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WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

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FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

COAST XTRA We can help you find your dream home in the perfect neighborhood in Snohomish County.

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WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

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MELODY YEOMAN 425-350-7414 REALTY ONE GROUP PREVIEW Here to help you Tips for happiness: Love where you live, give things away, help others, eat Thai food, get a good nights sleep, smile, go for walks, say hi to your neighbors, listen with your whole heart, play like when you were a kid, call your friends, give compliments, and remember life is short.

30 FEATURES

FALL 2018

Contents

TINY HOMES Here's what it's like living in 245 square feet of space.

IN THIS ISSUE 10 VISIT MUKILTEO Spend a day exploring Snohomish county's oldest community.

14 LIVING KINDLY

KITE FLYING The American Kitefliers Association president shares her passion.

How a year of kindness changed this Brier author's life.

THE BREAD LAB Local scientists are developing wheat that makes better bread.

20 SIGNATURE DISH A Whidbey Island chef shares a Thai-inspired seafood recipe.

25 ARTISTS OF THE YEAR The Schack Art Center honors Everett couple Chris and Jan Hopkins.

30 FLOAT AWAY Take a flight over Snohomish Valley in a hot air balloon.

35 IDENTITY FOUND

HARD CIDER An Edmonds businessman gets in on the growing hard cider industry.

A Lynnwood foundation is working to restore pride in Latino heritage.

TOP: A plane lands on the runway of Harvey

ON THE COVER

Airfield as the shadow of a hot air balloon passes by. ANDY BRONSON / COAST

AS H I NGTON NORTH

COAST

MIDDLE: Steve Kaiser rolls out the press he uses

MAGAZIN E

to make Core Hero Hard Cider in his garage in Edmonds. KEVIN CLARK / COAST

8 51 52 54

Editor’s Note Everett Sketcher Our Favorite Events Why I Love It Here

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

IN EVERY ISSUE

BOTTOM: Helping Julieta Altamirano-Crosby set up a Dia de los Muertos display in the Lynnwood Library, Lupita Zamora holds up a skeleton head on a stick. DAN BATES / COAST

Ex p lor i n g Sn oh om i s h & I s la nd Cou nt i es

Up, up and away Get a thrill at 2,200 feet SWEET ON CIDER Display until November 2018

Core Hero sets up shop in Edmonds

THINKING SMALL

FALL ISSUE $3.99

Live big in tiny homes

Pilot Jay Woodward makes a descent in his hot air balloon near Monroe. ANDY BRONSON / COAST

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

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Bellingham SeaFeast 2018

This spectacle of world-class seafood celebrates the historical legacy of a cornerstone of Bellingham’s origination—the commercial fishing and maritime industry.

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BELLINGHAM SEAFEAST 2018

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Always the first two weekends in October. This years dates are Oct.6 & 7, Oct. 13 & 14 10am-5pm

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

Sept. 21-22 • Friday 12-8pm Downtown Bellingham and SeaFeed at the Harbor Saturday 10am-8pm: SeaFeed at the Harbor, Zuanich Point Park, and Bellingham Bay

PUBLISHER

Josh O’Connor

EDITOR

Sara Bruestle

COPY EDITORS

Mark Carlson Christina Okeson

WRITERS

Mike Benbow Sara Bruestle Gale Fiege Sharon Salyer Aaron Swaney Evan Thompson Ben Watanabe

PHOTOGRAPHERS

MAGAZINE DESIGN & LAYOUT

ADVERTISING

Dan Bates Andy Bronson Kevin Clark Olivia Vanni 2174571

Fawn Floyd-Baltzer Margi Hartnett

Sally Cravens Carrie Radcliff

AD DESIGN

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CIRCULATION

Tim Williams

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Amy Stephenson

DISTRIBUTION

Jere Grubb

A Garden for all Seasons

CONTACT INFO For advertising inquiries, subscriptions, change of address, and back issues, please call: 425-339-3200 Washington North Coast Magazine is published quarterly by The Daily Herald, a division of Sound Publishing, Inc., and may not be reproduced without express written permission, all rights reserved. No liability is assumed by Washington North Coast Magazine, The Daily Herald or Sound Publishing regarding any content in this publication. Subscriptions to Washington North Coast Magazine are $14 annually. Single copies are available at select locations throughout the Puget Sound region. WashingtonNorthCoast.com © 2018 The Daily Herald

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butchartgardens.com FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

FALL ISSUE: The perfect wind for kite flying.

I hadn’t flown a kite in 17 years. I was inspired by the president of the American Kitefliers Association to do so again. I waited until the fall because a friend told me Northwest autumns make great conditions for kiting: The best kiting winds are in the 4 to 20 mph range. I didn’t own a kite anymore — the one from my childhood is long gone — so I ordered a new one on Amazon. The Kitefliers president gave me some pointers: Fly your kite at parks, the beach and open fields. The more room you have, the more line you can let out. Avoid flying a kite near trees or buildings. The wind gets bumpy, making it harder to fly. Also stay away from roads, power lines or airports. Those are bad accidents waiting to happen. I knew exactly where to go. Everett’s Harborview Park, at 1621 W. Mukilteo Blvd., sits on a hill with views of Possession Sound. It is 8 acres of grass with trails, picnic tables and benches along the perimeter. My new kite is diamond-shaped — it’s one of the easier kinds to fly. It is 30 by 30 inches, has three 12-foot tails and can withstand winds up to 20 mph. I couldn’t decide between red, purple and yellow. All three colors had been on my old kite. So I told my friend to pick a color for me. “That’s a no-brainer,” he said. “You always go rainbow.” My friend was right, of course. A rainbow kite looks much prettier in the sky than one sporting a single color. It’s like you’re putting your own rainbow up there. I felt like a kid again, flying that kite. Which, as most avid kite fliers will tell you, is the point.

In this issue of Washington North Coast Magazine, you’ll meet Nicole “Nic” O’Neill, whose goal is to spread the love and joy of kite flying. With that goal in mind, she gave a TEDx Talk at a Sno-Isle Libraries conference on how kites let us soar. Or read about the tiny home trend that’s making its mark in the Northwest. Our neighbors are finding that the cost savings of tiny living can make a huge difference. Benefits include cheaper utility bills, less time spent cleaning and a smaller carbon footprint. Then there’s what a Washington State University research lab is up to just across the Snohomish County border. Scientists are developing nutritious varieties of wheat for use by local farmers and bakers. Their research has drawn both national and international attention. If you’re not into kite flying, you can take a ride in a hot air balloon over Snohomish Valley. Two balloon ride companies — Balloon Depot and Snohomish Balloon Rides — of fer flights that take of f from Harvey Field in Snohomish. The rides sometimes reach an altitude of 2,200 feet as they float over the valley. But me? I’ll see you at Harborview Park.

Sara Bruestle visits Harborview Park off W. Mukilteo Boulevard in Everett. OLIVIA VANNI / COAST

Sara Bruestle Editor editor@washingtonnorthcoast.com

READ US ONLINE Browse issues of Washington North Coast Magazine at washingtonnorthcoast.com.

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

COAST XTRA This coastal town invites you to seaside dining, unique shops, breweries and more! Fun times await you!

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FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

Passengers on the shady westbound end of the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton, on Whidbey Island, watch and photograph the eastbound ferry, which gleams in the early morning sun. DAN BATES / COAST

Set up camp for a day in STORY BY GALE FIEGE

Mukilteo

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE Â· FALL 2018

IT WAS ALWAYS a fine place to gather.

The Coast Salish people gave it a name that sounds much like Mukilteo. It means “good camping ground,” said Michelle Myles of the Tulalip Tribes Lushootseed language department. Mukilteo was the gathering place where, in 1855, territorial Gov. Isaac Stevens signed the Point Elliott treaty with representatives of 22 tribes and bands of native people from the greater Puget Sound region. History is big in Mukilteo, which was the first non-Indian settlement in Snohomish County. It was established in about 1860 with a trading post. A fish cannery and sawmill followed later. Mukilteo is still a fine place to visit, all through fall. Take a walk-on ferry ride to Whidbey Island. Hit the city park for beachcombing, a picnic and a tour of the lighthouse. Quaff a pint at Diamond Knot. Nosh on fish and chips at Ivar’s. Snag farm-fresh produce from the Wednesday afternoon farmers market in Lighthouse Park off Front Street. It’s all there in old Mukilteo. You can easily spend a full day enjoying it, so plan accordingly. Any tour of Mukilteo has to start with its lighthouse, which opened in 1906 to guide ships in and out of Puget Sound and continues to be the city’s most enduring icon. The Mukilteo Light Station, surrounded by native Nootka roses, is on the National Register of Historic Places. From noon to 5 p.m. on weekends you can climb the 38-foot tall lighthouse tower to see the now-automated carvedglass Fresnel lens and have a look around. The 17-acre park along the beach has improved greatly since the city took it over from the state in 2003. Be sure to check out the park’s Coast Salish artwork created by Joe Gobin and James Madison of the Tulalip Tribes.

Take a walk-on ferry ride to Whidbey Island, tour the lighthouse, explore the beach and more in Snohomish County’s oldest community

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

We know Sno Co We’re pretty awesome in King County too!

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WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

2173608

Margot at 719-359-0006 Amy at 1-800-733-2773 (Toll Free)

Kids have plenty to do, on the beach or at the playground. Educational signs help people understand what’s in the water and how to help keep it clean. My family and my husband’s family have been visiting the beach for generations. It has a special place in the hearts of many locals. Even on a rainy day at the park, you can picnic under a shelter and enjoy the calming water-island-mountain view that seems incongruous with the fact that just a few miles away is a huge regional metropolitan area. Mukilteo was incorporated in 1947 with a population of 775. Land annexations and development off the Mukilteo Speedway have increased that number to more than 21,000 residents. Af ter the lighthouse, the beach park and perhaps a round-trip ride on the ferry, take in lunch at the Diamond Knot brewery and alehouse on the west side of the ferry or at Ivar’s Mukilteo Landing restaurant on the other side. You also can walk a block or so up the hill to Arnie’s seafood restaurant. Another option is the Red Cup Cafe, located in a delightful little shopping block at Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue across the street from the Rosehill Community Center. The coffee shop offers breakfast and lunch, served up with a beautiful view. It’s no wonder that Mukilteo’s Rosehill Community Center is the site of dozens of weddings throughout the season. The views are outstanding and the grounds include wild roses and other native and drought-resistant plants. Inside, check out the display of work by local artists, the historical photos of the former Rosehill schools and Crown Lumber’s mill. History buffs also might want to stop by the Pioneer Cemetery at Fifth and Webster streets overlooking the beach and the Japanese Memorial at Centennial Park, located at 1126 Fifth St. The beautiful little cemetery includes a great view and the weathered gravestones of town founders Morris Frost and J.D. Fowler, along with headstones of Japanese mill workers. The memorial is a bronze sculpture of a Japanese origami bird that sits on a white pedestal, symbolizing peace and commemorating Mukilteo’s long history with its Japanese community. Finish your visit with a walk on the trail at nearby Japanese Gulch, a 144acre forested park where the families of Japanese immigrants lived. ◼

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Kinder, gentler Brier woman writes about her year of living kindly — and how everyone can be kinder every day STORY BY MIKE BENBOW

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN a fan of random acts of kindness. And by that, I mean that I enjoy reading about other people who do nice things with no ulterior motive. On the rare occasions that I’ve done that myself, I’ve felt pretty good about it. Then I’ve gone on living my life in my usual self-centered way. So I was fascinated to read “A Year of Living Kindly,” a new book by Donna Cameron, of Brier. The book was written after a full year — 365 days in 2015 — in which Cameron tried to live her life in a deliberately kind fashion. And during that year she decided to blog about it to ensure that she didn’t give up on her plan. “The result was that kindness was on my mind all the time,” Cameron said. “And it stayed there.” Cameron suggests that society in general is becoming less kind, less civil. We’ve certainly seen it in politics. But Cameron notes that social media, especially, is filled with unkind thoughts and comments — especially from people who post anonymously. “People are nastier in many ways,” she said. “For the last 15 or 20 years, I have often thought I could be a kinder person.” Those thoughts spawned the yearlong blog, which Cameron is still writing. The book idea came toward the end of 2015, when Cameron was trying to figure out what to do next in her life. The book isn’t a compilation of her 2015 blog posts. While the book includes a lot of things that Cameron learned during her kind year, it’s more of a workbook for people who would like to live a kinder life. “It’s what I would have liked to have during my year,” Cameron said. “Kindness takes practice.” The book, available in stores beginning Sept. 25, consists of 52 short chapters. But they are not intended to be read at a weekly pace or at any other pace. Each chapter ends with a “Kindness in Action” segment intended to encourage kinder thoughts and actions. For example, after a chapter suggesting that

The result was that kindess was on my mind all the time. And it stayed there. —DONNA CAMERON

“A Year of Living Kindly” by Donna Cameron is about making choices that will change your life and the world around you. IMAGE COURTESY OF SHE WRITES PRESS

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

no kindness is too small, the action step asks you to take a day and record the number of times you’ve performed small acts that were both kind and unkind. Then, during the next week, you’re directed to try to increase daily acts of kindness and decrease unkind acts. Cameron said she hopes the action steps will help readers “customize” the book so that it’s more relevant to their daily lives. So what is kindness? Cameron said it can be as easy as opening the door for someone, or as difficult as confronting a bully in the workplace. But even acts of kindness involving difficult people usually have tangible benefits, she said. It can make for a better day, a better workplace and even a better world, she said. “Kindness is contagious,” she added. “You just don’t know how far it will ripple out.” Kindness can also offer health benefits, Cameron said, noting studies have shown that it lowers blood pressure, for example. “Personally, I can attest to increased happiness and a reduction in stress,” Cameron said, adding that she’s also more comfortable at business or social events. Cameron said her personal efforts to become kinder have engaged her more deeply with people and the world around her. For Cameron, becoming kinder is a deliberate process, one taken a step at a time until acts of kindness become more automatic. She suggests people pause and think about their actions and engage with others to understand them better. Cameron said that af ter her year of trying to be kinder, she is better at recognizing kind and unkind acts and has continued to make kindness an important part of her life. “I’m in the habit now, and it’s become more prominent in my life,” she said. “Kindness is not just something you do for a year, and then move on to playing the clarinet.” ◼

Kindness is not just something you do for a year, and then move on to playing the clarinet. —DONNA CAMERON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Donna Cameron worked in the nonprofit industry for several decades, where she witnessed the benefits of kindness, helping her to commit to being a kinder person. She recently sold her business, which provided management services for nonprofits, and works as a writer and consultant. Learn more about her at ayearoflivingkindly.com.

Donna Cameron was inspired to write a book after a full year — 365 days in 2015 — in which she tried to live her life in a deliberately kind fashion. PHOTO COURTESY OF SHE WRITES PRESS

“A Year of Living Kindly: Choices that Will Change Your Life and the World Around You”

2174854

By Donna Cameron. She Writes Press. 256 pages. $16.95.

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

Michael Miller rubs the head of his cat, Underfoot, inside his tiny home at the Lakeside RV Park in Everett. The 245-square-foot house was built around his need for a full-sized kitchen.

Let’s get small What it’s like to live in tiny houses the size of your average living room STORY BY EVAN THOMPSON PHOTOS BY ANDY BRONSON LESS STRESS, MORE MONEY.

That’s tiny living in a nutshell for Everett resident Michael Miller. “I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been,” he said. Miller, 50, always wanted a tiny home, but a divorce was the tipping point. He finished building the 245-square-foot space last year. It’s at Lakeside RV Park in south Everett, the

only RV park in Snohomish County that allows tiny homes. Living in a tiny house is a different experience for folks accustomed to regular-size homes — in other words, nearly all of us. “It takes a specific type of person to be able to do this, quite honestly,” Miller said. “You have to be able to release 80 percent of the crap you’ve accumulated over a long time. “I didn’t need all that stuff.” But Miller, the executive chef at Hilltop House retirement home in Seattle, needed a kitchen. A nice one.

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

The tiny home is, more or less, built around the kitchen, which includes a full-size stove with a microwave hood, an 11-cubic-foot refrigerator, and built-in cabinets, shelves and racks. There’s also a living room, a loft and a gaming station. Because space is tight, every inch of the home is used as efficiently as possible. “You’re just down to the essentials,” Miller said. What are the benefits of tiny living? His utility bills are cheaper, he spends less time cleaning and he has a smaller carbon footprint. Everett-based Carriage Houses Northwest

Miller, a chef, has everything he needs to cook, including a full-size stove, microwave and refrigerator.

built the house shell with stairs, dormers and laminate flooring, and Miller installed the appliances, plumbing, gas lines, track lighting and a ceiling fan. It cost him $52,000 when it was all said and done — nearly twice the price of the average tiny home ($23,000), which ranges in size from 100 to 400 square feet. But both figures pale in comparison to the current median home value in the United States: $215,600. Nationwide, the appeal of reduced costs, environmental impact and a simpler lifestyle continues to make tiny homes relevant. They’re most popular in Colorado, Florida, Texas, Wisconsin and California. Some cities, including Seattle and Detroit, have built tiny-house villages for the homeless. An organization based in Langley on Whidbey Island, Tiny Homes in the Name of Christ, plans to build at least six homes measuring 220 square feet. Still, despite the positives, tiny homes aren’t on the rise in Snohomish and Island counties. They haven’t surpassed mother-in-law homes as a suitable housing alternative either, even

though the guest housing takes months to permit and costs up to $100,000. Kurt Galley, owner of tiny home builder Carriage Houses Northwest, said more tiny homes could be built in Snohomish County someday, but legal hoops make things difficult.

I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been. —MICHAEL MILLER

“We get calls, emails and visitors all the time,” Galley said. “But there are a lot of factors at play that affect purchasing a tiny house — permitting and connections to water, sewer and power being the biggest ones. As municipalities scramble to increase infill and look more seriously at alternative housing options, I

expect that tiny houses will be a major piece of that conversation.” Carriage Houses Northwest, which sells several of its base models starting at $39,995, is one of nearly two dozen home builders in Washington. The company builds an average of 20 homes a year all over the state, including in Seattle, Port Angeles and Bellingham. One of the tiny homes was for Mount Vernon resident Clay Christofferson, whose house was featured in April on an episode of HGTV’s “Tiny House, Big Living,” which follows the construction of tiny homes in the U.S. Christofferson is not tiny — he’s 6-foot-7. The 34-year-old salesman for Farmstrong Brewing Co. in Mount Vernon said he was the tallest person to apply for the TV show. His episode is titled “Tall Man, Tiny House.” Christofferson’s tiny home has 198 square feet of living space and 13½-foot ceilings. When he was in his 20s, Christofferson lived in a three-bedroom house; one room contained nothing but junk. After a divorce, he sold almost everything he had and left the rest of his stuff in storage.

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

“Eventually, after a year, I got it down to everything I owned was in my car or a small bedroom,” Christofferson said. A friend floated the idea of buying a tiny home. Then his sister suggested he try out for “Tiny House, Big Living.” “That was the catalyst,” Christofferson said. He shares his tiny home with his girlfriend. They’re making sure they don’t start “nesting” and filling the house with too much stuff. “We really don’t have more than we need,” Christofferson said. “It’s easier to clean and manage. If something goes (missing), you know where it’s at.” Most of the household items are expensive but better suited for tiny living in the long run, such as multipurpose utensils. They even bought a mattress with a 40-year warranty. The cost savings of owning a tiny home makes a huge difference, Christofferson said. Though his monthly payments are close to what he was paying for a 30-year mortgage on his last house, he’ll have the loan for the tiny house paid off in three years. Christofferson’s home is stationary, while Miller’s tiny home is built on wheels. Miller doesn’t plan to stay in the RV park forever. All he has to do is clear the shelves, store the glass and shut the doors. Then he can hit the road.

He plans to buy land with the money he’s saved living in a tiny home, and convert the house to solar power for even more savings. ◼

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

TOP: Miller has only the essentials in his tiny home.

He parted ways with excess belongings when he moved in. But “I need my counter space,” he says.

BOTTOM: Miller’s bedroom sits above the living room in his tiny home at the Lakeside RV Park.

Michael Miller, the executive chef of Hilltop House retirement home, walks around his tiny house in Everett.

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Dish Favorite recipes from local chefs

Shellfish surprise

Chef Gordon Stewart Gordon’s On Blueberry Hill, Freeland, Whidbey Island

Chef Gordon Stewart makes mussels and clams in coconut curry broth at Gordon’s On Blueberry Hill in Freeland.

Coconut curry broth’s assertive flavor also allows the taste of clams and mussels to come through in this Whidbey chef’s surprising dish STORY BY EVAN THOMPSON PHOTOS BY ANDY BRONSON

GORDON STEWART CALLS himself a culinary evangelist. He makes converts with his food. “I’m a fan of simplicity, but I’m also a fan of bold flavors and unexpected moves,” said Stewart, co-owner and executive chef at Gordon’s On Blueberry Hill, in Freeland on Whidbey Island. Mussels and clams in a coconut curry broth is one of his favorite examples. He likes to challenge people’s assumptions about how ingredients can and can’t work in a dish. “You wouldn’t automatically put it (curry) with mussels and clams,” Stewart said. “But, because of the coconut milk and the kaffir lime leaves, it really backs up the flavor of the mussels and it really complements it.” Stewart, 45, also serves mussels and clams in fennel broth, but he prefers the curry because it “challenges the palate.”

“I like food that surprises people,” he said. The dish is loaded with herbs, including Thai basil, cilantro and lemongrass, and a green curry paste reinforces those flavors. The coconut milk makes the sauce creamy. Stewart has had the dish on the menu since he and Anneliese Petrie opened the restaurant in 2005 after working together at restaurants in Mukilteo and Langley. Stewart loves his job. “I have such a passion for food that I can’t shut up about it,” he said. Gordon’s sits atop a hill with a fine view of Holmes Harbor. Stewart’s go-to mussels are harvested about 25 miles north in Penn Cove near Coupeville by one of the largest exporters in the country, Penn Cove Mussels. “It’s always good to have all your ingredients close where you can name where they are at,” Stewart said. “Everybody loves them.” Stewart makes pasta, steak and seafood, as well as Cajun and Creole classics that hearken back to his days cooking at high-end restaurants in New Orleans in the 1990s. His biggest influence was the late Paul Prudhomme, known as the godfather of Cajun cuisine. Stewart went on what he calls “pilgrimages” to the historic city to apprentice at restaurants like K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, where Prudhomme was chef proprietor.

The Arlington native wanted to be a cook ever since kindergarten. “They did a thing for Mother’s Day where they put us all in chef hats,” Stewart said. “I guess it could be traced clear back to then. But I was basically a pork-fat kid who liked to be in the kitchen.” Stewart was 10 when he first donned an apron. He hung out in kitchens all through grade school — even helping in the school cafeteria — and eventually got a job cooking with his mom at Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington. He enrolled in Everett-based Sno-Isle Tech Skill Center’s culinary arts program while he was in high school, then worked at The Bistro in Arlington. “From there, the passion grew,” Stewart said. “Then I worked in New Orleans and got hooked with a certain style of food.” The ripple effects of his bayou experiences are reflected on the menu: barbecue shrimp and grits, breaded catfish and spicy seafood jambalaya are just a few examples of Gordon’s Cajun and Creole options. The coconut curry broth, however, is influenced by Thai curry. “I used to go this little Asian store in Everett,” Stewart said. “I started a friendship with the owner. Eventually she gave me some of her secrets. She told me about

kaffir lime leaves, curry leaves and a lot of little tips and tricks.” He was 17 at the time. He’s been perfecting his Asian cooking ever since. “Even though we have a sauce that probably has 20 ingredients — it’s complex — the fact that you can still taste the mussels and clams in this dish is what I think is surprising,” Stewart said. Stewart acknowledged that the recipe can look daunting, but said even novice home cooks will have no problem making it. Many of the ingredients can be found in grocery stores, while the green curry paste is available in most Asian markets. As for the cooking itself, Stewart said the key for beginners is starting with the mussels and clams before sauteing the garlic and shallots. “It will also cool down the pan enough so you’re not going to burn your garlic and onions,” Stewart said. Another pro tip: Once all the ingredients are cooking together, cover them for about 15 seconds. “It steams the mussels and clams to allow them to open,” Stewart said. “The quicker they open, the more tender they’re going to be. I don’t believe in overcooking mussels and clams. As soon as they open, they’re ready to eat.” ◼

MUSSELS & CLAMS IN COCONUT CURRY BROTH

INGREDIENTS: For the curry broth: 1 stem lemongrass, finely chopped 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (Thai basil is preferable) ¼ cup Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce 3 tablespoons sherry (or whichever wine you’re drinking with dinner) 4 leaves kaffir lime leaf 2 tablespoons green curry paste 1 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk ¼ cup orange juice 1 ounce dark sesame oil (optional)

For the clams and mussels: 2 ounces canola or olive oil 1 pound manila clams, scrubbed and rinsed 1 pound Penn Cove mussels, scrubbed and rinsed 3 tablespoons minced shallots 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper to taste Splash sherry or white wine (optional) Gordon’s Mussels and Clams in Coconut Curry Broth can be served as an appetizer or entree.

DIRECTIONS: Combine all curry broth ingredients into a pot. Cook on medium heat until the broth starts to simmer. Remove from stove, strain and set aside. In a large pan, on medium to high heat, add oil. Add shellfish, followed by the remaining ingredients. Add a splash of sherry or white wine, if desired. Cover with lid and allow to

steam. When the mussels and clams begin to open, add the curry broth. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with anise hyssop (licorice mint) leaves and blossoms. Enjoy as-is or with white or brown rice. Serves 4.

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

Freedom on a string

During her TEDx Talk, speaker Nicole “Nic” O’Neill, president of the American Kitefliers Association, flies an indoor kite on stage at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo. PHOTO COURTESY OF MERLIN QUIGGLE / SNO-ISLE LIBRARIES

STORY BY SARA BRUESTLE GO FLY A KITE and be changed.

As an avid kite flier, Nicole “Nic” O’Neill notices a transformation in herself when she flies a kite. It doesn’t matter if she’s standing on a beach making loop-de-loops in the sky or being pulled up a snow-covered mountain on skis. Whenever she’s holding onto those kite strings, she feels as free as a bird. “When people fly a kite, they’re allowing themselves to be free,” she said. “They’re releasing any frustration and tension they might have and letting go of things holding them down. Experiencing that freedom changes our lives and how we see the world.

“You can’t help but smile when you’re flying a kite. It’s a happiness that is so pure and so freeing that it spreads.” O’Neill, of Anacortes, is the president of the American Kitefliers Association. As the leader of the largest kite club in the world, O’Neill works to promote kiting as a way to build community, break down barriers and stay present in the moment. Not only is flying a kite fun to do, she said, it also can teach you a lesson on living. O’Neill, 34, shared that lesson in a TEDx Talk titled “Boundless Wonder: How Kites Let Us Soar.” She was one of 11 speakers to share the stage at a TEDx conference hosted by Sno-Isle Libraries in Mukilteo last year. (The added “x”

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

means the TED events are locally organized with a license.) TED Talks are short presentations from experts on everything from education and business to science and technology that are designed to spread ideas, spark conversations and provide opportunities to explore, connect and cultivate new ways of thinking. Many of the talks have been shared via video around the globe. “Kite flying transcends all the boundaries that we may willingly or unwillingly place on ourselves,” O’Neill said. “It transcends race, culture, religion, language, physical ability, political affiliation, age. There is literally a kite out there for everybody.”

Why fly a kite? I take the approach of why not. It is kite flying, after all. You have nothing to lose, so go fly a kite. I have witnessed in thousands of people a transformation that happens when you fly kites. It is unique to each person. For some it is about connecting or reconnecting with a simpler version of life, or about making connections within yourself, or about experiencing a new view on life.

Tell me about your transformation. I got into kite flying as an adult about 10 years ago. I had flown a kite as a child and loved it, so I looked at kite flying as something special and something fun to do. I wasn’t passionate about it right away — it was more of an escape mechanism at first — but as I found my footing in the world, I noticed that my path was also becoming firmly entangled with some kite lines. Whenever I begin to doubt myself, or the status of the world, or society or anything really, I go fly a kite. It has transformed me into a better person. One time at a kite event, a child lit up when he saw me flying a kite and became my shadow for the next three days. He dutifully showed up every day and talked to me nonstop about the kite. I didn’t know how special a moment this was until his grandmother pulled me aside and told me the boy was essentially mute. That he had not spoken more than five words in several years. It’s because of moments like that that I feel it is my duty to help spread the love and joy of kite flying.

What advice can you share on kite flying? Have patience. Give the kite time and give it line. A lot of times, when we want something to work, we think that holding it close to us and not giving it enough space is the best way to make it work. So let the line out and see what happens. Pick a good place to fly a kite. The best places to fly are areas where there is steady wind and it is unobstructed by tall trees or buildings. Yet, the most fun places to fly are where you least expect to see a kite — like indoors. Also, just go try it. There are a lot of good videos and sites online to help you, but nothing beats getting out there, trying, failing, trying again and just learning by doing. Lastly, invest in a good kite. There is value in putting the money down for a quality kite. You will feel more inclined to stick with it than if you spend only a few dollars.

I read that you carry a kite with you everywhere. That’s right. I always have one or two indoor kites with me in my backpack. They can range in size, but they’re all super lightweight because they respond to the “apparent wind” created by the flier moving around the floor and pulling on the line. I know it sounds weird, but when you see it in person it is a moving experience. Every single time I do it, I see people stare with this mixed expression of curiosity and wonder. There also is at least one kite in my car at all times. It’s not uncommon for me to take a kite out to show someone, hand them the strings so they can give it a try, then end up giving the kite away.

Tell me more about the American Kitefliers Association. Ultimately, the goal of the AKA is to spread the love and joy of kite flying. The point is to help foster the idea that kiting is for everyone — from the kid who just built their first kite out of newspaper and twigs to the avid kite flier who spends every conceivable hour practicing their craft. Those people, and everyone in between, all share the same love of kite flying. My message has been centered around the notion that we fly higher together. If we all come together and try this kite thing, it is pretty amazing to see what happens. Though we’re all different in our own ways, it doesn’t mean that we can’t come together through kites. We are all standing on the same ground looking to the same sky. We are all painting the sky with a piece of ourselves. ◼

The president of the American Kitefliers Association says the pastime teaches valuable life lessons

Sno-Isle Libraries TEDx Conference Sno-Isle Libraries, which serves Snohomish and Island counties, has hosted TED events each November for the past three years. Hundreds attended the events in which speakers came together on a global stage to share ideas worth spreading. Thousands more have watched the presentations via video. There won’t be a TEDx event in 2018. Library staff focused on funding needs and a change in leadership this year. A measure to restore a levy rate to pay for library operations was on the April ballot, and Sno-Isle’s executive director plans to retire in November. The three years’ worth of TEDxSnoIsleLibraries videos continue to be popular. Watch them all online at sno-isle.org/tedx.

ABOUT NIC O'NEILL O’Neill, 35, of Anacortes, is the president of the American Kitefliers Association and chairwoman of National Kite Month in April. She also recently launched her own kite building and kite flying business. She holds bachelor’s degrees in international affairs and political science from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She served in the Navy as a translator for seven years. She works as an administrative assistant at Shell Puget Sound Refinery. She coaches and plays roller derby for the Whidbey Island Rollergirls. She speaks four languages and is learning a fifth. Watch O’Neill’s TEDx Talk at tinyurl.com/tedx-niconeill. For more information about the American Kitefliers Association, go to kite.org.

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

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Works of Jan and Chris Hopkins convey some of history’s most powerful Japanese-American stories through their mastery of illustration. The couple, whose work is on display through Sept. 1, are the 2018 Schack Art Center’s Artists of the Year.

Yin and Yang This couple’s disparate creative passions meld with honor as Schack Art Center Artists of the Year STORY BY BEN WATANABE PHOTOS BY DAN BATES

CHRIS AND JAN HOPKINS, lifelong professional artists, have a time-tested repartee, a give-and-take, ebb-and-flow timing in conversation that feels like being in a top-notch sitcom. But you’re not. You’re in the presence of two of Everett’s most celebrated artists. The husband-and-wife tandem of abundant talent have decades of work to their names. For their extensive catalogue, they were named the Schack

Art Center Artists of the Year in 2018. “They’ve been really integral in the art scene here,” said Carie Collver, Schack’s gallery director. Later, she added: “We’re just so happy that they live in Snohomish County. A lot of people don’t know that these gems are here in Snohomish County.” An exhibit at the Everett art center celebrating the Hopkins’ myriad FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

“Homage to the Circle of Life” by Jan Hopkins. The artwork is made of melon peels.

“Uncertain Future“ by Chris Hopkins

“Odd Pair” by Jan Hopkins

Chris and Jan Hopkins look over some of the work they have on display at the Schack.

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

“Indy Jones” by Chris Hopkins. Hopkins’ career began in movie poster illustration. Some of his most notable contributions have been to the “Indiana Jones” series.

artwork, past and present, runs concurrently with another exhibition, “Americans Interned: A Family Story of Social Injustice” about Jan’s family’s World War II-era experiences. Collver has known the couple for nearly three decades. She first met Jan when she came to the gallery — then the Arts Council of Snohomish County at the Monte Cristo Hotel — and sought to showcase dolls made from bull kelp. They were put on display and became popular, so much so that Collver considers herself lucky to have bought some then. “Now I can’t afford her work,” she said. The Hopkins’ interactions with each other are expressions of their personalities and, in some ways, their art styles. There are some of the obvious, perhaps cliche, differences in their works and studio spaces at their home near the city border with Mukilteo. Jan keeps her work space tidy and organized, with bins for her natural materials — barks, fish skins, hides, rinds and yarns. Chris prefers a managed chaos, with his paintings and illustrations stacked up and leaning against one another in his converted garage studio. But he knows where everything is, or at least most everything, if he’s asked about it or needs to retrieve it. His career began in movie poster illustration. Some of his most notable contributions have been to the “Indiana Jones” series. The Los Angeles-Hollywood lifestyle wasn’t for

him, and he said that became obvious when he jumped from a second-story balcony to avoid a producer. For the past several years, his work has shifted to historical minority figures such as Native Americans, the Tuskegee Airmen and Japanese-Americans interned during World War II. His paintings are reminiscent of Norman Rockwell — as a matter of fact, he has the second-most works on display at the Museum of Illustration, only behind Rockwell himself. “I view all of this, not as an activist, but more as a historian,” Chris said. Recently, some fantasy, steampunk, almost cartoonish odds and ends have poured from his mind and onto canvas and paper. Adorning the walls of his studio are several framed works of creatures based on animals but given human features — legs, a mustache, a helmet. One is sailing on an ancient Egyptian-style ship from the ruins of Petra, here reimagined as though they were in a flooded and lush canyon. “I can only get so serious for so long,” he said. He treats his passion like a job, only the hours are longer. He starts early in the day with sketches, moves into the studio to work on projects, reconvenes with his wife for meals and evening TV, keeping his sketch pad at hand. Decades into his career, creating still has a mystical hold on him. “It’s all a real thrill,” he said.

Jan’s basketry and mixed media pieces are far more subtle and require the viewer to pore over their meaning. Earlier in her career, her basketry caught the attention of an avid art dealer. “I always felt like I was lucky, because I was in the right place at the right time,” she said. In recent years, her work moved away from basketry. The lessons learned in that medium resound in many of her current pieces. She weaves several natural materials together to create one whole artwork, such as a torso bust in honor of, and inspired by, Frida Kahlo, made from grapefruit and melon peel, hydrangea petals, leaves, bark, shell beads and linen. One of Jan’s hand-stitched tapestries shows stick figures at the bottom. The figures represent people of Japanese ancestry being forced from their homes and livelihoods in America during World War II. A stick figure carries a violin case instead of a suitcase. That’s her mother, who opted to bring her cherished stringed instrument with her to the Minidoka Relocation Center in southern Idaho. Many of Jan's works take countless hours to create. She will think about each one’s meaning, then go about selecting the materials and a form. “My work is really tedious,” she said, through laughter. Their lives and careers started in the Los Angeles area, but they have lived in their Everett home since 1990.

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Voyager: Steve Jensen October 4 – November 3, 2018 ALSO ON EXHIBIT

The 2017 Pilchuck Emerging Artists in Residence

2921 Hoyt Ave. Downtown Everett, WA 425-259-5050 schack.org Open M-F 10-6, Sa 10-5, Su 12-5 Free admission “Riggings Canoe” by Steve Jensen Recycled glass, boat resin, salvaged bronze ship parts Made possible in part by City of Everett Hotel/Motel tax fund 2151748

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TOP: Chris Hopkins visits his wife, Jan’s, basement studio while she is working.

Chris has converted the garage for use as his studio.

BOTTOM: At the Schack Art Center, co-Artist of the Year Jan Hopkins looks over

her displays.

For Chris, the environment of the Pacific Northwest has long spilled into his creativity. Some of his illustrations and paintings are directly inspired by what he sees during their hikes and foraging walks to gather some natural materials for Jan’s pieces. An oil painting of a tree trunk sitting in his studio and another of a downed tree over a stream were based on scenes from Whidbey Island. The pace of life here suited them better, even as their children have grown up and moved to other parts of the country and state. “It’s a calmer existence,” Jan said. “Luckily, we’re able to make a living here.” ◼

IF YOU GO The works of Chris and Jan Hopkins, Schack Art Center’s Artists of the Year, are featured in two exhibits — “2018 Artists of the Year: Jan & Chris Hopkins” and “Americans Interned: A Family Story of Social Injustice” — through Sept. 1 at the Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Ave., Everett. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Call 425-259-5050 or go to schack.org for more information.

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Views at 2,200 feet Soaring above Snohomish County in hot air balloons STORY BY SHARON SALY ER PHOTOS BY ANDY BRONSON

Taking off from Harvey Airfield, pilot Jay Woodward, owner of Balloon Depot, hosts riders on a hot air balloon trip over the Snohomish Valley.

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE Â· FALL 2018

Kelly Vice holds open the balloon and takes a cellphone photo as Woodward directs hot air into the balloon.

AS THE BALLOON lifted up and out of Snohomish, the only thing that broke the silence of the ride was the occasional deep, breath-like exhalation of the big nylon balloon’s burner. “As we crossed the Snohomish River, we could see beaver swimming and deer,” Dennis Wilbanks John said. When the pilot hit the burner to lift the hot air balloon, “all the deer would look up like, ‘What’s going on up there?’ ” he said. “You could hear people’s dogs barking in the back yards.” For years, Wilbanks John and his wife, Victoria, who live near Snohomish, had watched the brightly colored balloons float overhead on their flight path over the valley. “When they go up, they’re probably 2 miles from us,” Wilbanks John said. Earlier this year, he got a chance to soar up, up and away himself. It was the first hot air balloon ride for Wilbanks John, 71, part of a group of family members and friends on a ride in June. The flight gave him new perspective on landmarks he’d seen almost every day for more than two decades. “For years, you drive down the road and see the fronts of buildings,” he said. “From up in the air you say, ‘Oh, I go down that road. Look at all the stuff you never see.’ ” From an altitude that sometimes reached 2,200 feet, the longtime Boeing Co. construction manager saw some familiar sights — a

train bringing a 737 fuselage from Wichita. “I’ve seen many, many, many of them,” he said. “It looks like a big green cigar.” Others, he said, gave him “a total ‘Wow!’ ” — the Space Needle, the 76-story Columbia Tower, the Highway 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington, Mount Rainier, the Olympic Mountains. Wilbanks John’s nephew, Michael Kahler, 18, of Stanwood, was on the ride, too — a present for him and his girlfriend for his graduation from Grace Academy. His group included two uncles and his girlfriend’s mother. Kahler said he remembers the balloon hovering about 50 feet above the Snohomish River, close enough to see the craft’s reflection in the water. At other times during the one-hour flight, he could see Seattle in the skyline. Turning in the other direction, he could see Mount Baker. “It’s really a different way to fly,” Kahler said. “Most of the time you go up in an airplane or helicopter, and it’s noisy and you’re moving. With this, the only time there’s noise is when he’s hitting the burner. It’s really interesting to be hanging up in the sky with no noise or engines running.” His mom, Tami Kahler, booked the flight six months in advance. A hot air balloon flight as a graduation gift is a family tradition. In 1987, her own parents provided her and her then-boyfriend, now husband, Mike, with a flight, too.

“And exactly 30 years later, we did it for our son,” she said. Despite the months of planning, the flight initially didn’t go off as scheduled because of weather conditions — not unusual for hot air balloon flights. For the first scheduled flight, Tami Kahler had arranged for 23 friends and family to gather in Snohomish to watch the liftoff. “You tell 23 people we’re not going up on a balloon ride,” she told pilot Jay Woodward, owner of Balloon Depot in Snohomish. He came to deliver the bad news in person, and talked to the group for about an hour. “I don’t like canceling flights,” Woodward said. “Part of the job is dealing with the weather.” A second flight was scrubbed by the weather, too. The third launch date provided just the right conditions. Flights are scheduled in the morning, before winds pick up, and in the evening, typically when winds are calm. Other conditions pilots look for are clear skies and rain-free days. Licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, Woodward has been piloting hot air balloons for 20 years in the Snohomish Valley. A second company, Snohomish Balloon Rides, began flying from Snohomish in June. Owner Bob Romaneschi bought some of the equipment from the former Airial Hot Air Balloon Flights in Snohomish, where he worked for 17 years.

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

TOP: Emily Kennedy watches the scenery around

her during a hot air balloon trip.

BOTTOM: As Woodward fires hot air into the balloon, Mark VanAntwerp winces at the heat and noise it makes during liftoff.

One of Woodward’s two balloons has a basket that can hold four to six people. The other can accommodate eight to 10 people. The larger balloon, made of ripstop nylon, is 120 feet long — nearly 10 stories high when inflated. The business operates year-round, but most flights occur between July and October, when the Puget Sound region typically has the most stable weather. Without the rudders and flaps used to help guide airplanes, Woodward must depend on gentle breezes to help control his craft. Propane fuels the burner that lifts the balloons. The key to flight is the temperature difference between the air inside and outside the balloon. “If the air inside is hotter, it’s a lot less dense,” Woodward explained. “We go up like a bubble.” “We do what the wind does. We navigate by changing altitude. That’s the only control we’ve got.”

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

Linda Butterfield, left, Lila Vice and Kelly Vice grab leaves from a 100-foot tree during a hot air balloon trip over Snohomish Valley.

They had a great time. There's no fear up there. —VICTORIA WILBANKS JOHN

As the balloon fills, pilot Jay Woodward, owner of Balloon Depot, straightens lines inside his hot air balloon. Licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, Woodward has been piloting hot air balloons for 20 years. FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

Reading the wind and timing climbs and descents accordingly is an indirect form of control, “but that’s part of the charm,” he said. Victoria Wilbanks John pulled to the side of road near the Snohomish Golf Course to watch the balloon her husband was in drift by. “We could hear them laughing,” she said. “They had a great time. There’s no fear up there.” She and her husband had thought about taking a balloon ride for years, but never got around to it. That, she said, will change for her in the fall. “As soon as the colors are starting to change, I’m going to go floating,” she said. “I want to go on a day with a clear blue sky and the sun is setting.” She won’t be going alone. Her husband wasn’t satisfied to go just once, with vivid memories of how the first ride ended. “It was the most brilliant red sunset,” he said. “Nothing but red all the way across as it dropped behind the Olympics.” ◼

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WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

Jill Van Rawley peers out from the basket as Woodward takes riders over Snohomish Valley. The hot air balloon ride was a first for Van Rawley, of Philadelphia.

IF YOU GO Balloon Depot has been offering hot air balloon flights seven days a week, morning and evening, since 1978. Takeoff is at Harvey Airfield, 9900 Airport Way, Snohomish. Morning flights are $220 and evenings rides are $250. Call 360-805-1538 or go to balloondepot.com for more information. Snohomish Balloon Rides has morning and evening flights seven days a week, morning and evenings at Harvey Airfield. Morning flights are $215 and evening rides are $240. Call 425-903-7161 or go to snohomishballoonride.com for more information.

Julieta Altamirano-Crosby at home in Mukilteo with paintings by Morelia, Michoacán artist José Da Silva. She is the founder of the Lynnwood-based WA-GRO Foundation, which helps Latino children maintain their identities and self-confidence through education, culture and the arts. ANDY BRONSON / COAST

Her mission:

Rescue the Mexican identity STORY BY SARA BRUESTLE

SUGAR SKULLS, CANDLES, old photographs, marigolds and sweet rolls.

These are some of the offerings that Julieta Altamirano-Crosby placed on Day of the Dead altars to entice loved ones who’ve passed on to come back for a visit. The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, Nov. 1 and 2, is a tradition originating in Mexico. As they have for some 3,000 years, the shrines honored the dead and celebrated life, but these altars built in 2012 at Olympic View Middle School in Mukilteo also marked a new tradition — to keep Mexican culture alive for immigrants living here. That same year Altamirano-Crosby, who was born and raised in Mexico, established a foundation to break down barriers to education for Latinos in her two home states: Washington and Guerrero, Mexico. It’s called the WA-GRO Foundation, for Washington (WA) and Guerrero (GRO). As president of WA-GRO, Altamirano-Crosby has decorated many

more Day of the Dead shrines since then. Through the Lynnwood-based foundation, she also has developed numerous programs in both states, from literacy and art classes in Washington to special-needs education workshops and conferences in Guerrero. ON A MISSION

A startling statistic about high school dropout rates for Latinos in Washington led Altamirano-Crosby to take action. In her research, Altamirano-Crosby, 47, of Mukilteo, found that for many first-generation immigrants, culture and language have created barriers to academic success. To succeed, immigrants must learn English. At the same time, Altamirano-Crosby believes that if they stop speaking Spanish and recognizing their heritage, they’ll lose their sense of self. If they lose their identity, they lose their way. FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

Children’s artwork from the Latino Art Club are based on a painting by Mexican artist Juadencio Garcia. ANDY BRONSON / COAST She felt lost after moving here with her husband, an American, and daughter from Mexico in 2009. She knew some English, but not enough. “I’m an educated woman,” she said. “But I struggled with all the barriers.” She didn’t want her daughter to be a statistic. She wanted to ask about Daniela’s education at Olympic View Middle School, but she didn’t have anyone to talk to. No one at the school spoke Spanish. So she took ESL classes at Everett Community College. Not long after, she was hired as an interpreter for the Mukilteo School District. Through her work there, she realized that she wasn’t alone. The Mukilteo School District has the largest Latino population in Snohomish County. In 2016, Mukilteo had 4,768 Latino students, followed closely by the Edmonds (4,398) and Everett (3,929) school districts. Most of them are of Mexican heritage. Many of their parents don’t speak Spanish with them — because the kids insist on speaking English. With the loss of their native language, Altamirano-Crosby said, they also are losing a lifeline. Her belief is that those students are more likely to turn to drugs, get pregnant or join a gang, because they don’t feel they belong. “Identity is so important, because if you lose that — I know who I am, I know where I come from, I know where I’m going — if you don’t have that, you are nobody,” Altamirano-Crosby said. “You are lost completely.” She made it her mission to rescue the Latino identity. EMPOWERING LATINOS

Altamirano-Crosby started small. She helped form a Latino group at Olympic View Middle School for Spanish-speaking families. As a volunteer Latino liaison, she contacted other Mukilteo schools about forming Latino groups. In these groups, Spanish-speaking parents meet with teachers about school issues, how they can become more involved in the classroom, and about ways to better support their children in their educations. They also share their heritage with the school community. While WA-GRO continues to establish Latino groups at schools, it also puts on workshops for Mexican immigrants to connect them to resources, be they support groups, Spanish and ESL classes, tutoring and mentoring services, or help for at-risk youth. “We have to work to empower the parents,” Altamirano-Crosby said. “When they’re able to adapt themselves, it enables them to help their kids.”

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

A Lynnwood foundation is breaking down Latinos’ barriers to education

The foundation has since extended its reach in Washington, offering tools Latinos need to get the most out of education, including in Mukilteo, Everett, Edmonds and Lynnwood, with such partners as Sno-Isle Libraries, YMCA of Snohomish County and Everett Community College. The foundation launched after-school programs for kids that are literacy, culture and art-focused — most of which are up and running in Snohomish County. The classes are meant to not only help kids academically, but to foster a sense of identity within themselves. Read to Grow teaches students to read in Spanish; Latino Art Club helps them gain self-esteem and spread cultural awareness through art; Preschool Mixteco builds school-readiness skills in the Mexican indigenous language and culture; and Identity & Language teaches kids to have pride in their heritage. WA-GRO also established sister cities between Lynnwood and Zihuatanejo, the oceanfront city in Guerrero where Altamirano-Crosby and her husband, Patrick, lived, and sister states between Washington and Guerrero. VISITING HOME

With all these programs in place, in 2013, Altamirano-Crosby returned to Guerrero to share all that WA-GRO had accomplished. While there, she was invited to visit a special-education school she helped build years ago in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero. What she saw shocked her. All 54 students at the school, from birth to 22 years old, be they deaf or blind, have autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or other developmental disability, were being taught the same curriculum in a building that was not air conditioned in a place where local temperatures frequently top 90 degrees. She didn’t realize until moving to America that special education in Mexico is about 30 years behind the curriculum in the U.S. because disabilities are stigmatized. She couldn’t stay more than 10 minutes before bursting into tears. She was determined to help. In 2014, WA-GRO established the Learning Foundation, a program to provide training and resources to special-education teachers. In the exchange program, educators from Washington train teachers oneon-one, while doctors, therapists and psychologists offer consultations and examinations for children with special needs. “(These professionals) have never charged us a penny for their time — and we’re taking some people who are paid $300 an hour,” said Patrick Crosby, a businessman who is the director of the WA-GRO Foundation. “They willingly use up their vacation to help us.”

Julieta Altamirano-Crosby waits for her friend, Maria Casey, to bring her a staple gun to attach information about the Day of the Dead on a display at the Lynnwood Library in 2017. DAN BATES / COAST

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FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

The Zihuatanejo-based liaison for the program, Julia Sumner, reports that the school there has transformed in the past four years. The teachers have become more professional and experienced. The school has a library of Spanish books, air conditioning and teaching aids. “The school is an example for other neighboring schools with similar challenges,” Sumner said. The foundation now is working to expand its reach to all 55 special-education schools in Guerrero. But Altamirano-Crosby didn’t stop there. She also organizes events and conferences to build disability awareness in Mexico. WA-GRO has hosted surfing, arts and crafts, kite-flying and hiking activities for families with disabled children. She is proudest of leading the very first March for Disability Awareness through town. “We started with 75 people,” she said. “When we reached downtown Zihuatanejo, we turned around and saw 300 people. It was beautiful.” SHE CARES

Altamirano-Crosby continues to investigate the link between identity and language for Latinos in Washington and Guerrero, all the while emphasizing the importance of education, community, leadership, culture and art in her two homes. She has three communications degrees. She received her bachelor’s at the Autonomous University of Guerrero-Mexico in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, earned her master’s at the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain, and her Ph.D. from the University of Havana in Havana, Cuba. She recently earned a second master’s degree — this one in education — from Seattle Pacific University. In 2017, she was awarded the Snohomish County Human Rights Award for her work through the WA-GRO Foundation.

When she’s not volunteering, Altamirano-Crosby works as a cultural competency consultant. She trains teachers and parents to be culturally competent, meaning to understand, appreciate and interact with people from a culture different from their own. Around Halloween, Altamirano-Crosby will return to local schools to help with Day of the Dead altars. “My husband jokes that I’ll volunteer for anything,” she said. “I see that (Latinos) need help in the education system and in spreading the word about disabilities, and I help. I was born and raised in Guerrero, and I care.” ◼

WA-GRO FOUNDATION In Washington (WA): In recognition of the overwhelming need to combat Latino school dropout rates, the foundation provides resources to at-risk youth, empowers their parents to navigate the education system and improves their children’s academic success by reconnecting families with their culture and heritage. In Guerrero (GRO): WA-GRO is empowering special-needs teachers and families in Mexico by providing training and resources to help children with disabilities reach functional independence in their culture and society. It also is working to break Mexico’s prevalent stigma of disabilities through awareness. Learn more at wa-gro.com.

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WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

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Helping Julieta Altamirano-Crosby set up a Día de los Muertos display in the Lynnwood Library, Lupita Zamora holds up a skeleton head on a stick. DAN BATES / COAST

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

Wheat Wizards

Scientists at WSU's The Bread Lab in Skagit County have a simple mission: Grow wheat that makes tastier bread

STORY BY SHARON SALY ER PHOTOS BY ANDY BRONSON

WHEN STEVE JONES left the rolling wheat fields of Eastern Washington’s Palouse to direct Washington State University’s research lab in Mount Vernon, the crops he thought he’d be working with were cabbage, cucumbers “and maybe even tulips.” He was in for a surprise. Skagit Valley farmers told him: “We want you to work on wheat and barley.” Jones, who had been a wheat breeder on WSU’s main campus for 15 years, said he was thrilled to take on the challenge. He saw local farmers growing wheat and barley as a rotation crop. It helped return nutrients to the soil, but they were losing money on it. “Wheat is a cool-season grass — that kind of gets forgotten,” he said. “What we determined pretty early on is we can grow wheat really well. In this part of the state, we get four times the yield we get in Kansas.” The vision of growing commercially viable — and tasty — Western Washington wheat was the spark for development of WSU’s Bread Lab in Mount Vernon in 2011. It has since moved to property off Highway 20 in Burlington, with a research and baking kitchen, a lab and a milling facility.

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

Club wheat sits in a beaker at The Bread Lab in Burlington.

Graduate students from Tufts University, Tetyana Pecherska, Nayla Bezares and Claire Loudis, and test baker Julia Bernstein, right, smell, feel and taste salted and unsalted breads at The Bread Lab in Burlington.

Up to seven varieties of wheat and barley are now being grown on nearby land. The wheat is analyzed at the lab to find out more about its potential uses. Those now being tested include hard and soft wheats in purple and blue hues. “They’re really beautiful,” said Kim Binczewski, the lab’s managing director. It could take another two to four years before those varieties will be publicly released. “It takes several years to increase the seeds so there’s enough for farmers to grow on a larger scale,” Binczewski said. The Bread Lab’s focus on developing nutritious varieties of wheat for use by local farmers and bakers has drawn both national and international attention. The goal is keeping the economic value in nearby communities where it’s produced. Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates spent three hours at The Bread Lab last year in part to explore whether this model could be duplicated in other communities. Grain Gathering, the lab’s annual conference, last year drew participants from 17 states,

What he’s doing is developing certain wheat varieties with flavor and function in mind. —TET YANA PECHERSK A

as well as Canada, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Tufts and Drexel university students come to The Bread Lab for training. Tetyana Pecherska is one one of four Tufts graduate students who visited this year. “What he’s doing is developing certain wheat varieties with flavor and function in mind,”

she said. That’s different from most breeding programs, where plant types typically are developed for their yields. “So it’s a very radical approach to plant breeding, but to us it’s common sense — it tastes better,” Pecherska said. Just as important is the program’s work to bring together chefs, millers, maltsters and brewers in helping design grains that fit their needs. “It took a lot of trust in the Skagit Valley over the past 10 years to bring this about into the success that it is now,” Pecherska said. Jones said one of the best parts of the job is being around people who are so interested in food. The benefits don’t just go to local businesses. The lab offers classes to the public, such as how to make corn tortillas from scratch, and a portable oven at a local library to show people how to make their own bread. They hope to expand that program to food banks, transitional housing, schools and libraries. How innovative is The Bread Lab program? “I think it’s safe to say, I don’t know that there’s another one like it,” Jones said. ◼

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

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TOP: Steve Jones, director at The Bread

Lab, talks with graduate students from Tufts University, as they spend their spring break learning the ins and outs of bread making.

MIDDLE: Notes on ingredients and

measurements needed in baking bread fill a notebook at The Bread Lab. BOTTOM: Bread is on the menu, as seen

behind Andrew Ross, from Oregon State University, who spreads flour as he makes bread at The Bread Lab.

HONEYMOON MEAD & CIDER Unique meads and ciders crafted in Bellingham from pure Washington honey and fruits.

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Five loaves of bread, each made with a variation of the same ingredients, bake in an oven at The Bread Lab.

What is The Bread Lab? Scientists at The Washington State University Bread Lab conduct research on thousands of lines of wheat, barley, buckwheat and other small grains to identify those that perform well for farmers, and that are most suitable for craft baking, cooking, malting, brewing and distilling. The lab, at 11768 Westar Lane in

Burlington, sponsors an annual three-day conference bringing together bakers, chefs, millers, distillers, farmers and the public for hands-on baking workshops and panel discussions on the regional grain economy. This year’s grain gathering was held in July. The public can sign up for classes through the King Arthur Baking School at the lab. Learn more at thebreadlab.wsu.edu.

THE EDISON SCONE The classic combination of pistachio and orange is the perfect balance to the earthy robust whole wheat flavor of the Edison flour.

INGREDIENTS: For the pistachio filling: 1 cup pistachios ½ cup brown sugar

For the orange glaze: ¼ cup fresh orange juice 2 cups powdered sugar ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the scones: 2½ cups whole wheat flour 1½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 cup unsalted butter, cold ¼ to ½ cup whole milk 4 large eggs

DIRECTIONS: Toast the pistachios, chop coarsely and mix with ½ cup of brown sugar. Whisk orange juice with powdered sugar and vanilla. Set aside. Measure flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl with high sides. Dice butter in ½-inch cubes. Use your hands or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer to blend butter with dry ingredients on low speed until butter pieces are the size of almonds. Whisk eggs and ¼ cup milk together and add two-thirds of the mixture to dry ingredients. Gently mix the dough just until it comes together before adding remaining milk mixture; it will look rough. Scrape dough from the sides and bottom of

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

the bowl and mix again to incorporate any floury scraps. The majority of the dough will have collected on the fork or the paddle. Stop mixing. There will be visible chunks of butter and flour. The dough should come out of the bowl in one piece, leaving some small scraps and flour on the sides. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape press into a rectangle that is about 12 inches across and ½-inch thick. Press pistachios and sugar filling into dough and roll into a log. Slice each round scone ¾-inch thick. Place scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 1½ inches between large scones. Bake in the middle of the oven, 30 to 35 minutes (20 to 25 minutes for small scones), rotating the pan front to back halfway through the baking time. The finished scones will be golden brown. Glaze immediately and generously. Makes 18 scones. More recipes available at thebreadlab. wsu.edu/favorite-recipes.

COAST XTRA Fun in the Fall for the entire family! Keep a tradition or start a new one.

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Enjoy Our Version of Old Fashion Fun Come see our pig show and live duck races. Taste our treats from the bakery. Get lost in the Washington state corn maze. Play on the jumping pillows, slides and so much more.

Maze, Sunflowers, Pumpkin Fun!

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Big Red Barn • Hero Corn Maze • Giant Pumpkin Patch Photos with Sunflowers • Hayrides • Cheer the Pumpkin Cannon and much more!

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FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

EDMONDS’ CIDER HERO Steve Kaiser’s Core Hero Hard Cider is made with exquisite care in his garage STORY BY AARON SWANEY

WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE · FALL 2018

Core Hero Hard Cider in Edmonds uses bitter apples to produce hard cider. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE KAISER

GROWING UP ON his parents’ small farm, Steve Kaiser has always been surrounded by homemade projects involving food and drink. His dad grew his own grapes, cultivated a large fruit orchard and garden, and raised honeybees. His parents often made meals from the food grown right outside their front door, and his dad made his own wine, beer and cider. So when Kaiser announced he was starting his own cidery out of the garage of his Edmonds home, his parents were the last people he needed to convince. “My family completely understands my passion,” Kaiser said with a laugh. Since launching about three years ago, Core Hero Hard Cider has slowly grown along with the burgeoning hard cider industry. Around Edmonds and Lopez Island, the cider can be found at a number of shops, distinguished by its unique swing-cap bottles. Few realize, however, the connection it has to both communities. Ultimately made in Kaiser’s garage in a quiet neighborhood just south of bustling downtown Edmonds, it’s also partly made from apples grown in an orchard on Lopez Island. Kaiser’s first foray into making his own cider came about 15 years ago when friends from Eastern Washington dumped a literal ton of apples on his front lawn. What to do with them all? Make hard cider, obviously. Kaiser experimented with a number of different batches. Some worked, some didn’t. (“The raisin/brown sugar version was undrinkable,” Kaiser said, laughing. “The raisin did something funky to it.”) One of the recipes was exquisite. An apple cranberry hard cider he made tasted amazing, so Kaiser filed the recipe away and figured he’d come back to it at some point. During that time, Kaiser worked in marketing for Woodinville’s Silver Lake Winery. Part of the umbrella of products under Silver Lake was Spire Cider, which gave Kaiser a front-row seat to the hard-cider revolution that has occurred over the past decade. He noticed interest growing, especially in metropolitan areas on the West Coast, of handcrafted, boutique ciders, and decided it was a good time to get in the game. He went to “cider school” with cider expert Peter Mitchell at Washington State University’s research and extension center in Mount Vernon. He learned the traditional style of making cider, from when to pick the fruit to testing pH and acid levels. He also was taught how to blend apples, how to stress the fruit, and the ins and outs of the business. He found out that he knew more than he thought. “At its most basic, there is so much in common between a winery and a cidery,” Kaiser said. “Growing grapes for wine is much like growing apples for cider. You stress the fruit on purpose to bring the flavors out, and you have to know how to blend. When it comes to a finished product, you’re looking for something with nuance that pairs well with food to bring out a wider range of flavor.” In 2013, Kaiser began the transition from working at a winery to running his own cidery, collecting equipment, making contacts in the cider world and licensing. A few years later, he planted 130 Foxwhelp and Kingston black cider apple trees on half an acre near his home in Edmonds and started producing cider out of his garage, mostly from apples east of the mountains. Like wine grapes, cider apples take time to reach maturity, so it wasn’t until recently that Kaiser was able to really start using the apples from his own orchard. From picking the apples to stocking the shelves, Core Hero is a oneman show. Kaiser, 61, who put off retirement a few years ago to open the cidery, picks the apples, presses them and transfers the liquid from fermenters to aging tanks. He bottles and even distributes the cider himself. “My rule is that I only distribute directly to places I can drive to in my lunch hour,” said Kaiser, who continues to work as a marketing consultant. Lopez Island holds a special place in Kaiser’s heart. He purchased property on the island nearly 20 years ago, and planted about 50 trees 11 years ago to create a small orchard of high-density dwarf trees that yield a half ton of apples annually.

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE

On Lopez Island, orchard space is limited, and because of property-use laws, Kaiser couldn’t increase the number of trees on his property. Then he heard about a property that the Port of Lopez was stuck with near the airport. Adjacent to a runway, there wasn’t much that could be done with it. The parcel turned out to be perfect for 125 low-growing apple trees that don’t require much water. It was cheap land for Kaiser and preserved the farmland for the port. Earlier this year, Kaiser transplanted by hand and utility trailer 130 cider apple trees from his Edmonds home to Lopez Island. His plan is to have a total of 450 trees by 2020. “In a few years, cider we make will only come from apples grown on the island,” Kaiser said. “We’ll be able to really control the type of apples we want and flavors that we can express.” A good example of that ability is Core Hero’s new Extra Dry Hard Cider. Made from apples grown in the Lopez Island orchard, the cider is bone dry and full of distinct nutty and floral flavors. It’s a great example of a cider maker hitting his stride. ◼

WHERE TO FIND IT Bothell: PCC Natural Market Edmonds: QFC and PCC Natural Market Lopez Island: The Galley, Lopez Village Market, Blossom Grocery, Ursa Minor and Lopez Haven Lynnwood: Whole Foods

TOP: An apple tree blossom at the Core Hero apple orchard on Lopez Island. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE KAISER

MIDDLE: Steve Kaiser's cidery now

offers a hard cider sorbet. KEVIN CLARK / COAST

BOTTOM: Core Hero Hard Cider comes in three different flavors: Extra Dry, Apple Cranberry and Apple Cinnamon. KEVIN CLARK / COAST

THE PROCESS OF MAKING SMALL-BATCH

Core Hero Hard Cider’s Steve Kaiser makes small batches of cider in his garage, about 30 gallons at a time. He follows the more traditional style of making cider, not skipping any steps and using special hard cider apples that have higher levels of tannins and acid.

Wait two days and add intentional yeast, then install an airlock to let yeast do its job of chewing up the sugars.

STEP

After three to four weeks, transfer to an aging container made of glass or stainless steel.

Using an apple press, extract the liquid out of the pomace. About 13 pounds of apples equals approximately a gallon of liquid.

Age your cider for at least one month.

Pour that juice into fermenter containers. Food grade plastic, glass or stainless steel containers work best.

Bottle as-is if you want still cider or add sugar if you want bubbly cider.

STEP

Kaiser next adds sulfites to kill the wild yeasts. Most cider makers take this step for consistent results.

STEP

Grind the apples using an apple grinder. Embedded teeth in an apple grinder turn the apples into a pulpy pomace.

STEP

Pick apples and sweat them. To sweat apples, leave them in a dark, dry place away from heat for 1-2 weeks before pressing them.

STEP

CIDER

Store in a cool, dark location in anticipation of sharing with friends and family (or in Kaiser’s case, sell to the public).

Hard Cider Sorbet It’s taken a while to jump through the hoops to get it approved and dial in the recipe and process, but Core Hero’s Steve Kaiser recently unveiled his Apple Cinnamon Sorbet. Made with his cidery’s Apple Cinnamon Hard Cider, the sorbet is lightly sweetened and comes with a buzz at 6 percent ABV. It’s a perfect fall treat. Enjoy it with apple crisp or make a hard cider float by adding a scoop to Apple Cinnamon Hard Cider. Sold in pint containers at PCC Markets. Have your ID ready; it’s 21 and older only.

Steve Kaiser shows off the vats he uses to produce Core Hero Hard Cider out of his garage in Edmonds. KEVIN CLARK / COAST

FALL 2018 · WASHINGTON NORTH COAST MAGAZINE