A City Can't Have Too Many Markets!

This city rocks local like no other, and to prove it we not only have a thriving farmers' market scene, but several markets are adding new locations in underserved areas and are adding more days to their market schedules.

Apropos of that, word is just in from Eamon "Shoehorn" Molloy, manager of the incredible Hillsdale Farmers' Market that shakes the southwest side of town on Sundays and the east side Lloyd Farmers' Market on Tuesdays, that Lloyd will be adding Thursdays to its market calendar starting on June 3 and running through September 30.

A unique market that draws from not only the surrounding Northeast neighborhood but also from the government buildings that ring its location, Molloy announced last fall that the Tuesday market would extend its season through the winter, joining the ranks of the other two year-round markets in the city at Hillsdale and People's.

"Customers and vendors alike had been asking for a longer season. We planned to run through mid-March 2010 but the desire to run year-round was too strong to ignore," Molloy said. "Ashforth Pacific has been a wonderful host and we are grateful for their strong support of local farmers."

Response was so good from customers and vendors over the winter that the decision was made to add a second day, giving residents and workers yet another opportunity to keep their dollars in the community and support local farmers and food purveyors. I can only applaud their efforts!

Details: Lloyd Farmers' Market. Tuesdays, 10 am-2 pm year round; Thursdays, 10 am-2 pm, June 3-Sept. 30. Located in Oregon Square on NE Holladay St. between 7th & 9th Aves

Olympic Ambitions

Sometimes you know you're going to like a place the instant you walk in the door. So it comes as no surprise that I felt a flood of warm feelings immediately on walking through the door of the recently opened Olympic Provisions when I saw the giant "MEAT" sign lit up like a Broadway marquee on the back wall. The brainchild of Clyde Common's Nate Tilden and co-owner (and executive chef) Jason Barwikowski, it serves as a playground for the meat-curing prowess of salumi maven Elias Cairo.

Cairo, known until recently as the sous and then head chef at Hawthorne's highly respected Castagna, came to Olympic Provisions to operate Oregon's first USDA-approved dry cure salumeria. Located in what was Portland's inner eastside produce district, it now looks to be its latest hot spot for eating and drinking. And Cairo is serious about his meat, with a window next to the kitchen that looks into the hanging meaty bits in the curing room.

On my first trip there for lunch a friend and I sampled some of those meats, mine a hot pastrami sandwich that didn't carry the label Reuben but was packed not only with warm meat but lots of fresh sauerkraut. The appetizer of fresh fried sardines and garlic aioli with chopped pickled onions on crostini were sublime, showing that these guys know how to take full advantage of what's in season.

The second trip was for a face-to-face with my fellow blogger Denise and biz exec/world traveler and fellow twitterer Nitin Khanna. (As I told Nitin, I'm old school when it comes to face time.) Deciding to dive meat first into the menu, we ordered the charcuterie plate (above right), a combination that showed off Cairo's prowess in the curing room with, clockwise from top, coppa (with white chunks), mortadella (with green bits), saucisson sec, terrine (under knife) and pork liver mousse. The plate was a collection of contrasting flavors and textures, from the meatiness of the terrine to the silken lushness of the moussse to the crunch of the peppers in the mortadella. The cured meats were surprisingly mild and a tad dry, the sec rather flavorless and the coppa almost leathery.
More surprising was the treatment of the vegetables, which you'd think would almost be an afterthought in a palace built to honor the many delicious ways to enjoy the flesh of animals. The shaved brussels sprout salad with its anchovy-rich vinaigrette (right) was something I'll be working to copy here at home and might require (many) further visits to confirm ingredients. And the complex curried roasted cauliflower with chickpeas and golden raisins (above left) was pure genius, and another dish I could devour on a regular basis.
Denise and I opted for the roasted eggplant sandwich on a bolo roll (left) that was combined with roasted red peppers and a honeyed ricotta, a nice textural combination, but I probably would have gone with a pungent goat or sheep's cheese to give it more character. Nitin's grilled cheese and mushroom on brioche was very good, the buttery brioche grilled to be crusty on the outside, and once bitten the bread almost dissolved in your mouth.

This place would be a great one to visit at several times of the day to see how its atmosphere changes as night falls, the brighter, noisier crowds at lunch giving way to the more intimate lighting in the evening. Especially if you can get the prime seats at end of the counter and toast your luck under that MEAT sign.

Details: Olympic Provisions, 107 SE Washington St. Phone 503-954-3663.

Growing Pains at Portland Farmers' Market?

With more than 40 farmers' markets in the Portland metro area and more in almost every community statewide, Oregon has become a national model for establishing a direct linkage from farm to table. A recent report found that farmers' markets have had a collective impact on the region's economy of more than $17 million.

The Portland Farmers' Market, while announcing the closure of its Ecotrust location at the end of last season, is opening two new markets this year, one downtown in Pioneer Courthouse Square and another in NW at 23rd and Savier. It's also increasing its footprint on Saturdays at the market at PSU, spreading out to include the block directly south and relocating vendors to the perimeter, opening the area in the center for music, picnicking and just plain hanging out.

Doubling their space will only add 25 more stalls for a total of 120 separate vendors, the point of the expansion being to decrease the crush created by too many people crammed into too little space. As might be expected with an effort this ambitious, however, rumors have been flying about who's in and who's out and reports of some bumps in the road on the way to opening day.

As was reported on Eater.com, Morgan Brownlow's Tails & Trotters will be a vendor at the PSU market after all, after an initial report that they would not be included in the new mix. Executive Director Ann Forsthoefel said that Brownlow's hazelnut-finished pork will be filling in for the first part of the season until one of their other vendor's pigs are ready.

Forsthoefel was surprised to hear that Viridian Farms, the go-to vendor for the latest and greatest produce in the area, including their orgasmic pimientos de padron and the "it" greens of last year, the succulent known as glacier lettuce, was rumored to have been summarily downsized. On the contrary, she said, they were given more space in a coveted corner location. There was also some talk that the decision on which vendors would be included in the new markets opening this year had been delayed, but Forsthoefel said that only about 10 vendors at each of those markets were still undecided. She said that the focus right now is on getting the PSU market season launched, and that after it opens a final decision would be made on unfilled slots.

She added that they just found out this week that the construction on the south end of the new block, which was supposed to have been completed by mid-summer, was at least eight weeks behind schedule. It has meant that the layout of the new space, as well as access points for load-in and load-out, has had to be reconfigured, but that all will be in place and ready to go by opening day. Check the website for a schematic of the new layout of the market, with an interactive map of vendor locations to follow in the near future.

You can count on finding the market opening its eighteenth season on Mar. 20 at PSU, methinks with even more anticipation than usual.

Details: Portland Farmers' Market, Saturdays starting on Mar. 20 at Portland State University in the South Park Blocks between SW Hall & SW Montgomery.

Heart Attack in a Bowl

There's nothing like putting your life on the line for dinner. And I'm not talking about a Wild Kingdom scenario where Marlin Perkins sends Jim off in his short shorts to get some alligator steaks to grill. No, I'm talking about something more insidious here, something that, like kindness, will kill you with its soft, silky touch.

It had been years since I'd made my killer alfredo sauce for pasta, since when Dave became lactose-intolerant it went on the list of verboten foods along with croissants and much of French cuisine. So with Dave due back in town after a visit with his mom, my son and I decided on one last lactose-packed hurrah with this buttery, fat-on-fat creamy dish of danger. To top it off, I bought a package of thinly sliced pancetta rounds that I fried to make bacon crisps to garnish the pasta, and then used the rendered fat to make a warm bacon dressing for a butter lettuce salad (just to say we did have one healthy thing—the lettuce, that is—for dinner).

You can obviously serve this as a side dish as is, but it's also great with steamed broccoli or a chiffonade of kale mixed into the sauce at the last minute, or with shredded chicken or chunks of fried pancetta. For some kick, run fresh garlic through a garlic press and add that to the sauce, or sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.

I'm not saying you should have your cholesterol checked before diving in, but if you do decide to make this for dinner, it might be a good idea to have 911 on speed dial and put the phone next to your bowl. Just in case.

Pasta with Alfredo Sauce

1 lb. dried pasta
2 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Pour cream into a medium-sized sauce pan and bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently to keep it from scorching. Reduce by half. Stir in butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm while pasta cooks. Add pasta to boiling water and cook till al dente. Drain pasta and put in serving bowl. Pour sauce over the top and mix in. Serve with parmesan on the side.

* * *

Warm Bacon Dressing

Rendered fat from 4 slices of bacon
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. brown or white sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat fat in small pan. Whisk in remaining ingredients and drizzle over salad greens. Toss and serve.

In Season NW: A Little Limoncello

With Meyer lemons in season right now, it's time to think about saving these wonderful yellow fruits for later. Preserved lemons are some of my favorite condiments, great stuffed in green olives for martinis and in Moroccan dishes, but nothing beats a sip of limoncello on a hot summer day. Contributor Jim Dixon of RealGoodFood shares his recipe.

Limoncello

I saw a recipe for limoncello online recently. It wasn’t really wrong, but it called for macerating lemon zest in vodka. There’s a much better way to make limoncello, a specialty of the Sorrentine Peninsula, and while the season for citrus is winding down, there’s still a nice selection in the markets.

My approach comes from Giuliano Bugialli, a cookbook author who write about the regional dishes of Italy. He says this is how they do it along the coast south of Naples.

Start with a trip to the liquor store to pick up some grain alcohol, commonly called Everclear after a well-known brand (but not the one sold here in Oregon). Grain alcohol is more neutral than vodka, not too mention much stronger, and it’s what’s used in Italy.

You’ll need 5 to 6 lemons for 750 ml (a “fifth”) of alcohol. I usually use Meyer lemons, but the more common Persian lemons will work, too. Other items to gather before starting include cheesecloth, string and a few wide-mouth jars (two quart jars for each 750 ml of alcohol).

Use the cheesecloth and string to make a pouch for 2 to 3 lemons. You’ll need to slip this inside the jar, so make it loose enough to allow for the lemons to shift around. Pour the alcohol into the jars, leaving enough room for the lemons to hang in the jar without touching the alcohol. Use tape or more string to secure the lemon pouches, and cover the jars with a couple of layers of plastic wrap (the alcohol will evaporate if the jars are not tightly sealed). Put the jars in a dark place and wait.

While it might not seem like much is happening, the alcohol fumes will, over a few months, leech the flavor out of the lemon peel. Later this summer (July 4th, say), make a simple syrup of water and sugar (I used to make my syrup for limoncello from equal parts sugar and water, but now use 4 parts sugar to 5 water so it’s not too sweet).

Unseal the jars of alcohol and discard the lemons. Dilute the alcohol by half for 90 proof (quite strong); add a bit more syrup or plain water for a less potent batch (do this slowly, in a small container, and taste it along the way).

This limoncello won’t have the vibrant yellow color you get from soaking the zest in the alcohol, but it also doesn’t have the bitterness from the white pith that’s hard to avoid when you’re cutting the zest. It’s delicious over ice or mixed with iced tea for a summer cooler.

A Piece of the Action

We really try not to complain. And goodness knows we don't suffer. But ever since Dave became lactose intolerant a few years ago my son and I have had to find other ways to get our gooey soft cheesy fixes. Fortunately Dave can still partake of the hard cheeses like romano and parmesan, so most Italian pasta dishes, barring those with mozzarella or ricotta, are still in the mix. And over the years I've concocted a pretty killer lactose-free mac'n'cheese.

But when Dave had to make a trip to Vermont to visit his mom recently, we decided to take full advantage of the opportunity to gorge on some forbidden fruit. And, since pizza has been pretty much off the menu for obvious reasons, we concluded that a wood-oven pizza from neighborhood favorite Lucca would fit the bill. For one thing, it's only a few blocks away, assuring us that it would not only be fresh but hot by the time we got it home, because nothing sucks like congealed cheese.

It went without saying that we would order the Quattro Formaggi (above left) with its contingent of fresh mozzarella, fontina, gorgonzola and Parmesan scattered with garlic and spinach. These 12" pies run from $10.50 to $13 and each one would easily feed two adults with a side salad but, because Mr. B's metabolism is such that he could eat two or more of these beauties by himself without batting an eye (which would use up even more calories), we got a backup of their funghi pizza (top photo), wood-roasted wild mushrooms on top of a pool of melted fontina, mozzarella, parsley and truffle oil.

We've loved Lucca as a place to go for lunch or dinner, and this first venture into the to-go pizza list was very promising, with their bubbly, rustic crusts and seasonal ingredients. With the price of two equaling about what you'd pay for one large pizza at any other shop, we'll no doubt be calling them up again. Maybe, if we asked really nicely, they'd even put aside the mozzarella so Dave could have some.

Details: Lucca, 3449 NE 24th Ave. Phone 503-287-7372.

"You're Gonna Love My Nuts!"

First it was Carl Sagan singing, now it's the Slap Chop guy rapping. Gotta love that auto-tune!

Thanks to Lucy Burningham for tweeting it!

Report from the Field: The Santa Fe Trail

Thank goodness I have friends who get out of town once in awhile and inspire me to dream about road trips to faraway places. My pal Laurie recently ventured solo to Santa Fe and not only brought back tales of a charming city filled with wonderful food, but some photos and samples to make it a much fuller experience!

The Santa Fe visitor experience is well documented, and for good reason. They’ve got it going on. World class art, extraordinary light and interesting food. And unlike much of the art, the food is very affordable.

Here are few gastronomic highlights from my recent mid-winter jaunt to the Land of Enchantment:

Café Pasqual's: A popular spot known for it’s tasty Mexican/New Mexican cuisine and funky, relaxed, atmosphere. I opted for the chicken mole enchiladas (left). According to my server, the sweet-yet-savory Oaxacan-style mole contained over 100 ingredients. (And yes, it was just as good as the moles I had in Oaxaca.) There was also a flavorful lime and cilantro rice, which was delightful in its own right. Café Pasqual's, 121 Don Gaspar. Phone 505-983-9340.

The Plaza Café: Another local favorite, located … you guessed it …right in the main plaza. I had the chile relleno omelet (right). I’m no food writer, but I’ll take my best shot at describing this as an episode of The Dating Game: Mr. Fluffy Frenchie Omelet chooses local hottie, Miss Perfectly Roasted Green Chile. Sparks fly, they bond and together they ride off into the northern New Mexico sunset. The Plaza Café, 54 Lincoln Ave. Phone 505-982-1664.

Tomasita's: My friend from Albuquerque insisted I try the sopapillas (think the beignet of New Mexico) with red chile sauce and honey. (Sounds weird, but it’s delicious.) And the margaritas…yikes! Pony up for the “Silver Coin”—fancy tequila plus Cointreau that's well worth the $11. But imbibers beware! Tequila is even more dangerous at 7,000 feet. Tomasita's, 500 S Guadalupe St. Phone 505-983-5721.

And, last but not least, the quirky yet charming Kakawa Chocolate House where one can find incredible exotic drinking chocolate based on historic recipes from Pre-Columbian Meso America, 17th century Europe and Colonial Mexico.

I took home some of their 1775 Marie Antoinette Chocolate Elixir, which I prepared with both with regular milk and the recommended almond milk. I vote for the almond milk—it really brings out the chocolate’s complex flavors. The cute chocolate ingots (right) make great gifts, too, and are available online. [Laurie brought some back for me and they are indeed as incredible as she describes. And unusual, to boot! - KAB] Kakawa Chocolate House, 1050 E Paseo de Peralta. Phone 505-982-0388.

That’s all I have to report from the field. However, I have one parting suggestion: if you’re going to go in hard for the chiles, I recommend bringing some Pepto Bismol tablets—just to be on the safe side.

Member of the Press

Want to know what's really going on in Portland? Then get out of downtown and, in the name of all that is holy, eschew the Pearl District. Head out into the neighborhoods and walk the streets around Alberta, Multnomah, Montavilla, Hawthorne, Mississippi or Division to get a curbside view of where real Portlanders eat, shop and live.

The corner of 26th and Clinton, just south of Division and east of a hot little restaurant row near 21st (Vindalho, Nuestra Cocina, Bar Avignon), has been a microcosm of eastside life for at least a quarter century. The Clinton St. Theater on the corner has been showing the Rocky Horror picture show every Saturday night since 1978 and rolls out a roster of indie releases and classics. The retro-cool darkness of Dots Cafe, the homey pizzas and pastas of SubRosa and the brews at Clinton Street Brewing will give you some of the flavor of the corner, but for an all-day metric on street activity you can't beat The Press Club.

Open every day, neighbors gather for their cup o' joe and gossip in the morning, then wander home to let the lunch crowd take over for crepes and sandwiches named after literary types (an Ellison or a Palaniuk, anyone?). At night it turns into a DJ inferno-cum-movie house with alternating evenings of music and classic movies fueled by wine, beer and house cocktails.

The crepes, gorgeously folded envelopes that I'd love to find in my mailbox any day, are more than decent, though don't rise to the imaginative levels found at some local carts. But the quiet sense of being in a real place with real people makes this member of the fourth estate a special spot to spend an hour or two.

Details: The Press Club, 2621 SE Clinton St. Phone 503-233-5656.

Making Squid Sing: An Easy Intro

Squid is a creature I like to order in restaurants, but have never cooked, so this recipe from contributor Jim Dixon of RealGoodFood looked like an easy one to start with. Like Ivy Manning's recipe below, it also uses lacinato kale, one of my favorite greens of all time, and pretty much guarantees I'll like it!

Cleaned squid is fairly cheap (about $5 per pound at New Seasons), but most people can only imagine it deep fried. I like it that way, too, but at home I prefer a longer, slower braising technique. A classic dish from the Tuscan coast around Livorno, inzimino usually includes a quick cooking green like chard, but I think the heartier flavor of cavalo nero (aka lacinato kale) makes it better. This dish doesn’t look like much when it’s done, but it tastes great.

Calamari all’Inzimino

For one bunch of cavalo nero, use about a pound of cleaned squid, an even mix of tubes and tentacles. Leave the tentacles intact, but slice the tubes into rings about a half inch wide.

Chop half an onion, a few garlic cloves and a couple of celery stalks. Cook for a few minutes with a pinch of sea salt in olive oil, then add a bunch of cavalo nero that you cut in a chiffonade (trim the bottom inch off the bundle of leaves, stack 5 or 6 together, roll lengthwise into a tight cylinder, and slice thinly, about a quarter inch; repeat). Add a healthy glug of red wine (roughly a cup), the squid and about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste thinned with a half cup or so of water. [Several recipes I looked at also throw in a cup or so of chickpeas. - KAB]

A nice pinch of red pepper flakes is optional, but really good. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Serve over toasted bread with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. [Polenta (top photo) is also a great accompaniment! - KAB]

Starring Twice-Baked Irish Potatoes (& My Kitchen)

What could I say when my neighbor, cookbook author and writer Ivy Manning, asked to use my kitchen for a video she was making with Rebecca Gerendasy of Cooking Up a Story? Especially when the recipe involved fresh lacinato kale, my new favorite green, picked that morning from Dancing Roots Farm? Let's just say she didn't have to ask twice.

Photo Op: Standing Tall

Eggs from Clare's girls at Big Table Farm.

A la Cart: Garden State Branches Out

Self-satisfied? Maybe even a little smug? No, not the happy mug above, though he does look pretty dang pleased, doesn't he?

It was just a couple of days ago that I caught a glimpse of my reflection and there was definitely a Cheshire-cat grin crossing my face. Not because spring is busting out all over, at least judging by the buds on the daphne in the garden, but because my neighborhood is getting more and more awesome by the day.

The Garden State meatball hero.

Sunday was a particular bellwether because it heralded the opening of the second location of Garden State, Kevin Sandri's temple to the street food of Sicily that has been the toast of the Sellwood neighborhood for the last couple of years. You see, the ever-alert Mr. Sandri heard that there was an opening at Mississippi Marketplace, the brand new cart pod surrounding German beer palace Prost!, and he jumped on it.

The bright'n'shiny new cart!

So his fantastic arancini and the heavenly meatball hero that I've had to drive aaaaaall the way to Sellwood to enjoy is a mere few minutes' stroll away. And he's discovered that he can post his menu on the side of the cart and make changes with the swipe of a Windex-soaked rag. How cool is that?

Oh, and for his Sellwood fans, who have been bereft since his original location there had to be closed (seems like there's an outbreak of crazy-landlord-itis going around), have only to wait a little longer for him to reopen at a location just a hundred or so feet south. (I'll keep you posted!)

Until then, I'll plan on seeing you at his new cart on a regular basis. I'll be the one wearing the big grin!

Details: Garden State at Mississippi Marketplace, 4237 N Mississippi Ave.

Eat Something Sexy

Chef and contributor Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans gives us a primer on the truffle.

It’s customary to give your love a box of chocolate truffles to express your feelings, but if you really want to woo her, offer a heart-shaped box of fungus instead. I’m referring, of course, to that elusive and most coveted of mushrooms, the truffle.

A most enigmatic foodstuff, truffles are a source of mystery and lore. They boldly give forth a scent that has lured both man and pig for centuries—a unique, ethereal odor of deep woods and musk that to some is overly-pungent or even repulsive, but there is no denying our fascination with them.

Until quite recently, it was impossible to cultivate truffles with much success. Despite recent revelations in the inoculation process (filbert trees can be inoculated with truffle spores that may then produce truffle “crops”), most truffles in Oregon are still hunted by skilled foragers who search them out, with or without the aid of dogs, in the damp winter orchards and forests of the state. Their prize for hours spent digging in the dirt is the crown jewel of the mushroom world.

Truffle risotto.

Working with Springwater Farm at several farmers' markets, I've come to recognize two distinct sets of shoppers—those in the know about truffles and those that are curious but have no idea what to do with these peculiar savory-scented black and white orbs (that's KAB, excited but puzzled, in the top photo). So I offer you a very basic truffle tutorial:

First: yes, truffles are a luxury, but a more affordable one. Don’t be put off entirely by their price tag. They are lightweight, and each is powerfully perfumed. A little goes a long way. Look for truffles that are dry and have a pleasing scent. A wet truffle is a sign that it is about to go to the dark side, as has a very unpleasant, fetid odor. Truffles do grow underground, so a little earth can be expected. Just shy away from specimens that are caked with dirt – you don’t want to pay a premium for soil.

Second: protect your investment. Use them when they are at their peak. Don’t wait. Remember that dark side I mentioned? Well, they tend to head fast into it once they’ve ripened. If you aren’t ready to use them when they are ready to be used, just chop them up and add them to an amount of softened butter and season with salt. You can then put the truffle butter in the freezer where it will keep for several months.

Roger Konka of Springwater Farm as the truffle fairy.

OK, you’ve found your source, they are ripe and ready, now what the heck do you do with these things? Essentially, they are a finishing ingredient. Shave them over a mushroom risotto or add a lump of truffle butter to good quality fettuccine, then shave a little truffle over the top. Stir chopped truffle into scrambled eggs. Truffles marry well with root vegetables, too. Toss very thin slices of truffle with hot cooked potato and butter or olive oil (or roasted roots such as rutabaga or parsnips), or stir chopped truffle into a cream of sunchoke or celery root soup.

Truffled popcorn is pretty decadent—toss hot popped corn with truffle butter and truffle salt (the salt is made by Norma Cravens when truffles are in season and is available at Springwater Farm). I’ve included a couple of my favorite simple truffle recipes below. Keep in mind that the most common faux pas with these earthy gems is to overheat them. Truffles, though pungent, are delicate beings. Their scent is accentuated by gentle warming, but is quickly destroyed by intense heat.

Chef Kathryn can offer advice and chop at the same time.

Still have truffle questions? I offer sage culinary advice this winter at the Urban Farm Stand on NE 30th and Emerson, one block south of Killingsworth, Saturdays through March 13th from 10 am to 3 pm, and at the Hillsdale Farmers Market on Sundays at the Springwater Farm booth, where, incidentally, you can find amazing truffles.

Truffled Shirred Egg with Soft Herbs

A shirred egg is a gently baked egg. Truffles and soft herbs make this ordinary egg extraordinary. Serve with a slice of good quality rustic country bread, such as ciabatta.

Butter or truffle butter to coat the baking dish
1 egg
Truffle salt or kosher salt
Truffle (black or white)
A few soft herbs (small leaves of parsley, chervil, tarragon, and small sticks of chive)

Preheat an oven to 350°.

Coat a very small baking dish with butter (the dish should just accommodate the cracked egg). Crack the egg into the dish and season with truffle salt. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the egg is just set (check after 5 minutes, keeping in mind that the egg will take a bit of time to begin cooking, but will then move along quite quickly). Shave a generous amount of truffle over the egg, decorate with herbs and sprinkle with truffle salt.

Truffle Bruschetta
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich

2 thick slices rustic bread (such as ciabatta)
A black or white truffle
1/2 of an anchovy fillet (optional)
Enough butter to blend into the truffle (about 2 Tbsp.), room temperature
Truffle salt or kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lay the bread slices flat on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 4 minutes or so, turn the slices over and toast on the other side for about 4 minutes until they are light gold. Cool on a wire rack.

Brush the truffle clean with a kitchen towel or vegetable brush. With a sharp vegetable peeler, a mandoline or a truffle slicer, shave off about a dozen slices of truffles onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Finely chop or grate the rest of the truffle (the fine holes of a box grater work well). Put the butter and anchovy in a mini-food processor and pulse until smooth. Fold in the grated truffle and season with truffle salt.

Spread the butter onto the toasted bread. Garnish with the truffle slices and serve immediately.

Quest for Food

Talk about a classic story line. A hapless nobody is innocently minding her own business, stumbles over something in her path, picks it up and ends up on a crazy quest to solve a mystery, usually experiencing some kind of personal transformation in the process. It's kind of like that when I have a great dish in a restaurant and want to recreate it at home. I just can't rest until I get it right, and I'll start checking cookbooks, googling recipes, asking friends.

For awhile now I've been working to perfect a mushroom ragu like the one I used to have at a little Italian café on NE Broadway called Paparazzi. The café is long gone and the owners have since moved on to other projects, but I can't seem to get that ragu out of my head.

A year or so ago I thought I had it, but then forgot to write down the recipe and had to start over. Recently I had a pound or so of mixed mushrooms from Springwater Farm and, instead of making a richer, heavier ragu, I decided to try a white wine version and combine it with pappardelle noodles.

What I ended up with was a light and delicious dish that will sing with the spring vegetables coming into the markets. I'm waiting for the personal transformation part to kick in, but at least it'll tide me over until I get that ragu recipe nailed down.

Wild Mushrooms with Pasta and White Wine Sauce

8 oz. dried pappardelle pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 lb. mushrooms, preferably a mix of kinds, sliced or chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or tarragon
1 1/2 tsp. dried aleppo peppers or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. grated parmesan

Bring large pot of salted water to boil.

Heat olive oil in skillet and add garlic. Sauté briefly, making sure it doesn't brown. Quickly add mushrooms and sauté until they begin to wilt. Add dried herbs and peppers and sauté briefly, then add white wine, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Add pasta to pot of boiling water, cook till al dente and drain. Put in serving bowl and top with mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with a little parmesan, reserving the rest of the cheese for sprinkling at the table.

Blogging for Food

As a fourth generation Oregonian, I can attest to the fact that people in Oregon work hard. They almost define themselves by their work ethic, by how many generations have been fishers, cattle ranchers, business people. They believe in the intrinsic reward that comes from work.

Hardy people, they're not used to asking for help. Which is why this recession has hit them so hard. Families who are used to being self-sufficient, even during tough times, are losing not only their jobs, but their homes and, worse, their self-respect. It's not easy to look into your children's eyes and see that they're hungry.

Which is where the Oregon Food Bank comes in. They operate a statewide network of 20 regional food banks and 915 agencies and programs serving Oregon and Clark County, Washington. They operate four regional food banks serving the Portland metro area, Washington County, southeast Oregon and Tillamook County that distribute food to more than 340 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other programs helping low-income individuals in Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah, Washington, Harney, Malheur and Tillamook counties.

In other words, your neighbors and mine, in big cities and small towns all over the state.

Blog for Food is a campaign started last year by Tami Parr of the Pacific Northwest Cheese Blog to fill in during a slow time in the food bank's fundraising year (Feb. 15-Mar. 15, 2010). Dozens of bloggers across the state are asking readers to click to donate whatever they can to help relieve hunger in Oregon. And so we can track your donations and report on how it's going, we're asking that you enter "Blog for Food" in the "Tribute Gift: In honor of:" space on the donation form.

I know that readers of this blog love food, and most probably make good, local food a priority in their budgets. Please consider helping those fellow Oregonians who may not have that luxury. Thanks (in advance) for your help!

Moon Dance

A little dance of love for your Valentine's Day.

Illustration by Chester Gould, creator of the immortal Dick Tracy and many other classic comic book characters. Thanks, KK!

Livin' in the Blurbs: Trees, Farmers & Cheese!

Describing itself as a new "entrepreneurial non-profit organization," Grow Portland is dedicated to the expansion of urban agriculture in the Portland area. During the month of February it is offering five different 90-minute workshops on planting fruit trees. The cost is $40 and includes a fruit tree from their list, with additional trees available for $25 each. The class alone is $20. For more information call David Beller at 503-477-2333.

• Feb. 20: Classes at 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm at Naomi's Organic Farm Supply, 2500 SE Tacoma St.
• Feb. 27: Class at 2 pm at Portland Fruit Tree Project, 1912 NE Killingsworth St. A portion of sales will go the Fruit Tree Project.
• Feb. 28: Classes at 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm at Grow Portland Garden School, 4065 N Mississippi.

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Over the last several months, the folks at Friends of Family Farmers have traveled the state talking to farmers and ranchers about what they need to raise crops and livestock in a responsible and sustainable manner. On February 28th, each of the communities they have visited will send delegates to a meeting at the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis to start building a road map for shaping future food and farming policy in Oregon. They're asking for donations to help with gas and hotel expenses for delegates to this important meeting and, if you're so inclined, you can donate on their website.

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It's time once again for that cheesiest of events, the Oregon Cheese Guild's sixth annual Oregon Cheese Festival on Mar. 20th at Rogue Creamery in Central Point. It will feature a farmers' market-style event that will give festival-goers a chance to meet with some of Oregon and Northern California's premier artisan cheesemakers as well as other artisan producers of meat, chocolate, baked goods and wine. Plus you can purchase edible souvenirs to take home, give as gifts or to savor all by yourself.

Details: Sixth Annual Oregon Cheese Guild Oregon Cheese Festival. Sat., Mar. 20, 10 am-5 pm; $10 admission includes tastings and demonstrations; $5 wine tasting fee includes commemorative glass. Rogue Creamery, 311 N Front St., Central Point.

Truffle Haiku

An ode to a truffle? Too long. A sonnet, perhaps? Or maybe a quatrain would be closer. Better yet…haiku. Seventeen syllables, three lines, unrhymed.

With February heralding the beginning of truffle season, my friends at Springwater Farm decided the proper way to celebrate this subterranean fungal fruit was to hold a haiku contest. Winners were announced yesterday, and now's your chance to vote for the People's Choice Award among the entries.

So scan, analyze or just close your eyes and point at the screen to pick your favorite. Leave a name, the number of your choice in the Comments below, with a reason for your choice if you like. The haiku with the most votes will win a prize for the writer, and winner will be drawn (and a prize awarded) from those who voted for it. Both will be announced at noon on Feb. 20, one week from today, so pick your winner now and check back on Saturday!

1: (Restaurant Haiku)
Holy crap! What's that?!
Walk-in smells overwhelming
Truffles must be here

2:
Your aroma draws me
Beneath tall oak trees
I dig to find you

3:
Small soft clods of soil,
White in the middle, surprise!
Added to dinner.

4:
Truffle jewels bloom
Hidden beneath sturdy Firs
Ruffled morsels' musk

5: (What Happened to The Truffle Pig)
The snout in loam, digs,
nostril-cringe, quiver and bite!
"So we ate the pig."

4:
Earthy redolence
In a bubble-gum shaped ball
Makes my senses sing!

5:
Looks like a pebble
Found hugging a tree root
But worth more than gold.

6:
What amazing luck!
I have found priceless black pearls
Treasures on my tongue.

7:
You said you weren't sure
Then I fed you some truffles
All those years ago

8:
I see overnight
a mushroom grew as quickly
as my love for you

9:
from earth, death decay
spring forth black orbs buttery
give life to my pan

10:
I love mushrooms lots
Into the pot they get tossed
Butter, truffles-yum!

11:
Who can resist you?
Dark, musky, nutty truffle
Aphrodisiac

12:
You might mistake it
For an ordinary stone
Black truffle jewel

13:
I am so sorry
I ate the last black truffle
it was rich, perfect

14:
Alternate dimension
Where truffles taste like they smell
Shampoo like candy

15: (Disappointment Haiku)
Found it while digging
Thought it could be a truffle
But it was a rock

16:
Despite not having
upturned nose nor pot belly
I love those truffles

17:
Out hunting truffles
Didn’t find a gosh-darn thing
Just a nature walk

18: (The Naming Haiku)
shiitake, morel
chanterelle, lobster, yellowfoot
truffles: my favorite

19:
If I stole truffles
You could say I was not nice
But still a fun guy

20:
No matter the smell
funky fresh like ripened feet
tasting of heaven

21:
Your cooking is bad.
Abismal in fact. Even
truffles won’t save you

22:
Savory truffles
So delicious in my mouth
Truffle pig happy

23:
The pig smells like hay
The rain comes and goes away
With truffles to gain

24:
Water-gilled rain-eater
Wearer of the dirt hat and compost cap
Umbrella babies eaten

25:
Not quite wet-sock like
Truffles are better than that
Dirty swamp muck. Sweet.

26:
Mushrooms grow through grass
we hunt for truffles and love
Mushrooms are my love

27:
Black truffles are great!
But I wonder where are the
Philosopher’s stones?

28:
Mushrooms come from ground
Shiitake, morels, weird shapes
Cure my fever, shroom

29:
Would a truffle by
Any other name smell as
Sweet? Sweet love fungus.

30:
Earthy yummy taste
Truffles in food great to eat
oil or salt or plain

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Since I completely forgot about doing the drawing last weekend (and I beg your forgiveness), I had Dave draw a name from a hat. The winner of the packet of Springwater Farm's Oregon truffle salt is…wait for it…Margaret, who chose the People's Choice winner, Haiku #7! Please e-mail me your address and I'll get it in the mail. Thanks everyone for entering!

The "L" Word

I have a friend whose son, now in his 20s, will not eat leftovers. He calls them "old food," as in "I don't like old food."

I, on the other hand, have always loved leftovers, though growing up in a family of five (parents, myself, two younger brothers) there wasn't a whole lot left over after dinner, especially when those boys became adolescents. Not that they were grabbing food out of my mouth, mind you, but because I did some of the cooking I made sure to make things they felt were a little questionable. Like straying from their strict "meat and potatoes" regimen and using vegetables and spices, thus assuring myself of plenty to eat plus leftovers. Diabolical, no?

So when I was stuck for something to make for dinner recently, I did what I always do: open the refrigerator door and scan the shelves and bins, looking for inspiration. Kind of like Lynn Rosetto Casper of The Splendid Table does with her "Stump the Cook" segment, where she has to come up with a dish made from five ingredients given to her by a caller.

The five ingredients I found? Chorizo sausage leftover from pizza-making, leftover duck and part of a pork chop from a terrific birthday dinner at Alba Osteria, rice and smoked chicken stock. All I had to do was add some saffron, onions and garlic and I had the makings of a fine paella.

What five ingredients have you used lately to make an inspired dinner? Leave your solutions to this age-old conundrum by clicking on the Comments button below!

Photo of salametto piccante from Fra Mani Handcrafted Salumi. Great product, btw!

More on the Bike Ride

As mentioned below, Ali and Evan Jepson-Dohrmann are a wonderful young couple running their restaurant, The Little Red Bike Cafe, with passion, commitment and love, the kind of people who are doing the right things for the right reasons. They are completely committed to making a living in the neighborhood they live in, and North Portland has reaped the benefits of their presence.

They've also been committed to sharing the experience of starting a business together on their blog, complete with the ups and downs, baring both the heartache and the high points, in an honest and forthright way. (And Evan, I hope you do write that book!) At times it's been painful to read, much less live through, but (cue the "Chariots of Fire" music) they've persevered and overcome and learned lessons.

In their most recent post, they admit that the cafe is at a crossroads, in a situation that is not one they chose. It involves a lease, a landlord and a business, and may require that the cafe moves from the neighborhood they love. And rather than listen to me blather on, read the post for yourself. You'll be glad you did.

Good luck, you two, and know that we're pulling for you! And we know, like cats, you'll land on your feet. No question.

Photo of Evan's hands by Ali of The Little Red Bike Cafe.

Cruising In to the Bike

It wasn't like we didn't have food in the house. There are always eggs. Or cheese and bread for sandwiches, or rice stir-fried with whatever's left in the vegetable drawer.

But my friends Ali and Evan at the Little Red Bike Cafe had been teasing me for a couple of weeks on their Twitter feed with mouthwatering descriptions of their new dinner menu. So it seemed an opportune time to make a run over there and give it a try.

We pulled up to the tiny café and found it full of happy diners, and Evan told us we could hang out at the window seats and wait a few minutes for a sit-down table. We parked ourselves on the comfortable-enough chairs at the counter, and I ordered a Bloody Mary while Dave got a bottle of Full Sail's Session brew.

Almost everything these two offer is made in-house and sourced as locally as possible, and the love is evident. The Bloody Mary mix is fresh and juicy and, since we're all adults here and know that with Bloody Marys it's all about the condiments, packed with their house pickles that appear as garnishes on most of the plates as well.

Black bean tostadas with house pickles.

And the food is as hearty as it is heart-warming. For instance, my lamb meatloaf was two big slabs of mouthwatering ground lamb, full of comfort and flavor, leaning against a pile of smashed potatoes and a spoonful each of stewed garbanzos and wilted greens, making this a plate to write home about.

Dave's black bean tostadas were just like the ones we'd had in Mazatlan, with slices of perfectly ripe avocado, crunchy greens, zingy beans and…you guessed it…some house-pickled onions. With a side of more of those ubiquitous (and delicious) pickled carrots, cabbage and root veggies.

The Situation isn't normal. But it is delicious!

Mr. B chose The Situation, a meatball sandwich that breaks all the rules by including not only lushly seasoned meatballs and sauce, but bacon, a fried egg and goat cheese inside a ciabatta roll. Luckily he was up to the challenge (he does have a metabolism, unlike his father and I) and even had room for the remainder of my meatloaf. Lucky guy.

Oh, and by the way, we stayed at those window seats even when a table opened up. With a view of the street action outside as well as the kitchen inside, it seemed the perfect spot to share the love.

Details: Little Red Bike Cafe, 4823 North Lombard St. Phone 503-289-0120.

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In the "Wouldn't You Know It" department, I finally got the post above done only to find out that on the same day it posted, Ali and Evan decided to put dinner service on hold for the remainder of February (for a complete explanation, read this post on their blog). But despair not! If this has piqued your interest, you can still find them putting out some of the best breakfast and lunch goods Monday through Saturday, 8 am till 2 pm, with a Sunday brunch from 9 am till 2 pm. Dinners should resume in March, and rest assured I'll keep you apprised!

Thoughts On: The Birth of an Orchard

An occasional feature here at GoodStuffNW is "Thoughts On" various topics by Yamhill farmer Chrissie Zaerpoor of Kookoolan Farms. This essay talks about how a farm evolves and changes over time and circumstance.

Our orchard was born out of a storm. The great snowstorm of December 2008 crushed our 30 foot by 100 foot greenhouses under the weight of more than a foot of heavy wet snow. Because it was the second greenhouse we'd lost to winter storms, we decided that Mother Nature must be trying to tell us something. So rather than rebuild the greenhouse, we decided to put in fruit trees, and to put in a gray water recycling system. Without the failure of the greenhouse, we wouldn't have an orchard.

Our orchard was born out of the decision to give up our dairy goats. In late autumn 2008, we decided to focus our raw dairy only on cows' milk and no longer on goats' milk. Some of it was due to the incompatibility of goats with cows, and goats with meat chickens, and some of it was due to our absolute inability to plant crops of any kind due to the presence of the goats, who seem to exist purely for the purpose of continually challenging fences and continually eating trees, flowers, bushes, lettuces, and vegetables of all kinds. Without quitting goats, we wouldn't have an orchard.

Our orchard was born out of the decision to raise fewer Cornish Cross hybrid meat chickens and more heritage breed meat chickens, and to reduce the overall number of meat chickens we produce every year. In 2008 we had too many animals and not enough plants growing on our land, resulting in too much soil fertility (i.e., too much manure) and not enough crops to absorb it. We needed to plant trees and vegetables to keep our land in balance with its animals.

As the trees grow, they will provide shade on the pasture they share with the chickens. Chickens strongly prefer shady pasture over full sun, and they feel more secure having cover overhead to protect them from hawks and owls and other sky-borne predators. The trees will also provide some windfall fruits, which will add vitamins and sugars to the chickens' diet. By eating the windfall fruits, the chickens also protect the trees by acting as fungicides, eating the fruits before they rot, and preventing fruit funguses from taking over the trees. By eating the windfall fruit they also gobble up tree fruit pests that spend their larval stage in the ground, interrupting the pests' life cycle and preventing large-scale infestation.

The chickens benefit from the higher protein in their diet and the presence of the bugs encourages the chickens in their natural behavior of "scratching," which cultivates and aerates the soil, further benefiting the trees. The chickens eat the weeds and mow the grass, reducing the need for tractors and equipment in the orchard, and evenly spreading their own manure all over the orchard, which means that we don't have to come into the orchard on tractors to bring in any additional fertilizers.

We planted 120 fruit trees in spring 2009. About one third of these tree seedlings were pomegranates; the other two-thirds were a wide variety of mostly heirloom variety fruits, including apples (both eating apples and cider apples), pears, plums, peaches, pears, nectarines, cherries, figs, mulberries, pawpaw, olives and many others. After a couple more years, the orchard will contribute fruit to our CSA vegetable subscription program, as well as providing a bountiful source of fermentable fruits for our new winery and meadery. We're also looking forward a few years from now to having fruitwood prunings to use for smoking our own bacon, poultry, and cheeses.

One of the things we are most proud of on our little farm is that we recycle and compost virtually all wastes produced on our farm. All of our animal manures and solid wastes are composted, and the compost is used in our CSA garden. We have never bought any fertilizer or compost. And we are thrilled with our gray water recycling program, which takes our used process water from slaughterhouse, milking parlor, and winery and pumps it up to be recycled as fertilizer for our orchard, arborvitae perimeter trees and pasture.