Monday, November 15, 2010

How's Salad Quickies

I've always liked Jup Jup Jup ("kiss kiss kiss" in Thai or as I like to call it J^3... ok I've never called it that before in my life, but it's faster to type than Jup... and less terrifying than kkk). Why? A number of reasons: 1. the first time Andrew and I ate there, they were playing The Immaculate Collection and every girl in the restaurant started singing along quietly to Like A Virgin, which was entertaining enough, but then a bunch of girls walking past overheard it on the speakers and started singing and dancing at the top of their lungs. 2. They have awesome loose leaf tea blends. 3. they're cheap for Cap Hill and 4. they make the most intimidatingly awesome salad in the history of the world, which comes in a bowl slightly larger than my mixing bowl and far more expensive looking and includes varieties of apples, non-candied walnuts, greens, crunchies, craisins and avocado. I don't really like avocado that much, per se, but I feel like I should and I'll admit to often wrapping the avocado slices in a napkin and using them sauces and salads later. Anyways, it's also really pretty for a cheapish and undemanding Thai place on Broadway:

Magical Kissy Kissy Thai Fairy Land

On Sunday night we went to Jup Jup Jup with Andrew's old neighbors from San Fransisco, one who lives here and one who was visiting for the first time. He's known these folks since he was like six, which is impressive to me. I think the furthest I go back is Dan from the glorious non-glory days of early high school. They all seemed to enjoy their meals, I enjoyed my salad and I have it on good report that they're serious about their spiciness scale and don't gringo the star-scale out too much.

Last Tuesday we ate at Guanaco's Tacos. Neither one of us went for the actual highlight, being the papusas (trademark Salvadoran burritoish thingy), but the food was good for hungry people. The salad had some nice flavors, especially with the curtido, and definitely didn't need the dressing they gave along with it on the side. Black beans, cheese and chili sums up most of what the salad is. On the other hand, fluorescent blazing super nova inside and the food was salty beyond belief!

Friday before that, we gave up on even attempting to deal with the insane traffic situation (lord knows) and met at Araya's. I kind of feel like even discussing Araya's is pointless, because it's more or less hands down the vegetarian/vegan Thai restaurant in Seattle. Imitators, yes, but Araya's is regionally exceptional. I usually prefer their buffets, but dinner there is decent as well. They have a couple of awesome salads, also on huge platters involving a small garden. My favorite has fried tofu and this rich peanut sauce with it, but I love that there are six whole salads on top of the entire vegetarian menu. And taro root. I love tarot root and it seems to be exclusively the domain of vegan asian cuisine, as least in this area. Anyways, while there, we were seated next to this:


Which is more impressive in person. A wood carving for sale for something surprisingly reasonable if I recall. And mostly I just wanted to show that off. Of course it should be noted that the parking situation at Araya's is less than optimal. They have a parking lot, which seems like a good thing until you consider that it is kind of the PARKING LOT OF DOOM, insofar as there is no room to really maneuver even a small car and forget about trucks ever fitting in any of the spots even if they were open.

 On the home front, I have been slowly accumulating more and more of a respectable baker's array of tools, although I still have a lot of ad-libbing going on in here. I started with "whatever is around the house" and still seem to be mostly sticking with this mentality, but I have branched out to purchase yeast, baking soda and baking powder.

Honest to goodness whole wheat bread with the whole rising and kneading and flour everywhere(!!!) excitement. My first attempt didn't rise very well (and on a Sunday too! What sacrilege), so I called a mulligan and came out with honest to goodness bread:



I had no idea there were different kinds of yeast. Apparently I had purchased the VERY active yeast, which has a different protocol than plain active yeast, which is different requirement from the kind that you have to dissolve in liquid... Also made with whole wheat flour, applesauce, soy milk, and a lot of love... or insanity.

Of course the drawback of my current baking binge is that I make much more than I eat... I'm slowly turning my home into an Atkin's Dieter's worst nightmare. Of course I will share, but I'm not sure how universally loved these recipes would be since there's no added salt or sugar.

I'm thinking of playing with some kind of avocado banana bread idea for my next trick.

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