One quick glance of our kitchen is all it takes to see that our shelves are overflowing with cookbooks.  Meaghan is what some would call a “cookbook hoarder.”  She’ll often pull them down to gush over with friends or use them as inspiration in the kitchen. When it’s time to get down to the actual cooking however, the recipe usually goes right out the window.  Given our love of cookbooks and market shopping, we jumped at the opportunity to review Pike Place Market Recipes: 130 Delicious Ways to Bring Home Seattle’s Famous Market 

Dating back to 1907, Seattle’s Pike Place Market is one of the oldest public markets in the US.  With over 10 million visitors annually, it’s also one of Washington State’s most popular tourist attractions and the epicentre of Seattle’s food scene.  Dubbed ‘The Market’  by locals, the area is steeped in history and home to many iconic sights such as Rachel the pig (the Market’s unofficial mascot), the very first Starbucks Coffee location (with the original bare breasted siren logo), and of course the world famous fish throwers of Pike Place Fish Market.

Public Market New Lighting Fixtures Circa 1936 Photo Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives

From the first flip through its pages it is easy to see that we’re not dealing with your typical recipe collection.  Every recipe is related to a product, merchant or restaurant found in Pike Place Market.  The recipes are indexed by course, but the reader can also navigate through the pages with ease as they are divided into categories such as ‘From the Sound’ for seafood to ‘From the Butcher’ for meat and poultry.  Pacific Northwest inspired recipes are made all the more mouthwatering with vibrant images and tantalizing depictions.  Enjoy a savoury Garlicky Goat Cheese Mousse from French restaurant Maximilien at home.  Take advantage of locally available seasonal ingredients and prepare a Spring Frittata with Morels, Asparagus, Peas & Ramps.  Learn how to cook a sweet and creamy Clam, Mussel and White Bean Paella just like Chef Steve Winston from The Spanish Table.  Suggested wine pairings for several of the dishes also make for effortless entertaining.

Pike Place Market Recipes is as much a foodie’s tour guide to the Market as it is a cookbook.  According to the author Jess Thomson, Pike Place Market Recipes is “a home cooks guide to Seattle’s beloved treasure.”  A trip through the Market’s labyrinth of stores, stalls and restaurants can be quite intimidating to the first time visitor.  Thomson, a Seattle resident herself, takes the guess work out by bringing the Market to the reader.  Full of little surprises, Pike Place Market Recipes is sprinkled with ‘Market Tips’ that cover everything from toasting spices to de-bearding mussels.  Also included are several funny and interesting anecdotes that cover topics such as mushroom foraging, lessons from a fishmonger at Pike Place Fish, and prepping one’s stomach for market eating.  These memorable tales capture the many dynamic faces and spirited atmosphere of the Market itself.

The verdict: Pike Place Market Recipes is well worth a trip to the book store.  Whether you’re a Seattle native, a visitor, or an unsavvy market shopper, you do not have to live in the Pacific Northwest to appreciate this book.  With 130 recipes to delve into and a seemingly endless source of helpful tips and tricks to guide you, this book will help you make the most out of your next visit to a farmers market and fall in love with it all over again.

More on the Authors:

Jess Thomson is a Seattle based food and cookbook author behind Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker  In addition to writing for her food blog Hogwash, Thomson’s work can be found in the pages of Sunset, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Edible Seattle and Seattle Metropolitan magazines.

Clare Barboza is a documentary food photographer and Seattle native.  With 18 years experience behind her, Clare’s photos have been featured in such publications as Washington Food Artisans: Farm Stories and Chef Recipes and Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays: 60 Recipes for Traditional Festive Treats

Have you ever visited Pike Place Market in Seattle? If so, what was your most memorable experience? Post your answers below!

ENTER TO WIN!

Here’s your chance to win Pike Place Market Recipes as we have one copy to give away to one lucky reader.  To win, simply leave a comment on any of the posts on our site.   Every comment gets you one entry into our contest, so the more you comment the more entries you’ll receive.

We’re looking for real comments, with real people having conversations about food!  We suggest answering one of the questions at the end of each post.

*Update* Contest is now closed, congratulations to our winner Chelsea B!

Good luck and happy posting!

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