Sun-Starved |
Our Vitamin-D deficient adventures in Seattle (and elsewhere) |
Dear Seattle friends:
Dear Seattle lovelies,
It's not surprise to our friends that Ryan and I are trying to buy as many local products as possible. Seattle is blessed with many small businesses making incredible, high-quality and beautiful products, a treat for us consumers. I profoundly admire those who have embarked on the adventure of being a business owner (I know first hand how hard it can be). One of my favorite Seattle-based small business owners is Janna Wemmer, who with Chef Joseph Conrad, are the hearts and souls behind Secret Stash Sea Salts.
I first met Janna at the Queen Anne Farmers Market (which opens today!) at the Secret Stash Sea Salts booth. Their gourmet sea salts are made with hand-harvested sea salt, and do not contain artificial flavors, preservatives, or anti-caking agents. They come in playful and delightful flavors such as Almond Cardamom (which I want to try in a Tres Leches); Smoked Chipotle; Bloody Mary: Cherry Pistachio; and the one I tried this morning, Chorizo. They have other flavors available. What I used to try this savory, well-balanced and fresh (yes, I used the word fresh for a salt) salt was a very simple, typical Venezuelan breakfast concoction: casabe and cheese, slightly toasted in the oven, sprinkled with the Chorizo salt. The chorizo flavor is there, noticeable, palatable, but not overpowering the qualities of the salt. The pairing with the casabe and the mozarella, both slightly on the less-intense flavor side, was a winning one. I'm fairly sure you're asking...what in the world is "casabe"? Casabe is an old, native type of dry, gritty flatbread made from yuca (or tapioca), and can be found Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana. Arawak natives were the first to make it, but other tribes in Venezuela (Caribes, Yanomamis, Ye-Kuanas, Kari-Ñas and Guaraos) still make casabe. In Venezuela, it's a very popular item to eat as breakfast, with soups, seafood, and to scoop dips. Because it's very low in calories, lasts forever (if stored in a fresh, dark pantry for example), and has a very high content of fiber, it's also an indispensable item for those who want to achieve or keep a healthy weight. Every time my father comes to the US, the first thing I ask for is casabe. He always includes some in his "From Caracas with Love" care packages! There are many different ways to buy it: big rounds (tortas), slices (like the one in the photo) and medium-small chips (perfect for hors d'oeuvre, now very popular in parties). I can have it any way, I adore it. It's fullfiling, simple, a little bit on the bland side, with a crunchy chewiness that is hard to describe, and an earthy flavor and grittiness that makes me feel energized and whole. Is there a better thing to try these amazing salts? It was ¡perfecto! Cultural pairs in food, I'd say. This one is an affair to remember.
Exciting news from Paladar Cubano--the delicious Cuban truck at 90th & Aurora. They are adding five new sandwiches to the menu and removing the tacos and quesadillas (we always felt it was blasphemous to have Mexican food at a Cuban establishment!). I will have to take a trip up there soon to sample the new offerings!
She's from Caracas. He's from Philadelphia. Both have an obsession with photography, travel, and food. This is the story of their constant pursuit of all three.
