A Bellingham Foodie Blog Restaurant Reviews Bellingham Washington 98225

April 6, 2009

Aunt Madeline & Glazed Crullers

We went to Rocket Donuts. Again! Great location, great service, great food and sci-fi on the screen. Have you seen the talking robot?! Cool! My kids keep ordering the bars:  chocolate bars, maple bars, glazed bars, butter milk bars, twisted sugar bars. Those things are huge!

I just ordered a chocolate cruller. It is my long time favorite. I use to get then at Dunkin’ Donuts when I was a kid; chocolate or just glazed. The baker at Rocket makes them light and airy, not heavy or cakey or too sweet. I could eat a dozen, but am learning less is more. And, I’m happy to make a repeat visit because I know it will be a little treat. Today’s cruller sent me back. Way back, to Aunt Madeline. Crullers were Aunt Madeline’s favorite doughnut, too. Yes, that was the way donut use to be spelled.

I knew Aunt Madeline a LONG time ago. She was an ole lady whose inhibitions had gone dry so we could hear the scoop on who did what to whom way back when. And she didn’t need a sherry to fess up either. She was petite, well dressed and enjoyed the family gatherings. We were looking forward to seeing her one Christmas because the perfect gift sat wrapped for her: a dozen glazed crullers. It was such fun to see her open it! And she started eating them right there and then.

You see, food is what brings our families together. If it wasn’t for the free food, would we really spend time with our relatives? Just kidding!

April 5, 2009

June Hathaway and Bellingham: Hangin’ In the ‘Ham

Filed under: Bellingham local,local,Pacific Northwest,Seattle — Bellinghamster @ 10:58 pm
Jane Hathaway from the Beverly Hillbillies

Jane Hathaway from the Beverly Hillbillies

Check it out: someone writing a blog about Bellingham. What?! Who does that? Well, June Hathaway does and ske’s a kick. Not to be confused with the American actress who played Miss Jane Hathaway on the Beverly Hillbillies (above).

June writes a P-I reader blog about Bellingham AND she has a sense of humor:  “…Bellingham’s rich and diverse arts scene is what makes this place unique. Well, that, and Mt Baker. And the serial killers.”

Check out the Hangin’ in the Ham blog at the Seattle PI

Coffee & Chocolate

Filed under: Bellingham local,local,Pacific Northwest — Bellinghamster @ 9:19 pm

Now why is it in all my life no one has told me coffee is as good, if not better, than chocolate? I feel I have been deprived!

When I was a kid growing up in NYC, there was a commercial on TV for the Fresh Air Fund. If I remember correctly, it was a charity that enabled inner city kids to get a vacation in the country. Well, I think my parents took it to heart because, even though I was not by any means a deprived city kid, they sent me for a week or two to visit with family friends who did live in the country.

I remember when I was 10 years old I visited with a family living in Westminster, MD. They had a daughter my age. Picture rolling green pastures with neat houses dotted about the landscape. No NYC pollution there. The food was from their own garden or local gardens,  and the local butcher. I ate well there (I think part of my mother’s plan to fatten me up – I was very skinny).  Children always try something at another home that they wouldn’t dare let pass their lips at their own home! One new thing I tried was coffee. Well, I don’t remember what kind it was, but I do recall its black thick steamy murkiness! And it was terribly bitter. Maybe they should have put some milk in it and make a latte.  So since then, no coffee for me!

Until yesterday. What happened to change my mind? Well, I was food shopping (surprise!) at Trader Joe’s (surprise!). The Galley always has an organic fair trade coffee brewing and it smelled sooo good. I figured how bad could it still be? Plus, it would only be a dixie cup size and there was rice milk to dilute and cool it. Low and behold, wonder of wonders (I know, lame to all you coffee fanatics) it was delicious! My goodness! Like liquid chocolate! I told my partner about it and he told me to taste it like wine…smell it while slowly drinking it in with air,  and then swirling it around in my mouth. YUM!

Now I belong to another group of people…coffee drinkers!

March 31, 2009

Chicken Soup a Jewish Grandmother would love

Filed under: Bellingham local,local,Pacific Northwest,Seattle — Bellinghamster @ 10:21 pm

My good friend, Devorah, has been cooking ALOT. This was not always the case. She and I used to go out to eat very often and enjoyed discovering the new. But, after a couple of hospital stints, she has become serious about food and digestion. And in the process, she has become a phenomenal cook and baker! I use to be the one with the recipes, but now I call HER.

A Jewish Grandmother in her bookclub came down with the flu. It’s very disconcerting to see a grandma ill. So what did Devorah do? She made a pot of chicken soup, delivered it to her bookclub friend and neighbor and wished her good health. No sooner was she back home than she received a call of gratitude – Grandma said she has been making the best chicken soup of anyone’s for over 60 years, but Devorah just outdid her. Can she please have the recipe? She gave it gladly. Here it is from The Whole Life NutritionCookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre:

To make the chicken broth:

  • 1 whole organic chicken, about 4 pounds
  • 1 large onion, cut onto 1/4’s with skin on
  • 1 head garlic
  • 3 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
  • 1 large carrot, cut into large pieces
  • 2 bay leaves
  • one 4-inch strip kombu
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 sprigs fresh marjoram
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh savory
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt or Herbamare
  • water to cover, about 10 to 12 cups

1. Rinse the chicken and place into a large 8-qt stockpot. Add the remaining ingredients for the broth into the stockpot. Place pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until chicken easily falls off the bone.

2. Next place a large strainer over a clean large pot; pour contents of the broth through the strainer to separate the broth from the vegetable and chicken. Remove the chicken and place on a plate to cool. Discard vegetables and herbs.

There is more to the recipe to make ‘soup’, but I like broth. I will add leftovers from the fridge and get a different combo every time. I like it best made with yellow miso, green onions, brown rice and peas. This is where you get to personalize your soup. Be healthy!

March 29, 2009

Clouds in the Sky

Filed under: Bellingham local,local,Pacific Northwest,restaurants,Seattle — Bellinghamster @ 10:33 pm

There was a giant cloud above Bellingham today and it had a hole in the middle of it. It looked like a big puffy donut! The power of suggestion from veganinbellingham.com and Mighty- O Donuts.

You see, my partner has been out of town for a week and I’m getting a bit frazzled with the brood. So like any normal human being, I’ve been eating treats. A donut is a treat. They look beautiful and I will have very willing companions in the car for the drive down to Seattle Saturday. Heck, I didn’t even have my shoes on before the kids were out the door for Katie’s Cupcakes yesterday. But that’s a different post…

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