NEWS
If you’re driving east on Denny Way, you’ll notice a brand-spanking-new building just as you hit that steep, traffic-jammed hill approaching Cornish. It’s not just deluxe condos but also the location of a Whole Foods set to open in November. In the words of a co-worker, glory, glory! The upscale grocery store—the first to move downtown—is affectionately (?) known as Whole Paycheck by those of us too easily tempted by the olive bar and the gorgeous selection of cheeses.
The Spirit of Washington Dinner Train will ferry its last passengers between Renton and Woodinville’s Columbia Winery on July 31, 2007. An expansion of route 405 will disrupt the line between Renton and Bellevue, making the train’s future uncertain. For those of us who have yet to take the trip, it’s purported to be a nostalgic three-hour tour, with most passengers celebrating some big event like a wedding or an anniversary. As such, the food is said to be better than it has to be. The scenery is fantastic—a view of Mount Rainier often accompanies the dessert course.
FARM FRESH
The local crops at this week’s farmers markets include field-ripened tomatoes, juicy nectarines, and edamame (fresh green soybeans). If you’ve never seen edamame outside a sushi restaurant and are tempted to cook up your own nibbly snack, visit the Lake City Way Farmers Market this Thursday, 3–7 p.m., at N.E. 127th Street and 30th Street N.E. To find a market in your neighborhood, visit www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org.
If you’d like to be part of a Discussion on Food Security & Shopping Locally,visitthe Wallingford Farmers Market from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13. Michele Catalano, chair of the WSDA Organic Advisory Board, and Erin MacDougall, of Seattle–King County Public Health,will explore the many reasons that supporting local agriculture and food businesses is a good idea. The talk takes place at Wallingford Center, 1815 N. 45th St.
Advance registration or reservations are recommended for most of the following events. Prices exclusive of tax and gratuity unless otherwise noted.
BACK TO SCHOOL
Thursday, September 14
The chef from one of Seattle’s most romantic dining spots, John Neumark of Serafina, teaches Summer in Italy. A cooking class focused on the regional offerings of Italy’s Almafi Coast and Sicily, this event includes a tasting of wines paired to the cuisine. $65. 6:30–9:30 p.m. 2900 N.E. Blakeley St., 206-528-8192, www.cooksworld.net. UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
If Indian cuisine seems really hard to master at home (with so many cream sauces, how hard can it be?), this hands-on class, Exploring the Cuisine of Northern India, might be perfect for you. The menu includes lamb biryani with edible silver, split-pea dahl with garam masala, and kulfi, or Indian ice cream with cardamom. $55. 6:30 p.m. Sur La Table, 90 Central Way, 425-827-1311. KIRKLAND
Wednesday, September 20
If you’ve ever enjoyed a fresh egg, you might be tempted to invite some hens to roost in your back yard. But . . . then what? Learn typical chicken behavior at Household Hens: Raising Chickens in Your Own Backyard. This free class will cover the basics of housing and feeding hens, as well as how great chicken waste is for your garden. 5:30–7 p.m. McClendon Hardware, 440 Rainier Ave. S., 206-205-3130. RENTON
ON THE PLATE
September 18–November 22
Crabs, crabs, and more crabs. It’s crab season, and Chandler’s Crab House is serving the crustacean in as many ways as possible, from butter-roasted Dungeness crab to the Clam Digger Bloody Mary. The menu is seemingly endless, with crabs sourced from as far away as Australia and the Caribbean. Also on the menu, strangely enough, is crab ice cream. 901 Fairview Ave. N., 206-223-2722. SOUTH LAKE UNION
