Lowell's Restaurant Seattle

Coffee is grinding, Lowell’s is prepping, the rain is misting the cobblestones…

We arrive every morning at 5AM to start grinding fresh roast Rococo Coffee beans and get the first pot of coffee on for our friends bringing us fresh fish, produce and our cooks sizzling up bacon for breakfast. We open everyday at 7AM, but don’t hang out in the cold, if you arrive a little early, get off the wet cobblestones, come into Lowell’s (in the heart of the main arcade) where we are getting everything ready.

Take the chill off! Let me buy you a coffee, sit back, watch the ferries come into port and enjoy the best part of the day, as it starts waking up…~Mark

Only Lowell’s and Harry our “Master Fish-Man” are up and running at this hour, 5AM this morning, and Harry beat us by 3 hours! Come in a little early, grab a window seat and watch the busy port hustling below our windows! ~Mark

Home-made hot spiked & spiced Washington apple cider weather!

Our buddy Donnie, Lina’s son. Donnie helps his mom keep Lina’s Produce the friendliest stand in Pike Place Market! Fresh herbs 10′ feet in front of us, and apples for our hot spiked & spiced cider upstairs in our 2nd floor bar. He has his mother’s smile!

Donnie supplies the apples, we grab some winter spices from “Market Spice”, reduce it down with fresh cider from “Woodring Northwest Farms” three stands north of us, then throw it in the blender. After straining it through the “china cap”, we throw it back on the stove, reduce it a little more, cool it down to room temp, add butter, then put it in the cider warmer in the bar.

Add dark mellow rum, a touch of Tuaca, and you’re into the spirit of the holiday’s. It all starts with fresh Pacific Northwest Washington apples from Lina’s. Thanks Donnie!

~Mark

Wild Mushrooms Omelet tomorrow!

Fresh foraged wild mushroom, next door at Sosio’s Produce

Unbelievable selection of fresh foraged pacific Northwest mushrooms are available for those that don’t want to trudge through the mud, in the rain, along hidden paths through the woods. (Sounds good to me, just have to find the time)!Next door at Sosio’s Produce, talk with Al, Mike, Tom or one of their friendly staff to point you in the right ‘shrooms direction, and they’ll probably hand you a fresh slice of juicy pear!Tomorrow, Alex, Javier & I are going to saute’ up a bunch with a little scallions, virgin olive oil and salt & pepper, then fill our special omelets with them, and finish them with a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Rustic rosemary toast and hashbrowns on the side. Stop in and say hello,~Mark

Smoke your free range turkey!

This shouldn’t have to be said, but I didn’t know, until I looked into it years back. Eat like you were born 200 years ago! The farmers knew  what we should know, simplicity is fresh, easy, and rewards you with tastes that money can’t buy. It was the necessary life style, not a trendy fad. Food didn’t taste like a microwaved bag of plastic, it was earthy, leafy, juicy, smoky, crunchy and FRESH.

We all know “we are what we eat”, so what are we? Fresh & tasty, or processed & bland? Research around, Washington is full of cutting edge artisan’s, and I know I’m doing everything to transition my life around their great output, from homegrown to locally distilled. Eat drink and be merry without enduring mediocrity.

It’s turkey time, and if you haven’t smoked a turkey you have to give it a try, you will not forget it, and it will become a tradition in your house also. After taking a great “Brining, Curing, Smoking” class from Chef Sarah Wong (sarah.wong@seattlecolleges.edu), my repertoire went from smoking salmon, briskets, short ribs, and veggies to include TURKEY! Damn, I’m on the train, this bronzed bird was unreal, from cracklin’ skin to deep, rich, juicy meat throughout.

(Do your family a favor. DO NOT buy a frozen bowling ball from the super market. Go to a local farm or butcher and get a fresh one).

Contact me through our site, and I’ll send you Sarah’s recipe. AND do yourself a favor, go to http://thepantryatdelancey.com/classes/ and check out their class selections. Class slots go super-fast, but if you’re quick & lucky, you’ll be rewarded with a class that will give back to you forever as we all live forward. There are so many to choose from, and they typically include the rewards at their communal table!

~Mark @ Lowell’s

Chef Sarah’s beautifully smoked free range turkey before we devoured it!