A Collection Of My Favorite Things To Cook

Tom Stockley, as the wine writer for The Seattle Times during the industry’s earliest days, found himself at the epicenter of Washington’s transformation from ho-hum food producer to crafter and curator of wines that would eventually compete with the world’s best.

It is only natural that Stockley’s kitchen skills grew right along with his knowledge of Washington wines. As the old saying goes, wine makes a symphony of a good meal.

Stockley’s daughters, Dina Moreno and Paige Stockley, discovered their father’s recipe journal among his papers after his death. These are the dishes of an adventurer and learner, in their earliest forms; these culinary experiments were served when guests came to call (and it seemed they were always calling).

      Interspersed with a selection of his Seattle Times Wine columns, family stories and observations from many journeys, we the readers are invited to far more than a bystander’s view of the past. Through Stockley’s recipes, written in his own hand, we are urged to see what he saw, taste what he tasted—to know the deep-rooted satisfaction that comes from sharing good food and a delightful bottle of wine with family, friends, and strangers. The latter were merely friends Stockley had yet to meet.