Edible Portland Blog

Opposable Thumb's panini sandwich and gelato. Photo courtesy of www.portlandpicks.com.

Cozy cafe, gallery showcasing local artists, Ristretto Roasters coffee, Stella Gelato (from Eugene), Kettleman bagels, and every dish chock full of local ingredients, locally processed meats, wild and line-caught salmon. Welcome to Opposable Thumb Gallery + Café - where I dined just last week.

Chef Jon Grumbles (one-time chef of Candle Cafe in NYC, widely considered one of the best vegetarian restaurants ever) works on his focaccia pizzas, panini sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts in a tiny back kitchen.

I was very excited to hear that Chef Jon will be preparing a special vegetarian meal (vegan upon request) for 25 diners at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 8th. This $25 3-course meal (plus complimentary glass of wine - Hello! Best deal of the year.) will feature local, seasonal ingredients and could become a once monthly event.

Reserve your seat now by emailing Mary Nichols.

Opposable Thumb Gallery + Café
3312 SE Belmont St
Portland, OR 97214
503.235.0146

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-11pm

Allow me to share with you a line from the article "Eco-Harmony on the Farm."

A turkey sex education course was in order. It turns out that the demand for weighty, big-breasted birds, organic or otherwise, has driven the evolution of commercial turkeys to the point that it is physically impossible for the Tom to reach the hen.

Think about that for a second.
-Deborah Kane

The American Bronze turkey is one of four heritage breeds raised by Andy and Jeannette Westlund at Harmony J.A.C.K. Farms.

ECO-HARMONY ON THE FARM
Heritage Free-Range Turkeys at Harmony J.A.C.K. Farms
Written by Diane Morgan
For Fall 2007

To understand Andy Westlund, owner of Harmony J.A.C.K. Farms, and why he raises heritage free-range turkeys along with beef and goats, you have to understand the back story of the farm. For Andy, that story begins with the soil.

“We are trying to build a natural system on the farm that is symbiotic, so all the components fit together,” says Andy. “You have to look at the soil first, because in the beginning an organic farm might have soil that is chemical free, but if the soil isn’t rich and full of micro-nutrients, then, honestly, it’s not much different than a commercial farm.”

Six years ago, Andy and Jeannette Westlund bought farmland in Scio, Oregon and began working from the soil up to build a sustainable, USDA certified-organic farm. Balanced, healthy soil translates into pasture land full of rich, nutrient-dense grasses and crops for the free-range cows, goats, and turkeys to feed on.

Quality feed translates into quality meats, according to Andy. “We believe our beef, goat, and turkey products have more nutritious elements, such as trace minerals and many basic proteins. It makes sense to me that animals feeding on the best nutrients will produce the most complex, nutrient-rich food. People need balanced natural food, rich in enzymes, trace minerals and many micro-compounds, to build healthy bodies and minds.”

The balance of animals on the farm is another element of the natural system the Westlunds have worked to build. Cattle, the mainstay of the farm, graze on the pasture land, while goats have been added primarily for weed and brush control. The free-range turkeys can co-exist easily with goats and cows, and are the “king” of the insect eaters, helping to keep nature in balance.

Andy chose to raise free-range heritage turkeys—Bourbon Reds, American Bronze, Slate, and Narragansett—because these breeds, dating back to the Pilgrims, are as close to wild as possible. In addition, they reproduce naturally.

King Corn has sold out at movie theaters across the country. It opens in Portland tonight at Hollywood Theatre, showing at 7:15 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Buying advance tickets is highly recommended.

Curt Ellis will also be at Hollywood Theatre Friday and Saturday nights to answer your questions.

Read Curt's story in the Summer issue of Edible Portland: All Ears: An Oregonian harvests wisdom in Iowa.

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and thankfully, Diane Morgan has set us up with her favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Just follow the links below.

Butter-Rubbed Roast Turkey with an Apple Cider Glaze
Apple-Cider Brined Turkey
Gratin of Fennel and Tomato
Cranberry Chutney

Stock up on your staples at the Portland Farmers Market Thanksgiving FEASTival on Saturday, November 17, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., downtown on the South Park Blocks at the PSU campus.

For last minute shopping, the Portland Farmers Market Eastbank location, on SE Belmont and 20th, will be open for the Thanksgiving Reunion Market on Tuesday, November 20, 2 - 6 p.m.

Blossoming Lotus creates all-vegan food from scratch daily for their Pearl District cafe and catering business. All dishes are sourced locally and use organic products whenever possible. If you'd rather spend your Thanksgiving day catching up with friends, playing games with your family, or taking a walk outdoors, think about ordering an entire Thanksgiving meal from Blossoming Lotus.

Orders must be received by November 19. Email their catering manager, or order the whole meal, for 2 to 12 guests, online.

The Menu:
Savory House Made Seitan and Vegetable Cassoulet
Autumn Squash Gratin
Escarole and Arugula Salad with Roasted Root Vegetables
Dried Cranberry and Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette
Onion Rye Rolls
Persimmon Cranberry Bundt Cake
Holiday Nut Nog Soft Serve
Stellar Cabernet (optional)

Prices range from $40, dinner for 2, to $270, dinner for 12.

When reviewing the artwork for this feature story on cheese I was struck by how much effort our photographer put into styling the cheese. The beautiful rounds adorned with whole peppercorns were striking. I complimented her on going above and beyond the call of duty but she informed me the cheese came that way! One more reason to support the many artisanal cheese producers in our region—the cheese is as great to look at as it is to eat. -Deborah Kane

Monteillet Fromagerie's artisan cheeses. Photo by Christine Hyatt

THE FRENCH CONNECTION
A Northwest Cheesemaker Uses Techniques from the Old Country
Written by Angela Allen
For Fall 2007

Pierre-Louis Monteillet is easy to spot on Saturdays at the Portland Farmers Market. Wearing his trademark boater, graying ponytail pulled back, he cuts a debonair figure when he arrives on the South Park Blocks with several coolers of his farmstead cheeses.

When the market bell rings, his booth turns into a busy hub. All it takes for shoppers to ante up is a taste of his ash-rolled Le Roi Noir or Mejean, a syrah-soaked sheep cheese.

On a very good day, he sells as much as $1,200 of handmade cheese named for the plateaus near his former home in south central France. His cheeses range from a delicate herbed fresh goat variety to a soft-ripened Larzac, characterized by its inner layer of grape-leaf ash. The hard Causse Noir, made with two-thirds goat’s milk and one-third sheep’s milk, is aged for three months. His Provençale cheese is marinated in truffle-infused olive oil and is spiced with peppercorns, rosemary, garlic, and summer savory.

Each cheese is distinctive, and if you visit his booth week after week, each will taste slightly differently from the same type sampled the previous week. It all has to do with its artisan characteristics: handmade, farmstead, and seasonal.

Pierre-Louis and his wife, Joan, raise 35 French Alpine goats and 35 Friesian and Lacaune sheep on their 31-acre farmstead in Dayton, Washington, 28 miles northeast of Walla Walla.

For help in distinguishing among all the great Northwest artisan cheeses, here is a short - and certainly not comprehensive - starter guide from Angela Allen.

SCIO HERITAGE: Ancient Heritage Dairy’s hard raw sheep’s milk cheese is made from the milk of the East Friesian flock in Scio, Oregon. www.ancientheritagedairy.com

LARZAC: A soft-ripened goat’s milk cheese with a layer of grape-leaf ash in the center, it’s one of Monteillet Fromagerie’s best sellers. Dayton, Washington 509-382-1917

OREGONZOLA: One of Rogue Creamery’s award-winning blues from Central Point, Oregon. www.roguecreamery.com

GARLIC-ONION CHEVRE: A signature soft goat’s milk cheese from Country Pride Farm in Ridgefield, Oregon. 360-687-1625

CAMEMBERT: A French-style, soft-ripened, single-herd Jersey cow’s milk cheese from Oregon Gourmet Cheeses in Albany, Oregon. www.oregongourmetcheeses.com

GOUDA: An award-winning, nutty-flavored, semi-hard Gouda from Willamette Valley Cheese Co. in Salem, Oregon. www.wvcheeseco.com

JAM-ORAMA

In our family, there are certain foods that are known as “scary good.” Foods that are to die for, to sop up, to lick off the plate. Recently we’ve added jams from Anthony and Carol Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm in Gaston to the list. Opening this jar is like an explosion of summer with its deep, rich berry flavor and aroma. Look for Red Currant, Black Currant, Blackcap, Loganberry, Boysenberry, Red Raspberry and Purple Raspberry jams this winter. It’ll taste like summer never left.

Available at:
Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods
Steve’s Cheese
Pastaworks City Market
Montinore Vineyard
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market

-Kathleen Bauer

PLANTING FOR PLENTY

During the winter, my idea of a really good time is sitting in my favorite chair (or better yet, propped up in bed) with a cup of tea, dreaming about the garden I’ll plant when spring arrives in March or, more likely, April. It’s also a great opportunity to think about the Plant a Row for the Hungry project, a nationwide grassroots effort encouraging gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to donate to local food collection agencies. Last year, local gardeners donated tons of fresh produce and had a significant impact on reducing hunger in our area.

For more information: Contact Elizabeth Peterson

-Kathleen Bauer

It's time for Portland's annual Holiday Ale Festival at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Although held outdoors, you won't be freezing you're fingers off: You'll be warm and dry under a large, clear-ceilinged tent with several gas heaters.

You'll also be happy that for free admission and the purchase of a $5 beer mug, you get to sip over 36 winter ales, including:

Wreck the Halls from Full Sail (Hood River)
Jubelale from Deschutes (Bend)
Santa's Private Reserve from Rogue (Newport)
Tannen Bomb from Golden Valley (McMinnville)
Blitzen from Rock Bottom (Portland)
O'Holy Hops from Max's (Tigard)
Sled Halucinator from Collaborator (Portland)
Brewdolph from Lompoc (Portland)
Kringle Krack from Calapooia (Albany)
Brown Shugga from Lagunitas (Petaluma, CA)
St. Nick's Sock Knocker from Karlsson (Sandy)

Thursday, November 29 - Sunday, December 2
11am-10pm Thursday-Saturday
11am-6pm Sunday

NEW FACE IN FoPo

The Foster-Powell neighborhood is a hot spot for development, as evidenced by the proliferation of port-a-potties and coffee joints popping up like candidates in an election year. A new entry is a tavern on 53rd and Foster called Cava, started by former Provvista provisioner Randall Montgomery and his wife, artist Amy Ruppel.

Modeled on the British gastropub, it specializes in high-quality food a step above basic “pub grub.” With rich colors on the walls and comfy wood booths lining the perimeter, this spot has a well-edited beer and wine list with lots of local representation. For a spot to cozy up in this winter, Cava could be just what the doctor ordered.

Cava Tavern
5339 SE Foster
503-206-8615
cavapdx.com

Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 5-11 pm

-Kathleen Bauer

FREE RANGERS

Speaking of comfort food, in my book there’s very little that can trump a good roast chicken for cool-weather dining. Whether smoked or slow-roasted on a bed of vegetables, the richness of this dish belies the simplicity of its preparation. But it was a huge epiphany when I slow-roasted a free-range, pasture-raised organic chicken from Kookoolan Farms in Yamhill.

This bird was “chicken-ier” than market chickens, with more flavor and texture in the meat and a much leaner profile. Available year round, Kookoolan offers Cornish Cross chickens and Delawares, an heirloom breed of chicken, as well as turkeys, pheasants and rabbits at Hillsdale Farmers’ Market and People’s Year-Round Farmer’s Market.

Available at: Hillsdale Farmers’ Market
SW Sunset Blvd & Capitol Hwy
First & third Sundays of the month, 10am-2pm

Available at: People’s Year-Round Farmer’s Market
3029 SE 21st
Wednesdays, 2pm-7pm

-Kathleen Bauer

THE WINES OF WINTER

Winter is the season when I crave the warmth and soul-satisfying comfort of food from the oven, whether it’s a braised lamb roast or hearty squash casserole. And nothing accompanies these foods better than dark, rich red wines. I’m not just talking about Oregon’s ubiquitous pinots.

From winemakers David O’Reilly of Owen Roe and Sineann’s Peter Rosback come blends that will fill your mouth and spark your synapses with zinfandel, cabernet and merlot combined with unusual grapes like Blaufrankisch and cabernet franc. Other big blends to look for come from Roseburg’s Abacela Vineyard Winery and Cana’s Feast Winery in Carlton. At $20 or less per bottle, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better to fire up your next meal.

The wines:
2006 Owen Roe Abbot’s Table
Sineann Red Table Wine
Abacela Vintner’s Blend
Cana’s Feast Winery Two Rivers Bordeaux Style

Available from most Oregon wine retailers.

-Kathleen Bauer

The Winter 2008 issue will be on newsstands by Monday, December 3rd! Check with our advertisers to pick up your copy.

You don't need a reminder that the holidays are here. But have you thought about a gift subscription to Edible Portland for friends and family? They're guaranteed sumptuous reading all year long. Place your order here, and we’ll mail the first issue with a gift card.

You can also just print this Gift Subscription Form and mail it to:

Edible Portland
c/o Ecotrust
721 NW 9th Ave, Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209

BRUSSELS SPROUTS & BACON

By Jason Barwikowski, Chef, Clyde Common
Serves 4-6

Olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
1 cup bacon/pancetta, cut into uniform pieces
1 red onion, julienned
1-2 bay leaves
1 thyme sprig (optional)
1 lb brussels sprouts
Splash sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place a large cast-iron pan, at least 12 inches wide, over medium heat. (Andy and Bax is a great source for cast iron!) Add 1/2 cup high-quality olive oil. Heat oil and add garlic cloves. Stir with a wooden spoon and, as cloves brown and soften, gently press to break them up. When the garlic is cooked, remove and discard. Add bacon or pancetta to the pan. Turn up the heat and brown. When the pork is golden and crisp, remove and reserve.

2. Drain off all but some of the fat. Return the pan to medium heat, adding a splash more olive oil. Add the red onion. Season well with salt and pepper and stir to coat the onion in the oils and seasonings. Add bay leaf and thyme. The salt will help break down the onion and change the starches to sugar. Brown the onion, stirring often. While the onion cooks, prepare a pound of brussels sprouts by trimming off the root end and picking off a few of the outer leaves. Wash in cold water. Drain well, quarter and gather them in a bowl.

3. When the onion is caramelized, remove the bay leaf and thyme and then add the sprouts. Season with salt and pepper. (It is good style to season a dish as you go, making constant small changes.) Keep the flame on low to medium heat. Stir often. Cook this dish slowly and patiently. Add a bit of olive oil occasionally to keep the sprouts from getting too dry. When the brussels sprouts gain color and start to melt, add the pork. Add a hearty splash of good sherry vinegar and the Dijon mustard. Cook a few more minutes, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Optional: Add 1/2 cup water or chicken stock to the pan for a juicier dish. You can also add cooked black-eyed peas and grilled pork or lamb sausage towards the end of the cooking.

Photo by Neal Foley

ALMOND FENNEL FARRO
From the Food Front Co-op Deli

Farro is an ancient grain, highly nutritious and tasty. It’s grown at Lentz Farm in Marlin, Washington. You can substitute the farro with wheat berries, spelt berries, or kamut. This makes a nice side dish, adding a chewy, nutty texture to your meal.

2 cups farro
4 cups water
1 small bulb fennel, white part only, cut in half, core removed, very thinly sliced
1 small leek, washed, white part only, cut in half lengthwise, very thinly sliced
1 carrot, julienned
1 cup slivered, blanched almonds
1 sprig rosemary, leaves only, chopped
3 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley

Dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, marjoram, sage)

Cook farro on the stove top or in a pressure cooker as you would rice: bring to boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer until the individual grains are fluffy, tender, and chewy. This can take from 40 minutes to an hour and fifteen. Remove the pot from the heat but leave the lid on to let the grains steam.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and prepare your fennel, leek, carrot, almonds, and herbs. Drain any excess water from the farro, and while it’s still warm, mix everything together and coat with dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature. Tastes nice with a squeeze of lemon.