Christina's Cookbook

Book excerpt: Deeply evocative of the San Juan Islands, the recipes and ingredients of Christina's Cookbook give readers a flavorful tour through all of the area's eddies, bays, and gardens. Just for starters, readers can try recipes for Crab Fondue and Fennel Breadsticks, Mussels with Garden Lilies and Curry, or Singing Scallops with Sweet Cicely and Cider. Add to this a side dish of charming tales and worldwide adventures, and the innovative recipes become all the more enticing. Roasted Halibut comes with a story on how it got its glaze; a millionaire playboy in the South of France is behind the delicious lamb recipe; and if readers want to discover how icy Doug Fir Granitas came to be served at the James Beard House, they can open up to the chapter on desserts (which also includes Poached Cherries and Lavender Ice Cream). For fans of authentic Northwest cooking and seafood alike, this cookbook is deliciously entertaining.