Dick Stein

These Sichuan ribs will melt your head

Dick Stein — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:21:00 +0000

I knew that recipe was dangerous the moment I saw it. Six Thai peppers? A half cup of chile oil? And that was just the start of the hot stuff. Naturally, I couldn't wait to make it.

Because he'll eat anything (except tofu), I invited Weekend Edition host Kevin Kniestedt over to have some. We were in agony. And we couldn't stop. Maybe you'd like to try it.

"Open #&%" sez me!

Dick Stein — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:10:00 +0000

The fold out spout that doesn't. The pull-ring that pops off so violently it spews the carton's contents all over your hands, the counter and your new pants. Little foil closure tabs so absurdly tiny they'd make Tinkerbell look ham-handed.

We cover them all and more in this week's Food for Thought.

Epiphany! Make an iceberg-blue cheese layer cake

Dick Stein — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:23:00 +0000

As I tell Nancy Leson in this week's Food for Thought, I have had an iceberg lettuce epiphany. A voice whispered, "Slice it horizontally."

Let's do lunch!

Dick Stein — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:35:00 +0000

In my whole life I've never even had a one-martini lunch. I stay right here in the KPLU Jazz Bunker, wolfing down last night's leftovers. If you think Seattle Times food writer Nancy Leson is lunching more luxuriously, think again.

My secret shame's no secret anymore

Dick Stein — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:59:00 +0000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-962056.mp3

This is an encore episode of Food for Thought.

I blame my mother.

Now you Caesar salad bowl

Dick Stein — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:20:00 +0000

I don't expect you to forgive me for that headline. To paraphrase Tammany Hall "Honest Grafter" George Washington Plunkitt, I saw my opportunity and I took it. But I digress. In this week's Food for Thought we come to praise Caesar salad.

Sniff, memory!

Dick Stein — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Some smells always bring back fond memories. Seattle Times food writer Nancy Leson says one whiff of mint, and she's suddenly 6 again.

Two of my favorites are flame-broiling meat in a highly air-conditioned room, and the aroma of onion soup on a freezing Quebec day. I guess I just like the memory of warm food smells in a cold environment. Not always, though.

How does your garden grow?

Dick Stein — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:50:04 +0000

These look like some nice beans. And there's a story behind them, too. In this week's Food for Thought, Nancy and I chatted about what we're putting into the ground this spring, and what we hope to get out of it—including something I never knew could be grown around here.

Relive KPLU's Jimmy Jazzoid Rides Again

Dick Stein — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:21:50 +0000

Need more Jimmy?

You can listen to the wildly popular, live radio performance of Jimmy Jazzoid Rides Again below! Want to take Jimmy Jazzoid with you, wherever you go? You can download the podcast here.

Jaki Byard calls B.S.

Dick Stein — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:09:49 +0000

One night in New York City a long time ago I was in search of a last gasp of civilization before a taking up a year’s exile at an Air Force radar site in the Bering Sea. I found it – and more — at The Dom, an East Village Jazz joint where pianist Jaki Byard’s quartet was playing.

'Triple chrome-plated and made in the finest tradition'

Dick Stein — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:35:00 +0000

So says the Hostess company of its frozen food saw. I hadn't known there even was a tradition for frozen food saws. I do know that the Hostess company would never exaggerate, so probably the tradition they mean is that of medieval surgical tools.

Let's wrap and roll... Chinese dumplings

Dick Stein — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:35:00 +0000

Nancy Leson surprised me when she said she was using cake flour and plain cold water for her dumpling wrapper dough. I've been using all purpose and just-boiled very hot water.

Nancy got the recipe from Judy Fu of Seattle's Snappy Dragon restaurant fame and wrote about it recently. There's something I like about her method. And something I don't.

Nancy eats fancy in Chi-town

Dick Stein — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:35:00 +0000

My friend and fellow–though fancier– eater, Seattle Times food writer Nancy Leson is just back from the Windy City, and telling wide-eyed tales of exotic dinners. Nance and her fellow Times gastro-journalist Providence Cicero lucked into reservations at two of the top restaurants in the country, if not the world.

Would you pay $7 for a loaf of this bread?

Dick Stein — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I would. And so would Nancy. She calls Michael Sanders' loaves "perhaps the best bread in town" and says she'd happily pay twice that.

Only about 50 of these beauties come out of Sanders' oven each day and most of those are going to a Matt Dillon restaurant. But if you get to Sitka and Spruce in Melrose Market early enough, you just might be able to score one.

Pledge drive special: Best of Food for Thought

Dick Stein — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:26:31 +0000

5. Celebrating a super Seattle sushi chef

Seattle's own Daisuke Nakazawa was featured in the sushi documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi.