Awesome Special Meal at Parma Ridge Bistro

07 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, BBQ Pork, Beef, Beef - Braised, Bistro - Parma Ridge Winery, Carrots, Celebrations, Chef Storm Hodge, Classic Sauces, Dinner At Parma Ridge Restaurant, Dinner at Parma Ridge Winery and Bistro, Dinner With Friends, Dinner With Robin, Eggs, Eggs Omelets, Fennel, Idaho Wine, Mushrooms, Mushrooms - Local, Parma Ridge Specials, Parma Ridge Winery Bistro, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Photos By: Parma Ridge Winery, Restaurants To Try, Special Events, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food

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braised beef, brisket

Oh yes. And some awesome new wines! Chef Storm and his friend Chef John Mercer (see This Post) did a super, awesome job preparing these goodies. This was a special dinner put on by these two very talented Chefs. It will not be available at all times. Their Prime Rib, though, is just as good. Look at what we enjoyed today. (Left Click any of these photos to see them enlarged!)

Chef John and Chef Storm

2016 Reserve Merlot was awesome and went very well with the pork and brisket.

Omelet with Local Mushrooms was terrific!

Double Cut Pork Chop Mostarda $24.95
A Smoked and Seared Double Cut Pork Chop with House made Green Grape Mostarda
(a savory Italian Jelly made with fruit, sugar and horseradish),
Sweet Potato with Gnochetti in a Brown Butter Sauce and Sautéed Carrots and Fennel

Even the leftover pork chop was great!

Wine Braised Brisket alla Giudia $24.95
8-oz Cut of Brisket Slow Braised in Sweet Red Wine with a Crown of Fried Artichoke, Sweet Roasted Garlic and Sautéed Carrots and Fennel

Awesome 34th Anniversary

15 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Avocado, Beef, Bistro - Parma Ridge Winery, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast With Robin, Captain's Shack, Celebrations, Chef Storm Hodge, Dinner At Parma Ridge Restaurant, Dinner With Robin, Eggs, Idaho Wine, Local Markets, Parma Ridge Specials, Parma Ridge Winery, Parma Ridge Winery Bistro, Party Time, Shackmade Salsa, What's For Dinner?

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Parma Ridge Bistro, Parma Ridge Winery

Oh my! Such a great weekend. And such a great 34 years with the Apple of My Eye! Thank you Robin for those years. Here is a little bit of how we spent – ate – our way through the anniversary days.

On Friday, July 14th, we went to Parma Ridge Winery and Bistro. And once again, we were not disappointed! This is still a 5-Star bistro! This is their new sign along Hiway 95.

The Love of My Life and 34 wonderful years!

And for dinner, we both had a superb

Prime Rib
Garlic Potatoes
Grilled Asparagus
Storm’s Grilled Bread

And a full flight of wonderful wine. Robin and I both agree that Chef Storm’s Prime Rib is the best in the Boise area. Even better than Chandler’s in Boise. And that is not an easy task to accomplish.

And then, Saturday morning, after coming home from the Boise Farmers Market at 10th and Grove, we were watching Chef Rick Baylis on PBS and he made what looked like a fantastic Huevos con Salsa de Mango y Aquacate. I thought that I could duplicate that. I did. Here it is and all from scratch!

Shackmade Salsa de Mango

Huevos con Salsa de Mango
Aguacate y Carne de Res Rebanada

This is what I made for Robin. Had to use some of her left-over Prime Rib!

Huevos con Salsa de Mango y Aguacate

This is what I made for myself. Really yummy and very easy to do. One could very easily make this for a breakfast party.

So there you have it. Eating our way through our anniversary weekend. And it’s only Saturday!

Richard’s Re-Opens in Boise!

11 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by Bob and Robin in Boise Farmers Market, Boise Food Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Buy Idaho, Celebrations, Chef Richard Langston, Classic Cuisines, Comfort Food, Cooking Styles, Dinner At Richard's, Food Photos, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Greens, Idaho Trout, Idaho Vegetables, Idaho Wine, Inn At 500 Capitol, Local Markets, Party Time, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Richard's, What's For Dinner?

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Chef Richard Langston, Inn At 500 Capitol, Richard's

Yes! Chef Richard Langston has re-opened his restaurant at the Inn At 500 Capitol, Richard’s Restaurant. We were lucky enough to attend the grand opening and it was fantastic. The Inn At 500 Capitol is a superb hotel, and you can get information about it by following this link Inn At 500 Capitol. It is located at 500 South Capitol Boulevard, Boise, Idaho, 83702 USA. (208) 227-0500. (Left Click any of these photos to see them enlarged.

Wines that were offered

Conference room. Notice the lighting. Made in Boise. Art Glass.

Tables and flowers.

Table centerpiece and wines!

The balcony looking at Boise.

Richard’s bar.

An open kitchen in the dinning area is always interesting.

Appetizers – Squash Bruschetta

Ham and Cheese on Rosemary Focaccia.

Trout on Endive Leaves.

Caprese

New Years Eve and 2017, Day Two

03 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Bacon, Basil, Buddy, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Celebrations, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner For Robin, Eggs, Falls Brand Bacon, Food Photos, Heirloom Onions, Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Idaho Eggs, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Scallops, Sea Scallops, Seafood, Shell Fish, Shrimp, What's For Dinner?

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Snow! Cold! Great time to stay inside by the fireplace. Snow keeps falling. Lots of food. Seafood mostly for New Years Eve. Then vegetarian – roasted spaghetti squash. Look. And look, too, at the wonderful Beef Wellington that Chris and Anna made. Awesome!

New Years Eve

Shrimp
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Rice and Cheese Balls
Deviled Eggs
Variety of Wines

2017 Day Two

Baked Spaghetti Squash
Steamed Cabbage and Onion
Roasted Herbed Tomatoes

And then, check this out! Chris and Anna made this beautiful – absolutely beautiful – Beef Wellington. Look at this.

Beef Wellington
Note the Brussels Sprouts in the background! Wow! Looks like a super dinner. You and Anna should really be proud, Chris.

Beautiful!

Thanksgiving 2016

25 Friday Nov 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Apple, Bacon, Baking, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Celebrations, Comfort Food, Corn, Dessert, Dinner At The Captains Shack, Dinner With Family, Dried Corn, Food Photos, Green Salad, Heirloom Carrots, Heirloom Onions, Heirloom Parsnips, Holiday Gatherings, Holiday Menu, Idaho Vegetables, Idaho Wine, Local Farmers Markets, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Snake River AVA, What's For Dinner?, Wines - Idaho

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Dried Corn, heirloom vegetables, Spatchcock, wilted lettuce

And a great day it was! Dinner finished almost on time. Marnie, Chris and Anna joined us. The turkey tuned out fantastic – the first time I have done a spatchcock turkey and it was awesome. Veggies roasted great. Turkey was moist, tender and delicious. I took several pictures on my phone – 3 – of the dinner plated, Marnie and Robin and Chris and Anna, but they never appeared on my phone. They’re out in La-La land somewhere. Here, though, are some photos of preparing the dinner and maybe I’ll make a photo of the plated dinner – at least close to it. Cheers – This was really fun to do!

Getting the Bacon Wrapped Dates ready. Stuffed with Chopped Almond.

Dates ready for the oven.

Mushroom Stuffed Puff Pastry.

Finished product.

Turkey has been spatchcocked (backbone removed) and sitting on heirloom root vegetables – carrot, parsnips and onion – to keep the turkey off the bottom of the pan.

Cooking in the oven at 400 degrees F. This after 1 hour. One more hour to go for a 14 lbs turkey.

Plated

Spatchcock Turkey
Robin’s Cranberry Sauce
Dried Corn
Wilted Lettuce Salad
Roasted Heirloom Vegetables
Stuffing Cups
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy throughout
2006 and a 2008 Indian Creek Winery (ID) Pinot Noir

Skillet Apple Pie

These wines were available for dinner. We only had the oldest one on the left.

These wines were available for dinner. We only had the oldest two on the left. Super paring and wines.

In order to do a dinner like this, one needs to make a “schedule of events”. Thursday, I also made a schedule like this hour-by-hour.

Congratulations on 35 Years of Bliss

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Anniversary, Appetizers, Boise Area Food Adventures, Buy Idaho, Capitol Cellars, Celebrations, Classic Cuisines, Dinner at Capitol Cellars, Dinner With Robin, Fennel, Feta Cheese, Food Photos, Heirloom Beets, Idaho Lamb, Idaho Vegetables, Lamb, Photos By: Bob Young, Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon, Scallops, Sea Scallops, Seafood, Shell Fish, Shrimp, Special Dinners, Special Events, What's For Dinner?

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Yes, congratulations to Skip and Melinda Smyser for 35 years of marital bliss! A great party at their restaurant in Boise, Capitol Cellars – a 5-Star establishment! (There is a permanent link to their restaurant in the sidebar.) Great party with some 30 year old wines that have aged well, just like the marriage. An interesting point – Skip Smyser was an Idaho State Senator for several years and many of the dishes served are of political slant. Check their menu on the site for some names. “Featuring Prime Rib six nights a week, our dinner menu is all about Idaho cuisine. You’ll be sure to find that almost every product is sourced locally.”

The Smyser Family

Beautiful celeebration cake! And delicious.

Beautiful celebration cake! And delicious.

35 year old Beringer!

Decanting a 35 year old Beringer.

A good 30 year old Ravenswood that we shared.

A good 36 year old Ravenswood that we shared.

Superb Champagne, and I don’t like Champagne, but this was awesome.

Cantaloupe
with
Raspberry Balsamic Reduction and Lime Oil

Bethane's Beet Salad with Blood Orange vinaigrette and Feta Cheese

Bethine’s Beet Salad
with
roasted beets, shaved fennel, arugula, candied walnuts, blood orange vinaigrette and local feta

Bethine’s Heirloom Beet Salad

Named after the wife of Idaho Senator Frank Church.

Rack of Lamb

Seafood Risotto

Wonderful 40th Birthday Party for Ravenswood Winery

21 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Anniversary, Avocado, BBQ Chicken, BBQ Pork, BBQ Veggies, Birthdays, Breakfast, Celebrations, Ceviche, Chicken, Classic Herb Blends, Comfort Food, Corn Bread, Dinner Reviews with Robin, Dinner With Family, Eggs Omelets, Ethnic Foods, Green Salad, Greens, Grilled Pork, Grilled Vegetables, Herbs, Herbs and Spices, Photos By: Bob Young, Pinot Noir, Ravenswood Winery Zinfandel, Salads, Special Dinners, Special Events, Vegetables, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Breakfast?, Whats For Lunch?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners, Wines - California

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And such a great party it was! 80 people plus attended and we felt quite honored to be included. Robin did help start the winery back in the early to mid 1970’s. From their web page, “On a fall day in 1976, as ravens taunted from tree branches above, Joel Peterson worked doggedly to bring in four tons of grapes before a looming thunderstorm hit. The fruit he crushed that night was used for one of two single-vineyard Sonoma County Zins – the first wines to bear Ravenswood’s signature ring of ravens. The fledgling winery got off to a great start when those wines came in #1 and #2 at a prestigious San Francisco tasting in 1979. With the critical thumbs-up, Joel was able to gather a few wine-loving investors to help get his winery off the ground. He still didn’t have enough money to buy property, so he looked around for more grapes.” Ravenswood Winery, web page.
But before we get there, we had to travel. Here are some of the places we stopped. Donner Summit is the high pass before we hit the Sacramento Valley.

Here we are. See the snow?

And in case it snows too deep, one can always find the fire hydrant.

Robin enjoys some fried chicken.

And so does a chipmunk.

Such a great market to re-stock your supplies. Corti Brothers web page. If in Sacramento well worth the stop. But you can order online, also.

How about some really wonderful prosciutto?

Lunch. and Corti Brothers Red Potato Salad, melon and Verner's Ginger Ale.

Lunch. Prosciutto and Corti Brothers Red Potato Salad, melon and Verner’s Ginger Ale.

Mango ice cream and fresh mango. Slightly spicy.

How about a pork tamale?

Our motel in Sonoma.

Beautiful flowers.

Love the gardens in the motel atrium.

And the gargoyle.

Cat fountain.

And the night before the super Ravenswood birthday, we must eat dinner. Here’s what we had at the Sonoma Grille. Super patio eating, if you wish. Awesome meal!!

Patio area.

This dip was delicious. Garlic-Pesto-Butter. The two wines wwere piniot noirs. (L)

This dip was delicious. Garlic-Pesto-Butter. The two wines were pinot noirs. (L) 2013 Cline Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast and (R) 2013 Trecini Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. I liked the Trecini best. Bigger, fuller. Wonderful.

Fresh oysters. They were delicious!

Robin had these

Lamb Chops in Curry Sauce
with
Crispy Polenta and Fresh Vegetables

I had

NY Steak
with
Pinot Noir Reduction
Potato Fingerlings and Fresh Vegetables

And to go with chocolate, (L) Riesates and (R) Sauterne

And to go with chocolate, (L) Rivessaltes, historic sweet wines of eastern Roussillon and (R) Sauterne

Awesome Chocolate Torte

Chocolate Mousse

And now to Ravenswood Winery. Happy 40th Birthday!!

The menu for the party and 80+ guests.

Library wines for dinner.

Light wines with the appetizers.

The special birthday wine. Very limited. At least were able to get 1 case.

Ceviche for an appetizer. A little spicy but good.

Some barrel storage.

A small barrel. That’s Chris standing there. He is 6′ tall.

Robin, Chris, Marnie and Joel Peterson, winemaker and known as the “God Father of Zinfandel”.

Winemaker Joel Peterson

Some of the crowd.

Winemaker in training Gary Sitton and Chris.

Also sitting at our table.

BBQ Pork. Yum.

BBQ Chicken

Grilled Cauliflower

Dinner plated

breakfast the next morning before departing at the Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma.

Joel was gracious enough to join us.

The patio.

California Breakfast Sandwich.

California Omelet

And now ………….. Back to Boise!!

Valentines Weekend – Meals Made For Robin

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Bearnaise Sauce, Blueberries, Boise Farmers Market, Breakfast, Breakfast At The Captains Shack, Breakfast With Robin, Buy Idaho, Captain's Shack, Carrots, Celebrations, Chef Lou, Classic Cuisines, Classic Sauces, Dessert, Dinner For Robin, Eggs, Eggs Benedict, Herbs and Spices, Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Béarnaise, Housemade Hollandaise Sauce, Housemade Sauces, Idaho Beef, Idaho Chefs, Idaho Eggs, Idaho Lamb, Idaho Wine, Kitchen Adventures, Lamb, Meadowlark Farms, Mushrooms, Onion, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Chef Lou, Recipe by: Robin and Bob Young, Recipes, Recipes - Breakfast, Recipes - Dessert, Recipes - Dinner, Recipes - Sauces, Snake River AVA, Special Dinners, Valentines Dinner, Vegetables, What's For Dessert?, What's For Dinner?, Whats For Breakfast?, Zhou Zhou Winery

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Boeuf Bourguignon, Chef Lou's Orange French Doughnuts, Parsnip and Celeriac Puree, recipes

Such a wonderful Valentines weekend spent in the kitchen making the meals for Robin and I to enjoy! And that we did! “And if you [read this article] in the next 5 minutes, we’ll include a link to the recipes!” where you can find some of the recipes for some of these treats. Boise Foodie Blog Recipes! Enjoy these photos and the recipes. And yes, the Hollandaise and Béarnaise Sauces were all made from scratch! Most of the items here are Idaho products. Zhoo Zhoo Winery Claret was served with the Valentines Dinner. 2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Rebecca’s Vineyard Pinot Noir was used in the bœuf bourguignon (French Beef Stew). Cheers!

Flowers for Robin. Loving her was the easiest thing I ever did!

Flowers for Robin
Loving her is easier than anything I’ve ever done before!

Weekend Appetizers Fennel and Celery Salad Cucumber Salad Chicken Pate Rye Toast Wedges

Weekend Appetizers
Fennel and Celery Salad
Balsamic Cucumber Salad
Chicken Pâté
Rye Toast Wedges

Saturday night Felzien Family Farms Lamb Chops with Bearnaise Sauce Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Saturday night dinner
Felzien Family Farms Lamb Chops
with
Béarnaise Sauce
Steamed Asparagus
with
Sliced Almonds and Hollandaise Sauce

Sunday morning breakfast Eggs Benedict and Fresh Fruit

Valentines Breakfast
Eggs Benedict with Fresh Fruit and Sausage Links

Sunday dinner Boeuf Bourguignon with Parsnips and Celeriac Puree

Valentines Dinner
Bœuf Bourguignon
with
Parsnip and Celeriac Puree

Valentines Dessert Skillet Apple Pie [Modified] with Whipped Cream and Chocolate Strawberry

Valentines Dessert
Skillet Apple Pie
[Modified – I added blueberries and pear slices]
with
Whipped Cream and Chocolate Strawberry

Monday Morning Recovery
Scrambled Eggs
Bacon
Chef Lou’s Orange French Doughnuts

And as an added bonus, here is Chef Lou’s Orange French Doughnuts. I worked several years with Chef Lou at the Westside Drive-In in Boise. Great experience. Enjoy!

Chef Lou’s Orange French Doughnuts

Source: Chef Lou Aaron, Westside Drive-In, Boise, ID
Yield: 12 doughnuts

Ingredients:
5 T Butter, room temperature
½ c Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
1/3 c Milk
½ c Ricotta Cheese or Cream Cheese, softened
Juice and Zest from one orange
2 c All Purpose Flour
1 t Salt
1 t Nutmeg
¼ c melted Butter
1 T Cinnamon mixed w/1 T Sugar

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar; add egg and mix well. Add Milk and Ricotta, or cream cheese, to the mixture alternately w/dry ingredients. Mix in orange rind and juice.
2. Fill greased muffin cups to ½ full. Baked in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool slightly and pop doughnuts out of pan.
3. Roll doughnuts first in melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
For variation, you can also garnish with strawberries & whipped cream.

Janjou Pâtisserie Revisited

17 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Birthdays, Bistro, Bistro - Janjou Patisserie, Brunch, Celebrations, Classic Cuisines, Coffee, Comfort Food, Cookies, Ethnic Foods, Food Photos, French Foods, Fruits, Idaho Chefs, Janjou Pâtisserie, Local Markets, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants To Try, Salads, Special Events, What's For Dinner?

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Today is Robin’s 43rd anniversary of her 29th birthday so when I asked her what she wanted for breakfast, she said a quiche from Janjou Pâtisserie. That sounded good, so off we went. (It’s only 2 blocks away from us!) If anything, it has gotten better. The Quiche Lorraine we had was delicious. The coffee is still excellent – we bought a pound – and the fruit tart we had was scrumptious. You must try it when you are in Boise. Make a special trip. You’ll love it. 5-Stars all the way. Enjoy these photos!

Wonderful fresh made and house made cookies!

Chocolate tarts

Fruit tarts

Raspberry Tart. We had one. Delicious!

Quiche Lorraine. Fresh made and scrumptious.

Robin enjoys her quiche!

“State and Lemp” – Awesome

17 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by Bob and Robin in 5-Stars, Acme Bake Shop, Anniversary, Appetizers, Apricots, Beets, Boise Adventures, Boise Restaurants, Bread, Buy Idaho, Carrots, Celebrations, Chardonnay, Classic Cuisines, Dinner Reviews with Robin, Dinner With Robin, Food Photos, Friends, Heirloom Carrots, Heirloom Squash, Idaho Greens, Idaho Potatoes, Local Harvests, Local Markets, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants, Restaurants To Try, Salads, Special Dinners, Special Events, Special Information, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food, Wine Dinners

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State and Lemp

I could, and probably should, fill up this page with the word awesome, but that would be boring! If you are in Boise and have been here for awhile, do you remember Andrae’s? That definitely was a 5-Star restaurant. And so is State and Lemp. It is every bit as good as Andrea’s was; If not better. But I can only give 5-Stars and State and Lemp earned every one of those stars. From the local art on the wall, as pictured here, to the outstanding service. Also outstanding was the plating of the different food offerings. We eat with our eyes first, and as you will see, the presentations were super good! The seating is limited to about 28 people, so call for a reservation. We did like the way they have the tables set, it gave us time to chat with our table “neighbors”. Here are some photos from the evening. Enjoy! We will return for another special celebration, whatever that may be!

Robin at our seating.

The seating arrangements.

The menu and our place card. Yes, it is that formal!

It is great to see that they use as much local products as possible. Here is Acme Bake Shop Sourdough Bread. For a complete list of their farmer suppliers, check their web site.

It is great to see that they use as much local products as possible. Here is Acme Bake Shop Sourdough Bread. For a complete list of their local farmer suppliers, check their web site.

Sardine
with
Micro Greens and Flowers

Strawberry & Cucumber Scallop. Cilantro. Shiso Patrick Bottex – “La Cueille” Gamay / Poulsard

Strawberry and Cucumber
Scallop. Cilantro. Shiso
Patrick Bottex – “La Cueille” Gamay / Poulsard

Summer Squash & Fava Beans Black Cod. Sea Beans Nasturtium Taft Street – Chardonnay

Summer Squash and Fava Beans
Black Cod. Sea Beans. Nasturtium
Taft Street Chardonnay

Carrot & Apricot Goat. Sesame. Fried Rice Maxime Magnon – “La Démarrante” Carignan / Cinsault

Carrot and Apricot
Goat. Sesame. Fried Rice
Maxime Magnon – “La Démarrante” Carignan/Cinsault

Intermezzo – Huckleberry Sorbet

Beets & New Potato
Pork. Gooseberry. Sorrel
Domaine Gayda – “Flying Solo” Grenache/Syrah

Currants & Cherry Ginger Ale. Vanilla Cream. Mochi Taylor Fladgate – “LBV” Port

Currants and Cherry
Ginger Ale. Vanilla Cream. Mochi
Taylor Fladgate – “LBV” Port

Those little ginger ale “balloons” just “popped” flavor in your mouth. I intentionally did not pick a “favorite” dish – they were all superior. The wines also were paired perfectly. Here is a little more about State and Lemp from their web site.

In our effort to showcase local and regional farmers, ranchers, and artisans we have utilized the following…
Purple Sage Farms /purplesagefarms.com – Waterwheel Gardens /waterwheelgardens.com – Rice Family Farms / ricefamilyfarms.com – Sweet Valley Organics / sweetvalleyorganics.com – Peaceful Belly / peacefulbelly.com – Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters / dawsontaylor.com – Malheur River Meats / malheurrivermeats.com – Ohana Farm Inc. Frostenson Farms – Acme Bread Co. – Double R Honey Farm – Cloverleaf Creamery …. Ownership and management will maintain a constant presence on the floor as we interact with guests to ensure an unforgettable experience. We provide continuing education and training for all team members in order to better enable them as they assist guests with decisions. Additionally, we seek to advance all team members and enable their growth as hospitality professionals.