Photography by Rina Jordan for City Arts

Inspired by Gnarls Barkley’s “Blind Mary,” Earth & Ocean chef Adam Stevenson and Tilikum Place Cafe chef Ba Culbert give their culinary interpretation of the song in City Arts “Dish Off” section.

Columnist Jay Friedman describes Chef Stevenson’s Seared Scallops, Black-Eyed Pea Chole, Cumin Carrot Nage:

Chef Adam Stevenson focuses on the “Blind” in “Blind Mary.” He presents a plate of scallops to represent Mary; although scallops have about sixty eyes in rows around the mantle, they are essentially blind, as the bright blue eyes are primitive and can only detect light and motion. Stevenson serves black-eyed peas to provide sight to the scallops. Beta carotene from the carrot puree improves the vision to ensure that Mary can finally see her lover. The result is healthy for the eyes, but also happy for the taste buds, as the scallops are seared perfectly, and the slight spiciness of the beans counters the inherent sweetness of both the scallop and the carrots. The dish is pretty on the outside (celery leaves, thinly sliced radishes and orange slices complete the presentation) but also tells a story while showcasing elements from both earth and ocean.

Read more about their clever choices here.

Spring has arrived in a big way from the Italian retailer, Piazza Sempione, and you can now get a sneak peak at what they have for the season. There are many amazing shades of orange, pink, green, purple, blue and some neutrals that would work with anything. So many must-have pieces!!

I had the honor of viewing their lookbook and now so can you! If you are interested in viewing it up close and personal head on over to The Shops at The Bravern – Piazza Sempione (700 110th Ave. NE, Suite 170).

The image you see here is one of my favorite pieces from the collection – what do you think? (Dress: stretch poplin basket print dress, red and white. Sandals: leather and cotton flat sandals in ecru.)

What trends are you looking forward to out of the Spring 2010 collections?

I am just so excited for color to come back… oh, and sandals!  Lots and lots of sandals and color!

Photo by Justin Steyer / KPLU

Click on over to KPLU for an audio and video how-to on the special Vietnamese banh tet (Lunar New Year banana leaf dumplings) and advice on how to make other types of dumplings from cookbook author Andrea Nguyen who recently hosted a luncheon at Monsoon East.

It’s that Dine Around Seattle time again.  Check out Seattle Met’s lowdown on the month-long event that lets you enjoy your favorite fine dining restaurant without breaking the bank.