March Portland Dining Month: 3 Courses for $29 + Dinner for 2 Giveaway!

February 28, 2014 by 29 Comments

Disclosure: I am not being compensated for this post, and the Gift Certificate was won by me from a Rafflecopter via Portland Bloggers/Watershed Communications, and I am passing it on to you. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

I’m so excited! This is my first giveaway on the blog! I’ll be giving away via Rafflecopter to a random entrant a gift certificate for two to have a Portland Dining Month dinner! Giveaway has ended

Portland Dining Month is back, moved up from what has been previously been the month of June to now be in the month of March! During this month, almost 100 restaurants in Portland will be offering a special menu of 3 courses for the low price of $29. In most cases, this prix fixed menu may have multiple options for the three courses.

Portland Dining Month 2014 is in March- 3 Courses for $29

I’ve been participating in Portland Dining Month as a diner for several years. Last year, in 2013 I visited and recapped as example Portland Dining month experiences dinners at Firehouse Restaurant, Quartet, Accanto, Urban Fondue, Fratelli (since closed but still a great example of what a great way to discover and make yourself visit restaurants Portland Dining Month is), and H50 out of my initial 2013 Restaurant Highlight list.

Images from Prix Fixe dining at Firehouse, Urban Fondue in 2013

Meanwhile, in 2012 Portland Dining Month experiences include the posts I did at Oven and Shaker, and Clyde Common. Except for Fratelli, H50, and Clyde Common, all those restaurants I named are back in the 2014 Portland Dining month list.

Images from Oven and Shaker in 2012

As I do every year, I like to share a few of my personal highlights of restaurants/prix fixed offerings in March that catch my eye. I usually will pick restaurants based on food options in their 3 courses that sound good, as in some cases the restaurant will offer dishes are special for Dining Month, or you are getting a tremendous value on the price of normally dining there. Of course remember that the menus are subject to change by the restaurant at any time.

There are many excellent choices- about 100 in fact- of restaurants participating in Portland Dining Month. I just couldn’t highlight them all!

  • With March also being the month of Mardi Gras, it only seems right to consider Acadia with its New Orleans/Creole food from Louisiana on your dining list and it’s generous 4 (four!) courses that include Louisiana BBQ Gulf shrimp, Crawfish tails, Louisiana caught sea bream, and Creole bread pudding. Just don’t go on March 4, which is when they have a special and separate Fat Tuesday celebration planned if you have your sights set on the Dining Month menu.
  • Accanto on Belmont was one of my favorite dining month experiences last year with its fresh pastas and very seasonal, unusual ingredients (they introduced me to Wrinkle Crinkle Crumple Cress). Their second course pasta course options of Cacio e pepe with Meyer lemon tagliatelle and Pecorino or Capellini with chili, garlic, anchovy and pea shoots sound amazing. I had the second dish last year, as you can see below. Also, next door you can check out Genoa instead if you want something a bit more upscale but still at the $29 for 3 courses price point, huge bargain here! Reservations available on OpenTable both for Accanto and for Genoa.
  • Aviary is a good value at this price with its sublime French and Asian influenced offerings on NE Alberta. This is a great chance to try out a previous Restaurant of the Year award winner and they offers pretty creative food. Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • Everyone thinks of Besaws for brunch, but they use their own farm to also source the dishes on their dinner menu and are worth checking out – they have a special chicken roulade dish they don’t usually have for Portland Dining Month.
    Besaw's Portland, photo by Sunpech Photography Besaw's Portland, photo by Sunpech Photography
  • You get your choice of Heirloom beet salad with walnuts, grilled chicory and Hannah Bridge cheese  or Oregon black truffle salad with crispy pig’s ear, frisée and poached egg as firsts at Bent Brick, so I’m already sold. I also have to tell you they have incredible cocktails here. I would be disappointed in you if you visit here and don’t try at least one cocktail. Its sibling restaurant Park Kitchen in the North Park Blocks is also participating and whose 2nd course option of Milk braised pork with Your Kitchen Gardens leeks, curds and whey alone is $29 on their regular menu. Reservations for Park Kitchen available on OpenTable.
    the bent brick, neighborhood tavern, northwest portland On The Veranda Cocktail from the Bent Brick, Portland OR with mint, strawberry, simple syrup, rhubarb cordial, sage liquor, white verjus, and gin
  • You can get a pretty good deal at the sweet Cocotte Bistro, where the third course offering of Poulet En Cocotte with milk-fed half-bird, farro risotto, market produce, poached farm egg, jus is normally already $25 on the menu! You can add a wine flight for $12 or a dessert for just $5 more.  Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • Shouldn’t be a surprise that Departure is a recommendation of the participating restaurants given the incredible flavor combinations and innovation that Chef  Gregory Gourdet offers on the pan-Asian menu. For their menu, they are offering choices for main course of Crispy rockfish with green papaya, roasted garlic and sweet chili glaze  or Grilled beef coulette with toasted broccoli, Korean chili and fermented black bean jus. One of the dessert options is a tasty sounding Pineapple icebox cake with banana ice cream, candied almond and spiced caramel. Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • Higgins offers classic Northwest cuisine and is one of the founders of Northwest cuisine. If you haven’t been yet, you should go at least once to this Portland institution, especially since the dishes they are offering include an Alsatian country-style terrine of duck and pork with dries cherries and hazelnuts for their first course. All the dishes are part of Higgins’ 20th anniversary celebration menu comprised of dishes from it’s March 1994 opening.
  • For some traditional Japanese, check out Hokusei where you can be transported to another country for a dining spell. The second course of Nijimasu teriyaki: Oregon steelhead with rye bourbon teriyaki sounds very alluring, and their third course are five pieces of nigiri if you are not a big dessert fan and would just rather have more food!
  • Ever since revisiting Imperial during Feast, I’ve been back several times and have been pretty enamored of various specials they offer. They have a special entree for dining month of Braised lamb shoulder with cauliflower “cous cous,” olives, preserved lemon and curried cashew brittle. No matter what, get that Parker House roll. It is worth that extra $1. I also recommend the cocktail below, A Radish Walks Into A Bar that uses radish gastrique as a nod to Chef Paley’s win of Battle Radish on Iron Chef. Also participating is Paley’s Place, his more upscale restaurant. Reservations available on OpenTable both for Imperial and Paley’s Place.
    A Radish Walks into a Bar cocktail, ransom old tom gin, carpano antica vermouth, radish gastrique, lemon, and cracked peppercorns, Imperial PDX, Vitaly Paley
  • Little Bird recently revamped their menu to offer more of a French perspective than before, as I covered recently when I stopped by for their new burger. One of the offerings for their second course is the Chicken Fried Trout you see below with gribiche, herbs, radishes and pickled carrots that I wrote about before. Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Little Bird Bistro's Chicken-Fried Trout, gribiche, fines herbes, radishes, pickled carrots
  • Ned Ludd is very Northwest and seasonal, and I love the beautiful atmosphere there. Pricewise, you are getting a bargain with 3 courses for $29 here since their entrees are typically in the $20 range already
  • Both the NW and SE locations of Olympic Provisions are participating, usually their entrees at dinner are already in the $20 range so you are getting some savings here with 3 courses. I would not be surprised if you walked out after dinner with a salami or two. For their third course, they are offering a Saucisson au chocolate, aka chocolate salami with French style dark chocolate ganache and warm baking spices, nuts, candied ginger, and red wine, which Portland Monthly previous highlighted the intensive recipe! Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Portland Farmers Market PSU Olympic Provisions
  • If you haven’t been to Oven & Shaker, check out all my previous reviews of their excellent seasonal pizzas
  • I’m a big fan of Picnic House, as you might have guessed from these previous raves I’ve written. I don’t know what they are offering for Dining Month, but whether it’s on their prix fixe menu or not, do not, do not miss getting dessert. That chocolate bundt cake is my favorite chocolate cake in Portland. Also, don’t you want a selfie with that monocled bear? Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream bundt cake with chocolate ganache Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant
  • Punch Box Social is stepping it up because besides 3 courses, their Portland Dining month dinner offers a cocktail- a choice of either Monk’s Vacation (Portland potato vodka, green chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice and simple syrup shaken and served chilled with a lime garnish) or Heart of the Union (Union gin, triple sec, beet syrup, lemon juice and orange bitters shaken and served over ice with a lemon wheel). Reservations available on OpenTable.
  • I have Ración at the top of my Portland Dining Month list- they have a 3rd course offering of Wagyu culotte steak with heirloom carrots, smoked apple cider, turnip and cocoa. Usually you have to have everyone at your table spend $50 for the chef’s tasting menu, and with Portland Dining Month you are getting 3 of the 5 courses for $29. Look for a recap in the next couple weeks! For a similar deal what is usually a spendy multiple course, check out Biwa who is offering their omakase (all chef’s choice, so be ready and open for anything) for $29 a person instead of the usual $40.
  • Serratto is on the list offering seasonal slow food that brings together local Northwest with France and Italy and the Mediterranean that results in something familiar and comforting but yet new (I visited and reviewed them here as part of a Bloggers Group). Given how much I loved the courses during that visit, I think their entree options of either Braised Carlton Farms beef cheek with porcini-potato gnocchi, smoked cipollini onions, braised leeks and carrots or the vegetarian Ravioli with forest mushroom, caramelized onion and goat cheese filling, grilled asparagus and preserved lemon cream sound incredible. Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Serratto Bloggers Dinner, Ahi Tuna Tartare 'Nicoise' chopped egg, capers, olives, housemade potato chips, tarragon aioli
  • The excellent fare at Smallwares is also complimented by some great cocktails. They make sure that there is a vegetarian option for each of the courses of the prix fixe, so if you can’t enjoy the Braised pork shoulder with squash puree, roasted mushrooms, smoked honey and Chinese mustard, the vegetarian option of Spicy tofu noodles, Thai basil, pickled pineapple and salted black bean promises a lot of flavor without the meat. Reservations available on OpenTable.
    Smallwares PDX, restaurant The Gin, with plymouth gin, mango, yogurt, rose water, cardamom, shaked and served on the rocks, Smallwares PDX
  • Tabla offers the best tarjarin in Portland and that is one of the five pastas they offer as a possible primi pasta course (after a choice of 6 possible starters and then third course featuring 4 entrée options). Next to the half order of tarjarin below you can see the starter from a previous visit of a gorgeous Fall Vegetable Salad. A good choice if there several of you and you want to enjoy Portland Dining Month prices but have a good choice of different things to eat still. Other participants of Portland Dining Month offering many options for the prix fixe include Firehouse Restaurant (which I recapped a visit here) and Gracie’s. Reservations for all three of these available on OpenTable.
    Tabla Bistro, Fall Vegetable Salad with turnip greens mousse, feta, market vegetables, mustard seeds  Tabla Bistro, Tajarin with truffle butter, parmigiano reggiano

I mention Opentable reservations because if you make you reservation through OpenTable,  Downtown Portland will also make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank as long as you use this link. I love OpenTable to see availability of restaurants at times I am interested in, to easily make reservations using online, and also collect points for dining certificates. A great majority- 68 last I looked- of the participating Portland Dining month restaurants accept reservations over OpenTable.  Last year, more than $1,800 was donated to the Oregon Food Bank to assist with their work of distributing emergency food to hungry families- we can do better this year!

Check out the Downtown Portland Portland Dining Month website for a map of where the various participating restaurants are located to be convenient for you, as well as menu listings. If you are interested specifically in which ones have vegetarian or gluten-free options, Portland Monthly has put together a list.

Let me help you enjoy Portland Dining Month by giving away one gift certificate for you a dinner for two! This gift certificate was something I won courtesy of Portland Bloggers and Watershed Communications and rather than using it myself, I am passing it on to you!

Giveaway has ended Use the Rafflecopter below to participate- this will run for 1 week, so a random winner will be chosen next Friday at 12:01 am! Come back to tweet about the giveaway in order to enter daily! Winner must respond within 24 hours and the gift certificate will be mailed. The gift certificate is good for two people to enjoy Portland Dining Month dinner at one of the participating restaurants.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I am not being compensated for this post, and the Gift Certificate was won by me from a Rafflecopter via Portland Bloggers/Watershed Communications, and I am passing it on to you. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Whole Foods Top 10 Holiday Wines + Free Wine Tasting Placemat Printable

December 18, 2013 by 4 Comments

Disclosure: This wine and cheese tasting event was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

Last week I attended a Whole Foods Twitter tasting event (#wfmwine). I and a few other bloggers and media had the opportunity to taste four of the Top Ten selection of the Whole Foods 2013 top holiday wines, paired with cheese. Being as delicious as the Holiday Wines were, even better is what an incredible value they are – every wine on the list is under $25 –  so I wanted to share in case you are looking for some Holiday Wine picks to host or bring to a holiday get together.
Whole Foods Holiday 2013 Top 10 Wines

Not only that, but if you happen to be putting together a cheese plate, well these four are already wonderfully matched and ready for you to pick up at your local Whole Foods! This is great because even though I attended the event here in Portland, when I return to Chicago for the holidays I know I will be able to acquire all of these wines instead of worrying about finding equivalents when I travel there (or lugging it with me in checked baggage)- this Twitter tasting event was nationwide.
Whole Foods Twitter tasting event (#wfmwine) where I and a few other bloggers and media had the opportunity to taste a four of the Top Ten selection of the Whole Foods 2013 top holiday wines, paired with cheese Whole Foods Twitter tasting event (#wfmwine) where I and a few other bloggers and media had the opportunity to taste a four of the Top Ten selection of the Whole Foods 2013 top holiday wines, paired with cheese

One of the advantages of going to Whole Foods for your holiday wine selection is that besides being able to get other gourmet treats for your party (also just grabbing something from the deli to put in servingware for  party is acceptable too!) is what a great wine and cheese selection they have so it’s one stop shopping. They have lots of unique wine and cheeses that they offer. Many times I have visited where a helpful cheesemonger is present to help recommend cheese pairings to go with wines, and vice versa.

At the Twitter tasting event, the group was able to taste the cheese pairings with four of the Top Ten wines. Also very cool was the fact that some of the group members are vegan, and Whole Foods was able to easily accommodate them- and if you also need to account for gluten free they can also help you out. As beautiful as this cheese plate for us normal eaters were, when I looked at the vegan cheese platter, it looked equally as beautiful.
Whole Foods Pearl District in Portland offers wine friend Erin here to help us learn about the wine and cheese pairings Cheese Plate by Whole Foods to pair with four of the Top 10 Holiday Wines... they can also help you put together a vegan an/or gluten free cheese plate as well

The Whole Foods Blog listing of the Holiday 2013 Top 10 Wines not only includes tasting notes and pairing recommendations, but also each wine has a link to a recommended recipe. As a teaser, I’ve only shared the 4 I experienced at the Twitter tasting below… but there are 8 more! 8? Well, that’s because apparently they couldn’t only recommend 10, so the Top 10 Wines list actually includes 12 wines. There are also specific details on each cheese they recommend as well.

Whole Foods Top 10 Holiday Wines

WF WINE NOTES PECH’S EXPERIENCE TASTING PEEK
Roger d’Anoia Cava

Roger d’Anoia Cava

Whole Foods Tasting Note: Lively effervescence, bright notes of green apple and pear. Ripe and round, a touch of sweetness in the well-balanced finish. This Spanish sparkler pairs well with everything! Recommended pairings include Uniekaas Parrano cheese, cocktail shrimp, eggs Benedict, sweet savory Chinese food Recipe: Shrimp Cocktail with Creamy-Spicy Green Onion Dipping Sauce

 This Brut provides some toasty flavors to help balance out the creamy richness of the cheese we paired with it, a Mt. Townsend Creamery Cirrus which is a Camembert style cheese from Mt. Townsend, WA. The Roger d’Anoia Cava got second (and third) pours at the tasting because we all loved it, and is a very affordable pick for a New Year’s Eve at less than $10 so you can keep the bubbling flowing all night long, and save a bottle or two for mimosas and brunch while watching the Rose Parade the next morning. Effervescent, easy pleasing Roger d'Anoia Cava Brut paired with a creamy Mt Townsend Cirrus, a camembert style cheese, this pairing was a big pleaser at the Whole Foods #wfmwine event

Skouras Anássa

Whole Foods Tasting Note: Moscofilero, the main grape used in this wine, is unique to Greece, thriving on the mountainous coastlines of the Peloponnese peninsula. Opulent aromas of ripe apricot and orange peel in this crisp, Greek White. Brisk fruit with a fresh clean finish. Recommended pairings include Red Leaf aged Cheddar, roasted chicken or salmon, roasted acorn squash, Greek salad Recipe: Roasted Salmon Stuffed with Spinach, Feta and Ricotta

 In Portland we paired this with a Uniekaas 18 month Reserve Gouda, which made for an interesting experience as these are “fighting friends”. That is, this is a wine and cheese pairing that relies on contrast, rather than being complimentary. The Skouras is very clean, bright, and refreshing, while the Reserve Gouda has a crystalline crunch that is a bit salty, nutty, and leans towards dry but thanks to the Skouras this dryness is filled in The Greek White Skouras Anassa is very crisp and refreshing and clean, a fighting friend for the crystally bite of the Uniekaas 18 mo Reserve Gouda. In this case, the contrast is used instead of complimentary to pair these two at the Whole Foods #wfmwine event

Santa Julia Innovación Bonarda-Cabernet

This wonderful Argentine Red is a fantastic party wine and comes in a 1-liter bottle–a great value at more than 6 glasses per bottle. Deeply complex and full-bodied. Forward notes of plum and cigar box, and then jammy flavors of dark ripe berries. Smoky savory notes show in the luscious finish. Recommended Pairings include Borough Market Cheddar, BBQ ribs, lamb chops, sausage-stuffed mushrooms, classic Swiss fondue Recipe: Apple, Sausage and Sage Sourdough Stuffing

 This Santa Julia Innovacion Bonarda-Cabernet is a 2013 vintage but already is ready to drink, and a huge deal at its $9.99 price for the 1 liter bottle. If you are hosting a party where you want the wine to flow freely, this is a great value, and the profile is flexible enough to please any palate. Although this wine is young, it stood up admirably to the strong flavors of the Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Flagship cheddar paired with it at this event. This Santa Julia Innovacion Bonarda-Cabernet is a 2013 vintage but already is ready to drink, and a huge deal at its $9.99 price for the 1 liter bottle. If you are hosting a party where you want the wine to flow freely, this is a great value, and the profile is flexible enough to please any palate

Mat Kearney Verse & Chorus Napa Valley Red Wine

Nashville-based musician Mat Kearney teamed up with the winemakers at Peju Winery of Napa Valley to create this wonderfully complex Red. Intense notes of black currant, plum and cocoa lead to rich juicy dark berry flavors. Toasty hazelnut and roasted coffee in the very long finish. Recommended Pairings include Emmi Le Gruyère cheese, beef tenderloin medallions, prime rib, lamb stew, marinated and grilled portobellos Recipe: Slow Cooker Lentil Stew with Polenta

 The Mat Kearney Verse & Chorus was my favorite of the four wines I tried because of it’s roasty coffee flavors with hints of chocolate that made me think this was a wine version of a beer stout! This wine was the only one of the four that was more than $15, but at $25 this wine tastes like something 2 or 3x as much. It does have a unique and bold flavor profile, so needs a pretty bold pairing so that its flavors don’t overwhelm, or enjoy its complex layering of flavors on its own. At the PDX event this was matched with L’Or des Domes Fourme d’Ambert. The Mat Kearney Verse & Chorus was my favorite of the four wines I tried because of it's roasty coffee flavors that made me think this was a wine version of a beer stout at this Whole Foods #wfmwine event!

Free Wine Tasting Placemat Printable

Did you think the placemat you saw up there for this event was adorable? So did I. In case you want to host a wine tasting party, or a wine/cheese pairing party, how useful would it be to have a placemat like that for each person that identifies the wine and cheese that you can take notes on? I could also imagine that if you wanted to compare a flight having a little place for each wine glass to go helps you remember which is which. So I’ve made a free wine tasting placemat printable for you!

Free Printable- Wine Tasting Placemat to track your wines when having a wine flight

It’s a Wine Tasting Placemat in powerpoint which I’ve placed here in Google Drive, so you can go in after you save it and edit whether you want to actually write the name of the wine and tasting notes, or perhaps you want to do a blind tasting and/or just bare-bones like a style and region write numbers and leave a place for notes. Update the graphics as desired to match your theme and other printables. The top reminds you of various things to look for in tasting wine, such as looking for the color and body (thin? sticky?), to swirl and smell, and in terms of taste to break it down into the initial flavors, the mouthfeel, the length, and the finish. Meanwhile, there are some example adjectives to help you think of what you might be experiencing in your taste- obviously not an all encompassing list but might inspire more descriptors.

Thanks Whole Foods for the learning experience with the wine and cheese tasting – I’m ready for more schooling anytime! If you’re in Portland, check out the Whole Foods PDX Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on events and sales at the various local stores- and if you’re not from Portland look up what your local Whole Foods media is.

Disclosure: This wine and cheese tasting event was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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Filed Under: Cheese, Food and Drink, Sponsored Post Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Culinary Council Recap: Holiday Recipes by Nancy Silverton and Tom Douglas at Macy’s

December 16, 2013 by 4 Comments

I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me with compensation for this post about Macy’s Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

The Macy’s Culinary Council includes some of the country’s most esteemed chefs, who then travel to various Macy’s everywhere as cooking ambassadors. This past weekend, I was able to take a “cooking lesson” from Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles chef famously of La Brea Bakery and also Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza) and our own Northwest celebrity chef, Tom Douglas (of the Seattle restaurant empire- seriously, I love them all, Dahlia Lounge, Dahlia Bakery, Palace Kitchen, Serious Pie, Serious Biscuit, Lola, Brave Horse Tavern and more- 15 restaurants and counting!).
Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, doesn't drink white wine (thus the glass of red) and also approves of having red towels in your holiday kitchen Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013
Nancy Silverton doesn’t drink white wine (thus the glass of red) and also approves of having red towels in your holiday kitchen / Mr Crab Cakes, aka Chef Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy’s at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013

Together, Nancy and Tom at the Macy’s Washington Square hosted a cooking demo featuring a few of their favorite holiday recipes. Here’s my Culinary Council recap of that event for you!
Culinary Council Recap: Favorite holiday recipes shared by Tom Douglas and Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council members, at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013 Culinary Council Recap: Favorite holiday recipes shared by Tom Douglas and Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council members, at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013

Courtesy of Nancy Silverton

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  • Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto
    No exact recipe for this, just guidelines, to taste, and 4 ingredients: unsalted butter, truffle salt, breadsticks and prosciutto. Nancy emphasized when you are using just a few simple ingredients, buy the best of each of the ingredients you can. She’s not a fan of white truffle oil because of the chemicals used. But she loves black truffle salt, which is what she utilized (Ritrovo Truffle & Salt with non-salted butter) to create the truffle butter. Spread it on breadsticks. It’s your choice whether you utilize extra pizza dough like she does at her restaurants (they serve these breadsticks on their charcuterie platter I believe) or make or buy them. Finally, wrap prosciutto around and you’re done. Easy and done in 5 minutes! She cautions that if it is warm to not prepare these too far ahead of time. Also make sure you leave a “handle” at the end of the breadstick for holding!
    Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, starts off with a recipe of Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto, and emphasizes when you are using just a few simple ingredients, buy the best of each of the ingredients you can Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, starts off with a recipe of Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto, simple to put together in just 5 minutes Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, starts off with a recipe of Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto, simple to put together in just 5 minutes Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, starts off with a recipe of Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto, simple to put together in just 5 minutes Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, starts off with a recipe of Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto, simple to put together in just 5 minutes Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, starts off with a recipe of Breadsticks with Truffle Butter and Prosciutto, simple to put together in just 5 minutes
  • Burrata with Caviar
    It turns out Burrata is quite the trend in LA right now. As a big cheese lover, I’m all about this dish with its big hunk of burrata. Nancy believes the holiday are a great excuse for extravagance and getting some high quality ingredients. Besides acquiring 16 ounces of fresh burrata to make 4 servings, make sure that your caviar (you’ll be using 4 tablespoons of caviar, a tablespoon per serving) is sustainable and domestically farmed. The accompaniments you see here, 1/4 cup each of finely chopped fresh chives, parsley, onion, and finally the last topping of all the servings with 1 grated hard-cooked egg via microplane, all are quite traditional for caviar. The twist is with the presence of creamy silky burrata instead of say toast points adding extra indulgence. Nancy’s very particular with her eggs, and gave her formula for perfectly cooked eggs. First, bring the water to boil in salted water. The purpose of the salt is not for flavor, but in case an egg cracks it will seal the whites in. Once the water is boiling, place your eggs and leave for exactly 5 minutes. Then let the eggs and hot water cool to room temperature. She likes her eggs where the yolk is just set (and definitely no green- she would just be insulted!), so to use eggs for grating she adds another minute. Nancy even educated Tom on getting the best finely chopped minced onion- she uses an un-petal technique where she cuts each large layer of onion (after quartering it) individually for smaller pieces!
    Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, preparing to plate her recipe for Burrata with Caviar Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, preparing to plate her recipe for Burrata with Caviar Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shared my favorite recipe of the 6 that event, the Burrata with Caviar Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shared my favorite recipe of the 6 that event, the Burrata with Caviar
  • Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
    Nancy called Tom into service into shaving the 4 pounds of brussels sprouts with the mandolin. Then she advised us to massage our winter greens to bring out more flavor. She also told us to use fingers to distribute her dressing created from 1 cup of fresh mint leaves, 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, juice of 2 lemons, and then season with salt and more lemon juice as desired. Nancy is a big fan of carefully balancing each bite of the salad to have a good combination of ALL the salad ingredients, which you get by mixing by hands. She also adores microplane; she used one for grating the egg earlier with the burrata, and with a coarse microplane she grated a thin layer of pecorino romano (the recipe calls for 6 ounces) over the plate and then divided the Brussels sprouts salad into mounds on top of that cheese. She pointed out that there is something improved about the mouthfeel by compacting the salad into easy mouthfuls as she gently flattened the mound to make an even circle, grated more cheese, and topped the plate with toasted chopped almonds (1 cup worth for this 4 serving recipe). Then she finished the salad with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of lemon, and coarse cracked black pepper.
    Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, calls Tom Douglas into her service on the mandoline for the Brussels Sprouts for the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Culinary Council Recap: Tom watches on as Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, creates her Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, massaging the winter greens of her Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, is a big fan of the microplane Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, is a big fan of the microplane as she grates a little pile of pecorino where she will plate the Brussels Sprouts Salad Culinary Council Recap: Culinary Council Recap: Nancy Silverton, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013

Courtesy of Tom Douglas

  • Mom’s Crab Dip on Russet Potato Chips, from Toms Big Dinners (HarperCollins Publishers, 11/1/2003)
    There was a charming moment as Tom shook the Martha Stewart spatula at the audience, telling us it is up to each one of us to carry forward our family recipes. Then he began sharing his mom’s Crab Dip on Russet Potato Chips. He also unabashedly admitted these homemade potato chips we were enjoying were an upgrade- he usually serves them at home just with Ritz Crackers, so any chip or cracker of our liking will do. He also noted that it is important to add that expensive ingredient of crab last and prepare all the rest of the sauce separately, and keep the crabmeat cold as long as you can.
    Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shakes a Martha Stewart spatula at the audience, telling us it is up to each one of us to carry forward our family recipes before sharing his mom's Crab Dip on Russet Potato Chips Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, sharing his Mom's Crab Dip on Russet Potato Chips... admits he usually uses Ritz crackers Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, sharing his Mom's Crab Dip on Russet Potato Chips 9Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, sharing his Mom's Crab Dip on Russet Potato Chips
  • Fennel Rubbed Steamed Salmon (link to image with recipe)
    Tom imparted his wisdom about sustainably sourcing fish, and gave tips on how to purchase fish to make sure it is fresh. Although he only shared one recipe in writing, he demo’d two ways of cooking the salmon, one steamed with the rub as you see below, and the other was more of a saute with a fennel sauce and topping. He strongly advocated for the use of an instant read digital thermometer for the fish in order to make sure you don’t dry it out- all you need is for it to get to 125 degrees F and you’re looking at a perfectly cooked fish. He also notes that heat rises, so it’s ok to turn off the heat as the salmon will be still cooking. Did you know Tom also has on his staff a chief vegetable officer?
    Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, talks about the importance of sustainable sourcing and how to purchase your salmon Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, plating his Fennel Rubbed Steamed Salmon Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, demos his Fennel Rubbed Steamed Salmon recipe Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, demos his Fennel Rubbed Steamed Salmon recipe Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shared a Fennel Rubbed Steamed Salmon recipe Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shared a Fennel Rubbed Steamed Salmon recipe
  • Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Crackly Crust, from The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook (HarperCollins Publishers, 10/23/2012)
    Time ran out for the demo of these cookies, but the recipe was shared, and we still got to sample it, giving us a very sweet end
    Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, and this Chocolate Truffle Cookie with Crackly Crust

Thanks to Food in Bloom Catering, who helped produce samples of each of the recipes from Nancy and Tom, everyone in the audience was able to try a sample of all 6 dishes. I was quite impressed by the level of service in taking the care to plate each individual sample beautifully, and for plates they used the stylishly sustainable VerTerra Dinnerware and were quick yet thorough in passing out samples, retrieving the garbage, and making sure we all had napkins and if we wished, refills on the Columbia Crest Pinot Gris.

To learn more about the Macy’s Culinary Council and upcoming events, check out macys.com/culinarycouncil, or follow them on Twitter @culinarycouncil  For some example recipe shared by the Council, check out their Pinterest Page, Macy’s Culinary Council

Culinary Council Recap: Hand comparisons of Nancy Silverton and Tom Douglas, Culinary Council members at Macy's Washington Square Dec 14 - important point in always checking knife feel in your hand and the weighting when knife shopping
Hand comparisons of Nancy Silverton and Tom Douglas, Culinary Council members at Macy’s Washington Square Dec 14 – important point in always checking knife feel in your hand and the weighting when knife shopping

Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shared two salmon recipes Culinary Council Recap: Tom Douglas, Culinary Council member at the Macy's at Washington Square Dec 14, 2013, shared two salmon recipes
Full plates of the two kinds of salmon cooking Tom Douglas shared with us at Macy’s.

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Life of Pie in Portland

December 12, 2013 by 3 Comments

Disclosure: This meal was complimentary, but I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own

Earlier this week, I was invited to a Media Preview of the Life of Pie, a new restaurant at 3632 North Williams/NE Beecher Streets.
Life of Pie Pizza, Portland at 3632 North Williams and Northeast Beecher Streets Life of Pie Pizza, Portland at 3632 North Williams and Northeast Beecher Streets Life of Pie interior combines modernity with the warmth of lots of wood and various pizza making accouterments along the walls

Life of Pie specializes in wood-fired pizzas, using a special Stefano Ferrara oven which so excited to be here in Portland. I mean look at that 6,900 pound, 1000 degrees F, beaming immigrant from Naples, Italy! They have a whole page of their website devoted to this proud baby!
The pride of Life of Pie and the source of amazing pizzas is a 6,900 pound wood fired pizza oven, hand-made by the legendary Stefano Ferrara in Napoli, Italy The pride of Life of Pie and the source of amazing pizzas is a 6,900 pound wood fired pizza oven, hand-made by the legendary Stefano Ferrara in Napoli, Italy The pride of Life of Pie and the source of amazing pizzas is a 6,900 pound wood fired pizza oven, hand-made by the legendary Stefano Ferrara in Napoli, Italy The pride of Life of Pie and the source of amazing pizzas is a 6,900 pound wood fired pizza oven, hand-made by the legendary Stefano Ferrara in Napoli, Italy

That oven works hard with the Shepherds Grain flour dough that owner Jason Kallingal and Nick Burger have perfected after reportedly 30 batches. The oven adds a hint of char and some smoke to that dough, but not a lot of char so the base stays chewy while the crust is crispy.

The 11 inch pizza pies are topped with housemade and/or locally sourced seasonal ingredients, such as their homemade mozzarella which we saw being made right then and there at the event, or the mushrooms from the Farmers Market, Carlton Farms applewood smoked bacon, Chop salami and Mama Lil’s Peppers…

Life of Pie pizzas in progress Life of Pie's housemade mozzarella in progress

They have 8 pizzas on their menu ranging from $9-12. They also offer a menu of toppings, so those 16 ingredients can be used to mix it up to your liking, including any of the ingredients listed in the pre-tested recipes below to your own preferences, and a few extra ones such as mixed olives or anchovy.

  • Chop Spicy Salami, Mama Lil’s Pepers, Goat Cheese, Honey
  • Seasonal Mushrooms with Shaved Pecorino Romano and Truffle Oil
  • Bacon, Goat Cheese, and Oven Roasted Leeks
  • Meatball, Ricotta, and Red Onions
  • Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Garlic Confit
  • Marinara, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Chili Flakes
  • Fennel Sausage and Mama Lil’s Peppers
  • Margherita with Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil

At the tasting I was able to test a slice of the Seasonal Mushroom pizza covered in chanterelles and shitake mushrooms and finished with shaved pecorino romano and truffle oil. This was my favorite, if I had to pick one of the pizzas of the night to rank #1.
Life of Pie Seasonal Mushroom pizza covered in chanterelles and shitake mushrooms and finished with shaved pecorino romano and truffle oil. This was my favorite.

Also sampled were the Carlton Farms applewood smoked bacon layered with oven-roasted leeks, goat cheese and caramelized onions. I loved those oven-roasted leeks. Meanwhile the Fennel Sausage kicked up your average sausage pizza with Mama Lil’s Peppers and offered a great pairing of spicy with a sauce so good I could imagine drinking it. Also check out that classic Margherita with Mozzarella, Tomato, and Fresh Basil whose leaf color slowly just darkening from the pizza heat testifies to its freshness.
Life of Pie Portland's Carlton Farms applewood smoked bacon layered with oven-roasted leeks, goat cheese and caramelized onions Life of Pie's Fennel Sausage pizza kicked up your average sausage pizza with Mama Lil's Peppers all over the sauce and in pieces here or there throughout "Life
I was also blown away by two appetizers they offered at this media event.
Appetizers at Life of Pie pizza in Portland, at North Wiliams and Northeast Beech Appetizers at Life of Pie pizza in Portland, at North Wiliams and Northeast Beech, plus a peek at the kitchen

The first appetizer was a perfect balance of oozy and crispy in their Aracini, risotto croquettes with ricotta and mozzarella. So often I break open an aracini to find out it was mostly an empty shell, without much substance inside. Not the case with the Life of Pie aracini, as you can see- there’s a molten cheese surprise inside.
Life of Pie restaurant Portland appetizer, a perfect balance of oozy and crispy in their Aracini, risotto croquettes with ricotta and mozzarella Life of Pie restaurant Portland appetizer, a perfect balance of oozy and crispy in their Aracini, risotto croquettes with ricotta and mozzarella Life of Pie restaurant Portland appetizer, a perfect balance of oozy and crispy in their Aracini, risotto croquettes with ricotta and mozzarella

Then there was Life of Pie’s surprise right hook: Kale & Arugula with parmesan and honey lemon vinaigrette packed an addictive punch with its light dressing that enhanced the kale and arugula and the parmesan to add texture like a breadcrumb topping of a mac and cheese- but all over your salad! I would **highly recommend** this salad. It is a very crave-able salad.
Life of Pie's surprise right hook: Kale & Arugula with parmesan and honey lemon vinaigrette packed an addictive punch with its light dressing that enhanced the kale and arugula and the parmesan to add texture like a breadcrumb topping of a mac and cheese- but all over your salad!  Life of Pie's surprise right hook: Kale & Arugula with parmesan and honey lemon vinaigrette packed an addictive punch with its light dressing that enhanced the kale and arugula and the parmesan to add texture like a breadcrumb topping of a mac and cheese- but all over your salad!

Besides the pizza pies, they also offer some simple spaghetti if you are especially craving their tangy marinara sauce, which you can dress up further with the fennel sausage or meatballs if you’d like. They also have a gluten free pasta available. As an alternative- but I recommend as an addition- to the aracini appetizer, they also have a oven roasted cauliflower gratin and meatballs that sound delightful. Dessert-wise the only option was a root beer float, but they are just a few doors down from What’s the Scoop? so I recommend finishing up with sweetness there.

Life of Pie interior combines modernity with the warmth of lots of wood and various pizza making accouterments along the walls, and seats probably about 40 something guests. When the weather warms they have a whole section that is all glass garage door walls that will open up to North Williams, which should be a great treat. Life of Pie is new and low key- I can’t describe the service since I did attend during a special event, but I hope this blog post is helpful to you anyway in seeing some of the offerings. As of now it appears there is no waiting in lines yet like some of other famous wood fired pizza places in town, so visit now!

In fact, they currently are offering an Extended Happy Hour daily 11 am-6 pm that includes a $5, 11 inch margherita pizza plus $3 beers and wines – a great deal! Now you just have to order that kale salad and invite me to join you in living a Life of Pie.
Life of Pie restaurant, Portland's Margherita with Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Life of Pie restaurant, Portland- menu

Life of Pie is currently also doing a weekly FREE pizza giveaway for a free 11″ pizza every week on their Facebook site- check out the contest app!

Which of the pizza pies would you want to order?

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Macy’s Culinary Council in Portland: Dec 14 at Washington Square Mall

December 10, 2013 by 3 Comments

I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me with compensation for this post about Macy’s Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

Did you know Macy’s has an entire division dedicated to highlighting and promoting cooking demos? Macy’s has gathered a group of some of the country’s most esteemed chefs to create the Macy’s Culinary Council, which include an impressive lineup of chef luminaries such as Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Todd English, Cat Cora, Michelle Bernstein, Rick Bayless, Ming Tsai, Takashi Yagihashi, Tom Douglas and the list just goes on and on!

The members of the Macy’s Culinary Council travel to various Macy’s everywhere as ambassadors and to teach everyone how to be more involved with food, cook better with demonstrations so we can see tips and tricks firsthand, and just talking about food and sharing their culinary advice with all of us home cooks. The Macy’s Culinary Council had their 10th Anniversary just a couple months ago. Can you believe it, 10 years?!

I’ve been aware of the Culinary Council from when I lived in Chicago- the Macy’s downtown on State Street is a huge flagship store, and although it took some getting used to when it took over what was previously the Marshall Field’s, eventually Macy’s found its way into my heart and won my trust. I admit that since moving to Portland, I haven’t been attending any in store events after putting together my bridal registry (now 4 years ago!).  I’ve only benefited from afar, from recipes the Culinary Council has shared and normal shopping trips. But I’m getting back into it!

This coming Saturday the 14th, the Macy’s Culinary Council is in Portland! Both Nancy Silverton (famously of La Brea Bakery and also  in LA Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza) and our own Northwest celebrity chef, Tom Douglas (of the Seattle restaurant empire- seriously, I love them all, Dahlia Lounge, Dahlia Bakery, Palace Kitchen, Serious Pie, Serious Biscuit, Lola, Brave Horse Tavern and more- I’ve been to most of his restaurants!) will be in Portland!

Macy's Culinary Council member Nancy Silverton Macy's Culinary Council member Tom Douglas (of the Seattle restaurant empire- seriously, I love them all, Dahlia Lounge, Dahlia Bakery, Palace Kitchen, Serious Pie, Serious Biscuit, Lola, Brave Horse Tavern and more

Tom and Nancy (can I call them so familiarly? 😀 ) will be collaborating at the Macy’s Washington Square at 2 pm at the Housewares at the Macy’s Washington Square, hosting a cooking demo featuring their favorite holiday recipes!

I plan to be there. First of all, to swoon over Tom Douglas and Nancy Silverton and soak up whatever they are imparting to the audience.

In addition, with a purchase of $35* or more in the Home department, you can receive a $10 Macy’s Gift Card**, a special holiday gift and either Tom Douglas’ cookbook The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook, or Nancy Silverton’s cookbook The Mozza Cookbook which the chefs will sign following the demonstration (they will only do signings after the demo). With a purchase of $70* or more in the Home department, receive two $10 Macy’s Gift Cards**, two special holiday gifts, and both The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook, and The Mozza Cookbook.

*One per customer, while supplies last, while time permits.  Seating is first come, first served. Purchase must be made  December 14, 2013 at Macy’s Washington Square
**Macy’s gift card valid Dec 14-21.

How nice is that? I already have some holiday shopping to do, and besides learning from Tom and Nancy I can come back with a gift for myself thanks to gift cards and autographed cookbooks! I particularly have my eye on Tom’s, since I have had the doughnuts that Giada De Laurentiis called the “best thing I ever ate” AND the biscuits from Serious Biscuit and would definitely want to try the recipes. The Tom Douglas’ Dahlia Bakery Donuts are Fried to Order and come with Marscarpone and Strawberry Jam. They are light and pillowy and slighty warm, almost like beignets, but dusted more lightly with brown sugar and perfect for dipping into the fruity and sweet of strawberry and creamy of cheese. And, the biscuit you see just speaks for itself.
Tom Douglas' Dahlia Bakery Donuts, Fried to Order and come with Marscarpone and Strawberry Jam. They are light and pillowy and slighty warm, almost like beignets, but dusted more lightly with brown sugar and perfect for dipping into the fruity and sweet of strawberry and creamy of cheese Tom Douglas does it again. Serious Buttermilk Biscuit and Tabasco black pepper gravy (both soothing me with its creaminess and making my tongue tingle with every bite). I added a smothering of Beecher's cheddar to mine. Here you can see the chicken in its extreme crispness holding up to the drench of spicy gravy

The Details: 2 PM @ Macy’s Washington Square, Housewares, Level 2. Reservations are required as space is limited. To reserve your spot visit: https://macyschefswsq.eventbrite.com

To learn more about the Macy’s Culinary Council and upcoming events, check out macys.com/culinarycouncil, or follow them on Twitter @culinarycouncil  For some example recipe shared by the Council, check out their Pinterest Page, Macy’s Culinary Council

Hope to see you there- or check back next week for my recap!

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