NOTES ON NOSHING IN FRESH & TASTY THE INLAND NW CASUAL Turkish Delight EVENTS Culinary Showdown

y love affair with Turkish coffee begins with hospitality and hefs love to show off their culinary prowess in competitions. TV ritual. Powder-fi ne ground coffee is placed in a handled pot shows such as Food Network’s Challenge, Iron Chef and Throwdown Mcalled an ibrik, with cold water, a dash of sugar and a hint of Cwith Bobby Flay have capitalized on the popularity of celebrity cardamom. The coffee must bubble up three times, until a thick skim chefs battling it out in front of audiences then awaiting the judges’ deci- of foam tops the mixture. After letting the grounds settle, the infusion is sions on the merits of their hastily prepared creations. poured carefully into a fi njan, a tiny china cup smaller than a demitasse. It’s been three years since Spokane has hosted a BATTLE OF THE This nectar is unlike any other coffee you’ve ever had — strong and CHEFS, and local chefs have been honing their skills in preparation for thick, almost viscous, yet without a hint of bitterness. this long-awaited competition. This weekend, eight area chefs will go Real honest-to-God Turkish coffee is just one of the delights at head to head in a two-day cook-off at the Spokane Women’s Show. D’ZAAR, the new lunch place that’s moved into the café space at the “We have two groups of four chefs each competing on Saturday,” MAC, on the main fl oor. The menu is fi lled with Mediterranean and says Patty Seebeck, organizer of the event and a dietician with Rock- Middle Eastern specialties: Lebanese salad (greens, cucumbers, tomatoes wood Clinic. “The top four chefs go against each other in a semi-fi nal and herbs tossed with lemon juice and olive oil), gyros (beef, lamb or event on Sunday, then it’s pared down to two chefs battling in the fi nals.” chicken), hummus (four varieties, your choice of a platter or a wrap) and Those showmen/chefs include Brett Fontana of the Hayden Lake the intriguing jadra, a savory blend of Country Club and Adam Hegsted from lentils, rice, onion and cumin that’s sort Coeur d’Alene’s Brix Restaurant, repre- of like Arab soul food. senting North Idaho; Kelly Thornton and “Our food is simple, just a few Tim Hartman from Vin Rouge and Mer- ingredients,” says Victor Azar, who itage restaurants in Spokane; established owns and runs the place veterans Adam Stefani of C.I. Shenanigan’s along with his sister Viola. D’Zaar food is art inside and Charles Davidson of Twigs; URM (Another sister runs Azar’s the MAC. [Chris Bovey photo] executive chef L.J. Klink; and Tom Nichols on North Monroe, and of Downriver Grill. a cousin heads up Azar’s There are also some new twists in this Express on East Sprague.) “We wanted it year’s battle. to be trendy but simple, with everything “The chefs will bring their own equip- made from scratch. We infuse our dishes ment — their favorite sauté pan or special with the tastes we remember, using my plates for presentation — but only what can mother’s methods of cooking, and the fi t in one shopping bag,” Seebeck explains. fl avors from her home in Nazareth.” “There’s also a $1,000 prize for the win- The brother-sister duo also run a ner.” catering company by the same name, So how does it work? When the chefs and they feed hundreds of workers daily take the stage, they’ll receive the same at two of the area’s largest corporate mystery ingredients — a protein, fruit and cafeterias: Avista Corp. and Triumph vegetable — to incorporate into a dish. The Composite Systems. chefs will have 30 minutes to create a one- To complement the Turkish coffee, plate entrée that will be judged on heart- check out the desserts — the family- healthy guidelines. Mystery ingredients recipe baklava, rich with butter, nuts will change for the semi-fi nals and fi nals. and honey; or the harisah, a surprisingly “These chefs all love to show off their delicious baked treat made with cream of creativity,” Seebeck says. “They’re sexy, wheat, yogurt, butter, honey and a hint savvy, and they put on a good show.” of rose essence. — SUSAN HAMILTON — ANN M. COLFORD The Battle of the Chefs is Saturday, D’Zaar at the MAC, 2316 W. First March 17, at 12:30 and 1:30 pm and Ave., is open Tue-Sun 11 am-4 pm. Sunday, March 18, at 2 and 3 pm at the Visit www.dzaar.com or call 363-5338. Spokane Convention Center. Tickets are $5.

MARCH 15, 2007 INLANDER 29