September 2009

  • Washington Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms

    By lisala on 9/28/09 4:14pm
    Add Comment

    It's mushroom season in Washington, and I'm beginning to see the first ads from people with chanterelles for sale. Late September and early October are peak wild-mushroom season, especially in Western Washington around the Olympic Peninsula. There are several varieties of wild mushrooms that "fruit" in the fall—including boletus and the somewhat rare matsutake—but in this area the chanterelles, in both the yellow and the white variety, rule. The yellow variety is especially common on the west side of the Cascades, particularly under the cover of second growth forests rich with Douglas fir and hemlock. The chanterelles look similar to other mushrooms when they first push up from the conifir's roots; small "buttons" of fungi.

    Read more >

  • Gordon Brothers 2006 Columbia valley Rose

    By lisala on 9/23/09 9:13pm
    Add Comment

    This is another bargain grocery store wine. It's also a bit of a mystery; except for the winemaker's own Website, this is, apparently, a nonexistent wine. The 2005 Rose is easy to find, as are a number of positive reviews; the 2006? Not so much. That's a little surprising; the Gordon Brothers and their winery are extremely well-respected.; I had their Kamiak wines in Los Angeles, where they were presented at a catered dinner for a "cause" and selected by the host as premium domestic wines. I remember him telling me conspiratorially (I was staff, not an attendee) that he totally scored on the purchase, and had even bought two cases for himself.

    Read more >

  • Labor Day: Pacific Northwest Style

    By msarko on 9/7/09 3:31pm
    Add Comment

    I grew up in the Midwest, so a lot of my national holiday experiences were of such classic Americana that they veered dangerously close to Norman Rockwell idealism. When Labor Day rolled around in my Ohio town, hotdogs, hamburgers, ruffled potato chips and six-packs from the nearby Budweiser factory were basically compulsory. Aside from that last item, I don't have a problem with standard American grill fare, but sometimes a heart (and a stomach) wants something a little different. That's why I've decided to compile this Labor Day menu inspired by the best modern staples of my new home in the Pacific Northwest.



    Read more >