Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seattle. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Meats and Sweets

Or, Seattle Happy Birthday Time
Or, I turned 30 in Seattle,
Or, My continued obsession with Anthony Bourdain and cured meats!



My obsession with Anthony Bourdain and cured meats continued during my trip to Seattle. While I was visiting Portland, I watched the Portland episode of No Reservations. It only stands to reason that, while visiting Seattle, I indeed watch that episode of No Reservations as well, which led me to Salumi, only a hop, skip and a jump away from Pikes Place Market. I bought Paris a pre-birthday meal, since his birthday is the day after mine, and with lunch in our hot little hands we crossed the street and ate picnic style. We made sure to purchase a log of delicious cured meats to take with us so everyone could partake in the joy that is Salumi.

In the Italian episode of his show, Anthony Bourdain remarked that he kills that which he loves. By enlightening the masses, we come and tour and eat and crush, and eventually, squeeze the essence from these unique food sanctuaries. I want him to know, I am grateful for what he has done for me personally. I'm sure many would agree with me... I am a better person with delicious, juicy, particles of meat and fat and grease dribbling from my mouth and eventually making there way into my grateful tummy. My knowledge of food has grown exponentially because of him and his show, and I say thank you, my tummy thanks you. I promise to not crush, and to always tip generously!


Ceviche ala Paris, recipe...Rick Bayless, winner of Top Chef Masters Season 1. It is delicious and super easy, exactly my kind of cooking!


Beecher's was also on No Reservations. It's at Pikes Place Market, across the street. I ordered mac-n-cheese and watched them make the cheese right there. Good times!


Salumi meat, provolone, apples, and a baguette, a perfect afternoon snack.


Paris and I made birthday cakes for each other. He requested carrot with vanilla frosting. Which, I was opposed to immediately, since carrot cake usually dictates a cream cheese frosting, but you have to make concessions, and give people what they want on their birthday, if at no other time during the year. It was pretty tasty, since it was, America's Test Kitchen recipe all the way baby. I used fresh ground pepper this time, and there was no doubt that pepper was in there, which made it interesting, but didn't ruin it. For mine, I wanted none other than my go-to-have-to-have-above-all-else...yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Num num in my tum. His recipe came from Flour, a book that he remarked, is his new favorite. I had lots-o-fun, until next time Seattle!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Seattle Hamburger Project: Skillet Street Food


The traveling Skillet van was on my hamburger list, probably due to this little creation: Bacon Jam.

I bought Noël one of these to help her with her waffle quest, and was a little disappointed to find out it wasn't an actual jam with a gelatin base, but more of a relish, made with onions, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar.
But it was still pretty good on crackers and Noël's Christmas waffles, so I needed to find a time to get to the van. The problem was, that it travels around and usually in the Seattle area, not the Eastside, although I heard rumors that they came out to Microsoft some days. So to find them, I signed up for their facebook page, so I would get their locations before they went out, so I could plan around it.
Then one day in the Month of February, they posted they would be out in Woodinville for a wine tasting, so we organized a trip. After driving around Woodinville on some strange GPS generated wild goose chase, we found it and saw the line:
I hate lines. The hamburger better be good, to be worth standing in line with so many snobby rich eastside wine tasters. Over an hour in line, we finally got our order in.


I ordered the hamburger with some chipotle mac & cheese, and Natalie got the Vietnamese sandwich with fries. And I ordered us both the drink of the day with was cucumber, citrus, mint and Fresca all together. It sounded interesting.
It was a pretty good meal, you can see the photos below. The hamburger tasted like a homemade one, the patty was very good, with some blue cheese, arugula and the jam. And a really nice bun. Natalie's sandwich was good, and the mac and cheese as just a little spicy, to make it interesting. The drinks, tasted like ground up cucumber. It was good insomuch that cucumber is good, but the other ingredients didn't seem to do much.
Overall it was good, but worth that wait? I don't really think so. Order some of their jam online, and make your own hamburger at home without the wait....but then the prep time is longer than the wait...so who knows. It is quite the pickle.


Sunday, December 13, 2009

Seattle Hamburger Project: Teddy’s Bigger Burgers

DSC01186

Teddy's Bigger Burgers opened up in Woodinville this year, and its reputation already grew enough to be included in my list of hamburger places to try in the Seattle area.  The hamburger recommended was the Hawaiian burger.

The place is pure Hawaiian and hamburger kitsch.  From the fish tank to the Coke a Cola signs it is very cliché.  The Hawaiian burger was pretty good, with a slice of pineapple, but it was also very messy.  My preferred hamburger is the Cajun burger with onion rings on the side.  It is so tasty, spicy and beefy, with cool pickles and the onions rings are crispy.

Overall a great place to get a hamburger, I found I can bike there from my house, it makes a great Saturday outing.  Look at these pictures!  Aren’t you hungry?

DSC01181 DSC01183 DSC01184

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Seattle Hamburger Project: Lunchbox Laboratory, Seattle Wa













This summer I compiled a list of what are supposed to be the best hamburgers in the Seattle area, and I am doing my best to try them all. Here is a notable entry.

I know this has been brought up on facebook, but here are photos from one of my new favorite hamburger places in Seattle: Lunchbox Laboratory! They are in a little rundown shack with a few tables outside and a big line! Everyday it seems they have new and unique hamburger combinations to try, living up to their "Laboratory" name.

In the photos above you can see Natalie and Stefan have burgers with "Dork" patties (Duck and Pork mix) with pineapple and grilled onions. Mine was a lamb patty with olive cheese. The close up shot is of Noël's beef and truffle burger. The hamburgers may look greasy and disgusting, but they are very very delicious. I don't think I would ever recommend eating them on a regular basis, as you would probably have a heart attack within a month, but for special occasions, it is a great time, and a hamburger you must experience!

Next time you are in Seattle check them out! They are near the Woodland Zoo, so it makes a good zoo lunch break.