Because nothing says class like Jimmy'Z

#SpoCOOL – Spokane –

Ask yourself: When was the last time you went into Jimmy'Z?

Jimmy'z image

Just a reminder why you might not frequent it...

Oskar Blues Gordon Ale

Libations – Spokane –

Oskar Blues Gordon Ale cover

I hate going against the masses here, particularly because I usually love Oskar Blues's stuff, but Gordon just didn't do it for me. Maybe it was a bad can, or maybe it's just so mindblowingly excellent that I don't get it. Either way, I was sorely disappointed.

Oh it pours just fine. Beautifully amber with a thick head that laces the glass perfectly. A sniff reveals hops and malts mixing citrus and caramel together in a marriage that gets the heart pounding. From the start, this has the making of an excellent beer, one you want to take home to meet the family.

Then. The flavor. Just a complete letdown. There are some hints of the malts in there and I could sort of taste the hops. Sort of. For the most part, it is just bland. It's not watered down, it's just dull. Some call it perfectly balanced, but I don't see it. 

Such a let down. I hope it was my can that was damaged, but I doubt it. Any other Oskar Blues product is better than this, sadly.

Cashew Spread

Recipes – Spokane –

Cashew Spread cover

This has been the most creative vegan weeks of the month, and particularly one mixture turned out spectacular. 

Cashew Spread easily replaces any savory spread like butter, cream cheese, or mayo.

  1. Soak cashews over night
  2. Blend a cup or so of soaked cashews with a bit of coconut milk
  3. Add salt, paprika and minced garlic to taste
  4. Refrigerate and use the next day

So much better than any dairy spreads and it can be made RAW too!

Eat your age

#SpoCOOL – Spokane –

You often hear people say "dress your age" these days, but "eat your age" seems to be a rarer expression. That's too bad, because it's certainly something that should be talked about. Not that there's anything wrong with the occasional grilled cheese, but it's probably not something your diet primarily should consist of when you approach your thirties. 

The issue, or so I think, comes down to people finding something they're comfortable with and sticking to it. Ask any restaurant proprietor around town and they'll have stories of people breaking out in sweat when their favorite is removed from the menu. That, really, should be the perfect opportunity to try something new.

It's not that everyone should eat everything of course -- dog-meat might not be appetizing to most -- but really, there is a middle ground, and moving outside your comfort zone isn't a bad thing.

Spokane has slowly evolved into a city where you now can try something more exciting than a tuna steak with soy sauce or a slab of beef with mashed potatoes. Once upon a time it wasn't that simple, and tracking down something other than the same ol' could be a project in itself. So for those in their twenties complaining about the lack of culture in this town, now is the time to participate in it instead.

On their previous menu, Sante rocked not just one foie gras centered dish, but two. Mizuna recently had sturgeon on the menu. I believe you can still get frog legs at Rain. Tripe can be found at El Mercado del Pueblo. None of the aforementioned dishes are particularly odd or unique, just a few examples of things anyone approaching their 30s should at least consider trying.

To flip it around, as many restaurants have vegetarian and vegan options, this might be the time for meat-eaters to experiment a bit with that too. Just because you were fed steak and meatloaf once a week for 20 years doesn't mean you have to continue down that road all the time anymore.

My point, I suppose, is that when you reach a certain age, you might want to start exploring some of the more interesting sides of life. For food, that means getting outside your comfort zone, and eat around the world.

Here is but a handful of places you probably want to familiarize yourself with while growing up: