Letter from Yakima Magazine

by Robin Salts Beckett on May 4, 2012

Robin and Jill pose in Downtown Yakima. Photo by Jennifer Dagdagan.

This world is but canvas to our imagination.

-Henry David Thoreau

I’ve always thought it a pity that I can’t paint. I have a vivid imagination, and although I agree with my brother that it’s both a blessing and a curse, I’ve always wished I could depict the scenes my mind has created over the years. But I don’t have any ability to capture depth, shading or dimension — at least visually.

This absence of talent especially irks me when I walk into my living room. There, above my fireplace, is a tall blank wall in sore need of art. And I’m somehow convinced — much to my coworkers’ chagrin — that I can create it. I’ve gone through no fewer than a dozen ideas: painting my own canvas, finding a rusty piece of metal at a junk yard, gluing cooking cutters together in a large circle, drawing words in an abstract pattern. The list goes on. Every time I mention a new idea to Jill, she says, “That sounds terrific… But will you really do it?”

So far, no. But one day.

Jill is an artist, although here she would demur. Her creativity is astounding, and we love to gush over her latest project. She’s been “artsy” since she was born, she says, and took art classes in high school. In college, she began refinishing furniture (“Probably because everything was ugly”), and now she can make anything from jewelry to slipcovers to pretty baubles for her home.

This “art” issue was particularly inspirational for us. I toured the homes of five local artists — such treasures we found — who are featured in this year’s Tour of Artists Homes and Studios. You can read about Mighty Tieton’s Sylvia Imbrock, who recently returned from a trip to India, where she researched that country’s rich textile history — and returned with a few examples. We also peruse one couple’s mid-town bungalow that’s filled with original art, plus Style Freak’s Pam Edwards offers inspiration to the reluctant artist with her own experience. Don’t miss our “Spring up Your Menu” feature, with Asian-inspired dishes, too. You’ll want to cook up some art in the kitchen (and you won’t be sorry you did!)

And there’s much, much more.

So whether you paint, write, sculpt or cook — or simply enjoy the beauty of your surroundings, we hope you have fun with this issue.

As always, check out our website at yakimamagazine.com, where we have more pictures and expanded coverage, plus our blog From the Notepad. We welcome your comments and story ideas, too, so don’t hesitate to send them to us.  You inspire us!

~Robin & Jill

Spring up your menu

by Robin Salts Beckett on May 4, 2012

Tom Kha Soup. Photos by Jennifer Dagdagan.

Seeking a little inspiration for your springtime meals? These Asian recipes — from local cooks — could fit the bill. Each one is simple and perfect for Yakima al fresco dining.

Tom Kha Soup

Courtesy of Rich Sisters Catering & Events, Yakima • richsisters.com

Ingredients:

Taiwanese Fried Noodles.

Taiwanese Fried Noodles

Courtesy of Yi Ting Wang, Yakima

Ingredients:

•4 tablespoons vegetable oil
•½ lb. Chinese chives, cut into 1-inch sections (if unavailable, substitute green onions. Separate white and green parts)
•½ lb. fresh bacon, diced
•4 pre-softened Chinese black mushrooms, sliced or diced*
•2 tablespoons dried shrimp, washed*
•2 tablespoons soy sauce
•2 cups chicken stock
•½ teaspoon salt
•¼ teaspoon black pepper
•1 teaspoon hot bean paste*
•1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
•1 lb. pre-cooked Yakisoba (noodles)*
•½ lb. (2 cups) bean sprouts, rinsed
*Yi Ting Wang says ingredients are often available at Cash N Carry; Yakisoba and mushrooms also often available at Costco.

Directions:

Heat pan and oil. Stir-fry the white sections of chives, bacon, pre-softened mushrooms and dried shrimp until fragrant. Add soy sauce and stock, salt, black pepper, hot bean paste and Worcestershire sauce (if using). Let liquid come to a boil. Add pre-cooked noodles, green chive sections and bean sprouts. Stir-fry together and serve.

Pasanjeok (Korean vegetables and beef)

Pasanjeok (Korean vegetables and beef)

Courtesy of George May, Yakima

Ingredients:

•1 lb. beef, cut in strips 5-inch long and ½-inch wide and thick
•1 tablespoon soy sauce
•1 teaspoon sesame oil
•1 garlic clove, minced
•1 teaspoon sweetener of choice
•1-2 large carrots, peeled and cut into strips 4-inches long and ½-inch wide and thick
•1 bunch asparagus, cut into 4-inch long pieces (use top part)
•1 bunch green onions, cut into 4-inch long pieces (you will have both white and green parts)
•2 teaspoons salt, divided
•flour
•brochettes (long toothpicks)
•vegetable or cooking oil of choice

Directions:

Mix beef strips with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and sweetener. Mix well and refrigerate. Boil 1 quart of water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Blanch carrots and asparagus for 1 minute. Strain and rinse in cold water.

Make a thin batter out of flour and water — start with a cup of flour and a ½ cup of water, and add more water until it’s the consistency of a very thin pancake batter. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Thread strips of beef, carrot, onion and asparagus onto the brochettes until full. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Coat each skewer in batter and fry about one minute on each side, until the beef achieves desired doneness. A basic dipping sauce can be made from 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, ½ teaspoon sweetener, minced garlic and chopped green onions.

Fresh Sheet: The art of the waffle

by Robin Salts Beckett on May 4, 2012

Waffle Cafe's pecan delight waffle. Photo by Robin Beckett.

My grandma convinced me a long time ago that breakfast can be eaten — without apology — any time before noon. Every weekend my brother and I visited her in Grandview, she made huge stacks of waffles, slathered in butter and dripping with syrup. Those waffles are part of my fondest food memories, even though I blame my grandma for developing my insatiable sweet tooth.

So when Jill raved about Waffles Café on North First Street recently, I didn’t need much more convincing to try it out myself.

Jill recommended the asparagus omelet (you can read about it on our blog, From the Notepad, at yakimamagazine.com), but I was interested in the café’s Belgian waffles, made from their own recipe.

The restaurant cooks up an array of waffle combinations — plus all sorts of other breakfast and lunch fare. Feeling patriotic? Try the All American waffle, made with blueberries, strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream. Depressed? Go for the Chocolate Delight Waffle, topped with chocolate chips, whipped cream, ice cream and chocolate sauce. I settled on the Pecan Delight waffle, skipping the ice cream in favor of whipped cream. I topped it off with plenty of butter pecan syrup.

First of all, a waffle piled with whipped cream, bananas, pecans and chocolate sauce is beautiful. It’s almost a shame to drive a fork into the middle of it. But once again, in the name of research, I had to.

The waffle was fluffy and yet crunchy, and the bananas were ripe. The mixture of all those textures — crunchy/soft waffle, airy whipped cream, crunchy nuts and soft banana — is delightful. Especially in the middle of the day.  A side of salty bacon added a nice counterpoint.

Since Jill also recommended the Monte Cristo—a huge sandwich with layers of ham, cheese and turkey between slices of French toast—I had to go back and taste that too.

The sandwich is enormous and can almost feed two, unless you’re a big eater. And the best part? It’s served with boysenberry syrup. Sinful. Especially when you dip your fries in it.

The MonteCristo and crinkle fries.

Waffles Café • wafflescafe.com

1510 N. First St. • Yakima

509-574-0920

7200 W. Nob Hill Blvd., No. 42 • Yakima

(Inside Meadowbrook Mall)

Behind the Scenes | Treveri Cellars shoot

by Robin Salts Beckett on Apr 13, 2012

Jill managed to snap a few photos on her iPhone while we were setting up at Treveri Cellars for the “foo foo” drink lineup you can find here. These kinds of shoots require quite a bit of legwork … just because you have a picture in your mind doesn’t mean that’s how it’s going to turn out.

This shoot took some twists and turns – especially since Jill and I and our flyaway hair were all involved. But in the end, it turned out amazing.

First we set up ... and have a little fun ...

...then we give the photographer a good-natured ribbing...

Then Julie started prepping drinks...

Then we start shooting with our fancy backdrop...

...Here's George getting the picture juuuuuust right...

...and here Julie and I are checking out the preliminary results...

...I don't know what we're doing here...

Here are the drinks getting prepped....

...and with fruit...

Here's the final lineup...

...and here's the main photo. Finally!

Interview with Steve Marvin

by Robin Salts Beckett on Apr 13, 2012

Wray's wine manager, Steve Marvin. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

If you’ve ever wandered through the wine section of Wray’s in Chalet Place and wondered who writes those notes on the shelves, it’s Steve Marvin, Wray’s wine manager. We checked in with him to see how he got his job, how he buys wine for Wray’s … and what wines he’d bring with him to a desert island.

Name & Age: Stephen W. Marvin

Age: 63

Personal: Pamela, my wife of 43 years (better aged than any wine I’ve ever had, and just keeps getting better!), and I have three kids — Jon, Adam and Jason. We also have two perfect grandchildren — Taurin, 12, and Elijah, 7. No animals, except for my kids!

Profession/job title:
Wine department manager at Wray’s Chalet since November 2007. (I was previously a practicing attorney, specializing in taxation and estate planning. Selling wine and being involved in the wine industry is much more fun!)

Where did you grow up, go to school, etc.?
I grew up in Yakima and went to school at Gilbert Elementary, Wilson Junior High and Eisenhower High schools. I attended college at Whitworth (1 year), YVCC (1 year), University of Washington (2 years) and the University of Wisconsin Law School (JD and the University of Miami (LLM/Taxation).
I practiced law (specializing in tax and estate tax planning) in Milwaukee, WI from 1974-1985, and then in Yakima from 1986-1996.
How long have you worked at Wray’s? How did you get into your current position?
I started at Wray’s Chalet in November 2006. The previous wine department manager left earlier in the year. At the time I was just a wine customer, and I was no longer practicing law. I asked who was replacing the manager and heard there had been no recommendation. I said I would love to do it – long story short, here I am. Wine experience: none. I started becoming interested in cooking and wine (both of which became a hobby/passion) in the 1970s. I also have great wine resources in my sons, who have been in the wine business (both retail and wholesale) on a formal basis for many years.

We love the hand-written notes in Wray’s wine section – how many of the wines do you taste personally? As I’ve told many customers, you’ll seldom see me ever say anything like “a hint of chocolate, overtones of chocolate, blueberries, etc.” Except in rare instances (probably big Zins with pepper, smoke and/or bacon), I can never taste “hints” of this or that. My taste buds have been ruined by age and smoking (PS: I haven’t smoked in more than eight years). I mainly notice light, medium or heavy body. And my personal preference (although I appreciate all well-made wines) is for in-your-face, “Mack truck” wines.
I probably sample 10-20 wines per week – as many as I can without killing myself (although I realize my duty is to sacrifice myself for our customers!). My tombstone should probably read: “For his wine customers, he gave it all.”

How many different wines are represented in your wine section?
I haven’t added up recently. I know that we probably have more than 250 Washington wines (one of the larger selections in the state). Including everything else (California, Oregon, imports, etc.) I will guess approximately 1,000 or more wineries. Washington now has more than 700 wineries, so I have a long way to go. There are many I am not interested in, but I probably have at least 200-300 more I would like to acquire (with enough shelf space) before I would reach the point where I would say “no thanks” to a particular Washington wine. When I say “more than 250 Washington wines,” I mean just the winery. For any given winery I may carry 3-10 or more different varieties. Thus more than 250 Washington wineries translates into 1,500 or more Washington wine facings.

You’re on the proverbial desert island … what “top five” regional wines would you take with you?
1) Virtually anything from Owen Roe, which includes Owen Roe, Sharecroppers, O’Reilly’s and Corvidae – this is my favorite winery, and the winery I give the most shelf/display space. Our customers love his wines.

2) Sheridan wines – big, in-your-face type wines.

3) Gilbert Cellars – particularly the Allobroges.

4) Masset Winery – particularly Le Petite Rouge.

5) Syncline, from the Columbia Gorge — really nice wines.

Honorable mentions: Naches Heights Vineyards (Phil Cline); Windy Point Vineyards; Michael & David (from California – particularly its 7 Deadly Zins and Earthquake Zin); and Rombauer Chardonnay. Please keep in mind, I’m somewhat shooting from the hip. I’m sure there are many others that I would be happy with on the “island.” Thus, omissions don’t mean I wouldn’t take them.
Do you cook? Favorite wine-food pairing?
Yes, both Pam and I, and our sons, although not as much as in earlier years. Now we tend to do simpler, lighter foods (although I still love my beef and lamb). I love all well-made wines but lean toward red meats with a big red (a Cab, Merlot, red blend, Zin). I really like a good piece of barbequed meat with a big Zin (normally from California. Washington has some good Zins, but California is still “king, as Oregon is with Pinot Noirs). I also really like big Chardonnays from California and Sauv Blancs from New Zealand, with shrimp, scallops and halibut. (Although I enjoy salmon, halibut is my favorite – unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view. Its pricing is now such that a really nice bottle of wine to go with it costs less than the halibut itself!)
Finally, I’m a believer in no hard and fast rules. If I have a beautiful steak and the only wine I have on hand is a really nice chardonnay or sauv blanc, fine with me. Maybe not the best pairing, but it works for me!

Do you hold a wine glass by the stem or by the glass?
Out of the bottle is fine! Seriously, probably by the stem, although I don’t think it matters – I can swirl the wine either way.

Why is Yakima home to you?
After both of us grew up in Yakima, we lived in Seattle for a couple of years. Then when the Seattle Pilots moved to Wisconsin, we followed them and lived in Wisconsin for about 16 years (1970-1985). I then had a job opportunity that enabled us to move back here. It was a tough choice because we really enjoyed Milwaukee, but we always wanted to get back to the West coast and family. Plus, the weather in Wisconsin really was awful. We also viewed Yakima as a better place to raise our three boys (then ages 15, 10 and 8).
If you could boil your life philosophy down to one or two sentences, what would it be?
My faith is number one, along with family in terms of my life philosophy – these, along with various life experiences, have taught me not to take life too seriously, particularly in those areas where I have little or no control. Don’t worry about things you don’t have or can’t achieve – most of the time you’ll find your satisfaction level is much lower than you expected upon gaining or achieving whatever you worked so hard to get. Thus, relax and enjoy life (faith, family, good food and wine), and don’t sweat the small stuff.  Sit back – enjoy your family and friends with a great steak or piece of lamb with a nice bottle of wine (ok, now and then throw in some halibut, shrimp and scallops)!