GETTING MY HERON FIX

Timing is everything. DANIEL WALTERS PHOTO

A moment 10,000 years in the making

BY DANIEL WALTERS

There’s a reason the trail was empty that Sunday evening.

The air tastes thick, fatty with heat and haze and a lick of smoke. A chopper hisses overhead, dangling hundreds of gallons of lake water in a big red bucket past the treeline. The Andrus fire was burning near Cheney, and the Fish Lake trail heads in precisely that direction.

But I’m out here anyway. Maybe it’s about defiance, about flipping my middle finger to the twin spirits of heat and smoke stealing away another summer.

And almost instantly, I pay for my rebellion. I’m soaked in sweat. Out of shape. The cannon of a camera lens in my saddle bags adds five pounds of extra weight, the pudge in my gut adds another 15. My water bottle has gone warm.

Even my Bluetooth earpiece — chattering incessantly with a cacophony of punditry about the NYT and CRT and NFTs, the one that shields me from suffering a single moment outside the rapid information stream — hangs heavy, buzzing at my ear like a fly.

But then finally, nine miles later, I’m here, at the one place that makes this ride worthwhile.

I’ve arrived at that moment of dusk where Queen Lucas Lake sparkles with a kind of alchemy: The greens turn emerald, and the browns turn umber. Patches of dead weeds become fields of gold. And the still water reflects all of it, smudging and swirling the colors together like a painter’s palette.

And in the midst of this pool of abstract expressionism stands the King of Queen Lucas Lake, Great Blue Heron.

Last time I was here, I wished I had a camera lens that could properly capture this creature. This time, I do. I lift my camera to my eye. Almost subconsciously, I click off my Bluetooth, and my stream of shouts and snarks and smirks fall silent. Usually, it drives me crazy to be cut off from the information stream. But this moment is different.

The family of pigeons are still bickering behind me. But the heron and I are both quiet. Both of us stand still. Even the Burlington Northern rumbling past screeches slowly to a halt, joining us in the silence.

For me, this is the true magic of wildlife photography: The camera autofocuses me. It blocks out my distractions, narrows my depth of field. I zoom in, freeze a split-second of time that feels timeless, observing the same story that played out the same way 10,000 years ago. It’s something primal. I’m a hunter. I’m an animal.

The heron is reflected in the lake, but the heron is also reflected in me. I, too, am perched on two skinny legs, my big Nikon beak protruding forward, scanning the surface of the water. I, too, am a predator stalking prey. We’re there for maybe an hour.

We’re both holding our breaths, both craning our long necks, both waiting for the right moment, a twitch, a shadow, a flicker in the shallows. And there, he sees something. He strikes and so do I. He explodes into a flurry of flapping wings and driving legs, a lunge in the water, and I echo with a flurry of click-click-clickclicks from the camera.

And then he emerges, triumphant — a brook trout, tangled in strings of lake weeds — writhing helpless in his beak. And I emerge triumphant, with photographic proof and the brief grasp of something like serenity.

It’s nearly dark by the time I ride back. The heat and the smoke have sunk below the horizon. The train chugs back to life. Time starts up again, and once again the serene dissolves into the noise. The Bluetooth clicks back on, and the serene is washed away in the information stream. n

THE BUZZ BIN

COMPLEXITIES OF BEING

Love, Simon was hailed as a groundbreaking movie when it was one of the first rom-com/coming-of-age movies to feature an LGBTQ+ main character, but I’d like to shine the spotlight on the spin-off TV series, Love, Victor. The titular character, Victor, is a teenager who learns to accept his sexuality over the course of the first season, and the recently released (and much-awaited) second season explores the aftermath of Victor’s coming out. Available to watch on Hulu, season two doesn’t shy away from tackling the complexities of coming out to a family with strong religious beliefs, the intersectionality of Victor’s identity as a gay Latino teenager, or the milestones in a new relationship, and is filled with both tough and heartfelt moments that make it a must-watch. (LILLIAN PIEL)

MAN FROM MARS

A full quarter of the U.S. population identifies itself as evangelical, yet most mainstream reporting on the evangelical movement has ranged from surface-level to nonexistent. Instead, it’s conservative Christian publications like World magazine and Christianity Today that have done surprisingly thorough muckraking reporting on hypocritical pastors and collapsing churches. Which is why Christianity Today’s latest podcast series, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, is so welcome. The series focuses on Seattlebased megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll, and how his controlling leadership style and macho brand of in-your-face preaching led to his downfall. (DANIEL WALTERS)

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST

There’s noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online July 23. To wit: DESCENDENTS, 9th & Walnut. Songs from the earliest days of these punk legends finally get finished a mere 40 years later. LEON BRIDGES, Gold-Digger’s Sound. This modern soulster is simply undeniable as he drops his third album.

RODNEY CROWELL, Triage. A masterful songwriter who’s never gotten his due, Crowell delivers a killer first single “Something Has To Change” on his new one. (DAN NAILEN)

JULY 22, 2021 INLANDER 29

ROUND UP ALL ABOARD THE GRAVY TRAIN

Biscuits and gravy is a diner classic; here are some local spots that do it right

BY INLANDER STAFF

Few other dishes are as classically American as biscuits and gravy. It’s a humble and hearty dish, and can be eaten any time of day. The dish’s origin is thought to date back as early as the Revolutionary War, but surely its roots are in the South, specifically Appalachia. The meal was cheap and calorie-dense fuel for laborers, and that creamy gravy helped make the blander, harder biscuits of that time more palatable.

While pretty much any diner, breakfast or brunch spot has this American culinary staple on the menu, variations are plenty. Some places make everything from scratch, while others may rely on pre-mixed or made biscuits, gravy and/or sausage. For this Inlander food roundup, we opted to check out the biscuits and gravy at a handful of spots frequently recommended online by fellow foodies and B&G connoisseurs, since we already know that places like Chaps, the Yards, Bruncheonette and other top-rated spots do the dish well. (CHEY SCOTT)

FRANK’S DINER

1516 W. Second Ave., 509-747-8798 and 10929 N. Newport Hwy., 509-465-2464; open daily 6 am-9 pm What we got: Biscuits and gravy ($8)

What better way to feel like you’re eating in an oldtimey greasy spoon diner than to eat in a 115-year-old train car that’s been serving up food in Spokane for 90 years? It feels old-timey because it is! Go with a small group and get a booth in the back, or belly up to the wooden bar and admire the detailing as you watch the short order cooks whip out plate after plate of delicious food. From eggs benny to burgers and fries, you’ll find all the diner dishes you’d hope for from breakfast to dinner. Biscuits and gravy are found under “Nana’s Way” on the menu, and as promised, it’s a good oldfashioned, no-frills plate of exactly that. Two biscuits warmed on the flat top grill and cut in half get topped with a heaping serving of sausage gravy, and you can order them all day long. This writer couldn’t make it

MORE B&G GOODNESS

The Breakfast Nook Browne’s Bistro Bruncheonette Chaps Diner & Bakery Cottage Cafe Crimson Hearth Elliotts an Urban Kitchen Ferguson’s Cafe Garnet Cafe Hoot Owl Cafe Jenny’s Cafe Jimmy’s Down the Street Kalico Kitchen Michael D’s Molly’s Family Restaurant Old European / Little Euro Satellite Diner Sportsmans Cafe The Swinging Doors Terry’s Diner Uncle Rusty’s Diner The Yards Bruncheon

An order of Biscuits & Gravy at

Frank’s Diner. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

through the whole plate, but if that’s still not enough to fill you up try adding a side of hashbrowns ($4.75) or fruit ($4.50). (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

OLD MILL BAR & GRILL

3405 N. Argonne Rd., Millwood, 509-928-7408; open daily 9 am-2 am What we got: Biscuits and gravy all-day breakfast ($10)

Gravy, when you think about Thanksgiving meals or something atop a steak, is usually liquid enough to be poured from a container. Not so at Old Mill Bar & Grill, where the gravy on their biscuits is slathered rather than poured. The thick mass is dotted with black pepper and chunks of sausage, not overly salty and surprisingly creamy. Underneath the mountain of savory “sauce” are two open-face biscuits that manage to maintain a crisp bite despite the load of gravy they bear. The biscuits are wider than they are tall, with a fairly open crumb versus flakiness and a slightly buttery golden exterior. It’s not fancy, but it is plentiful and the perfect pairing with a couple of eggs cooked to order, a bottomless cup of good coffee (or a red beer) and dished up by the friendliest servers in town. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)

SKYWAY CAFE

6105 E. Rutter Ave., 509-534-5986; open Mon-Sat 6 am-2 pm; Sun 7 am-2 pm What we got: 1/4 Biscuits and Gravy ($7)

Nestled in Felts Field, it’s exciting to look out the window of the Skyway Cafe and see vintage planes taxi and take off every few minutes. Inside, model planes dangle from the ceiling, aviation-themed license plates dot the walls, and even the overhead fans are model plane propellers. But going to the Skyway Cafe isn’t just a visual experience: They also serve damn good food. The 1/4-sized plate of biscuits and gravy was enough to feed an NFL linebacker — I can’t begin to imagine what the full-sized portion looks like. On top of the sheer quantity, quality was also delicately considered. The gravy wasn’t too heavy, thanks to the bright notes of sharp black pepper and the perfectly spicy bits of sausage. The biscuits were fluffy enough to soak up the gravy, while simultaneously having that perfect amount of crunch, preventing everything from becoming mush. This plate of biscuits and gravy may seem like too much to eat at once, but after your first bite you won’t even consider not devouring it all — it’s that good. (JAY McGREGOR)

HOGAN’S DINER

2973 E. 29th Ave., 509-535-7567; open Mon-Sat 7:30 am-8 pm, Sun 7:30 am-3 pm What we got: Biscuits and gravy ($8.50)

There’s nothing that endears me to a restaurant more than seeing — in that glorious moment when the food arrives at my table — that the restaurant has allotted me generous portion sizes. Laying eyes on Hogan’s Diner’s biscuits and gravy for the first time was euphoric precisely for this reason. My takeaway: Bring a friend! (Or anticipate a to-go box, and enjoy the promise of tasty leftovers later.) Hogan’s gravy, while pretty standard in terms of overall flavor, spiced things up a bit by sprinkling paprika into the mix, lending a pleasant kick to some bites. And the two buttermilk biscuits were grilled rather than baked, which added a nice crunch to the dish’s texture. I enjoyed the meal, I enjoyed the fun and friendly service, and I absolutely loved the colorful, retro diner feel that Hogan’s has. Sitting in a red-leather booth at Hogan’s and ordering breakfast on a sunny morning was like being thrown back to the ’50s in the most adorable way possible. (HANNAH MUMM)

HANGRY’S

11923 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley 509-960-7963; open SunThu 7:30 am-7:30 pm; Fri-Sat 7:30 am-8:30 pm What we got: Biscuits and gravy special ($9.89, plus $1.89 for sausage gravy)

Hangry’s is a traditional diner with a no-frills, old-school vibe offering classic American staples and breakfast all day. I’ve seen both Hangry’s biscuits and gravy and its burgers recommended frequently on social media, and had to see what the hype was about. Located in a small building along East Trent, Hangry’s has a small dining room and several outdoor picnic tables. While neither the biscuits nor the gravy are scratch-made, our server tells us, the dish came out hot and heartily portioned, with two open-faced, toasty biscuits smothered in creamy, peppery, country-style gravy. I added sausage to mine for a slight upcharge, because in my personal opinion sausage with B&G is required (for non-vegan/veg people, anyway). While the biscuits alone would have been filling enough, the special also comes with a side of crispy hash browns and two eggs, which I couldn’t finish. If B&G isn’t your thing, Hangry’s has tons of house specialty burgers and all the traditional diner fare (milkshakes!) you’d expect. (CHEY SCOTT) n

Thomas Hammer’s new South Hill location is much more than a typical coffee shop. COURTESY PHOTO

Hammer Time

Thomas Hammer Coffee Roasters’ new full-service cafe on the South Hill offers much more than great coffee

BY CHEY SCOTT

Spokane’s South Hill has a hip, new central meeting place now that Thomas Hammer Coffee Roasters’ latest location is complete at 29th and Grand’s commercial pocket.

Called Thomas Hammer Ltd. Reserve, the spot also turns the dial up all the way on the local roaster’s food and beverage offerings — there’s a full food and drink menu, plus beer and wine — and atmosphere. The vibe gives another very large, regionally based coffee chain with a store up the street a run for its money.

“This has been a dream of Tom’s since he started opening stores,” says Kelcey Boyce, an account executive for the downtown-based coffee roaster that launched in 1993 when the Inland Northwest’s coffee culture was completely nascent.

“In fact, originally when the Starbucks location went in on 37th, Tom had tried to purchase that location and was basically outbid by Starbucks. So he has been trying to open a South Hill location for a long time,” she continues.

The new Ltd. Reserve cafe shares a lot with a new branch of Washington Trust Bank fronting Grand

32 INLANDER JULY 22, 2021

Boulevard. There’s a drive-thru window in the back, plus plenty of outdoor patio seating and an impressive number of bike racks. Inside, the cafe is warm and modern, with a long counter for ordering framed from behind by a huge menu on the wall. Seating is ample and varied, from solo or two-person tables to more casual loungestyle seating and the “Tree Bar,” named for the leafy potted tree in its center. A glass-walled community room offers a large table for meetings and events, and eventually will be available for reservations, Boyce says.

Food options served all day at the cafe for dine-in or to-go were created through a collaboration with Merrilee Lindaman, former owner and operator of the nowshuttered Lindaman’s Bistro. The Ltd. Reserve has a full kitchen on site, and rotating food options are displayed in a cold case at the counter. The food is affordable, filling and tasty. Try the handheld empanadas ($5.50 each) which offer creative fillings like cheeseburger or vegan curry chickpea. While much of the menu is constantly rotating, Boyce says those empanadas are a mainstay, as are a few fresh salads like Caesar, Asian chicken, roasted veggie and fruit.

“Tom consulted with Merrilee on the recipes, and she was so excited that the South Hill community would have someplace to go and it would be in a similar capacity to what she had left behind,” Boyce says.

Meal-size entrees range from pulled pork tacos to house-made casseroles and meatballs. The cafe has sandwiches, too, and a full breakfast menu with myriad options from avocado toast to biscuits and gravy ($3.95), and quiche ($5.25) to breakfast flatbreads ($7.95).

“Everything is made on site there in the kitchen, and the baked goods are brought in from our headquarters down on Pacific,” Boyce says. “It’s all from scratch, locally made.”

While most customers head to Hammer’s outlets for its coffee, the new location offers that and more, including a full beer and wine menu, plus specialty coffee mocktails.

The Thomas Collins ($8), for example, contains cold brew coffee, lemon juice, elderflower syrup, soda water and a maraschino cherry. A “cold-fashioned” ($8) plays on the classic whiskey cocktail, replacing the spirit with cold brew, plus a barrel-aged maple syrup, orange peel, coffee bitters and maraschino cherry. For those looking for a different kind of buzz, regional rotating beer is served on tap, along with bottles and cans, plus wine by the glass or bottle.

“You can meet there for happy hour or brunch, you can grab dinner to go, you can sit and work and do homework; really anything can happen at this cafe,” Boyce says. “That is the goal, to offer something for anybody.”

For a caffeinated buzz, the options are endless, from traditional espresso like cortados, mochas and Americanos to Thomas Hammer’s signatures ($3.95-$5.50) such as the chocolate-cinnamon-honey Jack Hammer, the lavender and salted caramel Afternoon Delight, and the dark and white chocolate in the Velvet Hammer.

“We’ve had amazing feedback from the community” since opening, Boyce says. “People are really happy we’re there on the South Hill, and they’re really happy with the food and that we kind of have this elevated feel. It’s just a different concept and feel for Spokane, and it’s different from our other stores.” n

cheys@inlander.com

Thomas Hammer Ltd. Reserve • 3173 S. Grand Blvd. • Open Mon-Thu 5:30 am-8 pm; Fri 5:30 am-9 pm, Sat 6:30 am-9 pm, Sun 6:30-7 pm • hammercoffee.com • 509-290-5947