Tulips and Magic in Skagit Valley, Washington State
Table of Contents
Story and photos by Scott Kendall (unless otherwise indicated)
Colorful Tulip Fields in Fertile Skagit Valley
Skagit Valley is the fertile area between Seattle and Vancouver in northwest Washington state. For over 150 years, Skagit Valley has been supplying the region and the country with potatoes, flowers, grains, lettuce, cabbages, beets, and other fresh produce. The soil, rain, and moderate climate provide the ideal conditions for growing the large variety of crops the valley is known for.
Tulips Galore at the Tulip Festival in April
Millions of people flock to The Netherlands for the spectacular Keukenhof Gardens Show each spring to see acres upon acres of colorful florals blanketing the countryside. It’s quite a sight!
Don’t have the time or budget to travel across the pond? Want something closer to home?
Then you need to check out the many Tulip Festivals in the Pacific Northwest, including the world-famous Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley held every April. Bloom times can vary slightly, and are usually at their prime for about two weeks sometime during the month of April.
In fact, Skagit Valley is the largest tulip, daffodil, and iris bulb producer in the US, and accounts for over 75% of tulip production.
Tulip Town and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
During the month of April, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is hosted at four different garden venues: Tulip Town, Garden Rosalyn, RoozenGaarde, and Tulip Valley Farms. I visited Tulip Town with Kristen Keltz, the CEO of Spinach Bus Ventures, and Genuine Skagit Valley’s Blake Vanfield to get a glimpse at some of the preparation for this annual event.
Rows and rows of over 50 varieties of tulips will be available for viewing. Visitors can walk designated paths around and through the tulips (it could be muddy, so wear a pair of rubbers or old boots). A mini-Holland town is onsite with windmills, beautiful murals, flowers, merchandise, food, and drink.
One of the exciting new changes at Tulip Town this year is that dogs will be allowed on the property. As dog lovers, Kristen and the staff are excited about welcoming humans with their pets. Of course, there are a few rules: Dogs must remain on a short leash; must remain behaved around people and other dogs; and must have all their waste picked up.
Using the convenient QR codes, visitors can easily order bulbs to be sent directly to their address. With the zip code you provide, Tulip Town can time the shipments so they arrive at prime planting times for your area. Just scan the bar codes at Tulip Town and place your order so you can plant your own colorful tulip garden. Such a cool and easy way to have your own slice of tulip heaven.
Eat in Skagit Valley
During our five days in Skagit Valley, we were fortunate to try three of the best restaurants in the area. All are proud of using fresh farm to table products, provide exceptional service, and create outstanding, delicious dishes.
Albie Bjornberg is the General Manager, part-Owner, and Sommelier at Nell Thorn in tiny La Conner, just 15 minutes from downtown Mount Vernon. Albie and his team have created a wonderful waterfront dining experience. The rotating menu takes advantage of whatever is fresh and available in the local area, and you can taste the difference local makes at this friendly place.
As we wound our way on rural farming country roads on our short drive to the charming town of La Conner, we felt the calm and peaceful aura of the area. We parked in front of this attractive restaurant with expansive views of the Swinomish Channel. Our friendly host greeted us and sat us at a window table with a wonderful view, which on this day featured some blue sky along with the open water views. We could see why Albie was happy to return home to Mount Vernon after spending time away in Seattle and elsewhere.
On the recommendation of Jody, our server, we ordered a Pinot Grigio from northern Italy. Our son had been stationed at Aviano Air Force Base in Italy, and we were familiar with the Friuli wine region from visiting several times. It just so happened that Max Mussco, the wine representative who supplies this particular wine, was in the restaurant when we were having lunch. Max was kind enough to come to our table and introduce himself and tell us a little about the wine and where it came from.
When we mentioned our son had lived in the small town of Sacile, near Pordenone, Max’s eyes got big and a smile came to his face. It turns out that his wife is from Sacile and that he is from nearby Pordenone. My wife, son, and I have spent many memorable days sipping Aperol Spritzes and eating gelato in the Sacile town square. What a small world!
My wife and I sampled several fantastic dishes. We started with the light and freshly prepared Beet and Pear Salad, with beets, pears, arugula, goat cheese, crushed Marcona almonds, and mint tossed in a fig balsamic vinegarette. The flavors melded together perfectly, and eat bite was a burst of fresh flavors.
For mains, Albie brought out the Dungeness Crab Tagliatelle, the Grilled Berkshire Porkchop, and a delicious Boeuf Bourguignon. The presentation was flawless, and the fresh flavors came through in each dish. The fresh crab and the house made egg yolk pasta with melted leeks, fennel, butter, and chili was wonderful. The Boeuf Bourguignon was fork tender, and the savory gravy and whipped potatoes were the perfect combination.
For dessert, we were treated to one of the best apple desserts I’ve ever had. Made with local apples, a crunchy crust, and fresh whipped cream, it was absolutely scrumptious! I highly recommend visiting Albie and the team at Nell Thorn in La Conner. The friendly, professional service, creative menus featuring fresh and local food and drinks, and the spectacular waterfront views make for a wonderful setting for lunch, dinner, or drinks.
There were so many tempting dishes on the menu at Nell Thorn, I have to go back to sample more on a future trip. Maybe I’ll try the Blackened Salmon Chowder, the Calamari Marseilles, or perhaps the Truffle Fries, while I sip on a Tiny Daggers cocktail.
A new farm-to-table restaurant and catering company at the Skagit Valley Airport, Skagit Landing was a lovely surprise. A talented chef, friendly and knowledgeable waitstaff, and a creative and delicious menu all provided for a delightful afternoon lunch. Select menu items are also available at Skagit Acres and seasonally at Tulip Town. This farm-to-fork restaurant is proud to focus on locally grown fresh ingredients for all menu items.
I followed the recommendation of our server, and I was totally pleased with the Steak Grinder. This hearty sandwich featured tender and flavorful steak, Mama Lil’s peppers, horse radish cream, onions nestled on a garlic mayo bun from the Water Tank Bakery, all topped with a mixture of melted cheddar and mozzarella. This delicious dish was served with a side of thinly sliced, crispy sweet potato fries with a sweet chili sauce on the side.
The rest of the lunch menu consists of a wide variety of sandwiches, burgers, and salads. One of our party had the delicious looking Meatloaf Sandwich. They even have a small but nice selection of breakfast items, including quiches, burritos, and bagels.
Skagit Landing offers a selection of wine, beer, cider, teas, lemonade, and other drinks with your meal. If you’re looking for a tasty cocktail, the crew will mix you one of their several creative offerings, including Sparkling Pamplemousse, Skagit Landing Winter Martini, Bellewood Mule, the Salted Caramel White Russian, and several other selections.
Chef Josie Urbick brings years of experience and top culinary skills as the Head Chef for Skagit Landing. Chef Urbick is a formally trained Le Cordon Bleu Chef with many accolades to her credit, with several top culinary positions in Seattle before moving back to her hometown of Mount Vernon. In addition to the airport location, food is served at The Landing at Skagit Acres as well as The Landing at Tulip Town during the Tulip Festival.
Authentic Food. Genuine Hospitality.
This simple but powerful mission drives everything Il Granaio Authentic Restaurant does.
Housed in the historic grainery, with its 90-foot-tall tower, on the south side of town in Mount Vernon, Il Granaio is a fabulous Italian restaurant guaranteed to bring you a taste Italy. Owner Bill Constantine is continuing the excellence started by original owner Alberto Candivi, an Italian native who started the restaurant in 2001.
I ordered the Fettucine di Mare, tender noodles with scallops, shrimp, and mushrooms in a flavorful creamy white wine sauce. My wife had a great looking Salmon Salad, with a moist filet of blackened salmon atop fresh greens with sliced tomatoes. We finished off our meal with a tangy lemon tart served with fresh whipped cream.
Oh,so good!
According to Bill Constantine, who took over as owner of Il Granaio in 2020, “A great cuisine is obviously the foundation of any good restaurant, but true success can only be achieved by the relationships we build with our guests.”
From the moment we entered, we could feel the closeness and camaraderie of the staff at Il Granaio. Led by Bill’s example, the staff all greeted us with smiles and seemed genuinely sincere in making our experience personal and memorable. Wonderful food and wine, a unique space, old hardwood floors, and friendly folks.
We’ll be sure to return to Il Granaio when we visit Skagit Valley.
King Arthur Baking Company Cooking School
As one of the largest and oldest flour and baking companies in the United States – it was founded in 1790 in Boston – King Arthur Baking Company qualifies as one of the true experts in the baking field.
With baking schools in Skagit Valley, Washington and Norwich, Vermont, bakers can choose between the west coast and east coast options to partake in baking classes. In addition, King Arthur offers online classes you can do from the comfort of your own home.
Some of the many cooking classes King Arthur offers include:
- British Baking Classics
- Sticky Fingers: Breakfast Buns
- Savory French Tarts
- Rustic Winter Tarts
- Bite into Biscotti
- If the Choux Fits: Cream Puffs and Eclairs
- Lofty Layers: Crafting Croissants
- Macarons
- Biscuits and Scones
We attended the Savory French Tarts cooking class from 1 pm till 5 pm in their Skagit Valley facility. My wife has been baking for years and loved learning more secrets and techniques for making these French delicacies. As bakers around the world know, baking is part science, part art, and part personal preferences.
In this class, Julie and her classmates made Spinach and Gruyere Cheese Quiche and a French Onion Galette. The crust is always an important part of French cooking, and much of the time was spent making just the right crust for the quiche and another for the galette. Using the Fraisage method, the crust for the quiche included all-purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, milk, an egg yolk, and butter. After mixing the ingredients, students shaped, chilled, pounded, rolled, and pressed the dough into the quiche pan. The crusts then went into the oven to par bake for about 15 minutes.
After adding the spinach, cheese, and egg mixture, the quiches cooked for about 45 minutes, filling the room with fabulous aromas. As soon as they cooled, we all sampled a slice of the instructor’s quiche, and boxed our own to take home. Meanwhile, students filled the Pate Brisee crust with the onions sauteed in with salt, pepper, and Herbs de Provence for the galette.
Julie’s instructors, Geoffrey and Leah, were outstanding. Geoffrey explained and demonstrated each step, and was easy to follow each instruction. He also patiently answered several questions that came up, and kept the class fun and easy the entire afternoon. Julie left with a lot of valuable knowledge and experience and memories of a fun time cooking with Chef Geoffrey.
Ron Extract and his partner, Amber Watts, came to Skagit Valley in 2016 from Austin, Texas, to fulfill their dream of starting their own destination brewery/cidery/winery/meadery. The result is the delightful Garden Path Fermentation in Burlington. Academics from the east coast, Ron and Amber had moved to Texas where they both worked at Jester King. Ron was a managing partner with years of experience in the brewing industry, and Amber worked numerous positions within the brewery business.
With the great bounty of agricultural resources in their own backyard, Ron and Amber exclusively use Skagit-grown grain, fruit, honey, and Pacific NW hops in their products. They ferment all of their products in oak with 100% native Skagit yeast. Garden Path Fermentation draws on traditional old world brewing and winemaking techniques and adapts them to take advantage of the Skagit Valley’s tremendous resources.
Most products used in Garden Path Fermentation’s beverages are sourced within twenty miles of the facility – thus, the term hyperlocal is commonly used. Part of the philosophy of Ron and Amber is to be creative while adapting tried and true processes, resulting in unique beverages to share with their friends and customers.
In addition to the creativity in making the beverages, the team at Garden Path Fermentation also display an enormous amount of inventiveness and creativity in naming their products as well as the descriptions and artwork.
Some of our favorite names include: Ron’s Not Bitter, The Little Horse Around, The Garden Paths Led to Flowered, The Whole Sum Parts, and The Untended Bloom. When you visit, sit down with Ron, Amber, or one of the team and have them share their stories. You will be informed, amused, and entertained by Ron, Amber, and the team as you follow the Garden Paths that lead to the various Fermentation products.
Experience the Magic of Skagit Valley
One week in Skagit Valley just gave us a taste of this beautiful part of northwest Washington state. With the fertile valley, scenic drives, ocean views, fabulous food and drink, and friendly folks, Skagit Valley deserves another visit. We hope to make it up some April for the Tulip Festival, but any time of year would be a lovely time to return.
Thanks so much to Genuine Skagit Valley, Tulip Town, Nell Thorn Restaurant, Garden Path Fermentation, Skagit Landing, King Arthur Baking School, and Il Granaio for hosting us. All opinions are my own.
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Scott Kendall is the Founder, Editor, and frequent contributor to PlayStayEat. He is a former Navy Officer, teacher and tennis coach who is an avid traveler and writer. Scott has traveled extensively throughout the United States and overseas to Italy, France, England, Croatia, Slovenia, and others. In addition to his contributions to PlayStayEat, much of his published work can be seen at scottkendalltravels.com.