A Journey Around the State’s Eastern Reaches

By Susan McKee

In one day, you can sample top vintages from award-winning wineries and contemplate museum exhibits chronically the development of the atomic bomb. No doubt about it: there’s something for everyone in the southeastern corner of Washington State.

Washington State is more than its Pacific Coast with Seattle and Puget Sound. In its eastern half, you’ve entered another realm. Instead of the lush, green rainforest of the Pacific region, you’ll find the dry brown open spaces of the high desert.

Yet, this region is a viticultural paradise, one of the best areas in the country for growing grapes. Why? The latitude is the same as the great wine-growing regions of Burgundy and Bordeaux in France. The rich volcanic soil combines with long sunny days and cool nights and produces an environment great for grapes. And, perhaps most important, vineyards require less of that most precious of all desert commodities, water. (Although, apple trees and wheat fields are disappearing fast.)

The wineries in the area stretching from Yakima to Walla Walla rival the more established estates in adjacent Oregon. If you lunch at the Barrel House Wine Bar in Yakima, as I did, you can preview many of the labels glass by glass.

When I was in Washington, I tasted my way through quite a few wineries, although not all in one day! My favorites were: Claar Cellars, in Zillah; Washington Hills Winery in Sunnyside, located in a former creamery; Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla; Hinzerling Winery, in Prosser (try the Lemberger); and the stunning chateau-style Hedges Cellars at Red Mountain in Benton City.

When you’re done sampling wines and ready for dinner, consider the Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant in Walla Walla. In a renovated 1905 woodworking mill, it boasts an enormous wall of glass providing a clear view of the inner workings of the Seven Hills Winery, which occupies the remainder of the building.

Grapes aren’t the only tasty crop in eastern Washington — yet. They still grow some great fruit. I was there during cherry season, and eating ‘em the same day they’re picked can’t be beat. If you have a chance, stop at Chukar Cherry Company in Prosser and see what I mean.

TriCity History, Lore and More …

Hanford is known these days for two major sites: Hanford Engineer Works and Hanford Reach National Monument. The latter encompasses a 51-mile stretch of the Columbia River with its adjoining landscape of white bluffs, dunes and desert plateaus. Bird watchers and geologists alike are drawn to its pristine beauty, preserved because it served as a security buffer for what’s now called the Hanford Site of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Remember the bombs the United States dropped on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki? The Manhattan Project was started in New York, tested at the University of Chicago and developed at Hanford Engineer Works, which resulted in a spectacular and deadly climax to the conflict in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Wandering through the Columbia River Exhibition History, Science & Technology Museum in Richland I was astonished to learn about the top secret work that was completed nearby, in what certainly back then was “the middle of nowhere,” by people who couldn’t even discuss what they were doing with their families. In fact, the TriCities area has much hidden history.

If Kennewick causes dormant synapses to fire in your brain, you’re probably remembering Kennewick Man, a 9,200-year-old skeleton. It surfaced there in 1996, setting off a battle over ownership that wasn’t resolved until 2004, when the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that a cultural link between local Native American tribes and the skeleton was not met, allowing scientific study of the remains to continue. Kennewick began centuries ago as a Native American settlement (its name means “Winter Paradise”) and now serves as a retail center for the region.

Across the river, Pasco just finished its 15 minutes of 21st Century fame as a stop on the Lewis and Clark expedition, which camped here in October 1805. The modern settlement started in the 1880s as a railroad town – it was a division point on the Northern Pacific Railway on its transcontinental journey. Now it’s the largest city in the million-acre Columbia Basin Irrigation Project.

The third of the tri cities is Richland, where many of the employees at the Hanford Engineer Works and their families lived in what became known as the Alphabet Houses. This was a company town that had ballooned rapidly as the Manhattan Project grew during World War II and continued to flourish in the Cold War Era. Spokane architect G. A. Pehrson designed “cookie cutter” houses that could be erected rapidly, with the uniform floor plans separated into A, B, and C categories according to one’s rank within the company.

Not far away is Walla Walla, with two unique attractions: Mark A. Anderson’s Foundry and the Whitman Mission. The Foundry handles the technical stuff of sculpture. It takes the artist’s ephemeral creation and turns it into permanent form using an alchemy that’s fascinating to the observer. This unique workshop can produce bronze, of course, but also stainless steel, copper, fused glass, silver and more.

Watching skilled workmen translate Deborah Butterfield’s ethereal horses from the original open lattice of driftwood into bronze, for example, made me realize that expert casting and assembly was as crucial to the creative process as the original design.

Whitman Mission is right on the Oregon Trail. The National Park Service staff demonstrates frontier skills every weekend in the summer, including flint knapping, adobe brick making and writing with a quill pen. The mission takes its name from its 1830s founder, Dr. Marcus Whitman, who’s also the namesake for Whitman College, located in Walla Walla, which means the place of many waters.

When I returned to Seattle, wine remained on my mind. Driving a bit north of the city, I stayed in Woodinville at the Willows Lodge. There are tasting rooms for two wineries literally within walking distance – Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia. But, by then, I was all tasted out.

The hotel? Well, it was divine. But frustrating – because it turned out to be (literally) next door to the Herbfarm Restaurant, the only AAA five-diamond restaurant north of San Francisco – and, I couldn’t get in. They’re routinely booked up months in advance, and I was there on a weekend. Maybe next trip!

For more information on Washington State wineries visit:

www.washingtonwine.org
Telephone: 1-206-667-9463

The Barrel House
www.thebarrelhouse.net

Claar Cellars
www.claarcellars.com

Washington Hills Winery
www.washingtonhills.com

Three Rivers Winery
www.threeriverswinery.com

Hinzerling
www.hinzerling.com

Hedge Cellars
www.hedgescellars.com

White House Crawford Restaurant
www.whitehousecrawfordrestaurant.com

Chukar Cherries
www.chukar.com

Hanford Engineer Works
www.fws.gov/hanfordreach.com

Columbia River Exhibition Science and Technology
www.crest.org

TriCities
www.visittricities.com

Walla Walla
www.wallawalla.org

Mark A. Anderson Foundry
www.wallawallafoundry.com/fallery/WWFBrochure.pdf

Whitman House
www.nps.govwhmi

Dr. Marcus Whitman
www.whitman.edu/content

Willows Lodge
www.willowslodge.com

The Herb Farm Restaurant
www.theherbfarm.com

You may reach Susan McKee at Susan@globalfoodie.com.

Portland’s Pine State Biscuits Gain National Following with North Carolina Cooking

By Deston Nokes

Clearly, the diet would have to wait.

Looking up at the chalkboard menu, my eyes scrolled down a list of preparations I had nearly-forgotten … the type my grandmother would make using an iron skillet in a kitchen singing along with the sizzle of frying chicken and the smell of rich gravy.

Pine State Biscuits, located in Portland, Ore., serves the kind of food where you toss away whatever calorie-cutting promises you made to yourself. Take The Reggie: A sandwich made with a breast of fried chicken, cheddar cheese and strips of bacon, sandwiched between a full-fat butter and cream biscuit, all smothered in sausage gravy.

Another trip, I nudged the caloric thermometer down a tad with The Regina: An over easy egg placed on collard greens, sandwiched between a biscuit, and splashed with Texas Pete Hot Sauce. I soothed its spicy zip with some homemade sweet tea. A side order of fried green tomatoes dipped in locally sourced corn grits with buttermilk ranch, is an absolute must.

“Our whole concept was to bring the true rendition of North Carolina breakfast biscuits to the Northwest,” said co-owner Kevin Atchley. “It’s the kind of food we miss almost as much as family.”

Three North Carolina natives, Atchley (from Raleigh) Brian Snyder (from Albemarl) and Walt Alexander (from Greensboro) launched the eatery. Before the restaurant opened a year and a half ago, Pine Street Biscuits had been a fixture at the Portland Farmer’s Market for three seasons, so it had a following the day it opened.

The daily line outside the door attests to Pine State’s popularity, and the quick service and tasty food makes up for the wait. Late last spring, Pine State Biscuits caught the attention of the Food Network, which stopped in and taped a segment for its nationally televised program.

“After it aired, we received calls from people wanting directions from the airport,” Atchley said. “This included flight attendants coming by on a layover to pick up food for the entire crew. Also, many out-of-state vacationers tell us that they chart their route based on a stop at our restaurant.”

The home-cooked quality keeps the crowds coming – even if the restaurant only has four tables. It has a smattering of chairs and a request for diners to bus their own tables. “The city only allows us 15 seats, because it’s based on our square footage,” he explained. “But there’s a pretty park down the road, and a few tables out front. In the mornings, the tavern next door lets our customers use its outside picnic benches.”

What about vegetarians? Atchley said that if asked, they prepare collard greens without a ham hock. “Our hash browns, covered in cheese and mushrooms, are suitable for vegetarians, and we can cover biscuits in our mushroom gravy instead of sausage gravy.”

For those who didn’t get quite enough, there’s a special chocolate candy bar, the Raleigh Bar, made especially for the restaurant, which tastes like a pecan Snickers bar.

Naturally, it comes in a bacon-infused version too.

For more information:

Pine State Biscuits

www.pinestatebiscuits.com

Deston can be reached at: Deston@globalfoodie.com.

THE TAVERN, THE VALLEY, AND THE BIRD AND BOTTLE

Dinner at the Tavern at the Highlands Country Club or at its sister restaurant, the Valley, as the sunset folds down over the mountains and river, is a sublime conclusion to a day in the Hudson Highlands. Both have accolades from The New York Times and Esquire, and a number of food magazines.

Several miles away The Bird and Bottle, a restored stagecoach inn, built in 1761, hugs the side of the lane on a wooded section of the Old Albany Post Road. Perhaps because we stayed there while attending the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, the inn reminded me of small hostelries in England. I was especially drawn in by the18^th century décor, the wide planked floors, and the rambling hallways. The Bird and Bottle, whose new chef Douglas Gardner is a graduate of the French Culinary School and a devotee of Chef Jacques Pepin, just received a Wine Spectator Award.

All three restaurants are in the midst of hiking and biking opportunities because a ten mile or so swath of the Appalachian Mountains crosses the Hudson River in this area. In addition to the Shakespeare Festival at Boscobel, the Storm King Art Center, the Dia-Beacon Museum, the Russell Wright Design Center, and the village of Cold Spring, with its many smart shops and cafes, are close by.

On a recent summer evening we chose to eat dinner on the covered porch of the Tavern. The farm to table philosophy came to life as we read the menu and saw the long list of local farms that supply baby lettuce, cucumbers, beans, spinach, squash, pork, beef, and other items.

Chef Eric Gabrybiwicz, who left a job as sous chef at the Union Square Cafe, has been inspired by New York ethnic recipes and by his Italian grandmother. The subtle spices, along with the flavors of fresh meat and produce from the surrounding area, were noticeable in the dishes we chose: Soup with Jerusalem Artichokes, Tavern Pasta with Bucatini, Meiller’s Farm Beef Ragu, and crispy homemade Crostino. Each time at dish was brought to the table, the attentive staff explained where the ingredients for each dish came from and how it was made.

Our desserts were a combination of city and country: Fudge Brownie Sundae with Cayenne Ganache and Pear Crisp a la Mode. The fresh pears from a local orchard and ice cream made at a nearby dairy farm blended together into a heavenly sweetness. Their extensive wine list had a variety of red and white California and New York wines to choose from, and the ales, lagers, and other beers came from the popular Brooklyn Brewery and other spots in New York.

See www.highlandscountryclub.net/tavern. for hours, days closed, and Sunday family dinners at the Tavern.

The dining room at the slightly more formal Valley, three miles away and also on the east side of the river, has an enormous wall-sized window that gives a panoramic view of the Hudson as it winds its way through the mountains and makes a turn. In late October the vegetables, fruit and meat seemed just as fresh as those in summer, proof that co-chefs Brandon Collins and Vin Morcarski make sure there is no lag between the picking of food and its arrival at the restaurant.

Chef Collins says that the fish comes from all over the world. It is brought to the restaurant by F. Rozzo and Sons or Litchfield Farms, which is a completely sustainable company. They often have snapper, john dory, lobster, prawns, or tuna. Accompaniments are often delicate squash, brussels sprouts, baby beets, celery root, baby fennel, risotto, and different varieties of potatoes.

Because of the way the flavors of the fish and vegetables seemed to mix with mellow spices, my favorites on the menu were the Chilled Potato and Leek Soup, the entrée of Grilled Scallops with pea leaves, cauliflower, and scallop jus. Guests at the next table were raving about the Duck Breast with pomegranate glaze, fingerling potatoes, and spinach.

Chip Allemann, General Manager of The Garrison and Highlands Country Club, says chefs at both the Tavern and the Valley work closely with local farmers, and that the Garrison’s own farm is a model for Glynwood www.glynwood.org, an advocacy group that helps communities save farms.

See The Valley on www.thegarrison.com/inn. Check out the rooms at the Garrison. They are modern and bright, and many have views of the rolling green lawns, the forest covered hills, and the Hudson River.

The dining rooms at the Bird and Bottle, with its colonial furniture, low ceilings, and light flickering against the windows, have an intimate feel. We ate there on a Thursday, when tavern-inspired fare is served, and the fixed priced menu is $17.61. Executive Chef Douglas Garner calls it informal compared to nights designated as “fine dining.” Yet tables were set with linen clothes, the service was attentive, and had I not been reminded of the theme because of a few entrée choices like the Bistro Burger with Caribbean Jerk or the Quesadilla du Jour, I would have assumed we were there on one of the “fine dining nights.”

The tomato, broth, and spices melded together so smoothly in the Pasta with Salmon and Sauce de Jour, a perfect match for a salad with local blueberries and mango vinaigrette. For dessert our table shared, and raved over, Summer Trifle with layers of pound cake and various fruits, and a special order Warm Chocolate Cake topped with Mexican chocolate sauce and enhanced with Kahlua. Chef Doug stresses that every dish from the kitchen is made from scratch, including the pastas, chutneys, marmalades, and breads, and that he does not use a freezer.

Also, he emphasizes that every dish is individually cooked for the diner. “I don’t cut salmon for an entrée until the appetizer is done, so that everything is fresh and hot when it reaches the table.”

He really enjoys cooking with seafood because, he says, “it gives me a chance to be creative.” However, he is equally at home with Duck Confit, a centuries’ old French dish which is made with the leg of a duck. Duck Confit, he says, “will never leave the menu. It’s a signature dish and guests count on it being there. Actually, the preparation is quite an involved process. We marinate the duck from Sunday to Thursday. Then each piece is ready to be cooked individually in its own juices, and the flavors deepen.”

Constant change and discovery seem to be his motto, and he enjoys experimenting and shifting dishes around so that no menu is the same. “It’s an international tour for the staff every week. One week it’s a new Jamaican dish, another week a Greek, French, or Italian one. In fact, menus for the special Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day dinners are all different.

Owner Elaine Margolis says that one of the smallest dining rooms is often requested for proposals, and that the chef will pamper the couple, and will make special arrangements for food and wine. This year the Bird and Bottle received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its well chosen, quality wine list that matched the menus thematically.

At the Bird and Bottle we parked our car for the night and enjoyed being pulled back in time. We stayed in one of the three upstairs bedrooms, and had small porch overlooking the front lane. There is also a separate cottage.

Spring, summer, and fall the views, the ambience, and the multitude of fine choices make for a pleasurable evening at any of the three above restaurants.

PLEASE NOTE: On the map The Hudson Highlands is the area between the Beacon-Newburgh Bridge to the north, the Bear Mountain Bridge to the south, I-87 to the west and the Taconic Parkway to the east.

TAKE HEED: Hudson Valley tourist sites and restaurants are sometimes closed in the middle of the week, so check such details on the web as you plan the trip. When this article went to press, The Tavern www.highlandscountryclub.net was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. The Valley www.thegarrison.com/dining was open for dinners on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and for Sunday Brunch www.thegarrison.com/dining; and the Bird and Bottle www.thebirdandbottleinn.com was open for dinner from Thursday through Sunday, and served both Sunday brunch and dinner.