The Final Chefwich at Lardo, from Greg Denton of Ox

October 11, 2013 by 7 Comments

So, I’ve finally had them all! Collection complete! As a recap, there have been six sandwiches created which are all collaborations between Rick Gencarelli of Lardo and a guest chef, aka, a chefwich. Each chefwich has been rotating into the Lardo menus (either of the two Lardo locations, Lardo West in SW downtown or in Lardo East in the SE) over the past 6 months. For all the chefwiches a portion of the proceeds benefited a charity of the guest chef’s choice, and each chefwich was a limited time sandwich offer, only available for a month.  Previously, I had…

  1. The Cathy Whims (of Nostrana and Oven & Shaker) and her Straccetti sandwich featuring bavette steak, provolone cheese, roasted asparagus, and horseradish creme fraiche. Beautiful, messy, delicious richness. Her chosen charity was Friends of Family Farmers which promotes responsible farming (covered here in this previous blog post)
  2. The Scott Snyder (of Levant), with Morroccan Lamb Meatball and black olive mayo, harrisa carrot slaw, feta. This chefwich benefits Urban Gleaners, whose mission is to eliminate waste of surplus food by redistributing to the hungry (covered here in this previous blog post)
    Lardo, chefwich, Scott Snyder, Levant, Morroccan Lamb Meatball and black olive mayo, harrisa carrot slaw, feta
  3. The Aaron Barnett (of St. Jack)- #3 in Chefwich Series, a sandwich of Fried Calamari – caper & red onion mayo, marinated tomatoes, lettuce. Mmm, that crispy crispy calamari which was perfectly executed to be crunchy but not overdone or greasy would have been excellent even on its own, but bonus! You get a whole squidwich! Proceeds go to the Special Olympics and their support their mission to provide sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (covered here in this previous blog post)
    Lardo, chefwich, Aaron Barnett, St Jack, Squidwich sandwich, Fried Calamari - caper & red onion mayo, marinated tomatoes, lettuce
  4. The Anthony Cafiero (of Ración) a Serrano Ham bocadillo, with pepper & onion saor, manchego cheese, smoked paprika aioli. A portion of the proceeds from this Chefwich benefit Portland Food Bank. (covered here in this previous blog post)
    The Anthony Cafiero collaboration sandwich- #4/September sammie in Chefwich Series at Lardo PDX, Serrano Ham bocadillo - pepper & onion saor, manchego cheese, smoked paprika aioli. A portion of the proceeds from this Chefwich benefit Portland Food Bank.
  5. Jenn Louis (of Lincoln Restaurant and Sunshine Tavern), a grilled cheese with fontina cheese, plum conserva on Grand Central Bakery sour rye. A portion of the proceeds from this Chefwich benefit the Oregon Food Bank. (covered here in this previous blog post)
    From Lardo, the Jenn Louis chefwich, a grilled cheese with fontina cheese, plum conserva on Grand Central Bakery sour rye. The plum conserva comes in a container on the side, so I suppose you could choose to dip it. But, I decided to just spread it like a jam on top.

Finally, the last sandwich comes from Greg Denton of Ox, with an offering of a sandwich called “Blame Canada” because apparently he didn’t want the sandwich to just be called “The Greg Denton”. It has roasted turkey, French fries, cheese curds, and foie gras gravy.

The proceeds of this sandwich go to an animal welfare organization called Guardians of Rescue, and is available now through October 14. Very decadent end!
Lardo chefwich. The last sandwich comes from Greg Denton of Ox, with an offering of a sandwich called Lardo chefwich. The last sandwich comes from Greg Denton of Ox, with an offering of a sandwich called

Although this is the sixth and supposedly last chefwich (based on the stamp card having 6) , I also hope that Lardo will continue to offer a chefwich in the future where they do continue to collaborate with chefs.

Have you had any or all the chefwiches? Which do you think you would call your favorite?

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Multnomah Whiskey Library- review from a 1st visit

October 9, 2013 by 14 Comments

The Multnomah Whiskey Library opened yesterday, October 8, and now is operating under a regular T-Sat 4pm-midnight schedule. There is no window that shows their space- in fact look carefully for their sandwich board sign because that’s all the hint you’ll get to look left and see the door nearby 12th and Alder. You go down a hallway to reach their big wooden door, where you must then inquire about a table.  I can imagine that this hallway will be quite populated if the wait times continue through the upcoming rainy season, rather than guests waiting outside on the sidewalks.

Multnomah Whiskey Library sandwich board

I arrived around 5pm and was told there was a 40 minute wait. I gave the host my name and phone number to put down, and about 20-25 minutes later got the call that they had an opening and I needed to be there in 5 minutes. Unfortunately the rest of my part was not there yet, so I confirmed my presence and quickly contacted everyone to get their butts over, as they will seat everyone at the same time.

The inside really does remind me of an Ivy League university library, resplendent with its communal “study” table as well as some big leather booths and couches. The servers are dressed in ties and vests, and serve your beverage selections either from a cart or silver tray, giving a level of formality that underscores the elegant chandeliers and stained glass on the ceiling, as well as the shelves with their seemingly fragile precious treasures on display.

Multnomah Whiskey Library atmosphere  Multnomah Whiskey Library atmosphere
Multnomah Whiskey Library atmosphere Multnomah Whiskey Library atmosphere Multnomah Whiskey Library atmosphere

I was impressed by their whiskey selection, which included 9 Scottish Whiskeys, 4 Irish Whisky, 4 “World Whisky/Whiskey” from India, France, Japan and Canada, 4 American Whiskey and 5 Kentucky Bourbon. I somehow missed the page of other alcohol bottles and the beer selection (they plan to have three beers on tap, one local, one English ale, one stout as well as a dozen or so bottles). However, I did catch a snap of the 8 cocktails.

Multnomah Whiskey Library atmosphere Multnomah Whiskey Library, the selections their first week for tastings Multnomah Whiskey Library, the selections their first week for cocktails

But I was disappointed they did not offer whiskey flights so that I could try a few different options from their vast collection. I understand that they plan to rotate a list of 12-14 to highlight every 2 weeks, but with so many bottles why wouldn’t you offer some educational pours such as one that is all the same year, or same area, or all very smokey, etc?  At each tasting of these ranging from $6-7 at the least and up to $57 (most are in the $15 range) and with this kind of wait continuing as I’m sure many are excited about the Whiskey Library, I wonder who can really spend the time and money needed to get the desired whiskey education.

Still, the servers are certainly excited- they have been learning for months, and have a weekly “study group” themselves on Monday to continue their education in order to serve us better. That makes me excited. They also have a free book you can ask for, a little journal where you can make notes of your tasting evaluation. It is a great little book that includes illustrations and quotes on one side of 2 pages and the other having areas to jot down information about the spirit and take notes on appearance, nose, palate, finish, and misc.

whiskey from Multnomah Whiskey Library, neat Multnomah Whiskey Library tasting notebook

They do offer food in a hidden kitchen- when there are plates ready for service a panel on the side of one wall opens, and then closes, hiding the kitchen away. The restroom seems very secretive as well- you have to tell the host stand because they have to buzz you past the first door outside, and then there is a code on the restroom door as well. I’m sure this is a thrill for both sides in having to know the details of this interaction.

I was surprised by how wide the menu ranges. Small snacks (under a section called “Tidbits” priced less then $5 include baguettes or pretzel rolls or olives or nuts. Slightly more substantial from $6-10 include bites like a salad, blistered padron peppers, crispy potatoes, seared scallop or oysters, or an intriguing dish of chanterelles with a slow poached egg and stewed whiskey grains, or a salmon smoked over peat. Both these sections are under “The Farmer” for vegetables and “The Monger” for seafood.

Larger plates are under “The Butcher” and include options such as a plate of country hams, a cheese and meat plate, pork belly, scotch egg, bacon wrapped pluouts, mac n cheese, a “hot brown”, and a cheeseburger and a steak. The most expensive items were the filet mignon at $30, and an American Caviar Service at market price. They also offer a few desserts: a cheese plate, butterscotch pudding, chocolate stout cake (it was listed with Old Fitzgerald Barrel a Imperial Stout beer by FiftyFifty Brewing Co), and a similarly intriguing fried pecan and bourbon pie.

Multnomah Whiskey Library, menu of food ranges from small snacks at $3 to more substantial bites around the $6-15 range Multnomah Whiskey Library, menu of food for dessert

The bites I tried included the heirloom tomato tart at $6, the “hot brown” I mentioned, which was described simply as “dark meat gravy, gruyere, belly, baked egg” at $9, and the dessert cheese plate of fennel pollen crackers, 2 selections from Steve’s cheese (seriously how hard is Steve working, going all over the city providing selections!), and preserved apricots. The tart was nothing special, but I was surprised at how hearty the Hot Brown was, though also a little awkward for us to eat as we were sitting at a couch with little individual TV trays for each of us that didn’t even come up to my knee.

Multnomah Whiskey Library Heirloom Tomato Tart with fresh cheese and rosemary custard Multnomah Whiskey Library cheese plate of fennel pollen crackers, 2 selections from Steve's Cheese and preserved apricots Multnomah Whiskey Library dish of Hot Brown with dark meat gravy, gruyere, belly, baked egg at $9 Multnomah Whiskey Library dish of Hot Brown with dark meat gravy, gruyere, belly, baked egg at $9

There are more beautiful photos of the inside here at this Eater article “Check Out the 1,500-Bottle Multnomah Whiskey Library”. I’m still thinking about that fried pecan and bourbon pie, so I’ll check up on them in a bit and see how things are doing.

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Surfing Goat Dairy in Maui

October 7, 2013 by 3 Comments

I enjoy looking up dairy farmers (cheeeeeese) and breweries in local areas when I travel. When I was in Maui, I was really excited to stumble across Surfing Goat Dairy, which is in the area of Kula that is nearby the famous Haleakala Crater. If you are visiting Maui, there is a pretty good chance you will hear about how spectacular the sunrises are up here at the summit of Haleakala Crater, and that you must go. And, you are told to do this early in the vacation, because with the several hour drive if you are staying in the Lahaina/west part of the island, you may be leaving at 3 am.

I love sunrises, but I also love sunsets, so we decided to visit Surfing Goat Dairy, and then go for sunset at Haleakala instead. This netted me an extra bonus that as we were driving up, instead of being in the complete dark, we were able to drive up to the clouds, building up the excitement for the view that seems like we are angels in the sky at the top. Driving down was also very easy since I had already been on the road at light. But, if you decide to do the sunrise instead, consider lingering at various stops (or do the bike downhill tours) so that you can visit Surfing Goat Dairy when it opens in the late morning.

Surfing Goat Dairy Farm in Maui is a national award winning dairy producing about 30 varieties of goat cheese on its 42 acre farm with some 200 goats! Surfing Goat Dairy Farm in Maui sign: Please close ALL car windows and doors. Our cats like to steal food!

Surfing Goat Dairy Farm is a national award winning dairy producing about 30 varieties of goat cheese on its 42 acre farm with some 200 goats! The dairy is owned by a former German Software company expat. You can sample many cheeses, including cheese flights. Some of their cheeses include

  • Ivory Coast chevre with fresh cracked black pepper
  • Rolling Green chevre with fresh garlic chives
  • Ole chevre with jalapenos, artichokes, cilantro, and lime juice
  • O Sole Mio chevre with sun dried tomatoes
  • Purple Rain chevre with lavender
  • Men’s Challenge chevre with horseradish and cayenne pepper
  • Mandalay chevre with apple bananas and Madras curry
  • A Canada (!) chevre with cranberries, cinnamon, honey, and pomegranate
  • Swedish Heart aged cheese with caraway seeds
  • Feta 5 month aged cheese with olive oil and rosemary and ripened in olive oil in a glass jar
  • French Dream aged cheese with herbs de Provence
  • Broken Hearts aged 3 month cheese with olive oil, basil, and garlic and ripened in olive oil in a glass jar
  • Mac Goat Nut, a cheese smoked and then in macadamia nut oil with nuts and ripened in olive oil in a glass jar
  • Diabolic aged cheese with olive oil, peppercorns, garlic, hot Thai Dragon chilies, fingers of Buddha Hand Citron

Surfing Goat Dairy Farm in Maui is a national award winning dairy producing about 30 varieties of goat cheese on its 42 acre farm with some 200 goats!

YUM right? They also have a few snacks if you want a little more. I was drawn to the “Cheese on the Shirt” that includes includes 4 Ping Pong Balls (drained chevre in olive oil with garlic) of goat cheese on Mango Chutney

Surfing Goat Dairy Farm in Maui is a national award winning dairy producing about 30 varieties of goat cheese on its 42 acre farm with some 200 goats! You can sample cheeses, and they have some snacks Surfing Goat Dairy Farm Cheese on the shirt snack in Maui includes 4 Ping Pong Balls (drained chevre in olive oil with garlic) of goat cheese on Mango Chutney

Finish up with ordering some of the truffles they also offer, such as this one we had, a chocolate truffle with apple banana curry powder with goat milk. For an extra $1 for a hay bag, you can also feed their silly kids. The goat kind, not human. They also offer tours where you can see the cheese making process and even milk a goat, but we came too late in the day to participate. Something to definitely keep in mind for a change in pace of beach activity while visiting Maui!

Surfing Goat Dairy Farm in Maui's chocolate truffle with apple banana curry powder with goat milk Surfing Goat Dairy Farm, feed their kids (the goat kind, not human) at $1 a bag of hay! in Maui as a little break on the way to Haleakala Crater

And here’s some picks of the pics of sunset that we took:

    

Have you ever visited a dairy? Would you have done sunset like us or toughed it out to watch sunrise?

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Nakalele Blowhole Hike, Cafe Mambo of Maui

October 4, 2013 by 4 Comments

I’m going to take us back a month… back to my vacation in Hawaii at the end of August, when we were in Maui. We were staying on the west side of the island, about 10 minutes north of the famous town of Lahaina. On one of the days, we decided to rive past Kapalua and around to Paia. This road at one point is very similar to the road to Hana in that it offers lots of narrow spots where it is 1 lane and lots of twists and turns on the curvy road but with also gorgeous views of cliff and oceans and the road is not as crowded as the Hana Highway. One of the major stops we made was at Nakalele Blowhole.

There is a marked stop to view this blowhole, but the water that shoots up from here varies tremendously with the tide- when we finished walking here, it was only a little gurgle, and probably could barely be seen from the official viewpoint. But we had stopped per the Maui Revealed guidebook about 1/2 mile from the 38 mile marker and hiked down. I’ve used these guidebooks from the library on previous visits to Hawaii, and they are amazing in giving information as you drive along a road and pointing out great hidden stops you wouldn’t know about otherwise unless you were a local.

This hike was another example of the value of this guidebook. Despite the disappointing lack of power/water to the blowhole, this hike which promised landscape that “looks like an alien war zone where combatants fought with acid” was still a surreal and unique experience. It’s not what you would expect in Hawaii, but yet it was a welcome break from the sand and sky and waves and greens. Here are some example photos. in order of what we saw as we descended down towards the lighthouse, past cliffs pockmarked with crags and caves, with pounding waves and yet quiet clear pools of water, and then past it to the sea spray ravaged rockscape and the blowhole on this couple mile hike roundtrip:

Beginning our walk towards Nakalele Blowhole Beginning our walk towards Nakalele Blowhole Nakalele Blowhole Hike Walking towards the lighthouse, we see clear tidepools Walking towards the lighthouse, we see clear tidepools  Walking towards the lighthouse, we see clear tidepools We come to an alien landscape, where it looks like a war zone fought with acid. Billions of tons of sea spray blown by wind has carved up the soft rock here. The land is literally being eaten before us On the way to Nakalele Blowhole, there is an alien landscape On the way to Nakalele Blowhole, there is an alien landscape On the way to Nakalele Blowhole, there is an alien landscape On the way to Nakalele Blowhole, there is an alien landscape On the way to Nakalele Blowhole

After the hike at the Nakalele Blow Hole, I continued driving around the island on that scenic curvy road west to east onward to Paia, enjoying the sites of this windswept part of Maui. Although the forests and foliage are not as lush as Hana on this Highway 30 since it’s not as wet here, we enjoyed the views of untamed shoreline and cliffs and bays, and the valley small town of Kahakuloa where we acquired the best banana bread on the planet from a bright green shack, Julia’s. If you go this way, stop here, you would not believe how melt in your mouth moist this banana bread is.

View as you enjoy smoothies before you enter Kahakuloa Village if driving west to east on Highway 30 The best banana bread on the planet at Julia's stand as you leave Kahakuloa Village

Before we walked around Paia to explore this little sweet plantation town, we refueled recommended by the folks of the amazing Pulehu Pizza food cart in Portland who used to live in Maui. Knowing their impeccable taste level, we went straight with no hesitation, to the restaurant Cafe Mambo. The atmosphere is eclectic and warm, with lots of local art on the walls.

The atmosphere of Cafe Mambo in Paia, Maui The atmosphere of Cafe Mambo in Paia, Maui

The menu offers something for every diet. For instance, there is a tofu burger, which unfortunately didn’t mention it used mayo which overwhelmed the subtle fresh flavor of the Sesame & Nori-crusted Tofu. I had the same tofu that went into the burger on the side, which was much more enjoyable.
Cafe Mambo in Paia, Sesame & Nori-crusted Tofu, Maui

Other vegetarian or vegan options include from their menu a 7 Vegetable Stew with Cous cous, or a Mediterranean Nut Falafel Sandwich. In fact, all the main proteins they carry- the organic tofu, the island fish of the day, crispy duck, grilled chicken, local steak or kahlua pork, can all be found in their sections for salads, sandwiches, burgers, or fajitas.

The highlight and specific recommendation I loved from a friend who used to live in Maui was for the crispy duck fajitas. Look at that crackling, crispy deliciousness of that duck! You have the choice of ordering for one or two persons, so I obviously ordered the Crispy Duck Fajitas for One. All Fajitas are served with Home-made Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Feta, Jalapenos, Black Beans, Salad and Flour Tortillas. It comes sizzling to your table, and does have lots of crispy caramelized bits as promised by the name, you will not be disappointed! Seriously a large portion, I don’t know how one person could eat this- I wonder how generous the one for two persons would be!

Crispy duck for my crispy duck fajitas at Cafe Mambo Crispy Duck Fajitas for One at Cafe Mambo, Paia in Maui. All Fajitas are served with Home-made Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Feta, Jalapenos, Black Beans, Salad and Flour Tortillas

Cafe Mambo has two locations- Maui and the Hamptons in New York! I’ve only visited the Paia location, and highly recommend it as your meal stop if you are visiting this town.

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Feast Portland 2013 Day 3: Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger

September 25, 2013 by 3 Comments

Disclosure: I was granted a Bloggers Pass for Feast Portland 2013, and asked to help promote Feast but they did not require that I write this post and I am not otherwise being compensated. 

Even though I already posted about the Feast Saturday High Comfort event, it was not the only event I visited on Saturday. Another huge event for Feast Portland 2013 Day 3 was the Whole Foods Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff competition at Directors Park. Of course, there was the Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger competition to watch. Also, I was able to stop by some of the various producers who were offering free samples during this free event, and my Bloggers Pass also got me entry into a VIP area where I saw the most beautiful bloody mary bar in my life.

Logo for the Whole Foods Market Best Butcher Competition and Fishmonger Faceooff Live Music from Redwood Son at the Whole Foods Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff competition during Feast 2013

But first, the informative stuff.

I had previously written about Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff in a countdown post noting what happened last year (answer- it wasn’t here!) and also the day before the event listing out the competitors coming from all the regions to compete, and a little bit about the Whole Foods Markets meat and seafood program.

Despite the on again, off again rain, many people still braved the weather to cheer on the various participants. It was amazing to watch the butchers and fishmonger really show their craft in knowing the anatomy of the product and their samurai like skills in slicing and dicing to prepare cuts in mere minutes. At the event, 22 regional winners of butcher and fishmonger contests now vied for the national title. Between the competitions, live music by Redwood Son kept everyone in good spirits.

Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger: Whole Foods Market crowns champion butcher and fishmonger at FEAST Portland Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger: Whole Foods Market crowns champion butcher and fishmonger at FEAST Portland
Whole Foods Market® crowns champion butcher and fishmonger at FEAST Portland – See more at Whole Foods Market Newsroom

In the end, Hector “El Jefe” Yedra from a San Franscico Whole Foods representing the Northern California region and 25 years of experience won the title of “Best Butcher”, beating out the defending champion Armand “the Arm” from New Jersey. Meanwhile, Frank “The Italian Slayer” Ficarra from the Florida region took away the “Finest Fishmonger” crown, flexing his 30 years of experience.

Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger event 2013, Best Butcher on the left, Finest Fishmonger on the right, per the Whole Foods Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff at Feast 2013

It was amazing and intimidating to see these men and 1 woman (a female fishmonger!) at their craft. Butchering and fishmongering are centuries old craft, and something that is often behind the scenes as you may purchase your surf and turf already packaged from the coolers or only think of them as being behind the case to wrap up your purchases. It was humbling to see their skill, when I am barely evenly cutting up vegetables. On a related note, Whole Foods is going to continue to cultivate and honor this traditional line of work with not only the training they already provide to their current team members, but announcing the launch of an intensive 18 month Apprenticeship Program to further foster new generations of experts.

One of the vendors I was able to speak while at this event was Creminelli Fine Meats. There, I was able to chat with Cristiano Creminelli. You can’t import the Italian salami, so they imported an Italian man instead! Cristiano’s family have been cured meat artisans working with fine meats for centuries (generations and generations of recipes and skill-passing from father to son which they can trace back to at least the 1600s!), including his father and his brother still in Italy!

They source their meat from local ranchers and family farms in Iowa (their base of Utah isn’t really a source for pork) from animals that are 100% vegetarian fed with no antibiotics, which is why Christiano believes actually the salami they are producing here in the US is even better than what you can get back there because of the incredible quality of meat they work with! Look how beautiful it is. Yes, that is Christiano jumping with excitement in one of the photos. Apparently since it wasn’t past lunchtime yet there had not been enough time since he probably shaved that morning to equal the natural super manly shadow you can see on the banner on the left of his booth, heh.

Creminelli Fine Meats is available at Whole Foods, so check them out! Although I adore my local Portland providers Olympic Provisions and Chop, I rest easy knowing that when I travel to other cities and states, I can still put together an incredible delicious picnic for a hike with impressive sandwiches while supporting old world tradition and great animal husbandry practices at family farms just by stopping at a local Whole Foods.

At the Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, it was awesome to have an opportunity to learn about Creminelli Fine Meats... you can't import the Italian salami, so they imported an Italian man with his recipes instead. Available at Whole Foods- the meat, the meat, not the man!Awesome to have an opportunity to learn about Creminelli Fine Meats... you can't import the Italian salami, so they imported an Italian man with his recipes instead. Available at Whole Foods- the meat, the meat, not the man! List of available Creminelli Fine Meats products, check your local Whole Foods List of available Creminelli Fine Meats products, check your local Whole Foods List of available Creminelli Fine Meats products, check your local Whole Foods Some of the offerings of Creminelli Fine Meats: Praga sliced meat. Check your local Whole Foods

As more people started to arrive I wasn’t able to spend as much time speaking to all the vendors, though there were a few I wanted to highlight. From Ocean Beauty Seafood I learned about this new product, a beautiful caviar that is less salty because instead of using salted water they used soy sauce: what a gourmet appetizer to put together, requiring only simple assembly of cracker, smoked salmon, a little whipped cream cheese or creme fraiche or even yogurt and a 1/4 teaspoon of this caviar. Want an easy dinner to go with a great red or beer? At Whole Foods you can purchase these mussels already in a tomato and garlic broth and pre-cooked- you just need to steam to warm it up and add your garnish of Parmesan and you’re good to go!

Meanwhile, American Homestead Natural Pork sampled uncured wurstmeister natural smoked sausages, including bratwurst and this jalapeno german sausage. No nitrates or nitrates added, raised with no added hormones or antibiotics and vegetarian friend at family farms. And look at that gorgeous Bacon Wrapped Scallops from Raw Seafoods Inc. These were only a few of the complimentary bites for anyone that arrived at Directors Park for this FREE event with FREE samples! If they repeat this event next year, you MUST go!
Soy sauce caviar! so fancy! All available at Whole Foods Soy sauce caviar! so fancy! All available at Whole Foods Mussels that come prepackaged in broth and precooked, just warm and add your garnish of Parmesan! At Whole Foods American Homestead Natural Pork sampled uncured wurstmeister natural smoked sausages, including bratwurst and this jalapeno german sausage. No nitrates or nitrates added, raised with no added hormones or antibiotics and vegetarian friend at family farms. Available at Whole Foods Bacon Wrapped Scallops from Raw Seafoods Inc. Available at Whole Foods

Finally, the most beautiful Bloody Mary bar I have ever seen.

One special VIP treat I was able to enjoy with my Bloggers Pass was the Bloody Mary bar crafted by Elephant’s in the Park. It included New Deal Distillery Portland 88 vodka, a rim using The Meadows Mesquite Smoked Sea Salt & Black Sea Salt, and a base mix that included lemon, worcestershire, Cholula, and tomato juice for a spicy kick!

Meanwhile, there was a huge table on either side to create our own skewers from various vendors that are also available at Whole Foods. So you could totally do some of these yourself for your own bloody mary bar!

Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, The Most Beautiful Bloody Mary Bar I've ever seen, stocked with various goods from Whole Foods surf and turf vendors Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, The Most Beautiful Bloody Mary Bar I've ever seen, stocked with various goods from Whole Foods surf and turf vendors Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, The Most Beautiful Bloody Mary Bar I've ever seen, stocked with various goods from Whole Foods surf and turf vendors

The Surf Skewer Menu included options such as

  • Seared Yellowfin Tuna and Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon from Blue Circle
  • Patagonia Blue Mussels Mediterranean Style from Ocean Beauty Seafoods
  • Ceviche Bay Scallops from Raw Seafoods Inc.

The Turf Skewer Menu included

  • St Louis Smoked Pork Rib from American Homestead Natural Hampshire
  • Beef Italian Style Meatballs from Colameco’s
  • Campfire Salami from Creminelli Fine Meats
  • Chicken Meatballs from Northwest Farms & The Original Brat Hans
  • Rib-eye Steak from Panorama Organic Grass Fed Beef
  • Original Tom Tom Turkey Snack Stick and All-Natural Fully Cooked Bacon from Wellshire Farms
  • Pork Chorizo from Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, The Most Beautiful Bloody Mary Bar I've ever seen, stocked with various goods from Whole Foods surf and turf vendors

There was a Vegetable Skewer Menu too, but I didn’t have any more room on my skewer. But talk about decadent! So I had to have two. The first one was very meatball centered, while the second one I stepped it up to a meatcentric steak and rib garnish!

Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, Build your own garnish for Bloody Mary, courtesy of various vendors available at Whole Foods, in this case particularly Cold Smoked Atlantic Salmon from Blue Circle, Chicken Meatballs from Northwest Farms & The Original Brat Hans, Beef Italian Style Meatballs from Colameco's Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, Build your own garnish for Bloody Mary, courtesy of various vendors available at Whole Foods, in this case particularly Rib-eye Steak from Panorama Organic Grass Fed Beef and St Louis Smoked Pork Rib from American Homestead Natural Hampshire

Whole Foods also provided a few more bites to help us with our Bloody Marys…
Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, Bites courtesy of Whole Foods at the Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff during Feast Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, Bites courtesy of Whole Foods at the Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff during Feast Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, Bites courtesy of Whole Foods at the Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff during Feast Whole Foods Best Butcher and Fishmonger Event 2013, Bites courtesy of Whole Foods at the Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff during Feast

Disclosure: I was granted a Bloggers Pass for Feast Portland 2013, and asked to help promote Feast but they did not require that I write this post and I am not otherwise being compensated.  The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own, and I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences regardless of whether they were complimentary or not. 

Also check out my recap of Day 1 Sandwich Invitational and Day 2 Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting, as well as the other Day 3 event of High Comfort Recap. You can also check out Portland Monthly’s slideshow of the event.

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