Cookbook Review & Author Appearances: Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen
Stowell will be at the Barnes & Noble in University Village tonight to answer questions and sign copies of his book. Scroll down for details.
The first time this Seattlest intended to try a few recipes from Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen, my husband had taken our car to work for the day. And let's be clear--it's difficult to secure hog jowls, lamb tongue, skate wing and a host of other key ingredients in Ethan Stowell's new cookbook when you're at the mercy of the Seattle public transit system.
The omnipresent Seattle chef didn't write a cookbook for amateurs. But then if you want some recipes that draw from what's lying around in your fridge, there's always Cookin' with Coolio.
As you might surmise from its full name: Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen: Bold Cooking from Seattle's Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook a Wolf, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, and Tavolàta, the recipes span Stowell's four Seattle outposts (RIP Union). Recipes range from Tavolàta-like (tagliarini with Totten Virginica oysters, Prosecco, chives and cream) to a sea bass crudo with vanilla oil, English peas and mint fit for Anchovies & Olives.
The book is divided into starter-type plates, soups, starches, pastas, veggies, meat, seafood, dessert and building blocks. As Stowell tells Leslie Kelly in this morning's Grillaxin' interview, the volume "encourages you to get out and meet your fishmonger and your butcher." (Here's hoping they do special orders).
The recipes themselves are actually quite straightforward--almost easy. They tend to involve a handful of simple ingredients (think eggs, parsley, butter) and one unusual item that's often native to the Pacific Northwest. Stowell has a whole section entitled "Fun with Geoduck" where he explains what exactly you do with one of those penile-looking giant clams that are part of our region's bounty.
Stowell is, no surprise, a believer in fresh, top-quality ingredients. Is the water in your area less than perfect? He thinks you should use spring water. And don't even think about eggs that aren't from the farmers market.
But despite the high-end leanings, this is not a snooty cookbook. Stowell dedicates the tome to his dog, and includes some recipes like mob-hit squid, so named because you chop off a squid's tentatcles, then stuff them inside the body--along with some beans and home-cured bacon.
Adventurous folk with even the most basic cooking experience should enjoy the learning curve that comes along with these recipes, and the end result. Just remember, sourcing the ingredients will be at least half the fun (or hassle).
Stowell will be making appearances around Seattle in the coming weeks to promote the book. Look for him October 20 as part of Kim Ricketts' quarterly "What We Talk About When We Talk about Food" panel discussion of local food writers. ($25, tickets and info here)
His other appearances include:
TONIGHT, 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, University Village
Talk, Q&A & book signing
Thursday, 5 p.m. at Elliott Bay Book Co.
Talk, Q&A & book signing
Saturday, October 9, 12 p.m. at Costco in SoDo
Book signing
