receive our weekly newsletter
Follow Us on Pinterest
.
.

NicoleinSeattle Is a Vibrant Nation Blog Circle User subscribe to this blog

NicoleinSeattle

My Blog Circle:

I am the author of 3 books about the art of cooking and entertaining: The Backyard Bartender, Secrets From A Caterer’s Kitchen and Cooking for Company.

I make frequent television appearances, including The Food Network, and locally for KOMO News.  I also teach cooking and entertaining across the country at schools like Sur La Table, Draeger’s and Central Market, lead culinary trips to exotic locations (like Italy and Bali in 2011), and contribute articles to national magazines.

Right now I'm focusing my attention on my blog, www.consciousfeast.com. The site chronicles the development of my forthcoming book, A Conscious Feast; The cook’s guide to joyful, mindful entertaining.

I'm also excited about bringing my culinary vision, passion for great food and wine, and the sustainable ways we can entertain to my new radio show, ”Table-Talk: Radio That Tastes Good” on KKNW.

Prior to my writing career, I completed the diploma course at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, owned my own restaurant, directed one of the country’s largest catering operations and produced a line of gourmet food products for fine grocers.

You can find out more about me at my website, www.nicolealoni.net.  I live, cook and entertain in Seattle, WA. 

Profile Badges Heading
  • Is a Vibrant Nation Blog Circle User
  • 10 posts

my VN interview

How did you get to where you are now?

In a nutshell--- the highly creative and mostly peaceful life I enjoy now is the direct result of many years of incredibly hard work.  I am now finding ways to re-package much of what I took the first 25 years of my career to master. I became an expert and now I share what I've learned---for a living.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Working on my 6th book, living half the year abroad, teaching, laughing.

my role models

Julia Child, Gandhi, Buddha, Thea Sheldon

my posts

Urban Chickens Rule the Roost

Posted in A Conscious Feast, home & garden on August 03, 2010

What's up wth all of these backyard chicken coops? And what does free range on a carton of eggs really mean?

read more »

Blackberry Margarita

Posted in A Conscious Feast, home & garden on August 03, 2010

Blackberries are such a transient, delicate crop I think it’s wise to enjoy them every which way you can while they last. When I make straight up drinks like these, I think it’s not only important to use fresh fruits and herbs, as needed. I also want to enjoy top shelf liquor, like the Patrón products I’ve used here.

If you haven’t tried their Citronage— an orange flavored liqueur that’s their answer to Grand Marnier— I suggest you do.  It has a very refined floral orange note that I find less cloying than Grand Marnier.

read more »

Tips for eco-chic entertaining

Posted in A Conscious Feast, home & garden on January 23, 2010

I wanted to post this for those who make hospitality a part of their lives all year long. These are ideas that will work any time of the year you’d like to honor your friends and the planet at the same time.

Green entertaining encourages a new way of looking at every aspect of how we celebrate. The obvious food issues—How were ingredients grown? How far have they traveled?—are just the beginning. Choices about everything else, from recycled invitations to Fair Trade cappuccino, provide lots more opportunities to do the right thing.

read more »

Spicy free range lamb kebabs

Posted in A Conscious Feast, home & garden on January 23, 2010

Food grilled on a skewer is such a great idea that nearly every cuisine has a name for it— from kebabs to brochettes, shashlik or souvlaki. And people enjoy these little roasted bits of everything from lamb to eggplant in just as wide a variety of combinations.

read more »

Does anyone know of a good cooking school in Turkey?

Posted in home & garden, travel on January 04, 2010
read more »

my comments

Response to: Urban Chickens Rule the Roost

Comment posted on August 4, 2010 at 4:46 pm:
"Absolutely. Even just a simple fried egg is an entirely different dish. And when you're going to all of the trouble to make a special cake...Yes!..." (read comment)

Response to: chemical peel vs dermabrasion (Part 2)

Comment posted on May 6, 2010 at 4:13 pm:
"I have had several TCA peels and am scheduled for a 4th to deal with skin discoloration from the sun.. It is pretty painful, but if you have the right skin type (fair) the results are awesome. BTW, I had 5 or 6 laser treatments first, with absolutley..." (read comment)

Response to: Spicy free range lamb kebabs

Comment posted on January 24, 2010 at 5:32 pm:
"This is wonderful with chicken, too...." (read comment)

Response to: Would anyone be interested in going on a cooking/culture adventure to Bali in Feb. 2011?

Comment posted on January 23, 2010 at 9:53 pm:
"Hi Bella, it's really gong to be quite extraordinary. We just finalized the itinerary which I'll be posting onmy blog (www.consciousfeast.com) this week. We go in early Feb. for total time of 16 days. There are so many remarkable things included in ..." (read comment)

Response to: Would anyone be interested in going on a cooking/culture adventure to Bali in Feb. 2011?

Comment posted on January 23, 2010 at 9:51 pm:
"Hi, sorry for the delay.  We're going in Feb 2011, two weeks of paradise and amazing food, snorkeling, hiking, yoga and crafts...." (read comment)