Our Staff Picks for the Holidays

At a recent staff meeting, Terri brought two wonderful, locally-inspired cookbooks to share with us (as well as a delicious squash bundt cake to taste!). Here are her holiday recommendations for the foodie, chef and gardener in your life:

Dishing Up: Washington by Jess Thomson

There are many good reasons why Seattle and Washington State have countless cookbooks paying homage to the local foods—we have such an abundance of seafood, fruits and vegetables. Jess Thomson is also the author of Pike Place Market Recipes. Dishing Up Washington includes the histories of local farmers, cheesemakers, fishermen...and recipes from our local chefs who benefit from these producers. The recipes (with enticing photos) are creatively unusual, while using familiar and exceptional ingredients. 

Grow Cook Eat by Willi Galloway

It would be great to have Willi Galloway as a next-door neighbor. A Master Gardener and former editor for Organic Gardening, Galloway writes in a friendly and encouraging way. She finds joy in the amazing tastes of thinned sprouts and offers all the information one needs to grow and sustain herbs, veggies, greens and anything that can grow in the Pacific Northwest. Exceptional recipes follow in each chapter to complete one's thrill in growing their own food. If I had to choose only one book for the kitchen and garden, Grow Cook Eat would be my first choice.