Latah Lounge

Where are the bees going? The loss of bee colonies worldwide has reached alarming numbers. Beekeepers in America are loosing millions of bees and millions of dollars. Our crops are in need of pollination and we don’t know why the bees are in decline yet.

Colony Collapse Disorder is becoming an epidemic and it is a threat to our food source. Here’s some links to fill you in.

Voice of America Video

Wikipedia

Whidbey Island

Celsias 2 Celsias 3 Celsias 4
Add my hives to the growing list of extinctions. I’m not sure what caused their demise. My initial suspicion was varoa mites but after researching further I now believe that the size of foundation comb might be the leading suspect. Organic beekeepers are not experiencing the same losses as commercial beekeepers because they allow the hives to create comb of their own dimension instead of forcing them into the pre-fabbed foundation comb available for purchase from beekeeper suppliers. As simple as it sounds, could this be a real answer to the problem?
As with all environmental threats, I believer solid research and technology will prevail. Go organic bees!

We get our potatoes from Olsen Farms in Colville, WA.

Olsen Farms is a small family farm located in a mountain valley of Northeastern Washington. Their potatoes are dry land produced and have a superior potato flavor and color. They grow 23 varieties of potatoes of various colors, textures, and culinary uses.

Olsen Farms is committed to enhancing the rural economy and stewarding farmland for wildlife habitat. Sustainability and direct marketing are the roots of their family farm.

Thought you might like to know where your food comes from.

What an uplifting, charming, capable and talented person that we have had with us for the last 3 years. Daisy O’Dell is moving to Colorado with her family and we will miss her smiling face and quick wit. The opportunity to get to know her and work with her was well worth the sadness we will feel when she is gone. We all love you Daisy. Good luck with your new adventure and please visit us when you come back.

We have decided to sell our cute espresso drive-through. It has been a fantastic and extremely profitable 3 years and it will be missed. But other opportunites take precedent right now. If you are a prospective buyer, stop by with your checkbook quick. I have already been contacted by 16 folks.

Recently we were contacted by a local TV news anchor requesting an interview for a report they were producing on the safety of lemons. The story was inspired by a November 07 study done by a New Jersey microbiologist that found nasty bacteria on two-thirds of the lemons that were tested from 21 New Jersey area restaurants - a study we had a tough time validating.
Our local station apparently tested lemons in restaurants in and around Spokane including our own restaurant. Apparently they found the lemon wedges at our restaurant to be perfectly bacteria free. Yeah us! They were hoping to visit our restaurant and video tape our successful cleanliness and food prep procedures but we politely declined the offer.

Don’t get me wrong, we are proud of our perfect record with the health department and our perfectly sparkling clean restaurant and we think it is important for the public to be informed about where their food comes from and how to handle food safely. But, it seems misguided to encourage a TV report that contains lemons and bacteria in the same story. Wouldn’t this fear-feeding type of reporting inevitably confuse the public or create negative perceptions of our local dining environment? This story will surely do damage to Spokane restaurants by giving the impression that it is dangerous to dine out when in fact the majority of unsafe food handling is happening at home where most people have not been trained how to properly handle food. Did they test 21 homes around Spokane for bacteria? Did they test their own kitchens or lemons at home? I doubt it. If they did they would probably discover the record for cleanliness in restaurants would far exceed most homes.
Remember, all restaurant employees have obtained food handlers permits by studying safe food handling practices and being rigorously and regularly tested by our County Health Department. All restaurants are regularly and carefully inspected. Has your home kitchen ever been inspected for cleanliness, food temps, preparation standards or your own education levels? The risks for unhealthy food preparation occur where there is lack of knowledge.
Hopefully the TV station will not serve us a lemon and be responsible with this story by encouraging healthy food handling education for all people.

Oops. It took me awhile to fix the comment function on our blog. With the help of our web guru Gabe, it is finally working so feel free to send your comments on any of our posts

What are you eating? Where did it come from? Is it healthy and safe?
In today’s reckless corporate food system environment. We are relentless about knowing these answers and will continue to keep you informed.
We get our beef from Emtman Brothers Farms in Valleyford, WA. The cows are grass fed, pasture raised and contain no hormones or antibiotics. Check out their web site and feel good knowing more about the local Emtman farm and the delicious steak you will eat.

Piedmontese Beef - high in flavor…

…has less cholesterol than skinless chicken & salmon.”
Bon Appetit Magazine

“…protein-rich meat with less than half the fat of standard beef.”
Food & Wine Magazine

“100 things worth every penny…#29. Piedmontese beef.”
Forbes Magazine

“…all anyone can talk about is Piedmontese beef.”
Gourmet Magazine

“38 Healthy Secrets of the Stars…Zone-addicted A-Listers have a thing for Piedmontese beef, served at Celestino’s Italian Steakhouse in Los Angeles.”
Self Magazine

• Nutrient Rich!
• Low in Cholesterol!
• Low in Calories!
• Low in Fat!

Knowledge is good.

Is Spokane ready for this?

Shelburne Farms is a membership-supported, nonprofit environmental education center and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont. Their mission is to cultivate a conservation ethic. Schoolchildren, adults, educators and families can visit to learn, while casual visitors may enjoy the walking trails, children’s farmyard, inn, restaurant, property tours and special events. The farm serves as an educational resource by practicing rural land use that is environmentally, economically and culturally sustainable.

The Ani DiFranco show last Saturday at The Service Station was fantastic. The venue was excellent and accommodating, the fans were tuned in and abundant and the performers were spectacular.
Ani travels with a “tranny nanny” (her term) for her 3 year old daughter Pita, bass player Todd Sickafoose, drummer Allison Miller, vibe player Mike Dillon, an assortment of beatnik lesbians and a dedicated fan base that rivals the deadheads. She is an intelligent talented poet, painter, songwriter and performer with eco-friendly and politically active themes and her band and friends are friendly and enlightening.
After years of touring and being on the musician side, it was interesting being on the outside and observing this entourage from the perspective of food providers. We had time to hang out and get to know them during lunch and dinner and found the experience fascinating.
Ani is self made in the music industry and unique with her blunt unique style. Not only does she support the slow food movement by requiring eco-friendly and organic products, she is active in many other worthy political causes. She has her own recording label; Righteous Babe Records that has released 26 of her albums along with numerous albums from the label’s 12 other artists. You can hear some of her tunes on her MySpace page but I would highly recommend you catch her show next time she stops by.

Have you tried the Mt. Townsend Creamery Seastack yet? Wow! What a find. If you are one of our obsessed cheese connoisseurs, don’t miss this one.