In the last year or so this restaurant has catapulted into the leading spot for our favorite Mexican restaurant in Seattle. And it is a somewhat interesting way it got there. Last summer I had randomly picked up the Seattle Weekly best of issue. In that issue they had listed Senor Moose as the best Mexican in Seattle. I was in disbelief. The name of the restaurant was so odd, how could it produce the best food. Later that week I was at a picnic with former coworkers and I mentioned the Senor Moose Cafe. A former coworker of mine said he agreed with the assessment of it being best and stated that the dish he had there was just like the dish they serve on his brother's ranch (in Mexico.) I was sold and Jennifer and I went there the next week or so.
We've been back numerous times and always get the chips and salsa. The chips are fried up for each order, so they always come out hot and fresh. The five salsas you get with the chips are all delicious and a joy to eat as well. We occasionally get the Esquites as an appetizer which is great for dipping chips in as well.
They have a few vegetarian main courses for Jennifer to choose from. Last night she had the Enchiladas de Puya. The hostess said it was her favorite dish. I am pretty sure Jennifer has cycled through all the dishes that are vegetarian at this point.
I usually go with one of the pork dishes, but I have a hard time remembering which one I like best as the descriptions are similar. I am pretty sure it is the Manchamanteles as it has plaintains and pineapple. The last time I was there I had the Alambres which was a varied meat plate that was delicious and filling. Last night after having skied during the day I wanted something with a lot of protein. Easy to do with any of Senor Moose's meat dishes. I tried something new and had the Mole Colordito de Tututepec which so far was the least interesting of dishes I have had there. Not that it was bad, but I felt like I regretted my decision. A decision that was partially made by the fact that it was served with beans and not salad.
It was also nice going to Senor Moose on a Monday early as going later in the week and later than 5pm usually has us sitting at the counter because we don't wish to wait for a table. This may be one drawback of the restaurant is that it gets crowded and there is often a wait. But the wait is well worth it. Another possible detraction is that they do not appear to advertise if the meats are organic, grassfed or otherwise ethically and sustainably raised. This hasn't stopped me from ordering meat dishes there, but I am just playing ignorant so I can eat the delicious food.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friendsgiving II
This time there was not a list on how many desserts people could bring. Which resulted in no less than six pies for twenty people! (Not including ice cream and numerous cheese cakes.) I decided to bring the cranberry crumble. I have been working on this recipe through the autumn, as I love cranberries and want to find more uses for them. I love crumble to, so it really is a nice match.
This crumble was the fourth iteration in the process. The first was actually a blueberry crumble because Jennifer doesn't like cranberries like I like cranberries. I followed a recipe I found on the Internet and made only one modification which was splitting the half cup of almonds into a quarter cup of almonds and a quarter cup of pecans. All subsequent versions use all pecans. (Ran out of almonds.) For numerous reasons, the filling came out runny and very liquid, but the crumble was perfect. Also, the filling seemed to sweet to me. So I set out making the first cranberry version.
Because I was using fresh cranberries, I opted to create the filling prior to topping it with crumble. To sweeten the cranberries I used blueberries, and I also added some sugar. The filling was still hot when I put it into the pan and topped it with the crumble resulting in a crumble that cooked a little faster closer to the filling. The result was a tasty crumble, but little cranberry shined through the 50/50 mix of blueberries and cranberries. And because of the hot filling, the crumble top was not perfect. So back to the lab. Uh, I mean kitchen.
The next time around I used less blueberries to sweeten the cranberries, and used no sugar in the filling. (Except some OJ, and Grand Marnier.) I cooled the filling before baking it with the crumble and it came out great. For yesterday's feast, I used roughly the same version, but with less blueberries, OJ and GM, in an effort to make the cranberry tartness stand out even more. I think it worked.
I also made "candied yams" for the dinner. I was attempting to duplicate something my mom prepared when I was younger. I'm pretty sure it was a frozen side dish that was heated in the oven consisting of yams or sweet potatoes and apples in a cinnamon sauce. Doing searches on the Internet to find such a recipe was not easy. Most searches for "candied yams" produce recipes like the mashers I made last week with the marshmallow on top. I had to search for yams and apples, but most recipes were weird (canned yams) or had too many ingredients (pecans, cranberries.) I found one that fit close enough and I substituted the corn syrup for brown sugar and it gave it a go without really measuring anything. I was afraid it wouldn't match my memory, but it came out nice and sweet and was well received at the dinner.
This crumble was the fourth iteration in the process. The first was actually a blueberry crumble because Jennifer doesn't like cranberries like I like cranberries. I followed a recipe I found on the Internet and made only one modification which was splitting the half cup of almonds into a quarter cup of almonds and a quarter cup of pecans. All subsequent versions use all pecans. (Ran out of almonds.) For numerous reasons, the filling came out runny and very liquid, but the crumble was perfect. Also, the filling seemed to sweet to me. So I set out making the first cranberry version.Because I was using fresh cranberries, I opted to create the filling prior to topping it with crumble. To sweeten the cranberries I used blueberries, and I also added some sugar. The filling was still hot when I put it into the pan and topped it with the crumble resulting in a crumble that cooked a little faster closer to the filling. The result was a tasty crumble, but little cranberry shined through the 50/50 mix of blueberries and cranberries. And because of the hot filling, the crumble top was not perfect. So back to the lab. Uh, I mean kitchen.
The next time around I used less blueberries to sweeten the cranberries, and used no sugar in the filling. (Except some OJ, and Grand Marnier.) I cooled the filling before baking it with the crumble and it came out great. For yesterday's feast, I used roughly the same version, but with less blueberries, OJ and GM, in an effort to make the cranberry tartness stand out even more. I think it worked.
I also made "candied yams" for the dinner. I was attempting to duplicate something my mom prepared when I was younger. I'm pretty sure it was a frozen side dish that was heated in the oven consisting of yams or sweet potatoes and apples in a cinnamon sauce. Doing searches on the Internet to find such a recipe was not easy. Most searches for "candied yams" produce recipes like the mashers I made last week with the marshmallow on top. I had to search for yams and apples, but most recipes were weird (canned yams) or had too many ingredients (pecans, cranberries.) I found one that fit close enough and I substituted the corn syrup for brown sugar and it gave it a go without really measuring anything. I was afraid it wouldn't match my memory, but it came out nice and sweet and was well received at the dinner.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Vegetarian "Chicken" Pot Pie
This is a recipe I made up on my own last month or so. Usually I like to look up some recipes first, but it didn't occur to me. I think I already thought I knew how to make a pot pie.
Dough isn't really my thing. (I don't think I've ever made dough.) So I wasn't keen on making any for the pie. I also had a plan to only make a top for the pie, and no bottom crust. This allowed me to make it in a ~2.5l pot instead of a pie pan. This is a great way to go as the dish becomes a "one pot wonder." Sort of like making a Shepherd's Pie.
I use leeks and carrots from our garden as the base, and usually celery as well if we have it in the house. Crimini mushrooms are important as they give a meaty flavor to the dish. I saute all this in butter then eventually turn it into a roux with flour and vegetarian chicken stock. Just before adding the flour I add a little thyme to it. Then I add imitation chicken. Which in my first few attempts came from Yves, but this last go around I used Trader Joe's Vegetarian Chicken Strips. They are lightly seasoned and probably better suited to a more spicy cuisine, but I couldn't seem to rinse the seasoning off so I used them anyway. It didn't make a difference. I add frozen peas before sinking it into the oven.
In all of my attempts at this recipe, I have used Trader Joe's Puff Pastry as the top on my pie. The first go around I placed a piece right on top of the pot when I put the whole dish in the oven. This resulted in the pastry sinking into the filling leaving us with a gooey (but delicious) crust over the pie and light flaky puff pastry over the edges of the pot. The second attempt failed in the same way. This last time I actually cut the pastry first to the shape of the pot and then cooked it separately before placing it on the top of the pie before serving. That system finally worked! I didn't take any pics of the final product, so you'll have to take my word for it.
Dough isn't really my thing. (I don't think I've ever made dough.) So I wasn't keen on making any for the pie. I also had a plan to only make a top for the pie, and no bottom crust. This allowed me to make it in a ~2.5l pot instead of a pie pan. This is a great way to go as the dish becomes a "one pot wonder." Sort of like making a Shepherd's Pie.
I use leeks and carrots from our garden as the base, and usually celery as well if we have it in the house. Crimini mushrooms are important as they give a meaty flavor to the dish. I saute all this in butter then eventually turn it into a roux with flour and vegetarian chicken stock. Just before adding the flour I add a little thyme to it. Then I add imitation chicken. Which in my first few attempts came from Yves, but this last go around I used Trader Joe's Vegetarian Chicken Strips. They are lightly seasoned and probably better suited to a more spicy cuisine, but I couldn't seem to rinse the seasoning off so I used them anyway. It didn't make a difference. I add frozen peas before sinking it into the oven.In all of my attempts at this recipe, I have used Trader Joe's Puff Pastry as the top on my pie. The first go around I placed a piece right on top of the pot when I put the whole dish in the oven. This resulted in the pastry sinking into the filling leaving us with a gooey (but delicious) crust over the pie and light flaky puff pastry over the edges of the pot. The second attempt failed in the same way. This last time I actually cut the pastry first to the shape of the pot and then cooked it separately before placing it on the top of the pie before serving. That system finally worked! I didn't take any pics of the final product, so you'll have to take my word for it.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Counter
After skiing yesterday I wanted a protein rich dinner. We didn't really have much at home that Jennifer was willing to eat, so we compromised by going to The Counter. I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants, but there are many reasons we go there. (More on that later.)
Seattle is a burger town, whether Seattleites want to admit it or not. This was immediately apparent to me when I moved here by the many local burger chains such as Dick's, Kidd Valley, BurgerMaster, and Red Mill. A stretch to call the two Red Mill locations a chain, but they are sort of a local institution and even Oprah had something to say about them. In addition the national burger chain Red Robin was started here, and they still make a pretty good burger. I'm not much into the fast food style burgers that the first four offer and I usually only eat at Red Robin in big groups where we need to find common ground. My favorite burger in Seattle is at Lunchbox Laboratory, but I don't think I've been there in nine months or so. Lunchbox makes custom burgers which can be overwhelming to a new patron of the restaurant with the high quantity of fixings choices.
The Counter is similar to Lunchbox, but a more relaxed atmosphere not trying to look up the options on a chalkboard and figure out what you want by the time you are first in line. The Counter allows you to check off your options on a sheet and then wait staff come by to take your order. I like Lunchbox, and The Counter because I can make up a burger that I would make at home, assuming I have all the ingredients. I will grill in the winter, but coming home in the dark after a day of skiing in near freezing temps doesn't really make me feel like lighting fire to charcoal.
So that's why we found ourselves at The Counter. We go there because they supposedly use humanely treated animals with no hormones or antibiotics which is important to me in choosing a restaurant that serves mammals on the menu. We also had a coupon of sorts where Jennifer paid $12.50 for $25 worth of food. Jennifer also thinks they make the best shakes in town, although I'd disagree. (A topic for another blog entry I'm sure.)
For the first time since going to The Counter, I did not have any sort of chile on my burger. My options went something like this: 1/3lb beef patty on multi grain bun with Tillamook Cheddar, red onion, grilled pineapple (always), pickle slices, fried egg and coleslaw. The coleslaw was unexciting, and I wouldn't get it again. Can't say I really noticed the cheese either, but it is no extra charge, so I'll keep trying. We got the 50/50 appetizer of sweet potato fries and onion strings, but I tried not. I'll eat a plate if put in front of me, but most people shouldn't be eating that amount of calories in one sitting. Good thing I probably burned 4000 calories or so out skiing.
Overall, I they make a good burger and so I had a good meal, but it is not a place I am going to tell every friend of mine to go to. In some ways I am ashamed to go there instead of making a burger at home. A few friends of mine have also had bad experiences there including one friend who got a burger with no patty. So perhaps their service is spotty?
Seattle is a burger town, whether Seattleites want to admit it or not. This was immediately apparent to me when I moved here by the many local burger chains such as Dick's, Kidd Valley, BurgerMaster, and Red Mill. A stretch to call the two Red Mill locations a chain, but they are sort of a local institution and even Oprah had something to say about them. In addition the national burger chain Red Robin was started here, and they still make a pretty good burger. I'm not much into the fast food style burgers that the first four offer and I usually only eat at Red Robin in big groups where we need to find common ground. My favorite burger in Seattle is at Lunchbox Laboratory, but I don't think I've been there in nine months or so. Lunchbox makes custom burgers which can be overwhelming to a new patron of the restaurant with the high quantity of fixings choices.
The Counter is similar to Lunchbox, but a more relaxed atmosphere not trying to look up the options on a chalkboard and figure out what you want by the time you are first in line. The Counter allows you to check off your options on a sheet and then wait staff come by to take your order. I like Lunchbox, and The Counter because I can make up a burger that I would make at home, assuming I have all the ingredients. I will grill in the winter, but coming home in the dark after a day of skiing in near freezing temps doesn't really make me feel like lighting fire to charcoal.
So that's why we found ourselves at The Counter. We go there because they supposedly use humanely treated animals with no hormones or antibiotics which is important to me in choosing a restaurant that serves mammals on the menu. We also had a coupon of sorts where Jennifer paid $12.50 for $25 worth of food. Jennifer also thinks they make the best shakes in town, although I'd disagree. (A topic for another blog entry I'm sure.)
For the first time since going to The Counter, I did not have any sort of chile on my burger. My options went something like this: 1/3lb beef patty on multi grain bun with Tillamook Cheddar, red onion, grilled pineapple (always), pickle slices, fried egg and coleslaw. The coleslaw was unexciting, and I wouldn't get it again. Can't say I really noticed the cheese either, but it is no extra charge, so I'll keep trying. We got the 50/50 appetizer of sweet potato fries and onion strings, but I tried not. I'll eat a plate if put in front of me, but most people shouldn't be eating that amount of calories in one sitting. Good thing I probably burned 4000 calories or so out skiing.
Overall, I they make a good burger and so I had a good meal, but it is not a place I am going to tell every friend of mine to go to. In some ways I am ashamed to go there instead of making a burger at home. A few friends of mine have also had bad experiences there including one friend who got a burger with no patty. So perhaps their service is spotty?
Friendsgiving
Saturday was the annual Davidson sister's Friendsgiving. It is a pot luck, and I wanted to bring more than one dish as I was excited about a few.
Autumn is the time when cranberries are in season and they are one of my favorite fruits, so I often buy them on every grocery store visit. Usually I make plenty of cranberry sauce because that is an easy way to get a cranberry fix. This year I have been experimenting with a cranberry crumble and in previous years I usually make a fair amount of cranberry bars. By the time I announced my attendance to Friendsgiving, the dessert slots were all filled. So I made a small batch of cranberry sauce as one of my dishes. I use the America's Test Kitchen recipe, but reduce the amount of sugar, as I like the tartness of the cranberries to stand out more. This time I added some orange zest and Grand Marnier.
Then I proceeded to make two separate dishes of mashed sweet potatoes. One savory, and the other sweet. The savory mashers, which I made last year (but forgot I had) are a recipe from celebrity chef Alton Brown. They are chipotle mashed sweet potatoes. I don't vary from the recipe that much except for adding more chipotle than he asks for. This time I added a bit more butter too, but that was because I expected to use more potatoes, but cut the quantity shorter after having already added the butter. These were a hit last year, and again this year.
The other dish was to duplicate the mashed sweet potatoes my mom used to make for Thanksgiving. I called her for a recipe, but she didn't give me any specifics. She just said, "Make mashed sweet potatoes, then cover with marshmallow." So I started out. She called while I was in the process and added that she also used brown sugar. So without a definite recipe I made mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and brown sugar and put them in a dish so I could cover them with marshmallows and broil them. They came out great and Jennifer already wants me to make them again.
In addition, Jennifer made a recipe she found on the Internet that turned out great. I think the recipe was called "Mushroom Wellington." It involved mushrooms, butternut squash and goat cheese in a puff pastry. She made four, and sadly there was none for us to take home.
Other food at the dinner included a turkey, vegetarian shepherd's pie, and the classic green bean casserole. Highlights for me were the vegetarian stuffing, and my dishes. The mulled wine was good too.
Autumn is the time when cranberries are in season and they are one of my favorite fruits, so I often buy them on every grocery store visit. Usually I make plenty of cranberry sauce because that is an easy way to get a cranberry fix. This year I have been experimenting with a cranberry crumble and in previous years I usually make a fair amount of cranberry bars. By the time I announced my attendance to Friendsgiving, the dessert slots were all filled. So I made a small batch of cranberry sauce as one of my dishes. I use the America's Test Kitchen recipe, but reduce the amount of sugar, as I like the tartness of the cranberries to stand out more. This time I added some orange zest and Grand Marnier.Then I proceeded to make two separate dishes of mashed sweet potatoes. One savory, and the other sweet. The savory mashers, which I made last year (but forgot I had) are a recipe from celebrity chef Alton Brown. They are chipotle mashed sweet potatoes. I don't vary from the recipe that much except for adding more chipotle than he asks for. This time I added a bit more butter too, but that was because I expected to use more potatoes, but cut the quantity shorter after having already added the butter. These were a hit last year, and again this year.
The other dish was to duplicate the mashed sweet potatoes my mom used to make for Thanksgiving. I called her for a recipe, but she didn't give me any specifics. She just said, "Make mashed sweet potatoes, then cover with marshmallow." So I started out. She called while I was in the process and added that she also used brown sugar. So without a definite recipe I made mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and brown sugar and put them in a dish so I could cover them with marshmallows and broil them. They came out great and Jennifer already wants me to make them again.In addition, Jennifer made a recipe she found on the Internet that turned out great. I think the recipe was called "Mushroom Wellington." It involved mushrooms, butternut squash and goat cheese in a puff pastry. She made four, and sadly there was none for us to take home.
Other food at the dinner included a turkey, vegetarian shepherd's pie, and the classic green bean casserole. Highlights for me were the vegetarian stuffing, and my dishes. The mulled wine was good too.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Croutons
I remember seeing on a Food Network television program once about why the French disliked Americans or American cuisine. The reason was that "American buy croutons." It is pretty silly to buy croutons when it is so easy to make your own. (And control the fat and flavoring of said croutons.) The minimum that is required is bread and oil. I use stale bread, olive oil and a seasoning salt. Prep time is about a minute, and then 15 minutes in the oven. I used the stale "French Bread" we got for Onion soup earlier this week and put them together today. A little more overdone than I usually make them:
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Introduction
The idea for this blog was hatched after my wife and I went to France for our honeymoon. I came back having enjoyed different regional cuisines and almost every meal was great, and that includes the baguette and cheese lunches we had on the train! Once back, I thought about documenting the culinary side of the trip into a blog, but I didn't get around to it for one reason or another. Then in the months that followed, I visited restaurants, and developed recipes. I once again thought that these experiences should be documented. The US Thanksgiving is next week, and I am in a food prep frenzy for multiple events, and I think it is about time to document some of my goings on in the world of food.So, I hope to document foods that I am making, either from recipes, or from my brain. I will also include restaurant reviews as well. Although perhaps not so much reviews of the restaurants as much as it is about specific dishes and places I like to eat. And finally there will be some garden talk, as I keep a garden in the yard, and often use the things I grow in the food I make.
Enjoy!
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