Sip Northwest, Winter 2015
66 SIPNORTHWEST COM LEFT AND MIDDLE PHOTO BY GEOFFREY SMITH RIGHT PHOTO BY AMY PENNINGTON Seattle at ANCHOVIES OLIVES a seafood driven restaurant tucked into the eastern edge of Capitol Hill the kitchen combines quince with gin both ingredients offering big floral notes Here gininfused quince compote is served with seared crispy duck breast and plated with cipollini onions and roasted earthy sunchokes While tomato is technically a fruit it makes for an excellent savory ingredient particularly when paired with herbaceous spirits A slight pivot on the fruitand gin combination can be had at the FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLERS GRILL ROOM which serves tomato gin soup that is flambéed tableside for guests an opulent display that helps make the soup one of the most popular dishes And while many chefs turn to gin for its strong botanical quality and distinct flavor vodka is the great underdog of cooking with spirits At CHIPPYS FISH AND DRINK in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle the British inspired fish and chips joint adds vodka to its fry batter its quick evaporating character keeps the coating crispy and light With cooking vodka has no distinctive flavor and can be used for its pungent character helping to brighten a dish This brightening aspect makes vodka an excellent choice for sauces pasta or poultry Use vodka as a substitute for vermouth in any recipe which will temper any sweetness and showcase the foods natural flavor IN THE KITCHEN Nothing highlights a foods natural essence more than eating it raw as chef Terry Pichor does at SONORA RESORT accessible only by air or sea and located between Vancouver Island and the west coast of British Columbia Vodka is used to cure fresh caught salmon resulting in a mouth melting gravlax Pichor wetcures the fish with vodka which helps to draw out moisture and acts as a natural preservative while also lending a subtle floral essence to the fillet Choose a bottle with flavor that suits your preference cooking will not correct the taste of uninspired spirits Whether you use vodka or gin clear spirits work to punch up recipes Rather than pour a glass tip some into a pan and indulge in clear spirits as cooking partners You wont get tipsy of course but you can count on happy cooking With cooking vodka has no distinctive f lavor and can be used for its pungent character helping to brighten a dish This brightening aspect makes vodka an excellent choice for sauces pasta or poultry Anchovies Olives Chippys Fish and Drink
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