There's a new culinary melting pot. It's called Seattle. Here you'll find everything from Japanese bento box lunches and Thai satays to steaming bowls of Vietnamese soups and all-American blackberry cobblers. No chef embodies this diversity with more flair and more flavor than chef/author/restaurateur Tom Douglas. And no book does it better than Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen.

Tom's creativity with local ingredients and his respect for Seattle's ethnic traditions have helped put his three restaurants and Seattle on the national culinary map. Join Tom and celebrate the Emerald City's rich culinary tradition: sweet I Dungeness crabs, razor clams, rich artisan cheeses, and deeply flavored Northwest beers. Share in the delight of sophisticated Washington wines, coffee fresh vegetables, fruits, and the exotic flavors of the Pacific Rim countries.

Tom Douglas' style is laid-back sophistication with a dash of humor. You can see it in the names of his chapters, "Starch Stacking," "Slow Dancing," and "Mo' Poke, Dadu" (this last title, courtesy of his daughter, Loretta, means "More Pork, Daddy"). And you can taste it in his signature dishes such as Dungeness Crabcakes with Green Cocktail Sauce, Roast Duck with Huckleberry Sauce and Parsnip-Apple Hash, Udon with Sea Scallops in Miso Broth, and Triple Cream Coconut Pie.

Try his hearty Long-Bone Short Ribs with Chinook Merlot Gravy and Rosemary WhiteBeans or spicy Fire-roasted Oysters with Ginger Threads and Wasabi Butter. Relax in the comfort of the comfort foods he prepares for his own family: Loretta's Buttermilk Pancakes with Wild Blackberries, Basic Barbecued Baby Back Ribs, and Five-Spice Angel Food Cake. They're all clear, simple recipes that'll have you cooking like Tom Douglas from the very first page.

But this is more than a cookbook; it's a food lover's guide to Seattle. Join Tom on a tour of his city with his list of top ten best things to do — and eat — in Seattle, from his favorite ethnic markets and neighborhoods to where to get the best breakfast.

Why not turn your kitchen into a Seattle kitchen? All it takes is a little help and inspiration from Tom Douglas.

Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen was named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Top 10 Best Books of the Year

The hottest chef in the Pacific Northwest offers a tasty celebration of the region and its exquisite, internationally flavored cuisine. Douglas celebrates the Emerald City's culinary tradition with many of the signature dishes from his restaurants, along with a guided tour of Seattle. 4 color inserts. 96 photos.

Tom Douglas, a Delaware native, grew up on blue crabs steamed with loads of Old Bay spice, but he later moved to Seattle, where Dungeness is king. For the last twenty years, Tom's Dungeness crab cakes have been one of the top-selling dishes in his popular restaurants. Along with his wife and business partner, Jackie Cross, Tom owns four of Seattle's most exciting restaurants: Dahlia Lounge, Etta's, Palace Kitchen, and Lola, as well as Dahlia Bakery and a catering business, Tom Douglas Catering and Events. Tom is the author of Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen, which won a James Beard Award, and Tom's Big Dinners. Tom and Jackie live in Seattle, Washington, with their daughter, Loretta.