By Jessica Ivaska | August 18 2010

The Locks
We’ve all seen salmon at the market, at the store—and on plates, but it isn’t often we get to see them swimming in their natural environment. That is, unless you live near Ballard, a Scandinavian neighborhood in Seattle. Yes, it’s that magical time of year when the salmon start running through the fish ladder at the Ballard Locks.

Photo: Jessica Ivaska

By Amie Simon | August 18 2010

"Out of the Box" is a weekly column where I use ingredients from my local CSA delivery box to prepare a meal.

This week I received a bunch of good staple items in my CSA delivery, so I opted for an easy scramble using Yukon Gold potatoes, onion, beet greens and some leftover summer sausage I picked up at the Wallingford Farmers Market.

Photo: Amie Simon

By Jessica Ivaska | August 12 2010

In the last few weeks I've noticed purple pouring onto sidewalks, accenting homes and framing front porches all over Seattle. It can only mean one thing – it's lavender season. As a plant that grows extraordinarily well in our region, those tiny purple flowers are everywhere. The best thing about those flowers – besides that intoxicating smell, of course? You can cook with them!

Photo: Jessica Ivaska

By Wes Simons | August 12 2010

The beet: a vegetable so well liked by Michael Jackson that he devoted an entire song to singing its praise. Beets are healthy and versatile, partnering well with an almost endless number of dishes. They’re high in folic acid, potassium, calcium and antioxidants, making them a great choice for those interested in eating healthy and eating well.

Photo: Wes Simons

By Marilee Reyes | August 11 2010

The folks at Pasta Plus in Eugene, Oregon know their stuff, since they've spent nearly thirty years perfecting the art. Here's some advice from the pros on how to cook fresh (as opposed to dry) pasta.

By Emma Piper-Burket | August 11 2010

One of the unsung joys of gardening is being able to harvest things you never planted. Wild amaranth is a common weed in our Oregon gardens this time of year; it’s often also called pigweed. Next time you’re weeding the garden, take this green back to the kitchen. It happens to be a delicious and nutrient-rich food.

Photo: Emma Piper-Burket

By Wes Simons | August 11 2010

The Goal

In my quest to create a meal from foods made within the city limits, I wanted to make something that could be associated with Seattle, but that could also stand on its own and be made in almost any city. The main dish was salmon quiche, accompanied by bread, a salad that grew in my garden, locally made beer and dessert made with blueberries from nearby.

Photo: Wes Simons

By Amie Simon | August 11 2010

"Out of the Box" is a weekly column where I use ingredients from my local CSA delivery box to prepare a meal.

For some reason, when the weather is warm I want to eat Mexican food all the time. My CSA box this week contained four avocados, an onion and some corn—so I decided to serve up some fish tacos with a few delicious sides for dinner.

Photo: Amie Simon

By Jessica Ivaska | August 09 2010

For many of us, summertime means cookouts, barbecues and campfires. Over the years, campfires have given birth to dozens of recipes. Perhaps the greatest of these is the s'more. There's even a holiday--August 10th, National S'mores Day--in its honor. While the exact origin of America's favorite dessert sandwich is unknown, most give the honor to the Girl Scouts, who published the recipe in their 1927 handbook.

Photo: Flickr

By Julie Blakley | August 09 2010

Maine may have its lobster, but here in the Northwest we have something even better—Dungeness crab. One of the sweetest, most delicious of crab species, Dungeness crabs are pot-fished in the cold winter waters near the coasts of Washington and Oregon—and are in abundance in Puget Sound where the San Juan Islands are located.

Photo: Julie Blakley