The Pike Place Market’s Sunday chef’s demo line-up is one of the strongest I’ve seen in recent years, with such Seattle icons as Ethan Stowell (Staple & Fancy Mercantile), Melissa Nyfeller (Dinette), and Nathan Lockwood (Altura) all cookin’ along the cobblestones Sunday at noon or 2 p.m. during the months of August and September.

On Sundays, Pike Place is closed to car traffic from Stewart to Virginia to create a lively pedestrian plaza of shoppers, farmers, and chefs. It’s a fun time for both locals and tourists to get a real “taste” of the granddaddy of all farmers’ markets.

Open up your calendar and mark the following dates for an unforgettable way to meet the chefs and pick up helpful shopping, cooking, and plating techniques.

Here’s the complete chef-demo line-up through the end of September: 

August:

Aug. 5 Anthony Polizzi – Steelhead Diner Noon

Aug. 5 Nathan Lockwood – Altura 2 p.m.

Aug. 12 TBA* Noon

Aug. 12 David Sanford – Belle Clementine 2 p.m.

Aug. 19 Brent Harding – Le Pichet Noon

Aug. 19 Melissa Nyffeler – Dinette 2 p.m.

Aug. 26 Ethan Stowell – Staple & Fancy Mercantile Noon

Aug. 26 Jacob Wiegner – Blackboard Bistro 2 p.m.

September:

Sept. 9 Pranee Kruasanit Halvorsen – I Love Thai Cooking Noon

Sept. 9 Seth Caswell – emmer & rye 2 p.m.

Sept. 23 Simon Zatyrka – Cutter’s Crabhouse Noon

Sept. 23 Jeff Maxfield & Ivan Szilak, Collections Café 2 p.m.

Sept. 30 Phyllis Rosen – Catering by Phyllis Noon

Sept. 30 TBA*

Brennon Leighton, Efesté winemaker at The Last Salmon Dinner at Blueacre Seafood

On July 11, Spencer and I were lucky enough to attend a dinner that every Northwestern resident–heck, every American–should know about.

Held at Blueacre Seafood in downtown Seattle, The Last Salmon Dinner was hosted by chef/owner Kevin Davis and his wife and owner Terresa Davis. The couple’s aim, in addition to feeding a five-course, salmon-centric meal to an enthusiastic crowd of 70 people, was to expose the proposal by Pebble Limited Partnership, a consortium of the world’s second largest multinational mining corporation, to build an open-pit mining complex at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, one of our nation’s last great salmon fisheries.

The proposed mine will span 20 square miles, with containment ponds that will hold between 2.5-billion and 10-billion tons of toxic mine waste.

Needless to say, the environmental impact of the proposed Pebble Mine on the surrounding waters of Bristol Bay would be immeasurable, and irreversible.

So much so that chef Davis, a life-long fisher, posed the question: Will the last wild salmon to leave Bristol Bay please remember to turn off the lights?

Efesté (pronounced F-S-T), was the wine partner, and winemaker Brennon Leighton said he was honored when chef Davis chose his wines to represent this event.

But the dinner was not all environmental hand-wringing and finger-pointing. Chef Davis outdid himself with cooking and presenting Bristol Bay salmon at its finest.

Chef Davis’s Assorted Delicacies of The Sea included crispy smelt, albacore tuna poke, chilled oysters, and geoduck ceviche, paired with Efeste Feral 2011 Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is special because it’s fermented using native, wild yeast–no commercial yeast is added–then it’s aged in two-year-old French Oak barrels.

I’ve rarely had such a creative (and beautiful) rendition of gravlax as Davis’s Horseradish-Cured Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon with lovage salad (its lively notes of anise reminded me of fresh shiso leaf), pickled rhubarb, baby yellow and pink beets, and Austrian pumpkin seed oil paired with Lola 2010 Chardonnay, made from 100% Chardonnay and also fermented with native yeast and (refreshingly) not heavily oaked.

A zippy cup of Rainier Cherry Gazpacho with balsamic croutons, lavender goat cheese, and a flurry of edible flowers made a perfect (summery!) pairing with Babbitt 2011 Rosé, made from 71% Syrah and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, and normally available only at the winery.

A Roulade of Bristol Bay Salmon, morel mushrooms, summer truffles, and sauce cardinal was a mellifluous melding of earth and ocean. It went “swimmingly” with Ceidleigh (pronounced Kay-Lee) 2009 Syrah, a rich, ripe Syrah rife with dried cherries and plum notes.

Vanilla Pound Cake with the season’s best Skagit Valley strawberries and raspberries, mint syrup, and house-made “cool whip” pulled up the rear in grand style.

I left with pages of notes and much to think about, both in regards to the proposed Pebble Limited Partnership Mine, Davis’s culinary prowess with prized Bristol Bay salmon, and winemaker Leighton’s outstanding wine pairings.

Even if you weren’t able to attend The Last Salmon Dinner, YOU CAN HELP!

Write to your local congressman to STOP the building of the Pebble Mine at the mouth of Bristol Bay. And visit the Save Bristol Bay and Bristol Bay Sockeye websites for more information.

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Since its inception on April 1, 2009, we’ve been very proud of the reliable performance and sheer usefulness of the Puget Sound Cam.

The PSCam documents the activity in Seattle’s Elliott Bay, which is part of Puget Sound. Through an intricate set of waterways, this “inland sea” runs about 50 miles to the Washington coast and the Pacific Ocean.

The PSCam is located in Spencer’s studio/office just five floors from the condo in which we have lived for the past 20 years. We’ve watched the landscape along the Waterfront change over the years, but never as dramatically as recently thanks to building of the Seattle Great Wheel.

We’ve been watching with bated breath as the Wheel takes shape, and welcomed it once it was spinning.

The Wheel is so pretty at twilight. . .

And dramatic at night.

I love this shot with the ferry boat heading toward its berth in the background. . .

Getting closer. . .

The Wheel almost looks like a band of sapphires in the nighttime sky. . .

Fiery and dramatic here!

All dressed up for a special light show to celebrate July 4 in this one! (Photo courtesy of Seattle’s KIRO, Channel 7, website.)

One final spin before the Wheel says “goodnight!”

I know many people think it isn’t safe to eat oysters in months that don’t contain the letter “r,” but I am here to share with you some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary.

Above is a gorgeous trio of bivalves I enjoyed a few weeks ago at ART Restaurant & Lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle.

And another glorious trio from Etta’s, Tom Douglas’s seafood restaurant just north of the Pike Place Market. The oyster in the middle was particularly delicious and had a gorgeous white shell with tan zebra stripes. It was called a Malaspina and hailed from Malaspina Inlet on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, according to our very knowledgeable server that evening.

In this shot you can see the Malaspina’s beauteous shell. I saved it for my “Found Objects” bowl!

By now any of you who read my “Northwest Notes” blog know that I love to take photos with my Hipstamatic iPhone4 app. And one of my favorite subjects is “Remains,” a collection of empty dinner plates of food.

Above is a “Hip” shot of the leftover shells from Etta’s.

And here are remainders of half a dozen raw oysters enjoyed at Crow Restaurant.

My all-time favorite “Remains” shot, however, “remains” this one of an empty dish of crème brûlée, taken at my father’s 89th birthday celebration last August.

He will celebrate number 90 this year, and I’ll be there to capture another “Remains” shot to share with you.

Go, Dad!

We’re thrilled to welcome two new neighbors to the West Edge neighborhood: Cupcake Royale and the Seattle Great Wheel!

We’ve enjoyed watching the Wheel take its place on the Seattle Waterfront at Pier 57 and blogged about it on June 5 along with lots of photos. Even if you’re not a downtown dweller or visitor, you can watch the Wheel from the Puget Sound Cam. It is truly a magnificent sight!

The Wheel starts spinning and is open for rides today. Purchase your tickets here.

And ART Restaurant & Lounge, in the Four Seasons Seattle Hotel, has created a special dessert to welcome the Great Wheel.

The carnival-inspired “Ferris Wheel Cool Spin” has cinnamon-sugared elephant ears; a trio of housemade strawberry shortcake, raspberry scone, and deep-fried peanut butter ice cream; and is topped with truffle pops in cotton candy on a cool ice carving of the center ferris wheel. Man, it sure looks good!

Meanwhile, lots of news to report on tomorrow’s opening of Cupcake Royale’s sixth cafe, in the former Chocolate Box space at 108 Pine, just a block from the Pike Place Market.

Cupcake Royale’s new location is not only a cupcake bakery, but an ice creamery that will simultaneously launch Cupcake Royale Brand Ice Cream in all six cafes.

According to the company’s press release, “Cupcake Royale Brand Ice Cream, features a signature line of the original Cupcakes ‘n’ Cream ice cream as well as other amazing ice-cream flavor combinations that will have unique and delicious inclusions, all baked in-house.”

Our pal Jody Hall, whom we’ve profiled in The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine, is owner/founder of Cupcake Royale (the first cupcake bakery in Seattle, if you can imagine that!).

Jody says, “We’ve always wanted to offer ice cream for our customers. It’s just such a natural pairing with cake—add delicious artisan espresso to the mix and it’s an amazing trifecta.”

I can’t wait to try flavors such as Burnt Caramel with Sea Salt, Blueberry Lavender, and Bananza (roasted banana, homemade gooey brownie, caramel).

But I’ll take a pass on Whiskey Maple Bacon Crack (bacon brittle) made with locally produced Woodinville Whiskey and Zoe’s Meats bacon, thanks.

Other flavors in the Cupcakes ‘n’ Cream line are based on the company’s most beloved cupcake flavors–Red Velvet, Dance Party, Salted Caramel, Peppermint Party, and Triple Threat.

In total, Cupcake Royale will carry 14 flavors of ice cream, two flavors of homemade ice-cream sandwiches, and Cakeshakes and Babyshakes (which are blended with either a cupcake or a babycake-size cupcake).

Even better news? Ice Cream flavors will rotate based on seasonality. And, as with its cupcakes, Cupcake Royale will source local ingredients for their new ice-cream line.

During construction of the latest cafe, Cupcake Royale has been operating an ice-cream cart in front of the new location. Chocolate Box, which formerly occupied the space, has consolidated it operations into a smaller space next door at 106 Pine.

Photos courtesy of ART Restaurant & Lounge and Cupcake Royale

It’s been quite some time since I last posted some of my flower arrangements, so expertly and beautifully photographed by Spencer.

It always surprised me that some of the first posts of this sort, which began in September 2009,  continued in November 2009, and concluded in September 2010, solicited lots of interest and feedback.

But you can see for yourself what three fresh Asian lilies from a flower vendor in the Pike Place Market, plus a bit of bear grass, are capable of producing.

Here is a gorgeous yellow orchid from Molbak’s Garden + Home shop, located in Woodinville, Washington, that really looked at home in this simple purple pot I had on hand at home.

We have watched with bated breath as the new Seattle Great Wheel has risen from the pylons at Pier 57 directly in front of our condominium building.

And after months of concrete pouring and support-beam laying, all 21 spokes of the wheel are finally up.

All that remains is placing of the 44 enclosed air-conditoined or heated gondolas (which hold from six to eight people each) until the wheel starts spinning in earnest on June 28, according to reports in The Seattle Times.

Here are some shots I snapped over the Memorial Day weekend both on foot and when some friends of ours visiting from California took us out for a spin in their new boat.

The wheel will be between 175 and 185 feet high. Riders will descend over water at one point during the ride.

Each ride will be 12 to 15 minutes. . .and comprise three revolutions.

Here is a series of Wheel shots taken with my beloved Hipstamatic iPhone4 app.

The wheel will be open year-round. . .from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

To conclude, here’s a cool Hipstamatic double image in black and white. . .

Richard’s Copper River Salmon Croquettes

Wine Varietal: Pinot Noir

Serves 4

During the glorious summer months, when the Copper River salmon are running, my favorite fishmonger at Pure Food Fish in the Pike Place Market, Richard Hoage, saves some of the meaty bones as a special treat. I take them home and scrape away the succulent nubbins of flesh, then use Richard’s recipe to make salmon croquettes. Sometimes I add my own flourishes, such as diced red or green peppers or fresh corn kernels, depending on what’s handy in the vegetable compartment and what strikes my fancy. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche, best-quality mayonnaise, or your favorite barbecue sauce or salsa verde.

1 large egg

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground black or white pepper

1/2 white or yellow medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley, or 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, plus additional sprigs for garnish

1 pound scraped Copper River salmon meat or 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skin and bones removed, minced by hand or food processor

1 to 1 1/2 cups unseasoned soft bread crumbs (See Cook’s Hint, below)

1 tablespoon olive oil or 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Lemon wedges, for garnish

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the egg, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, and the minced parsley. Add the salmon and gently stir until the egg mixture is well incorporated. Add 1 cup of the bread crumbs and stir again. If the salmon mixture is too sticky to handle, add the remaining bread crumbs and stir again. Divide the salmon into 4 portions and form into patties. Do not handle or pat the salmon any more than is absolutely necessary.

2. Over medium heat, place a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the patties without crowding. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the patties and cook 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, or until the patties just turn opaque in the middle. Alternately, the patties can be baked on a lightly greased baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes on each side. or until the patties are lightly browned. Or broil the patties 4 to 6 inches from the heat source for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

3. Transfer the croquettes to individual plates, garnish with the parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, and serve.

Cook’s Hint: To make unseasoned soft (fresh) bread crumbs, tear slices of white or whole-wheat bread into chunks and place them in a food processor. Process until crumbs of the desired size form. Fresh bread crumbs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week; in the freezer, tightly wrapped, they keep for about six months.

Recipe reprinted from the “Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook, Gift Edition and e-Edition,” copyright 2005 and 2012, by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

Photograph Courtesy of Spencer Johnson.  

Every month, the Italian restaurant chain Il Fornaio presents a regional menu called Festa Regionale in addition to its regular one.

It’s a fun way to “travel” around Italy, learning about the special foodstuffs and wines from each area.

This month we were off to Puglia, which is known for its bread, olives, and vino. In fact, according to Il Fornaio’s Festa Regionale Puglia menu, these ingredients are “the three pillars of the Apulian diet.”

Puglia cuisine is characterized by “pleasant spirit, subtle seasonings, and traditional dishes inspired by an ancient civilization. You’ll find those subtle seasonings mark the dishes, accented with potatoes, asparagus, beans, and tomatoes.”

I really enjoyed this Grigliata di Pesce Misto, a mixed-seafood grill that included salmon, petrale sole, a big shrimp, a scallop, and calamari, all cooked in a light lemon-flavored olive oil.

I asked for double veggies instead of the Yukon gold potatoes, and was pleased with an ample portion of sautéed baby carrots and broccolini.

We celebrated this dish and the Roasted Chicken (Spencer’s favorite item from Il Fornaio’s regular menu) with a bottle of 2001 Amarone, which had aged perfectly.

Il Fornaio’s selections of wine from Puglia included a 100% Chardonnay and a 100% Fiano (a medium-bodied white variety with crisp aromatics), a Primitivo, and interesting-sounding red blends made from varietals such as Negroamaro, Primitivo, Malvasia, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sorry to say that the Puglia menu ended on May 20; stay tuned for the next Festa Regionale menu that will feature Veneto from June 4 to 17.

We always enjoy eating at The Pink Door, the fun and funky restaurant with seriously good food located in the Pike Place Market along upper Post Alley.

But there’s no better time than spring.

The restaurant recently announced its new seasonal food-and-drink offerings, and they sound delish.

The Pink Door’s Duo of Spring Crostini

On the food side, we’re anxious to sample the Duo of Spring Crostini (fava-pea purée, radish, and sea salt. as well as shrimp, limoncello, and lemon-zest gremolata).

Spaghetti with Artichokes (spaghetti, fresh artichokes, parsley, garlic and artisanal olive oil) and the Bucket-O-Peas also sound so fresh and seasonal.

The Pink Door’s Fernet Mint Julep

New cocktails that signal spring include La Porta (Gin, Dimmi, Luxardo, and fresh grapefruit juice) and the Fernet Mint Julep (Bourbon, Fernet-Branca, and muddled mint, topped with soda). The latter sounds especially bracing and refreshing.

I’ve really been getting into the whole bitters thing (such as Campari and Cocchi Americano) lately. Both marry well with diet or regular tonic water as a mixer.

The Pink Door’s Everything Green Salad

Of course, nothing compares to the Pink Door’s Everything Green Salad with fresh fava beans, asparagus, English peas, and pistachios, all set atop lacy butter lettuce leaves and sauced with Green Goddess (creamy tarragon-tinged) dressing.

I’ve written about it many times in Northwest Notes, and love to add a mound of sweet, succulent Dungeness crab to turn it into a main-dish salad.

I also included the Everything Green Salad among my Favorite Dishes from 2011.

Crostini and Mint Julep photos courtesy of The Pink Door; Everything Green Salad photo by Braiden Rex-Johnson.