musings.schelley.org

4th of July was low key – about a year ago, when I moved into the Vertigo, I decided that I was going to stay at home and watch the fireworks from my building’s roof deck, regardless of whatever was going on. Over drinks at Lola Wednesday night, Lisa and I thought a low key bbq would be fun. BTW, Lola is fabulous, especially the Greek salad with block of fresh and briny feta front and center, plus some delicious drinks courtesy of Andy, their super nice bartender. Anyways…

For dinner…I grilled blue cheese burgers and thick sliced red onions spread with bbq sauce after each flip (the onions are a favorite, and always perfect for grilled burgers, the heat and basted bbq sauce combination results in nicely caramelized wedges of delicousness). Sides were provided courtesy of Lisa and Jess, using Mark Bittman’s 101 20-Minute Dishes for Inspired Picnics, published July 2 in the NY Times.

Dish #1, which I think was my favorite:

7 GRAPES AND CHEESE Mix feta cubes and green grapes (or grape tomatoes or pieces of watermelon). Add mint, salt, pepper and olive oil. A tiny bit of chopped fresh chili is good, too.

The briny feta perfectly complements the sweet grapes. We decided that crumbled feta would work, but cubing a block gave it a much better taste, and the structure of a huge chunk of feta in your mouth with the bright sweet grape was just too good.

Dish #2, which rivals #1 for my favorite (note the ending “yes”, to be interpreted any way you choose):

60 Toss cornbread cubes with blueberries, lemon juice, olive oil and hazelnuts. Yes.

Yes. Yes, indeed. The dish sounds weird, and I raised my eye brows when reading the description. But it ab-so-lute-ly worked. I can't describe, but the combination all together was well, positively delicious. The only thing that could make it even better is the addition of freshly whipped cream, but it really isn't necessary. We also poured cassis on top, which decidedly changed the flavor (Jess loved it, Lisa and I were a bit less than neutral on the cassis infused dish).

Dish #3, which was good, but was missing something (the olives, actually; the next day addition of olives and more anchovies gave the dish that added punch):

33 Toss cooked or canned white beans with chopped seeded tomato, chopped anchovy, chopped olives, oil, lemon juice, lots of black pepper, salt if necessary and parsley.

Notice anything unusual about the recipes? Yep…no proportions. All 101 picnic recipes are similar – just mix stuff together, rely on your instincts and taste buds and have fun. Once I realized that only the barest, most essential information was listed, I understood his point: we can be creative on our own. And remembered that many of the best family-passed down recipes are similar, throw the ingredients together, rely on your instincts for measurement and enjoy.

I also felt like cupcakes...and made orange chiffon cupcakes with orange glaze. They didn't quite rise properly, but were still light and delicious, and as Lisa noted, "almost like angel food cake". Oh, and margaritas to drink, because nothing says 4th of July like a few batches of tangy margaritas.

And yes, I did watch the fireworks. We had a perfect view of the Space Needle Fireworks, plus a great view of Lake Union. And, most perfectly, the "not bolted to the roof" rooftop deck did not slide off of the building..huzzah!

PS: Notice the pretty blue wall? And the orange chair. I've ordered a new kitchen table, and since I didn't like the "suggested chairs", decided to go fun with funky chairs. Thus, saffron chairs, and probably some laminate ones too. We'll see. And of course, the table needs to arrive.

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 02:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After a few false starts – which I missed - summer has finally arrived in Seattle. This weekend reached the 80s, a fabulousness that I love (I need to write about being in the NYC heat wave, and how Tracy and I keep saying "it's warm, we LOVE it"). It means that not only am I warm - after a long, long winter that started on September 5 and just ended - but that I can open all of the windows and most importantly, really start to grill.

For example, Sunday night's dinner: a grilled t-bone and veggies with grilled lemon vinaigrette. And perfect with the very tasty and chewy 2006 Chono Cabernet from Chile’s Maipo Valley (wherever that is).

Here's how to cook everything, courtesy Cooks Illlustrated.

For the T-bone, salt heavily and let sit at room temperature for an hour. Add some pepper, grill for 6 minutes on each side with the tenderloin facing the cool side of the grill (I use a gas grill, so leave the middle burner on high and turn the outer burners to low, translate properly if you’re on charcoal, which I’m thinking will produce an even tastier steak). Leave on the grill if you like your steak cooked more than rare/medium rare, and even though I object to meat that isn't pink, it still is delicious on the well done spectrum (as I discovered when I made this recipe a few weeks ago after a bit too much wine). Rest the meat for ten minutes, slice up and enjoy.

For the veggies, cut up, and olive oil, salt and pepper the veggies up. Before grilling, slice a lemon in half, grill the cut sides about three minutes, then let cool while the veggies are grilling. Mince a shallot, (I used a spring onion), then add to olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and juice from the grilled lemon. Once the veggies come off the grill, pour the dressing over, and let sit for as long as necessary, or while the steak cooks.

Oh, and I also baked a chocolate zucchini cake, using this recipe. Even though I think the heat did something to the glaze, it won rave reviews at the office.

By the way, warm summer weather also means lots of great wines. Tonight, I made a salad with early summer lettuce, sliced strawberries, goat cheese and a balsamic dressing. The flavors were a perfect balance, accentuated with a Domaine Sorin Rose from Provence, a bottle which I had just been itching to drink while waiting for the sun to appear. Fun to drink - bursting with the flavor of ripe cherries and strawberries, and perfect with my summer strawberry salad.

Other wines: a very excellent Sur de los Andes Torrontes from Argentina and a not so excellent (tasted of peaches, which I absolutely hate) Simonsig Chenin Blanc from South Africa.

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 07:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

About a year ago, my friend Jason, a designer of the clothing sort in New York, officially launched Linoto, selling linen bedding. I finally took the plunge and bought myself a set…and am kicking myself for waiting so long. The sheets are absolutely beautiful. Soft, comfortable, delicious to sleep in and elegantly crafted.

When I was in New York a few weeks ago, Jason, Gabe and I talked about the sheets. I never realized, but quality linen sheets are pricey (Jason’s are fairly affordable, and considering the time we spend in bed, shouldn’t we have nice sheets?). And linen sheets tend to be frilly, with scallops and embroidery, things that make them appealing to only a very small demographic (i.e., women in the 50s and 60s). In retrospect, there is something timeless about linen; Jason pointed out that it’s not a coincidence that tablecloths and napkins are referred to as “linens”, because in the not too distant past, we were surrounded by linen. After looking at what was available, hating the quality and the price tag, Jason made a set for Gabe’s birthday, and Linoto was born.

Jason runs Linoto with a strong emphasis on quality and experience. My sheets took a while to arrive - the fabric quality did not pass Jason’s standards and we had to wait for better quality fabric. Carefully packed, the sheets were washed and soft and ready to go on my bed.

Fabulous!

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 05:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Accompanied by two girlfriends and two gay boyfriends, wearing my sparkley gold shirt and new fabulous patent leather ballet slipper flats, I hit Sex and the City, the movie, opening weekend. I felt like I was hanging out with four friends whom I hadn’t seen in a while - I miss Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha.

Highlights for me: conversations over meals, the fashion, the raw and harsh portrayal of the devastation of a broken heart; cosmos at the end (why did we stop drinking these?); and the sheer energy created by four best friends. Lots of hits, a few misses, and Carrie’s wedding dress was not as tacky as it seemed in the after pictures leaked (although what was up with the bird?). Oh, and I adored the bridesmaids dresses.

It’s not entirely unusual to hear me reference moments from the series, particularly when discussing the single/dating life (I also reference Seinfeld too, which I guess tells you that my brain remembered more in the 90s and early 2000s than today). It’s always interesting to gage people’s reactions when I drop a reference. Those that made it into their 30s single nod in agreement, often adding their own perspective along the lines of “the same thing happened to me”. Those that didn’t make it into their 30s single generally seem a little perplexed, as in “how could this be true? It was an entertaining show, but that’s about it”.

I don’t know if it’s a fun fact or a sad fact or something in the middle – but some things in show have happened to me. Not just the general theme of hanging out with other single friends, but dating disasters, interactions with singles and non-singles, bad and good break-ups, happy and sad. Call it a badge of honor.

In celebration of the final episode four years ago, I made Caroline dinner (pad thai and spring rolls, if I remember correctly). This time, before the movie, I made margaritas and guacamole. After, Hilary, Lisa and I had dinner at Quinn’s, where I consumed a Manhattan (their special Manhattan is excellent), a cosmo (not so good) and a tasty, tasty espresso martini (which is the new “it” drink, I’ve had in both London and Seattle). And we talked about the movie, and of course, dating.

The next day, Carrie and I spent about 30 minutes discussing the movie. Apropos, I was drinking wine. I also informed her that when she gets married, she needs to take a cue from Carrie Bradshaw in her choice of bridesmaids dresses.

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Look at this - goodies from today's Broadway Farmer's Market!

In this picture: cherries (peaking from the back, the first crop of the season), asparagus, lamb's quarter, spring lettuce and mint (accidentally cut out of the picture). Some of it will make tonight's dinner: salad with sauteed asparagus and goat cheese, and topped with a balsamic-lemon juice-shallot-honey-sour cream dressing. For reasons that I can't figure out, I've been craving salad a lot lately. Luckily, it's spring and early summer salad time at the farmer's market. I'll accompany with a Chateau Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet, from Languedoc, of France. Intersting fact: the grapes grow on top of a field of fossilized dinosaur eggs!

The seasonal market, which is 3 blocks from my house, opened in mid-April. I've been trying to go every Sunday (when I'm in town, that is). It's a great social scene, I usually run into friends and neighbors. More importantly, the high quality produce and foodstuffs. Almost all seasonal, the food has all essential things that I love: fresh, grown by small farmers and truly, really organic. Beyond produce, other good stuff: flowers, eggs, meat (I may even buy chicken, a food that I try to avoid, because, well, most chicken is pretty bad), fish, chocolates, honey and ice cream, with more rotating in and out over the summer.

Does anyone have ideas for lamb's quarters? I remember a spectacular meal years ago with lamb's quarters filled ravioli, but not really ready to tackle that. The seller said it was like spinach, so I'm thinking about simply chopping up and sauteeing with garlic and a splash of lemon juice. Ideas are appreciated.

A bonus picture: baked tomatoes stuffed with couscous with basil, parseley, pine nuts and parmesan, tomatoes a la the farmer's market. I'm thinking that they are hot house grown, and extremely delicious. Oh, and also free of that nasty salmonella strain (a by-product of our industrial food chain, of which I could spend many hours ranting about its evils, but won't).

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Note: This entry has nothing to do with food and wine and alcohol. It's about life. Although, the one roundabout allusion to cooking is well played.

My six-month subscription with eHarmony ends today. Despite the recent flood of messages from the uber-religious people with new matches (!) and offers of discount renewals (!), I'm ending my relationship with eHarmony. In fact, I'm ending my relationship with all online dating sites as of today. I took this vow when I turned 34, and stayed away for a year. Then, 35 hit me and I decided to try the online thing one last time. Obviously, six months later, it didn't work out.

Over the past ten years, I've dated many of the sites: Match, Yahoo! Personals, Nerve, Lovelab and others that I've forgotten, probably on purpose. It seems that my relationship with those sites mimics many real life relationships. A roller coaster of happy and sad, huge emotional investments that sometimes do, but often don't pay off, disappointment, rejection, broken promises. Second and third chances. Stories, mostly bad, with relatively few good ones.

Nothing would make me happier than to have a sous chef in my kitchen (food allusion!). But, the reality is, that despite my many-pronged efforts, mine is a solo life. In a twisted way, the end of online dating is a sad end; most practically, I'm cutting off an area that blatantly promises a bright and shiny future with the love of my life, only to be found on this site!

Before I become tempted once again by someone's story about meeting their significant other on an online site, I'll think about my history with the sites: a relationship of give and take, which by the end, consisted of me doing most of the giving and the dating site, most of the taking.

PS - For all of my blog readers, please no more advice. Trust me, I've taken your advice, repeatedly. If you want to help me, find me a date with someone who not only has a pulse, but can carry on a conversation, likes to drink and isn't a picky eater.

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 02:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Daily Candy sent the official notice: a new ice cream shop in Seattle! Not just any ice cream, but one sourcing local/organic ingredients, a mix of traditional and offbeat flavors and a grand opening party.

The opening day party sort of passed by, but the next day, a sunnny Sunday, I remembered the notice, when Lisa and I saw the "sorry, no more" sign at the new ice cream stand at the Broadway Farmer's Market. Have you heard of Molly Moon's, I asked, do you want ice cream?

We went, we tasted, we loved.

For me, a scoop of salted caramel and cardamom. Lisa also chose salted caramel, but with a scoop of Vivace coffee. (She also noted that my scoops were bigger than hers. Uh huh, I smiled and smacked my lips. Can I have another taste of your coffee?).

The ice cream was amazing. It tasted homemade, like what I remember eating at my Grandma's house when I was a kid. None of the cloying sweetness of [insert name of ice cream store]. Ground up Vivace coffee beans in the ice cream. Crystals of sea salt in the salted caramel. Other flavors that I didn't get to try: "scout" mint, balsamic strawberry, honey lavender, ginger, and so many others.

A few days later, I mentioned Molly Moon's to Tracy, who knows Molly and the back story. Molly has always dreamed of opening an ice cream shop, one without artificial-ness and styrofoam. The creamery has been a while in the making...and since opening has been a huge success. Molly has been working non-stop to make enough ice cream, even putting out the call for ice cream making help amongst friends.

It's finally summer in Seattle, so likely, I'll be making a special trip or two to Wallingford for Molly Moon's. Yeah to good ice cream!

Posted by Schelley Olhava at 04:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)