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You'll find over 470 of my favorite recipes here, including ideas for Quick meals, Cooking for 2, Feasting on Leftovers, and cooking with 5 Ingredients or Less. I'm adding new posts regularly; you can subscribe by email or RSS feed if you'd like to receive the latest recipes. Bon appétit!
Rosemary Shortbread
By Kath Dedon
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When Carrie was home last month she made the Rosemary Shortbread from Joanne Chang’s Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Café. Chang comments in her notes that the cookies melt in your mouth, and, indeed, they do! I think it’s the cornstarch that gives them such a light texture.
The original recipe calls for light brown sugar; we substituted maple sugar. I find that maple sugar is usually a bit more coarse than cane sugar, so I usually give it a few whirls in my mini food processor to make a fine sugar for baking.
The recipe says it makes 12 – 15 cookies, but we cut them much smaller. We probably got about 20 cookies.
Rosemary Shortbread is another winner from Chang’s spectacular Flour cookbook! Give it a try; it’s an easy recipe to make and I think you’ll love this special shortbread.
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Rosemary Shortbread
(Adapted from the recipe in Joanne Chang’s Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Café )
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One tip: Please, do not substitute dried rosemary for fresh. I am positive that the results will not be nearly as good. Dried rosemary can often have a musty smell. In my opinion, it would be better to omit the rosemary than to use dried for this recipe. You should be able to find fresh rosemary at the grocery store. Use the extra rosemary when you roast a chicken or roast potatoes!
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Makes 12 – 15 large, or 20 medium cookies
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1 cup (2 sticks/228 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (110 grams) packed light brown sugar (or maple sugar)
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1½ cups (180 grams of King Arthur flour) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup (65 grams) cornstarch
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
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1. Cream the butter on medium speed in a mixer for about 2 minutes, until light. (This will take about 5 minutes if you’re beating it by hand.)
2. Add the sugar and beat on medium for 3 – 4 minutes. The sugar should be well-incorporated into the butter and the mixture should be light and fluffy.
3. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolk and the rosemary. Beat for about 1 minute.
4. Stir the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda together in a small bowl.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating just until it is all blended together.
6. Form the dough into a disc about 1 inch thick on a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up and refrigerate for 20 minutes. This chilling time will make it easier to roll out.
7. Preheat the oven to 325˚.
8. On a floured cutting board, roll the dough into a rectangle that’s about 12 x 10 inches and ¼ inch thick.
9. Cut the cookies into the size you want and put them on a baking sheet 1 – 2 inches apart.
10. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, until they are just golden brown. Check them after about 16 minutes; some ovens are hotter than others.
11. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 15 minutes; then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
P.S. Nice job, Carrie! 😉
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Chinese Chicken Wings
By Kath Dedon
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The Chinese Chicken Wings I made last night were a big hit, and they’re so easy to make! I was inspired by a recipe from Derrick Riches on about.com, but I changed it a bit.
I used chicken broth instead of white wine in the marinade, increased the garlic, and added rice vinegar and Sriracha sauce. After marinating for 7 hours, the wings were very flavorful, indeed!
The Chinese Five Spice Powder is the “secret” ingredient that sets these Chinese Chicken Wings apart. Be sure to use powder that is fresh so it has the best flavor. I found some in the bulk spices in the grocery store.
I grilled the wings, and it’s a great way to cook them. If you don’t have a grill, you could roast them in the oven. I’d line a baking sheet with foil, spread the wings out on the pan, and roast them at 450˚ for 30 minutes. (See the update below to see how I actually ended up roasting them.)
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Chinese Chicken Wings
(Inspired by a recipe by Derrick Riches on about.com)
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Serves 4 – 5 a
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16 Chicken wings (about 3 pounds)
½ cup soy sauce (use wheat-free Tamari for gluten free)
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup oil (I used light olive oil)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1½ teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
1 tablespoon plain (unseasoned) rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce a
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I think Sriracha sauce is pretty widely available, but you could substitute Tabasco.
1. Combine the soy sauce, chicken broth, oil, garlic fresh ginger, Chinese five spice powder, rice vinegar, and Sriracha sauce together. (You can use a food processor or blender for this step, if you have one.)
2. Put the chicken wings in a Ziploc bag and pour in the marinade.
3. Put the bag of wings in a baking dish or pan (just in case of leaks) and marinate them in the refrigerator for at least 7 hours. Turn the bag over every once in a while to redistribute the marinade.
Wings in the bag, marinating
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4. Preheat your grill to high heat. (About 10 minutes for my gas grill.)
5. Remove the wings from the marinade, and discard the marinade.
6. Put the wings on the grill skin-side down and grill for about 3 or 4 minutes.
7. Turn one (or two if your grill has 3 burners) off. Turn the wings over and place them over the turned-off burner so they will finish cooking by indirect heat.
8. Cook by indirect heat for 15 – 20 minutes. a
Pass extra napkins!
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February 3, 2014 Update – Roasted Chinese Chicken Wingsa
Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday, baby!
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And for those of us in Seattle, it was the best ever!
Seahawks 43 Denver Broncos 8!
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The excitement in Seattle is palpable. I wish I weren’t scheduled to sub on Wednesday so I could go to the city’s victory celebration.
This year the Super Bowl was all about the game for the 12th Man, but the food is always a big part of it, too. We were fortunate to be invited to a Super Bowl party and I decided to take these Chinese Chicken Wings but I wanted to try roasting them.
I turned to All About Roasting to see how Molly Stevens roasts wings. I liked her idea much better than the one I had in my original post. She puts them on wire racks to raise them about the bottom of the pan. That makes so much sense because the racks prevent them from getting soggy in the fat.
I used 4 pounds of wings for the party but did not increase the marinade.
So how did they turn out? Well, in a taste test I think the grilled Chinese Chicken Wings would come out a tad bit better, but the roasted ones are very good. If you don’t have a grill, it’s a good way to go.
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(I should have lined the pans with foil to make clean up easier. For Bob. 🙂 )
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Roasted Chinese Chicken Wings
(Adapted from Molly Stevens method in All About Roasting)
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1. Preheat the oven to 400˚.
2. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and put racks in the pans. (I had to overlap my stainless steel cake cooling racks a bit, but it worked.)
3. Put the wings on the racks, leaving some space between them.
4. Roast for 20 minutes.
5. Take the baking sheets from the oven and close the door to retain the heat.
6. Turn the wings over and put the baking sheets back in the oven. (If you had to use 2 different oven racks, rotate the baking sheets.) Roast for another 20 minutes.
7. Take the baking sheets from the oven as before and turn the temperature up to 450˚. Turn the wings over one more time. Roast for 8 – 10 minutes.
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Basil Hummus
Last weekend I found myself with a surplus of cooked chickpeas in my refrigerator. Elise Bauer (Simply Recipes) came to my rescue with her Basil Hummus. I love the beautiful green color, and I thought it was quite tasty and a nice way to change up hummus.
I followed the recipe and added the ¼ cup of water that Elise recommended. Mine turned out a little thinner than the way hers looked. I think it was because I used home-cooked chickpeas that had been frozen and defrosted. They may have contained more water than canned beans. I suggest making the recipe without the water, and then you can add some in if it needs it.
Elise uses 1 teaspoon of tomato paste. I happened to have some leftover tomato paste in the refrigerator to use. If you don’t have any, I think it would be fine without it.
Basil Hummus makes a great snack with pita chips!
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Basil Hummus
(Adapted from Elise Bauer’s recipe on Simply Recipes)
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Makes about 3 cups (It would be easy to cut in half.)
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¼ cup pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves, packed (about 2 bunches)
3 cloves garlic
2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1½ – 2 teaspoons salt (try less if your canned beans are salty)
Several dashes of Tabasco
1 teaspoon tomato paste (optional)
1 – 4 tablespoons water, (optional; add if needed to thin the hummus)
1. Put the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat. Cook them, stirring, until they start to brown. Remove from the pan to cool, and reserve a few of them for garnish.
2. Put the basil leaves in a food processor. Using a garlic press, squeeze the garlic cloves into the processor. Pulse until the basil is finely chopped.
Basil and garlic
3. Add the chickpeas, most of the pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, Tabasco, and the tomato paste, if you’re using it, to the food processor. Process until the hummus is smooth.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add salt or Tabasco, if needed.
5. Add the water if the hummus is too thick.
6. Put the hummus in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle the reserved pine nuts on top. Serve with pita chips, pita bread, or crackers.
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Pulled Pork in the Oven (or Slow Cooker)
Three weeks ago we hosted a family reunion for my cousins. With about 25 people attending, I decided to make it a potluck party. I made Pulled Pork in the Oven, a recipe that I had found on the Eating Well website. One of my cousins brought more than enough fantastic chocolate cupcakes for dessert, and everyone else brought a wonderful assortment of appetizers, salads, side dishes, and wine. It was one of the easiest parties ever, and we all had a great time visiting and catching up with each other!
The original Pulled Pork in the Oven recipe makes 12 (3-ounce) servings. I could have gotten away with doubling it, but I wanted to be sure to have enough food, so I tripled it. We had more than enough, and plenty for leftovers.
I bought slider rolls, which turned out to be the perfect size to use when you have a lot of other great dishes to sample at a party.
What I love about this recipe is that it is so easy! Once you get the sauce made, it just does its own thing in the oven. You don’t have to fuss over a barbecue for hours. Pulled Pork in the Oven is a great recipe if you ever have a crowd to feed.
One more thought….if you’re a fan of slow cookers, I don’t see why this couldn’t be done in one. Just prepare the sauce as directed on the stove, then put the sauce and the roast in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. I haven’t tried it, but I think I just might sometime.
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Pulled Pork in the Oven
(Adapted from a recipe from Eating Well)
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This is the original recipe; it makes 12 (3-ounce) servings. Double or triple the ingredients to serve more people.
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons paprika (I used hot paprika)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 ounces beer, preferably lager (1½ cups)
¾ cup ketchup (I substituted ¾ cup unsweetened ketchup plus 1/3 cup maple sugar)
¾ cup cider vinegar
½ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 (4–5 pound) pork shoulder roast (I found that bone-in and boneless both worked.)
Slider buns or bread of your choice
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Pork shoulder roast, sometimes called Boston butt
1. Preheat the oven to 300˚.
2. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof pot over medium-low heat.
3. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is quite soft. This will take about 20 minutes.
4. Increase the heat to medium. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
hot paprika
onions with spices added
5. Add the beer, ketchup, vinegar, mustard, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, and the adobo sauce.
6. Bring the sauce to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer until it has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
This photo shows my simmering sauce when I tripled it. It filled an 8-quart pot.
7. Trim the visible fat from the pork while the sauce is simmering.
8. Add the pork roast to the pot of sauce, spoon the sauce over the pork, and put a cover on the pot.
(If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe and you can’t put the pork in the pot, put the pork roasts in a roasting pan. Pour the sauce over them, and cover with heavy duty foil.)
3 pork roasts in a roasting pan
9. Put the pork in the preheated oven and bake for 1½ hours.
10. Turn the roasts over; cover and bake for 1½ more hours.
11. Remove the cover and continue to bake until it is fork-tender, or for 1 – 2 more hours.
12. Take the pork out of the pan and put it in a large bowl.
13. Let the sauce cool a bit, and then skim off some of the fat. Cook the sauce over medium heat so it can thicken and reduce a bit.
14. While the sauce is cooking, pull the pork into shreds using two forks.
15. Add some of the sauce to the pork and stir it together. You’ll probably have more sauce than you need to blend with the pork. Extra sauce can be served on the side for those who want more.
16. Serve hot on slider buns, or the bread of your choice.
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The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
“Perfection? Hint: It’s Warm and Has a Secret”. Thus began David Leite’s July 9, 2008 New York Times article about his quest for the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. I’m here to tell you that I think he did develop the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
I remember reading the article three years ago. I was impressed with all of the research he had done. He spoke with many experts, including Maury Rubin, Dorie Greenspan, and Jacques Torres.
The secret he discovered was that the dough must rest for at least 24 hours. A rest in the refrigerator allows the liquids to be fully absorbed, which immensely improves the flavor of the cookies. Leite learned that even Ruth Wakefield, the woman famous for her Toll House Cookies recipe, wrote that she chilled the dough overnight before baking it. Those of us who have used that recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips never knew the secret.
Leite also learned that the cookies must be large. A large cookie develops a crisp exterior and a soft interior. It is perfection.
I saved the article. I read about other people who praised the recipe. And I noticed that Amanda Hesser included it in The Essential New York Times Cookbook. I finally got around to making what I call The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies. The time was right, since Carrie was home to help me make them, and eat them!
If there is a better chocolate chip cookie recipe, I haven’t found it. These are definitely the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! Don’t omit the sprinkle of salt before baking (like I did on one batch). It adds a wonderful dimension to the cookies.
If you’re an advocate of moderation, these cookies are large enough to share with another like-minded person. After tasting them, though, I’d be willing to guess that you’ll just get another one to split. You might as well just eat the whole thing!
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The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from the recipe in The Essential New York Times Cookbook. The recipe was developed by David Leite, who gave much credit to Jacques Torres’s recipes.)
I did follow the recipe’s advice to use a combination of cake flour and bread flour. You certainly could try it using all-purpose flour. I suspect that the results may not be quite the same, but the cookies will probably still be delicious.
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Makes 18 – 20 large cookies
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1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons (8½ ounces) cake flour
1⅔ cups (8½ ounces) bread flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons course salt (I used Kosher.)
2½ sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups (10 ounces) packed dark brown sugar (I used dark, Leite used light.)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content *
Sea salt for sprinkling
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* I used what I could find at my supermarket: One 11.5 ounce bag of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips and 8.5 ounces of Ghirardelli Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. (I didn’t realize they were “mini” until I opened the package.) The cookies were fabulous! Next time I’ll probably use all bittersweet chocolate. The point is this: use the best chocolate you can find and afford. Your cookies will be wonderful!
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1. Put the cake flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and course salt in a bowl. Stir or whisk well to combine.
2. Beat the sugars and butter together in a mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract.
5. With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until the dough is combined, about 10 seconds.
6. Carefully stir in the chocolate pieces.
7. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. (When you bake the cookies, you can bake them in batches, keeping the dough covered and refrigerated for up to 72 hours.)
8. Preheat the oven to 350˚.
9. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Make 6 large balls of dough. They should each weigh about 3½ ounces. Arrange the 6 balls of dough on the baking sheet.
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11. Lightly press the dough down a bit with the palm of your hand, and then sprinkle the cookies with sea salt.
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12. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. (20 minutes was perfect in my oven.)
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(I forgot the sprinkling of salt on this batch. Still delicious, but the salt makes them even better!)
13. Place the baking sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes.
14. Repeat with the rest of the dough, or cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate to bake the next day.
15. The cookies are really best eaten warm as soon as they’ve finished their 10-minute cooling off period. We found, though, that they are still extraordinary after they’ve completely cooled down.
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Vij’s Spiced, Roasted Almonds or Cashews
Vij’s Spiced, Roasted Almonds make a great snack or appetizer with drinks. The spice blend makes them irresistible. The recipe is another winner from Vikram Vij’s and Meeru Dhalwala’s Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine.
The recipe suggests using almonds or cashews; I chose to use almonds. You can substitute ground cumin for the garam masala. It will still be good, but it will have a different flavor.
I don’t know of a substitute for the mango powder (amchur). Mango powder is used to give a bit of a sour, fruity flavor without giving moisture to Indian dishes. It can be found at Indian groceries. I ordered mine online from indianblend.com. I think it’s worth seeking out, but you could omit it, if you must.
Once you have the ingredients, the recipe is very quick and easy. It takes about 15 minutes to make it.
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Edit 8/29/12: Bob, who actually does like things quite hot, thought the almonds were too spicy with 1½ teaspoons cayenne. They were pretty hot. I just made them again with ½ teaspoon cayenne and I think they are better with less heat.
Edit 4/11/2018: I made Roasted Cashews using 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, which seems just right! 🙂
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Vij’s Spiced, Roasted Almonds (or Cashews)
(Adapted from a recipe in Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine)
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I have made this with almonds and with cashews. They’re both great, but I think I prefer the cashews.
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1 lb whole raw almonds or cashews
2 Tbsp canola, light olive oil, or coconut oil (I used coconut)
1 Tbsp salt
1½ teaspoons mango powder (amchur)
1 Tbsp garam masala or ground cumin (I used garam masala)
1 ½ 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1. Preheat the oven to 375˚.
2. Combine the salt, mango powder, garam masala, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
3. If using coconut oil, heat it briefly in the microwave or on the stovetop until it is liquefied.
4. Toss the almonds with the oil in a medium bowl until they are well coated.
5. Toss the almonds with the spice mixture.
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6. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes (4 minutes for cashews).
7. Stir the nuts and bake an additional 5 minutes (another 4 minutes for cashews).
8. Watch the nuts carefully; you want them to get slightly darker, but you don’t want them to brown.
9. Cool the nuts for at least 45 minutes before eating.
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Packed to give as a gift
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Snickerdoodles
When my sister, Joan, and I visited Carrie in Boston last month we had the pleasure of stopping for breakfast at Flour in Cambridge. I had the legendary Sticky Bun and a fabulous latte. The Sticky Bun definitely lived up to the hype! YUM!
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Sticky Bun and Latte at Flour, Cambridge
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After returning home to Seattle, I found myself wishing I could try some of the other goodies at Flour. So what else could I do but buy Joanne Chang’s Flour cookbook?
I have looked through the book from cover to cover, and there are many recipes that I would like to try. Carrie has raved about the cookies at Flour, so I decided to start there.
Snickerdoodles have always been one of my favorites, and Joanne’s recipe looked great. How can you go wrong with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and cinnamon?
The recipe is quite easy with a stand mixer. Joanne says you can do it with a hand mixer or a spoon, but you’ll have to cream the butter and sugar for 10 minutes instead of 5. She suggests chilling the dough overnight before baking the cookies. The dough was very easy to work with after an overnight chill. I realize it means planning ahead, but I recommend it.
The Snickerdoodles were a big hit! The recipe was well-written and easy to follow and the cookies were fantastic! I’m looking forward to trying some of the other cookies in the book.
Snickerdoodles!
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Snickerdoodles
(Adapted, barely, from Joanne Chang’s recipe in Flour)
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The original recipe calls for ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup cinnamon for coating the cookies. I found that half that amount was sufficient.
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Makes about 30 cookies
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1 cup (2 sticks/228 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups (300 grams) sugar, plus ¼ cup (50 grams) for coating
2 eggs
2½ cups (350 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 Tablespoons (15 grams) ground cinnamon
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1. Cream together the butter and 1½ cups sugar. If using a stand mixer, cream them for 5 minutes on medium speed. If using a hand mixer or spoon, cream them for 10 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula now and then to make sure everything is getting incorporated.
butter and sugar
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Creamed butter and sugar
2. Add the eggs and mix for 2 or 3 minutes.
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I like to put eggs in a small bowl before adding to the mixer so I can check for shell bits.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. (Original recipe calls for sifting them together. I didn’t do that.)
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Flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar
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4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat just until it’s evenly mixed; don’t over-mix.
5. Put the dough in a bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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6. The next day, preheat the oven to 350˚.
7. Combine the ¼ cup sugar and 2 Tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
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(This was 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cinnamon which was way too much!)
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8. Roll the dough into small balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and put them about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet.
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9. Flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.
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10. Bake for about 15 minutes. (Timing depends on a lot of factors. Check them after 12 minutes to see how they’re doing. They’re done when they’re slightly browned around the edges and still a bit soft in the center.)
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11. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool.
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Kielbasa Sausage a la Fenway Park
Bob and I both liked the Kielbasa sausages sold outside of Fenway Park in Boston so much that I decided to try to recreate them at home.
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This isn’t really a recipe. It’s all about the ingredients.
Start with a good quality Kielbasa sausage. I chose Hempler’s. It’s a local company based in Ferndale, Washington, which is near Bellingham. Their Kielbasa Smoked Sausage is a high quality product that contains no MSG. The Kielbasa is ¾ pound, so one sausage is enough for 3 generous servings.
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Metropolitan Market makes their own hot dog buns at their bakery. They are much better than average!
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For the peppers, I used Mama Lil’s Kick Butt Peppers.
I cooked some onions in a bit of oil over low heat until they were golden brown.
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To put it all together, I turned all three burners on my gas grill to high. After 10 minutes, I turned 2 of the burners off. I put the kielbasa over the lit burner and cooked it for about 4 or 5 minutes on each side. Then I moved it to the unlit section of the grill to finish cooking using indirect heat. I let them cook for about 10 minutes more.
(If you don’t have a grill, just cook them on the stove, preferably in a cast iron pan.)
To serve, cut the Kielbasa into 3 pieces. Put a piece on each bun. Top with grilled onions, Mama Lil’s Peppers, and Dijon mustard.
You can stand up to eat them like we did outside of Fenway, or you can do as we did at home and sit down at the table. 🙂
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A Summer Weekend in Vancouver
Last weekend we had a lovely stay in Vancouver, British Columbia!
On our drive up to Vancouver on Friday we stopped for lunch at Lychee Buffet in Bellingham. a [Update: I am sorry to report that Lychee Buffet has closed. a😦 a] a I am normally leery of Chinese buffets, but this one is actually very good. We have never been disappointed. They offer an extremely wide variety of dishes and everything seems so fresh. On weekdays, it’s a very reasonable $7.49. On weekends, when they offer an even wider variety of seafood, it costs $11.79. You can order from a menu, but we’ve never done that. It’s located at Exit#253 off I-5. It’s a great stop for a quick meal when you’re travelling through Bellingham.
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Lunch at Lychee Buffet in Bellingham
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When we got to Vancouver, we drove directly to Gastown to meet our friend, Lorne, at his office. It was a beautiful afternoon to sit in the outside seating area of Chill Winston in Lorne’s building. We enjoyed catching up with him and had good Northwest beer and wine.
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Bob and Lorne at Chill Winston
Since we had made a rather last-minute decision to go to Vancouver, I felt very lucky to get a room at our favorite Vancouver hotel, The Sylvia. They must have had a cancellation because the hotel is usually booked well in advance for summer weekends.
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The Sylvia Hotel was originally built as an apartment building in 1912. In 1936 it was converted into an apartment hotel. The hotel claims to have opened Vancouver’s first cocktail lounge in 1954. Renovations have been done over the years and today it is a very comfortable hotel that maintains its historic charm.
The rooms vary a lot in size. There are very small rooms, rooms much larger than ours, and suites. A few of the larger rooms even have kitchen facilities. This time our room was a standard room with one queen bed. It was quite adequate.
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Our Standard Queen room at The Sylvia
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View from our room of English Bay
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One of the best things about The Sylvia is its location. It is right across the street from English Bay and First Beach. You can walk on the walkway or bike on the bike trail along the shore to Stanley Park. When the weather is beautiful, as it was last weekend, it seems that all of Vancouver is out and enjoying the beauty of English Bay.
After checking in, we went across the street to the park and the beach. Right now there is an interesting sculpture there called A-Maze-ing Laughter that is a part of the Vancouver Biennale.
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A-Maze-ing Laughter, by Yue Minjun
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The Sylvia is the short building that looks like it’s covered with ivy. It’s actually covered with Virgina Creeper.
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First Beach, English Bay
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Right around the corner from The Sylvia is Denman Street where you’ll find all kinds of interesting restaurants. Many of them look like they’re inexpensive ethnic restaurants. We didn’t try any of them on this trip, but in the past we have eaten at Raincity Grill, which is not an inexpensive ethnic restaurant. It’s just down the block from The Sylvia and is an excellent upscale restaurant featuring local Northwest food. [Update: The Raincity Grill closed a few years ago.]
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Back at the Sylvia, we went into their bar for a drink before dinner. The bar is a very pleasant space with big windows looking out over English Bay. It’s a great place to sit and watch all of the activity going by. I had a Caesar cocktail, which is a very popular drink in Canada. It’s like a Bloody Mary, but it’s made with Clamato juice instead of plain tomato juice. The Sylvia’s version is made with Clamato, horseradish infused citron vodka, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. The rim of the glass is dipped in celery salt, and the drink is garnished with a celery stalk, a prawn, and an olive.
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A Caesar Cocktail at The Sylvia
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We then took a cab to Vij’s for dinner. Vij’s is owned by Vikram Vij, who is a classically trained chef and sommelier, and his wife, Meeru Dhalwala. The food has been called the finest Indian food in all of North America. That may be true, and it’s definitely one of my favorite restaurants.
Vij’s does not take reservations and you almost always have to wait for a table. We’d never been there during high season before; we learned that the wait is even longer on a beautiful Friday night in July. We were told it would be 1½ – 2 hours. I like Vij’s so much that I don’t mind waiting for a table; Bob was not so happy about it, but he humored me. We gave them my cell phone number and went out for a walk. I assured Bob that it would not be 1½ hours; I think they overestimate the wait time so customers will be pleased when it’s shorter.
After walking around the neighborhood for a while, we went back to Vij’s and ordered a drink. I must say that Vikram Vij is a very good host to his guests who are waiting for tables. He walks around greeting people, and he has servers who come around with trays offering tasty complementary nibbles. At one point I also saw Vikram walking around with a tray of goodies to offer people. It’s like being at a cocktail party.
An hour and fifteen minutes after we first arrived, our table was ready. We ordered Spicy Sautéed Mangoes and Greens with Khoa (an Indian cheese) and Dates Stuffed with Walnuts and Khoa for an appetizer. It was quite unusual and very flavorful.
For one of our main courses (dishes are meant to be shared at the table) I have always ordered the Lamb Popsicles, which is fantastic. There is a recipe for it in my Vij’s cookbook so I may try to make it at home sometime. If you ever go to Vij’s for the first time, I highly recommend it. Last Friday, though, I wanted to try something new so I ordered the Goat Curry with Spiced Vegetables. I had never tried Goat before. I liked it so much that I may have to buy some and try fixing it myself. (I have my eye on Vikram’s Boneless Goat Curry in Vij’s at Home.) With the Goat Curry we enjoyed Vegetable Curry with Sesame Seed Rice Pilaf, an excellent vegetarian entrée.
I was happy to have the opportunity to eat at Vij’s again and grateful to Bob for being such a good sport about it. 🙂
Right next door to Vij’s is Vij’s Rangoli. It is a much more casual, and less expensive, restaurant which is also open for lunch. (Vij’s is not.) We have never eaten there, but we have gotten takeout meals and the food is very good.
[Vij’s has moved to a new location at 3106 Cambie St. and Vij’s Rangoli expanded into the old Vij’s space at 1480 W 11th Ave. Vij’s is open daily for dinner; Vij’s Rangoli is open daily for lunch and dinner.]
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The next morning we had a leisurely (very slow) breakfast at The Sylvia. The dining room is bright and cheerful with large windows looking out on English Bay. We have eaten breakfast and dinner there before and had not encountered slow service. For some reason, last Saturday it was slow. The food was good, though, once we got it.
The menu has a great breakfast selection and the prices are very reasonable. I had my usual egg, toast, and hash browns. Bob wanted something to fuel his climb up the Grouse Grind, so he chose oatmeal and bacon. (Is it just me, or is that an odd combination?)
After breakfast we met our friends, Lorne and Margaret (aka Muggs), at Grouse Mountain. We could not believe all of the people who had the same idea. We last went a few years ago in September at about 8:30 in the morning. There were not many people that time. But this was, once again, “high season” in July on a beautiful Saturday at 11:30.
Grouse Mountain is just a short drive from Vancouver and offers something for everyone. The view of the city is breath-taking. You should be forewarned that the Admission, which includes the round-trip tram ride and some of the shows and activities, is not inexpensive. It’s $40 for adults, $24 for teens, and $14 for children. For a family, that would be a bit expensive, but it is a very unique experience and is especially worthwhile on a beautiful, clear day.
Lorne, Muggs, and Bob began their climb up the Grouse Grind. It’s a treacherous climb straight up the mountain. If you choose to climb to the top, you get a discounted ride back down on the tram; it’s about $12, I think. Walking down is not an option.
I chose to take the 6-minute tram ride up to the top. Because of the crowds, it took about 30 minutes to wait in line to buy a ticket and to ride up.
I was amazed at the amount of snow at the top, which I believe is about 3700 feet where the tram stops. Of course, we did have record-breaking precipitation in the Northwest over the winter with lots of snow in the mountains.
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Once at the top I headed for the 45-minute Lumberjack Show which I thoroughly enjoyed.
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After the show I headed back to meet the intrepid hikers when they got to the top. They made it in a respectable amount of time – just over an hour. After Cokes and iced coffees, we walked a short way to see the Wildlife Refuge which is the home of two grizzly bears. Unfortunately, the bears were in their den and not entertaining visitors.
After the tram ride back down to the parking lot, we agreed on the time to meet Lorne and Muggs for dinner and we headed back down to Vancouver.
On the way, we stopped to see Cleveland Dam. The dam was completed in 1954 at the head of the Capilano River. The dam forms Capilano Lake which is the source of 40% of Vancouver’s drinking water. You can walk on the dam and see the water rushing down into the river. There is a park with picnic tables, and the view of the mountains is beautiful. It would be a great spot for a picnic lunch.
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Bob at Capilano Lake
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By the time we got back to the Sylvia, we were hungry, but we didn’t want to eat too much so late in the afternoon. We headed across the street to Mr. Tube Steak’s cart for hot dogs. They were just the right thing to enjoy at the beach.
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It seemed that everyone who wasn’t at Grouse Mountain was at the beach!
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In the evening we walked down Denman to Coal Harbor to meet Lorne and Muggs for dinner at Cardero’s. The setting is beautiful with a view of the harbor and marinas, and the food was delicious. They feature fresh local seafood, and reservations are a must at this popular restaurant. I loved the Grilled Scallops, and the Linguine Vongole that Lorne and Muggs had looked terrific. Bob chose the local Fraser Valley Grilled Pork Chop which he enjoyed.
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Coal Harbor
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The walk back to the Sylvia was very pleasant. We walked down Gilford Street which is a quiet residential street that runs parallel to Denman. At Haro and Gilford, we discovered The Buchan Hotel. It’s a “budget, no-frills hotel” (their own description) with a great location. It’s a short walk to English Bay, Stanley Park, lots of restaurants, shopping and attractions. For those on a tight budget, it looks like it might be a great option.
At the base of The Buchan is a wonderful looking Italian restaurant, Adesso Bistro. It’s open for brunch on weekends and dinner is served daily. Their outdoor patio looked like a lovely place to be on a warm summer night. I’m filing it away as a place to try some time.
Continuing down Gilford, and about 2 blocks from The Sylvia, we were startled to see a skunk! We kept a safe distance, although I thought Bob got a little too close to it. We stopped in the bar at The Sylvia and asked the server about it. She said they are common in Vancouver and acted as if we were a bit strange to ask the question. Well, we have quite a bit of wildlife in West Seattle, but I’ve never seen a skunk in our neighborhood. It was quite exciting for us!
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View from our room Saturday night
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Sunday morning we once again had breakfast at the Sylvia. Service was much faster than the day before! I decided to try the Jogger’s Special with scrambled eggs and they were cooked perfectly! I love scrambled eggs when they’re done right. Bob had the smoked salmon omelette. I highly recommend breakfast at Sylvia’s, even if you aren’t staying there. The dining room is so pleasant and the food is terrific. After breakfast you can go for a great walk along the beach.
We checked out of the hotel and drove along False Creek to see the sights and then stopped at Vij’s Rangoli to get some food to take home. They used to sell frozen entrees, but now they carry refrigerated pouches. We got some Chicken Curry, Chickpeas, and Black Chickpeas which are all fine to bring across the border. You cannot bring lamb entrees into the US. (The US Customs rules can change. Be sure to check to see what is acceptable to bring in to the US at the time of your trip.) We enjoyed the Vij’s takeout for dinner when we got home!
It was so great to see Lorne and Muggs, as always! And I’m so glad we got to go to Vancouver last weekend when the weather was perfect. This has not been such a great summer so far. Right now, in Seattle, it’s 57 and seriously raining. It’s probably about the same in Vancouver this weekend. Summer in the Pacific Northwest!
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July 16…View out our front door….57 degrees and raining
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I love visiting Vancouver! I think it may be the most beautiful city in North America. Here are a few things we have enjoyed in Vancouver on past trips:
● The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia is home to an amazing collection of Northwest Coast Native American art, including spectacular totem poles. Bill Reid’s best-known sculpture, The Raven and the First Men, is showcased in the Bill Reid Rotunda.
● The Bill Reid Gallery 639 Hornby Street. Open Wednesday – Sunday
● The Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park is a wonderful aquarium. The Orca statue, Chief of the Undersea World, in front of the aquarium by Bill Reid is gorgeous!
(Yes, I do like Bill Reid’s art!)
● There are a lot of interesting shops in Gastown. I have enjoyed exploring them when Bob has been busy with meetings.
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Chopped Salad
♫ Summertime, and the living is easy….and it just doesn’t get any easier than this Chopped Salad! I made a large salad to take to a 4th of July party, but you can make a small salad just for yourself in a very few minutes.
I headed to a local store that has a great selection of organic produce and shopped for the best-looking vegetables in a variety of colors. I came home with cauliflower, jicama, grape tomatoes, radishes, a yellow pepper, carrots, corn, and sugar snap peas. The bulk olive section had pitted Niçoise olives, so I bought some of them as well. Kalamata olives, which are probably more available, would make a good substitution.
At home I already had jarred pickled red peppers (Mama Lil’s, to add a bit of spice) and some spinach. I thought the spinach would hold up better than lettuce for a potluck salad.
The vegetables I chose are merely suggestions. You can use whatever appeals to you. My goal was to make a vegetable salad that would withstand sitting on the table for a few hours without having any ingredients spoil or wilt. If I were serving it right away, I might add chopped lettuce, cucumbers, and/or avocados.
For the dressing, I adapted Mark Bittman’s basic Lemon Vinaigrette from his How to Cook Everything cookbook. I wanted something simple that would spotlight the vegetables without overpowering them. It was a perfect match.
Simply add your favorite protein for a fantastic one-dish summertime meal!
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This photo was one of Foodbuzz’ Top 9 for July 8, 2011! 🙂
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Chopped Salad
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Ingredients
An assortment of chopped fresh vegetables (8 – 10 cups for a large salad, less if serving fewer people) Suggested vegetables: Cauliflower, jicama, grape tomatoes, radishes, carrots, sugar snap peas, corn, yellow pepper
Pickled red peppers, to taste
Pitted Niçoise or kalamata olives
Chopped spinach or lettuce
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1. Chop everything into bite-sized pieces and put in a large bowl. I like to thinly slice the cauliflower.
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Carrots, white and yellow corn, sugar snap peas, and radishes
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Added to the bowl: Niçoise olives, yellow pepper, jicama (peeled and chopped), grape tomatoes (quartered), cauliflower (thinly sliced) and Mama Lil’s Peppers
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2. Toss with some Lemon Rosemary Vinaigrette (recipe below).
3. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed.
4. Toss in some chopped spinach or lettuce, if desired.
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Lemon Rosemary Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Mark Bittman’s vinaigrette recipe in How to Cook Everything)
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1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon minced rosemary
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I needed 2 lemons)
1 clove garlic, pressed
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1. Mix the zest, salt, rosemary and juice. While whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a stream until emulsion forms. (Or do as I did, and put everything in a Blender Bottle and shake!)
2. Taste to adjust salt.
In the kitchen with Kath 
