The Methow menu

from Valley Vows 2023

Beyond tradition

Valley Caterers Are Ready To Set Your Table

By a nn Mccreary

From Sri Lankan cuisine to traditional American barbecue, caterers in the Methow Valley offer a range of culinary choices for local weddings.

The valley has seen changes in catering options in the past year or two as some well-known caterers have moved on to other ventures, and new catering businesses have emerged. They offer a variety of approaches to wedding catering, from drop-off meals to formal dinners prepared on site.

Among the new arrivals is

Methow Catering LLC, founded last year by the owners of Linwood restaurant in Twisp.

“We do full-service catering, from beginning to end,” said Ashley St. Leger, one of the partners in Methow Catering. “We love to put our mark on it.”

Methow Catering was launched after the partners bought catering equipment last year from Stew Dietz, one of the valley’s long-time caterers. Adam Custis, Linwood chef, is partnering with Colby Frederick on food preparation for the new business., and St. Leger works with wedding parties on things like menu planning and décor.

“My specialty is vintage tableware — vintage plates, old china, colored glassware, charcuterie boards,” St. Leger said.

Custis and Frederick have cooked together for many years, and offer a range of culinary styles, St. Leger said. “The chefs love to look outside the box. We can do traditional steak and chicken, with open fire cooking on a barrel grill. Or we can roast up a whole pig for you.”

Methow Catering even has a portable pizza oven to bring on-site, St. Leger said.

Custis has a flair for Southeast Asian inspired cuisine, which he offers at Linwood, such as noodle dishes and curries for a less traditional approach to wedding fare.

“We’re offering a wide variety of foods,” Custis said. “We will do traditional wedding entrees like salmon and chicken, of course, but if you want something more unconventional we’ll work with you on that. We certainly do anything that’s already on the Linwood menu, but we can also explore other ideas.”

Methow Catering is available for multi-day events, including rehearsal dinners, wedding dinners and after-wedding brunches, St. Leger said. For information go to linwoodtwisp.com/catering, email methowcatering.com, or call (513) 407-0514.

Sri Lankan Cuisine

Another newcomer on the catering scene offering unconventional wedding fare is Lal Sigiiriya and his wife, Heather McLean, owners of Lal’s Fork, a food truck at TwispWorks.

Lal grew up in Sri Lanka and creates traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, which will be available for wedding events as take-out meals.

“We will provide food in bulk containers to serve buffet style,” said McLean. The food can be kept warm in steam tables provided by Lal’s Fork for wedding guests to serve themselves.

Sri Lankan cuisine is unique, but similar to food of southern India, Lal said. It features flavorful spices including curry, chilies, turmeric, cumin, cloves, and cardamom.

Lal’s menu includes appetizers such as samosas (flour pastries with a filling of potatoes and onions, chicken or beef), side dishes such as dal (lentils simmered in coconut milk), and a variety of main dish meat and vegetarian curries.

“It’s an endless variety,” McLean said. “The food holds well because it has flavorful sauces.”

The food is available to pick up at Fork, or for delivery to the venue. Lal can also cook on-site if a commercial kitchen is available. For information, go to forktwisp. com, or email lalsfork@gmail.com.

New Approach

Two well-known caterers in the valley, Kathy Borgersen and Sophia Boesenberg, closed their busy catering businesses (Kathy’s Kitchen and Saskatoon Kitchens) last year to purchase and run Arrowleaf Bistro in Winthrop.

However, they are planning keep a hand in the catering business, offering drop-off style catering for weddings and other events, with set menus for people to choose from that include appetizers, dinner, and mini dessert buffet options.

Borgersen and Boesenberg bring years of experience in catering weddings and other events in the Methow Valley, which they’ll put to use in designing their drop-off catering offerings. “Our menus focus on fresh, local and seasonal,” Borgersen said.

BARBECUE, OF COURSE

Many weddings in the Methow Valley take a casual approach, emphasizing nature and the outdoors, so it’s not surprising that barbecue is a popular food choice.

Bart and Sue Northcott operate B-S-Bar-B-Que in Twisp and have catered small to large events for more than a decade. They primarily provide drop-off food for weddings, offering menus from a wide variety of meats, salads, side dishes and desserts.

A typical menu might include barbecued pork ribs, barbecued chicken, roasted potatoes, baked beans, pasta salad, Caesar salad, rolls and butter, and brownies.

“We work closely (with wedding parties) and help build a menu,” Bart Northcott said. In keeping with the casual menu, Northcott provides paper plates, napkins and plastic flatware. If wedding parties want a more formal setting, they work with rental companies, he said. her ability to meet them, she said. But she said is also able to provide simple, yet beautiful cakes and cookie bars for weddings.

The Northcotts cater many large events around the region, and have limited bookings for weddings, Bart Northcott said. For information, call (509) 421-0983.

A newcomer on the scene is 1908 Barbecue with a restaurant in Twisp. The new business won’t be catering this year, said owner Tyler Krost. But for people who plan ahead, Krost said he expects to offer wedding catering in 2024. For information, go to 1908bbqtwisp. com, or email info@1908bbqtwisp. com.