Onyx Coffee Bar — The Search for Sweetness

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Lemon Verbena, vanilla custard, blackberry and chocolate are just a few of the flavors you might taste in a cup of coffee at Onyx Coffee Bar in Bellingham. Owner Edwin Martinez imports and exports raw green coffee beans from Guatemala to roasters all over the world and at his coffee bar on Railroad Avenue where patrons can taste these flavors — which range from subtle to robust — firsthand. Lightly roasted to accentuate the extraordinary range of flavor that a darker roast can too easily mask, each cup is meticulously prepared upon order to showcase natural flavors in their purest forms.

At Onyx Coffee Bar, showcasing a coffee’s natural quality is a bit of a science. “The grind size is important, the water quality, the water temperature and then lastly the contact time,” Edwin explains. “Our goal here is to be really meticulous with each one of these details so that the water is a perfect temperature, the coffee is weighed by the tenth of a gram, and then the water is also weighed so, as it’s poured, we’re not using too much or not enough water to get the right extraction. In the end, that’s all just an effort to showcase the quality of the raw product that’s roasted in a way that allows the raw product to shine, which in general is a lighter roast.”

A great cup of coffee begins in remote highlands on small farms where varieties of plants are dependent on soil quality, elevation and long-term care. “On the global level, you want to be between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn,” Edwin explains. “Most of our coffees are in the 5,000 up to 6,000 feet high [range]. If you don’t have that elevation, the weather is warmer and coffee will grow faster.” Fruit that grows faster comes across visually as healthy, but it’s the slow-growing fruit — the fruit that has experienced struggle — that takes the appropriate time for natural sugars to develop.

This natural sweetness is one of the qualities Edwin really looks for in a great cup of coffee. “The number one thing is sweetness, number two is acidity, and number three is a clean cup.” By clean, Edwin means absent of certain defects that can lower the quality of the coffee. When taste testing coffee, Edwin looks for that sweetness that only comes from slow-growing fruit, bright acidity, and the variety of fruit flavors made noticeable by a lighter roast.

Achieving this quality of coffee, for the small farmer, is the primary hope for a sustainable niche in the marketplace. “It takes a lot time and it’s a lot of fuel just to move fertilizer, bags, tools, and people let alone the coffee — and coffee is very labor intensive,” Edwin explains. “It takes a long time to produce, so for us to have a good crop we need to plant that seven years prior. Because it’s such a long-term commitment — and because our cost of production is higher — lower quality coffees aren’t economically sustainable in Guatemala.” Edwin explains that consumers won’t buy coffee simply because it was harder and more expensive to make. The quality of the coffee really needs to be noticeable for roasters to be willing to purchase it at a price that will cover the farms production expenses. Obtaining such a high quality takes a lot of knowledge, dedication and commitment to the product and the community.

For Edwin, connection to farmers and coffee production began with his own childhood visits to his grandparent’s farm. “I grew up in Guatemala for the first 12 years of my life and my grandfather has a small farm that grows coffee.” Here, vacations at the farm were richly immersed in the coffee growing business. Born in California, growing up in Guatemala and traveling between both cultures, Edwin didn’t feel like he entirely fit in. But part of that experience was fun and exciting for him. “Part of growing coffee in Guatemala is once you pick the fruit you take the skin off, you ferment the fruit off and then you wash it and then you have to dry it. You sun dry it on a big patio. So we would clean these patios up and I would skateboard on the patios. So I would be really far away from the city, no electricity, yet I just had an amazing time riding a skateboard in a place where no one had seen a skateboard there.”

In his adult life, Edwin operated a small espresso cart in Bellingham giving him a first taste of the retail side of coffee. While working with a company that manufactures small roasters, Edwin became interested in learning how to import coffee from his farm in Guatemala. Deciding to move to Guatemala with his wife, Edwin worked through the time-consuming challenge of trying to get a license to export coffee in a country where previous export licenses were typically grandfathered in. Once licensed, his first attempt at selling the coffee ended in buyers agreeing to a much lower price than previously established, resulting in a loss. However, the second attempt proved fruitful.

“We sold all the coffee from our farm and started buying from neighbors,” Edwin shares. “Then, over the last nine or ten years, we’ve slowly grown. We’ve had some spurts and plateaus where we’ve developed more relationships with other farmers and we connect roasters all over the world with these farmers directly and we work with them really to provide any support that we can that they need.”

For Edwin, Onyx Coffee Bar was a natural outgrowth of Onyx Coffee. What began as a need for a private office and lab, separate from home, eventually became a brick and mortar place where roasters could have a private coffee tasting experience to aid in their decision making. Being that the location was already in a retail storefront, opening the tasting experience up to the public seemed like a natural evolution. “I wanted to showcase the coffees that we had, showcase really great coffee in a way where people could taste the product and maybe develop curiosity and learn more about how it was processed, not just what country it came from but anything that would draw them in closer to maybe appreciate difference in quality, which then would lead to people being willing to pay more or less based on quality.”

The quality flavors you find at Onyx Coffee Bar today, however, won’t necessarily be the flavors you find tomorrow. With a menu that changes each week, surprising new coffee tastes can be an expected experience worth looking forward to.

Onyx Coffee Bar can be found at 1015 Railroad Avenue #105. Previously open solely on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., hours are currently extended to include Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Edwin’s vison and passion for coffee is also behind a new coffee house called Primer that will be opening this summer adjacent to Elizabeth Station. Designed to be more of a traditional coffee house, complete with cream and sugar, Primer hopes to offer coffee from specialty roasters along with accompanying treats.

Bellingham Blazers Junior Hockey Team Seeks Billet Families to Host Out of Town Players

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Brandon Fralic

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Whatcom Sports and Recreation — Bellingham Blazers junior ice hockey team compete at Bellingham Sportsplex. Photo credit: Jon Bergman Photography.

Hockey is a sport like none other. Played on the ice with full contact, games can be intense with passing and shooting, penalties and interferences. Watching a live game is something everyone should experience. Fortunately, Whatcom County residents don’t have to travel far to enjoy an exciting game of ice hockey. We’ve got our own junior hockey team right here in Bellingham.

The Bellingham Blazers junior ice hockey team formed in 2012. “Five years ago, my dad and I were approached by Derek Donald — the commissioner of what was then the Northern Pacific Hockey League — to put a team in Bellingham,” says Blazers Head Coach, Mark Collins. They took the idea to Whatcom Sports and Recreation, and the Blazers were born.

Bellingham Blazers Hockey — The Blazers play home games at Bellingham Sportsplex, home to an NHL sized ice arena. Photo courtesy: Bellingham Blazers.

In their first two seasons, the Bellingham Blazers won the Cascade Cup and qualified for national championships. Those early successes have propelled the team forward. Going into their 5th season this year, the Blazers are joining the Western States Hockey League. Mark explains, “We’re moving forward into a new level of play and an increased level of competition.”

As a junior hockey league team, the Blazers are made up of players between the ages of 16 and 20. These young men come from all over the US, Canada, and sometimes Europe to live and play hockey in Bellingham. This tradition creates a unique need for host families, known in the hockey world as “billets.” According to the Bellingham Blazers website, “billets are families who invite junior players into their homes to be a part of their family during the hockey season.”

Hosting players is about more than providing housing. It can be beneficial for players and host families alike. “We’re always looking for new families,” Mark says. “I think for young kids, it’s a neat concept to have an older ‘brother’ who’s a hockey player, and to generate some interest for hockey in the community.” Billet families receive a monthly stipend and free tickets to the Blazers games in exchange for hosting. Those interested in hosting a Blazers player can contact Charleen Wallace at 360-676-1919 x102, or by email at charleenw@bellinghamsportsplex.com.

Catch the Bellingham Blazers during home games at Bellingham Sportsplex. They play Friday nights, Saturday nights, and Sundays between September and March. For game dates, see the Blazers Schedule.

Meet WhatcomTalk’s Four Sister Sites Across Western Washington

By

WhatcomTalk Editor

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advertise bellingham — Let WhatcomTalk help tell your business' story. ©WhatcomTalk.

For almost three years, WhatcomTalk has provided Bellingham and Whatcom County residents with positive news and information about the people, businesses and organizations that make Whatcom County a great place to live, work and play. But did you know that WhatcomTalk is one of five NorthAmericaTalk community social networks serving Western Washington?

Nearly three years ago, founders Dan Jones, Martin McElliott, Stephen Backholm and Amy Rowley realized the model they created with ThurstonTalk could be replicated in other communities across the region.

The digital media company surveyed other communities across Western Washington and identified a need for similar sites.

In January of 2014, the four founders launched NorthAmericaTalk, the parent company that would serve as the umbrella for three new sites: GraysHarborTalk, SouthSoundTalk and WhatcomTalk.

By partnering with local Community Managers, sales teams and freelance writers, NorthAmericaTalk has been able to successfully expand its reach across the I-5 corridor and beyond.

“We knew what we had created with ThurstonTalk was special and that other communities would benefit from having an alternative to traditional media,” says Rowley.

“Plus, our advertisers were clamoring for us to expand to other markets where they also operate,” adds McElliott.

After measuring the success of WhatcomTalk, GraysHarborTalk and SouthSoundTalk, NorthAmericaTalk launched its fifth site, LewisTalk, in October 2015.

As NorthAmericaTalk continues to grow, the team plans to launch sites in other communities in Washington State and across the country, providing dynamic, local content for readers and targeted advertising opportunities for growing businesses.

“We have identified more than 250 communities across the nation and have purchased the digital assets to roll out these sites,” adds Jones.

If you enjoy reading content on WhatcomTalk, we encourage you to take a look at the stories our other sites have to offer. Taking a trip to Tacoma this summer? Scan SouthSoundTalk for ideas of things to see and do during your stay. Have a friend or family member that lives in Olympia? Find out what’s going on their community by scanning the articles on ThurstonTalk.

As NorthAmericaTalk continues to grow and expand its reach across Western Washington and beyond, we’re excited to highlight and share positive stories about the people, businesses and organizations that define each community and makes them unique.

WhatcomTalk is a digital media company sharing positive stories about people, places and businesses in Whatcom County. WhatcomTalk offers content marketing and online options to advertise across our community social network in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and beyond. Advertise with WhatcomTalk to reach your target market, grow your brand, and measure results.

In Search of Art — Take a Self-Guided Tour of Whatcom County Murals

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Marla Bronstein

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This mural was completed in 1990. Photo credit: City of Bellingham.

During a recent visit to Lynden, my husband and I were struck by the detail and vibrant colors of the revitalized mural on the west side of the Post Office building.

It prompted the question: “What defines a mural?” My husband said a mural was any painting on the side of a building. I always thought a mural told a story or a series of stories in one painting.

Wikipedia defines a mural to be any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface — including business signage.

I stand corrected.

There is no denying that many Whatcom County walls feature stunning murals that are not business related, but I didn’t realize just how many murals existed until I started looking for them.

Check out some of the artwork I found while exploring Whatcom County’s many murals, then use the map at the end of this article to plan your own self-guided mural tour.

Refreshed and rejuvenated Lynden. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein.

Lynden Town Mural — 610 Front Street, Lynden

To celebrate their 40th anniversary, the Lynden Lions Club commissioned Western Washington University art students Cecilia Karoly-Lister, Anjali Grutzius and Alaina Scheffer to retouch a mural painted by Bill Swinburnson in 2002. The students received college credit to work on the mural.

Bay Street Village — 306 West Holly Street, Bellingham

Two of the most well-known Bellingham murals exist thanks to the diligence of artist and local treasure Lanny Little. Bay Street Village welcomed visitors with a blank canvas on Holly leading into Old Town until it caught his eye in 1999. This mural was paid for by Old Town businesses and city matching funds. The Sibyl Sanford Foundation played a huge part in the creation this mural, allowing for five students to be paid a stipend to work side-by-side with Lanny.

Fairhaven Village Green — 1207 10th Street, Bellingham

The mural project at the Fairhaven Historic District started during the summer of 2000. Lanny Little obtained permission from the building owner to paint the mural. The Fairhaven Association sponsored the work and community and corporate donations were accepted.

This sign greets visitors from Alaska Ferry arriving in Fairhaven. Photo credit: Marla Bronstein.

When the Fairhaven Village Green was constructed in 2003, Lanny made some adjustments to the mural. In 2013 the mural was refreshed with new characters and Lanny painted himself in, signing the wall. A community raffle helped to raise money to pay for much of the work. Like the Bay Street Village mural, the Sibyl Sanford Foundation helped sponsor the creation and restoration of these murals, allowing for students to be paid a stipend to work side-by-side with Lanny. The names of donors and volunteers are painted to look as if they are chiseled into the stone.

More of Lanny’s work includes the Carnegie Library mural on the east wall of the Crown Plaza Building and the welcome sign to Fairhaven greeting passengers arriving by ferry. These were paid for by businesses and private funds.

Sadly, nothing lasts forever. Lanny had been commissioned to do a mural at the ground floor of the Parkade and on the facade of Henderson’s Books, both of which are now painted over. Other murals he painted that are no longer visible were at Blue Horse Gallery, Nooksack Casino and Lakeway Market. Fortunately, these have all been archived on his website.

Salmon Art Trail — 205 Prospect Street, Bellingham

This mural was completed in 1990. Photo credit: City of Bellingham.

On the south side of the building that is the home of the Sylvia Art Center, the old Cascade Laundry site, is a mural completed in 1990 of Whatcom Creek Salmon Art Trail and Salmon Woman

Mount Baker Landscape — 3098 Northwest Avenue, Bellingham

Reclamation Art and Design (RAD) was a group formed to promote the use of reclaimed and recycled materials in art and design. In 2010, Cecily Thornton was working in her (former) office and was staring at a blank wall at 3106 Northwest Avenue. RAD got permission from the building owner, gathered a group of volunteers, procured donations of painting materials from the neighborhood association and businesses, and painted a vast Mount Baker landscape. 7Yr Films captured the weeks-long project on time lapse video here.

Carnation-Oxford Building — 1920 Main Street, Ferndale

Driving into Ferndale, before you cross the river, you will come upon the Carnation-Oxford building, which used to be a creamery. The smokestack first had the American flag painted on it during the first Gulf War and was repainted during the Iraq war. Other murals grace the buildings exterior.

Visitors enjoy stamps created on the Post Office wall. Photo credit: Dan Durning.

Community Mural Project — 5703 4th Avenue, Ferndale

The Community Mural Project was organized by Bertella Hansen and Janice Bethman as a way to beautify the Ferndale Post Office. More than 35 artists and over 45 painted stamps were contributed by local artists. Most of the stamps are 1’x1′ or larger.

The map below highlights more than two dozen mural locations. This is by no means all-inclusive. Go explore, keep your eyes open, and enjoy.

Community is Key at the Community Food Co-op

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Jennifer Dodge

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When the Community Food Co-op opened in 1970, it had one storefront and only eight items on the shelves. Today, it has grown to include well over 18,000 items across multiple locations. And, with its original intent of pulling together resources to save money, the Co-op also continues to give back to the community as a result.

While members actually own a piece of the Co-op, everyone in the community is welcome to shop and take advantage of all that the Community Food Co-op has to offer.

Community Food Co-op produce — The Community Food Co-op staff takes great pride in delivering the best products to its customers. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.

And a big part of what this local Co-op does is community involvement. In fact, in 2015, the Bellingham Co-op kept as much as $32 million in the local area through several channels including employing local residents, offering local product, service purchases, and providing grants and programs that benefit our local farmers and community. All of this adds to dollars spent at the Co-op staying in our local economy.

“Co-ops have always been social change mechanisms,” says Community Food Co-op Outreach manager, Adrienne Renz. “We still address poverty and inequality issues empowering people to seek the change they want.”

This is exactly what the Community Co-op has strived to accomplish. The Fresh Bucks program, a partnership between Bellingham Farmers Market, Ferndale Farmers Market, Twin Sisters Markets, the Community Co-op, Opportunity Council, Sustainable Connections, Whatcom Community Foundation and the Whatcom Health Department, provides access to anyone receiving food stamps through the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. Fresh Bucks matches the purchase amount of any EBT-eligible produce up to $10 per day toward the purchase of any fresh fruits and vegetables. The incentive to create an opportunity for better health is a part of the priority of the Community Food Co-op.

Community Food Co-op Bakery and Cafe — The Community Food Co-op’s new bakery and café provides a great space for patrons to meet, work, eat and thrive. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.

Through their Farm Fund program, the Community Co-op provides grants and funding to local farmers to support farm growth, increased access to local food as well as projects and trials that have the potential to provide additional opportunities to strengthen the local farming community.

The goal, says Renz, is to look for what’s already happening in the community and how the Community Co-op can add to the conversation and increase the impact.

Adding to the conversation has also resulted in the creation of learning programs such as the “Real Food Show.” Developed to provide additional education to local schools, the variety food show, featuring characters Frank and Beans, uses a dynamic approach to teaching kids about good food and inspire positive change in behavior toward health. The show is performed in local elementary schools by a two-member Bellingham Circus Guild team.

From arts events at the Co-op’s Cordata location to the summer party at Marine Heritage Park to the ongoing cooking classes it the Co-op hosts throughout the year, the Community Food Co-op provides a place and interest for everyone to participate, learn and gather as a community.

Community Food Co-op meat department — The Community Food Co-op’s knowledgeable staff is available to answer customer questions. Photo courtesy: Community Food Co-op.

And all of this was a part of the vision for the most recent changes to the downtown location of the Community Food Co-op.

A place where memories have certainly been made with kids literally growing up shopping with their parents and now even being employed at the Community Food Co-op, the Forest Street location has become a virtual gateway into downtown Bellingham. With its lively corner location for the bakery and café, it’s become a place to meet and work, eat and thrive.

That community connection is evident in the care taken in every section of the store. From the local produce and meats to the wine and cheese and the expanded deli, each staff member of the Co-op is an expert in his or her department.

And that expertise brings answers to questions no matter where the customer is in their food journey. Each staff member is conscientious in learning everything they need to know about the products they carry. The curated stock means that they have weeded through those products, bringing only what they believe are the best to the community.

“A group of dedicated people can truly make a difference with care,” says Renz. “Time spent here makes a difference to the community.”

In a place where members can own a slice of a truly cooperative effort, everyone is welcome to participate in the knowledge, the variety, and the excitement available at the Community Food Co-op.

Stop in today at any of the Community Food Co-op locations, Downtown Store at 1220 N. Forest Street or the Cordata Store at 315 Westerly Road or the Co-op Bakery Café at 405 E. Holly St. at Forest Street.

Searching for the Tufted Puffin with San Juan Cruises

By

Lauren Kramer

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San Juans tufted puffins — The tufted puffin is a gorgeous bird with a large, triangular beak and a rockstar appearance. Photo credit: Alberto Vilca.

There aren’t many places out of Africa you’ll hear someone call “Rhino!” but the Strait of Juan de Fuca is one of them. The person calling is holding a pair of Bushnell binoculars to his eyes and pointing toward the ocean, where a Rhinoceros auklet has just been spotted. The eyes of everyone on board are riveted in the auklet’s direction, the first significant bird sighting of the day.

San Juans birdwatching — Birdwatchers on the birding tours come equipped with binoculars, field guides and some very long camera lenses. Photo credit: Lauren Kramer.

But it’s not the auklet they’ve come to see on a grey July morning in an ocean full of chop. The folks out for the San Juans Cruises puffin tour on this day are looking for the tufted puffin. An elusive member of the auks family, puffins are members of a species that constitutes the northern version of the penguin. Once boasting nesting colonies in multiple locations in the San Juan islands, only one tufted puffin colony remains — and to find it you have to travel all the way to Smith Island. A good two hours journey by boat from the Fairhaven Ferry Terminal, Smith Island is a cake-shaped isle across from the west coast of Whidbey Island, and our ride there was a choppy one, to say the least.

Puffins are fabulous looking birds and it’s rare to be able to tick them off your birding list. Stocky, dark seabirds, they’re distinguished by their massive, triangular, orange-red bills and long, curved yellow ear tufts that give them a punky, rock star appearance. They fly on small, narrow wings, nest inside burrows on sea cliffs, and are expert swimmers and divers.

Unfortunately for them, their nesting habitat on Smith Island is eroding slowly and steadily. The island is calving into the ocean and taking with it any signs of human habitation that remain. The old lighthouse has already been lost to erosion and the little house that lighthouse operators once inhabited is next in line. “In the next few decades that island will disappear,” predicts Victoria Souze, the marine naturalist on board our cruise.

San Juans scenic — The scenery in the San Juans is staggeringly beautiful. Photo credit: Lauren Kramer.

I’m in the company of some serious birdwatchers. Equipped with long camera lenses, well-worn birding field guides, binoculars and tripods, they’ve come from north and south to join the tufted puffin tour, and they’re ready for action. When lunch is called a couple hours into the trip, hardly anyone lines up for their lasagna and Caesar salad because they’re on the upper deck, ‘birding,’ and it’s just more important.

Truth is, there’s lots of birdlife to see on a trip in the San Juans. Souze takes us past rocky outcroppings where pigeon guillemots nest, black oystercatchers pick their way over the rocks, and we’re treated to sightings of newborn seal pups, just a week old. We pass a flock of Heermann’s Gulls in a feeding frenzy on the water, distinguished by their red beaks. They’ve left their nests in Baja to get here.

On Smith Island an eagle sits quietly on a high bough, watching us and the marine life below. The puffins’ nests are far out of his reach, deep as they are burrowed in the sandstone. That means newborn puffins, who stay in the nests for the first five-to-six weeks of their lives, are safe while both their parents forage for food.

Smith Island is surrounded by forests of kelp beds and it’s in those beds that the rhino auklets and tufted puffins search for food. The captain lets our boat drift quietly so we have time to spot the little puffins, though keeping them in our line of vision is difficult. No sooner are the cameras lined up than they disappear beneath the surface. By contrast, the seals are curious about our vessel, and moms and pups swim close by to get a closer look, unaccustomed to seeing people near their Smith Island. San Juan

By contrast, the seals are curious about our vessel, and moms and pups swim close by to get a closer look, unaccustomed to seeing people near their Smith Island. San Juan Cruises offers just four birdwatching tours a year, in July and August, when avid birders are taken to Smith Island or Sucia and Patos Islands. Our group ranges from a teen of 15 to folks in their 80s, all quickly bonded by their knowledge of birds and excitement to see more of them. Birdwatchers are a unique group: extremely patient, their spotting senses sharp and in high alert, and their dedication to their hobby absolute. If you’re even remotely interested in birds, a birdwatching tour in the San Juans is a day-long education that will be full of cool sightings from green herons to tufted puffins, and even a rhino. A rhino auklet, that is.

To join a tour visit www.whales.com. Birdwatching tours cost $89 for adults and $44.50 for kids age 7-17.

Cool Down with Tiki Cocktails at Bellingham Bars

By

Sara Holodnick

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Daphne's tiki cocktails — Cool down this summer with refreshing cocktails of the tiki variety. ©WhatcomTalk.

Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt was born in Texas in 1907. He traveled the South Pacific and, after rum running during prohibition, he opened Don’s Beachcomber bar in Los Angeles in 1933. He decorated the small bar on a shoestring, making good use of the various souvenirs he’d brought back from his travels.

Cheap rum from the West Indies was plentiful after repeal, and he dressed it up with tropical juices and other sweet ingredients to make it palatable to his customers. It was Don the Beachcomber (who later legally changed his name to Donn Beach) who created the unique and kitschy tiki craze. These American-born cocktail creations from West Coast bars hoped to transport patrons with a vacation in a glass. Rum is generally the star of these cocktails while tropical fruit flavors such as pineapple and passion fruit reign supreme.

Tiki cocktails — Two types of rum, orgeat, lime, pineapple, coconut vanilla cream, and bitters, are playfully presented in a whale glass at Real McCoy. The result is a lightly sweet, silky cocktail with a visual that’s hard to beat. ©WhatcomTalk.

The beautiful thing about tiki — and likely much of the reason it’s making a comeback across the country — is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Craft cocktail culture has fostered a renaissance of classic drinks and a whole new understanding of high-quality beverages, but it can sometimes be an intimidating world to step into. Tiki cocktails, on the other hand, are fun and accessible with playful presentation (and are much cheaper than a plane ticket to paradise). But watch out: The delightfully colorful appearance and fruity flavors of tiki cocktails often disguise a potent amount of alcohol.

Temple Bar

Temple Bar’s tiki-inspired cocktail is exactly what you might imagine from this classy, sumptuous bar. The Valkyrie features aged rum, BG Reynold’s passion fruit, lime, orange, aromatic bitters, green chartreuse and fire. Yes, you read that right: A lime half is hollowed out a bit, filled with chartreuse — a complex herbal liqueur — and lit on fire. There’s no better tiki cocktail in all of Valhalla.

Temple Bar
306 W Champion Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
templebarbellingham.com

Redlight

Bellingham’s own “sparkle dive” does tiki their own way by playing off the cocktail classics and adding their own twists. Redlight’s tiki offerings are delightfully smooth interpretations of the classics featuring their signature house infusions. You won’t want to miss:

Zombie: White rum, cachaca, grapefruit, house sour, sparkling mineral water, and fig infused spiced rum, garnished with a Peychaud’s bitters soaked sugar cube and a bourbon and cognac soaked boozy cherry. If that sounds delicious to you, you’d be right.
Piña Colada: House white-spiced rum, peach infused rum, real coconut syrup, pineapple juice, lime, and egg white. This off-menu specialty is likely different than the cloyingly sweet piña coladas you’re familiar with. Redlight’s version is fluffy, light and delightful.
The Scorpion: Blackberry infused brandy, rum, orgeat (almond syrup), orange and lemon. This drink was the favorite at our table, richly flavored without being heavy-handed.

Redlight Bar
1017 N State Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
www.redlightbellingham.com

Want to try tiki cocktailing at home? Test drive the simple-yet-delicious early predecessor to tropically inspired cocktails: The daiquiri.

Daquiri — With just a few readily available ingredients you can be serving up Daiquiris in no time. The simple recipe lets ingredients shine, so opt for the best light rum your budget will allow for. ©WhatcomTalk.

When you think of a daiquiri, you might imagine something similar to a blended margarita. While tasty, a daiquiri doesn’t require any special ingredients or equipment, making it perfect for the home bartender.

Classic Daiquiri

1.5 ounces light rum
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
? – ½ ounce simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill partially with ice, and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Strain contents directly into your favorite cocktail glass (or over crushed ice if you prefer).

Garnish with a lime wedge, twist, or other tropically inspired adornments (I used hibiscus flowers from my garden).

WhatcomTalk — A Google News Provider Serving Whatcom County

By

WhatcomTalk Editor

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When you type a question into a search engine, you expect to get the most relevant information from a reliable source. Google’s answer to sourcing the best possible content to answer users’ questions is to validate media websites as Google News providers.

Google has certain qualifications and guidelines in place to determine what sites receive the coveted Google News provider status. The guidelines focus on:

News content
Journalistic standards
Authority
Accountability
Readability

In addition, there are numerous technical guidelines that govern how Google News crawls the site.

WhatcomTalk is a recognized Google News provider, ranking our content on par with traditional media companies with decades of experience. “Being validated by Google News shows that we are experts at providing relevant content to the community,” says editor, Amy Rowley.

“We know that creating unique, original content is critical to staying relevant to our readers. Search engines, like Google, also reward us for our storytelling about the community,” she says.

When looking for recent news and information about Bellingham, you don’t have to go much further than your search engine toolbar. Simply search “Bellingham news” and then click on News when the search results display. Many of WhatcomTalk’s most recent articles will be delivered in your search results.

“For our readers, Google News is just another avenue to find our content and read about the community,” Rowley says. “But, in comparison to traditional media, it’s crucial to showing that we are a valid source of community information.”

WhatcomTalk is a digital media company sharing positive stories about people, places and businesses in Whatcom County. WhatcomTalk offers content marketing and online options to advertise across our community social network in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and beyond. Advertise with WhatcomTalk to reach your target market, grow your brand, and measure results.

Local Road Trip Experts Reveal 5 Places to Explore in Whatcom County

By

Brandon Fralic

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Marcus and Jennifer exploring Winthrop, part of the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway. Photo courtesy: Scenic Washington.

If you live in Washington and spend much time on Facebook, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the 365 Things To Do In Washington State page. Each day, the page posts a single photo of “something new and awesome” to inspire exploration in our state. From hiking trails and waterfalls to caves, bridges and more, “Things To Do” encompass the great outdoors and scenic byway attractions. With more than 94,000 likes, 365 Things To Do In Washington State has been a great success. And it started right here in Bellingham.

“I’ve had ink in my veins my entire life,” says Marcus Yearout, President of Visitors Guide Publications (VGP). “For several years we have been publishing visitors guides. We started back in 1990 publishing the Bellingham visitors guide.”

Based in Bellingham, VGP has produced a variety of travel publications over its nearly 30 years in business. Today, VGP is responsible for a collection of resources for road trippers including maps, guides and a website called ScenicWA.

ScenicWA — along with the variety of road trip planning tools provided by VGP — is a product of perseverance. After producing the Washington State Visitors Guide for one year, VGP had the opportunity to take on a five-year contract with the state tourism office. Unfortunately, the office was defunded and shuttered midway through their contract. While the state tourism office’s closure was a surprise, VGP found a new opportunity among the ashes.

“While we were working with Washington State tourism, they had us do a special project regarding the state’s scenic byways,” says Marcus. “Once it was published, we received several more requests for that book than we did for the official visitors guide. So as soon as the state tourism office folded, we thought — well, that was a niche that maybe we could pick up on.”

Thus ScenicWA was born, along with the Scenic Byways and Road Trips guide and map. Visitors Guide Publications now focuses on promoting the state’s 29 officially designated scenic byways. “Everything we do is focused entirely on the state’s scenic byways — all things to do along those routes,” says Marcus.

About four years ago, VGB had the idea to publish one destination every day on Facebook via 365 Things To Do In Washington State. Marketing and Social Media Director, Jennifer Coleman, runs the Facebook pages and shares some insight on their success. “That singular message has gotten a lot of positive feedback and a real draw from people,” says Jennifer. “There’s only one post a day — we don’t do shares or promoted posts, or anything paid.”

When asked what they enjoy most about their work, Marcus and Jennifer agree — it’s getting out and experiencing everything our state has to offer. “For me, it’s the idea that as a part of my job, I have to go out and experience Washington State,” says Marcus. “I love the field work.”

Visitors Guide Publications produces the free Washington State Scenic Byways and Road Trips guide and map. Photo courtesy: Scenic Washington.

Jennifer also enjoys learning about new places she hasn’t yet discovered. “I’ve had a good opportunity to reach out to people in different areas. I’ve formed bonds with people — photographers especially — who go to those places and are willing to share,” says Jennifer.

Those interested in contributing photos or destination ideas to 365 Things To Do In Washington State can email Jennifer or reach out on Facebook. “We’re always looking for ideas of things to do,” says Jennifer.

Of course, an interview with statewide road trip experts wouldn’t be complete without a few hyperlocal questions. I asked Jennifer and Marcus to name off a few of their favorite lesser known, “must see” attractions here in Whatcom County.

Here — in no particular order — are five of the top places you may not have explored yet in your own backyard.

Taylor Shellfish Farm — located just off Chuckanut Drive, this store offers fresh shellfish from Samish Bay in a scenic setting.
Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve — hike an easy trail to a secluded beach near Birch Bay.
MV Plover — the oldest foot passenger ferry in Washington offers rides in Blaine during summer.
Sumas Mountain — explore old gold mines on this muddy hike.
Chuckanut Falls — this 2.6-mile round trip trek leads to a pleasant waterfall in the Chuckanut Mountains. Learn more in our waterfalls roundup.

Additionally, Marcus and Jennifer suggest checking out some big trees along Mount Baker Highway. “There’s an old-growth forest stand that’s accessible right from the road,” says Marcus. “There’s a little trail that takes you right into the heart of it.”

The pullout is easy to miss, so watch for it around milepost 44. “There’s no sign and not a lot of parking,” explains Jennifer. “It’s best accessed on your way down.”

Looking for more things to do in Whatcom County and around the state? Check out 365 Things To Do In Washington State and ScenicWA on Facebook. And if you’re planning a road trip, be sure to utilize the resources at ScenicWA.com. Pick up your free Scenic Byways and Road Trips Guide at visitor information centers around the state before heading out on the highway for your next adventure. Happy travels!

Edaleen Dairy Offers Exceptional Ice Cream at Exceptional Prices

By

Lauren Kramer

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Edaleen Dairy offers fresh, local ice cream, right here in Whatcom County. Photo courtesy: Edaleen Dairy.

Nothing says summer like a great scoop of ice cream. Somehow a big, creamy cone has a way of chasing the blues out of sight, rendering kids and adults happier in seconds.

The ice cream experience gets richer and more gratifying when you know where your ice cream comes from — and when you don’t have to pay huge amounts of money for it. These days, a small kids scoop will set you back $3 or more at most ice cream parlors, while an adult sized version can easily rise to $6-$8. Except for one Whatcom County ice cream shop, Edaleen Dairy.

Local Cows, Local Ice Cream

bubblegum ice cream — Bubblegum and vanilla remain the two top favorites out of Edaleen’s 26 flavors of ice cream. Photo courtesy: Edaleen Dairy.

Edaleen Dairy is a Whatcom County institution that has been charming locals and visitors with its great ice cream flavors since 1975. It’s also the only place in the county where a kid can spill their pocket change on the counter and pay just 95 cents for a scoop.

The family farm, owned by Ed and Aileen Brandsma, began in 1975 and has since grown to include 100 employees and 2,500 cows — all of which were born on the farm. “We maintain complete control of the cows’ diet, treatment and milking,” Ed and Aileen note in their marketing collateral. “It’s the only way to guarantee that we’re giving you the best milk that these cows have to offer. Our cows are not treated with growth hormones or fed a questionable diet. They’re happy cows — and there’s a hardworking farmer making sure it stays that way.”

Edaleen Dairy now has stores in Sumas, Lynden, Ferndale and Blaine, some of them open as late as 10:00 p.m. (though not on Sundays — all stores are closed on this day). There are more stores in the planning, but General Manager, Mitch Moorlag, wasn’t at liberty to divulge their locations yet.

Small Business Brings Big Flavor

Folks are patient as they wait in line to order their scoop. That’s because with 26-odd flavors, they know the choice is a difficult one to make. Kids taste and deliberate when it’s their turn at the front of the line, and relaxed parents smile and let them take their time. That’s because anyone who’s ever enjoyed an ice cream cone knows that half the fun is choosing the right flavor. An ice cream outing with the family is not one to be rushed.

Edaleen Dairy soft serve — Hard ice cream not your thing? Fear not — Edaleen offers softserve, too. Photo courtesy: Edaleen Dairy.

Moorlag said that when they started making ice cream the business began with just one flavor, vanilla. Despite the plethora of other flavors, vanilla is still number one on the best-seller list, accompanied by bubblegum, a close second. Among the many flavors in between are raspberry cheesecake, chocolate chip peanut butter nut, cappuccino chip, white chocolate raspberry, Fudgy Wudgy (who could resist a name like that?) and coffee almond fudge. The crew at Edaleen adds and subtracts flavors all year long, so look out for peanut butter blast this summer and cranberry fruit medley in the fall.

Though it’s one of the five largest dairies in Whatcom County, Edaleen Dairy is still essentially a small, family farm, Moorlag says. “Ed’s number one philosophy is that you’ve got to take care of the cows. Take care of the cows, and they’ll take care of you. That’s reflected in what the cows are fed and how they’re handled,” he explains. “They’re the hardest working employees in the company.”

More than Ice Cream

My family often stocks up on basic dairy supplies while we’re waiting to order our scoops. Edaleen’s sells milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk, half-and-half, whipping cream, strawberry milk and eggnog during the holiday season. There are yogurts and both hard and soft cheeses in the refrigerator, as well as massive tubs of ice cream in the freezer if you need to bring some home. If you’re in search of a last-minute dessert, there’s also a good selection of pies and cheesecakes in the freezer, made by local county entrepreneurs.

Edaleen Dairy ice cream cup — If you’re not in the mood for a cone, you can order your ice cream in a cup, too. Photo courtesy: Edaleen Dairy.

Don’t be terribly surprised at the low number on the cash register when you reach the front of the line. A regular scoop will set you back $2.10 and a large sells for just $2.65, making Edaleen’s the most reasonably priced ice cream store around.

My family stops at Edaleen’s every time we’re in the area. It’s a high-calorie family tradition that’s just too yummy to pass by. Check it out this season, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself returning time and time again. For more information about Edaleen Dairy, its products and more, visit Edaleen Dairy online or at one of its four locations across Whatcom County.