It’s time to leave the Hamilton’s and head to the Black Ball Ferry, stopping at Discovery Coffee in Oak Bay at the recommendation of Allan Thimot, a former fan of Credo coffee in Edmonton. He’s right – it’s very close to the latte served at Credo and that makes me very happy!
We arrive at Port Angeles and go through customs. Forgot about the grapes in the refrigerator and the officer informs us that he’ll waive a $300 fine for not informing them that we are bringing fresh fruit into the US. What a nice welcome…..
We drive to Sequim (pronounced squim) and stop at Tourist information looking for the Three Crabs Restaurant. After a cool chat about local/regional food, the ladies recommend that we go to the Alderwood Bistro (the Three Crabs is too touristy). Great recommendation!
The Alderwood Bistro is a cozy place with a beautiful redwood bar/counter as the first thing you notice walking in. The restaurant supports local, sustainable and regional and present seasonal dishes. Jon enjoys the fried oysters and I settle into one of the specials of the day: field greens and fresh herbs tossed in a sherry vinaigrette topped with blackened fresh salmon, fresh pesto and a slice of watermelon radish. It’s delish and keeps me going with my fresh fish theme…..
We head to Port Townsend and stop at FairWinds Winery for a tasting and we’re sold on the Port ‘o Call. On to the Mt. Townsend Creamery for tasting (and purchase, of course) of their locally made cow’s milk cheeses. They produce nine artisanal cheeses ranging from firm to creamy camembert styles and washed rind cheeses. We go for the Seastack (their most popular), named for the rock formations that adorn Washington’s coastline, which combines complex flavour with distinct aesthetic qualities. This soft ripened semi-lactic cheese has a dusting of vegetable ash before ripening to ensure a robust, nutty flavour. We also pick up New Moon, a sweet and buttery jack style cheese; and Trailhead, their award winning tomme that’s aged for a minimum of six weeks and hand washed, resulting in a nutty, robust flavour (see below).
Another wine tasting at Sorensen in Port Townsend (below) and we purchase a 2004 cabernet sauvignon that pairs really well with our cheeses. Chat with the winery owner and the owners of Wildfire cider and swap food stories. It’s time to find a camp ground for our first overnight in our van.
