Wonton Noodle House

Again another reason why we love living up north; the newly opened Wonton Noodle House. This place was recommended by my aunt and uncle who have also been to one of our favorite noodle places, Mike's Noodle House in Chinatown.

Now instead of having to drive down south, we only have to drive five minutes north to get a warming delicious bowl of soup.

The Wonton Noodle House is located north of Ranch 99. It's in a separate strip mall. You can't miss it if you drive north on 99 past Ranch 99. It's on the right hand side.

We ordered a side of gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and I got the beef brisket and siu kau soup. The noodles were egg noodles just like at Mike's. I think Mike's was a little more flavorful and saltier (which was a good thing in this case). However the closer location, no lines, I can pay with a credit card, and the diversity of their menu makes this a better choice than Mike's. We'll have to go back soon.

- Kyle

French Wine Tasting - Bourgogne - Pinot Noir

Last Friday, instead of going to the gym, we decided to make an excursion to Central Market to pick up a new bottle of French wine and some more food to supplement Emi's planned dinner.



One of the reasons we love Central Market is because they have an awesome wine selection and a helpful and informative staff. Since we know almost nothing about French wine, we asked the wine expert at Central Market to give us a quick French wine 101. He shared some great tips that I noted in Monday's blog post.







Since we told him we really enjoy Willamette Valley Pinot Noir's we thought we would try out a French version. He recommended a Pinot Noir from the Bourgogne region. Understanding our need for an economical wine, he thought this might be a good choice. Also this wine was supposedly an exception to the rule that a bottle that highlights a single variety like Pinot Noir in this case is usually cheap and not very good. We had to try the wine to find out.



Bottle #3 - Bourgogne Pinot Noir:

• Name - 2007 - Joseph Drouhin - Laforet Bourgogne Pinot Noir


• Price - $15 - Central Market


• Winery Notes - Burgundian style, fruity, easy to drink and elegant.


• Our Take - we noticed right away before even opening the bottle that the color of the wine was lighter than the dark red Pinot Noir's we have tried in the past. This did translate to the taste as well. It was much lighter and less bold than what we were expecting. Not sure if all French Pinot Noirs are like this, but something to note for next time. It was smooth and a decent wine, but not really our preference.

We paired the wine with Emi's butternut squash soup and some delicious, flavorful, and tender lamb chops. We haven't had lamb chops in awhile, mainly because they cost $15 a pound. However Central Market had them a little cheaper so we bought some to pair with this wine.



My favorite way to cook lamb chops is to first season generously with sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and a little bit of MSG. Then I broil them on high for about 6-8 minutes per side. You don't want to overcook them because you want them to be tender.



Next up will be some white wines from France.



- Kyle

French Wine Tasting - Bordeaux and Cotes Du Rhone

Food and wine go together hand in hand, however we haven't done many posts related to wine. We've done a few about winery tours, but none related to our day to day eating. There are a few reasons for that.

1. We're definitely wine amateurs, but to our defense, we do understand what we like and what we don't like. Emi told a guy helping us buy wine today that we'll drink anything, even Yellowtail. That's where I draw the line, too many bad memories of that crappy wine. I know someone who loves that wine, but she probably won't read this, so I should be OK. And if she does, you know I'm sort of kidding, but not really.


2. We never used to drink wine all that often, alcohol in general, unless it was the weekend or a special occassion. Work has changed all of that, now there's nothing I want more then a glass or two of wine to help me unwind after I get home. Hey I love my job, but I've also come to enjoy my vino.


3. We're poor.

Now that we've picked up a little more "experience" we thought it was time to start sharing our adventures with all of you as well. Besides drinking more wine recently, we've also decided that we need to broaden our palattes beyond our NW and Napa Valley wines. Especially with our upcoming trip to Paris and the Mediterranean next summer, it's time to prepare. Since it's our first trip out to Paris and Italy, we might as well have an idea of what we'll want to drink while we're out there because there will be a lot drinking. Also learning is fun!

Since the first stop off our trip next summer will be in Paris, we decided it was time to gain a better understanding of French wine. A few things I've learned so far:

1. French wineries highlight the region the wine came from over the grape variety. In general you won't find a bottle that says Syrah on it, but if you understand the region that is famous for Syrah, then you should buy a bottle from that region. Meaning some research and understanding is required.
2. Most French wines are a little harsher than PNW wines and need to breathe.
3. What I've seen so far is that French wines are primarily blends over a single type of grape. There are always exceptions to the rule.
4. The wine guy at Central Market told us, if the wine calls out what type of wine it is (Cabernet Sauvignon) over the region, it's probably cheap and no good.

Bottle #1 - Cotes Du Rhone Rouge:

• Name - 2007 - Perrin Reserve - Cotes Du Rhone Rouge (from the Cotes Du Rhone region)
• Price - $12 at QFC - $9 at Trader Joes
• 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourevedre, 10% Cinsault grapes
• Winery's notes - peppery, black cherry, cassis and spice flavours
• Our take - harsh from beginning to end, even when we let it breathe still didn't like it. In general our first French wine taste test was pretty bad.

Bottle #2: Bordeaux Rouge:

• Name - 2008 - Les Caves Joseph Bordeaux
• Price - $6 at Trader Joes
• 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winery's notes - serve with roasted or grilled beef, lamb, and game
• Our take - compared to the first wine and PNW wines in general, this was a great value. Smooth, yet bold, smokey, and peppery all for half the price of the other bottle. This made me think I need to try more wines from the Bordeaux region.

If any of you out there have any recommendations for what we should try please let us know. We are definitely looking to keep things economicaly ($13 or under, $20-$25 on the very high end). In general we prefer reds and for comparisons sake we love Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, Napa Valley Cabernet's. Also we enjoy Syrah and I've recently started to really enjoy Malbec's.

- Kyle

Japanese American Gold: Matsutake Mushrooms

Similar to my lovely wife, I am waaay behind on my blog posts. This one I've been wanting to share with all of you for months now, but work came up, then travel, then I got lazy. At least it's still Fall which is very relevant for this post.

Matsutake mushrooms also known as wild pine mushrooms, grow rampant in the wet and damp Pacific Northwest. They are hard to find and only grow in the wild, which is why they can be quite expensive. It's common for many Japanese-Americans to have secret spots to hunt for mushrooms that they pass down from generation to generation.

My family has a spot, but Emi and I are lazy, so we buy our mushrooms instead of foraging in the wild for them. This story is about the great discovery we made in Matsutake Joe.

A few months ago we attended a bake sale and bazaar at Emi's church. Emi's church is primarily made up of Japanese-Americans so it was basically the perfect spot for Matsutake Joe to set up shop. Matsutake Joe, is a Chinese guy who drives around a beat up old van and on this day was parked right at the exit of the church parking lot. I wasn't too excited to stop and check out his mushrooms, but Emi who will strike up a conversation with anyone and is the person who buys Sham Wows and Egyptian cotton sheets from the Puyallup Fair was more than willing to check out this guy's van.

Matsutake Joe had baskets and baskets of wild mushrooms. The smell was amazing. Matsutake mushrooms have a very distinct, amazing aroma and are a Japanese delicacy. A little bit goes a long way.

Matsutake mushrooms can usually run $40 a pound, but we paid $15 for 2 pounds of the broken ones, plus they threw in a pound of wild chantrelles free!

We bought broken mushrooms, which taste just as great, but were half the price. Japanese and Japanese Americans spend a lot on quality products. Being a gift giving society, it's normal to spend a lot on food and it better look nice too. However since we only care what it tastes like we bought a couple pounds of the broken ones.

We gave a pound to my grandparents and kept the other pound for ourselves. My grandmother told us to soak them in salt water to clean them.

We invited Emi's parents and my parents over for dinner to enjoy a matsutake feast. Here's what one looks like sliced up. All you do to prep them is rinse them off in salt water or brush off the dirt and then cut off the base.

I made the first course, matsutake soup. I boiled a pot of water and added in chicken pieces, napa (cabbage), and sliced matsutake. I also added in some ajinomoto (MSG), salt, and pepper. A very simple, yet delicious soup.

Emi made matsutake gohan (rice). She made rice the way she normally would (washed it and added water to it), but also added in sliced raw chicken, sliced matsutake, shoyu (soy sauce), and hon dashi (fish soup flavoring). Everything cooked in the rice cooker together and came out steaming and delicious. The matsutake gohan went perfectly with the main course.

For the main course Emi made sukiyaki, but instead of normal mushrooms she showcased matsutake mushrooms, which was a great treat. The matsutake mushrooms added a great flavor to the rest of the dish when it all cooked together.

Our feast!

We celebrated my Dad's birthday that night and picked up a delicious blueberry pie from the Church bake sale to enjoy. The pie was great and a nice way to end our extravagant meal.

Matsutake mushrooms are another indicator that Fall along with its grey skies and rainy days are here to stay. At least while we hide from the cold and rain we can enjoy a delicious meal.

- Kyle

Absolute Perfection: Nobu

I am a snob when it comes to sushi...if I am going to pay serious buckaroos for something my mom and dad can prepare for half the cost, then it better be good. There are a couple truly Divine sushi spots in Seattle: Nishino's, Shiro's, and Umi Sake Bar (for those who love rolls). I also love Hiroshi's on Eastlake who can bring the sushi bar to you and does great catering and private parties.

Nobu is one of those cache restaurants that I associate with US Weekly and the skinny celebrities that frequent these type of "see and be seen" type of places. I never know if they are actually good because I figure the celebrities don't really eat when they go to the restaurants.

I recently went to San Diego for meetings and enjoyed a fabulous meal with my colleagues at Nobu. Just like my Dallas post, I was too ashamed of my food obsessed self to get out the camera and take photos of the food...but the mental picture will last a lifetime.

We noshed on a fabulous chilean sea bass, fresh yellowtail with jalepeno, toro tartar with caviar, and so much more. The desserts were also to-die-for.

Short of going to Japan's fish market, this was one of the best sushi/Japanese meals I have ever had the honor of being a part of.

On another sushi related note, for those of you in the Seattle area, there is a fabulous foodie charity event coming up: the Annual Sushi and Sake festival. Follow the link to get tickets and enjoy an evening of sampling Seattle's best sushi, sake, and beer! We will definitely post about our experience!

Happy Eating,

Emi

Recipe of the Week: Spanish Chicken and Chorizo

For you avid Food Networkers out there, you might have seen the new show that features Nigella Lawson. I have seen her on Top Chef many times as a guest judge. I haven't been able to figure out if her British accent and very sensual way of talking about food inspires me or creeps me out.

But I figured I would let her recipes and cooking speak for itself and found out that she is legitimate. Along with this recipe, I am currently catching up on blogging while waiting for my "Beer Braised Beef" to cook up in the oven--another Nigella recipe I saw on the TODAY show. Maybe it will be next week's recipe....

I should warn you all that if you watch her show she is obviously filming in Europe and uses grams, liters and other strange European measurement terms (I know, I am such an arrogant/ignorant American). Well, this smarty pants watched the show and thought this recipe looked good and was so simple, I could do it without referring to the online recipe. She said to put the chicken in the oven for an hour at 200 degrees. I thought, "hmm...that sounds awfully low, but I trust her." Oops. She meant 200 degrees CELSIUS! Moral of the story, trust your gut, not British TV cooks...haha, just kidding.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons regular olive oil
12 chicken thighs (bone in, with skin)
1 3/4 pounds chorizo sausages, whole if baby ones, or cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks if regular-sized
1 1/4 pounds baby white-skinned potatoes, halved
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 orange

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the oil in the bottom of 2 shallow roasting pans or quarter sheet pans, 1 tablespoon in each. Rub the skin of the chicken in the oil, then turn skin side up and put 6 pieces in each pan.

Divide the chorizo sausages and the baby potatoes between the 2 pans. Sprinkle with the onion and the oregano, then grate the orange zest over the contents of the 2 pans.
Bake for 1 hour, but after 30 minutes, swap the top pan with the bottom pan in the oven and baste the contents with the orange-colored juices. Transfer the chicken mixture to a large serving platter and serve.

I used cumin instead of oregano (another slip up as a result of my overconfidence with the recipe) and it was really good and went well with the chorizo.

Other than the minor hiccup of the oven temperature, this was a very simple and delicious recipe that I would recommend for a weeknight hearty Fall meal.

Happy Eating,

Emi

My BBQ Birthday Extravaganza

Only 2 months late....once again, the blog has been a casualty of Kyle and my hectic schedules and I am finding a long list of backlogged posts waiting patiently for my attention.

I celebrated my 26th birthday with my wonderful family and a BBQ extravaganza. I was inspired by the end of our rainy, cold summer, to enjoy one last drop of summer fun.

Kyle's Aunt and Uncle, Cheri and Jon, made these fall-off-the-bone, juicy, sweet and tangy ribs. They were gone quickly and the only evidence of our feast was this photo, a couple clean bones, and sticky fingers.

We also did a burger bar with all the fixings: sauteed onions and mushrooms, guacamole, bacon, cheese.....mmmmm....

After our amazing Japadog experience at the Vancouver Olympics, I have been craving a good "Japanese" fusion hot dog. Kyle really likes this Starburst commercial for Sweet and Sour Starbursts. There is a "Scottish Korean" man in a kilt that tells his son that just like the sweet/sour Starburst, he is a contradiction. That is what these hot dogs are...random reference, I know.

What makes the hot dog "Japanese"? We put equal parts soy sauce and sugar with about a tablespoon of ginger on the stove at low heat. Once it started to boil, we turned down the heat and added the hot dogs to marinate for about 10 minutes and infuse with a teriyaki flavor. Then, we grilled them up and topped with Japanese Mayo, Okonomiyake sauce, and nori. They were delicious!

We also had classic hot dogs and Bobby Flay's New York hot dog. I linked the recipe, it is a keeper! As you can see from the photo, there was a unique roasted red pepper relish, "NY onions", horseradish mustard...yummo!

My mother in law made fresh lemonade, which went perfect with our picnic themed bbq feast!

My dad makes me a cheesecake every year for my birthday. I remember as a kid watching him slave over the complicated NY Times recipe the day before my birthday parties. The cheesecake is delicious, but I think the love and effort my father puts into the cake makes it taste even better.

Every year we have a different topping. This year it was a passion fruit topping.

One of the best parts of family gatherings is seeing our adorable nephew, Owen. He recently was captured on film saying "Em........iiiiiiiiiiiii". Although it was only two syllables, I am convinced he was really saying, "I love my Auntie Emi and she is my favorite Auntie in the whole world."

The aftermath of our gluttony. Buster, Mia, and husband were all pooped after a long day of fun!

Thank you to the whole family who helped to make my birthday special and fun! I am so blessed to have wonderful people in my life who know the way to my heart is through my stomach!

Happy Eating,

Emi