Faces of the INW: Ellen Neel

BY ALYSSA AGEE

I am so honored to introduce you to my Grandmother, Ellen Neel, who we all call GeGe. She is a relatively new resident of Spokane, having moved here only four years ago from the Magnolia neighborhood in Seattle. She has cooked and baked for me since I was a little girl and her waffle recipe is currently being shared with guests from all over the world who come to eat at People’s Waffle in downtown Spokane. Everyone I know wants to be adopted by GeGe within five minutes of meeting her. She’s truly one spectacular lady.

Name and Age:

Ellen Neel, 81

Hometown:

Glendford, Ohio

How long have you lived in Spokane?

I moved to Spokane nearly four years ago from Seattle where I had been living for over forty years.

Current Neighborhood:

South Hill

How do you pay the bills and what’s your passion project/side hustle?

I am retired and I live with my granddaughter and her family. You could say that my passion project is chasing after my three great-grandchildren.

Where do you take out-of-towners when they come to visit?

A must-see is the Pavilion, especially at night with the lights. I also like to take guests to the Jundt Museum and the MAC depending on who is visiting. I think the Centennial Trail in Kendall Yards is a wonderful place to showcase the river and views of downtown.

Favorite local restaurant(s)?

My favorite local restaurants are Wild Sage and Luna’s. The Wild Sage was my favorite even before moving here. I had eaten there more than once on trips over from Seattle. I love the intimate atmosphere of Luna and the menu is always so well-balanced.

What is a great memory tied to food?

I am five years old and the chosen one to sit on top of the hand crank ice cream maker while my Dad turned the handle under the pear tree in our backyard.

What’s a food-related tradition you hope to pass on?

I have already handed down my waffle recipe to all of my grandchildren because I have been making it since they were little and all of them love it. My oldest granddaughter actually took the recipe and incorporated it into her restaurant. Additionally, I have a number of soup recipes the grandkids enjoy that I have passed on. I have a vegetable soup from my own childhood that I have shared and I created my very own South African Chicken soup recipe.

What was the last thing you ate at a food truck?

The last time I ate at a food truck was during the Kendall Yards Night Market. I had the most delicious curried rice bowl from Big Daddy’s Banh Mi truck. It had a nice mild but full curry flavor and you could just tell that the Chef and Owner, Mat Truong, loves what he does. It shows in his food.

How does food contribute to community building?

When people get together over a meal their conversation, if time allows, takes them deeper in sharing their story and can be such a source of healing. Is there something from Spokane’s past that you miss? Something you wish we had or that you’re looking forward to? In my time living here I have witnessed the city opening up and becoming more expansive. I think more people arriving in Spokane gives us growth opportunities and is helping shape the city. There is lots of potential here and I would love to see downtown continue to be developed.

Favorite local vegetables and how do you enjoy them? Do you regularly attend any local farmers markets?

There is nothing like a vine-ripened heirloom tomato or a carrot plucked from the ground just hours before you bite into it. I make regular trips to Rocket Market on the South Hill for tomatoes grown nearby. I try to make it to the Perry Street Farmer’s Market weekly if I can. It’s a small and intimate market but always provides everything I am looking for. Our family also has a LINC share that gets delivered once a week and is always packed with the most delicious vegetables. You’ll find many of those veggies in my Vegetable Soup that becomes almost a weekly staple at our house in the fall and winter months.

Recipes