Tagliatelle with Balsamic Cream

Varietal: Chardonnay (Unoaked), Pinot Gris, or Gëwurztraminer

Serves 4 as a main dish; 6 to 8 as an appetizer

This heady mushroom and balsamic cream sauce is best served over fresh tagliatelle (homemade or store bought). Minus the pasta, it also serves as an alluring side dish or sauce with meat entrées such as grilled chicken, pork, or beef. The dish is very versatile as far as wine pairing goes; consider a full-bodied Pinot Gris, such as the ones produced by King Estate Winery in Oregon. Chilled Gewürztraminer or an unoaked Chardonnay would also work nicely with this toothsome dish.

1 pound homemade or store-bought fresh or dried tagliatelle (if you opt for the dried, increase the amount of mushrooms to 1 1/2 pounds)

Extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 pound small, whole cultivated mushrooms (such as white or cremini) or small, whole wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle or morel; see Cook’s Hint, below)

1/2 cup dry white wine

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons high-quality balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Cook the homemade pasta until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes, or cook the store-bought pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well. Sprinkle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, toss to coat well, and keep warm until serving.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When it begins to foam, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to release their juices and aroma, 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat if the mushrooms begin to brown.

3. Add the wine, salt, and pepper and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir quickly and evenly to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is fully incorporated and loses its raw aroma, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Slowly add the cream, stirring well after each addition to avoid lumps, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and add it a few pieces at a time, stirring well after each addition. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar.

7. Pour the mushroom-cream sauce over the pasta and toss to coat. Divide the pasta among soup dishes or pasta bowls. Sprinkle with the cheese, and serve immediately.

Cook’s Hint: There is much debate over the best way to clean mushrooms. For cultivated mushrooms that are smooth and relatively clean (such as white or cremini), I find that a quick rinse in cold water, then thorough drying with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, works best. For wild mushrooms (such as chanterelles) that may contain deep furrows, pine needles, and other debris, a mushroom brush and a gentle wipe with a damp cloth does the trick. Badly bruised or spongy spots, and signs of insects, should always be removed before cooking. Morels are another story, because their honeycomb surface can contain a lot of grit. To clean morels, if they are large enough, tap them gently (stem side down on a hard surface) to remove as much grit as possible. Then fill a large mixing bowl with cool water and add 1 tablespoon of table salt, stirring well to dissolve the salt. Add the morels and swish them through the water to remove as much grit (and insects, which are repelled by the salt) as possible. Drain the water and replace with clean cool water. Repeat the cleaning process two to three times, or until the water runs clear. After draining the last time, squeeze out as much water as possible from the morels, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cut out any discolorations or spoiled spots and discard any mushrooms that are spongy (which means they are old). Slice large mushrooms in half; leave small and medium mushrooms whole.

Recipe reprinted from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (Wiley, 2007, $34.95) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

I was very proud and pleased to see my Pike Place Market Cookbook prominently on display at the Sasquatch Books booth at last week’s Bookfest.

Long-time Sasquatch sales and marketing expert Sarah Hanson was on hand to help talk up and hand-sell all the publisher’s books. I also spotted editorial director Gary Luke, who edited my very own Inside the Pike Place Market, which came out in 1997.

And here I am in front of the full-on display. Don’t forget that the Pike Place Market Cookbook (Sasquatch Books, 2003, $18.95), the Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2005, $14.95) and/or Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining (Wiley, 2007, $34.95) would all make thoughtful and welcome holiday gifts.

Every so often we get in the car and drive to Renton, where the huge blue box with the yellow lettering that spells IKEA signifies we’ve arrived at the Swedish-based store. It’s a great place for inexpensive but well-made frames for Spencer’s photographs, unusual vases for my flower arrangements, and common houseplants when mine have died.

But until recently, we had never tried it for lunch, and were VERY pleasantly surprised when we finally did.

Here’s my heart-healthy choice, split-pea soup, gravadlax salad, and some crispy, crunchy, super-tasty whole-grain crackers. I liked them so much, I bought a pack for at-home munching.

Meanwhile, Spencer got the dish of the day, Swedish Meatball and Mashers (which I imagine is DotD on most days). 🙂

The Scandinavian specialty-food section right next door to the cafeteria is a gold mine for foodies; in addition to the rye crackers mentioned above, I stocked up on Lingonberry Jam and whole-wheat pasta shaped like elk.

Every year I rehydrate this hand for some ghoulish Halloween fun. I love the way the hand pops out of the top of the clear glass container and the fingertips are just a bit withered.

In keeping with the Halloween spirit (so to speak), here’s an interesting release from the venerable Columbia Winery in Woodinville that really pulls out all the stops.

“HalloWINE Party

Columbia Winery – Woodinville, WA

Friday, October 30^th

6:30pm-9:00pm

$30 per person / $25 Cellar Club Members and guests

RSVP online at www.columbiawinery.com or by calling 425-482-7383

We’ve added a twist to our HalloWINE Party.  Now at $30 per person ($25 Cellar Club Members), join us for a night of fright and fun.  Located in our Cellar of Terror, party amongst friends and take a stab at a blind wine tasting.  Tease your taste buds with a blind food tasting and kill at our many wine games.  Costumes encouraged.  Prizes and wine discounts will be awarded throughout the evening.  Price includes 5 blind wine tasting tokens.  Wine by the glass/bottle will also be available for purchase.”

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Many of you know that once a month, I do a food-and-wine-related blog for Al Dente, one of Amazon.com’s special-interest blogs. For my October entry, I gave suggestions for pairing wine with oysters, along with a truly amazing recipe for Oysters Gratinée.

The recipe is from my book, “Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining,” thanks to Philippe Boulot, long-time executive chef of The Heathman Restaurant in Portland, Ore. Here’s the link to the entire article and the recipe.

Although we recently enjoyed six whole days in my hometown of Philadelphia, sadly, only two of them were dedicated to sightseeing. We spent one day downtown and one day in the ‘burbs revisiting my old neighborhood, junior and senior high schools, etc.

On our “downtown day,” I snapped this shot at the Liberty Bell, which is housed in a stunning building with lots of historical placards that help visitors from around the world grasp the small bell’s significance in American history. I like the way Independence Hall looms in the background.

Seattleites love our “Porker with a Purpose,” the Pike Place Market’s very own giant bronze piggy bank, Rachel the Pig. She patiently greets visitors from around the world under the Market’s world-famous neon clock and sign, while raising anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 a year for the Pike Place Market Foundation. The Market Foundation manages the four social-service agencies within the Market–the Downtown Food Bank, Preschool and Child Car, Medical Clinic, and Senior Center.

While in Philadelphia, we visited the Reading Terminal Market and met Philbert, who was modeled after Rachel. Philly’s version isn’t as user-friendly as Seattle’s model–since there’s a sign around Philbert’s neck asking that people NOT climb on his back. Harrumph.

While listening to an audiotape from the International Association of Culinary Professionals last week while at the gym working out on the EFX machine (a classic case of multi-tasking), I learned about the other French “Pinot”–Pineau des Charentes. It’s partially composed of Cognac, although with a much softer, floral nose and lacking its sister spirit’s strong alcoholic aftertaste/burn.

Never having tasting it before, I tried the spirit one evening at the lovely bar at Campagne. Here’s a shot of the bottle and Pineau in the glass. I found out it’s available at two of our Washington State Liquor stores–Fourth Avenue South and Seventh and Bell–in case you want a bottle for your liquor cabinet. This would also make a nice hostess gift for the holidays.

In a prior, post-Philadelphia post, I shared some of my hometown icons with you–cheesesteaks (well, actually chickensteaks, but you get the idea) and TastyKakes.

Today we salute another Philly favorite–the Mummers. For those who don’t know, “Mummers” comes from a Middle English word that translates as “one of a group of masked performers in folk play or mime.”

The Philadelphia Mummers are a musical group who dress up in colorful costumes and play raucous music at the annual New Year’s Day parade and at other events throughout the year. And although they’re usually men of modest means, they also raise money for numerous charities along the way. Here’s a more complete definition from www.answers.com:

“Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, has its own tradition of mummers marching on New Year’s Day. About 15,000 mummers perform in the parade each year. They are organized into four distinct types of troups: Comics, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades. All dress in elaborate costumes. There is a Mummers Museum dedicated to the history of Philadelphia Mummers.”

We were lucky enough to have five Mummers perform at one of our Dames events. They made merry with the crowd, dancing with the pretty girls and playing pranks on the few men in attendance.

Here’s my favorite–Frankenstein Mummer–who was so scary he drove me to become a two-fisted drinker. Smile.

I must admit I’m a “sucker” for anything vampire-related, so the following press release sent my blood racing. This would be the perfect Halloween treat for the Twilight fan(s) in your house. 

“EverGreen Escapes will begin offering a full-day tour to Washington’s infamous Olympic Peninsula, inspired by the best-selling Twilight book series, in October. The tour begins with a ferry ride across Puget Sound followed by a scenic drive to the town of Forks, Washington, home to Twilight characters Edward and Bella.

“Visitors and Twilight fans are invited to traverse the old growth, moss-filled Hoh Rainforest during a guided walk through the Hall of Mosses Trail. Additional tour destinations include La Push, home of the Quileute Native American Tribe and Jacob Black, as well as First Beach, a drive-to beach known for occasional whale spotting. The tour concludes with dinner at La Bella Italia in Port Angeles where Edward and Bella had their first date.”