(SpoCOOL) A Spokane Blog

“Editor”’s note: This is the first update from new contributor, Jordy. That’s right. We’re like a collective.

I thank God, Allah, or whoever you might worship that Thanksgiving Day is done and over with. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't dislike the perfectly fabricated tale about the first colonists and the Native Americans. And I am thankful for what's come and gone from my life over the years. What I really don't like about Thanksgiving, what really get under my skin, is the inevitable conversation I share with all of my acquaintances.

Person A: "So you're a vegetarian right?"?

Jordy: "Yeah that's right."?

Person A: "So uh"?(awkward pause, slight chuckle) what did you eat?"?

Jordy: "Dead gerbils. You?"?

OK, so I might have fabricated the last part of that theoretical conversation; but the fact of the matter is, just because I don't eat meat, doesn't mean I don't enjoy food, eating or the holidays in general. Not all, if any, vegetarians are calorie, fat, and cholesterol hating monsters. I love Thanksgiving dinner. I eat mashed potatoes, stuffing (outside the turkey), cranberries and pie smothered in gravy (vegetable stock), just like everyone else. Mine and my family's holiday was not ruined or any less because of my lack of meat consumption. So stop smugly asking me what I ate Person A, and any other theoretical conservationist that might come my way. I will proudly step off my soap box now.

Cider Glazed Vegetables

• 900g mixture of carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, green onions


• 1250ml cider or apple juice


• 100g brown sugar


• 50g margarine (vegan or butter)


• ? tsp ground nutmeg


• ? tsp ground allspice


• 75g cranberries to taste

Lightly steam the vegetables until part cooked. Combine the cider, sugar, margarine, nutmeg and spices in a non-stick saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Add steamed vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

What to do? You have more Thanksgiving leftovers than you know what to do with, and holiday visits from family and “friends” you only see once a year has De Leon-blocked you for days. Solution: make a leftover turkey torta. Granted, this might not be what one would call authentic, but it’s a quick, easy, and tasty snack, and a bit different from your standard leftover fare.

• Bread of your choosing (I used leftover French)


• Leftover turkey


• Italian parsley


• Refried beans


• Sour cream


• Munster cheese


• Salsa verde (or any other type)

This is as simple as it gets: Set a pan over low-medium heat, and toss some thinly sliced turkey in it (amount depending on how many sandwiches, etc.) with a bit of salsa. Toss it around until it starts heating up, and the mixture take on a chunky consistency. Meanwhile, warm up the beans.

Smear beans on bread (which you can toast beforehand or heat in the pan after assembly), and layer the parsley, turkey mixture, and cheese on top of it. Spread some sour cream on a second slice, and bump the two pieces of bread together. Voila. Instant American/Mexican/French/Italian/whatever style leftover sandwich!

Of course, all the ingredients can be substituted, seeing that this is all, y’know… Leftovers.

As a follow up to The Omnivore Hundred, I am attempting the The Imbiber’s Hundred. While I thought this would be easier than the omnivore… Well… Apparently it’s not! I’ve only attempted 61 of 100 so far. The list follows and, yes, I’m going for the hundred.

1. Manhattan Cocktail
2. Kopi Luwak (Weasel Coffee)
3. French / Swiss Absinthe
French. Very good.

4. Rootbeer
5. Gin Martini
6. Sauternes
7. Whole Milk
8. Tequila (100% Agave)
9. XO Cognac
I think this has been well established.

10. Espresso
11. Spring Water (directly from the spring)
12. Gin & Tonic
13. Mead
Surprisingly good.

14. Westvleteren 12 (Yellow Cap) Trappist Ale
15. Chateau d'Yquem
16. Budweiser
17. Maraschino Liqueur
18. Mojito
19. Orgeat
20. Grand Marnier
21. Mai Tai (original)
22. Ice Wine (Canadian)
23. Red Bull
I’ll take vodka and Limp Bizkit with mine, please.

24. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
25. Bubble Tea
26. Tokaji
27. Chicory
28. Islay Scotch
29. Pusser's Navy Rum
30. Fernet Branca
31. Fresh Pressed Apple Cider
32. Bourbon
33. Australian Shiraz
34. Buckley's Cough Syrup
35. Orange Bitters
36. Margarita (classic recipe)
37. Molasses & Milk
38. Chimay Blue
39. Wine of Pines (Tepache)
40. Green Tea
41. Daiginjo Sake
42. Chai Tea
43. Vodka (chilled, straight)
44. Coca-Cola
45. Zombie (Beachcomber recipe)
46. Barley Wine
47. Brewed Chocolate (Xocolatl)
48. Pisco Sour
The Spokane Food Blog Editorial Board makes good ones.

49. Lemonade
50. Speyside Single Malt
51. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
52. Champagne (Vintage)
53. Rosé (French)
54. Bellini
55. Caipirinha
56. White Zinfandel (Blush)
57. Coconut Water
58. Cerveza
59. Cafe au Lait
60. Ice Tea
61. Pedro Ximenez Sherry
62. Vintage Port
63. Hot Chocolate
64. German Riesling
65. Pina Colada
66. El Dorado 15 Year Rum
67. Chartreuse
68. Greek Wine
69. Negroni
70. Jägermeister
71. Chicha
72. Guinness
73. Rhum Agricole
74. Palm Wine
75. Soju
76. Ceylon Tea (High Grown)
77. Belgian Lambic
78. Mongolian Airag
79. Doogh, Lassi or Ayran
80. Sugarcane Juice
81. Ramos Gin Fizz
82. Singapore Sling
83. Mint Julep
84. Old Fashioned
85. Perique
86. Jenever (Holland Gin)
87. Chocolate Milkshake
88. Traditional Italian Barolo
89. Pulque
90. Natural Sparkling Water
91. Cuban Rum
92. Asti Spumante
93. Irish Whiskey
94. Château Margaux
95. Two Buck Chuck
96. Screech
97. Akvavit
My akvavit parties are famous.

98. Rye Whisky
99. German Weissbier
100. Daiquiri (classic)

Sante’s—Spokane’s newest charcuterie—main problem might in many ways be its location. Sharing a building with Auntie’s might seem like a good thing, but a part of me can’t help but wonder if some people will avoid the restaurant because of the sub-standard, cafeteria style cafe that used to occupy the spot.

That would be a bad thing, because Sante is good. Very good. If De Leon is a little piece of Mexico in Spokane, then Sante is a little piece of Southern Europe. Here you can get cured meats by the pound, or simply sit down and have a nice meal with a glass of wine.

I tried the “Butchers Board” during our first visit, a dish that might have had the manliest name I have ever seen. And with its three types of meat, homemade mustard and ketchup, and a few slices of baguette, it truly did live up to its masculine promise. The capicola stood out as the more interesting meat, with a nice deep flavor and a hint of spiciness to it. Paired with the dry salami and prosciutto, this was a straightforward yet flavorful meal, and one we so far haven’t seen too often in the Spokane area. Bonus points also given for their complimentary amuse-bouche, consisting of spinach and honey, as well as a “Autumn Harvest” soup that was mild in itself, yet spiced up with a few pieces of a very salty sausage.

On a later breakfast visit I was impressed with their crispelle, a goat cheese stuffed crepe. It came served with a light sprinkle of salt which rounded out the sweet gastrique sauce nicely. The coffee, too, was good, though my Americano was a bit too watered down.

There are many things to like about Sante. And I am not talking just about the food. The service is friendly, but also anonymous at just the right times. The decor is subtle and inviting. In fact, the whole experience is akin to something you’d expect to have in Southern Europe. This is a very good thing.

On the whole, I can’t think of any true problems with Sante. There are a few typos on the menu, which is strange, but, obviously, doesn’t make much of a difference either way. Also, the creme brulee, while nicely enough flavored, was not the best I ever had. The ramekin was a bit too deep, as opposed to the more traditional squatter dishes creme brulee usually comes served in.

Sante, then, is not another incarnation of Liberty Cafe. Instead it offers a trip to Europe right in the core of downtown Spokane. Highly recommended.