I awoke to the smell of sweet peas. Last night I put a lovely bunch, which I got from Pheasant Fields Farm at the Bremerton Farmers Market, into a small vase high atop the baker's rack in our kitchen so the cats will not tear them apart. When I woke up this morning I could smell them and it made me smile. I LOVE the smell of sweet peas and the season is so short that I cannot help but be thrilled by it each year. As I lay there enjoying the smell I remembered what today is. The official 5th anniversary of us owning the cafe. Five years ago today we were up early and in there getting ready for a couple dozen of our closest friends and family to come help us clean and organize everything. We painted inside and decorated the upstairs. Pulled every single thing out of the kitchen and cleaned it-passers by thought we were having a sale! The deck was power washed and every inch of the inside was scrubbed. The bathroom was painted and decorated, and at the end of a VERY long day we all sat together eating pizza and enjoying the tired company of so many who love us. What a miracle this journey has been. From the first idea of it, to the day of cleaning with our friends, and every day to today, and beyond.

Tomorrow is the big party where we will share food, wine, music and laughter with everyone who comes by. I know that family and friends will be dropping by to wish us well and customers both new and old will be bearing congratulations. I know that, much like at our wedding reception, we will not get nearly enough time with each person who comes in. We will miss those few who cannot be with us tomorrow to celebrate, though we know (or at least we hope) that they are with us in spirit. I am really excited and I will be cooking all day so that we have lots of food to share. Mark and I have reflected back more than usual over the past month. Like on Monday when there was confusion as to who was supposed to get in for the early bake and the new girl (poor Elizabeth!) arrived for her first solo open and was truly alone! When she called to tell me no one was there I though 'oh crap' and then rallied. I got Mark heading in and called Ivy to ask her to come in early and help if she could. She was so good to us, she beat Mark in! When I spoke to both of them before they headed out I told them this is ok, this is no big deal, they would be fine and not to panic. I knew there was no need to start their day out with a rush and chaos, and it really was fine. They worked together beautifully and the food got made. I don't know if anyone was disappointed by the lateness of any particular item or not, though I would hope that they could forgive us our misstep if they were.

Later Mark joked with me that 5 years ago we would have been so stressed by that event! We both laugh at the memory of when, on our third day of business, the hot water tank broke upstairs and what must have looked like an episode of the Three Stooges ensued. It was NOT funny then! It is SO funny now! Last week we put out 800 boxed lunches in one day for the senior expo at the fairgrounds! When I say 'we' I mean every single one of our team helped with this huge project, and it was a great success! We are exploring new ideas and we feel like we have really made our mark on this place. It is truly ours and we love every bit of it, every customer, every team member, every day that this is our life. FIVE YEARS! When I was 35 (only 8 years ago!) I had no idea what life would look like in 5 years. Heck, I didn't know it 6 years ago! I quit my last career on July 11, 2005 and never looked back. This restaurant, this dream, has given me vision that I did not know I had. And Mark is a miracle! He not only supported and joined me, he made this dream his own and has carved out his own vision for it as well!

Are there bad moments? Of course! Every time we disappoint a team member or a customer, I hate it. Every time a customer cannot forgive us for a mistake, or does not tell us about one, I hate it. Every time I miss an opportunity to show my love to someone who needs to see it, I hate it. We are growing every day and the good moments, the great moments, far exceed the bad ones. And the bad ones serve us well, as we seem to learn from them whenever we can. I have been so scared at times from financial stress, staff stress, fear of not knowing anything, fear of thinking I know anything, and so much more! Today I feel great! Today I am celebrating, and tomorrow as well. I really hope you can stop by and say hello. I would love to thank you in person, even if I only get a minute to do so. Every single person I love, and every person who loves me has played a role in this adventure. Lots of people who don't love me played a role, too, and I thank them as well! Every customer we have ever had deserves a thank you, and every person who has worked for us. All of you. Thank you.

And can you believe the weather! How perfect is this! I will love it if we can bring the party out onto the deck tomorrow, that will be fantastic. I am so proud of all of us and I can't wait for the party!

I have been seeing lovely radishes at the farmers markets and I have discovered a great way to cook them! I want to love radishes so much, I remember my parents ate them raw and loved them, and radishes are just so beautiful. I like them pickeled, though raw they are just a bit too, I don't know, radishy for me. I don't hate them, I just don't love them, and I really want to! So the other day I bought some, as I am wont to do every Spring when I see the beautiful radishes out on the farm stands. I also got some baby Bok Choy, which I love to eat cooked or raw. (It's the new celery, don't you know! Try it in a slaw... I digress...) so I looked at a bunch of recipes and came up with this really neat trick of cookery. The cooking mellowed the radishes to a thing that I really loved, and the Bok Choy was stunning in this preparation. I basically braised them all together and when I took the lid off to let the liquids reduce, Mark grilled up a steak for him, some lamb for me and some potatoes as well. Pasta would go nicely with this as well, since it could pick up some of the sauce and by so yummy! So if you want to love radishes, or already do, and usually eat them raw as I think most people do, try this. Try cooking them and tell me what you think!

Butter Braised Radishes and Baby Bok Choy

1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 onion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch (about a 1/2 lb) fresh Radishes, stems trimmed, big ones quartered, medium ones halved, little ones whole (use the leaves for stock)
3 heads Baby Bok Choy, rinsed and dried, cut in half lengthwise. Use a wet cloth to get the dirt out of the inside if there is any.
Salt and Pepper
1-ish cup Sake, off dry white wine, broth or just water (see below for more sake notes)

In a deep sided pan (I use a 12 inch deep saute pan with lid) melt the butter and oil together. Toss in the red pepper flakes, onion and garlic and saute on medium heat. Once the onions are sweating and translucent, place in the Bok Choy, cut side down, and toss in the radishes. Stir it up so that everything is coated with the butter and oil, season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the sake, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer, cover and let go on low. Once the bok choy is cooked through, about 10 minutes, take the lid off and let it reduce. It went another 10+ minutes until the sauce was very thick and coated everything. There was still some crunch to the bok choy, the radishes were tender and sweet, and everything was lighly pink from them.

As for the sake: this is the good stuff, not the hot crap that you get at every Chinese restaurant around here! They sell it at Fred Meyer so probably at other stores as well. I get the Momokawa, Diamond (I enjoy the Pearl as well) which is a Junmai Ginjo sake. It is lightly sweet and pairs beautifully with spicy foods, sushi, and is nice on its own as well. I began learning that there was a real art to good sake several years ago, and last July when Mark and I toured the Artisan Sake Brewery in Vancouver, BC, we really got to experience what great sake is. Good sake is always served cold, heating it muddles and hides the flavors so is done only for lesser quality sakes, much like serving a regular wine cold. Like a grape wine, sake can last a couple of days in the fridge, especially if you pump the air out. Unlike grape wine, sake is made more like a beer, and there are several styles that you can enjoy, including sparkling! If you go to Granville Island, you must do a tasting at the craft sake store, and see if you love it like I do! I still have the bottle of the Junami Nama that I so enjoyed from there (it's empty now) and you can bring me another back if you want to! I love the unfiltered and the sparkling as well!

Ciao for now!

Wow what a weather week we had! Yes it's back to colder (though warmer than it was) and rainy, but I cannot help but be so very grateful for the gorgeous week we had last week. The Seattle Times article came out on Thursday and we noticed increased traffic and more 'foreigners' both Thursday and Friday. People mentioned they were coming from Seattle and Tacoma due to the article and we thought that was pretty cool! Then Saturday came. It was SO beautiful, the nicest day so far this year. The morning started out quietly, as Saturdays can do, and then around 10 am it started. They came from Mercer Island, Graham, Muckilteo and more! It was very exciting and best of all, we had lots of new folks find out about us who live right here in Kitsap! While of course we love the visitors, the locals who can become our regulars are the ones we especially want to find out about us. That is why we rely so heavily on loyalty rewards and we do not offer one-time coupons to bring in new customers. Word of mouth is our BEST form of advertising, and we recognize that loyal, returning customers are the backbone of our cafe.

It was the busiest Saturday of our history. There was a different vibe that came with it, and while everyone was in a generally good mood, some of the visitors were noticeably more business-like than our usual Saturday crowd. Saturdays are different for us at the cafe, no matter how busy we are the atmosphere is generally more relaxed and casual, which I know sounds odd for me to say since we are a relaxed and casual place! During the week folks are busier and working and have a list of Things That Must Get Done. On Saturdays I think they have to-do lists, and errands have more personal meaning. Saturdays are more fun and people are out to have a good time, which shows in their attitudes. The air was perhaps mildly brusque at times, and I think that we were still able to live up to our usual warmth and service in spite of those uncomfortable few... Maybe it was just because it was so constantly busy, or maybe because some people find it unsettling to try a new place out, I don't know what it was, and I hope that we did not reflect it back. I don't think that we did, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell when you are in the midst of the (controlled) chaos.

It was indeed so busy that while we close at 4 pm, none of us could get to the door to shut it! It was so fantastic to see all these new people excited about a new place and we just kept on going until about 4:30. A few folks finished up their meals until a little past that and when they all went away we were left standing there grinning at each other. We were all exhausted and euphoric off of the busy day and sunshine! Thank goodness I have a strong crew, those gals worked their butts off!

This week it is back to a slow down and hopefully it won't be as dreary as they are predicting. I always love the sight of a group of 'Easy-Up' canopies. It makes me giddy with delight and hope because it usually means there is a farmers market, and I love those! Silverdale's first day was Tuesday, it was sunny and clear and chilly. Newcomer Amy's Decadent Chocolates is there this year and several old friends as well. Mark will be there nearly every Tuesday (except July 5th)and he will have bread and cookies to make everyone's day a little brighter, no matter what the sun is doing.

My favorite meal in the past few weeks happened on Sunday the 17th at Bay Street Bistro. when Charles and Rose Ann Finkel visited from the famed Pike Brewing Company in Seattle. The Bistro's chef and owner, John, used to work for the Finkels and he knows their brews well, so each pairing was really perfect. He was nice enough to seat us with the Finkels, whom we have gotten to know a little bit over the past few years, and rarely get a chance to sit down and talk with them for any amount of time, so that was fabulous. Charlie introduced each beer as the staff poured our tasters and served the matching course, and it was truly fantastic all around! The menu:

John's house cured King Salmon "Gravlax" with Pike Dry Wit Belgian style Ale
 
Roasted Asparagus with Salumi Coppa and Shaved Parmagiano-Reggiano with Naughty Nellie Golden Ale
 
Bitter Greens with Red-Curried Gulf Prawns (I am stealing that idea) with Pike India Pale Ale
 
Roasted Garlic-Hazelnut Tortellini with Pike Tadem Double Ale
 
House Smoked, ale-brined Pork Loin, with Double-ale Cream with Pike British-style Pale Ale
 
Chocolate Stout Truffle Cake from Carter's Chocolates with Pike XXXXX Stout

We. Were. Stuffed. Matt from Carter's Chocolates also worked for the Finkels and he knew how great that last pairing would be. It may sound odd, though it sure did not taste odd! I do not usually go for dessert, and I ate it up. I then walked on the hilliest part of the Cushman Trail all week so I think I made up for it!

On Saturday I made Easter Dinner for some customers and it was a nice meal of boneless Lamb Roast, and I made an English Mint Sauce to go with it, from Farmer Paul's fresh mint leaves. I used Possum Run Farm's fresh horseradish root to make a Whipped Horseradish Cream to go with it as well; roasted asparagus that was picked that morning in Yakima and I made them a bechemel sauce to go with it. We tasted it all and for ourselves added roasted Port Townsend potatoes that I had bought at the Poulsbo Farmer's Market a week ago, and they were starting to soften up, so I brought them to work and roasted them. I must say it was all quite delicious and I hope they enjoyed their meal!

This week is sort of the beginning of the lead up to our 5 year anniversary. Five years ago tomorrow was Mark's last day at the Chevron. It does not seem that long ago that I boxed up several dozen cookies and drove to Bellevue to surprise him and say goodbye to the Old Bellevue Chevron. Gilbert's Deli is across the street and the owner took me by the hand and led me through his restaurant, teaching me as much as he could in 10 minutes. Our house recipe Iced Tea is based on his own delicious tea blend, and I think of him fondly every time I taste it! That was a Friday and Mark started learning the morning bake the following Monday. He only did it every day for 3 weeks with the previous owner before it was just the two of us! I will reminisce more in a later post, but that is a sweet memory. He quit his job of 16 years to help me with a dream which I had no idea what the true impact would be. That's love!

Now we are embarking on our 4th year of Dining Out For Life. We were the only place the first year and 4 years later there are several, with Kitsap County HIV AIDS involved and benefiting directly from the event. So exciting!

For the recipe this week I have decided that you should know how to make bread. Wait, don't go! It is SO easy with this recipe that is actually Mark Bittman's. It is in his fantastic cook book 'How to Cook Everything' and I am going to add in my own twist for you. Don't worry! Going to the grocery store is more strenuous than this recipe is! If you do not have a stand mixer, use a food processor to make this, it works just fine.

Fast French Bread

Makes: 3-4 baguettes, 1 larger loaf, or 12-16 rolls
Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

3 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Meanwhile if it is going to be needed warm the oven proofer up. (warm the oven to the lowest setting)
Put the flour, yeast & salt in mixer; whisk together. Then, with the machine running, pour in about a cup of water.

Process until the dough forms a ball, adding a tablespoon more water at a time until it becomes smooth; You’re looking for a moist, slightly shaggy but well-defined ball. The whole process should take about a minute at most. If it is too wet and sticky, just add a tsp of flour at a time until it is fixed, don't sweat it at all.

Remove the dough to a bowl sprayed with nonstick (like Pam) and put in the oven, but turn the oven off. Or, if it's warmer weather, cover with saran wrap and let sit at room temp. Either way let rise at least an hour, 2 is even better.

Dust a little flour on your work surface. Dump the dough out and shape it as you like, sprinkling with flour as necessary but keeping the flour to a minimum. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F with your baking sheet inside. You will want to spray it with nonstick unless you use parchment. If you have a pizza stone or bricks, place that inside as it preheats instead of a baking sheet. Also place a pan filled with water on the bottom. Let the dough rest on the stove, at least 20 minutes while the oven pre heats.

When you are ready to bake, slash the top of each loaf or roll once or twice with a sharp knife and slide the bread directly onto the hot (oiled or parchment lined) pan or pizza stone. Turn the heat down to 375°F.(Every time you open the oven splash the water so it steams it up.)

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread is at least 210°F or the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. The time will vary depending on bread size, for the larger loaves it will be close to 30 minutes. Turn the loaves 180 degrees half way through, then rotate front to back as well if you are turning the loaves themselves and not the pan.

Remove the loaves, spray with a bit of water if you would like a shinier crust, and cool on a wire rack.

Trust me. You can do this and you will thank me!
NOTE: I don't use instant yeast, and if you happen to have regular yeast only here is what you do:
add 25% (about a 1/3 tsp) more and bloom it in a 1/3 cup of warm (100 degees) water with a pinch of sugar or honey. Let it bloom for 10-15 minutes, and it will be frothy. Turn on the machine and dump that in, reducing the amount of other water that you put in... all the water should be luke warm.

The sunshine is bringing folks out to the park these past few days. It's still quite nippy out, but we true Western Washingtonians know to take advantage of a day with sun (breaks) no matter what the temperature is! People are sitting outside and actually have been for several days over the past month, in spite of the fact that 'they' say it has been raining more than usual this Spring. I think that the rain is coming down harder when it rains, more than the fact that it is raining every day, though I bet you disagree with me. The sun feels good, though, and I am happy for that! You may remember my friend Alison who wrote an article about us for West Sound Home & Garden Magazine. That was about a year ago and we still get people talking about what a great article that was, which is in large part due to Alison's great writing. She and I have been friends since the day we met and a couple of weeks ago she called to ask me to help her research an article with her. This article will be all about finding unusual, or unique chocolates on the Kitsap Peninsula, so of course I said YES! I won't spoil the article for you, and I cannot wait until it comes out to read her take on our adventure, though I am going to mention a few things that stood out for me. I knew I was going to enjoy tasting the creations of my food business peers out there, what I did not realize is how much I would enjoy getting to know the wonderful people behind the food.

While I knew OF all of the businesses we visited, I only knew a few of the owners. Having been on the Chocolate Tour in Seattle last year I knew how to pace myself and only had tastes... Alison enjoyed the experience a bit more, shall we say, full on. We started out in the morning in Kingston and made our way back home (she lives further south than I do, so it worked out nicely) stopping at various places on the way. It took all day long and we did not even get to everyone on her list! It was such fun to visit Thormod and Asta at their new place in Poulsbo, and he showed us the entire process! We got to peek inside Chocomo to see the status of the remodel, and I loved hearing Peter's story. In fact all the stories we were told that day were like a gift from each person we spoke with. They were interesting and inspiring, and getting involved in each one is partly what took us so long.

We stopped at the cafe part way through the day so we could get some soup and I could let Alison try out our goat cheese-chocolate truffles. They are always a surprise because they are not sweet, made with dark chocolate, chevre and cream, they are rich and tangy and creamy and could even be an appetizer, though I love them for dessert. The last stop of the day (at 5:30 I begged for mercy and asked her to take me home and postpone what was left!) was at Global Bean where Joel talked to us about his sipping chocolates and I had a Chai Latte. It was a real chai, not the mixes that so many of us use out there, and he told me that it sold well and invited me back to learn how to do it. Mark and I went in to take him up on that last night and I am really excited to make this at the cafe. I have always wanted to do it and thought it was too work-intensive, though I think I have found a way to simplify it. I researched traditional methods for making it and I will combine those with his method, and add in a twist or two of my own, and offer it up to folks to see what they think. It's always risk free at our place, if you don't like what we made you we will make you something else, so I think folks will be willing to give it a try, and I know many of them will love it. It's real tea and spices, and I will not sweeten it much so that those who like it sweeter can add their own, and those who do not can have it spicier. We shall see how it goes after I get the tea blend I have my eye on.

Since Alison agreed to postpone a couple of places Mark and I met her at Carter's in Port Orchard on Friday evening. Matt is moving his store in the near future, down bethel towards town to a free-standing building, and I know that will be good for his business. From there we went to Cosmo's and Barb, the best bartender around, made Alison three chocolate cocktails to taste. The best part was that Alison let me taste them, too! I tell you, sometimes this job is really tough! From there Mark and I were lucky to be invited out to Rodstol for an impromptu dinner party, and we had such a wonderful time! There were 6 couples all together and it was a lovely dinner with great conversation and lots of laughter, which was completely fabulous. They welcomed us into their group and we felt like we had been there all along.

Farmer's market season is beginning on the Peninsula and I got to hit Poulsbo on opening day last Saturday. It was like 'Old Home Week', seeing our farmers and other friends all together at the market. I love making contacts and seeing what everyone has growing and I really miss it on the weeks I can't get to a market. Mark will do the Silverdale market again this year, which starts on Tuesday the 19th, so I will usually be able to hit that one at least. I always announce when I am going with "Meet Me At The Market" posts on Twitter, Facebook and our web site, and whoever finds me first (I almost always remember to wear my blue apron for easy identification) wins a prize! I haven't been found very often, and I hope that it catches on more this year so I can meet more of you out there.

This Friday is our 'Taxes Suck! Cookies Don't!" promotion where you can 'double your return' (aren't I clever) so if you buy a cookie, you get one free. Something to sweeten up tax day and I am keeping it on Friday even though, technically, the deadline is Monday the 18th this year. We have a busy Saturday including our new monthly Story Time at 2 pm. This month we are featuring Spring! Bring your kids to be read to by a Master Gardener and a Frog! (Yes, a frog that reads to kids.. Stephanie was the Star Bellied Sneech at the Dr Seuss party and the kids LOVE her!)It's a fun time for sure.

Funny, when I started writing this there were sun breaks, then it poured rain, and now it is sunny again! I love this place! I will end with a recipe for you. It is from the Cooking with Italian Grandmothers book that my sister got me for Christmas and I have made this recipe (or a version of it; I just cannot leave things alone) twice now, and loved it both times. It's not difficult and you can exchange the dried garbanzo beans for canned ones, just drain and rinse them really well, and then the recipe is even easier and faster.

Vincenzi's Pasta e Ceci (Creamy Chickpeas with broken pasta)

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cover the chickpeas by 3 inches with water, sprinkle in the baking soda and give it a stir. Soak it for 12-24 hours (I add a couple of bay leaves to this step, as well as salt so the brine will help tenderize them)

OR 2 14 oz cans chick peas
8-10 cups water or broth
1 medium yellow potato, finely diced
3 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic (no need to peel)
2 tsp salt

2 TBS olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup tiny pasta (like orzo or stars), or well broken angel hair or cappellini

After soaking, (or opening the can and rinsing well) drain the chickpeas and place them in a soup pot with the water, potato, bay leaves and garlic. Put the lid on slightly ajar, and bring to a a strong simmer. Scrape off and remove any bean scum that rises to the surface of the pot. Simmer until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy, about an hour. Salt the pot at the end of simmering.

While the beans are cooking peel and finely mince 4 cloves of garlic. In a small saute pan, cook the garlic in theolive oil until light golden brown. You do not want it to get too dark, or it will become bitter. Add the garlic and oil to the simmering beans, which you can do at any time during the cooking. I follow the author and do so half way through the cooking time.

Remove the bay leaves and discard; remove the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves and squeeze the garlic from the skin, back into the pot.

Strain 1 shy cup of the cooked chickpeas from the water and set aside. Puree the rest in a blender or food mill, then return everything to the pot. Bring to a simmer and add the pasta.

Cook for the amount of time recommended on the pasta package, stirring frequently throughout the cooking, or the pasta will stick to the bottom of the pan. Taste for salt and adjust.

Serve garnished with chopped flat leaf parsley, black pepper, grated parmesan or pecorino, and a generous drizzle of excellent olive oil.

This can be a side dish or stand alone, it is so delicious!

Buon apetito!

You may remember that last August my gals pooled together with a few family members and friends, and they gave me a Canlis gift certificate for my birthday. They all know I have a long list of restaurants in Seattle that I call my 'wish list'; places I really want to go to eat. The list changes and reorders, with only one constant since I was 16 years old: Canlis has always been my number one wish. Canlis is legendary for their food and service, and when I was 16 years old several friends went there for dinner before Junior Prom. I did not, though I looked into the place and learned about it. Since then I have built it up in my mind and somehow it became too big and unattainable, so I didn't even try to go there.

I think Lori was the first one to find this out, or maybe it was Leslie. At any rate they began to plot and they banded together to give me the most incredible gift: a $280 gift certificate! It was so unbelievable, and yet so like them, I still feel overwhelmed when I think about it. Time flies in the restaurant world, and our weekends were booked constantly. Mark and I knew that we needed a full evening for this, and we did not want it to be rushed. Christmas came and my parents gave me an overnight stay at the Inn at the Harbor Steps in downtown Seattle. I knew it had to be combined with our trip to Canlis! I was keeping an eye on the calendar, watching for the perfect time to go, and it kept slipping out of my reach. In mid-January I found out when the Chef's Collaborative annual Farmer, Fisher, Chef Connection day was and decided that we should try to plan our Canlis/Harbor Steps experience around that. After all, it is a rare treat to already be in Seattle when we have an all-day event to attend. I made the reservations at the Inn and hoped I would not have to take advantage of their generous cancellation policy.

It was still too early to make a reservation for Canlis (I was using OpenTable.com) so I waited until it was a month out. I was shocked to see that the only times available were 5 pm and 8:30 or later! I took the 5, and then kept checking. I found a 5:30 and changed it, and never found a later time after that, so we went with it. One friend pointed out that at least we would be able to enjoy the view in daylight and the dark, which was really great. We knew we would have a leisurely meal, though we had no idea just how slow and enjoyable it would be, so we weren't worried about the early dinner time. I did not request the famous 'Table 1', as I felt it would be too...I don't know... too something I am not comfortable with. As the day approached Mark began reading the web site and learning more about this famous institution that I was in awe of, and he was getting excited to go, as well. Lori & Leslie made sure I had a lovely outfit to wear (I wore the purple blouse, girls!) and it seemed that they were as excited for me as I was! That morning one of our favorite customers/friend came in and I knew she had been to Canlis on many occasions, so I was excited to share the news with her that we were going that evening. She gave me a couple of tips for when we were there (be sure to grab a handful of their candies on the way in, and another on the way out! They are carmelly and delicious!) and wished us well.

Saturday was busy at the cafe and Mark and I barely made it out to the 1:45 ferry in time... we arrived as they were boarding and only just got on. We checked in to the hotel and our huge room with fireplace, king bed and soaking tub!! We showered and dressed, then went down to the hotel's afternoon wine reception. The desk called a taxi for us and we were off. The moment I reached for the beautiful door handle on Canlis' front door I knew that my hopelessly high expectations were going to be met. We walked in and I saw the candy dish that Casey told me about, and quickly grabbed a few to put in my purse. (Oh did I mention, I picked my handmade feathered handbag up at a street market in New York City.. oo la la! How chic I am!) For a second it seemed that no one was there, and then suddenly we were amid a whirlwind of activity: someone took my coat, someone took the special bottle of wine we brought, someone else had menus in her hand and was ushering us to our table. Mark told them our name once as we arrived (I was admiring the fireplace) and they used it, with proper pronunciation, for the entire rest of the evening!

We were escorted past the only kitchen station that is visible from the dining room: the grill station. It is entirely ensconced in warm copper all over the walls, ceiling, and counters. We turned and walked the length of the upper dining room and she pulled a table out for us to slide into the booth. We were seated side by side, looking out at the dining room, and to our left were the wide windows from which we could see the lake and city views. As I was sliding onto the booth she said 'This is table one...' and I gasped! What?? Really?? Mark and I looked at each other in shock... THIS IS TABLE ONE??? (I was only shouting in my head, but I was so shocked! It is the most requested table at Canlis!) "Yes" she replied, "This was Peter Canlis' private table, and the telephone is right there." And it was! An old, black, rotary dial telephone sat unobtrusively on the sideboard next to me. My mouth was agape-THIS IS TABLE ONE! I mean holy crap! Mark looked at me after she left and asked "who did this for us? Someone we know had to have planned this!" There was no one I could think of who would have known about it, and anyway Canlis would not guarantee this table even if someone did try to arrange it. We looked around and were grinning like dopes "Yes, we ARE table one, and you are wondering who we are, aren't you!"... I giggled.

John W. was our server and I have to say I sort of thought service would be a bit standoff-ish, or formal and stuffy. It was absolutely not. I think if that is what you want they would read you and provide that service, but it is not how we are. John read us perfectly and he was very approachable and friendly while offering perfect service, along with the rest of the team. Canlis eschews formal 'captain' or French style service, and the entire front of the house works as a team. It was remarkable to experience and delightful to watch. We had a wonderful view of the entire restaurant (Peter Canlis would watch service and if he saw something that bothered him, or that he felt he needed to comment upon, he would pick up the phone and call the front desk) and we enjoyed watching service all night long. We were there for 3 hours and 15 minutes, so we got to see many tables come and go. It was nothing short of a great show!

John gave us the cocktail and wine menu first (I had already studied it online and I knew what I was going to order) and asked if we knew were at Table One. Yes we knew, and we wondered if he knew how we got this table. He smiled and said we were just lucky, that they always tried to give it to someone special and they knew we were... Mark was still suspicious that it was somehow planned, but I knew it could not have been. I was sure that not even my mom knew about Table One, and no one knew when our reservation was for, anyway. John asked us what type of water we would prefer, and we said just tap water, no ice, and he brought it to us and left a little pitcher on our table, which I never had to touch because every time my water glass got down to half, someone filled it for me. He then brought my glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose Brut Champagne and another server brought Mark's glass of syrah. They were placed on the table at the same moment. We toasted and drank... oh my it was delicious. I informed my husband that from now on I wanted our well filled with this champagne so I never had to drink boring old water again! He said he would be sure to get right on that for me. As we perused the menu (how to decide!) I kept looking over to see if the view was still there. It was, every time I looked.

After we ordered someone came out with the bread service "Would you like our honey butter bread roll, or our salted olive bread roll?" We replied in unison "One of each, please!" so he placed one on my plate and the other on Mark's, assuring us he would be back to offer us more bread later. The butter was a large round that had been cut out with a cookie cutter, and I used only a tiny smidge, and then we realized that the bread was so good it did not need any butter.

Next they brought out the amuse bouche: Sweet Onion Puree in a tiny little cup, placed jauntily on one end of a rectangular plate. It was a delicious opener and I may have clapped a little in my joy. We started by sharing the Canlis Salad: Romaine, Romano cheese, bacon, mint, oregano, and a dressing of lemon, olive oil and coddled egg. They brought us each our own dish of salad, and we could not imagine each ordering our own, they were very large portions. Their croutons were house made and very crisp and of course every detail within the salad was perfectly balanced. They offered us freshly ground pepper, and I said "no thank you, I am certain it is already perfectly seasoned", and it was.

We then shared a plate of Peter Canlis Prawns: Sauteéd in dry vermouth, garlic, red chilies and lime. And yet, that description does nothing to prepare you for the level of deliciousness that is the sauce. I moaned with pleasure and I heard Mark do the same-it was absolutely phenomenal in flavor. Thank goodness the bread guy came back around because Mark was going to be embarrassed when I licked that plate clean...or perhaps he was going to fight me for it. Instead we used our bread to sop up the remainder of the sauce and did not feel the least bit shy about it!

The meal was timed and spaced out nicely and I was paying close attention to being able to taste every morsel. I put my fork down after each bite and really took my time with my enjoyment. I kept making sure that I stayed as much in the present moment as possible, trying to remember every detail to share with you. We watched a table celebrate a gentleman's 90th birthday. He was joined by what appeared to be his wife, grandchild and spouse, and 3 great grandchildren. You may think that Canlis is not the place to take children, and you would be surprised at how wonderfully accommodating and respectful they were of those very well behaved kids. They were probably 8, 10 and 12 years old, or close to it. They had 'cocktails' and enjoyed every course as the adults did. The servers engaged them and made them feel fully a part of the meal, which was fun to watch. They even got a tour of the kitchen (I tried to follow them in but Mark stopped me) and some sort of party favors at the end.

As I was mourning the end of the prawns John asked if he should send our bottle of wine out to be decanted. "Yes, please" and so the wine captain came over with our bottle of 2001 Kirralaa Shiraz (thank you, Manny! We love this gift!) and asked us about it as he opened and decanted it for us. We told him about Robert Mondavi going to Australia and 'trading' wineries with the wine-maker from Kirralaa. We asked if he would taste it with us and he seemed to enjoy it, noting that he thinks it will go another 10 years or so. Luckily we have another bottle at home to see how that goes! That wine is so good, and as the meal progressed it really smoothed and mellowed in the decanter.

We watched all kinds of people enjoying their time at Canlis, and every single one of us was treated as if we were the most important guest of the evening. Even including the person we overheard ordering a fillet mignon (easily the most common dish we saw served) "Well done and butterflied". I understand wanting your meat well done, but why pay for Wagyu tenderloin if you are going to do that? It did not matter to the staff at Canlis, they simply smiled and treated her as well as everyone else who walked in that night. And let me tell you, I have seen restaurant staff treat people very poorly for ordering catsup with a fillet mignon, so I was impressed with the level of class throughout.

My main course was Mushroom Ravioli with Black Truffles and Mark had a NY steak, cooked perfectly and oh so tender. The fresh pasta was so perfect I cannot say I have had better in Italy! We also ordered all three accoutrements (this was a once in a lifetime event, after all! Never again would it be our first time, and we would probably never again have this amazing gift certificate, either) which included: Truffle Fries (mmmmmmmm, so perfectly salty and crisp-tender), Forest Mushrooms sauteed in sherry, garlic & thyme, and their famous Twice Baked Potato. We shared everything and slowly enjoyed every single bite. We brought some of the steak, mushrooms, fries and potato back with us to reminisce over later.

The tables were padded under the cloths, which added a layer of comfort, to be sure. We watched a couple of tables turn and when the server assistant changed the cloth it was amazing to watch. He never exposed more than a few inches of the table, and that was only in the very beginning of the ritual. He lifted up the cloth and folded about 1/4th of it back. He then laid the new cloth on the table and as he removed the old cloth, he somehow laid out the new cloth in it's place almost seamlessly. (It reminded me of when a girl will remove her bra from under her shirt, never exposing herself for a second.. it's a trick we can all do!) He placed the old cloth under his arm, then folded part of the cloth that drapes over the front of the table, back up onto the table, and disappeared for a minute. When he returned he had a cordless steam iron and he proceeded to iron the cloth right on the table. It was clearly a well-practiced, choreographed ritual that you could easily overlook if you were not inclined to watch the service on the floor. In fact every move they made, from the synchronized placement of plates on tables, to how they walked through the dining room, was well practiced, graceful and intentionally graceful and subtle.

For dessert we decided to share the Chocolate Covered Chocolate: molten chocolate cake, cocoa nib shortbread and chocolate-covered salted caramel ice cream. Yes, it was amazing! They took what could be 'so 10 years ago', a molten chocolate cake, and raised it to a new level. The top was bruleed and the dark chocolate was perfect. I enjoyed it with a glass of vintage Port (hooray for the port tasting we put on! I was able to know what I was ordering!) and Mark had Sauternes. The presentation of every dish was perfect and not too fru-fru (I don't like fru-fru) by any means. The portions were perfect, not too little and silly and not ridiculously large. Every dish we had was worth every penny they charged.

At one point John asked us if we were there celebrating a special occasion, and I told him the story of how I had spent 26 years wanting to come there, and our gift certificate, and he also picked up that we were in the trade. He passed our story on to Brian Canlis, the grandson of Peter, who now runs the show along with his brother as the third generation of the restaurant. Brian came over and introduced himself and I tried to keep my composure. Are you kidding me? This was Brian Canlis, at our table, chatting us up like we were old friends! Making me feel as comfortable as I could be, except that my brain was screaming "HOLY CRAP" and I was trying not to make a fool of myself. He stopped by a few of times throughout the evening, we got our picture taken with him, and he even called the telephone from the maitre d's stand up front! The phone started ringing and I realized I should answer it, and when I did he asked how everything was going! I cracked up when he said he thought it was fun to call the table from the podium! As the evening progressed we watched him perform every job at the front of the house in unison with the rest of the team, including clearing and resetting tables, serving food, and chatting with the customers.

As the night darkened, so did the room, and I noticed the bar as I was looking around for the piano player that I could hear. You can walk in and sit at the bar to enjoy appetizers or even the full menu. The piano player is in that area, though the entire place is so open that you can enjoy the music throughout the restaurant. The noise level was perfect, we could hear the murmur of conversations all around, though generally nothing stood out or called attention to itself. The music was in the background, loud enough to enjoy and subtle enough to not interfere. The service was silent and no noise came from the kitchen at all. I did not see the upstairs area, though I did see a bride walking up the stairs in her gown, so I know there was a private party up there. Can you imagine? Booking a private party for your (or your daughter's) wedding at the Canlis? What a cool customer.

As we were nearing the end of our meal, with coffee and tea (they brought out a box of tea leaves for me to sniff and choose from), Mark enjoyed one last liqueur and John brought out their parting gift. A sort of amuse bouche to end with, or perhaps I should call it an au revoir bouche. For each of us a little hazelnut cookie, with a kiss of chocolate custard on top. We asked John to have them call for a taxi as we took it all in one last time. As we made our way to the front door: Brian shook our hands and said goodbye, then John did, another service smiled and wished us well, a valet told us our taxi would be here momentarily, the maitre d' got my coat (no claim ticket, he just knew which one it was) and murmured goodbye as he held it for me to put on, we waded through the line of people waiting (it was 8:45 and they were waiting to be seated) and I did remember to grab a few more candies on the way out. The cab was there and we were off. I was on top of the world and so was Mark. We had such a thoroughly enjoyable time, we are hoping to make it an annual event. Dining at Canlis is an amazing experience and it should definitely be enjoyed by everyone.

I will post pictures on facebook in the next few days (or rather, Mark will) and fill you in on the rest of our weekend as well. We are on our way to the Chef's Collaborative event this morning and that will be a great post, too! Have a wonderful day everyone!

Do you love cookbooks? I do! I love to read them cover to cover, like I am reading a novel. I don't necessarily read every single detail of every single recipe, though I do for many of them. I love to know what the author uses for salt, and the good ones include stories or background on at least the author, if not many of the recipes as well. I have lots of favorites, though there are a few that I always come back to both at home and at the cafe. One of my favorite places to get cookbooks is an antique store. I have found several unusual, fun and well-loved cookbooks at various 'junk' stores, especially up on Vancouver Island, in Sidney, BC. That tiny town has tons of old book stores and I have picked up some treasures in them.

I also enjoy watching certain cooking shows, too, and I get lots of inspiration from Ina Garten, Sara Moulton, Jacques & Julia, and others. For Valentine's day my dad bought me a cookbook that I have wanted for a couple of years. I had not purchased it for myself because it was over $40 and I was not able to find a way to 'need' it for that much money. The book is 'The Gourmet Cookbook' which is edited by Ruth Reichl, whom you all may know I love and admire! I have read all of her books and her writing style shines through in this cookbook. The book was on sale for $10 and now I see that it is only $7.22! I just bought some for gifts because... and hear this: I! LOVE! THIS! COOKBOOK! I just about slept with it the first night, as I fell asleep with it in my lap. Ms. Reichl adds so much to it, and the fact that many of the recipes are as old as Gourmet is, well it is just special. The stories are good, the food is fabulous, and I think it is an essential for any kitchen. (ps Linda, If you don't have this one, I have you covered, no need to buy it!)

I can sing the praises of many cookbooks, and if you are interested I will share with you some of my favorites, though I most certainly have not read them all. In fact my cookbook wishlist on Amazon has 106 items on it and grows all the time. I have about 6 shelves worth between home and the cafe, and that is pared down... Hi, my name is Monica, and I am addicted to cookbooks. The good news is that I don't purchase them if I don't think I will absolutely love and use them, and if it turns out that I don't use them, I pass them on to someone who will. And then there are the books about food... I shouldn't even get started there. I just had to share with you how much I love this cookbook so that you can pick one up while they are this fabulous price. I imagine they are getting rid of it, since it is a couple of years old. It was totally worth the wait! It makes me smile every time I see it sitting on the table, waiting for me to read some more.

Last Saturday after a long day of catering, one of our gals (Lori!) bough Mark and me each a shot of Patron tequila. We had never had it before and I must say: SMOOTH. It was indeed the nicest tequila I have ever sipped, and that was just the silver, so someday I will try the repisado, since that is my favorite style. I don't drink enough tequila to warrant rushing out and buying a bottle, but I will put it on my Christmas list! If you haven't had it, and you enjoy sipping tequila (this is not a party shot!) I highly recommend tasting it.

On Sunday Mark and I went to the Ballard Farmer's Market with Erin and a couple of friends. I have been wanting to go there for so long and it is truly amazing! With nearly 100 stalls (I think they said 97?) it is very much like the European markets that we see in Italy. A wonderful variety of locally grown and produced food items, along with art and crafts, and other household necessities. It was pure pleasure checking it out, and of course it was a sunny, albeit chilly day, which made it even better. We all had a great time and I must say if you haven't been, go. They take EBT at the market booth, and many vendors can take credit cards as well.

After we were done wandering the market we went into Bastille for cocktails and a little something to eat. My favorite cocktail, especially for brunch, is a Bloody Caesar, which is really difficult to find around here, unfortunately... (They are prolific in BC.) Another favorite is a Kir Royale, which is just sparkling wine with a splash of Creme de Cassis, a currant liqueur. I was about to order that when I saw they had a special cocktail called 'La Muse': Vodka, grapefruit & Cassis with a splash of Crémant, served on the rocks. Oh yes! It was so yummy! It went nicely with the best fries I have ever had! Unfortunately we were there at the tail end and they were out of several dishes, but the food that came was delicious and well-prepared. The interior of the place is remarkable and I loved looking around in there. It felt a little like a New York restaurant, which I consider a compliment... maybe it was the subway tiles on the walls. (Such a comedian, I know!)

It is finally snowing after threatening to all day. I am working really late because I was feeling really behind, and then I got the urge to check in with you to say hello. This weekend we are in for a huge treat (actually many treats) that I will share with you next week. Meanwhile, I hope we all survive the 'asnowcalypse', no one loses power and everyone still comes to the cafe for lunch! Would you like a recipe? How about Ina Garten's mustard-roasted fish. It is so easy and delicous, and it uses things that I always have in my pantry. When I go to buy the fish I would get the creme fraiche and be good to go:

4 8-ounce fish fillets (snapper, tilapia, etc...)
salt and pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche or sour cream
3 TBS dijon mustard
1 TBS whole grain mustard
2 TBS minced shallots (or onion if no shallots)
2 tsp drained capers (or caper berries)

Preheat the oven to 425 and line a sheet pan or baking dish with parchment (or cooking spray)

Place the fish fillets skin side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl, along with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish, making sure each fillet is completely covered.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it is barely done. The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it is done. It is easy to over cook, so be careful or it will dry out.

Serve it hot, right away, with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

I would serve this with roasted potatoes and green beans, both of which will be great if the sauce gets on them!

Ciao for now!

Hi there! I know it's been awhile and I thank you for being patient with my break from the blog. I did not stay away because I was avoiding you, honest! January was an emotional month, with the loss of an old friend and the usual January Business Anxiety, though I must admit that this was our best January yet for the cafe. I missed talking with you and I do have some things to report, but today is Valentine's Day and I think it is a good time for a love story. I don't mind telling you that I love the movie An Affair to Remember, and still get teary when Terry McKay (Debra Kerr) says to a bewildered Nicky (Cary Grant) "It was my own fault, I was looking up. You were there... it was the nearest thing to heaven!" I think that the greatest love story in movie form (ever to exist in the universe!) is Robert Bernigni's 'La Vita e Bella' and I still smile each time I am in Cortona Italy and see the theater from the movie.

Led Zeppelin's 'Thank You' and The Beatles 'In My Life' are my top two picks for love songs, and I find it appropriate that they were both written by famous couples, even if they were not romantic couples. I do not have a favorite love story in book form (too many! I love them all!) though right now I am reading Elizabeth Edwards' book 'Resilience' and I am falling in love with it! So many forms of love, so few ways to express them... Love is the answer. Love opens all doors. Love, love, love. And we all have many love stories throughout our lives, romantic love, familial, love of friends, work, food, travel; love of fun, nature; spiritual love, physical love, emotional love... we can go on all day. I am going to tell you a love story and it is my love story with Mark, and there is not a happy ending, or rather I should tell you there is no ending at all, because we are still living our story. I have been told it is a good story and I certainly think so, though perhaps mainly because I seem to benefit more than anyone else from it. Mark may disagree with me there, though I think he is the only one who could challenge that statement.

I was 14 years old when I was a freshman in high school. It was a new school, new neighborhood, new everything and of course it was all very confusing. I made a few friends and this one boy, Chris, had the CUTEST older brother who was a senior. He had a curly red afro and even though he didn't really know who I was, my stomach fluttered when he looked at me. At the age of 16 I was a junior and ready for my first job. I worked at the Renton Sheraton after school and on weekends, in the restaurant as a 'bus girl' and in room service. Chris' older brother Mark was my trainer and so here I was, 2 years later, working with this cute guy! He was quiet and not interested in a high school junior, after all he was 20 years old, but he was very nice and taught me how to do a good job. This was in 1984 and long before caller ID, and as young goofy girls we would get together and call boys. When they came to the phone we would giggle and hang up and then scream with nervous laughter at each other for not having the nerve to talk to him. Mark got his share of giggly hang up calls, to be sure.

I don't remember who left the Sheraton first. We each went on our way, I went to college and Mark eventually joined the Marine Corps. When I was a senior in high school I had a boyfriend for 8 months whom I loved as much as any 17 year old girl loves her first boyfriend. One of my college jobs was at the Maple Valley Golf Course, at Charlie's Bar & Grill, where I learned the ropes in the kitchen. My first chef was an ex prison chef and while he was a mean SOB, I learned a ton from him about making everything from scratch. This restaurant was not fine dining, though we had the best food around because we even cut and breaded our own cheese sticks; everything tasted great there because we made it ourselves. The other chef that I worked under at Charlie's was Greg Rooter and he introduced me to the world of catering (from the kitchen perspective, I had done lots of catering as a server) and BBQ. Greg built a BBQ pit in the back of our kitchen so we could smoke all kinds of meats... sorry, I am digressing to a different love story: the love of cooking great food! So while I was at Charlie's we hired my old high school friend Chris and I was working with him. I counted Chris as a good friend and one day he invited me to a big party down at his house for his brother who was coming home from boot camp.

I went to the party where I saw lots of old friends from High School and there was Mark. He was fresh out of boot camp and looking really good! My insides did that floppy thing again and I tried to hang out near him that evening. I didn't see him again until December, when he came 'home' on leave. I began hanging out at Chris' house with all the guys, hoping he would notice that I was a fun gal to be around. I let him borrow my car to go visit friends and I took him places when I needed my car. I worked at a different restaurant kitchen then and brought food from work when I could. Finally, when it seemed he would never get the clues and there were only a couple of days left before he went back to California, I asked him out. I was pretty excited when he said yes! I don't remember everything we did on that date, though we visited some friends and he taught me to play pool, which is a very good first date thing to do! We were together until very late because he was leaving the next day and I did not know when I would see him again. My mom tells me (and I truly have no recollection of this event) that when I got home from that date I told her that "I was with the man I am going to marry" and she about fainted.

You see, I was never a girly girl and I did not fall in love easily. I never dreamed about my wedding day, or wished for a prince charming and I did not page through bridal magazines fantasizing of the dress I would one day wear. That was never me, and in fact I had written essays about why marriage was not for me. I had well researched, intellectual arguments against marriage as a result of our culture and societal refusal to evolve our thinking around the marital institution. So when I told her that I was with the man I was going to marry, my mom was aghast. I did not say things like this lightly, and I still do not remember saying it at all, though I know she did not make it up. I went 3 weeks without hearing from Mark and then one day Chris says to me in passing 'oh by the way, Mark has been asking for your address and phone number, and I keep forgetting to tell you'. Oh by the way, I almost killed Chris that day, but I was so relieved and excited that I forgot to! I had to call his mom for Mark's address because Chris didn't have it and that was nerve-wracking! I am sure she just rolled her eyes at the little twit calling to get her son's mailing address, but she gave it to me anyway.

Mark and I began a correspondence and telephonic relationship, and then he came home for an entire month in May. We spent every moment possible together and if I had any doubts prior to that, by the end of the month I was very confident in my love for him. He took a little convincing, but I was not worried because I knew we would have the rest of our lives together. He called my from Japan on my 21st birthday and every Sunday after that. On one of those calls he told me he loved me. I remember the feeling that came over me as we hung up the phone and I began squealing with excitement and jumping up and down on my bed. My roommate ran in to see what was going on and I exclaimed "HE SAID 'I LOVE YOU'! HE LOVES ME! HE LOVES ME!"... I visited him in California twice and he came home a couple of times to see me when he saw his family. In 1990 he decided against renewing his enlistment and came home for good, just 2 months before I graduated with my BA in Criminal Justice. He moved in to my little studio apartment and then we got a 1 bedroom together after that. He got a job at his godfather's auto service station and over 16 years became manager. I became a police dispatcher (among other things) and we rented a house, and bought our first house. We got married in 1991 with a few family & friends around us at Lake Tahoe, then came back and had a big party/reception.

That first year of marriage was really difficult; Mark was laid off while upgrades were made to the station and we bickered a lot. My grandmother died within days of his, and the funerals were on the same day, which is what snapped us back into sync since we needed to really support one another. We worked different shifts with different days off and took 2-week and month-long vacations together. Just like everyone does, we had our ups and downs and ins and outs, all with the calm knowledge in the back of our minds that nothing really matters in the end because we have our whole lives to figure it out.

In 1997 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and began a 2 year education to become a Certified Nutritional Herbalist and Reiki Master, and Mark said 'ok honey, whatever you need to do for you I support'. I dabbled in that as a business, but it wasn't right for me. I still use the skills and knowledge that I gained for my own health management, as well as for family and friends, and I owe it to Mark for supporting me when I needed it. That same year we were on SR 16 through Gig Harbor, driving home from Hood Canal after scattering the ashes of my great-grandmother. Mark sighed and said 'I wish we could live in a place like this' and I said 'WHY CAN'T WE??' If that is both what we want, then we should move here! Mark balked for a moment and then slowly said 'ok honey, if you think we can do it then we can! We will both be happier over here so let's move'. We eventually bought some property, lived with my parents, rented an apartment, and then bought another house, and we love it here. Mark commuted to Bellevue 4 days a week and I went to Seattle, then Renton, 5 days a week on swing shift.

After 15 years I decided that I needed a career change and I quit my job with no real plans as to what I would do. Mark said 'ok honey, you not working makes me nervous, but I trust you to do what is best for us.' Can you believe that? And then when I decided not only that I wanted to have a restaurant, and then figured out that I wanted this restaurant that was also a bakery, and also that in order for it to work he would have to quit his job and work it with me, he only hesitated for one minute. One minute! Then he said 'ok honey, this scares the crap out of me, but I trust that we will do the best for us and that you are planning this out as best you can'. So we both took that leap of faith and we haven't landed yet! 5 years ago today I did not know what was going to happen. The previous owner had been afraid to commit so I had stepped away and told her to call me when she was ready. I was running errands when I ran into my dad and his friend Mort as they were going to lunch at a Chinese restuarant in Gig Harbor, and they invited me to join them, so I did. I still have the fortune that came out of my cookie. It reads: "Don't lose sight of what you want" and I look at it almost every day. I never do lose sight.

So that is the reader's digest version of our love story. Every time I have a new idea for the cafe, or our lives, no matter how nervous it makes him, Mark always supports me. He expresses his fears and concerns and when I confidently say 'I don't know the answers, let's just try it!' he always supports me. I would not be here without him and I wouldn't know where to go if he were not here with me. Our love story continues to unfold and even these days when we are too tired and broke to go out on dates, I know he is here for me. When we say 'I love you more' it is not a contest with one another, it means more than yesterday and more than ever and more than anyone else. And I do, Mark. I love you more.

A recipe? After all that? Ok, I will tell you how to make Spaghetti Carbonara, which after being in Rome I found out I make pretty darn well.

1 lb dried spaghetti and a huge pot of boiling water to cook it in.
salt

olive oil
1 lb pancetta or bacon, diced
5 eggs, well beaten and set aside
1 or more cups grated parmesan, or pecorino romano, or asiago, or a combo
1 or more TBS ground black pepper

In a large saute pan render and crisp up the pancetta or bacon in the olive oil. Meanwhile bring the water to boil and salt it well; salty like the sea is a good rule for cooking pasta.

Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than what the package recommends, then drain it but reserve 2 cups of the liquid.

Toss the pasta in with the pancetta, pour the eggs and cheese and pepper over it and stir it, off the heat, until it is all incorporated and a creamy sauce has formed. If it seems a bit dry or stiff, add in some of the pasta water and keep stirring.

The residual heat will cook the eggs all the way through, and there should be a very good amount of black pepper throughout the dish. Stir it up well and toss it until it is all incorporated, then serve it up! Top with more cheese and pepper if you like it! This is the perfect dish to make for someone you love. It will feed them well and it is comforting to boot!

I will admit that I also saute onions and garlic with the pancetta, though that is not traditional and not necessary, I just can't help it!

Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas? I got many books, which is good because one of the things I am bringing back to my life more this year is reading for fun. I read a lot of trade magazines and books, and often that IS fun and that's ok, but I miss reading just for the sake of reading. I got several cookbooks and food books and I have spent the last 3 evenings happily devouring my favorite so far: 'Cooking With Italian Grandmothers' by Jessica Theroux. My sister got this one for me and I love it so much I am going to marry it! There are stories followed by recipes and more stories and more recipes. It was a lovely book to read and I have marked many recipes, and I already made one of them because I just couldn't stand it! It was a chickpea recipe and it sounded so good and soothing, that I got up out of bed and went to the kitchen to soak some of the garbanzo beans I got from Alvarez Farms at the last Port Orchard Farmer's Market. (I stocked up on their many varieties of dried beans to get us through the winter and we have been thoroughly enjoying them!) The next morning I made the recipe, which starts out very soupy, and then when it has cooled is a very thick puree. I only changed one thing in the recipe, which is a big deal for me since I usually change everything, and I loved it! The next time I make it I will add more things in, but they way it is written is so simple and good that I had to make it right away. I will be having it for breakfast this morning!

It has been longer than I realized since I last wrote anything here and I am sorry to be gone so long! We were wonderfully busy at the cafe up through Christmas and I felt like I had no time. We did get to my BFF's house for a dinner party with 8 other couples and that was FUN! The food was fabulous and the company was the best part of all. We went to the Downen extended family gift exchange, where all the cousins w/spouses and kids get together with food and visiting for an afternoon. Cousin-in-law Rob made some Barley Wine (it is more like a beer) that was really good and interesting to taste. I really liked it and will not hesitate to try others because of it, which I have avoided in the past.

Christmas was a whirlwind of fun starting with Christmas Eve at the cafe, baking lots of pies and other goodies for folks. We closed at 3 and went to mom and dad's, where we always do lots of appetizer style foods (so delicious and it's fun to graze all night) and friends and family stop by open-house style. My family downsized our gift giving over the past several years and we are very happy to donate to charity rather than do tons of gifts, though we still do some, and we take the entire evening to slowly open them between and after guest visits. Mark and I got home late (for us! around 10 or 11) and the next morning we dug into our stockings. Santa always visits us and I turn on the tv to the yule log channel so we can have a fire, and we stay snuggled in the bed cuz the heat isn't on yet, and the kitties come play with the wrapping papers (Santa only wraps my presents, not Mark's) and we have a lovely morning.

Then we head to his parents' and have the traditional breakfast (this year it was with his parents and brother Don). Whoever was not there for breakfast shows up around noon for gift opening, and this year there was a BIG EVENT. Travis, the Best Nephew in the World, is finishing out his high school years by going to Bellevue Community College to earn his AA. He is the smartest, most responsible, worthwhile kid in the world and his parents wanted him to have safe and reliable transportation to get to school and back. They wrapped the keys in a box, which was inside 8 other wrapped boxes with clues and gag gifts along the way. Finally he opened the last one and the look on his face was pure amazement. The car was in the garage and even had a giant bow on it! It was really fun to watch and we are happy for him. Afterwards we enjoyed a casual dinner and got home by 7, which was good because we were very tired.

The next day we got together with our lovely friends from Rodstol Lane Farm to go to a new place in Georgetown called Urban Enoteca. It's a wine tasting room like no other and we found out about from one of our favorite wineries, McCrea Cellars. They are one of seven Washington wineries with a tasting counter there, and the space is gorgeous. There is parking, which is fantastic in that area, and the venue has several rentable areas for parties. Even the restrooms are beautifully done, and the restaurant that is across the hall has fantastic food. We shared many tastes of wine at all the counters and then went across and shared several dishes from the menu. It was all delicious and what a great way to spend an afternoon with friends!

I took it easy for the week between holidays. It was sort of a forced slow down, where I didn't set my alarm and I stopped working at 5 (2 hours early) most days. On Wednesday Travis drove out and spent the night with us. I made meatballs, marinara and pasta, which we ate while playing video games and watching movies. The next day we took him to see Harry Potter at the AMC in Silverdale and have lunch at the cafe. The girls were amazed to see how tall he is (taller than Mark now) and we had a great time with him. Whenever we get to spend quality time with him like that I forgive myself just a little for all the time I spent working rather than spending time with him when he was little... silly I know. The best part is I think he likes spending time with us, too! That week I also went out to dinner with my friend Kat and we totally derailed our New Year's Eve plans but we had fun.

We went to Water to Wine in Gig Harbor with Erin for the Friday wine tasting (it was bubbles! I love bubbles!) and then next door to their wine bar for a couple of appetizers. Mark and I had originally planned to go out to eat and then realized we needed to not afford that. So we got some good stuff at Ray's Meat Market in Purdy with the intention of grilling it up. We got home too late for that so just had a snack and then we cooked it up on Sunday. I had pork and he had steak, with roasted potatoes and carrots and a bottle of wine that we got from one of our wine-makers in Italy. It was a great first supper! We didn't get it done on Saturday because we played instead! We went to the Olalla Polar Bear Plunge, where hundreds of fools, I mean people, jump off the overpass into the Puget Sound. Kat came over to watch it with us and we were all bundled up, shivering from just watching them jump in there! Granted, the 50 degree water was 20 degrees warmer than the air, but I don't think that was much comfort, gauging from all the whoops and screams. They do this every year and it is a HUGE event! With Al's closed now they took over the parking lot and grilled up hot dogs and offered soups and hot drinks, all for free, though they did ask for donations to the food bank, so that was nice. We found out that there is a weekly Saturday market in Olalla at the Community Center, and there is an egg supplier there so I am very happy about that! Later we went to a friend's party and enjoyed a wonderful Spanish style seafood soup and some great conversation with lots of new people. I fear we overstayed our welcome and talked our hosts' ears off, and I feel bad about that, though we did have a great time. I had no idea of the time when we left! They were very gracious and I am sure they would have rather been cleaning up and relaxing, so we owe them an evening and I hope we get together again soon because I really enjoyed them.

And here we are in the new year, a new week, lots to do and I feel like I am behind on everything. I know it's ok and I will get caught up, even though I have little moments of panicky feelings, like I should really be doing more.. I don't think that will ever fully go away so I will continue to breathe through it. We have some new ideas and things going on at the cafe, and I am planning the Winter Party on the 22nd and off we go! I hope you enjoyed your holidays, whether or not you celebrate those particular ones, and that you are also looking forward to what's to come. The ebb and flow of life continues... as my dad is doing better with his health issues another important papa in my life seems to be declining away. It will always be so and the best we can do is focus on love and let the rest take care of itself...adapt to the change and other sayings: go with the flow, stop and smell the roses, go out on a limb, live like there's no tomorrow, etc, etc, etc.

What sort of recipe would you like to make? How about a Lemony Lentil dish. This stew is great one pot cooking, quick and easy, satisfying and healthy, with a brightness that makes you think of sunny days. GI made chicken stock on Sunday, so my recipe calls for that, and I will offer a conversion to keep it vegetarian in case you would rather.

2 TBS olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1-2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 C lentils, sorted and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth, or even water)
1 TBS fresh ginger, minced, or 1/2 tsp dried
grated peel from 1 lemon (no pith)
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh parsley (or cilantro), chopped

Heat the oil in a large and deep sided saute pan or a 3 quart pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery and garlic, saute 4-5 minutes more, until it is all beginning to soften.

Add in the lentils and saute for about 2 minutes, then add the broth. Simmer, covered, until lentils are cooked through but not mushy, around 20-30 minutes.

Take off the heat, stir in the rest of the ingredients and let sit with the lid on but slightly askew, for 5 minutes or more. It will start to thicken and the flavors will melt together a bit more for serving.

You can always serve this as a side dish, but I think it's a perfect meal with a salad of bitter greens. Ciao!

The rainy season is upon us. I know it seems like an understatement after the past few days, but that is only because it really didn't start until then. Every single day last week had at least an hour of sunshine and blue skies, which served as a lovely reprieve from the otherwise constant rain. The only exception was Saturday & Sunday, and boy oh boy was that an exception! We were really lucky last week in that we had at least one catering job almost every day and we love that. It is a bit unusual that we only have a couple of catering jobs in the next 2 weeks, but there is still time for it to fill in, and the special orders (where people order a cake, or 2 dozen Christmas cookies, etc) are filling up the board nicely. We really need this month to carry us through next, because so many folks hibernate in January, and it is always a little scary during that extra quiet month. We have given away 1000 prize envelopes (red envelopes) already! This is the earliest that we have ever run out, which is a great sign, and next year I believe I will have to increase the number of prizes that we give away. That's good for everyone!

Being that busy means that we did not get out much last week, though last night we were treated to a wonderful dinner with friends and we had a great time. We went to Bay Street Bistro in Port Orchard, which is the newest place in town, and it was fabulous. We were there for the Terre Madre Sunday Supper, which celebrated local foods as they do in Italy. Bay Street Bistro always has Sunday Supper, this one was extra special. The chef/owner is John Strasinger, partner of Matt Carter of Carter's Chocolates fame. In fact the bistro serves Carter's creations for dessert. Our menu last night was as follows:
The meal is generally served 'family style' and the starter platters included Roasted Garlic from Gary’s Gourmet Garlic in Bremerton, Oil-Cured Organic Eggplant from Alvarez Farms, and toasted baguettes to enjoy them on. Then we moved on to soup, a light consomme with Oregon mushrooms bobbing about, which was a wonderful palate cleanser after the sweet garlic. Next up was a fabulous Seafood Cannelloni with Oregon Bay Shrimp, Alaskan Scallops and Washington Sole. The flavors were so delicious and the sauce was as good as the filling. The main course was Line-caught Neah Bay Red Rockfish, pan-seared with ginger and garlic, served with the pan sauce. The fish was perfectly cooked, which is a real treat in this region of chronically over-cooked fish. The sauce set it apart with a tang of lemon and the ginger and garlic working subtly to add flavor without overpowering anything. The portions were perfect, nothing was too filling and yet it was a real meal and not little plates of foo-foo tastes. The last course was an Apple Torte from Carter’s Chocolates, served with Mt Townsend Trailhead cheese, which I adore. The torte was light and airy, tangy and sweet, and rounded beautifully by the slice of cheese.

Our friends poured wine with every course and the last one was Bainbridge Island's Siegerrebe and it was delicious with the dessert! There were 8 of us at our table and the conversations were fun and interesting, and we lingered over dinner for almost 3 hours, which really reminded me of Italy. We are so lucky to have such generous friends, especially as they introduce us to other interesting people. I can't wait to go back to Bay Street Bistro, which is now serving lunch as well as dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and Sunday Supper every week.

Today is a 'catch-up' day and I got an email from Saturday's catering customer that sure sets a nice tone for the week! She had a cocktail party for 70 so Erin and Vicki served for her, and she loved them at least as much as she loved our food, which makes me so proud! She has had many parties catered and she told me that our gals provided her the best service she has ever had; how awesome is that! We are always proud of our team and that is just one of the reasons why. I have been busy finalizing their Christmas gifts: for the second year we are exchanging gift cards with other businesses in the area, which allows us to give them better gifts than we could if we had to buy them outright. Some of them are general trades for things we hope they all can use or will enjoy, and some of them are staff-specific, and it is especially fun to set those up. Now I just have to go get their stockings to stuff and manage to wait until the 24th when they get them! Super Fun!

Story time with Mrs Claus is next Saturday and filling up fast. It is one of my favorite events because the kids love it so much. It is really special to witness their reverence for Mrs Claus-after all, she has a direct line to the Big Man! Plus all the little surprises we shower on them and the delight in their faces is just too good to miss. If your in the area on Saturday around 1:40, look up on our roof top and you just may see Santa's sleigh dropping her off!

It's time for me to put a couple chickens in the oven so we have something to eat this week. I will put up a recipe for you and I hope you are in the mood for soup. This is one of my favorite soups and last week I was craving it so I made it just for the 2 of us and figured out how to scale it down for you. I just cleaned out the pantry and crisper so I am going to give you the actual recipe, and along side I will show you what I changed, so you can see how easy it is.

Chickpea Quinoa Soup

olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1-2 celery stalks, diced
(I also added 1 large carrot, peeled and diced, plus some parsnip, but that is not how we do it at the cafe. I just needed to use them up)
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 quart broth (we use vegetable at work. I had turkey stock left over so I used that)
1 cup quinoa (which I changed in the original recipe from farro, so you could use that instead, or even brown rice or pasta)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

heat the olive oil and saute the onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, marjoram and nutmeg until the veg are sweating, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile puree the chickpeas with the broth in a blender or food processor.

Pour in the chickpeas and remaining broth, bring to boil, add in quinoa, reduce to simmer.

Cook 20-30 minutes, until quinoa is opened (or whatever grain you used is cooked). The soup will be think and creamy and delicious!

Adjust the seasonings to your palate and top each serving with a swirl of premium olive oil.

YUM!