Party with a Purpose: 100% Portland

Last night K and I attended a fundraiser for a political candidate. Heck, I endorse him so of course I'll tell you his name. Jefferson Smith, and he's running for Mayor of Portland, Oregon.

The evening showcased Jefferson's plans for our city's future, ideas to be working on together and some amazing P-town talent that included fire-dancers and hoop girls, poetry and prose. Truly, a great night at the Bossanova Ballroom (very charming venue, by the way).

But this is my food and drink blog and so I digress, although the beer and wine were fine, there wasn't food available and so after the highly informative and entertaining event we headed down to the food carts on Hawthorne.

Now, I know that the food carts in Portland are on the verge of, if not already, fully overplayed. The height of their trendiness brought cart-pads willy nilly to every vacant lot in the city only to be quashed by zoning and permit limitations. I may just sound a little bitter because my own idea for a cart has materialized under someone else's name and is flourishing. There go my retirement plans.

The food carts on SE 12th and Hawthorne have long been favorites of mine and they have some real staying power which I believe is testimony to their greatness in a food cart metropolis.

Last night we enjoyed sampling from two places on the pad, as we vow to always choose food from different carts in order to patronize as much as possible. In the past, we have enjoyed the offerings from Pyro Pizza (amazing) and El Brasero (meh)and Perierra Creperie (some yum, some meh). Last night, however, was a win/win situation.

First stop, ordered a Chicken Pot Pie from Whiffies. While they were working that up for us we rolled over to Potato Champion. Side note, with a name like Potato Champion, how could you possibly go wrong? Right? I ordered the small Poutine, because it's still a serious serving of the Canadian comfort food. Poutine= Perfect, piping hot french fries covered with gravy and cheese curds. Do not knock it, you just don't know. I would be lying if I didn't tell you this was a return trip to PC. Then, back over to pick up our pie at Whiffies. Oh! How do I love thee, Whiffies? The vendor hands the lovingly foiled pie to K as if it were Excalibur, gently, with great reverance. We soon know why. The flaky crust on this hand-held, deep-fried golden delight is buttery goodness. No doughy cold spots, no chewy burnt crimps. Perfect all the way around. The filling was not so much chicken as potato and vegetable with some chicken in it but please do not let that sway you. This was amazing and delicious and everything I want from a chicken pot pie from now on. All in all a fabulous evening. I do love Portland.

NW Chocolatefest 2012: Indulge

Woke up this morning to a very typical Portland day. It was sunny in the backyard and raining in the front yard. It was a day that screamed "get out of the house" but also whispered "it's time to spoil yourself". It was just that kind of day and so, Kieran and I headed to the Portland Convention Center for the ChocolateFest 2012. I know I've posted about ChocolateFest before. It's an amazing event with a million ways to treat yourself to chocolate and some truly fascination sights. Last year, I believe there was the woman having her body painted with chocolate. This year, no such luck on the choco-bodypaint but there were the obligatory Harajuku girls and even ordinary Portlanders seem more intriguing after a few Chocolate Martinis (imbibed by them or me, no matter). The chocolate from Leonida's truly makes the most amazing chocolate martinis ever. Creamy, delicious, good enough to go back around and get in line three more times...

Unfortunately, we went a little late this year and the crowds were horrific. People started out in lines but after a bit everybody was so hopped up on chocolate simple civility went out the window. But, hey, this is chocolate we're talking about. Amazing chocolate from all over the world but mostly the Pacific Northwest. Seattleites hawking all Organic, Oregonians pushing free-trade bean to bar. So good, so good for you. No-one can deny, chocolate is good for the soul. And although I can't say that all of the chocolate I tasted today was good I can say that some of the chocolate I had today was amazing. The "Best in Show" chocolate truly was, in my opinion "Best". Cocotutti put out some of the most scrumptious bits of chocolate truffle and confection. Chocolates infused with lavendar,ginger,mint or peppery spices that made "hot" chocolate not just hot, but savory delicious. Truffles and caramels disappeared from the trays as quickly as the vendors could pile them up. It reminded me of the "Candyman" sequence from the original Willy Wonka. I was living the dream.

Goodbye 2011, Hello BiGMoUtH

I realize my blogging efforts have been sketchy. I suddenly grew conscious of the fact that I was taking pictures and posting everything that I ate and drank...today I say why not? My New Year's resolution is to keep reading, keep writing, keep blogging, keep practicing. Communicate. I enjoy it. Sometimes I'm even good at it. I'm not going to stop eating and drinking so why stop talking about it? It has been a pretty introspective New Year for me. I have big plans for the New Year and they're all about allowing me to be me. The me that enjoys drinking. The me that enjoys eating. The me that enjoys discovering the new and old and wonderful about the Pacific Northwest. Some day the world.

The me that enjoys cheese. Not just any old cheese though. Delicious cheese. Cheese from a a company in Tillamook that dared create cheese in the shadow of Tillamook Cheese Factory. Now I have nothing against the Tillamook County Creamery Association or any of their own delicious cheeses, but when in Tillamook I prefer to visit the Blue Heron French Cheese Co.

K and I took Baloo to the beach this past weekend. It was rainy, as one might expect in late December on the Oregon coast. It was gray, and not just the sky either. It was such a gray day that everywhere you would look was bathed in a bluegreen light, muted and beautiful. Quiet. Even the ocean was quiet. Not very many waves, no real storm in sight. Baloo loves the ocean on days like these. He loves the game of running towards the sea only to turn heel and book it when the sea comes creeping in after you. He actually smiles. A big, wide dog smile that starts at his big dog lips and ends at his wide swinging, salt water soaked tail.

A trip to this portion of the coast calls for a trip to Blue Heron for a loaf of crusty french bread and a wheel of pepper encrusted Brie cheese. It's all we have for lunch. Maybe an apple or pear if we remember to bring one. We eat at least half the wheel and the entire loaf of bread sitting in the truck watching the ocean. I am covered with crumbs and loose black peppercorns and salt. From the seawater or the bread, I'm not sure. Either is fine with me.



I can't wait to get home and eat salad because this day we also pick up the best Blue Cheese dressing I've ever had. It's oil/vinegar based, not creamy blue. It holds spices and chunks of Blue Heron Blue Cheese. Heaven in a bottle.

And so I will continue to drink beer and wine and rave. Seek out new food carts and restaurants and swoon. Eat cheese and write about it. It's what I do.