A recent press release brought news that the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau has launched the Spirits and Hops Trail website to help tourists easily navigate the growing number of local craft breweries, cideries, and distilleries throughout the region.

According to the release, in the last five years, the region has welcomed three breweries, three distilleries, and the largest producer of hard artisan cider in the state. The new site provides information and online mapping capabilities for these new businesses, and many more tasting destinations throughout the Yakima Valley, including restaurants that feature locally crafted adult beverages.

The Yakima Valley is the top agricultural region in Washington State. In addition to growing 40 varieties of crops, the Valley produces 78 percent of the nation’s hops. For decades, commercial and craft breweries across the country and globe have relied on the quality hops grown in the Valley for their products.

Tourism leaders believe this project will complement the thriving wine industry of the Yakima Valley, which boasts more than 120 wineries and acres of rolling vineyards.

“Our agricultural heritage is a foundation of our visitor industry,” stated John Cooper, president and CEO of the Yakima Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau. “It’s only natural that we should celebrate our role in the beer and distillery industries.”

The website also contains a history of the hops industry, a blog with guest authors, and a calendar of events of interest to beer, cider,  and spirits enthusiasts.

On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, in service to Les Dames d’Escoffier, International, we enjoyed several memorable meals when we weren’t cooped up in conference rooms during 12 hours of intense Board meetings.

Here are the gorgeous hush puppies served up at the Charleston Crab House, which has been family-owned for the past 20 years. There are two locations, with the one we tried conveniently located right across the street from the venerable Charleston City Market.

This sign at Charleston Crab House says it all!

We wanted to try one of the local delicacies, Garlic Crab, although our server warned us there wasn’t much meat inside.

Should have listened to her, for the shells were almost as hard as those on a stone crab, with very little meat exhumed for a lot of effort. Glad we just got a single order since we didn’t even finish that!

MUCH better was this sampler plate of a crab cake (made of blue crab and SPICY–not at all similar to Northwest crab cakes, but equally good), fried shrimp (a rare treat for us–we chowed down on them), and King crab claws (not nearly as satisfying as Dungeness).

Waffle fries and coleslaw served as hearty sides!

We walked the entire Market area after lunch to work off a few of those Southern-fried calories. Guess the bacon craze is ubiquitous throughout the United States. Not so sure about Buffalo Wing Soda, however. 🙂

When we visited in mid-July, it was one of the hottest weekends on record on the East Coast. Here are some smart local kids cooling off in a fountain near the sprawling Waterfront Park.

For Spencer’s and my big night out alone (before the meetings started) we chose Husk, the newest offering from James Beard Award-winning Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s and the Neighborhood Dining Group. Here’s the refreshing Pickled Shrimp with Arugula and Cantaloupe, Shaved Fennel, HUSK Ricotta, and Watermelon Vinaigrette that I enjoyed.

And Spencer’s Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Virginia Blue Crab, Salad of Summer Courgettes, Fire-Roasted Fennel and Corn, and Crème Fraîche–talk about LOTS of cream.

This is the lovely NC Flounder with VA Blue Crab, Chanterelles and Wood-Fired Peaches, Fennel, and House-Made Vinegar.

And what would a summertime visit to the South be without a bite or three of Fresh Peach Cobbler with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Bourbon Butterscotch?!?!

Here’s a photo of the dessert card for a little more vicarious pleasure.

A University of Maryland news release really caught my eye with the title, “Climate Changes Will Produce Wine Winners and Losers.”

It went on to say that, in the not too distant future, your favorite French wine may not come from its namesake region or even from France!

Apparently, climate change is altering growing conditions in wine-producing regions and in the coming decades will change the wines produced there, in some cases shifting to new areas the growth of grape varieties long associated with regions further south, says leading climate scientist and wine expert Antonio Busalacchi of the University of Maryland.

“Climate change will produce winners and losers among wine-growing regions, and for every region it will result in changes to the alcohol, acid, sugar, tannins, and color in wine,” says Busalacchi, who directs the UMD Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and chairs the World Climate Research Programme’s Joint Scientific Committee and the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate.

Busalacchi, and research assistant Eric Hackert have analyzed climate-change impacts on 24 of the world’s major wine-producing regions, providing snapshots of what conditions will be like at the middle and end of this century. Busalacchi notes that several Champagne houses already are looking at land in Sussex and Kent in southern England as potential sites for new vineyards because as climate warms the region is becoming more hospitable to quality grape growing. The soil type in the region, as seen in the white cliffs of Dover, is similar to the chalky substrate of Champagne, and the cost of land is 30 times less than in France.

“Vineyards in higher latitudes, at higher altitudesm or surrounded by ocean will benefit from climate change, with more consistent growing seasons and a greater number of favorable growing days,” he says. “These include the Rhine in Germany, U.S. states Oregon and Washington, the Mendoza Province of Argentina, and New Zealand.” says Busalacchi, who comes from a family of restaurateurs, is an advanced sommelier, and operates a wine-and-vineyard consulting firm.

On the other hand, Bordeaux and some other regions will suffer compressed growing seasons that yield unbalanced, low-acid wines that lack complexity. South Africa and South Australia likely will see declines in wine production due to severe droughts, according to Busalacchi. More generally, extreme events such as heat waves that shut down photosynthesis and hail storms that can ruin a chateau’s annual production in a matter of minutes will become more commonplace.

In both warm and cooler regions, one result will be the same; wines will lose their traditional character.

“Taken to an extreme, a wine from the Left Bank of Bordeaux may move away from the classic aromas of cedar cigar box, black currants and green pepper and more toward the full, rich, spicy-peppery profile of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the Southern Rhone,” says Busalacchi. “Given that most grapevines produce fruit for 25 to 50 years, grape growers and wine makers must consider the long term when determining what to plant, where to plant, and how to manage their vineyards.”

Planning a trip to British Columbia this summer? Need an excuse to plan a trip to our neighbor to the north?

Then how about making plans to attend the first-ever Campbell Valley Wine Festival, which highlights the best of the Fraser Valley wineries located amongst the rolling hills of South Langley’s Campbell Valley.

Saturday, August 10, is the day to explore! Visit Backyard Vineyards, Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery, Township 7 Vineyards, and Winery and Vista D’Oro Farms and Winery. From 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., each winery will offer wine samples, snacks, live entertainment, and the chance to win a case of wine.

About the featured wineries: 

BACKYARD VINEYARDS

Backyard Vineyards is your choice for local wines. With grapes harvested in both the Fraser and the Okanagan Valleys, Backyard offers the very best of BC VQA wines. Sparkling wines to brighten up even the grayest of days, varietal wines from cheeky to sexy and a Nosey Neighbour peeking over the fence, there is something for every day and price range at Backyard Vineyards. Located at 3033 232nd Street, Langley, BC T. 604-539-9463

DOMAINE DE CHABERTON ESTATE WINERY

A quick tasting or an afternoon filled with fabulous food, wine tasting, and a tour of the vineyards. Domaine de Chaberton, one of B.C.’s largest estate wineries and the Fraser Valley’s oldest winery and vineyard, cordially invites you to come and experience a tranquil atmosphere. The 55-acre property, situated off of 216th and 16th in Langley, offers daily tours and free wine tastings. Pack a lunch or picnic and join us on one of our many sunny days for a glass of wine in our licensed picnic area or dine in our Zagat Rated “Excellent” Bacchus Bistro. Located at 1064 – 216 Street, Langley, BC T. 604 530 1736

TOWNSHIP 7 VINEYARDS AND WINERY

Founded in 2001, Township 7 has two B.C. wineries, one situated in the scenic Fraser Valley and the other on the picturesque Naramata Bench in Canada’s premier wine region, the Okanagan Valley. Our Metro Vancouver winery is located in the beautiful south Langley countryside in a quaint building reminiscent of the many riding stables in the neighbourhood. Named after this historic community of south Langley, its original name in the late 1800s was “Township 7”- the cottage on our property is an original building from the 1930s. Located at 21152 16th Ave. (at 212th St.),
Langley, BC T. 604-532-1766

VISTA D’ORO FARMS & WINERY

Dedicated to providing an ultimate agritourism experience, Vista D’oro Farms & Winery’s orchard and vineyard provide an assorted bounty, all of which can be found in the Farmgate Shop & Tasting Room in some form – whether it’s our flagship D’oro – fortified walnut Wine, our Orchard Pear & Pinot Noir Preserve, or simple pickled cherries on our charcuterie boards. Full picnic provisions are available to enjoy on our deck or under the walnut tree. Located at 346-208th Street, Langley, BC T. 604-514-3539

And as your reward for reading his far, here’s an added bonus!

I featured Domaine de Chaberton in my seventh book, “Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia“. Here’s the winery’s recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon.

Grilled Albacore Tuna Spinach Salad

Varietal: Zinfandel

Serves 4

This may be the perfect main-dish salad since it features one of the Northwest’s tastiest and most economical summertime fish—fresh albacore tuna—in a hearty brown marinade that includes lots of garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Even meat-eaters will sit up and take notice! As you would with a meat dish, pair the flavorful, densely textured tuna with a heavy red wine, such as a Zinfandel. “Zin’s” rich, velvety, “chewy” texture and lush berry flavors (plum, raspberry, berry jam) and black pepper and spice notes complement the flavors in this hearty dish.

2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Four 6-ounce albacore tuna steaks, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
2 cups fresh white (button) or cremini mushrooms, cut in half (or quarters if extra large)
1 bunch spinach leaves, rinsed, drained, tough stems removed, and spun dry or 6 cups ready-to-eat spinach leaves
2 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch-wide slices
1/2 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide slices

1. Place the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and olive oil in a nonreactive mixing bowl large enough to hold the fish without crowding, and stir or whisk to blend. Divide the marinade in half. To half of the marinade, add the fish fillets, turning well to coat. To the marinade remaining in the other bowl, add the mushrooms, and stir well to coat. Cover both bowls and refrigerate 20 minutes to 2 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Ten minutes before cooking, preheat an outdoor or indoor grill. Lightly oil the grill, remove the fish fillets from the marinade, pat dry, and arrange on the grill without crowding. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, then turn and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the fish just turns opaque. Discard the fish marinade.

3. To serve, divide the spinach leaves among four plates. Place a fish fillet in the center of the leaves, then divide the carrot and onion slices among the plates, sprinkling the slices over the fish fillets and spinach leaves. Spoon the marinated mushrooms and any remaining marinade over and around the fish and vegetables.

Recipe reprinted with permission from the “Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook,” gift edition and e-edition, by Braiden Rex-Johnson, copyright 2005 and 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Thinking of visiting our neighbor to the North, the charming town of Victoria, British Columbia, for a little r&r this summer?

A recent press release reminded us to be sure to visit one of the city’s bustling farmers markets, which are now in full swing. Local favorites include the Victoria Public Market, Moss Street Market, and the Chinatown Night Market.

The Victoria Public Market at the Hudson Building is Victoria’s newest culinary experience! Vendors include everything from a butcher to a baker to a sweet-and-savory pie maker, with popular names such as Salt Spring Island Cheese, Vij’s, Olive the Senses, and Wildfire Bakery among the mix. Hours for the market are 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and closed on Mondays, with the larger farmers markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Moss Street Market is now in its 22nd season of providing local and organic farm-fresh produce, local foods, handmade crafts, artisan clothing, live music, and community education to visitors. Found at the corner of Moss Street and Fairfield Road, this vibrant  market operates from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Saturday, May through October, rain or shine.

Finally, the Chinatown Night Market, located in Canada’s oldest Chinatown, happens every second Wednesday of the month from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on July 10, August 14, and September 11, 2013. This market focuses on culturally relevant entertainment, food, and artists, making it a showcase of Asian culture and a completely unique market in Victoria.

Hard to believe it’s been three months since we chose a proper Dish of the Day (last one was The Capital Grille’s stupendous Seafood Tower), so today I’ve chosen not one, but three for your viewing pleasure.

Above behold the glorious Asiago-Almond Crusted Scallops with Pernod Butter Sauce and first-of-the-season grilled asparagus,  which we enjoyed a few weeks ago at the Palomino Restaurant & Bar location in downtown Seattle (truth be known, it is in the CityCentre Building, where Spencer used to go to work at Callison Architecture every day!).

How the chef got the perfect crispy crust and still managed to leave the scallops rare in the middle is beyond me. I tried to figure out how to replicate the dish at home, but just figured I’d eat it at Palomino as often as possible.

Just last weekend, when the temperatures were high (close to 90!) in Seattle, we were lucky to score an outside seat at Le Pichet, right on First Avenue in the Pike Place Market.

The Seared Salmon with baby garlic tops, flageolet beans, carrots, and asparagus was like summer on a plate, the salmon perfectly cooked to rare and the garlic tops more green than garlicky. A very light white broth brought the dish together so perfectly that I lapped up every last drop with the soup spoon thoughtfully provided!

Not so politically correct, but still very well executed, is the (blackened) Ahi and Greens salad at Gordon Biersch. I feel a deep twinge every time I order Ahi, since it  (in fact, most species of tuna, except for albacore) is on the endangered list, but every so often it serves as a special treat. This one was served with a well-made miso dressing and wasn’t overly charred or spicy. A Cajun remoulade sauce was also offered, and went surprisingly well with the fish and greens.

There’s still time to take advantage of a great summertime deal: Two Dollar Tuesdays offered up by our friends at Cupcake Royale.

July is National Ice Cream Month (who knew?!?!) and so Cupcake Royale is celebrating in grand style, and passing along a screaming-hot (or cool!) deal to their customers; $2 ice-cream scoops on Tuesdays.

So stop by tomorrow, or any Tuesday this month (the offer is good any time of the day) and get a scoop of premium, hand-churned ice cream for just $2 a scoop.

Churning 14 flavors in their downtown ice creamery, you can try one of the newest flavors including Orange Hibiscus sorbet, Honey + Snickerdoodle, Theo Malted Milk Chocolate, or Peppermint + Fudge Ribbon.

More traditional ice-cream lovers can opt for one of Cupcake Royale’s classic flavors–Burnt Caramel with Smoked Sea Salt or Stumptown Coffee with Fudge Ribbon.

And don’t forget about cupcakes! July kicks off the Washington blueberry season, and the Blueberry Brown Betty cupcake is Cupcake Royale’s featured Cupcake of the Month.

This adaptation of the American classic features vanilla and blueberry cake with a brown sugar-cream cheese top, finished with  buttermilk cake crumbs and a single dried blueberry. .

Which just goes to show (borrowing from the famous words of Marie Antoinette), Cupcake Royale is the kind of place where you can have your cake (and ice cream) and eat it, too!

In our June 17 post, we updated you on the summer schedule at the venerable Pike Place Market.

In today’s post, we are sharing the good news about other farmers markets in the Pacific Northwest.

Pybus Public Market, Wenatchee, Washington

After more than a year of dreaming, planning and construction, Pybus Public Market, located at 3 North Worthen, Wenatchee, opened its doors to the public in its inaugural debut (soft opening) on Saturday, May 11, at 7:30 a.m.

The building was built in the late 1940s, and brings together a part of the Wenatchee Valley’s history. . .and a glimpse of its future. Opening weekend included a number of festive events, including the lighting of the large red neon “Public Market” sign that is so reminiscent of the Pike Place Market’s eponymous sign.

Since opening weekend, Pybus Market has been open seven days a week, from 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Farmers Markets

Vancouver’s annual farmers markets – typically beginning mid-May and running through late October – are more than just a great place to shop; they’re also a terrific source of food education and a great way to meet the colorful characters of Vancouver’s vibrant food community.

Kitsilano Farmers Market

May 12 to October 20 (Sundays, 10am – 2pm)

With nearly 50 vendors offering an array of organic and conventional foods, shoppers can get their hands on Fraser Valley honey, organic coffee, gluten-free cakes and crackers, freshly baked breads, biodynamic berries and handmade crafts. It’s also the perfect spot to grab some goodies for a picnic on nearby Kitsilano Beach.

West End Farmers Market

June 1 to October 19 (Saturdays, 9am – 2pm)

Located in the heart of Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood (walking distance from a number of downtown Vancouver hotels), this quaint market offers high-quality produce, pastries, cheeses, honey and more. For a full day of fun, shoppers can combine a visit to the market with a round of shopping on nearby Robson Street.

Main Street Station Farmers Market

June 5 to October 2 (Wednesdays, 3pm – 7pm)

Nearly 40 vendors line up alongside Thornton Park selling goods like pure maple syrup, natural sausages, wild-caught salmon and handmade soaps. Those who want to carry on their shopping streak can continue along Main Street and browse the area’s trendy boutique shops, or stop by Campagnolo restaurant for a delectable market-inspired menu feature created by executive chef Robert Belcham (available Wednesday nights).

Granville Island Farmers Market

Beginning June 6 (Thursdays, 9am – 3pm)

The Granville Island Farmers’ Market offers everything from handmade artisan cheeses to all-natural gourmet sauces. After working up an appetite, shoppers can choose from more than 70 eateries scattered throughout the island, or stop for mouthwatering fish and chips at False Creek Fisherman’s Wharf.

Lonsdale Quay Artisans Farmers Market

May 4 to October 26 (Saturdays, 10am – 3pm)

Located just 10 minutes via SeaBus from Vancouver’s downtown core, the Lonsdale Quay Farmers’ Market brings together some of Vancouver’s best jam makers, honey gatherers, salsa mixers, bread bakers and crafters. It’s also the perfect pit stop to grab a snack en route to the North Shore’s Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and Grouse Mountain.

One of the joys of my life is visiting and taking food shots at farmers markets when we are traveling.

Below are the best of the best from our recent Seabourn cruise from Lisbon, Portugal, to London.

Look at the shots and read the captions and relive some of my favorite moments vicariously!

Fresh seafood display in Rouen, France

Pheasant salami and other charcuterie at Bordeaux, France farmers market

Tomatoes at farmers market in Bordeaux, France

Giant artichokes at farmers market in Bordeaux, France

Fresh seafood display in Rouen, France

Fresh seafood display in Rouen, france

White asparagus at the farmers market in Bordeaux, France