Seattle – Melissa Trainer

Copper River Sockeye-How to Stretch One Pound

Published on June 1, 2025June 2, 2025 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

It’s here. The 2025 Copper River King and Sockeye salmon season has launched. The Simplicity Shines with Copper River Salmon Campaign is underway. And, as a result, I’m launching into further recipe development with these rich and robust wild salmon from Alaska.

Yesterday, I found some gorgeous fillets at the Edmonds QFC for $19,99 per pound. I had asked for an eight ounce center cut. However, the fishmonger cut a one pound piece with the tail end intact. I opted to take it.

A display of Copper River Sockeye salmon fillets at a grocery store with a price tag of $19.99 per pound.

The tail end of the salmon is often thinner than a center cut. It doesn’t generally have as much fat.These pieces lend themselves to some very inventive preparations one of which is my Salmon Slider technique.

I first developed my Kid-Friendly Salmon Slider recipe for Real Food Magazine back in 2010. I did this because the article was featuring how to stretch one pound of sustainable seafood. (The economy was in a serious rut back then so that’s how I devised that concept. And indeed history repeats itself so I am revisiting that concept!)

And on a purely practical level, I had been making these sliders for my own children and their friends for some time. Everyone loved them, and they always flew off the serving plate!

The sliders only use about one or two ounces of salmon per serving and they are a perfect bite-sized way to feature this wonderful fish economically. The sliders appeal to children. They also make great finger food for a party. They can even be a light easy lunch.

Yesterday, I took that tail end, rubbed it with the Salmon Rub from Market Spice located in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. I drizzled it with oil and baked it in my Breville Smart oven at 400 F for about 10 minutes. The tail end cooked perfectly. It easily separated into quadrants. This made it a snap to plop onto the small slider rolls. A quick homemade chop chop coleslaw and some tartar sauce finished the gig.

These simple sliders are a great way to get a taste of the season in small bites!

Note: These sliders used only about six ounces of that one pound I purchased. The remaining ten ounces or so were baked or grilled for super quick midday lunches. Again, stretching one pound of Copper River sockeye by using it in different ways!

Copper River Salmon: Seasonal Taste Luxury and Cooking Tips

Published on June 20, 2024June 21, 2024 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Dubbed the Noble Fish over forty years ago, Copper River salmon is indeed a seasonal taste luxury that has withstood the test of time. Thanks to the rugged Alaska region this fish calls home, these salmon–king, sockeye, and coho–are some of the finest salmon available to consumers.

Inherently silky, rich, and robust, they are a seasonal taste that seafood lovers have been celebrating for decades now. When these fish hit the market fresh in May, the annual celebration of salmon begins.

There’s no denying however that these fish come with a price tag that some folks scoff at. The price does fluctuate each year and throughout the season, but for savvy seafood cooks, there are ways to still appreciate these all-American beauties while at the same time being fiscally savvy.

The answer?

Watch the sales in season and avoid any waste.

Buy the fish whole, if possible.

Ask the fishmonger to fillet it, and use all parts of it.

Get creative and try different seasonings and techniques.

Think beyond dinner. Use the trim for breakfast.

I’ve known this for years but last week I was reminded of this when I ventured to Town and Country Markets in Shoreline. Family owned and operated, T&C has, in my opinion, the finest full service seafood counters in the area. Their Big Board Sale Notice featured whole fresh Copper River Sockeye for $7.99 a pound ($17 off the usual price). The Big Board also noted that the fishmongers would fillet the beauties for free.

Without missing a step, I was off to see my favorite fishmongers. I asked for a big fat sockeye and requested that they fillet it and cut it into six-ounce portions. I also asked to keep the carcass, which included the bones, the backbone, the tail and collar because I was going to make stock.

At home, the salmon was gorgeous. Fresh and silky and a small piece cooked beautifully for lunch. Simply sprinkled with salt, drizzled with a little olive oil and seared on my Le Creuset grill pan it cooked in minutes. Served over salad it was great.

This little exercise got me thinking.

How many ways could I use the salmon, fillets, carcasses, collars and even that swanky tail?

When I went back on Sunday to get another salmon, there was a line of seafood lovers patiently waiting and chatting to place their order for a Copper River salmon. The staffers were still serving everyone at a fast clip and with a smile!

I mentioned to one customer that I was going to use the fillets in a variety of ways and that I was going to vacuum pack some with my Food Saver to make easy lunches in the next month or so. She got on board and requested her fillets be cut into 6 ounce “lunch size portions”. She, too, was going to vacuum pack hers.

When she rejected the carcass and bones, she offered them to me and said, “No Bones about it. You can have em!” We all laughed and I was happy to snag them!

Another mom alongside with a baby in tow, got in the conversation. She asked me the best way to have hers cut. I told her to have them filleted and cut into six-ounce portions as the portions are a bit easier to cook than a whole fillet. She loved that idea.

When the guy asked her how she wanted hers cut, she pointed to me and said, “The same as her.”

Clearly, the love for fresh Copper River salmon, with its superior quality, remains a stalwart here in Seattle.

At home, I really began to think of how home cooks can utilize all aspects of this wonderful fish. Years ago, when I took cooking classes at Peter Kump’s Cooking School in NY (now ICE) and at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, Peter Kump and Darina Allen taught the students how to use a whole chicken…cut it up, use the skin, make stock, use the leftovers.

Well, I thought, of course those same techniques apply to a whole Coopper River Sockeye…And so my little experiment began.

My husband and I laid out all the pieces when I got home. We had gorgeous “lunch size” fillets, plus the tail ends, plus the carcass with the backbone and pin bones, Then I had the collars, which still had hunks of meat and cartilage. And I had the swanky tails which in many ways made me think of a mermaid…

So, here’s a little lineup of my creations this week:

Grilled on a Le Creuset Grill Pan

My first easy dish was to simply salt a six-ounce fillet, spray with a little oil and sear it on my preheated Le Creuset Grill Pan. I flipped it and finished the cooking on the other side. It was done in short order and made a great topping for a simple salad.

Sockeye Tagine with Cilantro

Next up? A Moroccan inspired tagine. The traditional clay tagine was perfect. It’s cone shaped dome naturally steamed the sockeye and it came out perfectly cooked and moist. Although most homes don’t have tagine at hand, the concept of baking the fish covered (perhaps lightly with foil) is one that can easily be adapted. The traditional flavorings of onion, garlic, pepper, cilantro and cumin added some culinary spunk to the dish.

Mermaid Broth

Next up? Go for the Stock Option! I don’t normally make fish stock with salmon bones, tails and collars but with these beauties I did. (For stock I generally use white fish such as halibut and cod.) I simply rinsed the carcass, added it to a large Dutch oven and then sprinkled on savories such as carrots, onions, celery and herbs. The tail flopped over the edge of the pan and I immediately chuckled and imagined a mermaid! The medley was gently simmered on the stove for about an hour. I let it cool, strained it and let it cool further. The fish stock came out clear and lightly flavored with scent of the sea. It went into a Leek and Tarragon sauce that I drizzled over yet another six-ounce fillet.

For Stock Option Round Two, made with another carcass, I used ginger, garlic, lemongrass, carrots, celery, scallions to bring some Asian influence on the project. I might use this in a coconut curry sauce of some sort…. still working that one out.

Monday Eye Opener

On Monday morning, I needed a power boost before launching at my desk, so ITook a tail end of the fillet, and with a sharp knife carved off some flesh strips on an angle. I seared those in a pan for about 20 seconds each side, salted and drizzled with a dash of olive oil. They were great with poached eggs and sour dough disks. And, frankly, it really did keep me fueled through the morning, which was great! My Cronometer Nutritional Tracker noted increases in protein and Omega Three fatty acid intake for breakfast that day, so Monday was off to a solid start!

The Bottom Line

I am still working through other concepts, but the bottom line is keep your eyes open for fish market specials featuring Copper River Salmon while its fresh and in season. And, when you do purchase these beautifies, ask questions, experiment and use it all up. Whether it’s bits of trim, the carcass, or the leftovers!

If you want more tips on using Copper River, fresh and in season, check out the tips I wrote last year for the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association. Forty Tips to Enjoying Copper River Salmon.

For some background on the fishery itself, check out Forty Years of Fresh, which I wrote and which explores the history of how this fish made the leap from being relegated to cans to being celebrated fresh at markets and restaurants throughout the country.

My Other Posts on Salmon

Process This: The Ultimate Salmon Burger Recipe-this is a wonderful method for creating a salmon burger without the added fillers of panko, egg, and it uses small bits and bobs of the fish.

Savoring the Wild Winter Seafood of the Pacific Northwest!

Published on February 19, 2023February 19, 2023 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

What’s on your plate during these dark dreary winter days?

For me, it’s been the wild and wonderful winter seafood of the Pacific Northwest.

Yes, I know that sounds a bit odd. Seafood always hits the hot button during the summer months when we naturally pair it with sunshine and sea breezes.

That said, in January and February I was drawn to the fabulous seafood counters we have here in the Emerald City. During the rare moments when I can escape my desk, I often choose to visit the supermarket and troll the produce and seafood counters, watching the sales and in store specials for inspiration.

In January, I noticed that retailers in town were featuring fresh Pacific Rockfish, a wild whitefish harvested in the cold offshore waters. On sale for less than $6 a pound, I dove in and bought a few fillets. At home, I decided to take a French inspired approach and, after pin boning the fillets, crafted a basic herb sauce to top the baked fish. A delicious success that sent me back to the fish counter.

For Round 2, I rustled up a crab stuffing which I mounded on the thin fillets and created a tidy bundle. The packages baked in the oven while I raced off to another task. This second success sent me back to the seafood counter at Shoreline’s T & C Market where I chatted with the young fishmonger who totally agreed it was a winner of a local wild fish and pointed me to the Rockfish poster nearby. Although he couldn’t tell me which species of rockfish they were featuring (there are many!), he happily wrapped up a few more pounds so I could stash them in the freezer.

Shortly thereafter, I eyed some fresh Pacific Winter King Salmon fillets, although price at $39 a pound, they looked stunning in the seafood case at the market, and were from Southeast Alaska, which is renowned for being some of the best. Back at home, a pound of that beautiful king was wrapped into French inspired medallions which I seared on my Le Creuset ridged grill pan and finished in the oven.

Oui! Oui! Bon Appetit! I was on a roll….

Next up? Local Dungeness Crab. I love this cranky crustacean but during the Pandemic the prices skyrocketed and after visiting Merino’s Seafood Market in Westport last summer, I shifted toward their spectacular canned Dungeness which I have been happily using all winter.

That said, when my local QFC, Winco, and Costco were featuring these fresh cooked beauties for less than $6 a pound, I dove in, bought a bunch, and got cracking at home! My first round was simply steamed in my Le Creuset wok, picked by my husband and me over newspaper at the kitchen table and served with a stunning Garlic Ginger Soy dipping sauce that I created. The ginger was the perfect counterpoint to the briny richness of the crab.

My husband gathered the crab shells and made a superb crab stock. I went back for more and stashed the whole crabs in the freezer.

Finally, this week, Fresh Wild Pacific Cod from Alaska is showing up. I love Pacific Cod as it’s a buttery blank slate that lends itself to being served in the most basic way over mashed potatoes with garlic green beans or chard on the side. But it’s also great turned into endless other creations. Shoreline T & C Markets is currently featuring big buttery fresh fillets of this cold-water fish and I’ve purchased two large fillets just since the sale started. A quick check to remove any pin bones and a generous salting with La Baleine sea salt, sets this fish on the path to success. Placed in an au gratin pan with some lemon slices underneath, drizzled with a reduction of fish broth, wine, and butter, and baked in a 375 oven until warmed through, It’s a very cozy preparation.

When I recently reflected on all this stunning local and wild seafood being featured at markets this winter, I began to wonder WHY. It feels different this year. I’ve lived here for over 28 years now and have trolled these counters for nearly a generation now.

When I questioned my friendly fishmonger (yet again!) if something was shifting…he looked up from the case while preparing my order and said, “You know, I think it is…I think we are seeing more this winter.”

Indeed, I do believe there is a shift and I’d like to think that more of our domestic wild and wonderful seafood is being kept here in the local American markets. With a global pandemic, disrupted supply chains, and international wars, the pivot to local and American seems stronger than ever.

It’s a big bright spot for me as we schlep through the dark days of winter, waiting for those breezy days at the beach!

How to Make Lavender Honey

Published on June 23, 2021June 24, 2021 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Sometimes the simplest things in life really are the most luxurious.

I was reminded of this last week when I decided to make Lavender Honey. I have enormous lavender bushes in full bloom on my urban lot and after I made Lavender Shortbread last week, I began to mull my other options. Lavender Vinegar? Lavender Honey Mustard? Lavender Crème Chantilly?

Then, lavender honey popped into my thoughts. I had recently read an article in Mother Earth Living and had earmarked that page. Then when my friend Marissa came by with a tub of honey made by a family in the neighborhood, I HAD to make lavender honey… it doesn’t get much more local than that, right? Lavender from the yard and honey from the neighborhood!

The process is ridiculously simple. I started with a small sterilized recycled Maille mustard jar. I then added about 1 Tablespoon of lavender flowers (picked off the stem) and poured in enough honey to cover the lavender. For good measure, I added a small branch of lavender too. The article in Mother Earth Living explained that honey is hydrophilic, which means that the honey draws the water from the plants and ultimately makes the honey even runnier. The article also instructs to simply let the lavender honey sit for a few days, during which time the honey takes on the subtle delicious lavender flavor and aroma and becomes runnier.

I left my jar on the kitchen table so I could watch it and by the end of the second day, it was runnier and very aromatic. Since I could no longer resist tasting, the next morning I added about a 1/2 teaspoon of my Lavender Honey to a couple of tablespoons of water with a dash of Penzey’s dehydrated ginger. I then microwaved the mixture in a small ramekin for about 15 seconds to infuse the flavors and poured the Lavendar Honey Ginger syrup over some diced cantaloupe and sliced local organic strawberries.

The result? It was so good that frankly it almost defied logic.

Bees working their magic on my lavender in full bloom!

Fresh, flavorful, aromatic, and healthy it was the perfect start to a summer day!

Quick and Easy Curried Mussels!

Published on June 13, 2021 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Mussels. Inexpensive and locally grown here in the Pacific Northwest, they are easy seafood to purchase and serve year-round. For many years now, I have adored the mussels grown at Penn Cove Shellfish in Coupeville, Washington, and often look for reasons to serve them to my family and friends. The company’s logo says, “Fresh from the Water—Not the Warehouse.” Indeed, they stand by their word!

All Penn Cove mussels are shipped, carefully debearded and bagged, within 24 hours of harvest. Whenever I buy Penn Cove mussels here in Seattle, I check the harvest tag. More often than not, the mussels at hand were pulled from the sea a mere two days prior.

The following quick and easy recipe is one of my favorites and hails from one of Seattle’s most beloved chefs–Kaspar Donier of Kaspar’s Seattle Catering and Events. It’s been one of his tried and true favorites for decades.

Print Recipe

Quick and Easy Curried Mussels

Simple and Delicious Main Course Seafood in Less than 15 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Indian

Servings:

Calories: 338kcal

Equipment

large Dutch Oven, preferably Le Creuset

Ingredients

1 cup Dry white wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon minced shallot
1 stalk lemongrass lower six inches only, outer leaves removed, and stalk cut into 1 inch pieces
2 teaspoons curry powder
1½ pounds Penn Cove mussels rinsed and scrubbed if needed
1 Tablespoon sliced scallion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

In a large heavy Dutch oven, bring the wine and cream to a boil with the garlic, shallot, lemongrass and curry powder, stirring.
Add the mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the mussls have opened. Discard any unopened mussels and remove the lemongrass stalks,
With a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to four bowls. Add the scallions and butter to the cooking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the mussels. Garnish iwth fresh cilantro if desired.

Nutrition

Enjoy!

A Quick Gingery Salmon Pho

Published on December 12, 2018December 12, 2018 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

The Emerald City is living up to its reputation this week. Cold. Rainy. Dark. Ugh.

Yesterday, I was craving a light and lean salmon lunch but I couldn’t bear to make a salad so I decided to shift gears and focus on using some king salmon in soup. Chowder was too heavy so I started to explore pho as a reasonable option.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea and began to wonder if I could devise a simple technique that would cook the salmon but simultaneously safeguard the fish’s buttery texture and telltale flavor.

Working quickly, I loaded my InstantPot with some chicken and vegetables, set it to high pressure for 25 minutes and headed to the Asian market in my neighborhood for some cilantro, Thai basil, fresh rice noodles, and Napa cabbage.

At home shortly thereafter, my soup came together in mere minutes. The hot simmering InstantPot broth was a ladled into a Le Creuset saucepan with finely shredded cabbage, a few slices of ginger, and about an ounce of rice noodles. That simmered for about two minutes and was poured into a pho bowl. I then added about two ounces of finely sliced skinless salmon into the steamy broth and let the salmon cook gently in the residual heat of the broth. I then added a final garnish of herbs and sliced jalapenos and my light and lean Gingery Salmon Pho was ready for slurping!

So, here is the basic and easily adaptable method for making a quick pho at home:

Step One:

Put about two cups of chicken broth into a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.

Step Two:

Add about a half cup of finely sliced Napa cabbage , a few slices of fresh ginger, and about one ounce of rice noodles. Simmer for about two minutes, stirring once or twice.

Step Three:

Pour the steaming broth carefully into a deep bowl, top with about two ounces of thinly sliced and skinned fresh salmon. Using chopsticks, gently poke the salmon into the hot broth to submerge it and to help it cook in the hot broth.

Step Four:

Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil if available, and thinly sliced jalapenos. Serve!

Julefest at Seattle’s New Nordic Museum

Published on November 17, 2018 by Melissa Trainer1 Comment

Seattle’s Nordic heritage? It runs deep. And, it’s undergoing a renaissance thanks in large part to the new Nordic Museum, located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.

Sleek, contemporary, and inspiring, this museum manages to walk the tightrope of time. In one glance, it brings the artists and current trends of the Nordic countries right before the visitor’s eyes and in another moment, it artfully looks back and shows the visitor where today’s trends are rooted and from which they came.

Formerly called the Nordic Heritage Museum and until this year, located in a turn of the century school building, the new 57,000 square foot museum is a giant leap forward and one that required a multimillion-dollar capital campaign in order to bring to fruition.

Although it opened last May, I hadn’t had a chance to visit until this morning. It’s Julefest weekend at the museum and I knew this would be a great chance to celebrate the season and to see the new digs…for an admission fee of only $7. I purchased my tickets online last night and arrived early at the museum only to find that a line had already formed a half an hour before the 10 AM open!

A Nordic Christmas Celebration, Julefest brings together artisans, purveyors, musicians, and bakers all of whom share a common Nordic legacy in one way or another. When I attended Julefest at the old school house location last year, the event was lovely but crowded and cramped. This year? It was a complete shift.

With the museum’s spacious interior, massive windows, and abundant light, Julefest was lively, upbeat and impressive. My first stop was to peruse the “Goodies2Go” section, which is basically the Scandinavian bake sale featuring Christmas classics such as spritz cookies, rosettes, and krumkake. I bypassed those for caloric reasons (!) and moved on to the purveyors where I found tables heavily laden with vintage Royal Copenhagen Christmas plates, Norwegian sweaters, long burning locally made beeswax candles, handcrafted wooden tools and more.

Next on my list was to do a quick perusal of the permanent collection, located up a sleek staircase. A sharp contrast to the permanent collection at the old museum, which was educational but dated, these galleries were bright, fresh, educational and informative while at the same time displaying many items that ran the gamut from contemporary to historic. There were many nods to the community’s fishing legacy here in the Pacific Northwest, and I really enjoyed seeing some of the vintage items, such as old canned salmon labels and tools of the seafood trade.

Next up? The gift shop which was very sleek and even fashionable might I say. A case of contemporary jewelry and items is right there at the entrance, while books, Norwegian sweaters, and Royal Copenhagen caught my eye.

Nearly last on the list? I had to check out the museum cafe, Freya, which has a lovely sleek fireplace at the entrance and features updated Nordic specialties such a smorrebrod, Danish dogs, and even personal smorgasbords!

Before leaving, the last thing on the list was a gift to me. No, it wasn’t Royal Copenhagen or a new sweater. It was a new cookbook and an individual membership to the museum. I intend to visit often.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market-A Living Entity

Published on June 11, 2018June 11, 2018 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Peonies. Prince William Sound Salmon. Cruise Ships. Tourists. Sunshine. Sea Breezes.

Peonies in buckets w pricing — Local peonies are stealing the show at the Pike Place Market right now!

The Pike Place Market I visited today is much different than the one I visited last January. Of course, TECHNICALLY and structurally it’s the same as it was back in January but this morning. the market wasn’t tenuously navigating Seattle’s unpredictable January weather.

Today, the market was strutting her seasonal stuff and loving it! Once again, I had to be downtown very early so after I “checked the box” on an errand well before 7:30 AM, I decided to stroll down the hill and head to the market. It was bright and sunny, and I figured it would be a great time to beat the crowds and see what’s coming in locally.

Alas, when I arrived I again found quiet streets and walkways. My first destination? The flower vendors who were clipping and arranging thousands of local peonies. One of my favorite flowers, the incredible array made me swoon. As much as I love to garden and have success with many things, my attempts to grow peonies have failed repeatedly. These bodacious pink orbs, frankly, made me green with envy! I didn’t buy any simply because I didn’t want to cart them all over. That being said, they were a bargain and the prices ranged from $10 a bunch to $20. Local. Seasonal. Gorgeous beyond compare.

PWS King — On Ice: The King of all Salmon. This one from Alaska’s Prince William Sound

Next stop? The fish stalls. All the guys were sporting their waterproof orange pants, spraying the walkways, scooping crushed ice onto displays and answering questions from early birds like me. At Pike Place Fish Market they didn’t have any Copper River King or Sockeye because it’s been a rough season up there this far. They did have a massive 25 pound Prince William Sound king in a huge bin filled with ice. The adjacent tabletop display of Prince William Sound sockeye nearby also impressed.

Pike Place June 2018 — Anticipating the Cruise Ship Crowds and Taking a Breather!

After that, I was ready for a breather so I traipsed over to the nearby park to do a little people watching and eyeball the massive cruise ship docked nearby. As I examined that Norwegian behemoth from afar, I knew the crowds from within would be emerging and heading towards the market so I beelined to breakfast at nearby Seatown, one of Tom Douglas’s restaurants. The Fried Egg sandwich with avocado, Bavarian Meats bacon and a side of crispy hash browns was just what I needed before trekking back UP the hill to catch my bus.

Bacon Egg at Sea Town .JPG — Seatown English Muffin Egg Sandwich with a Side of Bavarian Meats Bacon

While schlepping up to Third, I realized that the Market is indeed a living entity that shifts with each Seattle season.

Instant Pot Anxiety? Make Yogurt

Published on February 11, 2018February 11, 2018 by Melissa Trainer2 Comments

On February 1, The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled, “Instant Pot Anxiety? ‘I said a Prayer and Stayed the Hell Away.'”

In the piece, the author, Ellen Byron, interviewed various pot owners who had mishaps and struggled with operating the all in one appliance. I chuckled at some of the stories but admittedly the author was on to something. Every day when I peruse the Instant Pot Facebook feed, I see photos of Instant Pots in sealed boxes and cries for help and advice on how to take that first step to use the appliance. The posts weave into an interactive digital therapy session where fellow Instant Potters exclaim, “You can do it.” “Just start.” “My favorite easiest recipe is….” “Wear goggles and keep the kids outta the kitchen.”

As for me, I love my two Instant pots (6-quart duo and 3-quart mini) and use them daily without fail. Personally, I have never had pressure cooker anxiety because I started using the Kuhn Rikon stove top pressure cookers over twenty years ago. That being said, I can understand why some people hesitate. There are lots of buttons, The manual isn’t great. And, once you lock and load, commit to pressure and things start to rumble. there’s no turning back and you can’t open the lid and check the contents. It is indeed a leap of faith.

My solution for those folks who fret? Take the Instant pot out of the box, run the simple water test per the manufacturer’s instructions and make YOGURT!

Both of my machines have yogurt buttons and this cycle does NOT require putting anything under pressure. It simply creates a low heat that incubates your milk and starter and turns it into the rich luscious yogurt over the course of 8 hours. A miracle cycle in my mind!

I’ve tried various yogurt recipes but my favorites have come from This Old Gal and the only recipe I use now is her Instant Pot No Boil Yogurt Recipe which uses the whole Fairlife Milk found in many mainstream grocery stores such as Target, Safeway, QFC, and Winco. This particular milk does not require any preheating before making the yogurt so all I have to do is pour my half a gallon of whole milk into my 3 quart Instant Pot and whisk in two packets of YoGourmet starter. I then put on the lid, press the Yogurt Cycle and leave it alone for 8 hours. There is no pressure. No noise. No steam. No wiggles or jiggles. Just a quiet incubation on the counter.

At the end of the cycle, the mixture has transformed into thick luscious creaminess. I then put my all natural yogurt, still in the Instant Pot’s inner container, into my fridge, covered and let it sit, undisturbed, overnight.

I use my yogurt on everything from granola and citrus segments to baked potatoes and kale salads. And, I’ve discovered that it makes a great tartar sauce to dollop on Alaska halibut or salmon.

So, if you want to buy an Instant Pot but are feeling, well, pressured…skip “manual” button and go for Yogurt.

Even if you never make anything else, the savings from making your own yogurt will pay for the pot in no time.

Sow the Seeds of Dinner

Published on January 21, 2018 by Melissa TrainerLeave a comment

Gardening. It’s the ultimate added-value pastime.

Not only do you get fresh air, exercise and Vitamin D when you weed, plant and prattle around in the soil but you also get hyperlocal produce for dinner! Afterall, it was plucked from your garden, patio or even windowsill.

It doesn’t get much more regional than that, folks!

I’ve been an avid gardener for probably thirty years now and I continue to be amazed at how a simple little seed can ultimately work its way through the soil and onto my dinner plate a few months later.

Even if you think you don’t have a green thumb or a sprawling yard, seriously consider growing something. Think about what vegetables you enjoy, do a little planning and give it a shot.

Chives or parsley can be “planted” on a sunny windowsill. Mini lettuces can be sown in patio planters or in small spaces in the garden. Even tomatoes, such as Tom Thumb and Stupice, which are great for small gardens, can produce prolifically in a pot and taste great in a salad.

Need some inspiration? Here are a couple of my favorite resources for sowing the seeds of dinner!

Seed Racks at the Garden Center or Grocery Store

Don’t snarf at the seed racks in the big box stores. The seeds are well priced and the displays have a great variety. You can also score a deal by using coupons and the varieties featured are usually pretty easy to grow. Read the sowing instructions and give it a shot. I regularly buy Burpee and Ed Hume from the racks at my Fred Meyer. What do I purchase? Zinnias, lettuces, chards, herbs, cosmos, sunflowers and more. Want a small space variety? Look for the little container icon on the Burpee packets. It’s a great indicator of which ones will work well in a mini-plot.

Mail Order

Order some seed catalogs and read them on a rainy day. They make great wish books. I circle and mark mine up and then order. I have found some great small space varieties at both Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine and at Territorial Seed Catalog in Oregon. My insider tip? When in doubt, call the customer service folks at these companies. They are incredibly knowledgeable and have steered me in the right direction many times.

Category: Seattle

Copper River Sockeye-How to Stretch One Pound

Like this:

Copper River Salmon: Seasonal Taste Luxury and Cooking Tips

Like this:

Savoring the Wild Winter Seafood of the Pacific Northwest!

Like this:

How to Make Lavender Honey

Like this:

Quick and Easy Curried Mussels!