Banana Wonder

PDX Pretzel Throw Down #9: Prost!

2012-01-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

pretzel on flash

Nothing says German pretzel like Prost!
This was The Germany bakery's version kicked up 20 notches with a chewy crumb, salt on the side served, and slight notes of lye. Delivered with squirts of hearty grain mustard and a sweet hot mustard, providing optimal dosages of nasal clearings. At $4, this fresh, slightly toothy knot gets high rankings.
As a warning, I have gone to Prost! to find their pretzel sold out. Be there early, because they are good.

Current Top 3 Rankings:
1. Deschutes
2. Prost!
3. Fressen

Prost!
4237 N Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR 97217

Almond Oil Roasted Sprouts and Squash

2012-01-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

I recently invested in a bottle of almond oil in which the main recommendation of use was to make sugar cookies with it. I decided to try the savory route, mixing the sweeter oil with something bitter and delicious - b sprouts! I threw some delicata squash in the mix because, well, delicata plays well with others. The end result was a crispy, warming, nourishing vegetable dish. Hazelnut oil would also work magic. Any other alternative oils out there that people love?

Almond Oil Roasted Sprouts and Squash

1 lb Brussel Sprouts

1 medium size Delicata squash

3 tablespoons almond oil

1/4 cup roasted almonds, crushed

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Clean brussel sprouts, cutting off the ends and removing outer leaves.
Wash delicata squash, half lengthwise and scoop out seeds, then slice into moon shapes.
Mix brussel sprouts and squash together with almond oil and salt.
Pour out on sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with roasted almonds and more sea salt, if desired.

Secret Pizza - Las Vegas, NV

2012-01-17T19:38:00.000-08:00

pepperoni pizza

The secret is that it's really just O.K. pizza. Typical greasy under-the-heat-lamp pizza that tastes delicious if you're drunk but just all right if you're sober. The flavors are as is for the most part but you can accessorize for a price. The best part about coming here is that it is a secret - no signs or special doors, just a hallway. You feel special just to find it, along with the other, yeap I'm gonna say it, hipsters. IPA and PBR are flowing as well as wine and soda. Pinball machines are in check, as well as about 3 bar stools.

Roasted tomato and goat cheese pizza

Cosmopolitan Hotel

Las Vegas, NV

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-13T22:17:00.000-08:00

I made these cookies on whim inspired by my Significant (m)Other who randomly baked (ZOMFG!) cookies during my last visit home.

My mom hasn't baked cookies since I was 8 years old.

I am 31.

But, way, way waaaaay back in my childhood memory there is my mom making cookies, peanut butter (because they are kind of healthy?) cookies to be exact and she's using the back of a fork to make criss-cross prints on each dough mound that's spooned off on an undoubtedly stained cookie sheet. The coincidence was that she wasn't making cookies for the nuclear family, nope. she was making cookies for my grandpa's neighbors. Tragedy, no (because I had a few). Inspiration, yes.

As soon as I got back to Portland, I made peanut butter cookies. This time I adultified them with cocoa nibs and dark chocolate. Peanut butter comforting goodness with a kick of voluminous sick. Every time I make peanut butter cookies, I always use Smitten Kitchen's basic recipe because it results in a soft and chewy cookie.

mix

fork

cool

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

semi adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 egg

3/4 cup dark chocolate chip or chopped

2 tablespoons cocoa nibs, ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl beat peanut butter and butter until fluffy.
Add the sugars and cocoa powder and beat until smooth, then add egg and continue to beat.
Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips and cocoa nibs.
Using a large spoon or ice cream scooper (like I did) scoop out on un-greased baking sheet.
Using a fork, lightly indent dough in a criss-cross pattern.
Bake for 10 minutes (do not over bake, even if cookies look raw), allowing cookies to cool for 1 minute on sheet, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Lotus of Siam: best Thai in a strip mall?

2012-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

Chicken Satay

A few months before going to Vegas, JT excitedly sat me down to look at the Lotus of Siam menu. He got some hot tips from poker friends that it was the place. We were both amped since the Thai scene in PDX has been treating us ho-humly as of late.

Lotus of Siam is known to be the single best Thai Restaurant in North America by my favorite food critic, Jonathan Gold. It also got props from my pals Gourmet Pigs and the Gastronomer in addition to poker locals.

The restaurant is actually located in a Vegas strip mall, but inside it looks like a classy establishment with an exposed wine cellar on one wall and richly colored carpeting. The menu as well as the wine list are extensive and everything is moderately priced.

Rieslings pair fantastically with Thai food, so we each ordered a glass to go with our dinner. Justin selected a Spatlese Pfeffingen Ungsteiner Herrenberg Scheurebe, Pfalz 2008, which was too sweet and syrupy for my blood, but he enjoyed it as he likes those kinds of things. I choose a dry Koehler Ruprecht Kabinett Trocken, Pfalz 2009 proving to have some tropical notes with mineral and a fresh finish.

Although I am not sultry for the poultry, the chicken satay (above) was tender and full of chili-ginger-garlic-peanut flavor that I forgot I was even eating bird meat. The green papaya salad was a tad underwhelming, not just because it looks kind of sad and boring, but because the out of season tomatoes were more mealy than not and, who really wants to eat a quarter of a raw cabbage on their birthday? I suppose expectations got the best of me here, I thought this salad would be more interesting.

The complex and velvety panang curry with tofu turned the tides. The bold spice and heat was perfectly balanced by the rich coconut milk making me say Dang, I haven't had a better panang.

Although there were so many delicious looking dishes on the menu, it was a must to order a classic dish. The chicken pad thai with shrimp was fair, but not mind blowing. It might have been the too-skinny noodles or the seemingly over-mixed dish that made this version a notch above good partly due to the perfectly cooked shrimp and tender chicken.

I was hoping for some mango sticky rice for my birthday dinner "cake" but mangoes were out of season and instead a coconut sticky rice was offered, which I declined. Lotus of Siam will be getting more visits from us in the future and there will be more adventuresome ordering. Definitely, a spot to stop.

Lotus of Siam

953 E. Sahara Ave

Las Vegas, NV 89104

Pistachio Parsley Pesto

2012-01-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

I was having one of those I heart my food processor nights.

When I throw some ingredients into it and it spits out a supernova. Probably the best $30 every spent on kitchen equipment. It almost never lets me down and it certainly didn't with this pesto experiment gone good.

Buttery and bright, this pesto turned everything it touched into something better. The pistachios shine while the parsley brings out an element of freshness. I put it on pierogies one night and mixed it into zucchinis and pasta for my roommate and I the next night. If you LOVE pistachios like I do, this is will be a megahit in your books.

Pistachio Parsley Pesto

1/2 cup roasted, shelled pistachios

1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced (use more if you dig it)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup parmesan

pepper

extra parsley for sprinkling later on

Blend everything together in a food processor until smooth. You may need to add extra olive oil and/or salt and pepper to your liking.

Little Bird Bistro

2012-01-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

"Le Pigeon" Burger: ordered as an appetizer. The rumors are true. 200% melt in your mouth.

Le Pigeon burger was redunk!

Antoinette: vodka, grapefruit, campari, Dolin Blanc, up

A refreshing, tangy beverage.

Complimentary bread: you can't go wrong with it.

Nice touch! Butter sprinkled with fleur de sel.

Cauliflower crêpe with caramelized onions, poached egg and mornay sauce: hearty and comforting.

Mussels: very plump.

Navarin of Lamb with goat cheese gnocchi and baby carrots and peas: a well executed dish, offered as an appetizer, could have easily been a main.

Complimentary pecan pie macaron minis

Little Bird Bistro

219 SW 6th Ave

Portland, OR 97204

503.688.5952

Almond Croissant Smack Down #9 (IT'S NOT OVER): Beaverton Bakery

2012-01-04T23:46:00.000-08:00

The truth is I've had more than 9 different almond croissants this past year in Portland. The non mentions have just been meh. There are a few more notable bakeries I've been meaning to try and the Beaverton Bakery was one of them. Having a human powered vehicle and not tons of public transportation play time to cross town for an almond croissant, I hesitated entering the Beav, Beavertron, aka that town with tons of beaver damns. Luckily they do have a shop inside Portland International Airport and I had some spare time before passing TSA for a lil crawssie. At first glance I was immediately hesitant with the obscene icing, but this thought was countered with the generous crowning of slivered almonds.

I sliced it with an airport approved plastic knife to find what looked like nothing inside. The first bite proved there were traces of marzipan indoors, but this didn't last long. The croissant got boring quickly. I had a few bites from the middle, then tossed out the humdrum corners. The pastry seemed almost mass produced and a bit dry. The moral of the story: do not trust pastries with white icing.

Watermelon Radish, Feta and Honey Pizza

2012-01-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

I went to San Francisco in November for a food blogger conference and met the authors of Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day. They gave me a signed copy of their book (#bonus). The next day I flew back to Portland to resume my life as a graduate student. It just so happened that I was working on a project measuring waste products of certain foods. One of them was flour.

And we measured a 25 lbs sack of it.

I was donated the contents of this sack. Coincidentally the base dough recipe calls for 7 1/2 cups of flour. I gladly whipped up a batch in hopes of lightening the three-layered flour garbage body bag. My first pizza dough session involved busting out some pizza action during my roommate's 31st birthday party. I was a beginner and there was some burnt crust involved. Luckily there were eager contenders. The next batch got better. The bag got lighter. I could make fresh pizza in an instant if I wanted to with whatever topping I had on tap. Bottom line is that this dough is the bomb.

I made this version on New Year's eve. It's a nice combination of bitter from the radish and salty feta all balanced by sweet honey. It worked out as a perfect appetizer pizza paired with cava.

Watermelon Radish, Feta and Honey Pizza

The Master Recipe

from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes

3 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon granulated yeast
1-1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
7 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Toppings

1/2 watermelon radish, thinly sliced
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
olive oil
honey

To make dough

Add yeast, salt, and water together in a large (5 quart size) bowl. It's not necessary that everything dissolves completely.
Mix the flour in. You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate. No kneading is needed.
Cover with a non-airtight lid and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until it begins to flatten on the top, approximately 2 hours. Do not punch down the dough.
After rising, refrigerate dough and use over the next 14 days; the dough will develop sourdough characteristics over that time.

On pizza day

Heat oven to maximum temperature (mine goes to 550 F).
Sprinkle olive oil on a cooking sheet (unless you use a pizza stone, then do your pizza stone thing).
Grab a grapefruit sized ball, roll out dough on a floured surface.
Roll out dough into a flat circle, drizzle with olive oil. Then sprinkle a little crumbled feta on top of dough, followed by radish slices, then the remaining feta.
Bake for about 10 minutes.
Let cool for a few minutes and then drizzle honey on top before slicing.

The Lost Dishes of 2011: top 10 dishes that didn't make the blog

2011-12-31T09:24:00.000-08:00

Harissa Hummus

Kale Nachos

IPA Buckwheat Beer Bread

Feta and Eggplant Salad

Mexican Caprese: tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado in a cilantro pesto made with avocado oil

Granny Smith Apple Tart with Mastiha Whipped Cream

Blood Orange Spicy Soba Noodles

Jalapeño Feta Cornbread

Whole Wheat Chai Muffins

Jalapeño Lime Hummus

Happy New Year and see you in 2012!
Also thanks to Ivy of Kopiaste for giving me the idea for this top 10 list.

Brunch at Bouchon - Las Vegas, NV

2011-12-30T10:27:00.000-08:00

Beignets filled with fresh raspberry purée

I have been dreaming about brunch for months.

Longing for Sundays where I could wake up and drink champagne and be so fabulous that I didn't have to scurry off worrying about work, chores and other annoying stuff doing the backstroke in my head.

Finally, a break.

My future husband, JT, took me to Bouchon for the leisurely brunch I'd been dreaming about with a menu that features a mix of Thomas Keller breakfast and lunch inspired dishes. JT and I did a power wake-up early Sunday morning to ensure non-queue walk-in status. Boom. We were seated right away and started our morning the correct way with coffee and bellinis. The coffee, referred to as "a medium roast European blend" was exceptionally smooth. The bellinis were of the classic nature, with peach nectar, bubbly and a raspberry floater - juicy and refreshing. To go with our beverages, we ordered a few pastries. The featured beignets, filled with fresh raspberry purée, were good, although I was expecting that hot-cooked dough sensation as opposed to something that had been made a few hours ago. We also ordered a pumpkin muffin (before the squash goes extinct for the next 10 months, which we ended up saving for a to-go snack to make room for the mains).

classic bellinis, perfectly refreshing with peach nectar

overzealous pumpkin muffin

An epi baguette was delivered to our table escorted by fresh butter and strawberry preserves. The bread had a pleasantly crunchy crust and a chewy crumb to it.

Chicken and Waffles. The bacon-chive waffles were that savory sweet species. You know those mornings where you can't decide if you're feeling like something sweet and charming or like something meaty that will power you through for the rest of the day? These waffles help make that decision for you: drool inducing hits of bacon and a little tang from the chive all smoothed out with sweet waffle batter which is improved in it entirety with Tahitian vanilla bean butter served on the side. The chicken is roasted as opposed to the classical fried chicken and waffles combination. The end result deemed to be juicy and flavorful.

Chicken and Waffle friends: pure maple syrup and roasted tomato chutney.

Quiche Due Jour: which apparently happens to be Florentine more often than not at the Vegas location. I am most likely ruined from all other quiches after this one with its healthy dose of spinach and garlic suspended in creamy custard bordered by a flaky buttery crust. A perfectly made quiche. The salad was coated in a red wine (read: raw onion) vinaigrette - buyer beware - my head turned in to a breathing onion odorizer. A shot of listerine should be served upon completion of this dish. Or maybe Thomas Keller just wants to leave a lasting impression. Nonetheless it was a fantastic meal and I would gladly return for brunch at any of their locations I happen to be.

Bouchon

The Venetian

3355 Las Vegas Blvd S

Las Vegas, NV 89109

The Grill at Valentino - Las Vegas, NV

2011-12-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

My fiance, JT, flew me to Las Vegas for little vacationing. It's been a week, but we're still talking about how good The Grill at Valentino was - nothing horribly fancy, just well-made Italian food. JT suggested the Grill at Valentino before seeing the Blue Man Group not only since it's housed in the Venetian but also because it shares the same kitchen as its fine dining big sister, Valentino. No fancy shoes or ressies needed, just hungry stomachs. Here's a snapshot of the meal:

Carpaccio All'Albese: beef, arugula, parmesan and truffle oil: HEAVEN.

Caprese Salad: tomatoes, mozzarella, basil oil and balsamic syrup.

Grilled Boneless Chicken Medallions Alla Diavola: was that Italian BBQ sauce? JT clearly ordered this one.

Capellacci Spinach and Ricotta with Fresh Tomato Sauce: comfort heaven!

Chocolate Raviolis with Berries in a Mint Soup: raviolis were like butter crispy buttery chocolate in your mouth. It was kind of weird seeing the green juice at first, but it tasted great. The berries and mint evened out the dish with a refreshing finish.

The Grill at Valentino
The Venetian
Las Vegas, NV

Winter Ale Chocolate Chip Bread

2011-12-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is my version of the cookies portion of milk and cookies because Santa probably wants an adult snack. Inspired by my love for winter ales, this Santa approved beer bread consisting of winter ale, cocoa nibs and dark chocolate comes together in a jiffy. I chopped up a few bars of dark chocolate and used brown sugar and fresh ground whole wheat flour to give a wholesome touch. This bread is in the banana bread/pumpkin bread/zucchini bread territory, but more complex and a good excuse to eat beer in the morning alongside a cup of coffee.

Winter Ale Chocolate Chip Bread

1 cup AP flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 12 oz bottle of your favorite winter brew (I used Jubelale)
1 tsp salt
3/4 dark brown sugar
6 oz Greek yogurt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa nibs, finely chopped
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl.

Add the wet ingredients and mix well until there are no lumps.

Stir in the cocoa nibs and chocolate chips

Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.

Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Cool briefly, if you can wait that long.

Fennel, Grapefruit, and Beet Salad

2011-12-15T22:49:00.000-08:00

Fennel is one of those vegetables that I completely forget about until it's December. Even if I buy some during the non December part of year, it always seems to get pushed back into the deep bowels of the vegetable drawers. I got reminded to use fennel when my friend, Caliopy of Comme Des Calliope, came over for dinner. She requested some salads, mentioning beets and fennel. I put the two together then added juicy, tangy ruby grapefruit, avocados for creaminess and capers, kalamata olive and pickled asparagus for a salty contrast. It makes for a refreshing, beautiful wintertime salad. I made the same salad a few days later adding pomegranate arils and roasted pistachios (instead of sunflower seeds), which was even better. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of this version, but I fully encourage you to decorate avidly!

Fennel, Grapefruit and Beet Salad

1 fresh beet, boiled, skinned and sliced
1 bulb of fennel
1/2 ruby red grapefruit, segmented
1/2 avocado, diced
1/3 cup kalamata olives
1 tablespoon capers
pickled vegetables (if you like extra salt, tangy vinegary bits)
1/4 cup avocado oil (or fruit olive oil)
2 tablespoon champagne vinegar
kalamata olive juice
3 cups mixed herb salad
roasted nuts for on top (I used sunflower seeds)
salt & pepper

Spread herbed salad mix on a flat, preferably long, plate. Top with avocados, grapefruit slices, fennel, olives, capers and possibly pomegranate arils. Mix oil, vinegar, olive juice, salt and pepper together and drizzle on top. Top with nuts.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: A Russian Dinner Party

2011-12-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

My friend, Lisa, came back from a wine trip to Russia and invited me and some other friends over for a Russian dinner party.

Blinis with caviar, sour cream and fresh onions

Winter Borscht

Beef Stroganoff

Cranberry Kissel

One of Lisa's dogs joining the party.

The Gaufre Gourmet

2011-12-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

Awesomeness might be an understatement of what it's been like since The Gaufre Gourmet moved to the downtown 9th and Alder location. Not only do I get to walk by this food cart on my daily commute, but I can eat waffles for lunch, make that liége style waffles.

My latest venture took part in the ABC Waffle ($6.75): arugula, bacon, and camembert with fig sauce. The broiche-esque waffle was strong enough to hold up the toppings while adding a touch of sweetness. The bacon, well, I am not a crazy bacon eater, but this was one of the better bacons I've had in some time. Perfectly thick, with a nice crisp and plenty of melt in your mouth goodness. Add creamy camembert and tangy fig sauce and it's a discothèque in your mouth.

On this occasion, I also ordered an almond milk mocha. A superb mocha: rich, tasting like dark chocolate and espresso and not sugar. I would go out of my way to get coffee here again.

Crazy-delicious weekly flavors are abound, just creep them one way or another to find out.

The Gaufre Gourmet

SE 9th & Alder

Portland, OR 97205

Spanish WIne Party Pack Winner!

2011-12-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

I put everyone's name in a list (adding extra lines if you followed on twitter and "liked" on facebook) and #4 was selected at random meaning the winner is...

ajones!

Congrats!

Champagne Tea Cake

2011-12-06T21:54:00.000-08:00

My living headquarters is never complete without some sort of delicious loaf. I experiment a lot and sometimes the loaf ends up in the Portland Recycles bin (yard debris). But sometimes they are winners, i.e. usually when you put booze in something it is a winner. I wanted to make a cake with champagne, but I didn't want it to be one of those fancy pink ones with 10 gillion egg whites and butter fluff frosting. I wanted something sort of tea party-ish and substantial. And this was what I got - a dense cake - read easy to cut thick slices, with a delicate sparkling almond flavor and a moist crumb. The perfect cake to eat plain for dunking into coffee, tea or champagne. Although I just said it's good plain, I got jiggy in this photo op and topped the bejesus out of my slice with fresh whipped cream and pomegranate perils.

Champagne Tea Cake
Inspired by Ella Belles

1 cup of champagne
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of soften butter
1/3 cup cream

Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease one loaf pan.
Blend butter sugar, then eggs together.
Mix flour, salt and baking powder together
Blend the wet with the dry ingredients, adding in champagne, cream and almond extract.
Pour into loaf pan.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until golden on top.

A Free Spanish Wine Party Pack !

2011-12-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

Banana Wonder and Tapeña Wines have joined forces for a Spanish wine party give away.

The party pack consists of four bottles of wine, a corkscrew, Spanish cookbook and wine glass charms. The Spanish wines inlucude Tempranillo, Garnacha, Verdejo and Rose. Tapeña Wines are all food friendly and affordable ($10 range). The grapes are all come from central Spain from the Tierra de Castilla region. You can win by taking one or more of the following actions (the more you do, the more chances you get):

1. Leave a comment with what you would make (or like to eat) with these Spanish wines.

2. Follow @tapenawine and @bananawonder on twitter (just comment that you followed).

3. Like Tapeña Wines and like Banana Wonder on facebook (comment that "liked" it like it's hot).

4. Promise me that you are at least 21 years of age.

5. You must be in the Continental 48 states, U.S. of A.

I will randomly choose a winner using R (statistical commuting) by December 9th.

Buena suerte! Good Luck!

Phyllo baked Cambozola with balsamic jelly, cherries, and pistachios

2011-12-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

After

Before

The holidays are not complete without some sort of baked cheesy goodness. Because, let's face it, that's what really brings people around the table. This year I ditched the brie and jumped ship to cambozola. I mean, it's basically brie and blue cheese in one package, so how could you go wrong? I also used some brilliant balsamic jelly from House of Balsamic, cherries, pistachios and of course phyllo. Cherries, tangy sweet balsamic and blue cheese bring the flavor dance party, with a little crunch from the nuts. I will have to make this again, not only because it was delicious, but because my boyfriend proposed to me while I was making this.

Balsamic Jelly: the magic stuff.

You will need:

8 leaves of phyllo, thawed
Half a stick of melted butter (1/4 cup of butter)
Cherries (frozen) or use your jarred ones from the summer
2-3 Tablespoons of balsamic jelly (House of Balsamic)
1 large wedge of cambozola
1/4 cup pistachio pieces

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Start with a buttered baking sheet or baking vessel. Sprinkle melted butter between each sheet of phyllo. Place the cheese in the middle then top with cherries, jelly and nuts.

Fold up the cheese with the over hanging phyllo layers and seal it off with the rest of the butter. Bake until golden brown on top (about 10-15 minutes). Try to let it cool or else it will turn into an oozy mess, which is also delicious but not very photogenic. In my case, I had problems waiting.

The Country Cat

2011-11-29T13:46:00.000-08:00

In my year and a half in Portland thus far my roommate and best friend, Heather, has been telling me how good The Country Cat is and how badly I need to go there. Finally, I went - as a Plan B whim - and then again, and I hope again soon. The following is what was consumed during these two visits. Go there!

Dinner with Heather:

Deviled Eggs $3: Was that horseradish? We think so!

2008 Kiona: well rounded with a little acid.

Moscat marinated beets, goat cheese, mint and rosemary walnuts $9: making these beets lush.

Hickory Smoked Duck Crepe: with roasted plum puree, chanterelles and hazelnuts $14.

On my two visits, at least one dinning compadre ordered this fantastic combination of meat and a little sweet.

Crispy quinoa and barley cake on smoked squash puree with soft goat cheese $11: my chosen dish, surprisingly the cake was spicy, making the dish even better with the cool goat cheese.

Sauteed chard with preserved lemon, garlic and chili $6: bright and hot.

House potato bread and butter $2: we ordered this for dessert

Dinner with Becky, Beau, and H.C.:

Commuter Cuvee: rhubarb and strawberry, a delicious choice by Beau.

Cast Iron Skillet Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy $15: H.C. went Mmmmmm

Fish & Shellfish Pot Pie $10: This dish looked like an appetizer, but it was still hearty and didn't end up leaving me with cat breath.

Heritage Burger with Onion Rings $10: It's a burger that's made USA Today's Top Burger List.

The Collard Green with Pork Hock: a very satisfying side.

Chocolate Turtle Tart with salted almonds and chantilly $7: Just like biting into a See's nuts and chews, expect this time it was an entire slice.

Apple Pie with Salted Caramel Ice Cream $7

The Country Cat

7937 SE Stark

Portland, OR

A personal post on Thanks

2011-11-26T13:57:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving weekend has been great. I got engaged on Thanksgivings (in the kitchen with my fingers in phyllo and butter).

It was sunny in Portland!

Made a champagne tea cake (seen above with biscoff spread and dark chocolate spread).

There were, of course, cloudy and rainy days which makes you appreciate the sunny ones.

I found a wine named after me!

Life is good. Thanks for stopping by Banana Wonder.

Mushroom Hummus

2011-11-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a little too long since I posted a hummus recipe. Don't worry, I got an endless flow of hummus going on. Sort of like the mushroom abundance in Oregon this Fall. I've been basking in mushroom glory these days. When I get my spore on, I don't like to mix too many other ingredients in with the shrooms as to not jeopardize the flavor. But that doesn't mean I can't jeopardize the flavor of hummus to take on a fungus flavor. I sautéed some mushrooms, then blended them into a traditional hummus recipe. The result was a fully bodied earthy hummus. A Thanksgiving appetizer? I hope so.

Mushroom Hummus

1 cup of your favorite mushrooms (I used criminis)
1 cup of prepared chickpeas
1 tablespoon tahini
1/4 olive oil, plus extra for sautéeing
1 teaspoon of salt
1 clove of garlic

Sautée mushrooms on medium high heat until brown. Set aside to cool.
When mushrooms are cool, place in a food processor (reserving some for on top) with garlic, olive oil, salt, and tahini. Blend until smooth.
Add chickpeas and blend until smooth. You may need to add bean liqueur or more olive oil to ensure smoothness.
Spoon into shallow dish, place extra mushrooms in center and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Pretzel Throw Down #8: The German Bakery

2011-11-20T23:11:00.000-08:00

Hipstamatic Pretzel

I accidentally found The German Bakery while scrounging for food near the airport hotel mecca this weekend. I made a sudden turn in the U-Haul I was driving (which was used to hold Star Wars toys from the late 90s/early 2000s), parked about 4 feet away from the curb, and B-lined it to the entrance. The place was popping. Cakes, danishes, bread rolls galore. Plus another side of the store dedicated to meats. There was no line just tons of people drooling indecisively so I made a move getting one of the German-accented clerk's attention for a pretzel. The pretzels were in a basket on the counter, and I got one of the last ones. $1.50.

This pretzel is the most unique I've tasted thus far in the throw down. A strong lye crust on the outside and an airy, almost dry french bread crumb on the inside. The salt was Achilles ankle dipped. It was super fresh and good, but would have been 200% better with some kind of mustard/cheese/butter to fill some of those air pockets.

None the less, this was a score of a deal pretzel at $1.50 and just like a real deal German bakery in Deutschland so the pretzel is authentic.

iphone pretzel

The German Bakery
10534 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97220

Making Psycho Doughnuts!

2011-11-15T21:48:00.000-08:00

Habanero pepper flaked - coffee tequila spiked dark chocolate glaze (these were spicy).

Honey rose water glazed, pistachio sprinkled.

Vanilla Brown Sugar Rum glazed.

Using estate sale doughnut cutter.

Getting hot in the dutchy.

Young doughnuts.

Becky and I used fingers for glazing. (photo courtesy of @beckyboo503)

Don't judge (well, I guess you will no matter what), I used this non-artisanal recipe to make the doughnuts. I fried them in vegetable oil. Nothing fancy here, just using what I had in the kitchen. They came out great on my first go-round and even better the second time after some experience. The glazes I made on the spot. For the chocolate glaze, I melted down high quality dark Belgium chocolate, added some cream, a shot or two of coffee tequila and several heavy-handed lashings of habanero pepper flakes. The honey glaze was a crowd favorite. I reduced honey and a little water until thick then added a splash of rose water. Drowned some doughnuts in that, then sprinkled with crushed pistachios. The vanilla brown sugar rum was my second favorite, just because those flavors are so warming and go so well with a classic cake doughnut. I reduced brown sugar and water, then added about 1/3 cup of rum and lots of Mexican vanilla. Sprinkled in some cinnamon and glazed the hell out of some doughnut holes. I used a retro doughnut cutter Justin got me at an estate sale in Estacada we went to this summer.

Greek Yogurt and Nasturtium Pie

2011-11-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

This pie is kind of a token to both sides of my family: the Greek yogurt and phyllo from my Greek side and the Nasturtiums from my American side. I mostly talk about my Greek side because that is easy, since my dad is the only one that left Greece, there are still strong ties of Hellenism. However, I am also third generation Californian and proud of my American roots.

Whenever I think of Nasturtiums, I think of my grandfather and his backyard, which is full of these flowers. Have you ever seen a 6'4" bean pole 93 year old walking around with a pirate patch on one eye? Well, that's my grandpa. His house (and his backyard) in Huntington Beach has been a beacon for family gatherings since before my existence. My parents got married in front of the fireplace (and celebrated in the backyard) and so did my Aunt Edna and Uncle George (I was the flower girl). I was most likely conceived in this house.

We moved around a lot when I was a kid, but no matter what, my Grandpa's house always stayed the same and was always there. Earth tone mustard yellow carpets, dark wood walls, smells of must, an ancient cookie jar always filled with fresh faux oreos. Practically everyone has lived with him at one point in their life. He still has shag carpet in one of the upstairs rooms and all my Aunt Carol's crazy oil paintings from the 1970s. He doesn't throw away anything. He gets high off cutting coupons and keeping his 20 year old coffee maker alive.

As a child of the depression and son of a beekeeper from Ohio, my grandfather managed to make it out West to Cal Tech for graduate school. He became an Angeleno back in the 1930s. He married my 5'11" grandmother and one of their presents was a boysenberry branch from a friend's Victory garden. This branch has now grown to cover the entire perimeter of my grandfather's backyard, producing the most prolific berries I've ever had. My grandfather is constantly growing goodies in the backyard and the Nasturtiums have always been there. I miss my grandfather, and he is not doing too hot these days so I made this pie with him in mind. You know, pour out a little liqueur...

This savory pie is mild in order to allow the mellow pepper and spice from the Nasturtium to shine. It's best served cooled to allow the savory custard to set. I used Fage yogurt because this is the best Greek yogurt you can buy commercially in the west coast of the U.S.

Greek Yogurt and Nasturtium Pie

10 sheets of phyllo, thawed
1/3 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 2% fat)
1/2 cup shredded fontina
1/2 cup grated parmesan
15-20 Nasturtium blossoms (they shrink up in the oven)

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine yogurt, eggs and cheeses in a bowl.
In a greased deep pie dish, begin layering phyllo leaves with sprinklings of butter. Once finished pour cheese mixture into pie. Top with Nasturtiums.
Fold phyllo leaves around edge to form a crust.
Drizzle the crust with extra butter/oil.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

"As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway"

Taste of Thanksgiving TODAY!

2011-11-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

Whole Foods is having an open to the public "Taste of Thanksgiving" event today (November 10th) from 5-8pm at all Portland-area Whole Foods Markets. At the Pearl location, just donate 2 cans of food and you're in (other locations it's $5 or $10, with all proceeds going to different local charities). A great deal to sample some holiday comfort foods.

Wild Mushroom Crostini

Made in house Provolone, Pesto and Portobello Salmon Roast

Pittman Farms Roasted Heritage Turkey (and butcher John)

Don't forget the sides (all vegan and gluten free):

Cashew Cream Mashed Potatoes

Wild Mushroom Gravy

Wild Rice Stuffing

Green Beans and Spicy Nuts

Sweet Potatoes with dried apricots

Cranberry Sauce

Dessert includes:

Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Vegan Whipped Cream (or the non vegan versions)

Cranberry Walnut Tartlet

Turtle Tartlet

Recommended wines:
Pascual Toso Sparkling Brut
Rasteau Les Peyrieres
(Both are from Whole Foods Top 10 Holiday Wines)

Go there now!

Roasted Delicata Squash, Rosemary Ricotta, Bacon and Hazelnut Salad

2011-11-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs a go-to Fall salad. Something to distract from the disappearing backyard tomatoes and warm sun. This salad is my Autumnal amusement: it's warm, savory and full of excellent diversion. Delicata squash are the easiest thing in the world to roast, combined with piney ricotta cheese, smokey bacon and crunchy hazelnuts - it all creates a slightly sweet and savory crunchy comforting salad.

Roasted Delicata Squash, Rosemary Ricotta, Bacon and Hazelnut Salad

Makes 6 pre-dinner salads

1 medium size delicata squash

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 tsp rosemary or fir tips

1 clove of garlic

4 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled

1 bag of your favorite salad greens

1/2 roasted and chopped hazelnuts

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for roasting

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut squash lengthwise, scoop out seeds, then slice horizontally to form moon shapes. Toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in oven for 20 minutes or until tender.
In a food processor blend rosemary and garlic together until fine. Add ricotta and blend for another 30 seconds. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
Assemble salad by diving up lettuce, then placing squash around lettuce, ricotta cheese, sprinkle with crumbled bacon, hazelnuts and drizzle with olive oil.

PDX Pretzel Throw Down # 7: The Country Cat

2011-11-06T20:16:00.000-08:00

I didn't even see it.

Soft Buttery Pretzels $4

I give credit to my pretzel tasting crony, Becky for eagle eyeing this one.

Who knew The Country Cat made pretzels? And who cares if their pretzels are disguised as twisted, buttery bread sticks with stone-ground mustard if all your looking for is a carbtastic pre-dinner snack?

I might have to start a new category "Don't Lye" as bread sticks disguised as pretzels, fellow participants being HUB and Grüner.

The Country Cat
7937 SE Stark
Portland, OR 97215
503.408.1414

The Secret Garden: Bed and Breakfasting in Eugene

2011-11-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Justin's birthday, we drove down to his old stomping grounds of Eugene for a weekend of Ducks football and fun. I'd like to mention this was the first football game I've ever been to live (probably half-watched 3 Superbowl games previously). We stayed at the Secret Garden Inn - a quaint, antique style house turned b & b. One of the perks was breakfast and sitting at communal tables with other fanatic alma maters/Duck peeps. It was a super place to stay at and in case you're wondering, breakfast went something like this:

We started out with fresh fruit, coffee and savory muffins. All served on vintage botanical china.

Parmesan cheese and roasted red bell pepper muffin with butter.

Cheesy scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, sausage, toast, and homemade jam (not pictured).

Addictive Homemade granola.

Chess.

The lobby.

The back (front is secretly hidden).

Duck paraphernalia in full effect.

Proof that I went to the game.

Secret Garden Inn
1910 University Street
Eugene, OR 97403
541.484.6755

Noshing Aussie Pies in PDX: Pacific Pie Co.

2011-10-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Beef and Mushroom Pie

Three Sisters Pie

Camille and I checked out Pacific Pie Company, inspired by Camille's good times spent in Australia. Of course, I am always ready to eat anything wrapped in dough. So we urban hiked from downtown across the Burnside bridge to find the unassuming Pacific Pie - tucked away off noisy Burnside.

A spread of famously Australian pastries met us at the counter:

But it was not time for sugary pastries. It was time for wine. We started off with a glass of the house red - Big Woop! from South Eastern Australia: smooth with a little spice.

Along with our pies we ordered the Greek salad. I know, not Australian, however one of the largest Greek communities outside of Greece is in Melbourne. The Greek salad came with just two slabs of feta, however this has been the best feta I've had in my 14 months so far in Portland. Pure creamy-tangy goodness.

Then came our pies (as seen above, above). The crusts were of butter and everything that is good in the world, turning into soft melt-in-your-mouth crumbs upon impact. Camille's super classic beef and mushroom pie got the seal of approval by the experienced pasty eater. She busted out the ketchup to accompany the pie which is something of Australian tradition. I had a bite and it was pure earthy, comforting richness. My pie (the Three Sisters) was a special of the day: three types of beans in a chipotle tomato sauce - a blast of unrefined proteins and heat which was compensated by the buttery crust. Fantastic all the way around.

We couldn't resist splitting a slice of bourbon chocolate hazelnut pie. I later went into pie comatose.

Happy Hour 3pm-5pm
Pie + Beer for $7

Pacific Pie Co.
1520 SE 7th Ave.
Portland, OR 97215

Bulk Foods Capstone Survey Help!

2011-10-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the Bulk is Green Council and The Portland State University Food Industry Leadership Center, I am conducting the first formal study on bulk foods with a team of fellow MBA classmates. Bulk foods have been highly overlooked in research and we will be gathering quantifiable statistics for our MBA capstone project. We intend to find data about pricing and the environmental impact of bulk vs. packaged foods.

To help us in this endeavor, can you please, please pretty please take this survey?

The survey includes 11 questions and will take approximately 3-5 minutes to complete. Please note that all data will be anonymous.

Link: https://portlandstate.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_0D6wSV1tXjTV0m8

Thank you for your time and would very much appreciate your participation!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Latte Muffins

2011-10-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

I love pumpkin.
I love muffins.
I love coffee.
I love the combination of all of the above.
Why not put them all in a muffin?

Starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins are my arch nemisis. I can't resist them, but I usually don't go to Starbucks. The one time I've been in this fall I left with one of those muffins. So I made my muffins like theirs expect I infused the cream cheese with coffee for a "latte" filling.

Yeap, that's definitely a pumpkin latte and pumpkin cream cheese muffin all in one!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Latte Muffins

(makes 24 regular sized muffins or 12 large ones and batter left for a mega muffin)

3 cups AP flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 can of pumpkin pie mix
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
Cream Cheese filling
1 - 8 oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee (I used Godiva's pumpkin coffee)
1 tsp coffee beans, ground
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup AP flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
Directions
Blend all ingredients for cream cheese filling together until smooth and place in a bowl and put in the freezer.
Mix all crumb toppings together with a fork, set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all muffin ingredients together until incorporated into a batter.
Fill greased muffin tins half way with batter.
Scoop out cold cream cheese in the middle of each battered tin, pressing down.
Sprinkle with crumb topping.
Bake for 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part.
Let cool for at least 5 minutes.
*Thanks to foodbuzz and Godiva for sending me the coffee!

PDX Pretzel Throw Down #6: Fressen

2011-10-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ding ding ding! We might have a winner. Fressen's pretzel ($1.75) has become the best pure pretzel of the throw down. It's a traditional Bavarian pretzel with course sea salt. The dough is chewy, the crust has just enough tooth to it to get your jaws warmed up and bathed in the perfect amount of lye and embodies everything that a pretzel should be.

Fressen Artisan Bakery

http://www.fressenartisanbakery.com

Almost Smitten Kitchen's Mom's Apple Cake

2011-10-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

In what appears to be an apple cake dependency, I followed up my Greek-i-fied Jewish apple cake with a twist on one of blogosphere's most epic cooking food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. I made her (Deb's) mom's apple cake which I read about via other bloggers blowing their tops from this cake. Yada yada, so un-original, I know, but I just want to say that this recipe is legit and I like it better than my previous apple cake.

The apples keep it moist, the cinnamon is at the perfect comfort level, and the ingredients are so simple. Of course I altered mine using olive oil and spelt flour, but I am sure it would be even more refined following the standard procedure. Hurrah for apples and hurrah for Jewish apple cakes!

Banana Wonder Does Smitten Kitchen Mom's Apple Cake
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
(makes one loaf)

4 granny smith apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup AP flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup blood orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. Peel, core and chop apples into medium sized chunks. Toss with cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Stir together flours, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla together.
Mix wet ingredients with dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it.
Pour remaining batter over the apples and arrange apples on top. Bake for about 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar (I didn't, whoops!)

Cows and beer that recycle themselves (for my hedonism): Calapooia Brewery, Albany

2011-10-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

This is how the burger is advertised at Calapooia Brewing - in case you ever make it to Albany, Oregon.

This is my "little brother" Ben. He looks like my older brother John, but is younger than me. We went to school together and traveled to Mexico and then worked at the same place in Albany, OR. He is basically my brother. He is also a one of Calapooia's Chili Beer fanatics. This is a true chili beer made with fresh Anaheim, Serrano and Jalapeno peppers. It's bold after just one sip. You wouldn't think you'd find this in rural Oregon, right?

Of course I had to try one of their Cow-Beer-Burgers. The salad had bun croutons on it, surprise.

The "brew beef' burger aka cows fattened on spent brewery grain was not mind blowing. It was not ultra greasy and flavorful. It tasted like a hamburger my Significant (m)Other would make back in the 90s using 99% fat free beef my father would buy. Clearly, I baptized it in in ketchup. I don't know what the French were thinking. I gobbled this burger up sans any sort of indigestions or American obese feelings. It was a nice meal, but not a mind blowing hamburger. This was the last hamburger I've eaten and it's been two months. I had to try this burger to complete the cycle and here it is. Satisfying if you are hungry, but not going to knock your tube socks off. No matter what, I love Calapooia Brewing and I will go there any time I possibly can. Their beers are bold and rural Oregon is awesome.

Calapooia brewing

http://www.calapooiabrewing.com/

What I should have been doing this summer

2011-10-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Hour at Grüner

2011-10-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

Table setting

Picked beet hard boiled eggs

Liptauer cheese, radishes, celery, pretzel croutons

Rabbit frankfurter, broiche bun & dill pickle relish

Charcuterie plate: salami, spicy coppa, cornichons & mustard

My favorite: bratwurst, sauerkraut & sweet mustard

My least favorite: Duck liver mousse and toast

Aviation: London dry gin, Maraska maraschino, Rothman & Winter crème de violette, lemon juice

Aquabeet: Krogstad aquavit, beet gastrique, lemon juice

Fellow Food Blogger: The Chocolate of Meats

Grüner
http://www.grunerpdx.com/

Portland Pretzel Throw Down #5: Spints Alehouse

2011-10-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

Clean

In my quest to find the best pretzel in Portland, I payed Spints Alehouse a visit per recommendation by my friend Vanessa asking if a dirty pretzel is legal in the Throw Down. We're dropping it like it's hot in this throw down so anything is legal.

Spints offers a weekly dirty pretzel. We went for the Korean Spare Ribs and Kimchi Dirty Pretzel week. Since I am keeping my throw down at pure pretzel consistency as to not get confused, I opted for a traditional pretzel (above) and Vanessa got dirty (below).

Dirty

The (clean) Pretzel: Tasted like it had just been re-heated in the microwave. You remember that dry-hard texture of re-heating foods in the 90s that you just accepted because you didn't know any better? The outside had a plesant slightly bitter lye taste.

The Mustard: Excellent burning notes with tang and a little sourness. A little horseradish heat always makes things better. I needed another round of mustard to make my pretzel better.

The (dirty) Pretzel: This was disappointing and just weird. Rice on top of a pretzel? White man's kimchi? Fatty spareribs? But, it was worth a try and probably just a bad week of being dirty.

Spints Alehouse
401 NE 28th Ave
Portland, OR 97232
503.847.2534

Hijacking and Apples

2011-10-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

My older brother and childhood idol, John, is guest blogging/hijacking my blog today out of Moscow...Idaho. This is a treat because he is a far better writer than I am. Here it goes:

Although apples have their roots in the uplands of central Asia Kazakhstan (also home to Borat), they have come to symbolize America: Jonny Appleseed, Apple Pie, and the nifty cure-all for staying out of the doctor’s office. Apples have long been cultivated and are one of the most diverse fruits due to the impressive genome, but most of the apples consumed today in the US come from a small handful of varieties, many of which may look Delicious, but resemble crispy cardboard.

Living in the Palouse, we’ve frequently noted the number of relic orchards, especially during late summer and early fall when the fruits of their endurance show their colors. In recent months we’ve foraged for wild yellow plums, blackberries, and apples that are not in circulation. Crystal and I picked 40 pounds of fruit at a local farm that became a county park, and Crystal labored to peel and cook down the apples to create several pints of apple butter.

On our quest to stock up the pantry for the winter and being ecoconscious individuals who enjoy keeping it local we’ve taken advantage of a combination of farmer’s market (Moscow voted the best in Idaho) and pick-your-own opportunities. We decided to load up on some more apples and apple products this past weekend at Bishop’s Orchard in Garfield, Washington. Garfield is a small town surrounded by rolling hills of wheat and also home to a cop we call Bernie < http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098627/>.

Bishop’s Orchard is a sustainable farm featuring several varieties of apples, pears, cherries and an apiary. More importantly, they let you make cider with apples you’ve picked. While they feature 11 different apple varieties all maturing throughout late summer-early fall, we happened to visit during the prime of Liberty, McIntosh and Cortland harvest.

Fig 1: Crystal’s mid-morning stretch. Go-go gadget arms.

Meandering through the few acres of land, we decided to go after Liberty apples. Liberty apples are a relative “new” apple bred to be disease resistant, thus typically a more successful breed for the organic farmer. You probably won’t find Liberty apples at your local grocer, which is a bummer. Liberty apples have both tart and sweet components and a nice crunch, thousand times better than the apple formerly known as Delicious.

We also decided to get a bunch of McIntosh to make cider. At Bishop’s, you pick your own and make your own cider. This is an entertaining process that occurs using solid, but rudimentary equipment that your grandparent’s would have used back in the day. I violated a few rules of conduct and hence was demoted to being an observer.

Fig 2: I won’t comment whether I snorkeled for apples, but I was placed on time-out.

Fig 3: Basic physics: compression + gravity = cider.

After smashing the bejesus out of 25 pounds of Mac’s we collected a gallon of cider frothiness.

Fig 4: One group made 10 gallons of this while we were there. Money’s on that fresh cider turning hard in a short while.

Ninety minutes of picking and pressing, we left with 60 pounds of fresh apples (not including those I “taste-tested” along the way), 30 pounds of Bartlett pears, a gallon of cider and some local honey, all for $45. Should last until at least until Halloween.

Bishop’s Orchard

http://www.bishop-orchard.com/

Greek Style Jewish Apple Honey Cake

2011-10-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe for a Rosh Hashanah cake and had to make it. Except I Greeked it out - although not sure if that is still kosher. I used thyme Greek honey, which is extremely rich and complex in flavor having a higher viscosity than an average American honey. Extra virgin olive oil replaced butter and the batter was spiked with brandy. Let's hope my yiayia is smiling down on me now. This cake is nourishing, a good Fall welcomer and a has made my breakfasts delicious these past few mornings.

Greek Style Rosh Hashanah Apple Honey Cake
Adapted from examiner.com

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup thyme honey
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 apples, peeled and diced
1 tbs brandy
1 cup raisins and nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan.
Mix olive oil, honey and eggs together in a large bowl until light and creamy.
In another bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, Stir in apples and raisins or nuts. Mix well.
Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Pretzel Throw Down #4: Hopworks Urban Brewery

2011-09-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hopworks Urban Brewery offers a Pint "O" Pretzels ($2.75 happy hour 3pm-6pm). Although not in traditional pretzel twist form, these pretzels were a "must try" per several recommendations. My friend, Becky, accompanied me on this research mission and yes, those pretzels are sandwiched between two beer sampler plates.

Pretzels: Glorified bread sticks with a buttery-salt aftertaste. They were most likely not dipped in lye. The only thing keeping these on the pretzel list are the large salt granulars. The dough is made with beer bringing out a glorious yeasty complexity. These make great bread sticks!

The dips: The HUB Lager mustard had a pleasant vinegar tangy punch. The Gruyere/Swiss beer cheese dip was a little on the runny side for being a cheese dip and could have used more flavor. Can you water down cheese dip?

The verdict: Excellent bread sticks for a great price. I didn't feel like I was eating a pretzel.

Check out Becky's review of Hopworks here.

Hopworks Urban Brewery
2944 SE Powell Blvd
Portland, OR 97202
503.232.4677

Just for fun...

2011-09-29T10:01:00.001-07:00

GLAD One Bag Event - Wrap Up

2011-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

This post is about trash and what happens after a dinner party, specifically, the Poutine and Pinot Party I threw last week. The goal was to use one bag of trash. I used the compost trash bag as my one bag, which is about the size of typical grocery store plastic bag.

Let talk about this...

Compost Bag: This is what it looked like the day after with the addition of morning coffee grinds my roommate threw in. It's basically just some onion skins and fruit pits.

That's trashy!

I ended up with two recyclables as well: I didn't have any beef stock on hand to make the mushroom gravy so I used a carton in addition to the pinot noir in a bag. Both of these got recycled.

I am using the heavy cream glass jar as a vase these days, but I will eventually take it back to New Seasons to re-use. The plastic tub that the cheese curds came in got sanitized and re-used. I believe it is currently storing some hummus.

And what do I do with the compost? Well here is a pre-coffee video I made...

A Frenchy Pantry Soiree Foodbuzz 24x24

2011-09-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

I procrastinated on my Spring cleaning for Summer which worked out perfectly because Foodbuzz wanted bloggers to submit menu proposals based on what was already in stock in the pantry. My proposal was good enough to be one of the 24 happening in 24 hours all over the world. I love these kinds of challenges because it pushes me to be creative and come up with new dishes. It's the same thrill I get shopping in the clearance section. Obviously I am someone highly interested in food and therefor my cabinets are constantly spewing with new finds or items I am inspired to make at the moment but somehow forget about for next 3 months. This awesome pantry explosion also includes my dear Aunt Mary in Greece constantly shipping care packages stuffed with "food goods" meaning Greek staples like thyme honey, pistachios, mastiha and mahleb. Am I a hoarder? No, but I do watch that show from time to time.

So I tidied up my house in the Deep Southeast (Portland) and invited some friends over. Since it's the beginning of Fall I set the table inside. I pulled out my wood stump candlestick holder and a Greek vintage tablecloth to fancy things up. I had my guests write down which ingredient they thought was the in stock one for a prize at the end.

But, rewind. Before sitting down we had some pistachio stuffed dried apricots wrapped in bacon. I had dried apricots and pistachios on hand, so why not wrap them in bacon? My friends @BeckyBoo503 and @KimKramerWine from Kramer Vineyards came and brought one of their Domain Krieger Bruts to pair with the hors d'oeuvrs. It was a mouth party!

We toasted with the brut near the kitchen where the action was happening. Then moved the party to the dinner table.

1st Course

Delicata Squash and Bacon salad with Hazelnuts and Rosemary Ricotta with Oregon Olive Oil

I had hazelnuts and ricotta cheese readily available, plus rosemary growing in the back. I wanted to use the rest of the bacon from the apricots as well. Delicata squash are one of my favorite squashes and a sure sign of Autumn so I thought this would be a fitting addition. I whirled fresh rosemary, garlic and ricotta cheese together to make the white center piece. I laid out everything on a beg of arugula/baby spinach for some body. This was paired by a lovely, nutty rosé my friends brought.

2nd Course

Roasted Tomato, Garlic and Cheddar Soufflé

This was my first attempt at making any type of soufflé and my biggest disappointment is not taking a fresh-from-the-oven photo as these babies had their poof on. Slow roasted tomatoes and garlic take on a beautiful flavor so I opted for this version instead of the fresh. I originally thought about doing a caprese style souffle but that is so summer resulting in a cheddar and roasting victory. The staple? I had breadcrumbs in the pantry and plenty of tomatoes growing out back. All in all this soufflé was delicious and bettered by the gorgeous Kramer Vineyards pinot blanc.

3rd Course

Spicy Blood Tofu a l’Orange Soba with Peas, Broccoli and Pistachios

With soba noodles ready to drop it like its hot, but sticking to a somewhat french theme this fusion came to mind. I used Oprah's recipe for spicy orange soba noodles, but used blood orange juice instead.

4th Course

French Apple White Chocolate Marzipan Tart with Mastiha Whipped Cream

I had a jar of some incredible white chocolate marzipan which I was planning to make almond croissants with. Instead, I used it as a base for this tart. I layered thinly slices granny smith apples on top of the marzipan and baked until the apples were soft. As soon as it was out of the oven, I glazed the top with a mixture of brandy and apricot jam my sister-in-law made this summer. You can't have apple dessert without some sort of cream, so I made some whipped cream spiked with mastiha powder my Aunt sent me from the motherland and sweetened it with vanilla bean infused sugar. The piney-ness of the mastiha played well with the granny smith apples. This was the first time trying mastiha for all of my guests so it was great to introduce them to something new. Plus, I had to add some Greek flair to my French-ish dishes.

Becky won the guess-that pantry/on-stock item game and was gifted a bottle of Celebrator Doppelbock in a knit woven Banana cozy. Congrats Becky!

Poutine, Pinot and Pandan all in One Party and all in One Bag.

2011-09-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by Poutine, the Canadian post drinking greasy spoon delight. I am not super keen on french fries unless they are drenched in something. Cheese curds seemed like something out of a cartoon and gravy always weirded me out a a kid, but I have grown to like it. I have only had poutine once before and I was disappointed. I imagined the entire dish to be overflowing with gravy and melting cheese curds, which wasn't the case on my first go 'round. So I decided to make it myself, plus the goal of the dinner party was to use one bag of trash. Poutine is sort of a self contained dish not counting the cheese curds so it seemed right.

The "Pinot" part happened because I picked up a bag (yes, just the bag, sans cardboard box) of Pinot Noir.

I invited two of my Portland State University MBA classmates who are hardcore into sustainability. I figured they could provide extra advice on waste management during this meal.

One of them, Matt, showed up with a case of his latest home brew. When he first came I thought he brought some Red Tail Ale from the grocery store. Nope.

He was just re-using the holding case. And those bottles? All re-used.While I was still getting everything together we sampled his beer, which was his take on a Double Mountain India Red Ale. All I can say is delicious!

I had tons of chick peas in the fridge from making hummus for 200 people the previous weekend so I whipped up some lime-jalapeno hummus for pre-party munchies. Plus, it's a not a party at my place without some hummus. I whirled lime zest, avocado oil, garlic, green onion, jarred jalapenos with tahini and chick peas. I was almost tempted to throw some rum in there to make it a mojito hummus. Just kidding. I would never do that.

Meanwhile I was attempting to make fries from scratch (for the very first time). I got some healthy looking organic russet potatoes at the farmers market. Apparently organic potatoes are difficult to grow and only grow in the state of Oregon. I par-boiled the potatoes on the first go round and fried them on the last. I didn't have a thermometer but I looked up the boiling point for vegetable oil to give me a gauge. This kind of worked.

They came out OK, although next time I would try a thicker cut and a different oil, such as soybean oil. With the left over oil, my roommate/best friend, Heather, and I are planning to make stout doughnuts with a bittersweet chocolate glaze.

Before the poutine machine, we had some greens. I put together a salad with local organic butter lettuce, backyard tomatoes and a creamy basil dressing made with whipping cream and backyard basil. Sprinkled some sunflower seeds on for good tidings.

After over an hour, it was time to eat. Group shot of the party.

It was finally time for some poutine!

Since I was using local ingredients this turned out to be a Pacific Northwest Poutine. I made a beef broth based crimini mushroom, garlic and rosemary gravy using close to 4 lbs of mushrooms. Pinot noir caramelized walla walla onions were also prepared to go on top of the gravy followed by garlic cheese curds from Rogue Creamery, toasted hazelnuts, and some green onions for flora.

I broiled the hot mess for a few minutes to ensure the curds were melted.

The casserole dish was too hot and big to bring to the table outside so everyone came in and served themselves.

The poutine was a filling jumble of earthy mushroom gravy, tangy garlic cheese, sweet onions and a little crunch from the hazelnuts. We cleaned the entire dish.

Definitely a hot mess!

For dessert I made pandan whipped cream served alongside local September fruits. I used the heavy cream from a glass jar and used the glass jar as a vase to hold yellow daises for the table. I also used some of this cream for the salad dressing. My roommate busted out some fruit shell filled sorbets as well, which was a last minute idea and they ended up being perfect. I used pandan to flavor the whipped cream not only because I love it's rich, fragrant nutty taste, but because I wanted the green hue to look like leaves.

Luckily I had a graphic designer in the house to help me with the leaves.

I am in this one - still sporting a Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure shirt that you can't really see but it was my french-frying party shirt for the night. It was also an excellent adventure making this meal and wasting as little as possible. My dinner guests were awesome- providing prudent advice of waste management, helping to clean, prep and ready to try some experimental poutine.

GLAD One bag Event - Part 2

2011-09-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

I was chosen as 1 out of 10 bloggers by GLAD in part with Foodbuzz to throw a "One Bag" party in an effort to promote the reduction of waste, specifically landfill waste. I am compensated for these posts, but the opinions are still mine.

In preparation for my "Poutine and Pinot" party I had to go shopping strategically, which is not super difficult in a place like Portland.

I wanted to make poutine because
1) It is almost a completely No-Waste dish
2)  I've never made it and
3) I am highly intrigued by Canadian post drinking food.
4) The "Pinot" part is attributed to the fact that I had pinot noir in the bag - willing and able for this party.

Poutine is basically fires topped with gravy and cheese curds. I wanted to add a local, Oregon touch to my version since the name of the game was to be as green as possible. I went to the farmers market and picked up some organic russet potatoes to make the fries portion. I also grabbed a few pounds of crimini mushrooms, some walla walla onions, butter lettuce, fruits and cheese curds - all local stuff of course. The goods were stuffed in my carry-on bags as shown below. Then trekked back home on my human powered vehicle which is my #1 mode of transportation when it's not pouring rain. I do not own a car.

Meanwhile, I was still trying to figure out what to do with the Styrofoam.

I invited two of my Portland State University MBA classmates who are both focused on sustainability - prefacing the invite with waste management Q's. Pre-dinner I asked more questions.

One was concerning the organic russet potatoes I mandolined into perfect future fry shapes. This was a pain. Was it worth it?

According to Matt, posing with Styrofoam below, it is much more fuel/energy efficient to make your own fries as opposed to buying the frozen version, even if it involves a little elbow grease.

Matt

In regards to that Styrofoam, Nate, who is the Project Lead at the Port of Portland Waste Minimization Project, advised me that Styrofoam block can be recycled for free at Recology locations (one location being within a mile from my house).

Nate

The dinner party continues tomorrow.

Seven

2011-09-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

Maria from Organically Cooked asked me to take part in My 7 Links, which is a fun little game going around in the blogosphere these days. I feel a little self absorbed doing this post, but I was invited to play the game, so here goes! Banana Wonder is now 2.5 years old and a lot has happened in the last 2.5 years making it fun to reflect.

1. My most beautiful post

Because I love bold, bright colors my post on Ouzo Cupcakes with Vissino (sour wild cherry) Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my favorites. Plus, I was super proud of this creation which I invented for a cupcake competition. I feel like I didn't win due to an overall lack of knowledge/appreciation for Greek cuisine/culture on the Orange County judges part. In my mind, these are winners!

2. My most popular post

With almost 3,000 page views and not food related, it's the post where I sketched a live nude whilst drinking champagne.

I got invited by an art studio in Hollywood to join one of their parties so they can officially say "Banana Wonder Sketches Bananas." I used to be an avid oil painter when I was in my younger teenager years. My parents thought I would grow up to be an architect. Then I started playing sports and didn't have time for anything else. I was really excited to start drawing again (below is something I did).

3. The most controversial post

It's a tie between my recent post involving GLAD who sent me tons of Styrofoam and my first Vasilopita recipe in which someone commented that it was the worse vasilopita recipe ever made. Yes, they used "worse" not "worst." I really liked my Crazy Vasilopita.

4. The most helpful post

From page views and hits, how to fry and Ostrich Egg Sunny Side Up with the Wind Attack was a helpful one. Plus if you google it, you won't anything else. I know because we googled it before attempting to fry this huge egg. Andy came up to Portland from Los Angeles, stopping at the Ostrich Zoo on his way. We had a huge Greek Feaster dinner party and decided the best way to eat the Ostrich egg was to make one big fried egg and then eat it pizza style. It turns out this is not the best way to eat the egg as the whites are very gelatinous where as the yolk is creamy - the contrast is just too weird. It's best to make them into a frittata like I did on my first Ostrich go experience.

5. The post whose success surprised me

I was hesitant to post for Asian Style Hummus because I thought my readers (probably all 20 of them at the time) would think....Oh, boy now she's really off her rocker...
Turns out, people were really into my hummus concoction. I love this hummus too - it's exotic, fun and full of flavor. People try it for the first time and are kind of shocked but then are hounding me with question on how to make it.

6. The post that didn't get as much attention that it deserved

I was a little sad no one seemed to comment on my vegan (or not) chocolate ganache. I love this ganache and it's so easy to make. I also liked my chocolate cake photo- or maybe I just have a thing for rainbow colored sprinkles.

7. The post I am most proud of

By far, it would be my first foodbuzz dinner party: 7 Courses of Olive Oil. It was my first formal dinner party and I hosted it at my friend's cousin's mansion over looking the Columbia River. I had a lot of my friends help prep and they all did an awesome job. I got great feedback from this dinner and it was also featured in the Olive Oil Times.

I would like to invite the following bloggers to take part in this project and share some interesting facts about their blog.

Andy from The Wind Attack
Justin from An Immovable Feast
Cathy from Gastronomy
Diana from Diana Takes A Bite
Ivy from Kopiaste

French Lentil Hummus

2011-09-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

After devouring the carrot hummus per my big brother John, I whipped up this french lentil hummus from the big batch of lentils I made for his Portland arrival. The weekend turned out to be a massive hummus fest. I sort of hesitated to make this version, thinking about adding chick peas to smooth it out but John pushed for 100% lentil. Since french lentils are small, it is hard to get complete smoothness in the 'ol kitchen aid food processor, but we are cool with a little pulp. French lentils are delicate, and have a mild peppery punch to them which resulted in a rich, flavorful protein packed spread. I didn't deviate from the standard hummus recipe because I wanted to the lentils themselves to shine.

French Lentil Hummus

2 cups cooked french lentils (save a few lentils for decor)
1 heaping tablespoon of tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove chopped garlic
2 teaspoon white vinegar (or extra lemon juice)

Blend everything but the lentils in a food processor until completely smooth. Add lentils and blend until smooth. It takes longer than regular chick pea hummus - about 4-5 minutes. Top with extra lentils for decor.

One Bag Event - Part 1

2011-09-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Saffy the cat decides to not move

Super cool motion sensor trash can

This post is part of a Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with GLAD. I hope they do not kick me off the project for what I am about to say. I promised to do a total of four posts.

GLAD picked me as 1 of 10 bloggers to take part in their One Bag Challenge in attempt to hype up the efforts to reduce landfill waste. The Challenge is to host a party in which I use one bag of trash. I also got counseled by a Waste Management Expert and got sent some cool trash schwag to help throw the party. I already strategized to throw a "Poutine and Pinot" party next week inviting some of my sustainable/waste management specialized MBA classmates from Portland State University. I already calculated the two scraps of plastic that would amount to all the waste for the party. I could throw 50 more of these parties until it fills up one of GLAD's bags.

The challenge for me (and my roommate) is not throwing a waste-reduced party, but instead it's how to minimize our waste for the next month (since our trash is only picked up monthly...yeah, welcome to Portlandia) in order to recycle the gargantuan packaging that was sent to me for this challenge.

This is what was sent:

A kitchen friendly compost bin, some bags and tupperware which came in a fairly small box. Box burned in summer backyard bonfire. Moving right along...

That cool motion sensor trash can seen above, above? Well, this what it came in.

To put things in perspective. Here is my recycling trash can.

Now my challenge is finding out what to do with Styrofoam.

Styrofoam is not allowed in the recycle bin in Portland.

I would have to put the styrofoam in the regular trash bin. Which is even smaller.

It's all very ironic. Although another company manufactured/packaged this trash can and not GLAD - I feel it is still an oversight on GLAD's part in not having performed due diligence on what it was subcontracting out if landfill waste reduction is truly a priority and not just another promotion. Most likely I will have to haul the styrofoam to specialized recycling outfits, pay a fee and have it taken care of.

I asked one my Eco-friends/classmate @CamilleBeGreen who gave me some clever ideas:

1) Styrofoam stamps
2) Styrofoam ghosts for Halloween (which I could later convert to Styro Snowman)

On a lighter note, one of my friends, @themonkeysknow suggested to just add a little gasoline and you could have some napalm. #justsayin #onalistsomewherenow

So this is my challenge: figuring out what to do with all this Styrofoam! Any ideas?

Spelt and Rainbow Drop Cookies

2011-09-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

My original plan was to make spelt and rainbow drop coffee ice cream sandwiches, but in the end, no one cared about the coffee ice cream I slaved over to infuse with freshly ground Ethiopian beans. It was all about the cookies (and milk). And it might have been the rainbow drops from SunRidge Farms caught the eyes of my dinner guests being my little brother and sister in law who had just arrived in Portland after taking the 31 hour train trip from Los Angeles and Justin, who only has eyes for one type of ice cream anyway. If it was up to me, I'd be allured by the groovy candy coated shades of purple, forest green and maroon.

I used spelt flour because it has a nutty flavor - kind of like a replacement to adding actual nuts, plus it has more personality than regular AP flour along with healthier attributes. I followed a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe except that I used less butter, since I felt like I was eating baked butter the last time I followed the recipe. Plus, I am vain and want less fat on my thighs.

*Disclosure: SunRidge Farms gave me this product, which I was glad to use because they are a green, organic, and socially responsible company providing healthy and high quality products.

Spelt and Rainbow Drop Cookies

1 cup spelt flour
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 bag (7 oz.) SunRidge Farms Rainbow Drops or your favorite colorful button shaped chocolate candies

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
Beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy, then add eggs one by one beating well each time.
Beat in flour mixture. Stir in Rainbow drops. Use an ice cream scooper if possible to drop onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes depending on size (until golden brown).
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes then remove onto wire racks to finish cooling.

PDX Pretzel Throw Down #3: Grüner

2011-09-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

I checked out the pretzel at Grüner per facebook pretzel hound research insiders aka Facebook friends. Grüner serves Alpine cuisine so I was intrigued. I also had LA Blogger Chocomeat and Pastry Lion Brooke with me for back up. We ordered the pretzel ($2) separately since we were there for happy hour and not dinner. The roll was served with butter. The pretzel itself was deemed more than acceptable having a pleasant chewy, dense texture and no bitter crust. The major disappointments were that the pretzel was cold and uhm, butter and not mustard?

This is pretzel #3 of the PDX Pretzel Throw Down. More to come next week.

Grüner
527 SW 12th Ave
Portland, OR

White Bean Hazelnut Hummus

2011-09-09T00:06:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about living in Portland is the Saturday Portland Farmers Market. Even non foodies can get their kicks here as it is a weekly event filled with colors, scents, live music and ~~rabid Portlanders foaming at the mouth as they fight over that last piece of purple kale~~ people watching. One of my favorite vendors is Freddy Guys which sells all hazelnut products. Fresh hazelnut oil which is pressed every two weeks can be purchased here. It's absolutely phenomenal, better than anything I've every bought from the gourmet grocer. The oil is like breathing in 10,000 hazelnuts all at once, which for me, is a lot of fun since I love hazelnuts. Freddy Guys didn't give me any freebies to blog this nor do they even know I am super into food. They just offer super high quality products, which excites me.

I decided to make a white bean hazelnut hummus using the oil and adding the nuts for texture and extra flavor. I chose white beans because they seem to have a more delicate flavor and texture than garbanzos and I wanted the hazelnuts to shine. I love this dip and I can't wait to make it again and again.

White Bean Hazelnut Hummus

16 ounces cooked or canned (drained) white (cannellini) beans
1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, and a little more for on top
3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 clove garlic, minced

In a food processor blend hazelnuts, 2 tbs oil, vinegar, garlic and salt for about 30 seconds. Blend in the white beans for another 2 minutes or until smooth. Top with remaining hazelnut oil and extra crushed hazelnuts.

PDX Pretzel Throw Down: Deschutes Brewery

2011-09-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

I do not want to end my Throw Down this soon into the game, but Deschutes's Brewery Pretzel has got to be one of the best I have ever had in my 30 years living la vida banana wonder. The Pretzel ($7 non happy hour, $4 happy hour) is served with a ramekin of baked white cheddar cheese dipping sauce and a ring of Black Butte Porter stone ground mustard.

The Pretzel: Invokes glorious carbohydrate-happy sensors with thick, doughy insides. Good amount of electrolyte balancing salt flecks to keep you coming back for more without sending you out the door with high blood pressure. Crust is not bitter, and the entire pretzel is baked consistently. Good for sharing, if you are generous.

The Dip: Gleak inducing baked cheddar cheese and mustard fondue. It's warm, tangy, creamy and textural.

I'll keep trying pretzels in PDX, but I will keep eating this pretzel when I can. If anyone has any pretzel tips, I would love to hear them!

Deschutes Brewery
210 NW 11th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
503.296.4906