THE TOP 5 QUESTIONS FOODIES ARE ASKED!

First off... What is a foodie? Someone who enjoys food for more than just fuel and calorie. We crave food flavors, sensations,  and textures. We think about our next meal yesterday, analyze food reviews, and get really, really excited over new restaurant openings.

Like any other hobby or interest, we get recommendations and questions about, well, food. Some we are more tired of answering but will happily do it in the name of food.

 And the questions are...

1) "What is your favorite restaurant?"
Answer: Tough. What cuisine? What price range? Lunch, dinner or breakfast? Are we talking just food or wine and spirits? High end or low end? Cooperate or mom and pop?
My answer: I answer this questions with other questions. Then happily answer their questions.

2) "What's your favorite dish?" (AKA entree)
Answer: Hard. My favorite childhood dish? Or holiday dish? Dish for one? Dish for ten? Family style dish? High end fancy-schamcy dish? The choices and answers are endless.
My answer:  I pick my top 3 all time favorites and answer their question.

3) "What's your favorite cooking or baking book?"
Answer: There are millions of delicious cook/baking books in the world and yet to be published. I have a bounty of books that I easily accumulate over the years.
My answer: When asked this, I pick a basic cooking book, baking book, and my latest one I added to my collection.

4) "What is your favorite cuisine?"
Answer: Like most, I have more than one cuisine I enjoy. In one day, I am enjoying dim sum for breakfast, that afternoon I am indulging with a chocolate crossiant, and for dinner I'm feasting on homemade risotto. My taste buds range from super spicy to super sweet.
My answer: All Asian cuisines and French cuisine tops my list.

5) "What is your favorite dessert?"
Answer: Just like with question #2, I have multiple favorite desserts. Which one I enjoy most depends on the day and meal before hand.
My answer: Anything chocolate or made with seasonal fruit. My favorite sweet snack are French macarons.

What I love about being a foodie is being asked questions about food, local restaurants, and bakeries. Being a person-to-ask is a food blessing and I can't wait to spread more knowledge through Seattle and Eastside.
Let me know what your answers to these popular questions in the comment section below.

Happy Cooking,
Kimm

MY LATEST SWEET INTERVIEW: With Lesly, co-founder of WOW Chocolates in Seattle.

On one of my recent visits to my yoga studio, Bikram Yoga Redmond (http://www.bikramyogaredmond.com/), I met a lovely young woman named Lesly. Quickly, I found out we had something in common: Not only are we dedicated Bikram yogis, we both loved creating and making delicious sweet treats. Lesly informed me about her local (Seattle-area) chocolate business, called WOW chocolates (http://wowchocolates.com/).

After seeing, AND tasting, WOW Chocolates, I was highly impressed by the decorating details, quality of chocolate, and unique flavors. Lesly, and her sister (co-owner) Maire, use tropical and exotic flavors not normally founds in typical chocolates. Banana-ginger, jalapeno-mango, and raspberry-cabernet (my personal favorite!) are a few fun selections you can choose to buy from their website.

Check out my sweet interview with Lesly:

Lesly, on right, with her sister/co-owner, Maire.



A brief bio on WOW chocolates:

After completed a degree as an interior designer and gained experience in the field for several years before discovering chocolate was not only passion but my calling.  I began making bonbons as a gifts for friends and soon word spread.  It then became something else entirely...a business WOW! Thus I pursued my passion for food, combining my background in design and a knack for creativity, and the result can be seen every chocolate creation.

 

Maire (sister) learned about the art of making truffles and bonbons from her sister.  She is an accomplished artist who works with many different materials - from acrylic paints to clay and wood.  Maire has always shared a passion with her family for food and now she strives to combine the worlds of art and edible every day.

 

WOW Chocolates will captivate your senses and take you on an extraordinary journey through our world of delightful, exotic and colorful bonbons.  Our passion for these delectable delicacies is infectious and is reflected in every bite.

 

WOW Chocolates.

 

Questions:

1) Describe WOW CHOCOLATES for people who are unfamiliar.

WOW Chocolates is a new and local company  run by two sisters.  WOW Chocolates crafted bonbons with unique flavors. 

2) What made you want to start WOW?

What really made us to start WOW was our passion for the amazing cocoa that Venezuela produced.  WOW Chocolates was created in Margarita Island - Venezuela and brought our confectionary art to the United State in 2012.  

3) What's the most popular chocolate you make?

Our most popular flavors right now are:  Mango-Jalapeño,  Tamarind and Chile de árbol,  Passion fruit and Strawberry-Basil.

4) What's your personal favorite sweet treat?

My favorite sweet treat is my mom's squash cake with strawberry jelly on top ,Yumm! 

5) Where can people go to purchase your delicious chocolates?

You can purchase our chocolates online through our web site.  You can find all the services that we offer,  like weddings, corporate and more.

WOW Chocolates for Valentine's Day.

 

For more information on WOW Chocolates, check out:
Main website --> http://wowchocolates.com/
"Like" 'em --> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wow-chocolates/301095963288041?id=301095963288041&sk=photos_stream
"Follow" 'em --> https://twitter.com/WowChocolates

I look forward to seeing WOW Chocolates growing in Seattle's chocolate world! Best of luck to Lesly and Maire.

Happy Baking,
Kimm

dishcrawl Seattle presents: NeighborFOOD in Capital Hill on April 28th!

One of my ways to find out new foodie events in the Seattle community is through social media. Recently, I met Melissa, a kind, young, foodie diehard woman who repesents dishcrawl.
We met at pintxo (http://www.pintxoseattle.com/), a Spanish tapas restaurant in the heart of Belltown, for a small bite and sangaria.

“We started Neighborfood to rejoice and share in the things we love most: food, family, and our neighborhood,” says Dishcrawl Founder, Tracy Lee.

 

 

 

 

 

 



She explained to me what dishcrawl was all about: Creating fun and unique foodie events for the Seattle community. There are dishcrawl ambassadors through the country, thus no matter where you travel to, there will be a delicious dishcrawl event in the city! Melissa, being a new Seattleite, loves her job because it gets her a chance to explore the fresh Seattle food scene.

What is the next dishcrawl Seattle event? "NeighborFOOD' in Capital Hill. On Sunday April 28, from 2pm-5pm, they will merge with the Seattle Humane Society to give the community a tasty, easy-walkable food festival. Particapting restaurants will offer drink specials, so don't worry!

Checked out some featured items and restaurants that will be participating:

Manhattan - Pork belly mac and cheese

Marination Station - Best Taco Ever

Ayutthaya Thai Restaurant- Drunken Noodles with Tofu

95 Slider - Chicken and Waffles

Sam's Tavern - 50/50 Sliders

Plum Bistro - Spicy Cajun Mac ‘n’ Yease (vegan)

Capitol Club - Champiñones Al Ajillo

Cupcake Royale - Cupcake Surprise

Tickets are $40 ($45/day off)  and they can be purchased here -->  https://dishcrawl.com/purchase/event/1049

Be sure to tweet to dishcrawl: @dishcrawlSEA https://twitter.com/DishcrawlSEA

For more information, contact Melissa: melissad@dishcrawl.com

 

 

Happy Cooking,

Kimm

Review of Monday's Feral Feast: a delicious secret dinner in Queen Anne!

One of Seattle's newest restaurants is GRUB (http://www.letsgogrub.com/), located in the heart of upper Queen Anne. Open 7 days a week, and serving delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees, it has a warm and simple menu that is sure to delight anyone's palette.




GRUB has been opened 6 months.

FERAL FEAST: Third Monday of every month.

GRUB has a delectable foodie "secret:"The third Monday of every month, 'Feral Feast," takes over with a new menu. The food and selected entrees are inspired by the season and Pacific Northwest cuisine.




Last Monday, the menu was dedicated to my two personal favorites: Spanish cuisine and spring weather.  The rain poured and the sun shined while I munched on seafood, braised chicken, and sipped a bold red.

With 8 dishes to choose from, you can purchase 3,4, or 5 dishes that look the most appealing to you. I , of course, attempted to eat as much as possible. Done and done.






Peas and Carrots.

"Peas and carrots" was one of my favorites dishes, why? It is effortless, light, and made me dream of spring weather. The cured sockeye salmon complimented the spicy pickled carrots nicely.



Pork Belly.

The super cripsy pork belly made me lick the plate clean. Well, before I devoured the mustard greens, clams, and potatoes. Portion size was nearly perfect, I knew I was going to consume more delightful dishes.

Seafood "Pa'ella."

My appetite was slowly being satisified...I pat myself on the back for wearing my soft jeggings and forgetting my belt.

Pa'amb Tomoquet.

Pa'amb Tomoquet was a nice appetizer. The crunchy bread with the sweetness of the tomato jam seem to "butter the Jamon Iberico.
Even the couple sitting next to my was eyeing this dish, too bad I ate it all. Not even leaving a cumb.









I have a confession: I am not a HUGE cold soup person. I like it hot. Pipping hot, during a cold Seattle rainstorm, while watching reruns of some corny high school drama show. But, THIS, white gazpacho, I like. The toasted almonds gave it a crunch, while the grapes and apple added a soft sweet taste.

I ended Feral's feast with a warm, raisin rice pudding. I hope I see more sweet puddings on Seattle's dessert menus...they are soothing, comforting, and a perfect getaway from a sudden burst of rain.

Sherry braised Chicken.

All in all: I was pleased and happy that I tried new and contempary food without spending a fortune. 'Pop-up' restaurants are the latest Seattle trend in food, and I can't wait to see ths success in Feral's Feast at GRUB.

 

Want more information?

 

Follow Feral Feast on twitter: @FeralSeattle https://twitter.com/Feralseattle

Email with any questions: feralseattle@gmail.com

 

Save the date for the next feast: Monday April 15th!

 

Happy Baking,

Kimm

Super secret Seattle pop-up dinners: Check out Feral Feasts!

Not only am I a die hard foodie, I am a die hard foodie event attendee. From the major (like Seattle's Food & Wine Festival and Kirkland Uncorked) to minor (blogger meet-ups and Cupcake Camp), attending food events is a (cheap) way to see what fun and fresh dishes are being served in Seattle. I love the variety of vendors, talkative foodies, and seeing the up-and-coming restaurants.

 

What is the latest, and soon to be greatest, event? It is called "Feral Feast," hosted at Grub in Queen Anne (http://www.letsgogrub.com/). I found out about it through word-of-mouth in the foodie event community. It is held on the third Monday of every month (the next dinner is this coming Monday 18th) and is sure to a success. Tip and adult beverages are not included, but will be available for purchase for your delight.

 

 

Yellowtail Belly from a previous feast.

 

 

Here is a brief description on next week's "Feral Feast" from the host/Chef:

 

Sherry braised Chicken from a previous feast

We are trying a new format for this month's pop up. From the menu below, guests can choose either 3, 4 or 5 dishes for a fixed price of $28, $35 or $44 per person (gratuity and alcohol not included.)

This month's menu is inspired by Spanish cuisine, locally available ingredients and that hope that Spring is just around the corner!

 

Tickets can be purchased at feralseattle.brownpapertickets.com

To make reservations, guests can email feralseattle@gmail.com (include name, party size, desired reservation time and contact phone)

 

 

 

 

The menu for Monday 18th 2013:

 

Arugula salad, radish, blood orange, green garlic vinaigrette

Pa’amb tomoquet; grilled bread, tomato relish, jamon
White gazpacho, almonds, apples, grapes, olive oil
‘Paella’, mussels, shrimp, saffron, peppers, crispy puffed rice, green onion
Sherry braised chicken thighs, rich tomato sauce over chick peas, roasted cauli, crispy chicken cracklins'
Pork belly confit, clams, kale, potato
King oyster mushrooms, potato, fiddleheads, pimenton alioli, parsley      

Espresso flan

Menu subject to change due to availability and pure whim
Location; Grub, 7 Boston st, Seattle 98109 (Upper Queen Anne)

Dinner served from 5 - 9

 

 

Pan Seared Rock Fish from a previous feast.

Yes, I already plan on attending and put in my RSVP, you should, too! Come hang with me and let's chat about food, restaurants, and cocktails.

 

Happy Cooking!

Kimm