Every year we look around for Northwest-y gifts to send across the country to a relative, or wrap for a local friend. Seven food-related books made the list this year.

Wed, Dec 11, 5:27 p.m.

Any one of these spots would be enough good news for a month, but this season three celebrated Seattle chefs are all opening restaurants downtown.

Tue, Dec 3, 5 a.m.

A local community kitchen high school program is betting on it. And they've got a prominent national food activist cheering them on.

Fri, Nov 22, 5 a.m.

Great food, strong community, small margins. Eat for Equity remodels philanthropy without the black tie.

Kurt Timmermeister's new book, Growing a Feast (WW Norton, $24.95), tells the story of food itself.

His first book, after selling his Capitol Hill restaurant, Septieme, was called Growing a Farmer. Not always mouthwatering, either, with chapters on killing chickens and slaughtering pigs. Farming, he learns quickly, isn't just about deracinating vegetables or tugging at udders, it's about slitting throats, too, as his Facebook page shows this week.

We may buy pork chops on Styrofoam trays wrapped in plastic, but Timmermeister knows better. "I feel that food is intrinsically good, he wrote in Growing a Farmer. Food is from the earth. It provides us with nutrition to live. It is the source of all life, it has the power to make us healthy."

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Foodie Gift Ideas: 7 books to make your mouth water

Any one of these spots would be enough good news for a month, but this season three celebrated Seattle chefs are all opening restaurants downtown.

Fri, Dec 13, 5 a.m.

Every year we look around for Northwest-y gifts to send across the country to a relative, or wrap for a local friend. A selection of food-related books that make the cut this year.

Tue, Dec 3, 5 a.m.

A local community kitchen high school program is betting on it. And they've got a prominent national food activist cheering them on.

Fri, Nov 22, 5 a.m.

Great food, strong community, small margins. Eat for Equity remodels philanthropy without the black tie.

One of the Joey's test-kitchen products, making its debut this week, is a $14 veggie burger, a dish that will change the way you feel about vegetarian "substitutes." The patty itself is made with brown rice, kidney beans, almonds, and chopped shiitake mushrooms marinated in a miso-based mayonnaise. The tomato is on the bottom, below the patty, while a layer of jack cheese, plus arugula, cucumber, bread & butter pickle, sprouts and avocado are on the top. The whole thing is served pre-cut and held together with skewers.

It feels and tastes like a real burger, with a warm and toasty bun studded with oats. There's plenty of crunch in the lettuce-cucumber top of the burger (the part the incisors go through first), followed by the cheese-covered, savory "meat" of the patty and the juiciness of the tomato slice. "It eats better like that, with the tomato on the bottom," says the burger's creator, John Clark, the company's director of product development for Joey's, who found every other veggie burger far too dry. "At Joey's, it's still messy, but we decided that we'd just live with it."

First, Loulay Kitchen & Bar, in the 6th & Union corner of the Sheraton Hotel. This is Thierry Rautureau's eagerly awaited new venue, successor to the upscale Madison Valley spot, Rover's, that he closed earlier this year. It's named for the village where he grew up, St. Hilaire de Loulay, in southwestern France.

Continued here:
Thierry, Stratton AND Wilson? Downtown Seattle's holiday restaurant heist

Ceres resident Pete Elliott admires the Christmas tree decorated for him as part of a home makeover by employees from VIP Management on Tuesday December 10, 2013. Elliott who worked at VIP for 25 years was diagnosed with ALS two years ago and is unstable on his feet and must use a walker and wheelchair so his former co-workers came to his home to build wheelchair ramps, modify his bathroom, remodel his kitchen, deep clean the interior and decorate for the holidays. ANDYALFAROaalfaro@modbee.com|BuyPhoto

CERES The day began with the whirring of power tools. Drills, saws, nail guns tools of the trade for Pete Elliott through 25 years of building maintenance, and music to his ears this day.

Elliott, 52, was the go-to guy to get things fixed at VIP Management apartment complexes, an eager participant in the companys home makeovers for the less fortunate. Tuesday, however, the building crew came to his house. About 25 former co-workers pitched in to get the Elliott home ready for a power wheelchair, a symbol of the changes in his life since being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrigs disease.

I used to be the one helping others, Elliott said, his speech slowed and slurred by the disease. Trouble talking was his first symptom about two years ago. His hands were next. One day I was able to hold my drill, and the next day I couldnt. It happened real fast, he said. Its a real ugly disease.

Since then, he has lost much of the use of his arms, and his balance is shaky. Over the past few weeks, hes fallen frequently, even with his walker, and its become clear he needs a wheelchair, said wife Veronica Elliott.

Its a sad reality to see that has to be done, because then you realize the disease has progressed. Were at this next stage, she said.

But a wheelchair brings mobility only across the flat and open. Pete Elliotts childhood home, bought from his parents 15 years ago, had steps leading outside and a sunken living room. Bathrooms and doors were too small for a four-wheeling traveler.

These ramps to me are freedom. You get isolated in the house and these ramps will let me get outside, Elliott said.

The VIP crew, labor donated for the day by the company and materials supplied by an anonymous benefactor, built ramps to the front yard and backyard and a small slope into the living room. Granite countertops and a new sink grace the kitchen. Motion-activated faucets are on order for his bathroom, which now stands open to his bedroom for easy access. Raleys, where Veronica Elliott works, sent doughnuts, coffee and lunch.

Project manager Brian Stacey said planning this remodel took a little extra time. We wanted to make this one count, he said.

Original post:
Crew of 25 remodels Ceres home for former longtime co-worker with Lou Gehrig’s disease

Perhaps not quite as extreme as some of the remodeling shows on TV.

But if you had to live with this kitchen for a few years, you'd probably feel as excited we did when the kitchen remodeling project finally began. We decided to remodel the kitchen using granite and cabinet refacing. New kitchen cabinet doors, drawers, and drawer tubs, kitchen lighting, ceiling fan, and each kitchen appliance was replaced - the works.

You will find here in Kitchen Remodeling Pictures, a detailed description of everything before, during and after the project. A daily breakdown of the progress with kitchen pictures, commentary and speculation on the next days episode.

We had talked to some other turnkey companies that wouldn't waiter you a glass of water for less than 100k - well, that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea. That would be money down the drain - we're not talking about a luxury home in Blackhawk after all.

Since the cabinets will be refaced instead of replaced, the cost of this project will easily pay off in property value. Since this is an early sixties home, the cabinets are made of solid wood instead of particle board or plywood. But the cabinets, although structurally sound, were surface tired with old coatings, ancient knob rings, lame hinges barely hung the door, let alone provide a positive closing force. And then there was there's those useless detents that are supposed to hold a door closed - Pffft!

A kitchen island whas highly desierable, but but due to the limited space in a galley floor plan, the island idea would have required expensive major construction, and a wall moved. So a kitchen island would have to wait.

Excerpt from:
Kitchen Remodeling Pictures

Rent A Man, Durango, CO
Rent A Man in Durango, CO is a team of professional contractors ready to help you with your home remodel or renovation. Specializing in contractor services, ...

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Finding a good contractor in Santa Rosa CA
For a high quality general contractor who can do additions, flooring siding, kitchen remodels, bath remodels and more, call 415-407-2765 and speak with Eamonn Burns of Ashfield Construction....

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Finding a good contractor in Santa Rosa CA - Video

Your kitchen is one of the most used rooms in your home. It is used for cooking, entertaining guests, intimate conversations, and a bonding area. Whatever your lifestyle is and whatever your main purpose is for your kitchen, the goal for any kitchen remodeling project and for your kitchen remodelers is to make your kitchen a place where you want to spend time. The challenge of your Pennsylvania home remodeling contractor is to present the best design ideas, the longest lasting appliances and products, and be up to date on the latest kitchen trends so you can make the most informed decision possible.

If you choose us as your kitchen remodeling contractor and design team for your remodeling project, we will provide a comprehensive list of options for your kitchen from custom cabinetry down to its decorative hardware. Whatever your design style is, traditional, modern, or contemporary, it is our job as your remodeling contractor to present you all styles and create a beautiful kitchen. From counter tops to flooring to lighting to windows, our kitchen remodelers will find the right design to suit your taste and lifestyle. With every Pennsylvania kitchen remodeling experience, we bring:

Remodeling your kitchen is not an easy task because of the multitude of decisions that go into it. If you choose us as your remodeling contractor, we will make your decision as easy as possible by only presenting you with the best choices. When we meet you, we will estimate your costs and find the right style for your budget. Let us inspire you to help design the kitchen of your dreams.

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J Brothers Home Improvement KITCHENS
J Brothers Home Improvement provides quality home remodeling to the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. Watch this to see samples of their kitchen remodels. w...

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J Brothers Home Improvement KITCHENS - Video

Before: Tiny and Tired

The kitchen's dated white appliances and orangey-oak cabinets stuck out in this well-appointed home.

For less than $9,000, the kitchen now sports dramatic painted-black cabinets and granite veneer countertops. Creamy white walls, brushed-nickel cabinet hardware and glossy new appliances add to the kitchen's elegant face-lift.

From the stenciled yellow walls to the oak cabinets and faux-wood countertops, this kitchen was stuck in the 80s.

Renovated in 2 stages, the kitchen was first brightened up by painting the cabinets two different colors - green-gray on the lower cabinets and a rich cream on the uppers. Next, a new sink, dark laminate countertops and a glazed ceramic tile backsplash created a kitchen the homeowner is proud to show off.

This 13x13 kitchen didnt fit with the rest of the charming Colonial homes interior. To save money, the homeowners kept the appliances in their original locations, and then added loads of charm to create a welcoming space for their young family.

Removing the island was the number one priority in this kitchen remodel; a close second was replacing the builder-grade cabinets with semicustom cabinetry. The island was replaced with a peninsula, giving the homeowners better traffic flow and a casual seating area. A colorful yet subtle backsplash adds personality and charm to this kitchen remodel.

For an executive chef and a wine representative, this cramped and closed-off kitchen didnt work for two people who loved to cook and entertain friends and family. The renovations main goal was to turn this dreary 10x13 kitchen into the hub of the home where the hosts could interact with their guests.

The kitchen was opened up on two sides, which brightened the space and created a breakfast bar while still allowing for plenty of cabinetry and counter space. Main features, such as the flooring, countertops, and backsplash, are neutral, letting the homeowners add and change out colorful accents when the mood strikes.

The galley kitchen in this 1920s home needed to be brought into this century. While the homeowners wanted to keep the original step-saving design, knocking out a wall between the kitchen and the dining room drastically changed how the space is used -- in a positive way.

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Before and After: Kitchen Remodels - Better Homes and Gardens

What would it cost to install a dishwasher?

We are moving into a new rental and are unsure if we should install a dishwasher in an empty space across from the sink or get a portable one. What would we be getting into work- and cost-wise installing a dishwasher? -Crystal

We would like to add a window in the kitchen in a wall with no existing window. The house (built in 1982) has wood siding. Assuming that there is no plumbing interfering with that space in the wall, how much can we reasonably expect to pay for this? - Anna

Are closets ever load-bearing? I have an exterior closet in a house that was built in 1940 and want to tear it out. I am just concerned that it would be a load bearing structure. -Amy

I am going to remove carpet and put Hickory hand-scraped hardwood Shaw floors in a den, dining area, foyer, and hall. A company has quoted me $4800.00 for 572 square feet (including removing the carpet). What are your thoughts on the cost? -Fred

I live in an old farmhouse and need to replace my non-standard front exterior door. How do I measure it? And is it best to order a customer door or to cut a standard door? -Troy

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