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Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
There are three Vivace locations but the espresso drinks should be similar at all three. I'd put them on my short list and the others will to an extent depend on whether you have easy access to outlying neighborhoods or not.
Victrola, Stumptown and Vivace are high on my list of places that are easy to reach and I also like the espresso at Cafe Trabant.
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 90: The Return of Thinner
As a not-so-subtle hint my mom gave me a Thinner as a Christmas gift a few years ago but my weight still edged upwards until a combination of low energy levels and a brief unrelated illness prompted me to re-examine my eating habits this June (2009). At 6' 1" and 260 lbs I was fortunate to have a build such that the grossly excess weight was not evident to most that knew me. But now that I've lost 35 lbs and still losing (albeit more slowly) people have actually norticed and although I didn't start using the Thinner until this year and only after I'd lost the first 10 lbs or so - it's become a daily ritual (1x morning and 1x at night).
Mine appears to be remarkably consistent and accurate but I don't bother with the BMI body fat feature - I'm skeptical of how accurate that function could possibly be. What really matters to me is how I feel and the weight level, as it has dropped - has been correlated a reduction in my glucophage number and cholesterol levels (granted - in June I was put on medication for those but the drastic reductions would not have occurred from medication alone).
Like Ed I am now seeing greatly decelerating loss levels and it's frustrating. 260 to 240 was a cinch... 240 to 230 took much longer.... the next 5 lb reduction took 2X as long as the previous 10 lb loss.... and on it goes.
NY Steakhouse (not Keens or Lugers) Suggestions
Sparks has some interesting history if that would make for good conversational tidbits. If I recall correctly there were some famous made guys whacked there.
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Eat for Eight Bucks: Sesame Scallion Tofu
I didn't try the slaw but did try the tofu-scallion-sesame burgers this weekend. They were very dry and apart from the taste of the seaweed and just a hint of sesame - very bland. perhaps with some serious modification this would be a good recipe but if you're looking for plenty of flavor and character you may find this recipe very lacking.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
There are three Vivace locations but the espresso drinks should be similar at all three. I'd put them on my short list and the others will to an extent depend on whether you have easy access to outlying neighborhoods or not.
Victrola, Stumptown and Vivace are high on my list of places that are easy to reach and I also like the espresso at Cafe Trabant.
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 90: The Return of Thinner
As a not-so-subtle hint my mom gave me a Thinner as a Christmas gift a few years ago but my weight still edged upwards until a combination of low energy levels and a brief unrelated illness prompted me to re-examine my eating habits this June (2009). At 6' 1" and 260 lbs I was fortunate to have a build such that the grossly excess weight was not evident to most that knew me. But now that I've lost 35 lbs and still losing (albeit more slowly) people have actually norticed and although I didn't start using the Thinner until this year and only after I'd lost the first 10 lbs or so - it's become a daily ritual (1x morning and 1x at night).
Mine appears to be remarkably consistent and accurate but I don't bother with the BMI body fat feature - I'm skeptical of how accurate that function could possibly be. What really matters to me is how I feel and the weight level, as it has dropped - has been correlated a reduction in my glucophage number and cholesterol levels (granted - in June I was put on medication for those but the drastic reductions would not have occurred from medication alone).
Like Ed I am now seeing greatly decelerating loss levels and it's frustrating. 260 to 240 was a cinch... 240 to 230 took much longer.... the next 5 lb reduction took 2X as long as the previous 10 lb loss.... and on it goes.
NY Steakhouse (not Keens or Lugers) Suggestions
Sparks has some interesting history if that would make for good conversational tidbits. If I recall correctly there were some famous made guys whacked there.
Does Burnt Toast Cause Cancer? Maybe
I was shocked to discover that I can actually make toast without any burnt, black or charred parts. That said... it's just as well that I don't drink alcohol anymore as burnt toast has long been a suggested antidote for hangovers.
Snapshots from Paris: Lobster Sandwiches and Goose Fat Fries at Spring
Tres cher indeed! At $35 for a lobster sandwich I think they can afford to bring the lobsters in from the coast and still have a tiny profit left over.
Where can I buy Stumptown or Blue Bottle beans?
Call Stumptown in Portland OR and ask for a referral to which cafes or retail establishments in NYC sell their beans. Their Brooklyn roastery officially opened a few weeks ago and I believe they have in excess of 20 wholesale accounts in NYC. I'm sure at least a few of those have beans for sale by the pound. 503-230-7797
Juustoleipä, an Excuse to Dip Cheese in Coffee
I like frying this cheese in thin slices in a non-stick pan. It comes out a lot like Halloumi but is less salty and can be cut into thinner slices. If you live near a Wegman's they should carry it.
Left Bank/Paris Cafes
I stayed in the Montparnasse area on my trip there in 2003. Apart from a light dinner our first night at a little crepe cafe around the corner from the hotel we ate all of our meals elsewhere. I had done advance research and our short list of dinner places had us in five different neighborhoods on five nights. The Metro system is incredibly efficient... reliable... and got us to within several blocks of every place we dined (with no more than one transfer for any of them). Don't let adjacency dictate your dining in Paris unless you have mobility issues that make Metro use difficult. It's the same advise I'd offer to someone visiting NYC and the Paris Metro is much easier to navigate than the MTA.
The 'Pizza Strip': Indigenous to Rhode Island
Who are they kidding? It's rectangular slices of tomato pie and most accounts all point to Utica NY as the place where that dish originated
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato_pie
Not to mention that it's also widely regarded as the birthplace of Utica Greens, Chicken Riggies and the Half-Moon cookie.
Frysmith, a Fry Truck Launching in Los Angeles
Aha - an upscale "garbage plate".
Baja Fresh Rips off Kogi Truck with 'Baja Kogi' Tacos
There you go - get your ducks in a row and file the trademark application when you have a good business concept and a catchy name. A late friend of mine launched a restaurant here in Syracuse about 25 years ago and named it Pastabilities - an allusion to their specialty of house made fresh pasta. Fast forward a few years and Bennigan's launched a section on their menu called "Bennigan's Pastabilities" - and rumor had it that if they met with success they would launch some "Bennigan's Pastabilities" restaurants.
It never came to pass but he was shocked to learn that he had no legal protection against their use of the name. He had a corporate name and had filed for a received a "dba" (doing business as) certificate for the city for that name but had no trademark protection.
Expresso vs Espresso: A pro-Expresso Rant
I always wear joolery when I drink my expresso and try to avoid drinking it near nuke-ya-ler plants so I won't glow in the dark when I'm done.
Seriously though... the origin of the word espresso is widely debated but the spelling and pronunciation are not.
I made Sofrito, now what.
Empanadas. Stuff them with some leftover beef, chicken or pork and whatever else is on hand. I used to peel the leftover stalks from broccoli, dice and saute them and add to the filling. Pan frying is good but they can be brushed with olive oil and baked.
Video: A Tribute to Superman Ice Cream
I still maintain that nothing - not even Superman - beats the ice cream flavor I enjoyed in my youth during our summer trips to Southern Ontario (Rideau Lakes area). If I recall correctly it was Neilson's (sp?) ice cream and the flavor was definitely called "Tiger Tail". IT was hard pack and consisted of a twist of orange sherbet, vanilla and black licorice ice cream. Think of a Creamsicle with licorice.... I get hungry now just writing about it.
Grilling: Buffalo Wings
Grilling and frying are not mutually exclusive. Here in Syracuse NY the arguments continue about which local joint started the practice (which may well have started elsewhere and been imported here) but "char grilled wings" and now all the rage. The wings are deep fried and dipped in sauce as per usual but then get a few minutes on the grill to finish. They are indeed deep fried wings but with a nice bit of char. Tasty.
Di Fara Raising Slice Prices to $5; Will Close Tuesdays in Addition to Mondays
I'm one of those guys who would happily pay $5 for a truly stellar slice (okay - maybe not happily but I would) ... but I wouldn't pay that much AND wait 45 minutes to an hour.
"dinner" vs "supper"
I grew up in the Northeast - raised by Northeastern parents. We always used the terms interchangeably and the mid-day meal was lunch. But we did have a neighbor who was raised in Kansas - and always called the mid-day meal dinner and the evening meal supper.
Di Fara Raising Slice Prices to $5; Will Close Tuesdays in Addition to Mondays
How much were the slices before the increase, do they include toppings and how big are they?
Reusing Marinade: Ick Factor vs. Why Not?
I freeze it to reuse for something or other later on and then just toss it out when I find it in my freezer a year or so later. ;-)
Is It a 'Plain' Slice, a 'Regular' Slice, or Something Else Entirely?
In slice joints I have always seen just "slice" as in "gimme a slice" or "cheese slice" when it's one of those places with about ten different types of pies available by the slice - in which case I'll ask for "just a cheese slice."
Anybody have a good Mofongo recipe?
Carmen Santos de Curran... self described as the "Rican Emeril"... has a many good recipe son her web site but it takes a bit of digging. The ricanrecipes.com search function brings up only the breadfruit version of Mofongo but browsing under the listings for bananas yields this:
http://www.ricanrecipes.com/recipes/detail.php?category_id=1&id=98
Egg in Toast: What Do You Call It?
"a man in a raft" if it's one egg or "two men in a raft" if you squeeze two eggs in.
good indian food
Spicy Mina in Queens by the edge of Jackson Heights. It's across from a subway station... is very small... and technically the food is Bangladeshi but for most of us in the US that is a category of Indian food.
Don't be in a hurry as every item including appetizers is made to order at the time it is ordered. But it's worth the wait. This place is fantastic - I mean truly fan -frickin-tastic.
Cash, credit, check, or other: How do you pay for food?
I have a "points" card and pay everything that I can conceivably pay with that one card - and pay it off either completely or mostly a few times each month. With an initial sign-up points bonus and the points I've since accrued in less than two years I have enough to get a round trip airline ticket to pretty much any destination in the world.
When I got the card the interest rate was competitive with every other card I researched. After the fiscal crisis began they bumped the rate up but it turns out that nearly all the banks have done that and it doesn't matter whether you pay on time and have a good credit score or not. It's been done across the board to squeeze more money from us.
"dinner" vs "supper"
I think it depends on what's served. We have "chicken dinner," "lasagna dinner," "steak dinner," "breakfast for dinner," "chili supper," spaghetti supper," "soup and salad supper." "Lasagna supper" just doesn't sound right.
"dinner" vs "supper"
I have lived in Missouri (St. Louis) all my life. We always called the second meal of the day "Lunch", and the last meal of the day, "Supper". Although Dinner and Supper could be used interchangeably My husband's family did the same thing.. I notice my older siblings are now calling it "dinner" when they invite us over. I have always used the word Supper unless we are going out to a formal meal, then I will call it Dinner.
We have always used the word soda. My uncle used to call it sodie.
Eat for Eight Bucks: Sesame Scallion Tofu
I made my italian variation of these tonight...I usually just crumble the tofu and pan fry it like Bittman suggests using as "ground meat". But tonight, I crumbled 3/4 of the block, food processed the remaining 1/4 of the block with two garlic cloves and mixed it all together with bread crumbs, arugula, italian seasoning, salt and red chili powder. Then pan fried like your recipe...Maybe my patties were thinner than yours, but I ended up with about patties. Delicious! Can't wait to try the Asian version.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
When I first moved to Seattle the coffee in some of the restaurants was so amazing I had to ask what it was and every single time it was Cafe Vita. Pricey beans but worth every penny.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
Stumptown on Capital Hill
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
It is Vivace's world and we are just living in it. I like the one on Broadway the best (sidewalk bar), but all are amazing.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
Even though Stumptown is from Portland, it is amazing and you should definitely seek them out. They have two locations on Capital Hill, both near some excellent restaurants and bars.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
I like Cafe Ladro for the espresso drinks and Cafe Vita (Queen City Blend) for the beans to take home.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
sailordave, you took the words right out of my mouth! I'd rather we had Dunkin' Donuts instead of Starbucks on every corner here.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
Vivace is the best in town, though there are many places mentioned here that are great as well. Just don't do the tourist thing and go to the first sbux in the pike place market. The coffee there is as shitty as it is in any sbux.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
Yes to Vivace!!! I'd only been to the one off of Broadway which has moved, I guess, but it's the highlight of any trip to WA for my hubs.
Where to find the best coffee in Seattle...
@phaelon56- thanks for the clarfication!
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 90: The Return of Thinner
Ed, we were totally in New Haven at the same time. Pepe's was out of clam pies by the time we got there though sadly.
Snapshots from Paris: Lobster Sandwiches and Goose Fat Fries at Spring
That lobster looks like it was poached with butter, "sous vide".
Egg in Toast: What Do You Call It?
A Hole in One!!!! My grandfather used to make these for me when I was a very little girl, visiting him in Lancaster, PA. He was not a golfer. He was first-generation American of Swedish descent, who had grown up in Salt Lake City, Utah.
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
This one is an absolute no brainer. I am a software programmer and fortunate enough to work for a company that allows me to work from home, I try my best to make a point of living in a different city every year, I pack light and go. I've gone from southern cali, mid-west to the east coast and NOTHING compares to the mexican food in San Diego! Travel just 60 miles up the coast to Los Angeles and the difference is night and day, doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same category. San Diego is on the border of Mexico, and the mexican food gets exponentially worse the farther you get from it. Ask anyone who has actually tried mexican food in mulitple cities, I will guarantee the same response, San Diego hands down. Anyone who calls them nachos instead of carne asada chips, or taquitos instead of rolled tacos can automatically be discredited in this discussion. Those of you who have lived in San Diego will know what I mean.
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
So I didn't see the last post, and I haven't read all the comments, but it's a topic that depends on the situation, imo. If it was a large group of people, I would ask again, because that does eat up a lot of one waitress's time. I dined at a nice little place with a friend a few months back, and it was my second time there (pretty sure the waiters recognized me). I had tipped well the first time, as it was a great experience, and the second time, my friend and I completely miscalculated the tip. My waiter came back around and asked us if everything was ok. It was a bit awkward, but I'm glad he did ask, because he deserved more than the $3 we had somehow managed to leave.
NY Steakhouse (not Keens or Lugers) Suggestions
I can't believe no one's said Craftsteak. Did it burn down or something?
Served: Why Tipping Makes Everyone Uncomfortable
I think the whole idea of tipping is ridiculous: do you tip the toll collector for taking your money? Do you tip the gas man for reading your meter? Do you tip your IT guy for fixing your computer? Of course not. Now, obviously, they don't live on tips. GUESS WHAT: NEITHER SHOULD WAITERS! How insane is it that a customer has to pay basically twice: for the food and for the service? Can you imagine if we had to tip UPS person for delivering the package to your house? Here's another tidbit: are the dishes heavier at T.G.I. Fridays than they are in a fancy steakhouse with $100+ dishes? Where do you come off with a sense of entitlement to a $20 tip just because the food was $100, whereas at Fridays a $20 plate would only get a $4 tip? If restaurant you work at charges that much for food, let them pay you! Enough is enough!
The 'Pizza Strip': Indigenous to Rhode Island
While in college, I had the glorious opportunity to eat the single BEST pizza I have ever eaten, and I mean I eat the whole thing, and thats a sheet pan pizza (you calling it pizza strip?) at Caserta's.
I don't know how they make this thing, but it is a PERFECT blend of crust, sauce and cheese. Its one of the best foods I have EVER eaten, ANYWHERE in the usa.
Pinche Taqueria: A Fish Taco Throwdown Becomes a Smackdown
@ralaw: Yes, it is a "bad word". But in the RAE has 3 definitions.
http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltObtenerHtml?origen=RAE&LEMA=pinche&SUPIND=0&CAREXT=10000&NEDIC=No
Baking with Dorie: Daniel Boulud’s Coffee-Cardamom Pots de Crème
i just made these over the weekend. SO DELICIOUS! i made two changes: (1) no plastic wrap and (2) i used 3 oz ramekins. they turned out great - although i had some trouble recognizing that they were done!
@ carolyn - i think maybe the milk/cream cooks down some while on the stove. that is how i interpreted what was going on with that extra cup of cream - use it only if you need it. i did not.
i would definitely make this again. i paired it with another recipe from this site: "sicilian pistachio bars". those were also awesome. i cut the bars into long strips and placed them across the top of the ramekins.
Does Activia Yogurt Offer Any Health Benefits?
I've made a yogurt drink for breakfast five days a week for 30+ years (nonfat plain blended with fruit juice & fresh fruit such as OJ, banana & cinnamon). No digestive problems. As a woman in her mid 60s, there's a great side benefit...no loss of bone mass with age. I looked at Activia and realized the high sugar content would add 26,000 calories to my diet which translates to 7+ pounds with no added benefit. And it costs more than other yogurts. I believe yogurt is a beneficial dietary food for most anyone not lactose intolerant. Whether the Activia additive makes a difference, only you can decide.
Does Burnt Toast Cause Cancer? Maybe
This sucks. I love a lot of things burned and well done....
damn.
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Meat Lite: Tortilla Espanola con Chorizo
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About phaelon56
Website: http://stores.ebay.com/Phaelon-Coffee
Location: Syracuse NY
About: High Tech Sales Engineer by day - coffee roaster by night. Love espresso, coffee, cooking, exploring new ethnic foods (new to me), reading and - best of all - combing those loves with adventure travel.
Favorite foods: Creme brulee, almond butter crunch, smoked pork ribs, paella, sweet corn.
Last bite on earth: Haven't decided yet - my life is only half over.
I didn't try the slaw but did try the tofu-scallion-sesame burgers this weekend. They were very dry and apart from the taste of the seaweed and just a hint of sesame - very bland. perhaps with some serious modification this would be a good recipe but if you're looking for plenty of flavor and character you may find this recipe very lacking.