Sicilian Caponata This year, instead of being jealous of the people who rave about their extraordinary harvest of tomatoes, peppers and the like, I made a 2 1/2 hour road trip to the Kruger Pepper Farm in Wapato, Washington, a candy store for cooks who are not serious gardeners. Thanks to my husband’s Italian heritage […]
Noodling in the Kitchen
August 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Zucchini Noodles with Picholine Olives, Lime and Onion I recently purchased a new kitchen toy, and as I “spiralized” zucchini and yellow summer squash into noodles, I thought about the importance of engaging children in food preparation and having fun in the kitchen. If a novel cutting tool can bring a little excitement to […]
Salmon’s Second Act
August 5, 2015 by 1 Comment
The Salmon Burger What’s for dinner? When the thermometer soars there’s nothing easier than tossing a whole wild sockeye or a large fillet of king salmon on the grill. But until my recent visit to the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery in Juneau, Alaska, I didn’t think much about what goes into making sure that salmon is […]
What Color Are Your Vegetables?
April 22, 2015 by 1 Comment
Roasted Rainbow Carrots with “Everything Seasoning” Rumor has it that many people return from “Moms’ Weekend” at Washington State University (WSU) with a hangover. Not me – but I did return with a bottle. A sucker for all things “seasoning,” my take-home was Everything Seasoning. Every table of a popular Pullman restaurant, South Fork, included […]
A New Vegetable?
March 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Try a Broccoli Leaf Pizza A label in the produce aisle caught my eye, “Brocco’Leaf ™- Amazing Superfood.” I grabbed a bunch. Was this a great marketing pitch or a new vegetable? A little research revealed that what resembled collard greens were mature leaves of the broccoli plant. The Nunes Company trademarked the name Brocco’Leaf […]
Earth and Ocean
January 26, 2015 by 1 Comment
Sea Scallops with Herbed Lentils, Champagne-Butter Sauce and Roasted Walnuts Many dishes are enhanced with contrast – elements of hot and cold, sweet and sour or bitter. A well-known example pairs foods from the land and sea- surf and turf, lobster and steak. My expression of a the land and sea idea came about when […]
Fill Your Plate with Red and Green
December 18, 2014 by 1 Comment
Double Pomegranate Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Walnuts Look around – December colors are red and green. We decorate our houses, inside and out with shades of these colors, and they dominate party attire at holiday gatherings. With this salad you can take red and green to your holiday table. Salad is essential to […]
Get the Party Started
November 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Oysters = Celebration Baked Oysters – Italian Style There’s no better way to launch the holidays than with a platter of succulent oysters. The season starts early at my house with my husband’s birthday in early November. A couple dozen Italian-style roasted oysters is always on the menu. Fresh oysters are always within […]
Peak-Season Pears
October 25, 2014 by 1 Comment
Northwest Pear Pistachio Salad Dressing & Spicy Roasted Pears The season for garden-fresh tomatoes is behind us, opening a door for other ways to make salads shine. Inspiration came with autumn’s offering of Northwest pears and a recipe for Pear Vinaigrette from my friend Braiden Rex-Johnson’s book Inside the Pike Place Market, Sasquatch Books, […]
End of Summer Gazpacho
September 9, 2014 by 3 Comments
It is Gazpacho season in many parts of the world and last week it came to Seattle. In nearly 20 years of Northwest living I’ve served cold soup twice – once last Saturday. The thermometer was crawling into the 80s, toasty for my soon-to-arrive guests. I seized the opportunity to capture the essence of end-of-summer […]
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