REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
INSIDE: New coach, new season, A24
Friday, March 27, 2015 | Vol. 90, No. 13 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
Move afoot to oust PSE Grassroots group wants to start public utility
Flippin’ fabulous
BY SERAINE PAGE
Bainbridge Island Review
Luciano Marano | Bainbridge Island Review
Faith Knight, 19, a Kingston native and experienced employee working in both the Kingston and Bainbridge Island branches of J’aime Les Crepes has been chosen as the eatery’s first employee set to visit Paris to sample and study European crepes.
Island eatery to send student abroad for culinary study BY LUCIANO MARANO Bainbridge Island Review
Money comes and goes, but memories — and delicious crepes — are what really matter. That, at least, is Paul Pluska’s philosophy, and the guiding principle behind his upcoming efforts to fund annual European trips for select employees of his increasingly popular crepe restaurant J’aime Les Crepes, which recently marked the first-year anniversary of operation of its second location in downtown Winslow. During their trips, with meal and travel expenses covered by Pluska, the young crepe cooks will follow a loose educational itinerary and
visit and sample the very same local crepes that first inspired Pluska himself to take up the craft years ago. “While living there, I had a lot of time and the opportunity to learn all about how the French operate a small creperie,” Pluska said. “I learned all that we do from small, family-run creperies in Paris and throughout Brittany [and] Normandy. Many of these families helped me with equipment, recipes and advice.” He has since sought to emulate those tasty traditions and, judging by the awards continually racked up by the grub at both his Kingston and Bainbridge-based shops, succeeded.
“Our savory batter is just what you would find in many typical creperies in the Brittany [and] Normandy regions of France,” he explained. Very soon, the first of Pluska’s selected employees won’t simply have to take his word for that fact anymore. Faith Knight, 19, a Kingston native and experienced employee working in both branches of J’aime Les Crepes, has been selected as the first to make the voyage. She’ll be traveling with a friend, and spending approximately 10 days in Paris seeking out Pluska’s picks for the best crepes, as well sight-seeing and exploring the city. “This is all about fun,” Pluska
explained, saying that the experience and memories of travel — such a treasured part of his own life — is a benefit he’d prefer to give his employees rather than simply a monetary bonus. “It is a new idea for a small employer to offer a benefit like this,” he said. “I know it is unusual, but it will work for us. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.” Financially speaking, the time was finally right, he said. “We had a very good year,” he added. “The opening of [the] Bainbridge [store] has allowed it to happen.” TURN TO ABROAD | A9
Imagine paying much less for your power bill. Better yet, think about cleaner energy being the reason for a lowered electric bill. That’s the hope and dream of a group called Island Power, Learn more created by a Island Power group of has set up a residents website at and www.islandneighpower.org bors who are interested in creating a non-profit electric utility for Bainbridge. “It will be a big deal to the island if we go forward with it,” said Steve Johnson, co-chair of Island Power. “I wouldn’t be working on it if I didn’t think it was a big deal. If they (islanders) agree with me, we’ll see,” he said. “There’s sort of no downsides.” If residents concur, Island Power hopes to buy out Puget Sound Energy equipment and provide lower rates, creation of local jobs and reduction of carbon emissions along TURN TO GRASSROOTS | A10
You can’t “BEET” a Day at the…
The Bainbridge Island Farmers’ Market
OPENING DAY APRIL 11 • 9AM - 1PM Town Square at City Hall Park
FRESH LOCAL FOOD | CRAFTS | LIVE MUSIC
www.bainbridgefarmersmarket.org