(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

Yes, that is Andrew, the man behind Spokane vegetarian web site Burger, Revised, enjoying a chicken mole taco at De Leon! We welcome Andrew to the world of recovering vegetarians.

Reviews of the week

Scratch—AMAZING or unimaginative? Join the argument!

Dear Spokane Food Blogger!

First, thanks for all the wonderful feedback about my Taco Bell blogger! I was a little surprised to see some negative feedback and it makes me wonder if Spokane might be a bit too snobby for its own good when it comes to food? This is why I would like to post a new blogger about another fast food place I find very underrated: Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The restaurant close to my Northwest Boulevard area house was recently renovated and boy does it look the part! Beautiful shapes and muted colors, I somehow wonder if the downtown Taco Bell found inspiration in this Kentucky Fried Chicken? I personally think an inviting exterior really sets the tone for a fabulous dinner experience!

And the food! It is wonderful! Here are a few tips on how to have a fabulous chicken dinner: First, make sure to get the extra crispy skin. They usually don’t have this pre cooked, so you will get wonderful fresh chicken! Delish! Second, ask for gravy on the side! This is very important, because you actually get more gravy this way! Third, go for a value meal. My family of five (myself, my wife, and my three children) always get the three person meal. There is plenty of food in there! Including corn on the cob on a stick, mashed potatoes, chicken (extra crispy!!), gravy (on the side!!), and fabulous biscuits!

I can understand why people are a bit uncertain about fast food places, but Kentucky Fried Chicken just makes good food fast! I challenge all of you Negative Nellys to name me a place in Spokane where I can get this good chicken for such a cheap price!!

Thanks for reading my blogger!

Steve

One of the more interesting “social networks” there is 97 Bottles, a network that does not ask you what Disney character you are, but all about reviewing beer. This is a good thing.

The cool thing about 97 Bottles is that it’s not an overly snobby site (nice as Beer Advocate is, it’s a bit much at time), but rather consists of short reviews with a 1-97 score, and tags to describe the brew. In other words, it’s very web 2.0, and quick and easy to use. And while the reviews aren’t as scientific as Beer Advocate (for the most part they’re not scientific at all actually) it’s a quick and easy way to find new beers to try. Current leader, for those interested, is Westvleteren Abt 12 from Brouwerij Westvleteren, a Belgian brewery.

As for the social section, it’s all pretty vanilla. You can add friends, and see people with similar tastes to you. Add favorite beers and “nasty” beers, and you can also create a “to drink” list. Simple, but that is all that is needed.

Check out 97 Bottles, it’s a great site. And you can friend me too!

Hamid’s friends were nice enough to let me spend a Friday afternoon learning how to make naan at their bread bakery in Kabul, Afghanistan. Naan, the Afghan way, simply cannot be compared to other styles I have tasted. The bread I helped make looked a bit different from the professionals but it did taste great. Even though the outside temperature was about 30 degrees, the shop was easily 80 degrees inside. The ventilation was minimal, and after a few minutes inhaling smoke in that hot box , it definitely hurts your lungs. This job would be very difficult in the summer, when the air quality in Kabul is at its worst and the hot, dry, days blow dust everywhere.

1. First mix the dough from flour, yeast, and water (this shop uses an old bathtub to mix the dough).


2. Next form balls from the raised dough and pat them into circles about the size of a dinner plate.


3. Then throw the dough down the loft to the next station.


4. Trace your fingers through the circles to form lines all the way across.


5. Take a hair comb and poke holes along the lines made by your fingers.


6. Toss it to the next station where the bread will be stretched on a stuffed sack.


7. Slap the bread onto the wall of the tandoor oven.


8. Let it sit about five minutes and take it out with a sharp rod.


9. Then toss the finished piece into the window for people to walk up and order.

A friend of mine in Maryland built a scaled down version of the “commercial” tandoor oven in her backyard. I would love to make one of these ovens and serve fresh naan, just have to check the building codes.

Here’s a short video from the bakery—beware, motion sickness may occur.