Savor the Gorge Fall 2017 by Hood River News News

A celebration of fresh, local food

Swiss Chard

Begging for an Egging

Wood Fire Bread White Salmon Baking Co.

Heritage Farming

Horseradish Ranch

Who’s your

FARMER INSIDE

F A L L

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IF 20% OF THE FOOD WE EAT WAS PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM A LOCAL FARMER, WE’D KEEP EXTRA IN THE GORGE Local Food is Good for the Economy When you buy local food, your invest in our community.

Sponsored by the Oregon Department of Agriculture — USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

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EDITOR Janet Cook jcook@thegorgemagazine.com

PUBLISHER Chelsea Marr cmarr@hoodrivernews.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jody Thompson jthompson@hoodrivernews.com

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Suzette Gehring • Diego Serrano Megan Irish

DESIGN Lisa Becharas lbecharas@columbiagorgepress.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Kacie McMackin, Ginger Shepherd, Kirby Neumann-Rea, Lindsay Gott Kate Schwager

WE COOK. YOU CONNECT.

541-386-1234 www.hoodrivernews.com Savor the Gorge is published twice a year in June and September by Hood River News. No part of this publication may be used without written permission by the publisher. ©2016. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us.

Thank you to Gorge Grown Food Network for contributing to and supporting this publication.

LOCATIONS Pick up your FREE Savor The Gorge publication Hood River News, 419 State Street Hood River, Oregon 97031 The Dalles Chronicle, 315 Federal Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058

ON THE COVER Laura Bazzetta Horseradish Ranch

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FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

Horseradish Ranch

CONTENTS 5

EDITOR’S NOTE

FRESH BITES

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

FREEFORM KITCHEN BEGGING FOR AN EGGING

COOKING WITH KIDS

A BAKERY WORTH ITS WOOD FIRE

BACK TO THE LAND

BRINGING HEALTH TO THE CORNER STORE

WHO’S YOUR FARMER

Q&A: MIRANDA BRAY

editors Note

For all of us here in the Gorge, the end of our glorious (albeit hot and dry) summer went up in smoke. Literally. After the Eagle Creek Fire started on Sept. 2, I found myself wiping ash off my tomatoes and rinsing off strawberries that my kids and I usually pop in our mouths as fast as we can pick them. My gardening woes, of course, were at the bottom of a very large pile of genuine hardships caused by the fire. Residents were displaced from homes, businesses suffered immeasurable losses during a time many count on to help get through the lean months ahead, schools were impacted during the all-important start of a new year, health problems were exacerbated for many and, of course, there’s the destruction of whole swaths of our beautiful Gorge forests. On the days when I didn’t even want to stand outside in the smoke and water my garden, I also thought about all of the farmers and orchardists in the area who didn’t have the luxury of skipping farm tasks to stay inside. Farming is hard work, and the myriad jobs that must get done on a daily basis to keep a farm afloat don’t let up for surprise catastrophes. While I let my garden go a little dry here and there, our local farmers and orchard pickers were working for hours daily in the unpleasant — often dangerous — conditions. Let’s show our appreciation for them by shopping at the farmers’ markets in the weeks ahead. Many markets

continue well into fall, with Hood River’s weekly market going strong until just before Thanksgiving. (It starts back up again twice monthly in January, at Springhouse Cellar Winery.) Take a tour on the Hood River County Fruit Loop, which showcases many of the area’s small farms and their fall bounty. Or simply head out to some of the farm stands peppering our region and stock up on fresh, local goods. While you’re there, thank the farmers for their commitment — through fire and rain — to growing fresh fruit and produce for us all to enjoy. In the meantime, we think you’ll like the stories in these pages. Writer and chef Lindsay Gott gives us a fun, quirky take on chard — which she bought, incidentally, at the Hood River Farmers’ Market (page 8). Ginger Shepherd takes us on a journey to Horseradish Ranch in Washington, one of the newer farms in the Gorge, where farmer/owner Laura Bazzetta uses heritage agricultural practices to raise animals and grow food through dry farming methods (page 16). And Sarah Sullivan, executive director of Gorge Grown Food Network, highlights the organization’s Healthy Corner Stores initiative, which is putting local produce in convenience stores in Wasco County — a win-win for farmers and residents with limited access to healthy food (page 21). Here’s wishing you a “normal” fall season in the Gorge, complete with munching goodies right from the garden, no wiping or rinsing required. —Janet Cook

Healthy Corner Stores

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fresh BITES

FARMERS’ MARKETS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE GOLDENDALE May thru first week in October Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 pm. Ekone Park HOOD RIVER May thru third week of November Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 5th and Columbia, downtown Hood River HOOD RIVER INDOOR FARMERS’ MARKET January through April First and third Saturdays of the month 1 to 4 p.m. Springhouse Cellars 13 Railroad Street THE DALLES June thru second week of October Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. City Park Union and E. 5th Street STEVENSON Mid June thru first week of October Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 199 2nd Street, downtown Stevenson WHITE SALMON Mid June thru first week of October Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. White Salmon City Park

more information at gorgegrown.org

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

Harvest Fest Celebrate Hood River’s harvest season at the 35th annual Hood River Valley Harvest Fest Oct. 13-15 on the Hood River Waterfront. This old-fashioned fall festival brings together more than 125 vendors offering seasonal produce, artisan food products, and arts and crafts. New this year is an expanded beer, wine and cider tasting experience, featuring the Gorge Cider Society, Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association and Full Sail Brewery. A kids’ activity area includes bouncy houses, face painting and a petting zoo. For more information, go to hoodriver.org. Fill Your Pantry The third annual “Fill Your Pantry” farmers’ market takes place at the Rockford Grange (4250 Barrett Drive, Hood River) on Nov. 4 from 2 to 6 p.m. The special market provides a way for Gorge

residents to stock up for winter with storable food products grown by local farmers. Locally-produced staples available for purchase in bulk include potatoes, onions, garlic, root crops, winter squash, grains, beans, cornmeal, meat, honey, cheese, dried herbs and teas, preserves, pickles, kombucha and more. The event includes food storage and preservation demonstrations, educational materials, kids activities and live music. For more information, go to rockfordgrange.net.

Produce by Season in the Gorge F A L L 2 0 1 7 APPLES ASIAN PEARS BASIL BEANS BEAN SPROUTS BEETS BOK CHOY BROCCOLI BRUSSELS SPROUTS BURDOCK CABBAGE CARROTS CAULIFLOWER

CELERIAC CHARD CIDER COLLARDS CORN CUCUMBERS CURRANTS EGGPLANT FIGS GARLIC GOURDS GRAPES

HAZELNUTS HERBS KOHLRABI MELONS MUSHROOMS MUSTARDS ONIONS PEARS PEPPERS POTATOES PUMPKINS QUINCE

RADISHES RUTABAGAS SALAD GREENS SPINACH SHALLOTS TOMATOES TURNIPS WALNUTS WINTER SQUASH

Six reasons to support

your local farmer FRESH TASTE AND VARIETY Produce picked and eaten at the height of ripeness has exceptional flavor and is packed with nutrients. Also, local farm products are chosen for the best flavor, not for their ability to withstand extended travel. SUPPORTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY Buying locally keeps your money circulating within your community, supporting economic prosperity in the Columbia Gorge. SUPPORTS FAMILY FARMERS Family farmers who sell their products through national and international distribution chains receive little profit due to the cost of transport and advertising. When you buy from local farmers, the farmer receives a larger portion of the food dollar. PROTECTS OPEN SPACE AND FARMLAND Economically viable farms are a necessity if we are to keep the pastoral views of the Columbia Gorge. Supporting local farms helps ensure that the beautiful farmland surrounding our communities will remain into the future. BUILDS COMMUNITY When you buy directly from the farmer, you have the opportunity to ask about their farming practices or just socialize over a juicy ripe peach or a fresh ear of corn. PROTECTS NATURAL RESOURCES Food traveling through our current distribution system is resource intensive. The average food item grown and eaten in the United States has traveled 1500 miles.

Crop Walk for Hunger The 29th Crop Walk to fight hunger in our community and around the world takes place Saturday, Oct. 7, in Hood River, starting at Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Rd. Registration is at 9 a.m., with the walk starting at 10 a.m. Choose from 1 mile, 5K or 10K walks. Tax deductible donations go to fight hunger locally and globally, with 25 percent of donations going to local food banks. Donated canned food items will be given to Cascade Locks evacuees of the Eagle Creek Fire. Crop Walk donations can also be mailed to Crop Walk Columbia Gorge, 975 Indian Creek Road, Hood River, OR 97031.

E p i c re

CIPE this recipe CAFÉ RE E Z River, shared A d D o o R H E in fé IV a R r Daze C page 26. owner of Rive y, turn to a r B Miranda Bray, h it Aw ! For a Q& with us. Yum Dressing e s e e easar h C t a in place of C o it G se u to y e t lik Zes or spread. I reat dressing g a s ke a m This sar salad. tweak on Cea a r fo g in ss dre heese 1 cup goat c oil ½ cup olive e s lemon juic 3 Tablespoon eds sunflower se s n o o sp le b 3 Ta

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freeform kitchen BEGGING FOR AN EGGING BY LIN D SAY G O T T

Yesterday I made it to the Farmers’ Market. That alone felt like an accomplishment — not that I found my way there, but that I remembered. It’s a defeat that’s hard for me to bear when I get a hankering for something fresh out of the ground on Saturday at 2 p.m. When I sauntered up to the Tumbleweed Farms booth, the rainbow chard practically leapt off the table into my basket. It was a moment of reckoning. Chard and I have had a one of those relationships you might have with the prettiest girl in high school—when she acknowledges you in the hallway, you can’t help but smile back, but inside you are scowling. Looking at all those lovingly assembled bundles standing at attention, I’m thinking: yeah sure, you’re all show-and-glow with your fancy stems and bubbly leaves that I can practically see my reflection in, but I know you, you can taste faintly of dirt, you hog the vegetable drawer, and you too often end up as a wilted pile that I toss with a sharp pang of guilt.

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Part of my resistance to chard is its insistence. Its brazenly beautiful, earthy character demands attention. To do anything but treat it respectfully seems an amateur’s affront and handicaps its potential. But I can be a lazy cook, expecting the ingredients to do the work for me. The next day when I opened the fridge, the ends of those bright rainbow stems were pointing at me, offering deliverance. Being a Sunday morning, I was short on excuses that I sometimes use to get me out of cooking, like work deadlines and school lunches to pack. Plus, I recalled, there is a degree from Le Cordon Bleu buried somewhere in my filing cabinet. (Yes, I still have one of those.) I had to remind myself that the process is where inspiration usually finds me. Cookbooks and food magazines have their role, but the act of choosing and picking up a knife is how I close the gap between inertia and momentum. Plus, in this case, deconstructing chard into leaves and stems both instantly reduces its power and creates a practical solution as the stems cook at a different rate. Over and over again I conclude that leafy greens’ greatest expression comes from a quick blast of heat and quality fat. Olive oil delivers the right flash point for this fare and complements its earthiness. Go lightly on the oil however — greasy greens can feel like a treat (mmm, maybe I can live without bacon!) but you risk an algae-like mouthfeel. To avoid this unpleasantness, cut them into

narrow ribbons, and toss them in a sauté pan that’s been heated to medium-high and has enough oil to coat the bottom generously. You should hear sizzling. Sprinkle in some salt and move them around a bit to coat them with the oil. Then let them sit there and protest a bit. After a minute or so, add a few tablespoons of water and step back. Notice how they suddenly seem tamed as the water evaporates, both simmering and steaming the greens as it does. When they are still shiny but there are no significant pools of liquid, take them off the heat and let them decorate the bottom of your dish. This alone may have your mouth watering. But to me, in that moment, they seemed terribly lonely and bored. I’m always looking for platforms on which to scoop out a perfectly soft-boiled egg and let it drool over its plate mate. And here it was, again. In my book, most things edible, certainly as the main dish, benefit from a little enrichment. The color combo alone had me. If you can’t lick your plate without tablemates gasping at you, add a couple of toast points for mopping up. With no food hangover in site and pans that barely require the scrubby side of the sponge, I mentally filed this one under both #everydaydelicious and #norecipeneeded. I may have even decided that chard can be in my clique.

Lindsay Gott left an advertising career in San Francisco to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, in the late 1990s. She returned to the Bay Area to work at the iconic Chez Panisse Restaurant. She started her first company there, a cooking party business, before being called back to her roots in small town life. Arriving in Hood River in 2001, she worked at several local food businesses until opening the South Bank Kitchen (now Bodaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen) in downtown Hood River. She sold it to welcome motherhood in 2006. An irrepressible food entrepreneur, she is now creating a gift basket business for Gorge specialties and blogging at: amoozboosh.com.

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FALL 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ SAVOR THE GORGE

COOKING ith kiDs

S TORY & PH O TOS BY K ACI E M CM ACKI N

My daughters have been requesting to help more in the kitchen. In fact, they’ve been begging for “cooking

lessons.” Per their request, Chicken Picatta was to be the subject of our first cooking lesson. I have my own version of Chicken Picatta (recipe below), but we began by watching a few cooking shows featuring Ina Garten and Giada De Laurentiis cooking their versions, which can be found on YouTube. My kids love any opportunity to cuddle on the couch and watch a screen so this got them fully engaged and helped them see and understand the process. Next we got a pen and paper and wrote out the ingredients we would need (which I already had on hand), and the basic steps. I walked them through the bits that they would do, and what I would have to do alone. I headed to the kitchen to prep, leaving them on the couch to look through my cookbooks for “inspiration.” The most important part about cooking with kids, for me, is the prep and pausing to clean as we go. Making sure everything is laid out and ready helps reduce the chaos and makes the whole thing (or at least most of it) easy and fun. Once the ingredients were all out on the counter, and the cutting boards and parchment paper prepped, I called to the girls to wash their hands and come in to do our lesson. First I had Lulu, 4, measure out the flour and breadcrumbs and season them, while Gigi, 6, cracked and whisked the eggs with a bit of stock. I had them trim the green beans using their kid-friendly knives, as well as cut the peeled potatoes for our sides.

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

To flatten out the chicken, I placed one chicken breast at a time between two layers of parchment paper. (Using the parchment is great because it keeps their little hands from ever touching the raw chicken.) The girls then took turns whacking it with a rolling pin before I took over for the final turn. The girls were then excused for a bit to play while I did a quick clean of the counter, started the potatoes simmering, and got the chicken coated in breadcrumbs, cooked in hot oil and butter, and into the oven to keep warm. While I whisked up a pan sauce, the girls were responsible for getting out the plates and cutlery for our dinner. Gigi helped me plate our food, while Lulu cut up and topped our chicken with a bit of fresh parsley, as well as a lemon slice and fried capers, and they each got to spoon on their own sauce. It was truly delicious, and they were beaming with pride.

A few final tips…

Teach the importance of good hand washing before cooking, after cooking (especially when handling eggs or raw meat/poultry), and before sitting down at the table. Talk to your kids about the possibility of minor injuries: little cuts, burns, or bonks happen often when doing something new — especially in the kitchen. Be prepared for these little accidents with ice, Band-Aids, etc. Consider getting a kid friendly knife set — we have the Kuhn Rikon kinderkitchen Children’s Essential Set. It’s great to plan for an early dinner, which allows extra time (just in case), and you also don’t end up with over-hungry meltdowns mid-cooking! Have your kids help to clean up after the meal.

Gigi and Lulu’s Chicken Picatta (In the directions I’ve put an asterisk next to the tasks that are great for kids.) Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts  1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour   2 eggs  1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp chicken stock  juice of two lemons, plus lemon slices for garnish  1 cup Panko bread crumbs unsalted butter  extra virgin olive oil sea salt  freshly ground black pepper   1 Tbsp capers, rinsed 1 tsp dried parsley fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions: Preheat your oven to 250ºF and put a baking sheet in the oven to warm. *Mix together 1 cup of chicken stock and the juice of two lemons. *In a shallow bowl whisk together the flour with one teaspoon salt and a few turns of fresh pepper. *In a separate shallow bowl whisk the breadcrumbs with the dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few turns of fresh pepper. *In a third shallow bowl whisk the two eggs until well blended. Add 2 tablespoons of chicken stock to the egg and mix it in. One at a time, lay the chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper. *Using a rolling pin, whack the chicken until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off the excess. Dip it in the egg mix, coating it well, allow the excess to drip off. Finally, coat the chicken in bread crumbs. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon butter over medium high heat until it’s bubbling. Cook the chicken breasts, one or two at a time, until they are deeply golden on both sides and cooked through — this usually takes about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked chicken to the oven to stay warm while you finish cooking the rest of the chicken, adding more oil and butter as needed. Toss the capers into the hot pan with the leftover oil, frying them for a minute or two. Transfer to a paper towel. Add two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of flour to the pan, whisking to combine. After one minute, add one cup of stock to the pan while whisking, scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, whisk and reduce until the sauce is like a thin gravy. Season to taste. *Chop up some fresh parsley. *Plate the chicken, garnish it with a lemon slice, fried capers, and parsley. Enjoy immediately along with your desired sides. Kacie McMackin is a food blogger, writer and photographer, and founder of gorgeinthegorge.com.

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A BAKERY

worth its wood fire

White Salmon Baking Company creates artisan bread and so much more STORY & PH O TO S BY GI NGE R S HE P HE RD

Nina Jimenez and Jure Poberaj

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Something more than just bread is rising at a little bakery nestled along NE Estes Avenue in White Salmon. It is a bakery looking to connect its community to a better way of eating and to more regionally sourced food. White Salmon Baking Company opened its doors in April 2015, allowing Nina Jimenez and Jure Poberaj to realize their dream. The pair wanted to start a bakery that was a part of a community, and White Salmon felt like the natural choice. They both lived there and felt that the business would provide something unique to the town — a retail bakery offering fresh bread, pastries and even special occasion cakes. “We felt there was a need,” Jimenez said. “Every town needs a bakery.” And White Salmon may have needed them. Poberaj said that most of their clientele are repeat customers. “The best part of the job is the regulars,” Jimenez said. “I feel real lucky.” But filling a niche isn’t the only way the pair are connecting to the community. They are making sure they provide their customers with a better way to eat. And to do that, they take a classical approach in food preparation and source ingredients from the Pacific Northwest. What does a classical approach mean? Poberaj wanted to bake his bread the way it was made before temperature-controlled ovens. That meant they needed a wood-fire oven, which presented some challenges — for starters, no one manufactures wood ovens for retail bakeries. “It’s not a hot commodity,” Poberaj said. He contacted a builder in Canada and got some plans, which he and his father used to build the oven. It was a two-week process to construct it. A fire is lit in the oven around 11 a.m. and it burns until 3 p.m. Then they let the fire go out, allowing the oven to cool to the right temperature for the bread that is baked the next morning. There is nothing standardized about this process. Bakers adjust the baking time based on the oven’s temperatures, but other factors can affect it — including things like humidity and the outside temperature. “Every day is different,” Poberaj said. For the White Salmon Baking Company, the classical approach isn’t just about the means to bake the bread, it’s also what goes into the bread. All bread has three ingredients: flour, water and salt,” Poberaj said, stressing that bread shouldn’t need sweeteners or milk. By keeping it to three ingredients, the baker can “bring out the best flavor of the wheat.” Jimenez and Poberaj also use wild, natural yeast. Poberaj explained that natural yeast is all around and that by mixing water and flour, then allowing it to set, it ferments, creating a starter. Their starter is a sourdough starter, which they created when they opened the bakery. At the heart of all bread is its grain. Jimenez and Poberaj try to source their grains from the Pacific Northwest. Currently, they get grains from Shepherd’s, a grain co-op, and also purchase heritage grain from Camas Country Mill. “Most flour does go stale so it is important to us to get the freshest possible,” Poberaj said, adding that the closer the grain is, “the quicker we can get it.” Using regional grain allows the pair to support regional farming. They also support local and regional farmers by buying seasonal fruits and vegetables. Cheese and meats are a little harder to find; Poberaj uses Tillamook Cheese but admits he sources some of these items from California. He looks to the Portland metro area to find specialty items for the bakery’s pizza night.

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Then there is the coffee. Jimenez and Poberaj make sure they offer a Gorge-roasted brew: Pacific Rim. “We love our coffee roasters,” Jimenez said with a smile. Along with providing customers with regionally-sourced, classically made bread, White Salmon Baking Company makes sure its customers get something sweet, too. The bakery has a traditional convection oven for making pastries; the wood-fire oven is too hot for that. “Pastries are too delicate,” Poberaj explained. The bakery offers a variety of goodies. “Mostly we bake what we would like to eat, not overly sweet or fussy,” Jimenez said. Last winter, Jimenez and Poberaj launched a weekly “pizza night” at the bakery, which has continued and become a popular community gathering every Monday from 5 to 9 p.m. It was born out of a desire to bring back wood-fire pizza to the White Salmon area — to fill the hole that was left when Solstice Wood Fire Cafe moved to Hood River — and also a way to showcase their love of wine. “Jure and I enjoy sourcing wine to serve along with the pizza night offerings” Jimenez said. “Our goal is to find small, interesting and family-owned wineries that represent the land on which the grapes were grown.” Typically, they pick wines they know and enjoy drinking. It is a way to showcase wines not found in the Columbia Gorge. For them, it’s a great way to bring in international wines that may not be familiar to people in the area, she said. As the pair continues to bake, they look for more ways to grow and connect. Poberaj hopes that some day he can add more varieties of bread, and that the bakery can be open seven days a week. The couple also hope to make their own wine someday. They recently purchased about 10 acres and plan to plant grapes from the Friuli region of Italy, including Ribolla Gialla and Friulano, and other varietals. “Jure grew up in that area, and he feels it’s important to try and bring some of those varietals back to the U.S.,” Jimenez said. It’s something they hope will be another way to connect with the community. For more information, go to whitesalmonbaking.com.

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H O R S E R A D I S H

R A N C H

back to the LAND

Through heritage agricuture techniques, Horseradish Ranch aims for resilience and sustainability S T O RY & P H O T OS BY G I NGE R S HE P HE RD

FALL 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ SAVOR THE GORGE

“Hey ladies,” Laura Bazzetta says to her sheep as she walks by them. For the sheep, it is a signal they are moving to a new pasture, so they gather around the fence opening waiting for Bazzetta to take them to a new grazing spot. The small herd of Katahdin sheep are part of Bazzetta’s big-picture approach to farming, soil conservation and meat production at the 121-acre Horseradish Ranch, 25 miles northeast of White Salmon. Her approach uses dry farming to raise crops and multi-species rotational grazing. Bazzetta looks at the sheep and the area where she has them pinned — there is a mixture of grass and weeds. She decides they need to stay, they have work to do. Horseradish Ranch is located on farmland that hadn’t been used for agricultural purposes for a long time. Bazzetta took it over in October 2016, leasing it from Blue Moon Stead owner Barbara Bailey. Before Bailey owned the property, it was used as a theater camp. The weeds have had a chance to take root. That is where the sheep come in. “They’re great weeders,” Bazzetta said. She selects a spot for the sheep to graze and builds a temporary fence around the area. Once the sheep are in the right area, they start to eat the weeds. As they eat, they leave organic material behind that fertilizes the soil. This is where the idea of multi-species rotational grazing begins. Once the sheep have grazed a spot, Bazzetta moves in the chickens and ducks. They graze too. Chickens also scratch through the sheep poop, spreading it. The birds eat bugs too. After a while, the animals will eat through the weeds and the grass, and help improve the soil. Bazzetta explains this will allow her to reseed with grass that is right for the property and the area. It’s a long process that will be done throughout the ranch. Multi-species rotational grazing does stray from the traditional way cattle is grazed, but it’s a more natural approach. In the wild, animals would move to a small spot, graze it as a group, then move on, leaving organic material and allowing the grass to regrow. It is also a way of land management that ensures the land isn’t overgrazed. Cattle or other livestock aren’t left in an area so long that they eat the best part of the pasture until it is dirt. Through her management plan, Bazzetta’s livestock will graze on a spot a couple of times a year. “It’s practical, holistic management,” she said, adding that it can help reduce erosion, help the land retain moisture and return the area to its natural state. The practice benefits the herds too.

Bazzetta explained that since the chickens graze after the sheep and they scratch through the organic material, they find and eat parasites that aren’t harmful for them but could be for the sheep. They also eat fly larvae. So, they make the grazing spots better and healthier for other animals. Bazzetta also uses her fields to raise rabbits. The rabbits don’t graze after the chickens, but instead are given their own spot to graze. Each day Bazzetta moves the large crates housing the rabbits, allowing them to graze on a different spot of pasture. Just like the sheep, the rabbits eat the grass down so it can regrow, and they fertilize the soil. While the animals are important tools in restoring and maintaining the farmland, they have another purpose: food. Bazzetta, a Wisconsin native, grew up on a hobby farm. “My dad was a tractor enthusiast so the garden gave him an excuse for his tractors,” she said. As a teenager, Bazzetta began working at an organic grocery store and started learning about organic food and the industry. “I was 16 and so horrified,” she said, especially after learning what farm animals went through. She became a vegan, and remained one for some time, then she started working on farms doing different jobs. She saw the different roles of animals in the food cycle as well as in farming. The idea of a life cycle and everything having a place has become part of Bazzetta’s approach in raising her chickens, sheep and rabbits. “I’m attached to these animals,” she admits. Each time she takes chicken, rabbits and sheep to butcher, she has a lot of feelings. She concedes that everyone and everything dies, but that doesn’t mean an animal can’t have a good life before it becomes food. “What I do is offer them to be raised on a pasture,” Bazzetta said. The sheep eat weeds, the chickens get to scratch and eat bugs. “I give them the best life I can.” The rabbits, too, get to eat grass — something their digestive system breaks down well. It is as natural as Bazzetta can make it in the cages. While rabbits can be grazed in a fenced area, that doesn’t work for Bazzetta. The places that works are flat with special fences that prevent rabbits from digging. Horseradish Ranch has gentle slopping hills and grazing animals are rotated from pasture to pasture, making moving specialty fences too labor intensive. Bazzetta is careful to keep her rabbits from becoming invasive. The cages are large enough that more than one rabbit can live in one. Rabbits are social and like having a community. The cages also have hidey holes so the rabbits feel like they can hide from other rabbits or perceived dangers. Each of the animals that Bazzetta raises for butcher have a place in the food system. Sheep offer a lean red meat and chicken are a traditional source of white meat. “Rabbits have a role, too,” she said. Rabbits are just white meat and are very lean and flavorful.

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

Horseradish Ranch has grown a following. Bazzetta has customers — especially older ones — who grew up hunting and eating rabbits and were excited to see someone selling them. There are also customers from other cultures that eat rabbit who are happy to find a source. But there is a curiosity about rabbits as food. Bazzetta has customers who have never had rabbit before but are familiar with the local food movement, like to cook and want to try something new, she said. “The New York Times has published several very popular articles and recipes about rabbit in recent years, and I think this has had a big influence on the positivity with which people are receiving it as a food now,” Bazzetta said. “I find that as people learn more about what a sustainable, efficient, and resilient source of food rabbits are — something I always try to educate my customers on — they become more open to it, as we all learn to shift our diets as our world changes around us.” Sustainability at Horseradish Ranch doesn’t end with the animals. Bazzetta dry farms the land. The concept is simple: farm without using artificial irrigation. This idea builds on using and retaining moisture in the soil. The ranch is arid and has limited water rights. Bazzetta and Bailey are dedicated to reducing the amount of water used to cultivate crops, and this means a different approach is needed. First, the pair looks to keep moisture in the ground. Walking around the ranch, there are garden spots that are covered in straw, mulch and sometimes plastic weed block. These strategies help keep water from evaporating and keep moisture in the soil. The pair pulled back some straw in one spot in mid-September and were happily surprised at the soil temperature. “Feel it, it is cool,” Bazzetta said. They also look to plant what works best in the soil and with limited water. These are plants that will root deeper and work a little harder to pull water and nutrients from deeper in the soil. They have focused on beans. They are also working to replant the pasture with perennial grasses that have stronger and deeper root systems. For Horseradish Ranch and Bailey’s Blue Moon Stead, the current crop has been tepary beans. Bazzetta said the beans are a little smaller than other beans but they have bigger flavor. “Like wine,” she said, explaining how wine grapes have more flavor after a hot, dry summer. “They concentrate their flavor, sugar and nutrients into a smaller package.” Beans and other vegetables are the same way. “A dry-farmed tomato is amazing,” she said, expressing her desire to grow some in the future. “They are smaller and are like eating an apple.” Bazzetta plans to look at different crops to try, but like the animals she grazes, it will be what best fits the land. To learn more about dry farming, multi-species grazing and Horseradish Ranch, go to horseradishranch.com.

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

Easy Multi-Dish Rabbit Recipe

Laura Bazzetta Rabbit can seem like an intimidating project for the uninitiated — but this mildly-flavored, all-white meat is actually quite versatile and easy to cook. Highest in protein and lowest in fat of all the meats we raise, pasture-raised rabbit makes the perfect addition to any meal. This recipe will result in tender, juicy meat that is easy to peel off the bone. It makes a great ingredient for other dishes to save time cooking meals later in the week (hence ‘multi-dish’). Keep a container of this cooked rabbit in the fridge, and it’s quick to throw together for salads or sandwiches on the go (just like chicken breast!), or toss into a pasta or casserole dish for a delicious, nutritious dinner. Gather your ingredients and supplies: 1 whole 2-3 lb rabbit (slow-thawed) 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar 1/4 cup coconut, sunflower, safflower, or canola oil (olive can substitute in a pinch) 1/8 cup raw sucanat sugar (or 1 TBSP brown sugar) 3 small or 1 large sweet white onion (pearl drop or Walla Walla are the best) 1 tsp fennel seed power Salt & pepper to taste One crock pot (or dutch oven) Now for the best part — just a few steps! 1. Place the Rabbit in the pot. 2. Pour and sprinkle all ingredients over the rabbit with abandon. 3. Cover the pot. If using a crock pot, turn on LOW, not high — never high. If using a dutch oven, heat your oven to 225 F and place the dutch oven inside. 4. Cook for about 3 hours. Walk away and enjoy the rest of your life while the rabbit takes care of itself. If inclined, flip the rabbit over halfway through the cooking process to spread the sauce more evenly — but it’s not essential. 5. After 3 hours, pull the rabbit out and let it cool. It’s done! Once cool, it’s easy to remove the meat from the bones and set it aside for use in other dishes (or right away if you’re like me, and you enjoy a warm drumstick fresh from the pot). For more recipes and cooking tips, go to horseradishranch.com.

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CORNER STORE An initiative to stock convenience stores with healthy food finds success in Wasco County S T ORY BY S ARAH S UL L I VAN P H O T OS BY S I LVAN S HAWE

FALL 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ SAVOR THE GORGE

Maybe you are one of the 30 percent of Gorge residents that worry about where your next meal will come from. Maybe you are a single parent with no car. You may live in a neighborhood with no grocery store where public transportation is limited. The nearby corner store is your primary source of food. The options are not healthy for you and your family: fried food, soda, candy, or salty, packaged items that leave you feeling empty. This is the reality for many Gorge residents, especially in “food deserts” peppered throughout what most people think of as an abundant, foodrich place. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a food desert as a neighborhood “where a substantial number of residents have low access to a grocery store.” Desert-loving ecologists take offense at the comparison between food scarcity and dry landscapes: deserts, they argue, are actually rich ecosystems worth preserving, and food deserts aren’t usually devoid of food, but littered with fast food restaurants and more unhealthy options than other places. Some call them “food swamps,” but swamps

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

have value, too. Why do we compare our food-insecure communities to our least favorite ecosystems? Perhaps we should own — and fix — the landscapes we’ve built. A national cross-sectional study found that low-income, urban neighborhoods of color have the least availability of grocery stores and supermarkets compared with both low- and high-income white communities. Low-income neighborhoods also have much higher rates of diet-related disease including cancer. Multiple studies have proven that your zip code has as much to do with your health and lifespan as your genetics. Wasco County has 12 convenience stores, which is three times the national average (per capita). Forty-five percent of the restaurants in Wasco County are considered fast food. The City of The Dalles has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the state. Obesity is actually the most common health risk factor throughout the Gorge: in the most recent regional health assessment, more than half of the respondents reported being overweight. So what can we do? Change the food environment through an evidence-based approach that has worked in other communities around the world. OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute put out a special call for grant requests to support healthy corner store projects to improve access to food in low-income neighborhoods in Oregon. Their goal? Reduce obesity to reduce cancer, and address health disparities by improving access to healthy food. It’s been proven

that adults living in neighborhoods with supermarkets and grocery stores have lower obesity rates (21 percent) as compared to those living in neighborhoods with no supermarkets (32 to 40 percent). Gorge Grown Food Network received the Knight grant to pilot the project in Allen’s Grocery and La Michoacana in The Dalles, which launched in June of 2017. Huskey’s 97 in Moro joined the project in August. So far it’s a win-win for farmers, store owners, and residents in need of better food access. The stores have stocked 20 new varieties of locally grown produce from nine local farms including cucumbers, organic cherries, herbs, organic green onions, lettuce, radishes, organic apples, tomatoes, summer squash, carrots and garlic. What makes The Dalles Healthy Corner Store Project unique is the fact that it works in concert with Gorge Grown Food Network’s other programs. Veggie Rx enables healthcare providers to ‘prescribe’ vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables to those facing food insecurity. This empowers low-income residents who may not otherwise be able to buy enough food — let alone fruits and veggies — to make easy, healthy choices. This project not only helps improve access to healthy food, but it teaches people how to best use the fruits and veggies. Tastings and demonstrations highlighting a monthly selection of seasonal produce are held at La Michoacana every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, at Allen’s Food Center every first and third Wednesday, and at local events and schools throughout the community.

Gorge Grown’s Food Business Incubator Program offers technical assistance to farmers and corner store owners. The Mobile Market helps with some of the distribution. And the Food Security Coalition, a network of more than 40 organizations working to end hunger and build a local food system, mobilize to spread the word about the project. Wasco County’s “Step it Up” program encourages The Dalles walking groups to stroll down to the store and grab a healthy snack. Local schools are encouraging students to try new veggies, and are sending flyers home in backpacks letting parents know that they can now access fresh produce at the corner store. Students grow a row for Healthy Corner Stores Wahtonka Community School is a unique charter school in The Dalles serving 55 students. Learning focuses on hands-on, project based skills, community service, and outdoor environmental studies. You might find science and nutrition being taught in the thriving school garden where students grow crops for the Healthy Corner Store Projects. Principal and teacher Brian Goodwin believes that students need to be engaged with their local food system. It’s a closed loop for some of the kids, many of whom are low-income. They grow and deliver the food with great pride, and often bring family members in to behold (and buy) the fresh veggies. Krystal Klebes is a teacher at Wahtonka Community School. “Not only are our students learning how to use the produce they are growing to make healthy food through this project, but they are also learning how to invoice and perform quality control measures,” Klebes says. “We see the students applying this knowledge regularly, taking more ownership over the gardening process, and experimenting independently with making healthy meals and snacks with our garden gleans.” Farmers Profit First-year farmer Ryan Loop grows vegetables in Sherman County amidst fields of soft white wheat, most of which is exported. He was hauling veggies to multiple farmers markets up to two hours away. Healthy Corner Store Program Manager Silvan Shawe helped Loop connect to the three Healthy Corner Stores and the new Sherman County Farmers Market where he became an anchor vendor. Huskey’s 97 owner Carrie Hughes and Loop were a good match: Hughes had never bulk purchased produce at a wholesale price, and Loop had never sold outside of farmers markets. Within just a few weeks, fresh veggies starting flying off the shelves at Huskey’s 97. “I’m happy that my customers are able to have access to more healthy options,” Hughes says. “We are so rural that it’s hard to get a lot of variety, but this project has helped bring in new kinds of high quality seasonal produce. I’m happy that I can pass the wholesale price savings on.” Hughes set up a new produce cooler with fresh “grab and go” fruit and veggie cups, as well as staples like peppers and tomatoes. She has to move some of the beer out of cold storage to stock more veggies, and she takes special orders from customers. More carrots? No problem! Sherman County residents that are food insecure and low-income can get Veggie Rx vouchers right next door at the health clinic. “The best part is when I give a voucher and I hear someone say, ‘I haven’t had a fresh cucumber

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To build a resilient and inclusive food system that improves the health and well-being of our community.

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Sarah Sullivan is the Executive Director of Gorge Grown Food Network. Gorge Grown’s mission is to build an inclusive and resilient food system that improves the health and well being of our community.

Support for the Healthy Corner Stores Project comes from The

in years,’ says Caitlin Blagg, district administrator for Sherman County Health District. “We have everyone from kids to seniors who are using the vouchers and benefitting from Veggie Rx,” Hughes says. “It really is making a difference in our community and I hope it continues.”

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

What’s next? The goals is to expand the Healthy Corner Store project to all five counties in the Gorge, especially in the more food insecure areas of Skamania and Klickitat counties. Sourcing produce in the winter will be a challenge. Nature’s Finest farm has committed to supplying storage crops like garlic and squash through the spring. With Veggie Rx, the new Hood River Winter Farmers Market, and the vibrant Healthy Corner Store Project, there is a growing demand for local food year-round, and our farmers need training and infrastructure to scale up. This means securing funding for things like workshops and hoop houses. Our leaders, especially our elected officials and our health care providers, have a responsibility to address the inequitable conditions built into our communities. Sure, we need more bike lanes and affordable housing. Let’s also remember that 1 in 3 of our neighbors are hungry, and 1 in 2 are overweight or obese. Hunger and a lack of access to healthy food are the result of poverty and poor planning, and we can’t talk about food justice without acknowledging that we need more living-wage jobs. While not the sole solution to the complexities of the obesity epidemic, access to nutritious and affordable food is an important component enabling community residents to make easy, healthy choices about their diets. Healthy food is — or should be — a human right.

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Community Partnership Program, which is designed to build sustainable collaborations with Oregon communities by providing development of community-identified cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and survivorship projects. The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute has made a decade-long commitment to invest in this program to develop robust, sustainable programs that benefit the health of all Oregonians.

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

WHO’S YOUR A&J ORCHARDS. LLC

Hood River, OR karenasai@hotmail.com 541-386-1974 Apples, pears, cherries. Family owned and operated for 100 years! Pick up fruit at the orchard or delivery available.

BLUE SKIES BAKERY

Husum, WA, BZ corners www.blueskiesbakery.com infor@blueskiesbakerycom 509-876-7395 Bread and Granola. We are a family owned and operated wholesale bakery, located in the shadow of Mt Adams. We bake our breads and granolas with a combination of organic, local, and non-GMO ingredients. Look for us at your local grocer.

CASCADIA CREAMERY

Trout Lake, WA www.cascadiacreamery.com marci@cascadiacreamery.com 509-395-9339 Artisan Cheeses Family-owned creamery that produces hand crafted certified organic aged, raw cheeses. We get our amazing milk from a nearby 4th generation dairy farm. Commercial, Restaurants,Consumers, Farmers’ Markets, CSAs

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

COLUMBIA BLOSSOM ORGANIC ORCHARDS

farmer

Mosier, OR www.ColumbiaBlossom.com jim@columbiablossom.com 541-478-2084 Fruit, Wine. Family-owned operation producing peaches, cherries, nectarines, plums, apricots, table grapes and wine grapes. Certified organic by Oregon Tilth for over 20 years. No u-pick. Commercial, Consumers. Call to add name to list for seconds.

COLUMBIA GORGE GLUTEN FREE

Bingen, OR www.columbiagorgeglutenfree.com teresa@gorgeglutenfree.com 541-387-0343 Gluten Free Baked Goods. Woman owned bakery using locally sourced products to create delectable delights that you won’t even know it’s missing the wheat! Restaurants. Consumers, Farmers’ Markets, Online

DICKEY FARMS

Bingen, WA store@dickeyfarmsinc.com 509-493-2636 ext 1 Vegetables, Berries, Fruit, Eggs, Bakery The farm supplies store in Bingen on Hwy 14. Dickey’s Corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, squash, peaches, apricots, cherries. Local dairy, poultry, pork and beef. Commercial, Restaurants, Consumers.

EMPANADAS MARIA ELBA

Hood River, OR www.empanadasmariaelba.com empanadasmariaelba@yahoo.com 541-490-1902 Delicious empanadas made in the traditional Chilean fashion using grandmother’s recipe. Highest quality ingredients and sourcing locally as much as possible. Consumers, Food truck

GREEN PASTURES FARM

Trout Lake, WA greenpastures@gorge.net 509-395-2233 Multicolor eggs from chickens living the good life, grass and vegetarian feed, lots of indoor barn space for the winter, no medications except vaccinations. Retail, restaurants, on-farm sales, CSA’s. Supplying local eggs since 1993.

HOOD RIVER VINEYARDS & WINERY

Hood River, OR www.hoodrivervineyardsand winery.com hoodriverwines@gmail.com 541-386-3772 Hood River Vineyards is the Gorge’s oldest winery. We are family-owned and operated, and grow and make table wines, ports, sherry, and hard cider. Commercial, Restaurants, Consumers, Tasting room, special events at other locations

HUMBLE ROOTS NURSERY

Mosier, OR humblerootsnursery.com humbleroots@gorge.net 503-449-3694 Plants (starts, seeds, native plants, etc.) Ethically propagated native plants of the Gorge and Pacific Northwest. Consumers, Agencies, Non-profit organizations and Landscapers. Farm sales, contract growing.

KIYOKAWA FAMILY ORCHARDS

Parkdale, OR www.mthoodfruit.com info@mthoodfruit.com 541-352-7115 Vegetables, Berries, Fruit, Beverages, Jams, jellies, and apple cider. Family- owned and operated farm since 1911. Local and sustainably grown produce, some certified organic, and utilize a farm management system that incorporates best practices. Commercial, Institutional, Restaurants, Farmers’ Markets, Farmstands.

From the mountain to the river, these are your local farmers, growers, and producers — working hard to provide fresh produce year-round. KLICKITAT BISON COMPANY

Centerville, WA www.klickitatbison.com maryjean@centurylink.net 509-773-4450 Bison. Grassfed bison raised without antibiotics or hormones on chemical-free high prairie pastures. Field-slaughtered and processed locally. Available by whole or half. Ground and steaks available by the pound. Lean and flavorful, bison is the original red meat. Consumers.

MARYHILL WINERY

Goldendale, WA www.maryhillwinery.com cassiec@maryhillwinery.com 509-773-1976 Wine. 2015 Pacific NW Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest, 50+ award-winning wines, views of Mt. Hood and the Columbia Gorge, picnicking, tasting room and gift shop. Commercial, Restaurants, Consumers, Online or at winery

MT HOOD WINERY

Hood River, OR www.mthoodwinery.com linda@mthoodwinery.com 541-386-8333 Wine. Family owned and operated winery located on the Bickford Family Century Farm. 20 acres specializing

in estate grown Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Riesling. Commercial, Online, Customer visits and direct sales

MT VIEW ORCHARDS

Parkdale, OR Mtvieworchards.com Mtvieworchards@gmail.com 541-352-6554 Vegetables. Berries. Fruit. Honey, Pumpkin patch, cider, hard cider. Small family multigenerational farm that grows fruit with our farming friends in our minds. We love being farmers and invite you to taste and see our harvests each year. Institutional, Restaurants, Consumers, Farmers’ Markets, Farmstands, CSAs, Online

PEACHWOOD ORCHARD Hood River, OR

hoodriverpeaches@gmail.com 562-447-7711 Peaches and Nectarines. Over 20 unique varieties of peaches and nectarines available July and August. We are a small, owner operated pedestrian orchard that has a gorgeous view of Mt. Hood. Available at Farmers’ Markets, restaurants, pick up at orchard, delivery, u-pick by appointment.

ROOT ORCHARDS

Mosier, OR rootorchards.com rootorchards@aol.com 541-478-3425 Sweet Cherries. A 4th and 5th generation family farm established in 1878, Root Orchards raises over 13 varieties of premium sweet cherries. U-pick, We-pick. Pedestrian orchard provides easy picking and beautiful vistas with easy access to our trees. Enjoy a family excursion and enjoy our luscious cherries too! Wholesale Consumer, Upick, Farm Stands.

SOLLE FARMS/ BIG BARN ORGANICS

Hood River, OR www.sollefarms.com jen@sollefarms.com 541-980-9693 Fruit. We grow 8 varieties of cherries, 8 varieties of organic pears and 4 varieties of organic wine grapes. Direct sales to the public.

SPRINGHOUSE CELLAR

Hood River, OR springhousecellar.com trina@springhousecellar.com 541-308-0700 Producing ten handcrafted, vineyard-designate, Northwest wines. Take home the Springhouse Cellar 1-liter wine growler. Commercial, Restaurants, Consumer

VIENTO

Hood River, OR www.vientowines.com 541-386-3026 Wine. Viento wines are created by Rich Cushman, winemaker for over 30 years and native of Hood River, Oregon. Locally grown, single-site wines. Beautiful tasting room, friendly service. Tasting Room, Restaurants, On-line and Commercial

WILDWOOD FARM

Hood River, OR www.wildwoodharvest.com farm@wildwoodharvest.com 541-436-4181 Vegetables, Flowers, Herbs. Wildwood Farm is a small, family farm growing a diverse selection of vegetables, herbs, and flowers for the Gorge community. CSAs, restaurants, wedding and event flowers.

WILINDA BLUEBERRY PATCH

Hood River, OR Find us on Facebook. lindachamberlain@comcast.net 801-556-7964 Berries. We are a U-Pick Blueberry patch. We DO NOT spray the berries. 9-6 daily starting late June to Labor Day. Contact for availability. Consumers, U-Pick - occasionally for individual orders, i.e. friends, weddings, parties

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

Q&a

MIRANDA BRAY RIVER DAZE CAFE

Miranda Bray was born in Truckee, Calif., and grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. She moved to Hood River with her now-husband, Carey, in 1997. In 2012, she opened River Daze Café in downtown Hood River. She and her husband are also farmers, and source many of their veggies from their own farm and other local farms. River Daze is known for its made-from-scratch menu — including dressings and sandwich spreads, and even its bread and pastries.

What is your background? Do you have formal restaurant training? I worked at a bakery for 2 ½ years in high school and the summer after graduating. I started as a barista/counter person, but when I came to work with my nose pierced, my boss stuck me in the back to help the baker! Since I had always baked at home as a kid for fun, I couldn’t have been happier. Throughout college and after, I had jobs in coffee shops and then, after moving to Hood River, at the Elliot Glacier Public House in Parkdale. That’s where I learned some management skills and gained confidence in my cooking, making soups and other items. Most of my experience is from those avenues, but I was also able to hone in on some techniques during my time at Knead Bakery (a former Hood River bakery) as the assistant pastry chef. When did you know you wanted to be in the restaurant business? I have always loved cooking and baking as well as going out to eat, so I used to imagine the menus I might design or the décor/ settings I might like to create. I also had an interest in nutrition in college, so while that avenue didn’t unfold, I guess another in the food and nutrition realm did. When the opportunity arose, my husband and I felt confident we had the skillset to give it a good shot and we just went for it. We are super grateful and appreciative for the response and support we have gotten. River Daze is known for made-from-scratch food, and you use many local, organic ingredients that even include items from your farm. How do you use this strategy? We have a pretty set menu, so most of our local crops are incorporated seasonally into our soups and salads as well as our pastries, and when we can, our sandwiches. I often use the

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

variety of fruits and berries from our area for muffins and galettes and for topping our waffles. We also use a lot of Gorge and Northwest-produced ingredients and products and I always try to buy organic when possible. What is a favorite garden ingredient? Basil. It’s delicious in savory food, beverages and pastries! What is a must in your home kitchen? Onions and butter. What junk food are you ashamed to say you LOVE? Cheetos.

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FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE

S U P E R M A R K E T S Quality • Service • Selection

We believe in supporting local vendors and farmers right here in the Pacific Northwest. Look for the Pacific Northwest local label on hundreds of products in our store. Eating healthy and living well can be easier by choosing Huckleberry’s. One-stop shopping for natural and organic products.

1867 12th St. . Hood River . 541-386-1119 28

FALL 2017 • SAVOR THE GORGE