I have this friend… he’s a bit of a renaissance man when it comes to all things edible.  What I mean by that is… he actually goes out to hunt, to forage and to fish for his own food on a regular basis.  He even grows his own food.  Over the years he has shared his adventures via his well read blog Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook.

His name is Hank Shaw, and with the pictorial help of his lovely lady Holly Heyser,  he has produced an amazing book.  Now folks, this is not just another cookbook.  This book is a wealth of knowledge that will not just feed the mind, but the belly as well.  Hank walks you through the edible offerings of the seasons and the various places throughout the nation where he has travelled over the years and put it all in to this book.  This really is a must-read for any one who fancies themselves a forager, an angler or a hunter… or any one who just fancies the idea of living off the land.

The thing that I love about the recipes in his book is that they are adaptable.  In some instances, such as his chapter on Beach Peas, he talks about the simplest ways to prepare these short seasoned wild delicacies that easily translate as a useful recipe for something more domestic like an English Pea.  This is the kind of book that I challenge anyone to pick up and say “Yeah I already knew all of that” because the shear breadth of knowledge shared provides an educational and mouth wateringly entertaining read for the novice to the expert.

I like this book so much that I want to give one autographed copy to one of my lucky readers!

GIVE AWAY DETAILS: (1) One lucky reader will win an autographed copy of Hank Shaw’s new book: Hunt, Gather, Cook – Finding the Forgotten Feast, brought to you solely by NommyNom.

HOW TO ENTER: Go to the syndicated version of NommyNom and simply leave a comment and tell us about your favorite food that you either hunted for, fished for or foraged for.  One entry per person, duplicate entries will not be counted.  You must provide a valid name and email address with your entry.

WHEN IS THE CONTEST: Entries will be taken starting now July 27, 2011 and will end Midnight PST on August 4, 2011.  Winner will be drawn at random and announced at 9:00am August 5, 2011.

WHO WILL WIN: The winner will be chosen by random drawing on August 5th and announced at 9:00am PST on August 5th, 2011.  You must provide a valid name and email address with your entry. Winners will have 24 hours to claim their prize, if left unclaimed the prize will go to a runner-up determined by random drawing.

Best of luck to everyone, looking forward to hearing your responses!

More Hank Shaw in person for Seattle Folks:
–Tune in to Q13 FOX Morning News at 9:20am on July 28th, 2011 to see Hank Shaw demonstrate a recipe from his book, live in person with yours truly.

–You can also check out Hank in person at Wine World Seattle July 28th, 2011 at 6pm – Bites inspired by some of Hank’s recipes to be prepared and served by my wonderfully talented friend Chef Robin Leventhal

–And there will be a dinner at the restaurant on nearly every foodies bucket list –  The Herbfarm.  They will be hosting a dinner party called “Finding the Forgotten Feast” on Sunday July 31st, 2011. Seating is limited, please call for reservations.

Full Disclosure:  This giveaway is made possible by NommyNom

RESTRICTIONS: Contest is open only to residents of the United States.  Prize is non-transferrable, non-refundable and may not be exchanged for cash.  PugetHound nor Nommynom shall be held responsible for any content, damages, or loss as a result of this contest.

Is it cold enough out there for you?

With the recent Arctic Blast that brought us snow yesterday and the below freezing temperatures I felt like making snowballs.  After going outside to wrap and protect my fruit trees and salvage what crisply frozen Winter greens I could from my garden I decided that it was too cold to stay outside and make snowballs.  So I went inside and made them there instead!

Now this cookie recipe is an age old recipe.  Who knows where it first originated as it goes by sooo many names such as: Mexican Wedding Cakes, Italian Butternuts, Russian Tea Cakes just to name a few.  But I have read that it is a cookie that has a history that dates back as far as the 18th century. I make these little balls of heaven every single year and over the years I have tweaked the standard recipe to create a lovely, nut filled shortbread type cookie that will melt in your mouth.  Mine includes ground almonds, instead of chopped pecans or walnuts and I like to use a Vanilla Bean with a couple little drops of Amaretto to really make the almond flavor sing.

It’s a super easy cookie to make and if you have little ones around they will have fun helping you to shape them into little balls, while keeping snug and warm during this Arctic Blast.  It also keeps really well.

For this recipe I use unsalted butter.  If you are going to use salted butter omit the salt.
Vegan & Lactose Sensitive – If you are vegan or  lactose intolerant, substitute the butter for Margarine. Please note that vegetable oil spreads will make these cookies spread out and flatten a bit.
Gluten Free – If you are gluten intolerant, substitute flour with your favorite GF All Purpose flour and add an additional 2 Tablespoons of water

Snowball Cookies

• 2 Sticks (1/2 Cup) unsalted Butter, softened
• 1/2 Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Cake Flour
• 1 Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out
• 1 teaspoon Amaretto
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Almond Flour, or finely ground Almonds

For Dusting:

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Dusting Instructions:
Combine in a bowl and set aside

Snowball Cookie Instructions:
Using a mixer or by hand, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together until they are all well combined.
Divide the dough in half and form two large balls.  Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour and as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°, prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Now go get one of your chilled dough balls out of the refrigerator.  Begin shaping balls by rolling about 2 teaspoons worth of dough at a time into balls using your hands.  They should be just a little smaller than a walnut in the shell.  Place them about 1/2″ apart on a baking sheet (if you are using Margarine – place them 1″ apart).

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom, the tops will be a very pale golden brown.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the Powdered Sugar and Cornstarch that you made earlier.
Give them a gentle roll until they are well coated.
Reserve a little of the Dusting recipe to sift over the tops of the cookies right before serving.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Have you ever listened to someone speak then been inspired to step up and answer a call to action?  It happened to me this evening at the Green Washington 2010 Awards presented by Seattle Business Magazine.

Those familiar with my words know of my passion for supporting local food producers, restaurants, organizations and markets who support local.   It is not enough to just be local, but to also have a strong ethical relationship with the environment.

I attended the presentation dinner at the Green Washington 2010 Awards by way of invitation from Chris and Lisa Wilcox, the good folks behind locally owned Wilcox Farms.  Their organic egg farm had been nominated for an Agriculture award.  I am happy that I went (and honored to have been asked) as the event gave me a renewed perspective that solidified my resolve to try harder in my own efforts towards a greener lifestyle.

The keynote speaker of the evening was William Ruckelshaus, Co-Chair , Joint Ocean Commission Initiative.  Ruckelshaus was the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s first administrator when the agency was formed in 1970. In 1983 President Ronald Reagan re-appointed him as the EPA’s 5th Administrator.  He has been in this fight for a better environment since the beginning.

Despite his political background Mr Ruckelshaus’ agenda was not about party politics.  The speech was not preachy, dry or negative.  It was empowering, hopeful and positive.  He focused on the progress we  have accomplished thus far and the current progress towards cleaning up the environment, since the formation of the EPA.

He applauded the local businesses nominated this evening.  These ranged from Food/Agriculture to Technology and everything in between.  Ruckelshaus stated that 40 years ago no one was thinking about giving out awards to the environmentally conscious, he then looked around the room and said with a smile “Look at where we are now.”

40 years ago the EPA was in its infancy.  It was put together to measure, monitor, and model the environmental future. Educating the public about the importance of preserving Natural Resources and providing legislation that would place the health of a sustainable environment at the forefront.  So how did this come about 4 decades ago?  Because the people demanded it.  There was a need for it, and we were on a path to self destruction.  That demand raised awareness, which caused the government to take notice, to step up and take action.

Do not listen to the naysayers.  Your voice really does matter.

“Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions” quoted from the January 22, 1970 State of the Union Address.  That was as true 40 years ago as it is today.  This is not about Party Politics or conspiracies.  This is about preserving the environment for future generations, while we have the chance.

“Green” is not a fad or phase.  It is an ongoing, never ending process.  It is like a sinkful of dirty dishes, they are not going anywhere and the mess piles up getting worse the longer you neglect it.  Soon it smells bad and molds, creating an unhealthy living condition for you.  So what do you do?  Get in there and do your part to clean up the mess.  Do it daily to avoid creating an unhealthy environment for yourself.  Our Earth is no different than dirty dishes piling up, someone’s got to get in there and get cleaning.  Why not us?  Why not now?  Why not for the future?

In my opinion, tending our environment means making an effort. That effort can be as complex as installing a wind farm for energy or a simple effort such as composting, recycling or simply reusing or repurposing the resources we have at hand.  We are the custodians of this planet, no effort is too small.

We are still digging out of the hole dug by previous generations, damage that has carried over to present day.  So is the EPA and it’s legislation really making a difference?  According to Ruckelshaus it is. He stated that our Air & Watersheds are cleaner now than 40 years ago when the EPA first put legislation in place.  But we are still a ways off from repairing the damage done by generations past.

Seeing a multitude of local businesses who are engaging in greener practices by choice gave me hope for the future.  Small business or big business, Democrat or Republican.  It did not matter your wealth, social standing or political viewpoint because everyone in that room tonight shared one common and noble goal – the push for a better, cleaner and greener world.  Sustainable solutions that are environmentally acceptable, sufficient, reliable and efficient.

“Green” is an untapped enterprise that is ripe and ready for the picking.  Not only could this be a potential boon for our environmental health, but for our economic health as well.  “Green” has the power to take the world in a new direction. Green can create jobs and bolster an economy. It can provide the security of self sustainability.

“Washington State is a pioneer in the green movement.” Ruckelshaus said of Washington’s conservation efforts “We work on our problems, we do not just sit idly by and wring our hands.”
As I looked around the room filled with “Green People” I knew that Ruckelshaus was right on the money with that statement.  No one in this room has been sitting idly by.

Tonight, it was a pleasure to see those  who were being recognized and honored for their efforts.  They are the ones who are innovating, practicing, educating and pioneering a path to a greener future for all of us.  Their work is inspirational and I am thankful for what they are doing.

Let’s not leave them to do this alone.
A call to action was issued, and I am passing this call on to my readers.  Note: there is no political agenda, biased slants or bogus science involved to be debated here.  It is not a discussion about conspiracies, or the fact that you don’t like so-and-so in this or that particular political office, or whether or not global warming is real.  It is only about our own role and responsibility as inhabitants of this planet to care for it.

The Call is to stand up and make your voice heard for a change and a solution to sustainability.  Get involved.  Together we can support the people, ideas and businesses who are embracing the movement.  We can get behind the technology, greener practices that lower our carbon output and laws put in to place to protect the goal that we have been working towards for nearly half a century.  A goal for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable existence.

I am happy to report that Wilcox Farms did receive the Green Washington Award in Agriculture.  Wilcox practices recycling of things such as water from egg washing to water their crops, as well as repurposing chicken waste to fertilize those crops. They are certainly doing their part.  Wilcox Farm has been a family owned business for over 100 years, they support the humane treatment of animals and have pledged to utilize green practices where ever possible.  Tonight they were deservedly rewarded for their efforts.

Congratulations to ALL the winners and nominees this evening, your efforts will lead us to a change for the better.  Thank you to Seattle Business Magazine for recognizing the efforts of those who have made the commitment to greener practices.

Want to read more?  Check out some of these folks who are writing and talking about the environment, green practices and sustainability:
Seattle Business Magazine – Seattle
Growing Up Green – Seattle
The Sustainable Plate – Seattle
Grist – Seattle
Mother Nature News – Atlanta
Green Options – San Francisco
The Daily Green – New York
Web Ecoist – Minneapolis

This commentary is nonpartisan and has no political agenda so please refrain from political angst and party bashing.
Play nice and keep comments civil and on point.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned in this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

When I first went to Allium Restaurant, I went to check it out and to taste the food of Chef Lisa Nakamura.  Chef Nakamura has an impressive culinary pedigree having worked in places like Thomas Keller’s French Laundry to Chef de Cuisine at The Herbfarm.  She recently took over the space that used to house Orcas Island’s Christina’s.  It had been a couple months since she had opened her doors to Allium Restaurant so seemed like a good time to hit the San Jauns and see what’s cooking.  What I did expect was good food, what I did not expect was to have my heart so touched by such gorgeous food and gracious hospitality that it would fundamentally change the way I want to write about Chefs, their food and their restaurants forever.

Be forewarned: This is a long post, it is picture heavy and it covers two separate days, a month apart eating some of the most delicious food grown, produced, prepared and served by some honest, very humbly talented people.

I don’t want to write reviews or be a nasty food critic.  That’s what places like Yelp! are for and let’s face it the world could do with a little more positivity.  What I want to do is to showcase the people and places whose food tastes great.  Those folks who work hard to support their communities and put their hearts into what they do.  This is not about writing fluff pieces, because I won’t do that.  This is about sharing with you my personal experience, honestly and openly.  After my first meal at Allium, my resolve to write this way has been cemented for good.

My first trip to Allium was in early August.  My second trip almost a month to the day later in September.  Now I am making plans to go back to Orcas Island for a 4 day stay in late October.  What keeps drawing me back?  The grand natural beauty of the island, the wonderful people and the food being lovingly prepared by Chef Lisa Nakamura at Allium.  And yes, her food really is that good.

On my first trip up I went with my friend Cristie.  We stopped off to meet the good folks behind Once in a Blue Moon Farm, Shana and Zach.  They treated us to a farm tour, something that is worth sharing with you a little later because they are doing wonderful things up at the farm.  All the walking around their historic farm worked up quite an appetite.  So we wrapped up our visit, purchased some of their amazing eggs, apricots and elephant garlic and headed up to Eastsound for our lunch.

The drive up to Eastsound is particularly lovely, with forests and pastures spread before you  golden and green.   When we arrived at Allium Restaurant, we were warmly greeted and taken out to the sunny deck.  It is a perfect setting nestled at the northern end of the sheltered Eastsound, for which the town was named.

We sat taking in the gorgeous view when Chef Nakamura came out with two gorgeous Champagne Cocktails.  At this point I somehow knew we were going to be well taken care of and I left the decision for the rest of the meal in her skillful hands.  And let me tell you, I did not regret this decision at all.

Our first dish she brought out a little treat of foie gras delicately placed atop brioche, made in house by Pastry Goddess Anna Harlow, which was on top of apricots grown on Orcas Island sauteed with a hint of cardamom and star anise.  It was filled with rich, buttery tastes and textures.  Hints of spice, caramel and soft whispers of apricot lingered on the palate – it was all I could do to control myself from picking the plate off the table and licking it clean.

Next we shared plates of Littleneck Clams and Roasted vegetables with Alliums signature Onion Jam.  The clams were caught in Mud Bay off the coast of Lopez Island, one of the neighboring islands in the San Juans.  They were briny sweet, succulent and juicy, the clam liquor also helped to poach local corn cobs and potatoes from Black Dog Farms on Orcas Island.

The Roasted Vegetables were so full of flavor and perfectly roasted, oh but that Onion Jam for dipping the vegetables!  It feels like I am doing the beautiful vegetables an injustice by swooning over the Onion Jam – but it was so delicious.  Sweet, oniony, a hint of herbs and a little tang of vinegar made it pure heaven.

Next up for us were seared Royal Trumpet Mushrooms with Chef Nakamura’s infamous gnocchi bathed in a glorious fava bean sauce and finished off with a touch of white truffle oil.  It was magical.  Gnocchi that was lighter than air in a sauce that looked heavy, but was so surprisingly uplifted by the use of fava bean paste that you felt like you were being spoon fed by angels on a cloud.

We finished off the meal with  several tastings of the dessert offerings made my the hands of Anna Harlow.  We had a Mango Cheesecake served with an Orange Lilikoi Sauce.  Think of mango and cream cheese dancing together while a symphony of passion fruit and fresh orange play a lively little Summer tune.  A perfect bite.  We also enjoyed an Ice Cream Sundae, with a homemade cookie shell, boozy little cherries and a homemade caramel, it was like being a kid all over again, but I don’t remember the Ice Cream Man’s offerings to ever be this satisfying and delicious.  Being absolutely stuffed, I  took the Chocolate Pudding Cake on the road home so I could share with my guy who was missing out.

It was time to wrap up our visit with warm farewells, needing to get down to the ferry terminal in time to ride home and wanting to stay longer.  But I vowed to return to bring my guy back with me so he could experience the wonderful food that was laid out for us today. On the ferry ride back I lapsed into a food induced coma, lulled by the soft listing of the ferry and a happy tummy I dreamt of returning to Orcas Island to visit and, especially to eat.

Upon arriving home I forced Rasmus to sit and listen to me rattle on and on about how great the food was and how amazing and gracious a host Chef Lisa was.  He was already sold and wanted to know when we were going to return.  So I started making plans to go back up in September.  We had a whole month to look forward to our San Juan Island adventure.  Only this time we had another guest come along with us, Chef Robin Leventhal, former owner of the delicious restaurant Crave, awesome road trip pal and season 6 contestant on Top Chef.  And no… she did not make Chef Lisa pack her knives and go home.

The rain poured down.  The morning was cold and blustery in Seattle, and for the entire drive to Anacortes.  It looked like we would be dining in the dining room, that Summer was really gone and Fall had fallen on us like so many raindrops of that morning.  We managed, by some miracle, to catch the ferry that we thought we were going to miss out of Anacortes.  The three of us settled in for the nearly hour long ride and broke out some breakfast snacks.  About half way into the ferry ride, just as we were approaching the San Juans the clouds began to peel back and the sun shone brightly.  The day began to feel like Summer again and we cheered at our good fortune.  This was shaping up to be an amazing day.

Off the ferry we went and headed up the beautiful road to Eastsound to the familiar little cove that houses Allium Restaurant.  When we arrived, it was quiet and Lisa showed us out to the deck where she had put together a “Playing Hookie” tasting menu for our little group.  We started out with house made Foccacia and a gorgeous salad of meticulously peeled Maple Rock Farms heirloom cherry tomatoes.  As Chef Lisa set them down at our table she remarked that it was the farewell to Summer, and indeed it was.  Not just a farewell, but a sensual goodbye kiss of summer.  The texture of the tomatoes so sweet and velvety putting one in your mouth was like receiving a long, slow french kiss.  It was enough to bring a blush to the cheeks, or perhaps that was due the lovely Domaine de Montfaucon Les Gardettes Rosé she served with this glorious salad.

Chef Lisa set up the next dish by saying, “A little something I used to make back at French Laundry”.  We all ooo’ed and ahh’ed as the plates were set down to reveal a truffled risotto topped with even more truffle and two delicate little butter basted “Salmon Chops”.  The chops were made from the collar of the salmon and they were a delectable bite with the rich, perfectly cooked risotto which was paired with a lovely fruity citrus tinged Shooting Star Chardonnay.

At this point the three of us toasting and looking one to another remarking about how lucky we were to have such a gorgeous day graced by impeccable service and  delightful food. When, like magic, the next course appeared before us.  Thin perfectly cooked slices of Painted Hills New York Strip sat atop gnocchi, foie gras in a cabernet glace… and Fra Mani Chorizo!  Chorizo and Foie together!?  We all exclaimed “How bold!” Oh but how it worked… it worked so well!   The steak tender with a small amount of chew, the foie like a velvet butter, the chorizo lent it’s texture and flavor and the gnocchi, well you already know how much I appreciate her gnocchi.  Heavenly, decadent and rich.  It was beautifully paired with a Thurston Wolfe Petite Sirah that nicely cut the richness of the dish without killing it.

Next we had a beautiful “palette cleanser” of a small cantaloupe melon beautifully carved out and filled with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries macerated in Amaretto.  It was such a light and delicate bite.  The taste and the appearance embodied Summer, along with a little glass of Vin Santo.

Our very last dish was what somehow got labeled as “The Disco Cake”.  A gorgeous chocolate ganache smothered pyramid, gilded in gold.  Inside, like you would expect for a pyramid, was treasure.  Fluffy light chocolate mousse with layers of dark chocolate hazelnut and a crunchy chocolate cookie.  Just when you thought that was enough, there were 3 pools of homemade Scotch Caramel to dip your bite into.  Again, Pasty Chef Anna Harlow’s talent is pure bliss.

Orcas Island is a great day trip or a quick get away from everyday life.  It’s a beautiful place to escape and when you have a lure like Chef Lisa Nakamura and places like Allium Restaurant to whet your appetite while you play, there’s no reason to stay away.

This is Chef Nakamura in her kitchen making her infamous gnocchi, she’ll be coming down to the mainland to teach a stress-free entertaining class at DishItUp on November 2, 2010, you can be sure I am signing up for that class.  Of the things I really respect about Chef Nakamura it is her choice to use locally grown ingredients in her dishes, her kindness and care to make sure that her guests are well taken care of.  I am looking forward to many more trips to the San Juans throughout the years pulled by the warmth and deliciously gorgeous meals at Allium Restaurant.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned in this article, however I did notice that an item was missing from our tab from the first trip (sneaky Chef)

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

While bustling about town I found myself ending up in Ballard at the Fisherman’s Terminal.  The day was warm and bright and the perfumed scent of the briny sea filled your nostrils.  It was a perfect day to meander the docks and look at boats in the marina, some of them laden with crab pots and fishing tackle.

All that wandering about made me a bit peckish so I stopped in at The Highliner Pub.  I ordered up a cold frothy beer with a cup of Clam Chowder and a heap of their homemade crispy french fries to stave off my hunger.  They are in a great location at the Fisherman’s Terminal and offer cheap beers with cheap pub eats.

The whole while I sat enjoying my meal, my mind was on the boxes of live Dungeness Crabs being unloaded over out front at Wild Salmon.  All the things that I could do with fresh crab… Crab Boil, Crab Louie, Crab and Butter, Crab Corn Chowder.  All these thoughts flitted in and right back out, the only one to stay cemented in my mind: Crab Cakes.

Now when I say Crab Cakes I am not talking about those bread crumb laden “Crab Cakes” where there is more cake than crab.  The kind of Crab Cakes I make are mostly crab, so you can actually see the delicate crab meat with just enough bread crumb and egg to hold it all together.  I also don’t “jazz it up” with a bunch of ridiculous ingredients, if you start with good quality, fresh crab meat you do not need to mess around with a list of ingredients as long as the Magnolia Bridge.  What I make is simple, it’s fresh and it showcases the crab meat the way it should.  The Crab is the star.  The fresh, delicious, sweet star of the show.

So I headed over to Wild Salmon and picked out a couple fat Dungeness Crabs to go home with me and help me make up some of my Crab Cakes.  The folks who work there are really good to their customers.  I’ve been going there for over 10 years and I’ve never been treated badly.  Plus if fighting the crowds at Pike Place Market just isn’t your thing, this is a nice little spot hidden away from the bustle of downtown and there is some nice scenery just a couple steps away from the store front.

When I got home, the crabs got a dip in the kettle and when finished they got a good cleaning and picking to get as much of the meat as possible.  Now for some, especially the squeamish, this is pretty hardcore.  You can certainly pick up already cleaned crab meat and be ready to go with this recipe.  Do not use tinned crab meat,  in a recipe like this where the crab is the star, you will not do the recipe or the crab any justice.  Use fresh crab meat, the freshest you can get for the best results.

Crab Cakes

• 1 lb of lump Crab Meat, fresh
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs, plain
• 1/2 cup Green Onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper, finely ground
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Powder

Additional 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs, Plain (set aside in a small bowl for dredging)
Couple pats of Butter (for frying)

Combine the first 8 ingredients in one large bowl.  Stir to mix the ingredients thoroughly .  Using your hands grab a small handful of the mixture and form a ball, then pat it down into a patty shape.  You can make them small appetizer size, or giant entree sized patties, it is up to you.

Place your dredging crumbs in a small bowl, and coat the flat sides of your patty in crumbs, set aside and get your pan ready.

Get a large skillet and melt a pat of butter in it over medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, start adding your crab cakes in to the pan.  Do not overcrowd the pan, as doing so will result in a soggy greasy crab cake so give the cakes about 1 1/2″ inches between each other.  If you need to do this in a couple batches, feel free to add more butter to the pan to help in the browning process and prevent them from sticking.

Cook until the crab cakes turn golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Very important, do not keep flipping the crab cakes.  Set them in the butter and resist temptation to flip them before they are golden brown on one side.  This will prevent the crab cakes from falling apart and ensure that they are cooked all the way through.

Cook’s Notes:
Since the size of the Crab Cake is up to you, you can make mini crab cakes as appetizers for a party.  You can also make “Slider sized” patties and make your own Crab Cake Sliders.
This recipe is great served with a side of Spicy Mayo, Remoulade or Tartar Sauce.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from The Fisherman’s Terminal, Wild Salmon Seafood, The Highliner Pub or any other organizations mentioned for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Last month I went with my friend Olivia for dinner.  The next day I found out that I had Pancreatitis, for some unknown reason – unrelated to eating out, and I was put on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks.  That dinner at Fresh Bistro was my last meal of solid food, and it goes without saying that everyday I sipped broth and apple juice I was dreaming of the delightful fresh tastes served up to me that night.

So let’s fast forward a few weeks, I’m finally back to eating chewable food.  Joy of joys!  And the first place I want to re-visit is Fresh Bistro.  I had 2 liquid weeks daydreaming of Pork Belly Bahn Mi, melt in your mouth Wagyu Beef, crisp Salads with tangy “vinny” and sous vide egg.  To celebrate solid food my friend Cristie invited my niece and I to come to lunch with her. She kindly let me choose our lunchtime destination.  Without a moment’s hestitation I blurted out “Fresh Bistro!” And so, off to Fresh Bistro we went.

Fresh Bistro is located in the Mural Apartments Building, on the first floor,  in West Seattle at the Alaska Junction.  It’s street parking or you can use the underground parking across the street.  The interior is earthy, classy and festooned with lush sustainable furniture, like their uniquely gorgeous Sorghum wood tables for inside dining.

Their lunch menu is nice and is reasonably priced.  The service is impeccable.  The two times that I have been we have had the pleasure of being waited on by the new Front of the House Manager Robroy Chalmers (who is also a local artist whose work graces the walls in the restaurant)  They have a knack for making you feel welcomed and special, and the staff is knowledgeable of the foods and drinks that they serve.

Speaking of drinks… you must try one of their seasonal signature drinks, complex and complimentary flavors.  For as ambitious as they are, it pays off big time.  Refreshing, interesting and delicious to sip.  And don’t worry if you do not imbibe as they have a few special concoctions beyond the tired old Shirley Temple to tickle your taste buds so be sure to ask about their non-alcoholic offerings as well.

Now let’s get to the food shall we?
We’ll start with the appetizers.  First off we had Sweet Potato Crab Cakes.  A crunchy exterior that yielded to a creamy inside where the flavors of crab and sweet potato melded with perfection.  It was topped with a smoky chipotle remoulade that finished off the bite nicely.

Next up for appetizers we tried the Shiso Crusted Prawns.  When it arrived at the table we all gasped at the beautiful presentation.  The Prawns were enormous, with a crispy breading infused with chopped shiso leaf.  They were topped with an ethereal sriracha foam and complimented by a green mango pickle.  A savory, delicious bite tickled with the sweetness of the briny Prawn and a slight whisper of sriracha.  These were my absolute favorite.

Once we devoured the appetizers our lunch plates came out in a timely fashion.  I ordered the Mexican Lunch Combo featuring tender Halibut Tacos, refried black beans, avocado corn salsa and spiced rice. The highlights for me were the perfectly cooked Halibut and the tangy-sweet red onion pickle.

My niece ordered the Asian Lunch Combo which consisted of Pork Belly Bahn Mi, an Asparagus Soup with a Curried Goat Cheese Cannelle and an Asian inspired salad.  She enjoyed the soup so much she could not put down her spoon.   When she took a bite of the Pork Belly Bahn Mi all we could hear was “Mmmmm” in between chews with her eyes blissfully closed enjoying every single bite.  Perfect layers of melt in your mouth pork, foie mayo, decadent fried egg with crisp carrot pickle, crunchy cucumber, fresh cilantro and basil.

My friend had the Bistro Lunch Combo, with a Wagyu Beef French Dip, Mussels and a tarragon vin loaded Bistro Salad topped with a gorgeously poached egg.  Let me just say this, I am not and never have been a fan of Mussels.  I find them to be very strong and offputting, but the mussels prepared at Fresh Bistro have changed my mind.  They are absolute perfection, I loved them.  Sweet mild Mussels in a butter broth that are heightened by a touch of rich landjaeger lardon made for a perfectly well balanced bite.  I would order them again and again.

Lastly we moved on to dessert where we shared plates of Banana Pretzel Fritters with Homemade Nutella dipping sauce.  It was like a donut and a loaf of banana bread had a baby and wrapped it in swaddling pretzels.  Quite delicious and a generous portion to share.

We also ordered up a dessert that I had right before I was relegated to a liquid diet.  This dessert haunted me, it was so absolutely delicious that I had to get it again. A Pistachio Financier with a brandied Cherry Coulis and this absolutely divine Mascarpone Orange Blossom Cream on top.  It is a fresh tasting dessert that is not at all heavy on the sweet side.  It is just sweet enough to keep you coming back at it.

Overall it was a splendid lunch, spent with great people including the personable staff at Fresh Bistro.  Would I go back?  Yes, yes, 1000 times yes.

Check them out for their special weekly Seafood Boils and Steak Nights. Reservations are highly recommended.
Also keep in mind that Fresh Bistro changes up their menu to coincide with the changes in local and seasonal produce.  So go enjoy the taste of fresh ingredients at their peak, masterfully put together into a delicious bite that will make your tummy happy.

Fresh Bistro
4725 42nd Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-935-3733

Hours
Mon – Thur: 11am – 10pm
Fri: 11am – 11pm
Sat: 9am – 3pm | 5pm – 11pm
Sun: 9am – 3pm

Happy Hour
Mon – Thur: 4pm – 6pm | 9pm – 10pm
Fri: 4pm – 6pm | 9pm – 11pm
Sat: 9pm – 11pm

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from Fresh Bistro , Herban Feast or any other organizations mentioned for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

A couple weeks ago I was invited by Stocker Farms to come out and pick some of their Early Blues variety of Blueberry at their Mountain View Blueberry Farms, before they opened to the public.  So I called up my friend Cristie (the Master Mixologist behind ThirstQuest) and asked her if she’d like to head out in the early morning to go pick some blueberries with me.  We headed out early, while the morning mists were still rising from the farmlands and fields in the Snohomish River area.  We arrived and we picked.  And we picked and we picked.  Between the two of us and a couple hours of picking we ended up with 18 pounds of Blueberries.

We also decided to head over to Stocker Farms Red Barn to pick up some Sunflower Honey and check on what other local produce offerings they had in store for us.  Mounds of Sweet Bing Cherries, glowing Golden Rainier Cherries, 1/2 flats of mixed Raspberries and Blueberries and punnets of the most delicious little Strawberries I’ve tasted all year.  So it wasn’t enough that I had 9 pounds of Blueberries, I had to pick up some Strawberries and Raspberries as well.

So when I got home and started looking at all these berries I started wondering what could I do with them all.  Pancakes, Cobblers, Crisps, Muffins, Scones, Ice Cream, Syrup, simply fresh out of the bowl… there were many days of berry enjoyment ahead to be certain.  The only problem with fresh berries is that they do not keep forever, and once a few days had escaped me I found that I still had an abundance of berries at hand and something needed to be made before they turned into penicillin.

That’s when it hit me… JAM!  Why didn’t I think of this before!?  I’ll make a bunch of berry jam and mix all the berry together for a taste that will be an explosion of summer sweetness in your mouth.  So I took my Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries and prepped them for the pot.  Now I’m an old fashioned girl, I like to make my berry jams without Pectin.  Why?  It’s because my Great Grandmother did it that way and her jams were spectacular.  The fruits were thick and caramelized with deep layers of flavor.  And it couldn’t be easier, no fussing with adding in things at the right time or risk screwing up your entire batch.  Just add everything in a pot, stir, boil down and stick it in a jam pot.  Done and delicious.

Summer Berry Jam

• 4 Cups Berries (Blueberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry – any combination)
• 3 1/2 Cups Organic Cane Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1/2 Lemon
• Pinch of Salt

Prep your berries by washing them.  Hull and quarter strawberries, others leave whole.  Put them into a large stock pot, add the Sugar and Vanilla and stir them all to combine.  Squeeze the lemon juice into the pot and toss the squeezed lemon in with the berries, add cinnamon stick and pinch of salt.  Stir again to combine, the berries should start releasing their juice and making the Sugar wet.

Place the pot on the stove set at Medium heat.  Stir it a couple of times, letting it roll to a slow boil while keeping an eye on it just until the mixture starts to foam.  Now turn it down to Medium-Low heat and simmer while stirring occassionally.  Your berries will go from a stage of a watery syrup like consistency with foam to a thicker syrup with less foam.  When you start seeing the foam disappear (about 20 minutes into the cooking) remove your lemon from the pot.

Now you will want to really watch the pot, stirring constantly to prevent it from scorching for about another 20-25 minutes, the stirring also helps to break up the fruit even more.  The surface of the jam will go from a glassy shiny surface to a satiny sheen on the surface, this means you are close to finished.  You can test the gel of your jam by putting some of the juice from the pot on to a saucer and sticking it in the fridge, take it out after a couple minutes and if it looks like jelly or jam and you can drag your finger through it and it doesn’t run back together you are finished.  Another method is to put a metal spoon into the juice and pull it out and if the mixture slowly sheets off the spoon leaving a thin covering of juice behind, rather than just quickly drizzling off leaving a bare spoon… you are ready.
Total cooking time is about 45-60 minutes depending on the juiciness and types of berries you mix together.

You can put the jam up into jars and use a water bath method to preserve it longer.  It keeps well in the fridge or freezer as well.

Berry Picking News Flash
Mountain View Blueberry Farms is open to the public starting today with their Big Blues ripe for the picking. Blue Rays and Concords!
No pets
Keep kids with you at all times
Cash only
Gates open at 8am, do not arrive before 8am – gates close at 5pm
Closed on Mondays – Open Tuesday through Sunday
617 E. Lowell-Larimer Road
Snohomish, WA 98296
(360) 668-3391 for recorded message

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from Stocker Farms or Mountainview Blueberry Farms for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Hitting up the Farmers Market makes great outing solo, as a date or with the family.  Our various markets will often have live music, chef demos, crafts, contests, local artists, author signings and even activities for the kids.  Check with the individual Market’s website to see what scheduled events are coming up.  It’s a great chance to go on an outing to shop for dinner and get to know the people behind the food.  How great is it to pick up a bundle of Kale, fragrant Spring Onions or a bunch of Carrots and hear the Farmer working the stand tell you that those were harvested at 5am that very morning.  It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

So what can you find at your local Farmers Markets?  Well it really depends on the time of year you go.  Farmers Markets selection is based on Mother Nature, so whatever is ripe is what is on sale.  Alongside the seasonal fresh Produce you can also find Eggs, Milk, Cider, Seafood, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Plant Starts, Vinegars, Nuts, Salt, Foraged Foods,  gorgeous Flower Bouquets, Breads, Pastries and Cheese  just to name a few.

Today I am sharing with you some of our major local Farmers Markets information so you can plan your next outing to healthier, local food brought to you by proud, hard working people.  Later I’ll be sharing with you some inside information on a couple of my absolute favorite Farmers Market haunts… and also a few mouth watering recipes that showcase the best food produced right here in the Northwest.

Farmers Markets All Around Washington

• Bellevue’s Thursday Market – OPENS MAY 13th – Thursdays, May 13th – October 14th,  from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at 1717 Bellevue Way Northeast.
• Bellevue’s Saturday Market – OPENS JUNE 5th – Saturdays, June 5th – November 20th, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, at 10610 Northeast 8th Street.
• Bellingham Farmers Market – OPEN NOW! – Sautrdays, April 3rd – December 24th, from from 10:00am – 3:00pm, at Railroad Street & Chestnut Street. Check their website for more market days.
• Broadway Sunday Market – OPENS MAY 9th – Sundays, May 9th – December 19th, from 11:00am to 3:00pm, at 10th Avenue East & East Thomas.
• Columbia City Farmers Market – OPENS APRIL 28th – Wednesdays, April 28th – October 20th, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at Rainier Avenue South & South Edmunds.
• Fremont Farmers Market – OPEN YEAR ROUND – Sundays, from 10:00am to 5:00pm, at Phinney & 34th. Check their website for more info on Ballard, Wallingford & Madrona Markets.
• Kent Farmers Market – OPEN JUNE 5th – Saturdays – June 5th – September 25th, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at 2nd Avenue & Smith Street
• Kirkland Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 5th – Wednesdays, May 5th – Oct 13th, from 2:00pm to 7:00pm, at Marina Park
• Lake City Farmers Market – OPENS JUNE 3rd – Thursdays,  June 3rd – October 7th, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at Northeast 125th & 28th Avenue Northeast.
• Magnolia Farmers Market – OPENS JUNE 5th – Saturdays, June 5th – September 25th, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, at 2550 34th Avenue West.
• Phinney Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 28th – Fridays, May 28th – October 1st, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at 67th & Phinney Avenue North.
• Port Townsend Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 1st – Saturdays – May 1st – December 18th, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at Lawrence & Taylor in Uptown.  Check their website for information on their Wednesday Market.
• Poulsbo Farmers Market – OPEN NOW! – Saturdays, April 10th – October 23rd, from 9:00am – 1:00pm, at Northeast Iverson Street & 7th Avenue Northeast.
• Puyallup Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 1st – Saturdays, May 1st – October, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at 330 South Meridian in Pioneer Park.  Check their website for information on the Sunday Market.
• Queen Anne Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 20th – Thursdays, May 20 – October 7, 2010, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at West Crockett Street & Queen Anne Avenue North.
• Spokane’s Saturday Market – OPENS MAY 1st – Saturdays, May 1st – October 30th, from 8:00am to 1:00pm, at 2nd and Division in Downtown.  Check their website for dates & times for their Wednesday market.
• Tacoma Farmers Markets – OPENS MAY 20th – Thursdays – May 20th – until Season Close, from 8:30am – 2:00pm, at South 9th Street & Broadway. Check their website for locations of two other Tacoma area markets.
• University District Farmers Market – OPEN YEAR ROUND – Open Every Saturday, from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at University Way & Northeast 50th.
• Wenatchee Farmers Market – OPEN MAY 7th – Saturdays, May 7th – October 30th, from 8:00am – 1:00pm, at South Columbia Street & Palouse Street. Check their website for more markets & locations, everyday of the week except Mondays & Fridays
• West Seattle Farmers Market – OPEN YEAR ROUND – Open Every Sunday, from 10:00am to 2:00pm,  at California Avenue Southwest & Southwest Alaska.
• Yakima Farmers Market – OPENS MAY 9th – Sundays – May 9th – October 31st,  from 9:00am to 2:00pm, at 3rd Street & Yakima Avenue.

This is by no means a complete list, but it’s a good place to start you on your exploration into local, honest to goodness food.   Do you have a favorite market not mentioned here, please share it with us!

Some tips when visiting your Farmers Markets:

1. Let the Farmers set up their booths, obey the market rules of no shopping before the official opening of the Market.
2. Keep track of your children and keep them close, but keep it fun.  Let them explore the booths with you and talk to the Farmer’s but be sure to reel them back in when the Farmers start getting busy.
3. Dog owners be sure to note Market rules pertaining to Dogs… some allow them and some don’t, and scoop that poop!
4. Don’t haggle or dicker prices at the beginning of the Market day.  Let the folks who are  paying the posted market price pay, get in and get out.  Save your chaffering for the end of the day, it’s extremely rude to hold up a line of folks who are trying to pay when you want that extra bunch of Lamb’s Lettuce for half price during peak hours.  Most Farmers are willing to make you some really great deals as the market comes to a close, and some will even throw some freebies at you from time to time.  Wait until about 30 minutes to closing before you start bargain hunting.
5. Have fun, get to know your food and the folks who bring it to your table!

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved

It is with a very heavy heart that I, along with many others,  bid farewell to a magazine that threw open the doors of an exciting culinary world for me to explore. You can read more about the shuttering of Gourmet Magazine here.

It nearly has me to the point of tears, it’s like saying goodbye to a life long friend who had an instrumental hand in the changing of my life and my career path.  For if not for Gourmet Magazine I never would have seen my first shots of food porn or have learned that life is more than Meat, Potatoes & Gravy.  Gourmet Magazine has been in my home since the late 80’s, always there to offer up a recipe to impress friends and family, to inspire me to create something new of my own design or to whisk me off to some exotic destination where photos and explicit descriptions would set my mouth to water and my mind to wander.

My life as a food photographer and food stylist, well I think it was just fate, some luck and a whole lot of passion for food.  I’ve always loved cooking and entertaining, for me there is no greater satisfaction than feeding loved ones and seeing the bliss of something delicious that I prepared swathing over their palettes, or hearing the “yum, ohh mmm” sounds coming from them.  That is the greatest reward for me as a cook.  I put love, attention and my passion for food into everything I cook and I love it when those things are conveyed to the plate successfully.

It was on one occasion that I had a large dinner party at my house where I had served a hazelnut dusted ahi tuna steak wrapped in prosciutto that my friends sat looking at their plates in awe.  I insisted that everyone dig in but my guests insisted that the food was too pretty to eat and said that I needed to take a picture before they ate.  So I dug out my old Polaroid camera and snapped a quick picture.  For dessert we had Gourmet Magazine’s Apple Pie 1993, before serving it up I decided to try my hand at staging a shot in the kitchen before bringing out the slices to be devoured.  I had alot to learn and my curiosity in the world of Food Photography & Food Styling was sparked, or better still… it was ignited.

Over time, off and on, I tried my hand at documenting my own personal culinary journey.  This was in the days long before blogging existed so my documentation ended up in several 3-ring binders and photos in ziploc bags inside the binders, most of what I shot was a quick snap on Polaroid or using my old Canon 35mm film camera.  I didn’t have the luxury of fancy lighting, so I learned to make due with available light.  I learned that props were a key in creating a great mood to an image, because let’s face it who wants to look at a bunch of food photos on the same bunch of hexagon black plates circa 1990?  So the collection of new dishes began.

Can you believe I still don’t have enough props?

And with new dishes… well that meant napkins, silverware, cookware, colorful papers, baskets, towels, cutting boards…  enough stuff to fill a 10’x15′ storage space with prop goodies

Oodles of boards

Years later, my passion for food and photography would lead me down a road that would change who I am forever.  Magazines like Gourmet were there to inspire me, to make me think outside the box and to stop cooking from a box.  To this day I relish every savory, beautiful bite that this world has to offer.  I am a food geek, a food stylist, a food photographer, a lover of the origins of food, a supporter of farmers and artisan food producers.  All of which I would be none the wiser, if not for the enlightenment given by publications like the one whose cover so elegantly and deliciously closes forever.
Goodbye Gourmet, thanks for everything.

It’s been a long, wonderful road and I’ve come a long, long way.  Looking forward to the rest of the journey.

Apple Pie
adapted from Gourmet Magazine 1993 via Epicurious
(Please visit Epicurious for the full instructions & original recipe)

• about 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3/4 cup tablespoon sugar
• 4 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice of half a lemon
  
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• milk for brushing the crust