City dwellers pack up the car and head out to Arlington, Washington, this weekend (June 19 and 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to Biringer Farm‘s Strawberry Fest. It’s located on the new Red Rooster Route, a collection of half a dozen small family farms, at 21412 59th Ave NE, Arlington, WA, 98223.

Think of this as a strawberry paradise. Ride the Jolly Trolley out to acres of fresh strawberries to pluck and eat right from the vines. You’ll never get them any fresher!

Enjoy the open wide spaces, get back to nature, meet the farmer, and see where your food comes from. Picnic in the vintage covered wagon next to the historic barn or bring a blanket and picnic on the grass.

Festive Activities: Pony Rides, Giant Strawberry Ride, Kiddy Slides, Puppet Shows, Inflatables, Pennies in the Hay, Story Time, Barnyard Croquet, Pig-Butt Bowling, and more.

Barn Market: Ready-picked strawberries, containers of fresh-sliced and sugared ready-to-eat strawberries, local honey, shortcakes, cold drinks, and (of course!) fresh strawberry shortcake.

This is an experience in this traditions are kept, treasured memories are made, and luscious fruit goes home with family and friends. . .until they return again.

How best to use your fresh-picked strawberries? Here’s a complete Northwest menu. . .scroll down for the recipe for Merry Berry Medley.

I was very concerned to hear that one of the pillars of the Pike Place Market community, The Pink Door’s founder and owner, Jacqueline Roberts, was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic and often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system.

But leave it to Jackie to do her darndest to focus awareness on this complex and unpredictable disease by throwing a Festa Per La Salute! or “Party for Health” on Sunday, June 27, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Festa Per La Salute! will feature a sumptuous feast of fresh Northwest seafood, Pink Door Lasagne, grilled veggies, and overflowing wines. . .along with The Pink Door’s usual cacophony of trapeze artists, jazz musicians, accordions, modern dancers, prosciutto slicers, and bodacious beauties passing oysters. . .and, of course, those beautiful views of Elliott Bay from the deck.

Roberts has pledged 70 percent of all proceeds from the event to the University at Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center (BNAC) and its groundbreaking MS-Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) research.

Further details:

WHEN: Sunday, June 27, 2010
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: THE PINK DOOR, 1919 Post Alley, Seattle

COST: $100.00 per person. Additional donations for research very welcome and much appreciated!

TICKETS: Tickets must be purchased in advance by phone at 206.443.3241 or in person at The Pink Door by Friday June 25, 2010

Representatives from the University at Buffalo will be at The Pink Door to discuss their studies of the possibility that symptoms of MS result from the narrowing of the primary veins outside the skull, a condition called Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency, or CCSVI. The BNAC’s 1,700-person research study will verify Dr. Paolo Zamboni’s ground-breaking CCSVI theory on which he based his balloon angioplasty procedure to treat venous constriction. Dr. Zamboni has found that the majority of his patients experienced a decrease in MS symptoms. In fact, Zamboni’s wife, who had MS for 17 years, is free of symptoms four years after treatment.

To learn more about BNAC and MS research, please visit http://www.bnac.net.

About The Pink Door
In 1981, a whimsically inclined 20-something Italian-American ingénue put her creative hooks and inspiration from travels abroad into a surreal cellar of a space that became equal parts Bohemian loft, Trattoria, and Pigalle cabaret. “La Padrona” Jacqueline Roberts wasted no time filling the space with nuances, a seasonally changing menu of hearty, honest Italian food and wine, spirited service, and eccentric alluring entertainment. Some 27 years later, The Pink Door remains a Seattle favorite with a fresh, constantly changing seasonal menu and eclectic nightly entertainment.

The Pink Door Entertainment
There will be a stilt walker welcoming people in the alley, the Master of Ceremonies will greet people at the door, and there will be lots of live music as well as fabulous food and drink!

The movers and shakers of the alternative medical world will be in attendance, including Dr. Joseph Pizzorno (who founded Bastyr College). Dr. Cora Ibarra (Jackie’s bio-integrative doctor, who will travel from Nevada), and many other renowned specialists.

My latest article for The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine–Good Grub–was really fun to research, write, photograph (and, I hope, to read). It highlighted one of the monthly Saturday-morning cooking classes for kids and their parents offered in partnership by Premera Blue Cross and Tom Douglas Restaurants.

Here are some photos that Spencer took during the class I chronicled on a sunny-bright day in early March at the Palace Kitchen in downtown Seattle.

The two young men in the class watch intently as garlic sauce whirls in the commercial-sized food processor

The fruits of our labor. . .a groaning-board buffet of all the dishes prepared that day

As many of you know (and any of you who are familiar with my seventh book, Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia), Idaho is fast emerging as a major wine-producing state. With the long, hot days available to growers and Idaho’s rich volcanic soil, grapes are being grown and made into award-winning wines.

Idaho Wine Month focuses attention on this burgeoning industry, and brings people together for all of the tastes and treasures that Idaho has to offer. With the promotion of Idaho wine during Idaho Wine month, local restaurants, retail stores, and wine shops will be offering specials for those who purchase wines produced and bottled in Idaho during June.

Another way to celebrate Idaho Wine Month is by attending the second annual Savor Idaho, Idaho’s Premier Wine & Food Event, hosted by the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission. Focusing on Idaho wine and food, Savor Idaho will be held at the Idaho Botanical Garden on June 13th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will feature many local wineries, restaurants, and exhibitors.

Ahoy, matey! Good news. . .there’s still time to walk the gangplank to “Bounty! An Epic Adventure in Seafood,” which runs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings through June 19.

This fun-filled, action-packed, aquatic-themed show and five-course dinner and wine pairings is presented at Theo Chocolate in Seattle’s funky Fremont neighborhood and garnered a very favorable review from The Seattle Times theater critic, Misha Berson.

The evening begins with a Champagne greeting at 7:00 p.m.; the first course sets sail at 7:30 p.m. in Cafe Nordo–an intimate restaurant on an old sailing vessel.

Guests are regaled with sea stories and chanteys, folklore and science in this epic celebration of the fruits of our oceans.

And one of the evening’s best features? Concerned citizens can leave their Monterey Bay Aquarium wallet inserts at home, as local and sustainable seafood is at the very heart of this love letter to the sea.

Delights from the creative menu include the Big Bang amuse bouche, Sea Urchin, and locally sourced salmon, all of which highlight the local and sustainable gifts of the waters around Seattle. Original music and performance are the wind and waves in this evocation of a sailor’s love for the ocean.

Here’s our server, “Chum,” dishing up Manila clams, Mediterranean mussels, and Dungeness crab claws from our table’s very own aquarium!

And here’s a close-up of the delicious seafood soup.

And not to spoil the surprise, but the evening ends with a dramatic shipwreck and. . .zombies!

Tickets are $79 per person on Thursdays; $89 on Friday and Saturday, and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information visit www.cafenordo.com

In early May, on a cold winter’s night that should have been more spring-like, after a rather disappointing cheese-focused event where the cubes were small and the wine pours even smaller, we took our chances without a reservation and were lucky enough to get into Restaurant Zoe, one of our long-standing favorite restos in Belltown.

The Dungeness Crab Salad with Brioche Crouton, Green Asparagus, and Ramp Pistou (not to mention the green olives that weren’t mentioned on the menu, but definitely added intrigue to this already intriguing salad) lifted our spirits and excited our palates with the promise of spring weather to come (which has still been slow to reach our region, even though Memorial Day has now passed).

This early taste of spring on a cold, cruel evening more than qualifies Restaurant Zoe’s Dungeness Crab Salad as our Dish of the Day.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Frittata

Varietal: Chardonnay (Oaked)

Serves 6 to 8

Walla Walla sweet onions, which are in season from June to September, were declared the official state vegetable of Washington State in 2007. They’re featured here, along with fresh herbs of the season and chèvre (fresh, young goat’s-milk cheese), in a recipe by Seattle chef Mike Davis. If you don’t care for big, oaky Chardonnays, try pairing this plump, flavorful frittata with a dry Rosé, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, or a big, fat Semillon.

12 large eggs

3/4 cup whole or low-fat milk

1 cup firmly packed mixed fresh herbs, minced, preferably parsley, thyme, marjoram, basil, and chives

Pinch of kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small Walla Walla sweet onion, minced

3 ounces fresh, young goat’s-milk cheese (chèvre) or 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, mixed herbs, salt, and a sprinkle or two of pepper, and set aside.

3. Place a large nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and continue to cook. When the egg begins to form a light crust on the bottom, lift the sides and allow the liquid eggs to run into the bottom of the skillet. Continue cooking until another crust forms, and repeat the procedure until almost all the liquid eggs are cooked.

5. Remove the skillet from the heat and slide the frittata onto a plate. Using pot holders, place the skillet over the plate and carefully invert the frittata back into the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and cook until the frittata puffs slightly and is cooked throughout, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Break the chèvre into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over the top of the frittata, or sprinkle evenly with the Asiago or Parmesan cheese.

7. To serve, cut the frittata into equal portions and serve immediately.

Recipe reprinted from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (Wiley, 2007, $34.95) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

I’ve been very remiss in writing about Blueacre Seafood, chef Kevin and Terresa Davis’s newest venture, which opened in mid-March in the former Oceanaire Seafood Room space in downtown Seattle.

We were lucky enough to be invited to one of the friends and family dinners offered Wednesday and Thursday before the restaurant set its revolving doors spinning open to the public on March 19.

Even standing catercorner to the restaurant (which is located at 1700 7th Avenue-cross streets are Seventh and Olive), you sense a sophisticated, big-city vibe. The space reminds me of some of our favorite seafood restaurants in Vancouver, B.C. (such as Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar) thanks to its global presence and majesty.

Once inside, you see the bones from the space’s previous incarnation, the Oceanaire Seafood Room, which Kevin opened in 2001 then departed in 2007 to start the Steelhead Diner in the Pike Place Market.

Terresa, wearing her interior-designer cap, has opened up the space, revved up the colors, and covered the simple tables with silk screens of a black and neon-blue butterfly wings. Cool!

Food at the family-and-friends dinner, then on a subsequent Thursday-evening visit, was over-the-top excellent. No break-in, warm-up period for this resto! Kevin and his kitchen crew were spot on right off the bat, while waitstaff (unfortunately) needs a bit more fine-tuning and finesse before I can safely say they are up to speed.

What’s good to eat? In a word. . .everything.

I particularly adored the Kasu-Marinated King Salmon Collars, listed within “The Hunger” section of the menu, served with Ginger Nage and a royal crown of Green-Papaya Salad, and a steal at $8.95.

While I was chowing down on the unctuous, sweet-salty salmon cheeks, chef Kevin came out for a chat. He confided that, “All the foodies order this dish.”

I can see the reason why.

Spencer was thrilled to see Red Chili Point Judith Squid on the menu. It was one of his “must-have” dishes when Oceanaire was still in business (chef Kevin originated the dish) and it’s good as ever. . .deep-fried squid in a tempura-style batter that chef Kevin spins his own way with a sweet-hot sauce and lots of serrano peppers, garlic, ginger, Thai basil, and orange zest.

Dee-vine!

I adored my Fin & Shell Fish Stew teaming with shrimp, clams, and mussels, along with chunks o’ flapping-fresh finfish and shell-shaped pasta amid a rich broth that sucked up every morsel of flavor and aroma after long simmering of lobster and shrimp shells. And don’t forget the rockin’ rouille! Leftovers were equally as good the following evening.

We split a piece of the Mud Pie with our tablemates. Good idea since it was so rich and yummy, a bite or two tickled our sweet tooths, while a whole piece (tasty as it was) would have been overkill.

The wine list is more lengthy than the one you’ll discover at Steelhead, made up predominantly (and blessedly) of Northwest boutique wines, with a few California staples (Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Roederer Estate Brut, Turley “Old Vine” Zin) thrown in for good measure.

As much as we love Kevin and Terresa’s first venture–Steelhead Diner–we embrace, applaud, and welcome Blueacre Seafood as a much-needed addition to the uptown Seattle dining scene.

Additional details from the official launch press release:

A passionate love of seafood has led owners Chef Kevin and Terresa Davis to this moment, bringing their vision of responsible, approachable, amazing seafood to fruition. Creating an affordable, all-American seafood restaurant adds something new and exciting to the downtown Seattle culinary scene, filling a need for locals and visitors.

The Davises feature wild seafood available from United States coastal waters, as well as carefully chosen and sustainably farmed freshwater species, oysters, clams, and mussels.

Farm-fresh meats, game, poultry, vegetables, artisanal cheeses, American spirits, wine, and craft beers on tap continue the American theme.

In addition to seating for 200 in the dining room, Blueacre offers three private dining areas perfect for everything from intimate gatherings to corporate events.

Lunch and dinner are offered daily, along with brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Happy hour takes place each day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a specialty bar menu and happy-hour drink prices.

For years, we’ve held the Calamari Saltati–an appetizer of squid flash-sautéed in the skillet with an ample amount of minced garlic, a squeeze of lemon, Italian parsley, and a sprinkle of chili flakes, then sprinkled with bread crumbs served at Serafina Osteria & Enoteca–as the number-one calamari dish in Seattle.

But during a recent dinner at Tango restaurant in downtown Seattle we discovered a worthy contender (pictured above): Calamares—sautéed calamari, fire-roasted tomatoes, poblano pepperss, red peppers, cilantro, land lime juice.

Leftovers the next evening were marvelous thanks to the addition of a can of Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, an array of fresh seafood, and a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice.

Another equally inspiring and inspired dish that we didn’t (frankly) expect to see on the Spanish-centric menu was Moqueca de Peixe–Pan-roasted scallops, mussels, prawns, calamari, tuna, potatoes, chilies, and coconut broth–that had a distinctive Asian flair due to the coconut-milk-based broth. Belly-warming and flavorful, all the same.

Earlier this month, our friend and local restaurateur Donna Moodie, owner of the much-beloved and long-lamented Marjorie (which saw its location in Belltown close more than a year ago) sent out the welcome word that she’d (finally) found a new location and would swing open its doors to friends and family for a preview run on May 14 and 15.

Exterior shot of the high-ceilinged, airy space at 1412 East Union Street

The lovely buffet spread at the opening of Marjorie on Capitol Hill

We were happy to attend, and glad to report that the new Marjorie embraces some of the same features as the old location, while happily settling into its new Capitol Hill neighborhood like an old shoe.

Interior shot of Marjorie

Take, for example, the rich royal-blue walls and dark woods that harken back to Marjorie/Belltown. Or the smallish number of seats (35-40 indoors, counting the communal table; 20 outdoors).

The eclectic eggplant salad served at Marjorie along with a vintage record for the unisex bathroom’s turntable

Or the eclectic menu that draws from Moodie’s mother’s own soulful Islander roots, but also embraces Asian, regional, and international cuisines.

The good-looking men of Marjorie pumping out dishes behind the line

“We’ll see what the neighborhood brings,” hunky, dred-locked chef Kylen McCarthy (formerly of The Harvest Vine in Madison Valley) confided.

The ultra-thin, totally addictive fried plantain chips served at Marjorie’s friends-and-family party

Doubtless many good things to come!

The new Marjorie, which officially opened for business on Tuesday, May 18, will serve dinner only (for now) Tuesday through Saturday.

Best of luck Donna, chef Kylen, and Marjorie crew on all good future success.