If you’ve been a long-time reader of this blog, you might remember that my deadline for the cookbook is today. I’m happy to say I turned in my work last night, and got a chance to go to the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market, a wonderful little farmer’s market made possible by the hard work and dedication of a few citizens. The Queen Anne Farmer’s Market is a privately run market that splintered off from a bigger organization that represents many of the other farmer’s markets in Seattle. If you’re a Seattlite, you might be interested in checking out the mostly all-star chef line-up that will be doing cooking demos at the market all summer long. (And I say “mostly” only because I will be cooking there on August 20th, the only non-chef, not-tied-to-any-restaurant, kind of person! Yikes!)

beautiful locally grown radishes

So what will become of the blog, now that my cookbook chronicling process is almost over? Well, I still have a few recipes to show you, recipes that I’ve written and made several times, but never photographed. On Sunday, we’ll be having two friends over for dinner, and I’ll have the chance to re-cook and photograph some of them. I still have my “hard” deadline that I have to meet, which is next Friday, when 100% of my work is due. (The bulk of my work was turned in last night, and this last week is for me to write the last remaining headers for the additional recipes I came up with, or re-test some of the newer recipes.)

sun-kissed apricots

I have a very full summer ahead of me, which begins with a “pork party” hosted by Shauna and Danny of Gluten-Free Girl fame, and Pork, Knife, and Spoon. I’ve also lined up an internship with one of the best food photographers out there, someone I truly admire. You might know her: she has a little blog called Cook and Eat, recently honored as one of the fifty best food blogs by the Times Online. Lara has photographed many cookbooks, and is currently working on her first cookbook (on donuts!) Her photos have appeared in many local and national publications. She takes my photo for my Key Ingredient column each month, so I’ve had a chance to get to know her in the past year.

grilled vegetables waiting to be stuffed into quesadillas

Also in July, I’m going to bring you to the Seattle Chocolate Salon–we won tickets last night at a Keren Brown event. In mid-July, I’ll be spending the night on Whidby Island at The Inn at Langley, and dining on chef Matt Costello’s food.

In August, my husband and I will be documenting our trip to Chicago, where we’ll be scooping out some of the local favorites (Italian beef sandwiches! Deep-dish pizza!), hitting renowned cocktail lounge, The Violet Hour, and of course, dining at what some consider to be the best restaurant in America, Alinea, for our one-year anniversary. We will also be roasting a whole pig for our friend Mardi’s birthday, and hopefully if our home is somewhat presentable by late August, we will have a big, end-of-summer bash. (I am leaning towards a “This is Why You’re Fat” theme, where we make the most caloric, over-the-top food and ask our friends to bring the same. Winner gets a bottle of Lipitor.)

blushing berries

I will also be eating out quite frequently for a number of Seattle Magazine pieces, so you’ll get a peek inside my other job, writing about the our city’s incredible dining scene. (Of course, my opinions and reviews must appear in the magazine first, but I can offer you a few captioned photos here and there.)

And, this goes without saying, but I’ll still be here, cooking the food that nourishes me and my husband. 

Thanks for sharing this journey with me thus far, and I hope to see you back here everyday so that I may continue to share with you my food, my city, and my life.