March 3rd 2012 marks the opening day of the 50th season of Blake Island’s Tillicum Village experience. In honor of this great anniversary, Argosy Cruises would like to invite you to experience Tillicum Village at a discounted rate.

The 2012 opening of Tillicum Village is Saturday, March 3rd, marking 50 years in Seattle’s history!  If you haven’t had a chance to see the new show that debuted last year, (we’ve done even more upgrades to the show for the 2012 season),  now’s your chance at a special rate. For every Tillicum Village trip between March 3 and April 29, 2012 your group of 6 or fewer can go at a special rate of $50 per adult – that’s a $30 savings!

To make reservations, call Argosy Cruises and mention the “50 for 50 rate” at Tillicum Village 206-623-1445 or 888-623-1445

Offer valid on new reservations only. Easter Sunday (April 8th) excluded.

Featured Recipe: Tri-Colored Bean Salad

On August 23rd, we were honored to be featured in a “Cooking with Tillicum Village” segment on New Day Northwest. Joe Barnhart shared the traditional method that we use to cook our salmon. Just in case you missed it, we thought we’d pass along the recipe for one of our signature dishes: Chef Ron’s Tri-Colored Bean Salad.

At Tillicum Village, we serve this salad as a part of our buffet along side our traditional alder baked salmon, our signature northwest stew of bison, venison, and beef, house baked whole grain bread, and more. Take a look at our 2011 Menu to see all of the buffet offerings!

Chef Ron’s Tri Colored Bean salad
Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 lb Green beans (cleaned and stemmed)
1 can White cannellini beans (drained)
1¼ cup Cherry tomato halves
2 T. Shallots, diced
1 T. Fresh basil, julienne

Dressing
1/2cup sweet rice vinegar
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp shallots, diced
pinch salt and pepper

Procedure:
Make dressing by whisking ingredients together in a small bowl.
Submerge beans in salted boiling water for one minute, IMMEDIATELY submerge beans in ice water. When beans are chilled remove from water and pat dry.
Gently toss beans, cannellini beans and vinaigrette in a bowl then set aside to marinate; 15 to 20 min.
Toss beans with half of the tomatoes
Arrange the bean and tomato mixture on a serving platter, equally garnishing the corners of the platter with the remaining tomato halves. Sprinkle with the julienne basil and diced shallots.
Served chilled

Enjoy!  Chef Ron Arbour

After months of damp Seattle weather, it seems like the city is waking up, shaking off the water and getting ready to embrace summer. Tillicum Village is no different.

After spending the past 12 months revamping the show, enhancing the stage and lighting, summer at Tillicum Village is in full swing.

 In preparation for the summer season, the Tillicum Village dancers have been all over Seattle sharing a little piece of the experience at Tillicum Village. They recently appeared on KING-TV’s New Day Northwest, and on KOMO-TV where they performed on the 4:00pm newscast.

 Throughout the Northwest talk of the new show is everywhere. The Seattle Times and Journal Media Group featured us recently and Bellingham, Mercer Island and other publications such as Intertribal Times and Wheelchair Living have been talking about the new experience at Tillicum Village.

 On May 21^st Tillicum Village kicked-off the summer season with an official opening weekend event.  We were very honored to have Che oke’ ten perform a tribal blessing.

There is nothing better than being on the water during the summer in Seattle en route to traditionally cooked salmon, fresh fruit salad, mouth-watering Tillicum Village bread. Check out the full menu and read more about what Tillicum Village has in store for you this summer.

Today is a big day of preparation at Tillicum Village.  We are counting down the days until the big opening on March 19^th and the finishing touches are being put in place.

Captain Joe has been hard at work on the island all day in the midst of a thunderstorm, rainy downpour and now calm grey skies.  We are nearing the end of the winter months and this crazy Northwest weather will be ending soon (hopefully!) as we head towards spring in just a few weeks.

No matter what the weather may bring us, Blake Island never ceases to provide beautiful views and photo opportunities.  With that said, here are a few pictures taken today.

Rainbow seen from the front lawn at Tillicum Village, facing towards downtown Seattle.

Wild deer in the back yard of the long house.

Sneak peek at the new stage being installed inside the long house dining room.