Bellevue Chronicle

As we lean into a new year full of new beginnings, we can barely turn our heads without a reminder to completely change our lives, our bodies, and our health. Here’s my thought, though: After a year of so much heaviness, why don’t we just praise our bodies more for existing? Instead of holding yourself to mountains of pressure this year when it comes to your health, why not instead focus on those tiny things that make you feel better — those small decisions that ground you, that fill you with delight, that give you more vibrancy and more life?

I’m all about those decisions over here. The ones

Salt & Straw Candlelit Dessert

Stock up on something sweet this Valentine’s Day with Salt & Straw’s ‘Candlelit Dessert.’  You’ll receive two pints of your favorite funky flavor and a Whiff of Waffle Cone-scented candle from Imaginary Authors. You can pick up orders at in-person shops between Feb. 8 and Feb. 14. 

El Gaucho Four-Course Special

If you don’t feel like cooking on Feb. 14, El Gaucho’s got you covered with a four-course Valentine’s dinner for two. Their chateaubriand and lobster tail, caesar salad, prawn cocktail, and cheesecake come complete with bottles of exclusive Fire & Vine Cabernet Sauvignon and AQUA 20th Anniversary Sparkman Chardonnay. Order here before Feb.

OK — chances are you are probably eating more like a bunny rabbit nowadays, trying to get rid of those holiday/COVID/cookie pounds. But it is cold outside, and sometimes you just need to serve up some stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, am I right? This is the meal that is worth cheating on your diet for.

Tender Short Ribs with Easy Orzo Mac & Cheese

Serves 6–8

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook time 4+ hours

TOMATO & WINE BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds (6 to 9) short ribs 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced 3 garlic cloves, smashed 1 cup rosé or dry white wine 1

Make reservations for a special virtual dinner with Chef Jason Wilson of the Lakehouse and Civility & Unrest lead bar manager Joe Dietrich as they plan a multi-course dinner paired with specialty cocktails on Jan. 30.

Dishes and cocktails are prepared for pickup prior to the dinner, with easy instructions for how to assemble at home.

The event is designed to be interactive, giving guests the opportunity to engage with the expertise of the hosts, while enjoying a beautifully curated dining experience.

The four-course dinner with cocktails is $250 for two (dinner minus drinks is $200 for two). The cocktail pairing experience will take place online (info supplied at pickup).

For many, dietary restrictions, food allergies/sensitivities, and general awareness about the sourcing of ingredients are a crucial part of the decision-making behind a meal, and Acme Farms & Kitchen makes mindfulness a priority. A meal service with a focus on sustainability, Acme works with local producers and uses minimal packaging for its curated meal boxes. Box selections include grain and dairy-free meals, low-carb, vegetarian, vegan, and seafood-based protein. The meal boxes contain ingredients for three to four family meals, with everything included, and recipe instructions. It also offers individual kits, for a single meal that serves four.

Fort From Home: Victorian Cooking

Nestled in Point Defiance Park, the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum offers workshops on lifestyle skills like curing meats, weaving straw hats, and cooking historical cuisine. In January’s virtual cooking series, participants will gain the skills to make decadent Dutch cheese. You’ll also learn how to adapt traditional Victorian cooking styles for modern-day kitchens. This workshop begins Jan. 30. Click here to order tickets.

Cooks For Black Lives Matter

Cooks for Black Lives Matter delivers monthly produce boxes directly to your doorstep. Their boxes are chock-full of fresh, local produce, and can be tailored to meet both vegetarian and gluten-free lifestyles. Cooks for Black

Anyone with a taste for Hawaii will know malasadas are the preferred pastries, and Hapa Food Company has been serving up these sweet treats with custom fillings for the last eight years via its popular food trucks in Bellevue and Woodinville. Using a traditional Portuguese family recipe, the malasadas are fried to an airy, light crispness, rolled in sugar, and filled with classic custard or special flavors, like guava or ube (purple sweet potato).

Find two truck locations: 13811 N.E. 175th St. in Woodinville (425-287-0412), and 15231 Lake Hills Blvd. in Bellevue (425-236-3941). Visit the eatery’s website to view the full menu.

Making a splash in the cocktail world this year is a new aromatic bitters by Bittertales.

This drink incorporates a unique blend of herbs and aromatics steeped in a neutral spirit to extract a balance of fragrance and flavor, giving drinks a perfume of spicy cinnamon, pepper, and cloves, with a taste of ginger, the tannic notes of red wine, and the richness of baking spices. For those not familiar with the use of bitters in cocktails, they are the special ingredient that elevates a mixed drink to a truly memorable cocktail. With just a few drops, bitters add an unmistakable depth of flavor and complexity to a drink,

SnoTown Dark Beer Fest

Dark times call for dark beers! Snohomish’s SnoTown Brewery has released more than a dozen dark and malt-forward beers to enjoy over the winter season. Try some of these new brews at this weekend’s SnoTown Dark Beer Fest. The socially-distanced event will be held Jan. 16-17 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Virtual French Cooking Class

Lynnwood travel agency Anywhere But Here Travel, Inc., is hosting a virtual French cooking class Jan. 16 via Zoom. The free class will show you how to make Julia Child’s Coq au Vin (Chicken with Wine). To register for the presentation, click here.

Date Night Dinner in a Car