Photo from Flickr

If you stop by TASTE on Friday you’ll notice a special treat in the case: brownies! After the long week most people need one of two things: chocolate or wine (usually both)! So, we’ve decided to make brownies every Friday for just that reason. Hannah’s brownies are, if we can say so, utterly amazing! She uses rich Guittard artisan chocolate and a few teaspoons of heaven to make the perfect, moist brownie.

A must taste for chocolate lovers! Hope to see you here for Brownie Fridays! They go fast!

This Sunday, June 6th, 2010 from 5-8:30pm we’ll be joining wineries and restaurants at The Davenport Hotel for an evening of food and drink! In the meantime, Hannah is perfecting her dessert…definitely something you don’t want to miss!

CHOCOLATE POT DE CREME

MARSHMALLOW

GRAHAM COOKIE

It’s a play off of smores with decadent chocolate, homemade marshmallow cream and homemade graham crackers. Yum!

So, grab a nice port or a rich red and stop by to visit us! We look forward to seeing and feeding you!

Come join us at TASTE for our June 3rd “Thank You” customer appreciation event!

We will also be participating in the Worldwide Tasting of Washington Wine with glasses for $6:

-Barili Cellars Viognier

-Kyra Pinot Noir

-Robert Karl Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

-Barili Cellars Viognier

-Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay

Hope to see you here!

Since TASTE is, of course, a mother-daughter operation, we thought we’d share their favorite mother-daughter tastes for Mother’s Day!

Jane:

What’s your favorite of Hannah’s pastries?

My favorite is the Maple Walnut Scone. Hannah uses a special all natural maple syrup that we special order, toasts the walnuts and adds a drizzle of maple icing on top. It’s the details that give the scones the perfect bite. She took a long time to perfect these scones and they are my absolute favorite. Sometimes I’ll put out samples of the Maple Walnut Scones for customers. I like to introduce these to our customers because they’re my favorite, but I also like to snag a little sample myself!

Hannah:

What’s your favorite savory dish that your mom makes?

Gourmet Cheese and Nut Loaf. I used to make it every year for family Thanksgiving with mushroom gravy as a vegetarian option. It was a huge hit. She tweaked a few things and added it to our menu and we could tell that we aren’t the only ones who love it! It is great and so versatile. You can eat it in so many different ways! Aside from the Thanksgiving version, it is great on a salad, with fresh marinara, sauteed with a balsamic reduction or just heated in the oven and paired with a house salad and a roll, like we serve it at TASTE. I LOVE Cheese and Nut Loaf!

Getting ready for a presentation or exam? Here’s a list of the very best brain food at TASTE:

Frittata 4.50- The combination of eggs high in B Vitamins, protein full ham and fresh nutrient rich veggies makes the frittata a star.

Green tea- We’ve got some delicious teas, including a wonderful green tea. Research suggests that the polyphenols in green tea can boost your mood. A positive attitude is an essential start to a successful day!

Smoked Salmon Panini 9.25 or the Wasabi Wild Salmon with Rice salad- The Omega 3 fatty acids in salmon improve brain function. Not to mention the fact that the combination of smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, red onion and capers makes a tasty lunch!

Fresh Fruit Salad or Fresh Fruit Yogurt Parfait- The antioxidants in fresh berries boost brain power.

So, if you need food for thought, try our tastes!

One rule must always be upheld: Mom is not allowed to do any cooking on Mother’s Day! Moms spend an incredible part of their lives in the kitchen feeding the family, but on May 9th they should be banned from the kitchen and resort to a day of facials, manicures and massages.

Although we’re closed on Sundays, let TASTE make Mom breakfast on Mother’s Day.

Sweet tastes for a sweet mum:

Chocolate Croissants 3.00- Decadence tastes like a chocolate croissant.

Sausage Rolls 3.50- Stuffed with sausage in a puff pastry with sage and Dijon mustard, these adorable rolls will make the ideal complement to a Mother’s Day mimosa.

Lemon Tea Cake 2.00-Moist, lemony and light as air, Sundays aren’t the same without a piece of Lemon Tea Cake.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake 2.25- The homemade caramel and toasted walnuts are sure to make her swoon.

You might even take her out before the big day, join us for Saturday Brunch! Our Belgian waffles with Grand Marnier Infused Strawberries and Chantilly Cream are delectable!

For special orders, give us a call at 509.468.2929.

Photo from http://alibaba.com

For all you gluten-free foodies out there, quinoa is a god send! The grain-like quinoa seeds are a wonderful alternative to rice or couscous. They are high in protein and loaded with nutrients. Qunioa has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and fluffy texture that pairs extremely well with crisp, sweet veggies and bitter greens.

Originally, quiona was cultivated by the Incans and gained popularity in South America. It still isn’t a staple in American homes, but is slowly becoming the much loved alternative to wheat based products for an increasing number of people going gluten-free.

At TASTE we use black, red and your typical cream colored quinoa. Our Quinoa Salad is a delicious and healthy medley of quinoa, pecans, feta, black olives and asparagus.

If you’ve never tried quinoa–give it a try! Although it may look a bit intimidating at first, it is really very delicious (especially when made with loving care)!

Check out our other gluten-free tastes on the blog!

Check out our new TASTE To Go Menu! We are providing an abbreviated menu for your breakfast and lunching pleasures. Just call, fax or e-mail your order and we will have it available for pick up or delivery. Feel free to check it out on the Facebook tab or if you’d like to keep one at your office, just ask us for one next time you come to TASTE! We will also be delivering them around town. If you’d like us to deliver somewhere in particular, let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

Sandwiches
All our sandwiches come with a side salad of field greens, shaved asparagus, gorgonzola crumbles and TASTE spicy walnuts OR  a cup of soup

• Super Club Baguette- oven roasted turkey breast, mayo, crispy bacon, greens and tomato $ 8.50
• Brie & Ham Baguette- French brie and ham, served with lettuce, tomato and spicy apricot mustard $ 8.50
• Salami Baguette- Salami, lettuce, tomato and mayo $ 7.95
• Toasted Ham & Cheese Baguette- gourmet smoked ham & Mozzarella cheese $ 8.50
• TASTE Tuna Sandwich-Albacore tuna with carrots, red onions, green onions, celery, lemon juice, mayo and Italian flat leaf parsley, served on whole wheat bread $ 8.50
• Egg Salad Sandwich- eggs, mayo, capers, celery and stone-ground mustard, served on whole wheat bread $ 7.95
• Garden Veggie- hummus, shredded carrots, chopped olives, feta, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado on whole wheat bread$ 7.95
• Asian Chicken Wrap- oven baked chicken, red and yellow peppers, green onions and sesame seeds in an Asian peanut sauce. Served in a spinach wrap, with a side of TASTE house salad $ 8.50

Panini
Served on Fontana bread, accompanied by a TASTE side salad of field greens, shaved asparagus, gorgonzola crumbles and TASTE spicy walnuts OR a cup of soup

• Smoked Salmon- cream cheese, tomato, red onion and capers $ 9.25
• TASTE Tuna Salad Melt- Albacore tuna , Gouda and tomato $ 8.50
• Pesto Panini- mozzarella, tomato and pesto$ 8.50
• Bacon Pesto Panini- bacon, tomato, avocado, mozzarella and pesto$ 8.95

Salad Trios $ 9.50
Served on a bed of field greens, with a La Brea rustique roll and butter
OR – choose 2 salads and a cup of soup

• Pasta, Pesto and Pea
• Chicken with Tabouli
• Asian Chicken
• Curried Chicken with Mangoes
• Potato and Dill
• Fresh Fruit Salad
• Tuna Salad
• Wheat Berries with fresh herbs and dried cranberries
• Orzo with lemon, mint and Feta
• Oven Roasted Veggies served with a balsamic dressing

Soups

• Red Pepper Gouda Cup $4.00 Bowl $6.95
• Clam Chowder Cup $4.00 Bowl $6.95

Call for other seasonal daily choices

Sides

• Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies $ 2.25
• Oatmeal Scotchies $ 2.25
• Whiteout Cookies $ 2.25
• Peanut Butter with Chocolate Chunk $ 2.25
• Biscotti $ 2.00
• Tim’s Original Potato Chips $ 0.99

Beverages

• Soft drinks
• Coffee
• Tea

The Lenten season will soon be over and you all deserve a great, big Easter brunch to celebrate the fact that you made it 40 days without chocolate, video games, or whatever vice you decided to relinquish for  a few months. This is cause for a foodie celebration!

Here are our TASTE TIPS for a festive, fun Easter brunch!

1. Decorate your table with unobtrusive touches of pastel. We loved Martha Stewart’s cute eggshell bouquets. Make little name place cards for each of your guests as it is a special occasion.

2. Plan out a full menu and let TASTE help!

Here’s our suggestion:

Champagne Mimosas

Ham, Mushroom and Cheddar Frittata from TASTE

Baked Ham or Poached Salmon

Fruit with Mint and Honey Salad from TASTE

Orzo with Lemon, Mint and Feta salad or Fresh Vegetable Salad from TASTE

Twice Baked Almond Croissants or Maple Walnut Scones from TASTE

We could provide nearly all of your brunch necessities–all  you need to do is bake the ham or poach the salmon ahead of time, mix the drinks and heat the frittata (325 for 15 minutes or until heated through).

3. Create a fun and clever Easter basket hunt. Rather than leaving out the Easter basket, plant clues encased in plastic Easter eggs around the house. The last clue should lead them to their beloved basket!

4. Order your desserts! Instead of baking another bunny shaped cake with coconut frosting, let us make and decorate your sweets for you. It will give you some much needed time to hide Easter eggs and prepare the baskets! We could make you assorted cupcakes topped with pastel-tinged frosting, our delicious (and Hannah’s favorite) Carrot Cake topped with edible fondant bunnies  or maybe just a tray of simple, sophisticated Lemon Tarts.

5. Enjoy those sweets over board games or if the sunshine stays put, enjoy them after a nice walk in Manito Park or after a rousing game of Frisbee.

Happy Easter Planning!

Many of the dishes we serve at TASTE have some kind of story behind them. When you make something over and over and eat it over and over, you’re bound to form some memories! One my oldest memories is of Cauliflower Cheese. As a little girl I would come home from school on a cold, wet day to a piping hot plate of my mum’s Cauliflower Cheese. If you’ve tried the dish, you certainly would agree, there’s nothing like Cauliflower Cheese to warm up a cold day! If you’re in need of a warm up, some comfort food or just a delicious lunch, give our Cauliflower Cheese Bake a try! It’s $5 a portion for fresh cauliflower baked in the oven with Gruyere and White Cheddar cheese and topped with tomatoes.

-Jane