Nosh Pit

Food Trucks Galore at Next 50 Opening Day

Including—get excited—Street Donuts.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 19, 2012 at 01:00PM 1 Comments

Nice to see you too, Street Donuts. Photo via Facebook.

Maybe you’ve heard? This month marks the golden anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair. Seattle Center is hosting an array of events over the coming months to celebrate, and the official kick-off gets under way this Saturday. Culture Fiend documented the day’s happenings, but what’s up on the grub front? Food trucks.

More than 20 of them are scheduled from 11–6, including none other than Street Donuts. The trailer slinging dough rounds decked with newfangled toppings was a fixture last summer on Second and Pike, but like Maximus Minimus, laid low over the winter.

Where Yi-Chun Lin and her crew will land after Saturday, she’s not yet decided. Rest assured, we will bring any updates as soon as we hear them.

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Tags: Street Food, Food Events and Festivals, Seattle Food Trucks, Street Donuts

Slideshow: The Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival

A sampling of the cheesy goodness at the first-ever fest.

Posted by: Brian Colella on Apr 09, 2012 at 04:11PM 1 Comments

The Seattle Design Center’s open space and skylights created a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. With so many cheeses to see and taste, most people preferred eating as they went, rather than loading up a plate and sitting down.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

The Seattle Design Center’s open space and skylights created a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. With so many cheeses to see and taste, most people preferred eating as they went, rather than loading up a plate and sitting down.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

First up was Jan McClelland of Yarmuth Farms. Here she slices farmstead tome, which is washed with a wine-soaked cheesecloth. McClelland also carried fresh chèvre, as it’s prime goat cheese season right now.

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River Valley Cheese served Rancher Rob’s P. Jack along with Naughty Nellie, a tomme bathed in Pike Brewing’s Naughty Nelly Ale, and Valley Girl, the basic farmhouse tomme. With its aged texture and kick of flavor, the pepper jack proved to be the booth’s big hit.

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Samish Bay Cheese’s colorful display attracted an unflagging stream of interest. Their big wheels did not disappoint, both visually and in taste, especially for fans of spicy cheeses.

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The festival featured cheesemongers from across the state. Among them were well-known favorites like Dinah’s Cheese from Kurtwood Farms. According to early reports, this was the festival’s best seller.

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Matt Day of Mt. Townsend Creamery dishes up samples of Off Kilter, a tomme washed in Pike’s Kilt Lifter Scottish Ale. Also featured at the Mt. Townsend booth were Seastack; New Moon, a delicious jack with a hint of sweetness; and Cirrus, a camembert.

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Grand Central Bakery was doing a brisk trade in fresh loaves, as it’s hard to stare down a plate of cheese and not crave some carbage. Other cheese companions included crackers from La Panzanella and Jonboy Caramels. Mountain Lodge Farm served up gingersnaps with its chevre.

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The two flavors of Jonboy Caramels—molasses ginger and absinthe with black salt—made a delicious pre-, post-, or mid-cheese snack.

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Here, “the cheese store” where attendees could purchase their favorite rinds. Two hours into the festival and a decent amount had already sold out. At the end of the day nearly $5,000 worth of cheese had been sold.

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Sharon Campbell of Tieton Cider Works brought a variety of award-winning libations for pairing. The apricot was particularly delicious (and, according to many attendees, the go-to drink of the festival).

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A loaded plate of cheese, crackers, bread, caramel, and cider = a sign of an afternoon well spent.

This past Saturday, cheese aficionados descended upon the Seattle Design Center for the Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival. Lisa Miyashita organized the first-ever fest as a way to celebrate the state’s curd community.

The event was a laid-back affair as fromage folk meandered from table to table awaiting their chance for a sample and a chat with the cheesemonger. Anyone wishing to take a taste home could purchase a block at the dedicated retail area stocked with between 70 and 80 cheeses. Though this was the inaugural event, participants and attendees alike agreed it was a success. Miyashita had hoped the fest would attract 500 people; by the end of the six-hour affair, about 600 people had passed through.

Check out the slideshow for a slice of the action. All photos by Brian Colella.

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Tags: Cheese, Food Events and Festivals, Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival

Nosh Pit Weekly Planner

Boozy weekend: scotch abounds at John Howie and Hop Scotch, cask beer fest, and Taste Washington.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on Mar 26, 2012 at 12:30PM 0 Comments

Two chances for a taste of Glenmorangie this week. Photo courtesty of the Glenmorangie website.

THURSDAY March 29
Spirited Dining at John Howie
Two important men in the world of scotch will be at John Howie this Thursday; the master brand manager and master distiller from Glenmorangie. Each of the courses in the five-course dinner will be accompanied by a carefully chosen Glenmorangie spirit. (And some Scottish accents too, we hope.) The $125 dinner begins at 6:30.

SATURDAY March 31
Taste Washington
More than 200 wineries and dozens of chefs will be at the CenturyLink Event Center this weekend for two days of tastings. Saturday’s highlight: the Canlis Food and Wine Pairing Seminar. Sunday’s: Tom Douglas on the chef stage. Tickets run from $75 to $125, and include as many samplings as you can get your hands on. Careful, large-scale wine tasting can be dangerous, read up on survival strategies first.

Hop Scotch Beer and Scotch Festival
Taste beer, scotch, wine and other spirits in this two-day fundraiser for the Seattle International Film Festival. Tickets run from $15 to $30, and there are optional seminars to take part in to further your scotch knowledge.

Edible Book Festival
Both literary puns and cake abound at the seventh annual competition of homemade edible books. Some of last year’s winners: Un Berryable Lighness of Being and Lord of the Fries. (I like S’More and Peace and Don Quichote in particular.) The event begins at noon with viewing and voting, and the cakes will be eaten at two. If you’re a brilliantly nerdy baker, register your entry by midnight Wednesday, March 28.

Washington Cask Beer Festival
The Brewers Guild will convene at the Seattle Center to share, taste, and discuss more than 70 cask-conditioned beers. The celebration of brewers’ creativity (a favorite in the beer community) is divided into two sessions, one from noon to 4 and one from 5:30 to 9:30—both cost $35 in advance, $40 at the door.

MONDAY April 2
Kids Spring Break Camp
The Kirkland Sur La Table is willing to take your kids off your hands for three days. They’ll learn kitchen fundamentals for the first two days, then get down to what cooking is really all about on Wednesday with a competition. The $120 price tag is worth it just for what they’ll learn to make at home: cornflake crusted chicken fingers, caramel cheesecake bites, and homemade pretzels… (Also, an interesting adult class on Monday—Great Recipes of Seattle. Learn to make the Canlis salad and Dahlia coconut cream pie, among other legends.)

BEYOND
April 5 Savor SLU The SLU Discovery Center will host a variety of restaurants for a sampling of the neighborhood’s offerings on Thursday night at 5. The $35 ticket includes a glass of wine and bites from places like Cuoco and Lunchbox Laboratory.

April 15 Musical Plates, Seattle’s most raucous food tour, is hitting the streets again, this time with the band OK Sweetheart. Guests will be guided around the city to some of the most popular tables, with live music every step of the way. Tickets are $60 before April 6, $75 after, and the event runs for four hours.

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Tags: South Lake Union, Weekly Food Planner, Beer Tastings in Seattle, Canlis, Cafe Presse, Cask Beer, Festivals, Washington Wines, Taste Washington, Food Events and Festivals, Tom Douglas, Wine Tastings, Beer, Wine, Weekly Planner

Nosh Pit Weekly Planner

Maxime Bilet brings Modernist Cuisine to Book Larder, Tom Douglas presents the second annual Slainte at Palace Ballroom.

Posted by: Brian Colella on Jan 23, 2012 at 01:30PM 0 Comments

Hang out with Modernist Cuisine coauthor Maxime Bilet at Book Larder on February 2.

Photo courtesy of modernistcuisine.com

MONDAY January 23

It’s National Pie Day today, and though you probably didn’t get the day off work, maybe you can convince your boss buy you one of High 5 Pie’s new pies to celebrate. Latest flavor additions include dark chocolate lavender cream pie, apple-cranberry-walnut pie, corned beef and cabbage, and more.

WEDNESDAY January 25

To celebrate the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns, chef Brock Johnson of Dahlia Lounge and Scotch guy Richard Hill are putting their heads together for the 2nd Annual Slainte, a celebration of Scotland, with a five-course dinner paired with scotch. Tickets are $65 and available online.

THURSDAY January 26

Tickets are still available for Local 360’s first annual Oyster Shindig. The shucking showdown starts at 3:30 with a $250 grand prize. Come witness the action for $25, which includes oysters and wine.

Two Beers Brewing brewed a special Midnight Mass beer to support the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The last two kegs will be featured at The Feedback Lounge during an auction—cohosted by Two Beers and Beer Church—of autographed Pearl Jam memorabilia. The 21-and-up benefit starts at 7 and is free to enter.

FRIDAY January 27

Starting Friday at 7 and running through the weekend, Port Townsend gathers up over 30 breweries and more than 60 different great beers from our region during the Strange Brewfest. Tickets for the eighth annual fest are $25 and available online.

SATURDAY January 28

Just a few spots remain for the third Chef’s Tour of the Market, this one is hosted by Jelle Vandenbroucke of ART Restaurant. A $75 outlay gets you on the tour of Pike Place Market and into SieMatic Seattle for a meal and demo afterward.

MONDAY January 30

Kathy Gunst’s literary cookbook Notes from a Maine Kitchen explores the culinary environment of the Pine Tree State, from smelt to lobster to blueberry pie. Free at 6:30, Gunst will present her stories at Book Larder, along with a nosh from the book.

BEYOND

Feb 2 If you missed Nathan Myrhvold at Town Hall, here’s your next chance to get up close with one of the authors of Modernist Cuisine, the epic gastronomical tome. If you were planning to buy the book, get it from Book Larder and you’ll get tickets to see Maxime Bilet demo some of the tome’s techniques and answer any and all culinary questions.

Feb 7 For $20, join Rupert Symington of Symington Family Estates at Ting Momo for A Port Primer. Seven wines will be tasted, along with paired bites like Oregon blue cheese with smoked cherries and coffee rubbed smoked beef.

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Tags: Drinking Events, Food Events and Festivals, Culinary Events, Seattle Food Events, Weekly Planner

Early Details on Mobile Food Rodeo 2012

Make that Rodeos.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Nov 21, 2011 at 10:57AM 1 Comments

Street food enthusiasts gather at Mobile Food Rodeo in September. Photo courtesy Mobile Food Rodeo.

Cochon 555 is a no-go in 2012, but hey, at least Mobile Food Rodeo is returning—twice.

Organizer/founder Ryan Reiter says two Rodeos are in the works. Locations are yet to be finalized but the dates are set for April 28 and September 15. Reiter is corralling 35 trucks from Seattle, Portland, and Idaho, up from the 25 that participated in September 2011’s inaugural event, and more are likely to sign on for the later one. Also new for 2012 is a booze garden featuring local distilleries, wines, and Northwest microbrews.

Anyone who attended in September knows the occasion wasn’t without snafus. Long lines—for food and entry to the event—dominated, with some trucks not stocking enough grub to feed the 7,000 attendees. To that Reiter assures, “We learned a lot and we listen to our audience and [are] determined to bring this tasty event back.”

Reiter says he also is organizing multiple Mobile “Mini” Lunch Corrals featuring 10 trucks. The noon hour nosh fests will take place throughout the year throughout the city; possible neighborhoods include Pioneer Square, Bellevue, Fremont, and Columbia City. Stay tuned for more details.

Full disclosure: Seattle Met sponsored Mobile Food Rodeo 2011.

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Tags: Street Food, Food Events and Festivals, Seattle Food Trucks, Mobile Food Rodeo

No Cochon 555 for Seattle

The annual ultimate pig-out bypasses the Emerald City in 2012, hits up Portland instead.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Nov 17, 2011 at 09:08AM 0 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

Tracy Smaciarz from Heritage Meats at the 2011 Seattle stop of Cochon 555.

Seattleites, like any gastro-centric people, love their pork, but next year they’ll have to do without the porcine equivalent of Christmas, Cochon 555.

Cochon 555 is a cross-country event in which five local chefs are tasked with turning a sizable heritage hog into an assortment of piggy treats. Guests sample the preparations while sipping pours from a quintet of local wineries. Judges then judge them. It’s a fun, delicious affair Seattle’s almost always a part of, so natch it was a suprise when the 2012 roster came out with no mention of us.

Cochon rep Lori Lefevre Wells says there’s no particular reason behind the snub, just that the tour tries to mix things up each year. “It’s always a tough decision when we rotate in new cities,” she says. Memphis and Miami are those first-timers, and Portland is a pit stop once again after being bypassed in 2011, presumably because of the brawl that broke out there in 2010. But: “We love Seattle, it’s always been a big supporter of the tour,” assured Lefevre Wells. “I’m very confident that we will get back there again.”

Meantime, relive the gory days with this slideshow from last year’s Cochon 555.

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Tags: Food Events and Festivals, Pork

Skillet’s Latest Farmstead Meatsmith Event Is Happening at Hilliard’s

Learn ‘the anatomy of thrift’ with a butchering demo and a tasty pig-centric meal.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on Nov 08, 2011 at 03:00PM 0 Comments

Josh Henderson, he of the ever-expanding Skillet empire has another butchery event in the works with Vashon Island’s Farmstead Meatsmith.

On November 20, Farmstead butcher Brandon Sheard will be breaking down half a pig on a makeshift stage before a (presumably rapt) audience at new Ballard brewery Hilliard’s. The gathering also doubles as a release party for the first in a series of educational webisodes Farmstead is putting together, with funding help from a previous Skillet event.

The first webisode On the Anatomy of Thrift puts lesser known pig parts to economical and delicious use. Attendees will wash all this newfound butchery knowledge down with copious amounts of Hilliard’s beer.

Meanwhile, Henderson and crew will be laboring over a grill, cooking up the other half of said pig as part of a six-course Skillet dinner. The event runs from 5 to 9; tickets are $75 and you can find them here.

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Tags: Locavore News, Food Events and Festivals, Butchers, Skillet

Seattle Center Hosts First-Ever Mobile Feast

It’s happening on October 29.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Oct 17, 2011 at 02:07PM 0 Comments

Kaosamai

Street food fans will want to block off October 29 as a day of gluttonous happenings. That’s when the first-ever Seattle Center Mobile Feast goes down.

More than 20 vendors will park at Fisher Pavilion beginning at 11am as part of the fundraiser for the Seattle Center Foundation. Who’s slinging? The usual suspects (Skillet, Where Ya At Matt, Street Treats, Kaosamai, Parfait) alongside some of Seattle’s newer trucks: Snout and Co., Damiana’s Blue Truck Special, Raney Bros. BBQ, and Bigfood.

It’s free to get in, but don’t forget cash.

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Tags: Street Food, Food Events and Festivals

Book It: Omnivorous Housing Benefit at Century Ballroom

Eat lots of treats as you help retain affordable housing on Capitol Hill.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Sep 15, 2011 at 12:48PM 0 Comments

The lovely Century Ballroom will host Omnivorous on Friday, September 30.

Photo: Century Ballroom via Facebook

On Friday, September 30, in the year 2011, a bunch of local restaurants will be offering up “signature hors d’oeuvres and desserts” for a Century Ballroom event dubbed Omnivorous.

Your consumption of these goes to a good cause: The event is produced by Capitol Hill Housing Foundation and will help fund affordable housing in a neighborhood that requires economic diversity if its soul is to be retained.

Tickets are $75, for that you get to sample snacks from such illustrious eateries as Anchovies and Olives, Cafe Presse, Lark, Marjorie, Monsoon, Poppy, Skillet, Spinasse, Terra Plata (which doesn’t even exist yet!), and Restaurant Zoe (which hasn’t even reincarnated itself yet!). Also: more illustrious eateries. And Stumptown Coffee.

Buy tickets on the Stranger’s ticketing site.

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Tags: Capitol Hill, Food Events and Festivals, Fundraiser

12th Avenue Neighborhood Festival Returns

Chow down at Capitol Hill’s annual foodie block party.

Posted by: Allison Williams on Aug 10, 2011 at 08:51AM 0 Comments

The sign says “Walk,” but your tummy will say “Ooof, can’t move.”

Ever looked at 12th Avenue on Capitol Hill and seen just one long smorgasbord? That’s exactly what it becomes from noon–6pm on Sunday, August 14.

It’s the second annual 12th Avenue Neighborhood Festival, and more than 32 food and retail vendors plan to open their doors or set up tents on 12th Avenue between Madison and Pike Streets. Last year’s spread got us salivating, but this year’s menu looks equally appetizing; participating food spots include Skillet, The Local Vine, Barrio, Caffe Vita, Boom Noodle, Ambassel, La Spiga, High 5 Pie, Bluebird, Poquitos, Caffe Pettirosso, Cafe Presse, Zobel, Plum, and Tavern Law.

But what will be worth the trek up Capitol Hill on Sunday? Here’s what’s on tap:

-The Local Vine will dish up $5 housemade sausages cured by chef Andy Dekle, and a selection of summery wines (including bubblies!) for another $5 each. Since they’ll be serving out of their store, not a tent, it’s the perfect place to people-watch through the shop’s open windows.

-Boom Noodle will take your Lincoln in exchange for their five-spice pork bun or the Boom edamame puree with Japanese eggplant, cucumber, and sweet potato chips.

-Pettirosso is planning a mouthwatering selection of baked goods—like cream cheese brownies and raspberry bars—as well as snack-sized Caprese sandwiches and lavender lemonade.

-Tavern Law is flying by the seat of its pants, serving ice cream they won’t create until the day before the fest. It will all depend on what inspires the chefs on Saturday night, so we have our fingers crossed for tequila-flavored gelato.

That should be enough for the first course—we’re in.

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Tags: Capitol Hill, Food Events and Festivals, Festivals

Cheese Festival’s 2011 Grilled Cheese Winner Announced

Bonus: a super creepy picture.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on May 11, 2011 at 08:46AM 2 Comments

“When I’m finished with this grilled cheese I plan to eat your young.”

From this morning’s press release pile: Jason Ramos, creator of the Fromage Blanc sandwich, has won this year’s grilled cheese contest with a recipe that includes three cheeses, leeks, and a lot of brand names.

The Seattle Cheese Festival takes place May 14 and 15 at Pike Place Market and is free.

Here’s the winning recipe, copied verbatim from a press release. (I’m totally getting a Pulitzer for this one.)

Fromage Blanc Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Mt. Townsend’s fromage blanc
1 ½ oz Grande Fresh Mozzarella
1 oz Sliced Emmi Gruyere
1 Tbsp. sauteed leeks
2 Slices Macrina batard
Unsalted butter

For the leeks:
Slice one leek thinly and saute it over medium-high heat with one ounce of butter. Add a bit of salt. Saute until slightly browned. Set aside.
On medium heat, heat your pan (or griddle). Assemble the sandwich: bread-mozzarella–fromage blanc–gruyere-leeks-bread. Rub a stick of butter on the pan and place the sandwich down—swirling it around to get all the butter on the bread. Flip and repeat with the butter/swirl technique. Now that both sides are buttered, brown evenly and slowly on each side. Flipping repeatedly. Don’t rush it. Your patience will be rewarded…

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Tags: Cheese, Pike Place Market, Food Events and Festivals, Festivals

Want To Eat At Tom Douglas’s New Restaurants Before They Even Open?

Chefs from TD’s three new Terry Ave eateries will test recipes over three nights in March. Reserve now.

Posted by: Seattle Met staff on Feb 22, 2011 at 10:11AM 2 Comments

This March, Tom Douglas chefs will convert the Palace Ballroom into a test kitchen—sign up to sample dishes from his three forthcoming restaurants.

Photo courtesy Palace Ballroom.

I just got an email from Keren Brown of Foodportunity detailing an enticing offer for anyone anxious to try Tom Douglas’s three forthcoming restaurant concepts before they even open.

The restaurants are part of Amazon’s new South Lake Union campus and will all be housed in a Terry Avenue building between Thomas and Harrison streets. They are to be called Cuoco, Brave Horse Tavern, and Ting Momo. Cuoco will be an Italian pasta spot, Brave Horse is a tavern, of course, with 26 beer taps and its own pretzel oven, and the concept at Ting Momo is a “Tibetan dumpling cafe.” Interesting.

Over three nights in March, the chefs at the new restaurants will convert Palace Ballroom—TD’s Belltown event space—into a test kitchen, and you’re invited to try the results. On Thursday, March 10, sample pastas from Cuoco. On Friday, March 18 it’s dishes from Brave Horse Tavern, and on Saturday, March 19 the Ting Momo chefs will show off their stuff.

Each session is limited to 60 guests and begins at 6pm. The cost is $25 per person—that buys you five sample dishes and a glass of wine. Pretty good deal!

For reservations call Amy Richardson at 206-448-2001.

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Tags: New Seattle Restaurants, South Lake Union, Tom Douglas, Food Events and Festivals