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Zoku Popsicle Maker: Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet Pops
I must have looked for David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop for almost 6 months at my fave used bookstore, thinking a copy would turn up eventually. It never did. And now I know why! You'd be crazy to give up this book! Covering ice cream, gelati, sorbetti, granitas and a full spectrum of accompanying sauces, The Perfect Scoop offers a mix of more traditional (chocolate & peanut butter, rum raisin, chocolate sorbet) and not-so-traditional flavors (orange-Szechuan peppercorn, pear-pecorino, roquefort-honey). If it tastes great on its own, why not in ice cream? The book is a must for anyone who likes frozen treats, dairy or non-.
Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad
peach panzanella salad Leave it to Jeremy Fox, who did amazing things with vegetarian cuisine at Ubuntu in Napa (and maybe soon at a joint called Smith?), to come up with a different, maybe better, spin on panzanella. I've had the recipe for this peach panzanella tucked away for safe keeping (since 2007!), until some hot weather and good peaches came my way. That was this weekend...it's been a scorcher everywhere. Here in the PNW, we're thanking the weather gods. Across the rest of the country, everyone else is wondering, when will it ever end?! I think I first had a traditional tomato panzanella at Caffe Centro in San Francisco, just across the street from where I worked. Their version had diced tomato, cucumber and corn with a balsamic dressing. A great summer salad. If the name is anything to go by, it's the stale bread that makes a panzanella. But after having this version, I'd say it's the peaches.
Quick Chicken Stir Fry w/ Peppers, Green Beans & Zucchini
In college, chicken stir fry was a mainstay for me and my roommates. It was something you could make a lot of, relatively cheaply, when we had friends over for Must See TV on Thursday nights. Friends, The Single Guy, Seinfeld, Caroline in the City and ER. I liked Jonathan Silverman in the Single Guy, but that 8:30 pm slot was always no man's land despite being bookended by Friends and Seinfeld. Anyway, the stir fry. Back then, we used San-J Szechuan sauce, a Sun Bird packet for seasoning and a big bag of frozen stir fry vegetables.
Spotted Bear Bistro – Tofino, BC
Spotted Bear is the kind of neighborhood joint I wish we had around the corner. The kitchen is right there as you walk in, and you're as likely to be greeted by the chef as by the host. With Tofino being a beach town, you might expect seafood to dominate the menu, but Spotted Bear strikes a balance, offering up dishes that take advantage of the local seafood, with plenty of options for folks who aren't so big on salmon and mussels (like me!).
Persian Crispy Rice & Lamb Kebabs (Polo Tahdig & Koobideh)
Polo Tahdig, Persian Crispy Rice gets its crunchy layer from yogurt colored with turmeric and scented with saffron. During our trip up to Tofino, we watched a show with Bob Blumer, you know, the Surreal Gourmet guy, where he faced off with 2-3 Chinese chefs in Vancouver in a Xiao Long Bao battle. Dumplings themselves are…
New Ideas for Salad: Orange-Vanilla Vinaigrette & Braised Greens
Aside from the sunshine, doing nothing and umbrella drinks, eating local is one of the best things about vacation. I love those trips where the biggest decision I'll have to make on any given day is what to eat next. On our recent trip to Tofino, BC, many of the restaurants in town featured greens from Nanoose Edibles Farm in Nanoose Bay, BC. One of the best was this salad at the Long Beach Lodge Resort with Nanoose Edibles greens, Okanagan Happy Days goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts and strawberries with a citrus and vanilla vinaigrette.
Food Truck Alert: TacoFino – Tofino, BC
What is it about surf towns and great Mexican food? I don't know if I'm totally biased by having spent most of my life in California, but Tofino, BC on Vancouver Island, is proving out the connection. Off Pacific Rim Highway in Tofino, there's a little center with a small grocery, a surf shop, a coffee place, and a taco truck at the back of the parking lot, a taco truck which is doing crazy business with locals and tourists alike.
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