Christina's Cookbook
Recipes and Stories from a Northwest Island Kitchen
-
- $14.99
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
Deeply evocative of the San Juan Islands, the recipes and ingredients of Christina's Cookbook give readers a flavorful tour through all of the area's eddies, bays, and gardens. Just for starters, readers can try recipes for Crab Fondue and Fennel Breadsticks, Mussels with Garden Lilies and Curry, or Singing Scallops with Sweet Cicely and Cider. Add to this a side dish of charming tales and worldwide adventures, and the innovative recipes become all the more enticing. Roasted Halibut comes with a story on how it got its glaze; a millionaire playboy in the South of France is behind the delicious lamb recipe; and if readers want to discover how icy Doug Fir Granitas came to be served at the James Beard House, they can open up to the chapter on desserts (which also includes Poached Cherries and Lavender Ice Cream). For fans of authentic Northwest cooking and seafood alike, this cookbook is deliciously entertaining.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Over the past 25 years, Orchid's intimate restaurant, Christina's, situated over a refurbished gas station on Orcas Island north of Seattle, has developed a local cult following as well as become a pilgrimage destination for foodies. With her first book, Orchid shares the robust approach to American cooking that has won her so many fans. Bringing together her grandparents' ranch traditions, basic French and Italian techniques and the Northwest's abundant local ingredients, she has produced an appealing volume that showcases both her skill and her down-to-earth philosophy. Orchid's impeccably clear and simple recipes are organized around the parts of the meal appetizers, salads, main courses, etc. interspersed with essays on ingredients (tomatoes, salmon) and objects (tools). There are familiar dishes, such as Planked Salmon, but also a happy abundance of more idiosyncratic Orchid twists, including her signature chutneys and breadsticks, as well as dishes like Cold Halibut Ceviche Soup, Grilled Sturgeon with Blueberry Chutney, and Pomegranate Lamb Chops. Those living outside the Northwest may find certain ingredients hard to find (e.g., Ling cod, sockeye and Dungeness crab), but Orchid's fondness for pairing strong natural flavorings is within the reach of most dedicated home cooks. Photos.
