A Bellingham Foodie Blog Restaurant Reviews Bellingham Washington 98225

January 9, 2009

Cats & Vegans

Filed under: Bellingham local,local,Pacific Northwest — Tags: , — Bellinghamster @ 10:47 pm

I love animals. They are beautiful mysteries of nature I can interact with. I’ve had a couple of dogs. But, I have always been allergic to cats. I remember when I was 5 years old waking up and not being able to open my eyes. They were swollen shut for four days. My reward for playing with a cat and rubbing my eyes. Allergy shots followed on a weekly basis. You’d think a phlebotomist would send me running, but acupuncture is my preferred treatment ( after sirsasana). As an adult, I’ve used nettle leaf as a preventive successfully. After a visit with a cat friend, I’d immediately wash my clothes, hair and take another dose of nettle leaf. Most times, if I sat on wood furniture, it would be enough and I wouldn’t need my inhaler.

You wonder how does this correlate to being vegan? Well, I read a vegan post about being thankful to people who respect the personal choice a vegan has made by serving foods at gatherings they can eat. It described perfectly how thankful I was for the people (you know who you are) who cared about making my cat friend visits easier. It reminded me of my children with food intolerances and the friends who go out of their way to have snacks suitable for them. I love these people and how caring and thoughtful they are. Because so few people GET IT. The idiom ‘Walk a mile in my shoes‘ is widely understood, but rarely put into practice.

BTW, ‘pet free’ people are few and far between. So I nurture the friends who GET IT and move on from the ones who don’t. Embrace the human condition, whatever it may be.

January 8, 2009

Coconut oil vs Lard

Filed under: Bellingham local,local,Pacific Northwest — Tags: , , , , — Bellinghamster @ 8:46 pm

My mother is an excellent cook. When I was a kid, there were 2 things I could always count on in my mom’s kitchen: fried food and baked desserts. The richer, the better. Oh, she could cook anything, but it was the food fried in lard (she would buy the 2 lb pack at Waldbaums) that tasted best.

The health food/exercise craze of the ’80’s came along and she chose to fry in Crisco instead (maybe because Waldbaums wasn’t carrying lard anymore). Now that we’re living in the 21st century, I felt it was time to influence her eating habits (much to her chagrin). I tried to explain white rice was a carbohydrate like bread. I tried to explain why my organic eggs did not give her indigestion like her commercial eggs. And I sent her home with organic coconut oil after her visit at Thanksgiving. There are many health benefits associated with eating coconut oil, but this post is about my Mom, not about plugging a product.

How did I do it, you ask? Well, through example (and public pressure). We fried some chicken in canola oil and some more in the coconut oil. The kids (and she) liked the taste of the chicken fried in the coconut oil best. It was extra crispy and not heavy at all. The chicken was juicy, not dried out at all (mom’s words). I don’t know for sure if she’s still using the coconut oil (because she knows it’s pricey), but I tried.

As I take stock of what I ate then, and what I eat now, it is truly shocking. In 3rd grade I didn’t think life got much sweeter than half a dozen yodels chased down with ice cold milk. Someone pass the sprouted almonds and peppermint ice tea, please…

January 7, 2009

Dad & Speak E-Z’s Memphis BBQ, Bellingham

Filed under: Bellingham local,Bellingham Restaurants,local,Pacific Northwest,restaurants — Tags: , , — Bellinghamster @ 11:39 am

It was about 4 years ago we shocked our New York families. We moved 3000 miles west to Bellingham, WA. Needless to say, this did not go over well, but we were wished many happy returns.

It has been a life changing decision and we have been thrilled ever since (have you seen the weather in NY lately?). We wanted to share our new home, so sent out the word to come visit. My Dad did not hesitate and flew up from Florida. His trip coincided with his birthday and knowing how he loved my Mom’s fried food and roasted meat dishes, there was no question where to go out to celebrate.

The best local family food restaurant in Bellingham, WA: Speak E-Z’s. Imagine jazz, Elvis and muted lighting. Add to this image comfort food aromas. You have Speak E-Z’s (and some of my mom). The service is great -very friendly- and Dennis, the owner, will chat you up (just like mom). His food is fried in 100% pure vegetable oil and the ingredients are fresh (as in made from scratch).

My Dad ordered Dennis’ smoked plate: pork spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket and a quarter of chicken, topped with Dennis’ BBQ sauce and served with 2 sides. Plenty enough for two (we had plenty take home).

y favorite meal is Dennis’ signature seafood gumbo paired with his jalapeno cornbread muffins and honey butter. I don’t need to eat anything else. But I do.

I can pick from the BBQ beef brisket with mushrooms and onions on a toasted hoagie to BBQ spaghetti with tons of vegetables (which is what I chose for this meal); and there’s fried okra (yum), onion rings and Texas style toast with baked beans. The kids get a menu, too: grilled cheese, chicken fingers, fish nuggets or BBQ meatballs.

Everyone had a great time (including 3 children) and it will be a happy memory with my Dad.

PS Dennis has added some new items I’m looking forward to trying: a vegan BBQ burger and a no egg ceasar salad (hold the parm). I think some fish nuggets on the side would be good, too.

2400 Meridian St     714-0606

January 6, 2009

Endangered Species Chocolate

Filed under: Uncategorized — Bellinghamster @ 4:11 pm

When I was growing up, decorating the house for Christmas was an event and the Christmas tree was its focal point.The perfect tree had to be found. The boxes of bulbs and decorations taken out of basement storage. All the strings of light bulbs (in series) had to be plugged in and tested. and tested. and tested. What does this have to do with chocolate, you ask? Just read the story.

What is unique about Christmas trees is not so much their shape, but the way each household decorates it. It is a combination of family history and flair. Our tree had multi-colored big and small balls. It had flashing multi-colored lights one year, white ones another. It was adorned with a myriad of ornaments. It had shiny garish red and gold garland and plastic silver icicles Dad would be vacuuming up until summer. And it was decorated with…FOOD. We popped popcorn and Mom strung it with needle and thread to garland the tree. We made cookies with holes to hang on the boughs. We hung traditional Hungarian bonbons called szaloncukor with its frilled paper edges and shiny pastel foil wrappings. And we hung little dark chocolate syrup filled bottles. There weren’t many of those because they were expensive. The whole tree would have only about two dozen – three in a good year.  I’d have to space out my pre-Christmas indulging so as not to bring attention to them having gone missing. The szaloncukor was easy to eat on the sly. All I had to do was take out the candy carefully and puff up the wrapping. Should of seen my Dad’s face reach for one and it flatten in his hand. Why would he always look at me? I don’t know. Parendar (parent radar).

Which brings me to the Endangered Species Chocolates. The little chocolate bottles were not filled with real alcohol. It was a simple syrup with fruit extract added. Some were filled with orange or cherry or mint. When I first tasted the Endangered Species chocolate, it was a bite size Halloween treat (mixing up the holidays here) I had bought to give to the little goblins at the door. Imagine my GLEE when they were the reincarnation of the Christmas chocolate bottles!

With that said, the chocolate bottles now have alcohol in them and taste horrible. Don’t mess with my memory! In any event, I can now relive past sweet Christmas indulgence with an Endangered Species dark chocolate bar with orange. It has a zebra on it. Or with cherry. It has a koala. Merry Christmas!

January 2, 2009

Dagoba Chocolate Pacuare (68%)

Filed under: Uncategorized — Bellinghamster @ 3:17 pm

Wendy and I conduct very serious taste tests. Stop smirking. We do. We just can not pick a favorite chocolate. All the chocolates we taste are good in different ways. Dagoba Chocolate was cocoa sweet and lingered on the taste buds deliciously. A complex berry flavor in the after taste.  I enjoyed it very much. Wendy did not like it. She thought it was grainy, not sweet. More for me…

Dagoba is the sister company to Scharffen Berger chocolates. The two chocolates are very different. Conduct a taste test. Share with a friend or two. You’ll be happier for it.

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