkey, but I do promise to be more mindful of my timesavers.

Merci Buttercups: Dynamic Office Duo

I don't say it as often as I should, but I'm very fortunate to work with the people at my office. Without going into gory details, it can be busy, hectic times, where projects frequently go into the weeds, and the two main gals who are the Bette Midler Wind Beneath My Wings are, as I'd like to now refer to as, The Dynamic Office Duo (Renee and Michelle). They are the purveyors of pastries, the sirens of Starbucks runs, and general bringers of joy to Cubicle Village of the Damned. Plus we've got a wicked magazine exchange going on, which is quite nifty.

Way better than a ham and cheese sandwich - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Every once in a while, there are special lunches. We all share a deep abiding love for cheese, so one day, we shared in a lovely midday meal of fresh apricots, candied pecans, whisper-thin wafers, and a big slab of soft blue cheese with a dollop of fig jam. No heating required, just a few simple ingredients and you have a meal that makes a normal day at the office a little more special. And that really is a good thing, and something I thought was worth sharing because I really do have much Wasabi Prime-love for the Dynamic Office Duo and all the extra things they do to make the day go by. Cheers to you, ladies!

* Post Script - Thanks to both Food Gawker, Serious Eats' Photograzing, and FoodieView for posting the pic of the cheesy goodness of our office lunch!

FoodTrek: STIR-red, Not Shaken

Yeah, yeah, I know -- couldn't think of a better pun, eh Ms. W? Well, let's see you come up with something better after a few strong pulls of vodka from the icy taps of Stir Martini + Raw Bar. Amid the impressive growth rate of downtown Bellevue's food and drink wonderland, Stir is the latest to set down its flag in the massive landgrab of the Eastside. I went with a few stalwart members of the Happy Hour Martini Mafia to investigate this post-work cocktail wonderland, and see what was stirring. Heh, heh.

Vodka on the rocks, freshly squeezed from an icy tap - Photo by Wasabi Prime

When I first heard the announcement that a vodka-favored martini and raw bar would be opening in Bellevue, I thought, you had me at vodka. I know it's not the most flavorful of hard liquors, but I do like a clean, crisp and refreshing kick in the pants at the end of a long day, so usually a Grey Goose or Belvedere on the rocks with a twist is the tipsy bee's knees for me. Stir had the good sense to put in a tap of top shelf vodkas, including Belvedere, as well as Bombay Sapphire gin. They may change these out periodically, but to my mind, what they had on tap was good as-is.

Create your own drink -- no fancy bottle juggling required. Calamari is squiddly-delicious - Photos by Wasabi Prime

One of Stir's specialties is their "deconstructed martinis," where you are presented with a chilled vial of vodka and a choice of sweet, herbal or savory ingredients to mix your own custom cocktail. We tried the herbal selection, where a few wedges of fresh lime and a chilled, sweetened cucumber puree were paired with the vodka. I think it's a nice, tactile thing to do if you're on a date, interacting with the drink and making the experience more about the preparation of the cocktail, and it allows the individual to flavor their drink to their choosing.

In terms of the food pairings they offer, we nibbled on a few different items, both cooked and raw. The appetizer menu has what's becoming familiar nouvelle bar cuisine, befitting of a sleek, urbane cocktail lounge. Gone are the days of greasy potato skins and chicken strips, as they are being traded out for more delicate items like lightly fried calamari, steak tartare, and poke tuna. These items in particular I would order again, as they were nicely prepared, not too heavily seasoned, and they let the flavor of the ingredients shine through.

Cooked food is *so* five years ago - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Seeing that Stir is a place that emphasizes its attention to beverages, I think it could benefit from presenting itself as a connoisseur of libations, similar to Seattle locales like Tini Bigs or Marcus' Martini Heaven. Vodka is one of those buzzworthy liquors that has been getting a lot of attention from spirit makers, as -- for better or worse -- they turn out more flavored variations into the market. Patrons have gotten used to watering their liquors down with sweet, syrupy mixers and sticking a "tini" at the end of the drink, when I think they would instead glean insight from a willing teacher who could shine light upon the finer points of nuance and flavor behind the mixed drink, much like the way wine drinkers appreciate their food and drink playing nice together. I think if Stir wants to be that Cocktail-Fu master offering barhoppers everywhere to take the rock from their hand, they could have the opportunity to distinguish themselves as something truly boutique. I will keep my eye on this martini hotspot, and look forward to seeing how they continue to present themselves to Bellevue's Brave New Food/Drink World.

* Post Script - Big boozy thanks to Liqurious for posting the photo of the icy Belvedere on the rocks with a twist. Cheers to you!

UnRecipe: Mah-hollah for Statehood Day!

Happy golden anniversary, Hawaii! Fifty years ago, on August 21st, 1959, da islands of Hawaii were admitted to the union. Fifty years for the fiftieth state. This calls for a celebration -- let's eat Spam!

Hooray, hooray, it's Hawaii Statehood Day -- have a slice of Spam musubi! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Yes, that's the Hawaiian flag. And yes, it's the only state flag to feature the Union Jack. Hawaii has the rare distinction of having previously been a kingdom under its own monarchy, as well as a British protectorate through the mid-1800s. Flash-forward, as a result of the strong WWII military presence and their love of environmentally-sealed rations, Hawaii got into the habit of being a big consumer of Hormel products, including that mystery meat of fear and loathing: Spam. Or as my mom likes to refer to it as Spare Parts, All Meat.

There's this misconception that people in Hawaii sit around eating food smothered in sugary teriyaki sauce and chunks of pineapple on everything. In all honesty, the local food of Hawaii is its own unique melting pot of cultural cuisine, a direct product of the various immigrants from China, Japan, Philippines, and even Mexico, all mixed together with the Native Hawaiian offerings. I didn't grow up there, but my whole family was born and raised there, so I had the good fortune to spend a lot of summers being immersed in what was really like another country. Hawaii is a food culture, and it deserves much more than a simple post about Spam, so I think I'll save that exploration for another day. But until then, I just really like Spam and I thought it would be amusing to do a post about the very native dish called Spam Musubi.

Simple steps toward comfort food nirvana - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Most people just make it at home, since the ingredients are pantry staples, but one can find Spam musubi swaddled in plastic wrap on the counters of restaurants for a quick purchase, the same that you'd find tuna salad or a turkey on rye. It's both a quick snack or a simple lunch. Filled with the naughty promise of sticky white rice sandwiching a pan-fried slab of Spam and wrapped in nori (seaweed), this Japanese-inspired treat is a mainstay of the locals. I've been known to bring it on an airplane in lieu of the soggy hamburger that I see most people smuggle in from the food court. Don't judge me, fellow airline travellers. You're just jealous you don't have ono kine grindz like mine.

You'll notice the plastic apparatus being used. It's a Spam musubi mold -- yes, for reals -- and you can buy it online, but if you're in Hawaii, you can usually find it at Longs Drugs store, the unofficial store of awesomeness for the locals. What I made was a quickie version of Spam musubi -- some people add a fried egg or a sprinkle of furikake -- I just went with the basic nori/Spam/rice combo in the interest of time. I did, however, make sure to pan-sear the slices of Spam. While one could consume the jiggly slab of meat straight from the oblong can, I'm not quite Spam-gangsta enough to do so, and I like a bit of pan-crusted goodness on my mystery meat products. You'll notice I purchased the 25% Less Sodium version of Spam. Kind of pointless, I know, seeing as how my heart will stop from the pau hana backup of solid pork fat, long before the hypertension sets in.

Hunger won out during the Spam musubi photo shoot. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I wasn't the only one with Spam on the brain. My Island Homegirl cousin who now lives in Sweden reminded me of Statehood Day, sharing a great blog post by Tasty Island, called The Goteborg Musubi Project. Apparently, the Goteborg sausage being featured as a Kauai treat is an Americanized version of falukorv, a native Swedish sausage that's similar to Spam in its mystery meat-ness. I'll let the note from my cousin explain the provenance of falukorv: It is named falukorv for more sinister literal reasons...back in the day, Swedes mined copper and this is also how the falu-red paint was created, and used on barns and houses and is still used today on traditional cottages... Well back then in these mines, they used horses in the mines and they would get old and worn out--so they were used to make sausages when their usefulness in the mines was used up. So the mixture described in Hormel's Goteborg Sausage is according to Anders Stridsberg, not quite authentic, it should have been 75% horse and 25% pork probably, instead of beef. He said the sausage, falukorv is really saying it was horse sausage, since it came from the copper mines. The fact that falukorv is also usually shaped like a horseshoe makes it all the more bizarre and grisly.

Giddyup, horsie, or it's the falukorv factory for you! I kid, I kid -- I realize many countries have similar types of mystery meats, and they've all developed out of the same necessity, so I can dig on that. Let's bridge the gap between Sweden and Hawaii and celebrate our love of guilty pleasure meat byproducts! Happy Statehood Day, Hawaii. I hope Swedes raise a slab of falukorv in your honor!

* Post Script - Mahalo plenty to both Food Gawker and Serious Eats for posting photos of the glorious Spam Musubi. Thanks for showing Spare Parts, All Meat some good Aloha spirit!

FoodTrek: BlueC Sells Sushi by the BellSquare Mall

I'll be the first to admit, I'm kind of a crappy Asian. I suck at using chopsticks, our household cutback of starches and carbs have limited my rice and noodle intake, and I've never been a big seafood eater. But I make strides where I can -- I'm working on my weirdo seafood pickiness, as there's really no need to eschew the bounty from Neptune's kingdom. An easy way of doing this is to have sushi, and lots of it. Bellevue's Blue C Sushi is up to the task.

At least they were honest and spelled crab with a "k" for their California Rolls - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Blue C is a kaiten style sushi restaurant, serving its bite-sized om-noms on a conveyor belt that roves around the main dining area. This isn't an unusual thing, as there are plenty of kaiten sushi places all over Seattle and the Eastside, but they want to distinguish themselves as serving quality cuts of fish without being unfriendly to one's wallet, which I can appreciate. Their color-coded plates range in price from $1.50-$3 for the warm bright colors, to $3.50-$5.25 for their range of cooler hues. Each plate tends to have two to six pieces of sushi or other items, so going with friends, it makes for easy sharing and a nice way to try something before deciding it's worth a second helping. I have yet to visit them for their happy hour, where they have special prices on drinks and some of their "blue plate" offerings like sashimi, but I'm very keen on returning after work to celebrate their saying of "skip work, eat sushi" on their website. Amen, my Asian bretheren.

All aboard the Blue C Express -- next stop, your belly - Photos by Wasabi Prime

On this lunchtime jaunt, we sampled a wide range of things, both raw and cooked. Even if you're not so much with the appreciation of raw food, they had options like cucumber rolls, vegetable tempura, and pork tonkatsu. Of course the cooked items are often times fried, but it's just one small bite... can't hurt, right? I particularly liked the sake and maguro nigiri (raw salmon and tuna slices on a small wedge of rice); it's a nice clean way of enjoying the fish. I also liked the sashimi style cuts of maguro that were hovering around on the conveyor belt. A little smear of wasabi paste, a bit of pickled ginger, and whooosh go my sinuses into instant clarity. It's funny how eating raw fish can be more appealing than having it cooked for timid seafood eaters like myself. Since the application of heat can bring out the oils within the fish, the raw state keeps the fishiness down to a minimum, and all you should really taste is a kind of cold, freshness of the sea.

There's the added enjoyment of the fact that Blue C has a bit of a sense of humor. They know they're not in Japan, there's no tatami mats or sliding paper screen doors. There's fun urban-inspired artwork on the walls, and in the upstairs lounge area, they have TVs showing insane, disturbing Japanese game shows. This is a place that celebrates Japan in all its delightful weirdness, and that's Banzai-worthy, I think.

They also had desserts -- I saw some lovely creampuffs riding the food train past our table, but I respectfully declined. I know French pastries are incredibly popular in Japan, but I haven't quite bridged the gap between getting a sushi fix and then biting into a custard-filled pastry. I also saw what looked like toys on the conveyor belt. Like if your kid is getting unruly, buy him a pastry and a robot, all in one place.

I like what they're doing at Blue C Sushi -- it's fast, they keep it fresh, and you don't have to spend a small fortune to have a good meal right in the heart of downtown Bellevue. Because it's right by a big multiplex theater, it's an ideal place to eat something somewhat healthy before giving in to the temptation of a bucket of fake butter. I don't think Blue C could keep me from a box of frozen Junior Mints, though...

Sushi makes you giggle like a Japanese school girl. Ribbons mandatory. - Photo from Blue C website

I did have to post a picture from their website. It's funny and I kind of had to wonder if this is what people really think Japan is like, with uptight businessmen and a one-woman Sailor Moon brigade to lighten the mood. Perhaps Blue C Sushi is simply the Japan people wish it could be, with rotating trains of freshly-made food, bizarre game shows, and giggly schoolgirls of questionable legal age. All I know is, I need to go back and get one of those pink eyepatch bunny toys.

* Post-Script - Domo aplenty to Serious Eats' Photograzing for posting the photo of the California Roll on their site!

FoodTrek/MacGyver Meal: Disc-orzo Inferno

Not to toot the Pacific Northwest's horn yet again, but Seattleites know how to throw a party, and they do it with eccentric aplomb, complete with disco ball. Toot-toot! Beep-beep!

Dia de Los Disco / Come on Barbie, let's go party. Bring your pasties. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I was fortunate to be invited to a summer BBQ at Casa de Awesome, thrown by the diva duo of roommies Jennifer and Kat. It had been an eagerly-anticipated fête, designed to celebrate the love of our rare summer months, as well as an equal love of food and drink.

Here's to swimmin' with bowlegged women. Another sangria and margarita, bartender! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The party was complete with Bartender Nick who converted the kitchen into a full bar, serving up margaritas, mojitos, and his specialty, the old fashioned Sidecar. Hostess Jennifer brewed up her favorite white sangria in an Olympic-sized punchbowl that served as an example of fruit heaven, where peaches and citrus go to die.

The calm before the party storm, and partaking of SJB's meats. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I went with fellow blogger, SJB, and we headed over early to help with some of the preparation and the skewering of meats and vegetables. After no major goring of hands had occurred during kebob-ification, SJB took on the role of Grill Master Flash, while hostesses J+K made their sweep of the party floor, with the force of two Auntie Mame's.

Party Animal, Mr. Tucker. Who let the dogs out? - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The party wasn't without its resident party animals, Tucker and Fisher. I was able to get a decent photo of Tucker, but Fisher was avoiding the paparazzi that night, too busy meeting and greeting guests and sniffing around to see what goodies had perchance fallen on the floor.

She's got legs, and she knows how to use them. Kat flashes her Blue Steel. BOOZE! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The only thing the Prime was tasked to do was bring a salad. Expecting a guestlist up to thirty people, I went with the cater-friendly, giant aluminium turkey roaster pan and in typical MacGyver-cooking style, threw together an Italian-themed orzo salad. It's what I would like to call a "drunken salad" as I was in the middle of cocktail hour when making it the night before.

Orzo salad - the longer it sits out and festers, the better. - Photos by Wasabi Prime

In typical Wasabi Prime fashion, there was no real recipe. I just knew it needed to be a salad that could sit out at room temperature for several hours, vegetarian-friendly, made with basic ingredients that were familiar and pleasing to palates. In atypical Wasabi Prime fashion, I'm going to attempt to list the recipe below. I cut the ingredients by half, since I doubt you'll need enough to feed twenty-plus people, but it still makes plenty, so it's a great party recipe.

Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad w/ Herb Vinaigrette - serves up to 8-10

1 box/package of orzo (about 1 lb) / 1 large red onion, peeled and quartered / 2 zucchini, ends chopped and halved lengthwise / 1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut in half / 1 container of cherry tomatoes / 2 cups drained/pitted kalamata olives / 2 cups crumbled feta cheese / 2-3 tablespoons olive oil / 1 tablespoon of dried oregano / 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper / 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves / juice and zest of one lemon / 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil /salt + pepper to taste

Get to Business: Preheat oven to 420° F and make sure the baking rack is centered. Take a shallow baking pan and cover with foil for easy cleanup. Take the cut vegetables (onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and whole cherry tomatoes) and toss with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Spread onto the baking pan -- use two if the vegetables don't all fit. Place in oven to roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables have roasted down and become soft.

Take a large pot and fill with water. Set on stove to start boiling the water for the orzo. As it gets to a rolling boil, throw in a healthy pinch of salt to flavor the pasta and toss the whole box/bag in. Stir constantly, as the pasta bits will stick together as well as to the bottom of the pot. Cook until al dente or cooked, but still firm; this will help it continue to soak up flavor from the dressing. Drain pasta and toss with olive oil to keep the grains from sticking while it cools.

While the orzo and roasted vegetables cool down, take a blender or food processor and pulse down the basil and lemon juice/zest. Drizzle in the olive oil as the blades chop the herbs down and incorporate with the lemon juice. Pulse in the salt and pepper, adding in small amounts so you can taste as it mixes -- add more as you see fit. Finished vinaigrette should taste like a lemony pesto with a loose consistency. Add more olive oil if it's too thick, as it needs to be able to easily mix with the salad.

Once the vegetables are cool to the touch, chop down into smaller bite-sized pieces. The cherry tomatoes should be fine as-is. Take the drained kalamata olives and run a knife through them for a rough chop and ensure there were no pits left in -- there's always one hiding in there. Crumble the feta cheese in and incorporate all ingredients, tossing with the finished herb vinaigrette. Can serve immediately or let it set in the fridge for a few hours to let all the flavor soak in. The dish can be made up to 24 hours ahead.

* Post-Script - Thanks to Serious Eats' Photograzing for posting the orzo salad ingredients!!

Mixed Plate: Observations Through a Doughnut Hole

Homer (Simpson, that is) once waxed poetic about a doughnut after it had saved him in some inexplicable situation, saying dreamily, "Doughnuts...is there nothing you can't do?" Aside from that pop culture reference, when it comes to doughnuts, I often think of that pinnacle of weird television, Twin Peaks -- David Lynch and Mark Frost's collaborative 1990 drama series that captivated and confounded everyone out there in TV Land for two seasons before ABC unceremoniously kicked it to the curb and CBS's Northern Exposure got to be the only surviving weirdo Pacific NW-themed series.

The symbolic significance of doughnuts in Twin Peaks? Life is weird, have sprinkles - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I wasn't even living in Washington yet, and the show spun its delightfully obscure web around my awkward adolescent brain. I loved how it gave me a weekly dose of being stricken with a dumb look on my face after every episode's close. Dancing midgets who spoke backwards, a beauty queen found murdered and wrapped like a freshly-caught fish, ghostly vignettes of sinister foreshadowing, and an earnest FBI agent named after an infamous bank robber who liked damn good coffee and slices of cherry pie. There were, of course, many other dramatic aspects to the series, but it was a wacky show that just got downright disturbing once spooky things came to light to reveal the murderer of Laura Palmer. Which is why oddball things like cherry pie and a table full of stacked doughnuts were like edible lampposts kept alit to keep things from getting too dark.

Diane, take a memo - need more doughnuts - photos from IMDB.com and fan screencap

Not to say that baked goods were the sole savior of the show. I think by second season, things had gotten so convoluted and self-involved that even fried dough couldn't save the day. But it got me to thinking about how David Lynch is like a misunderstood comfort food. We always think of him as eccentric and strange as a squid ink pasta, when really, I think he's more like the doughnut or slice of cherry pie he lovingly featured in Twin Peaks. I've seen his brilliantly disturbed films like Blue Velvet, Eraserhead and Wild at Heart, but then I got to thinking about one of his earlier movies, The Elephant Man. If you're familiar with any of his more startling works, it's as strange as the Log Lady to think of David Lynch helming a project so lovingly humane and poignant as the true story of John Merrick and his struggle with a congenital disorder. Lynch tends to throw in an innocent among corrupt savages, and much like those films and the series Twin Peaks, there were always a few wide-eyed souls like Kyle MacLachlan's Jeffrey Beaumont or Agent Dale Cooper, set against the amoral tide of foes like Dennis Hopper's maniacal Frank Booth. Good tended to vanquish evil, but not without a lot of freaky-deaky happenings and a cannister of laughing gas.

It's logical to assume David Lynch is the strange one, but looking from a different perspective, his creations feature a mad world because he perhaps envisions himself as the lost babe in the woods, and it's the harsh reality around him that he finds strange and foreboding. Not that I know Lynch personally, but based on interviews and what others have said about him, he seems a bit like Twin Peaks' Agent Dale Cooper. Amiable, kind-hearted, a bit idiosyncratic but never capricious, and very much an apt pupil of life. Maybe that's why Lynch creates such a vivid and sometimes frightening landscape that he populates with wandering innocents, to illustrate his own observations on a modern dystopia, and perhaps share a bit of that anguish over how one wishes it could be made a better place. Thankfully, simple pleasures endure, and a doughnut with a strong cup of coffee can make it all better right before a dancing midget in a red velvet suit comes along to go totally sickhouse on your psyche.

* Post-Script - Thanks to Serious Eats' Photograzing for posting the sprinkly-delicious doughnut photo!

UnRecipe: Antipasto is Anti-work-o

God bless the Italians, getting the notion to serve a small plate of edibles to signal that a meal of even more food is yet to come. I skipped the additional courses, but took the creation of an antipasto platter to heart and put together a satisfying and simple lunch whilst entertaining a visiting friend over the weekend.

No need to be fancy, just dig in! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I'm quite keen on these no-cook solutions for a meal because it can be simple, made with a collection of items sitting in the refrigerator, and it doesn't require calling the pizza guy in a chronic fit of "I Don't Know What To Cook!"

There's a lot to be said over the value of an ample supply of pickled vegetables. Their briny state ensures a long fridge-life, and they all tend to play well with one another when eaten together. I had a random collection of spiced green beans, cornichons, cocktail onions, as well as a jar of kalamata olives. I'm sure because the label says "cocktail onions" one is supposed to use them in a cocktail, but I have such a merciless love of strong vinegar flavors, I eat them with abandon, a frosty Gibson or some other old-timey cocktail being optional. I also usually have a jar of pepperocinis, but because they are my absolute favorite of the briny bunch, they are of course the first to be consumed into absence. Combined with a few rough slices of sopressata to round out the protein brigade, the savory component of the meal was complete.

While going to the grocery store, Brock (aka, Mr. Prime) and I happened upon a block of creamy havarti (I love you with all my havarti), and a wedge of raw milk blue cheese. The cheese shopping spree also resulted in a jar of fig preserve, a rich, lovely paste that was a delightful combination of sweet and savory. Poured over the cheese, the preserve added a caramelized sweetness and a bit of crunch from the fig seeds in the jam. To add another sweet component to the Salty vs Sweet throwdown, a nectarine was sliced, and it actually went well with nearly everything served.

I didn't want to rely only on the nibbles and made a salad as backup, using lettuce and peas from the garden, so yes, Mom, we had our greens. The only thing that would have made this meal better was if we were eating it outdoors, in a charming picnic sort of way, but the kitchen counter with a glass of wine or two made the meal dandy enough.

Meat, cheese and pickles -- what more could a girl ask for? - Photos by Wasabi Prime

* Post-Script - Thanks to Serious Eats' Photograzing for posting the photo of the antipasto image on their site!

FoodTrek: Pour on the Plaza, Hold the Rain!

The Fellowship of the Foodies weekend that started off with a viewing of Julie & Julia and cocktails at Naga, reached an edible apex on Saturday, for the first and soon-to-be-annual Pour on the Plaza, a food and wine celebration highlighting vendors from around the Pacific Northwest and abroad. Mercifully, the gray skies above kept mum, and the only pouring that day was wine from a bottle to our eagerly awaiting glass.

Pour on the Plaza, a playground for wine fans - Photo by Wasabi Prime

El Gaucho Bellevue was the ringleader for this event, gathering the local likes of DeLille Cellars, Novelty Hill, and many other fine wineries, as well as edible samplings from El Gaucho's own menu, Wild Ginger, and the Melting Pot. On a personal note, Jodi Brothers, a morning host of one of my favorite local radio stations, The Mountain, was also there as a presenter. On an even more personal note, I was too much of a shy mouse to walk up and say "Hello, I've been a fan since you were on The End," so this virtual greeting will have to do.

I'm the last person to admit to any vino expertise, but I'm a dilligent student with a liver that is both willing and able. I was introduced to wineries new to my palate, including, the Darby Winery, Northstar, and Cadence, offering a lovely array of merlots, pinots, and cabernets. I kept to reds, as it is my preference, and I enjoyed a judger-free day with my purple-stained teeth. I tend to think of wine as how they will pair with food, and the ones I sampled were lovely selections that made me long for autumn days, and the heartier foods in the season ahead.

Because I'm not so well-heeled in the menagerie of wine, it was enjoyable to talk with other attendees of the event, having them name their favorites and hearing their recommendations of the next wine to taste. The event wasn't so crowded that casual conversation was drowned out, and people were both kind and gracious with their knowledge. As an extra bonus, I ran into fellow Tweeter and social media gal-about-town, Danielle Morrill, whom I was fortunate to meet at a previous Taste and Tweet event, and got a chance to say hello to El Gaucho General Manager, David Scherling, thanking him and the El Gaucho team for putting together such a successful event.

Otak Otak, so delicious, you say it twice - Photos by Wasabi Prime

We were treated to a sampling from Wild Ginger, whose kitchen also pulls double duty for The Triple Door, a neighboring music venue and bar/restaurant that is a personal favorite of the Prime's. They were serving up Otak Otak, fragrant little parcels of fish and red curry, wrapped in banana leaves, cooking over the grill, along with spiced grilled toast wedges to soak up all the lovely curry sauce. I've had this at the Triple Door before, and it's a really keen way to prepare fish without worrying about it sticking to the grill while keeping it both flavorful and moist, since the banana leaves provide an enclosure that steams everything inside it. I chatted a little with Tim Baker, director of sales and marketing for Wild Ginger and Triple Door, discussing the new opening of a Wild Ginger in Bellevue, over at the new Bravern megalopolis ready to open in September. They're planning on having an Enomatic Wine Serving System installed in the new Eastside location; they're quite impressive. Imagine a HAL 2000 of vino. Admittedly, I rather look forward to having Wild Ginger on this side of the pond so I don't have to wrestle with bridge traffic to indulge in spicy/sweet nomz from the Wild-G.

El Gaucho's edible offerings included glazed sweet scallops, tomato flatbread, brochettes in an herbed sauce, endive salad, and a bite of tenderloin on toast. These were nibbles compared to their full menu, and I've been spoiled by several proper visits to the restaurant to know that it was only a hint of what Chef Steve Cain can do. I won't wax poetic over the samplings other than to say, get thee to the restaurant and order a proper meal to really appreciate the good work they do.

The Prime & the Peanut, El Gaucho snacks, fondue madness, and music by Brian Nova - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Despite the shortage of disposeable plates, dessert waits for no one! I collected a small army of dessert items from the Melting Pot table to share with my partners in crime. Everything tastes good with a drizzle of melted chocolate, but they had me at "Oreo-covered marshmallow."

For a first-time event, I think Pour on the Plaza has great potential. The grassy lawn area of the City Center Plaza building is a cozy spot for a small to medium-sized crowd; they limited the number of tickets to this event, and while they could have opened it up to more people, the attendance on Saturday was quite near the porridge that was just right. Having a select number of wineries and restaurants participating in the event allowed the guests to really savor the offerings and talk with the winemakers. More food and drink festivals are popping up around the Seattle area, feeding a local hunger to be introduced to new things, and smaller, more intimate affairs like this one was a relaxed, unhurried way to appreciate the samplings the way they were meant to be enjoyed.

Happy Hour Haunt: Negronked at Naga

What? Reruns already?! Or maybe we just like the drinks at Chantanee's Naga, so damned much that we had to return, much like moths to a Flaming Moe.

J'adore martinis, j'adore L'Aurore - photo by Wasabi Prime

It was Friday night, we were feelin' all-right, and I was with my visiting bestie-best friend whom I lovingly call the Angry Peanut. We were recovering from a popcorn coma from seeing Julie & Julia, and wished to wash it down with a frosty beverage or two. Or three. OK, maybe just one more... Having had a lovely experience with Naga only days before, it was worth a second visit. We had the good fortune of being there to watch cocktail maestro Andrew Bohrer get down to business.

I cast Magic Missle on your drunk ass - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I love a place that has a sense of humor about themselves, even their drinks. The above photo is of an original beverage choice called the 4d6. I think the Spock-pointed ears of nerds are perking up. The menu description says, "If you know what this means, you are a nerd. ... No saving throws needed." I had no choice but to fly my freak flag and admit to knowing its reference so that I could get my hands on their wooden drink dice. I rolled the bones and came up with a combination, but ended up accepting an extra Singapore Sling they had made. What the runes foretold, the bar behold (beheld? Nah, doesn't rhyme), so who am I to question the Powers That Be?

Ice magic, a spicy Smash, the drink that almost was, and the drink that really was - Photos by Wasabi Prime

The Rogue's Gallery of our bartab included the previously enjoyed Kaffir Fling, several trips to the wild blue yonder via the Aviation, their delightfully ice-murdering Mojitos, a spicy number called a Thai Smash, and the seriously good L'Aurore. I particularly enjoyed the Smash, as it featured fresh cilantro; having never experienced it in a drink before, it was a refreshing introduction to find yet another place to use one of my favorite herbs. We were also lucky enough to watch Andrew Bohrer quickly and masterfully hand-carve a chunk of ice down to a perfect sphere for his own Ueno San cocktail, an homage to Hidetsugo Ueno of the Bar High Five in Tokyo. Apparently this is not unusual in high end bars in Tokyo, but as I had never seen this done before, I remain impressed by this practice of the Dō of ice.

Recipe Alert! For those wishing to get Negronked on fancified beverages, Andrew Bohrer was kind enough to serve our girl-drink-drunkard selves, as well as share this recipe for the Aviation:

The Aviation, a classic pre prohibition cocktail

1.5 gin

.5 maraschino

.5 lemon

.13 creme du violet*

Shake strain and garnish with cherry. Add a tiny whisper of simple syrup if people are freaked out by the musky dryness of maraschino.

* WP Note: I realize Creme du Violet isn't in most people's pantries, but if you wish to have a bottle for your very own, I found some available on Drink Up NY's site.

** Post Script - Thanks to Foodgrazing at Serious Eats for posting the L'Aurore photo!!

*** Post-Post Script - Another THANKS to Liqurious for posting the same L'Aurore pic!

** Regarding the wooden dice - the owners of Chantanee were kind enough to contact me and confirm that Andrew Bohrer himself carved the dice, so yet again, more of his signature handiwork graces the Naga bar.