Food & Drink in Olympia

Seattle’s most famous landmark is a buzzing hive of farmers and fish mongers, old world delis and nouveaux bars like Rachel’s Ginger Beer, where craft cocktails show off the artisan brew. Throughout the rambling three blocks of the Pike Place Market, there’s a world of flavors, dozens of cafes, bakeries, clam chowder shops, seafood counters and restaurants that showcase the diverse bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Tourists line up to have their photos snapped at the legendary Pike Place Starbucks, where the ubiquitous franchise got its start. This shop remains tied to that past, with bins of beans on display, harkening back to a time when today’s most recognized name in coffee simply sold beans in bulk. On this same block, the savory scents wafting from Bavarian Meats draw customers in from the cobblestone streets. Thanks to recent expansion this European deli now serves full meals, which are a fine way to try before you buy, especially if you’re in the mood for one of the succulent sausages the company has been producing for decades. Portable snacks are a perfect choice for making the most of a visit to this historic spot, and most every eatery offers quick takeout options. DeLaurenti, the delightful Italian deli, serves pizza by the slice, a wide selection of sandwiches and a mouthwatering assortment of antipasti items. Many folks grab one of Mr. D’s well-seasoned gyros and head to the scenic Victor Steinbrueck Park, named for one of the Market’s biggest boosters. The late architect led efforts to preserve the Market when there was talk of tearing it down in the 1970s. For a full-service dining experience, the Italian-inspired Pink Door is prized for its sun-dappled deck in the summer and its romantic dining room year-round. Le Pichet wins fans with its spot-on French bistro fare, which changes seasonally. And Matt’s in the Market offers one of the best views of Elliott Bay and the majestic Olympic Mountains to the west. The market-driven menu focuses on infusing pristine seafood and locally raised meat with vivid regional flavors, and the kitchen takes pride in its creative presentation, so the meals match the memorable view. It would be a mistake to skip dessert, so venture into The Confectional for a bite-size cheesecake, try the macarons and other pretty pastries at Le Panier or grab a bag full of minis from Daily Dozen Doughnuts. If there’s room, snag a cup of piping tea from the Perennial Tea Room to round out the Market-wide feast.

According to Paris-trained chef Jim Drohman, French cooking isn’t hard to do in an American home. All you need is nutmeg, good cheese, and a lot of cream. Jim Drohman’s French cuisine isn’t snooty or dainty. In fact, he’s behind one of the biggest meat dishes in Seattle: Café Presse’s whole roasted chicken for two, which weighs in at a whopping 3.2 pounds. Café Presse (1117 12th Ave.) is one of two French eateries that Jim owns with his business partner, Joanne Herron. The Parisian plates there contrast with the countryside classics (rabbit liver terrine, anyone?) at Downtown’s Le Pichet (1933 1st Ave.). And before he was managing double kitchens, Jim trained at the Ecole Supérieure de Cuisine Française Jean Ferrandi in Paris. He says that you don’t need a degree from abroad to cook the French way, though. The original French chefs were women cooking at home, and the whole culinary system is rooted in the “grandmotherly techniques of the countryside.” In other words, techniques accessible to those of us who don’t own gratin dishes. To prove his point, Jim told us how to Frenchify three American classics—mashed potatoes, roast chicken, and mac ‘n’ cheese—from the comfort of your own counter. MASHED POTATOES The American way: Boil peeled potatoes until they’re soft, then mash them up with milk, butter, and all the salt you own. Instant mashed potatoes are also extremely American. The easy way to Frenchify it: “Replace the milk with cream…heated until just warm,” Jim says. Replace your normal butter with “a big lump of unsalted butter,” and add some grated nutmeg and pepper to your salt. Potato-wise, he recommends russets (they’re what his mom would use). The less easy way to Frenchify it: Make what Jim calls “the most decadent purée de pommes de terre ever.” Start by gently simmering peeled yellow fingerling potatoes (“in France, the best variety are called rattes,”) in salted water until they’re soft. Drain them. Then, spread them on a sheet pan and dry them in an oven set to medium for about five minutes. “Removing the [excess] water allows the potatoes to take on more butter and cream,” Jim says. To finish it off, purée the ultra-soft potatoes by running them through a sieve, and add unsalted butter and heated cream until the mixture is very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. ROAST CHICKEN The American way: Buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, then say you roasted it yourself. The easy way to Frenchify it: Truss the chicken with string (see Martha Stewart’s how-to here), baste it with butter, and season it with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Then, throw it in a pan and roast it in the oven for about an hour—Jim recommends setting the temperature at 450 degrees. While it’s cooking, periodically baste it with more butter. It’s done when it’s hot in the deepest part of its thigh. According to the health department, “hot” means 165 degrees, but…“I can tell you that if the thigh is 165 the breast will be a bit dry,” Jim says. “However, far be it from me to contradict the health department.” The (way) less easy way to Frenchify it: This way requires an open fire, black truffle slices, and goose liver, so you probably shouldn’t try it at home unless you’re a professional chef and a firefighter. It was a specialty when Jim was working at Le Coq de la Maison Blanche, a third-generation, family-run auberge in Paris: chicken roasted on a spit on the dining room’s huge hearth. First, they stuffed the chicken. Herbs and black truffle slices went under the skin, and a mix of bread, chestnuts, and goose liver went into the body cavity. Next, they roasted it “until the stuffing was hot and the skin of the bird was crispy and golden.” MAC ‘N’ CHEESE The American way: Buy a box of mac ‘n’ cheese, and do what the box says. The really easy way to Frenchify it: Refer to your mac ‘n’ cheese as “Gratin de Macaroni.” The easy way to Frenchify it: Make a mornay sauce. That’s béchamel sauce (try Mario Batali’s recipe here), but flavored with grated gruyère, a bit of cayenne, and some fresh grated nutmeg. Boil up some pasta and drain it well. ”I like to use ziti pasta tubes,” Jim says, “which are similar to the macaroni used in France.” Toss the pasta in the sauce until it’s coated generously, then put it in a buttered baking dish, top it with more grated cheese, and heat it in the oven (set to medium) until it gets bubbly. The less easy way to Frenchify it: This is Jim’s favorite way to make mac ‘n’ cheese, because it “honors the dish’s roots in the Savoie region in the French Alps.” That’s how you know it’s fancy. Bring a half-and-half mix of good chicken stock and whole milk to a simmer. Add a splash of white wine, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Boil your macaroni in this instead of water, and when you drain the pasta, save the liquid. Thicken it with beurre manié—a half-and-half mix of soft butter and white flour kneaded together sans heat. This is your sauce. Toss the hot pasta with diced reblochon cheese, ham, and spinach leaves. Then, coat it in the sauce, put it in a gratin dish (or a regular dish), and top it with bread crumbs. Bake it until it’s golden brown.

Leading a healthy (or healthier) lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to say farewell to social interaction altogether. We are lucky enough to live in beautiful, health-conscious Seattle, which means you can catch up with friends over good food and good drinks at many of the city’s finest restaurants and bars and not dread zipping up your jeans the next day. Check out this list of healthy happy hour alternatives for some healthy inspiration. Juicebox: Want a delicious beverage that won’t leave you with a raging hangover tomorrow morning (and might even help cure the one you already have)? Head to Juicebox, Seattle’s only gourmet fresh-pressed juicer. In addition to delicious, healthy juices (I swear the Tropical Dream, a combination of kale, pineapple, celery and orange juice makes me glow), they also have a selection of sandwiches, crepes, salads and breakfast items that fit almost any cleanse you’re currently on. Remedy Teas: With over 150 teas on hand, if you meet up for a tea party at Remedy Teas you won’t even miss the hard stuff. Let their tea experts help you find your new favorite non-alcoholic beverage, or pair it with a delectable tea sandwich, salad or soup. London Plane: Matt Dillon’s casual outpost in Pioneer Square can be a bit precious, but what he does with vegetables is just unreal. Their menu rotates constantly, but is full of the most delicious salads and veggie-based dishes anywhere in the city. And if you choose to imbibe (red wine has lots of health benefits!), their wine selection is bar none. Ellenos Greek Yogurt: Pike Place Market has lots of choice watering holes, but they only have one artisan Greek yogurt stand. Grab a friend and get a few to-go cups of this delicious high-protein yogurt, featuring local dairy and homemade toppings, and take a long walk to the waterfront. I can’t get enough of the passion fruit flavor, but the berry choices are pretty delicious too. Whole Foods: Most Whole Foods locations (Westlake, Interbay, Roosevelt, Bellevue, Redmond and Lynwood) have dining options that go beyond their immense salad bar. Check their local store websites and follow their calendars to find out when you can go enjoy one of their themed happy hours (keep your eyes peeled for their oyster specials) and grab a kombucha, a sparkling water or green juice to accompany your snacking. Cafe Flora: This vegetarian restaurant is so delicious that even the most dedicated carnivore will go nuts for their lentil-pecan pate, sunchoke chips or gluten-free pizzas. They do have a killer wine list and some very enticing cocktails, but if you’re sticking to the non-alcoholic beverages, they have Communitea locally-brewed kombucha on tap.