Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest [Hardcover]

Kurt Beecher Dammeier (Author), Laura Holmes Haddad (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2007

The creator of the award-winning Beecher’s Handmade Cheese in Seattle, Kurt Beecher Dammeier knows that great food begins with the highestquality ingredients prepared simply,so their natural, intense flavors shine through. In this, his first cookbook, you’ll discover that meals based on great raw materials require fewer ingredients,take less time to prepare, are healthier for you and your family, and taste phenomenal.In Pure Flavor,Kurt shares more than 125 favorite recipes from his popular gourmet food shops and restaurant. This is fresh food that celebrates the quintessentially American flavors of the Pacific Northwest region that Kurt calls home. He shows you how pan-searing locally grown broccoli brings out its unique flavor, how an outstanding aged American Cheddar turns a bowl of tomato soup into ameal to remember, how a simple marmalade sauce can effortlessly enliven pork chops, and how asplash of light vinaigrette punctuated with lemon and basil makes any fresh fish shine. Here are recipes for everything from a winning weekend breakfast dish of Apple-Hazelnut Waffles with Northwest Berry Syrup to hearty dinners like Dungeness Crab Mac & Cheese.Kurt knows where to find plump Washington cherries, crunchy Oregon hazelnuts,and fresh Puget Sound salmon and encourages home cooks to explore the culinary bounties of their area. He even includes helpful sidebars that demystify food terms, explaining the difference between Dungeness and peekytoe crabs,farmed and wild salmon, and “natural”and “organic.” Whether it’s the sweet-tart bite of a juicy blackberryor the pungent tang of awonderful blue cheese, natural and fresh flavors can be discovered anywhere. With stunning photography and irresistible recipes, Pure Flavor will inspire you to seek out America’s pure flavors, wherever you live.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Kurt Beecher Dammeier is a Washington State cheese-maker and gourmet food-store entrepreneur. For his debut cookbook, Pure Flavor, he's culled 125 easy-to-do recipes for favorites-with-a-twist like Chicken Salad with Corn and Cilantro and Northwest Cioppino, and "new" dishes (some from Dammeier's stores), including Slow-Cooked Orange-Chili Pork Shoulder; Crab Enchilada Casserole; and Black Eyed Pea and Mustard Green Salad. He also offers breakfast specialties and desserts, such as Hazelnut Torte and Mocha-Butter Crunch Pie. Not surprisingly, a number of recipes include cheese, sometimes used unexpectedly, as in his Turkey Meatloaf.

"Pure flavor is the essence of everything we eat," he writes. What he means is that his recipes are meant to pack true flavor, and for the most part (a number of formulas require garlic powder), they do. Readers will, in any case, find enough here to tempt them. Included also are asides on ingredients like salmon, local markets and suppliers, as well as color photos throughout. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly

The proprietor of that awesome mac and cheese place in Seattle's Pike Place market has created a cookbook that also serves as a who's who in Seattle artisanal food production. As the subtitle suggests, the recipes showcase Pacific Northwest superstars such as salmon, crab, mushrooms and cherries, and the purveyors who make and sell the very best of all of them. Many of the recipes suggest particular brands, and the back of the book includes a list of Seattle markets, food shops and restaurants. In this way, the book can feel a bit like a cross-pollinating marketing brainchild, with many shoulders being patted. The book will likely be most helpful as a culinary guidebook for Seattle residents and frequent visitors. Many of the recipes tread some familiar boards, but several stand out as fresh and original: fresh tomato and cheese curd salad, and Dungeness crab mac and cheese. The title refers to Dammeier's practice of using only the freshest of ingredients, ones that reflect the natural rhythm of the seasons. Though there are some nods throughout to the seasonality of certain ingredients, the book could go further toward helping the home chef navigate the increasingly murky waters of food origin. (July)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; First edition. edition (July 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307346420
• ISBN-13: 978-0307346421
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 1 x 10.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Meat, Poultry & Seafood > Seafood

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for the Northwest Foodie!, November 6, 2007

By 

Tabitha Jensen (Hillsboro, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest (Hardcover)

One of the best cookbooks I've ever owned. Not only does this showcase the usual suspects of Pacific Northwest American cuisine (hazelnuts, salmon, etc.), but also teaches how to use American artisan cheeses in creative, delicious ways. With the tips on selecting different cheese types (semi-hard, semi-soft, soft-ripened, hard graters), you're given the freedom within the recipes to mix and match different cheeses to create macaroni, strata and, yes, salmon that's all your own. I personally recommend mixing up the star Beecher's Macaroni and Cheese recipe with French Ossau-Iraty, Mt. Townsend Trailhead (also a great Seattle-area cheese), Beecher's Flagship and Tillamook Sharp Cheddar. Positively sinful. All of the recipes we've tried so far have turned out great, with the exception of the crab cakes, which were a little too bready. The instructions are extremely detailed and user-friendly.

The photography and profiles of influential chefs in the area make a gorgeous presentation, a delight on the coffee table as well as the kitchen. Makes a great gift for friends around the country, as well as local foodie fans.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner, January 6, 2008

By 

J. Atsma (Mount Angel, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest (Hardcover)

I have made nearly a dozen recipes from this book, and every one has been delicious. New-to-me ingredients and interesting new flavor combinations have put some spark back in my cooking. Northwest Nicoise is now a regular in our weeknight dinner rotation, and the Salmon with Herb Butter and Blueberry Sauce was the star of our Christmas Feast this year. I have many cookbooks in my collection -- this one is definitely going to stay at the front of the shelf.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Local Icon, November 23, 2007

By 

Jo Ann Henderson "Tisino" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest (Hardcover)

I was not familiar with Kurt Dammeier before receiving a copy of his book, but I was certainly familiar with his contribution to the culinary influences of the Pacific Northwest. I am a fan of his artisan cheeses and have had a Pasta & Co dish at my table or presented at a potluck on more than one occasion. We are lucky to have him among us and in the company of the likes of Tom Douglas as another Pacific Northwest institution. The book itself is sheer art if you, like me, enjoy reading recipes and looking at the pictures of the final result. In addition, the recipes are sheer delight for the palate. The black eyed pea and mustard green salad was a recent hit with my party crowd. The Scollop Orzo with Wild Mushrooms and Sherry was a quick after work dinner pleaser for me and a husband who can be a bit fussy about his food. Kurt demonstrates what makes Pacific Northwest cuisine special and spectacular by making use of and showcasing ingredients that abound in our waters and on our shores. And he does so to perfection! He takes his bows but shares the spotlight with those who have been an influence on his development as a restaurenteur, entrepreneur and sure to be Pacific Northwest Icon.