Good Morning, Gourmet.com - Road Trip: 10 Must-Try Seattle Eateries

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Ever wonder where to eat in Seattle?  Wonder no more!  Gourmet.com just published a list of 10 Must-Try Eateries.  How cool is that?

What's even cooler is the fact that I got to contribute to the list and write about one of my favorite Seattle bakeries:  (full link to the post)

What is the city’s best bakery? And what pastry or bread can’t be missed?

Do not be alarmed by the lines that are likely to greet you on weekdays and weekends at Bakery Noveau. Instead, make your way to the counter and order a double-baked chocolate croissant. This flaky, sweet, buttery pastry packed with dark-chocolate decadence is worth every second of waiting and every penny spent. And don’t miss the jewel-colored macarons. My favorite flavor is cassis, with beautiful black-currant mousse between two wispy almond wafers. Pack your sweets in a brown bag and enjoy them on a stroll along Alki Beach with an unbeatable view of Seattle, rain or shine.

#seattle #bakeries #croissant #travel #desserts #gourmet #foodies #foodwriting Pin It Now!

Ever Wondered what Two Dozen Oysters Look Like?

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Happy hours are fantastic!  You save a dollar or two on a drink, perhaps order an appetizer, and hang out with your friends earlier in the evening.  But what happens when a happy hour is for oysters? 

Yesterday, I joined my friend Lera for the Oyster Happy Hour at Whole Foods.  I arrived to two platters holding four dozen oysters, and mistakenly assumed that Lera preordered oysters for the four of us.  Wrong!  As if I haven't known this girl for years.  The oysters were just for Lera and her boyfriend, Travis.  So off I went to order my own two dozen and a glass of wine. 

The oysters arrived with wedges of lemon, cocktail sauce and a delicious habanero sauce with rice vinegar and mirin. Our group thought it would be great to have a grilled baguette to go along with the oysters. Whole Foods - are you listening? :)

I was going to share the oysters with the Artist.  However, once I started slurping these delicious morsels, I quickly figured out that the Artist would have to get his own two dozens, I wasn't going to share.

I'm not sure if it was the wine or the oysters, but I was quite "happy", and possibly tipsy, by the end of the happy hour.  Can't wait till the next one!

Cost of dinner: $22.  Happy hour information:

Oyster Happy Hour from 5pm-7pm! Join us for .69 oysters on the half shell plus wine ($4.99/glass) and beer ($1.99/bottle)! Shuck yeah!

(206) 621-9700
2210 Westlake Ave, Seattle, WA
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Boozy Sour Cherry Tiramisu ~ Sweet Recipe for Success for Mother's Day

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A few years ago, I wrote a simple post for Mother's Day that turned this blog of mine upside down.  That recipe for Sausage and Broccoli Egg Muffins brought thousands of you to my site and fed thousands of hungry mouths.

Every Mother's Day that follows, I try to create a new recipe that will bring joy to my mom and live up to the popularity of that initial post.  I can't guarantee the latter, but the former is definitely true!

This year, I whipped up Boozy Sour Cherry Tiramisu ~ my adaptation of one of Italy's most popular dessert.  You will find mascarpone and ladyfingers in my version, but the coffee is replaced with delicious sour cheerry juice, that's not so sour! Won't you give this one a try?  And if you are looking for more tiramisu recipes, check one made by MangoTomato with pomegranate!  But if cherries are more to your liking, you will also want to make Sour Cherry Crustless Cheesecakes ~ baked inside your muffin tin!

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Potatoes 101: Smashed Red Skinned Potatoes

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Because there are never enough ways to cook potatoes, I wanted to share with you this recipe for Smashed Red Skinned Potatoes.  I prepared these to go along with the Seared Halibut with Tomatoes and Capers.   Trust me though, you would be happy with a plate of these crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside potatoes on their own -- perhaps with a sprinkling of sea salt and coarsely ground pepper.

For best results, use small, new potatoes - they will cook up quickly, smash nicely into a perfect portion size and look beautiful on the plate all at the same time.

Before you start, you might want to invest in a cast iron skillet, fish spatula and a meat tenderizer!

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First Time for Everything: Tuna Melt Sandwiches for Grown-Ups

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I love tuna salad.  I probably love it because it contains a copious amount of mayonnaise.  When I was little, my mom would make the salad with chopped boiled eggs, cooked rice, and lots of dill.  We would eat the salad on its own, without bread, crackers, or potato chips.

As I grew older, I started incorporating more ingredients to my tuna salad.  I love the color and flavors added by pickles, onion, celery and cilantro.  I usually try to make the salad several hours ahead so it can have plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator.

But what about a hot tuna salad sandwich?  I was skeptical for the longest time, but then I made these Tuna Melt Sandwiches with the help, encouragement, and guidance of my dear friend Alla -- and am now a convert.  Will I change your mind with these delicious melts?

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Birthday Celebration at Anita's Crepes ~ Seattle's Creperie

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Crepes.  The world's thinnest pancakes.  Round, golden brown, and delicious, they wear many hats.  They can be simple or complex, sweet or savory, but they must be delicious!  I grew up eating my mom's crepes and finally matured to cook my own.  But when it came to celebrating my birthday with some of my favorite Seattle girlfriends, I turned to Anita's Crepes. 

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Pan Seared Halibut, Braised in Diced Tomatoes with Capers

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I was thrilled when I came home to a box of goodies from Muir Glen Organic.  Over the next months I will feature recipes using items from the box as inspiration.  Today, I want to share a three-ingredient recipe with Red and Yellow Diced Tomatoes.  This recipe for Pan Seared Halibut, Braised in Diced Tomatoes with Capers took under 30 minutes to prepare and sang with bright notes of flavor.

The halibut, one of my favorite fish, turned out perfectly tender after leisurely simmering in diced tomatoes.  Salty, briny capers snuggled along the fish and imparted a vibrant, lemony taste.

I served the fish along with Smashed Red Potatoes (recipe to come) and Simply Broiled Asparagus.

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Discovering Arabica Lounge in Seattle ~ Not Another *$

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No offense, but when it comes to coffee, I prefer to stay away from the mega blockbusters of coffee shops (yes, I'm talking about you, Starbucks).  On a recent visit to Capitol Hill, I met with my friend Priya at Arabica Lounge for a cup of coffee and something sweet. 

The place was buzzing with the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, and cherry blossoms stuck in glass jars adorned beyond-gorgeous wood tables.  I wanted to pull out my laptop, or grab a book and settle in for an hour or two.  Short on time, I waited on Priya to arrive, ordered a "cup" of coffee and a chocolate cookie.  A word of advice ~ if you are serving a naturally gluten free item, like this delicious flourless chocolate cookie, perhaps you should call it a Flourless Chocolate Cookie instead of Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie.  Thoughts?

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I am Finally at Allrecipes.com! New Work Project

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Hello world! I wanted to share exciting news about my new project.  I am the newest contractor with Allrecipes.com and will be working with their Video Production group for the next six months.
Here's the welcome email I sent out to my new group.  Perhaps you will learn a thing or two about me as well :)

About me:

On the day of my interview I snapped a photo of the Allrecipes sign at the entrance to the building.  On my first day of work, I posted the photo with a caption “Dreams do come true!”  I have been trying to get a job at Allrecipes for the last four years and can hardly believe that I am finally here!  Orange is my favorite color.  I love food.  I love to write about food.  I love to cook.  I couldn’t have found a more perfect place to work.  Originally from Russia, I moved to the United States when I was thirteen.  Following the traditional path of high schoolàcollege, I graduated from UW with Bachelors in Economics and Political Science and headed to Dallas, TX to work for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.  After five years filled with regional economics, charts, and graphs, I decided to go to culinary school and found myself in Hyde Park, NY at the Culinary Institute of America.  six-month stints in Iowa and Alabama followed, and I was ready  to return to Seattle. 

Outside of work I find myself traveling, salsa dancing, cooking and enjoying the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  This winter I finally got back on skis after 20+ years – it’s just like riding a bike.  I look forward to meeting you all!

Brush with Fame:

When I was just about to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America, I took a train down to New York City to drop off my resume at several magazines.  As I was walking into the building that housed Gourmet Magazine, I ran into Sara Moulton.  Sara was at the school a few weeks ago for a food writing panel, so I decided to be brave and say hello.  We briefly chatted and I headed up the elevator to Gourmet’s HR office.  I didn’t make it past the reception desk (after all, I was “cold calling/dropping” my resume.)  Making my way back to the elevator, I was greeted, once again, by Sara Moulton.  Seeing that I was still there, Sara invited me to step into her office, filled with a multitude of cookbooks and magazines.  We chatted about my hopes for the future, what I wanted to do, etc.  Sara listened, shared her personal stories and advised me on how to proceed.  Sara looked a lot smaller in person than what I had imagined, but she was incredibly warm, honest, and kind.

Do you love Allrecipes.com?  Share your favorite experience with the site.
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Chopped Salad with Roast Beef and Homemade Croutons - Recipe for Spring Lunch

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 Lighten up!  Spring is here and summer is just around the corner (alright, alright, just let me dream for a second).  You can almost smell the aroma of ripe tomatoes, taste the sweetness of fresh corn, and wipe the juice of Georgia peaches dripping down your chin.

For now though, I celebrate longer, lighter, sunnier days with this Chopped Salad with Roast Beef and Homemade Croutons.  The salad took place of crepes on our Sunday breakfast table.  Along with the salad, I drank a glass of tomato juice.  The Artist sipped a glass of chilled Chenin Blanc.  Regardless of your beverage choice, I encourage you to chop the ingredients for the salad and enjoy the meal in the company of someone you like.

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How to Roll Sushi at Home: Spicy Tuna Roll and Inverted Salmon Roll

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"Do you like sushi?" I asked my Fish professor Corky Clark at the Culinary Institute of America.  "If by sushi you mean vinegar-flavored cooked rice, then no, I don't like it," said Chef Clark.  I remember his answer from over four years ago, as if he said it to me yesterday.

Well, regardless of your definition of sushi, I love it.  I prefer creative sushi rolls, with large chunks of fresh, silky fish, tobiko, fatty avocado, and exotic sauces.  I am a big fan of the Rainbow roll - a California roll draped with tuna, salmon and yellow tail (I ask to leave the shrimp off).  But I discovered my all-time favorite roll while living in Dallas - the Volacano roll: a California roll topped with scallops that have been coated in spicy mayonnaise and broiled.  My friend Nicole, who tried the roll in my company during her first sushi experience ever, said, "It's like an orgasm in my mouth."  Need I say more?

Seattle clearly doesn't have a shortage of sushi restaurants.  There are plenty of places, some better than others, scattered all around the city.  This weekend, however, we decided to roll some sushi ourselves.  A quick trip to Uwajimaya to pick up fresh fish (salmon and tuna) and a stop at HMart for rice, seaweed, and a few other staples, and we were ready to roll.
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The List: Top Ten Things to Teach your Boyfriend when Sharing a Kitchen

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I wasn't the one who wanted to write this list, but the Artist insisted, saying it will be very popular and bring a  new audience to my blog.  "Alright," I thought, "I shall give this a try." I am not going to lie -- the idea of finding a new audience is quite attractive, but the main reason I chose to write this post is to help new couples navigate one of the most dangerous rooms in the house... the Kitchen!

Keep in mind, the list is written from my perspective.  I consider myself very well acquainted with the kitchen, its tools and gadgets, appliances, towels, plates and platters, and the ingredients inside the refrigerator and the pantry.  My particular audience, the Artist, has a thing or two to learn.  And so I share the lessons and suggestions in no particular order in hope of a happier side-by-side kitchen existence.  Share these rules with your significant other and let me know what happens.

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Save Your Herbs, Save Money ~ Basil, Parsley, and Mint "Pesto" Ice Cubes Recipe

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Whenever I clean out my refrigerator, I end up throwing away bunches of wilted, wrinkly, dried-up herbs.  What I am really throwing out is money.  Straight into the garbage can go my pennies, quarters, and dollars.  I shall never see them again. Sigh.  

In order to stop the madness of throwing away my money, I had to do something drastic--immediately.  And so, I pulled out the herbs before they had a chance to die, and turned to my small food processor.

I stared at the bunches of thyme, sage, basil, parsley, oregano and mint.  The idea of putting all these herbs together did not make sense.  Instead, I chose my three favorites: basil, parsley, and mint, and hoped they would harmoniously come together.  Into the food processor they went.

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Eat Your Matzo ~ Savory and Spicy Matzo Brei Passover Recipe

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Happy Passover!  I have been bread, pasta, and cake free for the last three days.  I even passed on a basket of bread and cookies at dinner last night.  Staying strong!


One of my favorite culinary Passover traditions is matzo brei: pieces of broken-up matzo mixed with eggs and fried up in oil as little cakes.  I grew up eating this deliciousness on a regular basis (not just for Passover), usually on Sunday mornings, as prepared by my Dad.  His matzo brei was always particularly crisp, salty, and impossible to resist.

This weekend, as a replacement for traditional Sunday crepes, I prepared a batch of Savory and Spicy Passover Matzo Brei.



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BOA Trinity Salad ~ Beets, Oranges, and Avocado

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A few days earlier, I shared with you a slice of birthday cake.  The sweet memories of the stacked honey cake layers still linger.  But that sweetness had to wait until after dinner.  What came before the cake was a culinary experience of sorts, and a test of boundaries for my family.  Would a group of somewhat conservative eaters (I'm primarily pointing fingers at my dad and my brother) appreciate a trinity of beets, oranges, and avocado?  There was only one way to find out.

As I spent several hours in my parents' kitchen preparing a few salads for my birthday dinner, I came across three beets at the bottom drawer of their refrigerator.  I am pretty sure the beets were intended for a pot of borscht, but I had something else in mind for their final destination.  I decided to drizzle them with olive oil, generously season them with salt and pepper, and roast them in a hot oven.  Oranges and avocado joined the party and offered a glorious array of colors.

Let me tell you, the salad got high scores and was approved by every picky eater.

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