Pike Place Public Market Cookbook

I purchased this book because it was listed as a favorite by a rheumatologist who wrote an article on "painfree life". I would not be without this book and use it several times a week. I didn't know there were so many delicious and very simple ways to cook fish, shrimp, muscles, and other seafood. I give this book my highest recommendation. Try it, you will love it!

Having been to Pike Place Public Market and a huge fan of Pacific Northwest seafood, this was a no-brainer. The recipes are organized in sections. The first describes a history of the market. The next section is about fin fish, then shell fish, and then the odd kettle section talks about tuna, squid, and seafood combination dishes, to name a few. The recipes are easy to follow and the results are worth the effort and turn out extremely well. I bought this book along with Ray's Boathouse: Seafood Secrets of the Pacific Northwest and Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest. So when all three arrived, I was in my glory--three Pacific Northwest cookbooks to complement my Wildwood Wildwood: Cooking from the Source in the Pacific Northwest cookbook. I did a tasting and made seven of the recipes the weekend after receiving the books. Everything was great, and I felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest again -- not in Jersey...well...

The Pike Place Market is a destination point for anyone visiting Seattle. The market is a vibrant maze of fish stalls, vegetable vendors, meat purveyors, etc. To local foodies, the market is shopping central, especially for seafood. Tourists love the sense of history, plus the entertaining fishmongers singing and acrobatically tossing whole fish across the counter. Braiden Rex-Johnson, an expert on the Pike Place Market, captures the essense of the market in this gift-size cookbook. The stunning photographs bring alive the color and commotion of the market, and the exceptional recipes reflect the diversity of Northwest cuisine. Don't miss trying the recipe for Baked Whole Salmon with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. I made it for a dinner party and it was a dramatic presentation. The Fried Oyster Caesar Salad was another winner, along with the Shellfish Risotto. I'm looking forward to trying many more, whether I'm cooking for the family or entertaining friends.

I was given this book as a gift and I'm delighted with it. It's sized smaller, like a gift book--so portable and easy to use. I appreciate Rex-Johnson's introduction that focuses and guides consumers on ocean and fish sustainability. This is befitting any bonafide cook from the Northwest (or anywhere!). Besides great recipes, she includes a helpful Appendix of techniques, everything from making bread crumbs to a chiffonade. The book seems basic enough, and sophisticated enough, for a broad range of cooking skills. And the photos and presentation are beautiful, interwoven with historial trivia related to fishing. There's a lot in this little gem.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. In addition to truly delicious and different recipes, it includes historical notes about the Pike Place Market - which is one of the oldest fish and farmer markets in the U.S. - interesting facts about finny creatures. bivalves, and crustaceans (did you know that the plastic-like quill inside a squid is the vestige of its primeval molluscan shell?) , and the many people and cultures that make up and sell at the Market. The recipes are a bouillabaisse of cultures too: Thai, Cajun, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Native American, Sephardic, Mediterranean, Mexican - and you will find a number of accompaniments, which perfectly complement the entrees. A great gift (my wife has shared many copies), and a delightful read even if you don't feel like cooking. My only criticism - I wish her husband/architect, Mr. Johnson, had been commissioned for the cover illustration. His drawings that are interspersed with the text add interest and depth to Braiden's fine writing. Also, this book does not replicate her other fine works.