The bar at the downtown tasting room shared by Grande Ronde, Mountain Dome and others was three people deep on a recent Saturday. Enthusiastic fans were swirling glasses, sniffing and comparing notes with friends as music played in the background and folks munched on snacks. It felt like a party.
Spring salmon season has arrived and with it, the sticker shock over the price of those first fish from the Copper River in Alaska. Paying upwards of $20 a pound can take a bit of the joy out of eating the fish famous for its rich flavor and sky-high levels of omega 3, but those soaring prices will likely come down to earth soon.
So, we're thousands of miles away from Spago in Beverly Hills. Yet tonight we can dine on dishes created by that landmark restaurant's famous chef-to-the-stars, Wolfgang Puck.
In the freezer section of specialty food stores, you can "order" such gourmet goodies from Puck as pumpkin ravioli with tomato-curry sauce, eggplant Parmesan with tomato-basil sauce or spicy chicken tortellini.
A week off this time of year sounds pretty good to us working stiffs. But to kids, spring break is an excuse to pull out that ever-popular phrase: "There's nothing to do. I'm bored."
Well, Mom and Dad, we're here to help.
We've put together a list of fun activities that should keep Junior occupied until school's back in session. There's everything from mastering the art of tie-dye to learning how to saddle up during a half-day horse camp. Most Spokane County schools are off next week, with Coeur d'Alene's break this week.
Spencer's
**-1/2
My huge, honking porterhouse looked naked on the big white platter, without so much as a radish rose or a sprig of parsley to hide behind.
At Spencer's, everything is served a la carte, meaning potatoes and veggies are priced separately. That's a bold move in a town that prizes its buffets and full meal deals.
I don't want to belabor the point, but even at Seattle's swankiest steakhouse, El Gaucho, they throw in a spud.
Greg Richards wants to help you mind your peas and cucs.
The Spokane Community College instructor started teaching basic table manners last year during his quarterly etiquette lunch. And he's been floored by the response.
First, a quick primer in pronunciation: pasty doesn't sound like the same word to describe residents complexions this time of year. Pastee rhymes with nasty.
Next, we'll dissect these hand-held meals. The pasty featured at the new Pasty Depot in Coeur d'Alene, is a stew-like mixture encased in a pastry crust. They're loosely related to calzones, pirogis, even potstickers and were originally created as meals for Cornish miners in the 1800s.
