Review of Wild About Game 2019

Every year, Nicky USA, the meat concierge providing quality meat product to the best food creators in the Northwest, throws the meatiest celebration called Wild About Game. I was able to attend again this year, and here’s my recap and review of Wild About Game 2019. Next year will be their 20th anniversary of this event, so it’s sure to be special- be on the lookout for when they announce tickets are on sale.
Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party includes a throwdown between Portland and Seattle cooking game meat, and so many samples of other delicious food and beverage sure to keep you full as it is all you can eat and drink for the duration of the event Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party includes a throwdown between Portland and Seattle cooking game meat, and so many samples of other delicious food and beverage sure to keep you full as it is all you can eat and drink for the duration of the event

Usually held at the beautiful background of Mount Hood Resort (previously known as Resort on the Mountain), the party includes the San Pelligrino Artisan Marketplace for you to taste lots of local products. Yes there’s meat from local ranches, but also seafood and other deliciousness with preparations dished up often from well known chefs. There is also a throwdown between Portland and Seattle, with a representative chef from each city competing using a chosen game meat in four different face-offs, and then a people’s choice and judge’s choice winner from all eight dishes is announced.
Wild About Game 2019 Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party includes a throwdown between Portland and Seattle, with a representative chef from each city competing using a chosen game meat in four different face-offs, and then a people's choice and judge's choice winner from all eight dishes is announced.

That’s right – as a guest with your entry, it’s all you can eat and drink from among various sponsors (many who have well known chefs helping to showcase their product), AND you can sample all of the competition entries. Plus, there is a cocktail competition too – and this year there was also some tequila tasting classes. There’s also a raffle so you could win and go home with some cool prizes!
Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party included sponsor Tesoro Tequila featured in the cocktail competition and offering a few tasting classes repeated during the event. Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party included sponsor Tesoro Tequila featured in the cocktail competition and offering a few tasting classes repeated during the event.

The way it is organized was really smart this year in that all the competition dishes and drinks, which usually are what have lines since the competing chef or mixologist is only there for an hour, were all placed outside. That left more space without the logistics of people lining up or trying to go between the two sampling stations inside the building, so it felt much less crowded. There are also plenty of places to sit, be it at set tables and chairs outside to perching on sidewalk planters or sitting on the grass with a view of the mountains and the landscaped golf course below. Items being grilled were grouped together on one side, and there was also an area that was more focused on seafood.
Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party includes a throwdown between Portland and Seattlecooking wild game, but there are also lots of samples of meat, seafood, and other tasty products to sample throughout the WAG party Review of Wild About Game 2019: the party includes a throwdown between Portland and Seattlecooking wild game, but there are also lots of samples of meat, seafood, and other tasty products to sample throughout the WAG party

The Competition Dishes, The Competition Cocktails, and a Sample of other Samples are the three sections I will give you a visual peak of from my experience at Wild About Game 2019.

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VoteSom Cocktail Election

Starting yesterday and until Monday November 14, there’s another way you can make your vote count – and thankfully it’s not so heavy as the future of this country and your local government that will be decided. Instead, this is a more fun election: a VoteSom Cocktail Election, aka Pok Pok’s #VoteSom Election Week Cocktail Competition.
Pok Pok Som Drinking Vinegar comes in a variety of flavors that includes ones that are available all year round and special edition ones

Pok Pok Som Drinking Vinegar is doing an election-inspired cocktail competition event called #VoteSom happening at bars all around Portland. All of the participating bars were offered three seasonal flavors of Pok Pok Som drinking vinegar to choose from:

  • Cranberry
  • Szechuan Peppercorn
  • Honey

Pok Pok Som Honey Drinking Vinegar
The participating bar then used that flavor and their creativity to create a cocktail candidate which will be on their menu for the next two weeks. During that time, anyone can go out and try the cocktails, then visit Pokpoksom.com/vote-som to VOTE for the cocktail they think is the best! The winning drink recipe will be featured on the Pok Pok Som website so you can recreate it at home to impress your friends or enjoy as many as you want without judgement!

Below are the participating bars and their cocktail ‘candidates’ launching on menus for the 2016 VoteSom Cocktail Election. I’m going to be possibly doing a little cocktail tour next week to check out what are the positions of each of these candidates.

  • American Local – “Oh! Pear” – Pear gastrique, orgeat, Pok Pok Som Honey drinking vinegar, El Dorado 3 year Rum, Angostura Bitters (3003 SE Division St)
  • NePo 42 – “Bigly” with muddled cucumber, lime, cilantro, simple syrup, mezcal, averna, soda, and the Pok Pok Som Szechuan Peppercorn drinking vinegar with a sugar cayenne pepper rim (5403 NE 42nd Ave)
    VoteSom Cocktail Election entrant from NePo 42 of Bigly with muddled cucumber, lime, cilantro, simple syrup, mezcal, averna, soda, and the Pok Pok Som Szechuan Peppercorn drinking vinegar with a sugar cayenne pepper rim
  • Southpark Seafood – “Lil’ Som Som” – Whiskey, Applejack Brandy, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, and a dash of House Made Cinnamon Bitters (901 SW Salmon St)
    Southpark Seafood VoteSom Cocktail Election Candidate of Lil' Som Som, a cocktail with Whiskey, Applejack Brandy, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, and a dash of House Made Cinnamon Bitters
  • Spud Monkey’s – “The Monkey Smash” – Muddled Lemons, Vanilla 360, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, Splash Sour, Sugar Rim (17312 NE Halsey St)
  • StormBreaker Brewing – “This Cocktail is Rigged” – Espolon Reposado tequila, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, lime juice, StormBreaker Brewing ‘When I Froot’ blood orange-conditioned blonde ale (832 N Beech St)
    StormBreaker Brewing This Cocktail is Rigged with Espolon Reposado tequila, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, lime juice, StormBreaker Brewing 'When I Froot' blood orange-conditioned blonde ale for Som Som #VoteSom campaign
  • Swift & Union – “Bad Sombre” – Hendricks Gin, Pok Pok Som Honey drinking vinegar, Angostura bitters, Lemon and simple syrup, this cocktail will also be their featured happy hour cocktail for $5 M-F 4 PM – 6 PM! (8103 N Denver Ave)
    Pom Pom Som #VoteSom campaign, this nominee by Swift and Union is the Bad Sombre with Hendricks Gin, Pok Pok Som Honey drinking vinegar, Angostura bitters, Lemon and simple syrup Pom Pom Som #VoteSom campaign, this nominee by Swift and Union is the Bad Sombre with Hendricks Gin, Pok Pok Som Honey drinking vinegar, Angostura bitters, Lemon and simple syrup
  • Tabor Tavern – “Pick Poket” –  Prairie Cucumber vodka, Orchard apricot liquor, Pok Pok Som Szechuan Peppercorn drinking vinegar, club soda (5325 E Burnside St)
    VoteSom Cocktail Election entrant from Tabor Tavern of Pick Pocket with Prairie Cucumber vodka, Orchard apricot liquor, Pok Pok Som Szechuan Peppercorn drinking vinegar, club soda
  • The Liquor Store {not a real liquor store} – “Not just Som Toddy” – Hot toddy with bourbon, lemon, raw organic honey, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, and a splash of orange juice.(3341 SE Belmont St)
    Are you researching the candidates of the Pok Pok Som #VoteSom Cocktail Election? Here's one from The Liquor Store their nominee is Not just Som Toddy Hot toddy with bourbon, lemon, raw organic honey, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, and a splash of orange juice Are you researching the candidates of the Pok Pok Som #VoteSom Cocktail Election? Here's one from The Liquor Store their nominee is Not just Som Toddy Hot toddy with bourbon, lemon, raw organic honey, Pok Pok Som Cranberry drinking vinegar, and a splash of orange juice

I’m a fan of Pok Pok Som multiple flavors because the sour acidity that the drinking vinegar offers in a cocktail or even just with club soda is really refreshing. If you have not heard of Pok Pok Som before, they originated from Pok Pok and are a variety of sweet and tart fruit and vinegar based concentrate available in different flavors.

I’m really intrigued by the one from South Park Seafood (and I also love whiskey), and the one with beer from Stormbreaker Brewing. South Park Seafood, by the way, was the winner of the last cocktail competition with Pok Pok Som during the past summer with their Brandy Ginger Som Sour.

Which of these sounds intriguing to you or are you tempted to go try?

 

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