Julia Child's birthday was on August 15, the towering mentor to generations of food lovers in this country would have been 97 years old. Usually it's an annual event that garners plenty of its own attention, with media tributes and themed dinners in countless homes across America. But this year was [...]
What a phenomenal Saturday morning it was yesterday. It was such an honor to be asked to judge the Ready Set Go...Cook (friendly) competition at the University District Farmers Market, an annual affair that pits two Seattle chefs against each other using their pick of items from market vendors. My [...]
Just around the corner, on August 23, is one of the best chef-farmer food events in town each year. This will be the 5th annual Incredible Feast, an outstanding chance to visit with farmers you see at the weekly markets around Seattle, in a setting that's not quite as frantic [...]
A week from today I'll be in one of my favorite places on the planet. Oh, how I wish it were Paris! But a very close second to Paris in terms of places that make me happy, serene, inspired, and revived is Orcas Island. Right here in my own back [...]
I always loved summer camp as a kid. For many summers my folks dropped me off at Camp Killoquah north of Everett for a week of canoeing, swimming, archery, making sand candles, singing camp songs. I can't remember much about what I did last month, or the name of someone [...]
When you hear "Edible Book," what comes to mind? Me, I guess I'm just too literal for my own good. When I got an email a couple months ago about next weekend's Edible Book Festival, I thought it was just a colorful, creative way of referencing a gathering of cookbook [...]
Wow. Ten years already. I was at, if not the first, definitely the second Cask Ale Festival put on by the Washington Brewer's Guild. In fact, I think this festival was among the earlier ventures the Guild took on after forming in the late 1990s. The first cask festival had [...]
These days more than ever, it's nice when you can make a dollar spent go farther. If you're a fan of wild Northwest salmon and have an interest in supporting the livelihoods of the people who work to bring food to your plate, here's a delicious opportunity for you to [...]
One of these years I'm going to make it down to the Artisan Cheese Festival myself, though this probably won't be the year. I first learned about this cheese-lover's dream weekend when doing research on Sonoma County food events for a magazine article. I've actually done a couple of articles on [...]
This wine "holiday" has become one of the highlights of the year around our house. For me and my friends, it will be Open That Bottle Night number three, though the occasion is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. I was just slow to catch on! Open That Bottle Night [...]