A Local Harvest Dinner at Sleeping Lady

I had a chance over the July 4 weekend to head to eastern Washington—opting out of the fireworks insanity of my Green Lake/Wallingford neighborhood. Instead, I spent a couple of days at the Sleeping Lady Resort  near Leavenworth, just in time for their first local harvest dinner. Sleeping Lady, a beautiful all-inclusive eco-conscious resort and conference center founded and owned by Harriet Bullitt, has long had a large organic garden. A garden tour before dinner—accompanied by a local wine and cheese tasting—set the scene for the dinner that took place in the resort’s lodge-inspired Kingfisher dining hall.
Executive chef Ken MacDonald and local radio chef Isaac Kaplan-Woolner supplemented what the garden provided with locally sourced food—not too tough a task when you’re sitting in the midst of some of the state’s richest farm country. We enjoyed cherries from Jerzy Boyz Fruit in Chelan, honey from Hickman Hives in Leavenworth, beets from Alvarez Farm in Mabton and Sunnyside, heirloom tomatoes from Billy’s Tomatoes in Tonasket, navy beans from White Tail Produce in Quincy, garlic from Tierra Garden Organics in Leavenworth, berries from Bunny Laine Farm in Tonasket, sheep’s cheese from Alpine Lakes (sold locally at Metropolitan Markets) and wine from Eagle Creek Winery. And of course, lots of vegetables and berries from the Sleeping Lady organic garden. The only thing on the menu that wouldn’t fall within a 100-mile diet was the salmon, which came from Bristal Bay, Alaska.
It was all deliciously prepared, served family-style at communal tables in the elegant Kingfisher’s Lodge overlooking Icicle Creek. The dinner drew a convivial crowd of locals and Sleeping Lady guests. I’d spent the day hiking up to 8-mile Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness—and with all those calories burned, I had no trouble indulging in the multi-course dinner. The next harvest dinner is on August 23. Come for the dinner alone, or book a few nights at Sleeping Lady. By then, renovations to the sauna/massage area—underway during my visit—will undoubtedly be complete, handy since outdoor pursuits, and the sore muscles that often result, do beckon when you’re staying here.
There was talk at the table about the future of Leavenworth—with some locals thinking that the town’s kitchy Bavarian theme may have run its course. More and more visitors are coming to town for the vast recreational opportunities the area offers: mountain biking, hiking, climbing and river rafting in the summer; skiing, snow shoeing and sledding in the winter. And, of course, there’s also the attraction of wine—with a half-dozen or more tasting rooms in town.
I won’t try to predict whether Leavenworth continues to bank on its Bavarian connection, but this little town has more and more going for it, whether you are interested in lederhosen or hiking.