Pampers and Paklava

Rocking out at Sea-Tac: airport rocking chairs

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Beth in a Sea-tac rocking chairHere I am, at Sea-Tac airport, putting the “R” in R&R right before our trip to San Diego. That’s ‘r’ for rest, ‘r’ for relaxation and ‘r’ for rocking chair. Yup, you read that correctly: rocking chair.

Seattle is one of several airports to put rocking chairs in their terminal. I’ve heard you can find rocking chairs at airports in Boston, Houston, Charlotte, Philadelphia and many other cities. At Sea-Tac, the rockers are situated by the giant window in the Central Terminal. You can grab some java or a snack and rock out, watching planes coming and going, and maybe even a sunset (or sunrise) or two.

These chairs are uber popular. In fact, I had to keep my eyes peeled for the moment that one was vacated. The second I spotted a free chair, I grabbed my carry-on and my husband and headed over to rock my cares away while we waited for boarding time.

Does it look like I’m ready to start my vacation? You betcha!

Sea-tac rocking chair

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Great minds think alike: Pinot and chocolate

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Pinot and Theo's Casanova SamplerLast night, Big Papa and I returned from a week of relaxation in San Diego and Baja, Mexico. It was just what the doctor ordered. Sunshine (most of the time), time spent with friends, desert vistas, whales and even a few glorious days without internet or cell phone service!

Our trip began on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. When we arrived at Keating House, our B&B for our first three days on the road, Big Papa and I pulled out our Valentine’s gifts for each other and set them on the bed.

Side by side lay two Valentine’s cards, each with a reference to our upcoming whale watching trip, two half-bottles of Pinot Noir wine (Adelsheim and Clos du val) and two boxes of  Theo’s Chocolates! In fact, the exact same chocolates: Theo’s limited version Casanova Caramel Sampler with Ginger Rose, Pink Salted, Honey Saffron and Lavender Jalapeno chocolates.

Wine and chocolate–the perfect way to kick off a much-needed vacation. We sat and sipped and daydreamed about the days that lay ahead.

What can I say? Great minds think alike!

Fish and whale cards

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Tea for two at the top of the world: Chai

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Mt Everest, Tibet, ChinaThere is something about standing at the top of the world that takes your breath away. Maybe it’s the elevation. At 17,000 feet and some change, there’s not a lot of oxygen in the air, particularly if you’re used to living at sea level, like I am.

Or, it could be the view. Not many people are lucky enough to have the opportunity I had: to look the Goddess Mother of the World, Mt. Everest, square in the face. Yet that’s exactly what Big Papa and I did when we visited Tibet in 2008.

Temperatures were in the teens, and there was nothing between us and the mountain of all mountains, except an open plain and a fierce wind. Being in Tibet, and seeing Mt. Everest, was unforgettable.

And so was the tea. Back at the Everest Hotel, we headed for the sole dining room and ordered up a big pot of chai. Sensuous aromas of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger and pepper filled the air. I will never forget my first sip: warmth soothed my cold throat and the flavors were simply irresistible. Big Papa and I joyfully drank the entire pot with ease.

In much of the world, including Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of Africa and Brazil, “chai” means tea. Chai tea, frequently called “Masala Chai,” is an aromatic blend of black or green tea infused with warming spices and typically served with sugar and milk.

If you travel to India, Nepal and Tibet, where chai originated, you’ll likely see vendors peddling the tasty brew on street corners or at train stations. According to Ayurvedic tradition, chai boosts the immune system, enhances metabolism, relieves stress, aids digestion and sharpens the mind. Never mind that it’s also out-of-this-world delicious.

You can find hundreds of chai recipes associated with different locales, restaurants and even families. Preparation methods vary, too—some aficionados insist on boiling the tea, spices and milk together, while others take a gentler approach, briefly steeping the tea leaves and spices in hot water, then adding hot milk and sweetener last.

I still drink chai, though I’ve never had a cup that was as good as the chai we drank while traveling in Tibet. The Goddess Mother of the World had a way with tea. She worked her magic on our chai…and on us.

Teapots, Tingri, Mt Everest, Tibet, ChinaTop of the world [chai] tea for two

• 1½ cups cold water
• One 2-inch piece cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 heaping teaspoons black tea
• Seed of 3 cardamom pods
• One ¼-inch-thick slice fresh ginger
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 black peppercorns
• ¼ to ½ cup milk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Bring water to a boil in small saucepan. Add cinnamon, cover, remove from heat; steep 2 minutes. Return pan to heat; bring to a boil. Add tea, spices, milk and sugar; cover, and remove from heat. Steep 3 minutes.

2. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer into warm teapot, discarding solids.

Note: If you prefer, omit the milk and sugar and offer them separately. You can also experiment by adding fennel seeds, coriander seeds, nutmeg, star anise, and lemon or orange peel to create your own unique chai blend.
Beth at Everest Base Camp, Tibet, China Want to take your breath away with more deliciousness? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

Patat Frites Recipe

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Frites with mayonnaiseThe first time I traveled overseas was for a study-abroad semester in Amsterdam. We arrived in January of 1980, and as we walked along narrow cobbled streets, wind from the North Sea blew frigid air in our faces. Thirty-two years later, I can still conjure up memories of the excitement I felt for the big adventures which lay ahead. And I clearly remember what I saw during my first few days: quaint canals, tall brick buildings with gingerbread roof lines, bikes as far as the eye could see, and tiny plastic pastel-colored forks littering the ground.

What were they for? Why were there so many of them? What did it all mean? And then I discovered ‘Patat frites.’

Patat frites are the Dutch version of fries: long thick cuts of deep-fried potato are stuffed into a paper cone or plastic plate and served up with a dollop of the sauce of your choice…and a plastic fork. In Holland, potatoes are serious business and frites are the number one snack food. It would be impossible to visit Amsterdam without catching a whiff of frying potato wafting from a frite stand. When Big Papa and I visited Amsterdam last year, I made sure we stopped at a few frite stands.

There are several choices for toppings:  light lemony “mayonnaise,” garlic sauce and “patat oorlog” which translates to “war chips.” My personal favorite was “pindasaus” or peanut sauce, a riff on the sauce the Dutch discovered when they colonized Indonesia. Versions of this sauce are served on sate (grilled chicken or meat on a stick) and with Indonesian rijstafel (rice table) cuisine, a food-fest with countless little dishes. You could also serve it over noodles or on top of just about any vegetable dish.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my first overseas trip, how it changed me, opened up my world, and the wanderlust it inspired…even if I’ve never been able to wander as far or as often as I might like. And as I walk down Seattle streets this January, with a bitter wind biting my face and smell of salt air from Puget Sound in my nostrils, I dream about patat frites met pindasaus warming my belly, a heel lekker (which means “completely yummy” in Dutch) treat if there ever was one!

Dutch frites with pindasausPindasaus (Dutch peanut sauce)

4 T peanut butter
8 T hot water
2 t or 1 T Sambal Oelek or to taste (1/2 t or more crushed red pepper is good substitute)
1 T Ketjap Manis or 1 T soy sauce plus 1 t molasses or brown sugar
1 t to 1 T fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan; gently simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Note: Sambal Oelek is an Indonesian chile sauce with no added flavors added like garlic or spices. It adds hot without changing the flavor of a dish. A swirl of Sambal Oelek is lovely in a bowl of hummus. Crushed red pepper can be used as a substitute.

Ketjap Manis is Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It is a forerunner of ketchup. It is the only soy sauce developed outside the Asian continent. For a substitute use equal parts soy sauce and brown sugar or molasses. Simmer the two until blended.

Want more lekker treats? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

The flora and fauna of Mt. Rainier

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I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Mountains, forests, ocean and lakes–the Pacific Northwest is blessed with beauty from stem to stern. Here are a few photos from a trip I took this summer to Mt. Rainier National Park.

Mt. Rainier“The Mountain” Mt. Rainier

HorsetailHorsetail

Light through the trees, old growth, Mt. RainierLight through the trees: Old growth forest

Lupine, Mt. RainierLupine

Mother deer and fawn, Mt. RainierMother deer and fawn

Quail, Mt. RainierQuail

Tree trunks, Mt. Rainier National ParkTree trunks, Mt. Rainier National Park

Want to check out more lovely photos? Wander over to Delicious Baby Photo Friday!

Nuts!

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Armenian walnuts in syrup, Harvest Song “I’m a crazy lady,” said the colorfully dressed, middle-aged blonde woman standing next to me at the cheese counter of the Interbay Whole Foods.

“Show me something wild.”

The staff person behind the counter paused and tipped her head to the side, taking a moment to think.

“I’ve got just the thing.”

She reached for a jar on the counter top and said, “Try these: walnuts in syrup. They are unusual and decadent.”

Unscrewing the lid, she pulled out what looked like an oversized olive, dripping in dark, molasses-like syrup.

Instantly, I was transported back to my last trip to Armenia and the day trip I took to the ancient sites of Garni and Geghard. When we arrived at each location, we were greeted by village women selling their home made confections: sweet breads, fruit leather, jams and pickled vegetables.

Armenian treats: fruit leather and sweet breadAt Garni, I purchased a long roll of apricot fruit leather which I munched on for the rest of the trip. The sweet fruit was warmed by the sun and with each bite I imagined the trees full of ripe apricots.

When we reached Geghard, I asked our tour guide if she would find someone selling walnuts in syrup. I’d had them for breakfast at the hotel and they were delicious—the perfect foil for my bowl of tangy yogurt. These particular walnuts, from the Ararat Valley are picked young and green (the Walnut varietal is a ‘Black Walnut’ not an English Walnut). Then, they’re bathed in barrels of spring water. Slowly, over weeks, their bitterness recedes, and they soften. Cane sugar is added and cooked down to a sweet, thick syrup. One day I hope to make them myself.

Armenian preserves, Garni ArmeniaTasting the cinnamon, sugar, and walnut together is like eating baklava without the phyllo dough. In addition to a sweet topping for breakfast yogurt, I could imagine enjoying them with pungent cheeses, ice cream, chopped and spread on banana bread or even incorporated into a roasted chicken dish. The syrup itself would be amazing on pancakes. I even saw an article that mentioned putting one of the walnuts in a Manhattan in place of the traditional Maraschino cherry.

“Where did these come from?” I asked. “I haven’t seen something like this since I was in Armenia.” In fact my jar is still in our cupboard waiting for a special occasion.

“They’re made by Harvest Song,” she tells me. And then she turns the jar around. “Oh look, they are imported from Harvest Song walnuts in syrupArmenia.”

“You should take some home to compare with the jar you bought back from your travels,” the cheese counter gal suggested.

And so I did. Shaking my head in disbelief, I carried my precious cargo to the cash register. I never would have imagined I’d find this particular Armenian delicacy, half way around the world from its homeland–at Whole Foods no less. It was all a little bit nuts, just like the lady standing next to me at the cheese counter.

Want more nuttiness in your life? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

Five reasons why I [heart] international adoption

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Orphanage laundry

1. Thousands and thousands of children in the world are homeless

Every country has orphans. Some countries have hundreds of thousands of orphans. Under the best of circumstances, children would be cared for by their extended biological family or adopted within the country of their birth. But that’s not how things play out for most children who are orphaned.

I believe every child deserves a home, a home where they are loved and cared for. Being able to provide that for a child, even if we’re only able to adopt one child, means there will be one less child who will grow up in an orphanage.

2. Our world is increasingly multi-cultural

Many of my friends are in marriages and partnerships that blend cultures and race. Their children will grow up knowing that they, and many of their friends and classmates, come from similarly diverse backgrounds.

Even in Seattle, a relatively homogenous city, there is increasingly more diversity. Within a few blocks of our house, we have neighbors who are: Indian, Caucasian, African-American, African born, Asian, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern.

My own marriage spans two somewhat disparate cultural backgrounds. We learn from each other and have a much richer life because of it.

3. Opportunities to grow and learn

I see the world painting, Children's Art Gallery, Yerevan, Armenia

For me one of the coolest things about adopting internationally is that my world has expanded exponentially. I have been given the opportunity (and the motivation) to learn about another culture: the history, food, religion, social mores, art, music, customs, holidays and so much more!

I am a better person for having traveled this path. The years ahead will undoubtedly continue to offer challenges and even deeper rewards.

4. International (and domestic) adoption is an integral part of my extended family

My niece was adopted from China. My husband’s sister was adopted from Germany and his brother was adopted domestically. It’s one of the reasons—for us—that adoption, particularly international adoption, feels right. I am proud of our extended family, created both by birth and adoption.

5. Travel!

I LOVE to travel (and always wish I could do more of it). And, I write on a travel website. So the fact that travel goes hand-in-hand with international adoption is the icing on the cupcake for me. In fact travel has turned out to be one element of the adoption process that’s been the most fun and adventure-filled.

Three days in Paradise

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Mt. Rainier Washington State

In Seattle, when people say “the mountain is out” they’re telling you that skies in the Pacific Northwest are clear and Mt. Rainier is in view. This past weekend, Big Papa and I spent three glorious days relaxing, chilling out in a bar none amazing cabin and gazing at all 14,411 feet of the mountain. We were in Paradise. Paradise, Washington.

Paradise lies on the south slope of the mountain, and is famous for its glorious vistas and wildflower meadows. Its name came from Martha, the daughter-in-law of James Longmire who, upon first visiting Rainier, exclaimed “Oh, what a paradise!” (James Longmire was one of the first to climb Mt. Rainier.)

We were there to celebrate Big Papa’s birthday over the long holiday weekend. Being born on the Fourth of July means sharing your day with the entire U.S. of A. Big Papa, being the low key kind of guy that he is, prefers quiet when it comes to celebrating another year, and that is a tall order. Between the fireworks and festivities, traffic is snarled, restaurants are full and a good night’s sleep is hard to come by.

Salal cabin, Deep Forest Cabins, Paradise, WashingtonThat’s why, for most of the six years we’ve been a couple, we’ve hit the road and headed to Canada…but not this year. This year we remained stateside when I heard about Deep Forest Cabins, barely a minute from the gate to Mt. Rainier National Park.

We booked a couple nights in the Salal Cabin, though I confess calling Salal a cabin in the roughing it, rustic sense of the word is a misnomer. Salal is paradise translated into a cabin. If Frank Lloyd Wright wanted a smaller home away from Falling Water in the Pacific Northwest, that’s Salal. Built by Alan Liddle (1922-2009), a Tacoma architect, in 1950, Salal was featured on the cover of Sunset Magazine in 1953. It’s easy to see why since it’s probably one of the dreamiest accommodations we’ve ever stayed in. As I remarked on the guest book: “We only found one problem with Salal…we can’t take it with us.”

Salal cabin light, Deep Forest Park Cabins, Paradise, WashingtonSalal is one of several cabins, each with their own unique charm, that lie scattered through a pristine stretch of forest. It’s no stretch to say that Salal is the crown jewel. Light-filled and perched on a rock, this spectacular cabin is a marriage of wood beams, exposed stone walls, sleek minimalist décor and woodsy views from every angle of every room (and I do mean every room). We really did not want to leave, even to explore the paradise that lay waiting right outside our cabin door.

Our own home in Seattle, which we affectionately call The Urban Cabin, is just a little bigger than Salal, maybe 1000 square feet. The Urban Cabin is very old and very quaint. We love it, but it’s definitely more Country Home than Architectural Digest. While I’ve often imagined living in a home just like Salal I believe—for it to work—we’d have to be much more minimalist than we are. Meaning: less junk, less clutter. The Zen peacefulness that is Salal is achieved through pure simplicity: both in design and connectedness to nature. Spending time in a place like Salal, in a space like Salal, is incredible, transformative even. The design is stripped of anything excessive: where goes excess, so go your worries. The warm hues of red and orange throw pillows here and deep brown wood floors there, the filtered light through the trees and green through every window, make you feel like you’re one with nature. And you are, but you’re still sleeping in a comfortable bed, warming yourself by a gas fireplace, gazing at the stars from a private hot tub and dining on food you’ve cooked in your fully decked out kitchen.

Salal cabin deck, Deep Forest Cabins, Paradise, WashingtonSalal is a splurge, no doubt about that. But it was worth it—we were worth it. And yes, over the course of our three days spent getting away from it all, Big Papa and I did manage to drag ourselves out of our cabin and into the pristine wilderness that surrounds Mt. Rainier. We took a few short hikes, communed with old growth forests, and gawked at the mountain from stem to stern, north to south.

Our sublime cabin, Mt. Rainier, a few days together, time just to be, was dreamy, simply dreamy. Paradise for sure.

A dish inspired by–a dish: Tajine

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tajineTwo years ago, on my birthday, Big Papa and I spent three heavenly days in a yurt by the ocean. On “my” day we had dinner, on the deck at Treebones, overlooking the Pacific. And what a dinner it was! Moroccan tajine served our own individual clay tajine clay pots. Sweet fruit and nuts melded with North African spices mixed in couscous to create a dish to remember—in every sense of the word.

So, when I stumbled onto a tajine pot, ironically at the Alhambra Warehouse, an outlet store where I typically shop for travel clothing not kitchen ware, I just had to buy it. It’s been  sitting patiently in my cupboard waiting for just the right moment and that moment arrived this week, when our favorite market sausage seller, Vashon Island’s Sea Breeze Farm, happened to have Merguez sausage on hand. Merguez is the perfect sausage for tajine as it is lamb-based and features many North African spices.

Our dinner was, in a word, WOW! The aromas that filled our kitchen, as I cooked, hinted at the flavors that would soon grace our mouths: apricots, pistachios, fennel, olives, market-fresh chick peas, artichoke hearts, Mustapha’s (from Seattle) Harissa spice and preserved lemon, plus a few fava beans that needed a place to hide.  And, of course, the Merguez. I didn’t cook our meal in the tajine as is traditionally done; the tajine pot I’d purchased was too small for the amount of food I made. But I did use it for a serving dish.

Merguez tajineAs I closed my eyes and enjoyed my first bite, the taste of tajine took me back to the lovely weekend we spent together touring Big Sur, just as I’d hoped it might. The only thing missing–the smell of ocean breezes and a view of the Pacific.

Big Papa and I paired our tajine with a Zinfandel (2007 Lockshaw Vineyard) from our absolutely favorite winery, Foxen. The fruit and spice in the wine was dreamy with the fruit and spice in the Merguez tajine. We both had seconds and wanted thirds. It was one of those dinners: so good you don’t want to stop eating, even though the fullness in your belly tells you otherwise.

Tajine with Merguez Sausage

Note: Tajine (and this recipe) can easily be made vegetarian (vegan, in fact) by omitting the sausage and using vegetable stock to prepare the couscous. If going veggie, add more vegetables to the tajine. Eggplant would be particularly good with the flavors in this dish.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 minced onion (I used two small shallots)
  • 1 T. paprika
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or ground cinnamon)
  • 1 T. crushed cumin seeds
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 c. chicken (or vegetable) stock
  • Couscous (I used the larger, rounder Israeli couscous – 1 c. dry)
  • ¼ c. preserved lemon (can be found at Whole Foods or other specialty grocers)
  • 1 tsp. Harissa, and more for serving (again, can be found at Whole Foods or other specialty grocers). You can substitute hot red pepper/cayenne, if you can’t find Harissa.
  • ½ c. toasted pistachios
  • ½ c. sliced dried apricots (preferably Turkish)
  • (optional – and, if so, use 1 cup apricots) ½ cup raisins (I used white raisins)
  • 1 lb. Merguez sausage (I remove the casing before cooking so that it’s easier to chop and into ground-style for cooking). Note: you can opt out of meat or, as some recipes call for, use 6 boneless chicken thighs.
  • (optional) 1 fennel bulb, diced
  • 1 c. orange juice
  • 1 cup dry chick peas – or one 12 oz. can (the dry chick peas are much better but they do take about 1-1/2 hours to cook ahead of time)
  • One 12 oz can fresh artichoke hearts (you can also get fresh marinated hearts at Whole Foods)
  • * (optional) ½ c. prepared  fava beans
  • ½ c. minced parsley

How to

1.  If using dried chick peas, pre-cook (about 1-1/2 hours)

2. Remove casings from sausage, dice and then brown (or cook chicken) in olive oil in a large Dutch casserole. If using fennel bulb, add to sausage and cook until slightly tender. Reserve.

3. Saute onion, spices (cinnamon stick, paprika, cumin seeds), garlic and add couscous to toast. Add a cup of stock, and the orange juice. Bring to a boil. Continue adding stock, as needed, until the couscous is soft (if using traditional North African couscous, cooking time will be shorter than if using the larger Israeli couscous).

4.  Add preserved lemon, fennel, pistachios, raisins, apricots and Harissa spice to sausage and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Stir in parsley, and serve on top of couscous with more Harissa to spice as desired.

5.  If using a tajine pot, the final cooking can be done with the pot in the oven. Here is a link to advice on using, and buying, a tajine.

Want to dish on more deliciousness?  Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!