Tag: local

The RV Eater: Local in Alaska.

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Kelp pickles. Kachemak Bay Sea Salt. Haskap Jam. Halibut. Sliced sourdough.

These are just a few of the local foods I scavenged and savored on a recent RV trip to Alaska. While traveling from Anchorage to Seward and then down to Homer, I poked around shops, farmers markets, bakeries, restaurants and harbors to hunt down these off the grid goodies made by small local and dedicated artisans.

My husband and I have been camping for decades now and one of my side shows while doing so has been to hunt down local specialty items while we are out on the highways and byways. For many years I had a mobile kitchen in our family travel trailer which took our family of five far and wide through the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This week we had a fully equipped kitchen in a Minnie Winnie which we rented from Great Alaskan Holidays in Anchorage.

While cruising through the Land of the Midnight Sun this week, I stocked my pantry with a spontaneous array of local goods. It was a delightful way to bring the flavors of Alaska to the Dixie plates on the campground dinner table.

The kelp pickles, made in Sitka from local seaweed and seasoned with the iconic bread and butter pickling spices, were ridiculously good. Pickle rings were added to smoked cheese bratwurst carted up from Seattle. They were also tucked on smoked salmon canapés, resulting in a very Scandinavian inspired hors d’oeuvre.

The sliced sourdough was from The Bakery in Girdwood and sadly didn’t last long in my mobile kitchen. Light and flavorful, the bread made great sandwiches and was enhanced even further with sunflower sprouts from the Saturday Homer Farmers Market. It was the bread of choice for breakfast and lunch.

The Alder smoked Kachemak Bay Sea Salt also from the Homer farmers market added a lively touch sprinkled over the evening salad.

Haskap Jam from Alaska Berries was scored at the visitor center in scenic town of Kenai. No one at the center could tell me much about the blue jam but back at the Heritage RV Park it was great on my morning granola with yogurt and berries. Eaten seaside while being warmed by the sun was simplicity at its best.

The Best Bacon and Egg Sandwich? At Danny Meyer’s Daily Provisions in NYC

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

I have my big sister, Alison, to thank for this one.

When I was visiting the Big Apple back in February, I had to be down by Union Square early one morning. Without missing a beat Alison told me to go to Daily Provisions and get their bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. “The Best,”  she said.

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The Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich at Daily Provisions…plus the Chocolate Caramel Chunk cookies..for later!

Well, I adore a good bacon and egg sandwich and decided to heed the tip. It was early that morning…maybe 7:30 or so.  When I darted out of the rain and into the charming little restaurant directly behind the new Union Square Cafe, the chatty customer standing next to me in line heard it was my first visit. Unsolicited, she said, “Get the egg sandwich. It’s the best.” Sensing a deja vu, I didn’t think twice. Bacon and egg sandwich it was. I have made, ordered, and eaten hundreds of bacon and egg sandwiches over the years, but this was indeed superb. A soft roll,  a perfectly cooked egg, a thick piece of Niman Ranch bacon, and deliciously gooey cheese served in a wax paper pocket. The price? $7. For New York, that’s a breakfast bargain.

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The Daily Provisions decor is accentuated with handmade blue and white tiles and pottery from Haand in North Carolina

I’ve been back to New York a few times since that trip in February and Daily Provisions is a must visit. I’ve had the broccoli melt sandwich ($11), the spinach and arugula salad ($10), the chocolate caramel chunk cookie ($4), and the Milanese sandwich ($13) All top quality and reasonably priced.

On my visit last week, my daughter and I arrived for lunch early…a few minutes before 11:30 when the kitchen reopens. The gal at the cashless register chatted with me and explained that the shop/cafe was opened when Danny Meyer took over the location on East 19th Street to reopen Union Square Cafe in the main portion of the building. This little space in the back was part of the package so they decided to create Daily Provisions, a neighborhood cafe with “everything you need throughout the day to dine in or take away.”

With a soothing dark blue interior, welcoming staff, communal tables, charming handmade pottery from Haand in North Carolina, and great food at reasonable prices, it is a friendly and homey place to provision yourself daily!

Defrost at the 2018 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival!

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Spring fever in January is never a good thing, especially out here in Seattle where it is still a bleak, cold, dark, sometimes frosty, and always rainy.

For me, the best medicine has been a hefty dose of garden therapy. Of course, it’s too early to start digging and planting in my urban backyard or P-Patch, but one thing I look forward to every year is the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. Held at the Washington State Convention Center from February 7-11, this annual garden show has always defrosted my green thumb.

This year the show, which is the second largest in the nation, celebrates a legacy of 30 years. The theme will be “Garden Party.”   Trends in organic and urban gardening, sustainability, and variety of culinary experiences will be embraced and the twenty magnificent and elaborate Show Gardens will reflect the theme. The show will also have a spectacular lineup of seminars led by experts in the field as well as daily DIY competitions with experts.  As usual, the massive shopping Marketplace will be chock full of vendors and will offer a great opportunity for gardeners, both experienced and beginner, to get answers, explore new varieties, ask growers specific questions, and stock up on favorites for the season ahead.

So, if you are itching for spring, check your calendar and plan accordingly.  If you need a little inspiration, check out these photos taken last year:

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2017 Northwest Flower and Garden Festival Show Garden

Seattle’s Pike Place Market-A Gift in January

Published on by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Sometimes, life tosses you a gift on a whim. Yesterday, I got one of those gifts at Seattle’s most iconic destination—the Pike Place Market.

You see, I had to be down at the market yesterday morning for a client meeting. Unfortunately, the weathermen predicted rain, which, of course, isn’t unusual for the Emerald City.

So, I grumbled, dressed accordingly, and gave myself lots of extra time to get downtown.

While weaving my way towards the waterfront, I noticed that the sky was breaking up and rain was absent. By the time I parked the car the weather was looking downright acceptable.  Puffy clouds.  Light wind.  Patches of blue. When I stepped off the parking garage elevator and onto the spectacular new MarketFront,  I looked out at Elliott Bay and gasped. The view rivaled that of any spectacular August day. Expansive blue skies, calm seas, bright sunshine, panoramic mountain views, and incredible visibility. Plus, it was only about 9 AM so there was absolutely no one at the market.

No cars. No traffic. No tourists. No school kids. It hit me. I had the market to myself. I only had to share it with the dedicated shopkeepers and vendors who were setting up. Score!

I had about an hour to kill so this hour became a gift to me. Of course, I’ve been to the market hundreds of times since I moved here in 1995 but yesterday I had a chance to see it all over again as a resident, a tourist, a cook and a writer.

I strolled the market, snapped photos and realized that as much as the city of Seattle has grown and changed over these last 23 years, pretty much everything about the historic market has remained the same. The cobblestone streets stand firm. The tiles on the pathways in the market pave the way for curious tourists.  Le Panier continues to attract customers not with a fancy window display but with an amazing aroma. My favorite restaurant, Café Campagne, which has been tucked in the same corner for decades, still has their fabulous country pate on the menu. The talented flower vendors fill the stalls (year-round) with bright local bouquets sold for a song. And, the world-famous fishmongers continue to keep everyone hooked with their displays of amazing Northwest seafood.

My hour went quickly but it was an exercise in slowing down and taking a breather. It was a reminder that gifts can come in the smallest ways…and when you least expect them!

Here’s a snapshot of what our amazing market looked like yesterday!

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