Continued from Page 14
jobs got me to a place where I can cook
full-time.”
Before living in Seattle, Medford grew
up in North Carolina near the Appalachian
Mountains.
Medford created Idlewild about four
years ago. The name Idlewild is derived
from Idlewild Avenue, which is in Med-
ford’s hometown of Raleigh, North
Carolina.
Medford’s Idlewild creations honor his
southern roots while incorporating bak-
ing lessons he’s learned in the Pacifi c
Northwest.
Since Medford’s moved to Astoria, Dan-
iel and Heidi Dlubac, owners of Good to
Go, have allowed Medford to use the shop’s
kitchen and sell his goods there.
When he isn’t making a treat for
Idlewild, Medford can often be found
teaching a class. He teaches about eight
classes per month at the Pantry in Seattle, a
community kitchen.
“If people eat what I bake and enjoy
it, that’s fantastic,” Medford said. “But if
they go home and make something I taught
them, that absolutely delights me.”
Medford also occasionally teaches at
the North Coast Food Web in Astoria. He’ll
teach a class on biscuits on March 14 and
another in the summer on cakes.
“He thinks about the whole food sys-
tem; where all of our ingredients are com-
ing from, and who played a part in getting
them into our kitchens and on our plates,”
said Caitlin Seyfried, the food web’s pro-
gram manager.
Medford embodies bringing people
together to share what they love about food
and cooking, Seyfried said.
“Food is love,” Medford said. “It’s not
just about feeding people but connecting
with them. Asking ‘Are you hungry?’ is
the ultimate way to tell someone you love
them.”
Cooking from the heart
Medford’s grandma taught him just
about everything he knows about cooking.
“My cooking is a love letter to her,”
Medford said. “Most of my memories of
her are food-related. I want to replicate
that.”
Medford inherited his grandma’s
wooden spoons and pots. He regularly uses
them.
“They’re the best thing I own,” Medford
said.
While living in Seattle, Medford honed
his baking skills under the guidance of
Rachael Coyle, owner of Coyle’s Bakeshop.
“It’s been really neat to see him go
See Page 21
Brian Medford places biscuits on a sheet
before baking them.
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Photos by Alyssa Evans
Brian Medford coats freshly baked biscuits with melted butter.