"Northwest Essentials" was ahead of its time, emphasizing cooking with the local and regional ingredients available to home cooks -- in this case to those who were blessed to live in the bountiful Pacific Northwest. Originally published ten years ago, it was instantly recognized as a classic. Now that everyone realizes the importance of eating locally and eating in season, the book has been reissued, this time filled with beautiful photographs of the fruits, seafood, mushrooms, lentils, and hazelnuts of the region. But this isn't just a book to make any mouth water; it's a book to cook from -- the recipes are simple, and they work. And the brilliant chef is also a talented writer who lures the reader into each chapter with personal stories and reminiscences.