The Senior Scene

(Pictured: Paul Wagner pounds away in Fort Nisqually’s blacksmith shop at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma).

From the field in the center of the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park, the blacksmith shop could be one of a number of buildings that line the perimeter. Get closer, however, and the sounds are unmistakable. There’s the deep, rattling breath of the forge bellows and high ring of a well-struck hammer blow. 

On this day, Master Blacksmith Paul Wagner is working with an apprentice to guide him through the final steps in making his first functional tool: a pair of scrolling pliers. The pliers are used for making fine adjustments like smoothing out the curves on the twisting candle holders occasionally sold in the fort gift shop. 

When a family walks in, Wagner steps away and talks to them about the activity and shows off an example of the final product and how it will work. The kids hover excitedly near a pedal-operated grinder being used to shape a bolt that will hold the plier handles together, while dad asks about the comparison between period and modern tools. 

“We always have a wide variety of people coming through,” said Wagner. “Some are really interested in the details and have lots of questions or maybe know something about blacksmithing themselves. Others have no idea that people still do this. They’ve only read about it in a book or saw it in a video game and are gobsmacked to see it actually happening.” 

Wagner started blacksmithing in the late 1990s but joined the fort as a volunteer in 2018 after attending its annual Brigade Encampment. 

“I was already interested in the fur trade era of history, especially the early stories of colonization by the Russians, British, and French,” he said. “I came out to the Brigade Encampment and connected with some people, realized what a great organization it was, and did the volunteer orientation after that. Bringing the historical reenactment together with my blacksmithing seemed like the perfect fit.” 

Since then, Wagner has volunteered over 2,200 hours, becoming the fort’s master blacksmith and establishing the apprenticeship program. As Wagner’s students move from apprentice to journeyman they can begin to work at the forge unsupervised and help expand volunteer coverage in the shop. 

“It’s not a blacksmithing school,” says Wagner. As much as he would love to do more teaching, the limitations of a shop set in 1855 aren’t conducive to teaching someone without prior experience. “I’m taking people who already have some shop skills and are interested in volunteering at the fort because of the history, then introducing blacksmithing on top of that. History and the context of the fort have to come first.” 

One of the biggest differences, and a first lesson for many apprentices, is becoming familiar with the fort’s coal forge.  

“Fire is one of your main tools,” said Wagner. “There’s a learning curve. Figuring out how to place something in the fire so that the part you’re working on heats and the part you need to handle doesn’t. You have to understand how a fire burns and has different zones depending on structure and airflow,” he continued. “Knowing how to produce it and being able to create the tools that make fire, it’s all wrapped up in blacksmithing. 

The tools Wagner is referring to are steel fire strikers which they use with a piece of flint to light the forge each day. He’s lost count of how many hundreds he and his apprentices have made over the years, along with coat hooks, s-hooks for hanging, and the previously mentioned candle holders. 

“Getting the hammer skills down and building muscle memory. The repetition and getting that into your body is a big part of blacksmithing,” said Wagner. “The gift shop is great for that because there’s an unending demand for those things.” 

Once they have the basics down, Wagner also teaches them to innovate and problem solve using the materials and skills they’ve developed. 

“Blacksmiths make a lot of their own tools, and that’s something I emphasize heavily with the people I teach,” he said. “I want my apprentices to know how to make a tool and feel comfortable with it. If they’re working on something and don’t have the tool they want, they should have the ability and knowledge to make it.” 

Wagner and his team have made tools for just about every group in the fort including the wood and leatherworkers, tinsmiths, and the kitchen.  

“I like making things that people interact with on a regular basis,” Wagner said. “I replaced a latch on a gate at the back of the clerk’s house. It was a cheap one from the hardware store that failed. My replacement was basic, but everyone uses it.  

“When someone touches a piece and it works so well and feels right in their hand, and it just feels like the thing that belongs here,” he continued. “That’s what I want.” 

These everyday items and other small touches around the fort have been some of his favorite projects.  

“Historically blacksmiths were really pivotal in a community,” he said. “That’s the way it’s been for thousands of years and when we can do a repair, it feels like the way it would have been done back in the day.” 

Wagner retired from his job as a wildlife ecologist last spring and is looking forward to spending more time on blacksmithing  at the fort and at his home smithy, where he also does woodworking.  

“I’m leaning hard into the ‘do stuff by hand’ things these days,” he said with a laugh. “I never want to take another Zoom call again.” 

Source: Metro Parks Tacoma

(Pictured: Button mushrooms are among the wild or market-bought mushrooms extolled by Chad Hyatt, a chef with an abundance of recipes for fungi cookery.)

Whether you’re a dedicated mushroom forager or you rely on the store or farmer’s market for your fungi fill, Chad Hyatt wants to help you can make the most of your mushroom haul with his upcoming book.

In “The Mushroom Hunter’s Kitchen,” which is scheduled for a July release by The Experiment Publishing, Hyatt, a professional chef and self-described mushroom foraging expert shares his favorite ‘shroom recipes, plus tips and techniques for cooking mushrooms safely and maximizing their flavor.

Hyatt hopes his guide to creating incredible meals (as well as snacks, preserves, and even desserts) helps foodies get the most out of the humble and ubiquitous button mushroom, the revered morel, the common oyster mushroom, the elusive huitlacoche, and everything in between.

Among his recipes and their categories are:

• Preserves and condiments: Salted Mushrooms, Candy Cap Whole-Grain Mustard, Chanterelle Lemon Marmalade.
• Breakfast: Matsutake Congee, Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits with Mixed Mushroom Gravy.
• Salads and Appetizers: Roasted Eggplant and Cauliflower Salad with Black Trumpet Vinaigrette, Spanish Tortilla with Potatoes and Mushrooms.
• Soups and Stews: Porcini Chestnut Soup, Saffron–Milk Cap Stew with Pork Belly and Potatoes.
• Hearty Entrées: Chicken Breast with Almondy Agaricus Pan Sauce, Blue Knight Ravioli.
• Desserts: Matsutake, Pear, and Chestnut Strudel; Turkey Tail Sorbet.

Cooking with mushrooms doesn’t have to be intimidating, Hyatt says. Have pounds and pounds of shrooms to use up after a recent foraging excursion? Turn them into preserves using the techniques in the first chapter. Intrigued by a recipe, but prefer to stick to the varieties you can find at your local farmers’ market? No problem. His recipes offer substitutions for uncommon mushrooms, so they’re all within reach regardless of season or foraging experience.

In short, Hyatt is out to delight seasoned mushroom foragers, amateur fungi afficionados, and adventurous foodies alike.

As a classically trained chef, Hyatt has made a name for himself in northern California and beyond by sharing his spin on wild-mushroom cookery. He has cooked in a variety of restaurants and private clubs around the San Francisco Bay area, where he can also often be found hunting for mushrooms, putting on wild-mushroom-themed dinners, teaching mushroom-related classes, and attending mushroom festivals. He said he is passionate about cooking approachable comfort food based on local, seasonal ingredients, and, of course, wild mushrooms.

(For the Seder, a dinner at which the story of Passover is told, wine is the star of the show in many homes.)

The Jewish holiday of Passover, which this year begins at sundown on April 12 and ends at nightfall on April 20, is an eight-day holiday celebrated with festive meals in which no leavened bread can be consumed, substituted with matzah. Part of the celebration includes the Seder, a dinner at which the story of Passover is told, commemorating the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt and their ultimate exodus to freedom. 

During the meal, adults consume four cups of wine, pouring out a portion to symbolize the Ten Plagues that befell Egypt during the time of the Exodus.

In many homes today, wine is the star of the Passover show. And with a wide selection of award-winning kosher wines available from the best wine-producing regions of the world, there’s a great Passover wine for every palate and budget. 

Jay Buchsbaum, Royal Wine’s vice president and director of wine education, noted the kosher wine industry “has seen many trends in recent years, with incredible growth and industry accolades.” They include:

• Increased variety. The range of kosher wines has expanded significantly, with more varieties, shades, and flavors to choose from. White, sparkling, and rosé wines are especially popular. 
• More kosher brands. 
• The emergence of kosher micro-wineries in Israel, often founded in people’s garages. These small, family-owned wineries are all-kosher.
• Organic and sustainable wines. Some kosher wineries are certified for organic grapes, sustainability, and carbon footprint. 
• Many more kosher-keeping consumers drink wine now than in the past. 
• Higher quality. Kosher wines have evolved from cloyingly sweet to well-balanced and complex.  

“Kosher wine is made with the same fermenting process as traditional wine but only uses kosher-certified ingredients. The creation of kosher wine must be supervised and conducted by Sabbath-observant Jews,” said Buchsbaum.

According to Buchsbaum, here’s what to look for when buying kosher wines for Passover: Check the label to confirm if the wine is mevushal or non-mevushal. Make sure the wine is kosher for Passover, which means it has been supervised and prepared in a certain way. Check that all ingredients, including yeasts and fining agents, are kosher. And make sure no preservatives or artificial ingredients are used.

(Pictured: Ron Chew has been named AARP Washington’s state president.)

Ron Chew, whose previous leadership roles have ranged from libraries locally to the arts nationally, now has a new one as AARP Washington’s state president.

In the volunteer role, Chew will help lead the organization’s activities on behalf of more than 870,000 Washington members and provide leadership in long-range planning to help meet the needs of the state’s older adults and their families. 

“I’m truly excited to collaborate with Washington’s AARP volunteers and staff,” Chew said. “As an older adult myself, I recognize the importance of ensuring that people can age according to their desires and have the necessary supports in place.”

Washington’s older population is growing. Currently, people 65 and older are about 18 percent of it. By 2050, they are projected to be more than 23 percent, with those 85 and older more than tripling. 

“Meeting the diverse needs of older Washingtonians requires empathy, innovation, and a profound respect for their life experiences,” said Chew. ” Issues like health security and future financial stability impact not only today’s older adults, but also their families and friends for generations to come.”

He said supporting family caregivers “is a significant concern at present. Each day, more than 820,000 Washingtonians perform an incredible labor of love—caring for older parents, spouses, and other loved ones, enabling them to stay at home, where they wish to be. While most of us wouldn’t have it any other way, the financial and emotional tolls of caregiving can be profound. It’s essential that we find ways to support caregivers with the resources and connections they require.”

Chew is a lifelong Seattle resident. He graduated from Franklin High School and attended the University of Washington, where he majored in journalism. He worked for 13 years as editor of the International Examiner, a newspaper in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.  Before that, he was executive director of the Wing Luke Museum, where his efforts led to the construction of the current museum building.

Recognized nationally, he was appointed to the National Council on the Humanities by then-president Bill Clinton in 2001 and has received numerous accolades for his leadership. 

On a local level, Chew is a member of the Board of Trustees of Seattle Public Libraries.

In 2020, Chew published his memoir, “My Forgotten Seattle,” a personal account of the history and vibrant community of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of Asian American activists and families.

He himself became part of that history when his contributions to aging and community health were recognized recently with the naming of the International Community Health Services’ state-of-the-art senior care facility as the Ron Chew Healthy Aging and Wellness Center.

“Ron has made significant contributions to community healthcare and the humanities, exemplifying leadership and dedication in both fields,” said AARP Washington director Marguerite Ro. “His experience and dedication to community service and advocacy is notable, and his leadership will serve our members well.”

Chew is an avid gardener. He’s also an avid runner, often seen mornings traversing the Beacon Hill neighborhood in Seattle.