Al Dente

Crazy About Delancey's Clam Pie!

I finally tried the hot/hot/hottest spot for pizza in Seattle and Delancey lived up to the high praise heaped on it by critics, food bloggers and pizza geeks.

On a weeknight, the tiny dining room was packed before 6, so my friend, Adam Kuban, (the head cheese at Slice on Serious Eats) and I took a stool at the counter, overlooking Brandon Pettit's domaine, the walk-in closet-size space where dough is stretched and topped and slid into the wood-fired oven.

The menu is fairly short, but my eyes shot straight to the clam pie, a take on the pizza made famous at an icon called Pepe's in New Haven, Conn. Lore has it that Frank Pepe invented this unusual pie because he was allergic to tomatoes and cheese.

Though Brandon traveled extensively in anticipation of opening his place, he said he had never tried New Haven's signature pie.

Delancey's version starts with the exceptional crust, a dough that's chewy and has the deeply-satisfying character of a rustic bread. The flavors develop over a long period of proofing. Housemade creme fraiche is slathered on the dough, then garlic slices and petite Manila clams. So simple and so darned delicious. Close-your-eyes-and-moan delcious. It even held up surprisingly well the next morning. Yes, I warmed it up on my pizza stone for breakfast.

Another fantastic place, Serious Pie, pioneered Northwest shellfish pie. The clam pizza at Serious Pie goes the surf and turf route, adding house-cured pancetta as a partner for those bivavles.

Move over prosciutto! Clams have just risen to my No. 1 pizza topping. What toppings do you like on your pizza pie?

--Leslie Kelly

Southern Foodways Alliance Syposium Was A Smash Hit

I am so absolutely stuffed after soaking up three days of amazing food and fellowship at the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium in Oxford, Miss. The theme this year was music and it was enlightening and entertaining to hear food imagery pop up in everything from ragtime to hip hop.

I've been going to this magical weekend for five years and it just keeps getting better. I'm not just talking about the incredible meals cooked by famous chefs (Susan Spicer from Bayona in New Orleans, Momofuku's David Chang pictured plating a lunch and Oxford's hometown hero John Currence, winner of this year's James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in the Southeast were featured, just to name a few). What I adore about this epic event are the surprises and the joy of learning something new. Who knew Jelly Roll doubled for a roll in the hay in many blues songs from way back when?

One of the most riveting speakers was seasoned Nashville singer/songwriter Marshall Chapman who talked about the challenges of finding good food on the road. She's probably logged more miles in more than 30 years of touring than most musicians, much of it in a cramped van, where band members took turns sleeping on a pad laid out across a couple of amps.

I loved her eloquent telling of how she finally declared she would only play in places where there was a good chance of finding tasty local fare. That boiled down to Texas, Louisiana, most anywhere along the Gulf Coast and New York. She conjured a beautiful scene of looking for a post-show snack in a New York snowstorm when the band stumbled into a homey Italian place, the city still under a blanket of white.

Lucky for the 300-plus food writers, scholars, cooks and food enthusiasts who gathered for the Symposium, Marshall said she was moved to perform a song for us after eating a spectacular meal at Big Bad Breakfast, bringing down the house with "I Love Everybody, I Love Everything."

That sentiment kept rolling around in my head throughout the weekend. And I left Oxford, feeling full and a little bit blue, but already thinking about next year. Y'all should come!

Stay tuned for more SFA Symposium dish from Brad Thomas Parsons, who I had the pleasure of hanging with down South.

--Leslie Kelly

Candy: A Halloween Love Story

It was a toss-off question I posed on Twitter a couple of days ago: What's your favorite low-brow candy?

I 'fessed up to keeping Junior Mints in my freezer, a habit I picked up, oddly enough, while watching "Julie & Julia" this summer at a theater that sold those movie house staples frozen. It makes the mint even more refreshing.

Almost instantly, this silly query prompted all sorts of funny feedback. I heard from folks who have a thing for Butterfinger, Rolos, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Coffee Crisp. Though, Coffee Crisp doesn't seem exactly low-brow because it is imported. From Canada.

I had to laugh when one Twitter buddy in San Francisco said she immediately headed out to the corner store, in search of Junior Mints. There were only York Peppermint Patties. Close, but not what she was suddenly craving. "I'm so suggestible," she Tweeted.

The good, sweet fun slopped over to my Facebook page, where another roar of approval for good/bad candy was heard. Candy Corn was a huge hit, especially when paired with peanuts. One comment, though, had me laughing out loud and groaning at the same time. Chef Bill Smith gleefully spilled his guilty pleasure: Those marshmallows shaped like circus peanuts paired with mayo. As the old saying goes, don't knock it until you've tried it. So, I'm officially not knocking it.

Anybody think they can top that? How about piling on and adding your favorite treat?

-- Leslie Kelly

Seattle Chefs Baaa-d To The Bone At Inaugural Lamb Jam

Pho-braised lamb shank fresh rolls from Monsoon East. Anderson Valley lamb shoulder tagine from Lola. Osso bucco-style leg of lamb from Andaluca. Lamb-stuffed pot stickers from Ponti Seafood Grill. ART's BLT with lamb bacon.

Those were just a few of the knockout dishes featured at Lamb Jam Sunday at Bell Harbor Conference Center on Elliott Bay. The capacity crowd enjoyed the creative lamb-centric dishes paired with wines from some of the top producers in Washington state.

Lucky me. I got to help judge the eclectic lineup of dishes, 17 in all, each paired with a wine. The panel of half a dozen fellow food writers/food lovers were served four flights that consisted of bite-size portions, divvied up into categories: shoulder, loin, shank and leg of lamb.

The group tasted, sipped and wrote notes furiously as plates were cleared and more were delivered. Scores were compiled based on presentation, creativity and taste. It was a very tough call, but the winners were Monsoon East for most creative and best shank. Lola scored best shoulder honors while best wine pairing was the Northstar merlot with Nell's braised shoulder and hummus. Barking Frog's lamb-tastic loin cooked sous vide and served with the spectacular DeLille Syrah was the best in show. 

What was so striking was the versatility of the star ingredient. Never would have guessed lamb shank would have worked so well wrapped in a fresh roll. And there was a surprise in that Monsoon gem, too. A gelee made from the pho broth.

The same could be said for the wines served alongside the lamb. Washington wines were perfect accompaniments to the intensely flavored meat and assertive seasonings. Especially enjoyed the Col Solare, the J. Bookwalter 2006 Foreshadow Cabernet and the 2006 Rediviva from Buty.

Sure would be great to see more events like this, showcasing one wonderful ingredient. How about an artisan cheese jam next? Or a wild salmon jam next spring?

--Leslie Kelly

Researching Seattle Street Food Scene For Truck Food Nation Book Tasty Work

My friend Angie Mosier just spent a week in Portland and Seattle photographing the growing number of street food vendors for a book by John T. Edge. Truck Food Nation, a look at the phenomenon that's got the momentum of a souped-up GTO, is due out next fall. In the meantime, the author and photographer have been criss-crossing the country doing research from Madison, Wis., to Tuscon, Ariz., New York City to L.A., home of the superstar truck, Kogi BBQ.

I was absolutely tickled to tag along with Angie as she sampled and shot bites from Marination Mobile, Minimus Maximus, Kaosami Thai, Parfait Ice Cream and El Camion, considered by some as serving the best Mexican food in the city, period.

As we rumbled down the road, we found a gem I hadn't tried, thanks to a heads-up on Twitter.

Paladar Cubano -- on the southwest corner of 90th and Aurora Avenue -- has the kind of Cuban comfort food you're most likely to find in Miami. Or Havana.

The first sign that this truck was the real deal was the mamey shake on the menu. Mamey is a tropical fruit sometimes described as a cross between a sweet potato and a mango. That makes for a gorgeous shake, the color of autumn leaves.It was mighty fine with a side of fried tostones -- mashed and breaded plantains -- and a true Cuban sandwich: thin-sliced roast pork, ham, pickles and Swiss cheese, toasted on special bread that looks like a smooshed burger bun.

While music blasted from the trucks' boom box on a blustery day, Angie and I mmm-ed over our order, especially the tostones, pictured here. What fun research, huh?

A semi-random aside: Angie also worked on a new PBS show starring chef Eric Ripert. "Avec Eric" debuted this summer, but I was bummed to learn the Seattle PBS station is not yet running it. I'm going to be a squeaky wheel and write an e-mail to the powers at KCTS and ask them to get Eric on the air. Care to join me?

--Leslie Kelly

Space Needle's SkyCity Is Toast Of the Town When It Comes To Wine

When the Washington Wine Commission named the revolving eatery atop the city's best known landmark its restaurant of the year, skeptics scoffed. Everybody knows only tourists dine at that dated venue, more than a few said.

I bet those people haven't been there in years. Until this week, I hadn't either. But a lovely lunch at SkyCity convinced me this iconic spot deserves a fresh look-see.

Now, I might be a teeny bit biased. I am absolutely crazy about The Space Needle. I wrote a story earlier this year about its many charms for the now-defunct print edition of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. I'm a proud annual pass holder, going up often, sometimes just for a few minutes, to take in the magnificent skyline and spectacular mountains.

Still, I didn't let my expectations get too high about the restaurant. Until I started looking over the menu, that is.

Like many restaurants in the city, SkyCity has a renewed focus on using local/sustainable ingredients. They only serve wild salmon. I loved the hazelnut oil on the table to dip warm rolls in, as well as two types of butter. One was made with Alaskan sea salt, the other with a little bit of lavender.

The SkyCity restaurant has installed a state-of-the-art water filtering system, so no more waste from bottles. Bravo!

But what really piqued my interest was the wine suggestions that accompanied each entree, selections almost exclusively Northwest wines, including the most respected producers in the region. Those pairings are a collaboration between sommelier Mido Benjdya and chef Jeff Maxfield.

There was a thought-provoking column by Eric Asimov in The New York Times this week about the disparity between restaurants touting local menus and then serving European wines. I am impressed the wine list at SkyCity really reflects its commitment to local products.

After careful consideration, it came down to a choice between the fried oyster sandwich with Lone Canary Sauvignon Blanc and the halibut and chips with the Poet's Leap Riesling. So, I asked for suggestions from the server and he didn't hesitate. Fish and fries for me!

And I was so happy he set me sailing in that direction. I loved the off-dry wine, the fruit nicely balanced with the crisp snap of acidity that makes Rieslings from this state so special. (I later learned this is one of the projects of Long Shadows Winery, a German-inspired Riesling made by the renowned vintner from Schlossgut Diel.) Even before knowing the fascinating back story, I was wowed by how well it went with the meal.

The tempura battered halibut was the best fried fish I've had in a long time. I usually stay away from fish 'n' chips because the dish tends to be greasy. But this generous portion was golden and light. I enjoyed the Napa and savoy cabbage slaw on the side, too. The only change I would make would be to swap out the non-descript fries for some hand-cut Washington state potatoes. Then, the dish would truly soar.

You know what? I think those tourists might really be onto something. I'm going back to SkyCity for seconds and soon.

-- Leslie Kelly

Coffee Revolution Takes A Tasty New Turn

It's widely recognized that Seattle is where the espresso scene took off in this country. A little something started by a company you may have heard of... Starbucks.

Well, millions of lattes later, a few new coffee houses seem to be heading in a new direction, offering a different kind of buzz. Lately, some bean counters have been doing double duty as wine bars.

Take Fonte Cafe and Wine Bar, for instance. This sleek space (pictured here) opened this summer across from the Seattle Art Museum, offering a selection of brews, a wine list selected by an in-house sommelier and a menu created by Crush chef Jason Wilson.

What makes Fonte such a kick is the friendly staff, who speak knowledgeably about the coffee, the wine and the food. Want pairing suggestions? No problem. Want advice about which type of bean to try in a pot of French press? They can help.

Citizen is another cool venue successfully transitioning from coffee house to wine bar as day turns to night. Located at the bottom of Queen Anne Hill, not far from Seattle Center, this cozy place features sweet and savory crepes. Which match up well with coffee or wine.

For further proof this trend is taking off, consider this: Even Starbucks is testing the concept. Last summer, it launched a non-branded coffee house on Capitol Hill that serves wine by the glass and offers live music some evenings. If the 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea continues to be a draw, don't be surprised to see more of similar spots sprouting in neighborhoods across the country.

-- Leslie Kelly

Happy Cook Dinner For Your Stressed Out Friend Day!

That's right. I'm proposing a new national holiday.

Why not? There's a day to celebrate nearly every food in the universe. Why not mark a spot on the calendar to offer some true comfort food to a friend in need?

This seed was planted after a recent conversation with my perpetually cheery friend, Laura. Her sunny demeanor was a deep shade of gray, the result of a seemingly never-ending quest to finish a doggone PhD in microbiology. Sometimes, those darned bacteria just don't want to cooperate.

For years, Laura -- a canning diva -- has kept me flush with pickles and jams, so I offered to lighten her load by cooking dinner for her family one night. She didn't hesitate, saying heck yes.

It was really no big deal. I just doubled the dinner I was making the night before and sweetened the deal by making in an impromptu dessert, drawn from what I had in the pantry. I was pretty proud of my caramel apple bread pudding, though it could have been a little sweeter.

Wait!

I've got some dulce de leche I made this summer. I put some of that into one of Laura's many jars I've collected over the years.

Don't you think the world would be a better place if we instituted this holiday as soon as possible?

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Ingredients

2 Jonagold apples, one sliced, one chopped

4 cups day-old bread, torn into bite-size pieces

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup cream

1/3 cup currants

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine eggs, cream and sugar. Add bread, chopped apples, currants and mix; set aside.

3. Toss sliced apples in 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon.

4. Heat 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat; when hot, spray surface with canola oil spray and add apples. Saute for two minutes, until they begin to turn golden.

5. Remove from heat and add bread mixture to the skillet.

6. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes.

7. Let cool. Invert skillet on cake plate. Serve with caramel sauce and/or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6-8.

-- Leslie Kelly

This Essential Baking Company's Potato Bread Has History

I'm a sucker for carbs, especially when it comes to bread and potatoes. So combine those two and I am in heaven. Especially when a potato bread has such an intriguing story.

Essential Baking Company in Seattle debuts its Ozette Potato Bread this week, using spuds that can be traced back to South America. The potatoes were introduced by settlers to the Neah Bay area in the late 1700s and were later adopted by the Makah Tribe after those Peruvian pioneers left.

Ozette potatoes were in danger of disappearing when Slow Foods raised their profile by including them on their "ark of taste." Essential is sourcing its potatoes from the stellar Full Circle Farm.

The flavorful fingerlings are super starchy, which makes working with the dough challenging to work. Potatoes are roasted whole and mashed before being folded into the dough. Up to 400 potatoes a day will be used in the limited time only bread.

I got a sneak preview last week and had to hold myself back from skipping dinner and eating a half a loaf of this chewy, rustic loaf. All it needed was a little extra virgin olive oil and some Secret Stash truffle salt for dipping. That sounds like a pretty good meal, doesn't it?

-- Leslie Kelly

Hungry For More Good Advice from Hungry Monkey

I've got no problem admitting this: The hottest tip I've picked up lately was from a kindergartener. Not just any little squirt, though.

Iris Amster-Burton, one of the most charming food personalities I've come across in a long time, turned me on to Nueske's Apple Smoked Bacon. I had never heard of Nueske's before reading about it in the wildly entertaining memoir/cookbook, Hungry Monkey written by Iris's Dada, Matthew Amster-Burton.

Even as a pre-schooler, this kid had a darned discerning palate. In addition to loving Nueske's above all other bacon, Iris is hooked on Westphalian ham, sushi, pot stickers, mackerel, bibimbap and stuffed trout. These dishes and many more are the delicious stage on which father and daughter romp in Hungry Monkey. (Well, the book is subtitled, A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater.)

While my own hungry monkey recently left the nest -- and is now suffering through the college freshman ritual of hating cafeteria chow -- I still got a huge kick out of reading this book. At first, I was a little jealous. Because Iris loves to get her little fingers in the mix in the kitchen, cooking with Dad. Something I could never get my food-ambivalent daughter to do, especially during her super picky early years.

Then, I continued reading and learned Iris was picky, too. Not really into veggies, unless it's something like spinach stuffed into ravioli. She loves fries, but not crazy about ketchup. She'll eat just about any fin fish, but turns her nose up at shellfish. And she hates soup.

Of course, all that might have changed since the book was written when she was four and, if there's one reassuring message that comes across, it's that kids go through phases. "The best thing parents can do is relax," he said.

Good advice (like the heads up on that tasty bacon), but still, I can't help think of some of my grown-up friends who never got over being picky. (Come on, admit it. What food do you avoid?) Even the author, who was finnicky when growing up in Portland, refuses to eat tuna or egg salad. Wonder if he's considered trying the latter topped with some of that smoky bacon.

  -- Leslie Kelly

Nostrana's Fantastic Fare Inspires Awe, But Not Home Cook's Confidence

Sometimes, after eating a great meal, I'm inspired to try and recreate a dish I loved at home. Then, there are times when I'm just in awe.

After a recent trip to Portland, I came home to Seattle convinced I'll never be able to cook as well as Cathy Whims, the chef-owner of Nostrana. The memory of the amazing beet-stuffed ravioli will just have to get me through until my next trip to the Rose City.

I've been jones-ing to dine at the four-year-old Nostrana ever since I got a taste of chef Cathy's food at a dinner in Seattle last spring featuring all the chefs who had been nominated for the Best Chef in the Northwest by the James Beard Foundation. Maria Hines from Tilth took home the honor in May, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Whims back on the ballot in 2010.

Her regional Italian menu is a just-right combination of casual fare and upscale. You can order wood-fired pizza or a Tuscan-style porterhouse for two. The menu's constantly changing, with daily specials showing up on Twitter. Which is kind of funny because the dining room has such an Old World feel: soaring ceilings, wooden beams, golden lighting, a wall full of wine and an inviting bar, where plenty of patrons seemed to be enjoying full meals and wine flights.

I went the traditional route in exploring the extensive menu, starting with antipasti (a savory bruschetta featuring baked cippoline onions was my favorite). Then I split a primi -- the elegant beet ravioli in chive butter -- with my husband before thoroughly enjoying my main course, lamb roasted medium rare and served alongside creamy polenta.

When we ordered the ravioli, I knew I hit the jackpot because our server said: "I wait all year for this to come on the menu."

I truly hope it's not another year before I get back to Nostrana.

-- Leslie Kelly

Who Will Be The Next Iron Chef? My Money's On Holly Smith

Did you catch the season premiere of Food Network's hit show, The Next Iron Chef?

I got to watch it with one of the contestants!

Holly Smith, winner of the 2008 James Beard Foundation Award for best chef in the Pacific Northwest, had a party at her wonderful Cafe Juanita Sunday night. There were three big screens set up around the dining room and guests nibbled on an all-star lineup of passed apps: Seared Foie Gras Brioche with Candied Ginger, Cocoa Nibs and Huckleberries, Grilled Octopus Chickpea Bruschetta, House-Smoked Trout on Pumpernickle Crostini, Italian White Anchovies with Salsa Verde and Ciccoli Sliders, which were like chicken-fried pulled pork. Oh my goodness, that was some fantastic finger food! The savory snacks were perfectly paired with Mark Ryan Viognier.

While waiting for the big show to start, chef Holly filled us in on some behind-the-scenes scoop. The biggest bomb was that the flight the East Coast chefs arrived on lost power in one engine and nearly had to make an emergency landing in Death Valley.

After the 90-minute debut, during which she tackled jellyfish as her slippery secret ingredient and "survived to cook another day", I asked Smith how she had been cast. "They called me," she said. Bravo!

Cafe Juanita is one of just two restaurants I gave four stars to while I was reviewing for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, so I wasn't surprised to learn that she had been recognized as a possible Iron Chef. Stay tuned to see how she fares. Or do you want to predict a winner?

-- Leslie Kelly

Gourmet Gone? Sad, But Not A Big Surprise

When the news broke Monday that the November issue would be Gourmet's swan song, the reaction was swift and poignant. How could this icon disappear from the culinary landscape? Sweet remembrances poured forth. The magazine will be missed. Its absence will be mourned.

But I have to wonder how many of the people lamenting the loss were subscribers. Numbers of paid subscriptions on most print publications have dropped off dramatically in the past decade and with the fall in readership, so goes advertisers and revenue and plugs get pulled.

It's oddly telling that the news was delivered online and the shock and dismay that followed was delivered online. That's how people get their information these days. And that's what is killing print. But it doesn't have to be that way.

I'm not advocating turning back the clock to the good old days. But I would like to suggest that if dedicated readers want their favorite publications to continue to stick around that they pony up and subscribe and be vocal in support of advertisers who stick with print.

The need to support the efforts of a professional reporting and editing staff in print products was driven home yet again for me on when the Sunday New York Times arrived on my doorstep and I devoured an investigative piece tracking E. Coli in hamburger. Devastating stuff that wouldn't be possible if the newspaper weren't around anymore.

Yes, I'm well aware that you're reading this online. Like most human beings, I spend plenty of time surfing the Web. But I worked in print journalism for many years and even though it strains my tight budget, I'm still a daily print newspaper reader and subscriber. You should consider showing your support and subscribing or there will be more sad Gourmet-like tales to come.

Here are the magazines I either subscribe to or routinely buy on the newsstand:

1. Cook's Illustrated

2. Food & Wine

3. Everyday Food

4. Bon Apetit

5. Saveur

You can sign up for those and more at this link! 

-- Leslie Kelly

Baconfest Sizzlin' Hot in Portland This Weekend

Oh man! I was in Porkland, er, I mean Portland last weekend, kicking myself for just missing this swine-centric celebration this Saturday. It sounds like a mighty meaty time. The Baconfest fun includes a bacon eating contest, a bacon dance contest and various bands playing bacon-inspired tunes throughout the day.

I definitely got my bacon on while in the Rose City, hot-footing it over to VooDoo Doughnuts to see what all the fuss was about. Strips of crispy bacon were like porcine jewels on the famous maple bar. Crunchy, salty and sweet on a pillowy rectangle of fried dough. It had all my favorite flavors and textures. It definitely lived up to the hype.

When I plunked down my dough for my bacon maple bar, nobody behind the counter took the opportunity to plug Baconfest. Even though VooDoo is a sponsor. Sigh. I might have stuck around all week.

Believe me, it's going on the calendar for 2010.

-- Leslie Kelly

Half-Sour Pickle Attempt Is A Noble Failure

Good cooks learn from their mistakes, right? I got a pretty salty lesson recently, trying to recreate those crunchy half-sour pickles you'll find on the tables in New York delis.

I followed a simple recipe I found online and was reminded sometimes you need to take virtual advice with a grain of salt. After four days of curing in salty water, pickling spices and garlic, my perfect pickling cukes looked so good and had just the right texture, a snappy crunch. But they were way, way too salty. And I love salt.

So, I called a friend who knows a lot about cooking and asked if she thought these briny buggers could be saved. She didn't know, but we decided I should try and revive them by soaking them again. This time in plain water, in an effort to leach out some of the sting.

I'll let you know how it goes, but in the meantime: Is there anybody who can offer some suggestions on removing the pucker from these half-sour pickles?

-- Leslie Kelly

Chicken Boring? Try This Turf-and-Turf Treatment

Unless it's Southern Fried, I typically steer clear of chicken. It's a blank canvas that never seems to have the meaty flavor I crave.

But recently, I did a complete turnaround after trying a bite of excellent bird at Crow, a laid-back neighborhood restaurant at the bottom of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. It's a favorite pre-theater venue for hungry hordes going to performances at the nearby Seattle Center, appealing to a broad range of palates with down-home favorites such as lasagna and grilled fish seasoned just right.

The signature chicken dish is a breast wrapped in prosciutto and and roasted until the delicate ham is crispy and the white meat plenty moist. This meat-on-meat combo infused the chicken with a nice smoky flavor.

I decided to try and recreate the dish at home and it was super easy thanks to my awesome Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. I sprinkled some salt and pepper on the chicken breast and then laid fresh sage leaves on one side before draping the ham across and tucking it in around the back. I put the presentation side down in a hot skillet, sprayed with a little bit of olive oil. Oh, back up a sec: Don't forget to preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After searing one side, I turned it over and slipped the pan into the hot oven. But first, I added a couple of cored pear halves, seasoned with a little salt and pepper. Twenty minutes later, dinner was served. The plate, finished with smashed yams, the caramelized pear, green beans and homemade peach chutney, looked as pretty as a palette of fall colors. No blank canvas there.

So, do you have any exciting chicken preparations to share?

-- Leslie Kelly

Forget Mashing Potatoes! Rice 'em For Fluffiest Spuds Ever

I recently celebrated a birthday and my husband earned a basket full of brownie points by buying me some thoughtful presents. Even though he absolutely hates cleaning this gadget, he treated me to a new Oxo potato ricer. It replaced one that finally busted after years of use.

I'm a big fan of the ricer for two reasons:

1. It makes the softest, fluffiest "mashed" potatoes you'll ever pile onto your fork. I'm no scientist, but I think it has something to do with the way the starch molecules are left intact. Or something. All I know is the potato flesh drifts out of this contraption like winter's first snowfall. Not only does it make great smashed spuds, the ricer turns out great potatoes for recipes such as gnocchi. (Which, in my wing-it kitchen is riced potatoes plus egg, plus just enough flour to hold it together. Roll 'em, pinch 'em, boil 'em and eat.)

2. When using a ricer, ou don't have to peel the potatoes before cooking. This is why my husband gripes about cleaning it. Because the teeny holes make a perfect catch all for the jackets. Just scrap them out between batches.

Now, for those of you who think getting a gadget as a gift is grounds for divorce, I want to reassure you that my sweet spouse also came through with the present I'd long been dreaming about: My first float plane ride! Yes, it was a thrill.

--Leslie Kelly

Dinner Party 101: On the Menu? Mac-and-Cheese

We're marking a huge milestone in our home this weekend: the emptying of the nest, as our Baby Girl heads off for college. (Heavy sigh.)

But this summer, there was another rite of passage that made this mama feel all warm and fuzzy. My darling daughter had her first-ever dinner party. This was a big deal because the kid doesn't really spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Oh, she can nuke a plate of nachos all right. But, try as I might, I could never get her fired up about cooking. (Heavy sigh, part two.)

So, I could barely contain my excitement when she asked my advice about cooking for some friends.

My first rule of entertaining is to get as much done in advance as possible. That way, you can sit down and enjoy the party.

We came up with a menu and I walked her through my fool-proof macaroni and cheese, a recipe I adapted from the fantastic Marian Burros' Cooking for Comfort. (The key to a really creamy M&C is to use evaporated milk. I know! It sounds strange, but it really works.)

While I supervised, she made this time-honored favorite, put it in a baking pan so she could finish it off in the oven the next day, topped with more shredded cheese and some breadcrumbs.

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall at the party, but I was told to buzz off. Understandable. She's spreading her wings.

Later, she told me dinner had been a big hit. To complete this colorful meal, she served carrot sticks and strawberry lemonade mixed with sparkling water. For dessert? The group sat outside and passed around a half gallon of ice cream. Not exactly how I would have served it, but I can certainly see how it would be cool. Especially because it meant fewer dishes to do.

Do you remember your first dinner party? Was it a hit or a miss? Do you have any sure-fire entertaining tips to share?

Can't Miss Mac-and-Cheese

Ingredients

1 16-ounce package dried pasta, prepared according to the instructions on the package

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of sharp cheddar and pepper-jack)

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 white onion, diced

 3 dashes Tabasco sauce

2/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs, optional

Directions

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan; add onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add flour and stir, cooking for another minute.

2. Whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add cheese and stir until smooth.

3. Season with Tabasco. Fold into prepared pasta. (I like rotini noodles for this recipe.) If desired, top with additional cheese and bread crumbs and bake in 350 degree oven until cheese has melted and breadcrumbs have turned golden, about 10 minutes.

Serve 6.

-- Leslie Kelly

Picking Rosehips with Fat of The Land Author Langdon Cook

Langdon Cook, former senior book editor at Amazon and author of Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager, does most of his foraging in the mountains and along the shore, picking porcini mushrooms, digging the elusive razor clams. It's one way to stay connected to the best year of his life, the year he and his wife and their young son lived off the grid and, like the title of the book says, on the fat of the land.

But he sometimes finds unusual edibles in the city, too. And on a sunny Sunday, he met me on the shores of Lake Union in Seattle to pick rosehips. Those brilliant berries are about the size of a hazelnut this season. They're absolutely loaded with Vitamin C and Cook plans to turn his small bucket full into syrup, though he might play around with making rosehip jelly, too.

"The conventional wisdom is that you pick them after harvest, then they're a little sweeter," he said.

As joggers and in-line skaters whiz past on the path, we did our best to find smooth, firm rosehips and avoid the thorns. On one of Cook's more entertaining passages in the book, his efforts to pluck first-of-the-spring dandelion greens becomes a thorny situation when a couple of guys who obviously were encamped where he was picking demanded to know what he was doing in their space.

"You loco, boy," one of them concluded when they found out what he was doing.

It might sound a bit crazy, this notion of a 21st century forager. Until, that is, you take a look at some of the recipes Cook creates to showcase his bounty. There's Dandy Bread and Muffins made with the aforementioned weeds, Shad cooked Carolina-style, Oyster Po' Boys, Huckleberry Cobbler and many more.

As further evidence, foraged food is hardly humble fare, James Beard award-winning chef Jonathan Sundstrom is featuring a feast of plenty tonight during a "Cooks and Books" event at his lovely restaurant, Lark. Cook went on an all-day forage with the chef to gather ingredients. Highlights include Geoduck Ceviche, Lobster Mushroom Tartine, Shellfish Stew and Huckleberry Cobbler. There are still a few seats available. But even if you can't make it to what looks like a memorable meal, be sure and check out Cooks' book. It's a well-written, entertaining romp around the Pacific Northwest like nothing I've read before. Since I started reading it, I'm constantly looking at the landscape in a whole new way.

-- Leslie Kelly

Chicken and Waffles: The Next Big Brunch Thing?

Mention chicken and waffles and the conversation inevitably turns to Roscoe's, a storied, down-home chain in California. But this offbeat combo has gone upscale at a couple of restaurants in Seattle.

It takes center stage on the new brunch menu at Taste, the stylish dining room at the Seattle Art Museum. The bird - a leg and a thigh - is marinated in buttermilk and dredged in seasoned flour, then fried golden. The savory crunch of the chicken contrasts with the substantial waffle featuring heirloom grains from Bluebird Grain Farms. The waffle can be dunked or drizzled in warm syrup, depending on personal preference. (I'm a dunker.) A nicely bitter side of mustard greens is served on the side, cream gravy underneath.

I'm a regular fried chicken snob, the culmination of several years living in the South, so I bring pretty high expectations to the table. And this version was flat-out fantastic.

Of course, eating it got me thinking about the origin of this dish. So, I turned to Fried Chicken by one of my favorite food writers, John T. Edge.

In this missive - part of a series on iconic American foods - John T. digs deep to find mentions of this poultry pairing going back to 1939 in a book called The United States Regional Cookbook. Among other juicy tidbits, he discovered chicken and waffles served at a long-gone restaurant in Harlem called Wells Supper Club. And I'd sure like to hear the 1935 recording called "Chicken and Waffles" by Bunny Berigan.

In the end, though, John T. concludes the very beginnings of the dish remains a mystery. What's no mystery is how quickly skeptics turn into chicken and waffle converts after a few bites, all carefully arranged on the fork. Seasoned fans know the best arrangement involves equal parts chicken and waffle, a bit of syrup, a bit of gravy. Those mustard greens were like a nicely bitter palate cleanser.

-- Leslie Kelly