Chef Alphonsine spent last weekend working like a fiend to create a bountiful dinner for an event to benefit renovation of the Brickworks Town Center and Farmers Market on Sunday.

The wonderful island-grown ingredients were donated by market vendors: Blue Moon Farms, Rob Waldron, Sweet Earth Farms, Westcott Bay Seafood, Bakery San Juan, Quail Croft Goat Cheese, and many more. San Juan Vineyards owner Yvonne Swanberg and winemaker Chris Primus were there with their donated wines, pairing one with each course.

Held at a private home off Roche Harbor Road, the nine-course dinner menu brought raves from all attendees, and at $100 a plate, brought in a healthy sum for the cause. Helping Chef Alphonse was her long-time friend, Willow Scrivner of Seattle, who made the trip to the island just to help with this dinner.

The Brickworks is a project spearheaded by the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild with the goal to create a bustling gathering place in downtown Friday Harbor. They have purchased an historic industrial building on Nichols Street, just next door to Coho Restaurant. Their vision is to restore this former cement block factory into a permanent farmers market with vendor stalls, a market plaza with green space, and a community center with both indoor and outdoor rental space for hosting culinary, artistic, and musical events year-round. “This is thinking outside of the box in ways that will serve the Town well now, and far into the future,” Mayor Carrie Lacher commented.

We are all looking forward to seeing the progress and improvements that will enhance Nichols Street, and are excited about the possibilities it will afford.  Congratulations to the Ag Guild for pulling off a successful event; hearty thanks to Chef Alphonsine, Willow Scrivner and the many volunteers for their generous contribution of time and labor.