Last Days of Summer

Seattle has been mindboggling for me, and I have tried to thoroughly take advantage of the great summer that we've had here. The Pike Place Market has long held a dear place in my heart, and the different merchants and artisans have not failed to disappoint. Selected images of my daily wonder are offered here to tantalize your imaginations. If you haven't yet visited the Market, you really must plan a trip next summer. The variety of food, the talented musicians, and the wonderful people you meet are sure to dazzle. I thought that working in/around Seattle would diminish its fabled glory for me, but it has only increased my fascination and amusement. More to come...

Elaine and Jesse invited us to go to Herron Island with them, and I had my first taste of digging for clams and mussels (pictured above) and swinging on a tire swing! The swing extended out over the receded tide and threatened to throw you to the sea, but I survived! I know, I'm so brave. The mussels were extremely delicious, and we enjoyed a pasta dish suited for kings! Or average Washington transplants who spent the early morning diging up the clams...

Matthew and Brittany were wed on Aug 29th, and Carol and I ventured to the Des Moines Farmer's Market to check out flowers to decorate the chapel. The flowers in Seattle are just stunning. Here's a snapshot of a typical bouquet sold at any market for just $10-15 depending on the vendor. Colorado, sorry to say, cannot rival the bouquets here. The wedding, in case you were curious, was absolutely beautiful. Brittany's bridesmaids were adorned in darkish pink gowns, and Brittany's mermaid-inspired dress was one of the most classy designs I've seen. Matthew dressed his groomsmen in fancy tuxedos, and the wedding was a lovely ceremony at the Seattle University St. Ignatius Chapel. The reception at the Mayflower Hotel, in downtown Seattle, was enjoyable, and the dancing went almost to midnight. I would know, because I nursed blistered feet for days afterwards! But it was so worth it! Congratulations M&B!

We've been enjoying the summer with good friends and spiffy festivals. This giant Salmon graced the Ballard Seafood Fest. Steve and Michele graced us with our presence and patiently accompanied me to the adjacent farmer's market. What fun! I can't wait to see what other festivals have yet to happen and to return to the ones I missed!

Pictured below, I've been assisting with the culinary development of the World Cafe in Puyallup (http://www.worldcafes.net/). This is the cafe side of Day by Day Gourmet, a company based on the idea that convenient food can be mostly prepared at home and meet the nutritional restrictions to have a healthy impact on your life. The affordable dinners are packaged in sets of 12 and can be portioned from 1-6 servings. Go to www.daybydaygourmet.com to get more information about those. The World Cafe provides tasty and non-indulgent breakfasts and lunches, and I've had my fingers in most of the second draft of these recipes.

We're going to be at the Puyallup Fair three times doing cooking demonstrations, featuring the Day by Day Gourmet dinners and providing copies of our World Cafe menu. If you're in the area, please stop by. We'll be there 9/19 @ 6:00, 9/23 @ 3:30, and 9/26 @ 10:30. We can be found at the Pavilian/Home Arts building on the second floor. We'll have food to sample as well!

In my work to continue the development of Day by Day Gourmet dinners, I frequently test the recipes and the cooking instructions on different people. Bill, my father-in-law, is an excellent tester for the work, because he is detailed and doesn't attempt to assume what the instructions meant to say. Here he prepares the Gold Medal Apple BBQ Chicken. Brittany is advising him.

Summer Cooking

I made the following recipes for a family reunion (Grandma's birthday) and the post-wedding breakfast (Congrats to Matthew and Brittany), and I was asked to post them. The recipes are really similar, but I didn't serve them at the same time!

Here you are!

Easy Salsa

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 medium red onion, minced

4 medium tomatoes (roma, beefsteak, any variety), diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon diced jalapeno, seeds removed, minced (or pressed through garlic press)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 juicy lime pressed with Pampered Chef citrus juicer)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped (optional)

1 14-0z can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup white sweet corn kernels (frozen or fresh)

pinch of salt and pepper, if desired (I don't use them)

1) Be sure to mince the onion and garlic really small or use a food processor to chop finely.

2) Stir together the ingredients in a medium-size bowl with a lid.

3) Allow to rest over night for the best mixing of flavors.

Serve with chips or eggs for a smashing and lower-calorie (skipping the avocado) snack!

Southwestern Quinoa

1 cup well-rinsed quinoa*

2 cups chicken stock (or water with a sprinkle of salt)

1/4 medium red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 14.5-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 14.5-oz can stewed chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon (or more to taste) ground cumin

1 tablespoon lime juice

1-2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper, or to taste

*Most quinoa needs to be rinsed in a fine sieve or colander before cooking. Measure out the quinoa, pour into the sieve and rinse under running water for at least a minute. Place your hand under the colander to feel the water flowing off the quinoa. Once it feels "normal" and no longer soapy or soft, the quinoa is rinsed enough. Forgetting to rinse the quinoa results in a bitter, miserable flavor.

1) Bring the water or chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is softened. Remove from heat, uncover, and allow to cool (stir on occasion to separate the grains).

2) Mix in the remaining ingredients, adjusting for the desired spicy levels.

3) Refrigerate in a wide bowl, uncovered for 1 hour, or until the quinoa is cold. Transfer to a storage container, cover and enjoy!

Pesto - Enjoying Nature's Bounty Creatively

What a great time of year the summer is! Farmer's markets allow the consumer – that's you and me – to meet the farmers and ranchers who work so hard to raise delicious, healthy food for us. The Pike Place Market is a central location for producers and buyers to sell and find amazing products from all over the state. Artists, Farmers, Businesspeople, and Performers gather each day to share in the abundance of our region, and you will have the pleasure of finding plenty of tasty and novel fruits and vegetables to bring home. If you're like me, you might like to explore a new food but might be unsure of how to prepare the item. Well, don't let that prevent you from purchasing the item. It's easy to find ways to use those ingredients. The best way to get to know a new food is to ask the farmer who is selling it. How does he or she prepare it at home? What are some tricks the farmer has learned? Another way is to check a website for recipes using those ingredients, such as http://www.allrecipes.com/ or other community-based recipe sharing websites. But, to save you some time, here is a sure-fire way to use ingredients.

Pesto Sauce can help you use basil, tomatoes, cheese, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, corn, and homemade pasta. The only foods that would taste odd with pesto sauce would be fruit like peaches. Adjust the ratios of the ingredients to emphasize a flavor, as you desire. Spinach can be used in place of some of the basil, and walnuts can be used to replace the pine nuts, if desired. The oil amount is optional, because it's meant to make the sauce spreadable. Chicken stock can be substituted for half of the oil to control the fat content, but omit the salt if you use it.

Simple Pesto (based on recipe from Pampered Chef)

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/8 tsp sea salt, optional

1. 
   

   Place the garlic and pine nuts in the bottom of the food processor. Loosely tear half of the basil and add to the garlic and pine nuts.

   
   
2. 
   

   Pulse the food processor until the garlic has been minced. Add the remaining basil, loosely torn, and the Parmesan cheese. Pulse until all ingredients are chopped.

   
   
3. 
   

   Using the small feed tube in the top of the food processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, pulsing while you blend. Pour in just enough oil to make a paste. The pesto sauce should be thick but definitely spreadable. Taste it for flavor and adjust ingredient ratios, if needed. It should taste bright, zippy, and fresh. Add a dash of salt, if you desire.

   
   
4. 
   

   If you're not using all of the pesto sauce right away, it can be stored in a tightly-sealed container for 3 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, you can divide it up into small zipper bags and freeze it.

Jack's Fish Spot

Sorry, readers, that it has been so long since I've published! Things have moved along quickly, and it's been great! I'm working with World Cafe (http://www.worldcafes.net/) in Puyallup and Lynnwood to help with the menu development (products and designs) and with Day by Day Gourmet, World Cafe's parent company, (http://www.daybydaygourmet.com/) with their Home Valet meals! It's been so much fun! I've also started writing articles for the Pike Place Market News, a merchant association-run newspaper at the Pike Place Market (http://www.pikeplacemarketnews.com/).

I'm planning on taking Biochemistry at North Seattle Community College this fall, and then I'll be applying to different graduate degree options for next fall! Exciting stuff!

Joshua is looking for jobs, too, and he's been looking into potential openings at REI. Wouldn't that be cool?! I hope he gets good discounts!

Now...onto the writing...

Bounty of the Sea Breathes Life into the Market

Tourists and travelers flock to Seattle every year by the thousands to see one major event: fish flying over head into the waiting arms of a plastic-coated apron-wearing fishmonger. Impressed nods and flashes of cameras follow the spectacle, and locals know that quick passage through the winding path of the Market is nearly impossible. Fishmongers, an archaic name for those who sell fish, are an integral part of the modern development and popularity of the Market. Tourism thrives in the Pike Market, and the fish marketing extravaganza is definitely worth stopping by. This popular fish market is one of several others, including local-favorite Jack's Fish Spot, to which many regulars flock to collect their fish and seafood. Across Pike Place Street sits this final fish market to join the Public Market, and Jack's Fish Spot has occupied the location for over twenty years. Flanked by produce stands and merchants, this fish market is impossible to miss, and getting to know these fishmongers will give you a view on what a community the Pike Market is.

Jack Mathers, the founder of his namesake's Fish Spot, opened this shop out of necessity. A rock musician at heart, and an entrepreneur in practice, Jack has expanded his spot to include a fresh Seafood Bar, live shellfish tanks, and a variety that puts any grocery store's fish stand to shame. You can also pick up his latest CD. Jack brings his experiences of working on fish boats and fish processing plants to his market, and you are as likely to see him expertly preparing your order as you are to see any of the other employees. Locals followed him here from his original location in Madison Park, and one family I spoke with has eaten at the Seafood Bar for nearly as long as Jack has been in business. The tasty cioppino rivals any fine Italian restaurant, and the rich clam chowder challenges any of the better-known restaurants' offerings. Crispy fried “hali-booty,” salmon, and shellfish are served on a bed of freshly sliced potato fries, steaming hot from the fryer. No, it's not a diet food, but a few laps around the Market should set you right.

The Northwest provides a breathtaking variety of fish and seafood, and Jack's Fish Spot offers a generous selection, including Dungeness Crabs, clams, Sockeye and King salmon, Quilcene oysters, and so much more. One amateur chef commented that he buys all of his fish at Jack's because, in addition to being the freshest, the prices are the most reasonable here. Joe Phillips, the manager in Jack's absence, explained that much of the fish comes from local and west coast vendors, and they receive orders several times per week. The fish you find buried in their ice displays and floating in the tanks are as fresh as you can get them, without fishing them yourself.

A good sense of humor, firm determination, and a willingness to get messy are essential qualities of the team mates at Jack's. No task is exclusive to a position, and each team mate is equal to the other. Joe has worked for Jack seasonally in the past while in college and now full-time, and he can be seen interacting with customers, preparing and serving food, setting up displays, and measuring/weighing orders. The Fish Spot and the Seafood Bar share a bar counter-top, and the employees know both sides of the business well. Whenever needed, they can be found zipping back and forth between fresh seafood and seafood meal preparation.

As I observed the Fish Spot team, I was reminded of how closely related to the Market these fishmongers are. Jerry Antush and Jeff Schmidt have worked for Jack off and on for years, and their dedication is reflected in the regularity of the customers who can be seen warming the metal stools that surround the Seafood Bar. To that end, several of Jerry's extended family members and close friends own or have worked in other shops around the Market. Regulars walked by and shouted greetings to the employees from whom they purchase goods, and a clear community has developed.

The Pike Place Market is a must-see for all visitors to Seattle, and the historical and popular role that each fish market has played in the continued strength of the Market is evident. Special summer events and tours help to keep the bustling activity, and local customer loyalty enables the market vendors and purveyors in business during the rainy winter days. Stop by Jack's Fish Spot, sample the zippy cioppino, and go home with handselected, alder smoked salmon. You'll definitely be back for more.

Coconut Granola

This recipe is inspired by Wireworks Coffee House, Pueblo, CO. They're located on the Riverwalk. I liked going there for meetings and get their fruit and granola parfait for breakfast. Everything on the menu is absolutely delicious. And in Wireworks' style, eat this granola with a generous spoon of plain yogurt and fresh berries. If you're eating a strictly gluten-free diet, make sure you select "certified gluten free oats." Bob's Red Mill has a version, but there are several brands to choose from.

4 cups whole oats, old fashioned rolled

1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed

2 cups almonds, whole, raw (untoasted)

2 cups coconut flakes, sweetened

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup honey*

1 cup raisins, optional

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

1) Gather together your ingredients and have them pre-measured. Set out your tools, as well. You'll want to use a spatula, spoons, bowls, and sheet pans. This way, when the granola is ready to assemble, you won't be wasting time hunting for ingredients or tools, Use parchment paper to line the pans, and clean up will be a snap!

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Arrange the racks so that two pans can be placed in the oven at a time. Make sure you have your recipe available, too!

2) *For measuring the honey, first spray the measuring cup with a little bit of cooking spray -- I use an oil spritzer. Then pour in your honey. It will pour back out of the pitcher very easily!

Measure the honey into the butter, and then microwave it on a low-power setting for 3-5 minutes, until the butter is melted. Stir in the vanilla. These are your wet ingredients.

3) Combine the oats, brown sugar, almonds, coconut flakes, and cinnamon into a large bowl.

4) Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Stir thoroughly, making sure that everything is well-coated, that brown sugar clumps are broken up, and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

5) Spread the granola onto the sheet pans. Spread the layer of granola as thin and even as possible. Place in the oven, one pan on each rack. Bake for 20 minutes.        

6) Remove the pan from the oven. Stir the granola thoroughly, being sure to draw in the more-baked edges into the center and spreading the less-baked portions outwards. Return to the oven and bake for 20 more minutes. Be sure to put the pan that had been on the top shelf on the bottom shelf, rotating the pan as well, so that the baking is even. Repeat for the remaining pan. The skilled hands in the picture below belong to my husband. I'm holding the camera, obviously.

7) As the baking goes along, the granola will darken slowly, turning a caramel brown. When you're stirring the granola, notice the color. Once it is evenly caramel colored, remove the granola from the oven. Depending on the heat of your oven it make take an additional cycle of baking, but be sure to remove the granola and stir it regularly to prevent burning. To be safe, reduce the baking time to 10 minutes and watch it carefully. The granola will become crispy as it cools, so don't wait for that. You'll bake for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Below, you'll see the distinctive color differences, photographed at the same spot, after 2 cycles of baking. I was also using my mother-in-law's oven, which is a gas Jenn-Air. The coconut will brown, so be careful that it doesn't burn.

8) Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool. Stir after approximately 10 minutes to ensure that the granola doesn't stick to the pan in a long sheet. It is very difficult to pack into the container this way. Sprinkle with raisins, if desired, while the granola is hot.

9) Once the granola has cooled completely, it can be placed into an air-tight container and enjoyed at any time!