Spring Fever Salad w/ Mango, Radishes and Sugar Snaps

Spring fever salad season is in full effect. After months of kale Caesars and roasted beet salads, it's finally time to break free. Sugar snaps are in. And not even the first-of-the-season price was gonna scare me off this week. Usually I like them simple -- just blanched and drizzled with a little sesame oil and salt.…

May 24, 20160Comments

Book Reviews

DEVOURED by Sophie Egan | Book Review

    --  Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies -- How What We Eat Defines Who We Are by Sophie Egan Sophie Egan’s Devoured is what most food culture books aspire to be: academic yet totally engaging. It’s sociology, marketing, a little psychology and chock full of interesting data…

May 18, 20160Comments

Events Restaurants Travel

Feast Tofino: Food Fest West Coast Style

If you’re driving to Tofino, British Columbia, the last major leg is the pass connecting Port Alberni with Ucluelet and Tofino. It’s a windy road and in the winter, chains are required. The thing is, that’s until the end of March. But then, April stretches into May and it’s Spring – harvest time on British Columbia’s…

May 17, 20160Comments

Just for Fun Travel

Photos: Issaquah Farmers Market Opening Day

Issaquah Farmers Market kicked off on May 7 with a mix of vendors old and new. It was a gorgeously sunny day which undoubtedly delivered a good turnout. Here's a quick look at Opening Day and what you can look forward to at the market this weekend. Spring has arrived - Washington asparagus at Issaquah Farmers…

May 13, 20160Comments

Events Just for Fun

Issaquah Farmers Market Returns May 7

What a week. May the Fourth, Cinco de Mayo and maybe most importantly – the return of Farmers Market season in the Pacific Northwest. {Cue the fanfare!} After a weirdly warm winter, the Issaquah and Redmond Saturday markets return on Saturday, May 7. While the first weeks of the season are usually all about asparagus, radishes, rhubarb,…

May 4, 20160Comments

Restaurants Wine

Cafe Juanita’s La Spinetta Dinner Celebrates the Wines of Piemonte

It's always a pleasure to eat at Cafe Juanita. Although Chef Holly Smith and team continue to be recognized nationally for outstanding food and service, it still feels like a not-so-secret secret that's just for us Eastsiders. Instead of having to cross the bridge to go into Seattle, we can bring in out-of-town friends and know…

April 29, 20160Comments

Cooking Just for Fun

What’s New at Trader Joe’s – April 2016

Here's a quick look at some of the new items at Trader Joe's this month, spotted at stores in Washington state. The new offerings run the gamut from soups to condiments to dessert. TJ's also has a new Moroccon Mint Tea (not pictured - 64 oz. plastic bottle) which is surprisingly good, not too sweet,…

April 26, 20160Comments

Dessert Recipes

Tillamook + Stumptown > Hazelnut Cold Brew Ice Cream Soda

Tillamook recently released a new line of “super premium” ice cream, frozen custard and gelato with flavors including Salted Caramel Toffee, California Pistachio, TCHO Double Dark Chocolate, Marionberry Cheesecake, and Stumptown Cold Brew Coffee. And with their recent shift to putting “real food” first, the ingredient lists are remarkably straight forward. I'm slowly but surely making my way…

April 14, 20160Comments

Main Course Recipes

BAM! Balsamic Beet Slaw, Arugula & Mozz Sandwich

I had to wait until the last buttery, crunchy crumbs of National Grilled Cheese Day were licked from plates across America before posting this balsamic beet slaw sandwich. Although there is cheese here, for the most part, this sandwich is clean eating and probably just what you need after yesterday's fromage fest. It's also the…

April 13, 20160Comments

Cooking Recipes Salads Side Dishes

Pixie Power Salad with Forbidden Rice

Although all eyes are turning toward strawberries and asparagus at the market, you don't want to let Pixie tangerines pass you by. They're the finale to citrus season and while earlier tangerines offered the zing to brighten up a gray winter, Pixies are low-acidity harbingers of spring, and this year they're so sweet and lovely, the best…

April 7, 20160Comments

Michelle

Spring Fever Salad w/ Mango, Radishes and Sugar Snaps

DEVOURED by Sophie Egan | Book Review

Feast Tofino: Food Fest West Coast Style

Photos: Issaquah Farmers Market Opening Day

Issaquah Farmers Market Returns May 7

Cafe Juanita’s La Spinetta Dinner Celebrates the Wines of Piemonte

What’s New at Trader Joe’s – April 2016

Tillamook + Stumptown > Hazelnut Cold Brew Ice Cream Soda

BAM! Balsamic Beet Slaw, Arugula & Mozz Sandwich

Pixie Power Salad with Forbidden Rice

It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller | Review

Now Available: Wicker, the Short Story That Inspired the Film

Review: The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren