Things I Loved in 2012

The FoodDay section of the Oregonian published its annual "Things We Love" roundup of favorites from 2012, compiled by its über-talented staff from an avalanche of submissions from contributors. They were kind enough to pick four of mine in the following categories:

• What We Love to Read Watch and Click On: Beautiful Corn by Anthony Boutard.
• Where We'll Be When We're Not Cooking: Ned Ludd.
• Farmers Market Favorites: Calçots (top photo) from Viridian Farms.
• What's In Our Cupboads: Pantellerian Oregano from Jim Dixon of Real Good Food.

The Year in Review

I know, I know…2012 isn't even over yet. Some of us haven't even figured out our Halloween costumes yet, much less sussed out the intricacies of the who's-going-where and whose-family-is-going-to-feel-dissed issues surrounding the holidays or the budgetary boondoggle that's looming, and by that I mean Christmas. So what in heaven's name could this be about?

Last year's Crab Cleaning 101.

Well, like the gift and fashion industries, freelance writers are in the out-of-sync position of having to think months in advance about stories. For us, Christmas is already over—editors want pitches about summer. You know, beach parties, outdoor barbecues, that kind of thing. So we huddle over our computers on cold and rain-soaked days trying to imagine what cocktails might be sipped under that beach umbrella or how we're going to sell a story that requires staging an outdoor dinner party in January.

A visit to Bollywood Theater.

My problem right now isn't quite that extreme, but the January 1, 2013, issue of the Oregonian's FoodDay is going to contain their annual roundup of Things We Love from 2012. My deadline is the end of October (yes, two days from now), which will totally leave out all the crazy stuff that's going to be happening in November and December here at GSNW. I'm talking holiday farmers' markets, lots of braising, a pig slaughter, sausage making, gift giving…sheesh!

The controversy over canola.

So if you have any suggestions for items to include on the list or nominations for your favorite post of the last year, do let me know by leaving a comment below. I'd love to hear what you think!

Top photo: spot prawn paella from late 2011.

Things I Loved

The beginning of a new year is a time for "Best Of" lists. Whether it's movies, restaurants, colonoscopy doctors…you name it, there's a roundup of it. One of my annual favorites is the "Things We Love" list in The Oregonian's FoodDay section, because I get to go back through the previous year's posts on the blog and pick out my 15 or 20 favorite items to pitch to my editor.

The FoodDay list includes 100 top picks drawn from a broad list of the section's contributors, all terrific writers who will not steer you wrong. The eight suggestions of mine that made the list include:

• Farmers' Market Favorites: Frikeh from Ayers Creek Farm.
• Where We'll Be When We're Not Cooking: Portland's Culinary Workshop; Winter Farmers' Markets.
• What's In Our Glasses: Souracher cocktail by Dave Shenaut; Kopstootje!; Secession Cascadian Dark Ale from Hopworks.
• What We Like To Read, Watch and Click: Bloody Marys by Judy Bennett (top photo); Hunt, Gather, Cook by Hank Shaw.

There were obviously several I submitted that didn't get included, but feel free to compile your own list of "GoodStuffNW Faves" by going through the archives (at the bottom of the left-hand column) and seeing what we missed!

14 Things I Absolutely Love

Ironically, Richard Nixon said it best: "I want to make one thing perfectly clear…" And though he was talking about his belief in the god-like powers of his office, it's the perfect introduction to how much I love living in the Northwest.

So when FoodDay asked me to contribute a few suggestions for their list of 100 (More) Things We Absolutely Love, I gave them a short list of just over 80 things that made my year. (My poor editors…) Out of that list they chose 14 in the following categories:

• Hot Menu Items: Kevin Gibson's meat board at Evoe.
• In Our Cupboards: Harissa in a tube and Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar.
• Essential Kitchen Tools: Shun knives and new non-stick frying pans.
• What We Read and Watch: Big Table Farm blog and the Gluten Free Portland blog.
• Farmers Market Finds: Locally grown okra (also look for Danielle Centoni's lacinato kale chips…I'm trying them soon!).
• Where We're Going: Cartola and Pop Culture.
• Melange of Faves: DIY Cheesemaker meetings at Foster & Dobbs, Foodshare Fund NE and their farmers market tokens for food stamp recipients (top photo), Friends of Family Farmers and, last but certainly not least, the White House vegetable garden.

It makes me excited for what I'll be listing at the end of 2010!

Top photo by Sarah Gilbert.

18 Things I Loved in 2008

Today's FoodDay section of the Oregonian is dedicated to the "100 Things We (Absolutely) Love," highlights from 2008 chosen from the submissions of staff and contributors. They picked 18 (!) of my faves and, listed by category, they were:

• Things we like to read, watch and click on: Documentaries made by Cooking Up A Story; the movie "King Corn"; and Mark Bittman's blog Bitten.
• What you'll find in our cupboards: Spices from Fiji Emporium; and castelvetrano olives marinated in fennel pollen, orange zest and olive oil.
• What we love from the farms: Organic Amish Butter and Pink Beauty popcorn from Ayers Creek Farm; papalo leaves and fresh garbanzo beans from the Amaro Brothers Produce at the Forest Grove Farmers' Market; and collard tops from Osmogaia at People's Farmers' Market.
• Places we like to visit when we leave our kitchens: Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB).
• What we like to find in our glass: Suzanne's gimlet at 50 plates.
• What we like to eat when we're not the ones cooking: Pork belly and scrambled eggs at Toast; Cellar Door coffee; devilled eggs at Evoe; chicken wings at Vindalho; and whole fried anchovies at Clyde Common.
• What we reach for in the kitchen: Our Weber smoker.
• The mélange of favorites: Cheesemaking classes at Kookoolan Farms; Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seed in Philomath.