My favorite part of the farm owners’ retreat was watching all the kids in this community play outside all day long and into the night. I’m old enough to remember a time when we did that as children even in… Read More!
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Don't drool as you read this "Delicious Destinations" article featured recently in the Port Townsend Leader
There may be more famous pilgrimages out there, but there sure aren’t any tastier
because, simply put, the Olympic Culinary Loop is the most delicious and diverse way to
experience the Olympic Peninsula.
Set your compass (and taste-buds) towards your next culinary adventure around the Olympic Culinary Loop!
A full room recently gathered to honor and applauded all the present and current Founding Members of the Olympic Culinary Loop.
With national averages for the average lifespan of a restaurant at five years and by some estimates, up to 60 percent of new ones failing within their first year, it is a testimony to these culinary pioneers of the Olympic Peninsula!
Olympic Culinary Loop Founders being awarded, (Left to Right; out of picture Dane Murphy - Lake Quinault Lodge; Casey Scott - Lake Crescent Lodge; Sarah McHugh - Fireside Restaurant – Port Ludlow; Kristan McCary - Ajax Café; Sage Coy - Finnriver Farm & Cidery; Lisa Martin - Olympic Cellars Winery; Jess & Sarah Owens + Ronald Wisner - Ocean Crest Resort; Julie McCulloch - Elevated Ice Cream & Candy Store; Vicki Corson - Camaraderie Cellars; and Steve Shively - Olympic Culinary Loop. Not pictured Christina Pivarnik - City of Port Townsend; and Neil Conklin - Bella Italia)
Additional founding - and on-going - marketing partners of the Olympic Culinary Loop include: Alpenfire, Alder Wood Bistro, Nash’s, Michael’s NW Seafood & Steakhouse, Kalaloch Lodge, Pan d’Amore, and Westport Winery
Also recognized were a number of OCL's Founding Board members, including the late Diane Schostack who, while Executive Director of Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission, helped navigate the formation and state-level seed grant funding for the OCL Association.
Current and continuing OCL Board members recognized included Christina Pivarnik, outgoing marketing contractor for the City of Port Townsend, Bella Italia's Neil Conklin, and Steve Shively, formerly of Fort Worden, now serving as OCL's Marketing and Sales Director.
Celebrating a decade of inviting Taste Tourist to explore and "eat their way around the LOOP", the Olympic Culinary Loop is a model marketing and membership association dedicated to celebrating the natural bounty of Olympic Coast Cusine and every personality behind their label or practicing their artistry in restaurants, farm stands, fields and hospitality venues around the LOOP.
Visitors are encouraged to plan their visit around the Olympic Culinary Loop, and industry partners are encouraged to participate in collaborative marketing partnerships today
Join the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission and Olympic Culinary Loop Tuesday, October 22, for a full day of celebration! Featuring the Ten-Year birthday celebration of Olympic Culinary Loop, and an inspirational and interactive session of looking back on the successes of this past tourism season as we are all challenged to authentically plan ahead by our Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal host's strategic commitment to "Plan through the lens of the next seven generations".
A year-long effort to find the quintessential Olympic Peninsula Chowder will culminate at this weekend’s Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival.
The 18th annual CrabFest — scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday at City Pier and in the parking lot of the Red Lion Hotel at 221 Lincoln St. — will host this year Olympic Culinary Loop’s final chapter in finding and honoring the seafood chowder that best exemplifies the Olympic Peninsula.
“We’ve been slurping chowder all year long,” said Steve Shively, the Olympic Culinary Loop’s communications director.
The judging of the champion chowder will be at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the Front Street Gateway Center Pavilion.
“No longer will the Pacific Northwest-minded foodies be limited in their ordering to chowders named ‘New England,’ ‘Manhattan,’ or seafood Cioppino hailing from San Francisco, or to Jambalaya influenced by Louisiana,” Olympic Culinary Loop's Shively said. “Once crowned, the winning Olympic Peninsula Chowder is destined to be on menus and taste buds from coast to coast” .
The chowder championship is one of many foodie events planned for CrabFest.
The main event is the crab dinner fest. More than eight tons of Dungeness crab pulled from local waters will be delivered to the plates of festivalgoers in the Crab Central tent all three days. The crab will be served with fresh corn and cole slaw.
Tickets for the full Crab meal are $30 and can be purchased in advance at CrabFestival.org. Military personnel with current active ID will pay $26 for a special crab dinner all weekend and receive 10 percent off on merchandise. Special discounts for Friday and Sunday Crab Dinner tickets can be found online.
Inside Crab Central - and out along the pier - will be other restaurant booths, adult beverages and live music.
Olympic Culinary Loop again produces and presents celebrated Northwest chefs providing cooking demonstrations on the Gateway Center Chef Demonstration Stage from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Sunday.
Featured chefs include pie maker and author Kate McDermott of Port Angeles, who will offer a demonstration Saturday, and “Wild” Bill Ranniger, corporate executive chef for Duke’s Chowder Houses, of Seattle, who take the stage Saturday to reveal the secrets of creating Tempting Thai Ginger Cod in a Coconut Milk Broth and return again at 11:30 a.m. Sunday to prepare Pan-Seared Wild Alaska Salmon.
McDermott’s cookbook, “Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, and Life,” was nominated for a 2017 James Beard Award in Baking and Desserts. In 2018, she released her second cookbook, “Home Cooking.”
McDermott will sign copies of both her books after her Saturday presentation.
Ranniger began his tenure with Duke’s as a chef in 1995, then rose through the ranks from general manager to regional manager to executive chef, a position he has held for the past 15 years.
With restaurateur Duke Moscrip, Ranninger co-authored the 2016 cookbook, “As Wild As It Gets … Duke’s Secret Sustainable Seafood Recipes.”
For more information, see CrabFestival.org, email info@OlympicCulinaryLoop.com call 360-877-4332.
Join the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission and Olympic Culinary Loop on Tuesday, October, 22 for a full day of celebration at Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe's Blyn, WA campus!
Featuring the Ten-Year birthday celebration of Olympic Culinary Loop, and an inspirational and interactive session of looking back on the successes of this past tourism season as we are all challenged to authentically plan ahead by our Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal host's strategic commitment to "Plan through the lens of the next seven generations".
Lunch & Learn attendees will be well-fed thanks to full servings of food, wisdom and networking opportunities. Each will leave with actionable and inspirational takeaways aimed at identifying and building upon each individual's own authentic strengths.
Lunch will feature fresh and sustainably sourced delights from the Chef's at 7 Cedars House of Seven Brothers Restaurant as well as the first cup of the recently crowned Official Olympic Peninsula Chowder!
Our buffet line will include THE Olympic Peninsula Clam Chowder (winners recipe), Wild Salmon w/citrus Beurre Blanc, Mediterranean Boneless Chicken Breast (free-range), Au Gratin Potatoes, Locally sourced Vegetable Medley, Dessert
OCL Members save (Only $23 each), and new members - joining the LOOP by October 20 will enjoy Lunch & Learn on us!
Come early and stay late!
From 9AM - 6PM on Tuesday October 22, we have numerous events and activities. Full Access tickets start at $35.00
https://culinary.yapsody.com/event/index/469291/celebrate-and-learn-optc-ocl
C'est si Bon, first established on the Olympic Peninsula on January 1, 1981 celebrates over 38 years of fine food, wine and joyful gatherings with a delicious open house on Saturday, September 14 from 5:00 pm to 9:30 PM at 23 Cedar Park Drive, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
Advance reservations for this not-to-be-missed celebration of both outstanding culinary, but also a salute to Norbert & Michéle are now being accepted.
Norbert and Michéle Juhasz want their local friends to know that their success in establishing one of the first fine French cuisine restaurants in the region is mostly due to your support over the decades.
More details and purchase of advance reservations can be found online.
Thanks to Erin of Sip Northwest Magazine for sharing each savory step.
Chevy Chase Beach Cabins as your Culinary Basecamp!
Sips and tastes along the way at Finnriver, Chimacum Corner Farmstand, Alpenfire Cider, Port Townsend Vineyards, Fort Worden's Reveille at the Commons, Pane d'Amore and Finistère... (to name just a few!) YUM!
"Port Townsend, Chimacum, and the Olympic Culinary Loop have plenty more to offer, depending on any and all tastes." We couldn't agree more!
Read the full story here: https://sipnorthwest.com/taste-tour-travel-port-townsend/
Join us Tuesday, April 16, Noon - 1:30 p.m. at Ocean Shores Convention Center - 120 West Chance a La Mer Northwest, Ocean Shores, Washington.
The invitation to “Eat Local” all too often involves the same distant sourced pieces of the puzzle and an unfortunate legacy left for our environment and future generations.
How might the Olympic Culinary Loop become known for not only delicious food but also innovative and sustainable hospitality practices?
From understanding and educating to wrestling the waste challenges commonly associated with the hospitality industry to identifying economies of scale solutions that can make a change for the better.
These are some of the topics our panel of passionate experts will discuss at “Lunch & Learn”.
Be sure to bring your appetite! Our luncheon buffet will be YUMMY! Our luncheon buffet will give you a choice of:
Come early or stay over! Book now and receive great details on 50% off preferred - oceanfront - lodging, within walking distance of the Convention Center at one of the LOOP's newest members The Canterbury Inn! Simply mention that you're with the Olympic Culinary Loop.
Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive character of a place—its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.
The Olympic Culinary Loop joins regional hospitality owners, operators and stewards in agreeing that intentional, collaborative efforts need to be made in order to preserve the beauty and magic found all around the Olympic Peninsula.
Influenced by resources from the nonprofit Destination Stewardship Center
and fueled by education and insights gained at the recent Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit, the January 2019 Olympic Culinary Loop board of directors voted unanimously to adopt and encourage all members to consider the approved Geotourism Code of Good Practices
Olympic Culinary Loop members have as much personality behind their labels as they put into every one of their delicious products, says Steve Shively, Marketing and Membership Director for the Olympic Culinary Loop. "They choose to bring their talents to the Olympic Peninsula because of its exceptional natural beauty and resources. To maintain this place is a smart and sustainable business for all", states Shively. We hope that the OCL (Olympic Culinary Loop) endorsement of 'Geotourism (Code of) Good Practices' will help both members and visitors better understand the sustainability extra efforts everyone needs to make today in order to ensure an enjoyable tomorrow"
Shively noted that on April 16, 2019 in Ocean Shores, Washington the Olympic Culinary Loop will host an informative "Lunch & Learn" business luncheon on the various Eco Hospitality Opportunities. Event details can be found at www.OlympicCulinaryLoop.com
Chef Gabriel of Sequim's Alder Wood Bistro has always had a flair for wood-fired Northwest Cuisine. All you have to do is step into his restaurant and smell the YUM!
In his spare time, (insert sarcasm here), Gabriel is building a mobile pizza oven!
The pizza "stones" are so big they needed to be cast into 4 quarter-slabs, and kiln dried at 1000+ degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours in order to strengthen the refractory concrete.
The pizza oven's dome roof is upcycled from an old propane tank!
But the creatively doesn't stop there.
With big collaborative thanks to John Pabst of Pacific Pantry for smoking and stuffing the house pepperoni made with Short's grass-fed beef, Nash's pork, star anise, fennel & anise seed and three kinds of chili pepper.
Gabriel and Jessica Schuenemann love creating delicious food for Alder Wood Bistro guests that is grown, raised and prepared with love from members of their community.
Thanks to everyone who helps make the Olympic Culinary Loop and the whole Olympic Peninsula such a delicious place!
They hope to see you soon!
Bursting with appetizing itineraries and introducing the debut of "Pathways to the Peninsula", the 2018-19 Olympic Culinary Loop printed MAP is now available.
Visitors can choose between digital download versions as well as request their own copy of the big 24-page printed page version to be mailed to your home, or both.
Hungry Taste Travelers will find an Olympic Peninsula full of:
Pathways to the Peninsula acknowledges that shy of parachuting onto the Olympic Peninsula, most Taste Tourists will travel here care of auto. These Pathway's Partners rim the Peninsula from Whidbey Island in the north, the Kitsap Peninsula just across our common Hood Canal, or Olympia to the south. Full of farms, breweries, and restaurants these Pathway's to the Peninsula members extend the offering of authentic Olympic Coast Cusine beyond the traditional definitions of the LOOP. Perfect places for both pre and post culinary travels to the Olympic Peninsula, our Pathways to the Peninsula are welcome additions to the LOOP.
The 2018-19 Olympic Culinary Loop MAP can be found throughout Puget Sound area Tourism Visitor Information Centers, as well as every member's business.
Start your planning today by ordering our downloading your 2018-19 Olympic Culinary Loop MAP.
"Lunch & Learn" invites you to join us at the Finnriver Orchard's "feeding trough" as we learn from fellow farmers and restaurateurs who have successfully charted the often turbulent seas of mutually sustainable Farm-to-Chef business relations.
Coming off a successful initiative launch in Port Townsend, we invite you to join: Chef's Alison and Dan alongside Farmers Amanda and Crystie, and others, as we share tips and tools for how you can reach new culinary heights in this oft-challenging undertaking.
OCL Members save on all Professional Development offerings, and new members - joining the LOOP by March 23th will enjoy "Lunch & Learn" on us!
Make it "Bleisure!" Our partners at Chevy Chase Beach Cabins are offering 20% off their rentals "Lunch & Learn" and waiving their 2-night minimum! Contact them or call 360-385-1270 today.
Grandma’s Famous Clam Chowder is the dish that put the Ocean Crest on the food map of Washington State. The Ocean Crest is a family business, which Jess Owen is a part of. As Jess grew up along the coast, he found himself learning and watching the family business. He started helping out in the kitchen at around 10-years-old, learning the ins and outs of what went on at a restaurant.
“When I was 10, I was cooking breakfast for the summer,” Jess said nonchalantly. “When I was 11, I started getting paid and was a prep cook. Over the years I have done just about every position there is, and when needs arose in the kitchen, I would help out.”
The foods Jess creates are simple, yet delicious and full of unique and mouthwatering flavors, like this mixed seafood grill featuring grouper with Citrus Parmesan Butter, Togarashi Ahi with Thai Teriyaki, and Extra Jumbo Prawns with Honey-Sesame Glaze and Kiwi Mango Salsa. Photo courtesy: Ocean Crest Resort
Jess’s culinary masterpieces can be found every day at the Ocean Crest Resort along the North Beach of Grays Harbor. He also participates in many events around the state, including the always amazing and delicious Chocolate on the Beach Festival. Each February (always held the last full weekend in February), 10 miles of chocolate dishes and drinks will stretch from Moclips to Copalis. Highlighted by cocktail throw-downs and chocoholics awards for food dishes – chocolate lovers will find themselves in awe at the amazing concoctions.
Read the rest of this great Grays Harbor Talk story on-line
http://www.graysharbortalk.com/2018/01/12/ocean-crests-jess-owen-mixes-up-local-ingredients-with-global-flare/
What is being wrestled with in Massachusetts is mirrored here on theLOOP. Join OCL and stay up todate on pressing B2B issues affecting the growth of Olympic Peninsula's Agri and Culinary Tourism. Many farmers in Massachusetts are increasingly discovering a new source of revenue and exposure. They are using their farms to host everything from live music performances to obstacle races to wedding receptions. “A lot of people are used to apple picking, pumpkin picking and that sort of thing,” said Brad Mitchell, policy director for the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation. “Now, we’re seeing people who want to have their weddings on farms, concerts, charity running races, bachelorette parties at wineries. Fifteen years ago, I didn’t know too many people who’d want to get married on a farm.” Those types of activities, which fall under the umbrella of “agritourism,” give a boost to many farms in Massachusetts. But the growing trend is not without controversy.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20171102/agritourism-trend-brings-weddings-concerts-and-more-to-farms
Former Olympic Cellars Owner Kathy Charlton Authors New Book, Royalties Support Local Charity
Kathy Charlton, Olympic Cellars’ former owner, is author of book, "Working Girl: Behind the Cellar Door"
Winery to host book signing on October 24 Port Angeles, Wash., October 24, 2017 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. – Join Kathy Charlton, Olympic Cellars’ former owner and original Working Girl, will greet the public and sign her new book, Working Girl: Behind the Cellar Door, on Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Olympic Cellars. Royalties from the sale of the book, which shares Charlton’s story of “an entrepreneur’s journey from a bankrupt winery to gold medals,” will support a local charity to be announced at the book signing event. Charlton intends that support for this charity will become part of her legacy.
“You might want to pour yourself a glass of wine and put your feet up. I’m a Working Girl and have a story to tell you from Behind the Cellar Door,” Charlton laughed relaying a quote from her book. “Seriously though, the winery, its land and historic barn are part of the heritage of the North Olympic Peninsula and Washington State’s wine industry and became my heritage to preserve. My book is part memoir, part business book with a focus on owning and marketing your small business in today’s Amazon driven marketplace.”
Sixteen years ago, Kathy Charlton made a hard-right turn, the new owner of a bankrupt winery, knowing nothing about running a small business, nor wine other than she liked her red wine served cold, sometimes over ice if she was in a hurry. Bucking tradition Charlton rolled-up her sleeves and began to rebuild her winery. Driven by a personal motto of “out of sight, out of mind, out of business,” marketing became her middle name sparking a new passion for off-the-wall guerilla tactics. Women and wine became the platform to reinvent the winery through creative labeling, philanthropic initiatives in support of women, and a series of ongoing unique winery events that piqued the interest of consumers, industry players and the media. “Sipping wines at sunset it wasn’t.” Charlton details battling everything from a leaking septic system that shut the winery down, exploding wine presses, shortchanged bottle inventory and now-legendary lawsuit brought forth by the United States Olympic Committee. How did she do it? Well, that’s where the hard work and yes, the fun began as Charlton takes a winery with little name-recognition and massive quality issues and parlays it into an award-winning operation with double-gold medals to prove it. This in the trenches book captures winery life, the ups and downs, in poignant and sometimes laugh-out-loud stories. It’s real life with a dose of laughter, a few tears and some zany antics to keep things interesting. Throughout Charlton shares her own Working Girl approach to business including her constant focus and passion for her customers, without whom she emphatically exclaims, “There is No Business.” About Kathy Charlton Charlton worked for the high-tech giant, Texas Instruments, for 25 years. A born entrepreneur, she earned a reputation as a highly effective manager by “making things happen”. Recognized early on for her abilities to get-to-the-bottom of a problem, analyze it and come up with a workable solution – Fast, it wasn’t long before her assignments moved outside her comfort zone of finance into the business sectors. Then in 1999, life threw Charlton a winery! The opportunity to turn the business around and take it in a whole new direction lent itself to Charlton’s skills and experience and set her enthusiasm on fire. She jumped on an early retirement package offered by Texas Instruments in 2001, packed-up her Dallas home, and together with her husband headed north to begin an exciting second career at the age of 51. Charlton was honored when Leslie Sbrocco wrote the foreword for her book. Leslie was voted one of the Top 100 most influential people in the American wine business and is an award-winning author, speaker, consultant and television host. Both ladies focused on women and wine and in 2003 Kathy launched the Working Girl Wines; at the same time Leslie published her first book, Wine for Women, A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine.
MUSHROOM FEST MENU
▪ | Lobster Mushroom Bisque |
▪ | Porcini Mushroom Risotto |
▪ | Chanterelles & Crispy Bacon |
▪ | Crab Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms |
▪ | Cauliflower Mushroom Croquettes |
▪ | Mixed Pate Bruschetta (Chanterelle & Foie Gras Pate) |
▪ | Matsutake Mushroom Ice Cream |
As always Michael's will be pairing these with tasty ciders, wines, beers, and spirits. Reservations encouraged, 360-417-6929.
West of Seattle is a region rich in native fish species, heirloom vegetables, and traditional, local foods found only in the Pacific Northwest. With miles of shoreline and acres upon acres of farm and forestland, Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and the Grays Harbor region are a gastronomic haven brimming with restaurants, wineries, markets and farms all stocked with fresh and local foods.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="696"]
Ocean Crest Resort offers an impressive menu of local fare paired exquisitely with the restaurant’s extensive wine list. Add a view of the ocean crashing against the shore just outside the window, and each sumptuous bite becomes enhanced by the sounds and sights of the region.
Another can’t-miss culinary experience, Shively recommends Grays Harbor visitors visit the Salmon House at the Rain Forest Resort. Shively says the incredible culinary creations featured on the restaurants fresh sheet add to the charming ambiance of the lodge. With outstanding accommodations, divine dining and a national forest all on-site, Shively says Quinault is a must see — and taste — destination.
Places and people around the LOOP dishing up great media coverage! Contact us if you know of an OCL member or event in the news that isn't listed here: June 20, 2015 NOAA's Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary "Get into Your Sanctuary: Healthy Oceans = Healthy You" June 27 - Get Into Your Sanctuary Day at Olympic Coast Location: Kalaloch Lodge Details: Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary celebrates Get Into Your Sanctuary Day with "Healthy Ocean Healthy You!"at Kalaloch Lodge. Activities will include yoga on the beach (9:30am), a beach ecology walk (11:30am) and a presentation about our southern resident orca whales by NOAA Fisheries Lynne Barre (3:00pm). Visitors can also enjoy sustainable seafood meals around Olympic Peninsula at Kalaloch Lodge and other Olympic Culinary Loop
locations. National marine sanctuaries also encourage travelers and community members to explore sanctuaries on this day by adding the hashtag #visitsanctuaries. Anybody can share their experience and participate in the campaign. For more information contact nicole.harris@noaa.gov
June 19, 2015 Thurston Talk Westport Winery Wins in Michigan and Texas Submitted by Westport Winery Westport Winery earned three medals at the recent Tasters Guild International Wine Competition in Michigan. Captain Grays Gewurztraminer, crafted with grapes from Red Willow Vineyard, earned a gold medal. Mermaid’s Merlot, a blend of Merlot grapes from Two Blondes and Connor-Lee Vineyards, earned a silver medal. And Duckleberry Grunt earned a bronze. At the Texsom International Wine Competition in Dallas, Bordello Blonde earned a silver medal. This wine is an off-dry blend of Riesling and Gewurztraminer from Red Willow Vineyard. When you visit Westport Winery Garden Resort be sure to explore the unique sculpture garden, lavender labyrinth, musical fence, 9-hole executive golf course, giant chess set, outdoor scrabble game, and grape maze, all located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. You will see why this has been voted Best of the Northwest Wine Destination four times. Their award-winning wines are exclusively available at the resort. The tasting room, gift shop, produce market, plant nursery, bakery and gardens, are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant is open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information contact Westport Winery Garden Resort at 360-648-2224 or visit the website at www.westportwinery.com.
June 18, 2015, Peninsula Daily News
“There's no guarantee the U.S. Open will be back.”
DeSantis lives in Gig Harbor, where Sink relocated his family when planning for the massive event began. “I saw Danny at Rotary meetings and other golf events and reminded him,” DeSantis said. “I had invited him to Ludlow to show him the course and resort and offer the property as a location for the USGA if anyone needed hotel rooms.” DeSantis said Sink and his wife Lindsay took him up on the long-standing offer just this past month. “He and his wife stayed and enjoyed the property in the last month or so, and out of blue sent an email to Debbie and I with the chance to be a practice round starter,” DeSantis said. “It took us about two seconds to say yes. “So, it wasn't dumb luck but being in the right place at the right time, and we are certainly grateful for the opportunity.” Besides introducing players to fans, the pair also controlled a device that connected with the USGA's scoring system, inputting which players were teeing off and heading out on the course. “They basically had a printed starting time list that was made up who-knows-when,” DeSantis said. “But the handheld device was up-to-the-second correct. “Any players deciding not to play, the device knew instantly and could communicate that back out.” Sometimes, though, you're a former U.S. Open winner not on the tee sheet such as Graeme McDowell. “He came over as a single after a foursome had gone off, with another set ready to go, and we asked him if he was looking to play,” DeSantis said. “Debbie and I are looking at each other like, 'What do we do?' And Graeme said, 'I'll just go out and sandwich them.' “We popped him into the device and sent him out.” DeSantis said he was surprised at how many golfers were seeking local knowledge on course setup. “With the dual tee boxes on No. 10, they were asking if they [USGA officials] would have [them tee off] back here a lot,” DeSantis said. “Bill Haas was really neat. He was asking about the No. 9 hole that has the elevated tee box and the lower teeing area.” Haas told DeSantis that the lower tee shot looks to be the easier of the two vastly different tee shots because drives from the elevated tee would be more susceptible to wind on the way to the hole. “It's pretty lax and cordial between the players,” DeSantis said, “asking about each others families and what they've been up to.” Masters winner Jordan Spieth was popular during an interview session that ran long and pushed back his tee time with 15-year-old amateur Cole Hammer and amateur Cody Gribble. “We are standing back there with the crowd starting to build and the excitement — the buzz growing — and Jordan turns to Gribble and asks where he wants to tee off,” DeSantis said. “Gribble said he had no idea, and Jordan said he had played from the back tees a few times. “So, the amateur turns to Jordan at the last minute and says, 'Let's play the forward tee.' “The crowd starts to boo and hiss and Jordan looks over and says, 'Way to piss off the hometown crowd.'” Spieth was jokingly referring to the home-course advantage his caddie, Gig Harbor's Michael Greller, is bringing to the championship. “Michael showed up on time with the bag and had to wait for the media session with Jordan to finish,” DeSantis said. “Michael asked him what was the deal with the delay, and Jordan joked and said, 'Well, half the questions were about you.'” DeSantis was thrilled with his luck and the experience. “I got to see what they were playing in their bags,” DeSantis said. “What irons, woods, hybrids, putters they are using. “It was a blast.”
June 7, 2015, Thurston Talk By Margo Greenman
Sip Spirits and Slurp Oysters Along the Hood Canal
Summertime is about taking it slow and enjoying the moment. In the Pacific Northwest, this is especially true. During the nine months of the year that don’t make up the summer season, locals pine for the sunny days when they can slip on their flip flops and return to the beach sans raincoat. But blue skies and sunscreen aren’t the only things that characterize this special time of year. The food and drinks of the season are, for many, just as important as the long, warm days.
Nearby Hood Canal is an oasis for all things summer. With miles upon miles of beaches, myriad options for outdoor adventures — both on the water and in the woods — and an over-the-top selection of fresh seafood, handmade wines and craft spirits to enjoy, locals and visitors alike can drink in the season in more ways than one.
Steve Shively, Membership and Marketing Director for the Olympic Culinary Loop — a unique group celebrating Olympic coast cuisine throughout the four counties united by the Olympic Peninsula — says there are countless ways for visitors to experience the flavors of the region.
After a long day exploring Twanoh State Park or traversing the trails at Lena Lake, Hood Canal-goers will be eager for rations. When hunger strikes, Shively says there’s something for every appetite. Visitors can sink their teeth into the local flavors of oysters, clams, geoduck and more at Hama Hama Oyster Saloonor take their tastebuds on a culinary excursion to the Carolinas without ever leaving the Hood Canal at Smoking Mo’s, which features slow hickory smoked barbecue and traditional Southern sides.
“Along the ‘Hood,’ visitors certainly aren’t going to go thirsty,” says Shively. With Walter Dacon in Shelton, the Stottle Winery Tasting Room in Hoodsport and Mosquito Fleet in Belfair, options for sumptuous red and refreshing white wine varietals are numerous around the Hood Canal. For something a bit stronger,The Hardware Distillery Co. in Hoodsport is the region’s resident craft spirit producer, offering everything from gin and vodka to more unique finds like its hard hitting honey mead.
But, it’s not just the quantity or even the quality of options available for sipping — and slurping — that make the region a foodie’s wonderland, it’s the care local food and beverage producers take to make their products extra special that sets the Hood Canal apart.
When Chuck and Jan Morris, owners of The Hardware Distillery Co., learned that Nash’s Farm in Sequim was growing Olympic Peninsula grown rye, the couple saw an opportunity to create a 100 percent Olympic Peninsula-produced spirit. The only thing missing was the oven for malting the essential Washington grain. “That’s where Hama Hama Oyster Co. gets into the bottle,” says Shively.
After learning about Chuck and Jan’s mission, brother and sister Hama Hama duo, Adam and Lissa James, agreed to let the spirited distillery owners malt the Sequim-grown grain in the same oven Hama Hama has been smoking its oysters in for decades. The result? A Hama Hama-style hooch, complete with what Shively describes as an “oyster nose” finish.
Straight from the farm to the glass, the whiskey, which is currently aging to perfection, isn’t just an example of a unique collaboration, it’s part of an entire movement in the region to create hyperlocal, 100 percent Olympic Peninsula-made products.
For Shively and everyone at the Olympic Culinary Loop, this is a big deal, because it’s a modern day version of the historic traditions the region was once known for. “Sustaining the local history of a native tribal preparation technique for seafood or reintroducing a long forgotten heirloom varietal seed or root vegetable are some of the everyday extra steps that make our members stand apart — far apart — from those who simply cook with a commercial can opener and whatever gets shipped in on a big-rig factory farm truck,” says Shively.
With an entire food and beverage movement centered around Olympic Peninsula local, the Hood Canal area and its neighboring towns all have something unique to offer to hungry visitors of the region.
Of course, after indulging in all there is to eat and drink, visitors will need to rest up. With ample options for lodging around the Hood Canal, visitors will find more than just a comfortable bed. Four a 4-star luxury stay, Alderbrook Resort and Spa offers lush accommodations, gourmet nosh and top-of-the-line spa treatments, all available on-site. Want to kick things up a notch? Load up the RV for a backwoods stay at Skokomish Park, then head to nearby Lucky Dog Casino where great entertainment and food are just a few of things available on the menu.
Whatever type of day trip or weekend getaway you seek this summer, frame your adventure around the local foods and beverages that are so abundant along the Hood Canal. For more “appetizing itinerary” inspiration, visit the Olympic Culinary Loop online.
June 1, 2015, Grays Harbor Talk By Margo Greenman
Seattle’s Pike Place Market is known for its famous flying fish, but if you ask a tourist where that fish came from, do you think he or she would know the answer?
West of Seattle is a region rich in native fish species, heirloom vegetables, and traditional, local foods found only in the Pacific Northwest. With miles of shoreline and acres upon acres of farm and forestland, Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and the Grays Harbor region are a gastronomic haven brimming with restaurants, wineries, markets and farms all stocked with fresh and local foods.
From heirloom Ozette potatoes to the coast’s prized razor clams, the region’s bountiful offerings are twice as toothsome when prepared by the hand of experienced food producers and chefs. Steve Shively, Membership and Marketing Director for the Olympic Culinary Loop — a unique group that represents the four counties united by the Olympic Peninsula and celebrates Olympic coast cuisine and the traditions that surround it — says the outstanding foods that are found in Grays Harbor are made even better thanks to the local experts and rockstar chefs who take these foods one step further. Shively says Taylor Shellfish andBrady’s Oysters are two good examples of this, as their outstanding selections of shellfish have developed a reputation that is respected not only by Pacific Northwest palates, but by the appetites of shellfish lovers across the globe.
While great food starts with great farmers, Grays Harbor chefs elevate these foods further by putting their culinary expertise and creativity to work. Shively says this is evident at restaurants like Andy Bickar’s acclaimed Rediviva in Aberdeen, which is renowned for its focus on fresh, sustainable cuisine, like its award winning soups and chowders loaded with locally sourced seafood. And, because Rediviva features a rotating menu of whatever is fresh and in season, there’s always something new and delicious for restaurant-goers to sink their teeth into.
Like Rediviva, the restaurant at the newly rebuiltOcean Crest Resort offers an impressive menu of local fare paired exquisitely with the restaurant’s extensive wine list. Add a view of the ocean crashing against the shore just outside the window, and each sumptuous bite becomes enhanced by the sounds and sights of the region.
Another can’t-miss culinary experience, Shively recommends Grays Harbor visitors visit the Salmon House at the Rain Forest Resort. Shively says the incredible culinary creations featured on the restaurants fresh sheet add to the charming ambiance of the lodge. With outstanding accommodations, divine dining and a national forest all on-site, Shively says Quinault is a must see — and taste — destination.
But, you don’t have to seek out fine dining to feast like a king. For fresh, local, everyday eats, the Grays Harbor Farmers Market is a favorite. Shively says there’s nothing like sitting down in the open air on a nice day with a slice of homemade pie — loaded with fresh, locally grown berries — from the market. Of course, in the summer and fall months, you can pick your own berries (or pumpkins) at the region’s many u-pick farms, likeBlack River Blues Blueberry Farm, Shaffner Farms and Voss Acres Produce, just to name a few. For farm fresh produce year-round, Jay’s Farmstand is another option for locally sourced fruits and veggies, and you can always get your protein fix atlocal fish markets like Lytle Seafoods and Seafood Connection, which offer the catch of the day, or load up on handmade meats at Aberdeen’s Bay City Sausage.
In addition to these Grays Harbor staples, Shively says that there are several new restaurants in the region, like Elma’s Flippin Fifties Diner, that offer good food and a fun experience worthy of the trek. Even Westport Winery, which is no newcomer to the epicurism of the area, keeps things fresh and interesting with a variety of new wines, culinary creations and — most recently — a line of award winning ciders.
For serious eaters looking to devour the region, Shively recommends planning a tasting tour, which you can route through the Olympic Culinary Loop. “We want people to come here with a relaxed pace and inquisitive heart,” explains Shively. To inspire foodies on their tasting tours, the Olympic Culinary Loop has created a collection ofappetizing itineraries. “These [itineraries] give people some creative ideas to pair together for a full day’s worth of activities as they taste their way around the Olympic Peninsula,” explains Shively.
Of course, with so many food-focused festivals and events taking place in Grays Harbor throughout the year, visitors and locals alike can plan a day or weekend trip around the event du jour. From the annual Ocean Shores Razor Clam Festival and Elma’s popular Winter Wine Festival to Savor Seabrook and more, there’s almost always an appetizing event to look forward to in Grays Harbor.
Besides being a mecca for good, sustainable food, the cuisine of Grays Harbor and the Olympic Peninsula is a nod to early Pacific Northwest traditions and the foods that characterize the region. Simply put, Shively says food is a good way to experience the Olympic Peninsula, and, with shellfish, wild game, bountiful produce, handcrafted beers, wine and more, there truly is something for everyone.
Hungry? The Olympic Culinary Loop’s website is a great starting point for anyone looking to plan a tasting tour of Grays Harbor or neighboring Mason, Clallam or Jefferson counties. You can also discover a world of Grays Harbor restaurants, farms, wineries, breweries and more by scrolling throughGraysHarborTalk’s “food” page.
May 27, 2015, Thurston Talk
Westport Winery Wins 2015 Best of the Northwest Wine Tour
For the fifth time Westport Winery won the King 5 Evening Magazine Best of the Northwest Competition. This time they won the Best Wine Tour category. The fun and interesting Backstage Winemaker’s Tour is offered every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. with Director of Winemaking Dana Roberts. Additionally, guests are invited to do their own self-guided tour every day through the winery’s many display gardens that include over 40 sculptures by local artists. Extensive signage is provided to make this a truly memorable and fulfilling experience. When you visit be sure to explore the resort’s unique sculpture garden, lavender labyrinth, musical fence, 9-hole executive golf course, giant chess set, outdoor scrabble game, and grape maze, all located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. You will see why Westport Winery was voted Best of the Northwest Wine Tour and Destination. Westport Winery Garden Resort’s award-winning wines are exclusively available at the resort. The tasting room, gift shop, produce market, plant nursery, bakery and gardens, are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant is open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information contact Westport Winery at 360-648-2224 or visit the website at www.westportwinery.com.
May 22, 2015, Peninsula Daily News May 20, 2015, Port Townsend Leader Port Townsend festival Saturday, Sunday to pay tribute to artisan food PORT TOWNSEND — Food enthusiasts can partake of artisan foods and beverages Saturday and Sunday during the second annual Port Townsend Artisan Food Festival. Tastings, classes, demonstrations and an all-day food tour are planned. “Eat, Drink, Learn, Make” is the theme of the festival, which will take food festival participants to creameries, wineries, farms and restaurants in search of the best artisan meal ingredients and sources in East Jefferson County. The area has a few surprises for those who routinely shop at the big Seattle farmers markets, said Will O'Donnell, director of Jefferson County Farmers Markets. “We have one of the greatest concentrations of artisan food producers in the state,” O'Donnell said. At the source Many of those producers sell their goods at the big markets, he said, but those who appreciate good food can do even better at the source. “Jefferson County is like Washington state's own little Vermont; we have more cheese makers and cider makers than we know what to do with,” he said. Farmers market The Port Townsend Farmers Market, now in its 23rd year, is hosting the festival in partnership with Seattle-based Sasquatch Books and Cedar Root Folk School. The market, which is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday on Tyler Street between Lawrence and Clay streets, will offer an extra location in front of the Port Townsend Community Center at 620 Tyler St. for special guest vendors, including a brand-new cheese maker, Chimacum Valley Dairy. Jennifer Adler, a nutritionist, whole foods advocate and author of Passionate Nutrition, will sign books at the market while she talks about how to work more foraged foods into a healthy diet. Cedar Root Folk School will host experiential, food-related classes all day Saturday at the Port Townsend Community Center. All classes are $20 per person Preregistration is preferred at www.cedarrootfolkschool.org, but if space permits, last-minute registrations will be accepted at the door. Classes lacking sufficient preregistrations may be canceled, O'Donnell said. ■ 9:30 a.m. — “Hard Cider Demo” by Finnriver Farm & Cidery. ■ 10:45 a.m. — “The Art of Pickling” by Mama's Harvest's Kayla Boyd. ■ Noon — “Cheese and Yogurt Basics” by Rachael Van Laanen, co-owner of Mystery Bay Farm. ■ 1:15 p.m. — “Kimchi and Fermented Foods” by Marko Colby of Midori Farm. ■ 3:45 p.m. — “Culinary Herbology” by chef Arran Stark. Sunday tours On Sunday, the free, self-guided Artisan Food Tour will feature 10 food, cider and wine producers. Maps to the tour locations will be available at Saturday's festival locations. Tour locations are: ■ Port Townsend Food Co-op, 414 Kearney St., Port Townsend; opens at 8 a.m. ■ Mt. Townsend Creamery, 338 Sherman St.; tours on the hour between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ■ Lullaby Winery, 274 Otto St., Suite S, Port Townsend; tasting room open from noon to 5 p.m. ■ Alpenfire Cider, 220 Pocket Lane, Port Townsend; tasting room open from noon to 5 p.m. ■ SpringRain Farm and Orchards, 187 Covington Drive, Chimacum; tours on the hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ■ Chimacum Corner Farmstand, 9122 Rhody Drive, Chimacum; open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ■ Finnriver Farm and Cidery, 142 Barn Swallow Road, Chimacum; live music and tasting room from noon to 5 p.m. ■ Marrowstone Vineyards, 423 Meade Road, Nordland; tasting room open from noon to 5 p.m. ■ Eaglemount Wine and Cider, 2350 Eaglemount Road, Port Townsend; tasting room open from noon to 5 p.m. ■ Hama Hama Seafood, U.S. Highway 101 in Lilliwaup; fresh shellfish and tastings. More information on the festival can be found at www.porttownsendartisanfoodfest.com.
May 22, 2015, Peninsula Daily News PORT TOWNSEND - Cabbage presentation PORT TOWNSEND — Edible education about cabbage will be presented at Food for Thought tonight. The lecture and meal will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fort Worden kitchen shelter, 210 Battery Way. Tickets are $35. Chef Arran Stark will demonstrate cooking methods and techniques. Wes Cecil will provide a tour through the history and influence of cabbage. A barbecue dinner with cabbage accents in several courses will offers tastes of the history of cabbage as it passed from Asia with the Celts to the new world. Craft wine and beer will be available. Cecil is a 16-year professor at Peninsula College’s Port Townsend site. He received his doctorate in English from Indiana University. Stark serves as chef and dietary director at Jefferson Healthcare hospital in Port Townsend. Tickets are available at http://m.bpt.me/event/1320893. For more information, see “Food for Thought PT” on Facebook.
May 22, 2015 - Peninsula Daily News Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers to perform annual benefit concert Saturday PORT ANGELES — Old-fashioned gospel, the Little Brass Band and a couple of sing-alongs are all part of the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers’ annual Benefit Concert — the last of the season — Saturday night. Admission is by donation to the 7 p.m. event at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 E. Lopez Ave. Proceeds will benefit three local charities: The Answer for Youth (TAFY); the Captain Joseph House Foundation and the Salvation Army in Port Angeles. As for the repertoire, it will include a few numbers from the Peninsula Men’s Gospel Singers’ spring concert in March. The audience met these songs with such enthusiasm, member Michael Craig said, that they’re coming back for an encore. Along with the men’s gospel group, director Michael Rivers also is bringing back the Crabfest Revival Choir, a small ensemble originally formed for the Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival’s Sunday revival in Port Angeles every October. The Little Brass Band, a subset of the men’s gospel choir, will bring its saxophones and trombone into Saturday’s mix too. The program will go from “Soon and Very Soon” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” to “This Little Light” and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” among other hymns. Then come the solo numbers: “Draw Me Close to You” from pianist Penny Hall; “Eagle’s Wings” from first tenor Dan Cobb and “Love Was When” by baritone Michael McBride. While the choir takes a summer break from giving concerts, it will be working on a new CD. Featuring live concert and studio recordings, it’s slated for a September release. At Saturday’s concert, fans will have a chance to order the CD as well as make contributions toward the cost of its production. To learn more about the choir, a nonprofit organization, visit www.PMGospelsingers.com.
More LOOP Press to impress!
Celebrate Mom with a special lakeside brunch buffet or dinner at Lake Crescent Lodge. Enjoy a day together in Olympic National Park; take a stroll to Marymere Falls, relax in front of the crackling fire or read a book on the sunporch.
Brunch service 10am to 3pm, buffet prices below Dinner service 5pm to 9pm, prices vary, special menu available. Brunch Buffet Price - Adults: $48, Seniors (62+): $42 Children 12 & Under= $25 4 Under Free Tax & Gratuity included. Full prepay at time of reservation. 72 hour full refund cancellations accepted. Advanced reservations and prepayment are required for brunch service. Advanced reservations are required for dinner service. Reservations: (360) 928-3211 Lake Crescent Lodge is managed by Aramark, an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service.Join us Mothers Day weekend to celebrate the mom in your life (even if that's you). No tasting fees for moms May 14 & 15. Taste 5 awards winning wines Washington wines.
Of course you can come in for a tasting anytime during our normal hours. now - May 22nd Fri - Sun 11am - 5pm May 25 - Sept 8th Wed - Sun 11am - 5pm We are conveniently located on Hwy 101 24180 Highway 101 Suite B, Hoodsport, WA 98548 360-877-2247Sunday, May 8, 2016 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Lake Quinault Lodge
Enjoy a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on Sunday. In the afternoon relax in front of the crackling fire and listen to Ben and Lorrie play beautiful music on classical guitar and Celtic harp. MOMS RIDE FREE with a paying participant on our Interpretive Coach Tour.Sunday May 8th Come celebrate Mother’s Day at The Fireside with a multiple-item special entrée menu and buffet loaded with freshpastries, fruit, berries, a variety of fresh made salads, crab legs, fresh shucked oysters, Steelhead lox, shrimp and artichoke dip, and a dessert station. The event features special pricing for children ages 10 and under and a special gift for all the moms. Reservations required please call 360.437.7412
Sunday May 8th we will be serving a special Mother's Day menu from noon to 3pm. Treat Mom to a lovely meal and to the live music of Stringology with their gypsy jazz tunes. Menu at web sitewww.nourishsequim.com
The nursery is in full bloom at Westport Winery Garden Resort! Come sip, taste and treat Mom to a day in the nursery at Westport Winery.
Full menu in the delicious dining room, perfectly paired with dozens of award winning wines.
Celebrate Mom at the Ajax Cafe on Mother's Day Weekend! We will have special menu items and beverages.
Sunday, April 5th, enjoy Easter dinner at Nourish and leave the cooking to us!
Yum!
Long before the Pacific Northwest became known for producing table apples like the Red Delicious, it was cider apple country. Gnarly, feral fruits with strange names like Yarlington Mill and Brown Snout, cider apples are nearly inedible, but they provide just the right acid, tannin and aroma required to make complex, fine hard cider. These pioneer-era drinking-apples (which were a mainstay of a budding American nation) were all but wiped out by Prohibition. But spurred in part by Americans' thirst for all things gluten-free (roughly 30% of Americans are now shopping for products labeled "GF"), naturally-GF hard cider is swiftly staging its comeback in the country, and cider apples trees have begun to reclaim their place in northwest orchards.Read the rest of the story
Delicious news for Olympic Peninsula Wine lovers! |
![]() Experts expect this year's harvest to yield at least a 10 percent increase in grapes, which would put this fall's total at about 230,000 tons. This will easily surpass last year's record harvest.
Read more and then get ready for LOTS of wonderful swirling, sipping and spitting! |
Since Fireside's Chef Dan Ratigan uses local farms' products, it was logical to start a Farm to Table Dinner Series where each evening is focused on specific farms and what they produce. Two dinners are left in this series. The first takes place at Finnriver Farm and Cidery where they grow, ferment and create traditional ciders, contemporary hard ciders and fruit-based brandy and port-style wines. The second takes place at Fireside with Red Dog Farm, 23 certified organic acres of 150 varieties of vegetable and berries. Mystery Bay cheeses will share the spotlight at this dinner. Farmers will be on hand to talk about their farms as you savor Chef Dan's six-course farm-specific menu.
The Fireside Restaurant is located inside the Resort at Port Ludlow on the Olympic Peninsula, just a few minutes past the Hood Canal Bridge. The Finnriver dinner takes place on August 29 and Red Dog on September 19. Both start at 6 p.m. Cost is $59 for each, with optional wine pairings for $25 per person. Reserve your spot by buying tickets atwww.brownpapertickets.com/
12 oz of fresh carrots peeled and finely grated
8 oz of pure ground almond meal
6 oz cane sugar
2 free range eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp baking powder
2oz toasted sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350F
Use an 8"or 10" spring form pan, line base with parchment paper
Put carrots and sugar in a bowl,
mix in almond meal,
baking powder and combine all.
Add beaten eggs and mix.
Pour into lined cake tin and bake for 45-50 mins until center is firm.
Sprinkle toasted, sliced almonds on the top.
Of the 4 counties comprising the Olympic Culinary Loop. Mason County boasts the most entry points welcoming you on the Olympic Peninsula. So whether you arrive into Mason along the scenic Hood Canal from the North, or off the Seattle-Bremerton Ferry through Belfair, or escape from the concret of Olympia for Olympic Mountains crowing Shelton, Mason County's abundant recreational options are second only to their delicious places to eat and experience Culinary Adventure. Make plans to stay a few days and gobble up all there is to see and taste!
Download onto your phone, or print off at home, or pick-up – just about ANYWHERE – a current copy of the Culinary Adventure Map and get ready to explore as you dine well in Grays Harbor County!
Here’s what’s happening right now at a handful of our most active Mason County OCL members:
Walter Dacon Wines shared a Great Northwest Wine Thank You to Andy Purdue and Eric Degerman!
What are the most outstanding Northwest wines? Here are the 12 best wines from Washington and Oregon that we've tasted recently under blind conditions.
Invites everyone to the ALLYN DAYS SALMON BAKE AND GEODUCK FESTIVAL
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My favorite part of the farm owners’ retreat was watching all the kids in this community play outside all day long and into the night. I’m old enough to remember a time when we did that as children even in… Read More!
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Recently, while exploring the Olympic Culinary Loop on the peninsula, I started my four-day adventure in Port Townsend at the lovely Ravenscroft Inn. I found it to be the perfect fit and my new favorite place to stay in PT
Of the 4 counties comprising the Olympic Culinary Loop. Grays Harbor County boasts the most scenic coastal Pacific settings combined with a plate full of delicious places to eat and experience from Lake Quinault - down the coast to Westport - and through Hoquiam / Aberdeen towards Olympia theres LOTs to see and taste!
Download onto your phone, or print off at home, or pick-up – just about ANYWHERE – a current copy of the Culinary Adventure Map and get ready to explore as you dine well in Grays Harbor County!
Here’s what’s happening right now at a handful of our most active Grays Harbor County OCL members:
There are some places so blissfully disconnected from the modern world that they seem to stand suspended in time. Lake Quinault Lodge is one such place - a grand and rustic lodge built in 1926 that welcomes guests with warmth, hospitality, and a sincere feeling of home-away-from-home comfort.
Take advantage of our Bed & Breakfast Package:
Check for availability today!
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Slow down. Sip. Pause. Ponder. Smile. Sip again . . . at Tinderbox Coffee Roasters
The Lodges of Olympic National Park and Forest - Lake Crescent Lodge Restaurant has been designated a 3 Star Certified #Green Restaurant! They did this by implementing 77 steps in Six Environmental Categories: Energy, Water, Waste, Food, Disposables, and Chemicals. Learn more at http://bit.ly/1mnj58K
Dockside Grill on Sequim Bay - As I type this, Josh Souza is filleting FRESH HALIBUT from the Strait of Juan de Fuca (less than an hour old) for your meal at Dockside Grill. It doesn't get fresher than this!!
Join us for Sunday Brunch this Mother’s Day and enjoy an abundance of local, fresh and sustainable goods. Carving station herb crusted Cape Cleare salmon with morel mushrooms, leeks and tarragon smoked pit ham with plum chutney Omelet station made to order omelets with baby shrimp, onions, peppers, ham, avocado, tomato, blue cheese, pepperjack, Tillamook and more!
Though both in the medical field, the Greeley’s have had a twenty-year-long coffee journey that began with a stovetop espresso maker and continues as an obsession. For years they jotted down ideas, sampled espresso from different shops, and thought about what they would do if they ever had the opportunity to open a coffee house of their own. It was in the most unexpected fashion that their dreams were finally realized.
“I was working in the ER and ran into a mental health professional named, Ben. He had just come off a 24-hour shift and was looking pretty ragged, so I asked him, ‘Are you ready for your second career yet? Maybe you should try opening a coffee shop.’
Read the rest of the story here and then answer the 3 content quiz questions below in the MESSAGE box and be entered to win an OCL prize package drawn at random from all correct “Personalities Around the LOOP” entries.
Nick & Tara quiz: (Tip: simply cut-n-paste questions into Message box, add your answers and press SUBMIT. Good luck!)
Bunny. April 20. Everything you need: Foiled Eggs, Chocolate Rabbits. Chicks. Petit Fours. Hollow Sugar Eggs. Cellophaned Candies. Jellybeans. And our own Elevated Candy Co. yummy chocolate fudge eggs in four flavors and organic chocolate bunnies in foil.
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We are booked solid for Valentine's Dinner, but there's still tonight, tomorrow and small availability tomorrow night. Be sure to call 360-683-7510 for any spots left.
Thank you all for voting Dockside as #1 Seafood on the Olympic Peninsula! This weekend featuring giant prawns stuffed with Dungeness crab and lemon butter sauce! Simply amazing for your appetizer. Veal Martinique with avocado, Swiss cheese and shallot and sherry demi-glace served with local Red Dog Farms organic roasted celeriac root and sunchokes and garlic pasta tomatoes and Parmesan. AMAZING!!
You don't want to miss out on this romance inspired day at Nourish!
Make your reservations now! 797-1480
It's Valentine"s weekend and we have reservations still available!! Chef Carlos has put together a phenomenal menu that includes Short Rib, Oysters, Crab Cakes, 32 oz Rib Eye Steak, Banana Leaf wrapped local Steelhead & much more! The desserts are decade and paired with the perfect liquor! 360-683-2233
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Sirens Pub It's official! Sirens now has 2 big TVs, so everyone can see our Seahawks beat the 49'ers this Sunday. Plenty of spots and fun 12th Man Specials, maybe even Skittle Vodka Shots!!
Pane d'Amore Don't forget to call and reserve your game day goodies!
Port Townsend 360.385.1199 Bainbridge 206.780.1902 Sequim 360.681.3280
The Lodges of Olympic National Park and Forest Join us on Super Bowl Sunday at Lake Quinault Lodge! We’ll be watching the game on the big screen in our ballroom and serving up a special menu. Go Hawks
[ To read the rest of this great post, go to Great Northwest Wine ]
Westport Winery supports its community one bottle at a timeThe small, young winery makes 33 different wines. Each is attached to a charity, with part of the sales going to that particular cause. By Andy Perdue Special to The Seattle Times