Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Last Night: Soup and Bread

Last Night   January 24, 2011 at 1:44 pm Erica C. Barnett

In anticipation of next Sunday’s Soup and Bread party/fundraiser for Food Lifeline at the Funhouse (206 5th Avenue N.), I tested three soups last night: Amanda Hesser’s cauliflower soup with cremini mushrooms and walnut oil, Ina Garten’s roasted tomato basil soup (featuring four cups of basil!), and Ree Drummond’s chicken tortilla soup (yes, I’m on a first-name basis with all three of these amazing ladies).

And the winner? Ree Drummond (AKA the Pioneer Woman) who didn’t make it on to Bobby Flay’s “Throwdown” for nothing: This tortilla soup was, miles away, the best I’ve ever had, rich with homemade chicken stock and roasted chile powder. While the tomato soup would’ve been amazing in midsummer (the out-of-season organic Romas from my local supermarket were starchy and bland), and the mushrooms gave a beautiful umami kick to the cabbagey cauliflower, the tortilla soup was a knockout—rich without being heavy, profoundly chickeny, and the perfect level of spicy.

Next up: Stephan Pyles’ (unfortunately not online) vegan black and white bean soup.

Soup and Bread is next Sunday at 5:30 pm.


  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    “4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed” – yikes, how basily was this?

  • Anonymous

    No one should cook with out-of-season tomatoes and basil, it’s just not worth it.