AMY IGLOI
Amy Igloi is a well-known figure in the Port Orchard community. For the past seven years, she’s owned and managed Amy’s on the Bay, just steps from the waterfront in Port Orchard.
What are your three favorite places for picnics on the Kitsap Peninsula?
Belfair State Park, Scenic Beach State Park and Manchester State Park.
What do you love most about your No. 1 spot?
It’s peaceful. I love how there is a fresh-water stream that goes into the inlet. It doesn’t get overly crowded.
What is the most important thing (in your opinion) about what makes good picnic food?
It has nothing to do with the food but the great company. How you can tell it was a great picnic is by what you have to clean up and bring back home. If your basket is empty, that’s two thumbs up.
What are some of your picnic food favorites?
I love doing seafood boils. Think crab pot style. I go to the store and pick up a disposable aluminum pan. Grab the seafood, corn, herbs and seafood broth and cook it in the pan. Easy and quick cleanup and no dishes.
What should you never forget to take on a picnic?
I have a picnic basket with my essentials — cutting board, knife, white pepper, garlic salt, blackening seasoning, tongs, lighter, basic utensils, glassware, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, antibacterial soap. When I want to go picnic, it’s usually a spontaneous thing, and I just want to grab my basket and go.
What’s your best picnic story?
Years ago, one of the first few dates I had with a man who made his living as a cook was a trip to the Scenic Beach State Park in Seabeck. When we got to the park, he cooked me a four-course meal with a pocket knife, gongs and an oyster shucker. The first course was oysters on the half shell. The second course was steamer clams with Andouille sausage. The third course was a seafood boil with Dungeness crab, prawns, mussels, corn and red potatoes. The fourth course was grilled Spencer steak and grilled veggies. We ate like royalty and it was one of the best meals of my life. Needless to say, I said yes to another date.
Click here to download Amy’s recipe for Seafood Boil as a PDF
MONICA DOWNEN
Monica Downen and her husband, Mark, own and operate Monica’s Waterfront Bakery and Cafe in Old Town Silverdale, where they focus on locally sourced, fresh ingredients and hand-crafted food.
How often do you go on a picnic and with whom do you go?
Actually, very rarely, though nearly always with Mark.
Did you used to picnic growing up? What are your favorite picnic memories?
We did. We were on a picnic when Mount St. Helens blew her top. We lived in the Tri-Cities (I was 12), and we couldn’t figure out what was going on, even though we’d heard what had happened. Some of my favorite memories include our huge family get-together picnics on the Columbia River and at the ocean, where there was always lots of food and love and fun.
What are some of your picnic food favorites?
Oysters. It’s great to picnic on an oyster beach because you don’t have to pack in the oysters, you can pick them up right there. Plus there are usually clams around, and you can fish.
What should you never forget to take on a picnic?
Your sense of humor. Picnics are never as romantic as we think they will be, and when nature is involved, something unplanned or unexpected nearly always happens.
What’s your best picnic story?
Well, some of the memories are not family friendly, so I’ll go with the time Mark did some impromptu squirrel fishin’ (you have to say fishin’). We were picnicking in the woods in Eastern Washington, and this brazen little squirrel was running all around us. We were eating strawberries so Mark tied one to the end of his fishing line (no hook) and then cast the line out. The squirrel ran up to the strawberry and had a taste. Then he grabbed it and started running. Mark let the line out a bit and then put the stopper on. The squirrel came to a screeching halt. Mark reeled it in a little and the squirrel fought back trying to win the strawberry for himself, so Mark let the line out and let the squirrel run with it. Watching that determined little squirrel was so funny. Mark did let him win the strawberry in the end so he was well-paid for our entertainment. No squirrels were hurt in the making of this story but the strawberries were all mercilessly eaten.
Click here to download Monica’s recipe for Lemon-Herb Chicken and Fresh Tomato Pesto as a PDF
THAD LYMAN
Thad Lyman and his wife, Katie Doherty, have built a solid reputation for the quality of their food and service since they bought Brix 25 in Gig Harbor four years ago. The couple recently opened Netshed No. 9 on the water in Gig Harbor, serving breakfast and lunch all day.
What are your three favorite places for picnics on the Kitsap Peninsula?
Sunrise Beach, Long Lake and Kingston on the grass.
What do you love most about your No. 1 spot?
On Sunrise Beach, we do nature walks and teach our daughter about all of the sea life that we see.
How often do you go on a picnic and with whom do you go with?
I own two restaurants. It’s been a while…
Did you used to picnic growing up? What are your favorite picnic memories?
We camped so we got the same effect but on a grander scale.
What is the most important thing (in your opinion) about what makes good picnic food?
You must be able to eat it with your hands. If you’re using flatware, you’re overdoing it.
What are some of your picnic food favorites?
Wine, baguette, cheese, cured meats, fruit — that’s all you ever need.
What should you never forget to take on a picnic?
A wine opener and a knife for the cheese and meat. You don’t want to be sabering your wine in the middle of a park.
What’s your best picnic story?
When I was a young chef, one of my regional managers decided to have our annual chef team meeting at Hog Island Oyster Company, in Marshall, Calif., a little town of about 400 people. We stopped in Point Reyes Station and bought a bunch of cheese at Cowgirl Creamery and spent the afternoon “working” on our goals for the year, all the while drinking wine, shucking oysters and living the dream.
Click here to download Thad’s recipe for Paté de Campagne as a PDF
KIM CAMPBELL
Kim Campbell and her husband, Erik Kleiva, own and operate the Port Gamble General Store & Café, locally sourcing as much of their food as they can and offering many vegetarian and gluten-free options on their menu.
What are your three favorite places for picnics on the Kitsap Peninsula?
Point No Point in Hansville, Scenic Beach State Park in Seabeck and Port Gamble, of course.
Did you used to picnic growing up? What are your favorite picnic memories?
My family didn’t picnic a lot but I have memories of picnics at Scenic Beach and Point No Point when family would come visit from California. I also have memories of tailgate picnics after my mom would take us on hikes or make us do outdoorsy things (I was a bookworm). Usually there was a tuna fish sandwich, which I never liked. I’d make it edible by smooshing a handful of chips into the sandwich.
What is the most important thing (in your opinion) about what makes good picnic food?
For me, a picnic is a feast and is about communal food. I think snack and finger food are great because we can all sit around the table or on the grass and dip our fingers into the food and nibble.
What are some of your picnic food favorites?
My all-time favorite picnic food is a homemade potato salad, which isn’t light but I would call it a main course. I’m a vegetarian, so the usual picnic barbecue meats don’t really figure into my picnic fare. Some really great cheese, bread, fruit, chips, salsa, a dry rose wine or cold beer, and I’m happy.
What should you never forget to take on a picnic?
Cold beer, root beer for the kids (in bottles and super cold), barbecue-flavored potato chips, a wine opener and a nice cloth tablecloth to put on the picnic table or spread on the grass.
What’s your best picnic story?
I can’t think of one picnic story but I have an opinion about the purpose of a picnic, and my memories of lovely picnics include this opinion. A picnic is about living in the moment, feeling the sunshine, savoring the food and enjoying who you’re with — complete indulgence.
Click here to download Kim’s recipe for Nicoise-Inspired Potato Salad (Vegetarian) as a PDF
CYNTHIA MORA
Cynthia Mora and her husband, Tony, own Rodstol Lane Farm in Southworth, where they grow organic hazelnuts and u-pick blueberries, as well as offer space for special outdoor events.
What are your three favorite places for picnics on the Kitsap Peninsula?
Home, on a blanket under the sun in our apple orchard at Rodstol Lane Farm. The beach at Point No Point. I love the beach, the horizon, the sand, the driftwood. Back near home, Point Southworth.
What do you love most about your No. 1 spot?
Being able to drag my blankets and pillows out into the backyard.
How often do you go on a picnic and with whom do you go with?
We go as often as we can get away from work and away from home. I love going with our grandchildren. They bring out the child in me. Splashing in the water or collecting driftwood to build a beach fort. I also love sharing a bottle of wine and a pillow with my honey.
Did you used to picnic growing up? What are your favorite picnic memories?
We picnicked often. I grew up with a single mom and almost every weekend we packed a simple picnic and spent the day exploring. We frequented Volunteer Park in Seattle. They had a wonderful fountain to play in and live music, and there was always someone to share our picnic with, no matter how simple.
What is the most important thing (in your opinion) about what makes good picnic food?
Being simple to prepare, delicious and satisfying. No one wants to stop and eat on the way home from a picnic.
What should you never forget to take on a picnic?
Someone you love.
What’s your best picnic story?
Once at Volunteer Park, my mother invited some Hare Krishnas to join us (or they just did). They were not impressed by our humble picnic offerings of PB&J and yogurt and one of them smashed a sandwich into my young brother’s face, then stormed away. I was very surprised at the whole irony of it. It still makes me smile in a confused sort of way.
Click here to download Cynthia’s recipe for Julieanne’s Pasta Salad as a PDF
CHRIS PLEMMONS
Chris Plemmons is a culinary arts instructor at Olympic College in Bremerton and the co-owner with Gary Fuller of Two Snooty Chefs, a company offering an array of gourmet spice blends.
What are your three favorite places for picnics on the Kitsap Peninsula?
Evergreen Park, Lions Park and the waterfront in Old Town Silverdale.
What do you love most about your No. 1 spot?
At Evergreen Park, there is something for everyone. The park has family appeal and there are local events, foot races and farmers markets (in season) as well. If you forget something, there is always CJ’s Evergreen General Store & Catering close by to get supplies. Evergreen offers a great Kitsap view of the Point Washington Narrows. With all of the picnic shelters that are well used by the community, there is a sense of family.
How often do you go on a picnic and with whom do you go with?
We tend to picnic midday for lunch as I take my wife, Suzanne, out for lunch at least three to four times a week during the summer. A picnic of chilled shrimp skewers with horseradish-infused cocktail sauce and sliced Kansas City barbecue flank steak salad, dressed with chimichurri vinaigrette, served along with a grape tomato basil salad topped with crumbled goat cheese. We like to drink rosemary lemonade and sparkling water.
What is the most important thing (in your opinion) about what makes good picnic food?
Things that are a must on a picnic include a variety of foods like sliced meats, cheeses, cut-up vegetables, something sweet and something fun to drink that could include lemonade, sparkling water or wine, laws permitting, of course. There must be bread.
What’s your best picnic story?
The funniest picnic was for my 40th birthday. My wife was going to take me to Chicago. I thought it was to go out to a great restaurant. We stopped at a small park on the way and were eating our picnic when it started to pour rain. We were under a shelter, and she told me that we were going to go see the Oprah Winfrey Show. I started to laugh and could not stop. The more she told me, the more I laughed, until I was crying. We didn’t see Oprah, but we did have dinner at Charlie Trotter’s.
Click here to download Chris’ recipe for Rosemary Blossom Brined Watermelon Salad as a PDF
NANCY FORTNER
Nancy Fortner and her husband, Bob, live on Bainbridge Island, where they practice sustainable living by growing and preserving their own food on Sweetlife Farm. You can check out the variety of homegrown and homemade products they sell, as well as Nancy’s blog, at www.sweetlifefarm.com.
What are some of your picnic food favorites?
Fried chicken, potato salad and brownies.
What’s your best picnic story?
Our most memorable picnic was in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1978, two young, married couples headed for a Sunday picnic on the beach. Too much traffic so we took a detour and trespassed on someone’s land on King’s Mountain, above Woodside. The woods, peaceful rural quality and incredible view reminded Bob of the Pacific Northwest and got us talking about living up there. After our picnic, we stopped at an open house for sale down the road and bought it on the spot. That impulsive act changed forever the way we live and value both outdoor space and community. Both couples moved to King’s Mountain and then migrated, two decades apart, to Bainbridge Island.
Click here to download Nancy’s recipe for Joyce’s Brownies as a PDF
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