Easter weekend was a blast!

The owners of Doe Bay Resort, Joe & Maureen Brotherton, had their family and friends up for a "Tom Sawyer Work Weekend". It was amazing to see! Many yards of gravel and fresh soil were placed around the property, fresh paint was applied, and flower bulbs were planted.

And boy was the "Tom Sawyer Crew" hungry!!! It was very satisfying to me to feed them, and they were great guests... I have never seen such an hard working team in action.

Thank you Tom Sawyer Crew! The grounds look wonderful, and it is truly a blessing to have had you all here at Doe Bay. We are blessed to have such talented friends and family!

In peace and gratitude,
- Chef Janay

This past week I went to a Japanese tea ceremony in Festooned hosted by Sati, a friend of mine and Doe Bay's. It was so peaceful to be a part of the ritual of tea. Did you know that there are over 150 steps to preparing and serving the tea? Each step is done mindfully and with heartfelt thanks for friendship. It gave me many things to think about, and at the end I felt loved and nourished.

In honor and thanks for this event, I dedicate this weeks dessert, Organic Macha Tea crème brulee with a candied ginger crust, to this experience!

In peace and gratitude,
- Chef Janay

Bringing Slow Foods back!

This just in! I was asked to be on the board of the Orcas Island Slow Foods chapter, and I am flattered and happy that my efforts are being recognized throughout the community. Right now we are in the planning stages of a couple of upcoming events, including an island "meet and greet" night! I'm looking forward to this new position and all of the great things (like food) that will come from the work that we put in!!!

For more information on Slow Foods go to: http://www.slowfood.com/

Eating locally grown foods is the best thing you can do for your body and the environment. Come to the Cafe and give it a try!

Keepin' it fresh!
- Chef Janay

The next project for us on the island is to plan for the summertime! This means a lot to us, both as a business and as a community.

In the upcoming weeks there is a meeting planned between myself as a Chef/ consumer and our local farmers. We are going to plan what you all will be eating in about two to three months! To me this is very exciting and in fact, dreamy… I love coming up with new and exciting preparations to entertain the eyes and taste buds of our guests. And now is the season for planning and dreaming!

In the world of Chefs and food we often look through culinary magazines, trade books and purveyor “hot sheets” like others may look at design magazines or fashion catalogs with complete delight and abandon of our surroundings. “Did I just yell 'No way!?!' in a crowded coffee shop over a tiered savory napoleon with mushrooms and gruyere cheese? Why yes, I did.” And I will do it again!

I'm a foodie - food is my thrill. I encourage you to search for your inner foodie here at the Doe Bay Café!

Culinarily yours,
- Chef Janay