A Once-in-a-lifetime Culinary Experience

Guests dined alfresco under twinkling lights.

“Oooohhh… Aaahhhh… Mmmm… Wow… Delicious!” were heard throughout the evening from the 22 guests who had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in the amazing alumni-coordinated and student-supported Organic Farm Dinner. Top bidders at The Evergreen State College Foundation’s annual Art of Giving Gala & Auction won invitations to the unique culinary experience on September 9, 2017 helping to raise more than $200,000 for scholarships at Evergreen.

Annie Sloan and Archer Hobson-Ritz, who graduated in 2017, spearheaded the unparalleled event that resulted in a heartfelt volunteer capstone project in appreciation of their Evergreen education. In true Greener fashion, Annie and Archer created and designed the menu using an Evergreen education as the theme. Each of the 21 courses were paired with either an alumni-owned beverage or a drink they made themselves, like parsnip milk or bay leaf juice.

Justin Roberts, student and Shellfish Club member, demonstrates how to shuck an oyster.

As the other guests and I arrived at Evergreen’s Organic Farm, we were warmly greeted by students and invited to enjoy a glass of Whitewood dry cider on the porch while the finishing touches were completed for the cocktail hour. We then moved into the Sustainable Agriculture Lab (SAL) and enjoyed music by MonkFlower while sampling a variety of hors’d’oeuvres including Kumamoto oysters donated by Taylor Shellfish, Olykraut tapioca pearl mignonette, cured ham, lamb (grown on the Organic Farm) prosciutto, Sikkim cucumber and geoduck, broccoli leaves with cured egg yolk and cured salmon roe, and sublime chicken stock pie paired with a Salish Sea Hibiscus Liqueur, sage, and egg white cocktail as well as a non-alcoholic sparkling strawberry top shrub.

Glenn Tippy, current student, led a tour of Evergreen’s Organic Farm.

A student-led tour through Evergreen’s Organic Farm transitioned the party from the SAL to the dinner table. Guests popped the largest raspberries ever seen into their mouths as they strolled through the farm. The steamy cup of corn silk and cover crop broth (illustrating how even the parts of the vegetation that would normally be discarded or used in compost can create a nourishing meal) greeted us at the end of the tour. The broth was matched with a rose and shiitake rosé vermouth.

Archer Hobson-Ritz ’17 presents Three Magnets Vanilla Smoked Urban Farmhouse Ale.

We dined alfresco with centerpieces of candles and potted flowers and twinkling white lights, and dried herbs decorating the canopy. Before I go into the main courses of the dinner I want to remind you that everything, e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, was prepared completely from scratch by recent Evergreen alums.

Annie Sloan ’17 serves gourmet pizza during the “Freshman Year” course.

Beginning with “Freshman Year,” lamb tongue pizza with truffles and nasturtium was distributed in a cardboard pizza box and paired with Three Magnets Smoked Urban Farmhouse Ale while Pink Floyd played in the background with a lava lamp illuminating the darkness. Then an array of delicious bites—sourdough fried mushrooms with lavage, fried eggplant with honey, fried Olykraut, candied hemp, and hazelnut butter wrapped in beet (to mimic a peanut butter and jelly sandwich) plated on cedar rounds. Each bite was more delicious than the last. “Freshman Year” was also paired with Iggy’s kombucha.

Guests read their original poetry during “Seminar.”

The next course was “Seminar.” Served on edible paper with original student poetry and three different perspectives on tomatoes. We were encouraged to discuss our poems, use the edible paper to eat the tomatoes, and share our thoughts on each of the tomato varieties. This dish was paired with Mercer Viognier Culloden Vineyard 2015.

Bonnie Zion learned to make Sichuan buttons while studying abroad and she prepared individual bites of lamb broth Sichuan buttons that burst with flavor in our mouths. This course was matched with COR Alba Gewürztraminer or Pinot Gris Celilo Vineyard 2014. Next up was freshly baked bread with seasoned lardo, pickles, and bay leaf juice.

The Longhouse-inspired course was served on compostable palm plates and consisted of Ozette potatoes, smoked sockeye salmon, greens from the Longhouse Ethnobotanical Garden, and paired with Mercer Reserve Chardonnay Zephyr Ridge Vineyard 2014. Armando DeLao ’17 caught the wild salmon as well as the salmon roe served during the cocktail hour.

Next up was “Fall Quarter” where lamb sausage (remember, made by scratch!) was paired with charred pear, served on burnt leaves, and paired with Mercer Mourvedre Horse Heaven Hills 2013.

“Winter Quarter” was a delicate parmesan and white sweet potato cappelletti with hazelnut snow and pine oil coupled with parsnip milk. The creamy white parsnip milk was refreshing and mildly sweet.

“Spring Quarter” was a delicate plate of light pink rose granite and pea tendril yogurt served with fermented honey and pineapple weed juice.

Guests were delighted to discover the flower pots were filled with cookie toppings!

“Week Ten” was full of surprises—just like life at Evergreen! As a dish of ice cream was served to each guest, we were informed the dirt in the flowerpots in front of us was actually squid ink and chocolate cookie toppings for the ice cream! Squeals of delight burst out at this revelation—those who had been inspecting the flowerpots earlier had exclaimed, “I know that’s dirt!” We didn’t know what “woodruff” was, is that an ice cream brand we asked? No. Woodruff is a flowering perennial plant that was harvested from the Evergreen forest and used to make the ice cream. The final touch to this incredible dessert was coconut sugar caramel to pour on top. Three Magnets Vanilla Tompkins Stout was served with this dish.

The lead chefs were Bonnie Zion, a current student, and Daniel Saunders ’16.

For “Evaluation,” we walked along a path lit-up with tea lights to the rustic Farmhouse dining room, where we enjoyed anise pinwheels, raspberry and lemon verbena pavlova, and, drumroll please, lamb bacon donuts with rosemary and black pepper! For nightcaps, Salish Sea Honeybush Liqueur and Batdorf & Bronson coffee were offered.

Gathered around the farmhouse table, with Paul Simon’s Graceland in the background, participants were presented with gift bags including a wall hanging of the menu with original student artwork, sweet pea and angelica seeds, raspberry jam from the Organic Farm, pouches of dried pepper and lavender, and two small decorative stones.

Those of us who were lucky enough to indulge in this incomparable feast will treasure the experience for years to come. Annie and Archer, along with all of the supporting volunteers and alums, appreciated their ability to give back to Evergreen by supporting scholarships for future generations of Evergreen students. If you’re interested in helping coordinate next year’s Organic Farm Dinner, feel free to contact me at wonderwm@evergreen.edu. In the meantime, save the date for the next Art of Giving Gala & Auction—you are sure to be inspired—March 10, 2018.

Throwback Thursday

Fun at the Formal

An Evergreen formal in 1975

The minimal accompanying caption for this image left me wondering, what formal happened at Evergreen in 1972? Did you attend this dance or do you know the fancy folks in this photo? I would love to hear from you!

2/1/2016 Update: We had a great response from our Facebook community and a comment from the man pictured! Hap Freund wrote, “Yes, of course that is me and my lovely wife of 36+ years, Claudia Chotzen. I think this was taken in 1975. I came to Evergreen in the fall of 1973, met Claudia in 1974. The other person is Claudia’s life-long friend Diane Berger (was Diane Hucks). The ‘occasion’ was an Evergreen prom. Probably the only time I wore a suit during my time at Evergreen!”

Next month you can don your best threads and join us at The Art of Living on February 20th from 5:30pm-9:00pm at The Hotel Murano in Downtown Tacoma. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Annual Scholarship Fund to support Evergreen students in pursuing their dreams and create opportunities for those without means.


Click here to register today!

 

May’s Big Idea Strikes The Right Chord

Group applause for Nancy Koppelman's talk

Group applause for Nancy Koppelman’s talk

“What Are Families For?” That’s the question that sparked May’s Big Idea, which brought together an exciting combination of thoughtful minds, relevant conversation, and good food and drinks together for a truly memorable and fun evening at Three Magnets Brewing Company in downtown Olympia. The star of the evening was faculty guest speaker Nancy Koppelman ’88, who had a lively crowd of Greeners alternating between laughter, asking questions and examining assumptions for upwards of an hour after a relaxed social hour in the restaurant’s Barrel Room. Once guests had drinks in hand, food ordered, friends made, and old friends greeted, we slid the rustic sliding doors closed and initiated a conversation that unquestionably had everyone’s full attention. Continue reading

Alumni and Community Members Help Make Evergreen Entrepreneurs Symposium a Success

Evergreen Entrepreneurs Symposium May 5 Digital FlyerNearly 90 Evergreen students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members explored the role of civic engagement, opportunity and an Evergreen education in entrepreneurial success on Tuesday, May 5 at The Evergreen Entrepreneurs Symposium. The event celebrated the ongoing success of Evergreen students and alumni in entrepreneurial ventures, including non-profits, for-profits and cooperatives, along with the valuable connections and networking that comes from bringing the broader learning community together. Continue reading

Speakers and Events on Campus, 5/4 – 5/8

We are pleased to welcome several esteemed speakers to our campus in Olympia next week. We hope you will join us.

Elaine Scarry will speak on Monday, May 4 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in Lecture Hall 1. Professor Scarry will speak at Convocation next fall, and incoming students will read her book Thinking in an Emergency as part of their orientation to Evergreen and to self-reflective thinking and learning.

Dr. Cornel West speaks on Monday, May 4 from 7:00 – 9:30 pm in the Constantino Recreation Center. Doors open at 6:00 pm, and the event starts at 7:00 pm. Students and Faculty pay $7 in advance, $10 at the door. General Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Tickets are available through Rainy Day Records, Greener Store, Tacoma Program, Quality Food Centers (QFC’s) and TicketsWest.com, as well as at the door.

Alumni including Eben Greene ’91 and Sash Sunday ’09 will speak at the Evergreen Entrepreneurs Symposium on Tuesday, May 5 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm in the Communications Building. Find out more about the speakers and participating organizations on the event website. Admission is $5 at the door for alumni and community members and free with an Evergreen ID.

Native American feminist scholar and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz will speak on Tuesday, May 5 from 7:00 – 10:00 pm in the Evergreen Longhouse.

Video and performance artist Kim Miller will speak on Wednesday, May 6 from 11:30 – 1:00 pm in Lecture Hall 1.

Comment if you are planning to attend any of these events, or if you know about other events on campus next week.

It’s About Time: Big Idea event series kicks off at Three Magnets in Olympia

Greg Mullins speaks at April's Big Idea

Greg Mullins speaks at April’s Big Idea

Over thirty alumni and friends gathered on Wednesday night after work at Three Magnets Brewing Company for the first installment of the Big Idea event series. Representing the classes of 1974, 2015, and every class in between, a lively crowd gathered on the month’s third Wednesday for April’s Big Idea.

Alumni and friends at April's Big Idea

Alumni and friends at April’s Big Idea

Three Magnets Brewing Company, owned and operated by two Evergreen alumni, Nate and Sarah Reilly ’01, served their house-brewed beers and made-from-scratch pub fare to Greeners in the Barrel Room, the restaurant’s event space.

Faculty members Greg Mullins, Shaw Osha and Trevor Speller started the conversation with a short talk, which was inspired by their team-taught program, It’s About Time. They shared reflections on how technology has revolutionized our relation to time, including anecdotes and readings from their experiences asking their students to unplug from the internet, use typewriters rather than computers, and approach art and literature SLOWLY. After their thought- and laughter-provoking talk, everyone truly was talking about time.

We hope alumni and friends will join us for the next Big Idea, a talk by Evergreen faculty Nancy Koppelman ’88, inspired by her program What Are Children For?.

Did you attend? Or wish you had? Join the conversation by commenting below.

Alumni Gather in Portland, Oregon

The sign-in hub at Greeners after Work: Portland on March 31, 2015

The sign-in hub at Greeners after Work: Portland on March 31, 2015

Over thirty alumni and friends gathered on Tuesday night at the Lucky Lab Tap Room, on a day that brought hail, rain and sunshine to The City Of Roses. From the classes of 1975 to 2014, a lively crowd gathered on March 31, 2015, for the event Greeners After Work: Portland.

With micro brews, pizza and salad in hand, Greeners shared stories, made connections, and came together for an evening that built excitement for Evergreen and what’s next for the alumni that live and work in the Portland area. Continue reading

Alumni to return for Sean-nós NW Festival

Almost 25 years ago, Sean Williams came to The Evergreen State College to teach ethnomusicology, and soon after launched an Irish Studies program that’s drawn students and alumni to campus ever since. Taught once every three years, the year-long program was started in 1994 by Williams and the late Patrick Hill. Over the years, Williams taught the program with Hill, Charles Teske, Rebecca Chamberlain and Tom Rainey. Over the past decade or so, Williams has taught the program by herself. “There are 25 spots available in the class, and four times as many typically write admittance essays,” Williams says of the process to enroll. With the popularity and uniqueness of the program, eight years ago Williams started the annual Sean-nós Northwest Festival, and this President’s day weekend it returns to Evergreen. Close to 100 Evergreen Irish Studies alumni and devotees are expected to attend the three-day festival from across North America. Continue reading

Foundation Launches Association With Ambitious Goals

A new organization was launched earlier this month to promote the long term success of The Evergreen State College, its students and alumni. The Associated Alumni and Friends of Evergreen is part of The Evergreen State College Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building an outstanding future for Evergreen. Continue reading

Evergreen Student Civic Engagement Institute Wraps Up Successful Second Year

Group picture of the 1st ESCEI cohort from 2013. Photo: Shauna Bittle

Group picture of the 1st ESCEI cohort from 2013. Photo: Shauna Bittle

On November 19th, 2014, graduates of the second annual Evergreen Student Civic Engagement Institute (ESCEI) gathered for their final cohort meeting to present and share their service projects. They first met in a five day pre-orientation program and under the leadership of Member of the Faculty Nancy Koppelman and Recreation and Athletics Director Matt Newman, they embarked on a journey that will define their academic and social experiences at Evergreen. Continue reading