Tag: Food

Some thoughts on pho 

Carl Setzer

Over the past several days, I’ve had pho at least twice. Now, there aren’t as many pho places around here, yet, as there are teriyaki. But they’re making inroads. I can name 5 restaurants within a very short distance, and with great ease. Teriyaki, which should be the official foods of Seattle. It was a running joke, for awhile, that there was a stip mall, somewhere in Seattle, that didn’t have a teriyaki shop. Somewhere… So, as a comparison, I can think of 13 teriyaki shops in the same geographic area. 
For me, these foods, Vietnamese soup and Japanese chicken, were my comfort foods. When I’m sick, nothing nagging me feel better than pho ga, or chicken soup. With a fan of Siracha, and a dollop of hoison. Perfect! And if I’m stressed, or feeling sad, mad or bad, teriyaki picks up my mood. 

Now, there are variations. For teriyaki, I like it crisp, charred, solidly grilled. Others I know, prefer it cooked more gently. With pho, there’s pressed chicken vs shredded, with my preference being shredded. 

A few of the foods that make the Puget Sound basin a unique place culturally. So, Bon Appetite!

Memorial Day, 2017

Carl Setzer

An amazing weekend. First, perfect weather. Which seems to turn off tomorrow. Giving a more divine feeling to the holiday weekend. Also, though we had plenty of activity, we were able to get quite a bit done around the house. 

Saturday and Sunday were filled with concert preparation and performance in my church, Trinity Lutheran Church by the Snohomish County Youth Chorus. Not only was my son singing, but I ran a PowerPoint and helped with sound. 

We did manage to squeeze in a trip to the Edmonds Farmers Market, and a couple of walks in. Met my Fit bit step goals every day. 

Today was mostly home centric. Finished cleaning out the garage, more cleaning around the house, that sort of thing. Then we wandered down around Edmonds beaches, enjoying the low tide. It never ceases to delight me how opened up the beach becomes. We can walk around the jetty, and under the ferry dock. 

Watching these clams (I presume) feeding through their siphons delighted me. 

Journeying up the hill to Revelations Froyo is a must on warm-to-hot days in Edmonds. Other days, too, but it’s especially welcome in the heat. 

Then we ended with the first salmon of the year. Just splendid! 

I hope your Memorial Day was reflective and refreshing. Of course, tomorrow we’re back into it. 

Congrats to the good folks at Canlis on it’s James Beard Award

Carl Setzer

This is fun news for Seattle foodies: Canlis Takes Home Its First James Beard Award. (Seattle Met Magazine)

I’ve not dined at good ol’ Canlis. Mainly, I’m a northend guy, and making my way down there is a bit challenging. And then there’s the price tag…
Anyway, all the best to good folks at Canlis!

 

 

What a lovely day!

Carl Setzer

Today was pretty delightful. First, got to sleep in…always a boon.

My wife and I hit the Brook’s Tent Sale. Though I’m no longer a runner, my wife and son are. And I’m something of an avid walker, so good shoes are valuable to me.

Next stop, a friend of ours, who makes killer cinnamon rolls, made some killer cinnamon rolls and shared some with us.

We then went and walked around the Edmonds waterfront. One of our favorite places. Calm, peaceful, and people who will actually politely greet each other.

On our way home, we stopped at Mel & Mias, a gem of a bakery/coffee shop in the Perrinville neighborhood of Edmonds/Lynnwood. Charming, delightful place. Light and inviting aura, and excellent treats. Oh, and coffee that’s quite unique. Today got to try a monsoon coffee from India. I’ve never had Indian coffee, so that was a delight in-and-of-itself. The processing for this is unique. They basically cage the coffee beans and let the rains clean away the husk and pulp of the cherry. It had mild citrus and berry notes which paired well with our cherry tart.

For dinner we went to help celebrate our favorite Mexican place’s (La Raza) 8th anniversary. Though we had to leave before the mariachi band arrived, it was great seeing the good folks there having a deserved good time.

Nothing monumental or life changing. Mostly, just life affirming and charming. The sun shone brightly, which was a pleasant change. All in all, no complaints.

Here’s wishing every one of you a blessed Easter, no matter which faith your practice. May we all find peace and joy…in the small things.

Food Trucks Are Coming to Lynnwood

Carl Setzer

I’ve long had a “thing” for food trucks, so I’m pretty excited about this. They will be a fun addition to the food scene in Lynnwood.

 

Food Trucks Are Coming to Lynnwood
City Council Unanimously Approves Food Trucks in Lynnwood

LYNNWOOD, WA (March 29, 2016) – Before long, you will be able to purchase an authentic street taco, a slice of pie, a strawberry crepe or a burger from a mobile vendor in Lynnwood. On March 14, 2016, the Lynnwood City Council voted unanimously to allow food trucks to operate within the City limits between the hours of 7am and 10pm. “This is something the City has carefully researched and considered,” said Paul Krauss, Community Development Director. “These trucks are safe, well regulated, and offer such a great opportunity for independent businesses owners. People enjoy the whole food truck experience.” Food trucks will be able to park in local business parking lots, with the approval of the business owner, but not on City streets.

“Food truck will go a long way to help improve the vibrancy of our City Center,” stated David Kleitsch, Lynnwood’s Economic Development Director. “Food trucks in other cities, like Portland and Seattle have become a mainstay and even a tourist attraction; they will be a great asset in Lynnwood too.” During the Public Hearing at the March 14 City Council Meeting, Rosario Reyes, Director of the Latino Education and Training Institute, voiced her support for allowing food trucks in Lynnwood. Reyes commented that food trucks in Lynnwood will be an asset to the Latino community, in particular those who are looking for start-up business opportunities.

The ordinance is effective as of March 23, 2016. Operators must apply for a City of Lynnwood business license and be approved by the Snohomish County Health Department. Lynnwood is ethnically diverse and already has so many unique dining options – it will be exciting to see what starts rolling into town!

The Lexicon of Sustainability

Carl Setzer

Stumbled upon this site today: Lexicon of Sustainability. A great series introducing so much of the work I valued at Starbucks. One of the deepest privileges of my life: Corporate Social Responsibility. Working with the greatest minds on the cutting edge of societal change transformed me.

One constant issue we faced, clarifying such terms as Fair Trade, Organic, and, ultimately, sustainability. I appreciate what these folks accomplished with these videos.

These folks have developed a clever transformational campaign. Ultimately, this project revolves around community engagement, discussing our who were are, and who we want to be.

Sausage And Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Carl Setzer
 Made this tasty creation last night. It was fantastic.

I’ll quickly sum up the Facebook video. Do watch the video, and, heck, give Tasty a quick “like”.

  • Ingredients:
  1. One Acorn Squash
  2. One Onion
  3. Two Stalks Celery
  4. One tsp each salt & pepper
  5. One tsp Rosemary
  6. Three Cloves Garlic
  7. One Half Pound Sausage
  8. One Apple
  9. One Cup Bread crumbs
  10. One Half Cup Parmesan cheese

It’s a pretty straightforward recipe. NOTE: the video is mean for global audiences. 200 C  *OR* 400 F. 

Halve the squash, then lightly coat the halves with olive oil, season with a bit of salt & pepper, then bake for 40 minutes at 400F.

Pan fry the onion, celery, salt & pepper, add rosemary, garlic, then sausage, then apple, then breadcrumbs and cheese.

Add the stuffing to the squash, return to the 400F oven for another 20 minutes.

Sausage stuffed squash for dinner

A photo posted by Carl Setzer (@carlsetzer) on

Sausage And Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Posted by Tasty on Monday, October 12, 2015

 

Celebration of Food Festival 2015

Carl Setzer
Celebration of Food Logo 2015

We went to this last year and really enjoyed it. Not sure our schedule allows us to this weekend, but if we can, we will go. Hope to see you there.

PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURAL ARTS
Celebration of Food

Taste, explore and experience real food Sunday, May 17th. The Celebration of Food Festival, Sunday, May 17, 2015 from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Lynnwood Convention Center, 3711 196th St. SW, Lynnwood.

The festival is a free family event that innovatively highlights sustainable, local, organic and wholesome (SLOW) food. “In our fourth year, we are still running a very unique event. We bring people together from Snohomish County and beyond to showcase delicious, local, wholesome food,” said festival organizer Chris Hudyma. “Our intent is to foster a community that is passionate about real food. It’s a journey for people to rediscover that they can grow and cook their own food and that it can taste so much better than the processed food we so often eat in this country.”

Highlights of the festival include: educational presentations; cooking demonstrations; children’s story tent and book giveaways; hands-on kids’ cooking and kitchen skills station; and vendors consisting of local farms and businesses.

  • The Celebration of Food Festival promotes the following long-range goals:
  • Increase community health and wellness by promoting access and utilization of SLOW food.
  • Enhance our county’s ability to connect people and businesses that bring SLOW food to our tables.
  • Support farmers, farmers’ markets, businesses, non-profits and government in making Snohomish County a sustainable and economically viable place to live and work by providing Festival sponsors, vendors and presenters opportunities to promote their food-related endeavors.
  • Educate and raise community awareness of our rich agricultural heritage.
  • Promote and demonstrate benefits of sustainable agriculture, locally grown and naturally prepared food.
  • Further establish Snohomish County as a hub for regional food and foster tourism and economic vitality.

The Celebration of Food Festival is brought to you by Edmonds Community College and the City of Lynnwood with support by: Cedar Grove Compost, Central Market, Edmonds CC Campus Green Fund. Grow Northwest, PCC Natural Markets, Swedish Edmonds, Verdant Health Commission, and Whole Foods Market Lynnwood.

For more information about the Food Festival, visit www.edcc.edu/foodfest.

 

And now, Monday

Carl Setzer

It was a lovely but busy weekend. Highlights:

Saturday, I saw Kamiak’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. Very impressive! Even more do considering these are high school kids. This was worthy of any community theatre. And it’ll be fine next weekend, too. It’s worth your time! Followed up with dinner at a friend’s place, perfect!

Sunday, went to Bellingham for the Whatcom symphony. I’m always amazing at the high quality of their shows. Plus, the Mount Baker Theatre is an amazing space. Little old Bellingham has an amazing gem in their community. Then piroshkies at Pel’Meni, and ice cream at Acme Ice Cream in Fairhaven. A delightful day!

Looking forward to this week, and all the potential therein. What about you? Is there anything you’re particularly excited about?

Go make it a great week!