Building Berry Good Memories in Washington State


Often when I am wandering Washington State in my mind, memories surface. I'm sharing some memories this week for Mary Alward's Second Annual Childhood Memories event. Hope you enjoy them.

Family Memories

Anybody who knows me well knows that "family" is one of the most important things in my life. I can't imagine growing up and living in this great state without sharing the experience with loved ones and others. I enjoy experiences alone, but with family it's even better. Join me as I wander my mind for memories. I'm not sure where it will take me.

Last week we had a granddaughter in our care for a few days. This is berry season in our neck-of-the-woods, so we spent time together picking and eating our crops on our acreage. Kate is six and full of life and wonder, so it was fun. She laughed and touched a tree frog that jumped on and off my shoulder as we were picking raspberries. Since she'd never seen a real frog, it was a treat for us both.

Memories. Ah, the wonder of life with children. What could be better?

Memories flooded my mind as we picked blueberries, especially as we ate blueberry pancakes the next morning for breakfast. We used to eat wild huckleberry pancakes cooked over an open grill at the Spirit Lake campground at Mt. St. Helens. Wild huckleberries are so much tastier than blueberries. Here's a photo of our daughters at Spirit Lake before the 1980 volcano. Oh, how I love the memories I get when I look at this photo.

Snoqualmie Falls

I cook most things from scratch, but I love the ease and great flavor of Snoqualmie Falls Lodge pancake mix by Continental Mills in Seattle ( http://www.continentalmills.com/ ), a company in business for over 65 years. Just add water and blueberries (or huckleberries if you have a source); put a bit of butter and oil in the pan (I use about 2 tablespoons) and drop the batter in, berries and all. At Mt. St. Helens we dropped the berries on the pancakes as they cooked - something about fresh-off-the-vine and eating outdoors - sublime memories.

By the way, if you're more of a muffin person, be sure to check the discussion area below for my favorite blueberry muffin recipe.

If your mouth is watering for the blueberry pancakes I described, the Continental Mills site doesn't mention Snoqualmie Falls Lodge Old Fashioned Pancake and Waffle Mix. If you're interested in getting information on how to get some you may write to: Snoqualmie Falls Lodge Mixes, Consumer Relations, PO Box 88176, Seattle, WA 98138-2176. Or ask your grocer to carry the mix.

The copyright of the article Building Berry Good Memories in Washington State in Washington State is owned by Jerri Brooker. Permission to republish Building Berry Good Memories in Washington State in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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