Food Farmer Earth: Time for Wine!

Normally I only post videos from Food Farmer Earth if I've worked on them, but in this case I have to make an exception for an incredibly informative video with, dare I say it, a potentially breakout performance starring my brother, Bruce Bauer, of Portland's best wine shop, Vino, on SE 28th. (Though I may be just a teensy bit biased.)

Enjoy!

Bicycle Beer: Stiegl Radler

Beer geeks love to throw around terms like saison, gueuze and kriek lambic to describe various kinds of malted beverages. But just the other day I tried a bottled beverage I'd never heard of before, called a Radler.

It's kind of like an English shandy, short for shandygaff, a beer combined with citrus-flavored soda, carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale or cider. Radler, the German word for "cyclist," is a light lager combined with an equal amount of lemon soda. With its low alcohol level (around 2.5% ABV), slight effervescence and thirst-quenching citrusy twang, it's apparently the preferred beverage of those bicycling around the Alps.

As averse as I am to flavored beers, I have to admit that from my first tentative sip of the bottle offered to me by the enabling hand of Randy Goodman, I was enthralled. Imagine, I thought. A beer I could enjoy at lunch that wouldn't knock me out for an entire afternoon! Something with a little bit more oomph than lemonade, but with that beverage's refreshing zing. Perfect for a picnic, a barbecue or, gosh, even a bicycle ride!

Details: Stiegl Grapefruit (or Lemon Radler). Retails for around $2 per 11.2 fl. oz. bottle. Available at Vino, 137 SE 28th Ave., 503-235-8545; and Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark St. 503-252-8538.

Quick Hits: Retrolicious and Pah Dee

If you somehow miss the bright pink food truck with its flock of pink flamingos, look for the Jetsons vintage t-shirt and the beaming smile on the face of Kimmie, the owner and head Retro-teer of the Retrolicious food cart.

A friend and I stopped in at lunchtime and I was instantly hypnotized by the description of their version of the Cubano sandwich called Damn That Castro. They give it the panini treatment, that is, pressed and grilled,  yet it was still a substantial hunk of a sando, with big slabs of fall-apart tender pork, pickled onions, aioli and just the right amount of melted, gooey cheese.

The potato salad on the side was of the vinaigrette-dressing style rather than a mayo-egg version, and quite nice. Word has it their crispy chicken and mac'n'cheese is awesome, too…and with a BLT, meatloaf, grilled cheese and chicken-and-waffles, this place looks like a hit.

Details: Retrolicious, 1930 NE Everett in the Green Castle cart pod. 541-409-9271.

* * *

Ever since my brother moved his wine shop, Vino, to the perennially hip-and-happening food mecca that is 28th Avenue, I've been watching the corner of 28th and Burnside transform from depressingly dingy to downright dazzling. And with the addition of Pah Dee Thai in the spot formerly occupied by the scary darkness of Hungry Tiger Chinese, the transformation is complete.

On a recent summer afternoon the sliding windows were open and tables were dotting the sidewalk, making the walls almost disappear and allowing the breeze to cool the intimate yet comfortable interior.

A friend and I opted to share a couple of plates, and we were knocked out by the lemongrass shrimp salad. A base of romaine lettuce has enough structure to stand up nicely to a scattering of cilantro topped with sautéed tail-on shrimp and lemongrass in a warm fish sauce-inspired dressing. So fresh and full of the deep umami-ness that can prove dangerously addictive, the memory of this dish will have me coming back again, and soon.

Details: Pah Dee, 6 SE 28th Ave. 503-360-1453.

Crustacean Celebration: Beach Cioppino

There's nothing like a trip to the beach in the spring when oysters, Dungeness crabs and clams of many kinds are all in season at the same time. Plus the hordes of tourists and vacationers haven't yet descended on our shores, unaware as they are of the sometimes stellar weather that can occur at that time of year.

We recently returned from just such a trip, a week where there was only one day that was too rainy to get the dogs out on the beach and most days came with a sunset included. We also took advantage of the opportunity to get our seafood on, indulging in oysters fresh and fried, clams steamed and stirred into pasta and at least three dinners that featured the crazy deliciousness of crab from Kelly Laviolette (left) of Kelly's Brighton Marina in Rockaway.

We made not one but two trips to Kelly's, loading up on his fresher-than-fresh seafood cooked and steamed in his outdoor kitchen. He fishes them snapping and grasping out of the tank with his custom-designed tool (right) which he swears will someday fund his retirement. The creatures in his tanks are nothing like the tame ones you see in the city with their sluggish, barely-moving inhabitants. Filled with a constant circulating rush of clear Nehalem Bay water, Kelly said he can tell when the tide is in or out by the activity of the crabs in the tank, sensitive as they are to the changing oxygen levels in the water.

If you go there for crab, whether you sit on the deck that surrounds the bait-and-tackle shop, sipping a beverage and overlooking the beautiful bay, or take it home for your own uses, make sure to ask for his signature "crab butter" (left). It's the shell of your freshly shucked crab, still holding the crabby fat and a good portion of melted butter, with the crab heart on a crab claw skewer. Eat the crab heart before or after, but definitely pick up the shell, tip it back and drink in the crabby goodness…pure pleasure!

One of the standout meals we made after a trip to Kelly's place, and Dave's request for his birthday dinner that night, was a fantastic cioppino accented with odds and ends from the produce we'd brought with us. Simple and sensational, all it required was a salad and a loaf of bread, plus a terrific pinot gris my brother had supplied, to make this a highlight of the week.

Beach Cioppino

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 med. carrots, chopped in dice
1 large green pepper, chopped in dice
1 spring onion or leek, halved and cut into 1/2” slices
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 qt. roasted tomatoes or 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 c. water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 whole Dungeness crabs, meat picked out

2 c. dry white wine

2 lbs. steamer clams, scrubbed

1⁄2 bunch parsley, chopped

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Add carrots, celery, green pepper, spring onion and fennel and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, 2 cups water, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, and cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

Transfer seafood to pot with sauce, and add crabmeat, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

Pour wine in a skillet over high heat. Add clams, cover and cook until shells open, about 5 minutes. (Discard any clams that don't open.) Add clams and broth to pot; adjust seasonings. Ladle soup into large bowls, garnish with parsley and serve.

This year's Crustacean Celebration also features a fabulous Crab and Corn Chowder and Crab Niçoise. Read last season's series starting with And They're Off!, and the previous year's series kicking off with a Hot Artichoke and Crab Dip (with links to other posts in the series).

Quick Hits: Jade Teahouse and Ned Ludd

Ever since my brother moved his wine shop, Vino, from its decade-long home in Sellwood to a new (and awesome) location on 28th Avenue, I've been neglecting my haunts in the old neighborhood. One in particular, Jade Bistro, would spring to mind whenever I was craving a warming soup, a great banh mi or one of Lucy Eklund's stunning pastries. I returned a couple of weeks ago to find April, Lucy's daughter, smiling at me behind the counter despite my absence (which made me feel even guiltier) and Josh Chang working his magic with the mysterious, shining tower of tea tins behind the counter. Friends and I shared a big bowl of Lucy's rich, flavorful soup, billowing clouds of fragrant steam, the toothy handmade noodles giving testimony to what makes this place so special. We also split a spice-infused steamed chicken and a pork and eggplant concoction that reminded me how much I love purple ovoids, especially in Asian preparations. And of course we had to have a piece or two of Lucy's irresistible green Vietnamese wedding cake to take with us. As God is my witness, I swear that even without a case of wine to pick up, I'll be going back again soon.

Details: Jade Bistro, 7912 SE 13th Ave. 503-477-8985.

* * *

For me, there's no better sign when walking into a restaurant than to see the chef butchering a pig just as service is starting. I mean, it really doesn't get fresher or more hands-on than that, does it? And sure enough, that's what Ned Ludd chef and owner Jason French was doing the other evening as I walked in with friends. Fortunately he did put down his very sharp knife long enough for a hug, but picked it right up again as we took our seats. Though I consider Ned Ludd to be one of my favorite places in town for a great meal, it had been awhile (yes, there's a theme here) since I'd been in. I'm happy to report that the service continues to be solid and the food is still stellar, all of it (well, except for the cold plates) coming from the glowing wood-fired oven that's front and center in the dining room. From the puffy warm flatbreads to the everything-made-in-house meat board to the pork, trout and amazing seasonal vegetable offerings, this place rocks my world every time. And with great cocktails and a very reasonably priced (and well-curated) wine list, it's easy to order a beverage that will complement the food perfectly. This place literally glows from the inside, and not just because of the fire in the oven…it's a genuinely friendly, completely Portland kind of place that draws you in with open arms.

Details: Ned Ludd, 3925 NE Martin Luther King Blvd. 503-288-6900.

Taken For Granted

Long-term couples know this one well: You go someplace for dinner, or maybe you're on your way home after an evening with friends, and suddenly your partner in this walk through life says something that absolutely…cracks…you…up. You look over at him (in my case) through your tears and really see him for the first time in ages. That same smile. The same laugh lines (albeit maybe more of them) around the eyes. But he's just reminded you why you fell for him in the first place.

Because he makes you laugh like nobody else ever has who's not a professional comedian. (And who'd want to live with one of them? Yikes.)

It's like that with my brother. I take it for granted that he's a wonderful cook, a terrific bartender and knows his way around a grill. I'm finding out he's a really great dad, too, not that it's a surprise; after all, he gets a lot of coaching from his lovely bride.

It's the same with his wine business, which operated with stunning success in Sellwood for more than ten years. But now that he's moved Vino to it's new location smack dab in the middle of food heaven on SE 28th, it gave me a chance to see it with new eyes. And what did I spy with my little eye the last time I was in but a shop-within-a-shop he's calling Mercato di Vino.

Bruce has always carried a few good vermouths, some salt, maybe the occasional estate olive oil from one of his wine suppliers and the off-and-on can of what we call "crack olives," little anchovy-stuffed green olives from Spain that, and I have proof, are highly addictive. And go perfectly with the perfect gin martini.

The new location has given him room to expand his offerings and he's bringing in the best of the best: not only our vermouth of choice for Manhattans, Carpano di Antica, and the accompanying you'll-never-settle-for-maraschinos-again Toschi amarena cherries. But also his new favorite mixer, Bonal Gentiane-Quina, along with Cocchi Americano, Lillet and a terrific selection of bitters. Plus a dry goods section overflowing with imported polenta, tomatoes, Spanish tuna, arborio, salts and olive oil.

All this in my brother's wine shop…I gotta look around more often. Imagine what he's hiding on his wine shelves!

Details: Vino, 137 SE 28th Ave. 503-235-8545.

A Jewel in Sellwood

Excuses. We've all got 'em. "Don't have time" is one of my regulars. "Slipped my mind" is becoming alarmingly frequent and, alas, all too true. "Had to answer an e-mail" slips in with startling regularity, too.

Such was the case when Dave and I had errands to run on the west side of the river and found ourselves peckish. Without a decent place to eat in sight, we opted to drive across the notoriously wibbly wobbly Sellwood Bridge and stop in at Jade Teahouse. That's when the cascade of excuses poured forth.

You see, Jade has been near or at the top of the list of my very favorite places since April Eklund (on right in photo at left) and her immensely talented mother, Cuong "Lucy" Eklund, opened it in October of 2008. Pretty soon April's exquisite design sense coupled with her mother's training as a chef and patissier in France, not to mention the handmade noodles, breads and pastries pouring out of Lucy's kitchen, made it an instant hit. And when PDXploration blogger Joshua Chang joined the team with his extensive knowledge and love for blended teas, as well as a killer smile and can-do attitude, things heated up even more.

But, and here's where the excuses come in, I hadn't been there in awhile and nothing gets past Lucy's eagle eye. So after her usual warm greeting, she very tactfully mentioned my absence from the lunch counter. Gulp. "Well…um…uh…" and brought up my brother's wine shop moving out of the neighborhood, the holidays, work, dragons, fires, floods.

Needless to say, Lucy just smiled and brought out her homemade roasted chile oil to go with my khao soi (top photo), a bowl of deeply flavorful broth filled with ground pork, tomatoes, chopped greens and some of Lucy's crazily light and luscious wide noodles. Dave opted for the beef and squash in red curry broth, another perfect combination and an ideal antidote to the wet, cold day outside.

Sufficiently fortified, we said our goodbyes and headed home, swearing to return soon despite work, holidays or dragons. Really.

Details: Jade Teahouse and Patisserie, 7912 S.E. 13th Ave. 503-477-8985.

Livin' in the Blurbs: Celebrities and Class Acts

When my semi-regular bulletin came in from Luan at Foster & Dobbs, one of the city's best cheese shops squirreled away in NE Portland's Irvington neighborhood, I was floored. There, buried amid a plethora of can't-miss wine tastings, book signings and classes, were two names that sang out. One was Paul Bertolli (left), charcutier extraordinaire and the progenitor of the art of cured meat in America (no big salami jokes, please). The other was Zoe Brickley, the cave maven and "superstar affineur" of that center of all things cheesy and good known as Murray's in New York City. They'll both be at F&D in early October, and I urge you to get yourself in there for one or both sessions.

• Cheese Science for the Enthusiast with Zoe Brickley of Murray's discussing cheese basics with samples of the cheeses included. Fri., Oct. 1, 7:15 pm; $25, reservations required.
• Fra' Mani Handcrafted Salumi with Paul Bertolli, who will be on hand to share tastes and chat about his succulent cured meats. Sat., Oct. 2, 2:30-4:30 pm; free.

Details: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods, 2518 NE 15th Ave. Phone 503-284-1157.

* * *

The arrival of fall—and don't tell me you haven't been pulling up the comforter the last few nights—means that new class schedules have been jamming up in-boxes all around the Northwest. One of the most unusual schedules is from SweetWares, the baking supply shop-cum-cooking school in Hillsdale. From Indian curries to challah to Mexican Day of the Dead sugar skulls (I kid you not), they've got a great lineup of reasonably priced hands-on classes coming in the next couple of months.

• Big, Fat, Tall, Luscious Layer Cakes with Melissa Carey Ragland. Thurs., Sept. 23, 1-4 pm; $75 with preregistration.
• Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls with Andrea Nicholas of SweetPerennial Sugar Flower Boutique. Sat., Oct. 2, 10-11:30 am; $40 with preregistration
• Decorating Your Fall Baked Goods with Chocolate Transfers with former Baker & Spice cake whiz and Sugarhouse Cake owner, Erin Fale. Sat., Oct. 23, 10-11 am; $45 with preregistration.

Details: SweetWares, 6306 SW Capitol Hwy. in the Hillsdale Shopping Center. Phone 503-546-3737.

* * *

And the final class act in this list is my brother, Bruce, the proprietor of Sellwood wine shop Vino and the always-insightful, pomposity-popping author of the blog Eat. Drink. Think. He's moving the shop (details here) to SE 28th, involving a month-long hiatus, meaning I'll be looking forward to reading many more posts on the blog (since he'll have all that time on his hands), yet I'll be missing his hilarious and pointed weekly tasting notices that never fail to stray from the matter at hand. From his final tasting notice: "The hardest part of this move and the ensuing closure is knowing that I will miss commenting each Friday on the next election cycle and all the juicy bits that entails. The myopians who are Tea Party candidates alone provide a full buffet of opportunity. Any political party who elects a bill-evading deadbeat like Christine O’Donnell in Delaware deserves every bit of ridicule they incur. Even Karl Rove called her out, saying "there were a lot of nutty things she has been saying that just simply don't add up." Look for a Big Sale on Saturday, Sept. 18, as he depletes his stock, the better to fill up the new shop with fresh deals!

Details: Vino, 1226 SE Lexington in Sellwood. Phone 503-235-8545.

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.

* * *

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.

* * *

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.

The Best Cocktail in the World

I know, I know, calling a particular drink "the best cocktail" is hyperbole on the scale of saying one religion is the true path and everyone else is going to H-E-double toothpicks. And there are going to be comments like, "Whaddaya mean..." and "You're fulla..." But, doggone it, it's my favorite and I'm not afraid to say it.

Now, I've had lots of other great cocktails. After all, there is such a thing as due diligence in these matters and I'm all about fair play. Martinis, mojitos, lemon drops, G&Ts, sidecars, toddies...I could go on. But the Negroni is the one I always come back to as my touchstone, especially as made by my favorite bartender.

And it's not for everyone. You have to have a taste for the bitter (Campari) along with the sweet (vermouth). And the perfect accompaniment is a twist of lemon, though many practitioners are trying to substitute orange peel, giving the drink a cloying oiliness rather than the zing that lemon rind contributes.

So if you're ready to try one, here's the recipe from my brother that we've adopted as our own:

Vino's House Negroni

A good friend of mine described the Negroni as "the perfectly balanced cocktail when made correctly." I've got to agree. The richness of the gin, the bitter-sweetness of the Campari, the balancing acidity of the vermouth. Measure it out if you have to, free pour if you're confident enough, just make it. This is a great old-school drink that originated in the 1930's, and is making a comeback today. Big ups for this very refreshing adult beverage.

1 part Gin
1 part Campari
1/2 part Sweet Vermouth
1/2 part Dry Vermouth

Fill your cocktail shaker halfway with ice, dump in the booze, shake then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of lemon.

A note on the gin: I love Tanqueray, but with this drink I actually prefer the less assertive flavor of a Gordon's Dry Gin or a similar mid-range gin. And also if you look in a vintage bar guide, it will invariably say one part sweet vermouth with no dry vermouth. But I was shown this half-and-half method by the bartender at Bix in San Francisco (a great "must stop" bar for you martini fans!) and this rounds out the flavors perfectly. Cheers!