a fullbloom in legacy family

From Holland roots to high-tech greenhouses, the Roozen family's passion for tulip bulbs and cut flowers continues to grow.

When you think of farming and agriculture, you probably think of cash crops like potatoes, wheat or corn. Washington is well known for its agricultural diversity, and that includes nonedible commodities as well. Washington Bulb Co. is a family-owned and -operated flower farm in Skagit County. The largest tulip bulb grower in the country, Washington Bulb Co. sells bulbs and cut flowers to large grocery store chains and wholesale distributors all over the United States.

The Roozen family has a centuries-old heritage in growing flower bulbs. The family began growing tulips in Holland in the mid-1700's and emigrated to the Skagit Valley in 1947. The Roozen family started Washington Bulb Co. and Roozengaarde in 1985, and have built a business that is world-renowned. Over the years, the Roozens have built and installed 16 high-tech glass greenhouses to facilitate flower production all year long. They have also planted and maintained over 1,000 acres of flowers that cover the Skagit Valley in brilliant color. Growing flowers is in their blood, and it shows by the incredible volume and quality of flowers they ship across the country each day.

Ben Roozen, a third-generation flower farmer at Washington Bulb Co., can trace his roots all the way to Holland where the Roozens have grown tulips for many generations before him. “Tulips are obviously synonymous with the name Roozen,” he says. “Interestingly enough, Roozen means rose in Dutch. There’s some irony there.” Not only does Washington Bulb Co. grow tulips, but also irises and daffodils.

Leo Roozen, the lead grower, is a sixth-generation tulip grower. “We grow cut flowers 52 weeks out of the year, and so we’re in the greenhouses year-round.” The greenhouses are designed with multiple different watering systems, temperature controls, and ventilation systems to keep foliage dry. Once flowers are mature and ready for harvesting, the bulbs are cut off, and the fresh flowers are sold and shipped to customers all over. To maintain a steady supply of flowers, bulbs are started and “forced” to a specific growth stage, at which they are frozen for storage. Then, bulbs can be pulled from storage and planted when a new stand of flowers is ready to be transitioned into the greenhouses. Within 12 days, fresh flowers are ready to be cut, packaged and shipped.

similar conditions to that of the Skagit Valley. When the Roozen family arrived in the area nearly three generations ago,

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Danish Ingredients

1 lb store-bought all-butter puff pastry, thawed

1 egg

2 teaspoons water

Mixed summer berries, for serving Edible flowers, for serving Powdered sugar, for serving

The Flora Bakehouse berry danish, featured on Episode 2 of Washington Grown season 10, begins with rich yeasted dough that has a touch of aromatic cardamom. This shortcut version uses store-bought puff pastry instead. You will definitely want to visit the bakery for the original when local berries are in season.

Bay Leaf Pastry Cream Ingredients

1 cup whole milk

2 fresh bay leaves

3 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch salt

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened

For the berry jam, put half the berries in a medium saucepan and use a potato masher to crush them. Add the remaining berries, sugar and lemon juice and stir with a heat-proof rubber spatula. Cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. It may bubble up; reduce the heat a bit if needed. Use the spatula to scrape the bottom and sides as you stir to avoid sticking. Taste the jam and adjust with more lemon juice or sugar if needed. Continue to cook until the jam is thick and shiny, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then cover and refrigerate until needed.

For the pastry cream, combine the milk and bay leaves in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Set aside to steep, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, add half of the sugar, and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Take the pan from the heat.

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add this to the egg yolks and whisk to blend. Whisk about one quarter of the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then gradually add this to the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture just comes to a boil and begins to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep whisking for 2 minutes as it

Berry Jam Ingredients

1 pound mixed summer berries, rinsed and well dried

3/4 cup sugar, more if needed

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more if needed continues to thicken. Take the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter pieces until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and set aside to cool. When cool, refrigerate until needed.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Cut the puff pastry dough into 4-inch squares. From each corner on the squares, make a 1 1/2-inch slit toward the center. Fold one of the corner points down nearly to the center and press gently to adhere. Fold the same side of the other corners down in the same way, creating a pinwheel.

Set the pinwheels on the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart (bake in 2 batches if needed) and use your fingertips to press the centers a bit thinner. Combine the egg and water in a small bowl, blend well with a fork, and brush this lightly on the pastries. Add a generous 1 tablespoon of pastry cream to the center of each pinwheel. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325 F and bake until the pastry is well browned, 35 to 40 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To serve, spoon a generous teaspoon of jam over the pastry cream. Top the jam with fresh berries and edible flowers, then finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar.