My day job allows me to care for people, eat, and write about food and the restaurant industry. Talk about a sweet gig. People. Food. Writing. People (most of the time) are a joy. Food is often the focal point for the best community we ever experience. And writing is a delight and occasionally a pain.
I am based in the Northwest (in the United States). I plan trips around meals, eat Strawberry Poptarts or Nacho Cheese Doritos when I’m stressed, and love to both listen to and tell stories. I’m a confessed iPhone addict as well as a compulsive doodler. My wife is a gifted professor at Whitworth University. My kids are growing up too fast and often tag along on culinary adventures. All three have definite opinions of their own.
Cool site, Kevin! I was just poking around on my lunch break looking for some of my old Marston floormates from SPU. Glad to see you are doing well. I will drop by again to peruse the food writings in more depth. They look great.
Hello
My name is Jerry Ferrill. I am the person who did the twinkie pancakes in the Hostess cookbook. Although there was a misprint in the book. It should have read Columbus,Indiana not Ohio. (do not know if that makes the book more valuable or not). Columbus,In is one of the cities that Hostess has a bakery. It was nice to see this published, If you want to sample some Indiana food, google Nashville, In. You might like it.
Sincerely
Jerry Ferrill
Kevin -
Great to hear about your new full time calling in life. Sounds like it fits you perfectly! Great photo above – you look truly happy!
Press on!!!
Sincerely,
John & Marilyn
Hi there Kevin!
I recently googled some SPU friends – 18 years after graduation….(must be part of my mid-life crisis, as I will be 40 this summer)…anyway it was fun to see what SPU alumni are up to!
I too find find much joy and pleasure in food – and funny thing, since finding my Nicaraguan biological family 12 years ago, have learned that it runs in the family! My father, grandma and aunt are all very good cooks and we have traded a lot of recipes over the years. I would like to share one with you – it’s easy.
Saute olive oil, minced garlic, basil and chopped roma tomatoes on low for 20-30 minutes. Turn off burner, put lid on and let it sit for an hour or so – to marinate all the flavors.
Cook bow-tie pasta in a separate pan and when finished (al-dente), add to the sauce. Now, the last ingredient – add fresh mozzarella balls – you may have to cut them up a little – and stir / cook this all together until the mozz balls are stringy / melted.
I like this dish with a cold bud light, garlic bread and salad.
This recipe comes from my Nicaraguan cousin “Vivian Lugo Pezzullo.”
Trish (Kim’s friend)
P.S. if you are ever in the Lake Tapps area stop by for a great meal!
Hi Kevin,
You look so relaxed in this site’s photo.
Say, when time permits, try Hong Kong Express located at Jackson and Division, across from the General Store in Spokane.
The staff is loud, assertive, and fun loving. More importantly, the food and its presentation is outstanding. The restaurant decor borders on decrepit, perhaps campy.
Ron Yep
Hi Ron-
How about we meet for lunch at Hong Kong Express sometime soon?
Hi Kevin.
I learned about your organization today in a meeting with Richard Kitos of Ivy Wild Inn in Wenatchee. The YWCA has just opened a training cafe for those in the community down on their luck and in need of job skills in the restaurant industry. I would love to speak with you, but couldn’t find contact info for you or Big Table.
Would love to be in touch..
Jill
509-662-3531
Hi Kevin, Just for fun I Googled the Lakeside Mercantile and found your article. Sweet to read of your memories of the Merc as it was thirty-five years ago, treasured times for you. My first memory of the Merc was in 1983, when I moved to the valley – always just drove by, eager to be home in Kalispell. In 1998, boughta house in Lakeside. For years I looked at that beat up mess of a building, broken windows, broken coke machine out front, dirty, unkept, sad. In 2003 my husband and I purchased the Merc and spent the next six months, allot of money and energy to bring her back to a destination. Yes, she has been thru an evolution. The upstairs apartment still has the original metal cabinets and the cooler with the grand door is still downstairs. Her bones are good. Her history is appreciated. We currently have; Backtail Ski Resort, Wild Wave, Harris Group (Insurance Co.), a yoga studio and a union of private investigaters. We hope to have a local Artists Co-op, ice cream parlor, coffee shop, fly-fishing, etc., etc., opening soon – in our last available space. Yes, that space is in the original Mercantile. You write about food and travel – perhaps it is time to come back to Lakeside and create your own space in the Mercantile.
Regards, Deb Newell
Looking great, Mr. Finch! Hope you are all well. How’d you land my (Scott’s) dream job…?!! Let’s grab a bite next time you are on this side of the mountains, and we can swap twins stories!