Seattle: Matt's in the Market has a Must Try Fishwich

I can count on one hand how many times I've ordered a fish sandwich, yet when I was at Matt's in the Market in Seattle last week, I knew it was the right thing to do. And the fish that day was halibut, and I love halibut.

Well, this may have been the best sandwich I've ever eaten. Truly. The Fishwich is described as iceberg lettuce, mam lil's pepper aioli, bacon and saved sweet onion on brioche. The battered fish was hot and tender; the chew of thick cut bacon gives resistance and heft to each bite; the sauce completely necessary though I have no idea what was in it and the slightly charred fresh brioche bun made me question why I hadn't eaten here sooner.

My 2 college friends were in town and while showing off Pike Place Market, the crowd started to get thick and I suggested trying a restaurant that I had heard about for lunch. It had been a busy morning and we needed a chance to sit down and absorb the experience. Bravo me. I'm so glad that Matt's name came to mind and that I was able to find it. We were on foot on Pike Street and I used Google Maps to walk to the corner of Pike and First. You have to walk up 2 flights of stairs to find it, though we found the easy access elevator once we were upstairs.

The sandwich was served with a side of watermelon strawberry gazpacho drizzled with olive oil. We loved that too and wondered all day if the hint of herb we detected had been tarragon or savory. The next afternoon, we decided to make our own batch of watermelon gazpacho. Thanks for the inspiration, Matt!   

#seattle #pikeplacemarket #mattsinthemarket #fishwish #memorablemeal #friendsintown    

Rumba: Tropical Restaurant in Seattle

When I think about Rumba in Seattle, I really have to lead with this image (above). The WHOLE fish really made an impression on us and I must say, Dan was in the right frame of mind and dove right in. It was summer and though the fish was fried, it tasted light and flavorful.

The restaurant has a "on board a pirate ship" feel and it really works with their extensive wall of rums from around the world.

Dan enjoyed a potent rum punch and I had an orchid-adorned pina colada.

I devoured my fish taco and pulled pork taco - they were the perfect size and full of great flavor. I would pop back into Rumba for dinner anytime, it was lively and the food was delicious.

Summer Fun Bracelet: One Fish Two Fish

I couldn't resist these ceramic fish and it turns out you couldn't either.

Due to popular demand, I am selling a limited number of ceramic One Fish Two Fish bracelets this summer. Available here on my Etsy site.

It's summer and they are ridiculously cute. Ships immediately.

World Record: Most People Participating in a Paint-By-Numbers Project

We did it! 2,852 people painted a fish at the Issaquah, Washington Salmon Days festival and by doing so, set the new Guinness Book record for people participating in a Paint-by-Number project. 

I believe the town is still waiting for the of(fish)al declaration by Guinness, but the Issaquah Press has made the announcement.

A few of the 2,852 artists at work.

You can see a portion of the "Great Migration" masterpiece, above. My work was in blue. Ha! If you ever get a chance to have a little fun and set a world record, do it! My new friend and I had a great time chatting in line and being a part of the master plan for the festival.

Eating Festival Food: check

Shopping for Arts and Crafts: check

Enjoying the Fall Weather while Walking the Streets of Issaquah: check

Setting a World Record: check

I declare the 2015 Salmon Days in FISH-aquah, Washington to be a success!

Salmon Days: Issaquah, Washington

Autumn has arrived in Washington and the salmon have returned. Can you imagine that when the smolts (I call them salmonlets) are released into Issaquah Creek outside the hatchery, they swim up Issaquah Creek and through Lake Sammamish, the Sammamish River, Lake Washington, Lake Union, the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Puget Sound, the Straight of Juan de Fuca and into the Pacific Ocean. Are you kidding me? That is incredible. They are expected to live 3-5 years out in the ocean until their DNA tells them it is time to return home to spawn and they travel that exact same path in reverse. I am not a scientist, but I think that is fascinating. Can you see the salmon jumping (above) in Issaquah Creek?

This is the open air salmon ladder that the fish jump up on their way into the hatchery. The salmon are back and its cause for celebration indeed.

Cod Collage: Roasted Vegetables and Fish could be Art

"Seriously, you could print that and hang it as art in your kitchen!" - my mom

My mom was very enthusiastic about my dinner Monday night. I am out in Seattle right now and I have a little more time to grocery shop and cook. I was skimming Pinterest recently and saw a image of roasted vegetables and fish. I looked at the recipe and it looked so easy, I had to try it.  Voila. By far the easiest dinner I have made in a long time.

There is no recipe, really. Just a few guidelines:

I bought 2 pieces of frozen cod (individually shrink wrapped within a bag in the freezer section) and defrosted them in the fridge all day.

The oven temp is 425 degrees. 

I put a little olive oil in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and added big pieces of red, yellow and orange peppers, zucchini halved lengthwise and crosswise, slices of red onion, cherry tomatoes and black olives. 

I closed the bag and rubbed the contents around to coat the vegetables. I poured the vegetables onto a foil lined cookie sheet. I zested some lemon over everything and put the leftover lemon in wedges on the tray. I cranked a little "Grind to a Salt" spice blend over everything and put it in the oven to roast for about 20 minutes.

I took the cookies sheet out of the oven, placed the pieces of fish on top of the vegetables, cranked "Grind to a Salt" spice blend on top of the fish and sprinkled oregano over everything and put it back in the oven for about 20 minutes. 

It was delicious! Light, fresh, healthy, picture-worthy. Can you resist giving it a try? I couldn't.

Note: 

Do I regularly cook fish and therefore have secret "fish is done" knowledge? No

Did this recipe make the apartment smell like fish? No

Will I make this again? You betcha

Knit Fish

Yesterday I was taking about fish nets, now I'm blogging about knit fish.  There is a tongue twister in there somewhere, I'm sure of it.  


I was wandering through Fishtown in Leland, Michigan and I came upon a split store - half "Tack and Jibe" (wonderful boating life-inspired accessories) and half Fishtown Preservation Society.

In addition to accepting donations to preserve Fishtown, they also sell promotional items that supporters can purchase to declare that Fishtown is important to them.   I saw mugs, shirts, hats, but what caught my eye was a wall display of knit fish ornaments, which I think is genius!  What a charming way for the society gain support.  The shop girl told me that her mother ties a fish on the neck of a wine bottle when she brings wine to a party - I love that!    


I was in a bit of a rush, so I didn't make an impulse buy that day, but I think a school of fish is in my future. 

Bluebird Whitefish Dinner on the Terrace

What a night!  A beautiful whitefish dinner cooked on the grill and served on a riverside patio.  To me, this kind of meal is the epitome of Summer.  I was thrilled when the famous Bluebird restaurant opened an outdoor patio to offer vacationers another option for dinner.  Don't you love to eat outside?

If you would like to cook whitefish on the grill, you can follow my recipe here.  It is delicious!  Bon appetit!

Leelanau Peninsula: Fish on the Grill

It was Memorial Weekend, we were at the cottage and we wanted to grill something!

I decided to go to Carlson's, the local fish market, on the edge of Lake Michigan and buy whitefish fillets. Whitefish is a mild, light and flaky fish - absolutely delicious prepared the following way.

Make a tin foil boat for each fillet. Lay each fillet (skin side down) in a boat. Don't spray with any non-stick coating - you want the skin to stick to the foil. Top the fish with 3 pats (Tablespoons) of butter and 3 lemon slices and sprigs of fresh dill. Lay each tin foil boat on the grill over medium heat (close the lid, but check periodically) and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the fish is no longer opaque. Use a fork to pull a small piece up - it should be solid white.

Using a spatula, you should be able to slide it between the skin (which is stuck to the foil like you want it) and the whitefish. Move the cooked whitefish out of the tin foil boat and onto your plate. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and tartar sauce. Ahoy!