Big John’s PFI August 17, 2009

This is a good specialty food store located south of downtown Seattle with a large selection of bulk dry goods and spices, a large selection of imported olives by weight though for me the main attraction is the huge selection of cheeses!!!

There are also some cans and jars – canned tomatoes and sauces, jams and jellies, pasta and bulk chocolate, some oils and vinegars too. I think it is a very good store, especially the cheese selection which is, to be honest, is a bit overwhelming because you want so many and can buy so few due to the minimum weight restriction – minimum of 1lb or 1/2lb if the price is over $20/lb.

WWW: http://www.bigjohnspfiseattle.com/index.html

Address: 1001 Sixth Avenue South, Level B, Seattle, WA  Tel: 206 682-2022

Tutta Bella Certified Neapolitan Pizza in Seattle – Review August 17, 2009

Apparently such a certification exists outside Italy and was given to Tutta Bella which has a few locations in the Seattle area. The pizza is fresh with thin crust and good quality toppings, it is very good and so are the desserts. Recommended!

WWW: http://www.tuttabellapizza.com/

The Shrimp stand near Deception Pass August 17, 2009

I’ve heard about this place but didn’t know where it actually was nor have I ever been to Deception Pass until recently…I found this road-side Sseafood and BBQ stand without even looking for it – a large gathering of cars and people on the side of the road near a little white shack drew my attention the moment I saw it :)

For those of you who are in the area and want to plan ahead, it is located on HWY 20 when you go south-west towards Deception Pass park on the intersection of Deception road approximately in the middle between lake Campbell and Pass lake (look at the map…) .

The BBQ looked and smelled great, so did the various versions of fish/shrimp/oyster and chips but the main attraction is the freshly boiled spot prawns, small and pretty and incredibly fresh. They are sold by weight (about $4 or $5 per pound) with the option to add cocktail sauce for a $1. You take those with you tot he beach and indulge :)

Summer in a bowl – Summer Pasta August 17, 2009

This is a recipe for one of the best dishes you can prepare only in the summer, why? because of the heirloom tomatoes ofcourse…They are pretty and colorful and fragrant and sweet and flavorful, yum!

This recipe, in my opinion, requires medium pasta like Campanelle because it is good at capturing the oil and juice from the tomatoes. The sauce, if you will, captures the essence of summer both because it is a cold (well, room temperature actually) and because it uses fresh raw tomatoes and herbs.

You will need:

Tomatoes, preferably heirloom, regular (diced) or cherry (halved) – about 1/2 cup (heaping) per person

For every cup of tomatoes you will need: 1/3 cup olive oil * 1 shallot (chopped fine) * 1 Tbsp fresh Chives (chopped) * 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh Basil * 1 Tbsp chopped fresh Oregano * 1 clove of garlic (minced) * freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt * a splash of red wine vinegar (less than a teaspoon)

Combine all of the above, cover, and either leave for a few hours on the kitchen counter if it is not very hot in your house or in the fridge where you can actually leave it overnight and bring to room temperature before you boil the pasta.

When the pasta is ready, mix it with the sauce adding more olive oil and more fresh basil, grate some Parmegiano Reggiano on top.

The cold sauce will lower the temperature of the pasta making it a great meal on a hot summer day.

*** You can add boiled shrimp too :)