Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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The Solstice is officially two weeks away, however here in Waitsburg it already feels like a winter wonderland. A fresh blanket of snow over the festive lights and decorated trees along Main Street was the perfect backdrop for our Hometown Christmas parade last weekend. In the kitchen, this is the season of cooking comforting and warm food to share with loved ones. One of my favorite flavors for sharing this time of year is gingerbread, which is a broad category of sweets from thin, crisp...
WAITSBURG-For the last year, we have been lucky to have a dear friend from Seattle work at Ten Ton. An accomplished artist, and always curious people-person, Fred instantly fit in at the coffee shop. He charmed new guests and our devoted regulars, and was quick to build a fan base. This month, Fred is heading back to beautiful Tuscany, Italy for several months. We wish him happy, safe travels, and encourage him to spend every moment painting or drawing. We and all his new Waitsburg friends will...
As the season continues to get colder, and the gray days shorter, I find myself craving comforting meals that are also full of vibrant colors. Here golden delicata squash is stuffed with a sweet, warmly spiced filling of farro grains, seasoned beef, dried fruit, and nuts. A nourishing meal that comes together quickly, this stuffed squash will warm your home and your dinner guests. Ingredients: 2 delicata squash Olive oil Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1 cup farro ¾ pound ground beef...
The day after Thanksgiving you can always find me back in the kitchen, enjoying the peaceful quiet after the holiday, and making a batch of turkey stock. As the kitchen fills with the rich aromas coming from a bubbling stock pot, I like to make plans for the versatile leftover turkey meat. Following an indulgent day full of butter and heavy foods, a pot of brightly flavored soup is a welcome meal choice. One favorite option is this variation on a traditional Mexican soup called Pozole. The deep...
The November fog has rolled into our valley, and I have been spending extra time in the kitchen seeking warmth. My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is just around the corner, and the winter holiday season will quickly follow. Menu planning and recipe testing have kept me busy with the bounty of autumnal flavors available. After harvesting a particularly abundant crop of winter squash in our backyard, I have been experimenting with recipes that highlight all the sweet and savory ways to...
As someone who loves researching recipes, I am particularly fascinated by the foods that are enjoyed across cultures. Chicken soup is one of those universally loved foods with versions that can be found across the globe. Humble and comforting, it is the food we have collectively grown-up eating, for thousands of years. This nourishing recipe is take on a homey Mexican classic. A rich, flavorful broth with the added depth of cumin and oregano makes this soup special. Usually mildly spiced, you ca...
This week, the sunny, mild autumn days have made the abrupt change to cool and rainy. As a former Seattleite, I can't hide my love for the grey and drizzle. Days like this are perfect for making a pot of tea, popping a chill album on the stereo, and experimenting in the kitchen. Looking for some warmth and comfort, I found my self craving a creamy bowl of pasta. This recipe, which combines sweet Italian sausage, fresh chard, and aromatic rosemary in a decadent cream sauce, was the perfect...
Autumn is my favorite time of year for celebrations centered around food. High on the list is the colorful and distinctly Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos. In our house, the mantle is turned into an ofrenda with photos of departed family members, marigolds, and candles. On the night of November 1st, I prepare a feast to be enjoyed by the living and shared with the spirits of the dead. Over the years, I have made various dishes for this special occasion including tamales, pozole, sopa de a...
The beauty of autumn is all around, and I couldn't be happier. The first flashes of changing colors have been spotted in some of the trees around town, and the star-filled nights have been the perfect backdrop for cozy bonfires. On top of pulling out all my favorite flannels, I have been searching through my recipe collections for satisfying and seasonal soups. At the same time, we harvested some gorgeous pumpkins and Hubbard squash from the back yard this week, a perfect inspiration for the...
Each growing season we experiment with different fruits and vegetables in the garden. While some happily flourish, others just seem to fizzle and disappoint. Through it all, the most reliable producer, year after year, has been our purple plum tree. Easy to take care of, and quick growing, the branches of this tree are always heavy with fruit by the start of fall. From pies, cakes, chutneys, and jams, this time of year is always marked by the flavor of sweet, backyard stone fruit. These dark...
Waitsburg – After some busy months of fundraising in the community, Karen Huwe and Wendy Carter of Friends of the Pool are happy to announce that the $10,000 matching goal was surpassed by the Sept. 30 deadline. This first step towards building a new pool in Waitsburg was initiated after a generous resident donated $10,000 and challenged the community to match the amount. The fundraiser organized by Friends of the Pool and Rural Youth Enrichment Services (RYES) set the goal of getting 100 c...
This past week, Waitsburg has been graced with gorgeous sunny fall days, and crisp cool nights. The kind of weather that nudges me back into the kitchen, inspired by early fall produce, and cravings for slow-cooked comfort food. While researching recipes, I came across this gorgeous green mole made from pulverized pumpkin seeds, fresh cilantro, and green chiles. Much different than the rich, dark black mole most people are familiar with, this is just one of the many colorful varieties of mole...
Happy Autumn. With these warm sunny days, and crisp cool nights, the weather this week has been perfect. After an unusual summer in the garden, the sight of our pear and apple trees loaded with fruit has been a welcomed delight. One that has also inspired a new season of kitchen experiments. The warm pleasure of spiced apples encased in buttery, flakey crust is a cherished American classic that needs little adjusting. However, with a bag of foraged wild huckleberries sitting on the counter, I...
We make several trips to the southern Washington coast throughout the year. From the lazy sunny days of summer to the dramatic storms of winter, there is something special about each season. My favorite time to visit is September through October, when the weather is still lovely and the post-Labor Day tourist crowds are much smaller. Last week, we were able to sneak off for a quick weekend get-away where we were met with perfect weather and a chance to satisfy our built-up seafood cravings. At t...
Perhaps because of my approaching birthday, or a simple craving for the mood-enhancing properties of cocoa, I have recently been dreaming of a perfect chocolate cake. Balancing sweetness with the deep, complex flavors of cocoa is a culinary science unto itself. This much-loved recipe results in a moist, silky textured cake with a rich and comforting flavor. Finished with a luscious vanilla buttercream frosting, this cake makes a memorable centerpiece to any celebration, big or small. Ingredients...
WAITSBURG-This year, the Waitsburg Historical Society has selected the Albert Land Family as the 2022 Pioneers of the Year. Albert Land's three surviving children, Elaine Reese, Joan Miller, and Tom Land will be at the Waitsburg Pioneer Fall Festival on Sunday, Sept. 18 to receive the honors. Albert's grandfather, Edmund Land was born in England in 1823, and went on to travel the world. As his obituary noted, he "crossed the Atlantic Ocean four times and the Pacific Ocean twice." Living in New Z...
Cauliflower is one of those versatile vegetables that I love experimenting with in the kitchen. It is suitable for countless cooking methods, all of which bring out and enhance different flavor profiles. Fried, grilled, or seared, this snow-white crucifer particularly comes to life with a little browning or charring. Here, roasted cauliflower is pureed with walnuts, aromatics, and bright fresh parsley, to create a creamy yet light pasta sauce. Ingredients: 1 small head cauliflower, cut into flor...
After my years of experiments and triumphs in the kitchen, there is still nothing more satisfying than successful bread making. The combined time needed to carefully measure ingredients, then knead, shape, and proof the dough all pays off when your kitchen fills with the aroma of a perfectly baked loaf. A delicious repurposing of leftover mashed potatoes, this tender and flavorful bread has become a new, versatile favorite in our home. Yields 2 loaves. Ingredients: For the pre-ferment: 1...
When people in other countries are asked to describe "American food", the most common response is usually the hamburger, and for good reason. From spendy foie gras stuffed wagyu burgers at posh urban restaurants, to perfectly grilled cheeseburgers topped with "the works" at iconic small-town drive-ins, the sheer variety of burgers available attests to our love affair of good things served on a round bun. Beyond the different topping choices, Americans have a wide range of patty options other...
Lately, I have been obsessed with galettes, which are sweet or savory free-form tarts that are as much a celebration of good crust as they are about a tasty filling. Balanced and rustic, these baked delights have an inherent laid-back elegance. Here, I make a galette that highlights our region's beautiful sweet onions with a dash of thyme and Gruyère. However, it is the perfectly golden, flakey crust that makes this a truly memorable bite. This dish is a fitting way to pay tribute to our local...
During the summer months, we tend to eat most of our evening meals out on the backyard deck. Enjoying the golden light of summer dusk, while watching little swallows zip across the yard, everything seems to taste better al fresco. This week, while entertaining family visiting from the other side of the mountains and inspired by some recent additions to my spice rack, I created a variation on an old favorite grilling recipe: buttermilk marinated chicken skewers. Adding golden curry powder and...
While ripe tomatoes and sweet corn are what I most associate with summer cooking, it is bountiful zucchini that usually manages to make an appearance at every meal of the season. Living in a town full of seasoned and generous, backyard gardeners, there can never be enough zucchini recipes to have on hand. Thankfully, the dark-green summer squash is as versatile in the kitchen as it is prolific in the garden. Grilled, roasted, or sauteed, zucchini takes on different flavors with every culinary...
Several years ago, we were in Los Angeles visiting friends and family during a milestone birthday. As part of the festivities, we were invited to a friend’s house for a potluck barbeque. Being very familiar with the culinary trends of health-conscious southern California, I made a joke on our way there that the potluck would be nothing but raw kale. When we arrived at the party, there was fresh guacamole made from avocados grown in someone’s backyard, gorgeous wild-caught seafood on the gri...
Every summer, I patiently anticipate the first homegrown tomatoes of the season. While diligently watering our garden, I keep a daily check on when the sun-ripened delights are ready to pluck. This year, with the long, cold, and wet spring we had, everything seems to be a little behind schedule. Sadly, we might have to wait a tad longer for our backyard tomatoes. Luckily, ripe cherry tomatoes, available in most grocery stores, are a quick go-to when craving a burst of sunny flavor. Here, the...
As we moved into our house, we learned from the previous owners that there had once been a large in-ground pool in the backyard, which apparently had been a popular hangout for local housewives in the sixties and seventies. Unfortunately, when the maintenance costs got to be too much, the decision was made to fill it in. At about this time every summer, I start dreaming about that pool. Visions of taking a refreshing dip to cool down while hosting tiki-themed cocktail parties swirl around my...
