S TAFF PROFILE
(continued from page 3)
Summer, One Bite at a Time
It doesn’t take but a few combinations of cracker stacks to appreciate the complexity of a single green grape: its thin skin and squeaky flesh. Chew the seeds. Maybe swallow them, too – you’ll grow a vineyard out your ears. How I wish that parental warning came true. More bubbles, and another bite, please… to the next flavor destination. Perhaps to Italy with Olli Salumeria Toscano Fennel Pollen Salami. Although, instead of the Italian countryside, it brings me back to Godfather’s Pizza on Riverside Drive, where I used to dare my dad to eat an entire slice of sausage pizza—a regrettable, but hilarious move. Giggly fun. Something fruity? It can be dried and chewy, preserved and sweet, or fresh and succulent. I recently discovered the Matiz Raw Apricot Demi-luna. That means half-moon, and it’s most certainly waning. It’s a 100% natural raw fruit bar from the hilly terrain of La Vera in the Spanish region of Extremadura made with Spanish apricots and rich Marcona almonds, a sweet-tooth satisfier that pairs oh-so-well with cheese. When it comes to preserves, Girl Meets Dirt can’t be beat. Her name is Audra and you can find her in the San Juan Islands talking about “how the salty island breezes create their own kind of fruit alchemy,” handcrafting tiny batches of jam, shrubs, and cutting preserves. Her Vanilla Plum Medley Spoon Preserves, as the name suggests, blends exotic vanilla bean and heirloom plums from oldworld orchards on Orcas “for a bit of a nuanced pucker.” Oh to be a sugar plum fairy in the Salish Sea! And like there’s never a girls’ night without a choochoocherie, I never build a board without fresh fruit, especially this time of year. My buds know no better taste than a perfectly ripe Skagit Valley strawberry. A succulent slice reveals a star shape with a crystal-like interior, a ruby red geode. Local gems named after local mountains, and just like that, I’ve summited Shuksan, the only variety of strawberry I planted this year. I can’t wait for June when the blooms turn to berries—ultimate fruition. Now, off to Cheese Island, the official and endearing term for the Co-op’s cheese cases. If you’ve spent any time there, you’ll know it’s full of treasure, and it’s not even buried. A few trips around the island leads to miles of smiles. Cheesy, I know. Speaking of trips, Cypress Grove PsycheDillic is another favorite. It’s a pickley, dill-icious fresh goat cheese I like to pair with Raincoast Crisps Cranberry and Hazelnut Crackers for a dill-ightful bite full of all the textures at once. What else? A big ol’ blob o’ burrata – black truffle, because it’s fancy and my memory always floats back to a glorious evening of truffle hunting in the heart of Italy with a dog named Napo. In Italy, they train dogs instead of pigs, because well, pigs eat the truffles. It’s also fun to imagine hurdling over the Atlantic in a cheesy orb – a UFO on its way to Umbria. Leyden, or komijnekaas in Dutch, is cumin cheese and another childhood favorite, but the caraway seeds and cumin conjure strong flavors of masala dishes and visions of packed spice markets. Swiss cheese might as well be a slice of Mexico; it’s how the Yucatan Peninsula is described with its thousands of cenotes, water-filled caves just below the Earth’s crust where I learned to scuba dive.
A creamy cheese with a red wine rind—Drunken Goat. Am I that? I did just scale Shuksan. Where am I? Even the geography of the human tongue makes a difference. Picture it as a map, each region with its own specialty: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami. The best part is, the borders are close, a lot like the Four Corners; you can experience each one at a time or all at once. I tend to chew on the right side of my mouth, so simply switching sides or turning it into a whole mouth experience, changes the flavor profile. The Spanish Marcona almond is salty then sweet, a Bow Hill Blueberry is sweet then tart, then sweet again. Anytime I hear a cork pop, I exclaim, “Such sweet music to my ears!” A drum cymbal, a rocket to the moon! Whatever your beverage, noticing the sound it makes when it opens, is a trip in itself. Click-pop! Fresh hop, Diet Coke, a cheers to my favorite IPA—from Buoy Beer Company in Astoria, Oregon. Best believe I’m imagining a solid eight seconds on that beacon of the sea. After that wild ride, and nearing the end of the choochoocherie, it’s nice to take it home with something familiar: a slice of Co-op petite kalamata sourdough and a chunk of Beecher’s Flagship. I’ll always save the best bite for last. So no, it’s not a traditional form of meditation, being here while dreaming of elsewhere, but it is a way to slow down, savor summer, and connect to self and place. What a beautiful thing, to enjoy a charcuterie on my porch and have each element take me away, and I guess that’s my point: we have it all. At the Co-op. In Skagit. And eating in this way is not a yearning for, but an appreciation of what’s right in front of us.
Favorite way to spend time outside of work: I love spending time with my family even though it has been limited over the past couple of years which makes it hard because they are my best friends. We are looking forward to getting together outside this summer! I like to cook, read, and be at home enjoying beautiful Padilla Bay, its birds and wildlife.
New Yearlong Transformation Journey: 2 days/month in the field +2 hours/week onsite or online
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Danielle 360-661-8458 CONNECT TO NATURE • CONNECT TO YOUR FOOD • CONNECT TO YOUR BODY • the natural enquirer •
july–september
Favorite customer moment: I could never choose one favorite interaction. While Cashier Coordinator I loved face-to-face interaction, learning from all types of customers. In helping expand the Mercantile Department, it was quite similar meeting all types and ages of folks and also hearing about their likes and experiences. Now in Membership, I really enjoy helping our members with all types of needs that change daily!
Favorite meal to make at home with Co-op ingredients: That would have to be soup! I love experimenting with different herbs, spices broths, veggies, and meats, etc., coming up with a warm cozy meal in a bowl!
Personal Training & Health Coaching at Highwater Farm
skagit valley food co-op
Membership Coordinator Co-op Employee since July 1999
Favorite item in the Co-op: I would have to say our fabulous variety of chicken wings! Why? Because they are fantastic and something to look forward to!
NATURE. BODY. MIND. BUILD STAMINA. MOVE WITH NATURE. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS. FARMFIT
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Cheryl Markey
2022
