#48 WASHINGTON -  And Then There Were None

I’ve been everywhere, man

I’ve been everywhere man

Crossed the deserts bare, man

I’ve breathed the mountain air, man

Travel, I’ve had my share, man

Travel, I’ve had my share, man

I’ve been everywhere.

               -  Johnny Cash

This was it. The last stop on the Breakfast Across America tour. We headed to a small city where you can't help but smile when you say its name.

  

WILD HUCKLEBERRY
Wenatchee, Washington

The Wild Huckleberry is located in a house near the downtown area of Wenatchee. The Arts and Crafts architecturally styled structure was built in 1919 and was the home of a well known local physician.   

We traipsed up to the front door like a couple of trick-or-treaters only to read a sign that said the entrance was around back.

AMBIENCE:  Upon entering the house you find yourself in what appears to be a waiting area. The restaurant owners seemed to know what they were doing by stocking the room with toys and books for the impatient, cranky little children who might be waiting with their parents for a table to open up. I wondered if the idea ever backfired when that table did open up but the child was so engaged with this fun stuff that he or she didn't want to move on to the dining area. We had no time to become cranky and impatient because the tables were only about 25% occupied when we arrived and we were immediately seated.

The restaurant owners kept true to the original inside style of the house. It appeared that the original interior walls were kept at the sacrifice of greater space. As is the case with Arts and Crafts interiors, there was plenty of exposed wooden structural elements, built-in bookshelves, a giant front porch, and a large prominent fireplace. Tables and chairs which flawlessly melded into the decor were set up in the parlor, dining room, and enclosed all-weather porch. We were seated in the parlor next to the fireplace. This was the view from our table:

Standing next to our table was an odd, four foot high, ceramic statue of  a nattily dressed gentleman holding a tray filled with an assortment of coins. I couldn't tell by the expression on his face whether he was offering up the money for the taking or asking for a contribution. In any case, he was a welcome addition to our breakfast and I referred to him as my huckleberry friend.

5 out of 5 stars 

FOOD:  I had only ordered a waffle once before in our breakfast visits in the previous 47 states, and it wasn't very good. I'm more of a pancake man but the waffle listed on the menu was no ordinary waffle. It was called a Huckleberry Waffle. Described as a waffle with wild huckleberry compote, sweet creamy mascarpone cheese, and whipped cream, I couldn't resist. 

They certainly didn't skimp on the whip cream. This outstanding piece of workmanship elicited an OMG from The Healthy One. I, on the other hand, didn't know what to say. Speechless but not stunned, I quickly grabbed my fork and dug in.

 

The tartness of the huckleberry compote was not neutralized by the sweetness of the mascarpone and whipped cream. Rather, the tartness and sweetness partnered into a delectable combination. The waffle was very good and gave the dish some crunch but it was kind of beside the point; more of a reliable vehicle carrying valuable cargo.

The Healthy One had a tough choice to make. The menu listed a veggie omelet, a veggie eggs benedict, oatmeal, and a fresh fruit plate. She threw me a curve ball by ordering the Cinnamon French Toast with bacon and egg. Perhaps it was because this was the last stop of the breakfast tour or perhaps she had finally come over to the other side.

According to her, the cinnamon bread, from the very popular Sure To Rise Bakery in neighboring Cashmere, WA and was top notch. The hefty slab of butter that had begun to melt on top was quickly dispensed with but the syrup was not ignored. The dish was pronounced delicious. I wasn't even given the opportunity to sample the bacon. No matter; I was absorbed in my whip cream high.

5 out of 5 stars
    

COFFEE:   They served Tony's coffee which is roasted in Bellingham, Washington and has been in operation since 1971. I assume the picture of an elephant on the mug is because the beans are from Kenyan plants and not because the beans were picked from elephant dung (see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2017-01-27/world-s-priciest-coffee-is-hand-picked-from-elephant-dung).

The taste didn't bowl be over, but it was a solid cup of coffee.

4 out of 5 stars

SERVICE: Our server was professional and capable. She gave the impression of having veteran experience and the service was flawless. What was missing was that little extra dose of friendliness that we had found at other restaurants. 

 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

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A FEW WORDS ABOUT WENATCHEE:

Wenatchee, a city of 33,000, sits at the confluence of the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers in central Washington. The city is known as the "Apple Capital of the World". Apples are Washington State's top crop, generating $2.4 billion in production value. That's about 60% of the country's apple production. Wenatchee lies in the center of the apple-producing region that runs through central Washington, from the Canada border to near the Oregon border.

Although geographically central to the apple growing region, Wenatchee itself has lately focused more on tourism and less on apple trees. Since 1987, Wennatchee has lost about half of its apple orchards. Where orchards once stood there are now housing developments, big box stores, restaurants, motels, and parking lots. Apple production has shifted from small growers to large operations that are located farther from town. Still, at its core, Wennatchee identifies itself with apples. For example, every April the city hosts a sizable Apple Blossom Festival which attracts over 100,000 people.


BURN THOSE BREAKFAST CALORIES OFF:

We hiked up the Icicle Ridge Trail where we were rewarded with a spectacular view of the town of Leavenworth, WA, the Wenatchee River, and the surrounding Cascade Mountains. The 4.8 mile, 1800 feet elevation hike did burn off a fair number of calories but it was the 90 degree heat that really did a job dissolving the Huckleberry Waffle.

       June 19, 2018

NEXT UP:  I did write in my introductory blog entry that I would include the District of Columbia in the breakfast tour and that is still the plan. At some point, after I recover from driving well over 15,000 miles, I will make the 2 mile drive from our house into DC, have breakfast, and post a report. As for Hawaii and Alaska, I just don't know when or even if we'll ever get to travel to those beautiful far flung states. Additionally, people are always asking about my favorite breakfast during the journey, so I also plan to write a little summary piece on the best of the best.

Friends have offered all sorts of ideas for a next adventure. For example, pizza in every state, bowling in every state, brew pub in every state, ice cream in every state, and my personal favorite, happy hour in every state. Someone even suggested visiting a gas station bathroom in every state. I would say that we already pretty much did that. I just didn't take any pictures. 

I think I'll just hold off on the next odyssey for awhile and ponder the future over a bowl of Cheerios.