By Kevin Finch on September 14, 2011
Today, tomorrow and Friday mark the 5th anniversary sale at The Kitchen Engine in Spokane. Stop by and say ‘hi’ to Eric and Nicole Frickle, score something you need while it is on sale, and meet a chef or a factory rep. In the process you will be supporting a great local business run by a couple who can not only cook, but have a sense of humor.
If you need proof, I submit the following photograph as evidence:
Any place run by true kitchen ninjas deserves our business.
Posted in cooking, play | Tagged 5th anniversary, cookware, Eric Frickle, kitchenware sale, Nicole Frickle, shopping, The Kitchen Engine |
By Kevin Finch on March 23, 2010
I’m a sucker for great bread. And over the years I come to the conclusion that great bread rarely comes in a plastic bag. Yet Dave has managed to create loaves that defy my segregated loaf classification. If you haven’t tried it, you should, and Costco will be more than happy to share two loaves with you next time you are in to buy eight gallons of milk, 40 rolls of TP, and a new kayak.
![Caught holding the [bread] bag](http://www.travelingfeast.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Daves-Killer-Bread-Bag-550.jpg "Caught holding the [bread] bag")
If you are skeptical I would add that Dave’s bread make me look forward to eating the heels of the loaf – and I’m a middle man all the way.
Posted in cooking, play |
By Kevin Finch on January 31, 2010
I’ve been home for two days in bed with a vicious cold and cough, and during my infrequent trips to the kitchen for something to eat (and one trip to the store) I realized that I was looking mainly for comfort. Not health. Comfort. I’ve tried the Special-Ops-combat-that-cold-with-fibervegefruitoxidans and it seems to have no discernible effect on the length of the cold. So now it’s comfort, baby, all the way.
Stress kicks up a craving for Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts. Comfort, though, requires more salt than sweet in my case. Grape Nuts will do in a pinch or milk and toast with a big pat of butter, but today it was Nacho Cheese Doritos with more cheese melted on top. I loved Nacho Cheese Doritos as a kid, and once ate an entire bag by myself when I was supposed to be practicing my saxophone.
Yet it wasn’t until high school that I witnessed Todd Kotila do the unthinkable. He buried a plate of Nacho Cheese Doritos in a mound of grated cheddar and popped the resulting orange and yellow mass into the microwave. I was stunned. Real cheese on top of fake cheese? It seemed wrong somehow: a Frankenfood perversion.
Todd just laughed and shoved the molten pile in front of me. “Try it, Finch.”
It still feels wrong, but on those guilty occasions when Doritos find their way into our typically self-righteous shopping cart, a portion of the chips disappear under Cheddar, Colby, or Colby Jack. Today was one of those days. There was a pre-Superbowl sale on chips, Tillamook at a discount, and my resistance to the unnatural lowered by a raging virus.
Then there needs to be a glass of milk to wash it down. Milk that must… comfort dictates… be drunk from a small glass.
Posted in cooking, culture, dining, play | Tagged cold, comfort food, Doritos, Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts, Grape Nuts, milk, Nacho Cheese Doritos, Tillamook cheese, Todd Kotila |
By Kevin Finch on January 2, 2010
I’ve always had vivid dreams full of shoot-outs, chases, and sinister characters. Along the way, I taught myself to fly, and I can usually wake-up just before Frankenstein or one of his cronies takes my head off or hit the ground when I fall off the top of the Space Needle. My first novel (still in progress) developed from a dream.
In junior high I even experimented with what foods eaten just before bed would produce the most vivid dreams. Peanut butter and dill pickles on Standish Farms Honey Wheat was most effective. Yet food itself typically was just a backdrop in the dreams.
Last night was an exception. In a dream last night two students finishing up advanced degrees in architecture who were harrassing a friend of mine described to me a dish that had an experimental cuisine spin… something along the lines of what you might find on your plate at Greg Achatz’s Alinea in Chicago.
True to form, in the dream, the title of the dish was bizarre: they called the dish a “Baby Wedgy.” But I woke up wondering if the dish itself might have some potential. It featured a smooth puree of fresh green beans about the consistency of baby food served hot with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream on top. Mulling it over this morning, I wondered about the possibilities of savory whipped creams added to dishes like vegetables with hints of herbs or spices incorporated to add complexity.
What do you think? Is it a culinary nightmare (possibly the after effects of a visit to Psycho Donuts) or is it worth a try? Or have you ever come across a savory whipped cream? I’d also be curious if you can remember any vivid food dreams yourself? If not, let me suggest peanut butter and pickles.
Posted in cooking, play | Tagged Alinea, Chicago, dill pickles, dreaming, dreams, experimental cuisine, food dreams, Greg Achatz, peanut butter, pickles, savory whipped cream, Standish Farms Honey Wheat |
By Kevin Finch on November 27, 2009
This might have been the first year we’ve ever stayed home and simply eaten as a family for Thanksgiving. Our usual holiday agenda involved extended family or a meal with close friends where the actual meal preparation is divided up.
This year we did the meal in-house and from scratch with a few key local ingredients such as a turkey from Gary and So of Rocky Ridge Ranch and wild rice from St Maries, Idaho. Here is the run-down and rating for the meal.
Herb Roasted Turkey. We scored with a November 09 Saveur recipe and a Rocky Ridge Ranch 15 ¼ pound turkey that we brined overnight in an orange juice brown sugar brine and then roasted. Brining consultant: John Sowers. Turkey Rating: 5 stars
Butternut Squash, Kale, and Cheddar Bread Pudding. This was designed as the vegetarian main dish for Megan’s benefit and came from the Molly Wizenberg’s recipe in November 09 Bon Appetit. Karen loved it. Megan didn’t. I might have used a bit less kale, but like the flavor profile. Rating: three stars
Wild Rice Stuffing with Wild Mushrooms and Dried Pears. Megan also suggested we try a wild rice stuffing this year and the caramelized onions and mushrooms in this smelled wonderful in the pan. The dried pears were an interesting addition, but the finally result wasn’t as stunning as I expected. Puzzling. The recipe came from Epicurious.com and I’ll have to chew on what might bump up the flavor while I eat leftovers. Rating: three stars
Mashed Potatoes. We used some monster potatoes we received as part of our CSA deliveries from Rocky Ridge Ranch. Overcooked slightly but workable with butter, cream, and salt. Rating: three stars
Pan Gravy. Brilliant. Crafted on the fly from email notes from mom using flour to thicken the seriously wonderful pan drippings. Rating: 5 stars
Fresh Green Beans. Organic beans ala Huckleberry’s since Costco was cleaned out. Blanched and than sauteed with a bit of butter and salt. Rating: 4 stars
Cy’s Cranberries. The brandy gives these baby’s a great kick. The recipe is Cynthia Brown’s and was passed along by her sister, Renee Dickenson. Rating: 5 stars
Raw Cranberry Orange Relish. Unable to do just one cranberry side, this simple and stunning relish from Mary Beth Baker was a great use of the 2nd pound of berries. Rating: 5 stars
Grandma Gould’s Butter Rolls. This was the second recipe from the Gould family along with Cy’s Cranberry’s and was possibly the biggest hit of the holiday. Thanks Renee. Rating: 5 stars
Homemade Lemonade. Mark Bittman’s How-T0-Cook-Everything recipe. Rating: three stars (due to whimpy lemons)
Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream. The crust is Donna Brigg’s shortening crust that she taught me to make in high school and the filling came off the Libby can. It has been a while since I’ve made a crust but it was a respectable effort, but I need your suggestions on a better filling recipe or else an entirely different direction to go for dessert. Came within seconds of turning the whipped cream into butter. Rating: 2.5 stars
Posted in cooking, culture, play | Tagged Bon Appetit, butter rolls, cranberries, Epicurious, Herbed Roast Turkey, Mark Bittman, pan gravy, pumpkin pie, Rocky Ridge Ranch, Saveur, Thanksgiving, wild rice |
By Kevin Finch on October 31, 2009
I might have grown up in Montana on meat and potatoes, but often when I come back to visit my aunt and uncle we go a bit more exotic for at least one dinner: Thai food. Steven Lympus taught my aunt to cook Thai, and she passed on the cookbook Steven shared with her: Simply Thai by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu.
For both of us, the cookbook functions as our Thai cooking bible and last night we went for a dinner of three of our favorite dishes in the volume.
Phad Thai.
Cold Spring Rolls
And Cucumber Salad.
Posted in cooking | Tagged Montana, Simply Thai, Thai food |
By Kevin Finch on September 8, 2009
Perfectionism is a debilitating condition that kept a new electric smoker unopened in the garage for over six months. Yet for some inexplicable reason the fears of horrible barbecue failure parted this week.
I drug the box out onto the back porch, unpacked and assembled the smoker, seasoned it, and threw in two pork roasts. I don’t quite know what happened, but they were stunning even without any experience. Now I’m obsessed. I have checked out or special ordered nearly every book on the subject in the public library system. One of my early favorites (full disclosure: I have yet to try a single recipe), is Paul Kirk’s book on Championship Barbecue Sauces.
The reason I am intrigued is he builds his book not around rote recipes but around step-by-step explanations of how to create your own personal sauces, marinades, dry rubs, wet rubs, and the like. He explains ingredients, suggests proportions, offers tips, and describes techniques rather than just expecting you to duplicate his concoctions. Of course he offers plenty of by-the-book options, but the build-it-yourself approach sounds like so much more fun.
This said, I’d love for any or all of you with smoking and barbecue experience to weigh in with your favorite books, techniques, tips, or…. why not… recipes.
Posted in cooking, culture | Tagged barbecue, championship barbecue, electric smoker, Paul Kirk, perfectionism, pork, recipes, smoking food |
By Kevin Finch on August 29, 2009
Fried rice might sound a bit odd for breakfast, but this morning I was playing around with ways to use up some leftover shredded cabbage and start the day with some protein. The result was simple and curiously satisfying as an unusual breakfast dish. It ended up getting bonus points for also using up some quinoa and rice in the refrigerator.
QUINOA?! You may not stock quinoa in your kitchen currently, but if you don’t, that is the place to start. Pronouced ‘KEEN-WAH,’ it is a leafy herb that grown in the Andes that produces an abundance of seeds. Part of the reason quinoa is remarkable is that it can be grown on rocky and hard packed soils where nothing else will grow, and the nutritional profile is impressive. It is low in sugar and starch and high in fiber and unsaturated fats. It contains many essential vitamins and minerals as well as fifty percent more protein than wheat, rice and barley and this protein is high quality with a critical balance of the amino acids that are needed by the human body. Quinoa has bragging rights in the vegetable world for containing the amino acid lysine which normally found in meat, fish and eggs. It also provides phosphorous, calcium, iron, vitamin E and several of the B vitamins.
Here endeth the nutritional lesson and beginneth the recipe. Amen.
CRANKED PROTEIN BREAKFAST FRIED RICE
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter or sesame oil
1-2 cups thinly shredded cabbage
dash of salt
1 ½ cups leftover quinoa and rice mixture (see note below)
several dashes of soy sauce to taste
2 eggs, beaten
Directions
Melt butter in non-stick skillet and add cabbage and dash of salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Stir in quinoa and rice and season with soy sauce to taste.
Add in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring constantly until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
2-3 servings
Note
In an effort to cut back on carbohydrates and bump up proteins, we have been cooking up a mixture of half rice, half quinoa for a side at dinner using the same proportions and cooking times we would for straight rice. This breakfast fried rice is a delicious way to use up leftovers as well as get both vegetables and protein from both the eggs and quinoa at start of the day.
I originally just made this by ‘feel’ so the specific measurements above are kitchen ‘guesstimates’ once it turned out well. Let me know what you think.
Posted in cooking | Tagged breakfast, breakfast fried rice, cabbage, eggs, fried rice, left-overs, nutrition, protein, quinoa, recipes |
By Kevin Finch on August 9, 2009
The twist is a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in place of several squares of a Hershey’s Chocolate Bar.
Posted in cooking, play | Tagged graham cracker, Hershey's Bar, marshmallow, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, s'more |
By Kevin Finch on July 29, 2009
After a week of heavy eating with some of the best chefs in the Northwest, I planned to simply order a glass of juice or a cup of tea at Café Presse this morning. I’d arranged to meet Charles Drabkin there to follow up on a conversation begun over the weekend at the International Pinot Noir Celebration, and while food and cooking would inevitably be part of the conversation, I didn’t plan to eat anything.
But Drabkin spoke so enthusiastically about the food coming out of the kitchen that I felt a moral obligation to try something on the menu.
I looked for something cheap and noticed the omelette for a buck or two less than on any breakfast menu I’ve seen for quite some time. I ordered one with mushrooms… not expecting much given the price… and when it came my expectations were met. It was plain and completely alone in its dish.
But two bites into the omelette I started to wonder how in the world I was going to make it in for breakfast weekly given the fact that our home is on the other side of the state.
Most places use omelettes as a comatose-producing egg wrap for a mess of cheese, meats, and occassionally vegetables. The perfect omelette at Café Presse is a study in simplicity. You taste egg, perfectly cooked, and, in my case, mushrooms. There was also a slight tang inside that I’m still trying to identify in the hopes that I might try to make something similar at home. I hate to admit I couldn’t identify that third element immediately, but I’m willing to fess up in the hopes that one of you do know and will tell me. Please.
It didn’t even occur to me to reach for the salt or pepper. And Tabasco? Not a chance. You don’t mess with perfection.
Posted in cooking, dining, travel | Tagged breakfast, Cafe Presse, Capitol Hill, Charles Drabkin, mushroom omelete, Northwest chefs, omelet, perfect omelette, Seattle, Seattle restaurants |
By Kevin Finch on June 24, 2009
For those of you who don’t know, Fry’s Electronics is a Bay Area phenomenon that took the idea of an electronics store with a few snack food items and turned it into a retail technology juggernaut that retains just enough geek to be credible to everyone else.
Each trip we make to the Bay Area to visit family includes a pilgrimage to Fry’s on Hamilton in Campbell. This particular Fry’s store was designed on the outside to look vaguely like an Egyptian pyramid and decorated inside to resemble King Tut’s tomb.
My standard operating procedure on each pilgrimage includes at least some time in the PC role playing games section debating whether to buy a new game guaranteed to turn me into an obsessed computer addict for several weeks. This trip I opted not to spend 29.95 and check out of the family for the first half of July.
But I did find something I couldn’t resist buying.
This would be Fry’s brand of bottled water. Apparently gamers and geeks are not all slugging down Mountain Dew any more and Fry’s is angling to capture the H2O crowd standing in line waiting to pay for their 109 inch LCD and Hyper-Pentium Liquid-Cooled Tower.
Now I rarely buy water in bottles both because I am happy with free water, and I hate the environmental impact of carting water in bottles all around our country (not to mentioned from exotic islands in the Pacific), but I broke my principle for one bottle from Fry’s. While I have yet to figure out what the monkey has to do with technology, I think these bottles just may end up as a collector’s item.
Posted in cooking, culture, play, travel | Tagged Bay Area, bottled water, Campbell CA, electronics, Fry's, Fry's Electronics, geek, King Tut, pyramid, water |
