Happy New Year!

So the fireworks have begun and above is part of the 13 minute show in Sydney, Australia.  I have been away for a while because life happens.  Decided it was a good time to get back in the saddle and start catching you up on all that has been going on.  I am going to try and look back a bit since it has been about 4 months since I posted and that was when I was in Chicago.  So there will be some references to things in the past, but we are also going to look forward to the new year and sharing the new happenings.

All the best to all of you in the New Year, let's bring on 2013!

Good-bye Chicago and Hello Seattle

This is travel day.  The weekend was just swamped and so will be getting the past few days caught up in the next day or two.  Suffice it to say that the trip has been a life changing experience...will explain more as it unfolds.

Lunch in the City ~ Dinner in the Room

Got out the door for the city about 11am and Google Maps has not disappointed yet.  Arrived in a part of town that is known as Ukrainian Village, Chicago and got to meet up with a colleague.  Laura was a delight and we headed to a place called The Old Oak Tap for lunch.

I decided to try something completely different and who knew I would come to Chicago to try a beer from Utah.  Baba Black Lager Uinta Brewing Co. UT. 4% abv. Robust and smooth, this full-flavored, certified organic lager is exceptionally drinkable and pitch black in color.  We also shared an appetizer of deviled eggs with wasabi and smoked salmon on top.  Here is Laura and she opted to try Stiegl Grapefruit Radler Austria 2.5% abv. Brewed with Stiegl Goldbrau and blended with soda and real grapefruit juice giving it a distinct tart aroma. The perfect summer thirst quencher!

For lunch Laura decided on their paella and as you can see it is a mighty portion.  Not the usual presentation, it still contained a lot of the regular components.  Clams, chicken, shrimp, sausage, rice, spices, etc.  It tasted OK, but I must share that I have had so much better.  But I said nothing, I was a good guest.  I was quite torn on what to have and in the end Laura decided for me.

I could not make up my mind on two sandwiches and in the end she ordered both and we split the one below.  A Grilled Cheese brie, Wisconsin Cheddar, Swiss, sliced tomato on grilled sourdough with a shot of tomato bisque with fries on the side.  The fries barely got touched, not because they were bad, just too much food.  The sandwich was fantastic and she had me go for the bisque which I must say, if it had been cooler outside, would have been perfect, but seriously, when it is in the 90's soup is just not on my radar.

The star of the meal had to be their Shrimp Po’ Boy fried shrimp, avocado and corn relish, sliced tomato, romaine, garlic mayo, French bread and I opted for the sauteed green beans on the side with slivered almonds.  They were exceptional.  The sandwich was ginormous and so ate it open faced which was perfect.  That top piece of bread would have made it too big.

Soon the lunch was done and I got back to the hotel just in time for the video conference call.  A nap happened thereafter and then called in room service.  This night saw an almost repeat of dinner last night of the Caprese Salad which is terrific and a Wedge Salad that harks back to the 50's style and just delicious.  I also tossed in a Fresh Fruit Tart of seasonal fruit, Raspberry Ganache and English Cream.  Water a plenty capped off the meal.  It was a good meal and set me in good steed for working the registration table at the conference.  That my friends was a clusterf**k to say the least.  I was totally amazed at out of control everything was.  Did what I could, but at 10pm, my shift was done and I went back to my room, dismayed at the lack of organization.  We shall see if tomorrow is any better.  Off to bed as I am on tomorrow helping out and then giving my presentation:  Gay Group Travel & Customer Satisfaction - Maximizing Profits and Experiences.  Yes, I can see you are saying, "What an exciting topic!"  Well, there are 195 people signed up to hear me speak from what JC told me.  Yikes!  We shall see.

Sunrise in Northbrook, IL

Up way too early and got work out of the way.  Breakfast downstairs and then catching up on the blog.  Heading into the city soon, but a quick nap first.  Will check in later after seeing Laura and then back to hotel for video conference call.

Hello Chicago!

Yes, awoke this morning in the Windy City...or rather out near O'Hare International Airport. Spent the morning getting funding done for the week for the various offices and then packed up and headed to the airport to pick-up the car arranged for me. Can you say land yacht!? Hell, I have not driven a car this big in years. It is a white Lincoln Continental Town Car and drives "like butter" and room for oh 20! Seriously, it is quite lovely and will come in handy throughout the week.

Met up with Charlene at 1ish and off we went to Hot Doug's for lunch. Oh my goodness people, it is fabulous. Of course I left the camera in the car, but will be going back on Saturday so will get pictures then.  We split 4 dogs:  1.  The Game of the Week ~ Cherry-Infused Venison Sausage with Pumpkin Cream Sauce and Bonvallis Mahon Cheese = interesting but do not need to repeat.   2.  Ribeye Steak Sausage with Horseradish Cream Sauce, Caramelized Onions and Carrigaline Smoked Farmhouse Cheese = devine!  Hard to beat.  3.  Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel = Did I just die and go to heaven or what?  4.  The Paul Kelly ~ Bratwurst: Soaked in Beer – sort of like Paul and that came with "everything" which means Mustard, Caramelized Onions, Relish, Tomatoes, Pickle and Celery Salt.  Add an order of fries and soda each and you have one amazing meal.  Throw in a t-shirt and we are talking a home run.  Oh and it is cash only.

After that we had other plans, but those were put on hold as I needed to get to the hotel and get settled in and take a nap.  A quite evening in the room watching US Open and ordering room service.  Tomorrow will be another full day so off I go.

Clotted Cream & Chicago Bound

Got up way too early and got a lot done before landing at the office by 7:35am.  By the time I left to fetch Michael aka Ticker aka Clotted Cream from the train station, only the computer had to be packed and so I felt things were in good shape.

We headed for the Space Needle for our 1pm luncheon and here is Michael taking in the view and trying not to lean on the window sill as the restaurant revolves.   We started off by sharing an order of Wild Salmon Fritters with herb remoulade, pimenton and chicory salad.  Quite good, but why is it that when you say "we are sharing" that they deliver an odd number of an item.  So frustrating.

Main course for him was an Anderson Lamb Burger pickled red onion, cucumber ribbon, minted greek yoghurt, Macrina’s seeded herb roll, goat’s milk feta and oregano fries.  Yours truly opted for the Dungeness Crab and Oregon Shrimp Salad with soft boiled egg, plum tomato, Louie dressing, avocado, mixed greens.  But I did have them trade out the "Louie dressing" for Bleu Cheese Dressing.  Good choice.  Added a side of fries with mayo for a complete lunch.

After lunch we headed over the 520 floating bridge to see Curtis at the office and then swing by credit union before back at the apartment to get luggage and he headed for the train station and I caught a cab to the airport.  Chicago, here I come.

Cocktails, Solus+ & Sunshine

Monday kicked off and was quite the day at the office, but I plowed on as I knew I would be heading over to Markie's place for dinner.  I get a text from Markie asking if I would mind swinging by and grabbing his "small" package and bring it with me.  Well, no worries I thought.  Bad for thinking, it was a huge box and yet light.  I did get it down to his place and let him unpack it from the back, my job was done and I also brought him the leftover salad and asparagus to use up as I leave tomorrow for a week.  Don't want to see it go bad.  So once settled in, with Solus+ taking a nap, it was time to hit his bar.  And yes that is a stuffed rabbit to greet you.  

Dinner tonight would be on his back deck which has now taken on the name, Tiki Bob's, due to a neon sign he got at a business going out of business.  There is quite the use of bamboo all around and add the full outdoor kitchen and scissor lift for high in the sky dining.  Heck there is even a soaking tub, but you can't use it right now as his still is set up on it.

Markie was contemplative in thought as we discussed wines and this is one of his favorite topics.  We also discussed at length their lunch at Salty's on Alkai.  Sounded quite lovely.  Solus+ also shared of his upcoming trip to Turkey and that opened the door for me to share of my adventures there in 2004 with Ani including our visits to the Liver Shops for the most amazing tasting liver you have ever had in your life.

Solus+ is a former Episcopal priest with a heart of gold.  I had the joy of meeting him several years ago at a Breitenbush gathering and we have maintained a distant and yet friendly friendship.  Sometimes you just have to accept that distance is an issue.  He lives in Vancouver.  It seems that I am knowing more and more people up there and do enjoy visiting.

Markie made a lovely dinner of pork shoulder roast, asparagus in a roasted bell pepper sauce, a nice loaf of challah, a little cole slaw, good conversation with a bottle of nice Turkish wine in honor of Solus+’s upcoming trip to Turkey.  Good conversation, but all too soon I had to head home.  There was packing to be done as I fly to Chicago tomorrow.

Markie sent me home with a slice of the pork roast and a chunk of challah.  Perfect for a quick getaway breakfast.  A good thing as the morning was going to be more of a whirl than I thought.

Bizzarro Sunday

The day began at 5:18AM with a call from Holly, the host for Hot Air Ballooning this morning and there was a problem.  The exit for the Park & Ride was closed for overnight construction.  We worked together to alert all the members and got them rerouted.  I went back to bed and woke up with a head cold that was not pretty.  Pretty intense to the point I called Moonsong and canceled the cleaning for the morning.  Other than a brief chat with Ani in California, I was quiet for the day and rested alot.  By 4:15 I headed north to meet up with Damien and Amy for dinner at Bizzarro.

So a little about the restaurant from their website:  Bizzarro has been a Seattle favorite since it opened in 1986 by original owner, chef and visual artist David Nast. He converted the building which was originally an auto workshop into his dream restaurant on a shoestring budget with a lot of hardwork, ingenuity, artistic inspiration and love.

The eighties and early nineties saw line-ups down the street as people clamored for tables in this unique and quirky pasta house with ever changing inspired decor. David’s original waitress Kathleen who waited tables at Bizzarro for fifteen years became a local legend as she sang improvised operatic riffs to, for and about the customers and the food.

We kicked off the dinner with a summer appetizer of frozen compressed watermelon with goat cheese, melons and prosciutto.  Also went for a bottle of Pilgrim's Sarah/Malbec blend.  I do think Damien liked the bread.  It is so good with the Balsamic vinegar and olive oil blend with herbs.

While they opted for the starter salads, I went for the The Caprese with organic heirloom cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls tossed with torn basil, spinach and arugula in black pepper vinaigrette and topped with Sicilian sea salt.  But the main course was on the way.

 If you go here on Sunday, there really is only one thing to order and that is their Sunday Night Meatball of which it is said they only make 200 meatballs.  Sunday night is a special night with juicy meatballs tossed with spaghetti rustica pasta in their famous marinara™ and topped with fresh shaved cheese.  Have to have dish --but only if you’ve been good all week.  Yes, Amy and Damien were very good this week.  We finished off the meal with Molly Moon Ice Cream.

Bizzarro still holds true to its fun and non-pretentious heritage with most of the employees all involved in artistic endeavors and the décor is still as engaging. The restaurant itself has evolved into a high quality Italian restaurant using the finest of ingredients with almost everything being hand made in-house from the pasta to the breads and the decadent desserts. They have a team of inspired young chefs and fresh market specials rotate on the chalk boards daily and every Sunday night you can go in and enjoy their fabulous meatballs. Oh … and the wine list isn’t too bad either.

Busy, Busy Busy & It's Saturday

Today I was up early and getting dishes washed and clothes done.  Read Friday and Saturday New York Times while enjoying coffee.  Made a lovely breakfast of eggs and bacon which really satisfied.  A late morning nap followed getting all the glassware washed and split between those I decided to keep (below) and those I decided to let go and got those all packed up for the florist.

From the left is a cracked glass vase I got when I was in Portland.  Next is a flute sent to me to mark the new century from Anne in France.  The base makes out the year "2000" and sadly the other did not survive the mailing.  Missy down in Southpark sold me the handled jug.  It was her brother's and she had to liquidate all of his estate.  Crate & Barrel is where the next vase comes from and it was during my first visit to one of their stores on a trip to Chicago that I got it.  Cindy and Linda gave me the great vase that is stemmed and quite ornate.  Very fun.  The bowl shape vase was a flea market find in Oregon and finally the last item is not so much a vase, but oh is it pretty or what?  Found it at a little shop in Portland. 

So after the early nap I headed out and delivered a piece of artwork to Jeff for the GREAT ART PARTY and then on to BECU to get some money.  It was not yet noon and so decided to treat myself and head for Tacoma and take the ferry over to Vashon Island before catching the ferry back to West Seattle.  Stopped at Costco for gas before heading north to Jodie and Rob's for an evening of games and an amazing dinner.

 Catan was the game of choice with cocktails kicked off the evening.  Around 6pm we got the grill going and Rob grilled bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon's plus some squash and zucchini.  Great food and good company.  The food had to be good as I forgot to take pictures, but trust me, it was fabulous and there were leftovers for brunch tomorrow.

Here is the one photo I got and Jodie will hate me for posting, but hey, it proves I was there and climbed all those steps to their apartment.  It was a fun evening as always with them.  Oh and before closing, Happy Birthday to my brother Steve in Portland.  He turned 56 today and was born in 1956.

"O" My Goodness



So over the years I had reduced my magazine collection down to one.  I got The New Yorker several years ago as a surprise from someone I never figured out who.  Well, I was rid of all the others until one day I got a copy of New York magazine and found out Markie had gotten it for me using up some miles that were about to expire.  It is not nearly as good as it used to be.  But alas, I do find an article here or there that is interesting.  So needless to say, I was quite stunned to go to my mail box a couple of weeks ago and there is a copy of "O" magazine.  I know I had not ordered it, but who?  Well, my first guess was Markie and so in calling he said "Yes, and did you get the tote they were offering with it?  That's why I got it for you." 

Well, no, there was no tote. Until today. Oh My Goodness!  All I can say is that I am glad the weekend is here and what better way to kick it off than a festive pink tote bag.

We Value Your Opinion

I don't know about you, but I am getting sick of all the requests for feedback and to take surveys on anything and everything out there these days.  In the past week where I get my groceries, my car dealership, two places I have ordered online from and Amazon all want feedback or a survey.  It gets so trying at times.  Heck, I call Amazonfresh to discuss an issue on anything and instantly there is an email on "How did we do?"  Or you open a package, in this case a pair of pants, and there is a card asking, "We'd like your feedback!"  Even at work, I use an e-letter generator and up pops a "Would you please take a few minutes to tell us how we did?"  STOP!  My gosh, I even had to call and complain to some company and before I even got a real voice there was a phone tree and just before getting a live voice I was told, "You may be asked to participate in a small survey after this call."  Mind you, I called to complain and now they want me to "share my thoughts" which I must say is not the best idea.  Anywho, I did not mean to go off on a vent, but you know some times it all gets to you.

Now, thank you for reading my blog.  If you have a few minutes, please take time to tell me how I am doing!  Have a nice day.  Yes, it's everywhere.

In the Still of the Night

Tonight was anything but still as I hosted Markie, Mark and Onyx for dinner.  They arrived and in through the door they marched bringing my mail, packages and one very large package.  I learned all too soon the large one was Markie's and it was his newest toy.  Dinner was casually paced after appetizers of various cheeses and meats provided by the visiting boys.  Quite tasty and who knew I had so many cheese knives.  Pork chops in a BBQ sauce along with asparagus and cole slaw had all of full and what a delightful evening of good chat and laughter.  A shoulder massage by Mark was so welcome and tells me I need to explore that option more.  But let's get back to that new toy.

Slowly the wrappings came off and the gleaming copper came into view.  Initially I thought it was a beautiful vase and yet, why would Markie buy that?  All too soon, the answer was revealed...yes, a still.

So now Markie will make Moonshine.  By definition, moonshine is any illegally distilled alcoholic spirit. This means you can make moonshine using an assortment of ingredients. The most popular ingredients include corn, rye, and sugar. During distillation, moonshine distillate runs out from the moonshine still as a clear liquid. It’s typically bottled straight from the still or after polishing (filtering).  When asked when he was making the first batch, he replied without hesitation, "Tonight."  Why am I not surprised.

Another friend, Jeff Crandall is the executive director at Floating Bridge Press and September he is hosting the 4th GREAT ART PARTY and this year the the theme color is purple.  Like that was a stretch to figure out.  I will be emcee for the evening again and this year contributed a lovely glass piece that Jeff made that is a globe sitting on a stone base.  Another piece I have donated is called "10:48 am journal entry" and is a mixed media piece created by a good friend, Steve Hovart (below).  The photo below of the piece is a close up and it is framed.  I am going to try and get it back if my number is called soon enough.  If not, Steve has assured me that I will get another piece of his work. 

And so goes hump day for this week.  It was quite the day at work and only got better as the sun set and there was time to spend with friends and still I had time to call my own, a good day indeed./

Aloha Hawaii & Chicago

 Today, 53 years ago Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States of America.  It is am amazing place and one of the favorite destinations for several friends.  I have had the opportunity to go once,, and may return, but no rush.  Aloha!

A week from today will see me heading east and going to the Windy city for a week to attend a conference.  OK, so it is actually being held in Northbrook some 30 miles north of the city, but I am still going to be able to see some friends and spend some time in the city and plan on taking the Frank Lloyd Wright tour.  I also plan to enjoy some of the great food in this city and among the choices will be deciding which dog to have when we go to Hot Doug's which is a great spot to have some amazing hot dogs.

Mellow Monday Mist

A moment of peace before the week gets crazy.

ENJOY!

The Weekend Runneth Over

Well, how does one top Friday night?  Well, you don't try, just let the weekend be.  And in the end it was a delight.  Saturday had Allen and Sandy coming over to the Apartment for brunch with Jodie and Rob as well as yours truly.  It was quite lovely as Jodie made a fabulous asparagus and pancetta frittata that was paired with Top Pot doughnuts and coffee plus champagne with frozen blueberries provided liquid refreshment.  Yes and now that the brunch is over the table is a bit more zen like.  Here is still life of clementines.

Took the rest of the day to just be lazy, knowing that there was both a Sunders game being played in the afternoon and a Mariner's game in the evening.  Sometimes, just staying put is the best thing to do.  But Sunday was a tad more full as I ran a plethora of errands in the morning by doing banking, mailing a package, gassed up the car and visiting the new City Target all before 9am.  Back at the apartment, I arrived just as all the preparations were being made for the second day of the summer festival at Uwajimaya Market.

Yes, as if there was not enough going on in the neighborhood, this brought in even more people complete with entertainment and a bevy of booths to get you tempted by some great food with an Asian overtone.  The following could be had for amazingly smart prices.  Arabiki Sausage, Calpico Chicken, Miso Yaki, Curry Bowl, Edamame, Gyoza, Gyudon Beef Bowl, Mabo Bowl, Meat Loaf (Japanese Style), Miso Goma Dare Udon, Miso Soup, Mochi Ice Cream, Okonomiyaki, Ramen, Rice Crackers, Short Ribs, Spam Musubi, Takoyaki Tea, Tofu Cheese Cake, Yaki Nigiri & Yakisoba.

Decided that I needed a bit of an escape for the afternoon, drove north and took in the matinee at the Varsity of "The Best Marigold Exotic Hotel."  A group of British retirees decide to "outsource" their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered with visions of a life of leisure, they arrive to find the palace a shell of its former self. Though the new environment is less luxurious than imagined, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences, discovering that life and love can begin again when you let go of the past.  Do go see it, you will not be disappointment.

Dinner was caramelized onions with lemon-pepper crusted chicken thighs plus cole slaw.  Jeff stopped by for a bite and collected my donations for the GREAT ART PARTY.  I will also be emcee for the evening on September 8th.  And so closes another weekend at Casa del Snowy.

The Herbfarm 100-Mile Dinner ~ The Day After

What an amazing memory to have.  I have had the grand opportunity to dine at The Herbfarm several times and each time has exceeded the last.  The moments and dishes paired with delightful wines makes for an evening that lingers for days.  The car service picked me up at 5pm and we were off to gather Sandy and Allen at their hotel.  By 6pm we were arriving at the restaurant and the anticipation was mounting. 

Oh sure, there was the small item of Allen slamming the door on my hand, but no harm done as the Lincoln had extra cushion on the door frame and Allen had the door opening as fast as it closed.  A bit of tingling but no damage.  We entered and were greeted by Angela who amazingly knew my name until I realized that we were the only party of three that evening and thus, she was so busted, but still it was a warm welcome and Ubon invited us to try a refreshing anise infused sparking punch.  That is the thing about The Herbfarm, you get to try things that you would never think of trying.  Soon, we were off to explore the wine cellar.

My goodness, I do believe Sandy and Allen are quite happy about being in the wine cellar.  It was a space that they spent a while exploring.  Sandy wanted a picture of the two of us and of course where better than in front of the rest rooms.  Who knew I had picked the perfect shirt for the evening as on the wall to my right was a display of Julia Child's Hawaiian shirt - Happy 100th Julia!

After a tour of the gardens, it was soon time for the 51 diners to be seated and I had to pause and wonder if we had enough glassware to get though the evening.  In reality, no, more appeared as the evening progressed.  Oh and notice the pheasant behind Allen?  Keep it in mind as it played a feature roll in the evening's fun.

Bruce arrived at the table carrying a basket with fresh herbs and we got to pick one that would soon be paired with the first wine of the evening, a 2009 KARMA VINEYARDS Pink Méthode Champenoise out of Lake Chelan.  Sandy and I opted for lemon vebena while Allen opted for an herb that had an amazing pineapple overtone to it.  And so we were ready for the first course.

The First Course ~ Egg and Nightshade Hot 5 minute egg cloud, smoked tomato, grapeseed-fried ozette potato, banana pepper, charred eggplant jam, many basils.  Who knew that a dish could explode with such flavor and make each bite more anticipated than the last.  The charred eggplant jam was a perfect addition.  It was also my first experience with ozette potatoes and hopefully not the last.  A perfect beginning.  After this course there was a delightful presentation of the menu by chef Chris Weber and Joey Lopaka who leads the wine service staff.  The owners (or proprietors as they refer to themselves) Carrie Van Dyck and Ron Zimmerman presented a brief history and the staff.  Soon, delightful wild-yeasted rye milk rolls and triticale sourdough boule from the wood oven graced our tables.  Oh and one cannot forget the house churned Holstein Cow butter.

The Second Course ~ Allium to Charcute Grilled Walla-Walla onion from their farm, one-mile goucestershire old spot carcuterie, crispy onion, pickled gravenstein apple, pork jus, dill and lemony herbs. 

This course was the first time we got to say hello to Chris up close as he was at table side to drizzle the apple/pork jus on the dish after it was presented.  This was paired with 2011 NACHES HEIGHTS VINEYARDS Estate Riesling out of the Yakima Valley.  Now I must say I was nervous as so many American Rieslings are just too sweet but this really took me to the dryer versions I remember from the Alsace Region in France.  A true refreshing delight with a dish that was symphony of amazing flavors.  The mouth danced with joy in anticipation of what was yet to come.  Yes, and if you are looking closely as I am sure some of you are Chris paused for this picture while preparing a future course, get over it.  It is all in the pacing.

The Third Course ~ Salmon, Netter Indian Style Reef-netted Lummi Island sockeye salmon, shell-steamed oyster, fresh cucumber, tarragon butter.  One word - sublime and paired with a 2011 LOPEZ ISLAND ORGANIC ESTATE Siegerrebe in the Puget Sound.  My first time tasting this wine was a virginal experience when matched to this course that proved to be my favorite of the evening.  A dear friend was at The Herbfarm on Thursday night and agreed and in looking at her pictures I can see they changed presentation overnight and I do believe we received a better presentation.  Bravo! 

Now one must be ready to see anything and everything at The Herbfarm.  This was just down the way and I had to capture the moment, The jackalope is a mythical animal of North America folklore (a so-called "fearsome critter") described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers and sometimes a pheasant's tail (and often hind legs). The word "jackalope" is a portmanteauof "jackrabbit" and "antalope", an archaic spelling of "antelope." (Thank you Wikipedia for this information)

We were able to enjoy some great background music provided by Patricio Contreras on guitar and Allen was totally jealous of his great shoes and I kept telling him to talk to him, but he did not.  They were rather awesome a blue tinted skin of some sort and striking to be sure.

The Fourth Course ~ Duck with Green Juniper Muscovy duck braised with green juniper berries, handmade cavatelli, wild boletus, chanterelle & farmed mushrooms, their farm's filet beans, crispy kale, house made green elder berry capers.  Here is a great example of showing a person that while they may not like some particular food, it is often in how it is prepared that makes the difference and such was the case as Sandy never really liked duck and yet agreed to try this course.  She loved it, but I must admit that it was not easy getting the vision of the pasta looking like grubs out of my mind, but it did not stop me from enjoying the course that was paired with a 2009 AVERILL CREEK Pinot Noir from the Cowichan Valley in British Columbia.  I was quite pleased that this wine was served as I had tasted it recently when up in Whistler.

Yes, have were just about at the half way mark of the dinner and yes it is warm so fans are provided, but who knew we had fan dancers.  It was about this time that Sandy commented "Now I see why we have car service this evening." While Allen shared for at least the third time "This is the best meal I have ever had."  I was glad and it was a perfect way to celebrate both of their birthdays.

The Fifth Course ~ 10-Mile Lamb Duvall lamb duo: grilled loin & lamb sausage-stuffed zucchini blossom, fresh sweet-corn polenta, fennel jam, sorrel salsa verde.  Now I don't know about you but I cannot tell you the number of times I am standing their staring at my zucchini blossom wondering "what can I do?" and now I know!  This was a delightful dish and I was amazed to learn that they ground the corn for the polenta.  To say that this dinner took time and energy to present and not just one time but over and over, is an understatement.  I tip my hat to this amazing group of culinary staff.  The wine pairing was a 2008 BENSON VINEYARDS Estate Sangiovese out of Lake Chelan.  Barry learned quickly that this was my favorite wine thus far and all I can say about the combination of the lamb and wine is "Oh momma spank me now and throw me off the train!"  Yes, it was that good.  I do hope I was not begging for more because I sure did enjoy it.

At this point in the dinner the pace changes course, there is time to freshen up and lavender scented towels are presented to provide a brief break and to cool off.  It is also when the various flights of wines are delivered.  They offer a variety of options.  Allen and Sandy hinted they liked Port and so we got the offering of 10,20 and 40 year old tawny Port.  While Allen liked the 40, Sandy and I opted for the 20.  We even got replacements for the two to take us on through the dessert courses.

We also tried a 1929 Maury which is now an extinct French wine similar but more lively than tawny Port, but no longer made.  From late-harvested grapes of ancient Grenache picked in 1929!  It was fun to sit and drink an 83 year old glass of wine as you can see below!

To think that we still had a few more courses was a bit daunting, but I do believe we were up for the challenge and hey, the night was still young as we have yet to get to the pheasant reference but wait, it's coming.

The Sixth Course ~ Fired Foie Seared Puyallup Valley foie gras, sheep's milk yogurt, Duchilly hazelnut financier, Brooks Italian plum, garden sage was, by far, the most anticipated course of the evening as I just love foie gras and yet I was - hmmm, satisfied, but not excited.  I am sure many enjoyed, but it just came off as so-so.  We even tried with some port, but alas, it was there.  Perhaps the hazelnut financier was too heavy?  I am not sure but I will share that I did not leave any for clean up so it was not terrible.

OK, so here is what greeted the couple next to us as they returned to their table.  For the lady who was seated on the left was a bronze otter holding a geranium leaf and before getting up the gentleman complained that he didn't get any special treatment so Barry arranged for the stuffed pheasant to greet him upon his return and needless to say there was much laughter by all.  Of course Allen had to pipe up that he felt cheated and like he got screwed as he did not get any special treatment and it was his birthday!  Oh be careful what you ask for my friends...

This is Ubon and if you go to The Herbfarm be careful as she is running a racket.  She is pushing ice water like there is no tomorrow.  We are talking serious here folks.  And oh what you will find you will do to get some more cracked ice from her.  Literally your hand will be shaking the silver goblet just begging for more and oh she can be a tease.  Quite fun!  But she had nothing on Miss Wisconsin who was peddling balsamic vinegar and fabulous bread let me tell you, I was just missing the cheese curds.

The Seventh Course ~ Spoonful of Honey A spoonful of Herbfarm summer honey, chamomile granite', blueberry soup composed this likely unintended omage to "Mary Poppins" as it was so sweet it had to be made with children in mind.  Oh my it was over the top and it was the one course I just could not make myself finish.  But I know some of the other diners likely enjoyed it.  Thankfully we had some of that great cracked ice water to cleanse the course as we looked forward to the next course.

Really, do you think they are having a good time or what?  And we were not done yet.  So no, dream of sugar plums were not quite dancing in their heads.

The Eighth Course ~ Flavors of the Sky 100 year Shaker cake with warm strawberry-rose geranium compote, Olympic Peninsula saffron ice cream, crispy meringues, alpine strawberries.  Wow, wow, wow!  What can I say, this was a fantastic combination and the dense texture of the cake came through to balance with the lightness of the ice cream.  Alpine strawberries was a masterful stroke as they just exploded with flavor in your mouth, but a bit confused on the meringues unless it was a texture move.  Alas, the Ports were a nice match and all I can say is this was a home run.

So if you look carefully, Barry dropped by a little surprise for Allen...in his words, "You can no longer say you were not screwed." And leave it to me to explain that indeed it is a corkscrew and not to be confused with anything else.  Oh my, oh my.  By now you can tell the dinner is taking a toll as I was remiss in getting a picture of the Tea course that was paired with Small Treats & Summer Blisses.  This finale was paired with a with 2008 Venturi Schulze Brandenburg no. 3 from Vancouver Island.  The treats are almost a bit much, but that did not stop us from enjoying them as we enjoyed our tea.  I opted for the Sakuma White Tea.  You will just have to visualize that the finishing touches included Sage Shortbread with Saskatoon Berry Jam, Cinnamon Basil Donut, Madrona Bark Caramel Profiterole and Gooseberry Applemint Shot.  Alas, there was also a sugared white berry item, but it was not mentioned on the menu.  We did leave some behind as we were just too content to enjoy any more fine food.

Yes, they were quite content.  The time had come to head on home and our car was waiting for us and as we departed Ubon was there at the door with a final treat, a blueberry tart and that was enjoyed the next day to bring back all the memories in order to make this posting happen.  What can I say folks, but it was a magical evening that will not be soon forgotten.