Inkwell | The Portland Issue | June 2022

The

Portland

Issue

Inkwell ANNIE WRIGHT UPPER SCHOOL

May 2022

Letter from the Editors

In 2018, Inkwell traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia to explore Southeast Asian cultures, connect with the home city of a then-Annie Wright student and interview different people from across the region. Through short articles, interviews and stories, the team cataloged the day-by-day on Inkwell’s website.

At the start of 2019, Inkwell went to the San Juan Islands to report on Washington State’s environment, nature and biodiversity. The trip is immortalized on the Inkwell website through a series of photo-based articles and slideshows, showing lush coastlines and whales jumping from frigid Sound waters.

Then, the pandemic hit, and any and all travel plans were put to a complete halt. For two years, Inkwell focused on the local and the virtual: we started our school-centric publication of Inkblots, discussed social justice movements around the world through a domestic lens, documented the interests and lives of community members through our podcast series and much more. As the world has slowly opened up again, for the first time in two and a half years, Inkwell was finally able to take its signature enrichment trip. This year, we chose to travel to Portland, an eccentric city bursting at the seams with culture and life. There, we devoted ourselves to food journalism, planning with intricacy our meals and carrying around a camera to every restaurant we went to. We waited in front of food carts for interviews, took notes in between each bite of donut. While we spent only three days in the city, Inkwell made sure to soak up every bit of information Portland had to offer.

We present to you the product of this trip: The Portland Issue, the second print issue of the 2021-2022 school year. In this issue, we have compiled our experiences while in Portland into digestible and informative articles and engaging spreads. From food reviews to a look at the rich history of Japanese botanical gardens, this issue is packed with the many elements that make up the city of Portland.

Our hope with this issue is to allow the reader to immerse themselves in the intricate web of Portland’s culture. We want to show what the city prides itself on and what the city is best known for, but also its niches and nuances. It is through an immense amount of work and devotion that we are able to publish this issue, each and every member of our team going above and beyond in their research, writing and insight. On behalf of this team, we proudly present to you the Portland Issue.

Sincerely, Sebastian Bush

Sofia Guerra Co-Editors-In-Chief

ANNIE WRIGHT UPPER SCHOOL

Inkwell May 2022

827 North Tacoma Avenue Tacoma, WA 98403 inkwell@aw.org | 253-272-2216 Issue 2 | Volume 63 Co-Editors-In-Chief Sebastian Bush Sofia Guerra Staff Writers Brooklyn Nguyen Charles Stringfellow Erin Picken Kamiya Vitartas-Miller Zuri Smith Inkwell aims to provide the Annie Wright community with dependable and engaging coverage of school, community and global topics. Inkwell publishes articles of all genres weekly at anniewrightinkwell.org as well as four themed magazines during the course of the school year. Submissions of articles and photographs, correction requests and signed letters to the editor are most welcome.

Please email the editors at inkwell@aw.org.

All published submissions will receive credits and bylines. anniewrightinkwell@aw.org

Check us out at Inkwell Radio

Follow us on Instagram @anniewrightinkwell

Contents Sharing Meals with Home PDX Church

4

Telling Stories with Street Books

5

Keeping it Weird with “Portlandia”

6

Getting Lost in Powell’s

7

Eating Local at Hawthorne Asylum

8

Breathing Fresh Air at Portland Japanese Gar-

10

Portland’s Pastries: Where to get the Best Donuts in Town

12

Hot Pot Tips with Amber Fang

15

den

Sharing Meals with Home PDX Church

by Sebastian Bush

On a cold Sunday morning, Cody stands in the middle of a large underpass looking out over the Willamette River. He works for a non-profit called Community Meals with Home PDX Church, and every week they meet at this spot, but it hasn’t always been that way. Since Community Meals was founded 15 years ago, they’ve had various locations. Previously, they operated across the river from where they are now, but a permit requirement on setting up tables incentivized them to move. Now, they set up the boxes of food on a concrete bench.

“[We’re] breaking bread with the community, [it’s] a community meal.”

Although their locations changed, one thing has always remained: the community. Cody says even though they lost some members when they crossed the bridge, every day on this side of the river, their group grows. He says “[We’re] breaking bread with the community, [it’s] a community meal.”

One thing Cody’s held on to from his experience hitchhiking across the country is how it feels to be served a meal. He recounts a story of another organization that serves meals to the houseless. They click in the people they serve, and although they allow people to cycle 4

through the line as many times as they want, Cody says their serving sizes are abysmal. It is commonly said that at that location, “you need to go through four or five times to get full.” He says Community Meals doesn’t use clickers to count the community they serve, “on the receiving end, it feels very inhuman to be clicked in.” Cody says it doesn’t make sense to treat people that way, and that there’s a real importance in treating people like “people instead of numbers.”

“It feels genuine that people in your community are helping you serve, and you can jump in at any time.”

Again and again, community comes up with Cody. He says Community Meals doesn’t employ a lot of people: volunteers help cook, set up and serve. Cody says many of these volunteers are houseless themselves, “It feels genuine that people in your community are helping you serve, and you can jump in at any time.” He continues, “We are for the people by the people.” When they don’t know what to make, they ask, and when they need help, people aren’t afraid to step up. For Cody, there’s no doubt that “community” belongs in Community Meals’ name. And he loves to learn about that communi-

ty, “it’s interesting all the people we get and the stories that bring them to our doors.”

Recently, their efforts have stepped up. Cody says he hates to get rid of leftovers, so he started biking out to areas inaccessible by car and handing out meals. Bit by bit, this operation grew. Now, every Thursday, 3-4 bikers ride out with attached trailers full of sandwiches.

And, while this tradition is new, others have been around for a while. On Wednesdays, Community Meals runs a mobile pantry, and for the past nine years, they’ve been serving burritos in the park every Tuesday.

Although Community Meals was impacted by the pandemic, Cody seems more focused on the here and now. The day Inkwell visited, they made biscuits and gravy, with berry crisp and vanilla ice cream for dessert. As Cody explains, “it’s cold out,” and hearty food warms the soul. A phrase that’s frequently heard defines Community Meals: “bending plates,” the idea of serving someone more than enough, connecting through food.

“We are for the people by the people.”

One last thing that Cody stresses is the small divide between those with and those without. “Everyone is living in a house of cards, anything can flick it [causing it to

INKWELL | May 2022

Telling Stories with Street Books

by Sofia Guerra

People crowd around a folding table, chattering and passing around books. One man asks for reading glasses; the woman standing behind the table reaches into a bag and pulls out a brand-new pair.

Though every inch of the table is covered with books, many more sit in the cardboard boxes half-pushed under the table.

organization, called it a “street library.” Street Books is bicycle-powered: this allows the organization to frequent communities in locations that cannot be accessed by cars. Street Books operates on a weekly schedule, so members of Portland’s houseless community always know when to expect their next visit. Books are free to borrow and no fees or charges apply if the Street Books is an organization that book is not returned. was started 11 years ago by Laura Moulton, a professor at Lewis & One aspect that is unique about Clark College. In 2011, Moulton Street Books is just how much they started a social practice art projengage with the community. Street ect. Social practice art is loosely Books takes requests from people defined as art or creativity with the and always makes sure to have the mission to benefit the communibook by the next visit. The majority ty in some way. While a slightly of books Street Books distributes non-traditional means of commu- have been donated, however, books nity service, it provides support for that are requested are often bought an often-overlooked human need: in order to meet this time frame. intellectual and aesthetic stimulation.

“Street Books was founded with certain core human experiences in mind.”

Moulton’s project was initially scheduled to be three months long.

However, on her last day, Moulton realized she couldn’t just stop.

Street Books has been running ever since.

Street Books brings books to different locations around Portland.

Diana Rempe, a member of the INKWELL | May 2022

“[...] there’s a need for connection around more ephemeral things like knowledge.”

Furthermore, even if people don’t make specific requests, Street Books takes into consideration what types of books are popular or what genres individuals frequently borrow. Furthermore, Street Books makes an effort to carry books written by authors from underrepresented groups: LGBTQIA+ authors, BIPOC authors, native

authors and many more. They also carry books in other languages and have weekly sessions in Spanish.

Street Books carries more than fiction and nonfiction novels, too. The Bible, along with other religious texts, is highly requested and almost always stocked. Additionally, they carry coloring books and puzzles. Lastly, Street Books carries reading glasses.

“Not only to read a book but to read prescriptions or to fill things out— [reading glasses] are really hard to come by,” Rempe explained.

Because of their focus on the specific intellectual needs of the community, Street Books often partners up with other organizations that provide services like meals or other amenities.

The day Inkwell spoke with them, they were paired with Community Meals with Home PDX Church. People were drifting between where the two organizations were set up, carrying plates and books.

“Street Books was founded with certain core human experiences in mind,” Rempe said. “Intellect, discussions and ideas, talking to others about the same novel—there’s a need for connection around more ephemeral things like knowledge.” She commented on the importance of remembering that houseless people are full and rounded, with interests and passions that often get overlooked by society. Street Books wants to help to fill the gap in services and organizations that provide support for needs beyond those required only for survival. Street Books understands the im5

Keeping it Weird with “Portlandia”

by Erin Picken

The culture of Portland, Oregon, is not a hard thing to find humor in. Pro-vegan stickers, tote bags and cheesy food puns can be seen on every street corner.

Said to be the city where young people go to retire, there is plenty to see and more to be entertained by.

Each episode of “Portlandia” takes a slightly different approach to poke fun at stereotypical Portland culture through around five unique sketches. These sketches seem to parody every aspect of both sides of Portland— those whose neighborhoods are being gentrified and those doing the gentrifying. On the uppity side of things, the show’s creators Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein parody farm-totable restaurants, parents’ plans to get their academically average toddlers into fancy private preschools and performative activism.

Armisen and Brownstein also take stabs at white people with dreadlocks and/ or muttonchops, feminist bookstores, Portland’s extremely hippy-ish annual music festival, Pickathon, and even religious cults.

Many segments lampoon exhibitionists, one, in par6

A “Keep Portland Weird” mural across from Voodoo Doughnuts. Photo by Erin Picken.

ticular, being about a goth couple simply referred to by the show as “The Weirdos”. In one episode, TheWeirdos discover, after getting a black light lamp, that their handmade brooms constructed of twigs and straw are only intended to be aesthetic decor. As a result, they are forced to go shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond, immediately facing issues when they tell a shop attendant that they need pans that are suitable for the cooking of blood

and fish bones, further compounding the issue by inquiring about a vacuum cleaner that is equipped to deal with the shedding of their dead and disintegrating pets. They eventually come to terms with the store’s lack of upsidedown-cross-shaped vacuum cleaners and buy a red riding vacuum cleaner perfect for vacuuming up bat ashes. sters that the show loves to mimic, many sketches exaggerate those who are

overly invested in political causes. In one sketch where Armisen and Brownstein play grocery store clerks, a man forgets his reusable grocery bags. He tells the clerks this, they compare it to forgetting to open your eyes when you wake up in the morning and miming driving because you forgot to get in your car.

Over the years, the show has garnered its fair share of attention. Much of its public feedback, both INKWELL | May 2022

negative and positive, is very extreme. The aforementioned feminist bookstore segments were filmed in a real independent bookstore that was renamed “Women and Women First” for the purpose of the show. Since the first part aired in 2011, criticisms have arisen calling the segment transphobic and misogynistic due to Armisen co-starring in the segment while dressed up

as a woman, mocking masculine—and by extension in the eyes of some critics, transgender—women.

Despite this, “Portlandia” has not gone without its fair share of awards and accolades, winning multiple Emmys, Art Directors Guild Awards and a Peabody. Satire is a controversial and hard-to-do type of comedy, but general reception seems to suggest that,

Getting Lost in Powells

at least for the time period the show’s material was written for, Armisen and Brownstein utilized just the right stereotypes in just the right amounts to get people laughing and engaged.

Whether you love the show or hate it, the cultural impact it has made on the city it is so lovingly (at times) satirizes. Former Mayor Sam Adams declared Jan. 21, the anniversary of the

first airing of an episode of the show, Portlandia day.

Its parody of hipster culture in the show has inspired tote bags and t-shirts aplenty, and if you’re ever in town, you can take a Portlandia-themed tour of the city led by Everybody’s Bike Rentals and Tours.

So, mark your calendars for Jan. 21, 2023, the twelfth annual Portlandia day.

by Erin Picken

Some of Powell’s thousands of books and trinkets. Photos by Erin Picken.

INKWELL | May 2022

One of Portland’s most famous landmarks lies in a somewhat unassuming storefront on the corner of West Burnside Street and NW 10th street– Powell’s Books. Founded in 1971, today Powell’s is the largest independent bookstore in the world.

In their flagship store, you’ll find rows upon rows of new and used books of every genre extending from the floor to the faraway ceiling. The store is famous for its color-coded rooms: some dedicated to a broad genre of literature, some to cafés and some mostly overtaken by stuffed animals and small children. As Inkwell explored, we took note of some of the most charming parts of the store, from its extreme commitment to the hipster stereotype held by Portland to its handwritten employee recommendations.

7

Eating Local at Hawthorne Asylum

by Sofia Guerra

Portland’s food scene is set apart from that of other cities by its bustling food cart culture. Food carts, non-mobile trailers that rent or lease a space for extended periods of time, have been around Portland since the 1980s. The industry, unlike many others, saw a boom during the Great Recession. When property prices rose, working out of a trailer became favorable and more and more food carts began to pop up around the city. Today, all types of cuisines and niches are represented in the hundreds of food trucks the city hosts. From award-winning establishments to mom-and-pop comfort food, the Portland food cart scene has it all.

Nowadays, there are many major food cart “pods” throughout Portland. Inkwell visited one of these such pods, Hawthorne Asylum.

Opened in 2019, the pod, home to 23 food carts, is located on the site of the original Hawthorne Asylum, a hospital for the severely mentally ill. To honor the origins of the land, the Hawthorne Asylum pod features a dropbox for donations to help children in need of psychiatric or mental health care.

Inkwell visited and ate at a variety of carts at Hawthorne Asylum.

From poke bowls to fried bananas to overstuffed fish sandwiches, the pod had a lot to offer. Inkwell spoke to a few owners of the food carts there about their businesses and experiences working in the food cart industry.

8

Hawthorne Asylum’s sign and barbed wire. Photo by Sofia Guerra.

Korean Twist

Christian Lee owns the Korean Twist food cart, located immediately to the left as one walks through Hawthorne Asylum’s gates.

Its menu boasts plates that fuse different types of Korean dishes with Mexican-style presentations: spicy pork burritos and grilled beef tacos, to name a few. The cart’s unique take on Korean food is a major part of its allure: the menu’s combinations are both innovative and appetizing.

Lee discussed the opening of the food card. “How did it start? I met the landlord back in 2018 and he was telling me about this spot.”

Hawthorne Asylum, even before its official opening, was projected and promoted to be the next hotspot for food carts. It quickly came to be considered prime space in the food cart world. “Since then,” Lee explained, “I saved up cash for about a year and bought myself a trailer, equipped it, and [Korean Twist] has been going strong since 2019.”

He also described the difficulties he faced due to the hit of the pandemic only months after the cart

opened. “[The pandemic] made running the cart a lot harder obviously, but luckily, being where we are and being a food cart, we were able to survive because our margins are lower than restaurants.”

Because of lower maintenance fees and the more social-distancing friendly grab-and-go nature of food carts, Lee said, Korean Twist did not struggle as much as some of its restaurant counterparts. “So, for that reason I’m grateful.”

“But, there was definitely an impact,” he added. “I had to close, I remember, in 2020 for about a month. Since then, it’s been harder finding employees and this and that, costs are going up too, but all in all, we’re doing ok.”

Korean Twist’s spicy pork yakisoba. Photo by Sofia Guerra.

Texicano

Texicano, Hawthorne Asylum’s resident Tex-Mex food cart, is run by Timothy Teal. Teal, who worked in the industry long before the pandemic hit, explained why he moved out to Portland in 2019. “I came from Chicago, so I moved here during the pandemic. The Chicago INKWELL | May 2022

food scene was completely dead, there were no restaurants open, no food, nothing like that. At least here, with these food carts, there was a form of cuisine and restaurant culture that was still going and was still viable. People were coming out, slowly—very slowly—at first, and then it started to get better, and now it’s picked up to where it’s almost back to normal.”

The food cart, coincidentally, was celebrating its one-year anniversary the day Inkwell interviewed Teal. “We actually started a year ago today,” Teal said. “Originally, we also owned another cart at the Cartopia location and when the opportunity came up for us to get a spot here, we wanted to branch out.

Something else we do is Egyptian food at our first cart. We’ve always wanted to do Mexican or an American-Mexican food truck, and this was the opportunity to do it.”

up another Texicano in another location, and possibly just franchise from there.”

effects the pandemic had on the restaurant industry as the unexpected silver lining that prompted his parents to pursue their longheld dream.

When asked about why La Naranja serves the cuisine it does, Marquez explained, “We’re from Mexico, so it’s only natural that we serve Mexican food. It’s just what they know. It’s all family recipes, just from mainly my mom and my dad as well.”

Lastly, he commented on the differences between working in a restaurant and running their own La Naranja food cart. “The people are very La Naranja, notable for its bright different,” Marquez said. “Here, the orange coloring, is tucked away just in front of the back dining area people are a lot more friendly—the customers, I mean. As opposed to of the pod. It is a family-run cart a sit-down restaurant where my serving traditional Mexican food.

Jorge Marquez Jr. explained how La parents would be in the kitchen in the back, they’re now dealing with Naranja was started. the customers face to face and it’s definitely a different type of inter“We started in July last year. July, When asked why Texicano serves action.” He concluded that he and 2021,” he began. He waved to his the cuisine it does, Teal referred his family very much enjoy runmother and father, cooking in the to the cart’s head chef. “Our cook, ning La Naranja. “We’re thankful to back of the trailer. “These are my Willy, he’s our head chef—he’s been parents, and they’ve always wanted have opened.” in the industry for about 30 years, to work for themselves. So, they’ve and his primary focus is Mexican been working in restaurants or cuisine. A lot of the recipes we use part-timing at different places.” are his own, from his home, his grandmother, handed down. Lega- “They actually used to work for cy recipes. So, we incorporated that Montage, which is right here next into our menu and went with that.” door. They closed the physical restaurant, and that was what kind Texicano also has plans for the of got my parents to figure out future. “We’re planning that this is what they wanted to do because just the first cart of this brand, and they saw how easily it could all just we are going to eventually, in prob- go away. So, they just wanted to La Naranja’s bright orange logo and menu. Photo by ably like two to three years, open start their own place.” He cited the Sofia Guerra.

INKWELL | May 2022

Texicano’s menu. Photo by Sofia Guerra.

9

Breathing Fresh Air at Portland Japanese Garden

Photos by Erin Picken Writing by Charles Stringfellow

Japanese gardens outside of Japan are seen as important not only for their beautiful aesthetic, but also for the connection they lend to both nature and Japan. Unlike many western gardens, Japanese gardens aspire to present the idealized form of the vegetation of the gardens’ natural surroundings. According to Shiro Nakane, president of Nakane & Associates, “the Japanese have possessed a tradition to live symbiotically with nature, and their gardens and surrounding nature included exactly the same vegetation and landscape.”

In the 1996 International Symposium of Japanese Gardens, David Slawson described the two categories under which Japanese gardens outside of Japan are made: the ‘higher’ path and the ‘lower’ path. Slawson classified Japanese gardens that use lanterns, water basins, ponds and water lilies as gardens as following a ‘low’ path. These gardens merely mimic classic Japanese elements and miss the spirit of Japanese gardens. Slawson argued that “creativity is rigidly constrained by external norms which favor the status quo” in this type of garden. Slawson stated that the ‘higher’ path is sensitive to the location of the garden. Slawson’s definition of gardens made from the ‘higher’ path agrees with Nakane’s statement that Japanese gardens offer a connection to nature and the gardens’ natural surroundings.

The Portland Japanese Garden was created to materialize the growing ties between Oregon and Japan. The idea of the garden was first conceived in the 1950s by Mayor Terry Schrunk to heal wounds with Japan following World War II. During this time, many Japanese gardens were founded in the United States for the same reason. In 1967, the Portland Japanese Garden opened as a place to build cultural understanding without needing a translation.

Natural Garden

Flat Garden

The natural garden at the Portland Japanese Garden was designed using the philosophies of old Japanese gardens in a new context. Japanese gardens were first designed as idealized expressions of the natural environment, so the natural garden at the Portland Japanese Garden features the vine maple—a plant indigenous to the pacific northwest.

Flat (hira-niwa) gardens are an expansion on stone (karesansui) gardens. This type of garden has more subjects than the sand and stone gardens, but it still features pebbles prominently. These gardens are designed to be viewed from a single axis along a veranda that allows viewers to see the depth in perspective created by the raked rocks, shrubs and trees in the background.

10

Strolling Pond Garden Sand and Stone Garden Sand and stone (karesansui) gardens are a type of garden unique to the Japanese. These gardens are simplistic and have few distractions; they feature exclusively stones of various forms. However, water is represented by small, raked pebbles, and the large rocks represent mountains.

In the sand and stone garden, pictured ripples can be seen in the raked pebbles.

Strolling pond (chisen kaiyu shiki teien) gardens are intended to be observed from within the garden. Occasionally, these gardens are designed to mimic the natural landscape of another place. Interestingly, the strolling pond garden in Portland is imitating the landscape of Japan—the origin of this style of garden. These gardens are an evolution of an older style of garden where the pond garden was observed from small boats within the pond.

Tea Garden Tea (cha-niwa) gardens are a type of garden designed for quiet reflection and harmony. These gardens are designed so that people can detach themselves from their everyday life. In this type of garden, people first enter the soto-roji path and walk through the forest to the waiting place between the soto-roji and roji. Before walking to the tea house through the roji path, people wash their hands in the water basin to symbolically cleanse themselves of the outside world.

11

P rtland’s Pastries: Where t

On Journalism’s trip to Portland, we visited 3 distinct donut establishments to taste test their donuts and let you know where to get the best bang for your buck. We visited and reviewed: Voodoo Doughnuts, Sesame Donuts and Blue Star Donuts. We rated each bakery out of 5 stars, so read more to find out which store was the most popular!

Voodoo Doughnut

Voodoo Doughnut’s pink sign hangs above a hungry crowd. Photo by Erin Picken.

This place has a certain vibe to it, a post-obscurity-yet-still-edgy style complete with a pale pink storefront that screams Portland. But, what Voodoo doesn’t have is the donuts to match. The titles and appearances encourage high expectations, but the pastry itself falls a bit flat, a lackluster attempt that reeks of an establishment resting on its brand.

I ordered the raspberry jam donut, and while the filling itself was standard (nothing surprising, nor necessarily disappointing), the dough felt below average, not to mention the jam distribution left a lot to be desired.

—Sebastian

I ordered the chocolate covered old-fashioned donut. It was crispy, 12

however, it came at the cost of a dry center. It was at least a clean eat, more compact and less crumbly than other old-fashions I’ve had in my life.

However, the donut was deceptively insubstantial. A combination of small alterations (a larger center hole, a shorter height) resulted in a noticeably less filling donut.

Furthermore, the amount of chocolate “covering” was meager at best.

While the picture showed a donut drenched in chocolate, the reality was a drizzle. This was quite a shame: in my opinion, the chocolate covering was the best part of the donut. Sweet and light, the chocolate covering complemented perfectly the classic glaze on the donut. I also got to try their namesake Voodoo Doll Donut.

My first impression was that it was a surprising mix of flavors: chocolate frosting, berry jam filling, vanilla frosting and a salty pretzel through the doll’s heart. The chocolate frosting was, in my opinion, too heavy.

Additionally, it was runny on the inside, which offset the textures of the donut as a whole. The highlight of the Voodoo Doll Donut was the berry jam filling. It was flavorful and thick, and I appreciated the crunch of the seeds that remained dispersed throughout.

Voodoo’s donuts are also, in my opinion, extremely overpriced. While I must admire their work building their brand to a point where they are able to charge this much and stay in business, from a consumer standpoint, I felt like my money would’ve been better spent elsewhere.

— Sofia

I got the Guava Colada donut at Voodoo Doughnuts. Their donuts were fairly dense and less airy than those of other places that I have been to. When I ordered it I expected it to

have a more fruity and coconut taste, instead, it was quite sugary. The guava jelly on the inside was like a looser, more gelatinous corn syrup with very little guava flavor. The coconut frosting wasn’t much better. The coconut flavor was also masked by the copious amount of sugar added to the frosting mixture.

However, the decoration of the donut was fun. The donut embodied the tropical theme as best as it could.

The decorations were made to look like the beach: the coconut flake topping was sprinkled on the donut to look like sand with a fun colorful toothpick umbrella on top. For all of the popularity of this donut spot, I was pretty disappointed. The flavors and textures of the donuts did not live up to the expectations I had of the location.

— Sophie

Voodoo Donuts in their iconic pink box. Photo by Erin Picken.

For an Oregonian, having your first Voodoo Doughnut at the ripe age of 16 is highly abnormal — as that person, my expectations were very high. I chose to order a maple bacon bar as regular maple bars are my all-time favorite type of donut. I was met with a very dry, pastry topped with far too much overly-

INKWELL | May 2022

get the Best D nuts in T wn

sugary icing. Admittedly, I would usually turn the other cheek, but with my high expectations and for the price $3.65, I was disappointed. $3.65 doesn’t sound like much, but my hometown’s local donut shop sells far better maple bars for 50 cents. If you’re ever in Oregon, stop by Up With Donuts in Pendleton in place of Portland’s Voodoo Donuts — you’ll be saving yourself some money and some disappointment.

— Erin

Sesame Donuts

For a small breakfast and bake shop, Sesame Donuts impressed. Following the disappointment of Voodoo, Sesame posed a classic, balanced, and tasty bite. Apart from the well-made donuts, Sesame gave off a much more subdued, but humble vibe than Voodoo. While Voodoo seemed overwhelming at moments, with its highly commercial brand, Sesame did not attempt the grandiose. A diner-style with a simple color palette and minimal decor allowed the donuts to do the talking.

And although the purpose of this article is a focus on donuts, Sesame’s breakfast sandwiches were stellar.

Overall, well-fried, classic donuts with balanced flavors felt refreshing. What Voodoo failed to attain was a mastering of the basics, and Sesame showed their prowess in this area. Not only that, but their namesake pastry, the Sesame donut, was truly astounding in its simplicity yet deliciousness.

— Sebastian

hese donuts were, in my opinion, the best of the trip. Their apple fritter, a donut I find is often done incorrectly, was baked and fried to perfection. The dough was chewy without being tough, and the apple flavor was vibrant throughout. The glaze added a perfect amount of sweetness without being overpowering, and the

INKWELL | May 2022

cinnamon was well incorporated.

I also got to try their frosted Rose City Donut. The Rose City Donut proved that Sesame Donuts has mastered the fundamentals. A simple donut, The Rose City Donut was a simple raised and fried donut with vanilla frosting and sprinkles.

The texture was bready but soft, and the donut itself was subtly sweet. The frosting had a distinct vanilla flavor. Furthermore, while soft on the inside, the frosting had a thin, hardened shell on top that made for a slight crunch at every bite.

My one critique of Sesame Donuts is actually their namesake, the Sesame Donut itself. To me, the flavor of the sesame seeds was overpowering and incongruous with the sweetness of the donut and the glaze. In my opinion, it was a case of experimentation done wrong.

— Sofia

Sesame’s signature donuts. Photo by Erin Picken.

Sesame Donuts was the best of the three shops we visited on the trip. The atmosphere seemed very welcoming.

There were multiple options to choose from and we decided to get many different types of donuts so we could cut them up and share them. None of them disappointed me. They all had a unique flavor and texture compared to all of the other donuts I have previously had. Even the apple fritters, a donut that almost every donut shop has, was amazing and different. I usually find apple fritters to be too sugary, dense, soggy and lacking in apples. This one was crunchy on the outside but still light and soft on

the inside, with a perfect amount of cinnamon in the filling. Oftentimes, apple fritters will have a soggy texture because of the glaze on top, but this donut was perfectly soft and crispy. The glaze didn’t soak through the donut, keeping it the perfect sweetness. Unlike the other apple fritters I have had, this one was also filled with small chunks of apple mixed into the batter, making the donut even more flavorful. If I had to recommend one spot in Portland to go to for donuts, it would be Sesame Donuts.

— Sophie

On the third day of our trip, we stopped

by Sesame Donut for breakfast. Being least well-known of the three places we visited, I wasn’t expecting much. Despite my un-optimistic expectations, Sesame Donut wowed. I got another maple bar in an attempt to be as consistent as possible, and it was far fluffier and well balanced than either of the other donuts I ordered on the trip. We split them up evenly so everybody could get a bite of each one and all of the donuts were amazing — I especially enjoyed the Rose City Donut and their classic apple fritter.

While they were delicious, I would not recommend Sesame Donut to somebody who is looking for adventurous flavors or, frankly, anything particularly special.

Their donuts and bagels were indeed delicious, but nothing especially out of the ordinary. This was more a taste of home than a foodie’s paradise — nevertheless, it was my top choice out of the three!

— Erin

Continued on page 14

13

Blue Star Donuts

Continued from page 13

Although Blue Star Donuts felt much different than Sesame, I found their donuts the best of the trip. An important note to make is that while both Voodoo and Sesame served fried pastries, Blue Star specialized in baked donuts. And while some members of the group found this change disappointing, my background in eating majority gluten-free foods had prepared me for a different consistency. Unlike your average donut, cake donuts allow the dough to be flavored, with less emphasis on frosting. And, Blue Star nailed this.

From their Passion Fruit pastry that was both sour and sweet to their Olive Oil Donut that both seemed revolutionary and ended up being surprisingly scrumptious, Blue Star did not shy away from bold flavors that delighted the taste buds.

Sure, you might find these donuts dense, or drier than a normal donut, but that’s kind of the point. Don’t go in expecting something light and airy, because cake donuts are closer to cake than donut. And while the experience is different, in my opinion, Blue Star found a way to bring new ideas to a pastry that’s largely found itself without much room to grow. For me, Blue Star is a must visit for any donut connoisseur and was by far my favorite of our trip.

— Sebastian

Blue Star stood out among the three for its interesting and varying flavors. Unfortunately, I found that these unique flavors only partially distracted from the poor texture of their donuts. They were dense and overly crumbly with a floury aftertaste. Furthermore, the texture was inconsistent within the donuts, as if the batter hadn’t been well mixed.

One positive of the Blue Star donuts 14

was their frosting. Their glazes and toppings were true to the labeled flavor of each donut, and the frosting was light enough that the flavors weren’t overpowering. I particularly enjoyed their Passion Fruit and Mexican Chocolate donuts as a fan of sour and spice, respectively.

I, admittedly, was also not very fond of the shop itself. While it was simplistic and clean, there was a sticker decal on the wall titled “Social Media Explained” with a number of social media-related puns. The humor, to me, was outdated. Particularly in comparison to the hip and rebellious vibe of Voodoo Doughnuts, this turned me away as a customer.

over cake ones but I still found these donuts different and fun.

My favorite donut of theirs was the Olive Oil donut. The topping of powdered sugar added to the texture of the donut and the olive oil made the cake moister than the other donuts. I was happy with the donuts we got at this location, but if I were to recommend any donut shop, it would still be Sesame Donuts.

— Sophie

— Sofia

Sesame’s unique flavors of donuts. Photo by Sebastian Bush.

Blue Star’s wall decal. Photo by Sofia Guerra.

Blue Star Donuts was the second favorite place we got donuts at. Their donuts were very different from the other two places. The donuts were cakey and more crumbly than the other two locations, but still fairly moist. Another difference was that for many of these donuts, the dough had different flavors too, rather than just the toppings. I did find that some of the doughnuts were less flavorful due to the fact that they relied on the batter itself for the flavor rather than the toppings, however. I generally prefer yeast-raised and fried donuts

The last donut place we visited was Blue Star Donuts, which stood out for its unique flavor options and more artisanal business model than the other two places. Among the flavors I tried were their Olive Oil donut, Mexican Chocolate and Sesame. The Mexican Chocolate was by far my favorite of the three, being the least dense.

— Erin

INKWELL | May 2022

Hot Pot Tips with Amber Fang

by Zuri Smith

Inkwell visited Happy Lamb Hot Pot in Portland with Amber Fang (USG ‘23.) The cuisine of hot pot is derived from Chinese origins and is commonly eaten in East Asia. According to Omnivore’s Cookbook, hot pot is a dish best served warm. It is made with a broth consisting of water, salt and spice. The broth can be complimented with any form of meat, including seafood mixed with vegetables and noodles. The central heated pot, for which the dish is named, maintains its temperature throughout the entirety of the meal because of heating elements stationed underneath it. Typically, the pot is surrounded by the raw ingredients and sauces.

if non-traditional, side dishes. “Some other great pairings include sides of fried rice, ramen noodles or udon noodles which are cooked in the broth for a more intense flavor.” The sides don’t end with just food, though: “A popular beverage to complement the meal further is a carbonated drink. A nice way to cleanse the palate is fruit or ice cream, which, depending on where you decide to eat, can also be included in the meal.”

because of the long period sitting in front of the boiling pot throughout the meal.” Amber explained how hot pot is also a comforting and communal experience. “Hot pot is an exciting burst of flavor, and sitting down is exciting itself, just meditating on the idea of what food and how much food you will consume. One really beautiful thing about hot pot is that you can eat until you are actually satisfied and no matter how much you eat, there is always room for dessert.

Plain base and mushroom base. Photo by Amber Fang.

If you would like to try a new variety Hot pot is a dish that gets its flavor of flavors, Amber recommended from different sauces and the ingredi- Happy Lamb Hot Pot in Seattle, or, ents added. “This is why most authen- if you are stationed in Tacoma, hot tic Taiwanese restaurants provide an pot restaurants in K-Town, Lakeall-you-can-eat dessert bar, to cleanse wood—“as long as you are not interthe palate and cool you,” Amber ested in something authentic and explained. The all-you-can-eat desmore or less would simply like to try sert bars often contain desserts but the meal,” noted Amber. “If you ever are also a station for self-serve sauces, visit Asia, then Taiwanese Mala is a fruits, and other sides. wonderful hot pot experience with many different food options such as A different form of protein apprecivegan or sweet options,” she added. ated by many is manufactured meat, This place is a childhood favorite of such as imitation crab meat, which hers and she strongly recommendsoaks up the soup to make a very tasty ed it. To stay more local, she also bite. Meat is sliced thinly so it only mentioned Heidi Lou. “Heidi Lou is needs to be cooked for seconds and another choice in Bellevue,” Amber still gain this flavor. “I enjoy adding offered. “It’s a bit expensive, but sells a lot of protein such as pork, beef, on their customer service.” and shrimp,” commented Amber.

“Hot pot is a year-round meal but is most appreciated in the winter simply Spicy broths. Photo by Amber Fang.

Thinly sliced meats. Photo by Amber Fang.

Inkwell interviewed hot pot enthusiast Amber Fang. She gave her opinions and tips on the cuisine, as well as some recommendations for where to find hot pot restaurants.

“The hot pot is the entire focus of the meal,” explained Amber. “It is positioned in a way that you cook as you eat. The soup is the main course, with the supporting factors of raw meat and vegetables to accompany it.”

Amber also discussed some popular, INKWELL | May 2022

15