Portland Drink and a Bite Highlight: Laurelhurst Market

For Foodie Friday today, I continue my new series highlighting a Portland Drink and a Bite of food that I think not only is best in class within Portland, but is a classic representation of the character of Portland. Of course, that Portland Drink and a Bite Highlight is also delicious, and unique.

My pick this week is the Smoke Signals cocktail at Laurelhurst Market. This is a famous cocktail highlighted by Portland Monthly back in 2013 but that has been on the menu since 2008. It is comprised of Rye Whiskey, Sherry, Pecan, Lemon, and (super cool!), smoked ice. That’s right, smoked ice, they smoke ice! The smoky nutty whiskey drink is unique and one of my top 5 favorite cocktails in Portland. I can’t go to Laurelhurst without having one.
The famous Laurelhurst Market cocktail of Smoke Signals with Rye Whiskey, Sherry, Pecan, Lemon, Smoked Ice The famous Laurelhurst Market cocktail of Smoke Signals with Rye Whiskey, Sherry, Pecan, Lemon, Smoked Ice

With the illustrious Kevin Ludwig behind the bar though, definitely feel free to expand to other offerings. And then, for the bite at this steakhouse and full service butcher shop helmed by Chef Benjamin Bettinger and Sous Chef Patrick McKee, of course we turn to meat. You can’t go wrong with anything involving beef in this joint, but my favorite is the ribeye (the one pictured below is from a visit where it was served with avocado and pickled jalapenos – the accompaniment varies) which I’ve been having for years and is big enough to share for 2 or is one very manly meaty dinner for one.
Laurelhurst Market Ribeye with Avocado and Pickled Jalapenos Laurelhurst Market Ribeye with Avocado and Pickled Jalapenos

Don’t forget to order that famous side of Mac and Cheese with a Potato Chip Crust! That oozy melty gooeyness…
Laurelhurst Market's side of mac and cheese with a potato chip crust! That oozy melty gooeyness... Laurelhurst Market's side of mac and cheese with a potato chip crust! That oozy melty gooeyness... Laurelhurst Market's side of mac and cheese with a potato chip crust! That oozy melty gooeyness...

Although I realize it’s chilly January, my favorite thing at Laurelhurst Market besides the food and drink is their outside bar that you can enjoy the breeze and setting sunshine along with your steak – something you won’t find at most steakhouses.

Bar at Laurelhurst Market opens up to a patio area. You can also see Bar Tender Kevin Ludwig to the right

And, I love how Laurelhurst Market operates as a neighborhood joint with obvious regulars alongside the bar with me rather than going for the usual fancy feel that appeals to corporate expense accounts. Laurelhurst Market is also open for lunch and dinner everyday, so you don’t have to wait for dinner to get your local meat enjoyment on.

Have you been to Laurelhurst Market, what are your thoughts? What is your favorite Portland steakhouse?

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Good Reverend’s Burger at Reverend’s BBQ

When I last visited, I had a mixed experience at Reverend’s BBQ.  It was still when they were relatively new though, and I wanted to give them another chance. Specifically, I vowed to return for the delicious sounding burger. And it has come to pass.

The Good Reverend’s Burger at Reverend’s BBQ is so good, I can only leave these photos for you and hope they argue for themselves. I truly believe this is among the best burgers in Portland. And, I can’t think of a more American way to celebrate President’s Day or Memorial Day or Independence Day or Any Day and America then this burger, and as I was eating this for lunch, I saw many a platter of this going out of the kitchen to the tables around me.

A look at Reverend's BBQ, Portland exterior A look at Reverend's BBQ, Portland exterior A look at Reverend's BBQ, Portland exterior Reverend's BBQ, interior of restaurant Reverend's BBQ, interior of restaurant Reverend's BBQ, interior of restaurant

The burger comes with 1 side, but why not get a second side? Like the side of mac and cheese, creamy and thick and topped with potato chips. Also good is the griddled polenta topped with creamed corn and tasso ham.
Reverend's BBQ side of mac and cheese, creamy and thick and topped with potato chips Reverend's BBQ side of griddled polenta topped with creamed corn and tasso ham

And finally, The Good Reverend’ Burger with Brisket Burnt Ends, Pimento Cheese, House Pickles, Iceberg, Mayo, and lots of Crispy Fried Onions
Reverend's BBQ The Good Reverend’ Burger with Brisket Burnt Ends, Pimento Cheese, House Pickles, Iceberg, Mayo, and lots of Crispy Fried Onions Reverend's BBQ The Good Reverend’ Burger with Brisket Burnt Ends, Pimento Cheese, House Pickles, Iceberg, Mayo, and lots of Crispy Fried Onions

No more words needed. America!
Reverend's BBQ The Good Reverend’ Burger with Brisket Burnt Ends, Pimento Cheese, House Pickles, Iceberg, Mayo, and lots of Crispy Fried Onions

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Melt’s 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese

I wrote previously about how I attended a book release party at Cheese Bar for Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese. This recipe for 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese is the first recipe I’ve blogged about from the book, though I’ve actually made a couple others already. Well, let’s say this is one I changed the least so thought I could more fairly share.

Book cover for Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese cookbook

One of my favorite recipes from the book is one I barely even follow but use as a guideline: a recipe with Raclette with Farfalle, Cornichons, and Sauteed Onions. I ended up using Farfalle or Bow Tie, and switched out the Raclette for whatever cheese I have available, but throwing in that sweetness from sauteed onions or leeks, and then little cut up cornichons for a bit of acid has been a revelation of a different kind of flavor to mac and cheese.

F looked at me weirdly when he saw me chopping the cornichons (I have also used mini sweet pickles), but it totally makes sense. You often see cornichons on a cheese plate- of course it would work with mac and cheese!

Now, this recipe for 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese also originally had pancetta. However, I don’t think there is anything even remotely vegetarian that I can substitute for pancetta, so I simply omitted it.

Instead, I upped the broccoli by a little bit, and added a little bit of olive oil since I didn’t have leftover pancetta frying grease. Instead of chives, I sprinkled some red pepper flakes just for a little hint of heat. I also served this with a side of honey mustard chicken for those who can eat meat (you can use Chik’n for a non meat version- the sauce if vegetarian).

The usage of a sweet pugliese or whatever crusty bread on top really makes for an interesting texture with the mac and cheese and the broccoli makes it healthy, right?

Recipe adapted from Melt, 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese, vegetarian and mac and cheese comforting goodness

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  • I omitted this because I wanted it to be vegetarian, but also 1/2 pound/1 cup of thick-cut pancetta, chopped coarsely and fried until crispy. Don’t throw out the fat, you can use it in the recipe! If you are being vegetarian like I was, just use 1/4 cup of olive oil.
  • 2 1/2 cups milk – I used 2% milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 ounces aged Cheddar, grated. The book recommends Pineland six-month aged Cheddar, and I happen to use Tillamook Aged Cheddar. The cookbook notes you can use any medium-sharp Cheddar.
  • 4 ounces of grated Monterey Jack
  • 4 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, chopped coarsely- I just used some shredded mozzarella that’s extra from making pizza
  • 2 cups broccoli florets- each floret should be chopped to be about 1-inch in size. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 but I wanted more broccoli since I omitted the pancetta to be vegetarian
  • 2 cups coarsely torn sweet Pugliese bread or other crusty bread of your choice – I cut/tore them so they were cubes of about 1 1/2 inches
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives – but instead I used 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, again because I wanted a bit more flavor pop since I was omitting the pancetta to be vegetarian

Ingredients for the Melt recipe of 3 cheese macaroni and cheese casserole w broccoli and sweet pugliese topping

Directions:

  1. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, mix in with 1/4 cup of olive oil OR the cooked crispy pancetta/pancetta oil and stir to coat the pasta so they don’t stick together. Place in a greased 13×9 casserole dish.
  2. With the salted boiling water post-pasta, I steamed the broccoli a little bit to soften it. If you are using frozen broccoli florets you can omit this step and just let the broccoli come to room temperature.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. To make your cheese sauce, start by heating the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. As soon as the milk starts to steam and there are small bubbles around the edges – in other words no need to boil it, you are just heating it- turn off the heat.
  5. As soon as the milk is heated, in a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is just melted, stir in the flour and mix until it takes on a light brown color in a few minutes, make sure you keep scraping (I used a silicon spatula) to prevent burning. Slowly add the warmed milk, stirring constantly to prevent burning, for a few minutes. When you dip a spoon in the sauce in progress and lift the spoon out, turn to the back and draw a line with your finger- the sauce should not break that line you drew once it has successfully thickened. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper once you reach this point.
  6. In small handfuls, add all of the cheeses- the cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella, and keep stirring until all the cheeses are completely melted and incorporated into the sauce.
  7. In the casserole dish that has your pasta, mix in the broccoli and the sauce. Fold everything together. On top, spread the torn sweet Pugliese bread
    Mac and Cheese Masterpiece: the Melt recipe of 3 cheese macaroni and cheese casserole w broccoli and sweet pugliese topping Mac and Cheese Masterpiece: the Melt recipe of 3 cheese macaroni and cheese casserole w broccoli and sweet pugliese topping Mac and Cheese Masterpiece: the Melt recipe of 3 cheese macaroni and cheese casserole w broccoli and sweet pugliese topping
  8. Bake for 30 minutes or so until the bread browns and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes so you don’t burn your tongue and can enjoy all flavors of this dish. If you’d like, sprinkle generously with chopped fresh chives- in my case I added more freshly ground pepper and my teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Recipe adapted from Melt, 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese, vegetarian and mac and cheese comforting goodness Recipe adapted from Melt, 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese, vegetarian and mac and cheese comforting goodness

And here it is at the end, all gooey and warm. It should be able to serve 4-6.
Recipe adapted from Melt, 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Sweet Pugliese, vegetarian and mac and cheese comforting goodness

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Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese – Portland Release Party

I was super thrilled when Tiffany from Thyme of Taste shared that there was a special event for Melt: The Art of Macaroni & Cheese occurring at Steve Jones’ Cheese Bar. First of all, I love cheese, and I will take any excuse/rationalization necessary to go to cheese.

Book cover for Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese cookbook

I also love Steve Jones, as I have enjoyed all the cheese education he has been imparting on me since the best cheese extravaganza I have ever experienced, his Cheese Bar Spectacular with Ten 01 back in 2010 with its 101 cheeses. That was a one time event, my first time meeting Steve, and was an important jumpstart of my cheese knowledge as it really upped my familiarity with local cheeses. Thankfully, there are still Steve’s annual pairing of beers and cheese (recaps of Portland Beer & Cheese Fest 2012 and Portland Beer & Cheese Fest 2013 as examples, and has done events with Lardo and Raven & Rose, among others). He also helps curate cheese plates for so many of the amazing restaurants in Portland.

Steve Jones of Cheese Bar offering cheeses and charcuterie at Bailey's Taproom- 2007-2012 5th Anniversary Gloriousness

Cheese plates are a great way to try lots of cheeses affordably, rather than buying them by weight $7-10 at a time – instead, you have the opportunity to taste several cheeses for the same price. You can never go wrong with a cheese plate curated with Steve’s Cheese- such as this one below of 11/17/2013, a Cheese Board of Remeker Pure Borenkaas (Raw Cow – Holland), Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep – Italy), and the Crottin (Goat – France). This was my first crottin! I’m a big fan of Borenkaas as they go wonderfully with beer with its nuttiness- this is true of most Dutch cheeses I think. The sheep cheese went best with the chutney you see on the board, and the Crottin’s grassiness was balanced out by the glass of red wine I was having.

11/17/2013 Steve's Cheese Bar Cheese Board: Remeker Pure Borenkaas (Raw Cow - Holland), Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep - Italy), and the Crottin (Goat - France) 11/17/2013 Steve's Cheese Bar Cheese Board: Remeker Pure Borenkaas (Raw Cow - Holland), Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep - Italy), and the Crottin (Goat - France) 11/17/2013 Steve's Cheese Bar Cheese Board: Focusing in on the Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep - Italy), and the Crottin (Goat - France)

If you want to appreciate cheese more, the key thing I would suggest you do is keep notes of what cheeses you had- particularly ones that you really love, or really hate. This will help you understand your tastes. An easy way to do this is to just have one document on your phone/cloud that you can use to make your notations. I often take photos of the cheese and the label if I’m dining out so that I don’t have to spend a lot of time typing into my phone instead of socializing. BTW this same trick works with wine!

The Cheese Bar is Steve’s place, a great cheese shop where you can procure marvelous exquisite cheeses from around the world, plus get access to the genius award winning knowledge of cheesemonger Steve or whoever is behind the counter to help select cheeses (and often sample as well to help make decisions!). But you don’t have to just subsist on the samples of cheese alone. Cheese Bar is also a beer/wine bar and cafe, offering multiple types of cheese plates (a cheese plate of the day, soft ripened cheese plate, blue cheese plate, etc) as well as other small plates of food varying from pimento spread to grilled cheese or fondue in order for you to try lots of kinds of cheeses.

Even more enthralling for this last visit for me however was the fact that Stephanie Stiavetti of the Culinary Life blog was hosting the Portland launch party for the book Melt: The Art of Macaroni & Cheese (co authored with Garrett McCord of food blog, Vanilla Garlic) at Cheese Bar. At the book launch party, she was offering two examples of the mac dishes from the cookbook! Amazon link: http://bit.ly/meltmacaroni. And this was a free public event!

PS. Stephanie has cut her hair and is even more adorable than the photo below. Check out her Facebook or Google+ for more updates and photos from the tour.
Stephanie Stiavetti of the Culinary Life blog, one of the authors of Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese Garrett McCord of food blog, Vanilla Garlic, one of the authors of Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese

I was so there!

The first sample was a cold pasta salad of Drunken Goat with Edamame, Fennel, and Rotini. I was surprised how fresh and salady with herbaciousness this take on mac and cheese was, with only the cubes of Drunken Goat cheese and a light lemony oil dressing.
Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese recipe, a cold pasta salad of Drunken Goat with Edamame, Fennel, and Rotini

The second sample she offered was the Lincolnshire Poacher with Cotija, Chorizo and Penne. Of course she used real chorizo meat, but based on the flavor profile I think Soyrizo would work just as well- they key is the grassy contribution of the Lincolnshire Poacher cheese with the salty crumble of the Cotija.
Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese recipe, Lincolnshire Poacher with Cotija, Chorizo and Penne

Although that sounds so specific to pick out Lincolnshire Poacher or the Drunken Goat as the cheese to utilize, the book does suggest several other alternate cheeses that can be substituted in, and she’s great at pointing out the specific flavors of the cheese she was looking for, so you can also chat with your local cheesemonger.

The key differentiator here for me is that Stephanie and Garrett really focused on highlighting the unique exquisite flavors of high quality artisan cheeses, and they prepare them in a large variety of kinds of dishes to really expand the what you can do with these cheeses besides enjoying them on a cheese plate. Though, nothing wrong with a cheese plate of course, brimming with multiple cheeses.  🙂

The recipes really run the gamut, from salad to stovetop baked and casserole to dessert, and also bring in influences of flavor profiles internationally, such as Greek, Mexican, Indian, and even Asian! That’s what really drew me to the book- even though the book title starts out with “Melt”, it’ s not always about throwing in cheese and cream over pasta into the oven. The recipes are a lot more diverse than that so that you could possibly be making more than one of these dishes in a week without feeling like it’s a repeat, since the recipes can be so unique in taste.

Some examples that I am so so excited to make:

  • Pumpkin stuffed with sausage and fontina recipe,
  • Raclette with Farfalle, Cornichons, and Sauteed Onions
  • Turkey and Robusto Mac and Cheeselet (perfect after Thanksgiving as a way to use up some leftover turkey!!)
  • Chicken Breast Stuffed with Leonora Goat Cheese, Star Pasta, and Gingersnap

Pumpkin stuffed with sausage and fontina recipe from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese Raclette with Farfalle, Cornichons, and Sauteed Onions recipe from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese
Turkey and Robusto Mac and Cheeselet (perfect after Thanksgiving as a way to use up some leftover turkey!!) recipe from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese Chicken Breast Stuffed with Leonora Goat Cheese, Star Pasta, and Gingersnap from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese
Photo Credit: Matt Armendariz, courtesy of Little, Brown and Company

Each recipe also suggest wine pairings, as well as other snacky pairings with the cheese (such as certain fruit) in case you are assembling a cheese plate or perhaps brainstorming another recipe. The book, which has about 75 recipes, is chock full of gorgeous, enticing photos that make you want to cook everything in the book. After only flipping through a few chapters I was already ready to throw out the Pumpkin Mac and Cheese recipe I had earmarked for Thanksgiving this year in order to try some of the recipes above.

Thankfully, wiser minds prevailed, and instead my friend and I discussed how we could just ADD another recipe for another day during our Thanksgiving vacation instead.

Also, maybe I bought 4 cheeses from Cheese Bar for the cheese plate on Thanksgiving Day. Until Thanksgiving early dinner is ready, a bottle of wine and a cheese tray and vegetable tray are the snacks to keep us fueled during our Thanksgiving meal is ready. I said I was going to buy 3, but I bought 4. This seems to always happen. I mean, it only added up to 1.25 pounds of cheese. For four people. And that’s only half the cheese plate.

I’ll report back on what I make from the Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese cookbook, but meanwhile, here is a bit more on the book, including their cookbook trailer! I am SO RECOMMENDING THIS BOOK. And this is not a sponsored post- I just really love it!

Melt: the Art of Macaroni and Cheese – The Official Trailer from Stephanie/SJS on Vimeo.

MELT: THE ART OF MACARONI AND CHEESE is a cookbook that reinvents the American classic, macaroni and cheese, with gourmet ingredients, handcrafted artisan cheeses, and unique flavor combinations. It is the first book to marry the American standard, macaroni and cheese, with handcrafted artisan cheeses and a wide array of pastas, producing dishes that are both classic and chic.

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Multnomah Whiskey Library Whiskey Flight

A few weeks after the Multnomah Whiskey Library opened, I decided to visit them again to see what it was like when it was not their opening day (my first visit). It was a Friday and around 3 pm was a good point to stop in my work, and my brain was full from the week. So I decided to leave and have a little reward, and the MWL immediately came to mind- I knew it opened at 4 pm, so maybe 10-15 minutes later I was off.

One side of the Multnomah Whiskey Library

When I arrived there it was just after 4, and there was still a line- but not because the tables were all taken. They were “staging gently” by seating people a table or so every few minutes- they didn’t want to overwhelm their staff. I understand they need to pull the bottles and to the individual table service, but I’m not sure about the other guests, but I could easily spend quite a bit of time reviewing the bottle list. Regardless, 15 minutes later I was seated in a cushy sofa lounge chair and there were still a few chairs at the communal table open, so clearly you will be rewarded for being able to come early. I was warned that they had a reservation in about 1.5 hour, as was the pair of people before me (well, it seemed like a son and his mom actually, aww), but I didn’t think I’d be there that long (the son and mother were told the same thing). As it so happened, we ended up sitting across from each other in other two lounge chairs.

Looking into the left corner as you walk into the Multnomah Whiskey Library Tableside service in pouring tastes at the Multnomah Whiskey Library All the photos lining part of the wall at the Multnomah Whiskey Library

While his mom ordered a cocktail, I think the son ordered a bourbon with a beer-back and seemed extremely familiar as he browsed through the large tome of bottles and inquiring about membership. Membership allows the privileges of making reservations, as well as the ability to rent a locker space which you can store your own bottles (and presumably have access to being able to order those bottles from the sources at the MWL’s list). At the time all the locker spaces were already all rented until sometime next year- wow. I didn’t know there was such pent up demand in the market. I’ve not been a fan of the beer-back, though in theory I understand how beer can be a great pairing and even partial cleanser with its carbonation- after all beer pairs great with food, and having it with say whiskey is a similar concept. I guess I’ll have to eventually explore this more myself and learn.

Example page from the Multnomah Whiskey Library tome of all the 1500 bottles they offer Multnomah Whiskey Library Wall

After taking probably 10-15 minutes to flip through the book of bottle listings, I took the advice of a commentator on my previous blog entry to order half pours. This allowed me to order 3 half-pours in order to create my own flight: Tyrconnell 10 year finished in Madeira port, Sherry port, and a Port cask.

3 half pours for a flight of Tyrconnell 10 yr finished in Madeira, Sherry or Port cask at Multnomah Whiskey Library 3 half pours for a flight of Tyrconnell 10 yr finished in Madeira, Sherry or Port cask at Multnomah Whiskey Library

It was marvelous to be able to taste these 3 options side by side. Each was unique- the one in Sherry finish had more of a smoke current in the flavor profile and a nose of sweet honey, the sample in the Madeira cask had more of a caramel noise. Finally the Port finish version had a balance of smoke and vanilla and was very smooth and was my favorite of the three.

3 half pours for a flight of Tyrconnell 10 yr finished in Madeira, Sherry or Port cask at Multnomah Whiskey Library

There have been changes to the menu- the delicious but messy to eat Hot Brown morphed into a sandwich, and as I write this now I think they have updated the menu again based on what is available seasonally. When I asked the hostess, besides the sandwich version of essentially the Hot Brown she said a well loved food entree was the Smoked Ham Hocks mac n cheese, so that’s what I had. It was a smaller portion than I anticipated when it arrived, but it’s hard to complain about the tastiness of that bubbly crunchy cheese except for wanting more.

Multnomah Whiskey Library's Smoked Ham Hocks mac n cheese

Meanwhile, it looks like the MWL is starting their classes. Tomorrow, from 5-7:30pm the MWL is presenting A Tour of Cognac in Six Glasses with Hoke Harden.

“Learn the story of terroir in the six crus of Cognac, tasting Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Bons Bois, Bois Ordinaires and the rare and highly acclaimed subzone Borderies. Discover the amazing range of expression of the world’s most iconic brandy.

Learn the exacting double-distillation process required by the Méthode Charentaise, plus the process of barrel-making, secrets of aging and blending by Master Blenders.

We’ll journey through Cognac the finest way possible: TASTING six Cognacs, expertly selected for the evening.”

It also looks like the tasting will be accompanied by snacks from the kitchen as well, which helps rationalize the price $35 Public price.  I won’t be attending since I need to start carefully watching my budget for the holidays, but I’m so pleased to see that MWL is stepping up to be more than just a place to order drinks but also learn. There was a Prichard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon that caught my eye while reading the bottle list, so I’ll be back eventually for another Multnomah Whiskey Library whiskey flight.

Multnomah Whiskey Library bottles of whiskey and beyond!

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