Blog Posts

Local Hot Chocolate Stops

For chocolate lovers, winter weather is the perfect time to nestle up with a piping hot mug of hot chocolate. And though making it at home is convenient, and can be done in your favorite pair of sweatpants, getting outside and making a trip to pick up a rich to-go cup o cocoa is a great way to beat cabin fever this time of year. So where do you go? Weve made a list of a few places you can get your hot cocoa fix below. Local Hot Chocolate Stops Bluebeard Coffee Roasters Bluebeard has established a solid reputation in this neck of the woods. With an approachable environment thats perfect for catching up with friends over a cup of hot cocoa, getting work done, and a knowledgeable barista staff that can tell you everything you need to know about coffee selections, this is a local winner when you need your cocoa fix. Grab a chocolate croissant while youre there. You can find more information about them on their handy-dandy website . Metronome Coffee Local atmosphere doesnt get much cooler than it does at Tacomas Metronome Coffee. Locals know firsthand that the baristas here think on their feetand can even mix up a drink based on a good description of what youre craving. If youre stopping by for a late night hot cocoa fix and a pastry or snack, you might even catch a glimpse of an exciting local musician at their open mic night or in-house concerts. You can visit their website for more information. Bertolinos Cafe Metronome Coffee might be open late, and offer concerts and even a bar, but Bertolinos Cafe is open round-the-clock, and features arguably the most approachable atmosphere in townthanks in part to their super friendly baristas. Whether you want to play a game of cards with a friend over a cup of hot cocoa, grab some kettle corn, or people-watch from one of their mismatched sofas, this is the place to be. You can take a closer look at their menu here .

Local Holiday Lights

Decembers timely arrival brings with it as many neighborhood holiday lights as it does community festivities and exciting opportunities. And while it can be magical in its own right to drive through different neighborhoods, the consistency can sometimes pale in comparison to local fixtures that put on a jaw-dropping show every year. Whether youre new to the area, or have never explored the local holiday light events, weve taken the liberty of listing a few of our local favorites below. Local Holiday Lights Wild Waves Holiday Lights A million lights pretty much says it all about the annual light show at Wild Waves. Along with their twenty-five featured rides and attractions open this time of year, youll also be able to hear a local youth choir singing carols, grab hot chocolate from Mrs. Claus, and get your picture taken with Santa Claus in their makeshift North Pole. Tickets usually range from about ten to thirteen dollars, but discounts are usually available online or at the store in advance. Youll be able to pull up more information about this Federal Way event and buy tickets over here . Bellevue Botanical Gardens Garden dLights Along with their wit on full display with their approved love of puns, their half a million lights on display in this tranquil walk-through garden are a must for any local. From twisted floral designs to animal wildlife, and even a smoking dragon, theres something more subdued about this holiday light show. If youre going with kids, just make sure they dont run too far ahead as it can be crowded or easy to get lost. Go later or earlier in the evening, or on a weekday, to avoid the bigger crowds. Tickets are usually only five dollars a popby far one of the most affordable stops without skimping on the quality of the lights on display. You can find more information about their show over here .

Making Traditional Apple Cider, part 3

In our previous two posts, we focused on what you need to make the perfect homemade apple ciderand the resulting steps if you want to turn some of that golden elixir into hard apple cider. Weve already covered getting the yeast starter ready. Now well be focusing on simmering it all up, adding in the yeast starter, letting it ferment, and bottling it up in your fridge. Hard Apple Cider Contd Preparation Fill up a stock or brew pot with the fresh cider and bring to a super low simmer over medium heat. Its important that you dont let it boil. Instead, let it simmer for forty-five minutes to an hour to kill off any wild yeast or bacteria. You can add up to two pounds of brown sugar or honey to make it sweeter and make the final product more hard. Fermentation Next, clean the fermentation bucket with water and a cap full of bleach while youre waiting on the cider to simmer. Rinse it thoroughly and then transfer the simmered cider. Let it cool until its just warmer than room temp, and then youre safe to add your cider starter from earlier. Stir with a sterilized spoon to avoid bacteria and then seal the lid and set the airlock. Store it in a cool and dark placesomewhere between 60 and 70 F. After a few days, youll notice the airlock bubble. This should happen for two weeks. Once it stops bubbling, let it rest there for another week to let the yeast settle down. Bottling + Drinking You can then use a food-grade siphon to transfer the cider to sealed sterilized bottles and into your fridge. Remember, if you can wait another couple weeks, the cider will get better with tastejust like wine. But thats pretty much everything you need to know. If you have any tips or things you learned in the process, wed love to hear about it in the comments below!

Making Traditional Apple Cider, part 2

Fall and apples go together like peas in a pod or peanut butter and jelly. And whether youre taking advantage of the bounty from local u-pick orchards, a year-end farmers market haul, or the plentiful organic apple reservoir at your favorite grocery store, theres certainly no shortage of our states most famous fruit. Ciderboth refrigerator cold and stove-top warmreigns supreme this time of year. In our last post, we laid out the steps to make your own traditional homemade cider. But should you make a little more than you planned, or want to take it to the next level, you can follow the steps in our next two short posts to brew your very own hard apple cider. Hard Apple Cider Cider Aftermath Once youve made the cider following the steps in our previous post, youll want to make a trip to your local brewing store or online to find a good cider yeast. Dry wine yeasts can be a little easier to find and are sometimes a little less expensive. Yeast Starter Before you start making the hard cider, youll want to get a yeast starter going a few days prior. Youll want the yeast to be alive and kicking so you have more control over the final taste. Just add one yeast packet to half a cup of your freshly made cider in a sealable jar or bottle. Shake well for five or ten seconds and leave it be for five or six hours. Once you see bubbles building, twist the lid a bit to let the pressure equalize and then screw it back on before putting it in the fridge for a couple more hoursuntil youre ready to use it in your cider. Well be covering the final steps, everything from simmering to fermentation to bottling, in our next and concluding post.

Making Traditional Apple Cider, part 1

Fall and apples go together like peas in a pod. And whether youre taking advantage of the bounty from local u-pick orchards, a year-end farmers market haul, or the plentiful organic apple reservoir at your favorite grocery store, theres certainly no shortage of our states most famous fruit. But on top of apple pie, ciderboth refrigerator cold and stove-top warmreigns supreme this time of year. In a few short posts, well show you how to make your own homemade traditional apple cider and how to make its harder cousin. So get your favorite kind of apples ready now and find some space in your kitchen. First, well start with the traditional recipe. Traditional Apple Cider Getting the Right Apples The key to making the best cider is striking the perfect balance between sweet and tart. And most companies that make their own cider usually blend apples that specialize in both to get their taste just right. Generally, you can use a ratio of three sweet to one tart if you like it more sweet, and two sweet to one tart if you like it more in the middle. Though youll have to do a little self-guided discovery, heres the low-down. Red and yellow delicious are find themselves on the sweeter side of the spectrum, while granny smith and gala call tart their home. Remember that it takes about one third of a bushel of apples to make a gallon of cider. Prep + Pulp Once you have the apples you need, be sure to clean them thoroughly and cut out any bruises or damaged parts and stems. Basically, cut out anything you wouldnt eat on the apple normally. Then, youll want to quarter the apples and add them to a blender or food processor. Mix them up there until they look like they have the consistency of applesauce. From here, youll want to strain the pulp through a cheesecloth to separate the juice from the pulp. You can use a fine-mesh sieve if you want to squeeze more juice out with the back of a spoon. Transfer the pulp youve strained to a different container. Then youre ready to enjoy a glass of cider! Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze if you want it to last you longer.

Flavorful November Recipes

Thanksgiving recipes tend to get all the attention this monthand usually for good reason. But that doesnt mean you cant eat good homemade food before your family and friends gather round the annual turkey feast. November is so much more than just cranberries and yams and apple pie. And besides, we could all use the practice before our cooking skills really count. Below, weve outlined a few of our favorite recipes that you can try out this month. Potato Pierogies The hearty flavors of yukon gold potatoes are brought together in a simplebut oh so effectiveway in this recipe. Making a homemade dough with a sour cream flavor, cream cheese, and melted butter, these fold-over delights are the perfect way to warm up this fall. You can find what youll need for both the dough and the filling over here . Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Cauliflower is kind of like all of us when we werent very cool in middle or high schooland then became much cooler in college or grad school. As it turns out, we were just cooking it the wrong way. Roasting is the best way to bring out the delicious robust flavors in cauliflower. Fresh melted parmesan, garlic, and grilled onions all make this recipe an autumnal post-season home run. You can find what youll need for the recipe over here . Chicken Paprikash If fall weather has you feeling chilly, theres no better way to fight back against the weather than with two blends of brick-red paprika in this traditional Hungarian chicken dish. Whether youre looking for the right amount of tangy lemon, or just want a new spin on tender braised chicken, this is the way to go. You can find the step-by-step over here .