I took a quick field trip over to Moonstruck Chocolates this morning because, well, do I need to have a reason?? Actually, I went there because Mother’s Day is this weekend, and my birthday is just around the corner, so I thought good chocolate was in order. Moonstruck Chocolates is a local Portland company that has received loads of awards, honors, and national press (Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Rachael Ray, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, etc.). They have several cafe locations in the Portland metro area, and are carried at various retailers across the US. Or you can buy them online.

One of the things I like about Moonstruck chocolates is that some of their truffles feature Oregon products like Clear Creek Distillery brandy, Oregon huckleberry preserves, and Pinot Noirs from several different wineries (Sokol Blosser, Lachini, Ayoub).

I hand-picked a 4-pc. box of for myself: a Kir Royale Truffle, a Champagne Truffle, an Ayoub Pinot Noir Truffle, and a Clear Creek Apple Brandy Truffle (a Limited Edition Anniversary truffle). The chocolates are a delicious splurge that any chocolate lover would treasure! Now I just need to find a good hiding spot for mine so my family doesn’t eat them!!

Tags: Ayoub Pinot Noir, chocolate, Clear Creek Distillery, Lachini Pinot Noir, Moonstruck Chocolate, Mother's Day, Oprah, Oregon, Oregon chocolate, Oregon truffles, Portland, Portland chocolate, Portland truffles, Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, truffles, Valentine's

Kitchen Share SE, a kitchen tool lending library for residents of SE Portland, will be celebrating their grand opening on August 21st from 5-8pm in SE Portland at St. David of Wales Episcopal Church (2800 SE Harrison Street). The festivities will include music, food, demos, and homemade ice cream.

Kitchen Share SE will be a place where “community members can borrow equipment and share in the joy of processing, preserving, and serving food”. The borrowables will include canning equipment, dehydrators, ice-cream makers, meat grinders, food processors, bread makers, place settings, and other common kitchen tools that have been donated. This is great news for the home cook because now you’ll be able to try recipes that required kitchen equipment you didn’t own. To build up their kitchen tool library, the organization is accepting kitchen equipment donations (which are tax deductible) so check out their wish list for needed items.

They will be open on Tuesdays (5pm to 8pm), and a one-time membership donation of $10 – $30 allows you access to the kitchen library. Check out their website for more info: kitchenshare.org .
Note: Kitchen Share SE is only for residents of the SE Uplift neighborhoods.

Tags: borrowing kitchen tools, kitchen equipment library, Kitchen Share SE, kitchen tool lending library, kitchen tool library, kitchen tools, Oregon, Portland, SE Portland, SE Uplift neighborhoods, SE Uplift territory, St. David of Wales

Wow…this is a great sandwich! I made these for lunch yesterday and Husband commented after savoring one of them that it tasted like a fancy restaurant sandwich. Well, he was right because the recipe comes from local superstar sandwich shop, Bunk Sandwiches in Portland, Oregon. This tuna sandwich has loads more flavor than the classic mayonnaise-based tuna salad recipe!!! You get a little heat from the red chile flakes and some tang from balsamic vinegar and dill pickles…and the fresh herbs and melted cheese are just icing on the cake (or sandwich in this case)!

The ciabatta rolls are the perfect bread for this recipe because they get crispy on the outside from grilling but stay soft on the inside. I found ciabatta rolls at Fred Meyer but I’ve seen them at other markets and local artisan bakeries, too. The recipe calls for 2 cans of local sustainable albacore tuna (which sells for $5-$13 a can). Instead, I used regular canned albacore tuna. And because I didn’t have any fresh basil, I substituted freshly-cut chives and parsley from my garden.

The recipe gives exact quantities for the tuna salad but not for the rest of the sandwich (mayo, Dijon, cheese, pickles)…just use the amount of mayo and mustard you like on a sandwich. For the cheddar cheese and pickles, thin slices work best so the cheese melts when grilled and the pickles are easy to bite through when eating the sandwich.

Now just get out your panini press or cast-iron pan and grill up a great sandwich!

Bunk Sandwiches Oregon Tuna Melt
-recipe from Sunset Magazine (Sunset MAY 2012)

Bunk Sandwiches calls its yummy Oregon albacore tuna melt the Ultimate Oregon Sandwich because everything except the condiments comes from local sources, including the ciabatta rolls, sourced from Fleur de Lis Bakery. Chef and co-owner Tommy Habetz puts the tuna salad (recipe below) in ciabatta rolls spread with mayo and Dijon mustard, adds medium-sharp cheddar and sliced garlic dill pickles, and then grills the works in a panini press.

Bunk’s Oregon Albacore Tuna Salad
2 cans (5 oz. each) local sustainable albacore tuna
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together and make sandwiches (see above…ciabatta rolls, mayo, Dijon, cheddar, and pickles). Makes 1 3/4 cups (enough for 4 sandwiches).

Tags: albacore tuna, albacore tuna salad, Bunk Sandwiches, Fleur de Lis Bakery, Oregon, Oregon recipes, Oregon Tuna Melt, panini grill, panini press, Portland, Sunset Magazine, tuna melt, tuna sandwich, Ultimate Oregon Sandwich

Today, a friend and I trekked downtown to the Pearl for an outing with the kids and happened upon the Oregon Berry Festival on the corner of NW 10th and Johnson in the Ecotrust parking lot. This family-friendly event features a potpourri of vendors selling berries and berry-related products like ice cream, pies and other baked goods, jams and sauces, berry lemonade, shortcake, berry liqueur, and a variety of other delectables. A few of the vendors include Stahlbush Island Farms, The Berry Patch, Riverbend Organic Farms, Willamette Valley Fruit Company, Hoffman Family Pies, Briar Rose Creamery, and Clear Creek Distillery (click here for a complete list of vendors).

In addition to a bounty of beautiful berries, there will also be cooking demos, live entertainment on the “Blueberry Stage” (see schedule), and a chance to meet some local cookbook authors at the Cookbook Authors Table (Ivy Manning, Janie Hibler, Ashley Gartland). Also, be sure to take your little ones to the Children’s Oregon Berry Playground booth for munchkin-centered activities, and swing by the Bike Gallery booth and enter to win a new bike.

Admission is free. Hours are Friday, July 20 (12:00pm to 6:00pm), and Saturday, July 21 (11:00am to 4:30pm). Click here for a map of the festival.

Tags: Ashley Gartland, Briar Rose Creamery, Clear Creek Distillery, Ecotrust, Ivy Manning, Janie Hibler, Oregon, Oregon berries, Oregon Berry Festival, Oregon Berry Festival July 20-21 2012, Oregon events, Pearl District, Portland events, Riverbend Organic Farms, Stahlbush Island Farms, Willamette Valley Fruit Company

In Portland, we’re surrounded by great food and excellent locally-made products…and Big Tony Brown BBQ Sauce is absolutely one of my favorite local finds! My family loves it so much that they use it in place of ketchup now (I’m not kidding!). The sauce has a great balance of flavors — slightly sweet with a little tang and a bit of heat — and uses all-natural ingredients (no high fructose corn syrup or artificial stuff). Big Tony Brown BBQ Sauce is available in MILD or SPICY (which isn’t too spicy…my kids love it!), and is leagues better than the typical super sweet, smoke-flavored stuff sold in most markets. We’ve enjoyed The Spicy Sauce on chicken, beef, pork, and meatloaf. YUM!

And Tony Brown (aka Big Tony) is a nice guy so I love supporting his business. You can even hire him to cater an event. His over-sized charcoal grills, big personality, and grilling skills will be a huge hit at your next party!

Big Tony Brown BBQ Sauce is made in Newberg, Oregon, and can be purchased online or at these local Portland area stores: Barbur World Foods, Market of Choice (SW Portland and West Linn locations), Lamb’s Thriftway (Wilsonville and Lake Oswego locations), Gartner’s Meats, Red Hills Market (Dundee), Chuck’s Produce (Vancouver).

I heartily agree with Big Tony’s motto: “Heavy on The Spicy Sauce!” This stuff is liquid gold!

Tags: barbecue sauce, bbq, bbq sauce, Big Tony, Big Tony Brown, Big Tony Brown BBQ Sauce, Big Tony Brown The Spicy Sauce, Big Tony's, Oregon products, Willamette Valley

Last week I was invited to a blogger event for the unveiling of NYC’s famous Murray’s Cheese at the newly renovated Burlingame Fred Meyer. Murray’s Cheese, in business since 1940, is the oldest cheese shop in New York City and has been hailed as “The World’s Best Cheese Shop” by Forbes.com. At the event we got to sample some delicious cheeses and learn about Murray’s Cheese and what they have to offer customers — with them it’s all about amazing cheeses and excellent customer service!

In an exclusive partnership between Murray’s Cheese and Kroger (Fred Meyer’s parent company), Murray’s Cheese is opening outposts in three Portland Fred Meyer stores, as well as other Kroger stores across the country. The Burlingame Fred Meyer location is the first in Oregon (Hawthorne and Hollywood FM locations will open later in the summer). 

Each Murray’s Cheese counter features locally-made cheeses (in our case it’s Rogue Creamery, Tumalo Farms, Tillamook, and River’s Edge Chèvre), as well as those made from other parts of the world…over 175 cheeses plus gourmet crackers, olives, antipasti and other cheese-friendly delights. Amy Pitzer, the resident Murray’s Cheese expert at the Burlingame Fred Meyer, will educate, offer samples (“Try Before You Buy”), and recommend great pairings. Regular “Meet Your Local Cheesemaker” events are also scheduled (click here for details). Also, don’t miss the FREE Grand Opening Cheese, Wine & Beer tasting event this Friday, June 8 from 5-8pm. If you love cheese, you’ll definitely want to swing by!!! The Burlingame Fred Meyer is located at 7555 SW Barbur Blvd., Portland.

Tags: Burlingame Fred Meyer, cheese, Fred Meyer, gourmet cheese, local cheese tastings, Murray's Cheese, Murray's Cheese shop, Northwest cheese, Oregon cheese, Pacific Northwest cheese, Portland cheese tastings, River's Edge Chevre, Rogue Creamery, Tillamook Cheese, Tumalo Farms

I have a confession to make…I’m a hot sauce junkie. I just love the stuff! Maybe I’m addicted to the endorphin rush that comes from eating spicy foods. Whatever the reason, hot sauce makes me happy.

Recently, I bought a bottle of Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce (Aardvark for short), a local Portland-made product. The spicy concoction is a blend of roasted tomatoes, habanero peppers, onions, carrots and other stuff. Its consistency is similar to thin ketchup, and is less vinegary than a Tabasco-style sauce (which I also love). The bottle states that it is “a unique Caribbean/Tex-Mex hybrid” … “Dump on Everything”.

Aardvark is currently my favorite hot sauce and is different from any other I’ve tried. Some sauces are all burn and no flavor. Aardvark, however, has loads of flavor. Yes, it lights my mouth on fire but that’s the point. In fact, I can still feel the slight afterburn of a liberal dousing of Aardvark on my eggs and toast this morning. It’s a beautiful thing…

Are you intrigued? The fiery condiment is sold throughout the Pacific Northwest and one market in New York City. Or you can order it online. Buy some and make yourself happy!

P.S. I’m not being paid to write this — I just really love this product.

Tags: chile sauce, endorphins, habanero chile, habanero hot sauce, habanero peppers, hot sauce, Portland products, Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce, Secret Aardvark Trading Company

Today was the grand opening of the Lake Grove Zupan’s Market, a locally-owned store that caters to food lovers. What’s the big whoop, you ask? Well, several years ago my beloved Wizer’s Market (the store that occupied the same location) closed it’s doors. I had been shopping at the quaint gourmet market for nearly 20 years, so it was a sad day when I found out that they weren’t renewing their lease. Once closed, the space stayed vacant for a little over a year until last year when demolition/construction on the new Zupan’s started. I’ve been anxiously awaiting today’s grand opening so I invited a friend to join me for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new store is stunning! Beautiful floral arrangements greet you as you approach the store (kudos to the floral department). Once inside, I made a beeline to the produce department where top-quality fruits and veggies are artfully displayed. I was a little nervous to remove one of the cauliflowers for fear of starting a veggie avalanche (thankfully that didn’t happen).

Zupan’s features lots of local products and gourmet ingredients, as well as national brands and basic items. Although I won’t be doing all my shopping there, it will be my first stop for specialized ingredients and local products — just like Wizer’s was.

One thing I’ll be returning for soon is the Harris Ranch Beef Tomahawk Rib Steak for Husband. Basically, it’s a ginormous rib-eye with the bone exposed (frenched). I guarantee Husband will light up like a Christmas tree when he sees it…just like I did when I first walked into the new Zupan’s store!

Tags: cowboy steak, frenched rib-eye, Harris Ranch Tomahawk Rib Steak, Lake Grove, Oregon products, ribbon cutting, Wizer's Market, Zupan's, Zupan's grand opening, Zupan's Lake Grove, Zupan's Market

Last week, we were invited over to a friend’s property to pick marionberries. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. My mind was immediately flooded with all the marionberry possibilities: pies, jams, cobblers, oh yeah!

My friend and I picked berries while the kids played. I’m not talking about ordinary berries here…these marionberries were ginormous! Many of them were 1 1/2 inches or more in length!

After we picked all the ripe berries, we turned our attention to feeding the resident llamas some lettuce from the garden. Llamas are silly creatures and just looking at them makes me giggle. I almost feel sorry for llamas because it’s difficult to take them seriously…they’re kind of like the class clowns of the animal kingdom. I mean no disrespect to the llama lovers out there; I just happen to think they’re funny.

Anyway, it was a fine morning of picking marionberries in the summer sun with the added bonus of seeing some of the goofiest animals God ever created. I love Oregon!

Stay tuned for marionberry recipes…

Tags: Life in Oregon, llamas, marionberries, marionberry, Oregon berries

Last night I got together with some girlfriends for an outing on the lake. Here’s how one of these outings works: We meet at the Captain’s house, pile into her boat, slowly make our way across the lake while eating dinner (more on that part later), then we dock in town, get out of the boat, meander through the cute shops and restaurants, then pile back into the boat for the trek back to the Captain’s house. Last night there were 9 of us…often there’s 10 but one is on vacation. As you can imagine, there’s lots of laughter and general goofiness. This is a diverse group of personalities and perspectives but it works and I love them all dearly.

Now back to the food. There’s one thing you have to understand about this group: We Love Good Food! Our gatherings are always complimented by a wonderful potpourri of flavors. This is exactly what a potluck was meant to be…quality food that not only tastes good but is good for you. Last night we had: Chinese Chicken Salad, Spinach Strawberry Salad, Lemon Shrimp & Jicama Salad, Tomato Basil Mozzarella Kabobs, Feta Dip with Fresh Veggies, Thai Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce, Fresh Melon, Fresh Guacamole with Chips, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, and still warm Fudge Brownies. Yumm!

One of the highlights of the evening was when the Captain put on her Girlie Mix of tunes she’d put together just for this outing. She had collected a song for each of us with our name in it…9 songs in all. There was a song about Wendy. A song about Amy. Two songs about Lisa. A song about Shannon. A song about Cheryl. A song about Rose. A song about Debra. And I’d never heard it before but there was even a song with my name in it…Andrea. I couldn’t believe it! The Captain outdid herself! It was a super creative idea and one that I’m sure we’ll be talking about for a long time!

The sun had already set by the time we got back into the boat for our trip back to the Captain’s house. It was a warm night and the breeze off the lake felt good. It was a wonderful evening spent with a special group of friends, and through them, God has richly blessed my life. We laugh together. Sometimes we cry together. I am thankful for them.

I’m linked to:
Finer Things Friday
Just For The Joy Of It

Tags: Girls' Night Out, Life in Oregon