Cedar Creek Grist Mill announces 2015 special events

The Friends of the Cedar Creek Grist Mill have announced this year’s special events listings.

Along with all the favorites, like the annual Bread & Butter Day, which offers samples of bread made from freshly milled wheat covered in freshly churned butter, the Grist Mill will feature a new event this year. On June 27, come out for the first-ever Strawberry Shortcake Day, which will sample whole wheat shortcakes and locally grown strawberries.

The nearly 140-year-old Cedar Creek Grist Mill is the only grain-grinding mill in Washington that has kept its original structural integrity, is water-powered and grinds with stones. The mill is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is located at 43907 NE Grist Mill Road in Woodland.

The historic grist mill is operated by the Friends of the Cedar Creek Grist Mill, a nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers. The group’s goal is to maintain the mill in its original condition and educate visitors about the local history and benefits of whole grain foods.

The mill is open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Private tours, for 10 or more people, may be arranged at other times by calling (360) 247-7413. For more information, visit cedarcreekgristmill.org.

Following is a full list of the Cedar Creek Grist Mill’s 2015 special events, which take place on the last Saturday of the month:

Bread & Butter Day, May 30

Bread is the backbone of every meal in every home. Join us as we take whole, freshly milled wheat and turn it into bread, as real bread is meant to be. Our bread has no preservatives, no additives, no substitutions, nothing taken out. Sample the bread and take home the flour and recipe to make your own bread anytime you want to. We'll be churning real cream into real butter, by hand, as our ancestors have done for hundreds of years. Using only one ingredient, 100-percent cream. Topping our fresh bread with pure butter can only be improved with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Strawberry Shortcake Day, June 27

This is a day that we highlight the local farmers in Clark County. We are fortunate to live in an area that grows some of the best strawberries in the world. We are going to be sampling 100-percent whole-wheat shortcakes made with locally grown strawberries. There will be maps to the local farms, so you will be able to take home your own berries and taste the difference. Don't worry, we'll be giving you the recipe for the shortcakes, too, and all the flour you'll need to make them.

Blueberry Pancake Day, July 25

You'll be sampling blueberry pancakes, topped with fresh blueberries, and covered in real blueberry syrup. Our blueberries come from our local farms and we'll have maps to the farms were you can pick your own or buy them ready to go. Again, we'll have the recipes and the whole wheat flour that you need to make them at home. The antioxidant benefits of blueberries, joined to healthy whole wheat makes for a delicious breakfast that is good for you.

Cornbread Day, Aug. 29

Cornbread has a bad rap. We think of it as the poor relation to real bread. That's just not so. At the grist mill, we take lowly cornbread and transform it into the most sophisticated of foods. Cornbread will be seen dressed in raspberry jam, rich cheeses, savory bacon, fragrant herbs and onions, and sweet fruits. For those challenged by wheat flour, we'll have a gluten free cornbread, too. Naturally, we'll have the recipes and our millers will mill cornmeal before your eyes.

Treat Day, Sept. 26

This should be our back-to-school celebration. We pull out all the stops and try special things. If you think whole wheat means dry and boring, think again. We'll be making cakes, cookies, scones, muffins, sweet breads, even dog biscuits may appear. Our volunteer bakers have free rein to invent and be creative. The only restraint, everything will have whole wheat flour from the Cedar Creek Grist Mill. As usual, we'll have recipes and all the flour you'll need to recreate these treasures at home.

Apple Cider Pressing, Oct. 31

Our oldest and most amazing event at the Mill. We'll be taking 8,000 pounds of apples and pressing them into the freshest apple cider you can find anywhere on earth.

Because of the popularity of this event, we have to limit the amount of cider that you will be able to take home with you. We ask for a donation of $4 a jug. Don't worry, our event has been inspected by the Clark County Board of Health and we are proud to say that our cider is delicious, healthy and safe. You'll also have a chance to see the Cedar Creek in it's Autumn glory. Salmon will be jumping the falls and the opportunity for unforgettable photographs will be endless. Our younger visitors will be helping us press apples. This is a wonderful chance for children to see how their food is made and how we used to live in a more natural time.