Search Results for: picnic house

Soup, Salad, a Sandwich at Picnic House

It seems that it is suddenly autumn. A week or so ago, it was 90 degrees and humid, still summer. Now, the mornings are brisk and dewy cool so that you need a jacket and layers, and the dusk and darkness of night falls sooner and sooner. Crunchy leaves are littering the ground, and the geese are already here on their way to apparently California?

Since Picnic House has opened, it has become a regular stop every 2 weeks or so. Most of time on the way home, F will grab my favorite Nutty Brown Rice Salad, a mix of crunchy brown rice and roasted cauliflower, carrots, turnips & sweet peas in a roasted hazelnut vinaigrette, while he rotates through the salads himself depending on his mood. It’s a huge salad- enough for two meals on its own. After a stop at Benessere Oils and Vinegars store (where I cannot resist, even though I already know the specific flavor infused olive oil I want, to taste 4 other olive oils or balsamic vinegars), we met up to actually eat there among the charm.

With the cool breeze rustling the leaves around the South Park Blocks, soup and a sandwich sounded like just what we needed for some warm comfort. The summer corn and sweet pea soups have been replaced, although this being Oregon full of tall shady trees and rain making fungus plentiful all year ’round, the wild mushroom soup is still on the menu. He had the roasted tomato soup topped with basil cream and fresh oregano, not pictured. Meanwhile, I went with the spiced pumpkin soup, topped with cranberry cream and chipotle peppita seeds.

The dinner entree is listed as “Soup and Grilled Cheese” entree… but which bonus surprise! comes with a small salad too. The spiced pumpkin soup was very mild in terms of seasoning, presenting mostly soft creaminess as you would expect from any cousin squash soup. The cranberry cream and chipotle peppita seeds gave it some interesting depth of a bit of tart and crunch here or there. With the doughy melty grilled cheese, it was a little too much, so I had the soup and sandwich separately while taking bites of the arugula salad (along with gorgonzola bits and candied pecans) to cut through that richness. F had no problem dipping his grilled cheese into his roasted tomato soup though.

Picnic House, Soup, Salad, Sandwich

Picnic House, Soup, Salad, Sandwich Picnic House, Soup, Salad, Sandwich

Signature

The Welcome Discovery of Pavlova at Picnic House

A dinner at the Picnic House recently introduced me to this wonderful dessert that I had never heard of before, pavlova. Ah, this light airy goodness of egg whites and sugar into meringue with fresh berries and vanilla cream. At first this plate looked intimidating as it is basically the size of a whole pie but then we realized you were being given the best part, the crunchy top half, a thin shell of firmness surrounding an inside that melted in our mouth so quickly that we needed another spoonful carefully balancing crisp bits of meringue with soft vanilla cream and such beautiful sweet strawberry in each bite to extend the rush.

Pavlova at Picnic House, from Pechluck at pechluck1.typepad.com

I also discovered my favorite two cocktails that the Picnic House offers from their cocktail menu. After trying the lighter cocktail sparklers of the Fleur de Lis and Sauvie on previous visits, this time I welcomed the Moulin Rouge martini with Indio Marionberry infused vodka, Clear Creek Blackberry liqueur, blueberry simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon and garnished with a pickled blueberry, a combination of sweet with a touch of tart so it was not too sweet. But, my favorite was The Nymph cocktail, both delicate and strong, with Pink Spruce gin, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and a simple syrup muddled with cucumber. Refreshing citrusy but you can feel the magic afterwards!

Picnic House cocktail Moulin Rouge martini Picnic House Nymph cocktail

The atmosphere is still as charming as I previously wrote about, and they still have a  nice selection of side dishes and an unbelievably addictive chocolate cake as mentioned here also. Did I also mention how wonderful the Picnic House pavlova was?

Picnic House pavlova

Signature

Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House

After a matinee showing of the Dark Knight during opening weekend, we visited Picnic House again, this time with sandwiches in mind for our late lunch.

We ordered three sides… and as the waiter pulled up another two-top to join the two-top table we were already occupying at, he explained that he does this all the time. The simple white plates Picnic House does use are rather large- even when the food occupying it is in the “small plate” section. From our previous visit, Picnic House has greatly increased their small plates options on their menu, giving us a lot of choices- we wanted more than the three we ordered, but we had to leave room for sandwiches I guess.

The three small plates: Warm Beets, tossed in gremolata compound butter, which I liked though I wish the pieces were a bit smaller so that they could have had more exposure to the roastiness; Roasted cauliflower with sherry vinegar macerated golden raisins and shallots which was definitely our favorite of the three dishes, there was nothing left on the plate for that one; and the Asparagus and new red potatoes, roasted and served with preserved lemon and caper aioli, of which I think a spinkle of salt and pepper was needed.
Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland Warm Beets, tossed in gremolata compound butter, Sides at Picnic House, Portland Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland, Roasted cauliflower with sherry vinegar macerated golden raisins and shallots Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland, Asparagus and new red potatoes, roasted and served with preserved lemon and caper aioli

Sandwich-wise, we went with the Grilled Cheese sandwich, with aged white cheddar cheese and slices of apple and fig butter, gooey delicious between thick crusty bread with a contrast of fig to highlight against the oozy cheese; and the more tame in flavor Ratatouille sandwich (served grilled but can also be cold- I ate half hot there, and half cold the next day and both were fine) with marinated vegetables, sweet pesto & ricotta salata. The marinated vegetables had good flavor, but a more generous slathor of pesto would have been appreciated as some of it got absorbed into the bread.
Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland, Grilled Cheese sandwich, with aged white cheddar cheese and slices of apple and fig butter Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland ,Ratatouille sandwich with marinated vegetables, sweet pesto & ricotta salata

The highlight was dessert again. Already pretty full from the above, we wrapped some up for dinner later and thought we would try that chocolate cake again and just eat half and take the other half for a future dessert. It never happened- the next thing you know, that cake was completely gone.
Chocolate Cake, Picnic House

The cocktail during lunch I had was the Sauvie drink, composed of Rogue’s hazelnut rum, seltzer water, and hand-mixed Coca Cola made from original syrup recipe rather than bottles or cans. Similar to the Fleur De Lis drink I had my first visit (a mix of Indio Blood Orange vodka, hand mixed 7up with edible flower), this two was a light refreshing drink which was bubbly and clean without any syrupy sweetness from using a normal soda mixed drink, fulfilling its promise of effervescence.

This time I remembered to snap a photo of their cocktail offerings- as with all the photos click to view larger. They have also just updated their website, which now has much more information, with the main annoyance that their lunch specials are each individual thumbnails sized so small that you have to click to read each one, and also that they hide their hours of operation by not listing them at all. Props for having the main food and beverage menu at least on the website and not pdfs like so many other annoying eatery websites- it was bad enough that they did that before smartphones in the 2000s, but even worse now when looking up a place to eat on your phone is so ubiquitous. And, it looks like their jolly looking bar bear is becoming their icon.
 
Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland Sandwiches and Sides at Picnic House, Portland

Signature

Style at the Picnic House

The Picnic House has an awesome large airy space between Park and Broadway at 728 SW Salmon Street. It takes its theme of urban picnic and brings it to life in its atmosphere. The decorative elements here combines the classic touches of the natural outdoors (a huge wooden picnic table including chairs of logs and moss simulated on some walls, and the wall behind what appears will soon be a deli area has a scene of tree, river, and forest animals), all while also lining the walls with printing blocks and touches of vintage 1920s Parisian chic with the fabric of the lounge and bar stools and various wall art and fixtures, interplaying all these various textures to add an air of romance and hint of antique treasure. A bear head with a bowler hat and monocle perched and presiding above the bar embodies all of these with a dash of whimsy. It’s not often that I find a place that presents such style and character in its atmosphere- and yet this place is also brand spanking new, only soft opening this past month. They haven’t even had their official grand opening yet.

Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurantPicnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurantPicnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant

Started with $4 happy hour crostini topped with ricotta and drizzle of honey, as well as soups of summer corn, alsatian onions with caramelized onions and bacon, and also one of sweet pea, radish & green pistachio cream with extra virgin olive oil. The pea soup was the best of these appetizers with its layering of greens with just enough richness to thicken the soup without feeling heavy. The corn soup was a bit more bland dominated by the onion with hint of corn- I wonder if they forgot the bacon, which I had expected crumbled on top to counterpoint with salty crunch.
crostini topped with ricotta and drizzle of honey Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant corn soup, summer corn, alsatian onions with caramelized onions and bacon Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant soup, pea soup, sweet pea, radish , green pistachio cream with extra virgin olive oilPicnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant

Both salads were good, but in different ways. The mixed greens with fresh berries, toasted cinnamon honey almonds and house made ricotta with a pickled blueberry vinaigrette had a tart freshness to it balanced by a touch of sweetness from the cinnamon honey. The arugula, roasted corn, spring onion and roasted tomatoes with avocado in a grilled lemon dressing on the other hand offered a piquant peppery contrast with each tomato giving a little burst of ripe sweetness here or there.
salad, mixed greens with fresh berries, toasted cinnamon honey almonds and house made ricotta with a pickled blueberry vinaigrette, Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant salad, arugula, roasted corn, spring onion and roasted tomatoes with avocado in a grilled lemon dressing, Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant

The dessert was one of the best chocolate cakes we ever had, a chocolate sour cream bundt cake with chocolate ganache that was served slightly warm, with rich milk chocolate in every soft moist bite.
chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream bundt cake with chocolate ganachePicnic House, Portland, picnic restaurantchocolate cake, chocolate sour cream bundt cake with chocolate ganachePicnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant

The Picnic House also offers sandwiches, although I haven’t tried any yet, but that is mostly the extent of the menu- lots of small plates to nibble on, a few soups, sandwiches, dessert, and slightly overwrought cocktail creations menu (I’ll be back for the sandwich and proof of the cocktail menu) as well as large assortment of bottled beverages both non and with alcohol- geared towards a lighter meal, or ones you can put in a picnic basket. Everything seems to be of high quality bistro fare you’d find hope to find in the romantic Paris you would drop by in your neighborhood route- homey and smart and elegant all at the same time. Here and there you see a call back to their theme with an actual picnic basket, as well as signage letting you that these straw baskets, fully stocked with plates and silverware and glasses and even a blanket, can be rented by the day + filled with food.

Signature

Summer Picnic Recipes that Travel Well for Two and a Group

Picnics- a meal outside, in the sunshine/shade and open breezes. Shoes off, legs stretched out, the feel of the beach of the sand or blades of grass underneath you. The images that come to mind are wicker baskets and slightly rumpled gingham blanket and a glass of wine and certainly for me, a cheese plate (of course).

It might be a special occasion like the concerts on the lawns I used to attend multiple times during my summers in Chicago- the orchestra filling the air with a symphony while you lie back on the blanket staring at the clouds. Or, it was on the 4th of July, with fireworks, and the buzz of people around you sharing that experience and joining in group “oooos” while you still have your own space.

It doesn’t have to be a special occasion though. It might be a matter of logistics on a long day hike. It might be a romantic getaway where you can focus on just the two of you. Or maybe, it’s just a celebration of a normal day and beautiful weather.

The last time I had a picnic, it was at Wildlife Safari in Winston, OR after walking with a cheetah, and it was a breakfast picnic that included soft doughy marionberry scones, fresh fruit, and fixings for mimosas on a safari printed tablecloth. Overall, it was a picnic recipe for fun!

Wildlife Safari, Winston OR, breakfast picnic with marionberry scones, fresh fruit, and mimosas Wildlife Safari, Winston OR, breakfast picnic with marionberry scones, fresh fruit, and mimosas

For a July picnic with the Portland Bloggers group, I decided to go more out than the typical “gathering” of cheese plate and various deli items from stores with a few items I would put together at home. Here are my picnic recipes, geared towards being picnic recipes that are easy to prep, require little effort, travel and keep well, and can be healthy. They can easily be made for two, or a group.

First, I started out for myself with a Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Salad sandwich, and a Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Tomato and Greens Sandwich for F. I only made enough for one sandwich for F, but I made a larger yielding batch of the buffalo chicken so that I could eat more of the sandwiches all this week (or in some cases, just eat the buffalo chicken out of Tupperware).

For the group, I wasn’t sure how many people would be there and decided to lean on the generous side. Worst case scenario, I would have some to bring to work the next day. I like these because you can put these together while watching TV, they are relatively healthy and fresh, and they are easy to eat on the skewers/toothpicks and can be refreshing if it happens to be a hot day. Mine are all red, but if you got a mix of colors from heirloom tomatoes this would be so much prettier!

Picnic Recipe 1: Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Tomato and Greens Sandwich

Ingredients (yields 1 sandwich):
Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Greens Sandwich ingredients Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Greens Sandwich

  • 2 slices of your favorite bread
  • 1/4 cup of hummus of your choice
  • 1/2 large avocado
  • 1 teaspoon of lime juice
  • 1/2 cup microgreens (or you may choose 1/2 cup spinach, arugula, or whatever greens you would like)
  • Tomatoes- I used grape tomatoes, but you can also use regular slices of tomatoes, or roasted tomatoes, or sun dried tomatoes. You want enough to be happy with your sandwich 🙂

Directions

  1. Spread the hummus on one side of the bread, and top with the microgreens
  2. In a bowl, mash up the avocado (for 1 sandwich you only need 1/2, but I mashed a whole one and used the other half for my sandwich below) and add 1 teaspoon for half the avocado, or in my case 2 teaspoons, of the lime juice. Mash and mix well, and then spread on the other slice of bread

Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Greens Sandwich Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Greens Sandwich

Picnic Recipe 2: Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Salad with Avocado and Greens Sandwich

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich

Ingredients (yields 4 cups of chicken salad, I overload my sandwich with almost 1 cup each but you also just use 1/2 a cup and be sensible about it):

  • 1 pound of skinless chicken breast (2 chicken breasts) for poaching
  • 5 oz non-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Wings Buffalo sauce
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled blue cheese
  • 4 slices of your favorite bread
  • 1/2 cup microgreens (or you 1/2 cup chopped celery or whatever greens you would like)

Directions

  1. I started by poaching the chicken. Alternatively, you can also buy cooked chicken or reuse other leftover chicken of course to get you started a little faster. I like poaching in that it still keeps the chicken tender, and it lets me multitask as I’m cooking it low and slow with other kitchen prep. You can choose to poach it in just water, but that doesn’t add any flavor. So you can use the stock of your choice in the pot (I started with 2 cups, and then poured in a smidge more to cover the chicken by another inch) that I also added a tablespoon of chopped basil, a tablespoon of rosemary, and some ground pepper. But you can choose to also/instead add a little sherry, or wine, or fresh vegetables, whatever you want to add. After bringing the liquid to a boil, reduce heat to a bare simmer, partly cover the pot. Cook longer for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, leaving the chicken to finish cooking in your liquid of choice for 15 more minutes. Remove chicken, then shred it for the chicken salad.
    poaching chicken breasts in broth and herbs
  2. In bowl, whisk together the other ingredients: the yogurt, buffalo sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir in chicken, celery (if you are using it), and blue cheese.
  3. For my sandwich for the picnic, I decided to use some of the leftover avocado lime juice spread I still had for the other half of my sandwich (so half an avocado with 1 teaspoon of lime juice mashed together). I also added the radish microgreens, though again any of greens you enjoy would work here. And let’s say I forgot to add the blue cheese earlier so just decided to put it on top of my avocado (you can omit the blue cheese altogether if you are not a fan or want to make it optional for those eating the sandwich). Overall, of the buffalo chicken salad there was enough left for probably 4-5 more sandwiches for me to put away for the rest of the week. Refrigerate until serving or up to 5 days in the fridge.
    Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich

Picnic Recipe 3: Caprese Skewers

Ingredients (yields 136 skewers):
Caprese Skewers, appetizer, picnic food Caprese Skewers, appetizer, picnic food

  • 4 pints (~40 oz) of cherry tomatoes
  • 12 ounces of fresh mozzarella
  • 2 ounces of fresh basil, which was about 6 stems for me, depending on how full each stem is of leaves
  • olive oil (approximately 1/3 cup)
  • balsamic vinegar  (approximately 1/4 cup)

Directions

  1. Cutting: Cut all the cherry tomatoes in half. Also cut the mozzarella into small pieces about 1/3 inch squares. Also, remove the basil leaves from the steam, for the larger basil leaves you may want to cut them in half as well.
  2. Assembly: On each toothpick, in between the cherry halves add one piece of the mozzarella and one medium or 1/2 of a large basil leaf.
  3. After filling your first row (in case you decide to do a pile like I did), use a spoon or a pastry brush to carefully add a little drizzle line or light touch of olive oil, and then the balsamic.
    Caprese Skewers, appetizer, picnic food Caprese Skewers, appetizer, picnic food

F helped a friend moved, so the sandwich disappeared before any photo could be shot of the sandwich cut in half.The best I can show you from our afternoon picnic with the Portland Food Bloggers was our additional tray to accompany our sandwiches. I like to always bring cheeses, and this time went with two cheeses (Fiscalini Hopscotch Cheddar a cheddar soaked in Devil’s Canyon Scotch Ale and Mariposa’s Chubut a mild Argentiean cheese).

I also like a little protein, and I picked a Chop Butchery & Charcuterie farmhouse pate (not shown, on another board to separate from the vegetarian options, and I think the best pate in Portland). I rounded out this picnic with hummus, and organic seedless green grapes (anything you eat the skin on be it fruits, vegetables, potatoes I believe are worth buying organic), cut up some artisan seedy bread and Mary’s Gone Crackers. This part of the picnic recipe is easy- just a matter of gathering some good individual ingredients together.

Thank you Portland Bloggers group for making me put together a Family Picnic, and setting up this event! It was very laid back with no agenda other then just a little chatting to see the people we read online in person, and the new Portland Bloggers logo was also unveiled. Check out the twitter hashtag #portlandbloggers for more photos from this event. I’m sure there will be posts coming soon too, and I’m excited to read all about all the other perspectives!

Signature