bottle&flame
Musings on food, wine, and more

From the flame.

53 essays

Cooking, fire, and everything that happens at the stove.

where do you even put the probe
Flame · Food

where do you even put the probe

Two rules for grilling a T-bone, both of them correct, and they do not like each other.

August 26, 2026
crispy skin or one pan. pick one.
Flame · Food

crispy skin or one pan. pick one.

I put a spatchcocked chicken straight onto a skillet of potatoes and got a fantastic dinner with disappointing

August 25, 2026
toasted bread can hold anything
Flame · Food

toasted bread can hold anything

It started with a forty-cent slice of Trader Joe's white and two presses of the Breville's A Bit More button.

August 20, 2026
detroit pizza, take three: don't rush the dough
Flame · Food

detroit pizza, take three: don't rush the dough

I finally got the pepperoni right, then found a whole new way to trip: I served my family a dense one. Here's

August 14, 2026
two home runs: white chicken chili and detroit pizza
Flame · Food

two home runs: white chicken chili and detroit pizza

Two back-to-back wins from the kitchen, each with a twist worth stealing and one with a lesson learned the har

August 4, 2026
stupid simple breakfast
Flame · Food

stupid simple breakfast

Dying bagels, Trader Joe's white cheddar, and one pack of thick-cut bacon versus three hungry teens before sum

July 9, 2026
feeding a sleepover off the grill
Flame · Food

feeding a sleepover off the grill

Odin wanted teriyaki or salt and pepper, a sleepover was incoming, and it was too nice not to grill. Whole thi

July 8, 2026
an ode to melinda's habanero honey mustard
Flame · Food

an ode to melinda's habanero honey mustard

Sara slipped a bottle of Melinda's Habanero Honey Mustard into my Father's Day haul, and now I look forward to

July 5, 2026
market chard stole the show
Flame · Food

market chard stole the show

A bone-in ribeye and applewood bacon from Zupan's were always going to be good. The surprise was a bunch of Sw

June 29, 2026
an ode to zupan's housemade kabobs
Flame · Food

an ode to zupan's housemade kabobs

Four housemade kabobs from Zupan's, a screaming-hot Portland day, a carbon steel griddle, and the best batch o

June 15, 2026
run, don't walk, to pipsqueak bagels
Flame · Food

run, don't walk, to pipsqueak bagels

Rolled up to Pipsqueak just after opening, got handed the wrong bagel, and ended up with the best sesame bagel

June 13, 2026
pfriem japanese lager brats, two ways
Flame · Food

pfriem japanese lager brats, two ways

Brown them in butter and olive oil, braise them in a whole can of Pfriem Japanese Lager, and then figure out w

June 9, 2026
make more bangers than you think
Flame · Food

make more bangers than you think

Last night's sheet pan bangers were a huge win. The real lesson came tonight, when the leftovers turned into a

June 8, 2026
a honey trick for famous dave's cornbread
Flame · Food

a honey trick for famous dave's cornbread

Famous Dave's mix is already a cheat code. Drizzle local honey over the top right before it bakes and it turns

June 7, 2026
FIG 15
Flame · Recipe

Sheet Pan Sausages, Peppers & Onions

The recipe said 30 minutes at 425. It lied. Nearly an hour, a bump to 450 at the end, and then the best versio

20 May 2026
Weird things at Dominos
Flame

Weird things at Dominos

Thought my first real post from Shanghai about food would be about a delicious food tour or handmade dumplings

January 6, 2019
FIG 17
Flame

Coming to you from Shanghai

Should be obvious from the your title, but yours truly is now coming at you from Shanghai! Wait, what? You may

December 4, 2018
FIG 18
Flame · knives

Getting back to it

I've been testing a lot of recipes, tasting a lot of wine, beer, whiskey, gin, scotch and more, smoking some m

July 30, 2017
FIG 19
Flame

Days #5, #6, #7

Wow the weekend moves in quick and time flies! Would love to say we crushed the diet this weekend, but I'd be

January 24, 2016
FIG 20
Flame · About

Day #4 / 24 Challenge

It's all been a blur the last 4 days. Can't believe we made it this far without cheating. So proud of us. Weig

January 21, 2016
FIG 21
Flame · About

Day #3 / 24 Challenge

Epic end to the day with a delicious homemade ground turkey larb dinner with red peppers and avocado. All afte

January 20, 2016
FIG 22
Flame · About

Day #2 / 24 challenge

I wish I could've had the beer you see - just up there out of reach - after what feels like a super long day.

January 19, 2016
FIG 23
Flame

Day #1 / 24 day challenge

Today we started Day #1 of our Advocare 24 Day Challenge and we're off to the races for losing some weight and

January 18, 2016
Sous Vide Eggs for 60+ people?
Flame

Sous Vide Eggs for 60+ people?

As part of a Dev Day(s) event at work we offered to serve up breakfast for our product teams. Simple things li

August 21, 2015
Ramen - Can I make it at home?
Flame · Recipe

Ramen - Can I make it at home?

I've attempted ramen at home a handful of times and I've never had overwhelmingly great results. Heck - I've r

August 20, 2015
Remembering Maui
Flame

Remembering Maui

A co-worker recently asked for some recommendations for his trip to Maui and it triggered so many delicious an

August 18, 2015
Force to be reckoned with - Double Canyon
Flame

Force to be reckoned with - Double Canyon

In honor of the Auction of Washington Wines Picnic & Barrel Auction happening in days I'm finally finishing th

August 5, 2015
Weeknight Steak Sandwiches (Sous Vide Style)
Flame · Recipe

Weeknight Steak Sandwiches (Sous Vide Style)

It's summer in Seattle. It's a hot summer in Seattle, which is not normal. Hot summers mean I don't want to tu

July 20, 2015
FIG 29
Flame · Recipe

Fun with words - using 21 words I shouldn't to write about food

After reading a fun tongue-in-cheek article on 21 over-used words when writing about food I took on the challe

March 25, 2015
Quick sous vide 72hr short rib recap
Flame · Food

Quick sous vide 72hr short rib recap

This is just a quick sous vide short rib recap. I'll delve in to both 'marinades' and the full preparation tec

March 15, 2015
My Best Roast Potatoes...
Flame · Recipe

My Best Roast Potatoes...

I've been trying to master roast potatoes for well over a decade. It has been a slow and painful road to eat o

March 13, 2015
Sous vide v. 'Traditional' steak
Flame · Food

Sous vide v. 'Traditional' steak

There are numerous articles and how-to and step-by-step and do-it-yourself posts and videos about how to prope

March 3, 2015
FIG 33
Flame

Where did all the food go?

Don't worry - food is coming... I swear it. I've been busy trying out new recipes. Playing with my awesome Nom

February 25, 2015
Slow cooking in the summer time
Flame · Food

Slow cooking in the summer time

Repeat after me... 'It is okay to use your slow cooker after June 21st.' There are many delicious things that

June 29, 2014
FIG 35
Flame · Food

Steak frites

Big menu coming out of the gates tonight - when you consider it is a Tuesday evening. Appetizer goldfish crack

April 1, 2014
FIG 36
Flame

Coming to Bottle & Flame

Some new topics, reviews, recipes coming soon to Bottle & Flame shortly... When to open that special bottle of

March 24, 2014
FIG 37
Flame

Bringing your own wine to dinner - worth it?

Is it worth it to bring your own wine to dinner? I always fear a restaurant will judge me as 'cheap' or as 'la

March 23, 2014
Lazy man dinner
Flame · About

Lazy man dinner

Sad to share this as my first post in a while, but this week I had the ultimate lazy mans dinner - and I'm odd

February 21, 2014
Cassoulet & Debiase & Peju = win!
Flame · Recipe

Cassoulet & Debiase & Peju = win!

Just a teaser from an amazing dinner tonight! Cassoulet and a bottle of '09 Debiase Pinot Noir from Fritschen

November 9, 2013
Recipes and deck dining ideas coming soon
Flame · About

Recipes and deck dining ideas coming soon

I promise that more recipes and outdoor living and cocktails ideas are coming shortly! Summer is almost over,

August 24, 2013
Preparing an outdoor dining room
Flame · About

Preparing an outdoor dining room

We've been busy over here at bottle&flame working on an outdoor dining project! One weekend away from finishin

August 18, 2013
a sharp knife is your friend or how i fell in love with knives (part 2)
Flame · About

a sharp knife is your friend or how i fell in love with knives (part 2)

Last time I wrote about how I fell in love with knives and my 'first loves.' I'm hoping that you all found it

August 14, 2013
a sharp knife is your friend or how I fell in love with knives (part 1)
Flame · About

a sharp knife is your friend or how I fell in love with knives (part 1)

An ode to my knives is really what I should have titled this post. I'm deeply fond of my current knives after

August 8, 2013
pulled pork recipe
Flame · Food

pulled pork recipe

[caption id='' align='aligncenter' width='500'] Pulled Pork Awesomeness[/caption] How much does this one love

August 6, 2013
last minute weeknight pasta
Flame · Food

last minute weeknight pasta

Got people coming over at the last minute? Realize you don't have what you thought you did in the fridge or th

August 1, 2013
Brown sugar glazed carrots and sweet chili chicken
Flame · Food

Brown sugar glazed carrots and sweet chili chicken

How can anyone not enjoy the sight and sound of carrots and sweet chili chicken thighs bubbling away in a mix

August 1, 2013
simple weeknight fajitas
Flame · Food

simple weeknight fajitas

[caption id='' align='alignnone' width='1024'] Simple weeknight fajitas[/caption] Warm week in Seattle and a c

July 25, 2013
leftover fajitas = awesome enchiladas
Flame · Food

leftover fajitas = awesome enchiladas

Fajitas from last night can turn in to a myriad of amazing dishes. You can make a Mexican inspired stir fry, o

July 25, 2013
can you recreate a memorable dish?
Flame · About

can you recreate a memorable dish?

We've all had an amazing meal at a restaurant, friends house, grandmas house, and we can never ever seem to re

July 23, 2013
slow cooked sausage pasta sauce
Flame · Food

slow cooked sausage pasta sauce

What do you do when your twins wake you up at 6am and then go down for a nap before you have to head in to wor

July 20, 2013
Pan seared rib-eye steak with roasted corn, avocado and arugula
Flame · Food

Pan seared rib-eye steak with roasted corn, avocado and arugula

[caption id='attachment_16' align='alignnone' width='750'] Ribeye steak with a corn, avocado, arugula salad on

July 18, 2013
A little bit about me
Flame · Recipe

A little bit about me

[caption id='attachment_19' align='alignnone' width='750'] Me and my kitchen safety monitor + distractor[/capt

July 17, 2013
Welcome to bottle&flame
Flame · Recipe

Welcome to bottle&flame

Welcome to bottle&flame! What can you expect to find here? A myriad of things... Recipes, successful and faile

July 16, 2013