SkyCity, Seattle, Washington

Seattle's biggest tourist attraction is the Space Needle- a 605 foot tall tower topped by a flying saucer shaped structure that houses it's observation deck, and the SkyCity Restaurant - the oldest revolving restaurant still in operation. As a tourist attraction with a long, and interesting history, it's easy to dismiss the food as overpriced or sub-par. I won't argue too much with the "overpriced" complaints, but the food is clearly better than the typical fare found in most tourist traps.

Pike Market, Seattle, Washington

So, as luck would have it, my travels for my day job have brought me to the city of Seattle. I had the good fortune of staying in a hotel just a few blocks away from the famous Pike Market. Naturally, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a look and snap a few photos...

Eggs in Purgatory

It is easy to get bored of cooking the same old things the same old way. This dish is a welcome change- take your basic eggs, and some leftover tomato sauce (or gravy rather), and a nice piece of bread to make something memorable and a little different- eggs in purgatory.

Bourbon Potatoes

I get a real kick out of making something interesting out of otherwise boring leftovers. It's a few days after St. Patrick's day, so I have plenty of leftover small boiled potatoes sitting around. I also have a bottle of good bourbon. I don't need much else to make what's becoming one of my favorite leftover transformations- Bourbon Potatoes.

Buffalo Grilled Cheese

It's been quite a while since I last visited my mild obsession with grilled cheese. What would be better than combining elements of two classic comfort foods into one? Here I take the distinctive flavors of a buffalo wing, and present them as a grilled cheese sandwich.

That's One Juicy Lucy!

So, if you ever end up on a business trip to Minneapolis, this is the first place you should go when you get off the plane. The 5-8 Club has been around since 1928, and is the area's iconic "Dive Bar" - that is also home to the burger that should be featured on the city's flag. There is an apparent debate about where the Juicy Lucy was invented- at the 5-8 or at neighboring rival "Matt's Bar" - but personally, I don't care, I just wanted one. 5-8 was on my way and only minutes from the airport, so there I went.

Ham and Cannellini Bean Stew

This was one of those thrown together dinners that I really had no intention of photographing- but it turned out to be a great surprise. Take some leftover ham steaks cut into chunks, add a can of cannellini beans, a chopped onion, and a diced tomato, toss them in a pot, add a little salt and pepper to season, and enough water to cover everything. Let it simmer for two (or more) hours. At the end, you will have a thin broth- thicken it up with a slurry of warm water with a little dissolved flour, and serve it over a bed of rice. As simple as it sounds, it is greater than the sum of its parts- all the meatiness of the ham permeates the dish, and plays really well with the beans. I love the fact that it's a dish that can take leftovers, add a few new items, and transform them into something great. I'll be keeping this one in my bag of tricks for a while.