You know we are big fans of Ethan Stowell and all the good work he’s done at Union, Tavolàta, and How to Cook a Wolf. So we were very curious to try his latest, Anchovies & Olives, which is located in the Pearl Building in Capitol Hill.

Things didn’t get off to a very auspicious start because the restaurant was suffering from a menu malfunction when we arrived on a weekday around 5:30 (something about a printer being down or out of paper–whatever). Only one menu was available, so our server kindly transported it from the table of people nearby whenever we needed another glass of wine or small plate for sustenance. 

About 10 minutes later, when menus were finally delivered, I nabbed one and shot it for posterity, below. 

We began our meal with an order of the Columbia City Bakery foccacia served (of course!) with a small dish of arbequina olives doused in peppery olive oil, above. 

Black Cod with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms

Like the menus, malfunctions continued with our entrées as well. My black cod was supposed to arrive with fingerling potatoes, spring onion, and salsa verde. Spencer’s escolar (an oily rich whitefish) was supposed to come with hen of the woods mushrooms, speck, endive, and brown-butter balsamic. Unfortunately, the kitchen mixed the sauces, so my light, seasonal preparation suddenly became a dense and heavy dish. 

Escolar with Fingerling Potatoes 

We informed our server, who offered to have the chef re-make the dishes we ordered, but we were en route to a movie, so didn’t have time. 

Instead, we shared our entrées part-way through, and ordered sides of Cauliflower Salad with Anchovy Dressing and Conchiglie (little ear) Pasta with Smoked Tuna, both of which were very satisfying choices. 

Again, because of time limitations, we passed on dessert, even though our server offered it to us for free to make up for the entrée snafu.

Instead, he comped a glass of wine or two, a nice gesture that helped make up for the two malfunctions.

Would we rush back? Probably not, and not because of the malfunctions cited above. It’s just that we are lucky enough to be able to enjoy Ethan and company’s culinary wonders in our own backyard without worrying about parking in the busy 15th Avenue neighborhood. 

On Saturday, May 16, I had the pleasure of cooking live at our local PBS station as part of the KCTS 9 Cooks: Northwest Favorites fund-raising drive. This was the 29th installment of the popular show, which features viewers’ recipes in the companion cookbook, and offers DVDs, printed cookbooks, and other goodies for people to buy and enjoy at home.

This was my second time appearing with long-time host George Ray, and my first time with local cooking school owner Carol Dearth of Sizzleworks! in Bellevue, Wash.

Since I was the first person to appear, I (thankfully) had lots of time to set up my work space. Here’s the gorgeous beauty plate created by my good friend and Seattle-based food-stylist extraordinaire, Joy Delf. Thanks, Joy! As always, I couldn’t have done it without you.

Over Memorial day weekend, we had the pleasure of attending a media brunch at Tom Douglas’s Dahlia Lounge, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in November. The “Little Tastes of the Dahlia” brunch was multi-purpose:

1. It introduced brunch itself (which has been recently added at the Dahlia) and several of the Dahlia’s brunch dishes (you can read more about those on an upcoming post on June 29).

2. It introduced us to Tom’s latest rub–a brown-sugar-sweetened, paprika-rich, all-purpose version called Smoky Barbecue Rub. 

3. It alerted us to Tom’s Culinary Camps for adults and kids.

Here’s a shot of Tom filleting a 20-pound halibut. Demos such as this are (apparently) common at his Culinary Camps for adults, which last five days and cost $2,500. This is the third year for the adult camps, and six of the attendees at the first one had such a positive experience, they have been at all three!

This year, adult Culinary Camps run July 12-16 and August 9-13. 

New this year are Culinary Camps for kids, run by Tom’s daughter Loretta, who’s home from her first year at Colgate College in New York state. She’ll teach the young ‘uns useful lessons, such as how to make hamburgers and pizza dough from scratch. 

So whether you are nine or 90, it’s time to get out your backpack and butterfly net, and head to camp! 

For further info on Tom Douglas’s Culinary Summer Camps, contact Robyn Wolfe at 206.448.2001 or robynw@tomdouglas.com.

On Memorial Day, we eschewed the traditional family barbecue and met with Betty Ann and Louie Richmond, of Richmond Public Relations fame, for a movie at the Seattle International Film Festival, followed by dinner at The Signature. The Signature has taken the space of Moxie, a popular pre-theater/concert/movie resto in lower Queen Anne that closed due to changes in the chefs’ family situations.

Family is a big part of The Signature’s zeitgeist as well: Tony Ly and his brothers and sisters created the restaurant to honor his mother’s “signature” dishes (get it?). Although we ordered what seemed a reasonable amount of food off the menu, the ever-hospitable Tony kept supplementing our choices with some of his own favorites such as the yummy Vietnamese Chicken Baquette shown below in all its toothsome glory. 

The Vietnamese Crepe, one of my all-time favorite dishes, was redolent of coconut milk (a brilliant taste accent!) and perfectly cooked–crispy on the outside and with a creamy interior. I love this way of playing with my food when I eat by wrapping the crepe inside lettuce leaves with fresh thai basil and cilantro. Refreshing and healthy!

Although I don’t eat beef, the Rare Beef Noodle Soup, the ever-popular Vietnamese Pho, was hearty and could have been a meal in itself. All the Pho dishes come with a side of fresh bean sprouts, basil, lime, cilantro, and green onion for seasoning to taste. 

The Signature offers comfortable inside seating with a fireplace, plush pillows for the wooden banquettes, and a friendly bartender who’s a holdover from Moxie. On warm summer evenings like we’ve been having lately (karmic payback for our snowy winter?), there’s a narrow outdoor seating area with just one row of tables. These are sure to get snapped up as summer continues, as will the many memorable signature dishes at The Signature. 

When we are in search of a quick and satisfying place for lunch before a movie or shopping at Pacific Place in downtown Seattle, we sometimes stop in at Mexico Cantina y Veracruz Cooking for sustenance and a frozen margarita (or two). 

Here’s the Ensalada à la Evelyne, fresh organic greens with pepita-crusted provolone (rich and naughty!), roasted artichoke hearts (yum–I adore artichoke hearts, but am too lazy to fix them at home), fire-grilled chicken (spicy!), sliced plum tomatoes, cotija cheese (similar to feta in texture and flavor, but not as salty), and sliced avocado (what’s not to love?). 

Although I always get my dressing on the side, when prepared “normally,” the salad is drizzled with a combination of roasted jalapeño-garlic and tequila-lime dressing. Along with an order of corn tortillas and a bowl of fresh-made salsa, I am good to go!

This main-dish salad definitely qualifies as my Dish of the Day any day of the week. 

In May, during our very first-ever trip to Montana for the Montana State University Wine & Food Festival, we made a point of tasting through as many Montana-produced wines as possible.

Special thanks to our gracious host, Stella Fong (co-chair of the festival, pictured above at the left), who amassed 17 wines from the state. During a tasting with Idaho chef Tom Atkins, wine merchant Sue Rydquist (owner of Simply Wine), my husband Spencer, Stella, and me, we decided that five of the 17 were good enough to recommend. Here’s a majority of the contenders:

And here’s a shot of the “winning” wines. 

Interesting to note that four of the five winners are fruit-based wines, and four are from the same winery. These include Ten Spoon Flathead Cherry Dry ($15), Ten Spoon Sweet Mountain Cherry Dessert Wine ($21), Ten Spoon Paradise Dry Pear Wine ($16), and Hidden Legend Huckleberry Mead (honey/huckleberry wine–$20). Ten Spoon won again for its Range Rider Montana Red Wine ($16), made up of interesting Montana-grown varietals including Leon Millot and Frontenac. With 13.89% alcohol, this wine retails for $15 and is reminiscent of a good-quality Beaujolais. 

On Sunday, June 14, wine lovers are invited inside the exclusive Rainier Club to experience the 2009 Seattle Wine Awards Grand Tasting. Taste this year’s award-winning wines from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at two levels: General admission for $85 or VIP Admission for $125. Admission includes a commemorative wine glass, wine tasting, and a dinner buffet in Seattle’s historic mansion, The Rainier Club. Tickets for the Seattle Wine Awards Grand Tasting are available online. 

Fresh Asparagus and Walla Walla Sweet Onion Quiche

Varietal: Viognier

Serves 6 to 8

While staying at The Inn at Blackberry Creek in Walla Walla, Washington, we enjoyed the expert hospitality and relaxed ambience at the restored Victorian farmhouse (circa 1906). Three idyllic days at the Inn left me hungry for more of innkeeper Barbara Knudson’s sumptuous breakfast dishes, which she prepares to order for her guests every morning. Barbara’s quiche, which she pairs with fresh melon and French pastries, focuses on a few of the best-known and beloved spring vegetables common in the Walla Walla Valley-fresh asparagus and sweet onions. It reheats well, and also makes a great light lunch when served with sliced melon and tomatoes, along with a glass of Cougar Crest Winery Viognier, one of the Valley’s 70-odd wineries.

1 large red potato
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated Jarlsberg cheese
1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
8 to 10 asparagus stalks, woody stems broken off and discarded, remaining portion cut into 1-inch pieces, enough to measure 1 cup
1/3 cup coarsely chopped Walla Walla sweet onion or other variety of sweet onion, such as Maui or Vidalia
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 dashes of Tabasco sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan or a 9-inch springform pan. If using the latter, wrap the outside with aluminum foil to catch any drips.

2. Peel the potato and cut it into paper-thin slices by hand or with a mandoline. Arrange the slices in a swirling pattern on the bottom of the pie pan, overlapping the slices.

3. Brush the potatoes with the melted butter, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, transfer to the oven, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and just tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the Jarlsberg cheese.

4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet, add the asparagus and onion, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and lightly browned and the asparagus turns bright green, 5 to 7 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper and stir well. Arrange the asparagus-onion mixture evenly on top of the cheese and potatoes.

5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, the 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the Tabasco. Pour over the asparagus mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the sides of the quiche are golden brown and puff slightly.

6. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Chef Kerry Sear has been working in Northwest restaurants for many years, most recently landing at the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences in downtown Seattle as executive chef at ART Restaurant and Lounge. It’s a place we frequent since it’s right across the street from our condo; the Lounge is particularly inviting for a glass of wine and heavy appetizers.

You can order from the Lounge or dining room menus, but often we opt for Chef Kerry’s Salmon, Vegetarian, and Beef Sliders. Three come to an order, and you can mix or match as you desire. For example, I’m not into beef, so I order two salmon and a veg. My hubby, on the other hand, manly man that he is, goes straight for the beef, along with an order of Truffle Fries, of course.

Our drive back from Lake Chelan over the North Cascades Highway was truly spectacular. We drove through two mountain passes (highest was 5,500 feet!) that had only been open for the season for only two days.