There’s a growing appetite for Tacoma
Let’s be honest. When you think of great food, Tacoma doesn’t immediately spring to mind, does it?
My grandmother lived there, and she certainly knew her way around a lemon meringue pie. You probably heard about it back in the day.
But since she’s been gone, there hasn’t been much reason for any of us to set our collective culinary sights on the legendarily smelly city to the west of us.
So you might be as surprised I was to learn that the Taste of Tacoma has been serving up food and entertainment for more than 20 years in what they call the “Ultimate Family Picnic.” And once again organizers promise an “affordable festival for the whole family to enjoy” on June 29, June 30 and July 1.
The free community event packs 30 different restaurants, four stages’ worth of music, a comedy club, three beer gardens, 100 arts and crafts vendors, and wine tasting into century-old Point Defiance Park.
You will have to pay for what you consume, of course, but a TASTE IT! discount coupon book delivers 15 percent savings. Pick one up at the entrance while supplies last.
Here’s a random sampling of the eats on deck: cilantro salmon, barbecue baby back ribs, alligator on a stick (and they don’t seem to be kidding about this), pad thai, Louisiana gumbo, strawberry shortcake and dessert crepes.
Your musical options run the gamut, too: salsa, swing, pop, country, soul, blues, jazz, funk and so on. You can also check out the “Tacoma Idol” auditions (and I think the less said about that, the better).
“Wine & Roses” in the park’s Rose Garden offers up samples from 10 West Coast wineries – including Maryhill, Hoodsport, Duck Pond Cellars and Terra Blanca – along with wine by the glass and bottle. A $15 fee covers a commemorative glass and five tastes, and additional sips go for $2 each. Proceeds benefit the Metro Parks Foundation.
To find out more, including where to catch the Taste Express park-and-ride bus, visit www.tasteoftacoma.com or call (425) 283-5050.
On the hoof
While we’re on a roll, let’s keep eating. And if we throw a little exercise into the mix, no one needs to feel bad about it.
On Saturdays, you can spend three or four hours exploring Victoria, B.C.’s comestibles on Travel With Taste Tours’ new culinary walking tour through downtown.
You’ll start out with a tasting at Silk Road Tea, then make your way through the cheeses, meats and pates at Choux Choux Charcuterie, the pastries at Dutch Bakery, sweet treats at Roger’s Chocolates, Café Mela’s coffee and cake and whatever they’re pouring at the Artisan Wine Shop.
For more information on the $50 (Canadian) foodfest, try www.travelwithtaste.com or (250) 385-1527.
O-for-organic Canada
Time your tour just right and you can also make the third annual Organic Islands Festival at Vancouver Island’s Glendale Gardens and Woodland July 7 and 8.
Billed as Canada’s largest outdoor green event, the festival aims to teach you how to “join the movement to a sustainable future with solutions for home, garden, body and soul.”
More than 100 exhibitors will offer local organic food like cheese, wine and fair trade coffee, information on organic gardening, demonstrations, presentations, children’s activities and more. Guy Dauncey, author of “101 Solutions to Climate Change,” will deliver the keynote address.
And just to show you can have fun while doing good, organizers have scheduled a guest appearance by Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Mae Moore (the Junos being the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys).
The festival is the brainchild of Deb Morse, who moved west from Toronto and was amazed at what she found.
“There are organic farms, food producers, people doing fair trade and organic trading companies here,” she says.
“I just had an idea that came to me after I become a mother about creating a Web site that would connect people with organic resources. I started researching and finding out what this region had to offer and got really, really excited. One thing led to another.”
Admission for adults runs $7.50 Canadian, with discounts for students and seniors. Learn more at www.organicislands.ca or (250) 658-8148.
Regional events
“Fort Benton Summer Celebration, Friday to June 24, Fort Benton, Mont. Take a tour of historical Fort Benton, attend the dedication of the Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center, browse the arts and crafts on the levee, check out the parade and more. ( www.visitmt.com/ 406-622-5166)
“World Music Wednesdays, June 27 to Aug. 29, Portland. The Oregon Zoo kicks off its midweek concert series with The Wailers, Bob Marley’s band. Asleep at the Wheel, Los Lobos, Charlie Hunter Trio and others well perform in the weeks ahead. ( www.oregonzoo.org/ 503-226-1561)