tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post1613566211333635116..comments2023-10-02T09:57:01.999-07:00Comments on Little Red Bike Cafe: RedemptionAli and Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04246118164184072480noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-32483100507844087782010-08-29T13:59:45.878-07:002010-08-29T13:59:45.878-07:00ali - i think my favorite thing about the way you ...ali - i think my favorite thing about the way you cook (well, besides local, fresh, etc) is that you always take something normal and make it so exciting! i loved the regular menu items, but the specials were amazing.<br /><br />an idea for the book would be to showcase those unexpected ingredients you use to make the basics totally UNbasic. your ideas for combining flavors are always accessible, but i would never have thought do them myself. like if the book had a "section" on... waffles for example: basic waffle recipe, and then 5 ways to top/flavor them in unexpected ways. or maybe you do 4 seasonal variations? i still dream of the rosemary waffles topped with egg the day after thanksgiving! <br /><br />this formula works for other items like your grilled cheese (pimentos? what? but SO good). your ice cream flavors... i'm getting hungry just thinking about walking over to the cafe!<br /><br />anyhow - i think that's part of why i think people always came back, and part of why cooking at home is so boring. i get into a rut and make it the same all the time, i forget to experiment. <br /><br />welcome home, and let me know if i can help you put that into visuals!thesmallvikinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834808704568013612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-26926436780705088342010-08-09T13:31:23.961-07:002010-08-09T13:31:23.961-07:00I've been a customer, in my 60's, and sugg...I've been a customer, in my 60's, and suggest some (old)favorite cookbooks that combine, as you seem to want to, real meaning/story/content/love with receipes: Tassahara Breadbook; Supper of the Lamb (Robert Capon); The Urban Peasant (James Barber). All the best to you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-30945917475170706332010-08-07T21:46:58.437-07:002010-08-07T21:46:58.437-07:00I'm a fellow nopo denizen who sadly only had t...I'm a fellow nopo denizen who sadly only had the opportunity to go to the cafe three times. But I read your blog often and am selfishly hoping that you'll be able to publish a book AND open up a new cafe that I can hopefully visit more frequently. <br /><br />Here's another vote for a memoir/cookbook that revolves around LRBC - how it came to be, the ups & downs of being cafe owners, favorite recipes, etc. I like the Ruth Reichl format, but I also like what did with Under the Tuscan Sun, where you've got essentially two mini-eensy-cookbooks amid the other chapters. If you guys decide to go with a more cookbooky-book, it would be neat to see something along the lines of the New Vegetarian Epicure... lots of personal stories mixed in with recipes. <br /><br />Wishing you all the best - thank you so much for all the hard work you do in sharing your passion for food with random people like me. Your cooking inspires my own, and your self-motivation can give me the kick in the ass that I sometimes need.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-12454906309724702542010-08-03T23:30:00.495-07:002010-08-03T23:30:00.495-07:00The Real Dirt on Vegetables! by Farmer John. It&...The Real Dirt on Vegetables! by Farmer John. It's one of my favorite cookbooks not only because it has great tasty recipes organized by season and vegetable, but because in all the margins and between seasons and vegetables there are little stories, quotes, photos, etc that give life to the community of the angel farms (not sure if that's even the name...) CSA. They threw in a little bit of everything with Farmer John's charisma to tie it all together. I could totally see your book having a similar spirit...but whatever you do I will buy copies for me and all my dearest ones. So happy this road has opened up for you and wish you a constant stream of inspiration to draw from.Kendalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09153195222048798141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-55856297402122894122010-08-02T22:08:06.916-07:002010-08-02T22:08:06.916-07:00I love to read cookbooks to be inspired. I love lu...I love to read cookbooks to be inspired. I love lucious photos, smart text, and great recipes that I will go to again and again. Nigella Lawson's How to Be A Domestic Goddess is one of my favorites for just these reasons. <br /><br />Good luck on the book, I can't wait to read it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-23120361258412675132010-08-01T23:03:07.718-07:002010-08-01T23:03:07.718-07:00yeah I would have to agree that a memoir type book...yeah I would have to agree that a memoir type book would be real interesting to me. the best cookbooks are stories with a few recipes thrown in to illustrate a point. Not many people have the great stories/storytelling to go. the small business dream especially a cafe is the dream of so many people.schmadziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05140672609682417756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-23664539793616396392010-07-31T09:10:20.864-07:002010-07-31T09:10:20.864-07:00I don't know how I found your blog but once I ...I don't know how I found your blog but once I did I was hooked! I've never been to LRBC since I live in Encinitas but I have enjoyed all the photos and your stories. <br />One of my favorite cookbooks is Rebar from the Rebar restaurant in Victoria, B.C. <br />Simple recipes, great photos and stories behind the food.<br />I wish you much luck, you're a great writer and I look forward to may more blog posts!Leohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00564854149555856257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-4226048919419096662010-07-30T14:23:52.057-07:002010-07-30T14:23:52.057-07:00The movie ruined the heart and soul of Under The T...The movie ruined the heart and soul of Under The Tuscan Sun, but that book, and the second, Bella Tuscany are lovely, and filled with recipes, I can read and re-read and dog ear, etc, etc and the accounts of her sights, sounds, and tastes of her life are immersing. happy thoughts towards your endeavors!Jasperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07071291251765303136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-67536529397863619432010-07-30T05:07:53.835-07:002010-07-30T05:07:53.835-07:00Another excellent memoir/cookbook is Stephanie Ale...Another excellent memoir/cookbook is Stephanie Alexander's 'Stephanie's Seasons'. It breaks all the big colour photo rules and is printed on cream paper in brown ink and all the photos are sepia or muted tones, but it works brilliantly as a whole. I read it just like a novel. It also has a built in ribbon bookmark! Yay! all my faves have bookmarks, and lots have some kind of tactile element on the cover. Fabric and embroidery on 'Maggie's Harvest' by Maggie Beer; squishy vinyl cover on 'Plenty' by Yotam Ottolenghi- once I picked both of these up there was no putting them back on the bookstore shelf even though they were both quite expensive. Julie Dupleix does good little recipe stories and in her book 'Old Food' she gives such beautifully written thoughts at the beginning on each chapter I get all weepy! I just may email her 'breakfast' blurb to you (too long for here); so special. Good luck with the endeavour!Louisehttp://www.cookiejarcupcakes.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-51432202542609424562010-07-28T23:50:35.000-07:002010-07-28T23:50:35.000-07:00check out Momofuku - similiar food story/cookbook ...check out Momofuku - similiar food story/cookbook formatkristinhttp://kristinw@gmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-27458175360139107492010-07-28T21:36:08.414-07:002010-07-28T21:36:08.414-07:00I have to say, I saw this coming. I always imagin...I have to say, I saw this coming. I always imagined that you guys would write a food memoir describing more about the personal experience with opening a cafe. I found your blog because I wanted to read about the trials and tribulations in opening a small restaurant, and your blog was the ONLY thing I found.<br /><br />I have read many memoirs about people's experience with going to cooking school (The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry was a good one), and i think that format would suit you well. By tailoring it to the story of the restaurant, you would have a unique story that many people would be interested in, and publishers would want to buy because it is different form other memoirs out there.<br /><br />If you choose to go ahead with a cookbook, check out "The Soup Peddler" as the layout of the book is half cookbook and half memoir and sounds the closest to what you have described in your blog. Good luck, and I look forward to reading the book!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-75136717935083313472010-07-28T17:14:44.442-07:002010-07-28T17:14:44.442-07:00My better half is really the cookbook connoisseur ...My better half is really the cookbook connoisseur in the family, but I've been reading about food more recently. Someone recommended to me the manga (yes, a Japanese comic book) titled Oishinbo. It's about Izakaya, Japanese pub food, and the search for the perfect menu. I was completely absorbed by the story, and it's a real ode to the importance of love for good ingredients, as well as the vital importance of the company you keep to the enjoyment of any meal. Actually, reminds me A LOT of your story as blogged over the past several years. I can totally see a Little Red Bike Cafe manga. Check it out and see if you don't agree. <br /><br />I'm also just scratching the surface of M.K. Fisher's food writing. Not cookbooks, but good quality writing about food.Velomannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11735152500677012292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-44879407823933345422010-07-28T14:48:08.659-07:002010-07-28T14:48:08.659-07:00I do believe one of the very first posts I submitt...I do believe one of the very first posts I submitted after we met contained operatives words such as "prolific" and "passionate". Another more recent post by another blogger described your photographs as the equivalent to "food porn". I too am happy although not surprised that this particular "scenic backroad" for you both is indeed the epitome of has transpired over the years and the endless possibilities to come...something more to untap between you guys? Looking forward to it! CongratsLaura - The Simmons Squadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-20400041747179420662010-07-28T12:48:41.935-07:002010-07-28T12:48:41.935-07:00Thanks for the bozo shout out. Now everyone knows ...Thanks for the bozo shout out. Now everyone knows how inept I am in dealing with all things technological.<br />xxoo MomUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06354448896354366124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-18025018969573317052010-07-28T12:39:12.433-07:002010-07-28T12:39:12.433-07:00cook books with lots of great pictures are probabl...cook books with lots of great pictures are probably the ones that i buy (usually on impulse) most often, but the ones that i go back to all the time are probably the ones that offer simple recipes with easy to read recipes that have many variations for customization.<br /><br />My "go to" books are the Mark Bittman "How to Cook Everything..." series - it's simple, and has a lot of customization suggestions, and the latest edition (i think? it's a couple years old now) of "The Joy of Cooking" - it's a small thing, but i love how they bold the ingredients so you can scan a recipe easily, and it's very comprehensive.<br /><br />having loved your recipes at the lrbc, i am sure i will buy your book when it is released. i always keep a few "specialty" books at hand as well as the "encylopedia" types (Veganomicon, Tillamook Cheese recipe book, etc).<br /><br />my one request would be to tell what you did to that glorious rosemary-mushroom gravy. i still miss sunday brunch.nopo stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16188593479661313793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-21644512663235907992010-07-28T12:05:32.551-07:002010-07-28T12:05:32.551-07:00Hey guys, I am one of those people who reads your ...Hey guys, I am one of those people who reads your blog, barely ever comments, lives in pdx and yet only made it to LRBC twice. I read your blog because I love your voices and I love your stories. A Homemade Life was a great melding of memoir and recipes, but I think someone else mentioned the only thing it lacked were photos! I am more of a baker than a cook, and The Cake Bible is my all-time fave for all the freaking explanations (I love knowing WHY) and for all the measurements in grams. I know precise measurements isn't as important in cooking as it is in baking, but I have come to hate measuring cups and spoons. (Think about your international audience!) Make the recipes personal for us--tell us how it came to be, how you two work together on it, what you love about it. If I came upon your book in a store and didn't know you, I would want to know about you--your lives, your relationship to food and yourselves, how food has changed you, and gorgeous gorgeous photos of your food. Well laid-out recipes and process photos help too. I loved the layout and look of Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. <br />Good luck you guys, and I can't wait to come to book reading and have you sign my copy!<br />ECLevil cake ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09028488030328153196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-60964145555341537292010-07-28T09:11:20.281-07:002010-07-28T09:11:20.281-07:00You write with such passion that I was wondering w...You write with such passion that I was wondering when you would actually write a book. My favorite is not your food or recipes but stories of your struggles in life like your mom's heart attack or even better your relationship with Evan. As a reader you often make me feel like I was there. You have many examples of this in your blog but one that stands out was a holiday dinner for the homeless under a Portland bridge that had such compassion and understanding. My son is a chef so I will also ask his view on cookbooks and write more later. Best of luck. By the way one of my friends lost her whole romance novel on her hard drive crash, but that was much easier to re-create.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-1723846952811009842010-07-27T23:40:18.254-07:002010-07-27T23:40:18.254-07:00So happy to hear you are galvanized to do this boo...So happy to hear you are galvanized to do this book. I enjoy your writing, photos and NEED THE RECIPES TO MAKE THE FOOD (as I am far from Oregon)! My input would be to, as you say you plan to, go even more memoir/short story route than cookbook--ala Laurie Colwin's 'Home Cooking' and Ruth Reichl's non-cookbooks. The less pretense, instruction and glossy photos, and the more humor, tidbit and in depth stories about travel, occasions, relationships, etc. the better. Backstories on the recipe itself are fun. Maybe even some sketches instead of photos of the food like in Moosewood cookbook, the first I recall leafing through with anticipation as a kid...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-65897661693084019502010-07-27T22:28:44.648-07:002010-07-27T22:28:44.648-07:00Brief background on a recipe is always nice. Photo...Brief background on a recipe is always nice. Photos are great, but some of my favorite recipes are so perfectly described in words, I can picture the result without a glossy pic.<br /> Cant get enough anecdotal stuff; techniques, how to's,favorite kitchen tools, food geek type factoids, etc. <br />I get much use of my Mario Batali "Molto Italiano" book (great recipes, photos and fact/stories).<br /><br />On a local level, my Caprial Pence "Bistro Style Cuisine" is dog-eared and stained more than most others. Simple, unique, fluid, local ingredients, and great use the "why" element noted in the side columns of many recipes. <br /><br />You two have such an amazing ability to capture flavors and ingredient combos that are fresh and a little off from typical fare. Capture that and put it on paper, you cant go wrong. <br /><br />PS-Every time we drive past the old place, Jack points and says "Coffee?"<br /><br />CheersDavnReneenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-17782341411935117232010-07-27T20:00:13.265-07:002010-07-27T20:00:13.265-07:00Agreed! Amazing food photography + well-architect...Agreed! Amazing food photography + well-architectured writing + letting us in on some of the personal sides of your story is what always kept you at the top of my blog roll! <br /><br />Although I had the good fortune of living close enough to visit the cafe in person, I would have been a reader otherwise too! I actually only made it into the cafe twice, but would often make dinner and eat it while reading your blog, pretending that I was eating Sunday brunch instead :)<br /><br />I'm more of a cover-to-cover cookbook reader myself (Alice Waters' "The Art of Simple Food" is the only one I use regularly for reference) and would go nuts for a version of your blog in narrative cookbook form.Lindseyhttp://yarniapdx.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-81286900002166831002010-07-27T15:24:47.934-07:002010-07-27T15:24:47.934-07:00my fave food blog is sunday-suppers.com
not exactl...my fave food blog is sunday-suppers.com<br />not exactly your style, but the photos and food are amazing.<br /><br />good luck with all this! i wish you luck with everything you do :)katihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05614313929609453247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-71871819696945895502010-07-27T09:23:01.126-07:002010-07-27T09:23:01.126-07:00I am from a smallish Nebraska town and am a new gr...I am from a smallish Nebraska town and am a new grandma. I was probably NOT your "customer" but I read the blog every day and dreamed of what I would eat if I got up the nerve to come to your cafe.<br /><br />I WILL purchase the book.<br /><br />I'd love photos and recipes and how the recipe came to be and HOW you made it! In what pan? How did you come up with recipes?<br /><br />I have been a homemaker my whole life and love cooking for others. I collect cookbooks and read them several times a year.<br /><br />Best of luck with the writing.Mary Bethhttp://www.redmittens.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-64219170322825945732010-07-27T09:03:44.081-07:002010-07-27T09:03:44.081-07:00A Homemade Life changed the way I thought about co...A Homemade Life changed the way I thought about cookbooks. A cookbook that made me laugh and cry and want to start baking @ midnight all at the same time! However it did need pictures and if your blog is any indication, you have some beautiful ones to share! It would also be nice for your readers that did love eating @ the cafe to have a few recipes to satisy their cravings and nostalgia. Pasilla aioli? Sugar puffs? There are so many! <br /><br />Best of luck to you and Evan on this adventure!Lyndiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11157172152623457039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-85951631818303989272010-07-26T21:50:03.866-07:002010-07-26T21:50:03.866-07:00I live in San Diego, and can't even remember h...I live in San Diego, and can't even remember how I found your blog. I lived in pdx about 11 years ago, so I'm sure I found it through some website.<br /><br />photos...mouthwatering, nummy, simple photes. Much like the ones on this blog. I like Barefoot Contessa layout style (recipe on one page, corresponding photo on other side)erinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5269295347248537302.post-247541222088139872010-07-26T20:02:52.743-07:002010-07-26T20:02:52.743-07:00I really don't remember how I found your blog ...I really don't remember how I found your blog but once I did, I was hooked. You guys seemed to be creating what I've always called in my head "fun food" or, if you read Francesca Lia Block's books when you were a teenager like me, Weetzie Bat food: fresh, colorful, delicious, and whimsical in its presentation from menu to plate. <br /><br />And then the more I read, the more I was intrigued by your adventure as a young couple, as young people, and as community-oriented people. I loved hearing about your personal life as much as the cafe's business.<br /><br />When I travelled from Buffalo, New York to Portland last summer, I made sure to visit the LRBC. It required a ridiculous bike ride by me and my brother but when we got there, a zoo bomb and latte made the sweat and hills fade from memory.<br /><br />Anyway, all that is a long way of saying that I'm psyched about the potential of an Ali & Evan book. As far as cookbooks/food story books I've enjoyed, the following is a short list: Homemade Life, Harvest, Laurel's kitchen, Moosewood cookbook (Mollie Katzen's original), How it all Vegan, Eating Animals, and Chez Panisse.<br />Good luck!whitneyhttp://whitneyarlene.comnoreply@blogger.com