Super soup in Capitol Hill

After an unusually long summer, fall has taken over Seattle. Prior to moving to Seattle, many people had warned me about the miserable weather Seattle has to offer. Lots of grey, and lots of rain. Hmm, doesn’t really sound that different from Copenhagen where I am from.

However, arriving in Seattle in late August, in what I was told was an unusual stretch of awesome weather, it was hard for me to imagine that Seattle could ever be dreary and wet. Now, what was hard to imagine in August, has become a reality. Almost without warning, the weather switched from being sunny and warm, to being cold, rainy, and grey. The sudden change in weather honestly does not bother my mood too much, and as I mentioned I am pretty much used to this kind of weather from back home. My body however did seem a little shocked by the sudden change, and there’s been days where flu-like symptoms have taken over my otherwise good health and positive spirit.

So, what to do when your body is feeling run down and the weather is depressing? Soup! And not just any kind of soup. I like to call this soup, super soup.

Yes, you’ve guessed it. I am talking about the magical Vietnamese Pho. This delicious soup is a rice-noodle soup usually served with beef or chicken, and garnished with sprouts, lime wedges, green onion, basil, and cilantro. I call it the super soup because it works wonders for a run down body. The broth is rich on electrolytes, and helps your body maintain its fluid balance. And it’s also just really yummy!

Seattle is not shy on Pho places, and I have been trying to scope out the best ones in my neighborhood. I have narrowed it down to my two top Pho places: Than Brothers  and Pho Cyclo Café, both are located on Broadway, within spitting distance of each other. Both places are awesome, but my personal favorite is for the time being Than Brothers. Than Brothers doesn’t look like much from the outside (or the inside for that matter), but their Pho is delicious.

If in Capitol Hill and feeling under the weather, do yourself a favor, and go get yourself some Pho. And most importantly, the super soup is completely safe for lactose- and gluten-intolerant people as myself – enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Rory MacLeod (http://www.flickr.com/photos/macrj/7678969788/)

Sticking with the pizza theme!

I hope some people out there enjoyed the recipe for lactose-and gluten-free pizza. However, if you are craving a nice pizza, and you don’t feel like making it yourself there’s still hope.

I live in the wonderful Capitol Hill, which I will dare to suggest is definitely one of the best and most vibrant areas of Seattle. It’s easy access to most other parts of Seattle, and there is never a dull moment. I, myself, am a big city girl (Copenhagen, Denmark), but despite that, I still have to make a conscious effort to get used to the “eccentric” people I’ve encountered here in Seattle, and especially in Capitol Hill. Grow yourself some thicker skin, and I promise you, you will be fine.

Anyways, back to pizza. 5 steps from my apartment is this wonderful little pizza place called toscana pizzeria, that decided to conform with an increasing demand for gluten-free (GF), and put the option of making pretty much anything on their menu a GF variable. They do not however offer lactose-free cheese, but if you, like me, am fine eating goat cheese, go ahead and add that to your pizza. This place is absolutely yummy, but I’ll be honest with you, you are definitely paying for the GF. So, if you are craving a good GF pizza or sandwich, and you don’t mind splurging, make sure you stop by toscana pizzeria on Summit/Mercer.

Modest look, great taste.

GF!