Livin' in the Blurbs: Get Out!

There are few regions in the world that are as up on carbohydrates as the Mediterranean. But look what it's got to work with: rice, pasta, couscous. Could it get any easier? Writer Jeff Koehler has spent his career writing about the foods of that part of the world and his new book titled, simply enough, Rice Pasta Couscous is as much a travelogue about the artisans he meets and cooks with as it is a history and cookbook of the world's favorite grains. Jeff is coming to Portland to talk about his travels, his love of cooking, Barcelona (he lives in Spain) and why these carbs are so important to so much of the world’s population. It'll happen at Vino, my brother's wine shop in Sellwood, and it's rumored there will be sips of Spanish wine for the event.

Details: An Evening with Jeff Koehlor, author of Rice, Pasta, Couscous. 7 pm; free, including a sampling of Spanish wines. Vino, 1226 SE Lexington in Sellwood. 503-235-8545.

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Wood-fired hot spot Ned Ludd (Get it? Wood-fired…hot spot?) on MLK has moved its innovative outdoor lunch service to cozier indoor environs where diners can snuggle up next to the fire. They've also changed the menu to include some of the same smoky good things you've come to know and drool over on the dinner menu. Word is there's also a kick-ass cocktail menu assembled by bartender extraordinaire Suzanne Allard that has intriguingly monikered drinks like Mary's Got Back, The Caravan, Ned's Old Pal and the Golden Spices Daiquiri. Myself, I can't wait to try The Swedish Nightingale with Argostad Aquavit, lingonberry and caraway powder. Talk about cozy!

Details: Lunch at Ned Ludd. 11 am-3 pm, Mon.-Thurs. Ned Ludd, 3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Phone 503-288-6900.

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If you love mushrooms but have hesitated to go out in the woods and hunt for your own because you don't want to risk…oh, say…death, then Bill "Wild Bill" Cole may have the solution for you. A welder by profession, mushroom gathering has become the love of his life (next to his wife, Laura) and he wants to share his passion for foraging wild foods with interested members of the community. He's taking small groups of three to four people into the woods in the next few weeks to gather mushrooms, berries and edible plants. The only potential drawback? You have to sign a liability waiver before heading out.

Details: All-Day Mushroom and Wild Food Adventure with Bill "Wild Bill" Cole. Nov. 4 and 8, 8 am-5 pm; $90, reservations required. E-mail or call 360-798-9331 for reservations and information.