The Most Beautiful Day

My day started off with a trip to the lovely Cafe Besalu in Ballard. It's probably one of Seattle's best pastry shops-- so french, authentic and adorable. I loved being able to watch the owner/head chef work his magic behind the counter. Caroline, clad in her red cowboy boots, lit up when I told her she could choose anything she wanted. She went for a beautiful Quince Tart, which disappeared pretty quickly. That night, I met up with James and we dined at La Bete. I've had my eye on this place for quite a while, so I was excited to try it out. The food did not disappoint! Their striploin steak with sauteed kale and chantrelle mushrooms blew me away. We also had some amazing house-made sausage. Such a great day-- full of wonderful company and outstanding food!

Portland Weekend

Oh, how I love PDX. My Mom, Lauren and I went down for the weekend to have an early Christmas with our family. It's incredible how comfortable Portland feels every time I visit. This city is so alive and absolutely stunning. What a treat to spend a whole weekend there!

The Pantry at the Delancey.

Tonight, I took a fantastic cooking class at The Pantry at the Delancey. The theme was holiday gifts, where we learned how to make some amazing, decadent treats. This class was such a dream-- the kitchen was gorgeous and the instructors were a delight! They were big advocates of buying local, which was great. We made Chocolate Fruit Bark (70% dark chocolate, dried apricots, pistachios, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, cocoa nibs, grey salt), Peanut Butter Clouds (meringues with Adam's peanut butter and topped with black sesame seeds), Black Pepper and Cheddar Cheese Straws, and Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce. A night spent drinking wine, making and talking about food, and trying out new baking techniques-- I loved it! I can't wait to take another class at the Pantry!