Life's a Banquet
'...and most poor fools are starvin to death!' ~Mame

Link: http://www.waterfrontbakery.com

I am over the moon! Yesterday we had one of our Italian Wine Makers, Antonio Sanguineti, for one hour at the cafe. He is in town for a week or so, and just last Thursday Doumina Whyman called me and said she would make time to bring him by. I had only a few days to get the word out, get some of his wine for folks to try, and we got him a pen to sign the bottles that he sold. It was a whirlwind hour, with so many wonderful people stopping by to meet Antonio, taste his wine, and of course fall in love with it! I ran out of bottles to sell and took orders for more because his wine is FANTASTICO and everyone who tasted it agreed. But that is only part of the reason that I have this big grin on my face. The other part of the reason that I am so giddy is that Antonio LOVED our food, and he complimented me so hugely (partly without even realizing it) that I was truly stunned, then honored. Now I must tell you that every single time I make a dish, be it at home, for the cafe or for catering, I am thrilled when I overhear people making yummy noises. I love it when others love my food! I can't help it.. If you have ever cooked a meal for someone you care about you probably glowed in the light of their eating pleasure. You love it when others love your food, too; it feels so good to feed someone well.

So first he tried Mark's ricciarelli cookies. You know the ones: almond cookies (gluten free!) with powdered sugar on top. He loved those cookies and told Mark that he does a fantastic job, just like in Italy! Next, when things had calmed a bit and we had a moment to sit and talk, I brought Antonio some lunch. A bit of soup and salad: garbanzo bean & quinoa soup with a roll, and farro salad with ricotta salata. As he ate he was making yummy noises and murmuring 'bellisima...bellisima'showing obvious pleasure with our food. He paused his intake for a moment and very slowly turned to me while saying "this is perhaps... no... this is definitely the best salad I have had in the U.S." I was stunned... This was a huge compliment. Having been to Antonio's region of Italy and knowing how amazing the food is there, I took that as one of the greatest compliments I have had to my food! He went on complimenting my food and my technique and I won't bore you with the details of my being overcome with emotion... and that is why I am grinning today.

After he left Kat and I went in to Seattle to Tom Douglas' Palace Ballroom to taste some wines from Piemonte for one of our distributors. Barolos are fabulous and it was Kat's first trade tasting and we had some fun for sure! When we were done we walked over to Top Pot Doughnuts and I got Mark and Travis (our nephew) and the rest of the crew a bunch of treats. Top Pot roasts their own coffee so I had a lovely espresso and the staff was exceedingly friendly. I am not the hugest doughnut fan, though if I ever want another one I am heading to Top Pot!

Kat and I were no longer in the mood for the museum after sitting in the traffic for 40 minutes to go a mile! So I took her to a place the I have been wanting to hit for some time now, and thought this was the perfect chance. Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack & Watering Hole is exactly what it sounds like. A throw-your-peanut-shells-on-the-floor kind of place that looks like a hard core dive... and their food is phenomenally awesome. Kat was the perfect choice to take there since she wants to try everything and so do I! We sampled several dishes, which is not too expensive in a joint like that, and I had a Manny's on tap. They make Chili Verde (pork), Texas Red (all meat), Brisket & Beans, & White Bean Turkey chili. Chilies come plain, on the jalapeno mac n cheese (we got a side..YUM) or on white cheddar grits (oh yes I did!). Their chili cheese kobe dog is Snake River Farms beef and the Texas Red with cheese... Kat's eyes were HUGE! This is a great place and after an afternoon in the city it was a fun way to transition home. Pig Iron BBQ is right next door and I think both places are related...it will be my next place to hit. It was hard not to go in there and get some Bar B Que, but we were FULL!

Sunday is our pork party with my new friends Shauna & Daniel and it ought to be SO fun! I am going to (try) to make an Italian version of ham from scratch, Farmer George was going to get me a leg with the shank and I have a recipe to try. We shall see... I do have a backup plan. Travis is here and working with us for the summer, taking weekends off to go back home. We love having him and he is a big help at the cafe...we have the most fun of the summer when he is with us! I am going to get him in there so he can clock in and wash some dishes! I know I was late on the blog this week, and I have a big sinus headache so I am not going to do a recipe. I will report on the pork party next week and will have some great ideas then! Ta ta and take care!

Link: http://www.waterfrontbakery.com

I got a new phone. It is called a G1 and it is a touch screen similar to the IPhone. It may be too much for me to handle, but I am taking a week to see if I can use it to it's potential. I have never been one to want a fancy phone, though my palm pilot is indispensible. Since the new computer has Windows Vista (DON'T DO IT!) and that is incompatible with my Palm (and almost everything else!) I am looking for alternatives. Sigh. There are some things that I do not like about the phone, but so far I have not had time to explore it enough to find out what I will really like about it. It seems to work slowly, but coverage at home is pretty spotty so I will see what happens at the cafe today. If any of you have one out there I will take all the advice and tips you may want to give!

This week was far less eventful than last, and that is quite alright with me. Last night I had fun with the Sustainable Bremerton group on the Rooftop at 245 4 av. Every 3rd Tuesday this group gets together for "Green Drinks", which is a national movement (the notice on their website is outdated from April, though you can sign up for the notifications to find out where it is each month). I saw lots of old friends and plenty of new ones. Henry's Deli put out a fabulous spread of wonderful heavy hors d'oeuvres, Hale's Ales from Seattle provided some great beer, and there was wine as well. The same company who owns the old Penney's building owns this one, and the other rooftop is where they show the movies in the summer. It was a very fun evening and the next one will be great, too, since we are going to provide some goodies for it. It will be down on the breakwater at the marina and boat rides will be involved!

For those of you who like it hot (spicy, that is) and enjoy getting into Gig Harbor for good food, get thee to Moctezuma's. They have long provided my favorite local margarita: The Acapulco. It is filled with fresh citrus juices, comes in a martini shaker, and is served 'up'. They also have on called the Jalapeño Margarita: House jalapeño-infused tequila with those same fresh citrus juices, also served through a martini shaker. It has a slice of fresh jalapeño in the glass! Oh man this thing is good. It is too hot for some (read: Mark) and perfect for me! They have great food as well (I love the Mexico City pork tacos)and I would be glad to go with you if you want to get me a margarita. I think we read that Tuesdays is $2 off those margaritas night and that is even better!

Last Friday was the Old Town Art Walk and I think it was quite successful. Our two artists took first and second place (Congratulations Jerry & Dwain!) and we raised $46 and food for the food bank. Lots of folks came out and the weather was great, though it was quite warm in the cafe. The next one is September 11 and it is usually the best weather of all on that one.

We got mentioned on the Pork, Knife & Spoon blog! She refers to 'a restaurant not too far' and when you click on the link it comes to us! I think that is so cool and I am very honored that they gave us the shout out. It was SUCH a fun day with them! (That is last week's blog)

This brings us to CSA Wednesday (today!) and I can't wait to see what is in our box. We still have some greens from last week, though it will be easy to use them up in the pasta Mark cooked the other night. Lots of leftovers so we will top them off! The recipe today might help if you have some extras as well. If not get to the farmer's market and get some great produce! Last week I ordered 4 chickens from Red Rooster farm at the Poulsbo Farmer's Market and we will get them next month. Those are going to be some fabulous meals! They had a few left to sell if you want one; their booth is adjacent to the Pheasant Fields Farm stand at the market.

Have you ever cooked fava beans? They are SO good! Slightly labor intensive, but you can do it while watching tv or having a nice chat with friends. I got some a the market last week and I was so excited to see them since they are so rare around these parts. The pods are long and large and you shell them just like you would peas. Once the beans are out they are still encased in a tough, rubbery shell and have to be extracted. Bring a pot of water to boil and salt it well. Plop the beans in and cook them for about 2 minutes, then drain and cool them. Many of the skins will be split already and those that aren't are now super easy to open up. Slip the bright green beans out of the skins and NOW they are ready to eat or cook with. When adding them to a dish add them last, so they do not cook much more, they just need a bit of warming up.

Monica's veggie side for whatever you may be eating: (this serves 2-4, depending on your portion size)

half an onion, diced
a sprinkling of dried red chilies (pepperoncino)
olive oil
broccolini (greens and all), roughly chopped
salt and pepper
if you want more greens (spinach, kale, chard, whatever...)
a bit of white wine (or water or broth)
fava beans
fresh peas, shelled or sugar snaps chopped
shredded pecorino romano (or parmesan or asiago)

Throw the onion and chilies into the olive oil and cook until the onions are starting to sweat and become translucent. Toss in the baby broccoli and greens, sat and pepper to taste, and saute them for a couple of minutes. When those are going well, pour in just a bit of wine, maybe half a cup, and cover the pan for a couple of minutes. Uncover and let the liquid evaporate.

When the broccoli is cooked to your liking and the liquid is gone from the pan, toss in the beans, peas and cheese. The cheese is to taste and should melt in and not be too noticeable other than by flavor. You don't want huge hunks of cheese in the veggies. Start with a handful and go from there.

Serve them up next to whatever else you cooked (grilled chicken breasts with Lime Chimichurri from Sound Bites and grilled bread was FABULOUS!)Or have it alone. or for breakfast. It is good!!!

Link: http://www.waterfrontbakery.com

I have had some adventures this week and it has been fun! Last Tuesday (June 2) Mark and I went to a trade wine tasting hosted by one of our suppliers at the Columbia Center Building. Have you ever been up to the 75th floor of the Columbia Center?? It is amazing! I have never been that high up in Seattle before, it is 937 feet and the Space Needle's observation deck is 520 feet up. In New York City I have been to the top of the Empire State Building which is 1050 feet for the 86th floor views and I went to the 102nd floor. The Columbia Center has a ladies' room that I had heard about and still was unable to imagine it's magnificence. I went into the first stall which was equipped with a toilet, a sink and counter, a full length mirror and, facing directly opposite the toilet, a huge picture window! You can see across to Bellevue and beyond and I know my nose print was not the only one to have been pressed into that window. (I was trying to see how far north and south I could see!) I took pictures on my cell phone and when I went back out to Mark he had the funniest look on his face! He was wondering what I was doing, I have never spent 15 minutes in a public restroom before...he refused to go in and see it. Men, if you have a chance to see it, go in! There is not a view in the men's room, just a shoe shining machine.

We enjoyed the Spanish wines and oddly enough I tend to love the whites and roses even more than the reds. I found out that my Spanish red taste is more expensive, of course. We thoroughly enjoyed the sherry's, which we have never really tried before, and would love to do a sherry tasting for all of you. We also tasted a very interesting line of wines from the Alicante region and we loved the winemaker and her husband! The winery is Bodegas Gutierrez de la Vega, and we had their Principe de Salinas, 100% Monastrell that was very good; I think it was our favorite wine of the afternoon. That was the only wine they had that was not sweet and we came back to try the other sweet wines. They, too, were Monastrell, so it was fantastic to see the difference in flavor profiles done by the same wine maker with the same grapes. These were not fortified wines, though definitely dessert style, and we had a great time talking with the couple who were here from Spain. After the tasting (we did not come even close to hitting all the tables) we went down to McCormick's Fish House & Bar for happy hour. It is one of the best around with some darn good food and we had 'dinner' for 2 for under 20 bucks; not too shabby!

Fast forward to Sunday, aka Free Fishing Day in Washington. Did you take advantage of it? We sure did! I had to "work" (woe is me), as McCrea Cellars had their summer wine tasting that day, so I chauffeured the president of the Kitsap Wine Society (all hail to the chief) over to West Seattle for the afternoon. Their wines did not disappoint and were as good as always! Mark, however, gathered his clamming and oystering equipment and met my parents, Renee and her daughters all down at the Purdy Park n Ride. They went out to North Bay, where we went last year, and limited out on clams. They shucked tons of oysters and we feasted that night for dinner! Mom knows a thing or two about frying oysters and steaming clams and she showed off, lucky for us. Dad grilled the corn and I tasted more wines, ever the humble worker-bee. We had a great feast!

So the last thing in my string of adventures was yesterday. This was a double adventure and I had SO much fun! Chef's Collaborative had a 'meat & greet', all about pork, at Rover's where chef Thierry Rautereau and his fabulous crew put out an amazing picnic style spread. McCrea Cellars was there to quench our thirst, and there was pork supplied by several of our local pastured pork members. Oh baby. 2 kinds of sausages; pork belly on farro; trotters; ribs; pulled pork shoulder; roasted pork shoulder on cous cous; 3 different pate styles; and I think I am forgetting something. It was completely fabulous and it is always great to connect with our local food producers and other chefs. The reason it was a double adventure is that I got up the nerve to invite author Shauna James Ahearn and her husband chef Daniel Ahearn to come out for the event. One of their many projects is a blog called Pork, Knife & Spoon and I knew they would love to go if they could. Sure enough they took me up on my invite and came! I have emailed with Shauna about gluten-free information for a long time, though we had never actually met. I follow their blogs and read their books and love their food ideas so I was a bit star-struck, even though deep down I knew they were just regular, albeit fun foodie people. I loved meeting them and their beautiful daughter and I am still grinning in the afterglow.

So Whew! I had a big week! What did you do? PLUS we started CSA Wednesdays and one great gal asked for and received some fabulous recipes for the produce in last week's box. I am still having computer issues (UGH) and cannot create documents, but I can email and she was happy to get them that way, lucky for me. This week's blog recipe is borrowed from Ina Garten and the Food Network. I adore the Barefoot Contessa and her recipes are pretty easy and always taste good. So have at it and let me know what you think!

Mac & Cheese
Copyright 2002 Barefoot Contessa Family Style

.Prep Time:20 min/Cook Time:35 min

6 to 8 servings

•olive or canola oil
•Kosher salt
•1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (see Note)
•1 quart milk
•8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
•1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
•8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
•3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
•1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Note: To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and bread crumbs on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.

Link: http://www.waterfrontbakery.com

On Saturday Mark and I went to the CK Food Bank's 2nd annual Bread Basket Bash, and it appeared to be a great success. We saw some old friends there, and we made some new ones, and it was a lovely evening overall. If you missed it this year I hope you get a chance to go to the next one, as it is a great cause and a really fun time. We sat at a table with Jean, who is 87 years old, and her husband Burt, who is older than she. They won a safari to Africa in the live auction, which made us all very happy, because they had been kicking themselves for passing the opportunity up last year. Let me tell you that I would be abundantly grateful to have even half of her energy when I am anywhere near her age. They were both full of energy and fun, and made wonderful dining companions!

Tomorrow we have an opportunity to attend a trade wine sampling at the Columbia Tower in Seattle. I have never been up there and so I am really hoping we are able to make it! It is on the 75th floor and with the weather this nice we should be able to see you from there.

On Wednesday we get our first CSA delivery from Hand Sown Homegrown and we have decided to celebrate CSA Wednesdays every week throughout the season. The Silverdale pickup is across the street at the park, and so we are hoping to build up that sense of community that can come with buying your produce fresh off of the farm. We will offer seasonal recipes based on what is in the boxes and at the farmer's markets for anyone who wants them that day. CSA members (all CSA members, not just Hand Sown members) will get 2 for 1 desserts and/or 10% off bottles of wine, so they can supplement those farm produce meals. Others can still get the recipes and then go to the markets during the week to get the produce to make them. There are still a few CSA memberships available out there and we have brochures at the cafe for the Abundantly Green Organics CSA. Once these last few shares are gone folks will have to wait until next year to get in on one of the many CSA's around here. It's worth it!

On Saturday we have Luigi Ferrari's funeral. It is so deeply saddening to think of this, though I am sure it will be good for his family to have that day behind them. There are many of us in the community who are mourning the loss of Luigi and it will be strengthening for us to come together on that day, as well. It will be good to have some closure and connection around this frustrating and terrible loss. If you want to go to the memorial it is Saturday, 3 pm, at Miller Woodlawn Funeral Home on Kitsap Way in Bremerton-it's the one you can see from the freeway.

My bestest friend and her husband are in the midst of chaos right now and I have been holding them in my thoughts and heart for a couple of days. Today's recipe is for her (she loves pasta) and I hope it is something she would love. Remember, if you don't love something that I have listed, email me for a substitute ingredient, or leave it out. Don't worry, just make it and eat it! This is a mostly uncooked recipe because it has been too hot to do too much cooking, yet it is still nice and comforting, and only takes a few minutes to prepare. (Yes, I am one of THOSE people who do not love the heat!)

Linguini with raw tomato sauce

2 garlic cloves (or 2 tsp minced garlic) mashed with a 1/2teaspoon of coarse salt and made into a paste. (roasted garlic would work as well)
2 lbs smallish tomatoes, or 1 1/2 lb regular, chopped (I know it is not the season for these yet. sigh)
6 cups (about 2 bunches) of arugula, washed and coarsely chopped, with the biggest stems pulled off. (Fresh at the farmer's market!)
1/2 cup fresh herbs, roughly chopped (basil or thyme are my preferences)
1/2 fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup-ish Premium Olive Oil
1/4 cup-ish balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: cheese. 8 oz fresh mozzarella would be great, or Willapa Hills Ricotta (MMMMM!!!) or even some simple pecorino romano or parmesano.

1 lb cooked linguine (I cook it a couple of minutes less than the recipe says, in water that is 'salty like the sea')

Make the sauce 1-4 hours before you want to serve or eat it. Combine all the sauce ingredients and let it marinate at room temperature. If you are in a hurry, then let it stand for at least 20 minutes, though the longer the better.

Toss the sauce with the pasta as soon as it comes out of the hot water, then let it cool down. Serve it at room temperature, or just slightly warm. Add a nice salad and some crusty bread and you have a great meal! Gotta have meat? Throw in some chicken breast. Please your palate and you will be pleased!

What pleases you?