‘Seattle’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Spread

February 20, 2014 · Narrative

An easy to make Roasted Cauliflower Spread that is high on flavor, low on guilt, and perfect however you get it into your mouth.

I feel like every time Sarah and I have gotten together and broken bread over the past few years, we have compared it to our Seattle trip in 2011. Mostly because we do. And mostly because the trip was awesome. On many accounts.

In fact, not two weeks ago, when Sarah and I were leaving a dinner hosted at the Culinary Institute of America, our Seattle trip and the food we had came up again. Which kind tells you how awesome that trip was, because, I mean, you’d think we’d be rehashing the CIA dinner we had just inhaled.

Nope.

And so all road leads to Seattle. Including this one. The first night that we arrived there, we were famished and everything was closed. We ended up back at our hotel restaurant, Lola, and it couldn’t have been more perfect (see complete restaurant review here). We decided to order a few appetizer/finger food type items off the menu, to get a good sampling of the fare, and there was a roasted cauliflower spread that was kind of amazing.

Must have been if we are still talking about it three years later.

And clearly we need to go back to Seattle.

A few weeks ago, Sarah created a riff of that cauliflower spread and brought it to our holiday bloggers dinner. It was pretty close to the one we first had at Lola. Whether you spread it on crackers, a grilled piece of chicken topped with fresh salsa, or, um, just eat it with a spoon, it’s delicious. I took her version and played with it a little more. Still delicious, even just eaten off a spoon. It would even make a great sandwich spread, if you want to skip more fattening choices like mayonnaise.

And given it is pretty much packed with vegetables and a few simple other ingredients, it is a recipe you can feel good about making and eating. No guilt here.

And just a last ps for all you anchovy haters. This recipe has anchovies in it, but you will be fine. Truth be told, I hate anchovies too. But cooking with them is another story. It delivers a nice salty one-two punch to tons of recipes and you’d never guess it was anchovies.

Swear.

Hungry for more posts about Seattle?
We loved this oyster bar we discovered down a narrow alley way.
Tasty little snacks were had at Piroshky Piroshky.
The famed gum wall was equal parts gross and fascinating.
The Seattle music scene.
And lastly, it was love at first sight.

Tomorrow? January Instagram in Review.
Friday? We talk blueberries.

…

Review: Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar {Seattle, WA}

January 15, 2013 · Narrative

When Sarah and I were choosing our return flights from our trip to Seattle for a Starbucks event almost two years ago (ack!), we purposely chose a later flight. It meant we would land back at our home airport at around 6 am, and then I took the car service home, changed, and went straight to work. Which was pretty killer.

But it also meant that it bought us an afternoon of sightseeing around downtown Seattle. Nearly seven hours, to be exact. Since this was the first trip to Seattle for both of us, we couldn’t not do it, right?

After our last bit of the Starbucks’ obligations ended, we checked out of our hotel room, left our suitcases with the front desk, and headed off in search of adventure.

Mostly the food kind.

By way of Pike Place.

When we happened upon Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar (judge nothing by their web site, it’s lacking in a severe way), it was pure happenstance. We had just bought piroshkies from Piroshky Piroshky, and honestly just wanted a place to sit down and dig in. We ended up walking down a little alley way and found an outdoor courtyard with tons of available seating.

As it was part of the Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar, we came by our seats honestly.

By buying multiple Diet Cokes. (This was long before I gave up Diet Coke)

After we polished off our food, we took a quick look at the Oyster Bar’s menu.

And, well, when it comes to oysters, it’s really hard for me to say no.

Sarah too.

And so we took our party of two inside to one of their well-worn, deliciously broken-in booths and started to order off the fun paper-bag menus.

I swear we seriously just ate our way through Pike Place.

And it was, like, the most fun ever.

When we ordered the Oysters Rockefeller, our very cute, affable waiter, Trenton, said that they were made to order and it would be about twenty minutes.

“Is that ok?”

But of course.

And then we busied ourselves doing what most food bloggers do.

…

Planning a Girls’ Night In

December 15, 2011 · Ad-Free, Narrative

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There’s no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

This time of year, our calendars bulge with holiday commitments, parties, and general chaos. That’s why I pretty much never have a holiday party. Instead, we plan more out-of-the-box ideas … our Rainbow Cake party twice a year to celebrate both the beginning and end of school, our Chinese New Year celebration, our annual Valentine’s Day party, our bacon fete, and parties just because. Which are sometimes my favorite kind.

Back in the Spring (yes, it has taken me this long to blog about it), I hosted a Girls Night In. It actually ended up being the night before I left on my Seattle/Starbucks trip. I debated about rescheduling the party, but had been so looking forward to it. With a little careful planning, you too can have a party the night before you fly across country for Starbucks College! Especially if you make it a potluck affair with awesome friends.

The reason for the party to begin with? I had heard about Craft Hope, an organization that tries to meet needs of orphans through handmade goodness, and at the time, they were looking for people to make handmade bracelets, to be sent to orphaned children clear across the world. I have long considered adopting, even when The Ex and I were still married, so this was something that I didn’t need arm twisting to participate in. Add in a group of fun girlfriends, an array of homecooked food and Mom Juice, and directions to make bracelets using t-shirt material, and a perfect Girls Night In was born.

The bracelets are relatively simple to make but require coordination. Of which I have exactly none. Spoken by the person who sprained her ankle. Wearing sneakers. Just walking down three steps. Luckily out of the group of ten of us, there were at least 3 or 4 that got the concept quickly. And they schooled the helpless. Or hopeless. Depending on your perspective. And how much Mom Juice had been injested at that point.

Madeline just saw this picture of me and responded with “Oh Mom, you look cute!” Yeah, that was back when I had hair. I feel like it’s barely grown an inch since I lopped off 9 over the summer. It is s-l-o-w going for sure, and a cut I won’t likely repeat.

…

Review: Piroshky Piroshky Bakery, Pike Place Market, Seattle

August 10, 2011 · Narrative

Love the little bit of sun flare in that picture. I had planned another topic for today, but couldn’t string the words together in a way that made me happy, so instead we’ll catch up on some backlog.

I happened to be on an interview this morning, and the guy interviewing me asked me “why food?” One of the easiest questions for me to answer, but not one I am able to eloquently sum up in a nice, compact elevator speech. Because it means so much. From my girls trip last year to Mystic, CT, I have a giant photo hanging in our kitchen that proclaims FOOD IS LOVE. And that’s it, really, isn’t it? Some of my earliest fondest memories from my childhood involve food, but beyond that, it’s about coming to the table. To share with family. With friends. Creating memories. Around occasions. And nothingness. And that’s one thing I strive to give my kids. Memories of love. Food. Family. Laughter. After all, it’s all woven together in our tapestry. Our rainbow cakes. Our Feast of the Seven Fishes. Nick’s yesteryear favorite dinner of Penne with Vodka Sauce and his sister’s first taste of grapefruit. Our celebrations of Chinese New Year. Even though we’re not Chinese. I want them to remember coming together as a family, at the table, when they look back on their childhood. And when Nick requested a homecooked meal for his birthday dinner, it just reinforces the fact that I’m on the right path. It all starts here.

And so it is with trips too. Since early Spring, I have taken a trip a month, largely for work, and some of them (heck, most of them!) have been intrinsically tied to food. The memories that surround the trip are all about “Remember that meal we had at that dive?” “Those roadstand tomatoes?” “That waiter at such-and-such as awesome, wasn’t he?” We share. We connect. We laugh. We love. We feed our souls from the inside out, nourishing every fiber of our being.

When I say that Sarah and I ate our way across Seattle back in May, I’m not exaggerating. Because we totally did. Our last meeting with the Starbucks crew was a lunch meeting. But after that, we had a second lunch at Lola. And then we seriously worked our way from one end of Pike Place Market to the other. Eating. Experiencing. Thinking “oh, we’re not hungry,” and then an hour later we’re chatting it up with a cute waiter and two dozen oysters. (That review is coming soon)

The day we arrived in Seattle, Beth forwarded me an e-mail with a list of Top 10 eats in Pike Place Market. Whoever said “timing is everything” wasn’t kidding. I saw Piroshky Piroshky Bakery on the list and it was one of our first stops. A Russian bakery that has been family-owned since 1992, we found it easily by the small line snaking outside the front door. And in actuality, the line gave us a chance to get the tiny lay of the land, suss out the menu, peer into the clear glass case and decide exactly how many piroshkies would be too much.

…

Ten Things I Learned about Sarah Caron

June 7, 2011 · Narrative

Sarah and I first got to know each other as writers on the same (now defunct) food website. Through working together, our friendship grew. We have actually worked (and still work) for quite a few of the same clients, so from a professional standpoint, it’s been awesome to have someone to bounce ideas off of, and do creative brainstorming with, especially since we both keep super late hours. But beyond the professional connection, a friendship was born. We both have young kids, so eventually, it was only naturally that we get together. Sarah and her family stayed with us for a weekend nearly two years ago, and we met halfway for a picnic playdate at Bear Mountain last year. I talk to Sarah as much as I talk to my “real life” friends, if not more. If fact, we were working online together when The Ex announced he wanted out of our marriage. She was the first to know, and in a weird sort of way, and was right there when it happened.

We have attended several events together, but the Seattle trip last month was our first professional trip together. We had a serious blast.

1. Sarah appreciates the need for a good cupcake stop. We had barely gotten through the security checkpoint before we made a beeline for Crumbs cupcakes. Unfortunately the cupcake didn’t fare so well, as we accidentally stepped on it, um, three times. It was still pretty tasty. Even if it cost four dollars. I know!

2. Sarah does not embarrass that easily. Which is really good because I tend to get myself and others in situations that might be embarrassing. I’d like to think that’s part of my charm. In fact, I’m sure of it. When we were waiting to board our flight, I took a picture of the ticket area because I wanted something that announced where we were going. As we were sitting on the plane, waiting for take-off, I was flipping through some of the pictures that I had taken so far. I came across this one. “Man, look at his saggy ass,” I said to Sarah. While I had my iPod on. The look she shot me was hovering between horror and hysterics. Because I said it really loudly. I’m sure five rows back probably heard me. Luckily she settled on hysterics. Which is pretty much how the whole trip went.

3. Sarah appreciates a good read. This was my stack that I brought with me. Hers was about a quarter-inch thick since her reading material came via her Kindle.

4. Sarah is not a food snob. This was our dinner. Oh wait, this was my side. Hers was much healthier. Well, kind of. As healthy as you can be with airplane food. We decided to go with munchies instead of, you know, a real meal. All the more fun while traveling.

5. This was Sarah’s first time to Seattle too. I love that we got to experience it together.

6. Sarah’s a pretty good sport. Because I made her lean over the passenger sitting next to her to take that “first glimpse of Seattle” picture above.

7. Sarah’s a giver. I had borrowed a friend’s Netbook so I could do a mountain of editing work that was due our first night in Seattle. That would have worked out great had I not forgotten my friend’s “very easy” password. Sarah gave up working that night so I could meet my deadlines.

8. Sarah gets the whole photo thing. Though, in all honesty, I probably knew this about her before we went to Seattle. My camera goes everywhere with me. I take pictures of everything. It can be a little annoying, but I don’t care. Sarah is totally right there with me. Love that.

9. Sarah is down for anything when it comes to food, and I adore that. We tried out so many random places during our time there. This guy, Trenton, was super cool and took care of us on a spur-of-the-moment oyster stop we made (review coming soon).*Photo credit for that one is for Sarah.

10. We are more simpatico than I ever knew. There were quite a few times during the trip that we were separated by people, space, whatever and we would catch up for a few minutes and share notes. It’s funny to see our take-aways on different things, and that they were totally on the same page most of the time. Made for awesome gossip!

Sarah took this one of me at our “goodbye lunch” the day we left the Starbucks crew and Seattle. I was waving. She thought it was funny because it looks like I’m telling her that I’m five years old. I might act it sometimes (perhaps it’s the sense of humor), I swear I’m much older. Really.

Luckily Sarah seems to have enjoyed the trip to Seattle as much as I did, because we’re doing a road trip next month together. I convinced Joanne to go with us. I hope she’s ready.

…

Playing Tourist: Seattle’s Market Theater Gum Wall

May 24, 2011 · Narrative

When Sarah and I were planning our trip to Seattle a few weeks ago, I asked one of the local Starbucks reps that we were working with to suggest a few off-the-beaten path things for us to do and visit while we were there. As soon as I saw her mention of Seattle’s gum wall, I was so in. I mean, visiting the Space Needle is a given. But a disgusting gum wall? Even better. Sarah, on the other hand, needed a bit more convincing. And that was before we knew it was voted the second germiest tourist attraction in 2009 (the Blarney Stone took top honors).

We knew the general area where it was, but not an exact location. As soon as I saw this graffiti-filled alleyway, I knew we were in the right place.

And I was right.

I thought it was awesome. In a disgusting sort of way. My inner germophobe might have been hurling just a bit, but it was just one of those fun things to cross off our virtual bucket list. Even though Sarah still swears this never appeared on her bucket list, I bet she’s secretly glad we went anyway.

It’s across the alley way from a little club, in the vicinity of a theater, and the start of a ghost tour (totally missed that! we’ll just have to go back). Back in 2008, Jennifer Aniston actually filmed a scene from Love Happens right by this very wall. If disgusting gum walls are your thing, there is another one in Cali that bears checking out. That one has been around a lot longer, with its inception dating somewhere around WWII. By comparison, the Seattle one “officially” started in 1999, after locals were unsuccessful in getting people to stop putting gum there.

…

Photos in Review: Seattle Music Scene

May 16, 2011 · Narrative

The internet connection at home has been having fits and starts, and it has been taking a ridiculously long time to access any websites, download pictures or do anything else I need it to do, despite my best efforts. So in the meantime, I’m going to skip the Weekend Photos in Review and take this opportunity to break out some of my Seattle pictures. Today? The music scene.

When you think of Seattle and music, there are quite a few “big names” that quickly pop to mind. Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, Ann & Nancy Wilson (of Heart), Death Cab for Cutie, Foo Fighters, Kenny G, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder all come to mind. But music and Seattle go much deeper than that, as Sarah and I discovered on our trip last week. Many corners downtown, and particularly the Pike Place area, were filled with music. Beautiful haunting tones from a saxophonist. The steady rhythmic beat of a drummer near the water. A guitar playing soulful singer parked outside the first-ever Starbucks store. And a guy who balanced a guitar on his chin whilst playing the harmonica, hula hooping, finger clicking and shaking a tambourine on his feet. To say I was smitten by the music scene would have been an understatement. It made turning down every corner a little adventure on its own, with a new artist just waiting for discovery. Some were doing it for tips, others were doing it for exposure. All were amazing in their own right.

I could have listened to this guy play for hours. And his smile? Incredible. The sounds of his saxophone carried across several blocks and it was amazingly beautiful.

…

Seattle, I Love You

May 13, 2011 · Narrative

Earlier this week, Sarah and I embarked on a whilrwind adventure, touching down on the West Coast for a fun and informative event. There will be much more details and photos from the event over the course of the next few months. But Seattle? Seattle, you had me at hello. And what a hello it was.

For both of us, this was our first time visiting Seattle. Because of this, we ended up taking the red-eye back (and going straight to work an hour after landing!) just so we could build in 7 hours of sightseeing before we left. Perfect decision.

Enchanting. Simply enchanting. To the point where a job offer and a persuasive conversation with my Ex could convince me to pack up the kids and drive cross-country in an effort to call Seattle our new home.

From the very first person in Seattle we encountered (our driver when we landed) to the very last person we encountered (the Continental ticket agent on our flight back late Tuesday night), we met nothing but friendliness, openness and a willingness to share. Each person more engaging than the next. A city that is much like New York. Only without the grime, the bustle and the rude. There were breathtaking bits of magic around nearly every corner, and I have a little notebook filled to the brim with little highlights from our trip there, ready to share big things and little things with you in due time. So many laugh out loud moments. Moments of joy. Moments of people that could not be more passionate about the topics they were talking about. Moments of bliss. Lots of them.

Seattle, it was hard to leave you, but you have a piece of our hearts. We’ll be back.

Eat. Live. Be. #14: What Supplements Do You Take?

April 18, 2011 · Narrative

“Can I ask you a personal question?”

I braced myself.

“All those pills you take… is everything ok?”

“In that little green container?”

“Yes, the one with the days of the week on it.”

“Oh yes, everything is fine. Those are just all the supplements and vitamins I take.”

“Ahh, gotcha.”

And then I rattled off what the container held so there wouldn’t be cause for worry. My friend had every right to be concerned though. I’ll be the first to admit it, I take a lot of stuff. It was such an inordinate waste of time opening up all the bottles every day, when a co-worker suggested getting a pill dispenser to ration out my daily pills, it was one of those “duh, why didn’t I think of that?” moments. But it definitely makes it look like something is seriously wrong with me if you don’t know better.

I have always taken a multi-vitamin and extra Vitamin C. That’s a given. Over the past year and a half, I have seriously upped the regime to include fish oil supplements, calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, flax seed and green tea supplements. I even had to upgrade to the XL pill dispenser after just a few weeks. But the thing is, I’ve only been sick once (last week, as a matter of fact) in the past 18 months, so I have to believe that what I’m doing works.

Fish Oil – lowers your triglycerides, lowers blood pressure, prevents and treats arthritis and promotes healthy joints.
Calcium – helps keep bones healthy, and per Dr. Oz, most people don’t get enough calcium from their food sources.
Vitamin B-12 – helps develop your red blood cells and is used to make the protective coating around your nerves; it plays a key role in brain and nervous system development and the metabolism of cells.
Flaxseed Oil – studies show it can reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Vitamin D – essential for the growth and development of bones and teeth, and protects against multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune conditions. A higher intake of vitamin D has been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in women.
Vitamin C – stimulates the immune system, helps prevent and treat infections and diseases, aids in the production of white cells, helps form and maintain collagen (the basis of your connective tissue) and even assists in lowering your cholesterol.
Green Tea – promotes increased metabolism and aids in weight loss.

I keep the Vitamin C tablets separate (since they’re soft, they don’t do well mixed with the others when I ration out the week ahead), so I take those at work, along with two of the three green tea supplements.

With the way I and the kids eat, I know we’re getting a ton of vitamins from all the fruits and vegetables we eat, but I don’t think it’s enough, and studies have shown that even if you’re hitting all your marks with the proper amount of recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, it’s still not enough. This regime just bumps it up a notch, and as a single mom, I just can’t afford to get sick. Who will take care of me and the kids? :)

I’m not quite sure why it’s necessary to write the days of the week beneath the letter of each day. My first thought, because it’s raised, was that it would help those that are blind, but my smaller dispenser doesn’t have the days written out on it.

I’ve priced out most of the supplements, checking online and stores when they have their sales combined with coupons, and Costco seems to have the best deal for the ones I’ve researched. No surprise there. If you stock up there, just be sure to check the expiration date against how many pills you’ll have to consume before they expire. I haven’t had any issues, but just something to be aware of.

I’m one week behind on my ELB posts since I wasn’t posting last week, so I will do this week’s topic (what’s on our playlists) later this week. To find out what’s on the iPods of my fellow ELBers (and what supplements they do or do not take, from last week’s topic), please visit them at the below links:

Sarah Caron from Sarah’s Cucina Bella
Joanne from Eats Well with Others
Chris Arpante – Melecotte
Patsy – Family, Friends and Food
Claire – Cooking is Medicine
Sarah Rogers – Sarah’s Sweet Creations
Rivki from Healthy Eating for Ordinary People
Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
New Jersey Epicurean

…