As I write this I wonder if anyone will even read this. While its obvious that Ashley and I aren't much for blogging, our adventures and lust for all things food remain. So when Ashley recently came up to Seattle for beautiful week of riding bikes, coffee and cooking, we went OFF! From breakfast at such hot spots as The Volunteer Park Cafe and Cafe Press, to dinner extravagance at Tamarind Tree and Delancy, Ashley and I hit 'em all. But to best sum up our week of celebrating food, is this shot of Intelligensia coffee being brewed in a Blue Bottle single drip, which was eventually enjoyed out of a Stumptown mug. In short, we didn't take a lot of photos, but our memories will last a lifetime. Thanks for the wonderful scones, the best vietnamese food I've ever had, and a bike ride in a beautiful city with a beautiful friend. Till next time.

Blog shy...?

So maybe I'm not a true born blogger. Or maybe it's just been a slow couple of months in the food inspiration department. Either way, it is truly NO excuse for my absence. And I am sorry...

But now with our farmers market overflowing with spring goodies, a couple new cookbooks to be excited about, and a firm kick in the blogger bum by some close, veteran, foodie friends (cough:: Pictures & Pancakes ::cough.) I am ready to rejoin the food blog force!

So while I do not have a proper recipe tonight to share, I do have a promise that Ashley has if fact got her groove back in the kitchen. I have a few good things brewing, and until then I'll be sipping coffee with close friends that remind me what it really is all about....... tasty, tasty, tasty food.

I realize its been over a month since I've typed a single word, scanned a single picture, or wrote down an actual recipe. Don't worry though, for what looks like slacking is actually greatness in the works. For a little over a month now, I've been homeless in a city that that feels like home and jobless in an industry that has been so kind and inviting. While I feel a little limited without a kitchen to call my own, I have been writing down ideas that are burning holes in my pockets...so just you wait!

In the mean time, my days consist of scouring craigslist for a house I can call my own, riding my bike in the rain, and sipping coffee like its going out of style. Actually, the latter has been a real joy. Everyday at 3 o'clock, Stumptown Coffee has a free coffee tasting (cupping) where you can try some of the best coffees in the world. I usually make it there 3-4 times a week: Everyone there knows me by name. I guess you could say its my classroom until I become a professor. Unlike the wine industry however, which can be a little snooty and elitist, the coffee industry is softer, quieter, and quick to embrace. Just last week I met a woman at a Stumptown cupping, who invited me over to her cafe where she tasted me on all her different roasts and blends. That was the day I had 8 double espressos. I WAS WIRED. And today, I met with the roasters at Cafe Zoka, who welcomed me into their humble warehouse and brewed me a fresh cup of some Kenyan Tassia Peaberry. So while I don't have an address, kitchen, or job I can call my own, I still have my camera, my bike, and a passion for coffee that grows with every sip.

 Charlie and I met just over 2 years ago in the Cheese shop I work at here in Santa Barbara. Once we realized our affinity for all things tasty was mutual,  the Fundays began. The birth of this blog came from a recent Funday in Santa Barbara, of which the following recipe was made and photo taken on my phone as the premiere documentation. Therefore, I felt it appropriate to share this as our Funday first…

While our coffee beans and chicory were cold brewing on one counter, and the perfect little Persian cucumbers were swimming in a pool of salt, garlic, and chilies on another…we got a little hungry. After a quick trip to the cheese shop and bakery, we were in the ultimate French cheese & ham sandwich heaven.

Croque-Madame, is her name.

Croque -Madame

7 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cups milk

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces comte cheese, 6 oz thinly sliced, 2 oz grated

¼ lb thinly sliced ham, preferably jamon de paris

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

8 slices soft, French white sandwich bread, cut 3/4” thick

4 large eggs

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over moderately low heat. Stir in flour and cook the roux for approximately 2 minutes. Add milk slowly, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 more minutes, whisking occasionally. Add salt, and pepper to taste, nutmeg, and 2 oz of grated comte, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat and place a sheet of wax paper directly on the surface of the béchamel to keep warm.

Lay 4 slices of bread on a work surface and spread on a thin layer of mustard. Divide ham and sliced comte among them, spread 1 tablespoon of béchamel evenly and top with the remaining bread. Invert sandwich and spread half of the remaining butter evenly on the top and transfer, buttered sides down, to an ovenproof 12 inch skillet. Spread remaining butter on the other side of the sandwiches. Cook over low heat, turning only once, until both sides are golden, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Preheat broiler. Leaving sandwiches in skillet spread the tops of the sandwiches evenly with the remaining béchamel sauce. Broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat until the sauce is bubbling and golden in patches, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, fry eggs in a small amount of butter in your preferred sunny-side up style. Transfer sandwiches to a plate and top with fried eggs. Enjoy!

Welcome to Pickles and Coffee. My name is Charlie and I have an affinity for all things homemade and delicious. Recipes, DIY's, crafts, you name it! But recently while working for Clos Pepe Vineyards just north of Santa Barbara, California, I discovered my true passion... roasting coffee. Its funny how I stumbled upon it working in the wine industry, but sometimes thats just how God works. So now, I've decided to venture to Seattle, Washington with a hunger for freshly roasted beans and knowledge of the industry's best.

In the mean time, get ready for some fun and amazing recipes from my lovely friend Ashley. She lives in Santa Barbara, California and can cook the pants off a mannequin...