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Edna Lewis, the Grand Dame of Southern Cuisine

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My favorite excerpt from The Taste of Country Cooking by Ms. Edna Lewis:

“I will never forget spring mornings in Virginia.  A warm morning and a red sun rising behind a thick fog gave the image of a pale pink veil supported by a gentle breeze that flew or thin marquisette curtains out into the living room, leaving them to fall lazily back.  Being awakened by this irresistible atmosphere we would hop out of bed, clothes in hand, rush downstairs, dress in a sunny spot, and rush out to the barn to find a sweet-faced calf, baby pigs, or perhaps a colt.  We always stopped by the hen house to look at the setting hens sitting in their row of nests along the wall.  They had to be checked often to see if the eggs were moist enough to hatch properly.  I can still remember the moist smell of chickens hatching and making quiet, cuddly noises.  The mother hen would fuss and ruffle her feathers, very annoyed at my mother for lifting her from the nest to sprinkle the eggs.  There would be guineas setting under the woodpile where no one could reach and they would appear one day with a brood that was so swift of movement that one could only get a glimpse of them scampering through the weeds.

Southern Cuisine: A Culinary Obsession

The subject of my latest chef dinner at Chateau Ste. Michelle has quickly become my latest culinary obsession -- Southern food.  My knowledge of Southern food was pretty general, so I did what I always do: purchased a dozen cookbooks; ordered some authentic ingredients; and tested, tasted, tested, tasted.  The result is, besides being unbelievably full, I am head-over-heels in love with everything Suthun’!

The more research I did, the more I became completely enamored & beguiled with the South.  It just buttered my biscuit, so to speak.  From the shellfish of the low country’s coastal regions, to the amazing varieties of field peas & legumes of the inland territories; from the one true grit (the stone-ground variety) to the highly debated barbeque feuds between each state, region, county & city.  

Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe Sparkling & a Good Book

Patricia Wells In Seattle Next Week

Patricia & Walter Wells are coming to Seattle next week on the last stretch of their book tour. The newly released book, We’ve Always Had Paris... and Provence: A Scrapbook of our Life in France, portrays their life together beginning with 1976 New York. The book is filled with anecdotes, food adventures, photos & favorite recipes. The conversation sways between each other to weave both sides of, what most of us consider to be, a real life fairy tale. It’s a memoir about the love of food, life, and each other - what a great project! What I’ve read so far is lovely.

They’ll be at Boat Street Cafe on Wednesday evening, Rose’s Bakery (Orcas Island) on Thursday, and Chateau Ste. Michelle (with Janet & me!) on Friday. Tickets to each event are limited, so jump on the horn tout de suite!

The Passionate Epicure

"The cordon bleu’s eye, with an odd gleam of interest and evident enthusiasm, pleasurably caressed all the complicated and ingenious appointments.

Feast: A History of Grand Eating by Sir Roy C. Strong

"From the nude acrobats who entertained dinner guests in ancient Greece to the quiet rituals of medieval monks, from Roman debauchery and excess to the restrained rigor of the Victorian dinner party, sharing a grand meal has always been a theatrical event. But feasts are also complex social phenomena - these celebrations have divided and united people; they have signaled peace, marriages, victories, alliances, coronations and funerals."

Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook

Mom always said, “if you can’t say anything nice...” - you know the drill.

Rizzoli: Another Great Manhattan Bookstore

Known for publishing stunning coffee table books and their spectacular two-story window, Rizzoli Bookstore on 5th Avenue is a New York institution.

Kitchen Arts & Letters: New York’s Best Cookbook Shop

Really great cookbook shops are hard to come by – only a handful of cities has one.