eat & drink—St Johns, North (N) Portland...

Event date: Dec 4, 2011

Event location: St. Johns Plaza and Business District

WinterFest is a community celebration inspired by the Steampunk Victorian Dickens era, and the public is invited to enjoy the historical charm of St. Johns. Join us for a costume contest, historical walking tour, live entertainment, WinterFest Farmers' Market, shopping, breakfast with Santa, photos with Scrooge, and decorating a living holiday tree with personal ornaments. There will be singing and fun for whole family. Tree more...

Better late than never, right? Summer, that is, and all the foods with which we associate the season. Owing to the impact of late storms and fluctuating temperatures, local farmers’ most reliable summer crops are just now starting to fill market stalls and CSA boxes. What does all of this mean for you, your kitchen, and your belly? It’s time to take full advantage of the flavors of late summer by sourcing your goods close more...

Spring is a tricky season in the Pacific Northwest, holding onto winter cloud and cold while allowing some glimpses of warm sun to peek through. The local food menu reflects this contrast, with winter crops coming to market at the height of their flavor and early spring crops making their first appearance. Just as you may be confused about whether to wear short sleeves or a heavy coat, accessing the array of local seasonal foods can be more...

If you yearn to eat seasonal, local foods while also deepening the impact of your purchasing power so that it directly supports the work of local farmers, you may want to consider becoming a member of a CSA. A CSA, which stands for community-supported agriculture, allows individuals and families to directly invest in a local farm by purchasing shares of the farm’s harvest. In return for your subscription, you get a box, basket or more...

A food-buying club (FBC) is just what it sounds like: a group of people getting together to purchase food. There are several reasons to join or start an FBC, the most obvious of which is the increased buying power provided by a collective. By purchasing items directly from farmers and vendors, an FBC avoids the overhead costs that drive up retail prices. Members also benefit from greater choice and flexibility, enhanced freshness and more...

Eating locally, sustainably and seasonally can often seem daunting, especially in winter. By January, having eaten through all the Hubbard squash and home-canned tomatoes in storage, you're kind of tired of potatoes, and you inexplicably find yourself craving bell peppers and cucumbers—both months out of season. Want to know the local secrets to fighting mid-winter's food doldrums? With a little planning and some new more...

Unless you grow all your own food and haven’t visited a supermarket or a food co-op for quite a while, you have doubtlessly noticed two short words now appearing on the packages of both new and familiar items as you stroll the aisles: gluten free. You’ll find them on packaged products in nearly every aisle of your neighborhood grocery store. Meanwhile, Portland pizza chains post signs for their new gluten-free pies and you more...

Portland is a city that prides itself on its abundant supply of fresh food. Whether it’s being served in cafes, food carts, stocked on the shelves of grocers, grown on sidewalk garden plots or hanging from neighborhood trees, local and often organic produce is all around us. With all this food, it’s hard to understand why Oregon consistently ranks as one of America’s hungriest states. In the 2008-09 year, The Oregon more...

Okay, so we haven't been experiencing the steamiest "Wet Hot American Summer" so far this year. Lately, the morning grey skies and chilly night gusts have it feeling more like October in July. But with warm afternoons and bright, extended evenings—plus a few sweaty heat waves (fingers crossed for at least a few more spikes in the mercury)—it is still decidedly summer in Oregon. And how do we take advantage of more...

A century ago, the city of Portland was a simpler place—a better place some might say—where hard work, religion and family values ruled the day. It was a time when a young man could take his best girl to the local soda fountain and, for just a few cents, order up a delicious carbonated beverage injected with enough cocaine and caffeine to keep them both strung out all day. And, if he watched his back and stayed alert, he more...