Bon Appetit, October 2008

Tom is chosen Restaurateur of the Year- Check it out here


November 26th, 2008 | No Comments »

Pilgrims and Turkeys at the Dahlia Bakery

Continuing our “day before Thanksgiving” holiday tradition, staff members dressed up as pilgrims, turkeys, and other festive characters to greet Dahlia Bakery customers as they purchased goodies for the holiday table. As always, cups of delicious mulled apple cider were served gratis to customers and passers-by.

New this year- a spectacular multi-colored “Everyone’s a Winner” Prize Wheel! A spin of the wheel determined which prize was won. A jar of Rub with Love Turkey Spice Rub, a December gift certificate for a coconut cream pie bite, Palace pistachios, or Etta’s gummy fish, or a free “hot-off -the grill” chorizo sandwich were among the prizes.

Also new this year, Tom and Eric grilled chorizo over applewood right outside the Bakery and sold chorizo sandwiches assembled from grilled baguette, lemon aioli, and fresh arugula.

We think the prize for best costume this year goes to Alexis Berry, Catering Manager, who could really strut her stuff as the Thanksgiving Turkey!

November 26th, 2008 | No Comments »

Scotch and Oysters, by Tom Cole, Etta’s

Scotch and oysters! We are trained to think dry white wines and champagne with oysters, so when recently attending a multi-course dinner of food paired with single malt whisky I was admittedly a wee bit nervous. I needn’t have been. Not all Scotch is a mouthful of smoke and peat. Some have lemony citrus aromas and a natural, breezy sea saltiness, as does Oban. The chef served it icy cold from the freezer with local oysters on the half shell just sprinkled with smoked salt. The result? About as perfect a match as one could hope for and the most fun I’ve had with Scotch whisky (other than drinking it, of course) since having it drizzled on freshly baked shortbread.

November 20th, 2008 | No Comments »

So You Want to Make Pasta, by Martha Francis, Palace Pasta Queen

Whenever someone comes by my station, inevitably they ask if they can come in some day to watch and learn all my pasta-making secrets; and inevitably they’re disappointed when I explain the only secret is just to make it– over and over again until they learn the dough secrets themselves.

The one piece of advice I have is to invest in a motor driven pasta roller. The ease this adds to the labor makes it a fun process rather than a hand-cranked ordeal. Kitchen-Aid makes a wonderful attachment that is quite affordable.  The only other advice I have is to read The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken, by Laura Schenone.

This story follows a woman’s journey to rediscover and reconnect with her family’s roots in Italy and is a gorgeous illumination of the patience required for the pasta-maker’s eternal learning process.

One more thing: the pasta recipe in Tom’s first cookbook, Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen, is the best I’ve found. So don’t be afraid, roll up your sleeves and start making pasta.

November 20th, 2008 | No Comments »

Eric Tanaka’s Dining Adventures: Sonoma and San Francisco

All Sonoma Meat Big Night with the Meat Buying Club at Bovolo/ Healdsburg:

This event at Bovolo restaurant, owned by Duskie Estes and John Stewart (both are Tom Douglas alumni), was a benefit to support local ranchers. Similar to the way CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) works, these ranchers provide meat for the community. You often see boxes of veggies, but we also need community boxes of meat to complete the cycle, so it was exciting to see this happening. Sopressata, rabbit terrines, and pickled grapes were just a few of the delicious starters for a four course dinner.

Cyrus Restaurant/ Healdsburg - Since this is truffle season, we ordered a terrific white truffle risotto at Healdsburg’s fancy new restaurant, Cyrus. So nice to have a fresh white truffle for a change as opposed truffle oil!

Range/ San Francisco - Fabulous cocktails at Range, in the Mission. I sipped a Morena made with sagatiba cachaça (Brazilian rum), allspice liqueur, apple, and lemon.

Nopa/ San Francisco - Great late night joint, Nopa is located north of the Panhandle. Similar energy to Palace- rustic food, wood fired oven. Great vegetable terrine. The place was packed at 12:30!

November 20th, 2008 | No Comments »

Tom’s Book Review: Chefs on the Farm

One of my favorites of the fall crop of new cookbooks is Chefs on the Farm by Shannon Borg and Lora Lea Misterly (Skipstone, 2008). For some years now, we’ve participated in a scholarship program that allows interested staff to attend Quillisascut Farm School.My staff learns to milk goats, gather eggs, butcher animals, make cheese, and plant vegetable starts. At the end of each day, they get to cook delicious meals from the fruits of their own labors. This has been a life changing experience for those lucky enough to attend Farm School.

In Washington State, Rick and Lora Lee Misterly have made a major contribution to the big 3 buzz words of the new millennium- “what’s local, sustainable, and organic?” This is the book for anyone who’s curious about the farm to table connection and wants to learn about food that comes from the land and not the supermarket shelf.

So go ahead, satisfy your inner farmer-  shop online or run to the store to pick up a copy of Chefs on the Farm.

 

 

 

 

November 19th, 2008 | No Comments »