The Food Giraffe's Guide to Eating

Twirling, Twirling, Twirling With My Kids

2010-10-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

Well it was a long wait but it was worth it! The Food Giraffe was onsite for the grand opening of Twirl Cafe and has returned several times since. My son loves to climb around the giant treehouse, play in the open gym, eat apple chips and cheese quesadillas. I am a particular fan of their espresso and lattés (they use beans from Zoka) and "The Howe" sandwich. If you have kids this is the place to go! My wife and I are eagerly looking forward to attending a class or two, pumpkin painting anyone? -check out their activities calendar!

According to Becky Pelletier, Twirl's owner and creator, "Twirl's grand opening was a huge success." She also commented that "[she] really appreciated the encouragement and support from the community." and looks forward to "serving moms, dads, and their kiddos in the years to come."

Woah where did the time go?

2010-09-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well baby Food Giraffe 2 is now 2 months old- just about the exact amount of time from my last post, go figure? Well now that a somewhat steady sleep schedule has been achieved and some quirks of my new house have been worked out, there will be some new updates on my blog. Perhaps I will start it all off with reviews of my recent trip to Portland, OR, and a new local family friendly cafe, Twirl Café, opening in a week. In the meantime, thanks for all of the emails asking if this blog was going to continue and most of all your patience.

Super Mega Food Giraffe Update

2010-07-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Baby Food Giraffe 2 incoming!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Broadway,Seattle,United States

Buy Local! - Seattle's Farmers' Markets in Full Swing!

2010-06-16T23:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I managed to get a post in. Needless to say this Giraffe is busy, getting a new house, and prepping the herd for the arrival of another baby giraffe. Oh did I mention the World Cup started?

Well as far as food goes, it's a great time in Seattle and for many cities in the country- Farmers Markets have come out of winter hibernation. For so many reasons I look forward to this time of year. Not least of which is the warmer, dryer weather, and the appearance of local food producers just a few minutes from home.

I am naturally drawn to my local scene and here on Queen Anne the market is full of great stuff. The giant pig truck Maximus and Minimus is back, Cafe Veracci with it's really hot and mobile pizza oven is here, and several others including a great little Argentinian outfit with empinadas my two-and-a-half year old goes nuts for. Notably lacking from the market, due to seasonality and uncharacteristically cold weather is fresh produce, but I'm sure it will begin appearing as soon as the weather and seasons permits. On a side note I'm eager to pick up some fresh, brined at sea, ikura from a local fisherman now at the market and get some proper-brittish bacon from Proper Brittish Bacon (last time they were sold out and I had to settle for some awesome nitrate-free American bacon.) The Food Giraffe says get to your local farmer's market!

Public Service Announcement: Queen Anne Farmer's Market

2010-05-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

Just a little FYI, the Queen Anne Farmer's Market start tomorrow! That's right Thursday, May 20, 2010 on the corner of Queen Anne Ave and W. Crocket St. from 3 to 7 PM. For more information check out the QAFMA website.

Highlights include great local food producers, a mobile knife sharpening truck, music and entertainment, and excellent on location eats. Food Giraffe can't wait and looks forward to seeing you there!

Copper River Salmon Time!!!

2010-05-15T11:09:00.001-07:00

Oh baby it's that time of the year again- A very good time of year! Just got a call from my local source, Wild Salmon and Seafood Market (http://wildsalmonseafood.com/) here on Queen Anne, and my fishbhas come in. On my way to pick it up now! Don't miss out jump on the chance to grab some ofthis tastiness while it's available!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Seattle,United States

Food Giraffe's Recipe O'the Month

2010-04-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Chili! Food Giraffe Loves Chili! I'm going to release a family secret...The Food Giraffe Family Chili Recipe. It's a amazingly delicious- ground beef, onion, chili powder, tomatoes and kidney beans all living in a giant pot in perfect harmony. Oh yes... Food Giraffe's chili is good enough to eat by itself in large quantities or added to scrambled egg for breakfast, on the top of hot dogs for lunch, or solo again for a midnight snack! By the way it's also won every chili competition it's ever entered. Yeah...bring it on! :-)

Ingredients:

Meat

2 ½ lbs. Ground Chuck

Veggies

2 cups Onion chopped

3 cloves Garlic chopped

1 Green Pepper chopped*

*For Spicy Chili replace Green Pepper with the following:

2 Habanero Peppers

1 Anaheim Pepper

1 Poblano Pepper

Canned

2lbs. Whole Tomatoes (un-drained)

16 oz. Tomato Sauce

6 oz. Tomato Paste

1 can Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)

Dry

1 ½ tsp. Cumin

1 Tbl. Sugar

3 Tbl. Chili Powder

2 tsp. Salt

1 ½ tsp. Dried Oregano

1 tsp. Dried Basil Leaves

¼ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

1 Bay Leaf

Recommended Condiments:
Avocado
Lime
Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Instructions:
Step 1 - Meat!!!
Sauté beef over medium heat. When cooked, drain fat as best as possible.
Step 2 - Taking a trip to flavor country
Add onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder, oregano, basil, cumin, and red pepper. Mix well and cook until onion and green pepper are tender.
Step 3 - The Red Stuff
Stir in sugar, salt, tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce.
Step 4 - Busta Tomater
Bring to a boil, stir and break up the tomatoes with a fork.
Step 5 - Let it congeal
Reduce heat slowly to a simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened and flavors are blended (~40 minutes.)
Step 6 - Get ready to eat!
Add beans, simmer, covered for 10 minutes and serve. Add your favorite toppings, might I suggest my personal favorite hot sauce Ass-Kickin' Hot Sauce.

A Fresh New Look?

2010-03-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've made some formatting changes to the blog. I'd love your feedback regarding formatting and layout, as well as any suggestions for content and articles.

Rumor has it...

2010-03-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

That a new kid friendly cafe will be opening on Queen Anne sometime soon. As this Food Giraffe is sworn to secrecy on the details, I can only say that the cafe will feature an interactive environment for kids to play, while their parents enjoy high quality food and beverages! When more information comes to light, I'll be sure to pass it on. Stay tuned...

Wooly Pigs!

2010-03-16T16:44:00.001-07:00

A few posts back, Food Giraffe talked about Wooly Pigs, an amazing purveyor of some of the best pork in the world. Restaurants like "The French Laundry" and Seattle's own "The Herb Farm" are frequent purchasers. What you may not have known is that Wooly Pigs sell directly to the public every Saturday at the University District Farmers Market. While it may be pricey, it's totally worth it. I plan on making a visit to the market this weekend to purchase some bacon for a special Sunday morning breakfast treat! If I were Bill Gates, I'd eat bacon from this place everyday...

For more information on Wooly Pigs, check out their website (link above) and their blog to see just what makes these pigs so incredible.

Public Service Announcement: Osteria La Spiga Contest

2010-03-05T23:59:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Seattle restaurants, Osteria La Spiga is holding a Spring Recipe Competition. Details are as follows:

"Amateur cooks of any age may enter the Italian recipe contest. Recipes must incorporate spring ingredients and have six ingredients or less, excluding oils, vinegars, seasonings and garnishes. Recipe directions should be written simply and include the number of servings. Recipes will be judged on how well they represent authentic Italian cuisine, originality, flavor combinations and scalability for restaurant service."

Submissions should be sent to contest@laspiga.com and should include the recipe itself, a brief description, and history/inspiration for your creation. The deadline for submissions is March 23rd. Good luck Giraffes!

Kitchen Essentials Vol. 1 - Cast Iron Pans

2010-02-19T22:10:00.002-08:00

If you ever walked into a cooking store, you've probably asked the question, "Do I need this?" Well before spending your hard-earned dough why not ask the Food Giraffe? Such were the questions emailed to me and to which I gladly reply. In doing so I thought, "Hey you long-necked dummy why not write a quick post about kitchen must-haves?" Yeah it's a pretty good idea isn't it? -you don't have to write and tell me how smart I am, the Food Giraffe already knows!

So here it is, someone asked me: "Do I need Cast Iron Pan?" Answer: YES, yes you do. Cast iron pans are incredible, they distribute heat evenly, are amazingly versatile, durable, naturally non-stick, and healthy to boot. You can use on the stove top, in the oven, on the grill, even on a campfire. You can use them to cook pretty much everywhere but a microwave oven.

You will never have better bacon and eggs than those you make in a cast iron skillet in the morning, I absolutely guarantee it. Not to mention you can heat it to absurd temperatures for searing steaks, make frittatas, and chicago-style pizza.

Cast-Iron Pans. Get one.

Food Giraffe Stays Sharp...

2010-01-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

No doubt a good set of knives is the most basic and most important tool of any chef. Many people often ask me what my favorites are, or what I would recommend. This question is difficult to answer because a chef's choice of knives can be a very personal. What one person loves about a knife can be there very thing another disdains. A chef's knives are a reflection of one's own sensibilities and style. They are for more than a mere piece of steel with a sharp edge, but an extension of a one's arm, wrist, hand, and fingers that transform food and bring form.

So does the Food Giraffe have a favorite or did I just dance around the queation with pretty prose? Yes I do have a favorite, and I shall reveal it shortly. First though I'd like to say that I have been fortunate to use many brands of knives over the years ranging from high-carbon German steel, folded Japanese steel that's more like a Samurai's blade, super sharp ceramic knives, and super-hard stainless steel, each with their pluses and minuses. When looking to buy a knife it's important to consider a few factors. For me balance is most important, sheer weight is also important, as well as grip fit, overall size, and blade shape. Any decent knife will be full-tang, meaning the metal that makes up the blade will continue all the way through the handle. Never buy a knife with micro-serations- ie the infamous ginsu and miracle blades. They just tear the food and defeat the point of "cutting" through the food. With all those things in mind, my preferences fall to the German Henkel 4 Star Series, to which I own complete set. That's not to say I'd recommend them to everyone. Wustof are wonderful, Shun exquisite, Kyocera ceramics totally cool, Globals fantastic, and even Cutco can fill the requirements of many. It all comes down to preference. For me the Henkels I use balance well in my hand and fit my grip. My only complaint is that the 8" chef knife blade I find to be slightly to thick near the grip end. To my great enjoyment however, the Henkel 8" Santoku with hollow-edge doesn't widen through the tang and is just about everything I could want and more.

Remember this, buying a good knife or knife can be a wonderful experience, akin to a craftsman buying power tools. Each style of knife has a purpose and function and each person has a particular set of preferences and criteria. So when you begin your shopping take some time to do some research, ask questions of the sales people in the shops, and maybe even borrow a friends knife to prep a meal or two. Don't be afraid to spend a little money either, because once you find the right one you have a friend for life!

Is There Anything Better Than...

2010-01-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

That first smell of coffee in the morning? It's one of this small secret joys of mine. Cafe Umbria Frenh Roast- floral, rich, a touch of citrus, superbly balanced... Snifffff. Then the ritual of prepping, perhaps a spot of cream, maybe some sugar? Notthis time, today I'll drink it sans accoutrement. Ahhhhhh-la vite e belleLife is good. Food Giraffe loves his coffee!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T22:29:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone and Happy New Year! 2009 has come and gone. Hello to 2010! This year the Food Giraffe is hoping for great things! And to kick off this year right I'm going to catch up on my posts. The holiday season pretty much took over my life from Thanksgiving to my wife's birthday to Christmas to New Years and until now I haven't had a moments time to even think about blogging. Honestly though, it's been slow on the food front for me this last month so it was probably for the best. In any event I plan on throwing up a new recipe in the next few days so that should kick start me back into gear. Maybe something healthy for all of those New Years Resolutions?

Food Giraffe's Recipe O'the Month

2009-12-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

Bonjourno mi amici! Are you hungry? This month's recipe is straight from mama italiana's classica cookbook Osso Bucco! Osso Bucco, roughly translated "around the bone", is a delicious preparation of veal shank. The shanks are first browned and then simmered in a rustic tomato sauce until the meat falls the bone. Traditionally served with Gremolata, an accompaniment to the sweet marrow is made from parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, Osso Bucco is so good because it is simple and utilitarian by nature.

Ingredients:

For Osso Bucco:

4 Veal Shanks 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" thick

2 Carrots - Peeled and Finely Diced

2 Ribs of Celery - Finely Diced

1 Medium Onion - Finely Diced

6 Whole Roma Tomatoes - skinned (or 1 32oz can of stewed roma tomatoes)

1 Tbsp of Tomato Paste

1 Clove of Garlic - Finely chopped

1 Cup of dry White Wine (Pinto Grigio preferred)

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1 Tbsp of Lemon Zest

1/8 Cup of Chopped Parsley

1/2 of Flour

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil for cooking

Salt and Pepper - TT

For Gremolata:

2-3 Garlic Cloves - Minced

1/4 Cup of Italian Parsley - Finely Chopped

2 Tbsp of Lemon Zest

1 tsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper - TT

Instructions:

Step 1: Brown the Shanks

Season Flour with Salt and Pepper in a small bowl. Pat dry veal shanks and dredge in the seasoned flour. Add 2-3 Tbsp of Olive Oil to a hot saute pan. Add shanks and brown on each side, approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove shanks from pan.

Step 2: Get your yum on...

Reduce heat to medium and add the carrot, celery, and onion to the pan. Saute until onion is translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with wine and scrape bottom of pan. Reduce by 1/2. Add tomatoes and reduce heat.

Step 3: Time to wait...

Reduce heat to low, bring mixture to a low simmer. Return the veal shanks to the pan and cover with a tight lid. Cook 1-3 hours on low until the meat is fork tender and pulls away from the bone easily. Add Lemon Zest and Parsley. In the mean time prep the Gremolata.

Step 3.5: Prep the Gremolata

Yep you chopped it all up, mix it all together...that's about it ha!

Step 4: Eat it up

Make some risotto, or find some crusty bread or ciabatta to soak up the sauce. Throw it all on the plate, spoon on some sauce, toss a little gremoloata on the top, garnish with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!

Creole Anyone?

2009-12-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

The owners of Peso's Kitchen and Lounge at the bottom of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle have opened a new restaurant with a creole-cajun flair, Toulouse Petit Restaurant and Lounge. Awesome- I love creole, I love cajun, I love French. Gimme some gumbo mon cher! I am plan on hitting this place this weekend or early next week, yeah yeah I know I'm running late, but that what's happen when you have a prego giraffe and baby giraffe. Anywho, I was wondering if any of my fellow Giraffe's have made it here yet and what their impressions are? Is it worth the trip? I have high hopes considering my affinity for Peso's. Let me know what you think!

Holiday Fruitcake? Nope- Holiday Fruit!

2009-12-02T23:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays! Yes it’s December. Yes it’s that time of year again. And Yes, I still haven’t found a good Fruitcake recipe. Okay, no more talk about fruitcake. Let's get to the good stuff, namely three of my favorite fruits: Satsuma, Asian pears, and Pomegranates! You’ll see them in the grocery store, in local markets, and on restaurants menus. Don’t miss out.

Satsuma are the perfect citrusy snack on a cold day, try to peel it in one deft move! Asian pears are delicious, more akin to the texture and flavor of a Golden Delicious Apple than a Bosc or Anjou Pear. Pomegranates are one the Food Giraffe’s absolute-all-time-favorite fruits. Extracting the seeds is so much fun and satisfying, like plucking an annoying sliver in your finger. Put them in a bowl and eat them like popcorn. They taste exquisite and they burst in your mouth like little juicy water balloons- sweet, tasty, tangy, water balloons.

If you are intimidated with dissecting a pomegranate, I assure it’s easy and not much can go wrong. Simply slice of the a bit of the top, look for the white pithy lines that section the seeds, make a shallow cut until you can grab with your fingers, and tear the rest apart. Jostle the seeds free with your fingers and enjoy!

(About the only thing that can go wrong is some pomegranate juice splattering. I made the mistake of wearing a new white shirt only to find some lovely red spots when I looked in the mirror. Fortunately a little “Wine Away” and a wash took care of it.)

On Thanksgiving, Simplicity is Best!

2009-11-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Of all the American Holidays, no holiday is more focused on a meal than Thanksgiving. In the Food Giraffe's opinion the meal and the holdiay are one in the same, ie. the holiday is the meal. And when it comes to the meal, on Thanksgiving, simplicity is best!

As I gaze at the holiday menus of so many food magazines I can't help to notice that complexity has squirmed its way into popular media. For example, can one really expect to make a scratch hollindaise to cover your blanched and sauteed asparagus, between prepping the oyster mushroom, preserved lemon, and pinenut stuffing, and orange zest and Absolut Citron Cranberry? Heck No!

Keeping it basic, will not only make the holiday simpler, it will give your family and guests exactly what they are looking for: True Comfort Food. On Thanksgiving, nothing is better than a carefully roasted turkey, lots of stuffing, mash potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce- in both fresh and can forms, and lots and lots and lots of turkey gravy! Don't get too fancy and don't try anything new, on this day tradition rules. Eat a lot, get a food coma, watch some football, and cheesy holiday specials on TV and just enjoy.

Chicken Wings- What's the Mystery?

2009-11-15T17:13:00.001-08:00

Let's start here: They are called "chicken wings" or just "wings." They are not "buffalo wings," "spicy wings," "hot wings," or any other paltry name. They are deep fried, they are never breaded, dredged in flour, or baked. They are covered in a deliciously vinegary-spicy-buttery coating (hopefully made from Frank's Red Hot) just after being pulled out of the hot bubbling grease. They are never covered in BBQ sauce- spicy or not, soy sauce, citrus juices, jerk spices, or any other sloppery. They are served with carrot and celery sticks and Bleu Cheese dressing; not Ranch. They are not healthy, they are not good for you, but they taste incredible. They should arrive straming hot still dripping and stewing in sauce. The wafting vapors should sting your eyes slightly, perhaps bring about a tear or two. At first taste, the sauce should at once assault your tongue with spiciness, acidity, and a hint of butter and cayenne. Their texture should be crispy and then yield to moist delicious tidbits of chicken meat within. The corner of your lips should sting ever so slightly and your tongue long for another bite to keep the heat at bay. All these things a chicken wing should be, nothing more nothing less. Sure you can call me a snob, but I'd prefer in this case to be called a "purist." Keep it simple and don't be creative. Why mess with perfection?

On a recent trip back to Buffalo, my childhood home, a good friend of the Food Giraffe, I'll call him- well Ryan- struck up an incredible conversation regarding the mystery of why one can not find a good chicken wing outside the greater-Buffalo area? Certainly it's attempted, most franchise pizza places try, and subsequently fail to deliver. Consequently wings are relegated to the sidelines by most as a snack, appetizer, or pizza accompaniment...let's get one thing straight, wings while amazing at these supporting roles can truly be elevated to the spotlight, the big show, the main course.

Ryan brought that point home when he prepared 200 wings for 15 or so coworkers in Los Angeles one afternoon. Initially he was ordered to make 50 total, that's just over 3 a person. Ryan kept the faith and decided to make some non-believers see the light. He stuck to the tried and true formula, people were amazed. All 200 wings consumed with gusto and delight faster than he expected. Ahh more converts brought to see the light.

For those of you reading this at home, make some wings for dinner. Buy some "flats" and "drumsticks" at your local grocer, melt some butter, mix in copious amounts of Frank's Red Hot, toss and serve. You won't be disappointed. For any restaurant establishments out there, get hip to what I'm saying. For heaven's sake the Food Giraffe shouldn't have to take his herd all the way to Buffalo to eat a decent wing out on the town.

It’s Twilight for Forks, WA, Restaurant Name

2009-11-11T22:18:00.001-08:00

The Food Giraffe and his herd just happen to be fans of a little-known book and movie series called “Twilight.” Surfing the web last night it’s no wonder that this article caught my eye. Basically it’s a little tidbit about a naming complication for a restaurant in Forks, Washington – the primary setting of the Twilight series, and a delicious, Food Giraffe favorite Seattle-based restaurant - Volterra. Needless to say, like the book series, things work out in the end.

Food Giraffe's Recipe O'the Month

2009-11-07T22:21:00.000-08:00

A recurring Fall favorite among the Food Giraffe's home, and one of the few ways I can get vegetables into my son's stomach- Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce. It's nothing fancy, but you can't beat the subtle sweet flavor of the roasted squash and that fact that its so simple to make. I hope you enjoy.

ps. this is a great recipe for all of you carb-free fanatics.

Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash, halved lengthwise and cleaned
Olive Oil
S&P
4-5 Vine Riped Tomatoes, coursely chopped
3/4 Shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp of Italian Parsely, chopped
2 Tbsp of Basil, chopped
1 Tsp Tomato Paste
Red Pepper Flakes
Freshly Grated Parmesean Cheese

Prep time: 65 Minutes
Serves: 4-6

Directions:
1. Clean and Prep the Squash
Preheat the 350. Cut the Spaghetti Squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and membranes. Coat with Olive Oil. Sprinkle liberally with Salt and Pepper. Place cut side down on baking pan and cook in the oven for approximately 60 minutes or until fork-tender. Meanwhile…

2. Prep the Sauce
Plan for 15 minutes to bring the sauce together. Add approximately 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil to a medium-hot saute pan. Add Red Pepper Flakes and Shallot. Cook until shallots are translucent, approximately 1 minute. Add tomato paste, stir until mostly broken apart. Add tomatoes and garlic. Reduce heat to low. Smash tomatoes with a fork until your preferred level of chunkiness is achieved. Simmer on low.

3. Get Scrapin’
Remove Squash from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. While still hot, turn squash over and scrape squash flesh with a fork. Long noodle like strands should begin to pull off. Continue to scrape and place “noodles” in a large serving bowl. Toss with Olive oil and/or butter, Salt and Pepper.

4. Complete Your Feast
Finish the sauce by adding the freshly chopped Parsley, Basil, and S&P to taste. Allow 1 minute to simmer. Pour sauce over the top of the squash “noodles” and liberally apply grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This Year's Trendy Holiday Vegetable

2009-11-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Think back, two years ago the oft overlooked, but incredibly delicious Brussell Sprout was thurst into the culinary limelight by popular food media. Last year it was the Parsnip's turn. In fact I recall being caught up in the bandwagon myself. As any good planner does, I thought out my meal the day of, which happened to be Thanksgiving and ran to the store with the intent of buying and subsequently roasting a plethora of parsnips with truffle oil, chopped marjoram, and grey sea salt. But alas it was not meant to be. To my utter dismay and amazement there were no parsnips to be found. In fact as I tried several other grocers in the area I was conviced there were no parsnips anywhere from Seattle to Kalamazoo!

So here we are November 2009, the Thanksgiving and Christmas Festivus' are barreling towards us. So the question is, what's it going to be this year? What diamond-in-the-rough vegetable will be pushed into the unsuspecting spotlight? Perhaps the ever-underated turnip, or the dainty belgian endive, maybe it will be the year of the celeriac. Ooooo the suspense is killing me! What do you think it will be I'd love to hear your comments on it! Ciao Giraffes!

Food Giraffe’s Recipe O’the Month

2009-10-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow foodies! Well Fall has officially arrived, which means the weather is getting cold outside (and in Seattle at least very wet,) so it’s time for SOUP. The Food Giraffe grew up a Campbell’s Soup Kid and while I still very much enjoy a can of condensed vegetable soup in a pinch, there’s nothing like homemade soupy goodness to make you feel “mmmmm mmmmm good.” The recipe I am offering this month is Buffalo Chicken Soup. I’d love to give credit where credit is due, but the original recipe that I have tweaked over the years has come from an unknown source. At the very least I get to spread this goodness, which has become a family favorite!

Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. chicken
1 to 1 1/2 c. Frank’s Original Red Hot (absolutely vital - NO substitutes allowed on this!)
1/4 c. Vegetable Oil
1/4 c. Butter
8 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
1 c. dice celery
1 c. shredded carrot
1 c. dice potato
2 c. Half-and-Half
4 c. Chicken Broth
1/2 c. of crumbly bleu cheese (DO NOT use bleu cheese salad dressing)
S&P To Taste

Directions
Step 1 – Marinate the Chicken in the Goodness
Nothing much to it here, throw the chicken in the oven at 375 until fully cooked. Once cool enough to handle, shred using two forks. Place the shredded chicken in a bowl and add Frank’s Red Hot. Allow to marinate overnight if possible.

Step 2 – Roux Time
In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil and butter until hot over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery and potato. Sauté until carrots and potato are just tender and celery is bright green and slightly translucent. Add the flour and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir the mixture with spoon until all oil is absorbed by the flour and is cooked to a light golden color- between 1 - 2 minutes.

Step 3 – Add the Liquids
Add the chicken broth and half-and-half. Reduce heat to medium-low. Be careful not to scald the half-half. Stir frequently until liquid thickens and is at a low simmer.

Step 4 – Bring it all Together
Add the Chicken and bleu cheese. Bring back up to temperature. Season with S&P and additional Frank’s Red Hot if desired. Serve it on up!

Food Giraffe Public Service Announcement

2009-10-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, just in case your missed the last one, the Frantic Foodie is hosting another Foodportunity event. It's a great way to network and discover the vibrant Seattle food scene.

From the Frantic Foodie: "The Frantic Foodie Foodportunity is open to food journalists, bloggers, public relations professionals, restaurateurs, farmers and all food-passionate people. Admission is $25 (plus tax and booking fees; $30 after October 7th) which includes bites and a glass of wine. Tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets" http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/84687

The Food Giraffe's Great Migration

2009-10-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, as promised the Food Giraffe is back this month. I've got a lot of catching up to do and I have a lot of food related activity to talk about. For those of you who don't know, I recently moved from Kirkland to Queen Anne in September. It was a whirl wind of a move, but it didn't stop me from eating!

With that said, ready yourself for a couple recipes this month, a catch up on my trip to Chicago, a little recount of some amazing Seattle food experiences in September, and some additional fun info pieces. Thanks for staying tuned in!

Quick Update!

2009-09-18T11:21:00.001-07:00

Hey fellow Giraffes just wanted to post a quick update! September is going to be a dry blog month due to a quick relocation across the lake. Look for some new posts in October when my insane schedule calms down!

-- Post From My iPhone

Food Giraffe’s Recipe O’the Month

2009-08-22T17:23:00.001-07:00

Yummmmm... Summer veggies and amazing pasta- The Food Giraffe loves it!

Pasta and Summer Vegetables -
What makes this recipe even better is that you can adjust it to your taste buds. Naturally I recommend using the freshest in season veggies you can find. If your fortunate to live near a local farmer’s market use this as an opportunity to support local farms. You can always use whatever veggies you have in the fridge or in a pinch substitute in (gasp) frozen ones.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. of fresh pasta (or the best dried you can find – I used dried Spanish Saffron Linguini from Pappardelle’s Pasta in Pike’s Place Market)
1-2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1o-15 fresh ripe cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 cup of haricot-verts (thin French greens beans) blanched (see below)
1/4 cup of fresh corn
1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan-reggiano cheese
3 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper TT

Directions:
Step 1 - It’s easy as boiling water
Yeah the first step is pretty simple. Get a big pot, fill it with hot water, salt it so it tastes like the ocean, and bring it to a boil.

Step 2 – Take care of the beans
Trim and cut the green beans to a comfortable edible size. When the water is boiling toss them in. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a strainer and blast’em with cold water and ice cubes (if you feel like it) until they are cold to the touch.

Step 3 – Mise en place
Put everything thing in it’s place. Thinly slice the garlic. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Remove the corn from the cob. Grate the Parm.

Step 4 – Get it done!
Cook your pasta in the boiling water. Add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil to a hot pan. Add the corn and sauté until cooked and just beginning to brown. Add the green beans tomatoes, heat through. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Drain cooked pasta and briefly rinse with cold water. Add the pasta and remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add half of your parmesan cheese and toss in the pan.

Step 5 – Serve it up
Divide out into bowls and garnish with more cheese (and maybe some freshly chopped herbs.) Enjoy with a cold glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc.

Food Giraffe Public Service Announcement

2009-08-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Just a a quick announcement, The Stranger, Seattle's whackiest printed publication, is offering 1/2-off coupons at a number of good Seattle restaurants. Click here to go to The Stranger's website and check-out if any of the deals suit your taste buds. Thank you MP for sending this the Food Giraffe's way.

Food Giraffe’s Kind of Town…Chicago is!

2009-08-13T22:36:00.001-07:00

Hello fellow giraffes. In just a few short days I, the Food Giraffe, will be off to the Chicago for 5 days of R&R. I have the fortunate opportunity to adventure about the city during the day with Giraffe Jr. while Mrs. Food Giraffe attends a 3 day continuing education seminar. Woohoo for me and Jr. I guess the Mrs. will just have to join us later for dinner.

Speaking of dinner, I would really like to find some amazing food while I’m there I just have one little problem. You see it’s been over a 8 years since my last adventure to Chicago so I imagine that much has changed. What definitely hasn't changed is that Chicago is one of the greatest American cities, with some of the greatest American food. I just don't know where to start. -Can you help a Giraffe out?

If you have any favorite chop houses, deep dish pizza spots, awesome food dives, iconic instutions, or trendy new spots to suggest please send them to me by making comments in this post. Convince me to go to your favorite spot and I’ll write about it and send you a little prize!

So stay tuned for my follow-up Chicago post. I’ll try to get some good pictures and record my food related activities here for all to see.

Up A Creek...a Coyote Creek without a paddle!

2009-08-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Moving from Kirkland to Queen Anne has a lot of advantages- closer to the Seattle city-center, walking distance to family, friends, great restaurants, and bars to name just a few. However, despite my enthusiasm for my new neighborhood, I am going to miss many things about my first home and neighborhood on the "Eastside."

One particularly painful seperation will be from one of my favorite pizza and calzone restaurants, Coyote Creek. Coyote Creek is a little unassuming restaurant in downtown Kirkland near Peter Kirk Park. The inside is tastefully decorated in a Southwest motif (nothing too tacky) with seating for no more than 40. Service is aleays friendly and happy to get you a beer (or two.) The best part of course, is the restaurants delicious pizzas, calzones, and salads. I am in particular going to miss stopping here on my way home ordering up a Coyote in the Coop Salad (BBQ chicken, feta cheese, red peppers, cucumbers, red onion, walnuts, and mandarin oranges) and North by Northwest Pizza (roasted hazelnuts, green apples, mushrooms, red onions, and gorgonzola cheese on an olive oil base) to go while waiting patiently with Pint of Bluemoon. Ahhhhh that's a good day!

If you are ever in the neighborhood I would definitely reccomend stopping by. Alas my little Coyote, the Food Giraffe wishes you could move with me, but fate has different plans! At the very least we'll rendezvous at lunch on occassion.

Food Giraffe Public Service Announcement

2009-08-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Canlis Block Party - Oh YEAHHHHHHH! One of the best restaurants in Seattle saying "Thank You" to it's local neighborhood. Featuring Canlis burgers, Dick's milkshakes, and Seattle's own Dry Soda. Entertainment for the kids in the form of a large Red Fire Truck! Don't miss out!

When: Sunday, August 9th Noon to 3:ooPM

Location: Little Howe Park on East Queen Anne

A Food Giraffe's Adventure Into the Wild - Foodportunity!

2009-07-29T00:49:00.000-07:00

It was my first big Seattle Food Blogging Events and it was great! How could I possibly take so long to report on such a momentous event? Well fellow giraffes, before you all get your necks knotted, the Food Giraffe would like to say two things: 1. Thank you Frantic Foodie for throwing such a great event, and 2. This post is late due to a baby Food Giraffe dropping his iPhone in the dogs’ water bowl – I have just now been able to recover some of the pictures from the event.

Being over a week late with this post what can I possibly say that someone else hasn’t? Well I guess I can say this, and I’m pretty sure that it’s not any other blog, “Food Giraffe gives Foodportunity two hooves up!” I look forward to watching this event grow in the years to come.

Foodportunity featured an excellent array of great Seattle restaurants, food producers, bloggers, foodies, and friends. I loved the huge real-time Twitter board, and despite my best efforts to get my Tweet to appear I was just off the refresh. Maybe I should have listened more closely to the discussion on Reaching Consumers Through New Media? In any event, “Thank You” to Nancy Nelson, Mina Williams, Matthew Amster-Burton, Rebekah Denn, and Ronald Holden for your excellent insight and discussion- ps. We will try to be quieter next time!

Among my top tastes were an amazing bit of honeycomb with chipotle and a delicious dessert wine by Heavenly Honey Farms as well as some delightful bits of chocolate from Intrigue Chocolates. Among others, Serafina, Andaluca, Olivar, Dinette, Rovers, Art of the Table, and Maximus Minimus all represented with excellent bites. Of course never to be outdone Tom Douglas and co. roasted a full roasted pig on the Seattle city street and walked it through the dining room.

Both Columbia Crest and Vin were also present and pouring healthy tastes (not my favorite wineries out there, but 95% of the time any wine is better than no wine) .

Food Giraffe's Found Some Tasty Grub!

2009-07-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a busy month. The Food Giraffe's Weekends have been filled with activities and lots of food. I've hit a lot of new places in the last few weeks and have very little time to write about them. In that regard I am very grateful for my camera phone, it's pictures serve as a little journal.

First off, Boom Noodle. Now I know I am a little behind the times, and that this place has been reviewed at nauseam by countless others, so I'll keep it brief. Go there. The food is good, the sizzling beef appetizers, the Kimchee Miso, all good. The music can be a little annoying at times. As one friend noted, "who want's to listen to Sonic Youth during lunch?" Well I suppose someone, there work just seems to hit and miss. I've personally only been to the one Bellevue, but intel points to both the Capitol Hill and and Bellevue locations being comparable.

Next up is my favorite new spot. Monsoon East. The Food Giraffe is giving it two-hooves-up! Located on the very cute section of Main St., Bellevue, just a few hop's down from Bis on Main (also delish) Monsoon East waits to be discovered by the masses. Believe if your from West Side it's worth the shot over the bridge at some point. EastSiders, well you have no excuse. The food is heavily asian influenced in terms of ingredients, style, and flavor, but with the finesse of classic preparations. To top it off they have an excellent drink selection, including several amazing choices for hot tea. Yum- I can't wait to go back.

La Spiga somehow managed to work it's way to this July as well. This place just happens to be another favorite. So far they are 4 for 4 with great food and service. You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu. I had the Taglietelle with Truffle Butter recently- and when a restaurant can take 3-4 ingredients and put them together in such a simple way that makes my mouth water just thinking about it now, you know you've hit food gold.

Food Giraffe's Recipe O'the Month - Horiatiki, a Greek Salad

2009-07-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

This one happens to be a favorite in the Food Giraffe's household...even the baby Food Giraffe like's it...

Horiatiki Salad -

known more commonly in this area as "Greek Salad," this is a delicious medley of some of the best veggies summer has to offer. Make no mistake about it, this salad relies entirely on the purity of flavor from each of it's wonderful ingredients. With that in mind make every effort to find the best veggies out there, take a trip down to Pike's Place Market and find the best tasting cucumbers, most robust red onions, and succulent tomatoes the Northwest has to offer!

One of the key differences between my recipe and others isn't anything related to the ingredients, there's not too much wiggle room there, but rather the preparation. I had a cooking instructor that once remarked, "you should be able to taste all the ingredients in one bite." I took that to heart when I made this salad. Each ingredient is cut to 1/4-inch dice with that hope that you can get a little taste of everything all at once. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 English Cucumber

3 Vine Ripe Tomatoes (or 1 Qt. of Grape Tomatoes)

1 Yellow Bell Pepper

4-6 ounces of Feta Cheese

4-6 ounces of pitted Kalamata Olives

1/2 Tbsp of Dried Oregano

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper TT

Directions:

Step 1 - Get Choppin'

Peel the cucumber and dice into 1/4" pieces. If you were unable to find an English cucumber, seed first using a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Seed and dice the tomatoes into 1/4" pieces (half and/or quarter grape tomatoes if you used this option). And repeat for the Yellow Bell Pepper. Cut the Kalamata Olives to match the size of the rest of the veggies. Finally make small cubes of the Feta Cheese.

Step 2 - Put It All Together

If you haven't already, put it all in big bowl. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano. Mix well. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Well yep that's it. It's best if you let all the flavors meld together, but go ahead and chomp down if you can't wait. It's likely you'll be hungry after all that choppin'.

Food Giraffe Public Service Announcements

2009-06-17T18:37:00.001-07:00

The Food Giraffe just wanted to remind everyone to attend their local summer markets! Tomorrow starts the beginning of Queen Anne Farmers Market! 3 to 7 PM every Thursday through October 1st. If you see the Food Giraffe say "Hi!"

While we're on the topic of events, the Frantic Foodie is hosting a FoodPortunity on July 22nd. The Food Giraffe already has tickets and is looking forward to this great event. Get your tickets soon they are going fast!

iPhood Giraffe

2009-06-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

With all the buzz about the Apple's new iPhone and the big update this Wednesday, the Food Giraffe thought he'd jump on the bandwagon. It's hard to argue the amazing abilities the iPhone has to offer and happily for us foodies there exists a ginormous amount of food "Apps" out there.

A quick search through the App Store and the Food Giraffe found three main types of Food Apps exist: 1. Restaurant Review Apps 2. Food and Drink Recipe Apps 3. Diet Apps. Any self-respecting Food Giraffe should strike no. 3 from list immediately.

The only problem with the other two categories is the sheer number of options, some free, some expensive, some good, some bad, some utterly useless. My experience with Apps tend to fall in the "Free" category, fortunately there are some gems to be found, my favorites include: UrbanSpoon- fun interface, decent database of local restaurants and reviews, Epicurious- imagine there website in iPhone form, it gets the job done, and my favorite app published by Seattle's own Stranger magazine is the Cocktail Compass- a convenient way to locate happy hours throughout the Seattle area.

I would love to hear your feedback on these Apps as well as any other's you just can't live with or without!

Food Giraffe's Recipe O'the Month - Roasted Lemon Thyme Chicken

2009-06-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

Good evening everyone! As a monthly feature I'll be posting recipes for you all to try out. Naturally I would be thrilled to get some comments and it would be even more exciting to get some recipes submitted back to me to try. Maybe some type of contest would be in order? In any event while the Food Giraffe puts some thought in on that idea, here's your first official Food Giraffe's "Recipe O'the Month:"

Roasted Lemon-Thyme Chicken
This is a great meal for anytime of the year; it can be cooked in the oven or slow cooked on the grill or rotisserie. Lemons are always bright and cheery, and fresh thyme from your garden can highlight the summer season! Serve with Truffle-Oil and Garlic Roasted Asparagus! Bon giraff-atite!

Ingredients:
1 Fresh Full Chicken (or 2 splits)
1 Shallot

3-4 Lemons
8-9 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
4-5 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 Tbsp of Coarse Sea Salt (or Kosher Salt)
TT Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
Step 1 - Prep that Chicken
Remove Chicken from package, remove giblets, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the backbone and discard and split between breasts to make two halfs. Place skin down in 9x13 glass baking dish.
Step 2 - Make the Marinade
Zest 2 of the lemons into a small bowl. Peel and finely dice shallot. Remove Thyme from stems and coarsely chop. Combine Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Shallot, and Thyme in a large bowl, mix together well.
Step 3 - Let it soak in the goodness
Pour Marinade over Chicken Breasts, cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Step 4 - Cook that Chicken!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and drain excess marinade into a small sauce pot, reserve for later. Liberally coat all the sides of the chicken with Salt and Pepper. Place skin side up in the baking dish and cook until chicken is dark gold-brown and exuding juices are clear (approximately 1 hour.) Sprinkle with half of the lemon zest.
Step 4.5 - Gettin' Saucy
Bring the remaining marinade to a slow simmer and reduce by roughly 1/2. Turn off heat and slowly incorporate 4 Tbsp of cold unsalted butter. Mix in remaining lemon zest. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
Step 5 - Eat
I think you can figure out the rest!

The Food Giraffe Want's to Know

2009-05-24T18:48:00.001-07:00

What's your favorite Hawaiian drink?

Sitting next to the pool I think the Food Giraffe has become partial to the drink made famous by one Elvis Presley, the Blue Hawaiian. It's a lovely concoction of pineapple juice, blue curaçao, and rum, served with a slice of fresh pineapple and an orange with a pretty little paper umbrella. One word can describe this tasty drink on a beautiful Hawaiian afternoon: perfect.

What's your favorite drink? The classic Hawaiian Mai Tai? The Pina Colada? The Lava Flow? The Food Giraffe wants to know!

The Giraffe likes His Morning Coffee

2009-05-20T00:39:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that the Food Giraffe and the Fam will soon be on our way to Hawaii for a much needed vacation- a vacation I desperately need evident by my escalating requirement of coffee each morning. It's frightfully sobering when the barista knows what to make you before you order and adds an extra shot because "it looks like I could use it."

While sipping my triple tall dry latte this morning and daydreaming that I was staring at a blue ocean rather than a blue computer screen, it occurred to me that coffee, and in particular Kona Coffee, would be a great blog topic.

Many of you may not know but Kona Coffee (coffea aribica, var. kona typica) is considered one of the best and most expensive coffees in the world. Approximately 900 tons of Kona Coffee are produced each year, which is approximately .01% of the total world production. Following precedent from the wine industry, Kona Coffee is considered a "Gran Cru" coffee and similar to how only true Champagne comes from the Champagne region in France, true Kona Coffee is only grown in the Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. For more detailed facts regarding Kona Coffee check out the Kona Coffee Farmers Association website.

For those of you who won't be escaping to paradise anytime soon, but would still like to try some of this black gold, check out Kalihi Coffee in downtown Kirkland or my personal favorite (thank you Mike P. for this find) Kona Coffee made via Clover Coffee Machines (Greatest Coffee Machine Ever!) at the Starbucks on Queen Anne, Seattle.

I'll be sure to update you regarding this little taste adventure, but in the meantime I would love to hear from any readers regarding their favorite Seattle coffee shops, coffee types, drinks, preparations, or interesting coffee stories. Aloha!

Quick Giraffe Update: Seattle Cheese Festival

2009-05-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

The Food Giraffe wanted to remind everyone that the Seattle Cheese Festival is this weekend! It is being held downtown in Pike's Place Market, Saturday and Sunday 10AM to 5PM. Bon Ape-cheese!

Having Your Cupcake and Eating It Too!

2009-05-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

I can't help but to notice that cupcake shops are sprouting up like weeds around Seattle- deliciously-delightful-tasty weeds!

It just so happens that this Giraffe likes cupcakes, and when he and the Fam got the hankering for some dessert last night, we swung by Sweet Cakes in downtown Kirkland. After oogling the case for a few minutes we made our selections and chomped down. Having been here a few times, I've been fortunate enough to sample some of the selections. My favorite so far is the Coconut Cupcake with Key Lime Buttercream, also worthy of mention are the Choco-Choco Cupcake, the Vanilla Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, and Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Yummmm- I need another glass of milk just thinking about it.

Fortunately for those of you, who might find a trip to Kirkland a little out of the way, there are many other great Cupcake-eries around Seattle. I highly recommend satisfying your sweet tooth at Cupcake Royale which has locations in Ballard, Mardrona, and West Seattle. For those of you near Bellevue try New York Cupcakes and if you're downtown try the Yellow Leaf Cupcake Co.

The Giraffe Says "Read These!"

2009-05-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

All right, it's been a few minutes and I have found a moment to elaborate on my initial "Books for Foodies" list. First off, as an aside there are hundreds and hundreds of really good cook books and foodie books out there. One need only to drop in to their neighborhood Barnes and Noble to notice their obvious and recent proliferation. What you find on my list are a few that have a tremendous impact on my culinary experience:

Alice Let's Eat: Further Adventures of a Happy Eater - A wonderful, humorous, and light-hearted book about a couple's food experiences while traveling throughout the U.S.

On Cooking (4th Edition) - This is the textbook I used in my first cooking class at Cornell University years ago. It's a great text, great pictures, history, recipes, and more. It's the kind of book with material a beginner can start with or an advanced culinary student can strive to master.

The French Laundry Cook Book - Thomas Keller chef/owner of the renowned The French Laundry restaurant in Napa, California brings his exquisite eye for detail and perfection straight out of his kitchen and into his cook book. His work is awe inspiring. I have yet to muster up the courage to cook anything from this book, but it's still an amazing read!

The Physiology of Taste (La Physiology du Gout) - Amazingly I actually read this in French; however, since I am bit rusty in my "francais", I am happy to report it is available in several languages including English. This book is a must for any foodie, in fact it's credited with defining that word and several others. Brillat-Savarin is the original "food snob."

I am always looking for something new to read? Please feel free to post or email me with any suggestions!

-The Food Giraffe