Making Homemade No-Can Refrigerator Dill Pickles/Vegetables

1/2-cup (packed) fresh dill (from your garden, farmer's market or the grocery store's fresh vegetable dept)
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups white vinegar (5%)
1/2 teaspoon salt (canning or kosher is best, but not vital)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Dried orange peal, bay leaves, pepper corns, whole hot peppers to taste

1 cup water

Mix and boil all liquid and spices......pack clean jars with cut cucumbers, roasted beets, slivered carrots. Pour hot mixure into packed jars. Let cool and put in refrigerater at least over night.
Enjoy as part of a compose salad, or when you need a bit of sliced carrots or pickle in a hurry. Great tip for fresh crunchy vegetables, in a jiffy or when you have a bounty of something and want to preserve it! Top off with reusable plastic lids.

Le Grand Bistro Américain launches in late December 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Le Grand Bistro Américain launches in late December 2010
Northwest Culinary Pioneer opening restaurant at Carillon Point
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Kirkland, WA Dec. 9, 2010
Chef and highly respected restaurant concept developer Ted Furst announced this week that renovations to the waterfront location he will open as Le Grand Bistro Américain are progressing and that the restaurant will open later this month. “This project brings me full circle,” Furst explains. “French food has always been my first love, and my career began in earnest when Peter Lewis and I opened Campagne as partners. Later, when I was corporate executive chef for Schwartz Brothers Restaurants we opened a Cucina! Cucina! in this location in the early 90’s. It feels right somehow that I am now opening this French inspired Bistro in the same location15 years later.”
Le Grand is an expression of Ted’s culinary roots and his appreciation of the French way of handling food and eating out. “Food that is locally sourced, classically prepared, executed to a turn, but still moderately priced, never goes out of style” says Le Grand’s owner/operator.
Le Grand Bistro Américain has a standing menu including a broad selection of appetizers, charcuterie, soups, and salads, a full raw bar menu featuring the best local shellfish on the half-shell, and a wide selection of entrees with pricing starting at $12. Steaks are done in both French and American styles, and an interesting and extensive list of side dishes is offered. Desserts will also feature prominently, including ice creams made in-house. Daily specials are listed on blackboard menus carried to each table by the wait staff, and primarily feature fresh fish. Specialty sausages are also made in-house. Bread for the restaurant is baked in the central hearth oven twice a day. The bar is a bustling hub of wine, beer, coffee, and scratch-made cocktails, with full dining service available during any hour of business. Several house wines are available by the pitcher, as they would be in a European tavern. A unique happy hour is featured from 3-6 pm M-F and weekend Brunch is served starting at 10am. Seating is for 140 guests, including a long counter in front of the hearth oven, coffee, raw, and cocktail bars.
Le Grand is situated in a stunning location; two seasonal patios overlook the Carillon Point waterfront in Kirkland, WA with western water views. The décor is classic and the service is professional but approachable: a friendly, urbane feeling prevails.
Ted, his management team, and the entire restaurant staff look forward to applying their considerable food, beverage and hospitality experience to the operation of Le Grand and relish the opportunity to bring it patiently to perfection, day by day.

Le Grand Bistro Américain, key personnel:

Scott Emerick Executive Chef Locally and nationally acclaimed culinary professional. Graduate of Ecole Supérieure Cuisine Française and Ferrandi Paris, France. Chef/owner Crémant, Rated "One of the top dozen small restaurants in the country" -Bon Appétit, The Restaurant Issue, September 2007
Jeff Slemaker Sous Chef Formerly of Spitfire, Metropolitan Grill, Daniel’s, Elliot’s Oyster House, Seattle and Bellevue, WA, and the Bellagio, Las Vegas
Tom McDermott General Manager Seasoned front of the house manager formerly of The Parlor Billiards & Spirits/The Parlor Collection, Bellevue, WA
Ted Furst Owner/Operator Practiced restaurant concept developer, executive chef, winemaker, long time consultant, and a key member of the small group of culinary pioneers who jump-started Seattle’s food and beverage renaissance 25 years ago. His advocacy of local, seasonal products, deep roots as a developer and trainer of influential chefs, and his concept and menu development work on scores of projects in 15 years of consulting have made him a profound influence on what and how people in the Puget Sound area eat and drink.
Le Grand Bistro Américain
an urban steakhouse and raw bar with a distinct French accent

2220 Carillon Point
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-828-7778
www.bistrolegrand.com
Hours of operation:
Lunch & Dinner:
Monday-Thursday 11:30am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday 11:30am-11pm
Saturday 10am- 11pm
Sunday-10am-10pm
Happy Hour:
3-6pm Monday-Friday
Brunch:
Saturday & Sunday 10am-3pm

Contact: Deba Wegner
Recipe for Success, Inc.
425-241-9023
deba@yourrecipeforsuccess.com
yourrecipeforsuccess.com

###

Pulled out of the garden 11-21-10

Garnet Carrots, that grew together!

Still Snowing!

Does anyone know this mushroom type?

Noticed under the pine tree in front of our house about two weeks ago....it looked like poodle

excrement, I walked away think, “Got to clean this up.” And, moved on to the next, forgot. Cut, this morning….I can’t believe my eyes! It’s a mushroom…..it looks as if it came from Harry Potter or something! I have never seen anything like it…does anyone know what this is?

Where is this "Boat Drink" being consummed?

Sweet Corn Tamales-corn on the cob-from Grocery Outlet

Homemade sweet corn tamales, Isernio’s Chicken Merguez Sausage, yellow tomato, avocado salsa, pickled red cabbage with mini Mozzarella balls, homemade sweet and sour corn relish…..trying to channel someplace warm!

Visting České Budějovice & Plzeň-paying in Czech crown (koruna)

Astrid & Bjorn’s O-fest

Last of the Purple Potatoes from 2010

Marcie-for you-since I was in a "wrapping" mood!

Onions from our garden

Beef and cooked chilled rice, with all the other flavor agents

Mix it all up and fry a bit to taste...correct seasonings....

Wrap the little packets and tuck them into rows....thanks to Barbara who taught me these...so long ago. This recipe below is very close to the one I have in my head.....

(These are the changes I make: I use a large jar of grape leaves and scale everything up, I don't use the oil, but I line the pot with left over leaves and lime or lemon slices. I also add toasted pine nuts). These freeze really well and are great to pull out of the freezer at short notice!

Dolmeh-yeh Barg-e Mow

Ingredients: (4 servings)

Fresh vine leaves, 250 grams

Ground lamb or beef, 250 grams

Long-grain or basmati rice, 100 grams

Herbs: parsley, dill, mint, tarragon, spring onions, 250 grams

Large onions, two

Cooking oil

Tomato paste, two spoons

Salt

Black pepper

Fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup

Sugar, two spoons

· Directions:
Fry onions in cooking oil over medium heat until golden. Add ground meat and fry further until meat changes color. Add 1/2 cup water, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Mix and cook further until water boils off.

Wash and finely chop the herbs. Fry in oil over medium heat until wilted. Boil two cups of water in a small pot. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and rice and boil further until rice softens. Drain the water and let cool slightly.

Mix prepared meat, herbs and rice well. Remove any remaining stems from vine leaves, and wash. Add hot water and salt and boil for 1-2 minutes until leaves soften slightly. Drain water and allow to cool.

Mix lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Add half to the mix prepared earlier, and mix well. Pour 2-3 spoons of oil in a pot. Place 2 or 3 layers of vine leaves in the pot. Stack two leaves covering the cracks, place some of the Dolmeh mix on top and wrap the leaves tightly around it. Repeat until all leaves or the entire mix is used up.

Place the dolmeh's in the pot packed together. Add oil and 1/2 glass of hot water. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20-30 minutes. If necessary, add more hot water during cooking. Add the remainder of the lime juice and sugar mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Tamales-it's corn time!

A little "free form" salsas, cherries tomatoes from the deck and tomato paste from the pantry, onion, herbs, chili peppers.

Use the tamale recipe from the side of the masa bag....yes, use I lard and then add 2 cups of fresh corn off the cob.

Wrap with the saved husks and I use kitchen twine.

Steam for about an hour.....you can tell when they puff up, they look done. Don't have a photo of the plated dish....we were to busy eating. I also threw a mess in the freezer for a taste of sun shince in winter!

Labor of the Day-cooking!

We took the party in, and tried to capture the tastes of summer, roast beet salad with the last of the cherry tomatoes

The cooks...

Crab apple/lime zest cake using the fruit from the tree out front

And, they thought they didn't LIKE beets

Where are the dog days? Even the dogs don't know....

Aaron: Just "throwing" a few things togehter....what a feast!

Zeak and Grigio, new buds

Open to BDA Members, friends of BDA members & other ladies who live or work in Bellevue/East....

Come join the F3H2 ladies on the patio of @ Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge, for a preview of our new cocktail menu
FLIP FLOPS & Lemon Drops
$50 Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge Gift Certificate* for the best pair of FLIP FLOPS worn to the event!
*Judging at 6:45 PM by celebrity shoe maven, Erica Asahan, owner of Gotta Have Shoes in Old Bellevue!

Date and Time: August 26th, 4:30 to 6:00 pm and beyond
Nibbles from our Happy Hour Menu
RSVP: First Lemon Drop is on us if you RSVP by email and bring in a copy of your email RSVP (limit one per guest)
Pearl Vodka Lemon Drops

Grand Cru Wine Bar becomes Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge in late August
F3H2 ladies may bring female friends
Swag Bags for first 30 ladies attending event
Come chat with our new General Manager, Jean O’Neil, who some of you know from Rock Bottom, The Parlor and Stir

Grand Cru Wine Shop and Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge
1020 108th Street NW #100 & 120
Bellevue, WA 98004
Free underground parking in our complex (1020 Building)

Harvest to plate: 1 hour to potato bliss!

The color and texture are amazing!
When the carnivores’ away the mouse will play, worth the work of growing them!

Garden this year: Some good, some bad-cutting my losses!

The new little fig tree is happy and we have little figs on it! See bottom 3rd of image. The potatoes did well, I got my starts this year at The Grange in Issaquah and I will be going back next year....they did well! I started these from seed in May.....they came up and then it rained for 2 months.....they are still tiny and not really growing.
The little squashes that were fine two days ago have rotted on the vine.
This is the what the weather is like at 11am, on our back patio, it's 59 degrees. I am going to wrap the garden up and commit to get some professional help to enhance the soil...our soil is really bad, still!

Chef by Request Zone Diet® inspired meals result in weight loss of 25 pounds and 15 pounds respectively

Bellevue area radio hosts Pam & Rochelle (Chat with Women) win big by losing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Kirkland, WA July 28, 2010
A chance meeting at a local women’s event in April of 2010 has resulted in a life altering experience for Pam Gray and Rochelle Alhadeff, hosts of KKNW’s 1150 AM popular weekday talk show, Chat with Women, board casting from Bellevue, WA. Most women aren’t candid about their weight, but together Pam and Rochelle and have lost 40 pounds in about three months with Chef by Request gourmet Zone Diet® inspired meals. Pam Gray, who, if you have heard her on air or know her personally, is outspoken about pretty much everything, says “Every morning I find my day’s meals and snacks, in a tamper proof cooler bag delivered nightly, sitting on my door step: ready to take along to the studio. No more skipping meals, fast food or going hungry. I look forward to every meal, I eat real food, fresh, never frozen, prepared by Chef Patrick and his staff in the Seattle Chef by Request kitchen. The meals taste great and are good for me!”
“Pam and Rochelle are typical of a lot of our clients,” says David Welts, Chef by Request Director of Nutritional Wellness and Coaching. They are busy people who, either long term or short term, choose our Zone Diet® inspired or our Paleolithic Diet* meals. Our mission is to help people reach their goals, whether it’s losing weight, eating well more regularly, or getting through busy periods when they can’t cook for themselves or their families due to hectic times at home or work, serious illness, visiting guests or friends with special dietary needs. In Pam’s case, she expressed a wish to look fabulous at her son’s wedding this fall.”
“I feel so good, have loads of energy and my skin just glows,” reports Pam. “I have learned about portion control, healthy food choices as opposed to not so great ones and really regained my physical equilibrium. What started as a vision of a slender me dancing in a black dress at Shawn’s wedding has given me a new lease on life!”

*(preferred by some high performance athletes)

About Chef by Request:

o Prepared in our Seattle Kitchen daily, never frozen, doorstep delivery nightly
o Seasonal, locally sourced fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood
o Portioned meals and snacks arrive in a thermally insulated, zippered and tamper proof cooler bag, with freezer packs
o Additionally, offering the Paleolithic Diet, preferred by some high performance athletes
o Menus are easily customized for wheat and gluten intolerance, celiac disease, other health conditions, food and/or religious preferences
o Daily deliveries are made throughout Washington and Western Oregon, a second Bay Area, Chef by Request kitchen serves the San Francisco, CA area
o Schedule changes are easy with 48 hour notice
o Chef by Request, formerly Zone Seattle was established in 2009 and is locally owned and operated

Chef by Request Corporate Office:
10850 117th Place NE
Kirkland, WA 98033
For information on ordering Chef by Request meals:
Toll Free: (877) 878-5777
Seattle/WA State/Portland: (206) 340-4102
San Francisco Bay Area: (415)-391-1899 mychefbyrequest.com

Pam & Rochelle-Chat with Women gals w/Chef by Request Chef Patrick

Bellevue area radio hosts Pam & Rochelle (Chat with Women) discover the secret of snack bars

KaDeWe-Department Store of the West-Berlin-Gourmet Floor

July 6, 2010 @ KaDeWe-Europe's largest department store & largest delicatessen department
*freshly tapped Budweiser from the source*

Farmer's Market in Neugraben, Germany

As long as I can remember, and anyone in my family can remember...there has been a market in the village on Weds., and Saturdays....this is part of what was there on July 10, 2010. My grandfather lived in Neugraben until he was 94, one of his sons, my Onkle Berndt, still lives on the same lot his father built the first house on. My first visit was at 6 years old, the house is different now, the weekly farmer's market is still there.