Circumstances beyond my control have dictated that I am no longer working for Seattle nonprofit Operation Nightwatch. Helping to serve 150 meals every night to people in unstable situations was an honor.
I kept a diary while at Nightwatch, which I will probably never do anything with - the job is not as glamorous or exciting as it sounds. I also posted numerous stories about my adventures there to this website, which you can see on this page.
I encourage you to keep mutual aid, whether it be microdonations or large gifts, in the back of your mind. At this point in history that support is needed more than ever.
Washington’s food banks are on the brink
Some have already pulled back on what they’re offering, as federal cuts and heightened demand drive deep worries about what comes next.
-Washington State Standard, July 31 2005
You can a send cash gifts and Amazon items to Operation Nightwatch by going to their website. They are also always looking for volunteers.
—Alex
Operation Nightwatch Posts at Nirvana WOK:
Scones and Fish Sticks
I always like when people donate home baked treats. I handed out these scones to people waiting in line to get in for meal service at Operation Nightwatch.
Squid Games
Fried Calamari with pasta and sautéed bell peppers the other night (at my day/night job - not affiliated with Nirvana WOK). The squid came pre-cleaned but it was pretty labor intensive and messy to cook. Luckily, I had time to prep them during the day. Tossed them in some spicy flour and deep fried. Then before meal service we baked them. Worked well - …
Salmon Casserole Needs Bell Peppers
Was lucky enough to have lemons and bell peppers on hand for my latest batch of salmon* casserole.
Friends of the Needy Delivers the Goods
A relatively new donor (at my day job) has been coming at least once a week with fresh fruit and vegetables, shelf stable goods and other stuff. There always seems to be a case of moldy tomatoes or other long past edible foods in the mix but I just throw that in the yard waste. Food bank donations have been sparse lately and this act of charity is great…
Tuna Casserole Needs Potato Chips
Was lucky enough to have lemons and Lay’s™ potato chips on hand for my latest batch of tuna casserole.
Federal Cuts Threaten Washington Food Banks
I happened to be at Food Lifeline when King5’s Bridget Chavez was shooting a segment about budget cuts to food banks. Went back to the shop with nothing.
Well I am Partial to Jolly Ranchers
Organizing the pantry at my day job and decided to get rid of a few cases of Jolly Ranchers gummies. I know. Not healthy. Contains food coloring additives that are banned in Europe and tons of sugar. Better than nothing, though. Might make someone happy.
Bread for the Masses: Operation Sack Lunch
Had the chance to visit Operation Sack Lunch’s massive warehouse in Seattle’s SODO district. Organizations like OSL are more important than ever in a time when the federal government is actively trying to cut funding for meal programs.
Twenty Nine Degrees and Rising
When coming in to my day gig I spotted someone lying on the pavement. It’s not part of my job description to help every person I see in the area but in this case it was 29 degrees outside and they looked cold. Guessing (hoping) they were not out all night. Gave them a blanket, socks, cupcakes and a cup of hot tea. An hour later they had moved on.
Turkey Chili with Pinto Beans
Chef’s special turkey chili with pinto beans served with fruit salad, coleslaw and cake. The fruit salad was 90 percent sliced apples with a random can of cherries and a random can of apricots thrown in to add some sugary goodness.
We All Need Kindness and Compassion
Saw a lady sleeping next to the kitchen. First check was the breathing check and yes - body moving up and down slightly. You never know in this age of fentanyl where people die on the streets frequently.
Our Customers Loved the Pot Roast
Trimmed bottom round and added a dry rub of ground cloves, salt, pepper, granulated onion and chili powder. Cooked them at 350 degrees for two hours and then for 200 degrees for another four hours.
Nobody Wants Curry Flavored Mackerel
While at the food bank I saw that the mackerel here was curry flavored but I ignored that red flag. Took back enough for 150 servings for our organization but after sampling the product realized I had made a mistake. Tinned fish is usually delicious and one of the healthiest shelf stable products you can eat but this curry flavored stuff was beyond awfu…
Beware of Donated Pies
We get lots of expired baked goods donated at work and sometimes people forget to throw them in the refrigerator and they sit out overnight. The worst culprits are anything with moisture like this apple pie here.
New Women's Shelter on Capitol Hill
“We named it Donna Jean’s Place, in honor of Donna Jean Palmberg, whose husband was the founder of Nightwatch.”
TV Commercial for Homeless Newspaper
This is one of two 30 second spots my pal Cody and I did for Real Change in 2003, both shot on the same day. The second spot featured Real Change vendor Robert, who died tragically soon after. Cody also died tragically soon after. Tim, the founding editor and publisher of Real Change, was fairly recently forced out by his board of directors. The person …
Hosing Down the Homeless
Yesterday in Seattle’s Chinatown International District - a guy hosing down a tent.
More Tuna Casserole, More Stabbings
Eight pounds (!) of tuna per pan this time. The tuna was six months past the best by date but was fine. I like putting Lay’s potato chips in tuna casserole but this time used some queso flavored ruffles. Also had some lime juice and mozzarella cheese on hand.
Like a Velvet Stew Cast in Iron
Beef stew last night with Cheryl, Brandon, Michelle, Shelley, Umut and Max. I tenderized the precut beef cubes using the ancient Chinese technique of velveting: marinated it overnight in soy sauce, baking soda and avocado oil. Normally you can velvet something in an hour or so but this looked like it was tough beef and I thought an overnight bath would …
Sort of Sad Tuna Casserole
We should have added peas but I don’t think canned peas work with this dish. Not every meal we serve is going to be spectacular.
Turkey Chili for 150
Creating a recipe book for the organization I work for that serves 150 free meals every night of the year.
Salmon Loaf Night, Again
When I cook the night meal service I like to use stuff that has been sitting around for a while, to get it out of the kitchen. Cases of canned salmon had been languishing for months so I went with the obvious choice for that ingredient - salmon loaf!
Captain Beefheart Would Have Loved These Beef Hearts
Served low quality quarter pound beef patties the other night. Most ground beef does not contain hearts. The patties threw off a lot of grease.
A Stunning Stir Fry Surprise
Prepped meat sauce last night but due to a miscommunication the volunteers came in with all their own ingredients and made an incredible stir fry meal. Wheat noodles with peppers, broccoli and chicken, wontons … and cabbage slaw. These were slaw pros - they even brought their own mandoline slicer. I could tell they were serious cooks when I saw their 56…
A 42 Pound Block of Cheese
What do you do with a solid 42 pound brick of low quality cheddar cheese?
Beware of Chinese Wheat Straw Bowl Branding
At work, a long time volunteer wants to help us get bowls. They ordered sample wheat straw bowls from three different companies, on Amazon.
Potato Flakes, Beef Stew and Lawyers
Trained a group of lawyers who did a great job taking over once I explained the menu and gave them a tour of the kitchen. They made shelf stable beef stew augmented with spices, mashed potatoes made with potato flakes, mixed frozen veggies and a fruit salad. Perfect ready-made food for a last minute meal.
Recipe: Beefaroni for 150
Made this for tonight but there was a miscommunication so I’ll be saving it in the fridge for Monday - all good.
Defacing Homelessness
A Seattle non-profit called Facing Homelessness that started as a photojournalism project has bit the dust.
Let's Just Call It Penne with Meat Sauce
Nightwatch Pasta Bolognese in action! Pardon the styrofoam plastic container - we normally have compostable containers but ran out.
Volunteers of America
Volunteer training for eight people was a success. Baked salmon, potatoes with red onion and asparagus, oranges and bananas, Girl Scout cookies. These guys were all older than me which made me feel youthful, if only for a fleeting moment.
Fabulous Friday Fish Fry
Asked to do a last minute meal service and decided on quick and easy four ounce breaded pollock fillets, drizzled with olive oil and spices and baked in sheet pans. Had the makings for tartar sauce in the house. Cooked rice and lentils, canned peas with a pound of butter and spices. Realized that canned peas are good.
Fake Ribs Are Better Than No Ribs
On-Cor boneless rib-shaped patties are edible. Similar to the meat in McDonald’s McRib sandwich. They have the rib meat taste. Not quite a fake food trying to pretend to be a real food - like a veggie burger. These are more in the “boneless wing” category: a facsimile of the real thing with similar ingredients. And added chicken. And also the much-hated…
Recipe: Salmon Loaf for 150
Our organization serves 150 meals every night but I mostly work during the day. Sometimes I’m asked to help prep a meal for the night volunteers. We have no budget for food - all of it is donated or comes from food banks. And the stars were in alignment tonight for some salmon loaf and potato salad! We had all the ingredients in house!
These Birds Made Me Look Like a Jive Turkey
Boy was I proud of myself for scoring five donated turkeys … and obviously in denial about how much work they would be. Four days to defrost, three-plus hours to cook and then meat-picking. And I don’t even like turkey.
Jambalaya Triumph
If you’re looking to cook a quick meal for 150 people packets of dried “Jambalaya” mix sure help. Rice, lentils, some dehydrated veggies and spice. Cooked 12 chickens, added Pico de Gallo scored that day at the food bank. It didn’t look pretty but it was the tasty comfort food that we like around here and our clients were very appreciative.
The Exact Opposite of Chez Panisse
Remember during the pandemic lockdown when California Governor Gavin Newsom was caught dining at upscale farm-to-table eatery Chez Panisse? Well here at Nightwatch we are the exact opposite of Chez Panisse. We serve 150 people every night of the year - no reservations, no waiters, no bill - it’s all free. Of course the food is not as good but there’s so…
Velveeta® is Not Cheese
Sometimes my food snobbery is revealed when a food product that I’ve never tried before is donated to our kitchen at work. After over half a century I had never purchased or tasted Velveeta “cheese product” before. Unlike real cheese, it contains a bunch of vegetable oil. It’s easily meltable, which is why they use it for Queso in Tex-Mex cuisine. It re…
Recipe: Nightwatch Pasta Bolognese for 150
I’m a very bad baker because I’m not the type of cook who follows recipes exactly or measures the right amount of things - it’s all done by instinct and eye - which doesn’t work in the bread world.
Feeding 150 People Every Night Isn't Easy
Operation Nightwatch serves 150 hot meals every night of the year, which is more challenging than you might think. What started as one guy with a camping stove and a pot of soup has grown into a meal service that requires a person at the front desk, two people working the door and bussing tables, a person to manage the kitchen (me) and a rotating group …
Averting a Thanksgiving Turkey Disaster
I prepped a Thanksgiving meal at work but mistakenly thought our turkey breasts were pre-sliced, maybe because our hams usually come that way. I wasn’t there for the meal service but apparently the breasts were not only not sliced they were not totally thawed either. To top that off one of our ovens was down. It all worked out in the end, sort of, but …
Chow Line
From left to right: lined up for night meal service, the detox van and (lit up in orange) the former third headquarters of Amazon.com. Amazon’s first headquarters was Jeff’s garage in Bellevue (he was a multi-millionaire at the time and could afford an office but wise to the silicon valley origin story PR game), the second was in Belltown and the third …
Score! We Acquired Spices!
I’m managing a kitchen for a local non-profit that feeds 150 people every night. At least once a week I go to Food Lifeline’s Seattle office in an industrial park where they give away random food items. Spices are expensive and hard to find but I found a couple cases there recently. I think they were rejected by retailers because a few of the bottles we…
A Cold Night for Hot Chicken
Seattle is experiencing record low temperatures. Hopefully our meal on Friday gave customers some comfort before they headed back out into the elements. One guy said he was going to ride the train and I asked him what he’d do when the trains stop running at 2AM and he said “get on a bus, I guess.” Our organization also provides hats, socks and hand warm…
Nightwatch Jojo Potatoes
Potatoes tossed in 90/10 canola/olive oil (we take what we can get) and spices and baked to be reheated later. Served with individual containers of a quite tasty Parmesan mustard sauce.
Fish and Chips and Mushy Peas
The kitchen at the organization has a policy of giving volunteer cooks free use of anything in the fridges, freezers or pantry as long as it is not marked as reserved. We also pull out meat from the freezer for them ahead of time when requested.
Mac and Cheese and Chicken Wings
Worked a recent meal service and prepped some chicken wings for the volunteers in advance but they did the rest.
Plastic Bus Tubs for Food Storage
One of our subscribers donated some funds to the kitchen where we literally have no food budget, so every bit helps. One of the best acquisitions to come from this was four bus tubs with lids - ideal for storing food that is defrosting or marinating and also just useful to keep chicken juice and other potential toxins from leaking into the refrigerators.
Bad Food for the Homeless - It's a Thing
We give out alot of sandwiches and sack lunches (usually a sandwich and a granola bar and mustard and mayo packets(. Sometimes people donate mystery meat sandwiches. I was happy to throw these out after they lingered in our refrigerator for a few days. And that’s not sausage on that sandwich it’s prison-quality mystery meat. Sadly, many of our clients k…
Recipe: Spaghetti and Meatballs for 100
The Nickelsville Night Out pasta party was a success with over 40 meals sold and over 25 meals given to volunteers and residents. There were enough leftovers for a meatball sub lunch the next day. Over $2,000 was raised after accounting for matching funds from an anonymous donor.