Tonight's Episode: The Most Interesting Appetizer in Scotland

My mother was from Scotland, born and raised. This gave me an insider's knowledge of the two main culinary achievements from the land of William Wallace and the Loch Ness Monster: batter and fry it or shove it in a sheep gut and boil it. The former being such delicacies as deep fried Mars bars, deep fried pizza, and deep fried kababs (all real things). The later is, of course, the dreaded haggis.

If you are somehow unaware of haggis, it is a savory pudding (fairly close to a sausage) that starts with sheep heart, lung, and liver. These are then minced with oatmeal, suet, and spices, loaded into a sheep stomach, boiled, sliced, then fried. If you are now wondering why this is even a thing, I refer you to Charlie from So I Married an Axe Murderer: "Most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare."

I'm actually a defender of haggis, the national dish of Scotland, and it is having something of a moment. It is rare to find a high end restaurant in Scotland that doesn't have an artisan farm-to-table haggis on the menu. This brings us to the single most interesting appetizer in all of Scotland, the Haggis Italiano from La Vita Pizzeria, Glasgow.

The base is a perfectly toasted crostini of homemade Italian bread. The haggis is then perfectly grilled, topped with an over easy fried egg, peppery arugula, and an aged balsamic drizzle. The richness of the egg gives a much needed moisture to the haggis, the crostini adds great texture, the arugula's peppery bite and freshness cuts through the heaviness, and the sweet balsamic mutes the minerality of the pudding.

I'm not sure what madman decided a marriage between Italian flavors and.....haggis....would work, but boy does it ever work. This isn't the only dish at La Vita that plays with Scottish-Italian fusion. There is a haggis carbonara, a black pudding linguine, even a black pudding pizza! But it is this simple, perfect little appetizer that not only sets the mood for the menu but shows you that haggis isn't only for a lost dare.


La Vita Pizzaria, George Square, Glasgow

Recipe: Mushroom and Barley Risotto

Some days you just want a decadent, luscious risotto. You can either put on pants and head to that fancy Italian restaurant and spend $30 on a plate, or you could make it yourself and wonder why the rice is still more crunchy than al dente. But wait. What if there was one simple (and incredibly cheap) substitution you could make to ensure you can have a luxurious risotto without the temperamental rice? Well, I guess since you read the title of the recipe you already know the answer is dried barley. It is far more forgiving than rice, you don't need to hit that perfect sweet spot of doneness. If you walk away and it dries up, just add more stock. So invest that $1 in a bag of barley, and treat yourself to an umptious bowl of happiness.

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup butter 3 cups vegetable stock 1/2 yellow onion, diced 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 dry white wine 2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 sage leaves, chopped 1/2 cup barley Shaved Parmesan cheese to taste
Black Hawaiian Sea Salt (optional)

STEPS:
1.) In a deep-sided, large pan melt the butter on medium low heat. In a separate sauce pan bring the stock to a simmer and keep on low. 2.) Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic to the butter pan and cook until soft, 5-8 minutes. 3.) Stir in sage and barley. Cook for one minute.
4.) Add wine, stir. 5.) Add one cup of stock, and simmer until liquid is absorbed. 6.) Continue adding stock 1/4 cup at a time, allowing each amount of liquid to absorb before adding more, stirring occasionally. 6.) Continue until all the stock is used and barley is done cooking, 30-35 minutes.
7.) Top with fresh shaved parmesan and black sea salt, if desired.

OPTIONAL:
Some of my favorite meat options to top this risotto include:

Sage butter beef tenderloin
Rosemary grilled pork tenderloin
Seared wild boar (No, seriously, this is the way to go.)

South Seattle Spotlight: Wicked Chopstix

Today I want to launch a new feature, one that I have been contemplating since moving to our current home in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle. South Seattle Spotlight will feature the dishes from the restaurants on the south side of the city that really speak to my heart. So much is written about the restaurants of Ballard, Fremont, Capital Hill, and the Downtown core, but head just a bit south and you find a bounty of diverse restaurants fully deserving of acclaim.

First up is a relative newcomer to the Othello neighborhood, Wicked Chopstix. Located on MLK Blvd in the heart of one of America's most diverse zip codes, this modern minimalist restaurant is a bastion for the cuisine of the northern Vietnamese port city of Hai Phong. The single sheet menu is packed with tasty classics such as Bánh Bao Bà Chi (classic pork steam buns), Com Gà Thap Cám (Chicken clay pot), and the dish that won the heart of a President, Bún Chà Obama (Obama Noodles).

Now all of these are amazing and should be enough for a stop, but they aren't what I keep coming back for. For me it's all about the Phó, and specifically the Phó Tai. I know, how boring, everyone has a good Phó...but trust me this one finds a way to elevate above the rest. To most people Phó Tai is the entry level. Sliced rare tenderloin beef is considered the least exotic meat option for this Vietnamese staple. To me, however, it's the perfect protein vehicle to move the stunningly deep and complex broth from the bowl to my mouth. The abundant delicate slices of meat cook quickly in the broth, and the aromatic punch is mouthwatering. The broth itself has a beautiful earthy bottom with strong notes of star anise and charred onion, and a light sweetness that rounds it out. There is a familiarity to the taste, something I can't put my finger on, that seems so comforting and safe. As the days get darker and wetter, nothing in Seattle warms me up or soothes my cold better. And that is why I keep coming back.

Tonight's Episode: A Shuckin' Good Time

So just before the start of the summer season we took a road trip out toward Long Beach, as one does in Washington. Passing through tiny South Bend we saw a little shack looking out on the Willapa River with the magic word OYSTER. Well, of course we stopped in! Boy was that a good decision. Perfectly located near the Washington summer hotspot (or the Oregon coast if you are planning to spend a week there and write about it in an upcoming post), we popped a couple of local craft beers, took in the view, and enjoyed a lazy lunch in a town most people don't even realize they drove through.

Only open for three days at this point, Oyster Bay Seafood Restaurant has the benefit of being located in the heart of the best oyster beds in America. Owners Dan 'The Man' Lindt and Shane Moncy aim to wow with stunning views, a relaxed setting, and the freshest local ingredients.

Now if you don't know about Willapa oysters, you should realize these are hands down the best you've probably never had. They don't ship well, which is sad considering their sweet light brine flavor. Make sure you grab a dozen or so to tide you over until your sandwich arrives.

The sandwiches (or Po Boys) may not be the initial draw of this oyster shack but they are the reason you will be back. Starting with the chipotle-lime chicken ($9) and the similarly spiced shrimp ($12), you have wonderfully cooked, bright and beautiful sandwiches stuffed to almost excess. That may be the only complaint I have with the po'boys, that they might actually be TOO big. If value is your biggest concern then rest assured you get your money's with these massive sandwiches.

The heftiest two po'boys are the super stuffed Tsunami crab melt ($14) and the 3 day marinated pulled pork ($10). The crab melt is big on flavor, and big on crab meat. If this sandwich was on the menu in Portland or Seattle it would top $20 easily, and frankly I would order this to share. The pulled pork has a beautiful flavor and is topped with a crisp and bright slaw that enhances the house made bbq sauce flavor.

The large outdoor dining space overlooking the Willapa River is a communal space that encourages you to get to know your fellow dinners. This relaxed neighborly atmosphere really drives home a sense of authenticity in a seafood shack that feels like it has always been there. Amazing food, treated simply and with respect, in an amazing setting, by good people should alway be a win. Especially when your only complaint is "the sandwiches are too big." 

Tonight's Episode: 2017 wasn't THAT bad

As 2017 comes to a close, it is natural to look back at what was great about the year that was. While I haven't kept up with the blog like I once did, (and I promise to fix that in 2018) we did have quite a few adventures this year. Trips to Canada, England, Denmark, Sweden, Boston, and Charleston filled the calendar. Further explorations of our new home state of Washington has us even more in love with the Pacific Northwest. We are both optimistic for the future and what it holds for us. For followers of the blog, the future includes a recap of the best Loco Moco in Western Washington, a Seattle Pizza crawl, and an attempt to find the PERFECT Instant Pot recipe. But for now here are a few of our favorite things from 2017.

Best Dessert: Creme Brûlée Donut (Copenhagen Street Food)

I thought about just mentioning Copenhagen Street Food as the single best atmosphere of the year. Located just across the canal from the historic Nyhaven, Copenhagen Street Food is a collective of food carts that run the gamut from Brazilian to Thai and everything in between, with a large stage, flowing beer, and picturesque views. The highlight, though, is the creme brûlée donut. Bavarian cream sugared donut, rolled in more sugar, torched, and topped with vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce. This is the donut that dreams are made of.

Best Bagel: Salt Bagel with Bacon Scallion Spread (Davis Square Donuts)

On my recent trip to Boston to visit my best friend Summer, I fell in love, and I fell hard. I had the salt bagel at Davis Square donuts EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING. The huge flakes of salt, perfectly crisp exterior, fluffy interior, and the cool creamy spread.....all this alone is worth the price of a flight to Boston.

Best Danish Souvenir: A little wooden wiener (Kay Bojesen)

Kay Bojesen was one of the fathers of Modern Danish Design, and his monkey is an absolute icon. It is the Dachshund that takes high marks from us, though. Whimsical, adorable, and elegant, this little hound is the perfect reminder of days roaming about Copenhagen.

Best Seattle Tourist Activity: Get Your Chihuly On (Rainier Glass Studio)

When you live in Seattle people like to visit. When people visit, you do tourist activities. When you do tourist activities, you get burnt out on the Space Needle RULL quick. Our new go-to is glass blowing at Rainier Glass Studio in Georgetown. A hands-on activity that lets your guests take home a souvenir they made that invokes the beauty of the Dale Chihuly Gallery.

Best Book: The Cooking Gene (Michael Twitty)

If you follow me on Twitter than you already know my unabashed love of Food Historian, old ways activist, and all around amazing human Michael Twitty (@KosherSoul). In his debut book The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South, Michael takes us along the beautiful and painful path many of today's hottest culinary trends took from slave quarters to the James Beard House. This personal memoir is touchingly honest and leaves me recommitted to the idea that the pain and hurt and injustice of centuries can't be healed over a single meal, but the dinner table is a great place to start.

Best Museum with an Entire Wooden War Ship: Vasa Museum Stockholm 

On August 10, 1628, the shores of Stockholm were lined with citizens ready to cheer their newest and grandest warship as it set sail. The Vasa, sporting intricate design work and two decks of cannon slipped its moorage and grandly exited the harbor. Less than an hour later it sat on the ocean floor entombed for the next three hundred years. Raised intact and now in one of the most interesting museums on the planet, the Vasa is a testament to an age of emerging military technology, beauty, and utter hubris.

Best Street Food: Any Hot Dog Stand in Denmark

As far as I can tell, you are never more than a five minute walk from a hot dog stand in Denmark. Omnipresent throughout Copenhagen, these bastions of cheap eats provide not only a cost effective but extremely tasty meal almost any time of day. My suggestion is to go with the classic Ristet: a grilled dog with mustard, ketchup, hot dog sauce (a mayo/remoulade), grilled and fried onions, and pickles.

Best Museum Exhibit: The Danish Chair (Danish Design Museum) 

An entire hallway of chairs. Chairs from many ages. Chairs from many designers. Chairs that speak to ethics and philosophy. You won't understand why this exhibit is so powerful until you see it for yourself.

Best Place to Drink: Finn River Cider Garden (Finn River Cidery)

Think of what you love about a rural Beer Garden. A music stage, communal seating, amazing food, relaxed family atmosphere. Now instead of beer, substitute Cranberry Rosehip Cider or maybe Lavender Black Currant. Finn River, located just outside the quaint Victorian harbor of Port Townsend, has found a way to make the wonderful beer garden concept an upgrade.

Best Curry for Someone who Hates Curry: Chicken Korma (Himalayan Cafe)

This Renton, WA gem has made a world of difference in my life. Being a true Scot, I LOVE curry. Scottish cuisine is equal parts fried mystery meat and curry. Unfortunately not everyone loves, or even tolerates, Indian food, including The Girl. In comes Himalayan Cafe with its Nepalese takes on Indian classics. There is something about the spice melange that is warming and comforting and accessible that just doesn't seem to be the case for traditional Indian. So skip the meatballs at IKEA and head across the street for the Korma. The Girl is finally eating curry!


Those were just a few of our favorite things of 2017. Every year, no matter how exhausting or draining, is full of little moments of wonder and beauty. These are the moments that matter, the ones you should never let go. I know 2018 will be full of many such moments that I hope to share with you. If you have a moment, a meal, a activity that brought you a moment of pure joy in 2017, please share in the comments. I love you all and wish you a Happy New Year!