Portland: Livestock and Voodoo.

Fear not.

Though the title of this entry may be conjuring up images not meant for the faint, Voodoo is sweet and fried and Livestock is rural and on a stick.

Monday of this week, we ventured into the great beyond to soak up the crazy at the Big State Fair. As it is always a dream of my dear Ruby, during the harvest season, to visit each and every State fair in the Union so, we humored her with a 50 minute drive south west to Salem, OR - the state capital.

Not unlike the Minnesota State Fair, this crowded event was a chock full of crowds, overpriced and frightening food and showcases of award winning farm animals. The grounds are beautifully manicured, the people more tattooed and less obese, no deep fried cheese curds or pickles on sticks, but many blue ribboned apple pies and quilts, tractors and hot tub displays. A taste of the mayhem of the Midwest here on the west coast.

Highlights included a car quilt (photo on right), Oregon berry lemonade and a Smoky the Bear camping and forestry display featuring a tank of live salmon and a fully furnished camping yurt.

Now for the Voodoo.
One word: donuts.
We read about Voodoo Doughnut months ago, and thus continued our irrational obsession with fried dough. We have gone to great lengths to sample the wares of donut aficionados across the country. When told about great donut experiences, we will make our way to them. We remain loyal to our NY staple, Donut Plant. Not too sweet, fresh, delicious. But we wanted to visit this sweet fried mecca- a place refrenced in almost any guide to weird and wacked out Portland sites.

As the name implies, the theme is wicked, raunchy, gory, sicky and bizarre. Donuts in the form of skulls and genitals (yes.). toppings such as bacon, tang and unidentifyable blue kool-aide.

In addition to attracting millions of unattending screaming children, they also perform weddings (for $25) and blare hard rock from their jukebox. The walls are pink and the decor is emodied by the black velvet portrait of Kenny Rogers that hangs behind the cashier.

At and average of $1 a donut, it was a bargain breakfast. We ordered 5 donuts and 3 $1.25 Stumptown coffees knowing that we may be tossing away the remains if they proved to be unpalateable. Lemon chiffon cruller, Oregon creme (like a custard, really), Arnold Palmer (cake doughnut covered with lemon and tea powder), maple glazed and something chocolaty.

ps: A bargain breakfast made of sugar, oil, sugar, flour and chocolate is not the breakfast of champions.

Portland: Sauvie Island and cooking explosions

Thus our big day of food begins:

This is the part of our story where we show you the bounty of our harvest and the amazing food we cooked from our pickings:

Sauvie Island is about a 10 minute drive from the city. It's the largest island along the Columbia River, at 26000 acre and is mostly comprised of farmland and wildlife. The flat terrain lends well to bikers and many come to the island to ride their bikes. The loop is about 20 miles around.

Our main objective that afternoon was to visit the humongous blackberry bushes that surround the island off the road and collect tons of berries to bring home and bake with. This was, after all blackberry season at its prime and we were going to make a party of it.

Also, there were a couple of 'pick-your-own' farms off the road that we were hoping to stop in at to see what was still growing... The peach trees were picked and all that was left were piles of moldy peaches on the ground. Still gorgeous, but not so delicious. Rows of overgrown cabbage, lettuce tall and flowering, and hundreds of blooming flowers, ready to be picked and taken home.


When we got back to the house, in addition to the bounty of the farmer's market, we had a collection of amazing finds we picked at the farm: peppers, broccoli floretts, pears and Italian prunes.

We were anxious to get cracking in the kitchen. On the menu: pimientos de Padrón, stuffed zucchini blossoms with ricotta, mozzarella and mint. Polenta with fresh corn, roasted peppers and jalapeno cheese curds from Rogue creamery that we bought at the Saturday market. Fresh mixed green salad with cukes and oat leaf lettuce from the market and finally for desert, blackberry crumble with brown sugar ice cream.
Take a look!

Ricotta was mixed with grated assiago, mozzarella, minced mint and an egg. Blossoms were stuffed with the mixture, dipped in egg then coated with Panko (Japanese bread crumbs).

Padrón peppers, a staple in Spanish tapas, are a rare find. L had picked up a little box of them the previous week and we were excited to try this fresh, green savory treat! Easy prep: heat up a hot pan, pour in some oil, throw in the baby green pepper and cook till browned and popping. When they are done, slide out of the pan and coat generously with sea-salt.

Finally, our amazing blackberry dessert. Simple butter, oats, sugar and flour to make a crumble topping. Nothing like eating the literal fruits of your labor with dozens of thorn scratches and stains on your fingers to show for it for days to follow.

Portland: Saturday Farmer's Market

It is really not to believe that this abundance of farm fresh food happens here every week, March to December in the Rose City.
The Portland Famers Market circulates locations throughout the week culminating in the largest and most exciting one, the Saturday Market at PSU In addition to farm stand with the fare we are all used to seeing at markets across the country, this farmers market (like the rest of this city) has pop-up food stands serving everything from tamales to buttery baked goods to fresh crab legs in cocktail sauce.
In spite of the very persistent rain we hung out with all morning, we were able to eat our way through the stalls, buy up some amazing produce and plan our menu for that night's cooking project. Zucchini blossoms, tomatoes of all sorts and colors, amazing mushrooms, spring onions and herbs, greens and all kinds of goodies!

The most delicious breakfast biscuit I ever experienced was from a stand called Pinestate Biscuits. A tender, flaky buttermilk biscuit is cut in half, served with a piping hot smothering of creamy and savory vegetarian shitake mushroom gravy. I requested mine with an addition of egg and cheese (for protein, of course). We fought over who got the last bite.


The market has an endless roster of amazing things to eat and drink. A coffee stand rub by CAFE VELO professes: Each cup of coffee is individually ground and brewed to order in porcelain filter holders from a constantly changing selection of seasonal Stumptown single origin coffees. We also feature a French press for those who prefer fuller body press coffee. Pretty cool.

Also, the market features pepper growers who roast their own hot peppers over a giant turning metal cage rigged up to a propane tank (to wet to photograph!) and a super cool pizza booth making fresh pizza and breads in their brick oven.

We were too stuffed to taste it all - and of course wanted to save some for next week...

Cheers!

Portland: Beer, Coffee, Gardens and More Gardens.

We are still thinking that we are in a dreamlike trance here on the West Coast. Everything we eat, everywhere we look, beauty and deliciousness abound. Coffee and beer are in arm's reach in every neighborhood. Food carts, food trucks with the strangest but most mouthwatering bites peek out behind almost every corner. A paradise indeed.
After our tummies were expanded to their maximum (we should have worn sweatpants), we walked around The Pearl neighborhood, peeked into some lovely shops, and found ourselves at the Rogue Brewpub and sidewalk sale. Yes. Cases and cases of Rogue beer - on sale! Tempting...

From beer, to coffee and mini cookies at Barista (delicious ices shots of Brazilian single source)
Just enough coffee to get us up and moving - not moving fast enough on account of the enormous size of our breakfast.

POWELL'S should be a blog entry all to itself. To rival The Strand, I think it's the biggest and most impressive book store I've ever been sucked into. We were so overwhelmed by not only the sheer volume of books to browse, but the friendly displays and staff pics. They even had the children's picture books organized by Caldecott Medal winners! $95, and a very heavy bag later, we were ready for some more sightseeing...

Portland: Breakfast.

By now, you must all know how mch we love breakfast. In all forms and styles, breakfast is the meal of champions.
Nothing starts your day like splitting a platter of eggs, potatoes, biscuits (if you are lucky), maybe something green and a sticky sweet serving of French toast, or pancakes with REAL maple syrup.

Byways Cafe. Our first breakfast experience was beyond delicious. Everything about this little diner was fabulous. From the fresh, hot stumptown coffee and the platters of delicious and colorful vegies to the thrift-shop travel decor. Well worth the 20 minute wait (on a Friday morning!)




I ordered the Vegie Hash- a mountain of potatoes topped with sauteed mushrooms, onions and fresh spinach. Jack cheese melted atop, the plate was completed with a single egg, over medium. Served with sour cream and salsa. mmmm. R got her pancake fave - blue corn, pecan butter and piping hot maple syrup. Perfection.

Portland: Mini Farmers Market, First Thursdays...

After our afternoon wanderings, we met up with L for a little taste of what is to come at Saturday's huge farmer's market. First a stroll around the Pearl district; beautiful buildings with magnificent landscaping. Then to the market for blackberries, pears, peaches and nectarines. Unbelievable produce and flowers.







First Thursdays Art walks featured hundreds of street artists selling and displaying their work and many studios and galleries open to all with snacks and wine to boot!

Portland: Croissants and Thai Iced Teas for a $1!!

Arrival
Flying into Portland last night was on the list of wondrous space/ time travels. After a beer at the new JFK Terminal 5, we boarded the JetBlue flight and got sucked into the Direct TV vortex. 3 episodes of Top Chef, 2 rounds of Terra Blue chips and chocolate chip cookies later, we landed in the aqua blue geometric patterned wall to wall carpeting of the PDX airport. And it was only 11pm. We were welcomed into L's amazing, spacious NW apartment and promptly fell asleep.

Morningtime
The morning began with the famous Ken's Artisan Bakery, which to our delight was around the corner from the apartment. Fresh piping hot Stumptown Coffee and an amazing pastry with Oregon Blackberries no less! All served with a smile at the sunny and airy cafe. The Croissant- sweet, flaky pastry, yet crisp and caramelized on the bottom with huge juicy Blackberries and crystallized sugar. Yum-oh!


Afternoon Quench

We decided to explore the center of Portland first- SW and Downtown, which are undergoing a major revival. We hopped a bus (free fare zone!) and stopped first at stopped at the Portland Building on Salmon and SW 5th- you can find out about Parks & Rec. events, get your street vendor license, or pay a parking ticket. Great aquamarine tiled building.
We sighted more then one awesome municipal sculpture commission, walked along the waterfront park on the Willamette River, and beheld plenty of seemingly cheery homeless people and their dogs.


But, our real thirst quenching reward was on the corner Washington and 2nd Ave.- a cavalcade of street vendors from horchata & fresh burritos to arepas, to spring rolls and Thai iced tea for a buck to artisinal pizza with homemade soda in flavors like hibiscus to cucumber to fresh lemonade flavored with rose water. Discount for bringing your own cup! Plus, all kinds of vegan and vegetarian options. We were blown away by the sheer variety, quality, prices!


Everywhere we looked, there were parking lots filled with food vendors! We could very likely spend the next 6 days eating our way through each one. Hmmm, not a bad idea.

Miles of Books
Lastly, we made our way back to the #15 bus, stopping for a quick peak in Cameron's Books. A shady looking place with window that have likely not been washed in 50 plus years, their selection of used books and magazines is beyond extensive. Playboy Magazines from the 60's for $3! My kind of place! Check out some of the aisles: