Wine, wheat, and whales! Join in as the gourmet archipelago celebrates over a decade of great food, local farms, and independent filmmaking. Savor the San Juans has grown to encompass film festivals, farm tours, harvest dinners, workshops, a bike-and-brew and much more. Ease into a slower time of year while indulging in the culture, and natural beauty of Orcas, Lopez and the San Juan Islands. Sample the artistry of chefs like Food & Wine Best New Chef Jay Blackinton on Orcas or Nick Coffey at Ursa Minor on Lopez.
Take advantage of lodging, dining and transportation specials during harvest season.
Here’s your chance to open the barn door to see behind the scenes at some of the islands’ most beautiful farms, creameries, wineries, flower gardens, shellfish farms and more. Taste Island Grown foods and wine, beer, cider, and spirits, during a selection of farm-to-table dinners by local chefs.
A sampling of events:
All three islands will hold special all-day Farm Tours that include activities such as sheep shearing demonstrations, a fermentation workshop, cider pressing, and great local snacks. The San Juan Island Farm Tour takes place on September 9th, Lopez Island on September 29th, and Orcas Island on September 30th. More details coming soon.
Coho Restaurant and Doe Bay Wine Company pair up on October 12th to provide an unforgettable wine dinner featuring wines from the Orcas Project -- small-production, limited release wines made in collaboration between acclaimed winemakers and vineyards in the Pacific Northwest.
The Friday Harbor Film Festival will honor Captain Paul Watson, one of the founders of Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, with the Andrew V. McLaglen Lifetime Achievement Award during the Opening Night Gala on October 26th. The gala will include a screening of the film, Chasing the Thunder, a high-seas documentary that follows the eco-warriors as they engage on an epic chase of the notorious poaching vessel, the Thunder.
The 2nd Annual Hops on the Rock festival is literally shutting down the streets of Eastsound on November 10th to host a weekend of drinking, dancing, and NovemBEER events all across Orcas Island. Live music, local food, and 20+ local breweries from around the region will be featured.
For more details and a complete list of events, visit the San Juan Island Visitors Bureau Savor website and watch for information on the Visit San Juan Islands Facebook Page. It will be a Medley of Food, Farms & Film, September 9th – November 10th, 2018.
Wild About Game returned to the beautiful Resort at the Mountain for its 15th year of bringing specialty farmers, purveyors, chefs and foodies together for an exciting day of food and drink.
This year’s chef competition featured chefs from Seattle and Portland who were assigned specialty game around which they would create their dishes for the competition. The game included Nicky Farms water buffalo, rabbit (which was how the company started), quail and the new addition to the family, Hawaiian venison.
Chefs from Seattle and Portland faced off at Wild About Game 2015
The winner of the Wild About Game professionally judged competition was Carlo Lamagna of Clyde Commons. Chef Carlo prepared Rabbit Arroz Caldo.
The People's choice award winner was Andrew Mace of Le Pigeon.Chef Andrew prepared Chicken Fried Quail with smoked foie gras pumpkin pie.
My first experience with Wild About Game, Nicky USA’s celebration of quality meats and accompaniments including the exciting cooking competition, was full of learning and memorable experiences. I came away with my own favorites, perhaps for different reasons than the criteria for the winning chefs.
Of course the backdrop to the whole event was the beautiful Resort at the Mountain in Welches. The sun was amazing, the fall colors brilliant and the weather was perfect for the indoor-outdoor event. So the location had to be tops on my list of favs.
View from Wild About Game at The Resort at the Mountain
Fav Learning Opportunity
In love with shrooms!
Ever since writing about mushroom events in the Pacific Northwest, I’ve been fascinated with the variety and sources of my favorite meat accompaniment. Bob from Misty Mountain Mushrooms in Yamhill, Oregon was there with a great display of foraged and cultivated mushrooms. He also was eager to explain the process and the sourcing of the mushrooms. Much to the delight of attendees, he gave each of us a package of baby Shiitake mushrooms to take home.
Fav Dish
The chefs from The Heathman Hotel wowed me!
I have to admit that I did more wandering around the marketplace and photographing of the competing chefs than I did standing in long lines for tastes so my favorite is one that was not in the competition. I enjoyed the tender Karobuta Pork short ribs in pork neck jus with apple butter, pickled winter squash and dried cherries.The pork was tender and the sauce had the right amount of sweetness to make me want to enjoy a full dinner entrée. This wonderful pork dish was prepared by chefs from the Heathman Restaurant & Bar located in The Heathman Hotel, a downtown Portland landmark.
Fav Beverage
Tom from the SE Wine Collective describes the wines
they brought to WAG2015
I am definitely a wine aficionado so skip tastes of local brews, ciders and coffees. This limits me to the wine and spirits purveyors at most events. Wild About Game invited the Southeast Wine Collective with wines from their Division Wine Making Company. Kate Norris and Tom Monroe make wines that are a reflection of their experience gained in France. So it was not a surprise that their 2014 Pinot Noir was light and ready to drink and reminiscent to me, anyway, of the style of a Nouveau Beaujolais. Their tasting room, located in an urban neighborhood of Portland, offers tastings of wines from the collective as well as small plates.
Fav Food Art
Amazing, delicate offering from Conserva
Brightly colored translucent orbs decorated with brilliant blue and purple flowers resting on small spoons caught the eye of all photographers. The Sabores Concentrados were being featured by Viridian Farms. What attracted our eyes was described as applewood smoked steelhead trout roe, blue borage flower, white truffle infused olive oil caviar with alyssum and pimpinella. Conserva by Viridian Farms, is a culinary boutique focused on curated flavors of Spain and France. This was only one example of their offerings.
Fav Foodie Personality
Oysterman Dan had great stories to tell as he shucked.
Watch a handsome, muscular guy named Dan shuck oysters and hear his family story and you’ll be entranced. Hamma Hamma is a fifth generation family-run shellfish farm on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Their beds are located at the mouth of one of the shortest, coldest, and least developed rivers in Washington State. You can visit the farm in Lilliwaup and shop at their store.
Fav Food Guide
Nicky USA founder, Geoff Latham succumbs to the wiles
of the Hamma Hamma oysters
A patient, yet enthusiastic Geoff Latham, founder of Nicky USA, was the guide through the event for our group of media representatives. Before the event opened to the public he took us to each vendor to let them explain the highlights of their products. It was an amazing learning experience. Geoff stopped to taste some of his favorites, finding it difficult to resist. He’d be swamped once the event got started so this was his chance to show his enthusiasm for his partners and farmers. It was through this tour, that I knew exactly where to return for more photos and information… and, of course, to taste.
Fav Business Concept
Simple graphics, great idea!
Like I said, I'm not a coffee person but I couldn't resist listening to the story of Happy Cup. Happy Cup Coffee creates jobs for individuals with disabilities while bringing ethically traded coffee to the market. 100% of Happy Cup proceeds goes towards programing for the disabled. Their coffees are batch roasted in Portland. I liked their graphics and friends said their coffees were excellent. I'll be looking into their gift box offerings.
Fav Place to Relax
It may not look like it but the Skyway is a great place to stop for food, drink and music.
After a long day of learning and tasting, I was ready for a relaxing evening. Once Wild About Game made their awards and closed up, the party moved a couple miles up the highway to Zig Zag. The after party took place at a well-known mountain barbeque joint called Skyway Bar and Grill. This funky and fun place has been there for years but I had never stopped there. I found a welcoming fireplace with a roaring fire amidst the crazy, eclectic décor. Outside on their large patio another fire roared. The food, featuring Nicky Farms protein was excellent. I ate by the fire, talked to people by the fire and vowed to return to have dinner there and listen to live music some day.
Yep, more delicious meats!
Wild About Game Recommendation
If you love exploring the tastes and beauty of food and drink, you’ll find something different at Wild About Game. Nicky USA finds the quality exotic game that chefs are demanding.
And of course, that game has to be accompanied by other locally sourced, quality food and drink. Put the full network of Nicky USA on display in a scenic setting and you have Wild About Game.
The ticket prices, $65 per person in advance and $75 at the door, were reasonable given that everything is provided, for the entire day, once you enter.
Consider staying overnight. You may not want to drive after all that eating and drinking and you’ll be ready to relax.
My favorite from the Sandwich
Invitational... St. Jack's quail and bacon
sandwich.
Feast Portland, the well-organized foodie extravaganza
benefitting charities impacting child hunger, was much more than a food
festival. Feast Portland was a long weekend of events showcasing all that
Portland and Oregon have to offer. I’ve written about some of the social problems impacting tourism and so was pleased to attend the event that showed
off the hip, scenic and delicious side of Portland we all love.
Major Feast Portland events took place all over the city in
late September starting with a focus on Portland’s vibrant and historic downtown.
The kick-off marquee event, the Sandwich Invitational, took
place at downtown’s Director Park. The
open-air evening event was featured live on network TV news. Local chefs and
out-of-town luminaries promoted both their restaurants and their creativity. I
asked visiting chefs why they came to Feast Portland. Their answers were
consistent… because we love coming to Portland!
Both of this year's winners were Portland chefs; Gregory
Gourdet of Departure (Judges' Selection) and Vitaley Paley of Imperial (People's Choice). There is no doubt that their offerings left feasties (as I call them)
yearning for more and grabbing their smart phones to make reservations to dine
at their restaurants.
Gregory Gourdet, Top Chef runner-up,
won the Judges' Selection with his
Chinese BBQ pork crepe.
Pioneer Courthouse Square
was the outdoor venue for the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting. While sipping wine
and standing in line for such delights as Chef Pascal Chureau’s farro
and octopus salad, feasties could look up and enjoy the architecture of
downtown against a bright blue sky.
Travel Oregon offered
a zany photo booth and gave out passports to a culinary adventure highlighting
the Seven Wonders of Oregon. What a great way to get people to plan adventures
across the state!
Travel Oregon!
Outside the event, MAX light rail brought attendees from
outlying areas. Everyone certainly saw a great side of Portland’s downtown that
day. Many of Portland’s well-known restaurants are located in downtown and many
of those had chefs cooking for the Grand Tasting.
After getting a sense of the excitement, history and vibe of
downtown, it was off to the newly developed South Waterfront for the Night
Market at Zidell Yards. This time we could take either a Portland Streetcar or
the new Orange MAX line to get there.
With a view of the newly opened Tillicum
Crossing Bridge, Feast Portland amped up the market with a DJ playing world
music and festive oriental touches.
My favorite of the Night Market - Langbaan's beef curry.
Chefs and purveyors of wine, beer and spirits were lined up
in a festival booth type configuration. Do you know how hard it is to get a table at Langbaan? Well, Chef Earl Ninsom was right
there serving a marvelous beef and noodle curry, no reservations needed. And
down at an end booth Top Chef Mei Lin was carefully crafting a configuration of
greens on her delicate pork belly pate egg rolls.
Delicate leaves decorate Mei Lin's egg roll.
Picnic tables with a view of the Willamette River gave
feasties a place to enjoy the evening’s offerings. But what stole the show was
the sunset over the river…. Stunning!
As if that wasn’t enough to entice anyone to visit Portland
for a longer vacation, the next night topped it all with the premier of Oregon
Media Group’s Smoked. The hashtag #OMGSmoked, said it all.
This time it was the
Portland Streetcar that took us to The Pearl District and The Fields urban
park. On the cool grass overshadowed by steel and glass buildings and with a
peek at the historic, there was a lot of smoke… smoke from barbecues, smoke
from fire under paella pans and smoke from barrels of smoking oysters.
When we arrived, these wonderful smelling rib eyes were already ablaze.
The wine was flowing, oysters were being smoked in a bong
(yeah, really!). There were pop up lounges where you could rest, a convenient
park wall for more seating and the continued good cheer and smiles of chefs,
vendors and volunteers.
Both the old Pearl District and the new provided a backdrop for the event.
Chef Jose Chesa was there dishing up Pork Belly, Lentil
Purée, Escalivada, Olives, and Cracklings when he might have been home packing
for his trip to Barcelona leading a culinary tour with Portland Food Adventures. But no,
he was there smiling and enjoying the event along with the rest of us.
Chef Jose Chesa was all smiles even though he was soon leaving
to lead a foodie tour of Barcelona.
I was taken by the hard work being done over and under five-foot
wide paella pans by Crown Paella chefs. The paella was being cooked before our
eyes and the fire had to be carefully tended. That was the fun of Smoked. You
could watch the food being cooked and the fires being stoked.
Preparing the paella pan.
The Pearl has a vibrant and upscale reputation. Smoked,
although it was a casual event, carried with it this vibe. And, as with the
night before, a colorful sunset reflecting off the buildings and the Fremont
Bridge was a show-stopper.
View in the Pearl
On Sunday feasties bade Portland farewell with the Tillamook
Bruch Village, also located in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Again, Portland
weather provided a sunny warm day for the event and the square was full of
excitement and good food from many local restaurants and bakeries.
Feast Portland is just one weekend a year but you can feast
all year long in Portland restaurants. You can tour Oregon
and see where the food is grown. Portland
Dining Month in March is a good one to plan for and, of course you’ll want
to put Feast Portland September, 15th - 18th, 2016 on your calendar! It will be their fifth year of
showing off Portland and the bounty of Oregon.
Chef Bette Fraser
leads Culinary Tours
as well as provides catering for special events.
When you are visiting Bend, Oregon there is so much to do that you
can use up all your vacation time doing the planning and consulting your GPS to
get around to the various attractions. Why not consider a guided tour and leave
the planning to the professionals.
Farm to Table
Culinary Tours
Chef Bette Fraser of The Well Traveled
Fork leads culinary tours that will take you to the source of good food in
the Bend area. She’ll help you learn how local farmers and ranchers are growing
healthy food these days. Join The Well Traveled Fork for a tour of Central
Oregon farms and ranches that produce food the old fashioned way—the way we
used to before big agribusiness became the source of most of our food.
We toured with Chef Bette and visited Maragas Winery where tales of the Maragas family
history kept us entranced. Later, out in the vineyard, we learned about the adaptations needed to grow
grapes in Central Oregon.
Doug Maragas explains his use of
old-world farming techniques with a little
pioneer innovation added in to grow grapes in a
difficult region.
We also visited Red
Tail Farm and learned about sustainable farming in a beautiful setting with
mountain views.
The tour was capped off with a visit to the Crescent Moon Alpaca Ranch where we
fed the alpacas and learned about how they are raised. The on-site boutique
provides a beautiful array of high end goods made with soft alpaca yarns.
Chef Bette customizes each tour. At each stop we spent time
with the farm owner and toured the farm, saw the produce and the animals.
Art Safari Tour
Did you know that Bend is famous for it’s roundabout
art? It’s a little tough to enjoy the art while you are driving yourself in
circles. So let the folks from The Bend
Tour Company take you. We enjoyed stories of the roundabout art, learned
about Bend’s galleries and First Friday openings and found public art we never
knew existed in Bend.
John Flannery of The Bend Tour Company
hams it up for the camera. He was a great tour
guide on our art tour of Bend.
The Bend Tour Company offers knowledgeable guides and fun
ways of touring. They offer a variety of touring options. You can glide in and
around Bend on a SEGWAY, pedal your way along Bend’s famous Ale Trail on
a Cycle Pub, take in Bend’s happening art scene looking cool in their new
Electric Cruisers, or relax and enjoy all that Bend has to offer from the
comfort of a 12 passenger MiniBus.
Brewery Tours
Bend is known for their Ale
Trail. You can certainly follow the tour, map in hand, and enjoy imbibing
at any of the 14 stops on the trail. But wait.Drinking and driving don’t mix. So here’s why a guided tour makes sense.
This is just one tasting. Yep, better leave the driving
to someone else!
And don’t forget that The Bend Tour Company offers a Cycle
Pub so you can work your way from beer to beer. Not up for cycling? Their Brew
Taps Experience explores a rotating list of internationally recognized
& award winning Central Oregon breweries that form The
Bend Ale Trail. Your outing begins with a behind the scenes tour
featuring insights into the art of crafting beautiful Bend beers
from scratch. You’ll be chauffeured in one of their MiniBusses.
Northwest diners have much to choose from in February this year.
Photo courtesy: OregonLive
Devour Dumplings During Portland Oregon’s Dumpling Week The Oregonian/OregonLive will be hosting Portland's first Dumpling Week from Feb. 1-7, 2015. Throughout the week, they will publish features and recipes online and in print, and 19 Portland restaurants will be offering a special dumpling dish on their menus.
Such stellar restaurants such as Aviary and St. Jack will feature their creative take on the simple dumpling. And, we wonder, what will Salt and Straw dream up? Chef's Week PDX Extravaganza It's a slow week at the restaurants so Portland, Oregon chefs collaborate on an amazing array of events. Chefs' Week PDX is coming back to Portland for a second year, packing four nights in early February with nearly 30 chefs from across the West Coast and dinners across the city. Many of these dinners are extravagant, exciting opportunities to see well-known chefs create multiple courses. More Information
February is Inlander Restaurant Week in the Spokane Washington Area
Those in the Spokane, Washington area can look forward to Inlander Restaurant Week returning in February to the Inland Northwest.
Restaurants from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene...Spokane Valley to Airway Heights comprise the record number of 97 participants for 2015.
The menus will be available online for public viewing on Thursday, Jan. 29.
Inlander Restaurant Week, Feb. 20 - Mar. 1, features set-price, three-course menu offerings. Participating restaurants offer their special menus at either an $18 or $28 price level. Diners are welcome to choose the special Restaurant Week menu offerings or anything from a restaurant's regular menu.
In addition to the 97 participating restaurants, at least 12 Drink Local participants will be taking part in Restaurant Week. Drink Local focuses on featuring Spokane-region wines, craft beers, spirits and hard ciders with many of the restaurant menus.
For more information about the participating restaurants, their menus and general information about Inlander Restaurant Week, go to inlanderrestaurantweek.com.
