Lots of good press for Le Pichet and Café Presse recently…

In the March 2014 Seattle Magazine, Le Pichet was named “Best of the trend: Nose to Tail Dining”.  Cafe Presse was also sighted for honorable mention in the same category.

Also in Seattle Magazine March 2014, Le Pichet was named “Best French Restaurant” in a Reader’s Poll.

An article on Zagat.com recommended Cafe Presse as one of their favorite places in Seattle for a big hunk of meat (our roasted to order whole chicken for two).

And finally, Le Pichet and Cafe Presse Executive Chef Jim Drohman was featured in an article in Groupons’ Seattle Guide, giving advice on how to add a French note to your home cooking (believe me, the mac and cheese with a French flag planted in it was not my idea).

This November, Washingtonians will have a chance to vote on I522, an initiative that would require labels for Genetically Engineered Food.  Le Pichet and Cafe Presse hope that you will consider attending this important event to support Yes on 522!  Please click here to purchase tickets.

Just a reminder to come by the Pike Place Market tomorrow at 12noon for my cooking demonstration.  I will be making our Gateau de Riz, served with fresh local strawberries…and I will be giving out samples to the crowd afterwards.

Mark your calendar for early for one of the funnest and most important fundraisers of the year.

Dining Out for Life 2013
Thursday April 25, 2013

The concept behind Dining Out for Life, which is celebrating its 20th year in Seattle, is simple:  just eat out at any of a whole ton of participating restaurants,  and a portion of the cost of your entire meal goes directly to the Life Long AIDS Alliance.  Its that easy.  Get together a group, bring all your friends.  The more you spend, the more money is raised for this fantastic organization.

At Le Pichet and Cafe Presse, we are excited to once again be a part of this very worthwhile event.  Both restaurants will be donating 30% of the entire days revenue, so make plans now to come by at lunch or dinner or just for coffee, snacks or drinks.  It all helps the cause.

As Seattle has always supported Dining Out for Life enthusiastically,  reservations for that evening can be hard to come by.  For reservations, call:

Cafe Presse 206 709-7674
Le Pichet 206 256-1499

According to a New York Times article by Kirk Johnson, a recently released study shows that the fish being served on tables across America is chronically mislabeled, either through error or through misrepresentation.

The study was conducted by Oceana, a non-profit ocean protection group,  who looked at seafood being sold in sushi bars, stores and restaurants in 12 regions around the country.  Fish was purchased during normal operations, and then sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Results varied widely depending on the region.   Southern California had the poorest showing, with over 52% of the fish tested being mislabeled.

Seattle tied with Boston for the area with the most reliably labeled fish.  However, in what has to qualify as a distinctly “good news/bad new” caveat, almost 20% of the fish tested in Seattle was mislabeled…better than the national average but nothing to brag about.

For me, the most alarming statistic was that concerning the distinction between wild caught and farm raised salmon.   Almost two third of salmon labeled “wild caught” that was tested by Oceana turned out to be farm raised Atlantic salmon.  Farm raised salmon has been faulted as being less health, containing chemical additives, antibiotics and hormones and being a source of environmental pollution. In other words, you don’t really want to be eating the stuff, but, given the inaccuracy of labeling, who knows if you are?

It really does pay to know and trust your fish monger.

Its an old-style French Country Supper to Benefit Jubilee Women’s  Center and Pike Market Senior Center.  Reservations are very limited, and are available only by calling Le Pichet  or the Corson Building at .  You will not want to miss this.

Here is the official announcement:

The show spent 5 – 6 hours filming at Le Pichet last July, so we are hopeful that some of that footage will make it into the final cut.  The filming focused mostly on Le Pichet’s house-made charcuterie, but several other dishes were filmed as well (they also filmed a segment, that, if used, should be amusing:  the director asked me to talk about my recommendations for “best of” Seattle…then, when the camera started rolling,  proceeded to ask my about things I never do.  Favorite whiskey bar?  Favorite hard rock nightclub?  Favorite doughnut?  Favorite place for greasy breakfast at 4am?  You are asking the wrong guy.)

I would hesitate to say that the the restaurant community in Seattle is star struck.  However, it is certifiable that anticipation for the Seattle episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Travel Channel program “The Layer” has been palpable.  Like my Mom always says, it’s  nice just to be asked to participate.

Proof of what a strange transition from Summer to Fall we had this year:  tomatoes still very present on the farm tables. Even a few melons and peppers still lingering around.

All the cabbage family really hitting their stride:  Brussels Sprouts, Romanesco, cauliflower, Savoy, red and green cabbages, broccoli.

Beautiful quinces available at prices between $3 and $6 a pound depending on the stand.

Yellow chantrelles make a comeback with the rain and don’t even look that wet.

Pears, apples, asian pears, walnuts, even some grape, both concord and white table grapes.

Squashes, pumpkins, acorns, kabochas and many more but so far none of the big French red pumpkins that were so good last year.

A lot of dogeared vendors using poles to spill the pooling rain from their tents.  You know when the vendors start thanking you for “making it out in this weather”, its a crummy day.

Summer Farm Days on the Cobblestones for 2012 begin on June 24.  Every Sunday during the summer, most of Pike Place as it passes through the Market is closed to car traffic and for one day, cars are replaced by pedestrian, performers and organic farm stalls.  For one afternoon, one has a vision of what it would be like if the Market were closed to cars everyday (note I recently received notification that the Market is trying out a pilot program this summer to test the feasibility of making part of Pike Place a pedestrian only zone, at least during certain times of the year, certain days and certain hours…a very encouraging development.  My personal opinion is that an all pedestrian Pike Place would be fantastic).

Also taking place on Sundays during the summer are Summer Sundays Chef Demonstrations in the Pike Place Market, a series of cooking demonstrations by local chefs.  On Sunday June 24, if you come by between 2pm and 3pm, you can catch my cooking demonstration.  I don’t know what I will be cooking yet, but I will definitely be using fresh produce from the farm stands and I will be offering tastes to all in attendance.

Please stop by and say hello

What:  Exclusive Selection of the Cheeses of Ferme Kukulu
When:  Beginning May 19, 2012
Where:  At Le Pichet

In March of this year, I was lucky enough to have the chance to visit Ferme Kukulu in the French Basque Countries.  This family-run farm has been producing raw milk cheeses in the traditional style, using traditional methods for generations.

Now you can a taste the cheeses of Ferme Kukulu.
Just in time for the 2012 Seattle Cheese Festival, Le Pichet has arranged to bring the cheese of Ferme Kukulu to you.  Le Pichet is working together with Corsican Cellar to offer a very special sampling of these fantastic farmhouse cheeses.  We are offering an All Kukulu cheese plate in addition to our normal selection of house aged cheeses.  You will be able to try a selection of five Kukulu raw milk cheeses for only $12.  The selection includes:

Pur Brebis (sheep’s milk)
Pur Chevre (goat’s milk)
Brebis-Chevre (mixed sheep and goat’s milk)
Bleu de Brebis (blue made from sheep’s milk)
Pur Brebis au Piment d’Espelette (sheep’s milk with Espelette pepper)

Corsican Cellar, a Seattle-based importer that sells to restaurants and stores in the Pacific Northwest,  is the exclusive representative in the U.S. for Ferme Kukulu.   Le Pichet will be the only restaurant in America to have all five of the Ferme Kukulu cheeses imported by Corsican Cellar.