Heading to the Gorge Amphitheater brought back so many memories. About 15 years ago, I used to work for a backstage catering company. We catered for the talent and the crews, preparing all their meals and dressing room requirements. We did three years hard time at the Gorge. Every weekend in the summer, we logged the three-hour trek […]

Happy Fourth of July Everyone. May your ‘cue be tender, may your steaks sizzle, and may you combat “bubble butt” on your burgers by making a slight depression in the center of them before they hit the grill (that was a tip, by the way). For the first year since we opened the restaurant, I not actually […]

For those of you that prune back your trees in the spring or fall, remember to save the wood! Any non-evergreen wood is usually excellent for smoking, especially fruit woods. Even adding a chunk to your grill can impart a kiss of smoke on quick grilled items. Our cherry and apple trees don’t give us […]

After two busy-as-heck weeks at Smokin’ Pete’s, we took a few days to rest. There is really only one place I can completely forget about the business, e-mail, and the house list: the woods of Index, WA. It’s almost scary how easily I forget it all here. It’s easy to “unplug”, because there are no plugs. […]

Up until now, I’ve never won an award. I got close in a third grade spelling bee, taking home a hot pink certificate for second runner-up. I earned a vacuuming badge once, solidifying me as a feminist at the age of ten. I was voted Most Spirited in high school basically because I was a spaz. I wasn’t a cheerleader […]