This colorful cookbook captures the contemporary Northwest lifestyle with an array of thematic menus: sophisticated beach picnics, a spring meal to celebrate the return of the salmon, brunch aboard the cabin cruiser (just as delectable on land). Greg Atkinson's uninhibited love of life and food shine through as he describes high tea in the garden or a dinner that draws luscious offerings from the Pike Place Market. The 14 menus capture the very essence of the statement, ''Life is good.'' and how can it not be with fresh Kumamoto oysters from Puget Sound, or Copper River salmon from Alaska, or herbed and grilled leg of lamb? Each special menu consists of five to seven recipes that, served together, comprise a memorable culinary event. For example, Atkinson's menu for a romantic summer dinner includes ''Matisse Bread'' or Fougasse, Three Shellfish with Three Citrus Fruits, Provencale Chicken with Tomato and Orange, and Chocolate Marquis with Saffron Cream.

Greg Atkinson has been lauded and profiled nationally for his accomplishments as a chef. But he says that he really cooks to support his writing habit. Both of those attributes come together in this comprehensive cookbook that expresses the culinary styles and ingredients and trends of the whole West Coast. Alaska has amazing seafood—wild salmon, halibut, and black cod. The Northwest native grilling technique of grilling with flavorful wood planks hails from this region. Vancouver, BC, with its international crossroads status, brings amazing East Indian dishes that have been tempered with local ingredients. The Asian cuisine—noodles, roasted duck, and soy sauce and ginger—presents yet another tasty direction to pursue. And on down the coast: the Bay Area offers up a whole array of fresh tastes from the epicenter of sustainable local producers. California also brings forth the Latino influence, one of America’s true indigenous cuisines.

“An antidote to the veneer of perfectionism so often presented by books of its kind, Wabi-Sabi Welcome offers readers license to slow down and host guests with humility, intention, and contentment.” —Nathan Williams, founder of Kinfolk Wabi-Sabi Welcome is sharing a pot of tea with friends. It is preparing delicious food to nourish, not to show off. It’s keeping a basket of cozy slippers at the door for guests. It is well-worn linens, bouquets of foraged branches, mismatched silverware, and heirloom bowls infused with the spirit of meals served with love. In this lush entertaining manual, author Julie Pointer Adams invites readers into artful, easygoing homes around the world—in Denmark, California, France, Italy, and Japan—and teaches us how to turn the generous act of getting together into the deeper art of being together. In this book, readers will find: unexpected, thoughtful ideas and recipes from around the world; tips for creating an intimate, welcoming environment; guidelines for choosing enduring, natural decor for the home; and inspiring photographs from homes where wabi-sabi is woven into daily living.

CLICK HERE to download a sample recipe from Pacific Feast * Features more than 60 recipes from some of the Pacific Coast's best chefs, including David Tanis, Maria Hines, Dustin Clark, Kirsten Dixon, and Tom Douglas * Accessible and inspiring, Pacific Feast will appeal to home cooks and nature lovers alike * Conveys a strong conservation and sustainability message throughout the recipes and stories Once thought to be the stuff of back-to-the-landers, foraging has become a gourmet pastime, and there are a growing number of wild-food classes in which experts teach hungry folks how to spot the "food at our feet." Especially fortunate are those of us who live along the Pacific Coast -- from Southern California to Puget Sound to Anchorage -- where the climate provides many a delicacy in our wild (and not so wild) spaces. Pacific Feast shares expert advice on how to identify the good eats, harvest responsibly, and create delicious meals with your finds. Author Jennifer Hahn provides detailed field notes on more than 40 species, including where to find them, which parts are edible, and their best culinary uses. In addition to the delectable recipes from well-known coastal chefs, readers will also appreciate Hahn's intimate stories of reveling in nature's bounty and Mac Smith's lush identification photographs. With more than 25 years of wilderness travel under her boots and kayak hull--including thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from northern California to Canada and kayaking solo from Ketchikan, Alaska to Washington--writer Jennifer Hahn relies on wild harvesting to keep her pack and kayak light. Jennifer's favorite foraged lunch is sea urchin, nori seaweed, and "goose tongue" leaves. She lives in Bellingham, Washington with her potter husband, Chris Moench. To learn more, visit the authors website at www.pacificfeast.com

Author events are a great way to build excitement and interest in books and reading. Now you can successfully plan and host author visits. This guide covers every step from why you should hold author events and how your organization can benefit to such logistics as selecting an author, choosing the type of event and venue, publicity, set-up, escorting, crowd control, and managing the autograph line. Filled with practicial tips, proven techniques, and anecdotes, this book will inspire you and get you through your author events with flying colors. Author events are a great way to build excitement and interest in books and reading. With this guide in hand, you can easily and successfully plan and host author visits. The primer covers every step. It begins by explaining why you should hold author events and how your organization can benefit. It then goes on to such logistics as selecting an author, choosing the type of event and venue, publicity, setup, escorting, crowd control, and managing the autograph line. Filled with practical tips, proven techniques, and engaging anecdotes, this book will inspire you and get you through your author events with flying colors.

The EZ Fun Guide¿ to Walt Disney World® is a unique travel guide makes planning the perfect Walt Disney World vacation delightfully easy! The reader can jump right into the fun of making vacation dreams come true as he/she explores the magical features of Walt Disney World. Inside, readers will find everything that they need to plan their entire vacation. The EZ Fun Guide¿ begins with 34 color-coded EZ Fun Maps¿ that guide the reader through every section of Walt Disney World without overwhelming with pages of tiny text like many travel guides. Special chapters detail the resort hotels, food and dining choices, plus recreation and shopping opportunities at Disney World. Readers can use the innovative EZ Fun Sheets¿ to plan the perfect vacation in easy-to-follow steps. The EZ Fun Guide¿ to Walt Disney World guides the reader through planning and budgeting for their entire vacation -- hotel, food and dining, souvenirs, recreation and transportation -- so the only surprises are good surprises!

This is a book of more than two dozen essays about eating, food, the meaning of coming together at the table, and the pleasures of home cooking. Greg Atkinson, chef and writer, brings the perspective of one who has harvested shellfish with fishermen in Puget Sound, walked the rows during harvest at Oregon vineyards, as well as sourced ingredients at the local big box retailer. According to Atkinson, the measure that’s most valuable is the amount of heart that brings people together for a meal--less important is the pedigree of the extra virgin olive oil that's used. In this book, Atkinson brings memorable meals to life, shares the special experience of making borscht, reveals tips and tidbits on cooking that he has garnered from foodie royalty that have passed through his kitchen, even about his aversion to fishing for trout and his pleasure in preparing them on camping trips to favorite mountain lakes. At the Kitchen Table is about the meaning of eating, the broad culinary web we enter with every bite we take, and the special sanctuary that is the home kitchen. Each essay is concluded with several recipes--more than 70 total.