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Renee Erickson
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A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories Hardcover – September 30, 2014

by Renee Erickson (Author), Jess Thomson (Author), Jim Henkens (Photographer)
Editors' pick Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine

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"Erickson's book has an Ina Garten-like blend of effortlessness and luxuriousness that makes you believe that king salmon with walnut tarator will practically cook itself. But then, with her forgiving guidelines and clear descriptions...it basically does."
—Bon Appétit

One of the country's most acclaimed chefs, James Beard Award Winner Renee Erickson is a chef and the owner of several Seattle restaurants: The Whale Wins, Boat Street Kitchen, The Walrus and the Carpenter, and Bateau, among others. This iconic cookbook is her love letter to the fresh seasonal food that defines the Pacific Northwest.Defined by the bounty of the Puget Sound region, as well as by French cuisine, it's filled with seasonal, personal menus like Renee’s Fourth of July Crab Feast, Wild Foods Dinner, and a fall pickling party. Home cooks will cherish Erickson’s simple yet elegant recipes such as Roasted Chicken with Fried Capers and Preserved Lemons, Harissa-Rubbed Roasted Lamb, and Molasses Spice Cake. Renee Erickson's food, casual style, and appreciation of simple beauty is an inspiration to readers and eaters in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

"...the book's focus on simple, sourceable ingredients makes the array of mouth-watering menus approachable, whether you're in Erickson's Portage Bay backyard or in the land-locked Midwest."
—Saveur
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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Sasquatch Books
  4. Publication date
    September 30, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    7.3 x 1.17 x 10.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1570619263
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1570619267
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The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

From the Publisher

aesthetic cook book, pretty cookbooks, famous chef cookbook, dinner party cookbook
aesthetic cook book, pretty cookbooks, famous chef cookbook, dinner party cookbook
aesthetic cook book, pretty cookbooks, famous chef cookbook, dinner party cookbook

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I am one of many—legions, even!—who’ve been inspired by Renee Erickson and her restaurants, and this book is Renee, through and through."
—Molly Wizenberg, author of Delancey and A Homemade Life
 
"Renee Erickson cooks like a woman, with generosity, sensuality, and style. In this charming book she shares everything—stunning images, wonderful stories, a passionate philosophy, and her recipes to cook and live by."
— Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, owners of The Canal House
 
"...the book's focus on simple, sourceable ingredients makes the array of mouth-watering menus approachable, whether you're in Erickson's Portage Bay backyard or in the land-locked Midwest."
—Saveur

"Erickson's book has an Ina Garten-like blend of effortlessness and luxuriousness that makes you believe that king salmon with walnut tarator will practically cook itself. But then, with her forgiving guidelines and clear descriptions...it basically does."
—Bon Appétit

"Just like Renee herself, this book is perky, colorful, energetic, and full of fun. And they both make you smile!"
—Patricia Wells, author and cooking school teacher 

Every so often a cookbook comes along that looks good, is written with style, and more important, you find yourself cooking from it and looking for ideas from it all the time. Renee’s ideas inspire hunger and they work. I can already predict that I’ll wear out my first copy.
—Kermit Lynch, wine importer, and author of Adventures on the Wine Route

This is a book about feasting and unfussy, brilliant food that you’ll want to make again and again.
—The Los Angeles Times

"If a trip to Seattle isn't possible, this book provides the next best way to enjoy Erickson's beautiful seafood."
—Library Journal

"...if there is a better looking new cookbook out this fall, I haven't seen it."
—Eater National

". . . While some restaurant cookbooks can feel overly cheffy, inaccessible, or better suited to a coffee table than your kitchen shelves, Erickson’s is all personality and warmth, that combination of inspiring and accessible that we’re all looking for in a cookbook."
—Food52

"The food in the book is at turns refined and humble, but is always accessible. The ingredient lists are rarely very long, and techniques are uncomplicated and thoroughly explained."
—Serious Eats

"A rare combination of beauty and practicality, allowing home cooks to enter the Seattle restaurateur’s world and replicate her super-popular signature dishes."
—The Seattle Times

"Seattle chef Renee Erickson offers a book of seasonal menus (attention other cookbook authors: more menus, please) that showcase the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest."
—Eater ("The 43 Most Anticipated Cookbooks of Fall 2014")

About the Author

RENEE ERICKSON is the chef-owner of Seattle's Boat Street Café and Boat Street Pickles, and co-owns The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, and the Narwhal Oyster Truck.

JESS THOMSON is a Seattle-based freelance writer and cookbook author who has written for Sunset, Cooking Light, Edible Seattle, and Seattle Met magazines.

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  1. Renee Erickson

    Renee Erickson

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Renee Erickson is a James Beard awarding winning chef, author, and co-owner of multiple properties in Seattle, Washington: The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, Barnacle, Bar Melusine, Bateau, Westward, and several General Porpoise Doughnuts and Coffee locations.

    As a Seattle native (well, Woodinville to be exact), Renee's restaurants highlight the bounty of the Pacific Northwest with a European sensibility. Bon Appetit Magazine has compared her to M.F.K. Fisher, Elizabeth David, and Julia Child.

    Renee Erickson's food, casual style, and appreciation of simple beauty is an inspiration to her staff and guests in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

    In 2014 she published her first cookbook “A Boat, a Whale and a Walrus” to critical acclaim, finding itself on top reading lists while winning a 2015 PNBA book award - the first for a cookbook.

    Her next book “Getaway” Food and Drink to Transport You, will be released in April 2021.

    Renee graduated from the University of Washington with a BFA and currently serves on the board at UW's School of Art + Art History + Design. She lives in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood with her husband Dan, dog Arlo, and cat Brooklyn.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Jess Thomson

    Jess Thomson

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Jess Thomson is a Seattle-based freelance writer and the author of 9 books, most recently A YEAR RIGHT HERE: ADVENTURES WITH FOOD AND FAMILY IN THE GREAT NEARBY (UW Press, April 2017) and A BOAT, A WHALE AND A WALRUS: RECIPES AND STORIES (co-authored with Seattle chef Renee Erickson, Sasquatch Books, September 2015). Her work appears in publications like The New York Times, Food & Wine, Sunset, Cooking Light, Edible Seattle and Seattle magazines. Jess, a graduate of Middlebury College and The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, is the author of the food blog hogwash, where she pairs food and life (www.jessthomson.me).

    See more on the author's page
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Top reviews from the United States

  • BigRed
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully illustrated with delicious recipes
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Years ago I came across this absolute joy of a cookbook and was all to happy to purchase a second book for a near and dear friend of mine who just relocated to the Pacific NW. A foodie like myself she loves to cook for others and with access to local seafood I know she will enjoy the menus and stories included by authors Renee Erickson, Jess Thomson, and photographer Jim Henkens, as much as I did.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Zane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Prompt delivery.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    The book arrived very quickly, well-packaged and in very good condition.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Victoria
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded expectations!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am a cookbook junkie. I have cookbooks that are old, new, focused on one ingredient, focused on style, etc. I have never had a cookbook that I love this much. It tells a story, Renee's story, and her ongoing relationship with food making mundane ingredients delightful, making exquisite meals possible.
    I absolutely love the focus on Seasonal - without being preachy or pretentious.
    It feels personal, it makes the meals attainable and it's gorgeous. Excellent.
    I was waiting, counting days, for this book and it has exceeded my expectations.
    40 people found this helpful
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  • Aspasaia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing recipes!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I'm writing this review because too few of the reviews talk about how delicious the recipes are! Yes, the writing and photos are excellent. But who cares if the food isn't to die for?
    With this in mind, here's my review: everything I've tried so far has been divine! I loved the potato salad with preserved lemon; the mussels with tarragon; the chicken with capers; and the zucchini bread. I've never before owned a cookbook where I feel the urge to try every single recipe. My friends have loved the recipes that I've cooked for them so much that they're all ordering the book, too. A must have!
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Drea Starch
    4.0 out of 5 stars CooGift
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Good content for any Seattle lovers!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Sally A. Larhette
    5.0 out of 5 stars Besides the beautiful cover, wonderful photography
    Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Besides the beautiful cover, wonderful photography, even the blue ribbon to mark a page with...there is not a recipe that I would not make and the first will be the Seared Scallops, followed by the Molasses Spice Cake and many others..Her Birthday Party menu felt like an invitation to join her,can't wait to try Radish and Green Goddess Sauce..., very new version... you can taste it by reading the recipe! There is a quietness to the book, like being on a boat in the calm early morning,dreaming about the great food you will enjoy later in the day,any time of the day...In the 70's
    my Chefs class, struggled through learning how to cook for a restuarant and I have learned that there are many "Home Cooks" who cook better than some chefs...Some are born to cook,some are born to manage cooks...etc. The Poached Rhubarb and Creme Fraiche Ice Cream stunning!
    I could go on and on, Definitely a find. some will use it for their own ...Hey, Michael on Martha's Vineyard...LeToille....
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Drew1234
    5.0 out of 5 stars It is thoughtful and charming- the writing is superb and includes great stories, and the food is artful- you will ...
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I gave this book to my parents, who recently moved to the Pacific Northwest. It is one of the most delightful books I've seen in my life. It is thoughtful and charming- the writing is superb and includes great stories, and the food is artful- you will want to cook everything right away. A great find, for yourself or a loved one to enjoy.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Daniela Morales
    5.0 out of 5 stars Instant Heirloom!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Originally I bought the book because I liked the illustrations on the cover (I'm a sucker for whales) and had heard of Renee Erickson's restaurants having a focus on seafood which I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of but willing to give it a try.

    LOVE THE BOOK!

    This is not just a cookbook and it's not just about seafood. It reads like an autobiography of the chef herself, shaped by the people (had to read the story about the illustrator of the cover) and the seasonal influences of the ingredients. The book gives you a whole meal menu from start to finish plus I love the seasonal ingredient highlights like blackberries plus three easy recipes for blackberries. This is definitely going on my favorite cookbook shelf along with Ina, Julia and my mom's handwritten cookbook.
    41 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Lynn Stevens
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky title
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2016
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    Excellent book.
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  • Cassia costa alves
    1.0 out of 5 stars Livro com defeitos
    Reviewed in Brazil on February 12, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    O conteúdo do livro é lindo! Mas ele chegou tooodo machucado :/
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    Cassia costa alves
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Livro com defeitos

    Reviewed in Brazil on February 12, 2020
    O conteúdo do livro é lindo! Mas ele chegou tooodo machucado :/
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  • Gh276
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, Great Recipes
    Reviewed in Canada on June 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Beautiful book with inspiring recipes. Not for everyday cooking.
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