Halibut Season at Pike Place Fish

We want to see the guys hurl that thing across the counter!

Some of you might have noticed a change in season recently- the sun is shining, the temperature is rising, and, especially for us, we just can't hold in our excitement. That's right folks, it's HALIBUT season. This calls for a trip to Pike Place Market.

THE place to get your sustainable Halibut. 

World Famous Pike Place Fish, located under the main entrance of Pike Place Market, is the only fish market at Pike Place that sells all sustainably caught fish. They are also known for their world class customer service and their fish throwing and catching skills. It also happens to be where Sarah's husband has worked for 16 years, but we mainly shop here exclusively because of the sustainability. The friendly staff is just an added bonus. ;) 

Our connection here does mean we are constantly up-to-date on when certain fish are in season as well as mouth-watering recipes to go along with the goods. Today we are giving you all the insider tips on Halibut along with a delicious recipe from the Pike Place Fish Cookbook. 

Watching the guys throw fish is one of our favorite things to do at the market.

Jake will fillet any fish you would like. 

Insider Tips

• Halibut season runs from March - November, which means you can get this great fish fresh any time except winter.
• Pike Place Fish gets all of their halibut from Southeast Alaska, and it is all 100% sustainably caught.
• Most of the fish weigh roughly 20 lbs, which means it takes a lot of extra effort to chuck one over the counter. When catching a halibut, you must grab onto the body AND the tail. If you don't it will be "extremely hard to land."
• The most popular way people get halibut is a fillet, but the fishmongers advise you to not discount a steak cut. Yes, a steak cut means it will come with a bone, but they say to think of it like a T-bone steak. It will have one big bone that is easy to remove. The benefit of a steak cut is that it will have even thickness, which is helpful for cooking and the bone keeps the fish moist.
• Halibut cheeks (the literal cheek of the fish) is another great way to enjoy this fish. Not every fish market will have them, but Pike Place Fish carries them from time to time. If you are lucky enough to be there when they are in stock, don't miss them!
• Halibut is mild and not super fatty, which means it's very versatile. It is great in tacos, takes marinade really well, and can be baked or grilled. It is also great in stew like in this recipe below!

Caribbean Seafood Stew.

Caribbean Seafood Stew (from the Pike Place Fish Cookbook)

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 pound halibut, cut into 1-inch chunks 

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

6 garlic gloves, minced

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped (use 2 if you want it hotter)

One 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

One 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions:

Stir together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lime juice, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the pepper in a medium glass bowl. Add the fish cubes and toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 3-quart saucepan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender but not brown. Add the tomatoes and juice and the coconut milk. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Stir in the shrimp, marinated fish, and cilantro. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or just until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the shrimp turn opaque. Don't overcook. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning if desired.

Ladle the stew into shallow bowls over rice. Sprinkle with cilantro and pass hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Buy The Glass: 5 Great Glasses of White Under $10 at Pike Place Market

Note to readers: We have two fairly low standards for our wine:  it tastes good and gets us a buzz. We realize this is not necessarily the “right” way to view wine so we brought in expert Amy Dickson to give you the lowdown. You might see her popping up on the blog as a guest writer every once in a while! 

White wine is perfect for a sunny, warm day

Last week’s weather warmed so significantly and quickly, my palate skipped right over desiring a glass of rosé and straight to white. I decided to nip down to Pike Place Market to see what glass pours could quench my thirst without breaking the bank. I’ll need those extra pennies for true rosé season soon.

Here are my suggestions for five outstanding glasses of white wine at Pike Place Market, all under $10 a pour.

Le Pichet: Patrice Colin Blanc Vendômois, 2014

Coteaux du Vendomois, Loire, France, 12.5%, $7.50 per glass

At Le Pichet, the proprietors expect and encourage you to order a glass of wine with, well, everything. That’s why the daily menu includes 11 white glass pours under the $10 price point, with most hovering around $7.50. With a demi-pichet (a small jug of wine) holding two glasses for a dollar less, it’s easy to explore these food-friendly wines over lunch with a date. 

After a stimulating flight of five delicious whites, I settled on this Chenin Blanc. Tart, lightly aromatic, and with a hint of both spice and minerality on the finish, this wine likes food and can pair with most menu items at Le Pichet. Go wild and order one of everything.

Tip From Behind the Bar: Nearly all wines on the menu are organic, sustainably grown, and are often women-owned wineries. 

The Tasting Room: Naches Heights Vineyard, Pinot Gris, 2014

Naches Heights AVA, Washington, 13.8%, $7 per glass

The Tasting Room, hidden in Post Alley at the Market, specializes in serving some of Washington state’s hard-to-find artisan wines. With a substantial list offering drinkers anything from small taste flights to full bottles, it’s a great place to discover the 13 AVAs of Washington — especially on the patio when the sun is shining.

I worked my way through an appetizing flight of wines, but I had to say, the pinot gris was my favorite. The wine was star bright, clean, and of a strong character.  I’ll be back to enjoy a chilled bottle on that patio as we ease into the summer months. 

Tip From Behind the Bar: Wherever possible, the grapes at Naches Heights Vineyards are grown using organic or biodynamic practices. Grown in a high altitude volcanic soil vineyard, these grapes translate to a wine displaying citrus, honeysuckle, and pear notes. It hits on the front and mid palate, making it easy to drink with food or on its own.

Radiator Whiskey: Domaine Labbe, Vin de Savoie, 2012

Savoie, French Alps, 12%, $9 per glass

Who goes to a whiskey bar to order a glass of white wine? This lady right here. Located in the heart of Pike Place Market, Radiator Whiskey offers an extensive list of potent potables with a focus on brown water and barrel-aged cocktails. Don’t let that stop you oenophiles out there as I promise you can find a delicious glass of white.

Made from 100% Jacquère grapes, Vin de Savoie tends to be a fairly neutral mountain wine. However my glass was palate cleansing, cool, and showed dense minerality. We are talking like “licking wet stones in a rain storm.” This wine cuts through fat and that’s a great glass pour at a place that also serves a smoked half pig head. I am not saying to pair these two together, but if you need a refresher after a meal like that, Vin de Savoie is your friend. It was a good accompaniment to my dish of tater tots topped with gravy and egg.

Tip From Behind the Bar: On warm days they flip the windows open in a unique manner, spilling in sunshine. Wonderful for sipping white wine in warm weather.

Steelhead Diner: Parejas Cellars, Albarino, 2013

Dutchman Vineyards, Yakima, WA, 13%, $9 per glass

“Nothing south of Oregon — Nothing east of Idaho.” With a tagline like this, you know it’s PNW hyperlocal at Steelhead Diner. I was delighted to see eight glasses of white wine at the sub-$10 price point. I explored a chardonnay, a pinot gris, and a riesling before settling on the albarino.

This is a smooth, crisp, and very tart dry white wine. You’ll encounter scents of pear, apricot, and spice. It has a clean, long-lasting finish. This traditional Spanish/Portuguese varietal is doing well in Washington soil and is best friends with shellfish. Maybe give it a whirl with the Naughty Clams or Paella dish?

Tip From Behind the Bar: Steelhead’s menu (and wines) change all the time based on season and availability, so if you want to try this glass pour, scuttle on in.

Chocolate Box: Waitsburg Cellars, ‘Three’ White, 2013

Boushey Vineyards, Yakima, WA,  12%, $26 per bottle ($6.50 per glass)

Half a block off the main market drag is Chocolate Box, a seemingly twee chocolate shop selling truffles, chocolates (edible or sipping varieties), and a ton of wine. Yes, that’s right: WINE. The back end of the shop is part tasting bar / part bodega with one entire wall devoted to Northwest boutique wines. The friendly staff at Chocolate Box will even help you pair your wines to some of the delectable truffles found in the shop.

I put together a unique flight of Washington wines and after sipping through the varietals, I fell in love with the Waitsburg Cellars blend. Composed of 53% Grenache Blanc, 40% Marsanne, and 7% Picpoul, this is a new world wine coming from the Yakima AVA, but in an old world style. Slightly vegetal, this wine tastes of pink grapefruit pith and Meyer lemon. I agree with the winemakers that this wine has the grip and structure of a French blend and I would be interested in setting a bottle down for a year or two to see how it develops.

Then again, I might not be able to wait that long as summer seems to be knocking at our doors already.

Tip From Behind the Bar: They sell only by the taste or the bottle, but you’ll quickly see that a small taste will lead you to the right bottle in no time. 

Do you have a favorite glass of white wine at the Market? Let us know and we’ll be happy to try it as well. Enjoy your spring and Salud!

Special thanks to Marcel at Le Pichet, Wendy at The Tasting Room, Sarah at Radiator Whiskey, Tony at Steelhead Diner, and Christopher at The Chocolate Box for their wealth of knowledge they lent to making this post possible. 

Amy L. Dickson is a communications professional, freelance writer, and contributor to Rain or Shine Guides. She’s currently training at the NW Wine Academy for her Level 1 sommelier certification. Follow her at @amyldickson75

Olympic Sculpture Park

Free stuff is our jam. So are awesome waterfront parks and unique artwork. Olympic Sculpture Park: check, check, and check! 

This park is part of the Seattle Art Museum (although it is not in the same location) and was primarily funded by Microsoft COO, John Shirley (a modest $30 million). Lucky us!

And now Seattle has this wonderful park.

This park is full of wonderful, sharp lines.

Left: Eagle by Alexander Calder. Right: Echo by Jaume Plensa.

Eye see you. 

This park is a part of every tour we give friends from out of town. We love the architecture and the almost Easter egg hunt quality of the art. If you aren't looking for it, you could walk right by and never know! 

So go check it out! It is fairly wheelchair accessible, it is free, and there is parking. Kids love it, dogs love it, adults love it, heck we once saw a cat being walked and it looked about as happy as any cat can. 

Walk along the Seattle waterfront and look for seals along with art! 

Insider Tip: If you continue to follow the path once you get down to the waterfront you will eventually be in Myrtle Beach Park. Keep going! This park has an amazing walk along the water. Try to make it for a sunset; we promise, Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains make it quite the show!

Myrtle Beach Park takes you right up to Puget Sound.

Go here to see a map and more info about parking. 

We also recommend reading up on the art in the park so you don't miss any of the less obvious installments.

April Fools Day: Take Me to the Magic Shop

Market Magic and Novelty Shop

The lower levels of Pike Place Market hold an amazing assortment of quirky shops you can spend hours exploring. In honor of this wonderful holiday, April Fools, we are profiling The Market Magic Shop, home to all your April Fools needs! 

Market Magic Shop boasts the fact that it is the oldest magic shop in the Pacific Northwest and when you step inside you are greeted with framed photos of all the famous visitors from over the years. The shop is stocked with goodies for beginner and expert magicians and have quite a few trick items for your April Fools' Day.

Our favorite finds inside? The Encyclopedia of Immaturity (if you watch Modern Family, I think this book is probably in Phil Dunphy's collection), the balloon animal starter kit (we have always wondered how they make those), and the Elvis Fortune Teller (yes, he does sing). 

Every little thing she does is...

All sorts of goodies can be found at the Magic shop.

For $.75 Elvis will give you your fortune.

50 million fans can't be wrong.

"...beware of a young woman in a red sports car"