Celebrate The Season - 2015 Spring

Here’s something to

Celebrate!

24 APRIL 2015

Sponored by:

A special supplement produced by the Kent Reporter, Renton Reporter, Auburn Reporter, and Covington/Maple Valley/Black Diamond Reporter

table of content

Chef J goes from downtown Renton

to the big leagues

By Carolyn Ossorio

City of Covington

3

City of Renton

3

Tents & Events

5

City of Auburn

5

Linda’s Apparel

6

City of Auburn

7

Cugini Floral

7

Green River College

7

Golden Steer

7

Rain City Catering

8

2

CELEBR ATIONS | 24 APRIL 2015

D

o you ever see those people at Costco schlepping Tsunami sized shopping carts loaded with everything under the foodie sky and wonder what they’re doing?

That’d be Chef Jeremy!

“When they see me coming, they yell out, ‘Chef to the Mariners!’ and sometimes open another line for me.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to hang out with Renton Chef Jeremy Bryant at two locations: his Renton home base with co-owner Kenny Rogers at Rain City Catering located next door to the Renton Chamber of Commerce and the Clubhouse Kitchen at Safeco Field, where he has been the official cook of the Mariners for 17 years.

We started at Rain City, where the ovens were filled with enough barbecue ribs to feed an army and I learned that Chefs Jeremy and Kenny finish each other’s sentences, read each other’s minds and know their strengths and weaknesses.

It’s not surprising, they’ve only been hanging out since childhood: Kenny’s family moved next door to Jeremy’s Skyway home nearly 40 years ago.

In addition to being the official caterers of the Renton Pavilion Event Center, Rain City has catering jobs all over the Pacific Northwest.

But perhaps most famously there is the Mariners. During the season, Chef Jeremy preps the food in Renton and then drives it all down to Safeco Field.

And this season Kenny is the Yin to Jeremy’s Yang as the chef for the opposing team at Safeco Field.

But the story of how Chef Jeremy began cooking for the Mariners begins even before there was a Safeco Field.

“First and foremost, I started off as a Seattle sports fan. I love the Mariners,” he said, showing me around the Mariner’s Club House Kitchen at Safeco Field, usually off limits to media.

While there, Chef J showed me how to cook two of his famous Mariner recipes: Edgar Martinez’s favorite pasta and Ichiro’s superstitiously delicious “Ichy Wings.”

For a bigger guy (“Never trust a skinny chef,” he says), there’s a nimbleness to Chef Jeremy. He has the demeanor of someone whose natural environment is cooking comfort food over a flaming

gas grill and freely tells his stories of 17 years in the big leagues of cooking.

And he has come a long way since his “rookie years.”

His first few days of cooking for the team he wore a paper chef’s hat and whites and made gourmet food, with carefully carved rosettes from apples.

On his fourth day, Jay Buhner gave it to him straight. Buhner knocked off his paper chef hat, the story goes, and said something like “Dude, what’s up with the fancy roses? Can you just make me some meatloaf?”

Since then, Jeremy has a little more salt and pepper in his goatee and even received a custom No. 27 (for his age when he first started cooking in the Clubhouse) Mariner’s jersey, a gift from the players. He also earned the nickname, “Papi,” bestowed upon him by Edgar Martinez, who requested a special meal from the chef that Jeremy shared with me.

“This dish happened when Edgar came into the kitchen and said, ‘Papi, make me some pasta,’” Chef Jeremy said as he and I stood cooking sideby-side in the same kitchen where the team lines up to get some grub.

It’s a pretty fortunate spot to be in and when asked, Chef Jeremy still looks a little surprised by his own story.

Jeremy went to a game at the Kingdome in 1997 and ran into a kid from his neighborhood who had become a bat boy. The kid snuck him into the clubhouse, a no-no in the biz.

Jeremy ended up meeting most of the players until Clubhouse Manager Scotty Gilbert came over and asked, “I’m sorry, but who are you?”

Without skipping a beat, Chef Jeremy stuck out his hand and said, “I’m a chef and I want to cook for the Mariners.”

For the next two years he kept on Gilbert, eventually offering to cook a meal for free.

“I told Scotty I wouldn’t charge him a dollar, I just wanted the chance to show him what I could do,” Jeremy recounted. “I cooked amazing food for them and the players loved it.”

Continuned on next page

Continued from previous page

weren’t hot wings, exactly.

He’d been preparing a batch of Mexican

After two years of wooing, Chef Jeremy

inspired chicken wings and at the last minute

got the call to come cook for the Mariners

added some teriyaki flavor, fresh ginger and

at Safeco Field.

Asian-inspired seasonings.

The Clubhouse kitchen is a small intimate

After eating the wings Ichiro went out to

kitchen and though Safeco Field is quite a

make a huge play and from then on he would

bit larger than most homes, I had no prob-

only eat Chef Jeremy’s wings before every

lem imagining Jeremy’s Kitchen as a focal

game. Nine wings, to be exact and always

point for players to eat and unwind, like any

on the same plate.

kitchen.

covington city of

growing toward

greatness

Chef Jeremy’s story is one I never get

As we cooked, Jeremy shared stories of

tired of listening to, especially while eating

guests who stopped in over the years for a

pasta with a simple sautéed preparation of

snack: the turkey sandwich for rock star Ed-

melted butter, garlic, onions, in a cream and

die Vedder; the “Kyle Seager Sandwich” for

tomato base with fresh herbs, parmesan and

Joe Montana; a plate of chicken for Snoop

surprisingly, pepperoni with penne noodles.

Dog.

“I love it when Edgar let me cook him pas-

I got the impression that Jeremy might

ta,” Chef J said, “A lot of the new players are

still be pinching himself as we stood in the

more nutritionally conscience, so my cook-

Clubhouse Kitchen, had he not been holding

ing has evolved.”

tongs used to make Ichiro’s “Ichy Wings.”

When Chef Jeremy found out that Ichiro was coming to Seattle he tried to learn how to make sushi, though the player had another order in mind.

But like most things I was learning about, Jeremy he has a knack for evolution, turning happenstance situations into opportunities.

It’s that knack, plus a little hustle here, a lot of hard work there and the ability to adapt

“The first day in the kitchen Ichiro asked me, ‘do you have a cheeseburger?’”

on the fly that’s led to this Renton boy fulfilling his dreams in the big leagues.

Chef Jeremy offered hot wings. Only they

Play Ball!

Plan Your Next Celebration At

Renton Senior Activity Center “Join us down by the River”

The Renton Senior Activity Center sits along the banks of the Cedar River and offers a banquet room with a view. The hardwood floors, elegant stage, outside patio, and fountain, make this facility an ideal venue.

Great for Birthdays, Weddings, Picnics, Family Reunions, Retirements, Anniversaries, and Company Celebrations.

Call 425-430-6633 for more information.

211 Burnett Ave. N., Renton, WA 98057 425-430-6633 or rentonwa.gov

Community Services Department Nationally Accredited

CELEBR ATIONS | 24 APRIL 2015

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Renton Senior Activity Center

3

New Ways to Find One-of-a-Kind Gifts for

Birthdays and Special Occasions

by StatePoint Media

W

hen it comes to creative gift-giving, you may feel you’ve exhausted your options, especially for those who seem to have everything. But there’s no need to make a birthday tradition out of giving the same old gifts year-in and

year-out.

Luckily, you don’t need to look far to see beyond traditional sources of inspiration. Whereas in the past you may have had to schedule a trip to a vintage store, art gallery or antique market and pay top dollar to score a unique find, new online marketplaces are conveniently bringing consumers the creativity of artists and designers.

“We wanted to provide those hungry for unique and beautiful wearables, housewares, accessories and useful items an alternative to the mass retailers,” says Faith Sedlin, CMO of Redbubble a diverse creative community and marketplace that brings together artists and designers from across the globe. “We also wanted to make these items affordable.”

Offering more than 14 million designs, Redbubble, is a great place to start your search for that perfect birthday or special occasion gift. Is your gift recipient a fashionista, a metal-head or a sci-fi fan? The site sorts designs by interest, making it easy to find artwork that suits any gift recipient. You then have the option of applying the design to a high-quality item such as a t-shirt, hoodie, throw pillow, tote bag, duvet cover and more.

A unique, one-of-a-kind gift will mean so much more than something generic or predictable. Not only can you help your gift recipients transform the look and feel of their living spaces with cool wall art, or stand out in the crowd with one-of-a-kind apparel that reflects their personalities, you will

Unique art from independent artists is becoming more widely available, thanks to online retailers. support an independent artist in the process. Just be sure to order with plenty of time, as personalizing your order may take several days to process and ship.

Party Casual

by Tresa Erickson

Y

our grandmother threw lavish dinner parties, and so did your mother, but you... well, you just don’t have the time to iron dozens of linens, polish silverware and clean the house from top to bottom while preparing a seven-course meal. That doesn’t mean you can’t have people over for dinner. You can still throw a dinner party, but instead of it being a formal affair like your grandmother’s and mother’s parties, your party can be more casual.

Anyone can throw a casual dinner party. To start, you need to determine how many you would like to invite and find a location within your home where they can be comfortably seated. If you are having six to eight guests, then your dining room may be the perfect spot, whereas if you are having 10 to 12 guests, you may want to move the party outdoors onto the back patio where your guests will be able to stretch out and mingle. As you make up your guest list, you will have to decide if you want to invite children. Keep in mind that it is not a good idea to invite the children of one guest and exclude those of another.

The number of guests you invite and the location where you hold your casual dinner party may dictate the theme of the event and the food you serve. A party outdoors, for example, may call for a barbecue or a Mexican fiesta, whereas a party indoors may call for something 4

CELEBR ATIONS | 24 APRIL 2015

For gift ideas and inspiration, visit www.Redbubble.com.

Before you hit the shops, consider reaping the benefits of the artistic renaissance taking place in cyberspace.

informal or formal. Depending upon your time and preference, you may have a simple indoor picnic with fried chicken, potato salad and baked beans, or a complex three-course Italian meal with salad, manicotti and dessert.

You may serve as many courses as you would like at your dinner party, but because it is a casual affair, you will probably want to keep the menu fairly limited. Whatever you decide, make sure you select some foods that you have made before and can prepare ahead of time. Remember, this is a dinner party. You want to ensure that the food you serve tastes good, so if you are planning to serve some new recipes, do a trial run a couple weeks before. That way, if a dish doesn’t turn out well, you can make adjustments or exclude it from the menu. Be wary of using recipes that cannot be prepped or made in advance. With all of things that you will have to do on party day, you probably won’t have time to spend hours and hours cooking in the kitchen.

With a location, guest list, theme and menu in hand, you can turn to the decorating.

Simplicity is key here. Again, because the tone of the party is casual, you don’t need to go over the top. Everyday china, glasses, flatware and napkins will do, and if you are having the party outdoors, disposable tableware may be ideal. A basket of flowers in the center of the table, or something else pertaining to the theme like a pair of maracas for a Mexican fiesta, will complete the look.

As with any dinner party, planning is crucial. The more planning you do, the more prepared you will be for your party and the more relaxed you will be on the day of the event. If you are relaxed, your guests will be, too, and hopefully, everyone will have a good time.

Raise A Glass

by Ronda Addy

Y

ou’ve been invited to a dinner party. You don’t want to show up empty handed. You thought about bringing a bottle of wine, but your knowledge of wine is non-existent.

What you are in desperate need of is a crash course in wine. Today’s your lucky day-that’s just what I’m going to give you.

When buying wine, one of the most puzzling questions is which wine goes with what food?

Keep in mind that wine should complement the food, not compete with it. And regardless of what is being served, the wine should be one that everybody will enjoy, so be flexible in your choices. Here are some basic rules: • Delicate wines go with subtle dishes.

• Full-flavored wines go with robust dishes.

• Complex wines go with simple dishes.

• Simple wines go with complex dishes.

You would like to talk to someone about choosing a wine, but you are afraid they are going to start throwing around words like “body,” “age” and “blend,” and you won’t have a clue what they are talking about. Well, get ready-here is a brief lesson in the lingo.

• Age - the period of time a wine matures to its best flavor and aroma. Simple wines can be drunk when young. Complex wines are best aged.

• Blend - the variety of grapes blended together to make a wine.

• Blush wine - a pinkish-color wine that results from the contact between red grape skins and juice during crushing.

• Body - a wine’s weight in the mouth. Wines can be light to full bodied.

• Breath - exposing of the wine to air before serving.

• Champagne - wines from the region 75 miles northeast of Paris.

• Corked - wine that has gone bad because of a poorly sterilized cork.

• Dry - wine that has no sugar remaining after it has fermented.

• Full-bodied - the body or mouth-filling capacity of a wine. The term applies to wine that is robust, intense in flavor and high in sugar.

• Red wine - wine made from fermented grapes with red skin.

• Table wine - a blend of wine that contains seven to 14% alcohol.

• Varietal wine - a specific type of wine named after a grape. Chardonnay and Merlot are examples. In the United States, a varietal wine must contain 75% of the named grape variety.

• Vintage - the year the grapes used in the wine were harvested. The date usually appears somewhere on the label.

• White wine - wine made from fermented

Tents and Party Rents

grapes with white skins.

• Wine - an alcoholic beverage that is a result of fermentation by yeasts of the juice of the grape along with additions and appropriate processing.

In order to make wine, you need grapes.

There are two main types of wine grapes: vitis vinifera, found mostly in Europe, and vitis labrusca, found in the eastern United States and Canada. The type of grape used determines how the wine will taste. Let’s take a look at four of the better-known grape types.

• Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape is red, small and tough while on the vine. It is grown in California and Australia. Wines made with these grapes taste like blackberries and cedar. Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with Merlot is what makes Bordeaux. These grapes contain quite a bit of tannin, which when aged properly, makes a good red wine.

• Chardonnay. This grape is one of the most popular and easiest to grow of the white grapes. It is grown in Australia, Burgundy, California, Champagne and South Africa. Chardonnay grapes taste like fruits, such as melons and peaches, and may also have an oaky flavor.

• Merlot. This is an early-ripening grape that has less tannin than other red grapes. It is grown in Australia, California, France, Italy, Long Island, NY, and Washington. Merlot grapes taste like cherry, honey and mint.

Merlot wine can be found in most bordeaux wines.

• Zinfandel. Leaving the skins on this grape is what makes red Zinfandel.

Removing the skins makes white. Depending on the age, the wine can taste spicy or fruity.

Having originated in southern Italy, most Zinfandel grapes are now grown in California.

When thinking about the types of wine, red and white are the two that usually come to mind. But what is the difference between the two? White wines are a Chardonnay, the most popular dry white wine in the world.

This medium- to full-bodied wine has an apple and citrus flavor with occasionally a buttery tone from fermentation and aging in oak barrels. It goes with poultry and seafood.

Another white wine is Chenin Blanc. This is a light wine that combines the fruit flavors of melon, apple, peach and apricot. It goes with salads and sandwiches. Red wines are a Cabernet Sauvignon, the most popular of the red wines. This wine is full-bodied with a currant flavor. For the best flavor, the wine should be aged. It goes with simple beef and lamb dishes. Merlot red wines are like a Cabernet but fruitier and softer. A Merlot wine has a cherry flavor with a hint of mint and tobacco.

Let’s hope this little crash course in wine will help make your future wine-buying experiences more enjoyable. So, what wine would you like with dinner?

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• Sports & Games Includes 1 hour of activities and 1/2 hour in the party room.

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• Good Times $140 Includes balloons, cups, plates, utensils, tablecloth, & goody bags. We set-up & clean up!

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Face Paint $30 Castle Bounce House $60 Additional Pizza $9/each

253-931-3043 | www.auburnwa.gov CELEBR ATIONS | 24 APRIL 2015

5

Tips for finding the

perfect floral arrangement

by Tammy Carmona

T

hey have the power to transform a space from utterly dull and lackluster to vivacious and booming with personality. They come in many shapes and sizes and can easily be catered to your personality. They are beautiful and inspiring. The catch: There are so many possibilities! While floral arrangements might seem like a no brainer, they actually take quite a bit of work, in consideration alone. Finding the perfect floral arrangement might seem like an arduous task but there are a few easy things to keep in mind that can help ease the anxiety.

Florist or no florist?

There are two things that you must first consider when thinking about flowers – do you want them put together for you, or are you more of a DIY type person. Regardless of the occasion, you can either look to buy your ready-made bouquets or mix or match to create your own. The benefit of using a florist is that you don’t have to worry about artistry if that is concerning to you. The downside is that you don’t get as much of a hand in the design. Whatever works for you, start with that. The next step is figuring out what you want.

Know what you like Let’s say that you opted for a florist. Just because you are not physically putting the flowers in a vase does not mean you are not designing something. Flowers are yours to make your own, so be active in the decision making. For example, knowing what is in season, and what kinds of colors you are looking for can be a huge advantage when you step into a shop. Communicate what you want to the florist, which leads to the next key thing to remember – planning ahead.

Have a plan You know what you want, and you know where to get it.

The basic steps are covered. But you must keep in mind that it can’t be left until the last minute. Plan to either go to the florist or shop for your own flowers early to ensure that they

have the flowers you want, and that they can have them fresh for whenever you want them.

Having the decision and details settled early allows for advanced planning if you are specifically shopping floral arrangements for a party or gathering. So plan ahead! Your flowers will look better and the details will, without a doubt, fit together so much better if you take the time to be deliberate.

Bigger doesn’t always mean better My final tip is in regard to the flowers themselves. Obviously, we want flowers that have pleasant aromas, are vibrant and interesting in color and that are bold in the statements

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they make. That is not necessarily how you should approach finding the perfect floral arrangement. So choose wisely!

Overly fragrant flowers can be irritating and might not be conducive for other people. Also, remember that the best floral arrangements make bold statements in their use of color, not their mass. Oversized arrangements sometimes work, but not always. Again, remember what you want. If you plan on using your floral arrangement for a table display, a massive arrangement is not the right fit. Use size and color to complement your decor, and don’t let them hinder it.

Three Wedding Trends Likely to Last

Who hasn’t seen a lineup of baby blue tuxedoed groomsmen on the mantle of an older relative? While some matrimonial trends thankfully expire, there are some newer ones that may be here to stay.

Here are three worthwhile developments in the world of wedding planning that have taken hold in the past few years: • Personal training: Many fitness clubs offer personal training packages for engaged couples. Working out together is a great way to get in shape for your big day and beyond, de-stress during a stressful period, and start your marriage off on a healthful foot.

• Wedding websites: Want to communicate fluctuating information about accommodations, your registry and more to your guests? The best way to give your friends and family all the pertinent details they need to help you celebrate is through a wedding website. User-friendly hosting sites can make creating your site easy, no matter the extent of your design skills.

• Photojournalism: While posed photography likely will never go out of style, many couples are opting for a more photojournalistic feel to their wedding album. Whether sepiatoned, black and white, or full color, wedding photos are taking on a more kinetic feel that can truly showcase a couple’s personality.

Quinceañera

CITY OF AUBURN

Quinceañera is the Hispanic tradition of celebrating a young girl’s coming of age - her 15th birthday.

Today’s celebrations embrace religious customs, and the virtues of family and social responsibility. The Quinceanera tradition celebrates the young girl (la Quinceanera), and recognizes her journey from childhood to maturity.

The customs highlight God, family, friends, music, food, and dance. Interestingly, many families today are merging their Hispanic and American heritages by choosing to celebrate a Sweet Sixteen. For their Sweet 16 party, the families do the full-blown quinceanera traditions - the religious ceremony, the reception, the tiara with the number 16, and more.

We encourage families to select the customs that have special meaning to them and to add to the customs as they wish. That is what makes the celebration unique and very special.

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Send her the arrangement that is as special as she is and the one that marks your most important day.

Green River College Conference and Event Center offers Banquet & meeting spaces, gymnasium, outdoor venues & classrooms to accommodate groups from 10-1000. l

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CELEBR ATIONS | 24 APRIL 2015

7

Venue Bookings call

(425) 277-8408

Off-Site Catering call

(206) 395-5126

www.raincitycatering.com Renton Pavilion Event Center

233 Burnett Avenue South, Renton, WA 98057

• 10,000 square foot Venue Space, Easy Access, Ample Parking.

• Ideal for weddings, parties, meetings, trade shows • In the heart of Downtown Renton • Just 15 minutes from Seattle and SeaTac • Banquet-style capacity of 450; total capacity of 655 • Adjacent 565-space parking garage • Event coordination available through Rain City Catering

Off Site Cate ring Available

RAIN CITY CATERING SERVICES

Chef ’s Jeremy Bryant & Kenneth R ogers 8

CELEBR ATIONS | 24 APRIL 2015

• Formal Dinners • Retirement Parties • Seminars • Grand Openings • Fundraisers • Memorial Services • Dessert Buffets • Birthdays

• Anniversaries • Theme Parties • Super Bowl Parties • Reunions • Graduations • Life Celebrations • Golf Tournaments • Off-Site Festivals

One cold “Rain City” day in Seattle, 14 year old Kenneth Rogers and 10 year-old Jeremy Bryant (childhood friends since 1974), carefully followed the recipe for banana bread on the back of a Bisquick box, and proudly served it to their families. That milestone marked the beginning of many childhood discussions of future goals and dreams to one day own and operate a successful catering company in the Pacific Northwest.

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