The Kitchen Thymes

Introducing Inglehoffer's Honey Maple Mustard

2011-11-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

Beaverton Foods, whose brands include Beaver, Inglehoffer, Napa Valley, Tulelake and Pacific Farms, has received another notch in their belt for their Inglehoffer Honey Maple Mustard as they were recently honored as “Editor’s Pick” of Progressive Grocer magazine while also earning a Gold Award at the 17th annual “World-Wide Mustard Competition” competing against 350 mustard entries. Domonic Biggi, President of Beaverton Foods, calls this mustard a ‘hidden gem’ while I call it just plain awesome. This spunky mustard has a hint of maple while maintaining its sweetness from the honey that trickles down the throat afterwards. I'm also fond of the slight crunch of the mustard seeds. Slather it on sandwiches, use as a dipper for warm breadsticks or pretzels or eat straight from the jar (like I admit to). Makes a fun hostess gift or stocker stuffer for your foodie friends.

Dehydrate Strawberries at Home

2011-07-21T16:52:00.001-07:00

Dehydrated strawberries ... what a sterile way to describe something utterly addictive and delicious. So you think you've tasted dried strawberries, perhaps in pre-packaged cold cereal? Think again. The sweet morsels that I'm wild about are nothing like the ones in the box, just as fresh ginger isn't remotely akin to dried ginger.

If you don't already own a dehydrator, let that be your next kitchen gadget splurge. They're not cheap, running anywhere from $40-$150, keeping in mind you don't really need anything fancy, only one that does the job. The one near and dear to my heart is the Nesco 4-Tray Food Dehydrator. Nesco has a myriad of other dehydrators but this one does the trick and also pulls triple-duty as a jerky and dried fruit maker. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's directions for how long to dehydrate or you'll end up prying the berries off with a spatula. Yes, you've learned from my (one-time) mistake.

The best way to depict these dried strawberries are, simply put: heaven. Taking the moisture out of the fruit elevates the sweetness to another level (read: Cloud 9). Sprinkle these delectable little gems over cereal, mix into cottage cheese, top with goat cheese for a quick snack, stir into salad or eat one after another.

This is the stuff of dreams ... See you on Cloud 9.

Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward. ~Terri Guillemets

New Gig, New Restaurants, New Contest

2010-12-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

The world of food writing can open many doors, and not just kitchen doors. I was recently asked to be a part of Portland’s Finest Restaurants where I edit, write and publish posts on area restaurants. Last month, PFR held a blog writer’s contest where I was one of three judges. The premise for the contest was to write an original piece about a positive dining experience in the Portland area. While entries were a little sluggish in the beginning, the last week of the competition drew many promising writers to the event. The winner was this light-hearted piece on the writer's first experience at El Gaucho. Reading their stories were enjoyable and enlightening and made me aware of a few new places in town (new to me anyway) that I’ve since written about, Slappy Cakes, being one of them. PFR is having another blog writer’s contest ending December 31st where the prize is $100 cash. The theme this time around is to convey a story about your favorite restaurant to dine at in the Portland area around the holidays and why that is your favorite holiday spot. Get those entries in and happy writing.

Foster Burger Open for Lunch

2010-12-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

Foster Burger has opened for lunch seven days a week. Hours of operation will be from 11am to 10pm daily where they offer a killer lunch special from 11am to 3pm, featuring their signature Foster Burger with a side and drink for $8.00.

Every Monday and Tuesday at Foster Burger, kids eat free (limit two kids per adult). Mention you saw the ad in the NW Kids Magazine and it's a done deal.

With the extended hours, they will expand their viewing schedule on the winterized heated patio to include Champion League Soccer on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Soccer fans can grab a burger and take advantage of the patio specials on draft beer while watching their favorite teams face off in surround sound on our 100" projector screen.

Foster Burger
5339 SE Foster Road, Portland

Community Based Food Exchange

2010-10-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

With the barrage of online posting, why not exchange food? No doubt by using craigslist as it's model, the Portland Food Exchange is similar except it specializes in the best place to trade local organic food. Post listings and up to four photos for 30 days for free. Categories are fruits and vegetables, herbs, eggs/cheese/milk, other (recent posts included egg cartons, homebrews and canned cherries) and seeds and starts. It's been said before, free is a very good price.

What the Hell is Halloumi?

2010-09-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

By no stretch of the imagination am I a vegetarian, vegan or any other kind of labeled eater, but with this dish -- Roasted Zucchini and Halloumi -- I happily become a vegetarian for the day. Halloumi, a popular cheese in Middle Eastern countries, has a high melting point and is known as the cheese that won't melt making it a perfect companion for kabobs or any application where you don't want soggy cheese. This recipe, as with many others I've concocted, was borne of getting creative with random ingredients on hand. For 2 servings, cut 2 zucchinis into thin slices, drizzle with olive oil and grill or fry (over medium heat) or bake (in 400 degree oven) for 30 minutes, turning once at 15 minutes. Set aside, keeping warm, then grill, fry or bake 6 slices of halloumi until browned. Each method takes a different length of time so experiment to get the desired doneness. Halloumi has a salty flavor so no need to add extra. Its firm texture causes it to squeak on the teeth when eaten, making this a kid favorite. Halloumi is found at Middle Eastern and specialty markets, most likely close to the mozzarella. In Portland, Barbur World Foods carries it year round. Enjoy and leave comments about the cheese or recipe.

A Slick New Sauce

2010-07-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

As a food writer, I'm blessed with samples of many food and beverage products to try. Most of them worthy, but every now and again, one arrives at the doorstep as a knockout! Slick's Big Time Sauces is one of them. Actually, two of them, available in Slick's Sweet and Tangy Sauce and Slick's Sweet and Spicy Sauce.

Not only does Slick describe their labeling, it's their name. In the beginning the Slicks gave their sauces away as gifts to family and friends, then sold the sauces at restaurants and catering events. The demand for Slick’s Sauces was so great they decided to launch their products last year.

So far, I've used both as a dipping sauce (yum), a marinade for chicken (yowsa) and concocted a soup (wow) that I've dubbed Quick Slick's Bisque. Try saying that three times ...

Quick Slick's Bisque

1 can 15 ounce diced tomatoes, reserving juice
1/4 cup Slick's Sweet and Spicy Sauce
1/4 sauce non-fat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cilantro, rinsed and stems removed
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup tortilla chips
avocado, sliced
lime, cut into wedges

In saucepan, combine tomatoes and Slick's Sweet and Spicy Sauce and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and slowly stir in yogurt one spoonful at a time. Add salt and stir to blend thoroughly. Remove from heat and divide into two bowls. Top with cilantro, cheese, tortilla chips and avocado. Squirt lime over bisque and enjoy!

If a milder bisque is favored, swap Slick's Sweet and Spicy Sauce for Slick's Sweet and Tangy Sauce. If a heartier bisque fits the bill, add 1/2 pound cooked ground beef, or if you are a cold soup freak (like moi), before embellishing with cilantro/cheese/chips/avocado/lime, transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least an hour.

Slick's Big Time Sauces can be found at numerous stores throughout the Pacific Northwest or can be ordered through their website. You've gotta try this sauce ... you'll become addicted.

Pull a Prank with Hamburger Cookies

2010-05-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

After seeing these hamburger cookies in Family Fun Magazine, I had to pull the prank and make these for my hamburger-hating, cookie-loving child. He wouldn't eat any citing they looked 'too much like hamburgers' but all the other kids present loved them so all was not lost in my efforts. They look amazingly like mini-burgers with lettuce, ketchup and mustard overflowing, and would make a great addition to any upcoming barbecue or picnic. This video will show just how easy they are to prepare.

Beaverton Foods -- Ketchup Goes Gourmet!

2010-04-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

The first record of the word in English was as 'catsup' in 1690; in 1711 the spelling 'ketchup' appeared, in 1730 the spelling 'catsup' occurred and in 2010 the folks at Beaverton Foods released their version of gourmet ketchup.

Domonic Biggi, Executive Vice-President of Beaverton Foods, saw a need for higher quality ketchup in the marketplace and came up with this winner. In a word, WOW! The ketchup has a deep rosy red hue with an incredibly rich tomato flavor and hints of sweetness. The sweetness comes from the blending of their award winning honey mustard into their proprietary ketchup recipe.

Beaverton Foods is the largest producer of non-refrigerated horseradish and specialty mustards in the US with 30 mustards, horseradishes, tartar and cocktail sauces and mayonnaise under the labels Beaver, Inglehoffer, Old Spice, Napa Valley and Tulelake. The gourmet ketchup, $2.99 for a 13 ounce squeeze bottle, is available at numerous grocery stores across the country and on-line.

Why didn't I think of mixing mustard into ketchup? Pure genius.

My love affair … with hominy!

2010-02-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

As long as I can remember, I’ve had an affinity for hominy. It’s not that we had it all that often but when we did my world would come to a standstill as I bit into every last morsel of these succulent kernels. Okay, so I embellished a bit but I remember really, really liking it and that hasn’t changed to this day. What has changed is how I incorporate hominy into cooking.

My absolute favorite way to prepare hominy is with Pork and Hominy Stew, somewhat similar to Posole, a thick, hearty Mexican soup. I began the tradition of making the stew when my husband would take our son on weekend getaways. The scent of the pork sizzling in sautéed onions wafting through the house always somehow made me more productive. After the green chiles and cilantro had been added and by the time it was ready to be eaten, I sampled so many spoonfuls that dinner was somewhat of an afterthought.

Suggestions to recipe: Drain the fat from the cooked pork and add 2 teaspoons of Pimenton or chili powder for a rosy coloring and top with sections of lime. Recipe from Bon Appetit, February 2001.

Homemade Ricotta Revisited

2010-01-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you have a hankering for lasagna made with homemade ricotta cheese and that day is today. I first wrote a story about homemade ricotta almost a year ago and since old posts get buried in the archives, wanted to bring this to light again. Enjoy and tell me how it works out for you.

Get Lucky with Hoppin' John

2010-01-07T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hoppin’ John is one of those wonderful Southern dishes with humble roots. Rumored to be a staple of African plantation slaves and before that eaten throughout the Caribbean, Hoppin’ John is a dish of black-eyed peas cooked with salt pork and seasonings served over steamed rice. Usually served with a dish of cabbage or greens, it’s meant to ensure a wealthy year. Ham hocks replace the salt pork in modern day recipes.

Traditionalists say that if Hoppin’ John is eaten on New Year’s Day it will bring good luck. I’m all for customs, didn't prepare Hoppin’ John on January 1st and my year’s been pretty good so far, even if it is only January 7th. I'd like to continue my good fortune streak, so to boost the odds I’ll be fixing this dish soon, very soon.

This Hoppin' John recipe is not complicated, has few ingredients and is just as full of flavor as conventional Hoppin’ John. Recipe from Epicurious Magazine, 2000. Enjoy and Good Luck!

Classic Cocoa Mix

2009-12-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

This makes a quick and easy gift for a friend or neighbor. Layer the following in a quart jar:

1 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered milk (sometimes labeled as dry milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Makes 12 servings

Add a ribbon, cinnamon sticks and a tag with the instructions, "Mix contents in a large bowl. For each serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup boiling water".

Killer Cheese Crackers

2009-12-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

For many years, I've made these Cheese Crackers with the intention of serving to guests or taking to another's home for sharing. To date, this hasn't happened. These crackers are so good and addictive my family eats them before they even have a chance. Easy, make-ahead, inexpensive and, most likely, ingredients already in your pantry, this is a winner.

While I'd like to be able to give you a link to the recipe, it's not possible. The recipe is from Bon Appetit's Kitchen Collection Gifts From Your Kitchen book published in 1983, long before the advent of Internet.

Here's the recipe:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal (i.e., Rice Krispies)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cereal and cheese, stirring with fork until thoroughly mixed. Beat egg with hot pepper sauce in small bowl. Drizzle evenly over cheese mixture and blend well. Transfer dough to large piece of foil. Divide dough in half and form into 2 cylinders, each about 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cylinders into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange on baking sheet and press lightly with back of spoon. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool before storing in airtight container.

I've totally ignored the 'let cool' instruction part of the recipe. These are killer straight from the oven. These are mighty rich and only a handful can be eaten at one sitting so the few that are leftover are delectable the next day. Enjoy!

Curried Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew

2009-10-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Fall = Comfort Foods. Sad but true, the fall season finds us stowing the grill (well, the majority of us anyway), ditching the lawn furniture and digging out those large pots for one-pot meals. In my mind, everything's good as long as there's an easy dish prepared on the stovetop or in the oven. While I'm nowhere close to being a vegetarian, somehow I think I'd do alright, especially since discovering this gem. Curried Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew, (Bon Appetit, May 2009) is one that I'll crave forever more and is comfort food at its best with Indian flair reminiscent of traditional Aloo Gobi. While coconut milk may or may not be a pantry staple for you, next time you shop at Trader Joe's, grab a can for 99 cents. That way, when you decide to make this-- and it will be soon --all that needs to be purchased fresh is cauliflower and cilantro. If you aren't crazy about cilantro, leave it out. It doesn't add that much flavor and you won't end up wasting the whole bunch afterwards. Super tasty, chalk full of essential nutrients and easy to assemble. What more could a person want?

Boatloads of Basil and Tons of Tomatoes

2009-09-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

What do basil and tomatoes have in common? Besides being wonderfully delicious, they multiply like rabbits once their growing season begins. Seems there’s no end to generous extended family members, neighbors and co-workers sharing the wealth. Farmer’s markets are teeming with downright cheap prices toward the end of the season and we’re all left scratching our heads with what to do with it all.

When it comes to basil, two things usually spring to mind: pesto and Insalata Caprese. Caprese, a simple salad from the Italian region of Campania, is made from fresh buffalo mozzarella slices, tomatoes and basil seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil. Prepared pesto, an uncooked sauce made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil, is a great use for basil leaves but I find the amount of basil many recipes call for too intense. I’ve tweaked the basic pesto recipe to one-half the amount of basil using parsley, arugula or spinach for the other half. Instead of using pine nuts, I’ve experimented with pecans, walnuts and almonds. In my opinion, none is better than the other, only diverse flavors. Reducing the olive oil to about half makes the pesto more pleasing to the palette. To savor pesto year round, freeze in ice cube trays. Method compliments of instructables.

Tomato recipes run amuck in numerous publications so I’ll save you the time. These are three of the best: Slow Roasted Tomatoes from Gourmet Magazine and Sun-Dried Tomatoes from the Fad About Food blog. Both these are matches made in heaven with pasta and pizza. And, can anyone ever have enough homemade salsa on hand? Try this fresh, tangy one from the Our Best Bites blog. Gotta give a plug to my fellow bloggers … enjoy!

Plum Crazy!

2009-08-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Necessity is the mother of invention with this recipe. For the last few weeks, our neighbors have been begging us on a daily basis to help ourselves to their overabundance of plums and when we finally did, found our sink full of the buggers. While I’m not enamored with making jam or anything that has to do with canning, chutney is the next best thing. From start to finish, you can fix this recipe in less than 20 minutes.

Finding a plum chutney recipe was not all that time-consuming, thanks to Google, but what took a little more time was crafting a suitable recipe where the components are more savory than sweet, and then fine-tuning it to my liking. This is the result:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno chile, chopped (seeds removed if less heat is desired)
1 pound red plums, halved, pitted and cut into pieces
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons hot curry powder
1/4 cup water

In medium skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil, onion and jalapeno; cook about 5 minutes until softened. Increase heat to medium-high, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until plums are softened and liquid is slightly syrupy, about 10 minutes. Over grilled chicken, pork, lamb, or salmon, spoon room temperature or warm chutney. To get even more bang for your buck, use half of the chutney as a marinade by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil to your recipe. Let meat of choice marinate for at least 2 hours, grill as accustomed and enjoy.

Too Much Zucchini? Never!

2009-08-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. Most people have an overabundance of zucchini or don’t fully appreciate its qualities and can’t wait to give it away either by leaving a bagful on a neighbor’s stoop or taking masses to the office with a sign saying “take me home”. I, on the other hand, am always the one looking for zucchini handouts and will gratefully cherish each and every one that I’m offered. Getting resourceful is the name of the game with this popular summer squash.

Zucchini can be cooked by a variety of methods including steaming, grilling, sautéing, deep-frying and baking. One tried and true recipe is Roasted Zucchini and Walnut Orzo that I created for Sunset Magazine. After being given a surplus of zucchini and not wanting any to end up in the compost pile, I came up with this dish encompassing other readily available ingredients I had in my pantry.

Newfound ways to incorporate zucchini are impeccable in the Grilled Zucchini Salad, which appeared in Indulge magazine (July/August 2009) and the Chilled Zucchini Soup with Cilantro Cream recipe from Bon Appétit (August 2009). Although the entire recipe includes lemon-cumin shrimp, it's mouth-watering with only zucchini and cilantro, which complement each other beautifully.

Go on, expand your zucchini horizons. Give this green guy the respect it deserves.

Motown Memories of Maurice (Salad)

2009-07-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the Motor City will always hold memories near and dear to my heart. I Can’t Help Myself when I reminisce about listening to WKNR “Keener 13” and CKLW -- broadcast from Detroit and Windsor -- play endless hours of Motown. Watching the Detroit Tigers, thinking alkaline batteries were named after right fielder Al Kaline, eating Sander’s hot fudge sundaes, listening to more Motown, the 1967 riots during a summer Heat Wave and being introduced to the Maurice Salad while, no doubt, Baby Love was wafting through the air.

Now, I Heard it Through the Grapevine that the Maurice Salad was innovated by the Hudson’s Department Store in downtown Detroit. Hudson’s was the mother of all stores with their flagship store on Woodward Avenue not all that far from Hitsville, the original Motown Studios. At one point, Hudson’s ran five in-store restaurants serving up to 14,000 meals a day. In 1960, a Cass Tech student became the first black bus girl in the basement cafeteria. Her name was My Girl, Diana Ross. One of the top sellers was the Maurice Salad served with hard French rolls. This had people Dancin’ in the Streets.

The Maurice was a closely guarded secret until the store caved in to thousands of requests for those who Ain’t Too Proud to Beg and made it public. Across town you might have heard Motowners chanting Please Mr. Postman, anxiously waiting for their recipes to arrive. Once they got their hands on it, no doubt they said, Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing Baby. They didn’t need to Shop Around any longer.

While I have a few vague recollections of having the Maurice Salad at Hudson’s, my mom must have thought there Ain’t No Mountain High Enough to keep her from getting the recipe. See side bar for the version she scored.

Never Can Say Goodbye to My Guy, Maurice Salad. You Keep Me Hanging On. Enjoy the recipe! Now that’s What’s Going On! If anyone out there tries the recipe, let me know and I’ll Be There …

Barbur World Foods

2009-07-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

Walk into Barbur World Foods in SW Portland and you’ll feel like you found the Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka’s culinary global wonderland.

Barbur World Foods was built in 1936 to serve as a small Piggly Wiggly store in Portland. John Attar is the third owner buying the store in 2004. He also owns Ya Hala Restaurant in Portland, as well as International Food Supply grocery store next to Ya Hala. Attar wanted his store to be one of a kind and key to his concept was offering affordable foods from around the world. Attar says that while Barbur World Foods now is a destination store drawing people from all over the Portland area, it’s important that he continues to serve the neighborhood. “We don’t want to leave anyone out,” Attar says. “Some families have limited budgets. This is their store, and we want them to keep shopping here. We are here to serve our community.”

I first went into Barbur World Foods in search of sumac for a recipe I planned to try. Since then, this store has been a weekly haunt for not only hard-to-find spices but for their vast array of produce, seafood and meat. The local Persian, Arabic and Turkish communities will feel at home with Halal meats prepared in accordance with Muslim rules.

A large selection of rarities are imported from the Middle East, Turkey, Mexico and Greece, with a smaller inventory from India, Thailand, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Bulgaria, Denmark and Russia. They buy in bulk and then break things down into smaller packages. The store carries more than 80 kinds of nuts, including unusual varieties like Turkish and jalapeño pistachios.

The first order of business upon arriving at the market is placing an order for pita bread. You have a choice between white and whole wheat pita that’s baked in a large brick oven while you mull over rosewater and Ajvar. “We don’t bake it until somebody orders it,” Attar says. “It only takes five minutes to bake, and people keep coming back for more.” When your shopping is done, the freshly baked, piping hot pita resembling a soft pillow is ready and waiting in a paper bag on the counter. A true test of willpower is driving home without devouring a steaming pita. I’ve failed each and every time … the aroma of the bread in the small confines of a vehicle is unbeatable.

Another highlight of the market is their deli. It includes more than a dozen vegan dishes and well as vegetarian delectables. Silky hummus, savory grape leaves, salty olives, lemon-rich tabbouleh and outstanding vegetable kibbe and baba ghanoush are made on the premises and are in my basket on most visits. Affordable meals and picnics can be put together with these items. If you have time at the deli, on display is Alice’s Kitchen written by the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, author, illustrator and writer Linda Dalal Sawaya. With more than 125 original family recipes, she’ll put you on the right path with the all ingredients you are faced with at Barbur World Foods.

Across from the deli is the cheese display. Barbur World Foods carries cheeses from more than 30 states and imported cheeses from six countries. My must-have cheeses are the chunky Bulgarian feta cheese and Halloumi, a non-melting cheese ideal for skewers on the grill. With the cheeses you will find creamy Greek yogurt, which has become a staple in my household. This is a cross between plain yogurt and cream cheese with a slightly tart taste. Use it anywhere you’d use yogurt, sour cream or even ricotta.

A selection of over 2,000 beers from around the world and 3,000 wines makes Barbur World Foods one of top places to shop for beer and wine in Portland.

On my next trip, I’ll be trying the handmade pizzas for the bargain price of $2.00. I can’t wait to try both the Lahm B’ajeen – minced beef, onion and tomato and the Zaatar – thyme, sesame seed, sumac and olive oil. I’ll be putting my willpower to the test again, no doubt.

Zip on over to ZAP

2009-06-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

ZAP, or the Zinfandel Advocate Producers, are coming to Portland on Wednesday, July 29th. Forty Zinfandel wineries will be conducting tastings for the public and the wine trade. The public is invited from 6:00-8:30 pm at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland. Members of the wine trade -- restaurateurs, sommeliers, retail and the media -- are invited to attend from 2:00-5:00. Click here to RSVP. ZAP has partnered with the Oregon Culinary Institute and Portland Uncorked for this event.

This will be an opportunity to learn why Zinfandel attracts such a great following. Participants will be tasting award-winning Zinfandels, mingle with winemakers and winery owners, learn about the richness and versatility of Zinfandel and discover why Zinfandel is called America's Heritage Wine. If that weren't enough, sample incredible BBQ prepared by 10 up and coming chefs selected from the Oregon Culinary Institute's Culinary Arts Program. Each chef will fire up the grill to create and serve one-of-a-kind BBQ appetizers created to showcase Zin.

Tickets cost $35 for ZAP members and $44 for non-members. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. To buy tickets in advance, click here.

The weekend before the Portland event, ZAP will be in Seattle on Sunday, July 26th from 4:00-7:00 pm to host Zin and BBQ in the Park at the Gardens at South Seattle Community College's Arboretum.

As a bonus to my readers, the first 6 to post a comment on any of the stories on my blog will get a free ticket to the Portland ZAP event (worth $35). Deadline to enter is Thursday, July 16th at noon. Ready, set, comment ... see you there!

Faux Marcona Almonds

2009-06-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Why is it that the things we like best -- either in the culinary universe or not -- are always those things that are most expensive? Take Spanish Marcona almonds, for example. A handful of these and you're in debt to the bank. At a dinner party the other night, there were bowlfuls of these little guys and I thought perhaps the host had struck it rich. She then confessed to the secret of making faux Marcona almonds at home.

Blanch "regular" almonds in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Strain under cold water and peel off skin, which comes off easily. Mix skinned almonds with a little sea salt to taste. Spread on baking sheet and roast in 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, shaking once or twice to avoid sticking and to ensure even roasting. Monitor closely so almonds won't burn and enjoy! You'll be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these and the real thing.

Portland Saturday Market (and Sunday too!)

2009-06-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

Not to be confused with the plethora of Portland Farmers Markets that bless our metropolitan area, the Portland Saturday Market is a marketplace unlike any other. Founded in 1974, the Portland Saturday Market is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts marketplace in the United States featuring over 250 artists from across the Northwest. Centered in Portland’s historic Old Town District, the market has expanded and spilled across the street onto the waterfront of the Willamette River.

You won’t find a head of lettuce or flowers here, but what you can find are artisans selling their handmade works of art; everything from candles to musical instruments to garden art to glass pieces to wood and metal works. My personal favorite is Spoonman Creations where metal master, Mike Kelly, will make anything out of recycled flatware and other kitchen utensils. Mike is one of the few original vendors still at the Portland Saturday Market. Perfect for that hard-to-buy person is the fork or knife headwear. I’d say this stuff is priceless but it’s really reasonable. Both of the fork or knife headwear will set you back $7.00. Now that’s recession proof.

Thirty unique food vendors set up shop every weekend, each trying to lure us in with sweet scent of whatever’s cooking on their grills and stoves wafting through the air. Among them are Chowder Heads who make homemade clam chowder, hand breaded fish with fresh sliced chips or Angelina’s Greek Cuisine who craft gyros made of beef and lamb traditionally grilled on a spit. Cloud Cap Coffee Works custom blends espresso drinks and coffee made from locally roasted coffee beans from sustainable sources.

Don’t even think about leaving without the ubiquitous elephant ears. Sugar rush anyone?

Portland Saturday Market
108 W. Burnside, Portland(503) 222-6072
Saturday 10:00-5:00 pm, Sunday 11:00-4:30 pm
February 28th-December 24th

In Search of: Green Goddess Dressing

2009-05-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

There are two food memories from my childhood I’ve sought out for decades: One of them is Baskin Robbins' Mandarin Chocolate ice cream, which I’ve come up with a way to easily replicate. The other is Green Goddess Dressing, which was created in the 1920's by the chef at San Francisco's Palace Hotel in honor of actor George Arliss who was appearing locally in a play called "Green Goddess". I have homemade recipes for this velvety green goodness but none really seem to duplicate what I remember or get it quite right. The closest I can find is in the box at the left.

Imagine my surprise when I found that Kraft Seven Seas now makes a version of it. My thriftiness went out the door – having a self-made rule of not buying anything that’s not already on my list without a coupon – and I ecstatically put it in my cart. The fellow at the checkout counter asked what it tasted like and I told him the main ingredients are tarragon, anchovies and parsley. I quickly drove home to try, salivating every inch of the way, but was disappointed before I could even say “Green Goddess”. This is not how I remember it. Not how it's supposed to be.

Being overcome by the mere thought of Green Goddess, I didn’t even think to actually look at the list of ingredients where the mention of this heavenly trio are nowhere in sight. What I did find are xanthan gum, polysorbate 60 and phosphoric acid. This is nothing but a glorified, green ranch dressing. The nerve! Now that I’m stuck with it, I’ve found that mixing the dressing with plain yogurt makes it more palatable and more a dip than a dressing.

Oh yeah, if I piqued your interest with the mention of Mandarin Chocolate Ice Cream, a substitute can be made by mixing equal parts of the darkest chocolate known to man with orange sherbet. Not exactly the same, but still takes me back to when my parents were paying.

If anyone out there in cyberspace has a version of Green Goddess dressing, please do tell. I can live with my concoction of Mandarin Chocolate Ice Cream but won’t someone, somewhere please come up with a 60’s version of Green Goddess. I’d be forever in your debt.

Cottage Cheese – Love it, Hate it

2009-05-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

Cottage cheese is one of those things that you either really love or really hate. I definitely fall in the first category and consider myself a huge cottage cheese connoisseur; sneaking spoonfuls of it daily like others devour ice cream over the sink.

With that being said, not just any ‘ol cottage cheese will do. I am very particular of the type of cottage cheese and the brand. I’ll only eat small curd and, up until now, only 2-3 brands were acceptable. I discovered another more than acceptable brand yesterday when I walked into my neighborhood New Seasons Market where they were handing out samples of Rachel’s Cottage Cheese (and it wasn’t even the weekend). I had one of those moments, dare I say epiphanies, where I said to myself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Of course, cottage cheese is nothing new but flavored cottage cheese is. For years, we’ve seen the dreaded pineapple cottage cheese and the overly chived cottage cheese but it ended there.

Preferring savory over sweet, I bought three of the Rachel’s Cottage Cheeses offered - Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Cucumber Dill and Roasted Red Pepper. All being delicious with the tastes of the pesto, cucumber/dill and red peppers coming through loud and clear, I haven’t decided which I like best. The sweet flavors produced are Lemon Verbena Berry, Pomegranate Orange Cranberry and Pear Mangosteen. I tasted all of these too and have to say, all were absolutely delightful and fresh tasting.

The cottage cheese is only available in portable 5 ounce containers making it a great option for a morning or afternoon snack or packing for a picnic. Each flavor has 28% RDA of protein, 20% RDA of calcium and only 110 calories. More added benefits are its low sugar content – 4 grams -- this is 75% less sugar than lowfat yogurt and has no artificial growth hormones.

Rachel*, I don’t know who you are or how you managed to think of this simplistic idea that none of us have thought of or acted upon, but I wholeheartedly agree with your slogan of Wickedly Delicious.

*Sorry Rachel, I should have read your website first which states you are an official Member of the British Empire joining the ranks of The Beatles and celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver. Wow, wicked indeed!