COFFEE * FINE WINES
& JUST GREAT FOOD
7714 Birch Bay Drive, Birch Bay, WA. 98230 * PH 360 371-2658 * info@cjwijns.com
Wijning Women
CJ Wijns wine shop a winner in Birch Bay
DAN RADIL - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
A visit to CJ Wijns in Birch Bay might best be summed up as a great place with a baffling name.
Let's get the name thing out of the way first, and then move on to the good stuff.
Yes, I know now that "wijns" is essentially the Dutch word for wines, and it's even pronounced the same as wines. But if you've never been exposed to the language, or heard about the place in advance, you might drive right past it without giving it a second thought.
Which is exactly what I would have done, and I'm a quarter-Dutch, with exposure to more Zylstras, Fakkemas and Vander(fill in the blank)s than you can shake a stick at.
Fortunately, I did stop in and was instantly taken by the contemporary interior, friendly staff and the nice choice of wines.
The facility is split into two sections: a full-service restaurant with soups, salads, sandwiches and espresso, and a wine shop with plenty of domestic and European selections. Wines can be enjoyed indoors in the adults-only section, or on the outdoor patio with a view of Birch Bay.
During my visit, I chatted with manager Carol Bouma, a helpful and enthusiastic host who's eager to show you around and offer her recommendations.
I especially liked all of the little promos she has lined up; including the Monday-through-Friday special from 2 to 6 p.m. that gets you $2 off appetizers and any of five wines by the glass.
The selection changes monthly, and during my visit a couple of Northwest choices (pre-discount) included a Kiona 2005 Lemberger for $5 and a Waterbrook 2007 Mélange at $7.
Another great feature is Saturday Sips, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. For a scant $5, you can sample five different wines (tied into a theme that changes weekly), and receive a 15 percent discount if you purchase a bottle or more of any of the five.
CJ Wijns, located at 7714 Birch Bay Drive, is open daily at 6 a.m. For more information, call 371-2658 or go to cjwijns.homestead.com.
By Jack Kintner for The Northern Light. Published 9-18-08
Carol Bouma likes to drink wine and read, and there are a lot of other women who agree. Bouma hosted a group of them that met for the first time last Monday at CJ Wijns wine and coffee bar in Birch Bay which she manages.
The name, pronounced “wines,” is an old Dutch root for the name of the owners, Carolyn and Jim Wynstra. Bouma calls the new group Wijning Women, “but we’re not whining,” she laughed when asked about the name, “we’re finding out about wine and having fun.”
Homestead Northwest head chef David Connors gave a cooking demonstration at the first meeting, showing how to prepare pinwheel antipasto and other appetizers with fresh mozzarella curds.
The group meets on the second Monday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and is set to meet next on October 13. The $10 cost includes a glass of wine and a light appetizer, and tickets should be purchased in advance at CJ Wijns. The first meeting pretty well filled the place up with about 45 in attendance.
Up-coming events include Fall at the Bay on Monday, September 22, as fall arrives at 8:44 a.m. that morning. Hot, mulled wine and cider will be offered with food specials.
On Monday, September 29, at 6:30 Cindy Louws will help Bouma launch the CJ Wijns Book Club. “Bring a book along you would like to read and discuss throughout the coming year,” Louws said. “We’ll be getting to know one other, discussing what books to read as well as the details for the book club.”
CJ Wijns Happy Hour starts this week! Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. They are offering $2 off house pours and appetizers. Enjoy the warmth and coziness of their fireplaces or enjoy the spectacular water views from the patio while sipping wine with friends.
Homestead Northwest’s CJ Wijns is located in the Grand Bay Condominiums at 7714 Birch Bay Drive. For more information call 360/371-2658.
CJ Wijns events a mix of wine, food and fun
By Tara Nelson for The Northern Light. Published 11/20/08
On a recent chilly Saturday night in November, a loosely-knit group of friends, acquaintances and residents from Birch Bay to as far away as Seattle, were seated together to experience what would be not only an interesting pairing of wine and food but also of personalities.
The dinner and accompanying wines ($65) was part of a series of events scheduled for winter at CJ Wijns, BirchBay’s newest wine and coffee bar in the Grand Bay Resorts condos on Birch Bay Drive. Many of the events feature wines by region, but others include seasonal themes such as the holiday appetizer and champagne pairing scheduled for December 4 ($25).
The name Wijns, pronounced “wines,” is an old Dutch root for the name of the owners, Carolyn and Jim Wynstra.
Event coordinator Carol Bouma said while Saturday’s menu and wine tasting of several Sicilian varieties were carefully planned, she seated guests in a semi-random fashion with place cards and allowed generous time between courses to allow them to enjoy the wines and get to know their neighbors.
The plan worked beautifully. As the wine flowed, conversations came easily. My dinner date, an accountant for a local artisan bakery, and I were surprised how quickly two and a half hours drifted by.
We were seated next to a private contractor from Seattle, a professor of French history at Western Washington University, a Seattle school teacher, a wine enthusiast and a Bellingham psychiatrist.
Topics were engaging and ranged from debating over who produced the best goat cheese on the west coast and vacationing via boat to homelessness, unequal education and systemic causes of poverty in America.
“Wine can kind of loosen social inhibitions,” Bouma said. “It’s a great opportunity to get to know people you might not otherwise meet and kind of get out of your comfort zone.”
Bouma said that often people who enjoy wines also enjoy pairing them with foods as well as sitting down for a well-timed multi-course dinner. The event was also a way to showcase their executive chef David Connors’ talents, she said.
Saturday’s event paired wines of indigenous varieties from the island of Sicily with foods ranging from an incredible and simple salad of roasted sweet bell peppers and feta to prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and a roasted cremini mushroom and arugula salad with lemon oil and cracked black pepper. Diners also sampled small courses such as the cappellini pasta with garlic shrimp, plum tomato sauce, and shaved parmesan, topped with a crispy fried basil leaf.
“It’s great to explore wines by a region, especially when it comes to these five-course dinners,” Bouma said.
Wine enthusiast Laurent Martel, of Bellingham, was on hand to demystify the process of pairing each wine as well as provide a short geographical and cultural lesson on the grapes’ origins.
One interesting note: acidic or vinegar based dressings and sauce are difficult to pair with wine. Martel said this was overcome by the addition of the roasted mushrooms to the salad, which lent a deep, earthly accent to help balance the acidity of the lemon.
“Anytime you’re using vinegar, that is wine’s worst enemy besides the asparagus,” Martel said. “What ever you’re pairing wine with, it’s not about the dish, it’s what the sauce is.”
The main course was a braised veal shank with toasted pine nut gremolata and rosemary scented fingerling potatoes and broccolini. I admit I’m not a huge fan of red meat in general – I was more impressed by the al dente crispness of the broccolini – but it was clear from the oohing and aahing of my neighbors that the veal was very acceptable. Luckily, my dinner date was of the carnivorous sort and was more than happy to take mine off my plate.
It could have been the wine, but even without the main course, I was feeling very satisfied. By the time we were served dessert – a tiramisu torte with raspberry cream – I was only able to eat a few bites.
It was then when we were treated with a guest appearance by chef David who wanted to make sure everyone had plenty to eat and if anyone had any questions.
As a final touch, Martel passed around a glass of wine that had been ruined by the occasional and inevitable bad cork, aka the dreaded “cork taint.”
Diners were invited to sniff the wine to identify wispy notes of “grandma’s house” or “musty closet” but I admit my ability to detect such nuances had vanished after the third or fourth glass, if it had ever been there to begin with.
Fortunately, Martel offered this last down-to-earth bit of advice for the wine-curious: “The main thing is, don’t listen to anyone,” he said. “If you like it, it works.”
Bringing fun back to the bay
Bouma, who has a background in merchandising and visual presentations, said although she had little experience in event planning, she used her natural passion for entertaining and fun to help create a relaxing atmosphere at CJ Wijns where customers can feel welcome.
“Part of the vision we have for this place is, it’s a gathering place, relaxing, a place for people to come and feel comfortable,” she said. “I also enjoy having a great time and I enjoy entertaining and seeing my friends. It’s a combination of doing all those things at my work that make it fun. It’s a coffee and wine bar, but it’s so much more than that, too.”
Bouma also created the restaurant’s popular Wijning Women event each month. That event includes a glass of wine and a food presentation with discussion by chef David about pairing. That routinely sells out one to two weeks in advance, she said.
“It’s a great place for women to gather together and have conversation and wine and good food,” she said. “It’s also very popular. At our last event we had 65 people sign up, so for a week we were turning down people.”
The group meets on the second Monday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. The $10 cost includes a glass of wine and appetizers, and tickets can be purchased in advance at CJ Wijns. Bouma said she has had several requests for a “Wijning Men” night and she will be looking into that in January as well as “Wijning” adventures that include kayaking, bicycling, wine tours, hiking and skiing – all followed by lots of wine, of course.
CJ Wijns’ upcoming events
Saturday Sips: Features wine makers and experts from 2 to 5:30 p.m. every Saturday through December beginning with Dakota Creek Winery owner Ken Peck on November 29. Cost is $5.
Wijning Women: Meets from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Monday of each month. Cost is $10 and includes glass of wine, appetizers and food demonstrations.
Champagne pairing: December 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $25 and features champagne pairing with festive holiday appetizers. CJ Wijns is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s located at 7714 Birch Bay Drive and can be reached at 371-2658 or by visiting www.cjwijns.com.
