Nicky USA’s Wild About Game – recap of 2017

July 20, 2018 by 5 Comments

Nicky USA is a butchery and meat distributor for the Portland area and Pacific Northwest for the past 28 years – and most major restaurants in town that are fine dining establishments procure meat from Nicky USA. If you want sustainably raised game meat, Nicky USA is the one you go to. Every year for the past 18 years now, they have hosted an incredible event Nicky USA’s Wild About Game, (often nicknamed “WAG”) which they call “The Meatiest Celebration in the Northwest”. As you could guess from the name, Nicky USA’s Wild About Game is all about the high quality meat. Besides more then 40 tables of food and drink industry vendors showcasing their products, many partnering with chefs from amazing local restaurants to highligh their product, Wild About Game is also a food and cocktail competition!

Nicky USA's Wild About Game, 2017 Artisan Marketplace vendor samples Nicky USA's Wild About Game, 2017 Artisan Marketplace vendor samples Nicky USA's Wild About Game Nicky USA's Wild About Game

Besides the Maker’s Mark Cocktail Competition, there is the Carter Cutlery Game Cooking Competition. A chef from Seattle and a chef from Portland compete using the same assigned game meat. The winners of each face off are decided by a panel of judges and also by the attendees who get a chance to vote for People’s Choice overall. The overall winners by the judges and people enter the WAG Hall of Fame.
Nicky USA's Wild About Game - Hall of Fame as of 2017 competition listing the previous 16 years of winners for judges choice and people's choice

As an attendee of Wild About Game you will get to taste the head to head dishes that come from Chefs. There will be a schedule of each face off when a chef from Seattle is paired against a chef from Portland, using the same game meat. They will both offer their samples one after the other at that scheduled time so you can compare and contrast them. This then repeats for four categories during the event, with you snacking at the Artisan Marketplace in between when the chefs dishes are ready. For the 2018 Nicky’s USA Wild About Game, the competitors include

Tickets just went on sale via Mercury Tickets. The cost to attend the event this year is $75, and keep in mind it is all inclusive of all the food and libations you can fit during the 11 AM – 4:30 PM event duration – do not surprised that you will be seriously full. Please note that event only admits those 21+.

To give you better insight of the event, here are the details from the 2017 event so you know exactly how you are really get above and beyond your $75 worth.

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Langbaan Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Edouardo Jordan

July 18, 2018 by 6 Comments

Langbaan is already an amazing restaurant with its incredible multi-course dinner that take you on a tour of regions of Thailand (example dinner that I recapped here), and in addition to those special dinners they also have been doing a Chefs Who Inspire Series. For these dinners, Langbaan head chef Earl Ninsom brings in a chef who inspires him and they collaborate for a unique, once in a lifetime meal in which they offer twists of dishes by collaborating with each other or riffing off ideas from each other. I attended one of the Chefs Who Inspire Dinners with Chef Justin Woodward (recapped here), and last week, I attended one with Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Edouardo Jordan.
Langbaan Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Edouardo Jordan of Salare and Junebaby, a collaboration with Chef Earl Ninsom of Langbaan to benefit Farestart Langbaan Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Edouardo Jordan of Salare and Junebaby, a collaboration with Chef Earl Ninsom of Langbaan to benefit Farestart

Chef Edouardo Jordan is the chef and owner of Salare (I actually first had his cuisine at a dinner where he came down to Portland to do a dinner a Salt Fire Water series Dinner with Renata back in 2015), and last year, almost a year ago, he opened new Southern restaurant Junebaby. He recently won two titles at the 2018 James Beard awards for Best New Restaurant in the US, and Best Chef Northwest, though Chef Earl had already asked him to be part of this Chefs Who Inspire series before he won those accolades.

During the introduction to his friend, Chef Earl mentioned how he knew Chef Edouardo from cooking against him and getting beaten – perhaps a reference to The Wild About Game event a couple years ago when they went head to head cooking rabbit. Chef Edouardo not only beat Chef Earl but also won overall for that year! Both chefs cook from their heritage and tell a story that is too often told white chefs in the elevated dining circles, but both have successfully broken through and become successful while infusing their own history and perspective in a way no one else has.
Langbaan Chefs Who Inspire Dinner with Edouardo Jordan of Salare and Junebaby, a collaboration with Chef Earl Ninsom of Langbaan to benefit Farestart

Fifteen percent of the proceeds of this dinner went to Chef Edouardo’s charity of choice, Farestart. Farestart is a nonprofit which for the past 25 years had provided the homeless and disadvantaged with culinary and life skills and job placement to give them a chance at a self-sufficient life. He referenced the commitment to growing and making a difference with the just that day announced that Angela Stowell was leaving her position as CEO of Ethan Stowell Restaurants to become the CEO of Farestart. If you are Seattle, besides visiting some of the restaurants and cafes where attendees of the programs get a chance to practice, definitely look up the Guest Chef Nights too.

Finally, here’s a look at the fantastic meal I enjoyed.

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Oregon Strawberries in the Summer

July 16, 2018 by 8 Comments

Every year, in the state of Oregon, there is the anticipation and then the lines in the morning (including people lining up even before the Portland Farmers Market opens) for the famous Hood Strawberries. They only have a season of a few weeks in June, but are so sweet, red, and juicy and clearly, people think so worth it. But of course Hoods are not the only strawberries Oregon has to offer. Let’s look at some more Oregon Strawberries in the Summer. Overall, I truly do believe after eating strawberries in many a state that Oregon strawberries truly are the best. Unlike other states, they spend a long time on the plant that distinguishes Oregon strawberries overall from other strawberries, and they are more sweet thanks to our season of warm days and cool nights and plenty of rain.

Oregon Strawberries at the Portland Farmers Market. Oregon Strawberries at the Portland Farmers Market.

About Oregon Strawberries

Last month at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, the Oregon Strawberry Commission had a stand at the market. Visitors were invited to taste four kinds of strawberries, and then with a sticker vote for their favorites. In the running that day included the varieties of (with some photos to show the comparison when they cut up):

  • Sweet Ann: this relatively new varietal of has a firm shape that is a little more elongated (for instance, versus the more heart shaped photogenic Seascape, or the rounder Hoods) and a berry flavor that is not too sweet or tart and a medium firm texture. You may find these around all summer.
  • Shuksan: these strawberries are among the first to appear in the market in mid to late May. With its more firm texture they are better for heat and freezing then Hoods which make them great for preserves and jams, baking, or let them soak with a little balsamic vinegar and sugar (a tablespoon per cup or two of strawberries) and pour them over desserts, or you can use them to make strawberry bruschetta. These I think had the best aroma of the four I tried here.
  • Seascape: these have a longer season from late May to September – which means you can still get them now! – and have the best looking shape I think because it is a bit more firm then the others varietals (except for Albions, and many California strawberries you may find at the chain grocery stores, California has bred its strawberries to be a lot of firmer to stand up to shipping). The Seascapes has good body but not too hard. This is the type that I used in the two recipes I share below, and have a bit of tartness along with the sweetness.
  • Hood: very sweet thanks to high sugar content, but are best uncooked since they are more fragile and can get mushy easily. I like them with cream, , and in ice cream, and even when they aren’t looking as pretty I just muddle them in a cocktail. They have a brief 2-3 week period when they are available may be among the most famous variety of the Oregon strawberries. Hood Strawberries are delicate so can’t withstand shipping long distances, and are always on sale to you within a day of being picked because they ripen so quickly. Hood Strawberry season is over now (though you may find it frozen or in jams and such)
    Oregon Strawberries - Sweet Ann strawberries Oregon Strawberries, Shuksan varietal of strawberries Oregon Strawberries, Seascape varietal of strawberries Oregon Strawberries, Hood varietal of strawberries

Voting results!

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SeaSweets Poke

July 13, 2018 by 11 Comments

When the temperatures are hot in the summer, I look for refreshing but comforting food – and poke bowls are among my top choices. Unlike sushi or sashimi which often adds up to a pretty penny with the number of rolls before I’m full, poke bowls are more filling. One of my favorites in Portland is SeaSweets Poke – I love that they are a bit more nontraditional in their poke combinations and their toppings. Here’s my closer look at SeaSweets Poke’s menu.

SeaSweets Poke - customize your own poke bowl with among half a dozen poke options and a lot of creative toppings over rice or greens. When the temperatures are up nothing is so satisfying as a poke bowl with all your favorite custom fixings over white or brown rice or kale salad to nourish and cool you off. Here I stacked it with Salmon in house ponzu and Albacore in house fried chili oil and black vinegar shoyu, Kimchee Corn, Hijiki Edamame, Sambal Guacamole, fried onion, furikake, and extra richness with a Sous-Vide Runny Egg from Sea Sweets Poke

First, if you haven’t had a poke bowl before, you are basically going to be choosing a set combination that is already available, or more popular is building your own bowl (think a bit like Chipotle or similar taco or burrito line where you pick all your individual fixings). For the base, you are using a bowl of rice (white or brown rice, or you can use kale salad) and then choosing the 1 scoop or 2 scoops of the poke protein option. If you go when it’s not too busy, you will usually be able to ask for a toothpick taste to help decide from the 6 options available.
SeaSweets Poke - customize your own poke bowl with among half a dozen poke options and a lot of creative toppings over rice or greens

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DIY Smoothie Bowl Party

July 10, 2018 by 5 Comments

Earlier in the spring, I attended an event sponsored by The Feed Feed and Bob’s Red Mill. It was a brunch event that included a DIY Smoothie Bowl Bar, and I loved this idea! I can’t imagine anything more suitable as a theme for a really memorable and fun summer party then a DIY Smoothie Bowl Party – no more having to stand in front of a hot grill with burgers (although that can be good too). For really hot summer days though, and/or for a healthy party, here’s how to put together a cool summer brunch! This idea would be so original for a wedding or baby shower too.
DIY Smoothie Party with The Feed Feed, Bob's Red Mill, and Lauren Chandler

The setup is simple: two pitchers, and two squeeze bottles, each filled with a different colored smoothie. In this event, we had a Rhubarb Smoothie as one option, and a Spicy Greens Smoothie enriched with Vanilla Protein Powder Booster, but it’s your choice what flavors and colors you would like for your two smoothies. The intent of the two smoothies is to offer two options of contrasting colors that can make it more fun for each guest to decorate their smoothie bowls.
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