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Eat & Drink
is our department dedicated to bringing you the, uh, skinny about
what¹s cooking, brewing and being consumed in Seattle.
A Word
or Two about Oysters
Here are
a few oyster facts for your files. The only oyster truly native
to this area is the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida). It is also the
smallest oyster, with shells seldom larger than 1 1/2 inches across,
and meat about the size of your thumbnail. For their size, they're
pricey, but pack a mouthful of flavor—a real treat.
Kumamoto
oysters (Crassostrea sikamea) came to the Northwest by way of Japan.
They're slightly larger than Olympias, but smaller than Pacifics,
with refined flavor.
The Pacific
oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is also native to Japan, but is a flourishing
transplant in the Puget Sound region (and around the world, really).
These oysters are rarely sold by the name "Pacifics," instead taking
on the name of the specific bay or other geographic designation
of where they're from. Think Totten Inlet, Quilcene, Hamma Hamma,
Penn Cove, Shoalwater—these are all Pacific oysters.
Another
more recent transplant to the region is the European flat oyster
(Ostrea edulis), same as the famous Belon oysters of France. They've
taken well to local waters, and we're seeing more of these full-flavored
oysters available each year.
Cookbooks
Two new
treasures published this month by Seattle's Sasquatch Books, will
help codify just what it is that makes living and eating in the
Northwest such a unique treat. Braiden Rex-Johnson's Inside the
Pike Place Market captures the living, breathing quality of
the Market, taking readers on a composite day from start to end,
across the seasons. Vibrant photos accompany the essays and recipes.
The Northwest Essentials Cookbook by Greg Atkinson promises to be
just that: the place we turn again and again for inspiration about
(and recipes for) crab, berries, hazelnuts and other great local
foods.
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And,
To Wash it All Down With...
With such
a vast selection of specialty beers available these days, how's
a suds lover to know what's a true brew? Lynne Sampson quaffs her
way through several small breweries to find what it takes to make
a real microbrew.
Big Time
Brewing Company, 4133 University Way NE. 206.545.4509.
Elysian Brewing Company, 1221 E Pike St. 206.860.1920; In
Gameworks, 1511 7th Ave. 206.382.3539.
Hales Ales, 4301 Leary Way NW. 206.706.1544
Maritime Pacific Brewing Company, 1514 NW Leary Way. 206.782.6181.
Pike Brewing Company, 1415 1st Ave. 206.622.3373.
Pyramid Breweries Inc, 1201 1st Ave S. 206.682.8322.
Redhook Ale Brewery, 3400 Phinney Ave N. 206.548.8000; 14300
NE 145th St., Woodinville. 425.483.3232.
Seattle Brewers, 530 S Holden St. 206.762.7421.
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