Beacon Magazine – Spring 2024

The Beacon

CAN YOU DIG IT

Foraging for mushrooms is in

Spring 2024

BOOK NOOKS Little Free Libraries are popping up all over

DELIVERED TO YOU

Bringing meals to those in need

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Welcome to The Beacon Magazine

We kick off the first of our three magazines this year with a couple of stories we think you’ll really dig into. More on that later.

First, I had a lot of fun – although I’m not sure that’s the correct way of putting it – reporting on a Snohomish County Jail program that attempts to reduce recidivism. It’s called IN2WORK, and it helps inmates interested in restaurant work to advance toward a certificate to use after they are released.

The two people I contacted for the story – both employees who supervise in the jail’s kitchen – were extremely helpful in providing information for the story

But what was missing was an interview with an inmate.

After taking some pictures in the kitchen – but not of any inmates, there was paperwork and permissions involved – I was taken to Bureau Chief of Corrections Alonzo Downing’s office. He heard my request, grabbed the phone, and an inmate

www.mukilteobeacon.com

www.edmondsbeacon.com

www.millcreekbeacon.com

scheduled to graduate the following week was brought down to the kitchen.

After questions and photos, there was enough for a complete story. We hope you enjoy reading it.

If you’re a regular reader of The Beacon Magazine, you know we always have something on the menu for foodies. For this issue, Maria A. Montalvo digs into mushrooms and conducted plenty of research on where to get your fill of breweries and distilleries in the area.

We also spotlight a Meals on Wheels driver and a Camano Island artist, and offer our selection of some of the many Little Free Libraries in south Snohomish County.

Is there a story you think might be interesting? Feel free to send me an email.

Brian Soergel

Beacon Publishing Managing Editor and Edmonds Beacon Editor Brian Soergel traipsed around south Snohomish County to check out Little Free Libraries. “I’ve found some great reading material over the years through these neighborhood libraries,” he said. “One of these days I’m going to donate some of my many books into as many as I can.”

David Pan

Mukilteo Beacon Editor David Pan spent some time with a Meals on Wheels driver to get a glimpse of how the program helps the vulnerable. “I was glad to meet Meals on Wheels volunteer Bill DeBell and join him as he delivered food to his clients,” he said. “Bill was just as I imagined he would be – a kind, soft-spoken gentleman who cares about people and making a difference in the community. Bill recently retired and was looking for a way to stay active. I think he’s found his calling as a volunteer helping people.”

Maria A. Montalvo

Maria is a longtime contributor to Beacon Publishing who wrote two stories for the spring issue. They center on beer houses and distilleries, as well as mushrooms. “It is a lot of fun to discover and tell stories about how passions drive us,” she said. “What makes someone tromp around in the snow searching for a tiny mushroom or teach themselves chemistry so they can distill a great gin? These stories of our neighbors reflect so much of what makes south Snohomish County special.”

No longer in the dark

Mushroom foragers have the perfect setting in our mild and frequently damp climate. A member of PCC’s produce department and a city councilmember are among those enamored by the culinary staple.

Artist’s Corner

Camano Island artist Shogo Ota is a master of creating large murals, two of which are prominently displayed in south Snohomish County. His clients include Starbucks and the Seattle Kraken, and he’s been referred to as a “stylistic chameleon.”

Providing opportunities ......................................................

About the Cover

Many varities and species of mushrooms grow wild in western Washington. Some, such as the chanterelle, are of the edible variety.

– Pixabay/sork photo

The Snohomish County Jail has partnered with Aramark food services to provide inmates an opportunity to participate in a kitchen and food safety program. It’s an attempt to reduce recidivism while giving graduates a job after release.

That’s the spirit

There are plenty of locations where you can drink artisan beer or your favorite indie spirits. No longer are there just a handful to choose from. We provide a guide for your drinking pleasure.

Season to Taste

Chef Dom from Table for 12 returns with a mushroom favorite.

A Day in the Life

Steve DeBell found himself recently retired and looking for something to do. He found it with Meals on Wheels, and discovered it benefits not only those he serves but himself as well.

Little Free Libraries

Got a book or two you’ve read and don’t know what to do with? Looking to declutter? Consider the wildly successful Little Free Library program, which has taken off in Snohomish County with some interesting design concepts.

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Come On In Spring 2024

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amongus

Breaking the mold: Mushrooms are hot in the PNW

Morels are one of the most sought after fungi for the kitchen. Known for their complex honeycombed caps and hollow insides, they are hard to miss.

There are five varieties of morels: The half-free or early morel, black morel, yellow/tan morel, white morel, and the false morel.

The morel mushroom, no matter the variety, should always be cooked.

Photo courtesy Sarah Westbrook

By Maria A. Montalvo and Brian Soergel

Mushrooms are everywhere in the Pacific Northwest, even right here in south Snohomish County, but you might never notice them unless you pause and look.

Mushroom foragers are also everywhere, but you might not know them unless you think to ask. Every fall, the foraging season tempts swaths of Washington mushroom hopefuls to the forests in search of fungi, but mushrooms also thrive in spring. “You can take all day to hike and search on a beautiful, dark day in the woods,” said Randall Skrasek, a member of the PCC Edmonds produce department.

“When you start to find them, seeing gold mushrooms popping out of a burned-out stump or a yellowfoot chanterelle in the snow, you will go back.” Many a mushroom forager might not remember a time in their lives when they did not venture into the cool, damp Puget Sound weather to search the forests for those tiny, delectable treats we call wild mushrooms.

Others discover foraging on their own, perhaps after enough hikes in the beautiful Cascade Mountains and seeing other hikers leaving with baskets of colorful mushrooms.

Edmonds City Councilmember Susan Paine is one of those longtime foragers, with memories of going out with her dad and sisters nearly every weekend.

“Dad was always a forager,” said Paine. “He grew up going mushroom picking in New England with his mother.” When Paine’s father moved to the Pacific Northwest he went looking for “fungus people” and became an early member of the Puget Sound Mycological Society (PSMS). Paine took her kids out foraging, as well. “It is what we do – going out into the forest and looking for the bright orange and gold.” Skrasek similarly speaks of foraging as a way to be in nature. He began his relationship with forest fungi during long camping trips, talking to everyone he could find who knew about these mysterious and often delicious edibles.

He fondly remembers a general store owner from southwestern Washington who gave him much of his foraging knowledge. “This general store mushroom dude knew all there was to know about foraging. He taught me how to identify mushrooms, how to cut them – just above ground level –using a sharp knife to keep them separated from each other.”

Foraging in Washington is an adventure in and of itself. You can forage at low and high elevations, coastal areas or lower forests, dense woodlands, and recovering forest fire areas. What you find changes with elevation and environment.

Morels are perennials and can even show up in the first year after a burn, while cauliflower mushrooms can be found in a decaying stump.

Spring brings oyster mushrooms near older trees. Many of us have heard of Lion’s or Shaggy Mane (cook up just like crab), but how about Turkey Tails, Bear’s Tooth, or Puff Balls?

Mushrooms have many uses

All of the many varieties of mushrooms have a number of uses, including medicinal, but of course, creating a delicious meal is at the top of the list.

Both Paine and Skrasek shared favorite recipes. Mushrooms can be shredded like meat or separated into noodles, as well as sliced or chopped.

“Chanterelles don’t like to be dehydrated,” said Skrasek, but why would you do that since they taste beautiful sauteed with the tiniest amount of oil and salt? While he forged his own foraging path to learn about mushrooms, he recommends foraging with a buddy “to stay safe and cover more ground.”

Paine has always foraged with family and is a proud member of the nonprofit PSMS, like her dad.

The PSMS is one of the largest mushroom societies in America and highlights foraging rules and norms, with guidance on permits and volume limits. It also organizes mushroom field trips and identification classes and provides access to an extensive library of mushroom-related books.

If you want to get out there and forage a bit yourself, there are many mushroom field guides, like Steve Trudell’s “Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.”

Randall Skrasek admires a lone morel mushroom. Morels are perennials and can show up in the first year after a burn.

Photo courtesy Pixabay/jggrz

Photo courtesy Sarah Westbrook

There are risks

Plan to forage? Remember to ask a lot of questions while you’re learning. Any good mushroom forager needs to be certain of the identity of the mushroom they plan to eat. There’s this, too: The PSMS says the riskiest part of mushroom foraging is getting lost. Many of the spots where Paine and her family used to forage are gone, but there are plenty of new places to look.

“You can even find morels in the backyard,” said Paine, but she also made the point that “I know the ones that are edible and the ones that aren’t, and you may have heard the saying, ‘there are no old, bold mushroom pickers.’”

Maybe start with a lovely hike and forage for photo opportunities of mushrooms. The mushrooms are stunning when you can find them. “We live in a fantastic land,” said Skrasek, “so if you want to get out there and learn about mushrooms, get out there.”

So you want to forage for mushrooms?

If you feel an urge to hunt for wild mushrooms, western Washington has you covered (the rain helps). And now is a good time to hone your skills.

There are several well-known and respected organizations here that deal in the joy and the study of the mycological – the study of fungi. Yes, mushrooms are fungi with a plantlike form.

Where to start? You could get in touch with the nonprofit Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society, where David Ansley is president of the Bremerton-based club founded more than 50 years ago and today has more than several hundred members. Members range in age and knowledge of mushrooms. There are those interested in learning more about fungi, mushrooms, habitat, Pacific Northwest forests, and the culinary uses of mushrooms.

The club meets monthly at Olympic College in Bremerton; the public is welcome at any time. The club offers forays for club members during the two peak seasons -- in May and again in October and November. “These forays emphasize learning about habitat and identification,” said Ansley. “They draw members with a wide variety of experience and interests.”

Susan Paine’s favorite recipe: Wild Mushroom & Gruyere Tart – puff pastry topped with herbed ricotta, fresh sauteed wild mushrooms (chanterelle is Susan’s preference), and gruyere cheese, best served with an herb salad.

Photo courtesy Sarah Westbrook

If you’re interested in going foraging, Ansley offers a few tips.

• Go with people who know the terrain and the mushrooms

• Take steps to avoid getting lost

• Pay close attention to the habitat and trees where you find each mushroom

• Pay close attention to each of a mushroom’s features

• Use Pacific Northwest guidebooks to aid in identification.

“If you’re looking for food, do not eat anything without an extremely solid identification from someone who truly knows,” said Ansley. “Some mushrooms are extremely poisonous.” For newcomers, Ansley recommends carrying “A Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest,” by Daniel Winkler, and “All That the Rain Promises, and More,” by David Arora.

Here is more information to get you started. All of the organizations listed here have plenty of photos, tips, identification tips, and much more.

Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society

Membership is $25. It’s the same price for a family. Benefits include a monthly newsletter, book discounts, and invitations to overnight morel forays in the spring and fall day-trip forays to find chanterelles, cauliflower mushrooms, chicken of the woods, and even the occasional matsutake.

Kitsapmushrooms.org

Snohomish County Mycological Society

The nonprofit organization, founded in 1971, has an

wines. finds. fun.

an intriguing recipe selection, including Chicken With Morels, Evelyn Bryant’s Pickled Chanterelles, Chanterelle Omelette, and Cauliflower Mushroom Soup. Scmsfungi.org

Whidbey Wild Mushroom Tours

Based in Langley, the organization has public group tours for individuals and small groups who would rather have a more social experience. Foragers will get crash courses in identifying mushrooms and heading out into the forest. Private tours are offered during the week and on Sundays year-round and on Saturdays that are not scheduled for public tours.

Randall Skrasek’s bounty of porcini for his favorite recipe: Fresh Porcini Carpaccio – fresh raw porcini, thinly sliced and drizzled with garlic olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, fresh parmesan, and Italian parsley.

Tours are led by Travis Furlanic. “You will also learn to identify various trees and shrubs, an important component to mushroom foraging and identification,” according to the organization’s website. You’ll learn about the various edible, medicinal, and useful plants that are native to the Pacific Northwest. How to cook, use, and store your harvest. Responsible harvesting practices.

Public tours are $75. Private tours for up to four are

Puget Sound Mycological Society

The organization, with more than 2,400 members, is one of the largest mycological societies in the country. It has meetings, classes, workshops, and field trips (five in

Members meet in campgrounds in the Cascades or the Olympic Peninsula. The areas are chosen for likely edible mushroom activity; a “Master Identifier” is available to

It welcomes new members throughout the year, from the enthusiast to the experienced. Membership is $30 a year, $20 for students, and includes discounts on recipes and field guides.

Meetings are held September through June at the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle. www.psms.org/index.php n

Photo courtesy Sarah Westbrook

Artist's Corner - Shogo Ota, Camano Island

AArtist bio: A stylistic chameleon

lthough Shogo Ota hails from Japan, he has called the Pacific Northwest home for more than a decade. After graduating with a bachelor’s in fine arts from the University of Idaho, Ota landed at Modern Dog Design Co. in Seattle.

He established Tireman Studio in 2012. His resume is impressive, counting clients like Starbucks; Seattle Kraken; Swedish clothing store Fjallraven; Japanese-inspired Snow Peak outdoor gear – creating everything from painted murals to branding projects.

Ota, who lives on Camano Island, is of-

ten referred to as a “stylistic chameleon.”

Among his works is one at Tapped Mill Creek. He got permission to paint a large mural after he and the owner shared thoughts on a former buffalo farm in Mill Creek.

“We decided to use the big buffalo to represent the location of Tapped and the history of the area.

“It’s one of my favorite murals I’ve done recently. A lot of people liked it and sent me great messages.”

He’s also created a mural in Edmonds. Those interested in working with Ota for branding, murals, or custom art and design can contact shogo@tiremanstudio.com.

Photos courtesy Shogo Ota

Jail program gives graduates a path forward

By Brian Soergel

ravis Tomczak has had several run-ins with law enforcement in Snohomish County. But the 43-year-old hopes his latest stay at the Snohomish County Jail will lead to something productive. Something that will keep him from returning. “I don’t want to come back here,” he said. “I want to do something productive with my time and learn a new skill.”

Tomczak has a chance with his certificate from IN2WORK, a nationwide program sponsored by Aramark food services that allows inmates to enroll in a kitchen and food safety certification program. Tomczak graduated Jan. 25. He is the perfect candidate for success. But whether he succeeds will be up to him. Many who take the 10-week program focusing on reducing recidivism and preparing inmates for a successful post-incarceration journey don’t make it.

Tomczak, speaking from the jail’s kitchen, says those who succeed put their all into it. He said he read a workbook three times and took on any task given.

“Nothing was too big or too small.”

Graduates can apply for a scholarship after being released from jail.

Tom Ayson, a lead cook supervisor at the jail for 21 years and an Aramark employee, said Tomczak passed his final test with a 90% score; 70% is passing. Ayson, 71, has seen all types of inmates come through the IN2WORK program. Some take to it. Some can’t get through the book work and written tests.

But for those who do put in the work and graduate, a whole new world could open up after being released. After that, it’s up to them. “This gives inmates a second chance,” said Ayson, a former restaurant manager at Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. He taught eight classes in 2023.

“You might have some who have never had a job. We’re giving them a skill set to go out there and accomplish something.” Graduates of the kitchen and safety course requirements receive a ServSafe certificate good for five years that can open the door to a new career in the food industry.

Bureau Chief of Corrections Alonzo Downing said he hopes to provide more thorough records of graduating inmates to see how the program is working. For now, he said he’s pleased. “They can walk out of here with something under their belts,” he said. “It’s good for them, and it’s good for the community.”

Ray Roldan, Snohomish County Jail food services director and Aramark employee, reviews applications from inmates who express interest in IN2WORK’s program, which distributes pamphlets and posters throughout the jail. He forwards them to Downing to determine if they have behavioral issues or other circumstances that could be disqualifying.

Roldan, 52, who has more than 30 years of food service experience, emphasizes the program’s core competency: food safety, which includes proper temperatures, avoiding contamination, and correctly following recipes. “They learn the cooking process and use what they’ve learned in the kitchen. Everything in the kitchen is cooked from scratch.”

Photo courtesy IN2WORK

Roldan said he has received calls from former inmates who shared their gratitude that IN2WORK provided them with a career. Two former graduates are now sous chefs. “It’s satisfying to know that you’ve helped somebody when they get out and find work. Some of these guys who come here would have experience. They can build on the experience, get that certification and into management.”

The vocational program for men and women started in Everett in 2022.

Nicole McVaugh, IN2WORK director for Aramark in Philadelphia, said the nationwide program has graduated more than 11,000 inmates, including 2,519 in 2023; 238 graduates were hired at Aramark or other “fair chance” employers.

“Our goal at Aramark Corrections is to reduce recidivism, break that cycle of incarceration through education and employment,” said McVaugh. IN2WORK offers training, certification, internships, and scholarships to graduates. It continues to support them after being released from jail.

“As a commissary provider, we’re really able to do that through our classroom and hands-on training into our program. We take a phased approach to learning. So we combine classroom training, and students have a workbook.  So they’re really diving into all the topics that are really focused on food safety.”

Inmates learn about food temperature and food safety through its Fresh & Fresh Favorites program. “They are doing this every day while working, or while they’re training in our Aramark kitchen. They get their hands-on training alongside our Aramark-certified professionals, who can help build their confidence and competence around food safety, food service operations, and hospitality in general.”

Who is eligible?

“We partner closely with the team in Snohomish County to make sure we have the right peo-

Travis Tomczak stirs a large pot of rice in preparation for the evening meal at the Snohomish County Jail.

Photo by Brian Soergel

ple in the program,” said McVaugh. “We want them to want to be in the program, to be successful at food service, but we also want them to have the right amount of time left so they’re leaving with that certification.”

Aramark has several lines of business where graduates can apply, such as healthcare, sports locations – including professional venues in Seattle like Lumen Field – colleges and universities, and large-scale business dining, such as the Seattle Convention Center. The course is taught by the county’s jail’s on-site Aramark food team, and individuals accepted into the program have the opportunity to complete all the necessary training and education requirements prior to their release.

Once students complete the kitchen and food safety course requirements, they take a final test and earn a ServSafe certificate from the National Restaurant Association. Upon release, many of the individuals who receive their certificates through Aramark’s program are later hired to work for the Aramark Corporation.

“It has been an honor to work alongside our partners with Aramark as we launch this new program inside our jail,” said Downing. “It would not have been possible without our incredible kitchen managers and their commitment and dedication to serving our inmate population.”

Tomczak said he was glad to have IN2WORK to keep him busy while in jail.

“I have high hopes.” n

Tom Ayson, left, and Ray Roldan run the IN2WORK food service program at the Snohomish County Jail.

Photo by Brian Soergel

Spirits & D

By Maria A. Montalvo

id you know that Edmonds was at the center of the bootleg trade during prohibition? Yup, small boats would pull up to the shore at Brackett’s Landing, late at night, and load crate after crate of spirits into the waiting cars and wagons.

Some of the city’s local establishments (Engel’s Pub and Daphnes) have basement storage sites where, allegedly, alcoholic beverages were still available. In other words, south Snohomish County – including Mukilteo and Mill Creek – has always liked a good drink.

Over the past few decades, the definition of a good drink has, at the very least, expanded. Most of us remember a time when there were only a handful of choices in beer or spirits. The liquor sections of stores or liquor stores themselves were much smaller. Different establishments sold beer brands based on clientele, food, and even ambiance.

You could say the trend of craft beer and spirits is a form of premiumization – motivating consumers to pay more for products – or dare I say, the gentrification of booze. When you ask brewers and distillers around here, however, they would say craft or small batch production means small businesses – run by your friends and neighbors – that focus on using local ingredients to create the highest quality product.

Industry experts say that craft brewing and small-batch distilling will continue to create new trends to remain competitive, and Washington state will continue to have a large role in that innovation. Previously overshadowed by winemakers all around us, Snohomish County is now home to some of the most innovative and creative small brewers and distillers in the region.

Many of the reasons that Washington developed its reputation as a

There’s a whole lot of brewing and distilling going on

hotbed of craft brewing have also contributed to its success in distilling locally grown grains (including historic varieties) and local ingredients for every type of beer or spirit. Washington’s renowned agricultural regions mean access to not only these grains but also botanicals and spices for gins and liqueurs, as well as clean water, to contribute to the remarkable beers and spirits being created so close to home.

What is the difference between brewing and distilling, you might ask? Well, ingredients, of course, but in the end, it all comes down to the combination of steps to the crafting process, including malting, milling, mashing, lautering, boiling, fermenting, filtering, and distilling. In both brewing and distilling, America has seen the emergence of regional styles as a result of the explosion of craft breweries and distilleries. And Washington is known for its willingness to experiment with flavors and processes.

Learning more about these and more of our fantastic Washington state distilleries and breweries is easier than you think. The Washington Distillery Trail will take you to more than 100 craft distilling locations, everywhere from rural farms to urban centers, and the vast majority are within a 75-mile radius of Seattle. Check out these two essential guides:

Washington Distillery Trail: washingtondistillery trail.com; and

Washington Brewers Guild: washingtonbeer. com/breweries

So now let’s take a little journey around Snohomish County and learn more about some of our local craft breweries and distilleries.

BREWERIES

Tapped Public House: With locations in both Mukilteo and Mill Creek, Tapped is a local favorite for sure. Their mantra is, “Connecting people and community through an exceptional food and beverage experience,” and they do that fantastically well. Whether you are there for the beer, cider, or wine or to add one of their many delicious bites, the choices are of the highest quality from local purveyors. Everyone inside seems relaxed and happy, and that means a lot of happy people because you never go into Tapped when it is not busy.

One satisfied patron said, “It is always busy like this after work, but someone will always offer you a seat and the food is as good as the beer.” Tapped has a large and dedicated following, and with every new visitor, their fans grow. When you do hospitality right – creating new experiences and consistent quality – people take notice.

Tapped Mukilteo: 10809 Mukilteo Speedway

Tapped Mill Creek: 13215 39th Ave. SE at The Shops at the Farm.

Website: tappedpublichouse.com

Diamond Knot Craft Brewing: Snohomish County’s oldest continually operating brewery (30 years), started in Mukilteo and has locations there and in Mountlake Terrace. Bob Maphet and Brian Sollenberger originally started the business as “a hobby that went wildly out of control” but ended up producing some pretty fine beers. Diamond Knot produces more than 600 barrels of beer a month these days, and their patrons are lovingly referred to as “knotheads.” You can visit their taproom and brewery, their brewpub, or their brewery and alehouse, and learn a lot about brewing good beer.

Diamond Knot Mukilteo: 621 Front St., Mukilteo

Photo courtesy of Pixabay/Zarpe77

Diamond Knot Production Brewery and Taproom (Mukilteo): 4602 Chennault Beach Road, Mukilteo

Diamond Knot Mountlake Terrace: 5602 232nd St. SW, Mountlake Terrace

Website: diamondknot.com

S

alish Sea Brewing & Boathouse: Since the first brewhouse opened in Harbor Square decades ago, Edmonds has attracted more expert brewers, and thus beer enthusiasts, to expand the town’s beer-loving reputation.

That love of beer, and community, is what brought together two Edmonds brewmasters, Jeff and Erika Barnett. They met in college and later opened their first brewery and taproom in 2013 and quickly became the local favorite for in-house brews, a selection of well-known local beers and ciders, and tasty pub food. Barnett said he is determined to offer spaces where people feel comfortable “bringing friends and family and also meeting new people, like a public house.”

Salish Sea Brewing Company: 518 Dayton St., Edmonds Boathouse Taproom: 190 W. Dayton St. in Harbor Square, Edmonds

Website: salishbrewing.com

Other breweries worth your time

• Gallaghers’ Where-U-Brew: 190 W. Dayton St. in Harbor Square, Edmonds

• Scuttlebutt Brewing Co.: 1205 Craftsman Way, #101, Everett

• Lazy Boy Brewing: 715 100th St. SE, Everett

• Hemlock State Brewing Co.: 23601 56th Ave. W, #400, Mountlake Terrace

Visit!

Hours: T, W, Th: 12-5pm Fri, Sat: 12-7pm; Sun: 1-5pm

Tel: 425-212-9135

• Audacity Brewing: 1208 10th St., #C, Snohomish

• Haywire Brewing Co.: 738 Rainier St., Snohomish

• Sound to Summit Brewing: 1830 Bickford Ave., #111, Snohomish

• Spada Farmhouse Brewing: 709 First St., Snohomish Distilleries

Scratch Distillery: Edmonds is proud of its homegrown distillery, brought to us by Kim and Bryan Karrick. This beautiful distillery and tasting room pays homage to gin and all things spirits and the art of creating spirits from scratch, with a passion for creating spirits and cocktails with finesse and care from fresh, local ingredients.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, visitors can marvel at the stunning Kothe distilling machinery imported from Germany. Sit at the bar and choose from a selection of unique cocktails or a tasting menu of their spirits.

Owner and lead distiller Kim Karrick says her biggest surprise is how much the business has expanded. “I started with the idea of making everything truly from scratch –doing our own mash, fermentation, distillation, infusions, etc., but only planned on making a base vodka that would be sold on its own and infused into two different flagship gins.”

Today, Scratch makes about 30 products – five vodkas, five gins, four whiskeys, three aquavits, eight liqueurs, apple brandy, and now rum, and a few seasonal releases that come and go. Scratch’s list of spirits continues to expand, developed from intricate combinations of botanicals, and Scratch patrons continue to wait expectantly for each new arrival.

Scratch: Salish Crossing, 190 Sunset Ave S., Edmonds

Website: scratchdistillery.com

James Bay Distillers: The craft distillery, near two runways at Paine Field, is a spirits manufacturer and exporter of super premium Canadian, Scotch and American whiskeys, gins, vodka, and finocchietto.

Co-founders Ernest and Leigh Troth select ingredients local to Everett and Mukilteo whenever possible, prefer organic ingredients and botanicals, and strive to create spirits that are the best in their category. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in September 2024, James Bay has 10 spirits rated 90-points or higher, with four “double-gold” medal winners, and one Whiskey of the Year.

James Bay Distillers: 3101 111th St. SW, #B, Everett

Skip Rock Distillers: Like Scratch, Skip Rock Distillers produces every bottle from scratch, using local ingredients wherever possible. Created in 2009 by Snohomish natives Ryan and Julie Hembree, Skip Rock Distillers quickly became a well-known brand in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. They want to make sure they purchase their ingredients from farmers who produce the highest quality crops. Skip Rock – in historic downtown Snohomish – prides itself on creating unique, nuanced, and balanced spirits, all hand-produced in small batches, ensuring optimum flavor and quality.

Skip Rock Distillers: 104 Ave. C, Snohomish

Website: skiprockdistillers.com

Bad Dog Distillery: A little further north in Arlington, David and Shelly McGlothern founded Bad Dog Distillery in 2012,  two more pioneers in bringing spirits to Snohomish County. As focused on their community as they are their distillery, they work to provide both a great product and a sense of pride and togetherness

Design-Build Remodeling and Additions

for their patrons and neighbors. The proof is in the spirit, and you can visit their distillery to prove it. To Bad Dog, “Staying local is very important to us so everything we use is from Washington state.”

Bad Dog Distillery: 19109 63rd Ave. NE, #1A, Arlington.

Website: baddogdistillery.com

Other distilleries worth your time

• Bluewater Organic Distilling: 1205 Craftsman Way, #109, Everett. Includes the Voyaging Bar, a distillery-direct mobile bar van delivering signature craft cocktails.

• Temple Distilling Company: 19231 36th Ave., #F, in Lynnwood

• Wohlfert Craft Distilling: 17236 Snohomish Ave., Snohomish

• JP Trodden Distilling: 9206 200th St. SE, Snohomish n

Photo courtesy of Scratch Distillery

Patrons in Scratch Distillery’s GINology class can create their own signature gin from dozens of homemade botanicals. The Edmonds business makes about 30 products from fresh, local ingredients.

Season to Taste

Ingredients Goat Cheese & Mushroom Tortellini

Recipe provided by

Pasta

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 large eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• A pinch of salt

Filling

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 8 oz. mushroom, sliced thin

• 4 oz. oyster mushrooms, sliced or torn

• 3 garlic cloves, pasted

• 4 oz. goat cheese

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

• 1 egg yolk

Brudo (broth)

• 1 1/2 quarts vegetable broth

• 1 parmesan rind

• 4 garlic cloves, smashed

• 3-4 thyme sprigs

• 1 onion, rough chop

• 2 carrots, rough chop

• 2 celery stalks, rough chop

• 1/4 cup dried mixed mushrooms

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Chef Dom Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and eggs until a pasta dough has formed. Cover bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.

Make the filling by preheating a saute pan over medium-high heat with olive oil.

Add mushrooms to the pan and cook until mushrooms start to turn golden, around 8-12 minutes.

Add pasted garlic to the pan and let cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat.

Remove 1/2 cup of cooked mushrooms and set aside.

Stir in goat cheese, parmesan and an egg yolk to the filling. Taste for seasoning.

Using an immersion blender, lightly blend the mushrooms to form a mushroom pate. Put filling into a pastry bag and set aside.

Knead rested pasta dough 5-6 times until you have a smooth dough and cut into 4 equal pieces. Keep the remaining pieces covered.

Roll pasta into long sheets through a pasta machine first by laminating the dough to fit the size of the pasta machine. Start from the biggest size, and run through the machine until you reach desired thinness (setting 7).

Using a biscuit cutter or ring, press into pasta dough for even tortellini shells.

Fill the center of each tortellini shell with 1 teaspoon of filling, fold the shell in half like a mini empanada, and seal the edges with a little water. To close tortellini, fold each end around your finger to create the signature tortellini shape. Hold tortellini on a sheet tray dusted with flour until ready to boil. DO NOT REFRIGERATE.

To make brudo: lightly saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Cook the vegetables until they start to become fragrant, then add in thyme, dried mixed mushrooms, vegetable broth, and parmesan rind. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes up to an hour.

Taste broth for seasoning, strain out the vegetables, and add fresh lemon juice.

Boil tortellini in salted boiling water until they float.

Remove cooked tortellini, add to strained broth and garnish with reserved mushrooms, fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, and optional parmesan cheese. Enjoy! Serves 6.

Photo courtesy of Chef Dom/Table for 12

A Day in the Life Special delivery

By David Pan

Steve DeBell needed to find something to do. Something to occupy his time. After a long career as a bookkeeper for a company operating three restaurants, the 73-year-old looked forward to a new chapter in life. But he no longer wanted the long hours crunching numbers and balancing ledgers.

After the Mountlake Terrace resident stepped down from his position in June 2022, his daughter asked him a question: What’s next? “Volunteer work,” DeBell replied. His daughter mentioned a friend who worked at Homage, a Lynnwood nonprofit providing a wide range of services for older adults and people with disabilities in Snohomish County.

Even better, she said: Homage had plenty of volunteer opportunities. DeBell was intrigued. He reached out to Homage, and a month after retiring signed up as a volunteer driver and food packer for Meals on Wheels. It’s been said many times, and DeBell agrees: Volunteering is a way to give back to the community. “The bottom line is that I feel blessed. That is the one word to describe my life. I decided to try and do something to help other people. There are people who need food or other things that I can help with.”

Serving a vulnerable population

You’ve heard of Meals on Wheels. It’s a supplemental food program for those over 60 who typically are homebound, don’t drive, and may be short on support. Participants are eligible to receive seven meals delivered each week.

“This doesn’t take care of all of their needs. But it’s a supplement to what they’re already doing,” said Meals on Wheels manager Barbara Holland-Besaw. “Hopefully they’ve got a basic food program.” Registered dieticians develop portion-controlled menus low in sodium and fat. Homage also provides bread, produce, and 1% milk.

“The meals are designed to meet the dietary needs of older adults,” said Homage nutrition director Leah Hammon. “We also have several nutrition assessors on staff who work with individuals who have specific dietary and medical needs. We will customize what those folks are receiving to meet their specific dietary needs.”

Meals on Wheels provides much-needed community service

DeBell volunteers twice a week – he packs food on Monday afternoons and delivers food to up to 10 clients in the Bothell area on Wednesday mornings. The Meals on Wheels program serves between 1,800 and 1,900  annually throughout Snohomish County. Some clients are chronically homebound and need long-term support. Others may have an acute condition where they need the program for only a couple of months while recovering from surgery, for example. Drivers

Photo by David Pan

Meals on Wheels volunteer Steve DeBell waves to a client as he delivers a bag containing seven easyto-prepare meals. Depending on the week, DeBell visits up to 10 clients in the Bothell area. Meals on Wheels has about 30 volunteer drivers. DeBell also volunteers once a week to package meals.

make food deliveries four days a week. Homage employs nine paid drivers, but volunteer drivers serve an important role. Meals on Wheels has about 30 volunteers. “The fact that we have so many volunteers to help us get meals out means we don’t have a hard time doing that,” said Holland-Besaw. “It would be costly for us to pay regular employees to do that. So we appreciate them.”

Volunteer drivers do more than drop off food. They are an extra set of eyes looking after a vulnerable population. Drivers perform a wellness check during each visit. “We have eyes out there on the clients so that if there’s any change in their status or needs that are identified by our drivers they’ll report back to us,” said Hammon. “Then we’re able to make referrals as needed to other community resources and provide additional nutritional support as needed.”

Many clients live alone with limited contact with family and friends. DeBell said he usually has time to shoot the breeze. “It’s good to spend a few minutes with the people who like to chat.”

Out in the field

DeBell only had four bags of food to deliver on this particular Wednesday morning. Other volunteer drivers have from 10 to 20 clients. His first stop of the

Photo by David Pan

Meals on Wheels volunteer Steve DeBell writes a note to a client who was not home during an attempted delivery. Because some of the food is perishable, DeBell is not permitted to leave meals unattended. DeBell was able to connect with the rest of his clients this particular week.

day is Ruthie, a huge Seahawks fan. Immediately after she spied DeBell through the sliding glass door she waved and beckoned him inside. The two spent a few minutes talking football before DeBell said his goodbyes. “She’s always friendly, and somewhere along the line we got to talking about the Seahawks,” said DeBell. “I usually find out little bits about their families. I don’t mind chitchatting with people, especially if they don’t have other people around.”

The client isn’t home at his next stop, so DeBell leaves a note. Because some of the food is perishable, drivers don’t leave bags unattended. That’s the rule. Even so, DeBell found a note with a couple of small candy bars, an apparent attempt to persuade the delivery guy to leave the bag.

But rules are rules. “We usually have a nice conversation. I like to put out the trash cans on trash day. She says ‘Thank you for doing that.’ I was saying to her last week, ‘I don’t know if I’m taking your exercise away from you or being helpful.’ But I just like to see if there’s something that I can help them with.” DeBell had better luck with the next two people on his list. Both were home. Returning to Homage, he put the undelivered food in storage and turned in paperwork.

As part of the packet of information he carries, DeBell has a booklet that lists other services Homage offers, such as small home repairs. “One of the things we have is a form that we can fill out if we want someone to follow up. I like to see if there’s something we can think of or somebody who I can connect them with, even if it’s just somebody else to talk to.” DeBell likes to add a personal touch.

“They (Homage) put up a birthday list so we can

Is it time for a change?

remember people’s birthdays.” The interaction between driver and client is as equally important as providing meals, Hammon said. “Our drivers are touching base with these folks every week,” she said. “They’re developing a rapport and keeping an eye out for our older neighbors. And that can serve as a gateway to additional resources and engagement.”

Volunteers also benefit by staying engaged and active in their communities. Most of Homage’s volunteers have been with the organization for years. “Steve loves making a difference and coming in and seeing his clients,” said Holland-Besaw. “When you get to know them, it becomes important. You develop a huge rapport. I think that’s the reason why folks donate their time and effort.”

For more information about Homage’s Meals on Wheels program or volunteer opportunities: homage.org. n

A Meals on Wheels client left a note and two candy bars in an attempt to persuade volunteer Steve DeBell to leave her weekly bag of meals. Drivers are to deliver food directly to clients and not leave them unattended.

Many Meals on Wheels clients are homebound and don’t drive.

The decision to move to senior living is seldom easy, but if you find yourself wanting more independence, security and companionship, and less time spent on chores and household maintenance then it could be time to make a change. We’re here to help you decide if senior living is the best choice for you and your family.

Photo by David Pan

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Little Free Libraries are a hit in Snohomish County

By Brian Soergel

Take what you can. Leave what you can.

It’s a simple concept – the Little Free Library –  that turns 15 this year. The first was officially built in Hudson, Wisconsin, in 2009.

That’s according to a nonpofit organization called Little Free Library, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, which says more than 300 million books have been shared nationwide with registered Little Free Libraries. The site provides a map at littlefreelibrary.org.

But there are many more that aren’t officially registered. You no doubt have passed one or two or three in your neighborhood.

Today, the libraries are not just for books, although the majority certainly are.

For example: More than 10 years ago, Deborah Binder and her husband, Gaetan Veilleux, placed their first Little Free Library outside their Edmonds home.

Photo by Brian Soergel

In 2020, Binder, inspired by a woman who created what she called a “Little Free Pantry,” decided to build one of her own. She created a Facebook page for updates: tinyurl. com/wapymwt2. Binder started the pantry during the early stages of COVID to help those facing food insecurity. The pantry is also full of information about ovarian cancer, as she is a 14-year survivor, and getting information out about symptoms is part of her advocacy work.

Both book and pantry libraries are outside Binder’s new home at 8912 192nd St. SW in the Seaview neighborhood.

Fellow Edmonds resident Chris Walton is also a big fan of Little Free Libraries. “I need to keep busy in the winter and love to have creative projects,” said Walton, past treasurer of Friends of the Edmonds Library. “This last year I was into making fairy houses. It’s the fourth one but the only one that was a ‘library.’ Others were much more elaborate. Lots of people stop by, especially young adults with their kids in tow.”

Does he get comments? “My neighbors love it and take books for their kids and grandkids since half of my selection are kids’ books.”

Walton is a retired engineer who said he gets a kick out of watching kids’ faces as they look at the house and browse through the books. He buys some of his books from Friends of the Lynnwood Library. “I never charge money for any of my projects. Everything I do is for free. I make all kinds of stuff from steel and wood – I weld. It’s all for fun.”

Top: The Mystery Shack in at 8514 Holly Lane in Edmonds. There are many Little Free Libraries in south Snohomish County, including some creative ones in Mukilteo, below. Many can be found on the Little Free Library website.

MUKILTEO

Calvin’s Little Library: 4805 99th St. SW

Mary McElroy: 1228

Crownmill Ave.

Isabel Rodriguez: 70th Place SW

Bill Gerlach: 913 18th St.

Jackie Specht: 5004 99th St. SW

Home: 1004 Loveland Ave.

Home: 1702 104th Place SW

EDMONDS/LYNNWOOD

 Platform 96¾: 23529 96th Ave. W

 The Mystery Shack: 8514 Holly Lane

 Desha Davis: 19729 82nd Place W

 Anne Temple: 217 Fifth Ave. N, #D

 Michelle Fellows: 737 Aloha St.

 Laurence Fuell: 92 Mountain Lane

 Tamara Sutton: 1228 Ninth Ave. N

 Anya Rutherford: 113 Ninth Ave. S

 Waterfront Coffee: 101 Main St.

 Kelly Steyskal: 1267 Seventh Place W

 Maplewood Presbyterian Church: 19523 84th Ave. W

 Edmonds Lutheran Church: 23525 84th Ave. W

 Edmonds Adventist Church: 8625 196th St. SW

 International Bible Christian Fellowship: 5823 176th St. SW

 Home: 15724 53rd Place W (Meadowdale)

 Home: 1011 Second Ave. S

MILL CREEK/BOTHELL/EVERETT

 Paddywack: 15407 Main St. (Mill Creek). This is a Little Free Library for pets

 Home: 2202 139th Place SE (Mill Creek)

 Heatherwood Apartments: 13510 N. Creek Drive (Mill Creek)

 Little Library of Mill Creek Meadows: 3302 175th St. SE (Bothell)

 Home: 5424 151st Place SE (Everett)

 Forest View Elementary: 5601 156th St. SE (Everett)

 425 Fitness: 18524

Bothell-Everett Highway (Bothell)

 Home: 16823 First Ave. SE (Bothell)

 Scouts BSA Troop 35: 2315 165th Place (Bothell) n

ADVERTISING / MARKETING / MEDIA

Beacon Publishing, Inc.

Mukilteo Beacon

Edmonds Beacon

Mill Creek Beacon

728 3rd Street, Suite D

Mukilteo, WA 98275

425-347-5634

mukilteobeacon.com

edmondsbeacon.com millcreekbeacon.com

AIRPORT

Paine Field

Snohomish County Airport

3220 100th Street SW

Everett, WA 98204

425-388-5125 painefield.com

ARTS / EDUCATION

Schack Art Center

2921 Hoyt Avenue

Everett, WA 98201

425-259-5050 schack.org

BANKING

1st Security Bank

Edmonds Branch

425-774-5144 fsbwa.com

BARBERS

Mickey’s Hometown

Barbershop

405 Lincoln Avenue

Mukilteo, WA 98275 425-347-2712

CEMETERY / FUNERAL HOME

Beck’s Tribute Center

405 5th Avenue S

Edmonds, WA 98020

425-771-1234

becksfuneralhome.com

DISTILLERY / SPIRITS

James Bay Distillers

3101 111th Street SW, Suite B

Everett, WA 98204

425-212-9135

jamesbaydistillers.com

Business Directory

EDUCATION

Edmonds College 20000 68th Avenue W

Lynnwood, WA 98036 425-640-1697 edmonds.edu

HANDYMAN SERVICES

Ace Handyman Services

425-403-4004

acehandymanservices.com/offices/ snoco

HEALTH CARE

Fedelta Home Care

9725 3rd Avenue NE, Suite 301 Seattle, WA 98115 206-582-0339 fedeltahomecare.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Northlight Custom Builders, LLC

9800 Harbour Place, Suite 201 Mukilteo, WA 98275 425-977-9661 northlightcustom.com

INTERIOR DESIGN

rb.by.design

Edmonds, WA 98026 425-765-7680 rbbydesign.com

LANDSCAPING

Edmonds Garden Rescue Edmonds, WA 98020 425-329-5934

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

HopeWorks

3331 Broadway

Everett, WA 98201 425-610-4931 hopewrks.org

ORTHODONTIST

Pellegrini Orthodontics

827 128th Street SW, Suite B Evertt, WA 98204

425-374-8218

everettbraces.com

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Community Transit

20110 46th Avenue W

Lynnwood, WA 98036

425-353-7433 communitytransit.org

REAL ESTATE

Aranka Fruehauf

Windermere Real Estate North, Inc.

Mukilteo, WA 98275

425-478-7270 HomesByAranka.com

Coldwell Banker Bain

108 5th Avenue S

Edmonds, WA 98020

coldwellbankerhomes.com/ wa/edmonds/agents wa/mill-creek/agents

Greg Elwin

Raintown Realty

Mill Creek, WA 98012 360-789-5557 millcreekguy.com

René Porubek, Broker/Realtor

Windermere Real Estate M2, LLC

9502 19th Avenue SE, Suite A Everett, WA 98208 425-478-8864 realtyrene.com

RESTAURANTS

Anthony’s Homeport

456 Admiral Way

Edmonds, WA 98020 425-771-4400 anthonys.com

Waterfront Coffee

101 Main Street, Suite 102

Edmonds, WA 98020 425-670-1400 waterfrontcoffee.com

RETAIL

Best Kept Secret

3616 South Road, Suite B-2

Mukilteo, WA 98275

425-822-6600

mukilteosamplestore.com

Vie & Vin

172 Sunset Avenue

Edmonds, WA 98020

425-678-8280

vieandvin.com

SENIOR LIVING

Anthology of Edmonds

21200 72nd Avenue W

Edmonds, WA 98026

425-490-5141

anthologyedmonds.com

Harbour Pointe

Senior Living

10200 Harbour Place

Mukilteo, WA 98275

425-541-7598

hpretire.com

Quail Park of Lynnwood

4015 164th Street SW

Lynnwood, WA 98087

425-329-3294

quailparkoflynnwood.com

WINDOW WASHING

Clean & Clear Services

6127 139th Place SW

Edmonds, WA 98026

425-218-6318 or 1-877-668-0866

cleanandclearservices.com

EMBRACING NEW OPPORTUNITIES VIBRANT LIVING

There’s no need to settle for less in retirement when you can indulge in a future filled with exquisite living spaces, first-class amenities and gourmet cuisine. You’ll feel like you’re residing in a hotel. Call today to learn about the VIP benefits of joining our Charter Club and saving up to $10,000.* *Terms and conditions may apply. Contact us for details.