For the past several months, we’ve been hard at work…hatching a plan. Over a series of dinners…and several bottles of wine, the idea began to take shape:
- What if…that sweet spot on the corner—the one with soaring ceilings and a drop dead water view became available?
- What if…that amazing bartender made a move, and worked at our place? You know…the one who serves up cocktails with a side of neighborly welcome and “Have you met Tyler? He’s a diehard Sounder’s fan too.”
- What if…we featured a small plates menu —perfect for sharing? (Like a “build your own tasting menu!”) Sure the chef’s worked at upscale joints from S.F. to Chicago (hello…Charlie Trotters!) Now, take the upscale craft, parlay that into comfort food…and don’t break the bank.
- What if…we found an amazing manager who could assemble the dream team—servers, food runners, bar staff, and bring the vision together?
The dream was first hashed out on a cocktail napkin, and next week, Ventana Restaurant will open their doors. Power tools on the bar will be replaced with frosty cocktails. Piercing sounds of saws and sanding equipment will be replaced by laughter and clinking glasses. At last, a million decisions—from lighting to chairs to plates will be laid to rest.I can’t wait to belly up to the bar with a cool one, and wrap my hands around Chef's bacon-cured pork belly BLT.
I love a good party…and in New York, you’d sell your soul for a seat at Sunday Supper. For years, those ‘in the know’ hopped the N train to Astoria, to feast at Zora O’Neil and Tamara Reynolds’ table.
Trekking to New York for dinner a bit of a stretch?
Me too.
Rest assured, if a book could read like a great laugh-out-loud party, “Forking Fantastic” is it! Pour yourself a tall glass and settle in for a good time.
My first dinner party inclinations…I had visions of Martha Stewart--polished silver, a sea of sparkling wine glasses, and double check my notes: what was the perfect height for flower arrangements? Emphasis on the “perfect” accoutrements, left me far too intimidated. I was a closet party planner, dying to give it a whirl. For years, I’ve needed a book exactly like “Forking Fantastic!”: a how-to guide that liberated us from my mamma’s generation & their stuffy rules for entertaining. News flash: Camelot is dead. And so is Jackie O.
Sassy and irreverent “Forking Fantastic” is the wanna-be-entertainer’s reality check. No, your plates don’t have to match. Stemware? How ‘bout a Mason jar. (If it holds liquid, it’s good enough for a beverage.) To ease the budget, implement a bring-your-own-wine policy: “Feel free to bring two bottles. We do.”
When I finally took the plunge and started entertaining regularly, I struggled with issues like, “Is it cheesy to ask your friends to kick in money for dinner?” Zora & Tamara’s take on it: “Donations… kept us from resenting all our hungry friends when it came time to write the rent check.”
Honestly? I’ve got unabashed big love for this book. Designed with a set of menus that begin easy and grows progressively more challenging (complete with directions on roasting a whole lamb AND a DYI set of instructions for constructing the grill), this book also offers invaluable planning insights: You need a Ta-Da! dish, not a whole dinner. Showstopper dishes are like needy children--they take the bulk of your effort and/or cash, so balance the meal with dishes that take less work and stretch the budget.
“Throwing a dinner party is not an exercise in creating a tabletop wonderland, nor is it about imitating the formality and frills of a restaurant... The best ‘tablescape’ has food in it and your friends seated around the edges.”
Other gems of advice:
Butter up your purveyors. “Ethics, fairness and customer service bullshit aside, there is always secret ‘good stuff’ either in the back or right under your nose that the vendor knows about but you don’t. And they love, love, love to share that with their favorite customers.”
Double or triple a recipe? Watch your timing. Even simple things like washing salad greens can take longer than expected, and throw your schedule out of whack. Handmade pasta for 20? Plan for ingredients AND labor.
The Hour of Self Loathing: “The doorbell is ringing, your hands are covered in chicken grease and the only thing you’ve made is the salad dressing.” Kick everyone out of the kitchen, crank the music, “buckle down and work through the blind panic, resisting the urge to curl up in a fetal ball on the kitchen floor.”
Scooby Snacks: Keep the impatient hoards out of your kitchen with a “little snacky treat,” ready when guests arrive: a couple good cheeses, fresh figs, spicy nuts or radishes with butter and salt.
Your Kitchen, Your Choice: “In the age of low-carb and gluten-sensitivities…what’s a fledgling hostess to do? Don’t ask. Your guests won’t die or have a horrible time if they don’t get to eat one of the dishes.”
Recipes? With gems like “Duck Fat Grilled Peaches” how can you go wrong?
On the south side of Seattle in a cavernous brewery-turned-loft-space, acclaimed photographer Lou Manna led a full day workshop on food photography. As we studied a series of images from Lou’s body of work, I worked feverishly, scrawling notes in the studio’s dim half-light. Less than an hour into his talk, I caved and purchased his book, “Digital Food Photography.”
Food photography is an enormous subject and you could easily spend a lifetime developing your craft. While most bloggers will never have a dedicated studio or six lights strategically aimed at tonight’s dinner, Lou touched on a number of points I’ll be incorporating:
Know Your Equipment
- Study your camera’s manual. Whaddaya know? Understanding your camera’s features and how to use them properly, improves your photography. Lou takes his camera manual with him on trains, planes, and even to the potty. (Before this workshop, mine had never been out of the box!)
Control the Light
-Backlight or sidelight gives more dimension to your subject.
- Never, ever use direct flash.
- Slightly off-center composition is better. Remember the Rule of Thirds.
- Natural light is great but sun & shade turns photos flat. Outside, Lou shoots with a strobe 90% of the time and diffusion panels to soften the light.
- Do your photos have a blue cast to them? That’s from shooting natural light in the shade. Be aware of the blue cast. “Is the food blue?” No! Fix the white balance on your camera.
- Lamps cast a yellow tone to your photos.
- Custom white balance is best.Don’t know what that is? Read your manual.
- Light and the ability to control it is what makes a great shot.
Lou's Tips for Shooting Food
- Aim for a circular composition.
- Use a lightbox and a reflector.
- Use a small compact mirror or a reflector to bounce light and add detail back into the food. (Lou uses a portable mirror kit, made up of a variety of makeup mirrors. Especially helpful are mirrors with stands attached.)
- When using mirrors, know that they make a hard, controlled spot of light. (Example: To highlight the top of an appetizer, etc.)
- Use different sizes and shapes of food elements.
- Avoid having things line up perfectly (Think: Tangle of green beans vs. a stack of green beans. You want the tangle.)
Scott Bourne is a legend in the photography world. Even better? He's passionate about sharing his craft.
Scott is the founder of PhotoFocus.com. Not only is the site jam-packed with tips, technique and reviews, its companion podcast series is among the best I've found. Scott's the author of four books on photography and he's led workshops and seminars from the Palm Beach Photographic Center to The Professional Photographers of America.
I caught up with Scott between trips to the Maui Photo Festival & other points here and there. I went out on a limb and asked, "Would you be interested in doing a presentation based on your work?"
He not only agreed, but offered his latest presentation, which has been generating some serious buzz!
I've got a limited number of seats available. If you want to jump in on the fun....
RSVP: SeattleTallPoppy [AT] Gmail [DOT] com
Details:
Previsualization with Scott Bourne
A strong idea of your end result — and a great deal of patience — can make for powerfully successful images. Scott discusses the basics of pre-viz, gives you some essential tools for your own previz and talks about how pre-visualization helped him nab his most successful image of his career.
October 7th
6 - 7:30 PM
Douglass-Truth Library 2300 E. Yesler Way, Seattle
When I began writing this blog, all roads pointed to Dianne Jacob, author of "Will Write for Food".
I sought sage advice from a long-time mentor. Snatched from her bedside was a worn copy of "Will Write for Food." Dog eared, with a spine long-since cracked, she said pointed a finger to the tattered cover and said, "Study this book." She locked eyes with me and spoke deliberately, "Don't just read it, I want you to study this book. You understand the difference, right?"
"Swallow that book whole," was the advice of another author.
Today, my own tattered copy has copious notes along the margins, blue ink underscores the better part of the book, and furled Post-its mark my favorite passages.
I had an opportunity to talk with Dianne and frankly, I got schooled. Dianne is a seasoned pro who is both insightful and generous with her knowledge. Our conversation ranges the gamut--from the current state of magazine content to finding your voice. The most important lesson I learned from Dianne? Show. Don't tell. And if you're heading to BlogHer in San Francisco, you're in for a treat! Don't miss Dianne's panel discussion on "The Meaning of Identity and the Value of Voice in a Crowded Foodblogging World."
Traca: A number of food blogs have spurned books in recent years. Food blogging and memoir share similar traits, yes?
Dianne: They do because food blogging is first person and memoir is first person. They’re definitely linked, but that doesn’t mean that they’re the same. You can’t just take 25 posts from your blog and therefore it becomes a memoir. That doesn’t work.
Memoir is considered literary narrative and it has to read like a novel. So it needs a cast of characters, dialog, action, and it has a story arc, which is what novels and good literary non-fiction have. That’s why collecting your posts doesn’t translate into a well-crafted story.
Traca: What are your thoughts on books that have been largely based on extrapolated content from a blog?
Dianne: They’ve been massaged. They have to be worked into a story that has a beginning, middle and end. Julie & Julia was perfect for memoir because memoir typically is about a certain time—not about your whole life and everything you ever did. It’s about picking one thing and focusing on it. The focus was to cook her way through Mastering The Art of French Cooking over one year. It wasn’t just, “I hate my job. Tonight I’ll make doughnuts.” There was a plan. It fits very nicely into memoir because it happened over a specific period of time. When you decide to write memoir, you also need to know what happens at the end. She knew she was going to finish cooking her way through the book, even if there were some crises along the way.
A memoir is not about everything that happened. The story idea has to be pretty tight. Usually memoir has universal themes that everyone can relate to, like being bored in your job, going on a new adventure, or falling in love. People can identify and say, “Yeah, I’ve been through that. That happened to me!”
It’s told as a story, which is different than writing a post. Posts are short, and they’re not usually serial. They’re serial in terms of chronology but they don’t necessarily build on each other or have the same theme.
With posts you have the freedom to jump around, but with a book, that doesn’t work. The book loses focus. As an example, I talked with someone the other day who said she wanted to have a blog about cooking for her kid. I went to her blog and found a movie review, a cookbook review, and content that had nothing to do with her (stated) subject. She said, “It’s all about food.” Yes, but it’s not focused.
When you write about anything to do with food, then you can’t really describe what your blog is about.
Traca: That’s a great point. I was talking with another blogger whose work feels more like a magazine because it covers a range of topics. But she’s having difficulty finding advertisers because it doesn’t fulfill a specific niche.
Dianne: Right. A blog about everything doesn’t have a subject. If you say “food” it’s just too broad.
Traca: There’s a recent wave of journalists starting blogs. That’s an interesting role-reversal. What are your thoughts on that?
Dianne: Journalists who have jobs on newspapers have been asked to start blogs, and freelance journalists have started them as well, as a way to keep up.
The thing for journalists is that they’re not used to writing in first person or expressing their opinion, unless they’re reviewers. Aside from the technical challenges, it’s a pretty big shift.
I know when I started writing first person essays, I found it intrusive. I was used to reporting on someone else’s story, like a chef profile or an interview. I was not a part of the story and what I thought was not relevant. So to go from that, to writing about, say, what my mother made when I was growing up, it felt like I was exposing myself. Of course, as we have learned in blogs, there’s no subject too private these days. Maybe a little privacy would be called for.
Traca: There are so many elements to blogging: keeping it short and focused, and adding the photography element to it. The number of skills necessary to have a worthwhile blog is astounding.
Dianne: The first blogs were text-heavy journals and photography wasn’t something you were expected to know how to do. The disciplines were more separated. You were either a writer or a photographer.
When I was in journalism school, however, the goal was to work for a small newspaper, where you were expected to take photos as well as report. I had to buy a Nikon 35 ml camera and shoot and develop my own black & white photos. When I got to my first job, I had to take photos good enough to be published. That was a little scary. I got a front page photo and I was so excited. It only happened once!
Traca: I’m intrigued by interviewing different purveyors, chefs and writers. From my perspective, it’s been really difficult to try to shoot photos, conduct an interview, and hopefully take some notes. I feel like I’m running a three-ring circus!
Dianne: Yes, it can seem that way. I don’t take photos while I’m interviewing. Usually I do it afterwards, once they’ve met me and are more amenable. People just naturally want to pose. So instead of saying, “I don’t want a posed shot,” you take pictures of them posing and after a while, they get bored with that. Then they’ll do something more interesting. You take pictures of that…and that’s what you use.
Traca: What advice would you give to bloggers who are aspiring to be professional writers? Can you talk about the reality of being a professional writer?
Dianne: A writer is an artist, and once you think that, the phrase that most frequently comes up is “starving artist.” It’s not the kind of field where you can make much money, like in business, tech or marking writing. It’s pretty difficult to make a living as a free-lance food writer, I know some people who do it, but they work very, very hard. And they don’t live in New York because it’s too expensive.
It’s pretty tough out there right now because ads are down in magazines—and that’s what determines the size of the book (number of pages.) I used to be a magazine editor. I never knew how may pages of editorial I would have to fill until after the ad deadline closed. These days, with ad sales down, there’s less room for long stories.
I was just at theGreenbrier and the food editor for Cooking Light was there. She showed us a long narrative that they published a year ago. And she said they probably wouldn’t publish a story like that now. Instead, they’d publish a shorter feature, cut into more pieces.
If you’re going to pitch stories, you need to pitch things that are more broken up.
Traca: What do you mean by writing stories that are “broken up”?
Dianne: Articles that have sidebars, text boxes, lists, charts, graphs or photo essays. Stop thinking about a piece that’s just one long story. You have to visualize the article from a design standpoint, as a bunch of pieces.
Someone who’s doing that really well is Martha Holmberg, the editor of Mix magazine and the Food Section for the Oregonian newspaper. People have short attention spans, big time! She said, “I think there’s two different forces: 1. There isn’t the space to write a long story anymore, and 2. People are distracted.” That’s the feedback that Cooking Light got back from their research too. Readers want information in little bits.
Traca: Would that mean the writer would provide a piece with 700 – 1000 words, plus sidebar content?
Dianne: No, 1,000 words is too long now. Think about building a piece where all the same information is there, but cut it up.
Traca: With the trend towards shorter pieces, that would also have a financial impact, right? Shorter pieces mean less money?
Dianne: That’s right!
An example that crossed my desk: I heard about a magazine freelancer who told an editor she would write for the perks—hotel stays, dinners, etc. in exchange for doing a story. She’d rather write the piece for free than not do a story at all. She was pitching that to the editor as a way to save money.
I don’t like people working for free and I don’t advise it. I just don’t understand why people should have to work for nothing. I don’t think it’s respectful to take advantage when you’re an editor. But people do it because they want a byline, especially when they’re breaking in.
The question is: How much can you get paid? Maybe you don’t work for very much the first time, but if you build a relationship with the editor and you figure out what the publication wants—and you give it to them on time, with clean copy, then you can ask for more. I coached someone who was writing a column for a national newsletter for only $25. I made him ask for a raise and he got it.
Traca: In your book, you advise writers to “show” not “tell”. Can you expand on that?
Dianne: If you say, “The chef tasted my apple pie and he loved it.” Tell.
If you say, “When the chef bit into my apple pie, her eyes opened wide and she mimed falling over in a swoon.” That means that she loved it but now you’ve given the reader a visual picture of what’s going on. Now the reader can imagine something.
In the first example, there’s nothing for the reader to imagine. They don’t know what that means. You see the difference?
One reason why I’ve always loved to read, is because I love the idea that there’s a movie going on in my head the whole time. I can’t generate the movie if I don’t have any images.
Traca: Blogging is so photo-intensive. In some ways, I think I’m handicapped by that. Now I’m trying to write a story as if the image wasn’t there, then supporting the story with an image.
Dianne: That’s a good exercise. The image should bring information that’s not available in the text. If it’s redundant, there’s not a whole lot of point to including it. These days, it seems like a lot of food blogs put the focus on the photography and then include one sentence about the event. That style makes the reader do a lot of work, because they don’t have enough context about the event.
Traca: Showing as opposed to telling is very personal—making observations, inferring on their behalf what’s happening. At some point it crosses my mind, “Would they be upset by that observation?” I’m struggling with the fact that this is my experience and it’s my take on it.
Dianne: That’s what reporting is all about. Reporting is about observing and being able to capture that for the reader. That’s what’s different about writing in first person, where it’s only about you and your experience. Somewhere in there is the balance that every blogger has to find, because you are not only reporting but recording your responses and opinions.
I don’t think it’s very interesting to only write about yourself. After a while the reader is going to say, “Well, how exciting for you!” They’re not drawn into the story. You have to use all these literary devices like “show not tell,” similes and metaphor to draw people into the story. Your ability to observe is another, to let readers imagine the scene. Give the reader an opportunity to be a part of the story.
Traca: Drawing the reader into the story…that’s a huge challenge, yes?
Dianne: As soon as you want someone to read your work, you’ve got to give them a reason to do so. Sometimes it’s a simple as acknowledging the other person exists. Otherwise you might as well be writing in your diary.
It can’t just be, “Here’s what I did today.” I think that’s why people hesitate—rightfully so—about starting a blog. When they ask themselves, “Why should anyone care about what I have to say?” That’s a good question! Your job is to make them care about what you say.
Traca: Whose writing resonates with you?
Dianne: I truly admire Ruth Reichl. In fact, when I was at the Greenbrier, we were doing a voice exercise with Don Fry. I attended the Greenbrier 10 years ago and I told him that I admired Molly O’Neil and I wanted to write like her. He told me to analyze what she wrote and try to channel her by exaggerating her voice. This time I tried to channel Ruth Reichl. That exercise forced me to look at her technique. She’s very dramatic. Don Fry said she has “a lot of violence” in her writing. There are a lot of pronouncements about life. I tried writing in that way and I was pleasantly surprised.
I also adore New Yorker writer Calvin Trillin. Whenever he goes to a town, Calvin said someone always wants to take him to their favorite restaurant. He calls it a “Ma Casa De La Maison House”. Isn’t that brilliant?
It’s his power of description. There’s a story he wrote about a huge man called, “Fat: The ordeal of Fats Goldberg, a Pizza Baron.” Let me read you this and you can see an example of simile: “When he was visiting our house one day, long after he had forbidden himself to eat cake, we wondered why he kept wandering into the kitchen. Then Alice remembered there was a cake on the kitchen counter. Fats had been prowling back and forth in front of it like a tiger circling a tethered goat.” Similes start with “like a…” It’s not an image you would expect in a story about a cake tempting a man on a diet, but it’s immediately visceral, where he has anthropomorphized the cake, making it into an animal that can’t get away.
Traca: I loved your analysis of that piece.
Dianne: I love to break down a piece to find out why it works…that’s what you need to do. If you like someone’s writing you need to figure out why.
I love Laurie Colwin’s writing also. It’s not pretentious. It’s like she’s your friend. Very homey. But she’s very different from Ruth Reichl. Ruth Reichl is nakedly ambitious in her writing. I don’t mean that in a negative way…I admire that about her.
Traca: Writers whose voice is so clear that it’s not interchangeable…that’s fascinating to me. Crafting your own voice is another challenge that also seems psychological. It begs the question, “Who am I?”
Dianne: That’s why I suggest in the book to have your friends describe your personality to you. That will also be your voice.
Her most recent book is Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas, a cookbook she co-authored with chef Craig Priebe.
Previously a newspaper, magazine, and publishing company editor-in-chief, Dianne has been self-employed since 1996 as a writing coach, author, and freelance editor. She coaches writers across the US, Canada and Europe on writing and publishing books, freelance articles, and blogs.
She teaches classes on food writing and book publishing at Book Passage in Corte Madera, The Writing Salon in San Francisco and Berkeley, and Leite’s Culinaria. She has also taught for the Smithsonian and UCLA’s Journalism Department. See her website for more information.
Good Food Strategies is a Seattle-based company, founded by Kristin Hyde and Jen Lamson. Seasoned in the hallowed halls of Washington, D.C., this duo joined forces to advance "good food" policies, products, and consumer awareness. Aligned with farmers, nonprofits, and businesses, their work ranges from policy initiatives to strategic campaigns, advancing the sustainable food movement.
From wheat farmers in Western Washington State to aquaculture reform, their work...and roster of clients is truly impressive.
What may be even more impressive is this:
This is Jen's business card, and I ask for one every time I see her. From that moment on, I'll walk around the room, card in hand, asking, "Have you seen this??? Let me introduce you to Jen!" Viral buzz? Perhaps. But I think their business cards are brilliant. Neatly wrapped in a translucent sheath, the package includes one Good Food Strategy business card...and tiny scoop of carrot seeds.
This is my attempt to reach out and live the best life I can.
What's yours look like?
The other day I received an e-mail, "I'm so jealous of your life." Truth be told, I was stunned. In many ways, I'm just a girl from Peoria. (Yes, really. It's the home of Caterpillar Tractor Company, I marched in the Pumpkin Day Parade, and thankfully, I never had to detassle corn in the summer).
I left Peoria, lost and confused. But, lucky for me, I've got a Midwestern work ethic. I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I did the next best thing....and got busy. Classes, lectures, events, retreats, tours, campaigns, internships, elections, and interviews....you name it, I did it. Hailing from a part of the country where you have one job and work there your entire life, my scattershot approach did not bode will with the family.
But that rustling in my soul said...press on.
My resume is a patchwork of varied interests that's just beginning to reveal the pattern. International relations, NGO's, politics, finance, analyst, PR, marketing and restaurants? After a few cocktails, my friend Becky will repeat, "You're a real life Forrest Gump!" True, I've dumb-lucked my way into some monumental moments in American history. And I'm still baffled many of my idols...are now my closest friends.
People ask me, "What's the grand plan?"
I have no grand plan.
The truth is, I couldn't make this shit up if I tried!
The other day I came across a sign that read, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken." Testing the waters, going out on a limb, the thing that surprises me the most, is that moment of self discovery. It's like opening a treasure chest and being blinded by the contents inside. Too often, I close the lid fast-as-I-can.
And yet, somehow, I've managed to puzzle together a life I fantasized about, sitting in my bedroom with the lime green carpet, unicorn poster on the wall...charging forward with flaring nostrils, and beside me, a stack of books far too geeky to read on the bus. In many ways, I am still that girl with pink checkerboard Vans...who dreamed about runway shows in Paris and longed to look like Linda Evangelista.
"Be yourself, everyone else is taken."
And so it is.
Sow your idea.
***
Speaking of great ideas...check out these upcoming classes:
Learn to grow seed: Organic Seed Alliance fall events Contact: Organic Seed Alliance, 360-385-7192, jadyne@seedalliance.org
This September and October, farmers and gardeners in the Pacific Northwest can learn to grow seed, steward heirlooms, and create new varieties. Living in one of the best seed growing regions in the world, Pacific Northwest growers can produce a bounty of high quality seed for home use or for sale. Whether you are interested in continuing the 10,000 year old tradition of seed saving for your home garden or in diversifying your farm income by producing seed commercially, you can what you need to know at an Organic Seed Alliance fall event.
The Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) will host three seed events in September and October. OSA is a national leader in organic seed research, education, and advocacy based in Port Townsend, WA. On September 12 and again on September 26, OSA will host a workshop covering basic seed saving and variety improvement concepts for gardeners and farmers. On October 9-10, OSA will host an advanced course covering the fundamentals of organic seed production and variety improvement for farmers. All events will be held at WSU Port Hadlock and are supported by WSU Jefferson County Extension. Please see the Organic Seed Alliance website (http://www.seedalliance.org/), or call 360-385-7192 for more information.
Calendar of Events
September 12 or September 26 ~ Port Hadlock, WA Title: Seed 101 Description: Learn to grow seed, steward heirlooms, and create new varieties at this class for Pacific Northwest gardeners and farmers. Whether you’ve saved seed before or are complete beginner, this is a great chance to learn about seed and connect with other seed savers in our region. We will cover basic seed concepts including timing of planting, ideal population sizes, preventing cross-pollination, selecting for improved varieties, seed maturation and harvest, and seed cleaning techniques. This event is sponsored by the Organic Seed Alliance and WSU Jefferson County Extension. Registration is $50 and includes lunch. You must register at least 7 days in advance to be included in the lunch order. Please call 360-385-7192 or e-mailhttp://us.mc657.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jadyne@seedalliance.org to register or for more information. Date and time: choose either September 12 or September 26. 9:00am–3:00pm Location: Spruce Room, WSU Port Hadlock, 201 W. Patison (on Highway 19)
October 9-10 ~ Port Hadlock, WA Title: Fundamentals of Organic Seed Production and Variety Improvement Description: Learn the fundamental skills to produce seed and develop and adapt seed varieties for your organic farm conditions at this workshop hosted by the Organic Seed Alliance. Organic Plant Breeding Specialist Dr. John Navazio will discuss such topics as: the biology of seed production, choosing appropriate seed crops for your system and climate, maintaining the genetic integrity of varieties with appropriate population sizes and isolation distances, conducting variety trials, simple and effective breeding techniques such as mass selection and progeny selection, and processing and marketing seed.
This event is sponsored by the Organic Seed Alliance and WSU Jefferson County Extension. Registration is $150 and includes lunch on both days. Please call 360-385-7192 or e-mail http://us.mc657.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jadyne@seedalliance.org by September 29 to register and be included in the lunch order.
Dates and times: Oct 9th 8:00am-5:00pm and Oct 10th 9:00am to 4:00pm Location: Spruce Room, WSU Port Hadlock, 201 W. Patison (on Highway 19)
Before I cracked open this book, I could tell....Tessa and I were soul sisters.
But first, I had to reconcile a wee bit of inner turmoil....
American publisher, Andrews McMeel sent me a copy of Falling Cloudberries several months ago. I thumbed through the first few pages, and wave of emotion swept over me. Fast-as-you-can, I closed the book and stuck it in a corner. Cloudberries collected dust, while I waited to make peace with myself.
During my first encounter with this book, my whining inner child overcame my better judgment: I wanted to live in distant lands; I wanted to collect recipes from near & far; I wanted to link memories of time, place and food.
This was the book I wanted to write.
Chapters in Falling Cloudberries are divided like distinct patterns of memory, teamed with a corresponding recipe collection that marks years of living in Finland, Greece, Cyprus, South Africa, Italy. The final chapter...A Suitcase of Recipes reflects a composite collection from Tessa's world travels.
I am hopelessly biased towards books from Australia and Singapore. What migrates to America reflects a style that is quite different than ours--from the clean layout with judicious use of white space to their sumptuous and uncompromising photography. Art director Lisa Greenberg, photography by Manos Chatzikonstantis with food styling and illustrations by Michail Touros left me savoring every page...and begging for more!
At first glace, Falling Cloudberries felt instantly familiar.
It is not my life, but the one I ached for.
Honestly? I never wanted to live in Finland, but I'm happy Tessa did! Gravlox & Dill Cucumbers and Potato Pancakes were the first two recipes I tried...and quickly went into my permanent collection.
And last week, my cookbook club gathered for a potluck based on this book. Choosing recipes was tough, but in the end, we tried:
Oven-Cooked Potatoes with Onions and Cream How could 3 ingredients be so good? This was the last dish to leave the table before desserts and we found ourselves migrating back, snatching bite after bite. Think of this dish for an easy weeknight side or your holiday table. Trust me, you'll be fighting for leftovers!
Stuffed Eggplants Good, but not exactly earth-shattering.
Zucchini Flowers, Filled with Mozzarella and Anchovies, Fried with Sage Leaves I arrived long after these came out of the fryer so I didn't get a chance to taste them as the author intended. However, I love the flavor combination and will be making them soon. If I'm lucky, maybe I won't have to share!
Kolokassi (Cypriot chicken & taro stew) Substitute potatoes for taro and this recipe is exactly like my mom's. I was instantly transported to snowy winter days in the Heartland with a crackling fire and comfort food-a-la-mom.
Kourapiedes This is the Greek version of Mexican Wedding Cookies, minus the nuts. Kourapiedes melt in your mouth...and if you're not careful, leave a dusting of powdered sugar on your chest!
Deep-fried Honey and Cinnamon Syrup Puffs An interesting twist with mashed potatoes and yeast. Dipped in a slurry of warm honey & cinnamon, let me sum it up: fried. dough. happiness. The question is....how soon can I make these?
Overall, the recipes in this book mirror my own collection. Many...like the Green Olives with Coriander Seeds or the pasta dishes are ridiculously easy to pull together. Others, like Bobba's Babka are more time consuming. But on the whole, you'll find a good number of the recipes have few ingredients but are surprisingly flavorful.
Given the number of recipes I was instantly smitten with, luscious photography and intriguing travel tales, Falling Cloudberries is at the top of my list for gift giving.
Over the past few months I've been in meetings with scientists, thought leaders and activists, to discuss the state of our oceans. Overfishing, drag netting, and farmed salmon are resulting in dire consequences.
Will there be edible fish left in 40 years?
That's the billion dollar question.
These days, I'm thinking more about my food and fish is a quagmire of dos and don'ts. Is Albacore from Hawaii okay, or is it British Columbia? Was it squid or octopus stocks that are being decimated?
I've got enough rumbling around in my brain...and thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, they've made conscious eating easier:
Search by type of fish. A handy color-coded grid clearly identifies fish by: Best Choice, Good Alternative, and Avoid.
So next time you're at your favorite sushi bar, ask a few questions. Sure they carry fresh seafood, but where does it come from? (Place of origin is required on shipments.) How is this fish harvested? Is it wild or farmed? Line caught or net?
Earlier this spring, I received an e-mail. "Need chefs for cooking demos, who do you know?" As a devotee of cooking classes and a former guest chef booker, I've got the lowdown on the city's best instructors.
Scrolling through my list of contacts, I fondly recalled each instructor's technique. The majority of my cooking skills? I owe to a long roster of Seattle's finest. (Live demos--unscripted and uncensored, teamed with in-the-flesh Q&A beats Food Network any day.)
As I compiled my list, I was struck by a curious urge. "I'm an accomplished cook and enjoy speaking in public. Why don't I teach cooking classes?"
After a long hesitation, I mustered the courage and added a tiny sentence at the very bottom of the e-mail, "If you'd ever consider me, I'd be happy to teach a class." I held my breath and hit 'send'.
The response? My first class was scheduled on August 20th!
Overwhelmed and filled with trepidation...I consoled myself with the fact that August was peak harvest season....and combed through hundreds of cookbooks for the perfect recipe.
To ease my anxiety, eventually I settled on tried and true recipes...modified versions from two of my favorite chefs, Jerry Traunfeld and Gina DePalma. My demo? A refreshing minted fruit salad with a side of ricotta poundcake (recipes below).
The day of my demo arrived and I walked the market stalls, searching for my fruit du jour.
Gorgeous nectarines, peaches and last-of-the-season Rainier cherries
"Doughnut" peaches and local blueberries
Voluptuous blackberries (Got a bumper crop of blackberries? Try my favorite vodka infusion.)
Kid watching is particularly fun. (I want a pair of those crocks!)
Following my demo, Cookbook Chronicles blogger Lorna Yee prepared dark chocolate cupcakes with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Watch for Lorna's book, The Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together, due out Spring 2010. (via Sasquatch Books)
Lorna's cupcakes were a hit!
Friends came out in droves to throw support. (See the woman in the black shirt? That's Robin Leventhal, Bravo's Top Chef Season 6 contender. Leap of faith, a bucket full of charisma and voila! Last night we attended her preview party. Good times people, good times.....)
This fruit salad is my 'go to' recipe for nearly every occasion. Went overboard at the farmer's market? Fruit salad. Brunch with the ladies? Fruit salad. Picnic fare? Yogurt or ice cream embellishment? You get the idea.... Best part? It's delicious and refreshing. No matter what combination of fruit you use: mellon, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, rasbperries or nectarines, this recipe is a crowd pleaser.
Serves 8
1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup (gently packed) fresh mint leaves, thick center vein removed* 2 tablespoons fresh squeed lime juice 8 cups mixed sliced ripe fruit and berries, such as melon, peaches, nectariens, apricots, plums, pitted sweet cheeries, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries
*Lemon verbena or basil make lovely alternatives
Process the sugar and mint in a food processor to a very smooth green paste, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the lime juice and process briefly. Shortly before serving, toss this dressing with the fruit in a large mixing bowl.
The seal of approval in my house is a moment after the first bite. In my solitude, I have been known to shriek, "Damn! I made that?! " And so it goes with this poundcake. Light and full of flavor, I love it simple and unadorned; topped with a bit of lemon curd and berries; toasted with jam; or, in this case, with a side of minted fruit salad.
Makes one 9-inch cake. Approximately 10 servings
1 ½ cups cake flour 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks/6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 1 ½ cups fresh whole-milk ricotta* 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract Zest from 2 lemons or limes
*Note: Please use a dry ricotta. Locally, I use Precious brand ricotta with excellent results. If your ricotta is not dry, strain it through a cheese cloth for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the center.
Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the extracts & zest.
On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat the batter for 30 seconds on medium speed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a few gentle whacks on the counter to remove any air pockets. Bake the cake for 30 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees to ensure even browning. Continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30-45 minutes more, depending on your oven & ricotta moisture.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert on the rack to cool completely. The flavor is best on the next day. Any leftover cake may be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
What is a Tall Poppy? That's an Aussie expression for "a happy high achiever." I'm not so sure about the achiever part...but I do tend to find myself in some interesting situations. Come along with me!
Want to get in touch? I'd love to hear from you! Contact:
seattletallpoppy AT gmail DOT com
"Traca is one of those natural born connectors with a genius for knowing the most interesting people and a hunger to introduce them to each other." - Michaele Weissman, author of God in a Cup
"Food guru" - Edible Seattle
"Seattle's matchmaker of food lovers." - Rebekah Denn, Seattle P.I.
"A food voice to follow on Twitter." - Seattle Magazine
Soon....these will be replaced by cocktails.
Architectural drawings for the lighting system
Finalizing the wine purchases. On the right, you see the bar is wrapped in copper.
Lighting, work in progress...
Glassware, waiting to be unpacked
Brilliant, no?
Gorgeous nectarines, peaches and last-of-the-season Rainier cherries
"Doughnut" peaches and local blueberries
Stroller pile up on Crockett Street! 
Kid watching is particularly fun. (I want a pair of those crocks!)
Following my demo, 
