Joie de Vivre
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" ~Mary OliverArchive for Lists
154. A Friday Five
- Last night, Mom, Cheri and I had dinner at a new restaurant in Kirkland, Bin Vivant at Carillon Point. (I think it opened just a couple weeks ago.) The setting & decor are beautiful, the wine list is impressive (80 by the glass, 300 bottles, 1, 3 & 6 ounce pours available), the service was attentive, and the food sounded amazing. Unfortunately, I don’t think it tasted quite as amazing as it sounded. We shared the Vanilla Cognac Scallops w/apricot and spinach puree ($19), the Bibb Lettuce Salad w/pear vinaigrette and rosemary bacon crumble ($8), and the Wild Alaskan Halibut roasted w/butter, thyme, saffron and ginger ($24). Everything just lacked a little flavor. My glass of wine was wonderful however — 2004 Sant’ Antonio Valpolicella Ripassa ($10 for 6oz. pour) — and I’m looking forward to returning for another glass of wine and maybe another try at the food.
- I have purchased two items in the last couple weeks which I am thoroughly enjoying! One is my folding Reisenthel market bag from Sur La Table and the other is this really cool Fit & Fresh lunch container from Storables. The market bag has wheels and it folds up into this nice little square pouch, and the lunch container has an ice block that lays in the middle to keep your food cold. Clever people!
- I finally finished “A Curious Earth” by Man Booker Prize finalist, Gerard Woodward, which I greatly enjoyed. The book’s protagonist is Aldous Rex Llewelwyn Jones, an aging widower and retired art teacher, who is content to sit in his house, drink whiskey, and watch potato vines grow from within his kitchen cabinet from long forgotten potatoes. I found Aldous to be very frustrating, but Woodward’s rich prose kept me enticed and filled with a feeling of hope.
- This week’s edition of Seattle Weekly is the “Best Of” issue and I now have a list of places I want to go and restaurants I want to try. These include (in no particular order): fish & chips (w/fried lemon slices) at Pike Street Fish Fry; visiting Magus used books; Lunchbox Laboratory; strazzapreti at Tavolata; getting my suitcase repaired at Omni; visiting the Open Satellite Gallery in Bellevue; listening to jazz at Egan’s Ballard Jam House; a peanut butter & bacon burger at McCoy’s Firehouse; lunch on the rooftop garden at the SW corner of 4th & University; balsamico e fragolo and basilico truffles from Fiori Chocolates; a torta from Barriga Llena; and dinner at Spring Hill in West Seattle.
- Even nice guys still make you crazy! That is all.
124. My Favorite Kitchen Things
My friend Michael and I spent over an hour on the phone today discussing food. Obviously, we both LOVE food! We also both love cooking and have an obsession for lists…So at one point in our discussion M. decided that we each had to come up with a list of fifteen items (kitchen tools & cookware) that we would choose to have with us if we were “stranded on a desert island in a Wolf/Sub-Zero equipped kitchen.” (Hmm, dream on my friend!) I am going under the assumption that serving items, wine glasses and a corkscrew are already included, so these are the items (in no particular order) that I grab day-in and day-out that make my time in the kitchen an absolute pleasure…
- Le Creuset Oval French Oven (I have the 2¾ quart size & cook EVERYTHING in it!)
- Mario Batali Silicone Risotto Spatula (I love its shape!)
- Silicone Whisk
- Crate & Barrel Mixing Bowls (Durable, lightweight & I like the rubber grippers on the bottom of the bowls.)
- Henckels Twin Four Star II Santoku Knife
- Cuisinart Pro Custom 11-Cup Food Processor
- Microplane Grater (For cheese, citrus zest, nutmeg, ginger, etc.)
- Poach Pods (For easiest poached eggs ever!)
- Bialetti Espresso Maker (I also need my Vivace or Caffé Umbria espresso beans though!)
- KitchenAid Coffee Grinder (Great for espresso beans & spices.)
- Bodum Frother (Perfect frothed milk for my cappuccinos. Also great for salad dressings, drinks, etc.)
- Berndes Crepe Pan
- Fine Mesh Sieve (Perfect for straining sauces, sifting flour, etc.)
- KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer
- Salad Spinner (Great for leafy greens and herbs.)
I’m curious, do you have items in your kitchen that you can’t do without?
Tonight was use-up-everything-in-the-fridge-without-going-to-the-store-for-dinner night. I made Orzo “Risotto” with Fennel, Sausage and Wild Mushrooms. It actually turned out pretty tasty. Here’s my quasi-recipe. :)
Orzo “Risotto” with Fennel, Sausage & Wild Mushrooms
Inspired by Wild Mushroom and Orzo “Risotto” in The Bon Appétit Cookbook and the items in my fridge.
Serves 2-3
¾ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup hot water
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ cup leeks, finely chopped
½ cup fennel, chopped
4 ounces ground sausage
1 cup orzo
2-3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Place mushrooms in small bowl. Add 1 cup hot water and let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms well, reserving soaking liquid. Chop mushrooms.
- Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and fennel and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and brown. Add orzo and stir until coated with mixture. Stir in chopped mushrooms.
- Meanwhile, combine broth and reserved mushroom soaking liquid in another medium saucepan, leaving any mushroom sediment behind. Bring broth mixture to simmer, reduce heat to low and keep hot.
- Add 1 cup broth mixture to orzo. Simmer over medium-low heat until orzo absorbs broth mixture, stirring occasionally. Continue adding broth mixture 1 cup at a time, simmering until each addition is absorbed before adding next, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender and risotto is creamy, about 30 minutes. Stir in thyme and Parmesan. Season with freshly ground pepper.
