a sandwich addiction

I think I have found a long lost love. It's ridiculous really; this sandwich is very simple. It just requires finding a few key ingredients, and then arranging them in an enjoyable combination. Generally this combination is completely up to individual preference, and so the sandwich must be enjoyed several times; just to get it right. Oh darn. It's a sort of salty-sweet type of thing. I blame the prosciutto. It is just built that way. It's destined to become an addiction in anything prosciutto decides to be a part of. The fig spread just adds a bit of sweetness, and the goat cheese just makes it that much richer. I'm hooked. Fig spread seems to becoming more and more popular, as I recently have found it at local chain grocery stores. Homemade would surely be over the top, as would attention to different types of fig spread, such as orange fig spread. This sandwich used 100grams of prosciutto, an enormous smear of goat cheese, and a dash of fig spread. An equally mouth-watering crostini can be prepared with the same ingredients, and virtually effortlessly. A similar pizza wouldn't be half bad either. Twist my arm. Prosciutto, Fig, and Goat Cheese Sandwich

• bread of your choice
• prosciutto
• fig spread
• goat cheese, chèvre

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salumi, Seattle

Salami might sound like just any old cured meat to plunk into a sandwich and sink the teeth into. However, when at Salumi, you discover that it is anything but. Salumi plays on the Italian word salumeria, and has become a food-lover's destination in Seattle, and even a bit of a landmark. Pilgrams to the shop will find their own version of high art. A slice of salami is studded with kaleidoscopic colours, and multiple layers of intense flavour. New York restaurateur and celebrity chef, red-haired, clog-sporting Mario Batali is certainly well known in the world of food. But in this case, Salumi is the brainchild and dream of his father, Armandino Batali. He retired from Boeing, went to Panzano, Italy, with food expert, Faith Willinger to learn from the ultimate in Tuscan food knowledge, Dario Cecchini. Then Armandino brought back to Seattle the knowledge of how to prepare the treasures of the Italian table. Not only is there salami, and beautiful sandwiches, but traditionally prepared dishes as well. Salumi has also begun to create their own culatello. It is in some ways similar to prosciutto, basically the same part of the back leg of the pig, but a smaller section of it. Originally, culatello is from Zibello, near Parma, and the curing process traditionally only happens in January and lasts from 6-8 months. However, the entire process is dependent upon the climate, and therefore is not easily replicable inside a factory. This stuff is in demand and hard to get. Culatello is not often available outside of Zibello, and due to the type of process used to prepare it, was not easily obtainable in the United States. Now, if you are lucky, you can enjoy it at Salumi, or mail-order it. Even though it has become nearly obligatory to photograph the sign above the entrance, Salumi is actually easier to recognize by the line-up of eager denizens pouring out into the street. Luckily, the jovial staff are occasionally meandering down the cue with a plate of some delicious carnivorous samples like a spicy mole salami. Salumi is so wildly popular that even though they are open from Tuesday through Friday from 11am-4pm, the door often closes sometime around 2pm as they frequently sell out. A few dishes of the day, including eggplant or pasta shells with tomato and basil: Interestingly, the prosciutto we saw was from Canada. Get the prosciutto, fig, and goat cheese sandwich as a snack for the late afternoon. Salumi has weekly specials, and luckily, it was oxtail. Enjoy the hot sandwiches at the communal table, make a few friendes, and wash it down with some wine. This is some of the best stuff you can eat anywhere. It doesn't get any better. It is impossible to take decent pictures while rushing frantically to get to the plate. The oxtail is great, and so is the porchetta. It is roasted so beautifully, resulting in chunks of the most tender meat around. Salumi is a place doing good things, for good eating. Short of learning Italian, and intensely studying the Michelin Guide Book on where to eat, this is as good as it gets on this side of the pond. Salumi -309 Third Ave South, Seattle, WA (between Main and Jackson, across from Seattle Lighting)
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24 hours in Seaview, Washington

It seems that not many people go to Seaview, and I found this a little surprising, as it has North America's longest sandy beach and tasty seafood to boot. To be honest, it is on an absolutely gorgeous peninsula with a little sun and a good breeze to highlight any child's golden locks. Traipsing between towns, beaches and bakeries, there is little left to desire for a nice sojourn. Somehow, everything seems a little "untouched", as if we are wandering where no tourist has gone before, just lucky travelers. Perhaps we just hit it on an "off" year, but it is the quaint solitude of this place which makes it immensely enjoyable to visit. While I wouldn't exactly say that it was a fluke we ended up here, but somehow, I found the Shelburne Inn with many splendid reviews of its hospitality and delicious breakfasts. We were on the way to Seattle, and not even knowing exactly where Seaview was, we knew it had to be close enough as a little reprieve from driving before hitting Seattle. The historical Shelburne Inn: A beautifully plated breakfast: When I told Jeff to "Go fly a kite", he actually could, thanks to Above It All Kites of Long Beach, Washington, which is just up the street from Seaview. He was just like a kid in a kite store. Although this kite was no joke; with two strings, it was lifting Jeff off the ground with sheer force. He was absolutely giddy. An enjoyable and fun lunch can be found at Julie's Loose Caboose Diner. It's a kitschy kind of place, and in Seaview this is just what the doctor ordered. If travelling with a 5 year-old boy, I am sure he would be over the moon - eating in a styled train, with a toy train going around the restaurant: Just watch the little train go around the track, and try to decipher all the signatures on the $1 bills. Sure, it's a little bit tacky, but the food is alright, and while the clubhouse sandwich could have used fresh roasted turkey breast, the clam chowder (top) wasn't too shabby.The chowder was creamy, but not overly gritty, as the potatoes were not too starchy. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the homemade berry pie, which sounded delicious -- touched up with a little rhubarb. There are many other great things to check out on the peninsula. There's the adorable little bakery and coffee shop in Oysterville, horseback riding on the beach, and dining at the Crabpot (hint: get the crab legs). In the very least, take someone to hold hands with and stroll along the beach.
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tropical paradise

Well Jeff and I didn't go anywhere for spring break. Instead, we opted to buy a lot of tropical fruit, and pretend that we didn't hear the phone ring. It mostly worked. It was easier with the help of More Than Mangos, who import exotic fruit and a few other products from Central and South America.

Having heard about, and tried some of their fruit from Bite Groceteria, we went to check out their weekly fruit market at Canyon Meadows Community Hall from 2pm - 8pm. It was a lot of fun! All these fruits we had never tried, or even seen before. We bought a lot of fruit, some of which we loved, and some of which we will make into yummy things like ice cream. Our favourites were the avocadoes, and the dragonfruits. As you can see, the avocadoes, are beyond enormous....my hands aren't THAT small! The dragonfruits never made it to photos. I have had other dragonfruit, which were okay...More Than Mangos dragonfruit are AWEsome.


The avocadoes make for a fantastically yummy sandwich on the go. Oddly enough, when we went to Bite Groceteria to pick up the baguette (GO, they are AMAZING!), we bumped into Andres, one of the owners of More Than Mangos. This was lucky for us, because he gave me some tips on ripening their enormous mangos as I haven't had any luck yet. They have become partially rotten, but still not ripe! Sandwich...only slightly more difficult than PBJ. Basically, just slice some avocado, tomato, a little basil, and some salt:
The photo at the top shows a few of the varieties of fruit we enjoyed - orange passionfruit (granadilla), guava, and lulo's (l-r). All really, really yummy. The passionfruit's and lulo's also tasted fabulous with greek-style yogurt and honey. Want to go to exotic places? Check it out: www.morethanmangos.com, or pick up some fruit when you stop in at Bite Groceteria (Inglewood, Calgary)
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