#24: Searching for Spring

This month, the kids and I set off for a repeat visit to Patty's Egg nest.  Ever since our last visit back in 2010, I have had a $5 off coupon in my pocket and thought I hate to let it go, I figured it was about time  to cash that puppy in. Plus, with inflation and all I suppose that prices have only gone upwards/   Patty's is just a mile or so downhill from our current abode, but I figured we'd all benefit from a nice hike through Carkeek Park, the crown jewel of Seattle's northside parks.  I figured it would add about 90 more minutes to the walk, and that we'd all be plenty hungry for flapjacks.
 

We hiked up Mary Street and into one of the feeder trails that slice into the southern underbelly of Carkeek.  This particular trail has some landmarks that we enjoy; a lean-to teepee we built last spring, fallen logs that look like dragon heads (and that we beat on our way into the park), an overpass that has great echoes and serves as an imaginary castle gate, and a huge blackberry patch that serves up delicious berries every August.  

I took Yuken in the backpack, Pacifica took the camera, and Issei took out a couple of hard oak wooden swords.  We searched for signs of spring, took pictures, and beat up the dragons, and eventually hit the actual Carkeek trail.  I had skied the trail--or tried to--some weeks back, but it was of course all clear now.  As we headed further east we spotted a couple of banana slugs snaking their way down the trees, and crossed a couple of funky, moss-covered bridges.  Eventually we came to an old apple orchard, where we stopped for reserve snacks and a water break, then pushed forward the last mile to our destination.  

When we finally left the woods, we were all happy and hungry.  I could taste the pancakes and smell the bacon...but when we saw the line of folks dripping out into the stripmall parking lot, my heart sank.  The kids and I walked into Patty's and saw that it was worse than expected; the head of the line was a cluster of 20-odd churchgoers, fresh from prayer and patient as saints.  We, on the other hand, were hungry, impatient, and spattered with mud.  I ran through an inventory of pancake places in the area, but on foot and hungry I figured the odds of us arriving before the kids hit bottom was slim to none.  

I asked anyway...but the kids would have none of it.

We settled on the QFC grocery store--a modest-sized affair that the Egg Nest, a nail salon, gamer workshop and a Mongolian BBQ have sprouted around.  Inside, I deposited our backpacks and loaded a cart with my three kids, and headed straight for the donuts. We each picked our favorites...and though I was tempted to grab two, decided against it.  Then to the yogurts, some milks, a baby-sized roll for the baby, and a box of strawberries.  The older kids pointed out that the strawberries weren't washed, but luckily the lady at the sushi stand was there to give them a thorough soaking, and the Starbucks had a nice cup of hot coffee for me.  

We sat down and tucked into our meal, and though we did not have the chance for a cheap toy from Patty's treasure chest, I heard no complaints. Yuken enjoyed his first strawberries, Issei ate all of the sprinkles off his donut, and Pacifica talked us all into giver her bites of our yogurts.  Before we left, I tucked my $5 coupon back into my wallet, saving it for another day.

#23: Sharp Teeth and Salmon Bay

Right about Halloween, Pacifica, Issei and I went down to Salmon Bay to the Salmon Bay Cafe.  The restaurant sits across the water from the fisherman's terminal, across a run-down street from the condos and hipster joints in Ballard, and nicely wedged between two purveyors of concrete.  Apparently stingy as the parking lot hadn't had an overcoat of asphalt since the first of the three Bush administrations. We went in a bit sceptical--dark doors hung with skeletons for the season-- but left happy, and full of pancakes, and with two full sets of new teeth.


Like the parking lot, the inside of the Salmon Bay Cafe has not been updated for a while.  The layout is typical for a true greasy spoon--an area that once had a counter (by the kitchen), and two areas of booths to accommodate smokers and those that don't want to sit by smokers while they smoke the smokers' smoke.  Fortunately for us, many years have passed since customers were allowed to light up, so while the structure remains, the smells and public smokers are long gone.   The waitstaff were all smiles--led us right to one of the many open booths by the window, with a commanding view of the aforementioned arterial road.  While weathered (and taped) the booths were comfortable and clean, as was the glass table. Not much to ask, but duly noted.  And then the activity pages, crayons and water.  We knew what we wanted.

The menu had everything a typical fisherman or farmer would would need to fuel up for the day; stacks of cakes, eggs a number of ways,  scrambles, eggs benedict, and nothing to unnecessarily fancy to upset the palate so early in the morning.  As a bonus, there is even a section of the menu labeled healthy, just in case you wanted to come in for a $5 cup of oatmeal or some sliced fruit.  But I can't imagine going for that with the smell of bacon in the air....


The Kids, as expected, went straight for pancakes.  Me, I got some sort of scramble...eggs and cheese and potatoes.  Again, staff was excellent--I would say some of the best servers this side of the Cascades--and the chef exceeded all expectations.  Each stack was decorated with a modest face made of fresh fruit, and next to the 800calorie dollops of butter were toothpick-strapped flags and cocktail umbrellas. One of the US, one for Mexico.  This made us think of uncle Brett and his new restaurant in La Cruz, Mexico...Pacifica.  After some discusssion, we all decided that Pacifica should get the Mexican flag.


The portions were perfect--I at half mine and brought the rest home. The kids left nothing for the compost bin, save the butter packs.  Before we left, the servers (did I mention them?) brought over a big bucket of Halloween treats, and let the kids spend time digging through the tattoos, fake blood packets, stickers, and nonsuch.  The kids settled on vampire teeth, which added just the right touch to their costumes. Vampire nutcracker, and vampire Coppelia.

#22 July: Country Kitchen in the Country

Cecelia and Emiel, my greatgrandparents

In July we were all back in Minnesota to celebrate the centennial of our DeBlieck ancestor's arrival in America.  It was a great gathering--maybe 200 people, all related to Hypolytus DeBlieck (1845-1910), or the Landyuts, or the Roggemans, all getting together for a grand mixer in Redwood Falls.  We even had relatives from Belgium show up, and learned that we may have more DeBlieck's on this side of the ocean than back in the old country.

Southwest Minnesota is undeniably beautiful in the summer...rolling fields and the colors of the prairie, and quaint towns like New Prague with cute biker bars and retired grain silos.  I was impressed by the 50 different species of insect that appeared at dusk to bite and suck blood, and the devastation of a recent wind storm that snapped power lines and crushed farm buildings like pop cans.  The waterfall in Redwood Falls was also quite a surprise, as were the folks leaping off into it.

We stayed at the Jackpot Junction Casino a bit out of town (and technically in Morton), and had high hopes for the Sunday morning breakfast.  It took a while to get all four groups of the Brian DeBlieck clan together in the lobby, which incidentally smelled of stale cigarettes...it could have used a couple of fresh butts to freshen it up a bit.  Unfortunately we found out that breakfast on Sunday is not served buffet style until 9:30...and being with little kids and all we couldn't wait two hours for it to open up.  So we headed into town for the only place likely to have a variety of pancakes....Country Kitchen.

Country Kitchen has a special place in my heart.  First of all, it was always a real treat when our folks would take us there and we'd be treated to a huge sticky bun coated in melted butter.  My brother Steve and I learned nothing about manners there...our favorite thing to do while waiting for our food was to mix all the table-side condiments (cream, jelly, sugar, nutrasweet, salt, pepper) into our icewater, making crazy mixes and awful messes.  Later, in high school, it was a place to hang out through the winter, drinking bottomless cups of coffee (90 cents) and smoking Bugler cigarettes (89 cents) with other 15-year-olds.  We certainly pushed the all-you-can-drink policy to its limits...and we kept Bugler in business for a couple more years.

It has been a while since I'd last visited a Country Kitchen, and I was glad to see that one in Redwood Falls followed the standard layout of the franchise: a main dining area flanked by a north and south wing of booths (nice divide for a smoking and a nonsmoking section), and capped with counter seating for about 8 single, likely male, diners right by the kitchen.  Since Sundays start out slow in the southcountry, it was easy for us to get the three booths we needed for the eight adults and five children in our party.  We sat down and they quickly brought us coffees, water, and things for the kids to color....I poured in a plastic thimble of creamer in my coffee, stirred, and considered the menu.

oreo pancake, sans chocolate sauce

First off, I have never seen such horrible selections for kids on a breakfast menu....where else would you find the Mr. Chippy Pancake (pancakes sprinkled with choclate chips), or an awful mashup like "Oreo Pancake",  a pancake cooked with a giant Oreo in the center, topped with a brown "chocolate" sauce.  

I stopped there and considered the adult menu, which seemed reasonable, though nothing suggested that any of the dishes would be less than 3,000 calories.   So I flipped to the backpage for the old timer selection...why not oatmeal?  I got that with toast, no butter.  The rest of the family got a whole variety of dishes.  Big sister Angi smartly selected a mix plate that she shared with two kids.  Jason got something that looked yummy and covered with cheese, but he was sitting pretty far away, so I never got a bite.  My kids got strawberry pancakes...which sounded nice until I remembered what a #10 can of Sysco strawberry sauce looks like.  The kids didn't mind one bit.

Everyone left  pretty happy, or at least no longer hungry.  I think we all got what we expected...though I was a bit disappointed by the oatmeal.  As I spooned in the lumpy grey dish, with no taste or hint of the oats it was supposed to be made of, I couldn't help but wonder why they didn't spruce it up with bananas, or sunflower seeds, or honey...or at the least, a side of crushed Oreos.  Maybe next time. 

DeBlieck's at Lower Sioux Agency

covered wagon...our ancestors arrived too late to ride in one

Laura Ingells-Wilder Onion House...where DeBlieck's once stayed

Cecilia and Emiel's farm, near Tracy MN

Great grandma Schmidt's old place...not much left

unfortunatley no roley-boley, only horseshoes

typical DeBlieck

another descendent of Emiel and Cecilia

banquet, Yuken and Sue

goofballs

i think these dudes are related

whooping it up on the dancefloor

DeBlieck dance party!

DeBlieck's old (Great Uncle Norm) and new (great grand nephew Yuken)

me and my sisters

Issei's blueberry cakes

Eleanor and Paci and a stack or strawberry cakes

waiting patiently

you can't miss it