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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRUFFLE PIG CRAFT KITCHEN
LOCAL INGREDIENTS
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GLOBAL INSPIRATION True Pig Craft Kitchen transports diners with exotic spin on seasonally fresh flavors
After catering to Southern Oregon tradition, Skyler Golden and Shawna Williams cooked up a way to serve food they like to eat when and where they please.
Tru¯e Pig Craft Kitchen is the partners’ food truck and vehicle for wine-pairing dinners and other special events. e duo’s brand of modern cuisine, which champions locally grown produce, was born from their formative years at Ashland’s Omar’s, widely regarded as the region’s oldest restaurant.
“It’s something we’ve been dreaming about for, like, three-plus years at this point,” says Williams.
Tru¯e Pig earned a set of wheels this spring when a GoFundMe campaign assisted the purchase and refurbishment of a sleek food-service trailer. Previously, before an injury sidelined Golden for about two months, Tru¯e Pig served from a stationary stall at local farmers markets and Fry Family Farm Store in Medford.
“We get to see and smell and taste all the things they are doing,” says Fry Family Farm co-founder and co-owner Suzi Fry. “And it’s always really fresh-tasting … and it’s light.”
e freshness of seasonal ingredients denes Tru¯e Pig’s frequently changing menu. Spring oers succulent pea shoots, vibrant rhubarb, eggs laid on local farms and such foraged specialties as nettles and morels. Summer brings on the pantheon of produce in all its sweetness and splendor. Autumn ushers in the switch to heartier squashes and braising greens to support Golden’s comfort food menus, including beef short ribs and pork belly.
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“It’s nice to have that change and transition to inspire you,” says Golden of the shift to cold-weather menus.
Golden’s own transition from Omar’s to Tru¯e Pig came by way of Austin, Texas, where he earned recognition at the acclaimed Driskell Hotel. After returning to Southern Oregon, he manned Fry Family’s commercial kitchen, preserving the farm’s bounty in pickles, hot sauces and fermented foods like kimchi.
e chef also crafted the store’s globally inspired take-home meals and curated its wine selections. A level-one sommelier, Golden embarked on the Court of Master Sommeliers Program to enhance his hospitality expertise. “We really love to bring wine and food together,” says Williams.
Wineries around the region — including Del Rio, EdenVale, Troon and others — summon Tru¯e Pig for their release parties, live music series and multicourse meals to fete rare vintages. e 30th anniversary of Weisinger Family Winery tasked Tru¯e Pig with conceiving a 10-course tasting menu paired with 14 estate wines, some dating to 1988.
“I brought in some inspiration from Texas,” says Golden, adding that founder John Weisinger hails from Texas and still lives there part time. “He brought stu out from the cellar.”
Bringing out the best from locally and regionally produced ingredients is Tru¯e Pig’s creed, whether it’s turning summer tomatoes into salsa for use all year or transforming humble avors with ethnic spice palettes.
“I’m pretty well known for my pho,” says Golden of the quintessential Vietnamese noodle soup. “It’s one of those things I can’t make enough of.”
Similarly, Tru¯e Pig’s ramen has captivated Fry and other customers.
“I know when I go in the kitchen, and he’s making that broth,” says Fry, “it’s like ‘wow!’ ”
at wow factor is a consistent aspect of the Tru¯e Pig experience, from its gourmet presentation of farmers market fare to goodie bags for winery customers to the popular roast whole pig and paella party. As the Tru¯e Pig trailer traverses the Southern Oregon food scene, it transports customers through cuisine to local farms and exotic locales alike.
“It’s fun to kind of travel through food,” says Golden.
Find Tru¯e Pig Craft Kitchen on Instagram @tru¯epigcraftkitchen and Facebook, facebook.com/eTruf- ePigCraftKitchen. For more information, email tru¯epigcraftkitchen@ gmail.com.
For excellent food, unique flavors, and intimate ambiance, join us at…
DALLION MCGREGOR
BAH, HUMBUG!
Mountain mishap gives writer new perspective
Feeling on top of the world, I wanted a vantage as expansive as my mood. Summer vacation with my kids had concluded in sending them for a weekend with my parents. I’d accepted an oer on the sale of my house — and the position of editor for Distinctly Northwest magazine!
ings were looking up, and I was ready for the challenges ahead. What better metaphor in such circumstances than ascending the nearest mountain? Or at least what passes on the Oregon coast for a mountain, known for its spectacular view.
Humbug Mountain rises directly from the ocean to a height of 1,750 feet, making it one of the Oregon coast’s tallest features. Not exactly monumental proportions, but the hike constitutes more than a stroll. ree miles of trail circumnavigate the mountain with numerous switchbacks to minimize the uphill pitch.
e route is forested for nearly its entirety, so my partner and I didn’t worry about getting an early start. We spent a leisurely morning at our
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Sarah Lemon
