Neighborhood Notes

I like to entertain. The end of a long week is reason to invite some friends over for a relaxing evening. It doesn't require much- you can always get away with a simple meal for an after-work party (at least in my world). Whip up a quick pasta dish with whatever you have on hand; add a few great cheeses, some bread and a salad and you're set. Have someone else bring dessert. And, make sure you have a nice wine to go with (and by nice, I mean whatever you like that fits your budget). But, if you've done that a hundred times, and you're looking for something different to start of the weekend right, host a Friday night wine party. Call five friends who like wine. Ask each one to bring their favorite red wine (or white wine, whichever you prefer) and their favorite cheese. Instruct them to wrap the wine in a paper bag, with no label visible. Set out plates and glasses, along with a couple baguettes and some olives. When everyone arrives, you pour the masked wines, in random order. Try to
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An upcoming cooking class takes the adage "everything's better with bacon" to the fullest The love of bacon seems to be a powerful force. Those that love bacon have gone so far as to join the "bacon of the month club". Entire websites are devoted to it. New York chef David Chang has said, "Life without pig is not worth living". While those examples may be an extreme, he's not alone. In the third class in a popular series at In Good Taste cooking school, cooking with pig is brings foodies together. The hands on class will offer approachable ways to cook pig, all of it, using interesting ingredients. Topics will include types of pork cuts, as well as how to prepare each part to bring out the best characteristics. The class will be taught by cooking instructor Maya Klein on September 7th, at 2:00 pm. Maya believes a perfect menu touches all parts of the palate and offers an experience much greater than the sum of its courses, and that a variety of flavors
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The Tribune has a nice list of new eateries that have opened over the last few months. Included on the list are a couple of our recent favorites, 50 Plates , which we've talked about, and D.O.C , which we'll dish about very soon.

The restaurant that caught my eye, and that the Mercury talked about in great detail, is Tastebud . Chef-owner Mark Doxter has sold his rustic baked goods at famers markets around Portland for several years. After many customer requests, he opened a dining room at 3220 SE Milwaukie.

I like his story because he's someone who didn't gain a name by working in great restaurants or with "star" chefs—he gained a reputation by selling high-quality products at the local farmers markets.

Tastebud (Brooklyn) is high on my list of new restaurants to try.

Here are the other restaurants mentioned: 50 Plates (Pearl District) Belly Timber (Sunnyside) D.O.C. (Concordia) Belly (King) Lincol
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The great American road trip is really a culinary adventure—on wheels. Every region has its own distinct taste and food culture. Fried green tomatoes. Shrimp po boys. Chowder. Pulled pork. Now that's Americana!
No matter where you hail from, or which roads you've traveled, you'll enjoy a trip down sensory lane at 50 Plates . "50 Plates is a restaurant showcasing the cuisine of the American tradition. Of memories—real or imagined—of grandmother's pies, state fair fries, of date shakes and cheese steaks; a Kentucky bourbon fueled culinary road-trip beyond Route 66, from Smithfield Hams to Ipswich Clams. 50 Plates is the best of red states, blue plates, and everything in between." Housed in the understated, yet elegant, Block 90 Building on historic 13th Avenue—50 Plates is the epitome of cool. The space is lovely, but approachable. The low ceiling and L-shaped floorplan create a sense of intimacy. The chocolate and blue "cabana-s
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Cooking classes that expand your knowledge of summer’s bounty and the local producers that grow it "Summerize"; a new verb for your summer vocabulary. "To make the most of the short sunny season; to say it all with simple ingredients." When fresh produce is in its prime and summer days are long, settle into the slow days of August with a with simple Farmer's Market menu. The newest addition to the series of "100 Mile Radius" cooking classes at In Good Taste Cooking celebrates the bountiful season of good eating. "Cooking for Slow August Days" is a hands-on class that features ingredients grown or produced within 100 miles of the school. Ingredients are the best and freshest that Oregon offers; much of it comes from the weekly farmer's market. Other sources include pork from Carlton Farms, greens from Viridian Farms, nuts from Freddy guys, veggies from Your Kitchen Garden, fruit from Sheridan, lamb from Cattail Creek and more. The
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A journey to Tex Mex Country with Chef Robert Hammond gives new meaning to the cooking style  In "The Tex Mex Cookbook," author Robb Walsh writes, "Tex-Mex is the ugly duckling of American regional cuisines. Since it was called Mexican food for most of its history, nobody even thought of it as American." Tex-Mex encompasses the cuisines of Indian, Spanish and Southern cultures in one distinct style. Only recently has the style been awarded a rightful place in American food traditions. Experience traditional southern foods prepared from Oregon's bounty of local and seasonal ingredients in a cooking class at In Good Taste with chef Robert Hammond. Hammond, who presides over the Kitchen at Honeyman Creek Farm, has had the opportunity to learn at the apron strings of many of the best cooks and chefs whose dishes are part of the varied regional and ethnic culinary styles that make up traditional American cuisine. His class, to be held Thursday, August 28th a
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POM Wonderful is launching its "TeaMobile" tour-a 10-city trek across North America that guarantees to be a truly entertaining and refreshing experience. Not only will the tour provide thirst-quenching POM Tea, it will also feature talented DJ's, valuable contests, and coveted giveaways. Catch the tour at music festivals, sporting events,swanky pool parties, and other outdoor venues where hydration, health, and happiness are welcomed.

Our tour is on-the-go from June 26th through Labor Day to give away 300,000 bottles of complimentary POM Tea and create truly entertaining events!

All summer, the POMbassadors will be capturing their journey on the tour with great pictures, streaming video, and personal blogs on www.mobileteatour.com. Join us at a destination near you or follow our movement online as POM Tea spreads the joy of hydration, health and happiness to all!

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There's nothing like savoring a glass of wine while spending time with good friends after a long, hot day. An evening of conversation and tasty food is proven to wash away the day's stress and headaches. In Spain, wine is rarely consumed without an accompaniment; whether it's olives, chorizo and bread, or a Spanish tortilla. Tapas are tiny appetizers, eaten in a bite or two and offered whenever wine is served. So, during these warm summer days, when a heavy meal is unappealing, follow the Spanish tradition: Create a light meal from a series of small plates. The beauty of tapas dishes is in their flexibility and variety. Tapas can be hot or cold, simple or complex, and can be served in any combination. Chef Dan Brophy will host a class celebrating the delicious diversity that tapas can achieve. The class will be held at In Good Taste Cooking School at 6:00 PM on August 27th. During the hands- on class, students will have the chance to prepare a wide array of tapas dishes, including cla
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The foie gras police are going after Blue Hour this Saturday, 7PM. If you have dinner reservations expect some noise and disturbance. A pre-demonstration meeting will be held at NW 10th and NW Davis at 6:30PM. As part of the protest organizers are asking people to call Blue Hour to request that foie gras be removed from the menu. If you're trying to make reservations you can probably expect it to be difficult to get through. Avoid the hassle but making reservations through OpenTable.com .

As previously noted here , this same group targeted Ten 01 and received a commitment from the owner to remove foie gras from the menu. Ten 01 later put foie gras back on the menu due to customer demand. It seems lots of people like foie gras and not everyone in Portland wants it gone.

Alberta Street Oyster Bar & Grill was recently targeted and foie gras was removed from the menu, but for reasons other than political pressure. Fenouil has also been ta
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Local Entertaining Expert Ken Hoyt offers ideas and recipes for escaping the heat of the kitchen while still eating well

Everyone knows that the “dog days of summer” occur during the hottest and muggiest part of the season. Webster defines the “dog days” as “the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occur.”

So what do you eat when it’s too hot to cook?

Entertaining expert Ken Hoyt , who has been on the local food and media scene for many years, knows that it’s hard to be a host during those hot and sticky days, when even gourmets and chefs avoid kitchen duty.  In his upcoming cooking class at In Good Taste Cooking School, Hoyt suggests a menu that can be prepared ahead, before the day heats up. When it’s time for the party to start, set up the chilled dinner on a buffet and stand back while your guests admire your composure, as well as you
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