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Blessed with abundant seafood, pristine produce, and bountiful vineyards, the Pacific Northwest has spawned a unique culinary culture that’s had a major influence on the way Americans eat, drink, and enjoy life today. Propelled by innovative chefs and winemakers and inspired by the region’s rich medley of ethnic food traditions—Native American, European, Asian, Latino—contemporary Pacific Northwest cooking is “fusion” cuisine at its most exciting and enticing. Now, in this dazzling cookbook, Braiden Rex- Johnson takes us along as she visits the region’s most accomplished chefs and winemakers, showcasing the dishes and wines that have made theregion a gastronomic mecca. From Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to the province of British Columbia, she takes us on a fascinating journey of culinary discovery, stopping off at restaurants and wineries, artisan cheese makers and bread bakers, bed-and-breakfast inns and even a winemaker/ balsamic-vinegar maker to sample the fare, chat with the proprietors, and collect the Pacific Northwest’s very best recipes. Rex-Johnson shows how the region’s savvy chefs transform fresh seasonal ingredients into soulsatisfying dishes that could come from nowhere else—Dungeness Crab and Pine Nut Lasagne from the Willamette Valley, Wild Salmon Gravlax Salad from Vancouver, Cream of Morel Soup from the Columbia Gorge, and Idaho Lamb Medallions with Plum-Brandy Jam, to name just a few. And she discusses how the region’s wines—from worldclass Oregon Pinot Noirs to mellifluous Merlots from Washington State to intoxicating British Columbia ice wines—perfectly complement these alluring dishes. Whether you’re a longtime Pacific Northwest resident, a first-time visitor, or an armchair traveler, you’ll be surprised and delighted by this evocative look at the region’s special culinary character. Brimming with stories and profiles, illustrated with 140 gorgeous color photos, and featuring 88 recipes and wine pairings as well as cook’s hints, a wine varietal primer, and a listing of Northwest wine-and-food festivals, Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining is a wonderful tribute to this rising gastronomic destination.
Braiden Rex-Johnson is the Seattle-based
author of six previous books, including
the bestselling Pike Place Market Cookbook Jackie Johnston is an award-winning
freelance photographer and graphic and Web
designer based in Pasco, Washington. Her photos
have appeared in a variety of Washington State
and national newspapers and on the Associated
Press wire service. Since 1999, Johnston has
served as principal photographer and designer
for Wine Press Northwest
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, and
writes a food-and-wine-pairing column for 
. She served as food editor at
for five years and has
written for a wide variety of publications. Rex-
Johnson has appeared on The Discovery and Travel
Channels, QVC, PBS, and National Public Radio
and is an active member of the Seattle chapter
of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI). Visit
her Web site at