lummi island wine tasting jan 27 ’23
Hours this weekend: Open 3:30- 5:30 pm Friday Only
Our current plan is to be open Fridays only through February.
Covid (and a bunch of other winter bugs) is still around, more contagious than ever, but far less threatening for the vaccinated.
We all have our own comfort zones; these days we all have to manage the space around us in our own way. Just be mindful of the risks, thanks.
Friday Bread This Week
Pain Meunier -Aka Miller’s Bread to honor the miller who mills the wheat. Made with pre-fermented dough it contains all portions of the wheat berry: flour, fresh milled whole wheat, cracked wheat and wheat germ. Always a favorite and a great all around bread. It makes the best toast! – $5/loaf
Sonnenblumenbrot – Aka Sunflower Seed Bread, made with a pre-ferment that takes a portion of the flour, water, salt and yeast that ferments overnight before mixing the final dough with bread flour and freshly milled rye, then loaded up with toasted sunflower seeds and some barley malt syrup for sweetness. – $5/loaf
and pastry this week…
Traditional Croissants – Made with both a sourdough levain and a prefermented dough – aka “old dough” where a portion of the flour, water, salt and yeast is fermented overnight. The final dough is then made with more flour, butter, milk and sugar, laminated with more butter before being cut and shaped into traditional french croissants. –2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. Each week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier ’18 South Africa $12
Boekenhoutskloof farm was established in 1776 in the furthest corner of the beautiful Franschhoek Wine Valley of South Africa, about 50 km east of the Cape of Good Hope.
The farm’s name means “ravine of the Boekenhout” (pronounced Book-n-Howed), which is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for furniture making. In 1993 the farm and homestead were bought and restored and new vineyards planted for Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon and Viognier.
When the farm was founded, the Franschhoek valley was far wilder than it is today. Though the mountains are still alive with indigenous animals, including the majestic leopard, the only evidence that wolves once roamed here is an ancient wolf trap found long ago. This wine was named in homage to the mysteries and legends of days long gone by.
Most of the Syrah in The Wolftrap comes from the Swartland region (photo, left), where it develops its robust character and elegant aromas of violets, ripe plums, and spicy, peppery profile and juicy, fruity character. The Mourvèdre, also from the Swartland, lends a red fruit character and smoky body while a dash of Viognier adds perfume and verve for a rustic Rhône-style blend that seriously over-delivers for its $11 price point.
Economics of the Heart: Capital Repairs vs. Routine Maintenance
Ferry accounting practices again took a front row seat in Island consciousness this week.
A County Council vote to approve a very recently (just a month ago) proposed and very expensive ferry fare increase was scheduled for this past Tuesday night. Around noon there was a Council subcommittee meeting that briefly heard suggestions from LIFAC (Ferry Advisory Committee) before scheduling the Council vote.
The upshot of the LIFAC presentation was that many Islanders were very upset about both the magnitude and financial impact of the fare increase and the methodology which was used to generate its size and need. And at the end of the day, to our surprise and relief, the committee decided to postpone action until their March meeting. That gives us two months to organize a community response. This delay is a big and surprising victory, since until then the fare increase juggernaut was steamrolling all questions and objections into a long line of Chicken Little pancakes.
Even more surprising, our own challenges to the capital accounting calculations of the portion of annual operating expenses that must be paid from fare receipts seemed to gain a bit of traction. We maintain that many very large expenses that the County has classified as “regular maintenance” are actually capital improvements, not routine maintenance . A perfect example is the series of “repairs” to the landing dolphins (see photo above) which cushion and absorb the ferry’s momentum when docking. The current “repair” is expected to cost $400,000, and that’s in addition to similar recent rebuilds of several others. Let’s face it, folks, there is nothing “regular and ordinary” about major infrastructure improvements.
A search online comparing accounting practices for ordinary repairs vs. capital repairs yields consistent results across the board. A repair must be considered a capital improvement if it meets any one of these criteria:
- Extends the asset’s useful life beyond that originally estimated, OR
- Enhances its overall value, OR
- Makes it better, more efficient, or more productive.
Still, these are questions best answered by accounting experts. Fortunately, all local and state agencies are subject to oversight by the Washington State Auditor’s Office, and we happen to have a branch office in Bellingham. We have asked that office to take a closer look at these County accounting practices to determine if they conform to State standards, and are hopeful that can happen soon.
In the meantime, there is a lot of interest and traffic on our local Nextdoor website about the economic and social impacts of the proposed fare increases. According to 2020 Census data, around 350 Island residents consider themselves regular commuters who ride the ferry to the mainland to work most days, about 250 round trips per year. That adds up to about $1000/yr for every $4 in fares. Current punch card fares are currently around $10 for car/driver, or $2500/yr for a commuter. Under the proposed fare increase that will go up to around $3500/yr for a car/driver and — we are not making this up– still $2500/yr just to walk on. No other ferry system on the planet has such a disproportionate charge for walkons.
So there are a bunch of ethical issues here as well as financial ones. It is reasonable for someone who lives on the Island to have to pay that kind of money just to drive to work every day? Everyone else gets to use all the other County and State roads at no charge. Not that many years ago our ferry route was actually classified as a state highway. Why did that change?
to be continued
This Week’s $10 Wine Tasting
Bodega Garzon Albarino ’21 Uruguay $15
Pale yellow with greenish reflections, this Albariño is intense in the nose, with peach and citrus notes. The freshness and minerality mid-palate is superb, with remarkable acidity and a round, crisp finish. A lovely wine at a bargain price!
The Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier ’18 South Africa $12
Aromas of ripe plums, red currants, violets, Italian herbs and exotic spices lead to vibrant flavors of darker berries and spicy plum with hints of orange peel that linger on a juicy finish. Also way over-delivers for its modest price!
Daou Pessimist Red blend ’20 California (Paso Robles) $25
Full-bodied, rich and spicy, with balanced layers of elderberry and truffle with accents of cocoa, cardamom eucalyptus, leather, tobacco, and grilled meat, alluring texture, and leisurely finish.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
2072 Granger Way