Wine Country's Restaurant Scene - The Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant of Walla Walla

The downtown Walla Walla restaurant of Whitehouse Crawford opened its doors in May of 2000 in a historical building that was once a lumber-planing mill and furniture factory in the early 1900's. Destined to be demolished by the City of Walla Walla, owners Carl and Sonia Schmitt acquired the building in the late 90's and began a makeover. The building itself was sound and many of the historical pieces are showcased in the restaurant today such as a boiler face at the entrance, original floor joists in the red fir floor and historical photos.

Sonia Schmitt grew up in Walla Walla. She met Carl while attending Whitman College. Upon marrying they moved to California and they lived in the Bay Area for many years. Upon deciding to return to Walla Walla in retirement, they knew the town was in culinary dire straits and decided to open a restaurant. (About 3/4 of the building space is leased to 7 Hills Winery and the remaining space makes up Whitehouse Crawford.) The Schmitts were food and wine lovers but had no prior restaurant experience so they sought expertise in Seattle. A few months prior to the opening, they hired Chef Jamie Guerin of Campagne to oversee the kitchen.

When asked how he would describe the cuisine at Whitehouse Crawford, Jamie simply stated, "It's mostly made up of all the things I like."

He focuses on regional ingredients and tries not to source from too far away. In the summer, this is an easy task as Walla Walla has an abundance of fresh produce like onions, asparagus, tomatoes and corn. He also uses a lot of wine in his cooking. Diners will see French influences from Jamie's time at Campagne, as well as his love for Asian dishes and a little Latin American influence to mark his roots. He also strives to appeal to the locals as well as the growing influx of wine tourists.

"Locals like meat and potatoes so we work hard to cater to them," he states, "but we also add some exciting urban and city choices for our wine tourists."

To accompany the small, ever changing menu, Whitehouse Crawford boasts a wine list made up primarily of Walla Walla wines. Recently  there has been an effort to expand and bring in more European wines, surprisingly, at the local patrons and winemakers requests.

"They drink Walla Walla wines a lot and they love them, but they also want to try wines from around the world," Jamie said.

On many nights at Whitehouse Crawford, diners will have the opportunity to rub shoulders with the towns local winemakers as it is truly a favorite for many. For more information such as hours and sample menu, visit their Web site at http://www.whitehousecrawford.com/.

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Curry and Coconut Milk By Chef Jamie Guerin of Whitehouse Crawford A Fall favorite at Whitehouse Crawford, this soup is easy to make and the Thai flavors add a definite kick. It is very satisfying on a chilly fall day. This recipe makes about two quarts. Ingredients 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into chunks 1 carrot, peeled, sliced 1 onion, peeled, sliced 1 inch piece ginger, peeled, grated 1 quart coconut milk 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock 1 T Thai yellow curry paste 1 T Thai fish sauce 4 T butter salt Slowly cook the onions, carrots, and ginger in butter until soft. Add coconut milk, stock , and squash and bring to a simmer. Add curry paste and fish sauce and simmer until all the vegetables are very soft. Blend soup in batches adding more stock if necessary to achieve the right consistency. Season to taste with salt. Garnish with toasted coconut. From JUICE, The Latest on Washington Wine Country, January-February 2007

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