Washington’s Cranberry Coast

Prized for their ultra-tart flavor and ultra-healthy qualities, cranberries are a little-appreciated Northwest crop that

Lamb Butchery

Nervous? No. Breakdown? Yes.

Living on the Lamb

Get to know a few of the the Pacific Northwest area’s lamb suppliers, and even meet some at the lamb fests taking place around the region this fall—and for the truly hardcore foodie, get schooled about lamb butchery.

Bowled over by Ramen

A ramen revolution took place this past year.

Pairing Food with Viognier

Viognier balances fleshy seductiveness, an undercurrent of acidity, and complex minerality. In some styles, it is the perfect food wine; in others, it comes across so big and full-bodied that it is almost a meal in itself. 

RAD Radishes

Pacific Northwest chef Vitaly Paley, of Paley’s Place in Portland, Oregon, went toque-to-toque against “Iron Chef” Jose Garces during a recent episode of the television show Iron Chef America. The secret ingredient—radishes. The outcome wasn’t even close.

Shopping with a Chef

  Ericka Burke of Seattle’s Volunteer Park Cafe It’s your local farmers market. The corner convenience store. The coffee shop where you don’t need to place an order anymore because the barista knows exactly what you want every morning. The neighborhood restaurant that you can count on for a comforting meal with a wallet-friendly bill on those nights when

Praising Shellfish

by Ethan Stowell— I might be biased, since I’m from Seattle. I’ll admit to that.  But I dare you to argue that Washington State isn’t a damn good place to eat. The diners, the chefs, the farmers—we’re all in it together, enjoying the amazing foods from our backyards: a stellar array of wild mushrooms, juicy pears, crisp, flavorful apples, berries, lentils and grains. But in my book, if there is a single food that defines Washington and sets us apart, it’s not apples. (Sorry Eastern Washington, I said I was biased.) No, seafood is our crowning glory, and our premier crop is shellfish. I think all kids in this state should be able to shuck…

The Virtues of Verjus

Many are the reasons to celebrate verjus. A few local wineries are making it from grapes that would otherwise be wasted. It’s a versatile ingredient, used in sweet and savory dishes—in drinks, too. ut say “Vair-zhoo!” to a grocery store clerk and you’re apt to get a “Gesündheit” in response. That’s because verjus isn’t the pantry staple it once used to be. Verjus literally means “green juice.” Translated from the French, the word is a combination of jus, meaning juice (in this case from grapes), and verte, meaning green—not in color, but in the sense of “unripe.” Flavor Booster Back in the days before the widespread availability of citrus fruits and countless varieties of vinegars,…

Boss Hog

“Every one of my cooks knows how to break down a pig,” says Robert Belcham