Mixed Plate: Tricks and Treats

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Give Me Something Good to Eat... What the hell is wrong with kids to think that a rhyme like that would guarantee the giving of candy?? I guess anything that threatens the involvement of stinky feet is pretty irresistible. Instead of a hastily-planned pantry dinner or a happy hour crawl, I decided to do a Halloween-themed list of movie tricks and favorite treats, along with a funny photo of our bewildered pet, Indy, the Dog that Tweets.

How do you say in dog language: "Mom, I hate you?" - photo by Wasabi Prime

Don't get your cruelty-free britches in a bunch, PETA, she only wore the dorky marabou jiggly bat headband for maybe a minute before shaking it off. You're just lucky I didn't turn the blinky light on. Yes, it blinks. The real cruelty would have been putting her in a ridiculous getup like this one. Thank your lucky doggie stars, Indy! Aside from using the same photos being featured on the Prime's lil' sistah site, The Jaunty Magpie (sorry, it's been a busy week), I thought the photos would be a pleasant visual accompaniment for both the tricks and treats of this post.

Last Sunday, one of my favorite spooky thrillers was on TV and I made the terribly awesome mistake of watching it before going to bed. It was the original 1955 Henri-Georges Clouzot classic, Les Diaboliques. There was an awful remake of it in the 90s that deserves to be thrown down the well in The Ring, but the marvelous original deserves to be fully experienced in its creepy, black and white film noir glory. There's murder, deception, a missing body, and unsettling events that follow. It had a twist that puts The Sixth Sense to shame, and retains a rich, eerie presence in one's mind after you've seen it. Much like the warnings given to viewers after the movie was shown, I'm not saying anything more, other than you should watch it.

Additional Halloween-appropriate film themes that aren't overt gore-fests include:

Creepy Kids are Awesome: 1961's The Innocents starring Deborah Kerr and a similar-themed The Others with Nicole Kidman in 2001. No cringe-worthy blood and guts, just genuine fright that leaves you truly haunted, long after the credits roll -- the best kind of scary movie. Old houses, eerie kids communing with the dead, and disturbing psychological trauma? Yes, please.

Just Because You're Dead Doesn't Mean You Don't Have a Sense of Humor: Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy (Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, and Army of Darkness) pretty much solidified actor Bruce Campbell's place in B-movie history, as well as the Hail to the King, Baby-worthy Bubba Ho-Tep, directed and written by Don Coscarelli. These movies have a campy self-awareness and will still manage to sneak in a good scare now and then. Plus, as mentioned before: Bruce Campbell. What else do you need, really?

Real Vampires Eat Quiche. And People: The Twilight franchise sucks. I don't want my vampires like Azrael Abyss, Prince of Sorrow, wishing they lived in the 17th century so they don't have to Turtlewax the van. I like vampires as what they are: beastly abominations of human pathos with a serious case of the munchies. Two of my favorite vampire movies have their bloodsuckers as less of a smooth operator and more monstrous and gritty. F.W. Murnau's silent 1922 classic, Nosferatu, still gives me chills. The design of their vampire, Count Orlok, is the stuff of nightmares. An interesting fictional take on the making of this classic is Shadow of the Vampire, where Willem Dafoe takes on the role of Max Schrek as if he truly were a vampire during the making of the original silent film. My other favorite vampire movie is Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, a vamped-out version of The Wild Bunch. The gritty, unapologetic portrayal of the vampire family is both depraved and compelling, and would seriously disturb the sissy calm of Twilight's ethereal, overly-romanticized Cullen family.

In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream: The tagline for the first Alien movie neglected to point out the fact that in space, it's a vacuum, so no one can hear much of anything, but it sure sounded spooky in 1979. Director Ridley Scott combined moody, gothic storytelling with the genre of science fiction in the first and best of the Alien/Aliens movies (and I refuse to acknowledge the existence of the Aliens vs Predator movies -- oh the humanity!). With the visceral aesthetic of artist HR Geiger, it makes for a delightfully unsettling experience. The subsequent sequels ranged in quality, but this first one was the best in its intelligent observation of primal fears.

Do You Believe in Magic... and Last-Minute Movie Entries? One midnight entry, thanks to my friend Alice who reminded me of Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. I couldn't think of similar movies or sequel groupings because it's such a unique, atmospheric tale. I loved Nolan's debut with Memento and his treatment of the Batman movies. His adaptation of Christopher Priest's novel about frenemy magicians in turn of the century London is a bizarre, engrossing story about the overlap of science and magic, and the tenuous thread of humanity that weaves between these worlds. Not overtly scary, but it will surely leave you haunted.

But on to sweeter things... time for some treats to go with the tricks! There's been a lot of chatter over favorite candies these last few days and it inspired me to list some of my personal favorites:

Whatchamacallit - A lesser-known Hershey's product, this is a perfect specimen of crispy wafer, peanut, caramel, and chocolate. I love the balance of sweet, savory and crunchy. It's a bit of a rare bird, as I have a hard time finding it in stores, but it makes it all the more sweet when I do find it on the shelves!

Sour Patch Kids - Brock/Mr. Wasabi cringes at these, but it also guarantees I get the bag to myself if we're at the movies. GENIUS! I love sour candies and these chewy, scrunch-face-inducing candies are the best, even if it looks like I'm trying to pass a kidney stone while I'm eating them. Yummah.

Botan Rice Candy - OK, so maybe no one was handing these out on Halloween, but it's always been one of my favorite candies since I was a kid, even though I was such an OCD freak that I used to peel off the clear, edible rice wrapper before eating the lightly sweet, jelly-like candies. As a bonus, they used to come with little toys before copping-out to cheap stickers of crappy Anime.

Junior Mints - Who doesn't love these little bittersweet minty gems? The only argument that could be made around Junior Mints is the Mason-Dixon Line of frozen vs. not frozen. Thankfully, some movie theaters provide both and everyone walks away happy -- world peace is nearly in our grasp.

Jolly Rancher Apple - Yeah, I know there's other flavors, but my palate refuses to acknowledge their existence. Especially the dreaded blue raspberry. How many blue raspberries have you seen and who started that craze, so I know whose house to leave the flaming bag of dog poo?

I hope you liked the Tricks and Treats of Wasabi Prime. Feel free to leave comments over your favorite candies, costume ideas, or disputes over Jolly Rancher flavors. Happy Halloween!!

Why yes, that is a Guy Fawkes mask, and yes, Alan Moore rules - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Mixed Plate: Fall on Me

Wasabi Prime is back! Well... sort of.

In anticipation of being stricken with a severe case of vacation-hangover and just plain wiped from returning from the family visit, I wrote this in advance to have something season-appropriate for the week. Right before leaving, everyone in and around Seattle enjoyed that amazing autumn weekend of clear skies and glorious fall colors in the Pacific Northwest. I took several photos and they were too fun not to share.

Fall is awesome, as is silly legwear - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I already posted this pic on the Prime's lil' sistah site, Jaunty Magpie, but it pretty much sums up what I love best about fall: bright leaves and wearing wacky tights. Mr. Wasabi and I often spend our Saturdays at the Redmond Town Center with the manic furry menace known as Indy the dog, grabbing the ubiquitous latte and at least for the last few months, wandering the local farmer's market for tasty goods. October is the last month for most farmer's markets, including this one, so this is somewhat of a swan song to this weekend habit.

Raindrops on roses notwithstanding, these are also a few of my favorite things - Photos by Wasabi Prime

We've purchased pretty bouquets from the flower vendors many times. The pumpkin vase idea was a cute one. It's a shame Thanksgiving is so far off, as that would make for a cheerful host/hostess gift. Although nothing says "thanks for giving" like a bottle of booze, so there's something to be said for solid standbys. Something I was disappointed with not being able to take advantage of were the multi-hued bell peppers. Huge bins of the gorgeous things were at several booths and I had to keep telling myself that they wouldn't have maintained freshness in the fridge for our return home.

Butternut squash: totally delicious and not just for infantile jokes - Photo by Wasabi Prime

The joys of multicolored squash were in full effect as well with the market vendors. I love an ingredient that can be both decorative and perform a delicious role in a meal. We have a sugar pumpkin from a friend's garden sitting at home awaiting its culinary fate and I have little doubt the household favorite, butternut squash, will be back to make regular trips through our kitchen again.

The surrounding trees were completely ablaze with color, especially in the sun. Much like the fleeting beauty of spring when the cherry blossoms are out, autumn is the seasonal gift that's so beautiful and inspiring, it's an act of providence that it's such a short period so that we're reminded how fortunate we are to experience it and to really savor these times.

The joys of autumn and a totally rad vintage car - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Out of Office Reply: Merci Buttercups to All

Vacation, All I ever wanted, Vacation, Had to get away -- you sing it, The GoGos, my totally rad sistahs. The Prime has packed her bags to fly off with Mr. Wasabi for da islands of Hawaii to spend quality time with family and hopefully some quality time with a big bowl of saimin. In the short hiatus, I wanted to leave something that pays tribute not to the edibles, but the nourishing quality of friends, family, and the kindness of those who I've recently become acquainted with as a result of this blog.

Can't eat Rainier? But it would be fun to try - Photo by Wasabi Prime

The recent talk of the Federal Trade Commission cracking down on bloggers fully disclosing their "blog-ola" for posts biased towards whatever freebies sent made me think of the food-themed gifts I've received while writing this blog. Make no mistake, these weren't some shady, midnight payoff for a favorable review, these were sincere gifts from close friends who were only too kind in showing their support for finding one's bliss in a new hobby. I don't think The Man is going to come knocking on my door for what I got on my birthday or the holidays, but it made me think, Damn straight, anything received should be acknowledged. Our moms raised us right to pen thank-you notes, and while the thoughtful givers of these lovely items were sent proper written correspondence, I wanted to share the coolness of their gift-giving prowess, and extend my appreciation across the board to all who have been so supportive.

I had received a lovely and unique birthday gift from friend and fellow blogger, Radish and Rosé earlier this year. Amongst a package full of adorable food-related gifts (including these adorable heart-shaped measuring spoons!), there was a vintage book called You Can't Eat Mount Rainier! signed by author and Seattle historian, William C. Speidel. It's too perfect a thing not to share. The book is a jazzy little hardbound tome of recipes collected from local Seattle restaurants back in 1955, including some still-standing familiars like Canlis, El Gaucho, and even the now-karaoke kingdom of Bush Garden. No longer in print, but if anyone comes across this book, it's an absolute treat and treasure to have on one's shelf.

I also had the recent enjoyment of having one of my best friends from ye olde school days come out and visit around the time the film adaptation of Julie & Julia came out in theaters. A gal I lovingly refer to as The Angry Peanut (don't ask; long story) made the trek out to Washington and we had a delightfully food-filled weekend with the movie, and a wine festival. In thanks for the visit, the Peanut sent a care package full of goodies, and in her typical humorous style, she added cut-out word bubbles to comment on each item.

Bite me, FTC, these were real gifts, not payola! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

She recalled my wanting of a simple ceramic-bladed mandoline, hence her funny note hoping she picked out the right gadget. I did not say "what the eff is this?" but I sure expelled several eff's when on the maiden voyage of the mandoline, I had a wee accident. Despite a long weekend in the Town of Suckville trying to do everything with my un-favored hand, the gadget is awesome and totally worth the risk to make more paper-thin sliced foods.

Angry Peanut also knew of my anarchist love of the TLC network's show, Take Home Chef and included a cookbook from the show's host. Curtis Stone is the very adorable chef from Oz who looks more like a surfer dude, but he affably charms his way into the homes of grocery shoppers (usually hot ladies), cooks a gourmet meal with the hot ladies, and the husband or boyfriend are totally dumbfounded when they walk in on a saucy Aussie and a camera crew making time with their woman. People hug it out, a delicious meal is served, and the show ends on a cheerful note. I say it's an anarchist love because aside from the fact that Curtis is cute as a button, I keep waiting for an episode when a jealous husband or boyfriend completely loses their shiznit during the ambush, so that I may laugh so hard, I never stop. Maybe it speaks to the ever-expanding list of reasons Why I'm Going to Hell, but I've always been thankful for Angry Peanut's devoted friendship and hearty encouragement of this Dark Side of the Force within me. I am Darth Vader to her Emperor Palpatine. I should write that on the next Valentine's Day card.

Silliness aside, I want to express a truly heartfelt thanks to the people who have taken the time to read this blog and write so many kind comments and emails. Sincere thanks also go out to the people I chat with via Twitter, and those who have taken the time to "follow" Wasabi Prime via the Twitterverse. This was a project started for myself and a few foodie friends, but it's turned into a creative and enjoyable way to connect with people and learn new things from fellow bloggers, as well as the rare opportunity to bend the ear of professionals within the culinary world. Thank you so much for the support, because it's always a pleasant sense of amazement to see that people think the posts are worth a peek.

Since the Prime is on hiatus, please take a look at the blogs on the Om Nom Nom links page -- they are all amazing foodie sites and I try and keep up with everyone's post every week. They are all reminders that I still have a lot of work to do, and to keep exploring and tasting my way through life. I'm signing off with a pic taken of some pretty petit fours from Tiffany & Co snagged during last week's Fashion Week. No real reason other than to illustrate the sweet thanks expressed to everyone. See you all in another week or so! Mahalo plenty!

Totally sweet, dude - Photo by Wasabi Prime

UnRecipe: I Can Haz Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Squash Gratin?

Oh, LOLCats, your childish humor and bad spellingz will never cease to entertain me. The only thing more appealing to people than cute animal pictures is violent gore, so this post has already gotten off to a stellar start. In the process of making a very humble but delicious dinner of Cheddar Meatloaf and a Creamy Prosciutto Squash Gratin, the Prime had an epiphany: blades on mandoline slicers are sharp. Damn sharp. And this meal reheats marvelously after waiting a few hours for an open wound to clot. Lesson learned.

Meat, Cheese/Cheese, Meat! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

We'll go with the good news first: meatlof is a simple way to incorporate a lot of leftover goods sitting around the fridge. Because we're getting ready for a vacation, I tend to clean out the refrigerator and cook up whatever perishables are sitting around. A chunk of cheddar from the Au Revoir, Gourmet gougères post was shredded down and incorporated into a basic mix of ground beef and turkey. The cheese adds plenty of fat, along with a raw egg, so I opted for the other-other white meat instead of the usual addition of ground pork. A few splashes of worchestire sauce, salt and pepper kept the seasonings simple, and the loaf of meatiness was formed on some parchment paper on a cookie sheet and put into the oven for baking.

So far so good. A béchamel sauce was whipped up for the squash gratin -- butter, flour, milk, some salt and pepper. No problem. Enter the scary serial killer music that lurks at the base of a movie score's orchestration, slowly starting build as I pull out the new mandoline slicer from the drawer. I envisioned it as the perfect tool to render bright golden table squash from the local farmer's market into wafer-thin slices. The plan was to spread the discs of squash evenly, sprinkle chopped prosciutto in between each layer, topping each level with the white sauce before a final layer of sprinkled cheese.

The house of cards came tumbling down when a slip of the plastic guard with the odd-shaped squash caused my thumb to run across the blade and a flip-top lid was born. Crap. Thumb was pressure bandaged, and the awkward ballet of trying to make food with one's unfavored hand began. Unfortunately, the ballet was interrupted by several intermissions of "There's blood on the floor. Crap, it's my blood," and multiple wound dressings. A lumpy, but gore-free left-handed squash gratin baked in the oven and finished along with the meatloaf. Despite The Incident, the meal was delicious, so that should be a tribute to the comforting power of meatloaf and cheese. The meatloaf had the satisfying familiar flavor of a cheeseburger, sans bun, and the gratin was creamy, savory, and the squash roasted down nicely in the oven. Was it worth the mutilation of an integral member of the Right Hand Family? Don't be ridiculous, of course it is. I've got eight more perfectly good fingers and one more thumb to go through before calling it quits.

Left-handed squash gratin and accomplices in The Incident - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty - Lovely Blog Award

I received the very kind blessing of being named One Lovely Blog, by Jen from Tiny Urban Kitchen. Her Boston-based blog is a picturesque and delicious way to explore and enjoy the city through her eyes, and she makes amazing dishes. One of my favorite writeups she did was a grand feast for a few lovable (and fuzzy) friends, her incredible Kyaraben on Steroids post. I revisit this post because it's quite amazing, it always makes me smile, and I think you will too when you see it.

Not my picture, and I don't think Sally has a One Lovely Blog growing from her hand, but you get the idea.

I've been very fortunate to virtually "meet" so many lovely individuals in the bloggosphere and the best thing about little kudos like this is being able to pass it along to someone else. So, in the spirit of goodwill towards this act of kindness, it's encouraged to highlight several blogs one has discovered recently. If you wish to nominate one of your favorite blogs (doesn't have to be a food blog; can be anything), here is the simple criteria for One Lovely Blog:

- Link to the person from whom you’ve received the award.
- Nominate blogs you really like, preferably ones you have recently discovered
- Leave a message on the nominees’ blogs telling them of their award!

So with out further adieu, these are the blogs I'd like to award as being One Lovely Blog, and deserving of a crowd-pleasing Oscar speech by Sally Field:

Velveeta Ain't Food - Carli's blog is a delightfully cozy mix of food and life. Always tasty and thoughtful, her writing voice is humorous and very real. You feel like you're reading a note from a good friend or close family member, and the food makes you feel the comforts of home.

Citron et Vanille - Silvia is a personal chef, blogger, and I'm fairly certain she's a muse for the culinary gods. When she's not serving up delicious food for lucky clients in the San Francisco Bay Area, she is dilligently posting daily recipes that look so fresh, you'd swear you were in the heart of summer all year round.

Papawow! - This blog makes me L-O-L to the max because it's never without a smart sense of humor. Written by multiple people, you have the benefit of getting many stories and perspectives. I like that they discuss several food-related topics, list suggested readings, and like the cool teacher everyone wanted, you always feel like you learn something new.

Sweet Paul - Gorgeous blog, as it should be, since its namesake is a food stylist! Beautiful photos, and always an excellent reminder that quality imagery makes all the difference. I like that it's not just about food, but the beautiful things that we surround ourselves with that help inspire what we do every day. A lovely reminder that life must nourish as much as food.

The Eaten Path - I can't read this blog when I'm hungry, so consider yourself forewarned. This is a global jaunt around the world, as the writers contribute posts from several different countries. Along with the flavors of the region, you get a very real sense of where it came from. It's as much of a travel blog as it is for food. It focuses a lot on small family restaurants and the almighty power of street food. Have hunger? Will travel.

* Note: These are not the only favorites I have, so please visit the Links page and see another list of blogs I regularly enjoy. I have several favorites who just got nominated for FoodBuzz Awards as well (remember to vote!), but I figure they're getting plenty of well-deserved attention, and I wanted to highlight some others that I felt were nomination-worthy as well.

UnRecipe: Creamy Eggplant Curry and Tofu

The welcome change in weather has inspired the making of soups, stews, and in this case, curry. We're still on Vacation Countdown at Wasabi HQ, but that doesn't keep the kitchen from continuing to crank out home-cooked goodness. A recent trip to the Redmond Farmer's Market yielded some colorful items like brightly-colored peppers and adorable little purple and white eggplants. I was inspired by a recent visit to my favorite Thai restaurant, Chantanee, and decided to make a Creamy Eggplant and Tofu Curry.

The heat is ON for spicy eggplant curry - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I particularly enjoy the combination of Thai flavors; it's always a satisfying mix of sweetness, complex spices, some heat, and a little bitterness. I took the chopped peppers and eggplant, cooked them down, and mixed in a dollop of store-bought red curry paste with some fresh lemongrass stalks. A can of coconut milk was added, then tofu, chopped Thai basil, and fresh spinach at the end. Everything simmered for a bit, letting the flavors combine and melt down the vegetables before ladling it over some basmati rice. I often speak of our low-carb household, but for curries and stews, I can't just eat them on their own -- sometimes I need my rice, dammit. Don't get between an Asian girl and a bowl of rice. You won't win, so just forget it, Atkins.

Something else to note, if you have a local farmer's market, now is the perfect time to search out some really nice vegetables. We're seeing a lot of unique squash and those eggplants we found were so adorable, I almost didn't want to cook them. I say almost because while I gave them a pause for admiration of their cuteness, I still hacked them up and threw them into a searing hot wok. In the rock-paper-scissors politics of food, cuteness is beat by hunger. Tummy satisfaction agrees with this choice. *burp*

Cute vegetables preserved for posterity before being om nommed - photos by Wasabi Prime

UnRecipe: Won Ton Soup is Good Food

There's a bit of anticipation in the Wasabi household -- no, we're not pregs, but it would be funny if this was how I announced it. Preggo eggos aside, Brock and I will be hopping a plane very soon to see my dear cousin, Miss J, get married in Hawaii. My whole family is from there, so it's a rare blessing to have all the aunties, uncles and cousins in one place. Even the holidays are tough to get everyone together, so it makes for an even more special occasion and we're very much looking forward to the time off. Because I have family on the brain, I've been craving foods my mom cooks when I visit. She always makes gyoza, aka, potstickers, which are great appetizers before dinner or a meal on their own. I do my own twist on them in the interest of time, and with the recent chilly weather, I made a sweet and sour vegetable soup. The result was my own version of Won Ton Soup.

Won tons of fun - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I prefer using the round wrappers, as they're a bit thicker and the shape allows for the pretty pinch-folds on the edge to seal them up. The store only had the thinner square won ton wrappers, which fine since they come out looking like little packages. As long as the food is cute, what else matters, right?

I like gyoza or won tons because you can really fill them with anything, and are especially nice ways to dispatch small portions of leftovers. This was a little more premeditated, so I had some ingredients picked out specifically for this dish. Some bok choi, garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms were buzzed in the food processor and mixed with unseasoned ground pork and chopped scallions. Little spoonfuls were stuffed in the center of each square and sealed shut. I like cooking things quickly, so I take all the little bite-sized packages and place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and lightly brush or spray with cooking oil, and under the broiler they go. There's not a lot of meat filling, so it cooks quickly and the intense heat browns the wrappers nicely. It's almost like they've been fried and it cooks everything at once.

The broth for the soup was a little more involved -- I periodically make up batches of beef, chicken or vegetable broth. I keep a brown paper sack in the freezer full of vegetable bits and bobs like mushroom stems, celery and carrot ends, onion tops, etc. When the bag gets full, I'll boil water and make a pot of vegetable broth, freezing it for later use. It's a combination of being terribly compulsive and having a disdain for waste. By making broth, all manner of chicken and beef bones, plus vegetable flotsam get a second life in a meal.

Making the broth more Asian-inspired, I took chunks of fresh ginger to steep in the simmering liquid, and added fresh shiitakes for a strong, earthy flavor. Baby bok choi leaves were added, and healthy dashes of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar gave it a savory/sour tang. A few crispy won tons were floated in, as well as snacked on while the broth simmered. It wasn't exactly something my mom used to cook, but an inspired recreation that I think she would approve of. The next time the Wasabi parental-sans come out for a visit, I'll have to show them the twists I've done on their recipes.

A total personal family note that's too good not to share -- congratulations to my other cousin and her husband who just welcomed a baby girl into the world. Much love goes out to J + C, and to little Z who's got the lofty task of being a big brother ahead of him. See you soon!

Ginger, shiitake mushrooms and oh boy - bok choi! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

UnRecipe: Au Revoir, Gourmet

It's the understatement of the week to say that Conde Nast's decision to shutter Gourmet magazine is a mournful day in our epicurean times. Well over 60 years of printed recipes and stories that developed a meaningful dialogue between people and food, all coming to an unceremonious end. I honestly can't find the words to say much, other than it's a sad and disapointing thing. It feels like someone special has passed on, because the lonely feeling of their absence is already setting in.

Thank you, Gourmet magazine, for decades of food memories - photo by Wasabi Prime

I had made some gougères the week before, and meant to post sooner. I was looking through several recipes including one from Gourmet. In typical UnRecipe style, I still broke from the recipe to use some ingredients I already had on-hand, but I'd like to think that Ruth Reichl could appreciate the edible spirit of adventure and understand.

Good food doesn't have to be complicated or fancy to be delicious. I can't offer anything more than a lop-sided cheese puff to commemorate the loss of Gourmet magazine, but maybe comfort is all we can accept right now. To bake up your own simple puffs of cheesy comfort, please use this miniature gougères recipe from Gourmet in 2008.

FoodTrek: Delicious Preview at Bellevue's Purple Cafe

Very happy to report that the Purple Cafe is on track to open in Bellevue on October 6th this week, and I have the happy tummy to prove it. Despite the whirlwind night of split-personality blogging between food and fashion (I write another blog called the Jaunty Magpie), The Prime was very lucky to experience a taste of Bellevue Purple's menu on Saturday night.

Purple Cafe Bellevue - an inside look - Photo by Wasabi Prime

There's been a lot of anticipation over the third location of Purple Cafe. Mr. Wasabi (Brock) and I have enjoyed the Woodinville location many times over, and we especially love the one in downtown Seattle for its impressive giant tower of wine that's probably visible from several counties away. The chance to get a sneak peek at the new Bellevue Towers location and see their menu was an opportunity too good to pass up, so I ventured into the new space and was pleased by a mix of the familiar and some new things. The spirit of the Pacific Northwest is alive and well in their restaurant, utilizing a lot of the familiar earthy, natural elements in their other spaces. The large windows allow light to pour in, showing off the floor to ceiling walls containing their wine collections. A unique ventilation system cools the wine from the ceiling, keeping them at the ideal temperature while they are displayed throughout the restaurant.

More sneaky peeks at Purple Bellevue's interiors - photos by Wasabi Prime

Purple's taste menu is an especially nice thing for cuisine options. Going to the Woodinville location a while back, Brock and I liked the idea of small bites of interesting items to precede one's main course. A bit of an experimental food lab, these bites are great ways to sample flavors and ingredients without the commitment of ordering something larger, plus it's a pleasant way to try many things without feeling too full from the dining experience. During Saturday's tasting, I was very happy to have a bit of their Rogue blue cheese with (my favorite) fig jam and apple slices, along with a wedge of their creamy-delicious pate, and delicate slices of fresh hamachi sprinkled with citrus. The combination of flavors both on the table and what is offered throughout Purple Cafe's menu is a laundry list of delicious local inspiration that reminds one that food should be fun and all flavors deserve to be explored.

Little bites to make the mouth happy - Photos by Wasabi Prime

There was a contest going on for Purple Cafe fans to send in a review of their baked brie appetizer, so of course the baked brie had to be ordered! In a moment of blinding honesty, I must say I tend to order Purple's goat cheese appetizer over the brie, but given my passionate love of all things cheese, it's like choosing chocolate ice cream over vanilla -- who cares, as all is clearly right with the world in either case. Like a gorgeous little gift, the baked brie came in a parcel of filo dough, along with their house-made flatbread and a sweet relish of grapes. Cutting into the cheesy gift, the melted brie oozed out and our table audibly rejoiced at the sight. Moments of religion-like silence followed as enjoyment of rich cheese and crackers commenced. Amen to that.

Cheese is truly a gift deserving of flaky pastry wrapping - photo by Wasabi Prime

The team at Purple Cafe were as excited about the opening as the guests were. The waitstaff were given an intensive two-week orientation to get to know the extensive wine and cheese menus, as well as a fine knowledge of the ingredients used. Given the still-precarious economic times, eating at a restaurant is a luxury, so being able to have a nice dialogue with the people who clearly have a good relationship with the food they serve makes an already special occasion that much more satisfying. It was a rare treat to be given this inside look at a restaurant on the eve of their opening, and the food was, as always, a truly lovely thing.

My only regret was not being able to stay longer, as I had to scamper off to catch the Vogue Front Row Fashion event at the neighboring Hyatt Regency Bellevue down the street. As I was watching the waiflike models saunter down the catwalk, I thought to myself, sure, you've got glamour, enviable height, and an uncanny ability to be graceful with four inch stilettos, but I've got something you don't: Happy Baked Brie Tummy. Bam, said the Lady.

Big Wasabi thanks to the people at Heavy Restaurant Group for letting the Prime preview the new Bellevue Purple Cafe. I may have missed out on the main course, but I'm not worried because I know I'll be back very soon.

UnRecipe: The Comfort Food Zone

Submitted for your approval... you are traveling to another dimension... a dimension of not only sight and sound but of humble, simple foods. You have entered the Comfort Food Zone. So maybe that's not what Rod Serling intended for his historic (and one of my favorite) anthology series, the Twilight Zone, but lately, I've gotten into the habit of doing a lot of cooking on Fridays, often doing multiple dishes not even meant to be eaten together, but it turns the whole kitchen into an edible zone, with things bubbling on the stove or baking in the oven. Normally I'd consider it a Test Kitchen Friday, but recently with the change of weather, it's not new things I'm trying, but a return to familiar dishes and flavors that really strike the autumnal mood. Submitted for your approval: andouille sausage mystery beer chili and a leek and pesto Italian soup with quinoa.

Hey there, hot stuff - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Chili is a notorious UnRecipe for me because I never measure or keep track of how it's made. In all likelihood, each pot of chili I've made has been like some rare, genetic singularity fang-toothed dodo bird/platypus hybrid, anomalous and extinguished before proper documentation could occur. But delicious all the same. This batch of chili used up some leftover andouille sausage we had languishing in the fridge and Brock found an unmarked bottle of beer from one of our homebrewing friends where the top had lost its seal. No longer carbonated, it would still make for a tasty cooking liquid, despite its mysterious origin. Honestly, any beer would do. You could throw in a PBR into your chili recipe and it would taste fine, and you could have the smug knowledge that your chili was a blue ribbon special.

Deconstructed chili - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I threw in chopped bell peppers, an onion, garlic, and browned some ground turkey as an additional protein punch. I've been leaning more towards the use of black beans over kidney beans for the legume component; the smaller beans make for a less chunky chili, plus if you feel so inclined, the more uniform consistency makes for a boss add-on to fries or tortilla chips. As for the main flavoring, I use two or three adobo chiles with a bit of the sauce, and then a disorganized, unmeasured mix of chili, mustard, cumin and garlic powders, plus a hefty shake of Hawaiian seasoned rocksalt. I realize this must sound really frustrating to those wanting measured amounts, but I don't name these posts UnRecipe for nothing.

Blog-inspired, Wasabi-meddled soup - Photo by Wasabi Prime

Another burner was busy bubbling away with an Italian-themed soup. This was inspired by personal chef and blogger, Silvia de Gregori's Citron et Vanille. Her beautiful Sardinian spinach, chickpea and fregola soup inspired an Italian turn, taking a big liberty with the seasoning and adding a spoonful of the homemade pesto we still have in the fridge. I also substituted the couscous-like fregola pasta with quinoa, which was also a pantry leftover awaiting its destiny in some meal. Not meant as an insult to Silvia and her amazing blog; she writes several new posts every week with beautiful, colorful photos and her dishes are always a constant source of healthy inspiration for me to incorporate vegetables in new and interesting ways. I liked the idea of her Sardinian soup and modified it to fit the needs of what the pantry and refrigerator already had, because we have a terrible habit of just letting ingredients pile up. Definitely give Citron et Vanille a look and if you're lucky to live in the Bay Area, her personal chef services would be a treat to experience.

Tasty bulbs and the last of the quinoa - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I appreciate your coming along for this visit into the Comfort Food Zone. Certainly not as exciting as William Shatner freaking out over the fact that THERE'S... SOMETHING... ON THE WING! but really, what else can beat that? There's at least a creature comfort in having a few simple meals cooked up ahead of time that can be spooned into plastic containers and brought to work, or easily microwaved for dinner after a long day. That makes venturing into the CF-Zone on Fridays a worthy trip indeed.