A few of my favorite things

Summer in Seattle is glorious in so many ways, and one of them is the plethora of farmer's markets around town that offer option after option of organic, sustainable produce, bread, cheese and more for so much less than we pay for it at the co-op during the rest of the year. A few weekends ago, with our anniversary meal at Sitka and Spruce still fresh in my head, we both got giddy at the sight of enormous, fresh lobster mushrooms! I was daunted by their price of $12 per lb. but realized quickly that they are light enough that a two-handed fungi was only about $6, what a steal. These babies are just as beautiful to look at as they are tasty to eat.


I sliced up this bad boy with some garlic and sweet Walla Walla onions, sauteed the mix in plenty of butter, added a dash of salt and pepper, tossed with linguine, lots of paremesean and topped with some lemon basil - pure heaven in pasta form.


Later that week I still couldn't shake the urge to try my hands at a version of the scallops and beet dish we had at S&S. This one was so incredibly easy, I should call it "scallops for idiots". I made the trek to Mutual Fish for some gloriously fresh giant sea scallops (also purchased: one perfectly marbled fillet of wild king salmon, some monkfish and a bag of frozen crab that proved a disaster waiting to happen). I boiled a half dozen chioggia beets, then whipped up a zesty relish of fresh tomatillos, jalapeno, yellow pepper, green onion and lime juice. The scallops could have gone on al fresco, but it was an unseasonably cold and gloomy evening so they were seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper, pan-seared in several tablespoons of butter until golden, drizzled with drippings, and they couldn't have been more perfect.


The relish ended up feeling unnecessary, we both scraped ours away but it was delightful on burgers that weekend. All in all, two new fave dishes thanks to our local food availability. I love the pacific northwest!

Inspired and Inspiring

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated our anniversary (10 years if you can believe it) by indulging in dinner at Sitka and Spruce. We've been lunching there quite a bit this spring, as it's the more affordable option and frankly we spend enough on eating out to support a small army, so dinner is a bit of a splurge. I love S&S inside and out, and one of the many things I love about them is the option of a sharing plate versus an entree. When I'm at a really great restaurant I always fall into that conundrum of choice - when there are multiple dishes I know I would love and I want a taste of all of them. The S&S menu gives you the affordable option of tasting 4, 5, or even 6 plates of amazing flavor combinations. There are usually one or two items that are available only as an entree, and they are always worth while.

We dove in to a salad of chioggia beets and scallop ceviche with a mint relish, absolutely divine. We followed that with a heady plate of homemade gnocchi, which turned out to be much more like a fresh, flaky polenta cake, accompanied by fresh seared lobster mushrooms. That one had us both vying for the last bite, and for M's choice of a strong red wine that went perfectly with the meaty, buttery texture and taste of the mushrooms. My tart, white Basque selection kept me going for the next two dishes though; paprika peas with chorizo and white anchovies followed by a salad of heirloom tomatoes, fresh red onion, seared lil' babes (cherry tomatoes) and a whole sardine, pictured below.


By the end we debated the large plate of young pheasant that we saw almost every other table diving into, but decided to save some room for a deep-fried twinkie at the Redwood, which was delicious and I will never eat it again. Weeks after our S&S meal I am still scheming up my own takes on these dishes at home. Right now I am vying for a good shot of the 1/2 pound lobster mushroom gracing our kitchen table. It will probably look better sliced and sauteed in butter and chives...