Red Wine & Chocolate events can also be found on the Olympic Peninsula, Spokane, Columbia Cascades, and Bainbridge Island.  Whichever event you choose, wine tasting from premier and boutique wineries with gourmet chocolates, hors d’oeuvres and memorable experiences will greet you.

If you’ve ever wondered how to best pair wine with chocolate, you probably know it can be a bit tricky.  To assist our readers, the winemaking experts of the Yakima Valley have offered us 7 valuable pairing techniques.  They know their wines intimately and have been concocting the perfect pairings since the first grapes were crushed.  Here are their experienced recommendations:

1).  Beginners luck – The easiest method for a successful pairing is to select chocolates that contain berries, dried fruit or nuts.

2).  Let it melt – Taste the chocolate and allow it to melt on your tongue just prior to sipping wine.

3).  Tannins don’t mix – Avoid wines and chocolates that are overly tannic in nature, which compete with each other and result in a muddled and flat combination.

4).  Salted combinations – Buttery or sweet whites pair exceptionally well with salted milk chocolate.

5).  Savory and smooth – Wines with savory notes, such as smoke, wood or meaty qualities, are outstanding when paired with chocolate with a smooth texture and similar savory notes, such as leather, cheese or smoke.

6).  Bold similarities – Bold, full-bodied wines pair very well with chocolates that are hearty and rustic in texture with a similarly pronounced flavor.

7).  Two of a kind – Wines or chocolate with similarly distinct notes, such as black pepper, can be mutually enhanced when paired together.

Wine plays a crucial role at Katya’s Restaurant & Wine Bar, where a broad spectrum of tastes meld with an intimate dining experience

Katya’s Restaurant & Wine Bar is located at 430 George Washington Way in Richland, WA (see below for hours)

KATYA’S OFFERS a very European dining twist: stay as long as you like. Owners Jim and Maryna Hartley want guests to have a great dining experience and that may mean that guests arrive at 5pm and leave at 9:30pm.  Enjoy each other, talk to the staff, talk to the people at the next table.  As long as you’re having fun, please stay.

THE SIMPLE PLEASURES

Maryna is from the Ukraine, where she and Jim met while he was working at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. “Life is simpler there,” says Jim.  “It may be because people don’t have as much as we do, but the simple pleasures mean more. They have a passion for life not normally experienced here.  We wanted to bring that kind of feeling to our restaurant.”

Relationships are what drive the Hartley’s.  “It’s not about what I get out of this,” explains Maryna.  “I look at it as how can I help someone who has come into the restaurant.  How can we turn a bad day into a good day?  How can we help them have a wonderful evening?”

They check in with diners during their meal to get to know them and make sure things are going well.  “We listen to our customers,” says Jim.  “If they make a suggestion, they may see the change next time they come in, and that means something to them.  Our chef, Fabricio Mengarelli, takes a very personal interest in this restaurant.  He wants everything to be right.”

WINE AFICIONADOS

Wine plays an important role at Katya’s.  Jim Hartley has always taken a keen interest in wine, pulling out all the stops to bring his patrons the best wines the region has to offer in terms of quality, range and value.  With roughly 220 different wines to choose from, Katya’s holds the record for the largest regional wine selection in Eastern Washington.

“We definitely wanted Katya’s to be wine-centric and one of the first things we did was create our list with wines from Woodinville to Walla Walla, the Columbia Gorge and Oregon,” explains Hartley.  If a customer has a favorite non-Northwest wine, they try to accommodate and add it to the list, which explains the occasional New Mexican sparkling wine or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Since opening in 2005, they’ve gradually added more Riedel glasses, starting with generic white, then Bordeaux, Oregon Pinot Noir and New World Chardonnay.  Guests are always offered the option to decant, or use the popular Vinturi or other wine aerator.

“When I pour a glass of wine from a guest’s bottle, I never pour more than three ounces,” says Hartley.  “If there’s less in the glass, they’ll swirl it around which helps it aerate.”  For guests who feel a little intimidated making wine choices, the staff is happy to help them find the perfect wine for their meal.

WINEMAKER DINNERS

Monthly wine dinners are held from the end of January through the end of May and feature regional wineries of interest to Katya’s guests, many of whom belong to their dining club.

Chef Mengarelli and Hartley work together with each winemaker to create the wine dinners, which consist of a five-course meal paired with wines that complement each course.  The winemaker is on hand to mingle with guests, answer questions, and tell the stories behind the winery and the wines being poured.

“These events are a lot of fun,” says Hartley.  “We also sell the featured wines at winery prices during the evening so guests can take home wines they enjoy.”  Guests can sign up to be notified of wine dinners via email.  Coming events can also be found on the website at www.katyasrestaurant.com.

The Hartley’s and Chef Mengarelli value the relationships they’ve forged with local farmers and businesses, procuring much of their produce and meats locally.  They continue to research new connections that bring them closer to their goal of being completely local, seasonal and sustainable.

As with wine, the menu is designed to delight a broad spectrum of tastes and includes seafood, chicken, beef, lamb and pasta.  Dishes like the Patagonian rib eye steak reflect the chef’s Argentinian background, and the Borscht and Pelmeni dumplings are a nod to Maryna’s ties to her Ukrainian homeland.

Chef Mengarelli has culinary degrees from Argentina and also Spain, where he worked at several fine dining restaurants before moving to the United States.  Most recently, he worked at Creek Town Café in Walla Walla before arriving at Katya’s.  His passion for food and international experiences meld beautifully with the European experience Jim and Maryna have created.

Katya’s embodies the the Hartley’s motto: live life and enjoy.  The next time you visit the Tri-Cities, raise a glass and join them.

EDITOR’S NOTE:
Katya’s Restaurant & Wine Bar received the prestigious 2011 Restaurant Appreciation Award from the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers for its outstanding regional wine list.  Each year, one restaurant is selected to receive this award.

Katya’s Restaurant and Wine Bar (click link to visit their website)
From I-182 in Tri-Cities, take exit 5B-George Washington Way
430 George Washington Way, Suite 201
Richland, WA 99352
Ph: 509-946-7777

Dinner Hours: Monday-Thursday 5pm-9pm
Friday-Saturday 5pm-10pm

Plan A Party: Dining room and the veranda are available for private parties with custom or regular menu

Catering: Offsite catering available

Stay In Tri-Cities: Hampton Inn Richland is located on the Columbia River and riverfront walking trail (an easy walking distance across the parking lot from Katya’s) at 486 Bradley Blvd, Richland.  Ph: 509-943-4400

Visitor Information for Tri-Cities, Washington

Cabernet chocolate-covered cherries and handmade delicacies from Chukar Cherries pair excellently with a wide range of wines, making them the perfect match for any festive occasion

Click here to view this feature article as it appeared in the pages of the Winter 2010/2011 issue.

FOR CHUKAR CHERRIES founder and CEO Pamela Montgomery, success hasn’t always tasted sweet.  But that never deterred this down-to-earth entrepreneur whose natural gift for pleasing people’s palates includes the invention of the wildly popular Cabernet Cherries, a Cabernet-flavored dark chocolate coated lavishly around a dried cherry, producing a richly balanced mouthful of sweet and tart.  Best of all, it goes fabulously with red wine.

Chukar’s roots began in the 1980’s when Montgomery borrowed a friend’s vegetable dehydrator to try her hand at making dried cherries to put to good use the unpicked fruit from her struggling cherry orchard.  It was pure innovation.  Nobody else at that time had yet introduced dried sweet cherries to a growing generation of healthy-food minded consumers, and word slowly spread about her crimson-colored natural snacks.

Montgomery spent months researching and refining her techniques to produce the finest quality and best tasting dried cherries possible.  But it wasn’t until a visit to the famous Harrods luxury department store in London when she witnessed their line of chocolate-dipped fruits, that Montgomery was seized with the inspiration to make chocolate-covered confections from her dried sweet cherries.

Under the talented hands of Pamela and her husband JT Montgomery (affectionately nicknamed Pa Chukar by staff members), Chukar Cherries today produces fresh hand-made gourmet chocolates, delicious dried fruits and berries, nuts, preserves and spreads, and ships them worldwide to eager customers.

Chukar goodies are made using local fruits and natural ingredients—without any preservatives, sulfites, trans fat, gluten, and nothing artificial.

WINE PAIRING DIAGRAM
We’ve matched up wine pairing suggestions with the tasty edibles shown in the diagram above, however what you like to drink certainly takes precedence over our recommendations.  And don’t be shy about experimenting with favorite party and holiday beverages such as port, late harvest wines, even egg nog!

A. Cabernet Chocolate Cherries (#1 Best Seller!)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Port complement flavors of Cabernet dark chocolate with a tart cherry center.

B. Chocolate Blueberries
Merlot complements creamy white chocolate-covered dried blueberry.

C. Cherry Blossoms
Pinot Noir and Merlot complement milk and white chocolate-covered cherry.

D. Chocolate Honey Pecans
Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Syrah complement honey-baked pecan goodness covered with milk chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar.

E. Berry & Pistachio Mix
Most reds and white wines will nicely offset the dried Bing cherries, North Cove cranberries and dry-roasted pistachios.

F. Raspberry Truffle
Riesling, Pinot Gris and Viognier complement white chocolate and raspberry crystal-covered dried cranberry.

G. Cherry Apple Slices
Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc complement dehydrated Washington apple slices soaked in cherry juice, baked and topped with sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar.

H. Nuts Over Bings
Most reds and white wines go well with the mild flavors of this energy snack blend of dried Bing cherries, pistachios, cashews and almonds.

I. Cherry Pecan Caramel Corn
Try a Chardonnay, late harvest wine or egg nog with this blend of buttery caramel, honey-roasted pecans and Montmorency tart cherries.

J. Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Riesling, off-dry Gewürtztraminer, Chenin Blanc will balance this savory sauce on fish, pork or lamb and enjoy medium-heat flavors of cherry, cranberry, Dijon and Chipotle peppers.

K. Peach Cherry Salsa
Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling offset mild savory blend fruits with a dash of heat, great with corn chips or fish tacos!

L. Pike Market Box
Sampler of Cabernet, Amaretto, Milk, and Bing Chocolate Cherries. Check their website for more gift and basket ideas.

M. Classic Assortment Box of dark and milk chocolate cherries: Cabernet, Amaretto Rainier, Black Forest Truffle, Classic Milk, Cherry Rouge.

VISIT A CHUKAR CHERRIES STORE OR ORDER ONLINE

Order online at www.chukar.com

Chukar Cherries, Seattle Pike Place Market in the Main Arcade.  Ph: 206-623-8043

Chukar Factory Store, Prosser Exit 80 off I-82.  Ph: 509-786-2055

If you haven’t tried Cougar Gold cheese, you’re in for a real treat—this aged cheddar is a satisfying and versatile companion to a wealth of wines

Click here for simple recipes using Cougar Gold Cheese, featured in the Fall 2010 issue of Tasting Room Magazine.

Wine and cheese are meant to go together.  Another natural pairing, it seems, is for an academic institution with a wine education program on the magnitude of Washington State University’s to also make world-class cheese.

A HERO IN EVERY CAN

Cougar Gold hearkens back to the late 1930’s when food scientists at Washington State University (WSU) tried to figure out how to package hard cheese in cans—plastic wrap hadn’t been invented yet, and cheese at the time was sealed in wax, which was susceptible to cracking and spoilage.  When World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, the U.S. government helped fund WSU research to meet the need for more canned foods.

The main obstacle toward packaging cheese in a can was that the carbon dioxide produced by bacteria in the cheese caused the cans to bulge and even burst.  Finally, one of the professors discovered that by adding a second culture to the cheese, simply known as “WSU 19”, solved the carbon dioxide problem.  It’s also this extra culture that transforms a standard cheddar culture into the unique flavor and finish of Cougar Gold cheese.

The formula for this cheese that began in 1940 remains relatively unchanged, and it is still packaged in a sturdy, airtight can.

TASTING NOTES

Cutting off a wedge of the 30 oz. wheel shows off its strikingly rustic and non-uniform edges speckled with shiny crystals.  Considered a hard cheese, the texture is slightly crumbly, with a stippled coarseness.  The first bite reveals subtle notes of mellow crème fraiche that yield to a wave of delightful sharp tanginess (a sign of maturity from aging a year), with a hint of sour tartness that balances quickly with a flutter of sea-salt.  Unlike average cheddar, the finish evolves into a long and buttery creaminess that lingers long after the bite is gone.

WHAT TO SIP

A panel of 16 independent culinary experts concluded that Cougar Gold goes down best with Viognier, Savignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Merlot, but we would add that this is a versatile cheese when it comes to pairing wines (as many cheeses are found to be).  Drier wines and those with slightly higher acidity help cut the butter fat in the cheese and bring out harmonious flavors in both the wine and food, but we recommend trying Cougar Gold with your personal favorites.

PACK A PICNIC

Pair Cougar Gold with antipasto dishes such as salamis, cold cuts, rustic breads and crackers, and sweet fruits lower in acid like apples and grapes.  Of course, you could simply make a meal of the cheese!

FEEL GOOD CHEESE

The Creamery, on the WSU campus in Pullman, is self-funded and provides jobs for 70 college students and 11 full-time staff members.  The students gain valuable work experience in a state-of-the-art facility at the forefront of research in cheese production.  They produce 220,000 cans of Cougar Gold per year that are sold to customers worldwide.

AGING TIP

Stock up now and let the cheese age unopened in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve during a special occasion or holiday party.  With aging, the cheese becomes more flavorful, sharp, dry, and crumbly.  Your guests will be amazed at the depth of aged flavors.

WHERE TO FIND COUGAR GOLD AGED CHEDDAR

Cougar Gold is sold at the Washington State Connections Store in the Westlake Mall and in bookstores at WSU campuses in Spokane, Richland and Vancouver, and a few wineries.  Or you can order online at www.wsu.edu/creamery or phone 800-457-5442 and have it shipped directly to your door.  Cost is $18 per 30-ounce can.

Good food and local wines flow everyday at Russell’s Restaurant & Bar, a place with deep ties to a hub of wineries in nearby Woodinville

Chocolate Gateau is a chocolate-lover’s dream come true, garnished with seasonal berries, berry coulis, and crème anglaise. Photo courtesy of Creative Image Photography.

“Wine is a food group,” declares owner and head chef Russell Lowell, a true believer in the beauty of food and wine as a combination.  “Once you’ve had a glass of wine with a meal, you realize what you’re missing when it’s not included.  The trend I’m seeing is that people will have a glass or two of wine with a plate of food and skip dessert.  It’s just part of dinner.”

Chef Lowell’s connection with the wine community runs deep.  At the Woodinville Warehouse District’s Third Thursday Wine Walks, he can be found at Patterson Cellars grilling lamb to be eaten with crostini and kalamata aioli. “You have to serve exceptional food at these events because people will stick around longer if they are enjoying good food paired with the wines.”

Being a chef demands a huge amount of time and commitment, and Lowell has traveled the world cooking for a diverse clientele, among them many celebrities.  His wine stories are almost as legendary as some of the famous people he has cooked for.

For instance, the first winemaker he met in Washington State was David Lake, the Master of Wine at Columbia Winery (Lake passed away in 2009).  When Chef Lowell was catering a dinner for Nelson Mandela—who had spent 20 years in prison—he wanted to use Lake’s wine ‘Millenium’ which had been in the bottle for 20 years.  There was none to be found, so he phoned Lake, who in turn gave him every bottle he had in his personal cellar.

“We’re lucky to have these artists right here,” Lowell says.  “They give their all to produce wonderful wines.  The minute they make any money, they pour it back into their business to improve what they’re doing.”

He’s known many Woodinville winemakers from the very early days.  For eight years, he provided the food for the concerts held at Chateau Ste. Michelle, and has known their culinary director John Sarich for 30 years.  “Back then, no one was cooking raw protein, such as meats and fish, at events—it was all done in hot boxes.  I was the first to serve freshly-cooked proteins at these catered events.”

Lowell has known Greg Lill of DeLille Cellars for “forever and a day” and has been supportive of wineries like DiStefano, Facelli and JM Cellars that hit Woodinville years ago.

With ties so close to the local wineries, an average of two winemaker dinners per month are held at Russell’s and sometimes as many as four in a single month.  “We’ll keep going as long as we have something really good to share,” Lowell says.

Last year, the restaurant launched its successful Wine & Dine event—a Friday afternoon winery tour followed by dinner at Russell’s.  For a nominal fee, Butler Wine Tours will pick guests up in a roomy, leather-interior Mercedes Sprint van and take them wine tasting at several nearby wineries.  Upon returning to the restaurant for dinner, any corkage fees are waived for wines purchased during the tour.  “I’ve been amazed at what a great time people have on these tours,” says Stuart Butler, owner of Butler Transportation & Wine Tours.  “By the time guests get back to the restaurant, they’re friends. I’ve seen different groups end up having dinner together.”

Washington wines make up about half of Russell’s wine list. “I love Washington wines, but I have a few hold-out faves I have to have on my list, like Duckhorn from Napa,” Lowe says.  A few Oregon Pinot Noirs are available, as well as several New Zealand wines and a smattering of California, French and Italian wines.  Chosen for their ‘pair-ability’ with his food, prices range from $35 and up.

The restaurant and upstairs event Loft are housed inside an immaculately restored 1928 dairy barn, which exudes a warm and inviting wine-country atmosphere.  Casual wood tables, a fireplace and roomy black leather chairs lend a friendly ambiance to the dining room.

A snack and glass of wine in the bar may be all you need, but a leisurely meal and a bottle of wine is tempting.  An incredible filet mignon is priced at much less than you’ll find for the same beef at a high-end steak house.  Pan-seared sea scallops in beurre blanc have become a classic Russell’s dish.  Menu items also include pasta with sautéed prawns, a market fresh fish and a seared duck breast with roasted shallot glacé.

Serving the neighborhood and Woodinville wine visitors with breakfast, lunch and dinner, Russell’s has become the defacto late night hangout for winemakers and people in the wine industry.  At the end of the day, you never know who you might find at Russell’s, just socializing or sharing a glass of wine.  And if you’re lucky, you might just get Russell Lowell to tell a story.

Wine & Dine Tour Reservations
Butler Transportation
& Wine Tours
www.butlerseattle.com
Ph: 206-679-3158

Russell’s Dining & Bar
3305 Monte Villa Pkwy
Bothell, WA 98021
www.rdlcatering.com
Ph: 425-486-4072

Tomato-Basil Cougar Cheese Bruschetta

1 loaf Italian bread sliced to about 1/4″
Extra virgin olive oil
Cougar Gold Cheese wedges sliced to about 1-4″-1/8″
1 tomato sliced thin (about 1/8″)
Dried basil
Garlic powder
Salt (optional)
Pepper flakes (optional)

Brush one side of Italian bread slice with olive oil. Top with slice of tomato and sprinkle with dried basil, garlic powder and pepper flakes. Top with another tomato slice. Salt to taste. Top with Cougar Gold Cheese to cover bread. Toast in toaster oven set to medium/dark setting.

Variations:
Any combination of toppings may be added: green pepper, thinly sliced mushrooms or pepperoni, etc.

Note: For crispier bruschetta, toast Italian bread slices in toaster oven a few minutes before adding toppings.

Golden Stuffed Mushrooms

2 dozen mushrooms (1 1/2 inch diameter)
2 Tbsp butter
6 slices bacon
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp dry sherry
1/2 cup grated Cougar Gold cheese
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan, divided

Wash, trim and dry mushrooms thoroughly. Remove stems from caps; chop stems fine. Melt butter or margarine in skillet. Turn mushroom caps over in melted butter. Arrange caps in baking dish.

Fry bacon and remove from pan, leaving 2 tablespoons drippings. Chop bacon and return to pan with onion, chopped stems and sherry. Cook until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Stir in Cougar Gold and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Mound in caps. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Can be held up to 24 hours in refrigerator. Bake 10 minutes (20 minutes if chilled) at 400°F. Makes 24.

Hot Pepper Nachos

1 lb hamburger
1 bunch green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans (15 ounces each) refried beans
3 cups grated WSU Hot Pepper Cheese
3/4 cup mild enchilada sauce
1 cup chopped black olives
1 lb tortilla chips
1 cup sour cream
1 cup avocado dip

Brown hamburger and add white part of onions, salt and pepper. Sautee.

Spread beans in 9 x 13-inch pan. Top evenly with meat mixture. Sprinkle with WSU Hot Pepper Cheese. Pour enchilada sauce over all. Sprinkle on olives and green part of onions.

Bake uncovered at 400ºF. for 20-25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and avocado dip. 6-8 Servings

Chili con Queso Dip

Serve with tortilla chips

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion
2 cans (4oz each) green chilies, chopped and drained
2 large cloves garlic, mashed
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 lb Cougar Gold Cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup tomato juice

Saute onion, green chilies and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Reduce heat to low, add remaining ingredients except tomato juice. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted.

Add tomato juice gradually until dip is the desired consistency. Place over hot water to keep warm.

Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 3 1/4 cups of dip.

Cougar Cheese Puffs with Smoked Salmon Filling

Makes 10 servings

FOR FILLING:

6-7 ounces smoked salmon, bones removed
8 ounces softened cream cheese, regular or light
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp grated onion
2 Tbsp mayonnaise, regular or light
1 Tbsp horseradish
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

FOR PUFFS:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
4 eggs
3/4 cup grated Cougar Gold or American Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 °F

To make the filling: Place filling ingredients in a food processor or a medium bowl and blend until smooth.

To make the puffs: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter and bring to a boil over medium heat, melting the butter. Remove from heat. Add all the flour at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and begins to leave sides of pan and forms a ball. Return to medium heat and beat vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate until smooth and velvety. Add grated cheese. Pipe with a pastry bag with no tip attached (or use small teaspoon) onto baking parchment paper on cookie sheet, or a greased cookie sheet. Use about 11/2 teaspoons of batter for each puff. (This will make approximately 50 puffs.)

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Open oven door slightly, keep ajar and bake an additional 15 minutes. (This allows steam to escape from oven.) When baked, remove from oven and pierce each puff with a thin, sharp knife to let steam escape. Turn off oven; return puffs to oven for 30-45 minutes to dry out, leaving door ajar. Remove from oven; split and fill puffs with salmon filling. Puffs may be reheated briefly in a 350-degree oven to crisp before filling and serving. Servings: 10

For more Cougar Gold recipes or to order Cougar Gold cheese, click here.

Chef Tom Douglas and his wife, Jackie Cross, bring a taste of their Prosser farm to Seattle diners

PHOTO ABOVE: Iron Chef Tom Douglas and Jackie Cross, wife and business partner, around their kitchen table with Chinook Winery owners Kay Simon and Clay Mackey (left), toasting after a successful wine blending session.

Click here to preview the article from the Spring 2010 issue of Tasting Room magazine.

WITH SIX RESTAURANTS, private event space and catering operations, Tom Douglas and his wife, Jackie Cross, oversee a staff of hundreds that collectively feeds about 2,500 people each day.  They’re powerhouse managers, planners and multi-taskers, which has gotten them far in the crazy world that is the restaurant business.

But that still didn’t prepare them for the rabbits.

New ventures for Douglas and Cross usually involve the familiar territory of contractors, inspections, new plumbing, staff training and menu development.  Their latest venture, however, has proven to be a complete change of scenery with a whole new set of challenges.

After the first plantings went in at their small Prosser farm plot east of the Cascades a few years ago, neither of them had considered that the local rabbit population was going to have such a hunger for what they grew.  The critters pretty much decimated the garden that first year.  Undaunted, they installed a rabbit fence in advance of season two.  Then came a load of compost that was a little too “hot,” so it toasted many of the plants from the roots up, providing a lesson in finesse of soil management.  Finally last summer the pieces fell into place and they had the first round of good production from their latest endeavor: Prosser Farm.

The Learning Curve

Adding “farm owners” to their resume hasn’t come without a few bumps, but the learning curve is beginning to level out and this coming growing season is sure to make a bigger showing at the five restaurants in the Tom Douglas group: Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s, Palace Kitchen, Lola, and Serious Pie, plus Dahlia Bakery.

It has meant a bit of lifestyle change.  Jackie Cross has been the garden guru these first few years, making twice-weekly trips to Prosser during the height of growing season, to manage the garden care and also harvest produce for transport back to Seattle.  It meant giving up her zippy little car in exchange for a VW Touareg, large enough to haul produce and with imperative air conditioning to keep things cool in that eastern Washington heat.

The garden currently covers one-half acre at the top of the knoll rising from the banks of the Yakima River.  Last summer it supplied the restaurants with a bounty of basil, chiles, eggplant, potatoes, green beans and tomatoes, among other crops.  But that bounty goes only so far with five hungry restaurants to feed.  One trip might reap a 250-pound load of tomatoes, but Lola uses that much in a day, so the scale is far from making a sizeable dip in the produce needs of all the Douglas restaurants.

So this spring the growing operation is moving a couple hundred yards to the east, where it will occupy about 3 acres.  In the new digs, the garden will capitalize on crops that have proven best suited to this land and climate.  No more lettuces that veritably scorch in the desert heat.  Nor perhaps cucumbers, which were the picture of perfection but had an oddly bitter flavor.

But even with increased output from the larger space, Tom Douglas and Jackie Cross harbor no visions of Prosser Farms production leaving their family of restaurants.  “We spend $100,000 per year just stocking our kitchens with produce,” Douglas points out.  The farm will slowly increase the dent in supply, but it will be quite a while before the garden output exceeds the appetite of their ever-hungry diners.

Of Relishes, Chow-Chows and Moscato

With just a couple of exceptions, produce from the farm is equally shared among the restaurants.  All the eggplant goes to Lola, since that matches the Mediterranean-influenced style of the restaurant best.  And one variety of tomato they grow is a “paste” type, ideal for making the sauces for those addictive pizzas at Serious Pie.  Otherwise it’s a pretty democratic distribution, showing up in items such as Prosser Farm Summer Squash Bruschetta with Bagna Cauda, which was served at Serious Pie last summer.

They’re benefitting, too, from some old fruit trees that came with the property.  In the midst of the large lawn that spreads out from the backside of the house (where Jackie’s father and stepmother live) are two apricot trees that produced about 500 pounds of apricots each last summer.

This has them thinking ‘jam,’ so there may be a small line of custom confitures and jams coming down the line, likely to be sold only at the bakery given the small production.  And Douglas is interested in creating some savory items as well, perhaps a few relishes and chow-chows.

The soon-to-be-vacated site of the original garden will likely be transformed into a small vineyard growing Moscato grapes.  The intention is to craft a slightly sweet effervescent after-dinner wine, Moscato de Prosser, surely with the help of close friends and Prosser neighbors Kay Simon and Clay Mackey, owners of Chinook Winery.

Douglas shrugs off the notion that what they’re doing with Prosser Farm is a prime example of farm-to-table dining.  “What we’re doing is not ideal in the farm-to-table context,” Tom says.  “Ideally that means literally a table at the farm, right there.  It may be something we pursue down the line.”

For now, members of their wine club and staff have had occasion to visit the farm, cook together and eat there.  It has already proven a setting conducive for people to gather and celebrate the pleasures of eating food right at the source.

Given their learning curves (those darn rabbits!), logging many miles of transport time and hours devoted to tending the garden, I ask if there have been any regrets about tackling the new farm in addition to their already-full plates.

“Absolutely not,” Cross quickly replies.  “I love being over there.”  Those cross-Cascade trips give her an opportunity to visit her father, and often her sister, too, who lives in the area and works as tasting room manager at Kiona winery on nearby Red Mountain.  And as the garden grows, they’ll bring on a fulltime gardener and her load will lessen a bit.

So clearly this new garden business that Tom Douglas and Jackie Cross have undertaken serves up a whole host of positives for them, from pragmatic budget considerations to the more visceral pleasure of the process.  Cultivating, nurturing, sustaining. The couple has been doing so for two decades now, by way of the dining experiences we have in their restaurants.

Perhaps, then, it’s little surprise that they’re now cultivating their own garden to add a little more richness—and farm-fresh flavor—to those experiences.

Washington Tasting Room Magazine is proud to be a Patron Sponsor of Taste Washington! Spokane 2010.  This event is produced by the Washington Wine Commission.

Washington Tasting Room Magazine is proud to be a sponsor of the Taste Washington! Seattle 2010 event.  This event is produced by the Washington Wine Commission.