As I've said before, I make no apologies for the amount of time spent talking/writing about food on this blog. Especially now: Food costs are about 25% higher here than in Indiana, so eating out is very expensive. Transitions can be stressful, and cooking (and eating) has been a good stress-reliever. Food is fun. Cooking is fun. In fact, just yesterday I bought a 10 lb bag of potatoes for $1.88. A steaming pot of potato soup sits on the stove as I sit here in my pajamas.
Pho is big in Seattle. My Vietnamese boss says that pho is pronounced like "fun" without the "n." Try it. "Fuh."
Pho is a brothy beef and herb soup that I have read is consumed for breakfast in Vietnam. I don't see anyone eating it for breakfast around here, but it is cheap and delicious, and perfect on a cold day. It makes me think of Saigon on Calhoun in Fort Wayne, one of the best bang-for-your-buck restaurants in that town if you know what to order.
Although expensive, lots of restaruants are inspiring. Like this place, loved by some Mars Hill students: http://www.piesandpints.com/
We (okay, *I*) became enamored with the concept of savory pies, so we decided to make some. Mary stewed a chicken and made a fantastic potato/chicken/cream pie with rosemary plucked from the very bush outside our front door.
She discovered and used this wheat crust recipe, which we think is great and easy:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 stick butter
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
Cut butter and oil into flour, when it makes pea sized balls add water a salt. Easy.
My turn. I got a deal on pork roasts, so I bought two. I then emailed my good buddy Mark Turney in Fort Wayne and asked him about some medieval savory pie recipes. I also found some info on the internet about pork metis, which I think is some kind of old world, French Canadian meets North American aboriginal thing. Anyways, here's what I did:
1 pork roast - cook in water, skim the fat, shred
about 3-4 cups combined: minced medjool dates, rasins, currants, mission figs, dried apricots, parmesean cheese, chopped walnuts and almonds
onion and garlic to taste
3-4 tbs combined: cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom
mix it up, slap it in a wheat pie crust, and bake
The pie had amazing flavor, fruity and spicy, sweet and savory, and rich as Bill Gates. "Pork pie" doesn't sound appealing but this was magic. I also ended up with a gallon freezer bag of excess filling. I'd make it again in an artery-clogged heartbeat if I could share it with a group or potluck or something like that.
This is a cool grocery store in a neighborhood called the “International District” : http://www.uwajimaya.com/
It is massive, like a Meijer-sized Asian grocery with a food court. I highly recommend it. Here I am, holding a package of Bible tripe. Appropriately.
Here Mary is. She is holding Buddha’s Hand. Literally.
2 comments:
So I've wanted to visit Seattle since long before you moved there. And if you keep talking about delicious sounding food and fun places to go, you may find that one day I show up at your house and expect to have a place to sleep for a week! :) Hope you and Mary are doing well.
Noah! Dude. We are well but have been a bit overwhelmed recently. No emergencies or anything, just finding our footing in the midst of big transitions. We'd love to host folks at our place, so if you find your way out here give us a call.
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