Scouting: Seattle

November 14, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Seattle Skyline | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Seattle Skyline** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Mike and I love to travel together and last Tuesday we flew to Seattle to spend a whole week (!) exploring Seattle, Portland and the Oregon coast. I’ve been to thirty-six out of fifty U.S. states so far - the Great Plains/Rocky Mountains are proving elusive - but until this trip I had never been to the Pacific Northwest. I probably should be embarrassed to admit that most of what I knew came from Sleepless in Seattle, The Goonies, and vague memories of the Real World from waaay, waaay back in 1998. So, this was my chance to see some of these places for myself.

Vacations are great for a few reasons - change of pace, change of scenery, making new memories - but they also give me an excellent excuse to snoop out new places and shutterbug, which I did a lot of since photos will help us remember our favorite moments.

Pike Place Market, Seattle | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Pike Place Market, Seattle** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

A few days isn’t nearly long enough to become really familiar with a new city, let alone expert, but these were my favorite spots from our trip; places I’d definitely want to revisit or would recommend to my friends. So, here goes with Part I: Seattle.

Pike Place Public Market – This one is obvious (I hope) but I really can’t emphasize how much I liked the market and one of the benefits of being on East Coast time is that we were there by 8am and got to see it come alive. At one fruit stand a vendor offered tastings of the half dozen locally grown pear varieties, and once I made my choice (Taylor Gold and Starkrimson) he helped me select specific pieces that would be ripe when we wanted to eat them. Now that’s the ideal way to buy fruit.

The Walrus & the Carpenter – One of my birthday presents was Renee Erickson’s cookbook (A Boat, A Whale, A Walrus) so I was really excited to go to the source and visit one of her restaurants. With that kind of build up I was bound to be disappointed, right? WRONG. The food, the drinks, and of course the Oysters (capital O since they’re the star of this show) are wonderful. Simple, elegant, delicious and served in a gorgeous setting by a talented staff. We pretty much didn’t want to leave ever.

Seattle Harbor | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Seattle Harbor** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Serious Pie & Biscuit – Doesn’t a biscuit-based breakfast sandwich sound like a great place to start the day? Honestly, just writing that makes me wish I had one of the fried green tomato sandwiches right now. The food is excellent and it’s practically on the way to the Space Needle, so there’s no excuse not to go!

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – This shop is just across the street from the main market building and is an awesome spot to pick up a snack (cheese curds & crackers anyone?) or grab an excellent grilled cheese sandwich. Beecher’s also offers a lot in the way of entertainment/education since you can watch the cheese making process while you have lunch. Works for me.

Storyville Coffee – After a busy day of Space Needle-ing, and market walking (gum wall included, oh dear) we needed a pick-me up and no Seattle list would be complete without a coffee shop. Storyville is tucked away on an upper floor, but the stairs are worth it. The coffee is excellent and the baristas are really welcoming – no worries if you’re a caffeine novice.

Gone Scouting: Fall Edition

October 29, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Design: Laura Messersmith | Image Source: Vynsane — Design: *Laura Messersmith* | Image Source: *Vynsane*

Mike and I are traveling this week and I'm so excited for my first visit to the Pacific Northwest! We'll be working our way south from Seattle to Eugene via Portland and Astoria - the rain boots and jackets are packed, cameras are charged and we have tickets to the Ducks/Stanford football game in our hot little hands. I plan to revel in my inner, flannel-lined Goonie-ness as we scout this gorgeous part of the country. I can't wait to share some of our favorite discoveries with you when we get back! Until, then happy Halloween and remember, Goonies never say die!

Scouting: Oak Grove Plantation

October 24, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Oak Grove Plantation @ Union Sq. Greenmarket | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Oak Grove Plantation @ Union Sq. Greenmarket** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

I like a dose of spice now and then – a slice of jalapeno on nachos, a little sweet chili sauce with spring rolls – but you’ll never catch me with the sriracha bottle or buying any salsa above “medium.”

Mike, on the other hand, loves spicy food and will regularly order the items that have multiple tiny peppers next to them on a take out menu and shake red pepper flake over a piece of pizza. His enthusiasm for hot sauce has led to books on the subject, which then led to plans for DIY-ing hot sauce at home. My mission as an enabler of this project? Scout some peppers suitable for transformation into Mike’s vision for hot sauce.

My search brought me to the Union Square Greenmarket where I found Oak Grove Plantation’s booth and all the peppers I could ever imagine. Some varieties I had heard of, but there were also a ton of options that I couldn’t begin to identify. Scotch Bonnet anyone? How about Rocotillo?

Thank goodness for a helpful market associate who suggested that choosing peppers at different Scoville scale levels would help balance heat with flavor. Excellent advice. The selection I brought home - Habanero (350,000) Serrano (23,000), Jalapeno (10,000) and Ancho (2,000) - are currently drying on a windowsill awaiting Mike’s mad scientist pepper mash and recipe experiments. Who knows, this could be where our hot sauce empire begins… do I have any volunteers for taste-testing?

Scouting: Salumeria Rosi

October 17, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Salumeria Rosi | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Salumeria Rosi** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

We’ve lived in our neighborhood for more than a year and I’m still surprised by the hidden gems I’m just discovering. My excuse for missing Salumeria Rosi all this time is one that might only make sense to other city dwellers: I’ve literally passed its burgundy awnings and fragrant rosemary bushes hundreds of times, but on the subway headed to some other destination. It’s a ridiculous reason, I know, but I never knew it was there!

I finally got my act together earlier this week and stopped by the restaurant/market hybrid, which specializes in imported Italian products. The shop is named for the Rosi family and the preserved meats the family’s Parma-based company, Parmacotto, produces. I learned that salumi is a broad term for – essentially the Italian counterpart to French charcuterie - and can refer to everything from prosciutto and pancetta, to cappicola, salami, and mortadella.

As a start in my education I took home a small sampling of aged Prosciutto di Parma, soppressata dolce, and salame calabrese. I paired the slices of salty, sweet, and spicy salumi with creamy goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and of course some great semolina Italian bread I picked up from the bakery. Maybe next time with a slice or two of melon, if I can find a good one in the produce section?

Salumeria Rosi reminds me why New York is such a great city for food lovers. In addition to the variety of salumi options, the market also carries small plate accompaniments and garnishes like caponata, marinated artichoke hearts, and delicate breadsticks – one stop shopping for a gorgeous spread. An authentic slice of Parma right in my backyard anytime an Italian feast is called for.

Salumeria Rosi | 283 Amsterdam Avenue; New York, NY | Deli: Mon - Sun 11:00 am - close; Restaurant: Mon - Fri 12:00 pm - close, Sat & Sun 11:00 am - close