Friday, December 11, 2009

December 11 and the Holiday Party

Behind the window for today was going to be a chocolate croissant, however, the bakery was curiously closed, so instead it is a Norwegian cookie called "Fattigmann" that a co-worker in another department had leftover from their party. These are a basic cookie dough scented with a bit of ground cardamom (here it is again), cut into diamonds, or folded into a bow-shape and then fried in oil or lard. They are probably best eaten within a day or two.
The local Scandinavian bakery, Larson's has them, listed under holiday items http://www.larsensbakery.com/index.php and here is one recipe http://www.cookierecipesonline.com/fattigmann.htm

I believe these are a traditional Christmas cookie.

Friday, December 4, 2009

December 6

Sunday afternoon, and though it's sunny and quite cold (hovering around freezing) behind the window for December 6, 2009 is a: Frappe, which is a frothy iced Nescafe w/milk, and a little sugar, from the Continental Restaurant and Pastry Shop in Seattle's University District. Address is: 4549 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105(206) 632-4700. They are open Mon-Fri 7 am-10 pm, Sat/Sun 8am-10 pm.

Frappe

I've been coming here since 1987 when I first moved to the area. They serve my all-time favorite soup in Seattle, the lentil, called "Faki." Back when we were broke (kinda' like now) my sister and I used to treat ourselves to a cup of faki each and split an order of the Greek fries, which are sprinkled with salt and dried oregano, still my favorite thing on the menu. They also have a small mercantile where they sell wine and olive oil soap among other items, as well as a pastry case. I believe that on most nights there is also one of a rotating lists of language groups that meet over drinks and pastries to converse in the language of the evening.

Here is a link to their menu, though I could not find a website for the restaurant: http://www.allmenus.com/wa/seattle/20084-the-continental/menu/

December 5, 2009

And behind the Advent Calendar Window for December 5, 2009 we find...a cream puff from beard papa's fresh and natural cream puffs (http://www.muginohousa.com/index.php). There is a choice between green tea, chocolate or vanilla filling for the puffs, I was feeling basic and had the vanilla, though I'll probably try the green tea at some future point.
Cream Puff
They fill the cream puffs to order. The store I went to was at the Uwajimaya shopping center in the Seattle's International District. It's near the terminal southern stop of the bus tunnel, and so on the light rail run as well.

December 4, 2009

I guess Mother Nature missed the weather memo, hee hee: It's pouring down rain outside. All the weather forecasts were for fog, lifting to a sunny afternoon, no chance of rain for probably a week. Oddly it's only really showing on the radar in a very small band covering Seattle, and west to the Olympic Peninsula. Not cold enough for snow, though.

On a more serious and sadder note, Amanda Knox was convicted of all accounts in the murder trial of her roommate Meredith Kercher in Italy. I don't know whether or not she is guilty, but I don't think she should've been convicted by the evidence (knife didn't match the wounds -and of course fingerprints would be on a knife if you ever did any cooking- and footprint didn't match the shoe) and the grandstanding of the DA. While I'm sorry that Meredith Kercher was murdered, accusing the nearest person/s doesn't necessarily get you anywhere closer to the truth or closure. Best of luck on the appeal. Sorry for the downer.

Behind today's Advent Calendar window is a chocolate dipped cardamon ice cream bar from the Whidbey Island Ice Cream Co. You can find them at the Ballard Farmer's Market from 10-3 pm every Sunday, as well as various locations on Whidbey Island. In addition to a variety of ice cream bars (see menu here, which isn't complete, http://www.whidbeyislandicecream.com/Flavors.html) they also sell pints. I believe the bars are $3.00 and the pints $5 or $6. I was vacillating between the cardamom and a wine bar, but had recently tasted pullah, a cardamom-laced Finnish sweet bread, and have been craving cardamom ever since. I ate the same flavor two weeks in a row. Sometimes you just want what you want, like always ordering the same thing at a restaurant, because the reason you go there is for one particular dish. I always eat the vindaloo at my favorite restaurant, so many dishes untried until the next time when I consider the menu, vacillate, and order...the vindaloo.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

December 3, 2009

Another chilly morning! Ran out late to get to a meeting at work. Stopped by the Agua Verde Cafe and Paddle Club http://www.aguaverde.com/cafe.shtml to grab a breakfast burrito ($4.00,
vegetarian x 2, carne de res or chipotle) and today's Advent Calendar treat: Champurrado. It's basically chocolate, cinnamon, milk and masa corn. Falls somewhere between a beverage and a pudding, though you can drink it out of a cup. $1.25 for 8 oz, 1.75/12 oz, 2.25/16 oz. The masa corn gives it a bit of texture, in a good way, the chocolate was light in flavor, although the man at the counter said it's a little different everyday.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

December 2, 2009

Just wanted to add the disclaimer, that I might write about other events happening in the area in addition to the Advent Calendar, and there is no connection between my opinion or view of events, or even with the events themselves, and the treat behind the window in the Advent Calendar.

Today I was downtown and stopped by Monorail Espresso, as a side note, I think this might have been Seattle's first coffee cart, now a store front. The cookie is called the Chubby, basically, it's a golf ball of a chocolate chip cookie and mighty good. It'll set you back $1.75. Monorail Espresso is at 520 Pike Street, Seattle, WA.


I don't have a picture yet, but will post eventually. Cakespy's photostream at flickr has one, also she had a review on her blog.

Dec 1, 2009

I saw this blog from Budget Travel by Meg Zimbeck where she made a virtual Advent Calendar of affordable treats in Paris. I decided to make a virtual Advent Calendar for treats in Seattle. I will include pictures when possible as well as website links if available.

December 1 is more decadent then affordable but today's treat is a Double-Chocolate Calimyrna fig from Fran's Chocolates. Here is a link to their website http://www.franschocolates.com/locations.phpThe retail locations are listed here. You can purchase the figs individually in the stores. I had seen these in a local magazine a while back and then tried them in the store in University Village. These are made from whole, dried Calimyrna figs, filled with a chocolate ganache and dipped in a chocolate coating. Delicious! Probably one could share. If figs aren't youre thing, there are also chocolate apricots (yum!), chocolate-covered ginger, orange peel, nuts, truffles, cups of rich hot chocolate as well as the salted-caramels they are best known for.