Vegetable stew for breakfast? This flavorful dish will help power you through the day. Chickpeas and lentils meld with fall vegetables in a garlicky za’atar-flavored tomato sauce. A healthy dash of olive oil, fresh avocado and eggs add protein and nourishment. Mama Lil’s peppers add some zip. No wonder this is such a popular brunch item at our cafés. You can adjust the legumes and vegetables as the seasons change. Serve it with a piece of crusty bread and enjoy a healthy start to your day.INGREDIENTSServes 4½ medium-sized Delicata squash1 medium zucchini squash2 red bell peppers½ cup olive oil, divided4 tsp za’atar spice, divided1 tsp kosher salt, divided1 large leek, thinly sliced2 tsp garlic, finely chopped2 medium tomatoes, medium dice1 cup dried lentils2½ cups water1 cup chickpeas, canned or precooked1 cup apple cider¼ cup Italian parsley, coarsely chopped½ cup extra virgin olive oil8 eggs1 avocado, peeled and quartered16 slices Mama Lil’s Sweet Hot Pickled PeppersPreheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.Remove the stem and base of the Delicata squash, then halve the squash and scoop out the seeds (refrigerate one half to use for another dish). Cut the squash into ¾” squares and toss with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, ¼ tsp salt and 2 tsp of za’atar. Spread the seasoned squash on one-third of the prepared baking sheet.Cut the zucchini into ¾” squares and toss with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, ¼ tsp salt and the final 2 tsp of za’atar. Place on the middle third of the baking sheet.On the final third of the baking sheet, place the 2 red bell peppers. Brush the exterior with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt.Roast the squash, zucchini and bell peppers for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and golden brown. Allow the vegetables to cool for 20 minutes, then peel the bell peppers. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds, then coarsely dice them. Set asideIn a large saucepan, place the final 2 Tbsp of olive oil and sauté the leeks over medium-high heat. Cover to sweat the leeks. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.Add the diced tomatoes and garlic, simmer for another 3 minutes. Add the lentils, water and ½ tsp salt. Simmer for 30 minutes to cook the lentils.Add the roasted peppers, delicata squash, zucchini, chickpeas and apple cider to the large saucepan. Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes to marry the flavors. Add the Italian parsley and stir to combine.Divide the stew between 4 plates and start preparing the eggs.Warm a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and crack 2 eggs into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook to your doneness preference. Top the stew with the eggs and any extra olive oil in the pan. Garnish the plate with a quarter of the sliced avocado and 4 slices of Mama Lil’s Peppers. Repeat for the other 3 plates. The eggs cook quickly, and the stew holds its heat, so all 4 plates will come out warm.Serve with a slice of Macrina’s Skagit Sourdough toast (our preference), or another hearty loaf.
This Sunday, art and football intersect in the Seahawks Gameday Poster created by our Sodo café’s very own James Stanton.The Seattle Seahawks partnered with the legendary local graphic designers Ames Bros to curate a series of posters with unique artwork to commemorate this season’s home games. Barry Ament and Coby Schwartz, the creative force behind Ames Bros, invited James Stanton to be one of the eight accomplished Seattle artists to produce a poster.James, who has worked part-time at Macrina’s Sodo café for nearly five years, is a cartoonist and illustrator who has been publishing his small-press comic Gnartoons since 2005. He’s also done comics and illustrations for Thrasher, The Atlantic, The Stranger, The Nib, Adventure Time and other publications.
“It's such an honor to work with the Ames Bros on a Seahawks poster,” James says. “Coby and Barry know my stuff. They pointed out what in my portfolio they thought would work well, which mostly wound up being comic book covers. I ended up thinking about the poster as a comic book cover more than I did as a print.”Assigned the November 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, James created a serpentine-like hawk rising from the sea and swamping a pirate ship with shredded sails. Majestic Doug firs tower in the background. The 18” x 24” posters are screen printed and can be ordered online and picked up at CenturyLink Field on game day or at the CenturyLink Field Pro Shop during designated hours. The Seahawks are also producing 12 “platinum” posters on special paper with enhanced printing techniques. Those will be sold on the Seahawks’ Auction Website the day after each game and shipped to winners.Buying a poster will not only serve as a unique art piece on your wall, but it helps fund arts education for kids. The Seahawks are donating all proceeds from sales of the posters to The Creative Advantage, an arts education equity program for Seattle Public Schools.
In addition to some cash, posters, and the prestige, James gets tickets to the game and a field pass. It’ll be his first live Seahawks game. “The Seahawks are a much bigger stage than I’m used to working on,” James says. “This was fun because they gave me a lot of freedom to draw whatever I wanted to, within certain parameters, of course.”James moved to Seattle specifically because it's a hotspot for independent comics and to help publish a free comics newspaper called The Intruder. He immediately found a room to rent in a Beacon Hill house already occupied by a few other comics artists. More than seven years later, that’s still the case. “When someone moves out, we find another cartoonist to take their place,” says James.
This coming spring, a hardbound collection of James’ collected work, titled Gnartoons, will be released by the Bay Area publisher Silver Sprocket Bicycle Club. And on Saturday, November 9, you will find James at Short Run, the one-day annual comics and arts festival that takes place at the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center, with his newest comic, Swamp Mythos,—and copies of the Seahawks poster.See more of James' work on his website or on Instagram and other social media apps at @gnartoons.
Meat lovers speak of Salumi in hushed, reverent tones as though they're in church, or maybe just worried an eavesdropper will beat them to the Pioneer Square deli and get the last culatello.
And it's been this way for 20 years now!
That kind of hype is beyond incredible in an industry that favors the hot new thing. Just this month Tan Vinh, of the Seattle Times, included Salumi's porchetta sandwich (juicy, slow-roasted pork laced with fennel stuffed into a Macrina Giuseppe Roll) in his list of the four best sandwiches in Seattle. And this comes on top of just about every major food writer in the country having written in ecstatic tones about Salumi's meats and sandwiches over the years.
Of Salumi, the late Anthony Bourdain said, "That is a holy place for me." In 2005, Ruth Reichl, tasting Salumi's mole salami, said, "(I taste) cinnamon, clove, a lot of clove. And that faint edge of chocolate. God, it's so good. It's such a surprise. It makes the pork seem so sweet. Oh, my god, it's like he's invented something new here." She went on to suggest that Salumi's mole salami would sweep the nation.
But salami is not an entirely easy thing to make. It takes a lot of skill, equipment and specialized curing rooms. Despite enlarging their production space, Salumi could never meet demand. This is why Gina and Brian Batali, who took over operations when Armandino, the founder and Gina's father, retired, sold Salumi in October 2017 to Clara Veniard and Martinique Grigg.
Clara and Martinique were food lovers with Harvard MBAs and plenty of leadership experience looking to invest in a local business together. "Both Martinique and I were long-time lovers of Salumi," Clara says. "We'd travel to visit relatives carrying sticks of Salumi's meats." Gina and Brian were at a point in their lives where they felt Salumi could take a step to the next level, and they weren't at a stage in their lives where they wanted to do that. A mutual acquaintance bridged a connection, and after a few coffees at Grand Central, both parties felt they'd found the perfect fit.
Clara and Martinique donned hairnets and spent the first year apprenticing, listening and learning. "We wanted to learn from as many voices as we could what makes Salumi a really special place," Clara says. "So many people came together to make Salumi what it is today, Armandino and Marilyn, Gina and Brian, the people that work there, and the customers. We worked in all parts of the organization, including arriving at five in the morning to make salami."
In November of 2018, they made their first big change: moving the restaurant from its sliver of a space to the former location of Rain Shadow Meats at 404 Occidental Ave. "We hadn't planned to move, but it was just perfect for us—only two blocks away from our old location—and as a former butcher shop, it had everything we needed. We reused everything that was already in place," Clara says.
Spacious and filled with light, the new Salumi retains the filled-with-good-smells charm of the old space. Beloved features remain, like the private dining room and communal tables, but now there is more seating and a line that moves three times as fast.
Next up: a state-of-the-art production facility in South Seattle. Clara says, "Last December, we got to the point where we literally couldn't fill most orders. I remember selling the last salami stick. It was a customer who came to the back door. We had one stick to offer them. My sisters and parents-in-law were shocked at Christmas that I didn't bring them any salami." Now Salumi will have the capacity to be able to meet customer's needs. New flavors and new product lines are also in the works.
To find the best meats, Salumi is going straight to the farms. "We're taking a hard look at the farms we source from, and how they treat their animals," Clara says. "Everything will be all-natural."
Through the changes, what makes Salumi Salumi are the same recipes and the same crew. "Culture is number one for us," Clara says. "We have people who've been here since the very beginning. The first person who Armandino hired still works for us. It amazes me the level of care that I see from everybody on the team. They take great pride in what we're doing here." As Salumi grows, there will be more leadership roles and room for people to grow with the organization.
At Macrina, we're thrilled to be a part of Salumi's growth and are impressed at the seamless way Clara and Martinique have taken the best parts of a sacred Seattle treasure and made them even better. Ruth Reichl's prediction that Salumi's cured meats will sweep the nation just may come to pass.
Ultimately, it was Macrina’s Greek Olive Loaf that led Diana to our café. A recent transplant to Seattle in 2016, Diana was looking for a job when her boyfriend showed up with a loaf of his new favorite bread—the Greek Olive Loaf. He casually mentioned that he’d noticed a sign saying Macrina was hiring.
Diana and her boyfriend had moved to Seattle from New York City where Diana had worked in independent film production. Out of college, she had considered a career as a teacher, but student teaching had talked her out of that. Her job requirements were only that she didn’t want to be cooped up in an office. “I’m an extrovert,” Diana says. “Being around people gives me energy. I loved Macrina’s bread and it seemed like a fun place to work so I interviewed.”
Customers and coworkers alike were quickly impressed with her hard work, kindness and spirited personality. When the Aloha café opened in September 2018, Diana was an instrumental part the opening crew. When the tightly knit community of North Capitol Hill filtered in to check us out, Diana’s product knowledge and bright, lively personality helped introduce Macrina to everyone. Everyone who has ever opened a new retail business knows just how challenging it is. There’s hardly been a quiet moment since we opened the doors, so strong customer service skills and a good work ethic have been bench tested. “We have so many regulars already,” Diana says. “You know their favorite pastry before you know their name. Seeing familiar faces in line is definitely a great part of the job.” When the General Manager position opened up in June 2019 it was clear Diana had earned the nod. “I was honored to be offered the job,” Diana says. “I worked my way up and feel like they saw something in me. Scott and Leslie are at the Aloha café frequently and both are very open and supportive. When I’m hiring it helps to be able to say very honestly that the company culture is really good, and there are many opportunities for growth.” 
It’s high time to bring this retro favorite back into style! Our Mini Macrina Casera Loaf is the perfect size for making bread bowls and is crusty enough to contain the soup. The lovely texture of this creamy chicken and mushroom soup is created by puréeing the broth with some of the bread you remove to make the bowls. Homemade stock makes this crowd-pleaser even more flavorful.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
4 Mini Macrina Casera loaves (8 ounces each)1/2 cup olive oil, divided4 cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped, divided8 ounces chicken breast3/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped3/4 cup carrots, peeled and finely chopped3/4 cup celery, finely chopped3 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped1/2 cup white wine8 cups chicken stock1/2 cup heavy cream1 cup (2 ounces) Gruyère cheese, grated
DIRECTIONS
Cut a 1" deep circle, about 4" to 5" in diameter, across the top of each Mini Macrina Casera loaf. Then cut beneath each circle to create a lid for the soup bowls. Using your fingers or a spoon, carve out the center of the loaves, leaving the edges about 1/2" thick. Measure out 1-1/2 cups of the bread you’ve removed, and reserve it for adding to the soup. Brush approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil inside each bread bowl and on the underside of the lids. Set the bowls aside.In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Brown the mushrooms then remove and set aside. In this same pan over medium-high heat, brown the chicken breast on each side for 2 minutes and then set aside. It will finish cooking in the soup base, so the browning here is just to develop flavor.In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables for 2-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, rosemary and remaining teaspoon of thyme. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.Add the white wine and simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the chicken breast, chicken stock and the reserved bread. Simmer for 30 minutes.Remove the chicken breast and let cool for 10 minutes.Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.Pour the soup mixture into a food processor. Do not fill it higher than the top of the blade. Secure the lid and purée the soup. Repeat in batches until you’ve puréed all the soup. Alternatively, if you have an immersion blender that works as well.Over medium heat, return the soup to the saucepan and add the heavy cream.Coarsely chop the chicken breast and sautéed mushrooms. Add them to the soup and let cook for another 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Place the oiled bread bowls and lids on the prepared baking pan and bake for 5 minutes.Fill the bowls with soup and top with Gruyère. Carefully return the baking sheet to the oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve each bread soup bowl topped with its lid. The crispy lid makes for a great soup dipper and don’t forget to enjoy the bowl itself once you’ve spooned out all the soup. It’s delicious!Printable PDF
When Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in Berkeley on August 28, 1971, no one would have predicted how much she’d change our understanding of natural ingredients, how we grow them, and how we cook them. The proliferation of America’s local-seasonal-organic foods and the farm-to-table movement grew out of this new approach to eating. Flash forward to summer 2019. There is no better place to experience ultra-local cuisine than the small-farm-filled epicurean paradise of Vashon Island. This is a big part of the reason Leslie chose to host Les Dames D’Escoffier’s 7th annual Summer Supper and Farm Tour at her Vashon Island Farm. Thirty guests were treated to an exclusive tour of local farms, followed by a four-course al fresco meal on the patio surrounded by hazelnut trees and roaming chickens. Naturally, the dinner featured Vashon Island ingredients. Each course was paired with wines from Palouse Winery and Maury Island Winery.
The farm tour started at Nashi Orchards, a premium producer of handcrafted perry and hard cider. They grow Asian and European pears and heirloom apples on 27 beautiful acres, using sustainable practices. Cheryl and Jim Gerlach, the owners and cider masters, talked the group through a history of the industry. “We work very hard to manage our soil and the condition of our trees to ensure the flavor from our fruit is in every bottle,” Jim said. They helped guests distinguish the subtle differences in the varieties of fruit and took guests on a tour of their new tasting room in the town of Vashon. The next stop was to Old Chaser Farm, where Matt Dillon, the award-winning chef behind Sitka & Spruce, Bar Ferdinand and The London Plane, led tours of the 20-acre organic farm where he raises vegetables and meat, including cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens. While walking through the fields of ripe vegetables, Matt talked about Seattle’s current restaurant scene and the importance of sustainability in farming. 
Back at Leslie’s for a cocktail hour, guests snacked on appetizers, including a favorite made with local figs and mascarpone, and enjoyed a signature cocktail made from a local red currant syrup, ginger beer, BSB bourbon, apricot puree and soda water. A naturalist, Greg Rabourn, led guests around Leslie’s farm pointing out wild edible plants we might not recognize. Before the meal, everyone gathered for a few words about Green Table Grants. Then guests took their seats, and several long-time Les Dames members began serving food that would have made Alice Waters proud. 
How does breakfast in bed sound? Maybe a Roly Poly, Morning Glory Muffin, or Brioche Egg Sandwich? Or perhaps you need a range of sandwiches and salads for an office lunch? Well, we've got you covered. Beginning August 29, DoorDash will deliver a selection of Macrina's handmade breads, pastries, breakfast, beverages and lunch items straight to your door. Initially, we began looking into delivery partnerships as a way to handle large catering orders. But why not have DoorDash also bring smaller orders to our busy customers? Your daily bread? They'll bring you that too! As much as we love a relaxing lunch in the Macrina cafés, there isn't always time. That's no reason not to get the food you truly want. Now in this age of convenience, just a few taps in the DoorDash app and your favorite Macrina items will meet you wherever you are. 
Sweet peaches and tart raspberries harmonize in this juicy marriage of pie and crumble. A flaky pie crust cradles the tender fruit and a buttery almond-laced crumb gives the top a gentle crunch. Take this to your next picnic or backyard barbecue and you’ll be scribbling out the recipe for everyone—it’s that delicious. Buy a good pre-baked crust or make your own by following our Flaky Pie Dough recipe. This crumb pie is best enjoyed the day you bake it, but next-day leftovers will not go to waste!
INGREDIENTS
Makes one 9" pie | Serves 8
4 ripe medium peaches (approximately 6 cups cut fruit)
2 pints fresh raspberries (approximately 3 cups)1/3 cup dark brown sugar1/2 cup granulated sugar1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, divided3/4 teaspoon almond extract, divided1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract2 tablespoons lemon juice2/3 cup light brown sugar2/3 cup sliced almonds4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick), chilled & cut in 1/4" cubes1 pre-baked 9" pie shell
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Cut an X on the bottom of each peach, just breaking through the skin. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the peaches in the boiling water until the skin around the X starts to curl back, about 2-3 minutes. Test one to be sure the skin pulls back easily. If so, use a slotted spoon to transfer the peaches to the ice bath.
Once cool, peel the peaches and cut them into 1/2" wedges. In a medium bowl combine the peaches, raspberries, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Combine gently, being careful not to crush the raspberries. Allow to rest for 1 hour.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, place the remaining 3/4 cup flour, light brown sugar, sliced almonds and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. With the mixer running at low speed, add the butter a cube at a time. Continue mixing for 4-5 minutes until the flour mixture is a coarse crumbly texture. Set the crumb topping aside.
Set a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the fruit mixture into it. Allow the juice to drain for 2 minutes. Add the strained fruit to the pre-baked pie shell and level with a spatula. Pour 1/4 cup of the drained fruit juice over the fruit. Discard the remaining juice or use for another purpose. Evenly distribute the crumb topping over the pie.
Place the pie on the lined rimmed baking sheet and place on the center rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 80-90 minutes. The pie should be bubbling up around the edges and golden brown on top.
Let cool for 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Hurry to Peach-O-Rama to savor a Sweet Peach Brioche made by Macrina with Metropolitan Market’s sweet, just-picked peaches.
Each Summer Metropolitan Market holds its annual Peach-O-Rama, and the aisles fill with lovers of sweet, juice-filled peaches. The many varieties of peaches have one thing in common: Each is picked at the peak of ripeness, packed carefully to prevent bruising, and trucked straight to the store.
Pence Orchards in the lower Yakima Valley is one of Metropolitan Market’s primary suppliers. A fourth-generation family farm run by Sharon and Bert Pence, Pence Orchards only picks the peaches when they have tree-ripened and have reached an ideal sweetness. The peaches don’t go into cold storage. Instead, they are carefully nested into single-layer packing. They arrive the next day in the produce section at Metropolitan Market just as succulent and perfect as they were when they dangled from the branch.
Peach-O-Rama started over 20 years ago and was inspired by the founder and chairman of Metropolitan Market, Terry Halverson. He says, “My family lived in Yakima when I was young, and we picked peaches for eating, jam, and canning. Mom made pies and we ate peaches for dessert often. They were as good as you could get. There was nothing like making a mess eating the fully loaded, juicy, aromatic peaches.”
That childhood love fueled the desire to find a way to get the best fresh-from-the-farm peaches into the store. The result is an ode to the peach, those juicy nectar laden gems. Of course, the celebration isn’t limited to the produce aisle. Wander over to the bakery and you’ll find Macrina’s ode to the peach: the Sweet Peach Brioche. Our collaboration with Metropolitan Market features slices of their juicy peaches with cinnamon sugar and sweetened fromage blanc in a lightly textured brioche bun, finished with a dusting of fine sugar. You’ll have a hard time stopping at one!
Local blueberries are bountiful and in peak form right now. They add a tart sweetness to this mildly spicy BBQ sauce and give it a beautiful deep purple hue. The frozen blueberries will break down into the sauce while most of the fresh ones retain their form. The refreshingly zesty summer vegetable slaw gives the sandwich a cool crunch that lends balance to the assertive flavors of the grilled chicken. Serve this sandwich with a favorite potato salad or handmade roasted potato fries.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 4 sandwichesBBQ Sauce2 tablespoons olive oil3/4 cup sweet onion, small dice1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, finely diced1 tablespoon smoked paprika1 tablespoon chipotle powder1/2 teaspoon black pepper1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries1/4 cup brown sugar2 tablespoons molasses2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce1 cup ketchup3 tablespoons brewed espresso or rich coffee4 skinless chicken breastsSummer Vegetable Slaw1/2 cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon sherry vinegarZest and juice of 1 lime2 teaspoons honey1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/3 head of cabbage, thinly sliced1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced1 ear white corn, kernels cut off cob3/4 cup cilantro, coarsely choppedAssembly4 Macrina Ciabatta Burger Buns2 tablespoons olive oil1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) mayonnaiseDIRECTIONSBBQ SauceAdd the olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, paprika, chipotle, black pepper and salt. Cook for 1 minute, then add both the fresh and frozen blueberries. Cook for 3-5 minutes to break down the berries. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to help. You want some whole fruit and some to break down into sauce. Add the brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, ketchup and coffee. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until reduced. Let cool to room temperature.Marinate the chicken breasts in 1-1/2 cups of the BBQ sauce. Cover entirely and refrigerate overnight.Summer Vegetable SlawPrepare this slaw at least 30 minutes before assembling sandwiches. In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, sherry vinegar, lime zest and juice, honey and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the cabbage, sweet onion, corn kernels and cilantro. With tongs, toss the ingredients together to fully coat the cabbage. Check for seasoning and add cracked black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until needed.Grilling & AssemblyPreheat grill to 400°F.Slice the Ciabatta Burger Buns in half and brush each side with olive oil. Set aside.Brush the grill with oil. Place chicken breasts on grill and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side (to mark the chicken with hatch lines from the grill, rotate a quarter turn halfway through the grilling of each side). When done, chicken should reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove breasts and let rest for 3 minutes.Grill the buns cut side down, watching carefully to ensure they just caramelize and don’t burn.Lay the toasted buns on each plate. Spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise on each top bun. Add a generous amount of slaw to the bottom bun, approximately 1/2-3/4 cup. Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2" slices and arrange over the slaw. Top the chicken with 1 tablespoon or more of the BBQ sauce. Cover each with its top bun and enjoy!Printable PDF
Imagine you’re three years into owning and operating your dream bakery. Then imagine getting a call that Julia Child, the legend herself, wants you to appear on her show Baking with Julia. Back then, before Iron Chef, Anthony Bourdain and the Food Network, Baking with Julia was THE cooking show. It won both an Emmy and a James Beard Award. That was Leslie in 1996. After the thrill and shock wore off came the inevitable question, What will I cook? It had to both look and taste great, for Julia Child didn’t mince words. The Fresh Fruit Crostata, of course. The lattice topped crostata is a rustic Italian fruit tart. It can be made with any fruit but is best with at least two kinds, one firm and one juicy. In the kitchen of Julia Child’s imposing Cambridge clapboard house (where the show was shot) Leslie used raspberries and figs. The crostata came out perfectly, and Julia Child loved it. “That experience is one of the greatest memories of my life,” Leslie says. “All of the humor and wit and personal connection that you see from Julia Child on the show came across even more between takes. It was unbelievably stimulating and thrilling to be there.” This summer, we will be showcasing the crostata in our cafes with nectarines and berries depending on what is fresh or in season. Look for Leslie’s favorite, the nectarine blueberry, or the runner up, nectarine raspberry, to make frequent appearances. We make the buttery crust with a sesame almond dough. Hints of lemon zest and cinnamon add complexity to the fruit, and it gets a long, slow bake, which caramelizes the fruit sugars making it luscious and jammy at the edges. In classic Macrina style, the crostata isn’t overly sweet. Serve it at room temperature, or even slightly warmed, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or ice cream. Stop by a Macrina café this summer to try the crostata that Julia Child raved about.
Leslie's favorite pastry is Macrina's Roly Poly. “The smell of Roly Polys warming in the oven brings me back to childhood memories of being in my Grandmother Bakke’s kitchen. We would wait by the oven for the cinnamon rolls that we had just made together to finish baking,” Leslie says.Time spent baking with her grandmother and mother inspired Leslie to attend the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. From there, she went on to apprenticeships with award-winning chefs and bakers and finally opened Macrina in 1993. “When we were creating breakfast treats in the early days, the treasured memory of my grandmother’s rolls came to mind,” Leslie says. “There were no measurements, just about this much and then that much. At some later point, I’d documented approximate amounts for our family recipes and carried them with me wherever I went.”Leslie will never forget the memories that became the basis for Macrina's Roly Poly recipe. “The best part of my grandmother’s rolls was the filling of cinnamon, sugar, raisins, coconut, and walnuts. No one ingredient overpowered the others,” Leslie says. “At Macrina, I had the wonderful advantage of already having the laminated dough we used for croissants. It had many thin layers of unsalted butter ready at my disposal.”The combination of Grandmother Bakke’s filling and the laminated dough was just about perfect. Leslie added a dollop of cream cheese frosting and the Roly Poly was born.“The Roly Poly is my all-time favorite breakfast pastry,” Leslie says.
Heirloom tomatoes might be the summer garden’s most loved bounty. Freshly picked and warm from the sun, their tender flesh bursts with that unique blend of acid and natural sweetness. Maybe because tomatoes are technically a fruit, they pair exceptionally well with nectarines. Grilling the nectarines creates caramelization that concentrates their flavor and the herbs add a refreshing touch. The vibrant summer flavors are complemented by the rich texture from the ricotta crostoni. To make a full dinner of this salad, add a tossed field green salad, grilled chicken or seared tuna steak.
IngredientsServes 4
1 ear of white corn2 ripe nectarines, cut into 1/2" wedges1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided4 slices of a rustic Macrina loaf (choose your favorite)1 clove garlic3 heirloom tomatoes, large dice2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons basil, coarsely chopped2 tablespoons parsley, coarsely chopped2 tablespoons mint, coarsely chopped2 teaspoons reduced balsamic vinegar*, divided3/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
*Note: You can purchase reduced balsamic vinegar or make your own by heating balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and reducing it by half. We recommend using balsamic vinegar imported from Italy (Aceto Balsamico di Modena).
Directions
Preheat grill to 400°F.
Peel the corn and brush the kernels lightly with olive oil. Place the corn directly on the grill, rotating every 3 minutes until fully cooked on all sides. Remove the corn and let it cool before using a sharp knife to cut the kernels from the cob. Set aside.
Toss the nectarines in 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and place across the grate. Grill for 3 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool.
Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. You want grill marks for the caramelized flavor. Remove grilled bread and rub both sides of each slice with a raw garlic clove for extra flavor. Set aside.
In a medium bowl add the tomatoes, corn, nectarines, basil, parsley and mint. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1-1/2 teaspoon reduced balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss and let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving.
When you’re ready to eat, spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta on each slice of grilled bread and drizzle with remaining reduced balsamic vinegar. Divide the salad between 4 plates and add the ricotta crostoni.
Enjoy!
Many of the best things in life are unplanned. My chickens, for instance, came along like that, and they have been a most pleasant surprise. 
It all started with a donation. The Lake Union Crew Outreach Foundation does fabulous work, so when they asked me to donate food for their fundraiser, I couldn’t say no. Dropping off the meal, I saw a beautiful chicken coop for auction. Turns out the Lake Union Crew’s founder, Rome Ventura, had built the chicken coop. Seeing my interest, she offered to make one for me. She even hand-delivered it to my Seattle home. By the spring of 2012, I had moved to my farmhouse on Vashon Island where my daughter, Olivia, got excited about raising chickens. Together we chose eight assorted chicks. We kept them inside for two months, nurturing those fuzzy yellow cuties. We named them and watched over them, somewhat obsessively. As they grew, so did our interest in getting them outside—who knew they'd become so pungent! Finally, we were ready to break in Rome Ventura’s handmade coop. I placed the coop between four hazelnut trees to provide shelter from extreme sun. I also hoped it would provide some cover from eagles, a fearsome predator on Vashon. I built an 8-by-12-foot covered run for them so they didn’t have to stay “cooped” up all the time. This seemed like lots of space—until they got even bigger. 
My two dogs weren’t quite sure what to make of the chickens at first. There was a bit of a stand-off, but after eight months everyone seemed to respect each other. I started letting “the girls” roam the property. That was a happy day in the life of a proud chicken mom. They roamed the farm finding bugs, grass and weeds to eat. Then tragedy struck—raccoons scaled one of the hazelnut trees and carried seven of my chickens away to feed their young. I was heartbroken. Fighting off thoughts of being unworthy, I moved the coop to a better location. My two small dogs, all bark and no bite, took on guardian roles. With loud barks and a quick sprint, they now chase away any raccoon or cat that wanders onto the farm. The hawks and eagles have also seemed to take note. Over the last six years, I have gone from the original eight chickens, down to one, added three, back to two, added four, and now I am very happy with the six that I’ve had for the past two years. I have two Rhode Island Reds (brown eggs) and four variously colored Araucana (olive green to baby-blue eggs) all sporting that famous feathery beard. The oldest is Dulce, the queen, who was from the first batch. Introducing new chickens is quite a process, and it has taken a year for this team to blend. 
The chickens leave the coop around 7:30 a.m. to see what the night rain or morning dew has brought to the surface for their dining pleasure. They roam the whole farm, traveling in a tribe. They don’t eat my flowers, but they love my veggie starts so I had to fence the vegetable garden. Sometimes they fly over six feet up to the fence post and drop in! My chickens are well fed, no surprise there—organic grain, leftover Macrina bread and vegetable scraps are their main diet. In exchange, they produce 3 to 6 eggs a day as a group. The eggs are richer in taste than a typical supermarket egg, with creamy, bright orange yolks. You notice the difference right away when eating them cooked plainly or baking with them. Aioli’s get a brilliant color from the bright yolks, lemon butter cakes and vanilla custards take on a golden hue, everything is more delicious with fresh eggs. 
My girls join any outdoor dinner gathering. You can’t pick them up, but two will let you pet them. They cluck, coo, trill and peep as though carrying on a lively conversation. As the light diminishes, they make their way back to the coop, and I close them in to keep them safe. I love my girls! Leslie
Update: 6/14/2019
Macrina’s Head Baker, Phuong Hoang Bui, started working at Macrina in 1994. To celebrate his 25th anniversary we gathered with him and his family at Palisade Restaurant to share our gratitude for everything he has done for Macrina and the way he brightens the workplace with smiles and his cheerful heart.
“The best part of the heartwarming dinner was Phuong sharing his fond memories of Macrina,” says Jane Cho, Production Manager. “Behind his kind, respectful mannerisms, he is a comedian and loves to laugh and tell a good story. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Phuong for so many years and to be inspired by someone with such integrity in everything he does.”
To learn more about Phuong’s amazing journey from Vietnam to Macrina read this blog that Leslie wrote about Phuong.Original: 10/14/2012Throughout my new book, More from Macrina, interspersed among the recipes and beautiful photography, are stories about the people and partnerships that make the Macrina community.Phuong Hoang Bui has worked at Macrina for 18 years and as much as anyone, he embodies the spirit of the Macrina community in a way that makes me so proud to have him as a colleague. I first met Phuong through the International Rescue Committee, where he had been eagerly seeking employment. At our first meeting, Phuong conveyed a deep desire to work and to learn – I hired him as a dishwasher on the spot. This was in 1994 – just after Macrina first opened.
While he worked as a dishwasher, Phuong would always make himself available to help with food prep, to help shape bread, and to watch the bakers load the ovens – constantly seeking opportunities to learn more so that he could grow professionally while supporting Macrina’s growth.18 years later Phuong manages our entire wholesale production team – fifty employees in all, diverse in age, ethnicity and experience – and Phuong takes great care to help them all develop the skills to succeed in their work, and for many of them, to adapt to a new life in Seattle.
Before starting at Macrina, Phuong had been trying to get to America from his native Vietnam for some time. His first attempt was as a boat refugee when he was captured and imprisoned for two years. When he was released Phuong received help and support from friends and family, which led to his arrival and new life in the United States.Today, everything Phuong does through his work at Macrina demonstrates his gratitude for the help and support he has received. Phuong works with his team to help them develop professionally and embrace new opportunities, just as he did (and continues to do). Phuong’s desire to repay the kindness he was shown when he first arrived here reflects so much of the culture here at Macrina, and just as Phuong is grateful for the life he has here, I am grateful for the chance to have him be a part of our daily life at Macrina.Learn more about Phuong and his amazing journey in More from Macrina.
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This recipe is in honor of Gina DePalma, the acclaimed pastry chef from Babbo restaurant in NYC. Her book, Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen, inspires a reverence for simple recipes. Too often chefs over complicate dishes to make them more worthy. Sometimes less is more, a philosophy central to much of Italian cuisine. This recipe embraces straightforward preparations and quality ingredients. Good cream will really stand out, for panna cotta is one of the world’s most delightful versions of cooked cream. Sweet Washington strawberries and a Macrina Walnut Anise Wafer are perfect complements to this eggless custard.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
RICOTTA PANNA COTTA
1 cup whole milk ricotta
1 cup whole milk, divided
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 packet powdered gelatin (1/4 oz)
STRAWBERRY TOPPING AND ASSEMBLY
10 strawberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 package of Macrina’s Walnut Anise Wafers
Directions
Place the ricotta and 1/2 cup of the milk in a medium bowl and whisk to dissolve the lumps. Add the sugar, gelatin and heavy cream to a medium saucepan. Cut vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape the seeds out with a paring knife. Add the seeds and bean to the heavy cream. While whisking constantly, warm mixture just to the boiling point, then turn off the heat. Gradually pour the heavy cream mixture into the ricotta mixture and whisk to combine well. Remove the vanilla bean and strain the mixture through a fine cheesecloth or mesh strainer. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and mix to combine. Divide the mixture between 6 sorbet glasses or stemless wine glasses. Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours to set.
Finely dice 9 of the strawberries and place in a medium bowl. Cover with the sugar and sprinkle in the sherry vinegar. Mix well and let sit for 1 hour before serving. Thinly slice the remaining strawberry into 6 rounds. Top each panna cotta with a strawberry round, a spoonful of sweetened diced strawberries and a sprinkle of oregano. Serve with a wafer cookie and enjoy!
Macrina Bakery relies on many highly-skilled bakers. The brothers Andy and Dat Nguyen are two of our best. We still make all our bread by the same methods we did in 1993 when Macrina Bakery first opened in Belltown—only now we make much more of it. Long, slow rises, with carefully maintained starters and forming every loaf by hand is a labor intensive way to make bread. But it’s the way great bakers around the world have been making the best loaves for centuries. Making bread this way is who we are. As we’ve grown, we’ve had to find and train new bakers. Our head baker, Phuong Bui, is one great example. And it was through Phoung, or more precisely, his mother, that we found two other key members of our bread team. Phuong’s mother met Andy and Dat Nguyen in an ESL class at South Seattle Community College in 2003. She mentioned her son was hiring at Macrina. Andy was the first to be hired, Dat followed a month later. 
Phuong trained them both how to shape our various loaves and they joined the forming team. Both brothers were quick learners and showed great initiative. Within a few years, they’d both mastered each of the bread-making steps: mixing, kneading, proofing, shaping, and baking. “Learning each station was difficult,” Andy says. “But now after fifteen years, even the holidays aren’t stressful, just busy.” Today, Dat is our Baking Assistant Manager. He oversees a crew of nearly 20, stepping in to help at every stage as needed. Sometimes it's to speed production along, sometimes helping coach new employees, and making certain he can be proud of each loaf. “I’m thrilled Macrina has trusted me with more responsibility,” Dat says. “I take great pride in making great bread.” Andy works the rack ovens, baking hundreds of loaves every day. He ensures that each comes out with that crisp, caramelized crust our customers have come to know. With so many loaves and many types of bread, it’s part craft, part art and takes a high degree of precision and focused attention. 
Andy lives in Burien with his wife who followed him from Vietnam. They have an eight-year-old daughter who attends White Center Heights Elementary, which has a Vietnamese dual language program. On weekends she likes to go shopping with her father, often asking him if they can go out for a very American lunch—at McDonald’s. Andy prefers Thai food but sometimes indulges his daughter. He relaxes by tending the gardens in his backyard. Dat lives with his parents who emigrated to Seattle three years before Dat and Andy arrived. Dat has a six-year-old son who also attends White Center Heights elementary and is enrolled in the same dual language program as his cousin. Dat helps his aging parents with their needs. Recently, Dat has also had to contend with some of the skills his son has picked up at school, namely how to research new toys on YouTube. Both families remain close, often gathering on weekends and holidays. During football season they get together to root for the Seahawks. Over the years, both brothers have returned to Saigon to visit friends and family in Vietnam. Andy always makes a side trip to Long Khánh, a small city in Southeastern Vietnam to visit his wife’s family. At Macrina, we are incredibly proud of these two master bakers who have become part of our family. Without their talent, hard work, dedication, and ability to train and coach new employees we would not be where we are today. Thank you Dat and Andy for 15 great years!
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Mother’s Day always reminds me of how my mother’s passions influenced me. She was the first gourmand in our family. One of her favorite treats were éclairs from Rose’s Bakery in Portland. I have such indulgent memories of those crisp and airy cream puffs filled with pastry cream and dipped in chocolate glaze. This éclair embraces those memories with a nod to Macrina’s Chocolate Raspberry Cake. The airy golden-brown éclair is layered with rich mocha mousse and fresh raspberries. A glaze of bittersweet chocolate ganache gives balance to the creamy mousse and sends chocolate lovers like me to the moon.
IngredientsMakes 8 éclairs
Pâte à Choux1/2 cup whole milk1 tablespoon granulated sugar3 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour3 eggsMocha Mousse1 cup semisweet chocolate chips1/4 cup brewed espresso4 tablespoons unsalted butter2 cups heavy cream1/2 cup powdered sugar, siftedGanache1/4 cup heavy cream1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chipsAssembly1 pint fresh raspberries1/4 cup clear sparkling sugarEdible flowers or petals (optional)
Preparation
Pâte à ChouxLine a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and butter. When the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted, add the flour. With a wooden spoon, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 1 minute to cool the mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring you've fully incorporated each before adding the next. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip. On the prepared baking sheet, pipe eight 4" long éclairs. Leave about 1" of space between each éclair. You can smooth out any irregularities by dipping your finger in water and brushing the dough into shape.Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 10 minutes. The éclairs should sound hollow when tapped at the base. Let cool 20-30 minutes.Mocha MousseHeat a double boiler and add the chocolate chips, brewed espresso and butter. Stir until the chocolate melts and the mix is combined. Cool for 15 minutes.Add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium speed. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Whip to medium stiff peaks.Remove bowl from mixer. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until it's well combined. Keep cool until you are ready to use it.GanachePlace the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the cream begins to bubble at the edges turn off the heat. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until they melt into the hot cream. Set aside.AssemblyCut the top 1/4" from each éclair. Dip or brush chocolate ganache onto each top. Fill a pastry bag with the mousse (or use a spoon). Fill each éclair base with mousse (it should rise about 1/4" above the edge). Cut 24 raspberries in half and place 6 halves on each éclair base. Cover with the ganache-glazed top and sprinkle with clear sparkling sugar. Garnish with any extra raspberries and the edible flowers. Enjoy!Printable PDF
Does “great taste” come to mind when you think of heritage grains? Many Americans consider heritage grains a health food—something they should eat, not something they want to eat. Fortunately, that appears to be on the cusp of change. Top chefs and bakers have been cooking with new heritage grain hybrids with thrilling results. One of my favorite events of the year is Grain Gathering, an annual three-day event held every July since 2011 at the Bread Lab. Expert bakers, millers, grain scientists, farmers and industry representatives gather in the Skagit Valley. Their goal is to break the dominance of commodity wheat and to find a way to sell America on the benefits of heritage grains. Flavor is the number one selling point. Nutrition is another along with environmental sustainability. Virtually every community in America used to grow wheat. More robust heritage wheat hybrids could again make this economically feasible, benefitting local economies. 
At a Grain Gathering a few years ago, I was introduced to two hybrids developed by Bread Lab. One is called Skagit Magic, which is grown in the Skagit Valley and milled at nearby Cairn Springs Mill. The other is called Expresso Wheat (or, in the lab, T-85). It is grown in Walla Walla and also milled at Cairn Springs Mill. When I started Macrina, flours like these just weren’t available. 
For Macrina’s twenty-fifth anniversary last year, I developed two new breads that utilized these new organic flours. I spent many hours playing around with various techniques and found the heritage flours work best with a slow fermentation. This helps develop subtle, bright flavors and hydrates the bran. I made our Skagit Sourdough with the Skagit Magic. This is one of our most grain-forward and flavorful loaves. The Whole Grain Baguette is our other new loaf, which we make with the Expresso.
Skagit Valley - The Best Grains in the World
At Macrina, our two latest breads feature heritage wheats—the primary reason being the astonishing flavor they add. Edouardo Jordan, the star chef and creator of JuneBaby, named America’s best new restaurant by the James Beard Foundation, recently opened Lucinda Grain Bar, a concept focused on ancient grains. “As Americans, we eat some of the most flavorless, unhealthy grain-based products in the world,” Jordan said. “Commercialization has stripped down all the nutritional value in our grain product. We are excited to explore the flavor and potential of ancient grains.” Jordan noted that some of the best grains in the world are grown in the Skagit Valley. The Bread Lab, located in the Skagit Valley, deserves no small amount of credit for this. Part science lab, part high-end bakery, this extension of Washington State University occupies a 12,000 square foot space in Mount Vernon that includes a research and baking kitchen, a cytology lab, the King Arthur Flour Baking School, a milling laboratory and a professional kitchen. The director of the Bread Lab, Dr. Stephen Jones, is currently one of the most influential voices in the food world. Jones is determined to bring diversity to the range of flours widely available. Currently, the bland, chalky white flour born of industrial agriculture is found in almost all the bread sold in America. You won’t find much else at your local supermarket either. By breeding heritage grains that have both taste and nutritional benefits, but that also have the robustness that farmers need to produce high yield crops, Jones hopes to make regional grain farming viable again. 
The flour available in most grocery stores comes from wheat that has been bred to be optimal for a fast-food hamburger bun. A hundred years ago that wasn’t the case. A diverse range of heritage wheats were grown and milled in communities across America. Between 1890 and 1930 America went from over 22,000 flour mills to less than 200. The State of Washington had 160. Now there are two. The widespread use of new roller mills that could efficiently strip the grain of both the bran and the germ created a flour that had an almost indefinite shelf life ushered in this change. This coincided with the rise of the industrial production of food. We got sliced bread in plastic bags and the phrase, “The greatest thing since sliced bread.” However, we lost a wide range of regional flours milled from an incredible range of wheats, many of which had much better flavor than what worked best for industrial bakeries. Not to mention nutrition. Jones writes, “By using only the white portion of the seed, wheat is reduced from a nutrient-dense food to one that lacks basic nutrition.” 
When I started Macrina in 1993, it was thrilling to be part of the artisan bread movement that brought French and Italian-style breads to many cities in America. I’m even more excited about the heritage grain movement—so much so that I’m growing heritage wheat on my Vashon Island farm this year! Seeing grain scientists, farmers and bakers unite around the idea of building a better tasting and healthier bread may just be the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Like flowers in spring, new restaurants are blossoming in Seattle. We have nearly 3,000 restaurants now, up more than 25 percent from a decade ago. Not many of them were around 28 years ago. And of those that were, few still feel as contemporary as Cafe Flora, the beloved Madison Valley ode to fresh Northwest produce. Cafe Flora was farm-to-table before that phrase became ubiquitous. 
A couple of years ago, Cafe Flora’s owner, Nat Stratton-Clarke, became interested in opening a second location. He looked at Capitol Hill and Ballard. But then an intriguing and unusual opportunity arose: Sea-Tac Airport. In February of 2018, Nat opened Floret by Cafe Flora. The 2,000-square-foot restaurant is located by the Delta lounge between terminals A and B. There is a full-service restaurant that seats 80 and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. For those on the run, it offers coffee, pastries and healthy grab-and-go options, including hot meals. Floret has been busy since day one.
Floret: New Challenges Arise
Even though it's in the airport, Floret is in a beautiful, light-filled atrium, making it reminiscent of the conservatory feeling one gets at Flora. “I wanted it to feel like Flora—and natural light is a big part of that,” says Nat. “When the space became available, I really felt like it was the right one for us to bid on.” 
Like Cafe Flora, Floret serves vegetarian and vegan food, much of it made from produce freshly delivered from local farms. Nat says, “So many people are excited about good food. Most of our guests aren’t vegetarian. They’re just excited about something delicious to eat that happens to be vegetarian.” 
Because it’s the airport, all employees and vendors must go through security. “We had to get our farmers badged,” Nat says. “Fresh deliveries are so much a part of what we do at Flora, and we weren’t going to change just because there are a few more hurdles.” 
There have been logistical challenges, besides security. The airport is open 365 days a year—rain, sleet or snow. During the snows this past February, many employees stayed at an airport hotel so they could be there to prepare for the 4:30 a.m. opening. “Macrina was right there with us delivering bread and getting everything out there no matter how much snow was coming down,” Nat says. “Folks who were delayed stayed for breakfast, lunch and dinner—which was amazing. We had to close at Cafe Flora. There’s no option to close at the airport. That was new to us and we rallied together to find solutions.” 
Nat is an avid Farmers Market shopper and market produce always finds its way onto the menu. “I love it in Seattle this time of year, when the city embraces nettles and fiddlehead ferns,” Nat says. “Other cities might hold out for asparagus and strawberries, but we get excited early. Ready for that fresh green. As much as we all love a root vegetable, by March we’re ready to say farewell to butternut squash for a couple of months. We love that bright green flavor you get from nettles. We were just talking in the kitchen about nettle pesto to go with gnocchi. Things like that are one of the really cool things about spring in the Northwest.” 
Whether you’re on your way somewhere or looking for a great meal in the city, Cafe Flora and Floret are great dining options. You’ll enjoy exquisitely prepared meals made with produce delivered fresh daily from farms such as Local Roots in Carnation, Tonnemakers in Woodinville, Whistling Train Farm in Kent, and Hayton Farms in Skagit Valley. It’s no mystery why Cafe Flora is still going strong after 28 years and Floret has found such a following at Sea-Tac.