Washington’s Wild Blackberries

August 13, 2012December 9, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 7 Comments

I’m still learning a thing or two about our new stomping grounds in the Pacific Northwest. Just yesterday I ran across a humorous article on NPR that highlighted the joys of wild blackberries to the local newcomer. You Can Never Have Too Many Blackberries by Deena Prichep was absolutely spot on. Longtime locals learn the loathe the thorny ‘weed’ bushes while newcomers recoil at the prospect of cutting them back since they, ahem, give you berries.

A month or so ago we noticed young berries growing in an uncultivated lot nearby. Over the next couple of weeks the fruity nubs of the prickly bushes ripened into a seemingly infinite supply of supple blackberries. We have been taking full advantage of the free supply.

Tonight we went out on our second berry picking adventure. Our previous collection of berries went to my first canning venture where I made a delicious batch of Wild Blackberry Jam. We gathered as many blackberries as we could, unsure of exactly what five cups looked like, visually. After that experience, it was pretty clear that once you’ve got a colander full of blackberries and arm striped with scratches, you’ve got supply enough for a big batch of Blackberry Jam.

Of the eight jars of Jam made, we’ve finished nearly two and were all too happy to send four jars off to family in Oklahoma City.

Deena found some unique recipes calling for blackberries. Unfortunately, during this first trimester of pregnancy I’ve been an incredibly picky eater. The nearly constant nausea has me wincing at the foods I used to love, and merely thinking of vegetables and international foods makes my stomach turn. I won’t be able to try any of the blackberry recipes that Deena recommends in the near future, but we plan on freezing up an extra supply so I can try them when I get to feeling better.

Until then, I’ll be chowing down on peanut butter and wild blackberry jam sandwiches.

Twin Peaks

July 2, 2012December 9, 2012 ~ Crystle ~ 3 Comments

The weekend has finally come to a close. We just dropped off Jordan at the airport after an eventful Birthday weekend (she has just joined the ’26’ club!) in Seattle, North Bend and Bellingham. We checked out the tourist spots in the big city, visited the filming locations of one of our favorite shows Twin Peaks, and went whale watching in the San Juan Islands near the Canadian border.

Overall, and I think Jordan might agree, the best part of the visit was our tour through North Bend and Snoqualmie Falls to check out the filming locations of David Lynch’s 1990 show, Twin Peaks. Although many of the filming locations have changed a lot over the years, a few remained seemingly unchanged.

Stopping off at Twede’s Cafe, or the RR Cafe in the series, we had burgers and topped it off with cherry pie and a ‘damn good cup of coffee’. The original interior of the restaurant was damaged in an arson-related fire in 2000. Now the interior decor channels more of a classic 50’s style. Even though it was rebuilt, the interior maintained a layout true to that in the Twin Peaks series.

While we were hunting down the rural location of the ‘Welcome to Twin Peaks’ sign (which obviously doesn’t exist), we found Ronette’s bridge. Since 1990, the railroad tracks on the bridge have been removed. It now serves local runners and cyclists as a trail into the adjacent woods. The river below was no doubt the one used in many stock shots in the series, usually for credits. With the flowing river below, and the thick woods adjacent, this spot couldn’t have been more peaceful.

The mill and Sheriff’s station were the most difficult locations to find even though they were on the same property. Their appearance has changed a bit since 1990, but they’re still quite recognizable.

The exterior of the Great Northern Hotel has changed little, except that in reality it’s called the Salish Lodge and Spa. With the weather unremitting, it was difficult to get a clear photo of the lodge and the falls.

The cool weather also prompted the clouds to hang low enough to obscure the peaks of the mountains. Which is why my Twin Peaks intro photo looks a little bit askew. The area was also a bit overgrown, and now had a cement barricade on the shoulder of the road. Why I expected the site to be identical to it’s 1990 appearance? I have no idea. Wishful thinking, I suppose.

Finding all these locations would had been nearly impossible without the map we purchased at Twede’s Cafe. I highly recommend stopping off there first if ever you find yourself on a Twin Peaks Tour. They seem to get a lot of Twin Peaks fans stopping in, we were just a few.

Saturday Brunch featuring Soyrizo Frittata

June 23, 2012July 22, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 10 Comments

I’m probably not the only Washingtonian wondering why the weather stays sunny and dry during the week, then rains like crazy on the weekends. Well, it does. So it’s a good thing my husband and I went for our weekly long distance run yesterday, when the rain wasn’t as heavy. For some insane reason, he wants to run a marathon. I’m trying to be a supportive running partner, but because I’m only half-crazy, I have no desire to run any further than a half-marathon. This is about the biggest problem we have at the six month mark into our marriage. Another concern is that I’m constantly cooking him vegetarian meals. Most of the time he doesn’t notice, but occasionally he “needs” a meal with red meat. Today’s brunch was one of those occasions, faked.

While the rain beat down outside, I whipped up my favorite Mexican inspired frittata. And let me preface the meal description with this: I may have dropped my Mexican maiden name, but that in no way means I’ve abandoned my Mexican ways. I still love chorizo and eggs. That will never change.

Instead of the traditional pork based sausage, I use soyrizo, a brilliant and delicious substitute. I like Trader Joe’s take on Soyrizo, but there are other options.

For this recipe, which is adapted from a master recipe formula by Pam Anderson, you’ll need the following:

8 large eggs
1/4 cup goat cheese (or feta, queso fresco, parmesan etc.)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 heaping handful of arugula
1 1/2 cups of Soyrizo, or half of the included package
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cracked pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
1 cup halved plum tomatoes to garnish

Move your oven rack to the highest position in the oven. Turn oven on to broil (set to high if the setting is available).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cheese and salt & pepper. Mix evenly.

Turn the stove to medium-high and coat the oven safe cast iron pan with the olive oil. When it’s glistening, add the chopped onions, arugula, minced garlic and Soyrizo. Cook until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Then turn the heat down to medium and make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed across the pan. Add the egg mixture. Once the eggs start to set around the edges, place cast iron pan in the oven.

Broil the dish for 3-5 minutes, until the surface is lightly golden brown. Let it sit for 5 minutes to cool then garnish with tomatoes and arugula. Serve and enjoy!

Also, if you haven’t picked up Pam Anderson’s Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals, you should! It’s my cookbook bible.