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5 Questions with Braiden Rex-Johnson

By andrew.zimmern on Wed, 08/13/2008 - 16:05

Braiden Rex-Johnson

It seems the Pacific Northwest has it all: The sea, mountains... and all that fabulous food and wine. Few know more about wining and dining in this region than food writer (and Seattle resident) Braiden Rex-Johnson. She gave us the scoop on what to eat, drink and do in this gorgeous area.

AndrewZimmern.com: You lived in Philadelphia and Dallas before relocating to Seattle in 1990. What brought you there? Was there a moment that made you fall in love with the area?

Braiden Rex-Johnson: In 1988, during my first visit to Seattle for a Romance Writers of America conference (yes, I was a failed romance writer for seven years before turning to food writing!), my husband kidnapped me from one of my workshops to show me this “cool farmers’ market and condo on the edge of downtown.”

And from that first walk through the Pike Place Market, eating baby strawberries (grit and all) straight from their box, watching the salmon fly, devouring miniature powdered donuts, and listening to the musicians perform, I was enchanted.

When I looked up and down a mid-rise condominium building just outside the Market historic district and overlooking Ellliott Bay, I told my husband that if I could live any place in the world, that would be it. Two years later, after he had a mid-life crisis and we decided we needed to move to a coastal town—be it New York City, San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles, or Seattle—Seattle won out. We immediately rented a condo in that same building I’d admired; two years later bought a unit; and have lived there ever since (18 years!).

AZ.com: In your new book, Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining, you say the cuisine of the region begins with fresh, local ingredients. Recently, every region is claiming that. What other elements give dishes unique characteristics?

BRJ: Yes, I jokingly say we will soon find “local, seasonal, regional cuisine” at our neighborhood Denny’s or IHOP. But I think what sets the Northwest food scene apart is that our chefs have been doing it long before it became fashionable. Look at Tom Douglas here in Seattle, who opened his Dahlia Lounge in 1989 and has gone on to spread the good word about Northwest cuisine through the Dahlia and his other Seattle-based restaurants, weekly radio show, cookbooks, line of spice blends, and other projects (lucky for us, he’s quite prolific!). Or Sinclair and Frederique Philip, owners of Sooke Harbour House on Vancouver Island, one of a handful of visionaries in British Columbia who created West Coast cuisine more than 25 years ago. In Portland there’s Cory Schreiber (chef and former owner of Wildwood), Philippe Boulet (The Heathman Restaurant), and Greg Higgins (Higgins), all of whom helped shaped Northwest cuisine in that city. In Idaho, Jon Mortimer is a standard bearer for his region’s special take on Northwest cuisine, which is a bit more meat-focused than other parts of our region.

Then, when you add in the specific ethnic groups that have helped shape Northwest cuisine—Native American, Sephardic Jew, Asian, Latino, Italian, and Scandinavian—you come up with a regional cuisine that is a heady combination of flavors and cooking techniques, what I like to refer to as the original “fusion” cuisine.

AZ.com: When it comes to North American wines, California gets all the attention. Why should we look to Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia? What is the region doing better than anyone else? What are five wines to look for?

BRJ: I disagree with your statement about California getting all the attention. Lately, Northwest wines have really come into their own with excellent reviews, high sales volume, and many new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs or appellations) being named or in the works. For example, Wine Press Northwest (a wonderful magazine I’ve written the food-and-wine-pairing column for during the past eight years), reported in July: “The Wine Advocate awarded Quilceda Creek Vintners of Snohomish, Wash., a perfect 100 points for its 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the winery’s third 100-point score, as well as the third in the past four years, and makes it the first winery in the world to claim such a feat using Bordeaux varietals.”

You have to remember that California gets a lot of attention simply due to the sheer volume of wine it produces—around 650-million gallons annually versus Washington’s 18-million gallons. We like to say that Washington produces less wine, but more premium wine than many other wine regions in the United States and around the world.

Current “hot” varietals in Washington State include Syrah and Riesling, in addition to stellar stand-bys such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and various styles of Chardonnay (lately, unoaked varieties are much in vogue among Northwest winemakers). “Unusual” varietals are coming on strong—wines that were once used mainly for blending, such as Malbec, Roussanne, Marsanne, Petit Verdot, and Sangiovese—and are being used as stand-alone bottlings with good results.

Oregon is and always will be known for its outstanding Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, but its Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, along with interesting varietals being grown in certain microclimates in Southern Oregon, such as Tempranillo and Albariño, also garner lots of well-deserved attention.

In Idaho, look to varieties such as Riesling and Ice Wine, although their Pinot Noirs and Cabernets are also turning many heads.

British Columbia is best known for its Ice Wine, but a wide variety of growing areas located around Lake Okanagan account for everything from cool-climate varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir grown in the north, to rich red varieties such as Cab, Merlot, and Syrah in the desert microclimate in the south near the U.S. border. I also like some of the sparkling wines they produce, such as Sumac Ridge Steller’s Jay Brut, which is reminiscent of true French Champagne.

AZ.com: What five Pacific Northwest spots outside of Seattle should be on every food and wine enthusiast's radar? What are your five favorite eateries in Seattle?

BRJ: I wish every visitor to the Northwest (and any locals who haven’t already been to these places) could experience Walla Walla, Washington (great small-town ambience with a handful of big-city-style restaurants and outstanding wineries); the heart-felt farm-to-table movement, glorious food, and luxurious lodging found on Vancouver Island at Sooke Harbour House, The Aerie, and similar special places; Mission Hill Family Estate, the Northwest’s most beauteous winery; C Restaurant and the Granville Island Farmers’ Market in Vancouver; and a tour of the Willamette Valley during the springtime when the apple and pear trees are blossoming. The Columbia Gorge region (either the Washington or Oregon side—take your pick) and the Lake Chelan/Columbia Cascade region are not only VERY scenic and downright majestic, but producing some excellent wines.

Of late, I’ve been lovin’ Txori (pronounced CHO-ree, with true Spanish tapas—small plates with only one or two finely crafted bites for $4 or $5), Joule (billed as Korean/French but really just well-executed fusion cuisine—don’t miss the cornbread with preserved garlic and smoked Gouda cheese!), Branzino (a Belltown beauty that opened strong, yet somehow feels like it’s been there forever), Steelhead Diner in the Pike Place Market (don’t you dare miss chef/owner Kevin Davis’s truly amazing Caviar Pie!), Union (opened in 2003 to rave reviews, located steps from our condo, and still going strong), and Oceanaire Seafood Room (part of the national chain, but Exec Chef Eric Donnelly steers the place in the right direction with an ever-creative menu and the freshest, most flavorful seafood in town). And sorry, that’s six, not five faves!

AZ.com: What's your favorite regional splurge bottle of wine? And which one gives the most bang for the buck?

Anything from DeLille Cellars, a Woodinville, Washington, winery where our friend Chris Upchurch (partner and winemaker) crafts beautifully balanced and nuanced Bordeaux-styled blends such as Chaleur Estate Blanc, D2, and Harrison Hill, all of which have won a vast number of awards. Bang-for-buck wines include just about anything from Columbia Crest, the Naked line from Snoqualmie Winery (the wines are made from organic grapes), the wines from Willamette Valley Vineyards in Oregon (especially the Whole-Cluster-Fermented Pinot Noir), and Ste. Chapelle wines from Idaho. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to get the more boutique-y wines from British Columbia into the states, but bigger producers, such as Mission Hill Family Estates, Inniskillin Okanagan, or Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, tend to be good-quality, good-value wines and just really a joy to try.

AZ.com: What's in your refrigerator?

BRJ: Whenever it’s in season (like right now!), you’re sure to find a big chunk of wild Northwest salmon waiting to be grilled with nothing more than a sprinkle of Australian sea salt, Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice Seasoning), and Tom Douglas Rub with Love Seafood Rub (which I prefer to his Salmon Rub for salmon).

Fresh black cod and halibut are other fish-y favorites.

And nut oils of all sorts are a staple in my refrigerator. Lately, I’ve used a good-quality hazelnut oil or Olivier & Co.’s Mint Oil to drizzle on grilled salmon along with aged balsamic vinegar, a sprinkling of chopped fresh mint, and a handful of crushed walnuts for a really satisfying, super-heart-healthy, supremely flavorful Mediterranean-style dish.

As far as specialty-food items, I’m a big fan of Thai Kitchen Tom Yum Hot & Sour Soup Mix, a spoonful of which adds real punch and depth of flavor to miso soup or seafood stews. And low-sodium organic soy or Japanese shoyu sauce, or Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, are all rich in umami, which imparts a special “meaty” or satisfying flavor when added to dishes.

Of course, this time of year in the great Northwest we are wallowing in heirloom tomatoes, blueberries, Oh My God! peaches (not the varietal name, but the reaction when you bite into these blushing, tree-ripened beauties), Rainier and Bing cherries, and all manner of corn, yellow squash and zucchini, sweet and hot peppers, baby lettuces and carrots, and summer herbs. Yummy, and the less you do to them, the better.

In the white-wine cooler, you’ll find all sorts of Northwest Riesling, Gewûrzt, Chardonnay, Rosé, and sparkling wines; the red wine cellar includes lots of DeLille wines (mentioned above), Matthews Cellars Claret, Abacela Winery Dolcetto and Tempranillo, DiStefano red blends, and a variety of Oregon Pinot Noirs.

 

Braiden Rex-Johnson is a bestselling cookbook author; the long-time food-and-wine-pairing columnist for Wine Press Northwest; a regular contributor to Pacific Northwest, The Seattle Times' Sunday magazine; the former food editor at Seattle Homes & Lifestyles magazine; and an active member of Les Dames d'Escoffier.

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