MIX Magazine April 2010

April ’10 Portland’s Magazine of Food + Drink

Rounding up Pendleton’s food scene Making ice cooler The dark art of black ale A splendiferous spring menu

APRIL ‘10

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editor’s note Among my many cookbooks (which must number close to 700 now — honestly, it’s a disease) is a slim volume called “Edible Fungi.” I seem to have bought it long ago at a junk store in London, the clue being the penciled-in £3 on the first page. I’m sure I bought it because of its aura — 1940s graphic woodblock print cover, a certain old-book scent that hints at its many former lives, and at the back of the book, a clutch of beautiful color plates of mushrooms. And the author is listed as “John Ramsbottom, Keeper of Botany, British Museum (Natural History).”

In other words, the book is an artifact of something foreign and exotic, not something

Want to be sure you get every issue of MIX? SubScribe!

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I’d buy to cook for dinner, despite the word “edible” in the title. I’ve cooked mushrooms for years, of course, but mostly contented myself with buttons, creminis and the occasional chanterelle or morel, but that was usually only a restaurant treat.

Then I moved to Oregon, where people like Dustin and Jennifer Olsen find mushrooms in the forest that make Mr. Ramsbottom’s color plates look about as exotic as the mushrooms on a Domino’s pizza (see Page 32).

Through mad people like the Olsens (and I mean that in the best possible way) and the

other foragers who sell at our local farmers markets — not to mention the many of you who go out to scuffle the ground in search of these little delicacies — we can experience exotica as it should be experienced: sautéed in olive oil, tossed with some minced garlic, parsley and a squeeze of lemon. And many delicious variations on that, as you’ll find in recipes from the Olsens and from contributor Matthew Card, starting on Page 43. I’m only sorry Mr. Ramsbottom couldn’t join us for dinner.

Martha Holmberg, editor mix.martha.holmberg@gmail.com

PHOTOgRAPH By MIKE DAvIs

APRIL’10 32 PHOTOGRAPH BY mIkE DAVIS

22 FRIDAY NIGHT

DINNER PARTY A menu of lamb, dandelions and lots of fresh herbs helps the season spring forth deliciously

32 THE MUSHROOM 43 CONSUMING OUR WHISPERERS: Meet a foraging/farming couple who bring the magic of the forest floor to our markets and our plates

PASSION: Four recipes for cooking up a bounty of wild mushrooms, whether you foraged them on the slopes of Mount Hood or in the aisles at Fred Meyer

IN EvERY ISSUE 12 STARTERS Fabulous butcher girl; obsessed with bread and butter 19 WALKABOUT Ride your bike to Gresham and then fill your tank with good food

49 ONE DISH/ THREE WINES Three wines that stand up to those slender stalks of spring asparagus 53 MIXMASTER Ice in a cocktail isn’t just for clinking

57 GOOD CHEESE Beecher’s Flagship Reserve, an award winner from an urban cheesemaker

58 EAT HERE/ PENDLETON Going east to get a taste of the real West 65 PUBCRAWL CDA — looks like a porter, drinks like an ale 68 SCENE What to eat where

ON THE COVER: Sautéed mushrooms surround a lovely slab of roasted halibut, one of the many delicious recipes for mushrooms in this issue, Page 43.

PHOTOGRAPH BY mIkE DAVIS

MIXPDX.COM MIX is now 10 issues a year! It’s easy to subscribe online — go to MIXPDX.COM and click on “subscribe.” You can also find past articles, restaurant reviews and all our recipes at mixpdx.com, so get clicking and start eating.

I000

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contributors

stroll to more than 20 restaurants in ten blocks visit dozens of wineries close by shop at unique boutiques, galleries and stores

unwind in downtown McMinnville

Oregon’s favorite main street!

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www.downtownmcminnville.com 503.472.3605

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Pendleton during the Round-Up, a five-day rodeo event held every September, is dusty and drunk and never without a cowboy hat. Pendleton any other day is like one of those American towns deep in the interior along the edge of some lonely but trafficked highway, the kind of town as much a time as it is a place.

Basically Pendleton is “Back to the Future”in Wranglers, and the eating and the hospitality and the ambience all more or less reflect that. But it has just enough updates for you high-maintenance “friends” to comfortably survive a few days 300 miles from New Seasons and Stumptown, so go buy a hat and see and eat for yourself. Daniel Wakefield Pasley is a writer and photographer and the owner of an expensive, barely worn cowboy hat.

Page 58.

OTHER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katherine Cole, teri Gelber, tami Parr, andrea SloneCKer OTHER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS thomaS boyd, olivia buCKS, tim labarGe, brian lee

503 234 1614

825 NE Multnomah, Suite 280 Lloyd Center Tower across from the skybridge from Nordstroms

For this month’s MIXmaster column, freelance food and beverage writer Ashley Gartland explored the chilly world of ice.

Now she proudly owns a set of fancy molds to help her make perfect cubes at home. Gartland has previously written for “Runner’s World” and TastingTable.com and is working on a cookbook about Oregon’s farm-totable dining scene. You can read more of her work at www.ashleygartland.com.

Page 53.

Lizzy Caston calls herself a food explorer. From documenting the Portland region’s 400-plus food carts for www.portlandfoodcarts.com, to crawling the back roads and woods of the eastern Willamette Valley’s emerging food scene, Lizzy is always on the hunt for good eats just about anywhere. A professional writer and Portlander for over 14 years, she’s currently a global digital nomad with no real street address. Lizzy can be reached at www.lizzycaston.com.

Page 32.

Mike Davis is a photographer who edits pictures or a picture editor who makes pictures. Maybe that’s why he makes compelling pictures of people doing things and yummy pictures of food. He had equally great times tromping through the mushroom forest trying to keep up with Dustin Olsen and nibbling his way through a food shoot at MIX editor Martha Holmberg’s.

Page 32.

John Foyston is a Portland freelance writer (and motorcycle builder and oil painter) who’s written about Oregon craft brewing for more than 15 years in The Oregonian and elsewhere. So when he was invited to a “symposium” involving a couple of dozen pro and home brewers, beer writers and beer fans, all of whom were tasting 20-odd Cascadian Dark Ales on a Saturday morning to better define the style, he was ready to make the sacrifice so that MIX readers might see a bit of Beervana’s inside workings. It’s selfless dedication, that’s what it is … . Page 65.

When an editor asked Fred Joe to do this story he was thinking, “Wow. Ice. What’s the big deal?”

Tim Davey at Beaker & Flask explained it to him: some cubes are really hard; some, infused with fissures, break easily; some have more surface area; some melt slower.

Then Davey grabbed an ice ball and, like a pitcher on the mound, gripped it for a curveball, then a splitter, then a knuckleball and finally, a pitch Fred had never heard of, the circle change. Pros pay attention to the smallest details of our cocktails. Page 53.

In the glory days of the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, the Oregonian critic-at-large would head to Gresham every year to catch legendary singers like Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney and Dianne Reeves.

Back then, the food scene didn’t impress him much.

But now Main Street in the historic downtown district has a tightly packed stretch of blocks with interesting food finds, which Grant Butler discovers in this month’s Walkabout feature.

Fully loaded bagels, strong espresso drinks, red velvet cupcakes and dirt-cheap, hearty pasta dishes? He’s jazzed about them all.

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VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 3

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LINDA FAUS, KAREN G. THOMpSON / RECIPE TESTERS WALLY BENSON, KATHY HINSON, AMY REIFENRATH / COPY EDITORS ADVERTISING MARIO vAN DONGEN / DIRECTOR, SALES & MARkETING mariov@sales.oregonian.com, 503-221-8279 BRIAN JOHNSON / CUSTOM MEDIA MANAGER brianj@sales.oregonian.com, 503-221-8385

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Wine Country Escape come join us at

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Saturday, May 22nd at 6:00pm An evening of decadent wine and food Featuring Chef Stephen Marshall’s creations paired with select wineries including Beaux Freres, Belle Pente, Ken Wright Cellars, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, Shea Wine Cellars Auction items include destination trips, antique cars, fabulous wine-maker dinners and rare wine lots.

To purchase tickets, view catalog, and reserve special lodging rates go to: www.carltontogethercares.com

Benefiting the Yamhill-Carlton Booster Club

starters “I truly believe that the sign of a bartender who takes cocktails seriously is someone who thinks about water.”

— Daniel Shoemaker, Teardrop Cocktail Lounge,

p53

“The milk caps are the ones that freak people out the most.

They think the thing is rotting. But once you get past the moldy-looking exterior, this is a mushroom with a deep wild mushroom flavor.

It’s one of our favorites, really.”

— Dustin Olsen, The Mushroomery,

p32

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what she said

Knife shifts Paula Markus, the pigtailed blonde at Chop, proves you don’t have to have arms like hams to be a butcher.

Along with business partner Eric Finley, she’s morphed the small meat counter into a local culinary treasure box chock-full of housemade treats: cured salamis, peppery pancetta, luscious pâtés and sausages, Tuscan porchetta, duck confit and prepared dishes to go.

Portland and its wealth of local product turned out to be the ultimate city for this California-born Swedish Russian butcher.

You’ve spent more than a decade at this address In the late ’90s, I did night shifts during the holidays for Fred Carlo at Salumeria di Carlo. Fred Carlo was the real deal, he had 60 or so prosciuttos in rotation. After he closed, the Viande owners wanted a woman at their counter and promised to make a butcher out of me. And here I am running the place now. if ever there was a “man’s world” Yep, not too many of us girls cutting meat. I started my career cooking in a French kitchen more than 20 years ago in San Francisco when there were few, if any, women. The men were never mean-spirited, but I had to learn to fit in and survive the kitchen (crassness) and harassment, working longer hours for less money.

eat this now [ stinging nettles ]

The early spring offerings at area farmers markets are pretty root vegetable-focused, making it a perfect time to experiment with cooking a plant that sounds dangerous: stinging nettles. The plant’s acids can irritate your skin in its raw state, so grab some latex gloves to wear when cleaning them before cooking. Even the slightest heat removes the stinging effect (fortunately) and brings out a nutty flavor. Sauté coarsely chopped nettles in a bit of olive oil and serve as a side dish, à la steamed spinach, or toss into potato soup. — GRANT BuTLER

old world butchers vs. new world It used to be passed down to the male in the family. We recently discovered my great grandfather had a neighborhood butcher shop in Latvia after World War II. It was extremely physical in those days. They were dealing with whole carcasses — you had to be a big, strong man. It’s easier today with so many tools and implements, so in that sense it’s better.

But the old-world butchers were lucky — they knew where their animals came from and who raised them.

Meat and potatoes or …

My parents barbecued a lot when I was little. It was the ’70s and everyone loved those big ol’ hunks of meat like porterhouses and T-bones. I was never a voracious meat eater and went vegetarian for 15 PhoToGRAPh BY ThoMAS BoYd

years. Bacon was my gateway drug; once you start, there’s no going back.

Chop 735 N.W. 21st Ave. (inside City Market) chopbutchery.com

Philosophy on american food I’ve always been a food snob, and believe in less food and better food. Meat should not be cheap if the animals are raised well. As a small shop, we might be a little more expensive, but I say eat less but buy the best. It’s so hard to see the way most Americans eat. I wish more people would pay attention to what they’re feeding their kids.

Favorite steak Rib-eye for sure. I’m a lazy barbecuer so I use my cast-iron grill pan, heated super-hot on the stove of my dreams, a Royal six-burner that I bought for myself at Christmas.

Unwinding is …

I love gardening my sidewalk strips. I grow stuff I can eat, like berries, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic and lots of herbs. Since I talk to people all day long, I garden with my headphones on. — TERI GELBER

starterscont. neat treat crepes at suzette

to do April April 1

He was no April fool It’s the 255th birthday of 18th century food philosopher Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, who introduced the idea of food as an art form. If he were in Portland, we’d take him to Bunk to show him how the lowbrow sandwich can be a work of art.

Somehow, we think he’d dig it. bunksandwiches.com April 2-3

Spring awakenings open your eyes to oregon’s great drinking scene at the 16th annual Spring Beer & Wine Festival, featuring more than 70 brewers and wineries. springbeerfest.com

April 4 14

Eggs, bunnies and buffets It’s Easter, one of the biggest brunch days of the year. Join the crowds in line at Screen door, or go for a formal affair at The heathman. screendoorrestaurant.com heathmanportland.com April 7

Set your DVR Last year’s Bravo hit “Top Chef Masters” returns for Season 2. Expect brilliant Mexican chef and Season 1 winner Rick Bayless to show up as a guest judge. bravotv.com rickbayless.com April 8-MAy 2

A high-flying, tasty echo here’s a can’t-miss double feature: Start with the surreal Cirque du Soleil’s “Kooza,” then discuss the acrobatics over drinks and duck yakitori at the similar-sounding yakuza. cirquedusoleil.com yakuzalounge.com

more to do

PhoToGRAPh BY oLIVIA BuCKS

Move over, cupcakes! Crepes are this year’s taste sensation, and there’s no better place for digging in on the trend than Jehnee Rains’ Alberta district restaurant.

Rains made desserts at Bluehour, Clarklewis and the closed Ripe restaurant group before she settled into a delicious groove with Suzette, where 2921 N.E. she’s showing a Alberta St.; knack for savory suzettepdx.com dishes, too. You traipse down a gravel walkway and order dishes from the window of a sleek Airstream trailer, then you head into the old building that’s been redone into a bright dining room. That’s where Rains will personally deliver your buckwheat crepe filled with prosciutto, gruyère and caramelized onions, or even a vegan crepe stuffed with sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions, and drizzled with a creamy garlic sauce. As you munch, Edith Piaf plays on the sound system. Sorry, cupcakes can’t transport you to Paris. — GRANT BuTLER

obsessive

Engineering the perfect bread — and butter Twenty-three year old Adam Kennedy got serious about baking a few years ago when he failed to win over an ex-girlfriend’s Sicilian American mother with his pies.

“I guess you could say I started baking out of spite.” obsessed with the science of yeast, he dropped out of engineering school to bake. Good thing for us. Broken Frame bakery (hidden in a Southeast sandwich shop) is wowing customers with inspired pastry and loaves made with love. his $4 paper-wrapped prosciutto butter sandwiches on pane Francese are delivered to Coffeehouse Northwest and Sterling Coffee. his obsession goes beyond dough, however. dissatisfied with the quality and cost of store-bought butter, Kennedy opted to “engineer” his own. In search of that deep, slightly sour flavor, he starts the process with buttermilk that’s matured for a couple of days to create a complex lactic fermentation for the butter. using the richest cream he can find (40 percent milk fat), the culture and the cream are churned in his dough mixer and finished with sea salt from Guérande, in the Brittany region of France. We’re keeping our eye on this impassioned baker — who knows what he will engineer next? — TERI GELBER

Broken Frame is at: Meat Cheese Bread 1406 S.E. Stark St. 503-234-1700 Coffeehouse Northwest 1951 W. Burnside St. 503-248-2133

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to do cont.

April 10-11

Think of it as a wine scavenger hunt The challenge: hit all 21 Northern Willamette Valley wineries featured in the second-annual Northwest Wine Trail Weekend. For just $35, you get barrel tastings, food and cooking demos. northwillamettevintners.org April 17

Who declares these things, anyway?

It’s National Cheeseball Day. Celebrate by renting a Pauly Shore or Adam Sandler movie.

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read this “the engine 2 diet” Anyone who thinks vegans are all a bunch of 98-pound wimps needs to meet firefighter Rip Esselstyn, author of the buzz book “The Engine 2 diet.” he’s a former professional triathlete who pals around with Lance Armstrong, and is so brawny you’d never guess he follows a strict plantbased diet. he opens his book with a harrowing story of a dangerous apartment fire where members of his Austin, Texas, firehouse

Cooking the books Indulge your culinary bibliophilia by getting your favorite cookbook author to sign a copy of their latest. Big names from around the country (including Madhur Jaffrey, above) gather as part of a professional foodie conference, but the book signing is open to the public.

Wine and snacks served. Go to iacp.com for details.1:30-3:30, oregon Convention Center April 23-24

Blooms & Brews What could be better than visiting one of oregon’s premier ornamental gardens at its springtime peak? having an artisan beer while you’re there, thanks to the Sixth Annual Oregon Garden Brewfest. oregongarden.org April 27

Change your community a bite at a time Portland’s top chefs and bartenders offer a sumptuous way to end childhood hunger at Taste of the Nation.

Never mind the irony. strength.org/portland

were badly injured, a catalyst for examining the fragile nature of life, and putting his firefighter buddies on a cholesterol-reducing regimen. What sets this apart from the diet book du jour is its approachable tone and tasty recipes. But caution: These are firefighter portions. unless you’re planning to douse a three-alarm apartment fire, you’re likely to have a freezer full of hearty leftovers. — GRANT BuTLER (hachette Book Group, $24.99, 273 pages)

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YAMHILL-CARLTON AVA TASTING AT ANNE AMIE VINEYARDS

Carlton

with a select gathering of Estate Wineries showcasing the Yamhill-Carlton District AVA. Saturday, May 1, 11-4pm Anne Amie Vineyards 6580 NE Mineral Springs Rd. Carlton, Oregon 97111

participating wineries Adea, Angela, Anne Amie Vineyards, Alexana Winery, Atticus, Belle Pente, Biggio Hamina Cellars, Bishop Creek Cellars, Carlton Cellars, Carlton Hill Wine Co., EIEIO & Co., Elk Cove Vineyards, Ghost Hill Cellars, Ken Wright Cellars, Kramer Vineyards, Lemelson, Luminous Hills/Seven of Hearts, Monks Gate Vineyard, Panther Creek, Shea Cellars, Solena Estate, Soter Vineyards, Stag Hollow, Twelve & Willakenzie Participating restaurants: CuvĂŠe, La Rambla, Joel Palmer House, Nicks, Horseradish Cheese & Wine Bar

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

Admission includes tastings from all participating wineries & restaurants. Tickets are on sale now at www.yamhillcarltondistrict.com For more information call 503-864-2991

walkabout [ Gresham ]

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pring is the perfect time for tossing a bicycle in the cargo hold or the back of a pickup and heading out to gresham to explore the east end of the Springwater Corridor. using Main City park as a base camp, you can head west toward powell Butte nature park, an easy eightmile loop on flat, paved terrain that’s a cinch for families and casual cyclists. or you can head east toward Boring, where you’ll gain some elevation, move from a paved to gravel surface, and increase your chances of spotting blacktailed deer, coyotes and woodpeckers. round trip, it’s the sort of vigorous 10-mile ride your off-road wheels were made for.

Whether you make your ride nice or rough, you’re still going to need some fuel. good thing that right across from Main City park is Main avenue, where between powell and Division you’ll find an array of shops and spots focusing on food.

For the pre-ride pit stop, hit 1 Jazzy Bagels (5 E. Powell Blvd., at the corner of Main; 503-665-9191), the name of which is inspired by the Mount Hood Jazz Festival, which in its glory days two decades ago would bring jazz luminaries such as Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett to town. The festival these days is a stripped-down shadow of its former self, done in by the abundance of outdoor music festivals in recent

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By granT BuTlEr pHoTograpHy By BETH nakaMura

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walkabout / gresham cont.

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years. But it still echoes through this bustling coffeehouse, where Diane Schurr dominates the sound system, portraits of lady Day and Count Basie populate the muraled walls, and even the bike rack out front resembles a treble clef. grab a toasted asiagospinach bagel with lox, capers, red onions and cream cheese along with strong Torrefazione Italia coffee. now you’re ready for the road.

If you plan your Springwater Corridor ride for a weekday morning, you’ll be back in Main City park by lunchtime, when you can take advantage of one of the best bargains in the metro area. at 2 Boccelli’s Ristorante (246 N. Main Ave.; 503-492-9534; boccellis.net), there’s a $4.99 mix-and-match pasta bowl available midday Monday-Friday. you pick your pasta (penne, fettuccine or spaghetti), then choose from a halfdozen homemade sauces, such as sun-dried tomato pesto or Cajun cream, and two of a dozen-plus add-on ingredients — sliced chicken breast, Italian sausage, pine nuts, sautéed portobello mushrooms and the like. at a price like that, you’ve got money left over for dessert, but with such generous portions, you’re unlikely to want any until you’ve moved around a little.

If you want to leave the bike behind,

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there’s more to explore on Main. 3 The Feathered Nest (331 N. Main Ave.; 503465-0077) has a nice mix of country and modern-style housewares, including handmade place mats and one-of-akind tea towels. If you’re into the urbanagrarian thing, there’s a nook in the back filled with all manner of chickenthemed bric-a-brac. The real finds are the handmade penny rug hot pads, which have a quiltlike look and hark back to 19th-century americana — never mind that these were made in China!

It’s coffee break time, so pop across the street to 4 Cafe Delirium (308 N. Main Ave.; 503-666-2002; cafedelirium. net). If you’ve held out on eating to this point, there’s a small lineup of panini, salads and ever-changing soups. But most of the patrons here are working on

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laptop computers and sipping espresso drinks made with Caravan Coffee beans, which are roasted in newberg and certified organic.

For one last stop, hop back on your bike . diviSioN ST and head north to the Division Street end of Main. There, in a nondescript, 5 small strip mall, is 5 Sweet Cakes by Melissa (44 N.E. Division St.; 503-6745400; sweetcakesweb.com). owners Melissa and aaron Baker had been making wedding cakes out of their home until business grew so much that last year they needed a bigger kitchen and a commercial space. While aaron works the counter, where you can find nonwedding treats such as frilly cupcakes, bite-sized chocolate cookies and 3 4 slices of moist cheesecake, Melissa is working magic with piping bags on N.w. 3Rd ST. larger creations for special occasions.

2 If you don’t know the difference between ganache and fondant, she’ll explain as she puts the finishing touch 1 on a birthday cake adorned with “Veggie blvd.

Tales” characters or fashions tiny ell P ow animal decorations out of marzipan.

There’s no place to sit, so order a red velvet cupcake and head back to Main City park, and indulge yourself a bit. you MaiN CiTy burned the calories earlier — you’ve PaRk earned this. £ SPRiNGw aTeR CoR Rid oR

N. MaiN ave.

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amanda luther of Sweet Cakes by Melissa

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER PARTY [ I am my own guest — with a little help from my friends ]

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By andrea slonecker / Photography by MIke davIs

ou could say that my kitchen is my office.

I am an aspiring cookbook author with a handful of freelance, part-time and under-thetable jobs writing about food and restaurants, and developing recipes. I get inspiration for my dishes from farmers markets and the changing seasons, my favorite chefs’ menus and an ever-increasing collection of cookbooks. When I see a recipe in a book or taste something in a restaurant, I think, “How can I make this better, more interesting?”

Most of my “dinner parties” involve one or two close friends hanging out in the kitchen talking and tasting while I experiment with new ideas. When the recipes are tested and perfected, it’s time to throw a real party.

It’s completely possible to prepare an elaborate meal and still be a guest at your own party — I wouldn’t do it otherwise. I map out the road

The menu Sparkling Spring Cocktail 2008 Domaine de Gioielli Coteaux du Cap Corse Blanc (Corsica)

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To sTarT smoked escolar spread with Mama lil’s Peppalilli and swedish rye crisps olympic Provisions’ country-style Pork Terrine with Pistachios, chorizo rioja, Pork rillettes, Whole Grain Mustard, Homemade Pickled Beets steve’s cheese selection: Moser riesling-sylvaner cheese (riesling-washed-rind from the Bern region of switzerland) ken’s Bread 2008 Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol Rosé 2009 Château La Roque Coteaux du Languedoc Blanc

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THe MaIns asparagus salad with shaved Watermelon radishes, castelvetrano olives and Perrydale 2006 Remy Wines Lagrein 2006 Villa di Geggiano Chianti Classico

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rosé-Braised lamb roulade with dandelion Greens and spring Herb Gremolata Flageolet Beans with Green Peas and crème Fraîche roasted leeks with sherry vinegar 2005 Soter Brut Rosé 2008 Tintero Sori Gramella Moscato d’Asti

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To FInIsH candied Fennel lemon Tart Fernet Branca

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FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER PARTY / coNT.

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to stress-free entertaining beginning with a well-thought-out menu. since food that can be made over the course of a few evenings leading up to the party is a must, I select recipes that get better with age. Braised dishes, such as the lamb on this menu, always seem to get more delicious the next day, and the next. so on the evening of the party, reheating is the only cooking that needs to be done, plus a little slicing, tossing and whipping, perhaps. since my world revolves around food and drink, most of my friends are in the restaurant industry. I take advantage of that by assigning them all a task. There’s someone to make the

Sparkling Spring Cocktail MakeS 1 Serving

Pour 1 ounce lillet Blanc into a champagne flute or wineglass. Fill with Pacific rim “White Flowers” Brut sparkling riesling or your favorite sparkling wine. Top with 3 or 4 dashes of Fee Brothers’ rhubarb bitters.

Garnish with an orange twist.

cocktails, slice the bread, bring wine — everyone pitches in so that I can concentrate on the food and on setting a lovely vibe, aperitif in hand.

For this party, my roommate lila Martin graciously helps with the music and hosting duties. Ben Bettinger, chef at Beaker & Flask, is the overly qualified prep cook. I call on vinophile friends lyle railsback from kermit lynch Wine company and Mark Bosko, wine director at the Inn at red Hills in dundee, to bring the wines. luckily, my friend allison Huerter is working on a master’s in conflict resolution at PsU, so she is able to facilitate the ensuing debate about old World vs. new.

The timeline Three days before the party do the shopping candy the fennel Two days before the party Braise the lamb stew the beans One day before the party Bake the tart Make the smoked escolar spread The day of shop for bread and flowers Prep asparagus and olives for the salad Whip ricotta Right before people arrive arrange hors d’oeuvres Make yourself a cocktail When everyone is there reheat the lamb and beans roast the leeks To serve each course Toss and arrange the salad Plate the beans, leeks and lamb slice the tart

Smoked escolar Spread with Mama Lil’s PeppaLilli and Swedish rye Crisps MakeS abOut 1½ CuPS

Pop into city Market in northwest Portland for everything you need to put together this retro hors d’oeuvre, which packs an incredible punch of flavor for how simple it is to prepare. newman’s Fish Market stocks a rotating selection of freshly smoked fish to use in the spread.

I prefer escolar for its meaty texture, but you could also use sablefish, sturgeon or cod. look for a jar of Mama lil’s Peppalilli, hot Hungarian peppers in mustard sauce, a zesty accompaniment. If you can’t find the Peppalilli, just use Mama lil’s hot peppers and stir in a little mustard.

½ pound smoked escolar or any other white-fleshed fish ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lemon juice Mama lil’s Peppalilli swedish rye crisps Use a fork to flake the fish into a mixing bowl. Fold in the mayonnaise and lemon juice with a rubber spatula and mix just until combined, leaving some small chunks. cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before it is served.

Transfer to a pretty dish and serve with Mama lil’s Peppalilli alongside and swedish rye crisps.

asparagus Salad with Shaved Watermelon radishes, Castelvetrano Olives and Perrydale Beauty isn’t the only thing this salad brings to the table — it’s a mosaic of complementary textures and fresh spring flavors. I found magenta-centered watermelon radishes at Food Front co-op in northwest Portland, but if you can’t track them down, substitute another radish variety. castelvetranos are big, buttery, bright green olives that are found at most specialty markets. Golden balsamic vinegar adds sweet acidity without the dark color of regular balsamic, allowing the vibrant colors of this dish to shine.

MakeS 8 ServingS

3 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed 1 pint castelvetrano olives Good-quality extra-virgin olive oil Golden balsamic vinegar kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper 4 medium watermelon radishes ⁄3 -pound wedge Perrydale or other semi-firm cheese

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Have ready a large bowl of ice water.

Working in batches, steam asparagus for 3 minutes in a steamer basket or bamboo steamer. Immediately transfer the asparagus to the ice water bath.

When cool, transfer the asparagus to a paper-towel-lined platter and blot dry.

Use a sharp paring knife to slice each asparagus spear in half lengthwise or in thirds for those with thicker stalks. cover and refrigerate until needed.

Pit the olives by crushing them with the side of a chef ’s knife or other hard, flat object. Work the pits out with your fingers and discard. Place the olives back in the olive juice (to keep their bright green color) and refrigerate until needed. (The asparagus and olives can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead.)

To assemble the salad, toss the asparagus in oil just to coat. drizzle with vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and toss again. divide the asparagus between 8 plates. Using a mandoline set on the thinnest setting, shave the radishes into thin rounds. Toss the radish slices in oil to coat, then drizzle with vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. spread the radish slices across the center of the plated asparagus. strain the olives from the juice and scatter them around the plates. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices of the cheese on top and around the salad. Garnish with pepper.

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rosé-braised Lamb roulade with Dandelion greens MakeS 8 tO 10 ServingS

since spring has sprung, I decided to lighten up succulent, slow-cooked lamb by braising it in rosé wine instead of red.

Because of its mild flavor and tenderness, I highly recommend seeking out cattail creek pasture-fed lamb for this recipe, which is available in Portland at laurelhurst Market, Pastaworks and chop. any of these artisan butchers will debone and butterfly the lamb shoulder cut, but be sure to call ahead. If you are serving eight guests, like I did, this recipe yields monstrous portions, but the leftovers can be dumped back into the pot with the remaining flageolet beans and leeks and served as a delicious stew the next day … and the next. not only do the dandelion greens rolled up in the meat add a hint of bitter, earthy appeal, they make an impressive presentation. It is much easier to slice the meat when it’s cold, but take care in reheating the roulade slices to serve — they need to be cradled when plating so they don’t fall apart.

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10 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary 3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme ⁄3 cup plus 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

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5 to 5½ pounds boned and butterflied lamb shoulder roasts, trimmed of excess fat and connective tissue (one large or two smaller roasts) kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, ground 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, ground 2 bunches dandelion greens, stems trimmed 2 carrots, roughly chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 1 medium head fennel, roughly chopped ⁄3 cup tomato paste

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1 bottle (750 ml) dry rosé wine 2 cups lamb or beef stock

Prepare up to 3 days before: Make a paste by combining the garlic, rosemary, thyme and 1⁄3 cup olive oil in a small bowl; set aside. Generously sprinkle both sides of each lamb shoulder with salt and pepper. Massage the ground coriander and fennel seed into one side of the meat to coat evenly, and then spread the garlic and herb paste evenly over the spices. arrange the dandelion greens over the top of the paste, leaving a 1-inch border on the narrow edges and pressing them in to flatten a bit.

Working with one shoulder at a time and starting at one of the narrow edges, roll the lamb up, carefully enclosing the greens within the meat. Tie the roulade with butcher’s twine in 1-inch intervals, and once around lengthwise, so it is tightly secured. repeat with the other shoulder.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a large (at least 6-quart) dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Working with one roulade at a time, sear the meat until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per roulade.

Transfer the browned roulades to a platter and set aside.

Pour off the oil and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of fresh oil to the dutch oven. When the oil is hot, add the carrots, onion and fennel. cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more.

Pour in the wine and bring to a vigorous simmer. continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half. return the lamb roulades to the dutch oven along with any accumulated juices. add enough stock to cover the meat by two thirds (about 2 cups) and bring to a boil. cover with a tightfitting lid, transfer to the oven and braise until the meat is forktender, 2½ to 3 hours, basting once every hour.

Transfer the braised lamb roulades to a platter. strain and reserve the braising liquid; discard the solids. cool, cover and refrigerate the lamb and braising liquid separately.

on the day of the dinner: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. skim off and discard any congealed fat from the surface of the braising liquid and pour it back into the dutch oven. cut away the twine from the cold lamb roulades and carefully slice each into 1-inch-thick slices. re-form the slices into a roast shape and nestle them in the dutch oven. Place the dutch oven over medium heat until the liquid reaches a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. cook until heated through, about 30-60 minutes. carefully transfer the roulade slices to a platter, cover and keep warm. Bring the braising liquid to a boil over high heat and reduce to a thin sauce consistency. season to taste. serve the roulade slices on Flageolet Beans with Green Peas and crème Fraîche, and roasted leeks with sherry vinegar. spoon the sauce over the top of the meat and sprinkle with spring Herb Gremolata.

Spring Herb gremolata MakeS abOut ½ CuP

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon 2 tablespoons minced orange zest 2 teaspoons minced garlic In a small bowl, mix together the herbs, orange zest and garlic. cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Flageolet beans with green Peas and Crème Fraîche Flageolet beans, a classic accompaniment to lamb, are young kidney beans with a vegetal flavor and creamy texture. Use Bob’s red Mill brand — they seem to be fresher than other brands I tested for this recipe. Most people soak dried beans overnight, but I soak them for two days to really shorten the cooking time.

MakeS 8 tO 10 ServingS

1 pound dried flageolet beans (about 2 cups) ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 cups chicken broth 5 sprigs fresh parsley 5 sprigs fresh thyme 5 black peppercorns 3 bay leaves 1 whole head garlic, cut in half kosher salt 1½ cups fresh or frozen green peas 1 cup crème fraîche

Pick through the beans and soak them for two days in three times their volume of water.

When you’re ready to cook, rinse and drain the beans; set aside. Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. add the onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. add the beans to the pot. add the broth and enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches.

Meanwhile, make a sachet by bundling the parsley, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic in a double thickness of cheesecloth. secure the sachet with butcher’s twine, submerge it in the beans and tie it to the side of the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid just to a boil. reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 1½ to 2 hours. (cooking time depends on the freshness of the beans.)

When the beans are done, stir in about a tablespoon of salt and remove the pot from the heat to cool. remove the sachet; set aside. When it’s cool enough to handle, squeeze the excess liquid and softened garlic from the sachet back into the pot. discard the sachet. refrigerate the beans in their liquid until needed.

To serve, pour off all but ½ cup of the cooking liquid from the beans, reserving the remaining liquid, and bring the beans to a simmer over medium-low heat. stir in the peas and crème fraîche and heat through, about 3 minutes. add more cooking liquid if needed. adjust seasoning and serve.

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FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER PARTY / coNT.

Candied Fennel Lemon tart MakeS 8 ServingS

last april I saw a recipe for candied fennel upside-down cake in Gourmet magazine and was intrigued. But I thought the sweetness of candied fennel could be balanced better by a tart lemon curd: thus, the idea for this striking spring dessert was born.

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Candied fennel: 1 to 2 fennel bulbs ¾ cup granulated sugar Zest of ½ lemon 1 teaspoon anise seed Tart shell: 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces 1 large egg yolk ½ teaspoon vanilla 3 tablespoons ice water Filling: 3 eggs ½ cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest ½ cup fresh lemon juice ½ cup whipping cream

To make candied fennel: cut off the stalks and any green portion of the fennel bulb. Trim the root end but leave intact. Using a mandoline or chef ’s knife, cut the fennel lengthwise into about nine¼-inch-thick slices; discard the ends of the bulb. Put the fennel slices in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. drain the water and set the fennel slices aside. Put ¾ cup of fresh water, the sugar, lemon zest and anise seed in the saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. add the fennel slices and simmer gently until the fennel is tender and translucent, about 30 to 40 minutes. remove the pan from the heat and set aside. (You can prepare the fennel several days in advance, keeping it refrigerated in the fennel syrup; warm syrup if necessary to loosen fennel.)

To make tart shell: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt just to combine. add butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Whisk together yolk, vanilla and water and drizzle over flour mixture. Pulse just to combine. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until it forms a ball of dough. Press into a disk shape, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.

Have ready a 10-inch tart pan with fluted edges and a removable bottom. on a floured work surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. lift and center the dough over the pan. carefully work it into the bottom and sides, pressing gently with your fingers. Fold in the edges to create a double layer of dough on the sides and press together. Use a paring knife to trim any excess dough around the rim. Prick the bottom all over with a fork. line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. remove the weights and foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until dry and crisp, but not colored.

To make filling: Whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and cream.

Fill the parbaked tart shell with filling and bake for 10 minutes. remove the tart from the oven and carefully arrange 8 candied fennel slices with the root ends against the edge of the crust and the tapered ends pointing toward the center. Place another fennel slice in the center. Gently press the fennel slices into the filling. continue baking until the filling is set, about 15 to 20 minutes more. cool to room temperature and serve with some ricotta folded together with lightly sweetened whipped cream. £

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Join The Encore and 937 Condominiums April 10-11 and April 17-18 for Ultimate Open House. and experience urban condo living! While on the tour make sure you visit one of five Pearl parks, shop, visit an art gallery or enjoy a spa service - it’s all part of urban living in Oregon’s most “walkable” neighborhood: the Pearl District!

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The good earthiness

Jennifer and Dustin Olsen merge the skill of a scientist and the dedication of a farmer in their wild mushroom enterprise ... plus just a bit of woodland magic

By Lizzy CasTOn / PhOTOgraPhy By Mike Davis

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w

ith its rainbow-colored banner, young, longhaired owners and old vW bus on cinder blocks, Jennifer and Dustin Olsen’s The Mushroomery appears more ken kesey commune than serious working farm. yet the Olsens are experts in one of Oregon’s more significant agricultural products: wild foraged and cultivated exotic mushrooms (the legal kind), both medicinal and culinary. The couple’s sheer knowledge, wide variety of mushrooms and quality product mean The Mushroomery has an avid fan base throughout Oregon.

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it’s the barn, however, that gives the farm its most trippy vibe. The low red lights needed for optimal fungi growth cast an eerie glow while the thick fog of the humidifiers mimics rain forest conditions — an otherworldly scene that’s very harry Potter.

“These are Agaricus blazei,” Dustin says through the haze as he holds up a large disc-shaped mushroom the size of a salad plate, while Jennifer adds, “they’re otherwise known as almond portobello, and they have a really smooth nutty taste and meaty texture. They make a terrific pâté spread on crackers.”

The Olsens offer a broad selection of the region’s hit parade of ’shrooms, such as morels and shiitakes, buttery golden chanterelles and delicate silky white oysters, but there are also some surprises. a puffy cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis crispa) looks like a clump of white coral, while the box next to it overflows with oozey, blue-green — and aptly named — bleeding milk cap (Lactarius rubrilacteus). “yeah, the milk caps are the ones that freak people out the most,” Dustin says. “They think the thing is rotting.

But once you get past the moldy-looking exterior, this is a The Mushroomery, near Lebanon, Oregon, looks a bit like a ’60s commune, but what would you expect a mushroom farm to look like?

Jennifer and Dustin Olsen forage and cultivate both culinary and medicinal fungi (but only the legal types).

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What to do with a bag of mushroom powder The Mushroomery sells mushrooms at six farmers markets: Eugene, Corvallis, Lebanon, Albany, Sweet Home and McMinnville.

They offer mail-order sales and some direct sales from their farm throughout the year. Contact them for details: 39997 Mount Hope Drive Lebanon, OR 97355 541-258-5855

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“Oh, the chanterelle powder is good in just about everything,” says The Mushroomery’s Jennifer Olsen. “It enhances any mushroom dish, like soups or stews, giving them that added oomph and flavor, and it’s especially good in starchy dishes like rice or pasta. Honestly though, we really like it on popcorn.” And indeed, the chanterelle powder does enhance.

Mushroom dishes become even more mushroomy, with an earthy depth and funkiness like a good aged cheese, while that quintessential buttery chanterelle taste and aroma shine through. The powder is especially good liberally sprinkled on cooked wide egg noodles such as pappardelle; then toss the noodles with butter, salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese.

mushroom with a deep wild mushroom flavor. it’s one of our favorites, really.”

The Olsens moved to Oregon in 2008 from Bellingham, Wash., where Jennifer studied mycology at Western Washington University and they both worked for commercial harvesters. Drawn by the near-perfect climate and extended season for a large variety of wild mushrooms, legal access to large swaths of forestland and a growing local food scene, the Olsens settled on a 14-acre fixer-upper in a remote stretch near Lebanon, about 30 minutes east of albany.

Their move is beginning to pay off. This year they’ve expanded their growing facilities and number of workers, will begin to do more mail orders, and are planting 50 hazelnut and walnut trees — a project that will then create the conditions needed to spawn Oregon truffles.

The size of Oregon’s mushroom industry is difficult to gauge. it’s hard to keep track of this (mostly cash) business, which is mainly in remote areas and uses seasonal and migrant workers. some government sources estimate it’s now above $40 million annually, with others citing upward of $100 million. it’s big business with international stakes; some species, such as matsutakes, have sold for up to $750 per pound on the Japanese market. you need a commercial permit, as well as explicit permission to forage on specific private and certain types of public lands.

Outside of wild foraging, mushroom farming remains limited; there are fewer than 20 commercial cultivators in the state. That’s surprising, given that the Willamette valley’s notorious damp weather and mild winters make growing mushrooms a natural fit.

The Mushroomery is a small factor in this industry equation, but an ambitious one. During foraging season, from about March through november, the Olsens employ up to six helpers, and many are interns from all over the world who come to learn more about mushrooms in one of the best regions in the world for

Low-tech but meticulous, the Olsens strive to stay as efficient and sustainable as possible, whether harvesting from the forest or their cultivation room.

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Mushroom Pâté MAkES AbOuT 2 CuPS

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

them. The Olsens harvest on average 70 pounds of mushrooms per day from local forests, as well as an additional bounty from their own farm’s cultivated flushes throughout the year. ethics, education and green practices are a strong component of the Olsens’ work. in recent years, with the increase in popularity and sales, there has been criticism that Oregon’s forests are being abused by some pickers who pollute, harvest in a way that ruins future mushroom crops, and give very little back to the state in the form of fees and taxes.

Cultivating mushrooms comes with its own set of environmental wastewater and energy issues, something the Olsens are addressing — everything from rainwater harvesting to solar energy. even their retail bags are made from biodegradable corn. “i really want us to be just more than a mushroom farm,” Jennifer says while touring through one of the newly completed laboratories Dustin built just weeks earlier from reclaimed building supplies. “i want The Mushroomery to become an industry leader, and a center of education and knowledge about best practices in mushroom farming and foraging.”

The Olsens’ philosophy is simple: Tread lightly on the land, use less energy, and waste as little as possible. Leftovers are a good example. rather than being tossed, any unsold or second-grade mushrooms end up in the food dehydrator. They’re bagged as dried mushrooms or ground up into a powder and jarred to be sold as an outstanding “chanterelle powder.” saturday morning is hustle and bustle time at the eugene farmers market. Jennifer is busy explaining to a group of customers the reason to brush mushrooms, rather than wash them when cleaning: “They absorb a ton of water, which dilutes the flavors and messes with the textures.” Meanwhile, Dustin demonstrates how the bright red lobster

Farmers market shoppers throughout the Willamette Valley (but not Portland, unfortunately) get to explore the world of exotic mushrooms — with an occasional sample — through The Mushroomery’s market stalls.

1 pound wild mushrooms of any kind (almond portobellos work especially well), cleaned well and chopped finely 1 to 3 cloves garlic, smashed 1 to 2 tablespoons cognac or sherry (optional) Salt and black pepper to taste ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts or a mixture, toasted 1 to 3 tablespoons water or stock

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until they’re lightly caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes, being careful not to brown them too much. Add the garlic and cognac (if using), season generously with salt and pepper, add the fresh thyme and then sauté for another 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor.

Add the nuts and blend until smooth. use a little water or stock to thin the mixture if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve with crackers, raw vegetables or crusty bread.

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mushrooms stacked in front of him will create a beautiful golden-orange color in a sauce, almost the same way saffron does, when sautéed in oil. an old man with a cane wanders up to the table to inspect a pile of brick-size, tan Lyophyllum decastes. “you know why they call these fried chicken mushrooms, don’t you?” he asks. “Cause back during the Depression none of us could afford much meat. as kids, we’d go out in the woods and find these, then Ma would dip them in some buttermilk and flour and fry ’em just like chicken.” Could be a true story, or just an Oregon folk tale, but indeed the fried chicken mushrooms do remind one of fried chicken.

Meaty and a bit crunchy, but with a taste that’s decidedly more Oregon forest than kFC. £ As young as they are, the Olsens are already making their mark as experts. Interns from around the world come to work at The Mushroomery, a smart operation in one of the world’s best mushroom territories.

Mushrooms Fried Like Chicken SERVES 2 AS A MAIn COuRSE, 4 AS An APPETIzER

½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon dry mustard ¼ teaspoon paprika A few grinds black pepper ½ cup buttermilk Oil for frying 8 ounces large, meaty mushrooms such as fried chicken mushrooms, portobellos or chanterelles, stems trimmed

Mix the flour, salt, mustard, paprika and pepper in large bag. Put the buttermilk into a bowl. Set aside.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of peanut, canola or other vegetable oil in a heavy pan or skillet to 375 degrees. When oil is hot, dip one mushroom at a time into the buttermilk. Then, drop the dipped mushroom into the flour bag. Shake to coat. Gently add to the hot oil and fry a few mushrooms at a time so they aren’t crowded in the pan, 3 to 5 minutes, or until deep golden brown and tender, turning over several times. Serve with slices of lemon or cream-style gravy, if you like.

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Thanks for helping us do more.

By giving so generously this year, our donors, sponsors, guests and volunteers helped us raise more than $2.3 million for children & families.

2010 Classic Wines Auction proceeds benefit: Metropolitan Family Service New Avenues for Youth Friends of the Children Trillium Family Services and YWCA Clark County

2010 Classic Wines Auction Sponsors

Ambassadors Dinner Sponsor Phillips & Company

Presenting Sponsor Bank of America

Winemaker Dinners Sponsor the Oregonian MIX Magazine, magazine, from The Oregonian

Grand Cru Sponsors Fred and Gail Jubitz Connie and Lee Kearney American Airlines The Campbell Foundation Precision Castparts Corp.

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Media Sponsor KGW Media Group The Portland Business Journal

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dishes that do beautiful things for mushrooms mushrooms aren’t like other food — they’re mysterious. sure, we all love the notion of earth-to-table eating, but with a mushroom, it’s somehow earthier, more natural, more of a treasure. and oh so delicious.

Raw, mushrooms are a gorgeous tangle of shapes and subtle colors, usually requiring nothing more than a brush off of any dirt (hey, is that a pine needle?). cooked, however, they get all meaty and umami-ish, with a browned, crisp edge here and there and an affinity for everything from salad greens to steak. try these four dishes to take you deeper into their world. if you can’t find the mushrooms called for, just use what looks most mysterious. But please don’t pick them yourself, unless you, too, are a mushroom magician.

Recipes by matthew caRd Photography by mike davis

Roast Halibut With Mushroom Fricassee SeRveS 4

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Feel free to “bulk up” more expensive mushroom varieties with cremini or portobello. You could also add some hydrated dried mushrooms (an ounce or less) once the fresh mushrooms are cooked. serve with garlicky bruschetta or roasted potatoes.

1 to 1¼ pound thick halibut fillet kosher salt Ground black pepper extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, trimmed as needed 2 large shallots, cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick rings 6 bay leaves 2 lemons, 1 halved and 1 cut into wedges for serving 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. season fish liberally with salt and pepper and drizzle generously with olive oil; set aside. melt butter in large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet over medium-high. add mushrooms, shallots and bay leaves; cook, stirring infrequently, until mushrooms are browned, 10 to 12 minutes. season generously with salt and pepper. clear space in center of skillet for fish, place fish in pan and transfer to oven. cook until fish is just set, 8 to 10 minutes; remove the bay leaves. transfer to a platter, sprinkle abundantly with lemon juice and the parsley, and serve immediately accompanied by lemon wedges.

Spinach Pasta With Wild Mushrooms, Pancetta and Gorgonzola SeRveS 4 to 6

while we love using all spinach pasta, you can mix in some plain pasta as well, for color; use any chunky shape. Feel free to mix cremini or portobello mushrooms with wild mushrooms.

4 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, sliced thin 1½ to 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, trimmed as needed and cut into ½- to ¾-inch thick pieces salt 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon lemon juice 12 ounces spinach penne (or other chunky shape) 4 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled

Bring 4 quarts water to boil and season generously with salt. combine pancetta and olive oil in large (12-inch) skillet set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is rendered and browned, about 7 minutes. with a slotted spoon, transfer meat to small bowl and set aside. add red onion, mushrooms, and large pinch salt. cook stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, 10 to 12 minutes. add thyme, garlic and lemon juice; keep warm. meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. drain and toss with mushroom mixture. serve topped with gorgonzola and pancetta bits.

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Brioche “egg in a Hole” With Wild Mushrooms, Sage and Crème Fraîche SeRveS 2

if you can’t find brioche, good-quality, dense white sandwich bread (like a Pullman loaf) or challah will do. if you happen to have truffles or good-quality truffle oil, use here. do not substitute dried sage for the fresh; fresh thyme, marjoram or parsley would be a better substitute.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided ½ small red onion, sliced thin salt 6 to 8 ounces mushrooms (preferably chanterelles), cut about ¼ inch thick 4 sage leaves, sliced thin 2 slices brioche, challah or Pullman loaf (about ¾ inch thick, with a 3-inch circle cut in middle (use a biscuit cutter) 2 eggs Ground black pepper 46

3 tablespoons crème fraîche

Seared Chanterelle Salad With Chicories and Hazelnuts SeRveS 4

chanterelle mushrooms are the best fit here, though hen-of-thewoods work well, too. sliced portobello mushrooms work in a pinch.

1½ tablespoons minced shallot 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 6 tablespoons mild-flavored extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil, divided 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

salt and ground black pepper ½ pound chanterelle or other wild mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed as needed and cut into large pieces 1 medium-large head radicchio, cored, quartered and torn into large leaves 1 Belgian endive, cored and cut into julienne strips 2 tablespoons coarse-chopped flat-leaf parsley ⁄3 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped 1

in a mixing bowl, whisk together shallot, vinegar, 5 tablespoons of the oil, honey, sugar and thyme. season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside. heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to shimmering in large skillet set over high heat. add mushrooms and cook, stirring infrequently, until well browned in spots and just softened, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. in a large mixing bowl, mix together radicchio, endive and parsley. Rewhisk vinaigrette until emulsified, then dress greens. divide equally among plates, top with mushrooms and garnish with hazelnuts.

heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in large (12inch) skillet that has a lid over medium-high. add onion and pinch salt and cook until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. add the mushrooms and a touch more salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 7 minutes. add sage. transfer mushrooms to a bowl and keep warm; reduce heat to medium.

Liberally butter each side of bread with remaining melted butter; place in skillet and cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.

Flip bread and crack an egg in each hole (without breaking yolk), season with salt and pepper. tent the eggs with a small piece of foil, cover the pan, and cook until white is just set and yolk is warm, 3 to 5 minutes. stir about half the crème fraîche into the mushrooms, then pile them on top of toast, drizzle with the rest of the crème fraîche, and serve immediately.

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one [dish, three wines Pairings that trump a difficult customer ] April is the cruelest month.

But that’s not because this is the moment when those first slender, succulent stalks of local asparagus arrive in our farmers markets, a comestible confirmation that spring is really here.

And it’s not because it’s also the month in which we start to move out of our winterwine groove and yearn to taste something new.

Problem is, asparagus has a distinctly herbaceous flavor that places it somewhere on a spectrum that includes fiddlehead ferns, artichokes and fresh-cut marjoram.

Pair it with the wrong wine and you’ll have a bitter, tinny taste on your tongue. And that’s just cruel.

By KATHERINE COLE RECIPE By mATTHEw CARd PHOTOgRAPHy By BETH NAKAmuRA

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one dish, three wines cont.

Happily, asparagus can be cajoled into a more wine-friendly state. Start by combining it with savory flavors that create a counterpoint to its grassy green notes.

Such as recipe developer matthew Card’s rich risotto recipe (below), which introduces the umami elements of funghi porcini, fresh wild mushrooms, soy sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Then, turn to some of the town’s most knowledgeable wine experts for reasonably priced finds that you may never have heard of before.

Hailing from the Loire Valley, Austria and southern Italy, these three whites are the sorts of picks that only a wine professional would think to pair with our divine spring dish. which is why we asked them for their advice.

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THE dISH Porcini Risotto with wild mushrooms and Asparagus

THE CHALLENgE Celebrating the delicate springtime goodness of asparagus while discreetly ignoring its tendency to mess with wine

THE EXPERTS Beth Boston, owner, Every day wine, everydaywine.com Amalie Roberts, owner, Kir, kirwinebar.com Todd Steele, owner and general manager, metrovino, metrovinopdx.com.

THE wINES

2007 Domaine de Veilloux ‘Les Veilleurs’ Cheverny ($22) “Asparagus is a difficult animal; pairing wine with it is tricky,” Beth Boston admits. “I was looking for something as crisp and acidic as I could think of, and my mind went straight to sauvignon blanc.”

But Boston paused when she thought about the heft of the risotto. How could she cross the divide separating “this dense dish” from “this crisp and fresh vegetable”? By choosing a “lean and bright” white from France’s Loire Valley that’s only sauvignon blanc by half. The other 50 percent of the blend is menu pineau, or, as it’s also known, arbois (not to be confused with the Arbois appellation in the Jura).

Although it’s an obscure grape these days, Boston thinks the menu pineau is what gives her admittedly “wine-geeky kind of choice” its “terroir-driven minerality.”

2006 Peter Schandl Burgenland Pinot Blanc ($18) “The first time I ever tried this wine, I had picked it up at a grocery store, maybe New Seasons,” recalls Amalie Roberts. “I loved it so much I just keep coming back to it. This producer is so consistent.” So when she saw our recipe, Roberts tossed the Schandl into a lineup that included a mâcon chardonnay and an Alsatian white blend. The Schandl won, hands down; the wine’s clean, green notes and uplifting acidity echo the asparagus while cutting through the weight of the risotto, says Roberts. And with its delicate pear, apple and white flower notes, finishing with white pepper, it simply sings springtime. So: why did she choose an Austrian, rather than, say, an Oregonian pinot blanc? “I think this is more nuanced,” Roberts ventures.

2008 Terredora ‘Loggia della Serra’ Greco di Tufo ($23) Imported to Italy by the ancient greeks and sipped by the unfortunate residents of Pompeii, greco bianco is an antiquity that has never gone out of style. As produced in the town of Tufo, it’s a personal fave for Todd Steele, who admits to having a soft spot for the full-bodied whites of Southern Italy’s Campania region. “This wine is so flexible with foods that have reputations for being tough to pair,” he says. “There is a certain weight and power to it — a nice nuttiness — that you don’t find in a lot of other wines.” Plus, he adds, the greco has a hint of salinity that picks up on the soy sauce in the recipe. This admittedly archaic classic has the stamina to go for the long haul — and to hold up to a sticky, asparagus-flecked risotto.

wedding rings THE RECIPE:

Porcini risotto with wild Mushrooms and Asparagus SERVES 4 TO 6

If you can’t find dried porcini mushrooms, feel free to substitute another full-flavored dried mushroom. Sheridan Fruit Co. (409 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) has good prices on bulk porcini mushrooms. Make sure to allow the rice to stick to the pan a little as it cooks, which helps to create the risotto’s creamy consistency.

1½ to 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, well-rinsed 3 garlic cloves, peeled 1 bay leaf 5 cups chicken broth, divided 1 teaspoon soy sauce ¾ pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut on bias into 1-inch pieces 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 large shallots, minced, plus 1 shallot, sliced crosswise into 1⁄8 -inch thick rings 1½ cups arborio rice 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or pinot gris) 1 pound fresh wild mushrooms (preferably mixed), cleaned, trimmed and cut into rough 1-inch pieces 2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 cup), plus more for serving

wHERE TO Buy:

Every day wine, 1520 N.E. Alberta St., 503-331-7119 garrison’s Fine wines, 1401 S.E. morrison St., 503-233-8060 New Seasons markets Sellwood, 1214 S.E. Tacoma St., 503-230-4949 New Seasons markets Seven Corners, 1954 S.E. division St., 503-445-3100 Strohecker’s, 2855 S.w. Patton Road, 503-223-7391 2006 Peter Schandl Burgenland Pinot Blanc ($18) Barbur world Foods, 9845 S.w.

Barbur Blvd., 503-244-0670 Fred meyer Hollywood west, 3030 N.E. wiedler St., 503-280-1300

New Seasons markets Seven Corners, 1954 S.E. division St., 503-445-3100

Combine dried porcinis, garlic, bay leaf, 2 cups chicken broth and soy sauce in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook until mushrooms are very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and purée mixture smooth in blender.

whole Foods market Laurelhurst, 2825 E. Burnside St., 503-232-6601

While rice cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet set over mediumhigh heat. Add fresh mushrooms and remaining shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are well-browned and tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in asparagus and heat through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon wine, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to coat.

Vigorously stir Parmigiano-Reggiano into risotto and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among warmed shallow bowls, top with mushroom and asparagus mixture, and garnish with more grated cheese. Serve immediately. £

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New Seasons markets Sellwood, 1214 S.E. Tacoma St., 503-230-4949

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Melt 3 tablespoons butter in saucepan set over medium-high heat.

Add minced shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent at edges (and remain opaque at core), about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of wine and cook until wine is absorbed by rice. Add a ladleful of hot broth to rice and cook, stirring occasion ally, until absorbed and rice is beginning to stick. Repeat process, adding ladlefuls of broth, until rice is cooked through and just tender, 14 to 18 minutes (if broth runs out before rice is tender, add hot water).

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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

While the porcini mushrooms simmer, bring remaining 3 cups chicken broth to simmer in medium saucepan over high heat. Once simmering, add asparagus and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to large plate, spread into single layer, and refrigerate to cool. Add porcini mixture to chicken broth and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally to keep blended.

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Skamania County In Skamania County there are open spaces, spectacular views & unique experiences. Try a relaxing mineral bath at Bonneville Hot Springs Resort.

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APRIL � � MAY �

mixmaster [ In pursuit of the perfect cube ]

By Ashley gArTlAnd phoTogrAphy By FredrIck d. Joe

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The most overlooked ingredient behind the bar is clear, tasteless and virtually free. And no, it’s not bottom-shelf vodka. It’s ice, and it’s an integral part of a properly made cocktail, whether you’re using crushed ice in a mint julep or employing a slow-melting spherical cube to chill a spirit-heavy cocktail.

It’s easy to mock ice-obsessed bartenders for fixating on such a simple ingredient. But their zeal is well-placed: In addition to keeping our drinks cold, ice acts as a source of water in cocktails and can affect everything from a drink’s aroma to its texture and taste.

mixmaster cont.

“I firmly believe that the sign of a bartender who takes cocktails seriously is someone who thinks about water,” says daniel shoemaker, owner of Teardrop cocktail lounge. “It’s the most understated and the most underthought ingredient in a cocktail, but also the most insistent.”

In shoemaker’s rule book, water must account for 20 to 25 percent of the total product in a cocktail; the best way to get there is with ice, but not just any old cube. now that bartenders are paying close attention to every aspect of their craft, they’re learning that the size, source and even flavor of their cubes matters.

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The Size To choose the right-sized cube, bartenders need to consider how a cube will melt. Using the wrong size cube can lead to an over diluted drink … or one that isn’t diluted enough. spirit-heavy drinks such as an old Fashioned or Beaker & Flask’s new Vieux need large cubes to chill the cocktail without watering it down.

“If you’re going for a drink that’s heavily spirit-based and you’re trying to get the taste of the spirit in, you have to consider that alcohol melts ice faster than water does — it basically works like antifreeze,” says Beaker & Flask’s owner kevin ludwig. The general rule that boozier beverages need bigger cubes explains why we’re seeing more slow-melting spherical

coconut water ice cubes give Beaker & Flask’s Tiki Torture tropical flair.

Teardrop lounge’s large cubes resemble rough-cut pieces of quartz.

even a tall glass gets its own unique shape at Teardrop lounge.

It’s a yearround snowball fight with the Beaker & Flask’s balls of ice.

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PORCELLI’S RISTORANTE and BAR

ice and large hand-carved cubes at ingredient-focused bars. different rules apply to drinks laced with citrus juice, says laurelhurst Market’s bar manager evan Zimmerman.

These drinks want to be good and cold, and to be diluted more, something best accomplished by regular cube ice. Tiki-style cocktails and concentrated drinks such as mint juleps need ice that chills a drink quickly and waters it down; crushed ice makes these cocktails instantly drinkable. Finally, drinks such as gin martinis need only a quick kiss of ice. Too much dilution would ruin the spirit’s aromatics and the cocktail’s velvety texture, says Zimmerman, so bartenders must stir these drinks with ice, then strain the spirits into the glass.

The Source As interest in ice grows, bartenders are learning that their ice source can change the way imbibers respond to a drink.

That’s why shoemaker sprang for a kold-draft; the top-tier ice machine pumps out airless, slow-melting cubes that outperform the industry standard — called pillow ice — thanks to their large surface area.

“There is a greater surface area on the cube itself but less surface area overall for the cocktail, and that’s what you want, less surface area because that’s where dilution happens,” he says. “There are only eight kold-draft cubes going into a cocktail being shaken versus the 50 of pillow ice that you’d need.”

Teardrop’s bar staff broadens their ice selection with large block ice and long, spearshaped cubes made from double boiled, distilled water. And here’s the point where bartenders disagree: shoemaker says double boiled, distilled water makes purer cubes, while bartenders ludwig and Zimmerman skip these steps and use regular

tap water for cube making.

“All the tricks of using distilled or double-boiled water are all good and well, but the payoff for these techniques is nominal, and the only real key thing to do is use warmer water so that it freezes slower and allows trapped oxygen and other pollutants to exit the ice as it freezes,” says Zimmerman. (spirits writer camper english agrees: over the course of the ice making experiments detailed on his blog alcademics.com, he found little difference between cubes made from distilled water and those made from tap water.)

SurpriSing TwiSTS Around town, creative bartenders have come up with innovative twists on the clear, flavorless cube. ludwig complements the pineapple syrup and aged rum in his sal’s Minion cocktail with ice cubes made from coconut water, while Zimmerman puts ice in a smoker until it melts, then re-freezes the water to make the intriguing smoked ice cubes in his smoke signals cocktail.

“I wanted the drink to smell smoky, but not taste smoky.

By making a large cube of smoked ice, the surface area is decreased significantly, thus the ice melts more slowly,” he says. “As one drinks the cocktail, more of the cube becomes exposed, giving the feel that the drink itself is becoming smokier, when in fact the aroma is the only thing that really increases.”

Though shoemaker previously made sauerkraut ice and rosemary cubes, he still prefers plain cubes to anything flavored. “If you are going to put something on flavored ice, you have to be prepared for the fact that it’s going to be two separate cocktails. you aren’t going to get the flavor in the beginning at all, and then it will slowly graduate and the drink will become an entirely different cocktail,” he says.

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mixmaster cont.

lest you think your bartender isn’t already obsessing about enough, between the micro-distilled liquor and organically grown botanicals in the artisan mixers, he can now obsess over ice. here, evan Zimmerman, bartender at laurelhurst Market, chisels large cubes of smoked ice from a large block, then whittles them into icy spheres with just the right surface area to soak in the top of his signature smoke signals cocktail.

perfect cubes With the right tools, you can improve your ice making skills at home. here are three ice-making options that will help you turn out superior cubes for your home bar.

“perfect cube” ice cube Trays Flexible silicone trays won’t absorb freezer odors, and they release cubes easily so the ice doesn’t crack. $12.95 for two trays, surlatable.com

Spherical ice Tray Set curvy cubes caught your eye?

Make 2-inch diameter ice spheres à la Beaker & Flask using this mold from the Museum of Modern Art. $16 for set of two molds, momastore.org

Loaf pans and a pick keep it simple by repurposing two 16-by-4inch loaf pans as ice molds, says Zimmerman.

Freeze a couple of decent size blocks in your freezer in these, then invest in a good ice pick to start hand-carving your own cubes. Ice picks from $13.95, cocktailkingdom.com £

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good cheese [ Beecher’s Flagship Reserve ] by tami parr

Name: beecher’s Flagship reserve milk: Cow, from two duvall, Wash., dairy farms age aNd look: aged 16 to 18 months in large cylindrical wheels called “truckles.”

Flavor: starts lemony-citrusy, then becomes sharp and toasty, mellowing into a slightly sweet, nutty fruitiness, with plenty of seductive caramel. driNk with: Well-suited to earthy, fruit-forward red wines such as many syrahs, or else dark beers. why we like this cheese: the cheesemaker’s a homie — brad sinko, beecher’s head Cheesemaker, formerly managed the much loved (and now closed) bandon Cheese Factory in southern oregon. if you’ve been to seattle’s pike place market recently, you’ve probably noticed the popular beecher’s handmade Cheese shop. beecher’s is an urban cheesemaker that captures the attention and imagination of visitors with big windows that allow an up-close-and-personal view of the process as it happens. beecher’s live-action cheesemaking has generated a lot of enthusiasm for its signature cheese, Flagship, which is now widely available all over the pacific Northwest. Flagship is a cheddar-style cheese with an appealing creamy texture and nutty flavor — but what i’m really excited about is Flagship’s cousin, Flagship reserve. to make the reserve, beecher’s cheesemakers wrap wheels of Flagship cheese in cheesecloth (a traditional method of aging cheddar; the cloth protects the rind from drying out over time) and then allow the wheels to cure for up to 18 months. the wheels are attentively nurtured during that time, rotated and brushed off frequently to maximize their longevity and flavor potential. the result is an old World style cheddar that’s rich with complex flavor. Flagship reserve starts out a bit lemony-citrusy on the tongue, then soon mellows into a slightly sweet, nutty fruitiness reminiscent of a good parmigiano-reggiano. Caramel notes — deeply seductive in aged cheeses — abound. so good is this cheese that it was awarded an impressive second place overall, in a field of more than 1,200 cheeses, at the american Cheese society Competition in 2007. Now that’s good local cheese. £

photograph by mike davis

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eat here/pendleton

[ The Wild West, with balsamic glaze ] STORy ANd PHOTOGRAPHy By dANIel WAkeFIeld PASley

309 No, honestly, keep your hat on at the dinner table — it’s Pendleton, so it’s polite. Besides, where would they put all those hats if people took them off to dine? during the Round-Up, there could be 50,000 of ’em.

miles east of Portland, through the Columbia River Gorge and the high plains of the Columbia Plateau and straight to the base of the Blue Mountains, sits Pendleton. A sign marking the city limits reads, “Welcome to Pendleton, Home of the Real West.”

Pendleton, of course, is famous for its Round-Up, the longest-running rodeo in the country, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in September. Not only is the Round-Up the largest singular cultural event in town, it’s also an accurate reflection of Pendleton’s Wild West history.

From cowboy basics like livestock trading, ranching and cattle drives to a vast, decidedly underground Chinatown and a bustling red-light district that only just closed up, Pendleton is more interesting than its dusty and worn Back-to-the-Future-in-a-Resistol main street facade might suggest. There’s colorful duality at every turn, including when it’s time to rustle up a nice cut of beef or a bottle of local wine. Or even something on a stick.

If you choose to visit Pendleton during the four-day Round-up, though, be warned: Most restaurants, diners and cafes run only an abbreviated menu then — an attempt to survive 50,000 hungry cowboys and cowgirls wanting to eat, more or less, at once. The upside: all the interesting and occasionally delicious food available inside the stadium for rodeo-goers.

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eat here/pendleton cont.

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Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s

A Johnny Cash kind of place When Jennifer keeton opened Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s (137 S. Main St.; 541-276-7711) in July 2009, she kept the red-flocked wallpaper and returned Paul Cimmiyotti’s original onion ring recipe to the menu. While true to its roots, as evidenced by 10-ounce barrel-cut, certified Angus beef filet mignon served with a mushroom and bacon compote ($32), Cimmiyotti’s is not your grandfather’s steakhouse. The menu — divided by specialties — “land,” “sea” and “land and sea” — has been updated to include vegetarian options, such as two marinated and charbroiled portobello caps layered with sautéed vegetables and feta, all finished off with balsamic glaze ($16).

Specialty items include bacon-wrapped dates (an $8 appetizer Jennifer made popular by including a small portion as a garnish on every entree sold during a monthlong campaign to get the word out); sweet potato fries with Southern Comeback sauce, a kicked-up spicy fries sauce, ($6); and diver scallops seared with an herb-garlic cream sauce ($24).

A blend of baroque bordello and steakhouse, Cimmiyotti’s two-story dining room is rich, lush and Western — with an à la Johnny Cash kitchen.

If you’re in town for the rodeo, be sure to make your way past the piano, the bar and the chandeliers predating even the original Cimmiyotti’s, and get out back to enjoy a pop-up honky-tonk featuring a live band on the roof and a fenced-in patio with plenty of room for dancing and drinking.

A different sort of saddle In 2006, Hamley & Co. — an iconic manufacturer of saddles widely believed to be the best handmade ones ever, and the country’s oldest Western outfitter — built The Hamley Steakhouse (8 S.E. Court Ave.; 541-278-1100) into the same building Hamley & Co. has occupied since 1905. The renovation, exquisitely executed, was a massive endeavor. entire bars (one with an interesting association to an infamous Montana murder), chandeliers, massive wood features and countless other Western props were painstakingly sought out for the steakhouse.

If the visual commitment to cowboy-correct atmosphere isn’t convincing enough, one of these, or several other cuts of beef, ought to be: the

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The Hamley Steakhouse

J.J Hamley Filet, “good enough to be named after Hamley’s founder,” is an 8-ounce beef tenderloin cold-smoked over applewood and grilled to order with a huckleberry demi-glace and whipped sweet potatoes (the details change seasonally, $33); or try the 14-ounce rib-eye grilled to rich and flavorful perfection and served with a baked Idaho russet ($37). Be sure to leave time after dinner to visit the wine cellar, or head upstairs for a better view of the Western tableau below.

Pendleton essentials Mario’s Basque Bar-B-Q (43419 Boylen Lane; 541-276-1665) Available for

catering, special events and functions, and at the Pendleton Round-Up during regular event hours.

Among the stands and stalls of greasy, fried, curling and popped, past cowboy’ed carnival hawkers in a rolling, excited sea of hats, along the half-moon horizon of flags, pennants and inflatable animals advertising various food items, items covered in gravy and powdered in sugar and glazed in sticky, is Mario’s. And his six dollar world class pork-chop sandwiches, chicken kabobs and chorizo on a stick.

eat here/pendleton cont.

Main Street diner

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Mario’s Basque Bar-B-Q Main Street Diner (349 Main St.; 541-278-1952) is the archetype 1950s diner. So perfectly preserved, it feels as much like a movie as it does a functioning diner. But function it does. Order a chocolate milkshake and if you’re lucky, Marilyn Anderson, one of the owners and the inspiration for a “Milkshake Serving” mural painted on the wall in the back, will serve it just like the scene suggests — elbow bent and palming a black tray featuring a soda fountain glass full of shake and whipped cream, with a cherry on top.

The menu, two pages for breakfast and two more for lunch, is thorough if not daunting. It covers breakfast traditions ranging from corned beef hash ($7.50) to German sausage ($7.95) to omelets such as The Fonz: ham, bacon and sausage with lots of cheddar ($8.95). lunch offerings

Plateau, in the Wild Horse Casino include, among other things, hot dogs and “lite and Healthy lunches.”

Plateau, at Wildhorse Resort & Casino (72777 Highway 331; 541-966-1610) ding-ding-ding-dingding. One exit off I-84 and just west of Pendleton is the Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Several hundred carpeted yards from the front door, beyond the lights and sounds and smoke of the Vegas-y casino, are an elevator and set of stairs, and both lead to a reprieve from the chaos below. Once securely within the fine-dining confines of Plateau, staring through a floor-to-ceiling glass wall looking out on the Blue Mountains, you’ll find that things are quiet and soothing. When your heart rate settles and your ears stop ringing, why not try a number of small plates, such as The Walla Walla Sweet Onion Soup with Gruyère Cheese Gratin ($5) or the Butter leaf Salad with

deconstructed Blue Cheese dressing, lemon Confit and Rogue Creamery Oregonzola ($8).

Wherever you’re off to next — the casino below or the mountains beyond — the trip might be better under the influence of a lavender-infused lemon drop and an order of chocolate truffles.

Whitey’s Carmel Corn, Sweet Shop and The Gift Box (148 S. Main St.; 541-276-9084) specializes in handmade caramel corn, prepared daily and in many different colors, and a vibrant pink strawberry lemonade that comes in a large clear plastic cup. Just in case that doesn’t cover your needs, they sell hard candies, joke foods, postcards and ice cream. Whitey’s is an artifact from Main Street America, and the perfect place to soothe — or develop — a sweet tooth.

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Great Pacific Wine and Coffee Co. (403 S. Main St.; 541-276-1350) is a deli with meat and cheese, hot and cold sandwiches, baked croissants and salads. It’s also an espresso shop with coffee, tea and baked sweets. And a dry goods merchant with cans of dave’s Burning Nuts and jars of salsas, jellies and French pickles. And it’s a more-than-satisfactory wine shop, featuring wines from Walla Walla, Columbia River wine regions and the Willamette Valley, as well as from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and France. And Great Pacific is a pizza joint and live music venue with weekly bluegrass jam sessions every Saturday. The building, a historic monument — worn hardwoods, exposed brick, vaulted ceilings and a large front window more or less tuned to Main Street TV — was built by the Masons in 1887 and purchased in 1980 by Great Pacific owners and operators Carol Hanks and ken Schulberg. Great Pacific is a little window into the city. And if you’re in town for a bit, Great Pacific is just about the only place to stock up on bottled water, wine and other sophisticated sundries.

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“Beef cheeks so tender that a good hard stare would cause them to fall apart.”- Bon Appetit

eat here/pendleton cont.

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Miss Patti’s Crabby’s Underground Saloon (220 S.W. First St.; 541-276-8118) is a hip-hop-honky-tonk hole-in-the-ground — literally. It’s in a basement with low ceilings, where belt buckles and hats and denim go swirling, swinging and swaying into the next morning. It’s raunchy and sweaty and perhaps the only place you’ll see a cowboy breakdance to lil Wayne.

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Lo c a te d a t Twe n t y- S eve n “A” Ave nu e in pic t u r e s q u e d ow n tow n L a ke O s we go O p e n Tu e s d ay t h r u Fr id ay 10 to 5 : 3 0 , S a t u r d ay 10 to 4

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Miss Patti’s (210 S.E. 5th St. 541-276-6006) From the menu: “Thank you for choosing Miss Patti’s. Pendleton may be the Real West but Patti’s is a remnant of the Old South. We believe in serving good wholesome food in a warm gracious atmosphere. We can feed you quickly and you can get on your way. Although, at Miss Patti’s, we’d rather you sit down, relax, enjoy your meal, and ignore the rest of the world, if only for awhile.”

While you’re ignoring the rest of the world, be sure not to ignore either the eggs Benedict or the Chicken Fried Steak – both, with or without a hangover, are delicious and rich examples of the way traditional comfort food is meant to be. The food at Patti’s, brought to you by authentic first-generation Pendleton waitresses, isn’t the only remnant of the Old South; the décor is positively grandma.

A grandma, or distant old-lady relative, from lexington or one of those towns that ends in “ville.” From oil paintings and old clocks to tassels, plastic fruit, suspended combination window-flower-boxes and ceramic pheasants, Miss Patti’s is homey to the maximum. £

pubcrawl [ I see an IPA and I want to paint it black ] By jOhN FOystON / PhOtOgrAPhy By mIke DAvIs

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One way to think of the new Cascadian dark ales — CDAs — that are showing up on the tap wall of your favorite pub or bar is as a sort of a brewer’s parlor trick: ales so black that your palate is ready for the roast and chocolate of a big stout or porter but is instead treated to the floral hops and bitterness of a Northwest-style India pale ale.

“It’s a bit of a trick,” says Dave Fleming, who’s brewed Cascadian dark ales at several Oregon breweries, including Portland’s Lompoc pubs, where he’s now head brewer.

“It’s also a way for brewers to have some fun and make a black beer that doesn’t taste that way — the idea is that if you didn’t see the color of the drinkbeer, you’d think you were drink ing something much lighter.”

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A black IPA, in other words.

Which is one way NOt to think of CDAs, at least in the presence of Portland beer writer and home brewer Abram goldmanArmstrong, who’s led the effort to make Cascadian dark ale the official name for this emerging style of hoppy black beers.

“I don’t know why it bugs me so much, but it does,” goldmanArmstrong says. “you can’t have a black or dark India pale ale.” the alternatives to “black IPA,” including India dark ale or India black ale, aren’t much better — IDA or IBA sound way too much like IPA to a harried bartender. Worst of all is “texas Brown,” which sounds like something you’d encounter in the crawl space under a doublewide on cinder blocks in galveston. Certainly not what you’d want a brimming pint of at your favorite pub. No, Cascadian dark ale — CDA — seems the best name, especially because the style originated in the mythical republic of Cascadia, the Pacific Northwest from British Columbia to Northern California. goldman-Armstrong first heard about the style in 2003, when rogue brew master john maier made skullsplitter, a “black” interpretation of Brutal Bitter. About the same time, without ever having a bottle of skullsplitter, matt Phillips, owner of Phillips Brewing in victoria, B.C., brewed Black toque, which he called an India dark ale. those two beers started goldmanArmstrong on what has become a crusade for Cascadian dark ales.

“I loved them,” he says of the hoppy dark ales, “because of the

abcs of cDas What can you as a fan of good beers expect from this new and increasingly popular style? here’s a Cascadian dark ale primer, taken in part from the style guidelines submitted at the january conference.

CDAs in a nutshell: A highly hopped, medium-bodied dark ale, similar to a strong American IPA, except that it incorporates dark malts and signature Northwest hop varieties, often in conjunction with fruity esters. Bitterness and body are much closer to an IPA balance than a strong ale or American stout.

Finish is an interplay of hop and roast bitterness that creates a dry, quenching impression.

interplay between hops and roast and because they weren’t just another IPA or a hoppy stout like rogue’s shakespeare stout — this was a new beer style. We really do have a different palate in the Northwest than anywhere else. that’s why CDA works as a name, because this beer couldn’t have originated in kansas or texas. Cascadian celebrates the region and it celebrates the hops.” goldman-Armstrong isn’t just hoping that people will agree with him that black India pale ale is an oxymoron. he recently convened an only-in-Beervana seminar of beer writers, home brewers and pro brewers (including rob Widmer of Widmer Brothers Brewing, Oregon’s largest brewery, and Cam O’Connor of Deschutes Brewery, the state’s second largest).

the late-january symposium was actually a spirited round-table discussion and sampling of 19 examples of the CDA style with those who are brewing it, drinking it and writing about it. the goals were to reach an informed consensus about what is and isn’t a CDA, and to refine the guidelines and hone the description for submission to the Brewers Association and to the nonprofit Beer judge Certification Program (BjCP) for inclusion as a new style across the country. Which they did, but which is of interest mainly to serious beer geeks who plan to brew their own CDAs. (see “ABCs of CDAs,” at left for a touch of the geek talk.)

But guidelines and certifications don’t address the biggest burr under goldman-Armstrong’s saddle blanket — that people aren’t yet calling these hoppy dark ales exclusively CDAs. Widmer’s new W ’10 could spread the name far and wide, but it’s called Pitch Black IPA on the label, though smaller copy mentions the Cascadian dark ale revolution. hopworks secession has a map of Cascadia on the label and Cascadian Dark Ale in small print, but is called India Black India Pale Ale in bigger letters.

“I think it’s just a matter of five years or so before CDA becomes commonplace,” said home brewer Bill schneller. “When I moved here in 1993, for instance, I had no idea what an IPA was.” so it’s up to you, Northwest beer drinkers — your shout: “I’ll have a CDA, please …”

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Botox Fillers Also Available Where you’ll find them: Portland’s good beer pubs usually have a couple of CDAs on tap, so check out the moon & sixpence, Concordia Alehouse, saraveza, the horse Brass, Bailey’s taproom and other fine pubs and bottle shops such as Belmont station and the Beermongers. many pubs are brewing CDAs now, so ask at the Lucky Labs, Laurelwoods, hopworks and other places whether they have them on tap.

What they taste like: Northwest hop aromas are prominent — citrus, pine, resinous along with sweet malt, hints of roast, toast and chocolate malt. the flavor should be a balance between piney, citruslike and spicy Northwest hop flavor, bitterness, caramel and other malts. roast character should be subtle: you’ll taste some of the elements you would in a porter or stout, but not to the extent of astringency; an intense ashy, burnt character is not appropriate. Caramel malt as a secondary flavor is acceptable but the finish should be dry, not sweet. Diacetyl — the butterscotch notes sometimes found in traditional english ales — shouldn’t be present and the emphasis should be on hop flavor.

these are light- to mediumbodied ales, and hop bitterness and tannins from roast malts combine to create a dry mouth feel. Because many are dry-hopped, you may get that tongue-coating, resinous character from lots of hops.

Appearance: Deep brown to black with ruby highlights. head varies from white to tan/ khaki.

Alcohol and bitterness: In line with big IPAs, Cascadian dark ales range from about 6.5 percent alcohol on up to the Imperial IPA range at 9 or 10 percent. they are quite bitter, with 60 or 65 bitterness units as the minimum. to put that in perspective, BridgePort India Pale Ale, at about 50 bitterness units, was almost unimaginably hoppy when it came out in the mid-1990s.

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scene

Our picks for what to eat where

Compiled by Grant butler Contributors Grant butler teri Gelber shawn levy Christina melander roger porter david sarasohn Amy Wang michael C. Zusman

Noodle houses

pasta reigns supreme at these italian kitchens.

Caffe Mingo 807 n.W. 21st Ave. 503-226-4646 barmingonw.com/caffemingo Caffe mingo is loud and crowded, and the opening next door of bar mingo to handle the overflow hasn’t changed that. the open kitchen produces consistently satisfying and vivid but unfussy dishes. Witness the landmark penne with espressoand Chianti-braised beef: lush, with powerfully flavored beef that clings for dear life to the pasta and seems to be disintegrating in delight at being part of the recipe. the pasta section has long been bolstered by pillowy gnocchi, soft and melt-

Get mOre Of the POrtland scene, at mixPdx.cOm

ing, even if you might wonder how they might blossom with something besides a simple red sauce. much of the menu changes regularly, but prices remain reasonable, with pastas and pizzas less than $20 and most entrees slightly more, with the bistecca peaking at $28. the buzz on the place is unchanging.

Ciao Vito 2203 n.e. Alberta st.

503-282-5522 ciaovito.net like a handful of places along northeast Alberta street, Ciao Vito finds just the right balance between downtown panache and no-fuss neighborhood vibe. Chef Vito dilullo is a veteran of both Higgins and Caffe mingo, and the pedigree shows in his homey italian fare, which includes one of the best pasta bargains in town: spaghetti Agli’olio, with perfect al dente noodle strands tossed with sautéed garlic, toasted bread crumbs, chile flakes and parmesan. it’s a lot of flavor for just $7.50. entrees offer dishes with even more heft, such as angel hair pasta with manila clams and white wine, or penne tossed with wild prawns, almond butter, tomato and basil.

DeCarli Restaurant 4545 s.W. Watson Ave., beaverton 503-641-3223 decarlirestaurant.com deCarli resides in a stately brick building that hints at the charm downtown beaverton must have possessed before it became a highly trafficked network of car dealer-

deCarli restaurant ships, outmoded furniture outlets and banal chain stores. the italianleaning restaurant opened two years ago, winning over suburban dwellers hungry for authentic dining experiences, not bottomless salad bowls. true to trattorias, the menu hits its highest points in the pasta section. Gnocchi with wild mushrooms and black truffle has an earthiness that sets off the delicacy of the soft potato dumplings. risotto appears in different identities but retains a firmness in the rice and a creaminess in its surroundings. one evening’s special, black tagliatelle (traditionally colored with squid ink) with shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, tomato and hot pepper, was admirably seagoing, with a firmness in the pasta, a freshness in the seafood and a finishing bite from the pepper.

Nostrana 1401 s.e. morrison st.

503-234-2427 nostrana.com Cathy Whims’ cooking is on a par with some of the best of tuscany. or umbria. or Abruzzo. Whims has made a thorough study of italian rustic cooking, but there’s nothing pedantic about her work: it’s what you’d find at the heartiest country tables, or in nonna’s kitchen. the wood-fired oven and a huge pile of logs are the right signs, contributing to the warm, vibrant atmosphere. dishes shift nightly, and while dishes from the oven get a lot of atten-

pHotoGrApH by briAn lee

scene tion, pasta dishes stand out, like buckwheat ravioli filled with ricotta, chard and cumin.

good baked mac and cheese with fusilli in a three-cheese sauce, topped with toasted herbed bread crumbs.

Riccardo’s Ristorante 16035 s.W. boones Ferry road, lake oswego 503-636-4104 riccardoslo.com riccardo’s seems intent on convincing you that it’s going to be another mediocre italian experience, from the definitively unhip decor to the ultraconventional menu. still, it’s refreshing somehow when a restaurant isn’t shoving organic in your face and “local” is simply a person who lives nearby. elegantly plated, well-prepared versions of italian classics stand out, like lasagne delle marche, with layers of fresh, homemade pasta, meat and beschiamella sauces and cheese, or penne tossed with a spicy tomato sauce. the wine list is highly respectable: an impressive array of italian selections, each bottle on a page with a short description of the wine and a sample label, proudly featuring the signature of the winemaker, which tells you who has been eating at riccardo’s.

Reinventions

Serratto 2112 n.W. Kearney st.

503-221-1195 serratto.com When this longtime neighborhood restaurant changed hands a few years back, the new owners added a stone pizza oven and upped the quality of the menu across the board. pasta dishes are as reliable as ever, and are available in either starter or entree portions, making it possible to craft your own dining experience. standouts include a rustic tagliatelle in wild boar ragú, dungeness crab ravioli, rigatoni with spicy italian sausage, and an insanely

Alu

Downtown Brunch

Saturday-Sunday, 7:30am-2pm SW 6th at Oak 503.546.2666 www.originaldinerant.com

Changes in chefs or concepts put these spots back on the dining radar.

Alu 2831 n.e. martin luther King Jr. blvd.

503-262-9463 aluwinebar.com After a brief closure, this neighborhood restaurant reopened last year with a new chef and a new mission, and an evening here makes for quietly serious and surprisingly enjoyable dining. so keep an eye on the earnest young chef, sean temple, who has put in stints at Jean Georges in new york and paley’s place locally. He’s well trained, and from his tiny kitchen he’s sending out some fine dishes, even a couple that are exceptional. take a sublime platter of roasted carrots rubbed with coriander and anchovies and drizzled with olive oil. or consider a glass jar filled with homemade pork rillettes — a moist, smooth mixture rich with delicious fat, spreadable on the accompanying baguette, punched with intense flavor and flecked with paper-thin slices of radish. the delightful surprises seemingly never end: tables made from upside-down wine racks, a gold-leaf ceiling and chandeliers more at home in a 19th-century drawing room oddly jangling with heavy metal and michael Jackson on the sound system. Alu is an oxymoron: rough beams for rusticity and blood-red-flocked wallpaper in the restroom for a stab at elegance.

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2625 SE 21st off Clinton

503.233.4100

www.barasushihouse.com

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Genoa 832 s.e. belmont st.

503-238-1464 genoarestaurant.com For pioneering portland diners, no happy restaurant memory can match those special occasion dinners at Genoa, where from 1971 to 2008, an elaborate northern italian meal was an evening-long production. A year after the curtain fell, Genoa is on the rise again, embracing some new traditions (notably a companion cafe next door, Accanto) yet inextricably intertwined with the old ones. At the helm is talented new chef david Anderson, who at 31 wasn’t even born when Genoa debuted. but to hear Anderson tell it, his departure from david machado’s quasiindian Vindalho was as natural as the turn of the seasons. Anderson was looking for a tightknit operation focusing on “traditional foods and dining” when he met Genoa’s new owner, former patron patricia eiting, shortly after she bought the 1930s-era building. once onboard, Anderson immersed himself in all things Genoa, visiting italy for two weeks, poring over books of Genoa recipes and menus, and chatting with such kitchen alums as nostrana chef Cathy Whims. the familiar 50-seat space was stripped to its skeleton, then rebuilt to resemble the original. new features are the dark blue and gold silk drapery, a fireplace in the main dining room and five stunning stained-glass chandeliers resembling wind chimes.

Noble Rot 1111 e. burnside st.

503-233-1999 noblerotpdx.com talk about your comebacks! leather storrs’ revival at noble rot is perhaps not as impressive as lazarus, but he nonetheless made a spectacular return from the dead last year. After his experimental restaurant rocket fizzled like a north Korean missile, a rejuvenated noble rot took over the handsome space and brought customers back with fine bistro cooking that perfectly blended rusticated preparations and a touch of class, from the classic onion tart to addictive onion rings to a cheerful carrot risotto. storrs was always whimsical. As he says apologetically about rocket, “i’d come up with a clever name and tried to

fit the food into it.” And while the indefatigable joker can’t help playing games, the notes of quixotic defiance have softened, and storrs is back to creating intense flavors in familiar food, with often-unexpected combinations of ingredients that can tip the commonplace toward the surprising.

Tabla Mediterranean Bistro 200 n.e. 28th Ave. 503-238-3777 www.tabla-restaurant.com open six years, tabla was one of the first places in portland to feature small plates and has always aimed for a kind of muted elegance. the menu is auspicious: a small selection of thoughtfully chosen appetizers, a number of pastas served in either half or full portions (always a good sign for those who want to dine italian style with pasta as a first course) and an attractive selection of entrees.

Chef Anthony Cafiero enjoys working variations on the same item, another good sign, suggesting both a solid commitment to favorite ingredients and a desire to experiment to keep things interesting. thus, one evening for an appetizer, chunks of tender octopus arrived, Catalan-style, with bits of chorizo, almonds and garlic, and splashed with sherry. on another occasion, the cephalopod was paired with cubed potatoes in a spicy romesco sauce. desserts are the weakest link in the meal, so if you order the three-course dinner for a mere $24 (though several dishes entail a modest supplement), make the courses appetizer, pasta and entree.

For dessert, ben and Jerry’s from the carton.

On the cheap places where stretching your dollars is easy — and tasty.

Biwa 215 s.e. ninth Ave. 503-239-8830 biwarestaurant.com izakaya is the right food for these small-plate-loving times: casual and communal, adventurous and very affordable. no wonder Japanese pub style is a rising phenom in the food world, and biwa is a fine place to get a taste of it. owners Gabe rosen and Kina Voelz, who lived and studied in Japan,

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have created a portland-style izakaya complete with recycled doug fir booths, a cool reading rack and candlelight galore. the counter is a great place to catch the yakitori action — grilled skewers for a mere $3-$4, from chicken hearts to shiitakes. the midsize menu offers izakaya classics and Japanese comfort foods, $6-$12.

Kara-age, baby-size fried chicken sided by hot mustard, is its own Fuji mountain high, and salads, like fresh pears with radishes, sparkle with simplicity.

East India Co. Grill & Bar 821 s.W. 11th Ave. 503-227-8815 eastindiacopdx.com For whatever reason, getting indian food for lunch has become synonymous with visiting a buffet. not that there’s anything wrong with paying one flat rate for multiple entrees and side dishes. And you can’t beat the efficiency. but sometimes it’s nice to have a more refined meal amid the workaday crunch. that’s when it’s time to go to east india Co. Grill & bar. the “Colonel’s lunch,” the least expensive of the three lunch options, is a major spread. For $8.95, you can enjoy a basket of papadum, the crisp lentil wafers that are india’s answer to potato chips; a basket of beautifully puffy naan bread; your choice of three curries on white or brown rice; and a wee but refreshing salad.

Garden State 7875 s.e. 13th Ave. 503-705-5273 gardenstatecart.com to paraphrase an old joke about the Jewish lord mayor of dublin’s visit to new york: “A food cart serving east Coast-style italian American food with fresh ingredients from the Willamette Valley? only in portland!” Kevin sandri concocts

wizardly sandwiches and other delights in his teeny-tiny movable kitchen in the sellwood food cart pod, and it’s entirely worth a trip to sample what he’s up to. A couple of the staples — a hearty meatball hero ($6), an authentic sausage-and-peppers hero ($5) and a roast beef sandwich with gorgonzola and veggies ($7) — are like platonic ideals of italian deli staples. And then there are the things no one around here makes: a chickpea patty sandwich ($6), herbed chickpea fries ($2) and the famed arancini — golf-ball-size spheres of saffron risotto stuffed with beef ragu or pungent sautéed vegetables, then fried to a crisp ($1 each).

Taste of Jakarta 1239 s.W. Jefferson st.

503-222-5136 tasteofjakarta.com downtown portland has been bereft of tangy and spicy treats such as nasi goreng, gado gado and other indonesian dishes since A taste of bali closed on southwest broadway a while back. now you can get your curry/tempeh/ jackfruit/yellow rice fix again, quite deliciously, at this less-than-yearold Jefferson street eatery. the menu is modest, but so are the prices. A filling platter of nasi kuning — a fried drumstick, tempeh, tofu and yellow rice — is yours for $7.95. For even better value, try the mie ayam jamur — $6.95 gets you a greasy-but-good dish of chicken and mushrooms over egg noodles and a bowl of onion-y bok choy soup. Vegetarians can choose from seven dishes in which egg and fish sauce are optional, plus three desserts, including kolak ubi, or yams in syrup and coconut milk ($4.50). pHotoGrApH by tim lAbArGe

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hiGh five bistrO favOrites the word “bistro” gets bandied about in the restaurant world so much these days that it’s almost lost its meaning. Can a Chinese or thai restaurant really call itself a bistro? Apparently, but we’re sticking to the origins: a French-focused place serving down-to-earth dishes. Fortunately, portland has plenty of them.

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Croque Monsieur at Brasserie Montmartre: For decades, this large downtown French restaurant was the place for late-night revelry and live jazz. the quality of the food varied wildly, so it was off most foodies’ radar when it closed a few years ago to undergo a massive renovation. it recently reopened, and the look of the original is largely intact, with large gold-framed mirrors, drapery cascading down marble columns, and portland jazz royalty such as bobby torres and nancy King taking the bandstand. you’ll also find a menu loaded with bistro standards, like baked escargots, bouillabaisse and steak frites. one standout is a classic Croque monsieur, a French take on a ham and cheese sandwich. slices of toasted brioche are stuffed with thin-sliced black Forest ham and gruyère, then lightly brushed with a béchamel with a hint of dijon mustard. it comes with a paper cone overflowing with perfect shoestring fries with garlic aioli for dipping.

626 S.W. Park Ave. 503-236-3036 brasserieportland.com Bistro Burger at Everett Street Bistro: the kitchen at this pearl district spot is on much surer footing than when it opened in 2006, and one guaranteed winner is its take on a hamburger. Juicy ground piedmontese sirloin is flame-grilled, then topped with lemon aioli, avocado slices, crispy bacon, shredded lettuce and melted cheddar cheese. the crowning touch is a delicious mound of razor-thin caramelized onions, which ooze out the sides of the burger as you chomp along.

brasserie montmartre there’s no delicate way to approach this $14 monster, but fortunately there’s a mound of garlic, rosemary and thyme-scented pommes frites for sopping up any aioli or onions that find their way onto the plate, and the waiters are happy to bring you extra napkins.

1140 N.W. Everett St. 503-467-4990 everettstreetbistro.com Boeuf bourguignon at Fenouil: nbC’s late-night tV lineup wasn’t the only place for drama this past winter. this high-end French restaurant overlooking the pearl district’s Jamison square saw upheaval, too, with original chef pascal Chureau being replaced by rising star chef Jake martin, formerly of Carlyle. one constant amid all the change was the happy hour plate of boeuf bourguignon, a bistro classic that many people discovered for the first time in last year’s hit “Julie & Julia,” where the dish played a pivotal role in the plot. For just $7, you get a piping hot stoneware dish filled with morsels of beef that’s been braised in red wine, along with mushrooms, bacon and pearl onions. it comes with a mound of creamy mashed potatoes — just the thing for sopping up the thick sauce.

900 N.W. 11th Ave. 503-525-2225 fenouilinthepearl.com Cassoulet at Le Bouchon: this white-bean stew is a cold-weather classic — just the thing for warding

off chills on blustery days (which in oregon can linger until the middle of June). At the venerable pearl district bistro le bouchon, cassoulet gets its oomph from duck leg confit, tender pork shoulder and spicy French pork sausage, which give the tender beans meaty richness. servings are individually plated, then topped with bread crumbs that are browned under a broiler. pair the stew with a glass of strapping bordeaux, and you’ve got the essence of the French countryside.

517 N.W. 14th Ave. 503-248-2193 Moules frites at Paley’s Place: this belgian combo of steamed mediterranean blue mussels and hand-cut french fries is a menu constant at this cozy northwest portland bistro, which remains one of the best restaurants in the city at 15 years old. the mollusks are steamed in an aromatic broth of garlic, parsley, wine and butter. between bites of the tender shellfish, you dig into a metal cone of salty fries, which are fried twice so they are fluffy inside and have a crunchy exterior. Grab a handful and dunk them into the side of an aioli, which has that has mustardy tang and garlic bite. Ask for crusty bread to soak up every drop of the broth.

1204 N.W. 21st Ave. 503-243-2403 paleysplace.net £ pHotoGrApH by FredriCK d. Joe

Enjoy an evening with

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