Monthly Archives: October 2006

Liquefied Ghost

10/30/2006 | Topic: food., libations

Because it is Halloween, my ‘drink’ category is growing. Holidays are my excuse to play with new recipes, new menus and fun, new drinks. My friends and family have come to expect new funky concoctions from my kitchen, and I love the excuse to put on my mixologist… [more]

Purple People Eater

10/25/2006 | Topic: food., holidays, libations

Halloween is my excuse to try new recipes, gussy up the house and serve multi-colored, nasty looking drinks. Every year I throw a big Halloween bash, and make it an all-family event. Adults and children dress in costumes, then play spooky tricks and eat Halloween treats. One of my goals… [more]

Halloween Party 2006: Drinks

10/23/2006 | Topic: food., holidays, libations

Tombstone: Al B. Waiting Tombstone: Redd E. Wenuare Tombstone: E. B. Gone My husband and boys spent most of Saturday cutting out, sanding, spray painting and writing crafty sayings on the front of tombstones. Our front yard is flocked with tombstones; each year we make our home just a bit… [more]

Figgy Toasts

10/22/2006 | Topic: food., starters

My husband and I stole our way to a new restaurant when our kids went camping with their grandparents. Purple had just opened in Seattle, already garnering a land-able reputation at their other restaurants in nearby Kirkland and Woodinville. At the downtown Seattle venue there is a… [more]

Blueberry Chutney (and pork chops)

10/17/2006 | Topic: edible gifts, entree

I forced myself to attempt canning this year. I am intrigued by all the canning, preserving, drying and curing that were so critical to survival not too long ago. People figured out ways to make their food last, to use methods to keep food not only safe but sweet and/or… [more]

Italian Sodas: not for kids only

10/16/2006 | Topic: food., Italian food, libations

Italian sodas are all the rage at our house. With mom making simple syrups like it is going out of style, the kiddos are making Italian sodas of every size, shape and flavor. When they have friends over, the kitchen becomes an instant science lab as they pour together multiple… [more]

Blue is the New Yellow (Broccoli inspiration)

10/12/2006 | Topic: food., vegetables

My son has been dedicated to loving the color yellow for 9 solid years. Not just any yellow, but dandelion yellow. If asked, his favorite color was bright, friendly, smiley-face yellow. This color obsession went well with Pokemon, sponge bob and soccer socks; he noticed yellow houses, embraced yellow daffodils… [more]

Simple Syrups

10/11/2006 | Topic: dip, sauce & syrup, edible gifts, food.

Simple Syrups are easy-squeezy to make, and the number of flavors you can concoct are endless. Pictured here are a raspberry, blackberry and a combination of blackberry blueberry. My first venture into the world of simple syrups was my impatience for a great mojito. I wasn’t about… [more]

Gingersnaps

10/07/2006 | Topic: food., libations

Not a cookie but a cocktail. I don’t know about other parts of the country or globe, but in our little Pacific Northwest corner, ‘novelty cocktail’ is all the rage. Inspired, untried, herb-infused, tea-tipped, drinkable confections are literally setting a new bar. So of course, naturally, I had to take… [more]

Wax Beans and Bacon

10/07/2006 | Topic: food., vegetables

The farmers market is a great place to snag yellow wax beans, a cousin to—if not just a color-altered version of—green string beans. Take a pile of them, enough to serve the number of mouths at your table, and snip off the ends. GREAT JOB FOR KIDS: snipping off… [more]