Livin' in the Blurbs: Turning Up the Heat

Quick notice to those of you who, like me, can't get enough of our local crustacean: On Wednesday (Jan. 20) Bar Avignon will have their second Dungeness Crab and Riesling event. To quote the e-mail that just came in: "Roll up your sleeves & get ready to get dirty; Chef Jeremy is boiling up a big pot of crab for you." The first event was last week and they sold out, so make sure and get in early for your share!

Details: Fresh Local Crab and Riesling with cracked Dungeness crab in the shell with dipping sauces. Whole crab, $18. Half crab, $10. Starts at 4 pm. Bar Avignon, 2138 SE Division St. 503-517-0808.

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Another bulletin just in is this from Jeana Edelman, co-owner of HotLips Pizza, Portland's own purveyor of pie and pop: "We procured some very special pears and the soda is spectacular." Also, they've just put on tap some cherry soda that I hear is spectacular. From Jeana: "Stop into a HotLips Pizzeria and try the cherry soda. Oh my goodness! We may have to bottle this stuff! Let us know what you think."

Details: HotLips Pizza with five Portland locations: SW 18th & Morrison St., 503-517-9354; NE 33rd & Killingsworth, 503-445-1020; SE 22nd & Hawthorne, 503-234-9999; PSU (SW 6th near Hall), 503-224-0311; the Pearl (NW 10th & Irving), 503-595-2342. Call for availability.

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Hillsdale's towering temple to the gods of capsaicin, Salvador Molly's, is holding their annual Great Balls of Fire "Trial by Fire" fundraiser for Oregon Heat, a non-profit organization assisting low-income households with paying their heating bills. This month-long effort kicks off with a "Toughest Tongue in the West" eating challenge on Jan. 30th to see which contestant can eat the most cheddar-and-jalapeño-loaded Great Balls of Fire. Additionally, all month long the proceeds from every order of these fritters will go to the charity. And, if you can eat all 5 fritters yourself, you get your picture on the restaurant's "Wall of Flame." And what wouldn't be awesome about that?

Details: Great Balls of First "Trial By Fire" benefit for Oregon Heat. Salvador Molly's, 1523 SW Sunset Blvd. 503-293-1790.