What comes to mind first when you think of food that represents the Pacific Northwest? It’s no contest for me. I think of salmon.
Salmon is part of my personal history. When I lived in Alaska in my younger years, I spent time working on a salmon fishing tender, and then a gillnetter. For fun I sometimes helped spot salmon from a small plane. For a long time I worked in the office of a large seafood processor. Later I brokered sales of commercial salmon fishing permits and boats, and even large processing ships. These remarkable fish have been a big focus in my life, and I find them fascinating. Continue Reading
Our first delivery from Acme Farms + Kitchen (AF+K) arrived last week, and included an unexpected surprise! I had anticipated the beautiful, high quality organic food. I know some of the farms where the food was grown and they consistently produce nothing less than excellence. The big surprise was the packaging. AF+K has taken “reduce, reuse, recycle” to new heights. 
Moods at the last Bellingham Farmers Market this year ran the gamut from holiday frivolity to sadness that the season was coming to a close. Farmers were having relaxed and jovial conversations about their winter plans (mostly involving things like chopping firewood or working on projects they hadn’t had time to tackle during the busy summer season). A couple of young women vendors at one booth were talking excitedly about a spa day someone was giving them. Some were glad they were going to be able to stay warm and dry at home for the next few Saturdays. 
My visit to the Bellingham Farmers Market last Saturday was the first since the Market was rearranged into its winter configuration. It was like exploring a new Market, except for the delight of finding familiar faces in unfamiliar places. There were a few vendors set up along the sidewalk, and a small handful of the “fast food” vendors on the other side, but most remaining vendors had moved in under the main shelter across from Boundary Bay Brewery. It was nice to see everyone looking relaxed and happy as the busy season begins to wind down on their farms.
When I mentioned to a friend on the phone the other day that I was making beef stock, there was silence on the line for a moment. Finally she responded, “Why? Doesn’t that take a long time?”
This omelet recipe is a perfect example of incredible local flavors. Cascadia Farms shiitake mushrooms are the highlight–they make nonlocal shiitakes seem like tasteless paste. I’m certain you’ll savor this dish.
Potatoes are one of my favorite foods to substitute for commercially prepared convenience versions, especially for health reasons. For example, commercially frozen french fries typically contain all kinds of unhealthy trans-fats and preservatives. By spending just a little time in the fall, I can have delicious–and healthy–frozen french fries throughout the winter. When I take them from the freezer to fix for dinner, I cook them exactly the same way as the commercial variety. In other words, it’s just as convenient. 
When I think of classic comfort food, I think of meatloaf. When I was a child, meatloaf was my favorite main dish. Top with a little Worcestershire sauce and ketchup, serve mashed potatoes and green beans on the side, and I was a happy kid.
A couple of months ago when I was harvesting the last produce from my home garden, I brought in a cabbage which weighed ten pounds after I had removed the outer leaves and cleaned it up. Since this was about the third head of cabbage that size I’d had to deal with, not to mention a half dozen heads of more normal size, I decided it was time to learn to make sauerkraut. That way I could spread out eating the cabbage over several months. As it turned out, making sauerkraut is pretty simple. 
Recently Lynn and Marvin Fast of 
Usually I only write about ingredients which are readily available from The Community Food Co-op, Terra Organica, or the Farmers Market. This week is an exception. It all started with a food puzzle. 