Pie aye, aye.

A moment of reverence for the single greatest invention of all times past, present and future.

Homemade pizza can be a little daunting and a lot disappointing.
If you nail it, it is a reason to celebrate, if you botch even one of the constituent pieces, you may want to try one of those shooting spree things you've read so much about.

The most-often massacred pizza pie building block is certainly the crust/dough. Does your crust taste like raw dough? Too soggy? Not crispy, but more like a hard, flour-based cement (One bite and smasho...it's shattered). Don't load the gun yet.


It is simple to make dough. Do not let anything disuade you from that mindset. I have found that the divine ratio of pizza dough is 3 to 1. That is, 3 parts flour/grains to 1 part water/liquid. Last night I used ...


2 cups wheat flour,
3/4cups all-purpose flour, and
1 cup of spent grains (left over from a batch of beer that I brewed on Sunday.)
1 cup warm H20 to activate the yeast
1/4 cup skim milk (optional)
2 Tbsp honey (to dissolve in the warm H20 for the yeast)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp salt
1 packet dry yeast

Combine the H20 and the yeast in a bowl, let the yeast proof for 10 min (it will be all foamy).
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl(not yeast smarta$$e$), incorporate everything homogenously.
After proofing, add the olive oil and milk to the wet goods.
Incorporate the dry with the wet.
Stir firmly to develop a sticky doughball. JUST dry enough to handle. I like olive oil on my hands to help me.
Add dry as needed...you WILL need to add some dry stuff. Remember this poignant quote:

"The divine ratio of pizza dough is really more of a divine guideline or divine 'ballpark figure' than ratio."
-Me (2007)

Knead the glutinous mass until you can tuck it into a tight little lump.
Take the whole doughball and put it in an oiled up bowl with a towel on it for a few hours someplace warm. Let the dough at least double in size (more like 2.5X to 3X original size).
After the yeast has en-hugened the dough give it a quick working over to re-aquire the tucked up ball look.



You can cut in in half or quarters if you want more manageble pieces.
I cut the mass in half and then one of the halfs in half. Leaving one half and two quarter pieces.
I let the half rise some more in the same bowl it was in before.
One of the quarters I flatten (as thin as possible...really thin) into a pizza shape.
You can top the raw dough or you can precook the crust like I did last night.

What about that other quarter piece? Well...

Meat me in Istanbul.

Lucky enough to spend the past two weeks in Turkiye, I have realized that the Turks have no peer in the preparation of carnivorous consumables. The meaty morsels varied from the exquisitely presented pirzola (lamb chops) above, to the bluntly straightforward Kofte pictured below.


I dined on more meat in two weeks than I had all of last year. Beef, mutton, lamb, chicken, and even some spicy Kokerec (lamb intestines) introduced me to the Turkish mastery of seasoned and grilled animal bodies. It is important to mention that I sampled some dishes from multiple establishments. Believe me when I say that pirzola can be just as deliciious from a Kebap house as it is from a Euro-style cafe.

Fully showcasing their meat mastery, there is no need for a grill with this dish of raw Kofte. The only heat neccessary is that which emanates from the cooks hands. This is why these little lumps look like someone "Kung-Fu gripped" the living bajeezus out of them.

Melon Drama

This combo knocked my wife and I on our backsides. Take one, perfectly ripened Tuscan cantaloupe, cut into bite-size morsels. Liberally douse the tender, juicy melon with fresh-squeezed lime and a touch of salt. On each piece, place either a basil leaf, or fresh sprig of cilantro. Finalize the amuse bouche with a sliver of creamy avocado.

Brews the ego.

Even though I have another blog devoted entirely to the pastime of drinking alcohol, I always reserve the right to drop a little alco-wisdom on Gastronomical Odds. In this case, it is because I am MAKING, not drinking, some fine ale. Okay, okay, so I consumed a couple over the 6+ hours it took to brew a batch...I mean, c'mon.

Now, there are different ways to brew beer. Some avenues are more problematic than others, but some, are really not that difficult at all. My brewing partner Fitz has the basic equipment and I have all of the less-basic technique and know how, so we created an intermediate-level process for our offering.

The easiest method of brewing involves boiling 2.5 gallons of H2O with anywhere from 5-12lbs of dried malt extract, and hops. After an hour of boiling, the wort is diluted with 2.5 gallons of cold water, cooled to a temperature that is safe for yeast (below 80 deg.), the yeast is added, it ferments/conditions for about 2-4 weeks and then beer is born.

In breweries the malt extract is left out in favor of the sweet liquor mashed out of a variety of malted barleys and other grains. Without some specialized equipment, it is pretty difficult to mash enough grain to produce enough runnings for a substantial amount of beer. Mashing is basically soaking the ground barley in water at a specific temp.(150-160 deg.), to convert the starches to sugars for fermenting. With the gear we had at our disposal we decided to do the easy technique compounded with a buckled-down version of the mashing technique.

Basque-ing in the Glory

Seared Sea Scallops with parsnip and lemon curd.


The mountainous areas along the Spanish/French border may be homeland for the Basque people, but The Harvest Vine on Madison is a home away from home for their eclectic cuisine. Well worth the week in advance reservation, this rustic little number impressed all night long. Small plates and huge tastes, just the way I like it. The dishes are infused with varied inspiration. Spanish, French, inland, and coastal components are all flawlessly represented and harmoniously presented.

Where do I begin? More importantly, where should YOU begin. Every moment you waste before ordering the cheese sampler you will come to regret. Order it immediately...order it on your way in the door...on your way to the table...order it yesterday...but order it! We made the mistake of only ordering two different cheeses to sample before dinner. We were summarily wailed upon by their awesomeness. One goat's milk that was practically flowing it was so soft at room temperature, and a cow's milk bleu that was so strong and phenolic it nearly left me catatonic. Later, after at least four rounds of tapas, my wife stole away and, unbeknownst to the rest of the dining party, ordered the sampler. When it arrived, everyone's eyes bulged. Next to bulge were our cheesey bellies. Another goat's milk, this one firmer and milder, a sheep's milk Manchego, and another, saltier, spicier cow's bleu joined our two original selectons. Like I said, order it as soon as you get there. For less than the price of a bottle of wine you get five 1 oz. servings of queso magnifico.

Speaking of vino...
They have an unbellievable wine list that sports some special wines. I was most impressed with the house Tinta and Jumilla that they had for $23 a bottle. Super stuff...super price. We had a Cab/Syrah/Tempranillo blend from Catalunya (Also around $23), that the whole table willingly guzzled.


A little French influence in this classic Gateau au chocolate.

Angulas are a Spanish delicacy. Angulas also happen to be baby eels that cost about $200/lb. Harvest Vine fakes it pretty well. They use Hake from the Bay of Biscay in Spain and prepare it to mimic the tiny, barely born, noodley fish. The Hake eels are combined in an omelette of organic duck eggs, herbs, and olive oil. The main player resembles delicate vermicelli that seem to play, swimming about the moist, fluffy duck eggs. A strong dish but light on the stomach. A welcome beginning to the meal, as this was the first tapas delivered.

After a solid yet overshadowed eggplant dish, the sassy mesero brought the seared scallops. Perfectly cauterized and surfing on a wave of zesty lemon curd the mollusks impressed. With a bright whiff of brine these ultra fresh bi- valves were tender but firm and possessed a pleasant nuttiness that played well with the sauce. The curd evoked dreams of lemon gravy, the perfect accompaniment for the rich, creamy scallop.

For the true carnivores, we sampled a guinea fowl stuffed canalone, pan-roasted squab, and a beautiful venison tenderloin. The squab was a little difficult to share given its dimunitive size but we persevered. The breast portion of the little pigeon was cooked perfectly medium rare and presented in all its succulence on a whipped potato puree. The baked canalone stuffed with the guinea fowl was simmered in a fried tomato sauce and topped with a mild spanish goat cheese. It was comforting and I loved it for its simplicity. The venison which was also seared to a stunning deep ruby-red temperature was the final course, and a great way to go out. This venado was beyond lean, while simultaneously carrying a red meat-flavored coat of arms that would make a mignon salute.

Pink and Black

What happens when the best meets the best? The little Vivace Espresso stand on Broadway has taken to peddling pastry for the competition. Now when I say competition, I mean that Vivace and Top Pot both sell coffee. As far as quality and execution go, Vivace is peerless. As far as doughnuts go though, Top Pot resides at the very apex of fried, cakey delight. Methinks this will work out in my favor.

Spring Please.

Alaska is giving me the taste of spring that the Seattle weather is not. Although open season on this firm and fantastic fishy does not open in the state of Washington til April, our non-contiguous neighbors to the north are lending a helping Halibut. This dense fillet has undergone a simple salt, cracked pepper, lemon prelim. I decide to amp it up with acoutrement post broiler. Nestled on top of a pillow of parmesan-garlic couscous, the whitefish is pelted with some lime-roasted zucchini and corn confetti. The whole menagerie is topped with a dollop of toasted pumpkinseed pesto and enjoyed with an easy drinking, French Sauv Blanc.

Ale and Lager

I love to go to a bar and drink fine beers. Sometimes I'll go the PBR/Rainier/Oly route, but I prefer a deeply flavored ale or lager.

Lately I have been splitting my time between these two juxtaposed beer styles. Pale ales on the ale side and dark lagers on the latter. Fish Tales Brewing,Wild Salmon Organic Pale Ale, was a great choice to represent the ales. Nice and dry with a palpable minerality. Cascade hops that were not over-employed, for a crisp citric effect. The hops and minerality were proportioned well to the good, pale malt body. Henry Weinhard's Special Dark Lager has been giving no quarter on the Lager side. I know that they are owned by Miller now, but....Strohs owned them before and this is good cheap beer. Plus, Miller is not as bad as Coors, or Bud...c'mon. Tons of roasty flavor out of this beer. Almost as malty as a porter, but with a tighter finish.

Punkass seed

Roasting raw pumpkin seeds at home is easy and super snackly. I sprinkled some smoked cumin, olive oil and plenty of salt on these raw seeds and roasted them at 300 deg. for 15 min. I tossed some of these kernels on the soup from my last posting. I cannot rave about these things enough. Addictive texture, healthy, and they will absorb any seasoning you can imagine. Raw pumpkin seeds are pretty cheap. You can get a pretty big batch's worth for like $2.

Last soup

It is starting to warm up outside and it is time for one last soup of the season. I roast six carrots and a head of garlic with ample amounts of olive oil...about 30 mins. at 300deg. Caramelize one onion in my soup pot with some ground/dried chipotle peppers. Add the carrots, garlic (along with all of the oil they have been roasting in), some cardomom, cilantro, lime juice and peppercorns. Cook this down and deglaze with some veggie stock, H2O, butter, and cream. Add some salt to taste. Simmer long time.


I made some black bean, banana, cornmeal dumplings to float on the soup's surface. Fry up some banana slices with onion, garlic, and red bell pepper. When caramelized add some black beans, veggie stock and a touch of milk or cream. Then add the cornmeal and stir it into the creamy stock. When the mixture is balanced pop it in the oven at 375 deg. for about 15 min. Let it cool and you have a crunchy, sweet corn cake for the roast carrot soup.

Happy 33

I have had Barolo on my radar for a couple months...
Not the wine, but the glittering northern italian inspired restaurant on Westlake and Virginia. The main object of my sensors has been Barolo's bar menu/happy hour duo. From 3 til 6:30 and 10 till close M-F the entire bar menu is half price. $14 bottles of red or white wine ($3.50 a glass), along with an ample offering of sub $7 dining choices. The bar menu is adorned with savory little italian morsels with a dab of refined exoticism. Warm baby octopus over garbonzo beans in port wine reduction, hanger steak in a Barolo sauce w/tiny potatoes, in-house made rigatoni in a veal/beef ragout, and tuna tartare are all offered in generous portioning.

I started with a glass of the house red (Salice Salentino Candido Riserva). For $3.50/glass this italian blend of Malavisa Nero and Negramaro grapes stood up for some recognition. Light and bright with red berry/cherry and almond notes followed up with some wood and spice. Surprisingly austere for such an inexpensive little table wine.

As an aside, while awaiting my dining compatriots, I indulged myself with some scotch. Not that an 18 yr. old Macallan is SOME scotch...actually it is SOME kinda scotch. Little or no heat, it tastes like you are drinking it straight from the sherry cask. Tempered with flavors of caramelized turbinado, smoke, and cherry pit, it was highly complex and just plain transcendant. The price was also transcendant, or at least somewhere up in the troposphere ($28/shot). Once a year treat...happy birthday to me.

After the dram I was desperately in need of some fortification. Still no friends, so I order the lentil and spelt soup. Solid, though not overly memorable. I loved the spelt. Like a barley, with a snappy little al dente texture it comingled with ribbons of spinach and lentils in a miso-reminicent broth. The soup gets a blue-collar style thumbs up for its utilitarianism.

Finally some partners in chyme arrive to keep me company. We order a trio: The baby octopus, some wild mushroom risotto and calamari. What can I say except that those baby octopi must have had a Michelin for a momma. Not so much rubbery as REALLY FREAKIN rubbery. Granted I expect a little bounce with the mini cephalopods but this was unacceptable. The reduction was very tasty though. Sage, raisinated port, and garlic almost made up for the octokids...almost. Risotto had definite truffle presence. Creamy well seasoned and stocked with nubs of porcini. Straightforward, simple, and well executed. The calamari was the standard, cornmeal dusted and flash fried. After the octopus though, these tender, feather-light rings of squid were a real treat. I must say that any of these apps at regular price would be a monumental dissappointment...half-price = half the expectation. I probably will not go back.

South African wine is just fine.

Looking for a Red to go with my brussel/truffle melange...took a stab at this lupine blend from the Cape of Good Hope. Not bad. Nothing killer here though. It DID pack sufficient spice and acidity to cut the egg yolk, which can be an issue. How many times have you seen a "Breakfast Red". Dark fruit, black pepper, earth and a tinge of coffee round it out. The truffles really thrive with the Syrah and Mouvedre in the blend, just like they do with the French Chateneuf Du' Pape. At $7.99 a btl. this stuff would work even better with a little lamb chop and rosemary.

Yolko...Oh no!

Warm yolk, plus truffle oil, plus brussels sprouts, equals exclamation.
My splendid wifey has adeptly roasted up some brussels sprouts, and I shall bolster them. Not that these caramelized napoleonic cabbages need any help. They are green and golden brown all at the same time. Garlic, olive oil and salt is all they were cooked with, but once they start to sweeten up...look out. One fried egg, over easy (poached is just as good), a liberal dousing of some white truffle oil, grana padano, cilantro, and some fresh cracked pepper. Truffles and eggs are often used in gourmet tandem, and cilantro helps lift this rich dish out of heavy and into heaven. Next time I add lardons and lemon zest.

Social drinking

Let's get the ball rolling with a drink. Beer, wine, or liquor? I'll share my three current choices and we can discuss.

• Stockyard Oatmeal Stout (Stockyard Brewing Company, Chicago, Illinois. $4.99/ 6pk)
  

• Masciarelli Montepulciano d"Abruzzo (Distributed in Seattle by Grape Expectations Inc. $6.99/btl).

• Hendrick's Gin (Distilled in Scotland, around $27/750ml.)

Starting with a neat gin out of one of my crystal tumblers will surely lubricate the taster. If you are after your favorite potable's true soul, neat is the way to capture it. A good huff at the mouth of my vessel is conjuring a thorny, rose-headed beast. The gin is infused with a measure of rose petals and it is pretty discernible. The juniper that this style of distillate is so well known for, actually plays second chair to the initial floral aromas. Truly this is gin, so the evergreen is still in there. It is just not as resinous as some other gins. Some may like it, some may not. I like it...I like it just swell. I've tasted drier gins, that is for certain. This liquor is a sweeter interpretation of the style. A little cucumber essence is deposited on the palate too. An above average gin overall. Is it worth the price? It is if you are looking for some nice gin under $30. Not a super deal though.

Stout beers are generally opaque, roasty ales. There are scores of different styles of stout. Dry, Sweet, Imperial, Chocolate, Coffee, Cream/Milk and Oatmeal are all fairly common these days. Stockyard Oatmeal Stout is pretty solid. Made in Chicago by a satellite brewery of Goose Island Brewing Comp., it is well worth the $4.99 price tag, if you can find it. I like to give a beer a good hard pour into my pint glass. Blowing a little CO2 out of the ale helps you taste it. Carbonic acid burns the taste buds. I'm not telling you to flatten all of your beer before you drink it, but a little less zing will bring out some extra nuance. Really...it will. Smells like a nice, hearty breakfast cereal. Palpable roast barley character, oily body, and a bittersweet cocoa finish. Nothing off of the charts, but really one of the very best craft/import beers for the price. This fact alone is enough to win some repeat consumption.

This Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a stellar little table wine. Redolent of black cherry, white pepper, and a little vanilla dirt. Some tannins provide a skeleton and frame this wine nicely. My rules for table wine start with the price. $12 or less is my ceiling, though really I tend to keep it under $10. I like French Cotes du Rhone, and Cotes du Ventoux, Spanish Rioja, or Tinto and Italian Chianti, Barbera d'Asti, Montepulciano d' Abruzzo, and Primitivo. You can usually find one of these styles at a super quality steal. Pay attention to the distributor if you can. Some of those distributors got mad wine skills.