The best cookbooks use food as a vehicle for a larger story. Real Skagit Cooking, co-authored by Blake Van Roekel and Stephanie Lejeunesse and photographed by Charity Berggraf, does just that. The book not only spotlights hyper-local recipes, but also pays homage to the deep agricultural history of the Skagit Valley.
Cascadia Daily News jumped at the chance to learn more about how to make “Authentic Skagit Cooking” and test five recipes ahead of their release via Raspberry Bow Press on Tuesday, May 7th. After a flurry of cooking (including a staff potluck), I'll give you a review.
How to make “Authentic Skagit Cooking”
Van Roekel, director of Genuine Skagit Valley, said the cookbook was a years-long labor of love and collaboration. From hiring Michelle Gale, who has edited “countless” cookbooks and owns the Skagit Valley's first printing press, Raspberry Bow Press, with her husband, Tim Hubner, she We have started the project.
“We work with over 80 food producers, farmers, community members, residents, and organizations, and it took us a while to complete this cookbook. So three years later, here we are. “There are,” Van Roekel said.
“Real Skagit Cooking” was co-written by Blake Van Roekel and Stephanie Lejeunesse and photographed by Charity Berggraf and Colby Messick. (Image courtesy of The Real Skagit Valley)
Van Roekel started by soliciting recipes in both English and Spanish. In addition to sourcing through her posts, she has made a concerted effort to include recipes from Skagit's multigenerational farms.
From there, the team identified producer and crop profiles that “highlight the diversity and uniqueness of Skagit Valley agriculture,” Van Roekel said. Given that the Skagit Valley is one of the most fertile regions in the United States and has a wide range of commercial crops, selecting just his 10 producers for profiling was an “excruciating” decision.
Van Roekel then co-wrote the book with author and editor Le Jeunesse, writing that Van Roekel “brings together so many different aspects of our agricultural economy and communities in a celebratory style.” ” he said. Hibner was responsible for the layout and design of the book.
“Authentic Skagit Cooking” Roasted Leg of Lamb with Skagit Valley Herbs from Harmony Field. (Photo courtesy of Charity Burggraaf)
All of this work was brought to life by veteran food photographer Burggraf's vivid images. In addition to shooting on location, Burggraaf captured a sense of place in her food photos by sourcing pottery, tableware, and other props from local shops and artisans.She calls her lighting “a little moody, but at the same time [having] A small twinkle of the sun that occurs at this time of year and in the summer. ”
The entire “Authentic Skagit Cooking” team has ties to the valley. Gale and Hubner live in Edison and own the Book Shucker, Van Roekel lives in Algiers and Lejeunesse lives in Mount Vernon. Although Berggraf lives in Bellingham, his mother is from Anacortes, and Berggraf used the project as a way to learn more about the area and his own history.
“It was important to me that everyone involved in this project had roots here in the Skagit Valley,” Van Roekel said. “This is the real Skagit Valley hub, right? We've certified Skagit-grown and manufactured products, and I would say closed-loop support for the economy is very important to me.”
Cookbook overview
The content of “Authentic Skagit Cuisine'' is divided into six sections: vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products, seafood, grains, flowers and herbs. Recipes are woven into the spotlight of local purveyors and pieces of Skagit County's history, including the region's evolving agricultural culture. Van Roekel said this context gives readers a deeper understanding of “how a successful farming community needs to work together with all the people who work to keep farmers farming.” I hope.
But if you just want to enjoy food, this book has more than 45 easy-to-follow recipes. Each dish features members of a wide range of communities. Recipes are contributed by everyone from chefs, bakers and farmers to artists, professors, foodie poets and avid gardeners. If you're a local, you'll probably recognize some of the names.
“Real Skagit Cooking” includes profiles of local farmers, including Norma Lewis of Golden Glen Creamery; (Photo courtesy of Charity Burggraaf)
“Real Skagit Cooking” focuses on Kevin Morse of Cairnspring Mills, a regenerative flour mill that uses local grains. (Photo courtesy of Charity Burggraaf)
Each recipe has a story. Some are closely tied to local agriculture, like the frittata, which recipe author Leah Brooks described as a “love letter to waxwing farms.” Van Roekel said Washington State University Trustee Carol Miles' pumpkin pie recipe speaks to the university's important agricultural research, especially since Miles herself developed the vegetable variety. . (Van Roekel noted that Miles developed the orca bean, a hybrid of kidney beans with unique markings.)
Other recipes are deeply personal, weaving family traditions and culture into simple dishes. Recipe author Jorge Estefan's enchilada recipe, passed down from his grandmother, is presented in both Spanish and English.
Most recipes specify specific ingredients, such as specific breads or cheeses from local vendors. In the spirit of this book, we recommend planning ahead and sourcing ingredients as recommended (though a competent cook will be able to substitute most ingredients in a pinch). .
Marionberry, rosemary and honey focaccia. (Haley Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News) Test Kitchen
Of the five recipes we tried, Marionberry Focaccia by Laurie Falzer (local chef, teacher, and author of the cookbook “Simple Fruits”) caught our attention. One of our CDN staff members (bravely) took on this project despite having never made bread before. Her results were impressive. The focaccia was a chewy, fluffy bread with a contrast of rosemary flavor and a sweet explosion of marion berries.
Bulgogi bowl is a dish of pork or beef mixed with spices, served on rice with cucumbers and carrots.
Messman Farm's bulgogi bowl recipe is so easy that even beginner cooks can tackle it without stress. The diversity of materials leaves room for experimentation. If I were to make it again, I'd add kimchi for a spicy kick (and buy pre-grated carrots to save an arm workout).
Skagit County Commissioner Peter Browning's Italian Sausage Pasta was full of flavor. The vegetables provided a nice contrast to the richness of the sausage, and the sun-dried tomatoes added some tartness.
Chef and author Leah Brooks' recipe for Radicchio Caesar Salad is more of a dinner party meal than a weeknight staple. The recipe asks you to make your own breadcrumbs, but most of us don't think to do that on a Tuesday night.
But if you want to impress a crowd (and have the time to source local radicchio), this salad should do the trick. The texture and flavor are complex, with a bright, lemony dressing that contrasts the bitterness of the radicchio with a funky, umami flavor. Rich anchovies.
Radicchio Caesar salad uses radicchio leaves instead of the typical lettuce. (Haley Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
Overall, most of the dishes we sampled were crowd pleasers, with the exception of Water Tank Bakery's Spring Green Cupcakes. They were inspired by Ispanacri kek, a Turkish spinach cake, and were developed as a festive treat for La Conner Elementary School's garden club, which baker Rachel Sobchak led for 10 years.
The flavor of this cupcake may come as a surprise to those accustomed to traditional birthday party-style cupcakes, but the addition of lemon and a generous (and very sweet) cream cheese frosting give it an earthy flavor. It was well balanced. If you like matcha, these sweets might be perfect for you.
Spring Greens Cupcakes incorporate spinach or baby kale into the dessert. (Haley Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
Authentic Skagit Cooking is published by Raspberry Bow Press. Christianson's Nursery will also be hosting a Release His Party on Tuesday, May 7th, where snacks and cookbooks will be available for purchase. For more information or to order a cookbook, visit realskagitvalley.com.
Cocoa Laney is CDN's Lifestyle Editor. Contact Cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com. 360-922-3090 ext. 128.