Latah Lounge

Recently while dining at a restaurant that I will not name, I ordered red snapper and received a fish that was not red snapper. The chef had done a great job disguising the protein with sauces but I was sure it was not snapper. It tasted like grouper to me. After sending the server to the kitchen to confirm the fish, I realized this was a case of bait and switch. I knew this was a cost cutting move and felt cheated but what is a guest supposed to do in this case? Call the police for food fraud?
This got me curious and I wondered if this has ever happened to anyone else. So after some surfing, I found this NPR story, “Fish Detective Busts Restaurant Switcharoos” . …interesting. This type of practice by restaurants is unethical and needs to be monitored. What establishments claim should be what you can trust so don’t be afraid to be curious and ask where your food comes from.
And hey deceptive restaurant, If you are reading this, you better watch your step because someone just might bust ya.

photo by DB
We are hosting the Eat Spokane summer potluck this Sunday Aug 30th at 7pm.  Mary Verner will be among the guests attending. This will be an informal get together on the patio so bring some locally grown or raised food and chat with folks interested in our area’s farms and food sources while enjoying great food and drink.
Eat Spokane was created to provide a way for people involved in the Spokane food community to communicate and discuss local issues, sustainability and food systems.

Janet Johnson tonight on the patio - acoustic wonderfullness.

photo from ecotimes

If you are curious about eating local, “food miles” or just want to be more informed, here is a great interview on NPR with three experts from 3 different areas of our country…insightful.

James McWilliams, author, Just Food: Where Locavores Get It Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly, associate professor of history, Texas State University, Austin, Texas

Michael Pollan, author, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, professor of journalism, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, Calif.

Brian Halweil, senior researcher, World Watch Institute, Sag Harbor, N.Y.

SpoCOOL has begun the “Locavore 100 Mile Challenge Round 1″, an experiment/challenge for Spokavores to eat only food grown or raised within a 100 radius for 5 days. I love the idea and the awareness this will bring. To win prizes, join by Aug 26 and eat local.

This Wed Aug 17 will be warm and delicious on the patio. Kalliope (Dave, Heather,Bob) will be playing live while you enjoy a chilled wine with dinner…how August wonderful!

Raspberry Pomegranate Drop- Dan’s latest delicious drink.

In spite of the thermally protected shipping containers used, chocolate suppliers won’t ship chocolate if the weather is too hot. Due to the lengthy summer scorching weather, we ran dangerously low on chocolates until the recent window of lower temps which allowed us to receive deliveries. Here are some of the delicious new highlights….enjoy.

Domori Teyuna 70% (Italy)- single origin Trinitario cocoa from Columbia. Holding notes of cashew, fruit and honey. A persistent but mild mannered dark chocolate with good length of flavor.

Venchi 85% (Italy) - Made solely from the Criollo cocoa bean from Venezuela. An incredibly powerful and creamy, low acid dark chocolate with a robust dark cocoa taste. Recommended for those who prefer a robust dark chocolate taste with low acidity.

Valrhona Manjari 64% (France) -  created from a blend of Criollo and Trinitario cocoa beans from Madagascar. Complex flavor, with notes of cherry and raspberry and a hint of tartness. Velvety texture with the ideal balance of bitterness and sweet A fruity dark chocolate of exceptional flavor. Exceptional!

Dolfin A La Cannelle De Ceylan  32% Milk (Belgium) - Milk chocolate with cinnamon from Ceylan that heightens the warm taste of the milk chocolate, adding particularly warm and cheerful aromas.

Dolfin Au Hot Masala 32% Milk (Belgium) - Milk chocolate with hot masala. Originating from India, hot masala is a mixture of colorful spices that are invigorating in winter and refreshing in summer. Usually taken in tea with milk, once added to chocolate hot masala is a wonderful surprise containing new and comforting flavors.

Theo Coconut Curry 40% (Seattle) - Milk chocolate with toasted coconut and savory curry spices.

Republica Del Cacao, Manabi Province 75% (Ecuador) - Flavor in this single origin chocolate develops slowly, with an initial aroma at the first bite. Full flavors of fruity aromas are released and as the chocolate melts down, acid and sweet notes round the chocolate. It is followed by a lengthy finish, reminiscent of a late harvest wine.

Yesterday we hosted a Small Vineyards wine tasting. Thomas Kelly presented wines from various regions of Italy that were spectacular. This tasting was for industry only by invitation but in the future we plan to open these to the public so check back.

Remember Kevin Gillespie? He came from Portland and was the Exec Chef at Luna for a short season before moving to “Woodfire Grill” in Atlanta. Well he was just selected to appear on next season’s Top Chef. His Bravo TV bio mysteriously leaves out his Spokane experience and his photo is terrible but Kevin should make an interesting contestant because he likes to say what he feels and usually has strong opinions.