March is Washington Wine Month. Of the 100 bottles of wine we sell in our restaurants each year, fully half are from our own state. The first commercial Washington winery started producing wine in 1977, just five years prior to my first head chef job at Café Sport. In fact, our restaurants and wineries here have grown up together, and we treasure the organic relationship that exists between us and the wine makers. Many of them, like Kay and Clay of Chinook, Doug Gore of Columbia Crest, and Chris Upchurch of Chaleur Estates, have become good friends. So it brings us particular pleasure when we turn our customers, and the world, onto the joys of the wine in this region.

Washington state is now the fastest growing wine region in the country. The majority of grapes are grown on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, where the summers are sunny, hot & dry. Believe it or not, some grapes are also grown on the western side of the state. As a matter of fact, Puget Sound is one of the five current Washington appellations, along with the Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla and the Red Mountain Areas. (Appellations are defined as "a designation on the label, guaranteeing that the contents meet established standards, as type of grape and location of vineyard.") There is a good chance Horse Heaven Hills will be designated the 6^th appellation before the end of the summer. Like other wine regions, the range of varieties is rapidly expanding. Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, and concord grapes are rapidly being replaced with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Cabarnet, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Cabarnet Franc.

My point is, the next time you’re out shopping for the perfect red or white to accompany your perfectly cooked salmon, suculent rack of lamb, your just-shucked pristine oysters, or those chardonnay steamed mussels, think Washington. Support our state’s farmers, wine makers, and blossoming heritage.

We’re happy to announce that, starting February 8th, I’ll be on KIRO Radio (710 AM) from 12pm - 2pm each Saturday. Our goal is go talk restaurants! It will be my thoughts and your questions, with special segments featuring food personalities both from Seattle and other parts of the country. Every week, our show will begin with the ‘Review the Reviewers’ segment. We will take Friday’s restaurant reviews back to the restaurants! We’ll speak to them and get THEIR opinions on the review’s accuracy and fairness. Oh… I can’t wait!!!

Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen is not only the name of our national product line, but also the name of our new cooking school, which will be opening sometime this summer. It will be located behind the Dahlia, at 316 Virginia. Melinda Burdo will head up the school, and is already coming up with some class ideas such as “If it Flies, Eat It”, “So you want to open a restaurant?,” and “Home Kitchen Remodel 101.”  Have a great idea?  Let us know!

I’m happy to have known two well-known Seattle restaurateur’s who passed on in January. I never had the chance to work personally with either, but certainly they each paved the way for the rest of us. Victor Roselinni, with his charming grace, was a front-of-the-house kind of guy. Mick McHugh’s quote in Victor’s obituary really struck home with me. Victor taught him that “people are really the most important aspect of the restaurant business.  The ones who work for you and the one’s who walk through the front door.” John Schwartz, with his brother Bill, co-owned Chandler’s, Cucina Cucina, and Daniel’s among others. I sat next to John on an airplane one time and was overwhelmed by his passion for the business, and the wealth of ideas for future projects. I will miss them both.

Now, before you go to bed tonight, force yourself to go to the phone and order at least two tickets to this year's Taste of the Nation on April 1st. Even if you don’t want to go, give them to some youngster with a passion for food. Now more than ever, Food Life Line and our other beneficiaries needs these dollars. 

Cheers!

Tom and Jackie