Santa Fe Eats

June 21, 2016 by 12 Comments

I’ve highlighted a restaurant in my previous Santa Fe post already of Gabriel’s, which also offered a very cool artsy atmosphere and tableside guacamole on the way to Bandelier, and which I would definitely recommend again. My favorite Santa Fe Eats that we had overall during our entire trip was at The Shed, a very well known a family owned restaurant since 1953. They serve Southwest specialties but are especially known for their red chile sauce. It’s a little hidden off the Santa Fe Plaza since you need to go back a little bit to see the doors, and it’s reputation as a must visit may mean a line (they do take reservations) although we didn’t encounter any on the rainy day lunch we had.
We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. Some say it is the best place for chile in Santa Fe. I would definitely agree with the red chile, and the green chile had great flavor but would not be the spiciest we would have We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. Some say it is the best place for chile in Santa Fe. I would definitely agree with the red chile, and the green chile had great flavor but would not be the spiciest we would have

The atmosphere is like a hacienda with lots of folk art that feels like a neighborhood joint in the heart of downtown Santa Fe.

We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. Some say it is the best place for chile in Santa Fe. I would definitely agree with the red chile, and the green chile had great flavor but would not be the spiciest we would have We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. The atmosphere is like a hacienda with lots of folk art that feels like a neighborhood joint in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. The atmosphere is like a hacienda with lots of folk art that feels like a neighborhood joint in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. The atmosphere is like a hacienda with lots of folk art that feels like a neighborhood joint in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. The atmosphere is like a hacienda with lots of folk art that feels like a neighborhood joint in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. The atmosphere is like a hacienda with lots of folk art that feels like a neighborhood joint in the heart of downtown Santa Fe.

The bar offers a pretty good selection of margaritas. And a vacation especially when our lodging is in walking distance of the Santa Fe plaza (and which offers a complimentary shuttle to and from downtown) means a margarita for lunch. It always feels so decadent to drink at lunch!
We started with lunch at the famous The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. Some say it is the best place for chile in Santa Fe. The Shed, a family owned restaurant since 1953. Some say it is the best place for chile in Santa Fe. They offer lots of margaritas. Vacation means a margarita for lunch "Vacation

He ordered a vegetarian burrito in green chile sauce – and holy moly was it massive, fork to show scale! The green chile sauce was good, but would not be the best we had during the trip.
The Shed Burrito with green chile sauce in Santa Fe. The Shed Burrito with green chile sauce in Santa Fe.

Meanwhile, I think I had the best dish since I got the cheese enchiladas (vegetarian so we could bot enjoy) in the legendary red chile sauce served with pinto beans & posole (stew of Nixtamal corn, lean pork, coarse red chile, garlic & oregano). Keeping with The Shed’s tradition, their New Mexican dishes are served with French garlic bread, which was a great break as I was scooping up the sauce by itself by the spoonfuls – it was spicy, smokey, and delicious. The Shed’s chile comes directly from a farm and is continuously ground on the premises for freshness. I now it doesn’t look like much, but it was fantastic.
Keeping with The Shed’s tradition, their New Mexican dishes are served with French garlic bread. I think I had the best dish since I got the cheese enchiladas (vegetarian so we could bot enjoy) in the legendary red chile sauce served with pinto beans & posole. Keeping with The Shed’s tradition, their New Mexican dishes are served with French garlic bread. I think I had the best dish since I got the cheese enchiladas (vegetarian so we could bot enjoy) in the legendary red chile sauce served with pinto beans & posole.

Cool your tongue afterwards by not missing dessert: we were pleasantly surprised by the sophistication of this Zabaglione with Creamy Italian Custard, Cointreau, White Port
Dessert at The Shed of Zabaglione with Creamy Italian Custard, Cointreau, White Port to cool off our palate after all that great red chile and green chile

Shed Creative Cooking Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

While The Shed was my #1 favorite for dining, and had the best red chile sauce, for green chile sauce our vote goes to no frills local diner Horseman’s Haven. It’s set back a bit from the busy Cerrillos Road – you have to look for it slightly behind a gas station – I drove by it twice before I found it. One of the reasons I write my blog is because I always adore reading blog entries myself when researching travel: and this entry by NM Gastronome on Horseman’s Haven is what convinced me to make this someplace to check out.

The vegetarian green chile at Horseman’s Haven has a depth that’s surprising given that most green chiles have pork in them in town – and the chile has a nice meaty texture as it is thickened with a roux. The regular green chile sauce is already spicy unlike most other green chiles you may come across, and then they offer a spicier Level Two made with Jim and Sandia peppers. Make sure you have tissue for your sweat and runny nose if you go with Level Two.
Horseman’s Haven at 354 Cerrillos Rd has the spiciest green chile. The regular green chile sauce at Horseman's Haven Cafe is hotter than nearly any other in town. The spicier level-two green chile sauce is composed of Big Jim and Sandia peppers. The vegetarian green chile has a depth that's surprising given that most green chile are porky - and the chile has a nice meaty texture as it is thickened with a roux. Horseman’s Haven at 354 Cerrillos Rd has the spiciest green chile. The regular green chile sauce at Horseman's Haven Cafe is hotter than nearly any other in town. The spicier level-two green chile sauce is composed of Big Jim and Sandia peppers. The vegetarian green chile has a depth that's surprising given that most green chile are porky - and the chile has a nice meaty texture as it is thickened with a roux.
It is so spicy you may not be able to have more than a teaspoon or even a few drops. As much as I like spicy Thai and Indian food, I had to tap out after a few spoonfuls worth, though F ate it all up. So if you can take the heat, for green chile try Horseman’s Haven. I definitely suggest you order something large like a big burrito so you have something to eat between sweating with the green chile. Don’t be afraid to ask for the Level 2 on the side to be cautiously risky.
Horseman’s Haven at 354 Cerrillos Rd has the spiciest green chile. The regular green chile sauce at Horseman's Haven Cafe is hotter than nearly any other in town. The spicier level-two green chile sauce is composed of Big Jim and Sandia peppers. The vegetarian green chile has a depth that's surprising given that most green chile are porky - and the chile has a nice meaty texture as it is thickened with a roux.

Horseman's Haven Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

For a more moderate green chile experience, we went to Tomasita’s which is the typical huge Mexican restaurant great for huge groups that has been in business for more than 40 years. Their red & green chile from Hatch, New Mexico is cooked daily and they also use New Mexico pinto beans plus all entrees and specials include a sopaipilla, honey butter and New Mexico Honey from B’S Honey Farm of Albuquerque. A sopaipilla, if you haven’t had one before is like a fried bread.

I recommend the entree called Tomasita’s Big Bowl, which allows you to build your own bowl with any combination – red or green chile, beans, posole, ground beef or chicken served with a hot sopaipilla. I went with red chile for myself. F had Tomasita’s Vegetarian Mexican plate with Red and Green Chile, beans and rice, and in front you see a sopaipilla.
Tomasita's Vegetarian Mexican plate with Red and Green Chile, beans and rice, and in front you see a Sopaipilla. Their red and green chile — from Hatch, New Mexico — is cooked daily and Tomasita's uses natural Monterey jack cheese and New Mexico pinto beans. All entrees and specials include a sopaipilla, honey butter and New Mexico Honey from B’S Honey Farm of Albuquerque Tomasita's Big Bowl: Build your own bowl with any combination – red or green chile, beans, posole, ground beef or chicken served with a hot sopaipilla. Their red and green chile — from Hatch, New Mexico — is cooked daily and Tomasita's uses natural Monterey jack cheese and New Mexico pinto beans. All entrees and specials include a sopaipilla, honey butter and New Mexico Honey from B’S Honey Farm of Albuquerque

The other reason we went to Tomasita’s is because they have this super fun mariachi band called Mariachi Buenaventura that plays every Tuesday evening at Tomasita’s at 7:30 PM. What makes Mariachi Buenaventura stand out is that they are an all female mariachi band. If you are around on a Tuesday, these ladies alone make it worth a trip to Tomasita’s. When we saw them that night, I think there were twice as any as in the video below.

Tomasita's Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Have you had red or green chile before? Which one do you prefer?

Here’s the summary of my series of posts on Santa Fe, New Mexico Travels

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Brunch Better Tips from Jackie Ellis

June 20, 2016 by 4 Comments

There are many opportunities/excuses to throw an incredible brunch – for your family during a family reunion trip, an easy way to get together with your friends on a leisurely weekend morning where people can drop in/out based on their schedule, or a wedding shower or baby shower.  In the spring, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Whole Foods Blogger Brunch Boot with Jackie Kai Ellis of Beaucoup Bakery.  The intent was to get Brunch Better Tips from Jackie Ellis, and now I’m passing on the learnings I gleaned from her to you.
Jackie Kai Ellis during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better Jackie Kai Ellis during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better

I’m a big fan of Jackie because she has an impeccable sense of style (before studying French baking she ran a design firm), clearly loves food,  and also adores travel (she does the kind of travel I wish I could do – a combination of food travel but also absorbing the uniqueness of each travel destination).

She is also is wonderfully evocative and articulate but also so down to earth and personable as she shares her love of food and the destinations she visits around the world on her blog Jackie Kai Ellis. I enjoy her travel posts mosts, but she also writes about cooking and sharing elegant recipes and tips on entertaining. So how I jumped at the chance to hear about this firsthand from her, and totally sat in the front row only a couple feet from her and tried not to fangirl too much how much I wish I could be like her.

Anyway, let’s go on to the wonderful information about how you and I and everyone can brunch better! She gave us three main areas, decoration, beverages, and food.

Flower Arranging Tips

Jackie Kai Ellis giving tips on flower arranging during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better
Jackie admits that flowers are a luxury, but they can bring a lot of joy to a home with their infusion of beauty and life, even if only temporarily. I know I personally make special trips all during peony season to buy flowers – but keep it at $5 and 3 stems at a time from the Portland Farmers Market. You can decorate your brunch very simply just by having a fresh bouquet of flowers.

I agree with her that I’m not a fan of greens unless they are done with a lot of interesting types of leaves and not just the normal generic leaves, so I don’t buy bouquets that have this filler. She recommends making your arrangement based on color themes, and just doing it in your hand, one stem at a time.
"Jackie

Then, she cuts all the stems so the flowers are just above the top of the vase. You can see I followed her advice here:
Jackie Kai Ellis tip on Flower Arrangement: she cuts all the stems so the flowers are just above the top of the vase Jackie Kai Ellis tip on Flower Arrangement: she cuts all the stems so the flowers are just above the top of the vase

Finally, she reminds everyone to change their water often as that is how she thinks flowers stay fresh the longest.

As an alternative to a flower bouquet, she also likes bowls of citrus!

Confit Orange

Jackie Kai Ellis during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better
This is what Jackie calls a “cheaters orange confit” because it is not as time consuming as a traditional orange confit which takes days of reducing at low heat in order to replace everything in the orange (including the orange skin!) with sugar so it is candied and delicious and yes, all completely edible. It’s very simple, and then she showed us two ways to use the confit orange – in a beverage called the Mimosa 75, and then in a sweet French dessert dish called Pain Perdu with Confit Orange. Another way to enjoy the orange confit is with chocolate – Jackie for instance topped a chocolate tart with the orange confit.

Ingredients:

  • 4 navel oranges
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 2.5 pounds of granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean husk

Directions:

  1. Boil water in a large pot. Blanch the whole oranges in for about a minute. Remove the oranges, and drain the water. Repeat again, with a fresh pot of water being brought to a boil and another round of blanching for 1 minute. Remove again and pour out the water. The intent here is remove the bitterness of the skin and drain it from the water, which is why you need to do a fresh pot.
  2. Quarter the oranges along the stem, and place in a large empty pot (probably the same pot as before…). Add the juice of 2 lemons, and the 2.5 pounds of granulated sugar, and if you have one, a vanilla bean husk (the insides of the vanilla bean are used for the Pain Perdue recipe below). Might as well not waste it that husk!
  3. Add enough water into the pot until the oranges are covered. Slowly bring the pot to a very low simmer, and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the skins begin to become translucent looking and the oranges are tender but still hold together. You may need to add more water during this simmering process, which could take 6-8 hours. So, start this in the morning and then do the rest of your chores like cleaning or other cooking as needed. If you can’t keep it simmering the whole 6-8 hours, turn off the burner, cover the pot, and then resume the low simmer when you can until you get to this same point.

To store, you can place the orange segments and syrup into a jar. You can process it to fully can it, or just keep it in the refrigerator for use for a few weeks.
Jackie Kai Ellis shares her recipe for Confit Orange, which you can use both for Mimosa 75 drinks and a food dish of Pain Perdu with Confit Orange, learned during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better

Mimosa 75

Jackie Kai Ellis showing us how to make a Mimosa 75, a mashup between a mimosa and French 75, during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better
This is a mashup between a mimosa and a French 75. Jackie’s tip on making this drink is to use high quality ice, and when shaking listen for the change in sound to show you are ready.
Jackie Kai Ellis showing us how to make a Mimosa 75, a mashup between a mimosa and French 75, during a Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp providing tips on how to brunch better
Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce of gin
  • 1/2 ounce of orange confit syrup
  • 1/2 ounce of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 ounce of fresh orange juice
  • Dry sparkling wine to top
  • Good ice

Directions:

  1. Combine the 1 ounce of gin, 1/2 ounce of orange confit syrup, 1/2 ounce of fresh lemon juice, and 1 1/2 ounce of fresh orange juice in a cocktail shaker with your good ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a glass. Jackie recommends considering whether you want to serve it in a traditional champagne glass, or you can also use juice glasses for smaller portions like for mom and grandma.
  2. Top your drink with sparkling wine. If you’d like, garnish with a slice of orange confit, or just get right down to drinking…

Pain Perdu with Confit Orange

Jackie's recipe for Pain Perdu with Confit Orange
Pain Perdu translates to “lost bread”, and this recipe does use stale bread that would otherwise be lost, but thankfully can be repurposed and enjoyed in this traditional French dessert dish. Jackie recommends using thick slices of dry brioche to soak up as much egg as possible and give the dish a custard like texture. This version uses confit orange, but you can also consider her Lavender Cherry version of Pain Perdu, perhaps along with her recipe for Ice Cream with Lavender Black Kettle Corn and Ripe Plums. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 vanilla bean, scraped of its seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup whipping cream (plus more for topping, optionally)
  • 4 thick slices of brioche or Challah
  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 oranges, segmented
  • Confit Orange

Directions:

  1. In a shallow baking dish, mix together the 4 eggs eggs, vanilla seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/3 cup of whipping cream.
  2. Add the brioche in one layer to soak up the egg, this will take about 5 minutes on each side depending on the dryness of the bread, the drier the bread, the longer it will need to soak.
  3. In a nonstick pan on medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter per slice and place in the dipped brioche. Fry on both sides until golden and remove from the pan onto a sheet tray or plate.
  4. You can choose to remove the crusts for a more elegant look or leave them for a rustic appearance. Plate the pain perdu warm, top with a slice of confit orange, fresh orange segments, and the whipped cream to serve. For this version, we also used a little sprinkle of edible flower petals for an additional layer of prettiness.

Although I enjoyed the bread pudding since it’s beautiful, I preferred the strong sweetness of the orange confit with a super chocolatey chocolate cake myself. Maybe it doesn’t go completely with the brunch theme, but I did mention sometimes you may want to throw a brunchy wedding shower or baby shower, and that involves cake – this is an easy way to serve cake without having to deal with frosting. And you can just use your favorite chocolate cake recipe!
Pair your favorite chocolate cake with Jackie Kai Ellis' recipe for Confit Orange Pair your favorite chocolate cake with Jackie Kai Ellis' recipe for Confit Orange Pair your favorite chocolate cake with Jackie Kai Ellis' recipe for Confit Orange Pair your favorite chocolate cake with Jackie Kai Ellis' recipe for Confit Orange Pair your favorite chocolate cake with Jackie Kai Ellis' recipe for Confit Orange
What is your favorite brunch dish to make?

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary Whole Foods Bloggers Brunch Bootcamp where I was able to get a demonstration of the tips and recipes by Jackie Kai Ellis as a Whole Foods Market Culinary Council Member. I was not required to write this post, and I was not otherwise compensated. 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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Tesoaria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing

June 16, 2016 by 8 Comments

I admit I’ve been a wine club member and even longer a fan of TeSóAria wines. Recently they have started offering vegan tapas on their daily tapas menu to accompany their dozen or so wines that are available at any one time to taste or purchase by the glass, in flights, or in bottles, and many of those wines are award-winning. At the time of the brunch, they were up to 97 medals!
Award winning wines at Tesoaria Award winning wines at Tesoaria

And now, starting today they have set aside every Thursday for what they call Vegan Thursday: Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables night where all the tapas will be vegan – the menus are available starting at 5 PM. They also will be offering a vegan brunch with wine pairings by reservation only (one seating)  every few weeks. It’s not often that you see vegan food paired with wines, and it’s worth highlighting for my vegan friends out and there – and even if you’re not vegan, the Tesoaria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing is so good you will want it anyway.
Tesoaria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing at a vegan brunch - owner and winemaker John Olson describing the wine Tesoaria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing at a Vegan Brunch - yes pairing vegan food and wine- owner and winemaker John Olson describing the wine
The name for TeSóAria Vineyard & Winery comes from combining Terra (earth), Sol (sun), Aria (air and music) which are three important parts that make their wines so unique. Owner and winemaker John Olson and his family love music, and it is part of the TeSóAria experience. At their wine members pick up parties I’ve often enjoyed hearing his children play music and sing, and they host live music in the Portland Tasting Room on Saturdays. While aging the wines in the barrels, TeSóAria plays music through Bose speakers to keep the wine moving – as well as possibly imparting a little extra terroir.
Music is part of the Terrroir of Tesoaria Wines

The TeSóAria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing Brunches will be offered every few weeks as a special event  – aka, they will not be weekly so check their events listing on the website and sign up for their mailing list to be in the know. The next Vegan Brunch at the Portland Tasting Room is Sunday, July 24th, 11am $45, tout compris. Limited seating, RSVP required to events @ tesoaria.com

The food is inspired newly each time so expect to see new creative additions all the time by Chef Max Germano and Sous Chef Daniel Escalle (seen here preparing the Vegan Cassoulet during the vegan brunch) for what will be on the menu.
Tesoaria Vegan Brunch - Sous Chef Daniel Escalle preparing the Vegan Cassoulet.

Here’s a look at the inaugural vegan brunch I attended to give you an idea of what the experience could include with the 4 courses with the wine pairings.

Tesoaria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing: Vegan Brunch

1st course

Chicory Salad with Roasted Apricot Vinaigrette and croutons paired with 2015 Vermentino Secco and 2014 Field Blend #1. The greens in this salad included endive, frisee, arugula and interestingly some wasabi greens to add a hint of spiciness.
TeSóAria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing Brunch 1st course Chicory Salad with Roasted Apricot Vinaigrette and croutons paired with 2015 Vermentino Secco and 2014 Field Blend #1 TeSóAria Vegan Brunch 1st course Chicory Salad with Roasted Apricot Vinaigrette and croutons paired with 2015 Vermentino Secco and 2014 Field Blend #1

Candied pepitas with radishes and macerated apricots add additional texture and flavors to the plate that I thought were best brought out by the Field Blend #1 since each dish gave me a chance to go a White vs Red: Who Did It Better comparison.

The Field Blend is the red wine that is a tribute to old school wine making where winemakers are more focused on the flavors then getting hung up on specific varietals. TeSóAria, by the way, cultivates more than 25 different varietals from the Southern Oregon Umpqua Valley, Celestina Vineyard in Medford Rogue Valley, riesling from Willamette Valley, and some from Northern California.

2nd course

Homemade Cashew Cheese Stuffed Peppers with Tabouleh, Sweet Romanesco and Mint Oil paired with 2015 Riesling (sourced from Willamette) and 2014 Bull’s Blood (a Hungarian style red wine). He has a specific way he tells the inspiration story behind the Bull’s Blood name though rest assured there is no bull harmed in the story or in the wine making. One new trivia I learned though is that the Kadarka grape they use for this red were smuggled vines from Hungary that he inherited (he’s a rebel, but didn’t smuggle them in himself, phew)!
TeSóAria Vegan Brunch 2nd course Cashew Cheese Stuffed Peppers with Tabouleh, Sweet Romanesco and Mint Oil paired with 2015 Riesling and 2014 Bull's Blood TeSóAria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing Brunch 2nd course Cashew Cheese Stuffed Peppers with Tabouleh, Sweet Romanesco and Mint Oil paired with 2015 Riesling and 2014 Bull's Blood

With the surprise spiciness from the peppers I thought the Riesling was the winner of this pairing to balance out the dish, though normally I like drinking the Bull’s Blood on it’s own!

3rd course

Vegan Cassoulet with Fava Beans and Maitake Mushrooms, Chickpea Croutons, Roasted Vegetables, White Miso, and Tahini paired with 2015 Bella Rosa and 2012 Vindetta Reserve.
TeSóAria Vegan Brunch 3rd course Vegan Cassoulet with Fava Beans and Maitake Mushrooms, Chickpea Croutons, Roasted Vegetables, White Miso, and Tahini paired with 2015 Bella Rosa and 2012 Vindetta Reserve TeSóAria Wine and Vegan Food Pairing Brunch 3rd course Vegan Cassoulet with Fava Beans and Maitake Mushrooms, Chickpea Croutons, Roasted Vegetables, White Miso, and Tahini paired with 2015 Bella Rosa and 2012 Vindetta Reserve

Cassoulet is traditionally a peasant dish with beans and meat, and I enjoyed here how the use of mushrooms and miso really gave an extra thickness to the cassoulet to make it meaty like without actual meat. For me the Vindetta Reserve red wine was my preferred pairing of the two.

4th course

Dessert came as a Rosemary Shortcake with Apricot Jam, Apricots, Lemon Olive Oil, Fried Rosemary and Muscat Agave Nectar. The apricots are macerated in the Bella Rosa that here is also paired with the dish (2015 Bella Rosa Secco).
TeSóAria Vegan Brunch 4th course Rosemary Shortcake with Apricot Jam, Apricots, Fried Rosemary paired with 2015 Bella Rosa Secco and 2015 Sparkling Moscato TeSóAria Vegan Brunch 4th course Rosemary Shortcake with Apricot Jam, Apricots, Fried Rosemary paired with 2015 Bella Rosa Secco and 2015 Sparkling Moscato

The other wine pairing here is the 2015 Sparkling Moscato, showing off their recently started TeSóAria Sparkling Wine Program – this particular Moscato just won a Silver Medal at the 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and they were confused/surprised when he entered the wine in a growler! You see, the sparkling wines of TeSóAria are on tap and you can purchase them by the (refillable!) growler here in the tasting room.

Other Excuses/Rationalizations to stop by the Portland Tasting Room:

  • On Tuesdays the Portland Tasting Room hosts Pizza Tuesdays where every Tuesday, housemade pizza is complimentary and certain wines are on special. Open house from 6 – 9 PM or until they are out of pizza.
  • They also hold Hangry Hump Day every Wednesday at The Portland Tasting Room. Chef Max’s complimentary yummies and Wine Specials vary based on the week which in the past can be as varied (and making for fun wine pairings!) as from fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, lamb gyros, chicken teriyaki, to chicken tikka masala or smoked chicken biscuits with mac and cheese and more. Open house from 6pm to 9pm or until the food is gone.

The vegan only nights are only on Thursdays, but they have also added vegan options to their always available tapas menu that includes choices like
Tasting Boards with the Tesoaria Sparkling Wine at the Sparkling Wine Release Party

  • the vegan Olive Tapenade made with Castelveltrano and Kalamata olives with herbs and toasted bread;
  • Cheese Board with house baked bread;
  • Charcuterie Board that includes Ghost Pepper Salami and housemade charcuterie items;
  • the vegan Mezze Board with Hummus, Lebneh, Marinated Olives, Roasted Almonds, Cucumber and Flatbread;
  • Focaccia Pizza (including vegan pizza option);
  • Smoked Salmon brined in TeSóAria Bella Bianca wine before being cold smoked;
  • House cured ham sandwich with brie and house made mustard, greens and lemon chive vinaigrette
  • TeSóAria Housemade Candy Bars with salted almond shortbread and vanilla caramel topped with dark chocolate and Maldon sea salt!

On the Thursday Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables Vegan Takeover day, a recent visit yielded for me choices like

  • Samosas with curry cauliflower and potato with a spiced tomato sauce, suggested pairing 2015 Riesling but you can try whatever wine you’d like, I prefer red wine to white myself and there are plenty to choose from, many are award winning as you can see from the 100 medals Tesoaria has won with their wines
    Tesoaria's Thursday Portland Vegan Takeover Menu - Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables, Samosas with curry cauliflower and potato with a spiced tomato sauce, suggested pairing 2015 Riesling though you can do whatever pairing you choose - I prefer red wine to white myself and there are plenty to choose from, many are award winning as you can see from the 100 medals Tesoaria has won with their wines Tesoaria's Thursday Portland Vegan Takeover Menu - Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables, Samosas with curry cauliflower and potato with a spiced tomato sauce, suggested pairing 2015 Riesling but you can try whatever wine you'd like - I enjoyed a red because I prefer red to white wine
  • Portobello Sandwich with house made that day ciabatta, romesco, pickled peppers, roasted fennel greens, suggested wine pairing 2014 Bulls Blood though here I tried the 2014 Primitivo which was just as excellent!
    Tesoaria's Thursday Portland Vegan Takeover Menu - Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables, Portobello Sandwich with house made that day ciabatta, romesco, pickled peppers, roasted fennel greens, suggested wine pairing 2014 Bulls Blood though here I tried the 2014 Primitivo which was just as excellent!
  • Som Tam Salad Rolls with a charred peanut and black garlic sauce, suggested pairing 2015 Vermentino or 2015 Bella Bianca; the charred peanut and black garlic sauce provide a savory and funky taste to mimic fish sauce but in a vegan way
    "Tesoaria's
  • Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake with macerated apricots, strawberry rhubarb compote, and fresh cherries, suggested wine pairing sparkling muscat, one of the sparkling wines of Tesoaria that you can get to go in a growler!
    "Tesoaria's Sparkling muscat in a growler bottled for you from the tap at the Tesoaria Tasting Room on North Williams

Their tasting menu also includes 5 flight options that include tapas paired with three glasses of wine – cheese, charcuterie, the wine maker’s flight with chef’s choice (1 of the wines will be the live barrel), or a library wine flight with chef’s choice of tapas to pair with the wine.
Open house at Tesoaria with a dozen wines to taste Open house at Tesoaria with a dozen wines to taste

Suffice it to say you will not lack for choice for types of wine to try at TeSóAria. Usually there are a little more than half a dozen white wine and a dozen red wines to choose by the glass or to make a wine flight, plus 2-3 sparkling wine you can try. Purchase a bottle of wine from the live barrel and they will hand bottle for you and write a custom message.
TeSóAria offers live barrels in their Portland Tasting Room for you to taste and will hand bottle if you puchase a bottle TeSóAria offers live barrels in their Portland Tasting Room for you to taste and will hand bottle if you puchase a bottle

TeSóAria wines are only available directly from the winery through their tasting rooms, mailing list, and wine clubs.

Locations of TeSóAria Tasting Rooms:

  • The Portland Tasting Room: 4003 N Williams Ave, Portland, OR 97227
  • The Roseburg Tasting Room & Winery: 512 N Curry Road, Roseburg, OR 97471

Tesóaria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Sake Fest PDX 2016

June 15, 2016 by 4 Comments

One week from today is the annual Saké Fest PDX, returning for it’s sixth year. This year, the location has been updated to the Pavilion Ballroom at Hilton Portland & Executive Tower. It is taking place next week on Wednesday June 22 2016 from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. The event gives those who attend the ability to sample a large variety of Japanese and US sake brands while learning how to pair the traditional Japanese drink with a wide variety of food, including cheese, desserts, chocolate and a wide range of fusion, Asian and continental cuisines.
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Blue Hue Tsukinowa Kinen from Tsukinowa Brewery, an equivalent of a sessionable sake Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - sushi from hokusei

I found this latter part one of my favorite educational experiences – besides trying lots of different sakes, exploring different combinations of sake samples and food samples had surprising results. I’ve never gone out of my way to have sake and cheese, but now I know (though I shouldn’t be surprised) that cheese goes with everything, including making great pairings that bring out new flavors by contrasting and complimenting flavors in cheeses and sake, such as Floating World Sake’s mushroomy Soma no Tengu with some cheese by Steve Jones of Chizu and Cheese Bar.
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - bites from Steve and Cheese Bar Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - bites from Steve and Cheese Bar

And by extension, sake paired with the Davis Street Tavern mac and cheese is a winner too. One surprise pairing winner was a recommendation from Whole Foods of strawberry, creamy chevre cheese, and Kaika Tonbindori Shizuku Blossoming Scents “Supreme Droplets” Tochigi sake. By itself one sake that impressed me was Mutemaka with its smoky flavors and unusual color since it’s made from ceremonial red rice. All of this at face value from initial description may sound a little odd – but be bold and go ahead and try things that sound weird and you may discover and learn something new, don’t just dismiss it!
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Sacred Mist (Honjozo Nigori, unfiltered premium) from Miyashita Brewery, the mac and cheese paired surprisingly well with unfiltered sake Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - favorite pairing turned out to be this particular Kaika Tonbindori Shizuku sake with strawberries and cheese

A ticket to Saké Fest PDX experience is full access to all food and all saké sampling stations – even rare & premium saké varieties, and includes a sake tasting glass. In addition, Early Admission Ticket holders get an additional hour before the regular admission guests by entering at 5:30 PM and is limited to only 100 people.

There will be 22 sake breweries and distributors offering multiple sakes at each station, which is a huge diverse variety to explore. I can’t think of another way to try so many sakes in one place.
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - sake from Takara Sake USA Inc Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Dreyfus Ashby & Co. / Ichishima Shuzo Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Kuramoto US
Takara Sake USA Inc; Dreyfus Ashby & Co. featuring Ichishima Shuzo; Kuramoto US

My advice to remember what you enjoy is to take photos of the sake. Don’t worry about being an amateur- the names and locations and types are still a jumble of syllables for me too.
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Barrel Aged (Taru Sake) in ceder barrels, from Kitsukura Brewery, Honjozo (premium) Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Sacred Mist (Honjozo Nigori, unfiltered premium) from Miyashita Brewery Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Hakutsuru Sho-Une Junmai-Dai Ginjo
Barrel Aged (Taru Sake) in ceder barrels, from Kitsukura Brewery, Honjozo (premium); Sacred Mist (Honjozo Nigori, unfiltered premium) from Miyashita Brewery; Hakutsuru Sho-Une Junmai-Dai Ginjo

There are 20 participating restaurants and food providers who will be offering food sampling stations where you can have a bite between sakes and try to create your own interesting pairings. The list includes

Tickets for the event are $55 per person regular admission or $75 per person early admission tickets. Attendees must be 21 or older to attend. You can purchase tickets in advance here and there will be a limited number of tickets available at the door.

Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 – Misc Sake photos
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - fun cans of Nezumi Otoko Jungin Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - fun cans of Kitaro Jungin Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - sake and bites from sampling stations Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Sanomaru Cup Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - Sanomaru Cup

The Meadow presenting Steak and Eggs made on a Salt Block and finished with tarragon butter
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - The Meadow presenting Steak and Eggs made on a Salt Block and finished with tarragon butter Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - The Meadow presenting Steak and Eggs made on a Salt Block and finished with tarragon butter

The gorgeous treats from Yume Asian Confections which possibly equaled the sake in my excitement over the discovery of these traditional treats that you can order custom made and are so super Japanese!
Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - treats from Yume Asian Confections Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - treats from Yume Asian Confections Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - treats from Yume Asian Confections Scenes from Sake Fest PDX 2015 - treats from Yume Asian Confections

Do you drink sake? What do you usually have when enjoying sake? Are you like me it’s pretty much stay in the box of having it with sushi?

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Santa Fe Art Scene: Enjoying the Southwest Arts

June 14, 2016 by 4 Comments

Besides the easy hikes outdoors like Bandolier, Plaza Blanca and Kasha-Katuwe, another fun activity we enjoyed while in Santa Fe was enjoying the Southwest Arts. There a couple main art focused destinations I would highly recommend for enjoying the Santa Fe Art Scene, plus I also threw in a peek at Taos where we took a side trip as well.

Keshi in Santa Fe

In downtown Santa Fe, Keshi The Zuni Connection is a little co-op store that offers arts and crafts directly from the artists. The store has direct, personal relationships with all the individual carvers, jewelers, and potters and continues to buy directly from the Zuni people. The relationships mean that not only can Keshi dedicate particular parts of shelves to that artist, but they can speak knowledgeably about their past work, what they are working on now, and what are the little quirks or special touches that differentiates their pieces. The list of artists they work with is impressive so you will have a huge variety of styles. Those relationships are what inspire “The Zuni Connection” part of the store name.

Keshi the Zuni Connection store is named so because of its close ties with the people of the Zuni Pueblo. Established in 1981 as a co-op for Zuni arts and crafts, Keshi has always maintained personal relationships with individual carvers, jewelers, and potters and continues to buy directly from the Zuni people. Keshi hosts one of the largest selections of Zuni fetishes in the world Keshi the Zuni Connection store is named so because of its close ties with the people of the Zuni Pueblo. Established in 1981 as a co-op for Zuni arts and crafts, Keshi has always maintained personal relationships with individual carvers, jewelers, and potters and continues to buy directly from the Zuni people. Keshi hosts one of the largest selections of Zuni fetishes in the world

They also know the Zuni stories and symbolism that inspires or gives special meaning to any of the pieces. And, they offer lots of small pieces, in particular Keshi hosts one of the largest selections of Zuni fetishes in the world. Fetishes are small carvings using a variety of possible materials although all sorts of pretty stone is very popular. The carvings will usually depict an animal spirit, each which embody different personality traits and symbols.

Keshi the Zuni Connection store is named so because of its close ties with the people of the Zuni Pueblo. Established in 1981 as a co-op for Zuni arts and crafts, Keshi has always maintained personal relationships with individual carvers, jewelers, and potters and continues to buy directly from the Zuni people. Keshi hosts one of the largest selections of Zuni fetishes in the world

I definitely love the direct artist connection, and the other thing I love about Keshi is that all their pieces are also affordable – ranging from pottery to fetishes to jewelry, small paintings, or other carvings like my particular interest were kachina dolls. To me, this makes Keshi even more approachable than any art gallery because it is accessible to regular people’s price points.

Keshi the Zuni Connection store is named so because of its close ties with the people of the Zuni Pueblo. Established in 1981 as a co-op for Zuni arts and crafts, Keshi has always maintained personal relationships with individual carvers, jewelers, and potters and continues to buy directly from the Zuni people. Keshi hosts one of the largest selections of Zuni fetishes in the world

Entering the store may seem overwhelming at first because there are so many small pieces – but just take your time browsing as the staff are great at leaving you alone to see what calls to you, but also helping you like you’re a regular dear customer. Almost everything is on open shelves so you can really examine the craftsmanship.

Keshi the Zuni Connection store is named so because of its close ties with the people of the Zuni Pueblo. Established in 1981 as a co-op for Zuni arts and crafts, Keshi has always maintained personal relationships with individual carvers, jewelers, and potters and continues to buy directly from the Zuni people. Keshi hosts one of the largest selections of Zuni fetishes in the world

Canyon Road in Santa Fe

In Santa Fe, there are several options for little streets of offering art. In downtown Santa Fe, besides the multiple museums there are also quite a few fine art galleries, though the price range is more suitable for collectors you can of course still visit and admire the pieces. Outside of the Palace of the Governers, you will also usually find Native Americans displaying their handmade jewelry, including lots of turquoise and silver. For more modern galleries with contemporary art, you might also visit the Santa Fe Railyard which is also where they host the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays year round, as well as local artist markets and a “Last Friday Art Walk” every month with 10 galleries..

My favorite art neighborhood though in Santa Fe was walking down Canyon Road. This one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. The variety of price ranges and types of art varies widely which makes it an adventure every time you step into a new doorway. And there were plenty of galleries that had stunning sculptures outside as part of a sculpture garden so you could even enjoy just walking outside. We were also there during the fourth Friday of the month, when galleries open later until 7 PM and some offer refreshments and or entertainment. Here’s a look at some of the artistic works we admired on Canyon Road.
Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Checking out art along Canyon Road in Santa Fe, the goats by Carole Laroche Gallery Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. These sleeping bears are outside Sage Creek Gallery Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants. Art on display outside as you traverse Canyon Road, this one half mile offers more than a hundred Galleries, Artist Studios, Jewelers, Boutiques and Restaurants.

This Canyon Road Contemporary Art was my favorite gallery because of the way they curated whimsical pieces and mixed media. And, I appreciate galleries that have a presence online so even though it’s been months since I visited, I can still visit and see what they have and still dream of purchasing pieces and continue to track artists that I really like. Here you see art from Pat Hobaugh with the retro toys, Amanda Banker with the paintings with a new fairy tale twist (and each painting comes with a paragraph to start the story), Molly Heizer with those cute animal ceramics and totem pole, and the Giraffe by Adam Thomas Rees which is composed of individual printed stamp blocks which he then assembles into a larger sculpture.
Canyon Road Contemporary was my favorite gallery, because of the way they curated whimsical pieces and mixed media. And, I appreciate galleries that have a presence online so even though it's been months since I visited, I can still visit and see what they have and still dream of purchasing pieces. Here you see art from Pat Hobaugh with the toys Canyon Road Contemporary was my favorite gallery, because of the way they curated whimsical pieces and mixed media. And, I appreciate galleries that have a presence online so even though it's been months since I visited, I can still visit and see what they have and still dream of purchasing pieces. Here you see art from Amanda Banker with the paintings with a new fairy tale twist, Molly Heizer with the fun animal sculptures and totems Canyon Road Contemporary Art was my favorite gallery, because of the way they curated whimsical pieces and mixed media. And, I appreciate galleries that have a presence online so even though it's been months since I visited, I can still visit and see what they have and still dream of purchasing pieces. Here you see art from Molly Heizer with the fun animal sculptures and totems Giraffe by Adam Thomas Rees at Canyon Road Contemporary which is composed of individual printed stamp blocks which he then assembles into a larger sculpture.

Taos

The drive up north from Santa Fe to Taos is very scenic, taking about 1.5 hours from Santa Fe, or 2.5 hours from Albuerquerque. But if you’re not in a rush to get there, I recommend you take the High Road one way (Route 68) through the valleys and canyons, and on the way back take the faster River Road / Low Road instead (518).  Both roads offer scenic panoramic views.

On the way to Taos, we whet our whistle at Blue Heron Brewing and Winery, a tiny little stop on Los Alamos Highway
On the way to Taos, we pulled over to try Blue Heron Brewing. We shared a beer tasting tray

Then we went to a full lunch with beer once we arrived in Taos at Eske’s Brew Pub for green-chile beer and a green-chile smothered burrito . As we admired the little muffin tray that they were using as their beer sampler tray, F as a vegetarian had an opportunity to try Green Chile in vegetarian form. Eske’s offers a Green Chili Burrito with a whole wheat tortilla filled with beans, onions, and cheddar smothered in Wanda’s Green Chile Stew. The vegetarian chile, with its huge chunks of carrots, zucchini and other goodies, is an unusual form of green chile.
<We stopped for more beer and lunch at Eske's Brew Pub. Nice tasting tray here - a muffin tin with a few decorative elements... We stopped for more beer and lunch at Eske's Brew Pub, where he had a Green Chili Burrito with a whole wheat tortilla filled with beans, onions, and cheddar smothered in Wanda's Green Chile Stew. We knew we wanted to have a pint of green-chile beer and a green-chile smothered burrito at Eske's Brew Pub & Eatery – the vegetarian chile, with its huge chunks of carrots, zucchini and other goodies, is unusual

While in Taos browse this cute small town’s various art galleries, all which are in walking distance and which are offer a large variety of art, and the prices are pretty reasonable.
A look around Taos and the various small art galleries and shops in what feels like a cute small town A look around Taos and the various small art galleries and shops in what feels like a cute small town A look around Taos and the various small art galleries and shops in what feels like a cute small town A look around Taos and the various small art galleries and shops in what feels like a cute small town

Asking about the art can also just be great education in learning the stories. For instance, I learned a lot about Corn Maidens. At Bryans Gallery I learned that there are eight Corn Maidens: the Maiden of the West has a tray of blue corn, the Maiden of the East has white corn, the Maiden of the North has yellow corn, the Maiden of the South has red corn, one Maiden carries black corn, and another carries multi colored corn. Zuni Corn Maidens are carved by hand from a number of materials that range from antler, turquoise, sugarlite, quartz, shell, fossilized ivory, coral, lapis lazuli, amber, and other stones. And, they even had detailed sheets explaining the meaning of various fetishes.

A look around Taos and the various small art galleries and shops in what feels like a small town - corn maidens at Bryans Gallery. There are eight Corn Maidens: the Maiden of the West has a tray of blue corn, the Maiden of the East has white corn, the Maiden of the North has yellow corn, the Maiden of the South has red corn, one Maiden carries black corn, and another carries multi colored corn. Zuni Corn Maidens are carved by hand from a number of materials that range from antler, turquoise, sugarlite, quartz, shell, fossilized ivory, coral, lapis lazuli, amber, and other stones. A look around Taos and the various small art galleries and shops in what feels like a small town - Bryans Gallery had a great sheet explaining fetishes and their meanings

On the way back or whichever way you are goign on the River Road / Low Road, you might consider a stop at Chimayo Weavers to look at their handwoven blankets you can purchase or that are in display at the tapestry gallery. 

I don’t always think to visit art galleries when I travel – I did so in Las Vegas and here in Santa Fe intentionally because I knew about the great art scene. What about you, do you try to visit art galleries when you travel? What did you think of any the pieces I shared with you today that I saw on my art stops and walks?

Here’s the summary of my series of posts on Santa Fe, New Mexico Travels

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