Seattle Bon Vivant

Delizioso! Panino lunch at Motore Coffee

Not only is Motore Coffee a fabu spot to go to relax over a cup of coffee, enjoy an Essential Bakery pastry, browse the web in style, catch up on your music and food magazine reading and purchase a few (dozen) of Lee Johnson's Fiori Chocolatiers amazing confections but it is also a great spot to get a breakfast or lunch panino while you enjoy a lovely view of the city through their huge windows.

Motore Coffee Panini Menu:

Breakfast ($5.00)

Traditional-Two poached eggs, ham, cheese

Morning Glory-Two poached eggs, tomato, basil, red onion, red pepper, provolone

Lunch ($6.95)

Marguerite-Chicken breast, mozzarella, tomato, garlic spread

Quattro Stagioni- Prosciutto, marinated artichoke hearts, black olives, mushrooms, provolone

Tzatziki-Chicken breast, red onion, oregano, tomato, feta, Greek sauce (cucumber, dill, yogurt)

I had the Marguerite with a cup of vanilla soy latte and it was just heavenly.

 

Fiori Chocolatiers

"Artisan chocolate confections created using handcrafted couvertures, European-styled cream and butter, organic fruits, herbs and spices. All natural, without preservatives or artificial additives made with chocolate sourced from small environmentally-friendly cacao plantations in Ecuador, Java, and Venezuela."

You might think this is the translated description of a label on some fancy schmanzy chocolate from France or Belgium. Think again.

Fiori Chocolatiers is in fact a Bellevue based artisanal chocolate company--headed by Executive Chocolatier (certified Master chocolatier, no less!) and owner Lee Johnson-- that I've fallen absolutely head over heels for.

And if you have been reading this blog for a while you are very familiar with my sweet tooth and love of all things chocolate. I love Fran's Dark Gray Salt Caramels, Milk Smoked Salt Caramels and her chocolate Double Chocolate Figs and when it comes to holidays in Paris, London or anywhere else, shopping for chocolate--whether solid or liquid-- is de rigueur.

I've been shopping for Fiori confections at Motore Coffee and let me tell you something, I am hooked.

So much so that the WBW chocolate/wine tasting I've scheduled for this week will most probably not include the box of Christian Constant chocolates in our pantry but will be all about a fresh batch of Fiori truffles from Motore's cold case (Fiori recomends allowing truffles to reach room temperature in order to truly appreciate all the nuances of flavor).

Here is a rundown of the truffles I am absolutely loving right now (descriptions from the company's website):

Balsamico e Fragola

Fresh organic strawberries marinated in aged balsamic vinegar in a dark ganache Strawberries marinated in aged, Modena balsamic vinegar form the center of this intense chocolate ganache. The flavors start with a burst of floral and fruity notes. Towards the middle of the tasting, the deep oaky balsamic becomes more prominent. The finishing notes are of the bittersweet chocolate taming the balsamic's natural acidity.

Cioccolato Nera

Champagne infused in our darkest cacao ganache This is the darkest chocolate in our collection with 75% cacao content. Although high in cacao, it retains an almost milk chocolate richness that imparts a creamy mouthfeel. A splash of champagne is added to the ganache to achieve a pleasing overall balance in flavors and add a fruity lingering finish.

Yoshino

Japanese fresh ginger and toasted sesame in a dark ganache This chocolate brings together two unique Japanese flavors, fresh ginger and toasted sesame. Fresh Japanese ginger has a sweetness that mixes wonderfully in chocolate. Added to this are undertones of toasted sesame that exemplify the natural nut flavors from the cacao beans used in this ganache.

Lavanda e Miele

Organic Spanish lavender and raw raspberry honey infused in a dark ganache The vibrant purple flowers of Spanish lavender are picked during the spring and summer months when they are at their peak for flavor. Their scent always attracts honey bees seduced by the lavender's succulent allure. Following nature's guidance, we paired honey and lavender to produce a ganache with a heavenly floral flavor. Raw raspberry honey is a mild flowery honey that remains subtly present throughout the tasting and combines well with the lavender

They all sound wonderful, don't they? Now imagine tasting these little gems. There are 12 different truffles and each is not only beautiful to look at but very unique in its flavor combinations.

Those fruit filled and herb infused centers melting in your mouth, an explosion of flavors and nuances of taste. A thing of beauty, I tell you. And don't get me started on the lovely shapes (each truffle is different in shape) and the boxes in which they are packaged for you.

The fact that they are sold two blocks from me and at the same place where I grab a quick cup of coffee or hot chocolate has made this an obligatory treat with my daily caffeine dose. Coffee will never be the same, I am afraid.

Which brings me to something else you must know about. Lee will be conducting two more sessions (September 8th and 29th) of his course The Art of Chocolate - Learning and Tasting at Café Darclée in Fisher Plaza.

This is a great opportunity to learn about chocolate, about tasting chocolate and to (hurrah!) experiment with wine and chocolate pairings. It promises to be not only very educational and engaging but utterly delectable. Space is very limited. Don't miss it.

Seattle Opera's Der Ring des Nibelungen: An appreciation

Thank you for the experience of a lifetime, for the music, the sets, the voices, for Jane Eaglen's Brünnhilde, the Valkyries and Rhinemaidens, for Hunding and Erda, Loge's fire and the beautiful Grane, the pre and post performance lectures, the great food, wine and coffee to keep us going and for all the wonderful people we've met, new friends from near and far, who came to our fair city to witness such awe-inspiring, hair-raising, heart-stirring, spine-tingling, moving and utterly magnificent Ring.

Can't wait for 2009. Now on to the next!

Lunch at Boat Street Kitchen

Rustic herb-crusted pork with sweet red onion slices and a bit of mayo on a Ciabatta style Macrina bread.

The cinnamon roll (one of the best we've ever had) is from Sophie's Donuts (across from the soon to move to Belltown Hines Public Market Coffee), which Boat Kitchen's owner /cook Renee Erickson and former owner Susan Kaplan are sharing space with.

Since this is mostly a catering business and the daily list of to-go sandwiches varies day to day, they run out of things early so it is best to call or fax in your order ahead of time.

In about three weeks or so Boat Street Kitchen and Boat Street Café will be moving closer to home, right here in downtown Seattle, at 3131 Western Avenue (Suite 301), corner of Western and Denny at the NW Work Lofts Building.

The good news for Eastlakers? Their delicious sandwiches will continue to be available for purchase at Sophie's.

The Boat Street Kitchen
2238 Eastlake Avenue East
Seattle, Washington
206.323.7132
206.202.6365 (fax)
Monday-Friday 10-3
MC/Visa

IMBB #18: La Casa del Mojito: To Cuba and Back over Lunch

I woke up early--around four am-- to see Mr. C out to the airport, then slept in till noon. When I woke up I was starving! Since tonight will be the last evening of Wagner's Ring Cycle Number III and Götterdämmerung's estimated running time will be over 5 hours, 15 minutes (including 2 intermissions but not includind the post-performance lecture) I opted for keeping our kitchen free of splatters and fried food smells and instead of cooking for one, go out for lunch.

Eating fried food is definitely a special treat. For obvious reasons, frying is not our preferred method to cook at home. Stove top sautéeing, braising, slow cooking, roasting and grilling are. But sometimes a girl needs a splurge and considering the marathon that awaits me tonight, today seemed the perfect day to indulge.

So, for Linda's IMBB 18: "Summer's Flying, Let's Get Frying" I'm having lunch at La Casa del Mojito in Lake City Way, one of only two places in the city I think of whenever in the mood for a culinary getaway to Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela or Puerto Rico and my favorite fried food dishes.

Because when it comes to fried food I immediately think of pescado frito (fried fish) tostones, yuca frita, maduros (also called amarillos) or platanitos (plantain chips) and in Seattle, nobody does it better than the cooks at this joint.

I sat outside and ordered a Batido de Guanábana ($3.75), a fresh fruit shake made with milk as a base, thick, sweet, creamy and cold, which I sipped very slowly while browsing the lunch menu. I opted for the Pescado Frito.

The menu describes it as "the ultimate beach meal in the tropics of Latin America. Seasonal white fish fillet (Tilapia today), lightly dredged in seasoned flour, pan-fried with garlic and served with white rice, maduros, and ensalada de palmito (hearts of palm salad)."

Since they were out of maduros and I was there for the fried food anyway I had Ariel substitute my maduros for yuca frita and my ensalada de palmito for tostones. I also requested a small side order of Frijoles Negros (Cuban black beans).

While lunch was being prepared Ariel sat with me and we talked about his recent trip to Europe and Cuba, his first trip back home in three years. Ariel also told me about how in 1995 he escaped the Fidel regime by leaving his whole family behind, jumping on a balsa with some friends and neighbors.

Last night's dessert at Vios: a close up

Nectarine Crisp and Galaktoboúreko

Mmmoussaka!

It has been a go, go, go week for us. Tonight Mr. C wanted to go to Palace Kitchen but I was pining for Greek comfort food and a break from dressing up for dinner--at least until tomorrow's Götterdämmerung. So it is Vios for us.

We've started with a trio of delicious spreads (hummus, babaganoush and tzatziki) with warm pita, a beautiful roasted beet salad with blue cheese and shared Moussaka. For dessert: coffee and Nectarine crisp for Mr. C, Galaktoboureko (honeyed semolina custard in philo dough with a sprinkle of cinnamon) and coffee for me.

I can't remember the last time dessert made me this happy.

Meatloaf and Wagner

Outside in the terrace there is a handsome man in his late sixties with salt and pepper hair, dressed in a gorgeous kilt. Next to me a group of friends in pink, green and black. Within view a man in a smoking jacket with a woman dressed in a sparkly black and white ballgown with long satin gloves. I'm in a black silk pantsuit with pearls. We are all having the meatloaf (with mashed potatoes and summer vegetables). Fuel for the next five hours, until Siegfried breaks the sleeping spell.

Motore Coffee

Motore Coffee is yet another of those happening neighborhood spots I drive by everyday. And even though they've been opened for three months already somehow I keep forgetting to share about it (thanks for the reminder, Stephanie!).

Everything in here speaks Italy. There's the modern furniture, accessories, über hip music and friendliest of vibes. You would even think the enthusiastic and chatty owner was from la bella Italia himself. But no! He hails from Oregon. Yet another tech guy bored with his career, who wanted to do something different.

And different this is! Motore has great coffee (Café Vita), pastries (I've yet to try these), smoothies, hot chocolate, loose tea (Luxe), Fiori chocolates (handmade in Bellevue and utterly scrumptious), fabby magazines and four futuristic white Apple wireless terminals (flat panel G5 iMacs) where you can browse to your caffeinated heart's content (or bring your laptop, there's WiFi and VoIP here) while sipping your espresso.

Molto fantastico! Best of all, you don't have to own a Vespa to hang out here. Scoot over prontissimo!

1904 9th Ave
(9th & Stewart)
Seattle, WA 98101
206.388.2803
[email protected]

If you come to see Princesses

at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, grab a quick bite before the show. Other than wine and cocktails the only nibbles are homemade (the baker/caterer works the counter during performances) brownies, cupcakes, pecan caramel bars, mixed nut cups, imported olives, Key lime pies, Toll House Bars, candy and chips. ;-D