Good Stuff NW

In Season: Serving Up Summer

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 12:50:11 -0700

Early summer whets my appetite for what's to come in the Pacific Northwest: First to trickle in from our fields both cultivated and wild are the earliest greens—nettles, fiddleheads and fava tops among them—then comes asparagus, green garlic, early strawberries and the softest young lettuces, soon followed by the briefest appearance of our native, and much anticipated, Hood strawberries, along with fava beans, spinach, mustard greens and more exotic friends like agretti and komatsuna.

While local farmers are starting to worry about what's looking like a hot, dry summer requiring the trouble (and expense) of near-constant irrigating, the relatively mild spring was beneficial for getting a jump on planting, weeding and the growth of the tender seedlings that will be harvested later in the summer and fall. In his weekly newsletter to subscribers, my CSA farmer Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm wrote:

"It's a mixed bag for the spring crops, some are coming on quick and very well (hello fava beans!) and others seem a bit behind (broccoli and cabbage) or are being very temperamental (we're looking at you radishes!). A lot of things we plan to have for a few weeks are wrapping up in one or two this spring but, so far, it's been fine as other things are ahead of schedule. I'm pretty worried for a hot summer but no point in borrowing that trouble now!"

Revel in the freshness of summer produce, but don't forget to preserve it for later!

This season always gets my juices flowing for preserving the freshness of summer. After gorging myself on fresh strawberries and shortcakes, I turned around and made three batches of strawberry jam to replenish our dwindled supply from last summer, and I'm already anxiously anticipating the raspberries, blackberries and plums that are on the way. (Check out my hack for perfect fruit jam.) The radishes that Aaron mentioned above went into four jars of simple pickled radishes for our taco Tuesdays, and soon cucumbers will be sliced into rounds and given the hot brine treatment as well!

I'll also be eagerly anticipating the Napa cabbage due to appear in our CSA share and at farmers' markets toward the end of the month, since we are desperately in need of kimchi made from my friend Denise's family recipe. And with cabbage season comes homemade sauerkraut to have with all the grilled things.

Let me know if you have any favorite recipes for preserving the best of what's in season this summer and I'll do a follow-up post on what I learn. Let's share!

Fava Beans: To Peel, or Not to Peel?

Fri, 22 May 2026 13:09:33 -0700

Once again, it's confession time.

I love fava bean season so much that, at the first sign of the bundles of young green shoots on farmers' market tables in the spring, I get a little giddy thinking of them stir-fried with garlic and tossed with pasta and preserved lemon, or slathered with oil and roasted, served alongside a beautiful grilled, pasture-raised chicken thigh. Then there's the knowledge that in just a couple of weeks, it'll be time for the pods to start appearing, their strange, off-green, blobby exteriors revealing pale green kidney-shaped beans pillowed in a porous white cushion.

My neighbor Bill loves his favas and grows more than enough to share. Lucky me!

That's about when I remember that to prepare these little beany delights, I have to strip them out of their pods, boil them in a salty pot of water, then spend what seems like hours in the tedious task of popping them out of their skins to get a paltry—albeit decidedly delicious—pile of the bright green, shiny jewels.

I know, I'm whining.

But, wonder of wonders, my friend Nancy Harmon Jenkins, part-time resident of Italy and author of well-regarded books on Italian cuisine like the groundbreaking New Mediterranean Diet and Virgin Territory: Exploring the World of Olive Oil, saved me (and you) from hours of whinging.

Shucked and ready to boil and use!

In a post on her blog, she excoriates Americans who insist on peeling the skins from their beans:

"What a waste of time! What a waste of flavor!

"Where does this weird practice come from? I suspect from the French professional kitchen where chefs are constantly challenged to come up with new tricks and trucs to keep their enormous brigades de cuisine in operation. In Italy, where restaurant kitchens are run much more economically, no one has to dream up tasks—there are enough to go around and more.

"But why do Americans insist on this? Every food writer except one (me) says you have to peel beans. Then they go through elaborate rigmaroles to show you how to do it. No wonder fava beans are not exactly popular despite their magnificent, slightly earthy flavor, so very different from string beans or limas. Every spring or summer I feel like climbing up in the pulpit and shouting: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT—IN FACT, IT IS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE!!!"

Toss the cooked beans with Oregon albacore and pasta…so simple, so delicious!

Which, as you might imagine, got my attention. And came in mighty handy when my neighbor called offering a grocery bag full of freshly harvested favas from his garden. Let me tell you, I never relished preparing beans more—just shuck, boil in a pot of salted water for ten minutes and they're ready!

While there's a vast universe of serving suggestions, and more cultural trivia about these delicate denizens of early summer, for me, I used some of my neighbor Bill's beans tossed with preserved lemon and albacore, tossed with pasta, sprinkled with chive blossoms and chopped chives, then used the rest to make the following dip for guests. Though when everyone oohed and aahed over the amount of work it took to peel all those beans, I was torn about revealing my secret. (Psst…I did.)

Fava Bean Spread

3 c. shucked beans
2 cloves garlic
1/2 fennel bulb, cut in half, cored and roughly chopped
1/4 c. parsley, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. mint, coarsely chopped
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in fava beans and cook for ten minutes. Drain and run under very cold water (or ice bath) until cool.

Put beans, garlic, fennel, parsley, mint and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor. Turn on and while its running drizzle in olive oil until puréed. Adjust lemon juice and olive oil and add salt to taste. Serve with slices of rustic bread or crackers, or on toasted slices of baguette (à la bruschetta).

Growing Gardens: Planting Seeds of Resilience Rooted in Community

Mon, 11 May 2026 15:57:10 -0700

This article was written by Portland author Peggy Acott to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Growing Gardens.

Beginning in 1996 with a staff so small you could count them on one hand and still have fingers left over, Growing Gardens is today a robust group of nearly fifty, with program volunteers numbering more than a hundred. They are passionate and persistent in their goal to create a sustainable and equitable food system.

Here in Oregon, as in many regions of the country, hunger and food insecurity are on the rise in this time of perilous economic and political uncertainty, a condition that disproportionately impacts BIPOC and LGBTQIA-plus communities.

The Home Garden Program has created over 3,000 backyard gardens.

Growing Gardens confronts this imbalance in the food system head on, in very direct ways: The Home Garden Program, which has to date created over 3,000 backyard gardens; a school garden program for students from elementary through high school; and the Lettuce Grow Program, where over 1,500 incarcerated adults and juveniles have access to gardening and garden-based education, with the added benefit of learning job skills that can assist in the successful re-entry back into society.

One of the team members sums it up this way: “What we’re really building is so much more than gardens. We’re growing futures rooted in health, self-sufficiency, and deep community connection.”

Portland Youth Builders offers a program of high school completion, vocational training, counseling, and long term support.

When COVID erupted in 2020, the disruption and challenges of lockdowns and interrupted supply chains were immediate and far-reaching. In order to survive, the staff and volunteers employed a combination of online programming and strict distancing practices, and made at-home garden and plant-related projects for students while schools remained closed. It was a demanding and difficult period, but they were committed to keep their mission alive.

“Any nonprofit that survived and made it through was a huge success,” says Executive Director Jason Skipton. “We had to completely transform our programs, but we weren’t going to give up, because ‘No’ was not an answer we could give the community.”

Skipton explained that there had been energy and determination in both the local and national government to allocate funds and resources to help service organizations during the pandemic. But then, just when Skipton and his staff thought the struggle was behind them and were eagerly planning toward the future, the freezing of federal funds in early 2025 dealt them a devastating and demoralizing blow.

“The rug has been ripped out from under us. Now what we’re facing is a political pandemic,” says Skipton, “and we are fighting every day to maintain, be relevant, and keep the doors open.”

Growing Gardens partners with local businesses to help supply their program needs.

It has also created a domino effect among foundations and local government agencies that have become reluctant to provide money when they feel their own resources are in flux. But not all the news has been bad: In the spring of 2025, Hampton Lumber and Parr Lumber collaborated to deliver 20,000 linear board feet of lumber, enough to supply the organization with 100 percent of the lumber needed for the year.

In 2023 an ambitious and far-reaching project—Community Empowerment Through Urban Food System Reliance—received a USDA grant to implement a greenhouse program that would support the development of a locally based food network for low-income and culturally specific communities, increasing their food security and sovereignty. To achieve that, Growing Gardens partnered with Feed’em Freedom Foundation (FFF)—a Black-led food system farming and food access hub—to build a 16’ by 90’ greenhouse at Multnomah County’s CROPS educational farm in Portland’s east county, where the FFF farm leases land. Five smaller greenhouses were also constructed and placed on the properties of selected Growing Gardens community organizers and volunteers. In the large greenhouse, vegetables and flowers will be started from seed. The Foundation will use sixty percent of the greenhouse space to raise plants for their farm and education programs, and Growing Gardens will use forty percent for the plants that will eventually be moved to the five neighborhood greenhouses and distributed to the participants in their programs.

The planning and construction phase has been completed, assisted in large part by the youth of the nonprofit Portland Youth Builders. “They were amazing,” says Program Director Jordana Mendonça Valdés. “We couldn’t have accomplished what we did without them.”

More than 1,500 incarcerated adults and juveniles access gardening and garden-based education through the Lettuce Grow program.

The next phase is teaching the participants about topics like crop planning and greenhouse management practices. It is a challenge to figure out how to best combine the various resources and people involved in order to satisfy everyone’s needs. But Valdés is optimistic. “In the end, it’s the same vision…communities having a say over what they want to eat, nourishing themselves, their families and their neighbors.”

It is the power of this vision, and all the people they work with and get to know, that keeps Skipton and his team going in spite of the setbacks: It’s the delighted look on children’s faces when they discover something delicious that they grew themselves; it’s the news that a man released from his time in prison has the skills to enable him to get a job at a plant nursery; it is the pride of home gardeners who are able to grow and provide fresh food for their families, many of whom then in turn become volunteer mentors to other new gardeners in the Home Garden Program.

Antonio was a first-time participant in the Home Garden program in 2013. Over the next twelve years, his role evolved from volunteer and neighborhood garden advisor to paid staff member, and today he is the Home Garden Community Manager. “Everything I do is to support the community,” he told me. “I wish we could meet all their needs.”

This spring the organization is facing their biggest challenge to date. For reasons that span the upheavals and continuing political and economic climate, funding on every level—federal, state, city, foundations, corporations and individuals—is waning significantly and, in too many cases, cancelled entirely. Often this is occurring with little notice, from funding sources that were thought to be already securely in place. This is a devastating turn of events, one that has the team at Growing Gardens scrambling for solid ground.

“There is a financial shredding at every level of support,” says Skipton.   Growing Gardens has weathered an incredible number of challenges in these last few years, where many non-profit organizations have been forced out of existence. Skipton and his staff are working hard to find ways to keep the organization not only alive but thriving into the future.

There is the famous saying: “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.” But, the ongoing work of Growing Gardens insists we consider the next step in this equation: If he then teaches his neighbors to fish, the entire community will eat for a lifetime.

To commemorate their 30th anniversary, Growing Gardens will serve up their celebratory dinner and fundraiser, Chef in Your Garden, on Saturday, Aug. 29th. This year’s event will showcase some of the indigenous food and culture of Oregon. Tickets will be available for purchase on their website, beginning in June. Sign up for their newsletter to be notified.

Underappreciated Spring Vegetables: The Noble Leek

Wed, 6 May 2026 13:07:00 -0700

There are certain vegetables that I am embarrassed to admit I have had almost no experience with. I could blame my upbringing in small town Oregon in the middle of the last century where iceberg lettuce was the only fresh green in Piggly Wiggly's produce aisle. Or my father and brothers who considered any vegetable outside of frozen peas and creamed corn to be potentially poisonous, so much so that my mother rarely dared to venture further afield.

But there was that magical day when she somehow—call it a mistake, a lapse in judgement, or maybe a frozen food-aisle epiphany—came home from the store with a box of frozen broccoli with cheese sauce. Packaged in a vacuum-sealed plastic bag, the only cooking required was to submerge it in boiling water for ten minutes to heat the broccoli and melt the cheese sauce.

I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, and have been a fan (and evangelist) for vegetables ever since (though not so much frozen or cooked in plastic).

I am, though, a latecomer to the leek. While I love alliums of all sorts, leeks intimidated me with their baseball bat size and warnings about the need to clean them thoroughly, since their upright growth habit provides a perfect receptacle for splashes of spring mud.

Then came my epiphany in the form of my friend Carol Boutard's Potage Bonne Femme, a potato leek soup that seduced me with its rich, creamy luxuriousness. Like so many soups, it's simple and so quick you can make at the (nearly) last minute, the leeks infusing it with a sweet, light, slightly onion-y flavor and the potatoes giving it a smooth, hefty body, particularly if you choose to blend it either in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender. We love this soup on a cool or wet spring evening.

The other evening I was casting about for what to have for dinner that we hadn't had a million times before and was curious about combining the leeks I had in the vegetable bin with pasta. A quick internet search turned up a recipe for leeks in a cream sauce over pasta, but it seemed a bit heavy for a warm-ish spring evening, so I pivoted to a savory sauté that included most of a tin of leftover anchovies. The guys deemed it immensely "tasty"—their highest accolade—so I share it here; it would also be incredibly delicious spread on crostini as an appetizer.

Leek Sauté with Anchovies over Pasta

For the leek greens:
2 Tbsp. olive oil for drizzling
Leek greens
Salt

For the sauté:
1 lb. dried pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 medium-sized leeks
1 tin anchovies with oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°.

While the oven is heating, separate the dark green tops from the light green/white bottoms by slicing crosswise, then making sure they are free of dirt or grit, slice the dark green tops crosswise into approximately 3-4" lengths. Press those flat and slice lengthwise into thin slivers, then spread out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Drizzle olive oil over the slivers and sprinkle with salt. Place in oven for 25 minutes or until lightly charred.

Put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta.

While it comes to a boil, slice off any root ends remaining on the leeks, then slice the leeks in half lengthwise, rinsing off any dirt or grit. Slice the whites crosswise into thin slices.

Place a large frying pan on medium heat and add olive oil. When it shimmers, add leek whites to the pan and sauté for 10-12 minutes until they are wilted. Make a well in the middle of the pan and add anchovies, pressing them down with a spatula until they dissolve. Add garlic and sauté briefly until warmed, then reduce heat. Add the roasted greens to the pan and stir. Keep it on a low burner while you cook the pasta.

Put the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain in a colander and transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the leek mixture over the top and toss briefly. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve with grated parmesan at the table.

Good News: Beloved Flour Market Bakery Reopens on NE Alberta

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 17:19:00 -0700

Like Paris, Portland is a city of neighborhoods, each having its signature cafés, restaurants, bars and bakeries, where residents gather to nod a hello, remark on how big children have grown and share the latest gossip. Lisa Belt's Flour Market was that kind of place from the moment it opened on Northeast 30th and Killingsworth, and quickly achieved "let's meet there" status among lovers of good drip coffee and outstanding baked goods and breads.

So regulars were overcome with shock and dismay at the news that Lisa was closing the beloved bakery at the end of 2025 due to financial considerations at the Killingsworth space, shifting her focus to the production bakery in Southeast Portland. There was a ray of hope in the closure announcement, however, in that she was open to a "brilliant location thought or secret idea."

Flour Market owner Lisa Belt.

Enter Brant Ozanich and Gabby Terracciano of Dogwood Wine and Flowers on Northeast 30th and Alberta, loyal wholesale customers of Flour Market, who were remodeling their space to accomodate a food service partner in the mornings when they weren't open. Even better, with its location just a few blocks from the original spot on Killingsworth, Flour Market regulars could still drop in on their morning dog walks, with seating for 15 customers inside plus a covered and heated outdoor patio for patrons (and their pets) that seats 30.

Look for Lisa's signature bread loaves, including the singular Danish rye called Rugbrød, and seasonal specials like challah. There's even (potentially) a Swedish limpa coming as soon as Lisa can match the memory she has of her mother's loaf with its hint of orange and fennel. (And a note to farther-flung fans: Look for Flour Market at the Beaverton Farmers Market starting this month!)

The best news of all, at least to this fan? Flour Market's new location is still just a half hour walk from my front door!

Thanks to Meg Cotner of Bridgetown Bites for help with this post. Read my post about the opening of the original Flour Market.

A Piece of Portland History Returns to its Historic Home

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:46:00 -0700

The Elk has returned!

The base of the famous landmark Thompson Elk Fountain was damaged by Portland protestors during a wave of nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May of 2020. While the nine-foot-tall elk statue itself was undamaged, the 3,000-pound bronze elk was discovered to be held in place by a single bolt and the base was deemed unstable. (Read more about the history of the Thompson Elk Fountain here.)

The elk statue was cleaned and then placed in storage while the base and its fountain were reconstructed to meet national standards of historic preservation, which required sourcing the granite from the same quarry in Barre, Vermont, that supplied the original fountain base.

For more than a century the public squares near the statue have been a locus for protests.

The restoration project was overseen by the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) and managed by my dear friend Keith Lachowicz, the Public Art Collections Manager for RACC, who worked with conservator Robert Krueger, as well as countless agencies and contractors over nearly six years to bring the statue and fountain back to its historic downtown home. It was a fitting final project for Lachowicz before he retires after more than 19 years stewarding the city's public art collection.

A public rededication ceremony for the fountain was held on Sunday, April 12, with the elk adorned by a wreath around its neck and hundreds of onlookers cheering its homecoming, some—in very Portland fashion—wearing commemorative antlers for the occasion.

In Season: Swinging into Spring

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:38:58 -0700

A sure sign of spring in the Northwest is the unpredictability of the weather from one minute to the next. Regardless of the prediction of the weather app on my phone, I now head out on every walk wearing a raincoat and hat over my hooded sweatshirt, the better to strip down or layer up when needs must. Plus, butting up against the stereotype of Northwesterners, I've also taken to carrying an umbrella for those drenching spring downpours that seem to sneak up when I least expect it.

Another sure sign of spring is the appearance of a plethora of raabs, rabes, rapinis and their friends like broccolini and purple sprouting broccoli (be a cool kids and call it PSB). Though I can't help hearing my friend, farmer Anthony Boutard of the legendary Ayers Creek Farm, snort that the only true raab comes from turnips, the rest being merely the inflorescence of plants, defined as a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed.

Strawberries are at the top of every farmers' market list in spring.

As they do every season, farmers' market customers are clamoring for local strawberries, and there are some of the hardier varieties starting to appear in very limited quantities, so it'd be best to get to your local market right as the market bell rings or you'll find yourself standing in line at the supermarket with the bloated, flavorless varieties from industrial growers. (The wait for those prized local delicacies, Hood strawberries, will be a few weeks out yet.)

The first wild greens including nettles and fiddleheads are appearing as well, as are the first of the spring onions and garlics. Not-so-wild bundles of another springtime favorite, asparagus, are standing tall on market tables, and piles of pea shoots, sorrel, spinach and fava greens are waiting to star in sautés and salads, along with fresh herbs from chives to chervil and parsley to cilantro.

Sprightly spring greens bring a satisfying crispness to salad bowls.

Another salad sweetheart are the small, white hakurei turnips and the first spring radishes that'll add color and crunch to your salad bowl, and don't forget to include some zing from mizuna and mustard greens to complement the sweetness of spring salad greens. (My recipes for a sweet red wine vinaigrette and a creamy miso vinaigrette will complement then perfectly!)

While you're at the market, don't forget to pick up a big bunch of tulips, dogwood blossoms or lilacs for your table—nothing makes spring feel like it's officially here than a colorful bouquet of local flowers!

Super Spring Supper: Crustless Quiche with Greens and Bacon

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:25:00 -0700

I adore quiche, especially the version known as Quiche Lorraine with bacon and cheese, the one that Julia Child trilled about on her cooking show, "The French Chef." I watched it in reruns on our first color TV in the 1960s, along with "The Galloping Gourmet"—aka Graham Kerr—as he swozzled his way through recipes swirling bottomless glasses of red wine.

The rage for French cuisine that Ms. Child ushered in caused quiche to become ubiquitous on brunch and "luncheon" menus in the 70s, though most were pale versions of Julia's, reheated in new-at-the-time microwave ovens or kept too long in warming ovens—they'd been made hours before, which deflated and dried out the delicate egg custard.

Nothing shouts spring more than green sprouts like this broccoli raab.

The difficulty for me when it comes to making them for anything but special occasions is the necessity for a blind-baked pie crust. Not that a crust is difficult, mind you, but it does require planning ahead—not my strong suit when it comes to weeknight dinners—to leave enough time for the dough to chill, then to prebake the crust before filling it and finishing the baking.

Crustless quiche to the rescue!

Perfect for a quick dinner using spring greens like raab or kale, I made the version below for dinner a couple of nights ago—the only time-consuming aspect was prepping the vegetables and bacon. Tossing them into a buttered dish with the grated cheese then pouring in the egg mixture was a cinch, and the resulting moist, eggy custard would have made Julia proud.

Crustless Quiche with Greens and Bacon

1 Tbsp. butter for greasing the baking dish
1 1/2 Tbsp. panko or fine bread crumbs
3-4 oz. greens like kale, raab, etc.
8 oz. bacon sliced in 1/4" cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 c. grated cheese like Comté, Gruyère or Cheddar
1 c. half-and-half
1 c. whole milk
5 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 oz. freshly grated Parmesan
3 green onions, finely sliced

Preheat oven to 325°.

Butter a deep 9" pie dish or 8" square baking dish. Sprinkle the panko evenly over the bottom of the dish.

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil over high heat. Toss in greens and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a sieve or colander and run under cold water to stop them from cooking. Squeeze out moisture and slice into chiffonade. Place on paper towel to drain any remaining water.

In a small frying pan, sauté bacon over medium heat until slightly crisp. Add garlic, stir and remove from heat.

Break eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk until no whites are discernible. Whisk milk and half-and-half into eggs along with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Scatter greens evenly over bread crumbs in the buttered dish. Scatter bacon and garlic mixture (and any bacon fat) over the greens. Top bacon and greens with the grated cheese, covering it evenly. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bacon, cheese and greens, letting it seep into the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle Parmesan and green onions over the top.

Place quiche on a sheet pan in the oven (just in case it bubbles over while baking) and bake 45-50 min. The middle can be slightly wobbly when you take it out of the oven. Allow to cool for ten minutes before serving.

Think Strategically, Get More Value from Your Farmers' Market Trip

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:36:00 -0700

Do you feel overwhelmed when you go to the farmers' market? Does the abundance of produce on market tables and the brightly colored flowers, not to mention the noise of shoppers crowing about their finds, make your head spin? In the latest Beaverton Farmers' Market newsletter, Market Master Ginger Rapport has some sage advice for planning your next trip.

As we are approaching the final stretch of March here in Oregon, the market feels like it’s on the verge of stepping into a new chapter right on the cliffhanger of the seasons. The winter crops are still holding strong, but here and there we are starting to spot the hints of spring, from bright and sunny daffodils to tender, flavorful greens and herbs, the first guests of season 2026. For our marketgoers, juggling busy schedules and work-life balance, this is actually the best time to think about their routine Saturday outing in terms of meal planning. The ingredients are flavorful, simple, and easy to mix and match across the meals.

Make a weekly plan based on what's in season.

The concept of a “base basket” makes it easier to plan what to shop for and how to stretch your budget a little further. Instead of a single recipe, think strategically. Start with hardy veggies like potatoes, carrots, squash, and onions.

Add fresh seasonal produce like asparagus, kale, or spring greens. Build simple, flexible meals around what’s freshest and most flavorful at the market. Enjoy vibrant, nourishing dishes that make the most of the season.

Next stop—eggs, bread, and cheese to round things out. With these humble and simple staples, you can create a variety of dishes for the week without ever getting bored. Creamy soups, quiches, bowls, and sandwiches—the possibilities are endless!

Prep ingredients rather than whole meals.

Strategize to prep ingredients rather than whole meals. A little bit of time after the market spent with your haul is going to yield a great payoff. Sauté your mushrooms, roast a pan of veggies, wash and chop the greens, and cook some grains like quinoa or brown rice - these are your building blocks for the week. Instead of cooking from scratch, you can assemble your meals in minutes from the ingredients that just need to be warmed up.

Approaching mid-week is when the farmers market produce really gets to shine! One-pan or one-pot meals make it easy to throw together a pasta dish or a stir-fry. A quick hummus, roasted veggie, and pickled radish wrap may be the best lunch you’ve ever made! Top with seasonal microgreens from Le Petit Jardin or herbs like scallions or parsley to brighten up the dish. All the ingredients are fresh and nutritious! Here is a delightful, customizable wrap recipe from The Garden Grazer that is perfect for lunch and will make all of your coworkers jealous.

Roasted cauliflower is simple and versatile…just toss florets with olive oil and salt!

Toward the end of the week, “low energy” recipes will carry you over. Roasted veggies tossed on top of spring greens and topped with a fried egg from Santos Family Farm fancies up what may seem like a humble dinner. Try the delightful, exotic-flavored bread from our new vendor, The Spiced Oven, paired with goat cheese from Fraga Farmstead Creamery, and topped with vanilla-infused honey from Salmon Creek Farm, for a simple, no-effort platter with a relaxing glass of wine.

When life gets too busy, and there’s not even a minute to throw it all together for a family meal, Foglia Pasta has you covered! Pick up their trays of baked ziti, classic mac 'n' cheese, lasagna, meatballs, or fresh pasta for an easy dinner!

Finally, let the market guide you rather than the other way around. Late March in Oregon is all about transition, and your meals can reflect that—cozy but lighter, simple but vibrant. By shopping with flexibility and by prepping just enough to stay ahead, you can turn one farmers market visit into a full week of nourishing, stress-free meals that fit seamlessly into a busy life.

Road Tripping: Exploring the Olympic Rainforest Coast

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:24:54 -0700

All I clearly remember about the 1994 novel "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson is its description of the dripping, thickly moss-covered trees and rocks, and the multilayered lushness of ferns growing from fallen logs, all dimly illuminated by the light filtering through the misty air. Though the novel takes place in the San Juan Islands of Washington's northern Puget Sound, it could just as well have been describing the coastal rainforest immediately west of the Sound on the state's Olympic Peninsula.

We'd made reservations to visit Washington state's central coast after I came across a "three nights for the price of two" deal at a resort in the area. We'd backpacked in the central peninsula decades ago, but had never ventured further up the coast than the Long Beach Peninsula, so this was a chance to explore an area new to us. The weather forecast prior to the trip was partly rainy with a day or so of breaks in the middle of the week, but as the date neared it gradually shifted to the "mostly rainy" side.

Oh, well, we're Oregonians, right? And rainy days just mean more time to relax, cook, read and chill, right?

The staircase to the beach at Ocean Crest.

We checked into our two-bedroom suite (including a full kitchen and a drop-dead view overlooking the ocean) at the Ocean Crest Resort in the tiny town of Moclips. There was a break in the rain, so we quickly unloaded the car, the better to get down on the beach for quick walk before dinner. The resort, perched at the top of a steep hillside above the beach, is known for its signature winding wooden staircase that descends to the shore by way of short flights of stairs connected by landings and walkways, most with benches for taking a breather between flights for the inevitable walk back up.

Sadly, the long, flat beach bordered by yellowed seagrass had recently been inundated a couple of days prior by a seasonal tide of the small floating creatures known as by-the-wind-sailors, and the stench was overpowering, at least until you got close to the water. This stretch of coast is known for its razor clams, and we saw plenty of their vent holes, along with the shells of sand dollars and various other varieties of clams.

A case of local albacore made a perfect souvenir.

Dinner that first night was pasta with bolognese brought from home and roasted cauliflower, after which we dropped into bed, exhausted. Here I have to insert that the video of the resort on its website—with the exception of the restaurant, which was rebuilt after a fire in 2011—leaves a somewhat better impression than the actual facility. Established in 1953, in its heyday the resort must have been hopping with its mid-century, Mad Men-esque vibe reminiscent of Salishan in Oregon, but currently the exterior is a bit down-at-the-heels. According to the management, some rooms have been refreshed, and hopefully it will continue to be rejuvenated by new owners who took over in 2022.

I was looking forward to getting some local seafood for dinner our second night, but, aside from razor clams, the area was closed for shellfish harvesting (map here). Fortunately, Moclips is located on the southern boundary of the Quinault Indian Nation, which has its own fish processing plant, Quinault Pride Seafood, in the town of Taholah, just a 20-minute drive north.

The retail store at one end of the cheery blue Quinault Pride building on the riverfront in Taholah featured a large freezer case stocked with gorgeous filets of salmon, chunks of smoked salmon and packaged razor clams, plus tribally processed cans of salmon (Coho and steelhead), smoked salmon, sturgeon, minced clams and…be still my heart…line-caught albacore. We got some gorgeous frozen razor clam "steaks" for dinner, plus smoked salmon to snack on and a case of canned albacore to bring home.

Lake Quinault Lodge with its sloping lawn down to the lakeshore.

The next day we ventured inland to Lake Quinault, about a 30-minute drive, to check out the eponymous historic lodge on the banks of the large forest-rimmed lake. Built in 1926 in just 53 days, the Lake Quinault Lodge was designed in a rustic architectural style—colloquially referred to as "Parkitecture"—its grand main building sited on a sloping lawn overlooking the shoreline. Inside the lobby's wood-paneled interior, stately old-growth beams and its large stone fireplace are reminiscent of a bygone era of gracious travel, and visitors are encouraged to grab a pint from the lobby bar and sink into one of the sumptuous, oversized leather chairs.

The lake itself was barely visible due to a heavy mist on the day we were there, but we're looking forward to going back when the skies clear—which they do, right? All in all, and despite the rain, it was an ideal three-night getaway to explore a new-to-us part of the Northwest.

Addendum: Confusion Follows Passage of Farm Store Bill in Legislature

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:20:00 -0700

In a confusing development, the version of the so-called Farm Store bill (HB 4153) that was discussed in a final public hearing just before the legislature adjourned last week was not the version that passed the legislature on Friday (3/6). (Get background on this controversial bill here.)

An amendment was adopted after the public hearing that reinstated the language in the existing statute that allows for farm stands and then established a new type of permit called the farm store permit. According to Friends of Family Farmers, the bill states that farm stores are only open to farms based on their size and acreage in production, with no limits on the amount of revenue you can generate from ticket sales or incidental item sales (details here).

Advocates are continuing their opposition to this bill in its current form.

"First and foremost, this bill was sold to the public and lawmakers as a way to simplify the permit process. By the end of the session, not only did this bill not clarify anything about current law, leaving it untouched, but it also created an entirely new permit for similar businesses that counties are going to have to parse out," said Friends of Family Farmers in a press release. "It is clear that the goal of this process was not ease or clarity, but the real goal was to provide a pathway for unlimited event income on EFU [Exclusive Farm Use] zoned land at all costs."

Get more details about the pros and (many cons) of this bill in this press release. Then take a moment to urge Governor Kotek not to sign HB 4153.

Photo (top) of Oso Honey Farm farm stand in Corvallis, Oregon.

Read more about the original disinformation campaign that preceded this bill that has been promoted by the Oregon Property Owners Association.

Legislative Report: Very Good News Dimmed by Bad News as Session Ends

Fri, 6 Mar 2026 17:03:00 -0800

The 2026 Session of the Oregon Legislature, scheduled to end on Sunday, has concluded with mixed results for Oregon's small family farmers.

Land Grab in Hillsboro (SB 1586). Good news from the Oregon Legislature came yesterday in an announcement from Friends of Smart Growth that 1,700 acres of prime farm land adjacent to Hillsboro is safe from development for the time being. Thanks to citizen action—of the 891 pieces of testimony submitted, about 90 percent opposed the bill—and the work of a coalition of organizations from environmental groups to tax fairness advocates to land use watchdogs and labor unions, SB 1586 was withdrawn from consideration.

It was the fifth attempt by Oregon state Sen. Janeen Sollman (D-15) to take this land out of agricultural production and hand it to developers, putting more than 30 local farms out of business at a time when the number of farms in Oregon decreased by six percent since 2017, and the acreage those farms occupied was down four percent in the same period.

The local Hillsboro Herald wrote that the bill had been described by proponents as supporting advanced manufacturing, but that "a significant loophole also allowed for this farmland to be turned into an unlimited, unregulated amount of accessory data centers" which are already inundating the area, gobbling up land, increasing energy rates for consumers and using water resouces while not creating the number of jobs that were promised.

“Destroying irreplaceable farmland for temporary data centers is not viable economic development,” said Nellie McAdams, executive director of Oregon Agricultural Trust. “We must stop bulldozing over our farms and discrediting the value, innovation, and economic power that farmers, farmworkers, and ranchers bring to our state.”

Thanks to all who testified, wrote letters and signed petitions!

New bill passed may outlaw farm stands like this one at Shimanek Bridge Farm in Scio.

Farm Store Bill (HB 4153): Sadly, Friday brought news that this bill—pushed by the Oregon Property Owners Association, an anti-land use regulation organization—that limits who is allowed to have a farm store to only the largest landowners and would close existing farm stands of farmers who are too small to meet the new requirements of the bill, has passed the Senate and is headed to the Governor's desk.

"Folks with an honor system stand at the end of their driveway supplied with garden overflow (zucchinis in August, a couple pints of berries, or a sign saying 'eggs $6' would be outlawed by this approach," according to the owners of Valley Flora Farm on Oregon's southern coast.

After what was described as a "flawed process" by several organizations that opposed the bill and ignoring input from local farmers and farm advocates, was rushed through and was passed in spite of 70 percent of public testimony expressing opposition to the bill.

“We are extremely disappointed that a proposal with so much opposition, that clearly prioritizes larger landowners over small farms and creates so many risks to farmland affordability, access, and preservation would be rushed through in a short session,” said Alice Morrison, co-director of Friends of Family Farmers.

Some legislators suggested that the bill was "imperfect" and will need more work in future sessions. However, amending any portion of the bill regulating commercial activity on farmland triggers a Measure 56 notice requirement, which could cost upwards of $1 million for the state to notify all property owners of the changes it seeks to implement.

"After more than a decade of building a healthy farm and farm business, I worry that the significant loopholes in this bill will turn my area into a tourist destination rather than the productive farming region it is,” said Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm.

“With no requirement to consider the impact of a [10,000-square-foot] ‘farm store’ on nearby businesses, what will happen if we see thousands more cars on our rural roads? Or hundreds of tourists in the neighboring field when we're trying to drive tractors that kick up dust?" continued Nichols. "This bill was written by and for rich landowners and, in many cases, comes at the expense of actual farmers."

UPDATE ON HB 4153: In a confusing development, the version of the bill that the public hearing discussed last week was not the version that passed the legislature on Friday (3/6). An amendment was adopted after the public hearing that reinstated the language in the existing statute that allows for farm stands and then established a new type of permit called the farm store permit. According to Friends of Family Farmers, the bill states that farm stores are only open to farms based on their size and acreage in production (details here), with no limits on the amount of revenue you can generate from ticket sales or incidental item sales (details here).

Advocates are continuing their opposition to this bill in its current form. "First and foremost, this bill was sold to the public and lawmakers as a way to simplify the permit process. By the end of the session, not only did this bill not clarify anything about current law, leaving it untouched, but it also created an entirely new permit for similar businesses that counties are going to have to parse out," said Friends of Family Farmers in a press release. "It is clear that the goal of this process was not ease or clarity, but the real goal was to provide a pathway for unlimited event income on EFU [Exclusive Farm Use] zoned land at all costs."

Get more details about the pros and (many cons) of this bill in this press release. Then take a moment to urge Governor Kotek not to sign HB 4153.

Never Too Much of a Good Thing: Pickled Shallots

Wed, 4 Mar 2026 16:19:00 -0800

Recently I found my kitchen counter awash in shallots. They'd been slowly collecting there, nestled amongst the onions and garlic, sitting innocuously on the counter in a brightly colored bowl I brought back from Mexico many decades ago. Our CSA subscription with Stoneboat Farm yielded many shallots this past winter, but, honestly, I'm just not used to incorporating them into our everyday recipes the way I do with their more common relatives in the allium family.

So there they collected until one day they were practically spilling out onto the counter. But what to do witht them? I was at a loss until I ran across a recipe from the brilliant Andrea Nguyen for pickling them. She called for a brine using white vinegar, but I like the subtlety of rice vinegar with its gentler tang. And another writer suggested separating the bulbs into petals rather than leaving them whole. Perfect!

Peel the shallots and separate into petals.

Until 2010 shallots—from the French eschalotte, by way of eschaloigne, from the Latin Ascalonia caepa or Ascalonian onion, a namesake of the ancient city of Ascalon, according to Wikipedia—were classified as a separate species from the common onion, but that year someone in a position to make such a momentous decision declared it was too small a difference to have its own taxonomic distinction, and shallots were brought into the larger allium family, joining their relatives garlic, scallions, leeks, chives and the Chinese onion.

Like any pickled thing, they're a bright addition to sandwiches, burgers and tacos, but can also be chopped and incorporated into salad dressings and grain salads, as well as being a feature on charcuterie boards and antipasti platters.

Pickled Shallots

10 oz. shallots (peeled, tops and root ends removed)
1 1/2 c. rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1/2 c. water
3 Tbsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar

Separate shallots into cloves. Halve smaller shallots or quarter larger ones and separate layers into petals. Gently pack petals into wide-mouth quart jar.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine rice vinegar, water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. When it comes to a boil, pour over shallots, filling to 1/2” from rim. Place a fermentation weight (or other weight) over the shallots to keep them submerged.

Let the jar of shallots sit on counter until completely cool. Place in refrigerator and refrigerate for five days. Shallots should then be ready to incorporate into dressings, salads, hamburgers, tacos, platters of antipasti, etc. When the shallots are gone, save the brine and incorporate it into your favorite spring salad dressings!

Legislative Report: Your Voice is Needed as Session Heads into Final Stretch

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:17:00 -0800

With the short session of the Oregon State Legislature heading into the home stretch—it's scheduled to conclude on Monday, March 9—legislation is being pushed through committees and lobbied with abandon, but there's still time use your voice to speak up for Oregon's agricultural lands.

Hillsboro Supersiting of Industrial Land (SB 1586): This bill is a bald-faced land grab of nearly 1,800 acres of prime agricultural land being pushed by developers intent on cashing in on an expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). This is the sixth attempt by developers to expand the boundary and is being done outside the established expansion process, and has moved forward without any of the required public involvement. For perspectife, in 2014 Hillsboro received over 1,000 acres of industrial land, which was supposed to be an ample 50-year supply, but the city burned through it in less than a decade with data center development and other commercial, recreation, and retail land uses. Additionally, the bill extends tax breaks for these same corporate interests—companies that can easily afford to pay their fair share.

Thus far almost 800 individuals and organizations have submitted testimony, with nearly 90 percent in opposition to the bill; there have been so many people signed up to speak at the hearings that they have had to extend the number of sessions. But more is needed.

TAKE ACTION:

Submit written testimony by Wednesday (2/25) at 8 am. You can copy and paste the text above into the form or edit it, or compose a letter and attach it as a PDF.
Attend the Washington County Commission meeting on Tuesday (2/24) at 6:30 pm at 155 N. First Ave., Suite 300, Hillsboro, OR, or sign up to testify via Zoom Link. by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, 2/24.

Read Part One of farmer Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm's essay on the pressure developers are putting on Oregon's diminishing agricultural lands.

Is this the future we want for Oregon farms?

Allowing "farm stores" as a nonfarm use on EFU land (HB 4153): This bill requires counties to allow 5,000 to 10,000-square-foot “farm stores,” offering shopping, dining, alcoholic beverage service and sales, and ongoing big events such as concerts and weddings in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones.

Opposed by small farm advocates like Friend of Family Farmers and 1,000 Friends of Oregon, among others, it would allow nonfarm retail sales, food and beverage service and unlimited events on agricultural land without safeguards to ensure that agriculture remains the primary use of the property. Without these safeguards, commercial entities could easily take advantage of lower tax assessments and buy up cheap farm land to develop into event venues and retail outlets, without ever intending to meaningfully farm the land in the first place.

Although nearly 1,600 pieces of testimony were submitted with more than 70 percent opposing the bill, it has still gone forward. Your voice is critical to defeating this anti-small farm bill.

TAKE ACTION: Sign this letter telling your legislator why you oppose this measure.

Hunger impacts 1 in 6 children in Oregon.

Expanding school meals for all (SB 1581). This bill requires Oregon school districts to offer lunch and breakfast to all students at no charge, regardless of income. So far this bill has moved forward in the Joint Ways and Means Committee with a "do pass with amendments" recommendation, which is encouraging.

TAKE ACTION: Sign this letter and help this bill make it over the finish line!

Latest Condiment Fascination: Chili Crisp-Marinated Albacore

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 14:06:00 -0800

Remember when Mark Bittman, the author of the "Minimalist" column in the New York Times from 1997 to 2011, went through his pimenton phase? He was infusing everything from soups and meats to fish and vegetables—mostly to good effect—with the Spanish smoked paprika, making it a ubiquitous staple in pantries across the country (including mine).

An hour to marinate, then flash-frying for two minutes per side, and it's done!

Lately I've been having a similar fling with chili crisp, the latest "it" seasoning in culinary circles, adding spoonfuls to stir fries and drizzling it with abandon on eggs and avocado toast. I've made my own from a Serious Eats recipe by Sohla El-Waylly—out-of-this-world good but tedious to make—and for that reason I've been working my way through several store-bought brands from the crunchy, addictive Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp, the basis for El-Waylly's version, to others from Fly by Jing and Momofuku.

Crunchy, garlic-infused, salty—Laoganma is a global fave.

Originating in China and made with chiles and other aromatics that have been fried in hot vegetable oil, chili crisp formed the base for a recent quick marinade for one of the Oregon albacore loins I'd pulled out of the freezer. Subtle enough that it complemented but didn't overwhelm the flavor of the tuna, then very briefly fried in cast iron, this recipe is going to be a go-to with any firm fish. (It would also be delicious with chicken thighs—just allow it to marinate a little longer.)

Chili Crisp-Marinated Albacore

1 albacore tuna loin (~1 1/2 lbs.), sliced crosswise into 1”-wide sections
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2-3 Tbsp. chile crisp
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish (optional)
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and chile crisp. Pour into 1 gallon zip-lock bag and marinate for one hour.

Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. With tongs, transfer albacore slices to the hot pan (stand back…it may sputter) and sear for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve over fried rice (recipe here) or with plain jasmine rice and sautéed greens. Garnish with sliced green onions and/or toasted sesame seeds.

Local Pizza Restaurant Under Fire for Claiming Food is Political

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:11:00 -0800

"Eating is a political act." - Michael Pollan

I have known Mark Doxtader for decades, since he first towed his mobile pizza oven to the Portland Farmers Market and started slinging slices to the crowds queued up for some of his woodfired pies heaped with the vegetables he grew on his farm. A big guy with an impish grin, he's been at the forefront of our regional food scene for over a quarter century, not only featuring local products in his own work, but advocating for local grains at the Food Lab and Grain Gatherings, speaking at farm conferences, and running two innovative pizza restaurants before pizza became synonymous with Portland food.

"It's another distraction," according to restaurateur Mark Doxtader.

Recently his Multnomah Village restaurant, Tastebud, posted on its website the following manifesto:

"ICE OUT EVERYWHERE. Food is political. No one is illegal on stolen land. Fuck ICE. Abolish ICE. Release the Trump/Epstein files. Free Palestine. Black lives matter. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Love your LGBTQ neighbors. The holocaust was real. Healthcare is a human right. Masks save lives. Get your damn vaccines. Wash your hands. Germ theory is science. Cook chicken to 165. Stay hydrated."

While each of these phrases can be seen on innumerable lawn signs on a casual walk through almost any Portland neighborhood, apparently right-wing trolls and their army of AI bots saw an opportunity to gin up some outrage. The restaurant became subject to "review bombing," a practice which "arises from highly negative reviews to draw attention to perceived cultural or political issues" according to Wikipedia, which in turn caused Yelp to post an "Unusual Activity Alert," i.e. a notice posted when a business receives "increased public attention," and has disabled comments.

Tastebud's pizzas have been a PDX staple for a quarter century.
"It's important to vote with your dollars," said Doxtader.

Aside from the review bombing, Tastebud has been featured, I kid you not, in articles from Fox News to the New York Post and the Daily Mail (in the UK). Totally insane.

"It's another distraction," said Doxtader in a brief conversation. "It's all just so dumb." He reiterated that while the trolls rail against the statement that food is political, they're actually proving his point. "We need to stand up now before it's too late," he said. "It's important to vote with your dollars."

Legislative Report: Short but Critical 2026 Legislative Session Convenes

Fri, 6 Feb 2026 09:50:00 -0800

Convening on Groundhog Day could be taken as an ominous portent to the beginning of the short 2026 session of the Oregon Legislature. Legislators have just 35 days to figure out how to close a $297 million gap in the Oregon Department of Transportation Budget brought on by the Trump administration's devastating 2025 budget bill that reduced revenues—especially to Democrat-controlled states—and increased costs. The Democrats, who control both houses of the Oregon legislature, have also vowed to craft a reponse to Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda.

Though the transportation funding bill is going to take up much of the oxygen in the legislature this year, there are issues around our food system that you can take action on.

Farm Store Bill (HB 4153): This bill seeks to limit who can operate a farmstand based on acreage and sales, giving vast privileges to large operations while elbowing out beginning farmers and smaller-scale farms and producers. Friends of Family Farmers (FoFF), an advocacy organization for small and beginning farmers in Oregon, opposes this bill because it limits who is allowed to have a farm store for their operation and makes no specific protections for the simplest type of farm stand . Valley Flora Farm in Langlois posts on their website that, if passed as written, the bill would "close existing farm stands [of farmers] who are following the law right now but are too small to meet these [new] requirements" and implies that "folks with an honor system stand at the end of their driveway supplied with garden overflow (zucchinis in August, a couple pints of berries, or a sign saying 'eggs $6') would be outlawed by this approach."

As background, this bill is a result of Governor Tina Kotek's "pausing" the work of a Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) that had become a target of the Oregon Property Owners Association (OPOA), which describes its mission as "protect[ing] the right of private property owners to make use of their property." The OPOA launched a disinformation campaign featuring a farm couple wailing that "if you enjoy u-pick, if you enjoy farm-to-table dinners, if you enjoy pumpkin patches, if your kids enjoy a hayride or cow train, these are the kind of things that we and other farms are going to lose"—none of which was true.

Once the viral video campaign had done its job and pressured state officials to derail the work of the committee, the OPOA admitted they were behind this new legislation, stating on their website "since we announced HB 4153…" and listing all the reasons that it's a great leap forward for the state's agricultural sector.

FoFF sums it up nicely:

What this bill makes legal as a farm store: 100-acre Exclusive Farm Use property with 45 acres of hay field and 55 acres of outdoor concert venue where events can be held on an unlimited basis with no impact test to the farms around it or a need to get an agritourism permit.
What this bill makes illegal for a farm store: 10-acre property where 5 acres is under production and the farm makes $4,000 per year in farm income to supplement their income and occasionally teaches a class on preserving their farm product.
This bill makes farm stores easier and more permissive for large property owners while penalizing small land holders for having less to work with. Even if you support the 100-acre farmer example above, should it come at the expense of the 10-acre farmer example?

TAKE ACTION:

Submit written testimony by Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 1 pm. Submission form here. Sixty percent of folks who've submitted so far are opposed. Make yours count!
Call your state legislators and tell them you oppose HB 4153. Find your legislator by clicking here and typing your address into the search bar at the top of the page.

Disproportionate cuts to OSU Statewides & Organic Agriculture Program: Due to a budget shortfall of $63 million, the legislature is proposing a one percent to five percent cut to most agencies, but the OSU Statewides Programming, which includes the Organic Agriculture Program, is facing a 7.1 percent cut. Advocates, while acknowledging the need to trim budgets, are asking the legislature to "rightsize" the cuts to the program to match those being asked of other agencies. The Organic Agriculture Program at OSU now has six extension specialists across cropping systems working throughout the state, working to enhance the viability of Oregon agriculture through improved soil health, cover crop adoption, ecological pest management, locally adapted cultivars, farm viability, and transition to organic and other ecological methods.

TAKE ACTION:

Sign the letter asking the legislature not to disproportionately cut the OSU Statewides & Organic Agriculture Program.

Budget for Programs in the Immigrant Justice Package: The Trump administration and Republican congressional leaders are targeting immigrant communities. The Immigrant Justice Package provides the Oregon legislature with a critical opportunity to invest in proven solutions and support immigrant families now, including:

Immigration Legal Services ($5M): Deportation defense and legal help to keep families together
Children’s Stability Fund ($5M): Support for families when a caregiver is detained
Protect Healthier Oregon: Maintain health coverage regardless of immigration status
School Meals for All: Free breakfast and lunch for every student
Anti‑Hunger Investments: Emergency food benefits and funding for food banks
Support for bills to limit harmful immigration enforcement actions, protect personal data, prevent discrimination, and ensure transparency and accountability in law enforcement operations.

TAKE ACTION:

Call your state legislators and tell them you support the Immigrant Justice Package. Find your legislator by clicking here and typing your address into the search bar at the top of the page.

Photos: Farm stand at Shimanek Bridge Farm in Scio; Commonplace Farm from Oregon Organic Coalition; Farm workers from Community to Community.

Guest Essay: When Hospitality Becomes a Hunting Ground

Tue, 3 Feb 2026 09:21:46 -0800

The following essay is by Angel Medina, an "award-winning writer, filmmaker, and restaurateur; lover of coffee and mezcal; founder of TODOS Media; co-owner of República & Co." according to his bio on Substack. His recent newsletter, Between Courses, dropped in my in-box and I was in tears reading it. I immediately wrote to ask if I could share it with my readers. He generously agreed.

When Hospitality Becomes a Hunting Ground:
Why I'll Close Before I Collaborate

In occupied Paris during the Second World War, the city’s great cafés and dining rooms took on an uncanny second life.

At Le Meurice, just across from the Tuileries, German officers planned operations beneath chandeliers designed for diplomats, artists, and foreign ministers. Rooms meant for elegance became rooms for strategy. Velvet absorbed conversations it was never meant to hear.

At the Ritz Paris, Hermann Göring and other high-ranking Nazi officials dined lavishly while the rest of the city survived on ration bread, turnips, and silence. Inside, crystal glasses caught the light. Outside, Paris starved.

On the Left Bank, brasseries like La Coupole; once a refuge for writers in the 1920s and ‘30s, for painters, late-night arguments, smoke-filled conversations that stretched until morning—appeared in German guidebooks as approved establishments for Reich officers. These weren’t rumors. They were printed. Mapped. Sanctioned.

These were not makeshift spaces. They were temples of French hospitality.

Tables set for oysters, red Burgundy, sole meunière—menus printed in careful French script—were read by men in gray-green uniforms speaking the language of orders, borders, and control. Outside, Paris was hungry. Inside, the wine poured.

And for the people of Paris—the waiters, the cooks, the porters, the women emptying ashtrays, polishing cutlery, carrying glassware through rooms thick with smoke—occupation was lived at eye level.

To serve was framed as an honor. In reality, it was survival. To refuse meant disappearance.

Every plate carried across those rooms required a careful calibration between obedience and restraint. You learned how to keep your eyes down. You learned how to move quietly. You learned how to pretend you couldn’t hear the conversations happening inches from your body—conversations about raids, decrees, futures that did not include you.

You learned how to endure the presence of men dismantling your country one regulation at a time.

The restaurants stayed open. But nothing about them was normal.

When I think about this now, I think about Casablanca—released in 1943, right in the middle of all of it. There’s a scene at Rick’s Café where German officers raise their glasses and sing Die Wacht am Rhein with patriotic zeal. The rest of the room—locals and refugees alike—sits frozen, watching. A song. A toast. A performance of normalcy.

It looks like leisure. It sounds like celebration. But every note carries threat.

That scene stays with me because it understands something essential: power doesn’t always announce itself with violence. Sometimes it sings. Sometimes it eats. Sometimes it pretends to belong.

Last week, four ICE agents walked into El Tapatio, a small, family-owned Mexican restaurant in Willmar, Minnesota. They sat down at a booth. They ordered lunch. They ate like anyone else on an ordinary afternoon.

People in the kitchen noticed them. Maybe someone thought—or hoped—that this meant something. That they were normal enough to come in, order food, enjoy a meal.

Hours later, after the restaurant closed, those same agents followed the staff outside and detained three of them.

There was no battle. No courthouse summons. No warning.

Just their meal—and when they were finished, the hunt.

This wasn’t isolated. It’s part of what’s been described as Operation Metro Surge—thousands of federal agents deployed across Minnesota. Whether you want to call it retaliation, or politics, or a vendetta against officials who spoke too loudly or protected their communities too fiercely almost doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is the result.

Immigration enforcement has expanded dramatically and indiscriminately. Minnesotans report ICE presence in schools, restaurants, community spaces that were never meant to be policed this way. Flights leaving the state with detainees have increased. Fear moves faster than facts.

And that fear doesn’t stop at immigration status. It spreads—to families, coworkers, neighbors, business owners. To people just trying to live without constant surveillance. Even to people who voted for this administration. Power, once unleashed, doesn’t check who supported it.

El Tapatio now bears a simple sign on its door: Closed for online orders only.

If that’s not a symbol of a community disrupted, I don’t know what is.

There is an unspoken understanding in hospitality that a meal shared, a table set, is not a prelude to harm. Hospitality is trust embodied. It’s the belief that for the duration of a meal, you are safe. That service is not consent. That feeding someone does not make you complicit in your own undoing.

When that line is crossed, it doesn’t just break the law. It breaks a bond.

Minnesota is not an outlier. It’s a rehearsal.

This administration has mentioned Portland more than once as a place that needs to be “fixed.” A city they’ve floated the idea of sending troops into. If you know Portland, you know how dangerous that thinking is.

The fragility of this place isn’t something you learn from books or policy memos. You learn it by living here. We watched it happen in real time. We saw how quickly a sidewalk became a flashpoint, a park became a perimeter, a café became a line of sight.

Cities don’t collapse all at once. They fray. Quietly. One room at a time.

And restaurants are not neutral ground—not here. They’re where people go when they’re tired, hungry, looking for warmth, recognition, a moment of being seen without explanation. They’re where birthdays are celebrated, grief is held without ceremony, conversations happen that don’t survive fluorescent light.

A table is a promise.

You sit down believing—even if only for an hour—that nothing bad will happen to you there.

Community is sustained at those tables. Not just by food, but by the rhythm of voices, the scrape of chairs, the way laughter rises and falls like weather. By the understanding that the people cooking your food and clearing your plates are not abstractions. They’re neighbors. Parents. Documented, undocumented, and everything in between. Lives far larger than a shift number on a screen.

History keeps reminding us how easily that promise can be broken.

It doesn’t start with sirens. It starts with presence. With people who sit down and order. With uniforms that try to disappear into the room.

And when hospitality becomes reconnaissance, the room changes. Refuge becomes risk. Livelihood becomes calculation. The question becomes: Is it safe to come in today?

If federal agents begin treating our restaurants as hunting grounds—dining at our tables and returning later to detain, surveil, or intimidate the people who make these spaces live—I will not keep the doors open.

At that point, staying open becomes participation. Silence becomes consent.

There is a difference between enforcement and intimidation. One operates in daylight, accountable to process. The other relies on fear, surprise, and humiliation. There is a difference between law and cruelty—even when cruelty wears a badge. And there is a profound, unforgivable difference between sharing a meal and setting a trap.

I will not ask my staff to enter rooms where the air itself feels compromised. I will not ask them to smile, to serve, to move through their day knowing the people who asked for another round might be waiting outside. I will not normalize terror by calling it policy or the cost of doing business.

Once hospitality becomes a mechanism of harm, it ceases to be hospitality at all. It becomes theater—a stage where power rehearses itself while the most vulnerable are forced to perform calm.

This is not what we signed up for when we opened our doors.

This is not what care is supposed to be used for.

I know there are people in power who would love to see this city fail, who would love to see its communities fracture, who would love to march through our streets and mistake fear for control.

But for me, that’s where the line is drawn.

Some things are more important than staying open. Some things are more important than revenue. And some things are more important than service.

Dignity is one of them.

Postscript: On January 28, 2026, Medina announced the closure of his beloved República for reasons he explained in a post, writing that "one issue rose above all others. When the safety of my staff; people who built this place with their hands and their memories—could no longer be assumed, when their dignity and security were treated as negotiable, silence stopped being an option. We stayed quiet for a year, hoping things wouldn’t worsen. They did. And they will continue to."

Celeriac 101, Plus a Dreamy Celery Root Soup

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:52:00 -0800

Growing up, root vegetables were not in my mother's dinner repertoire. Well, carrots were available, but certainly not the ubiquitous so-called "baby carrots" of today—which are actually chopped, shaved down, shaped chunks of bigger carrots that weren't pretty enough to sell whole, and which are often rinsed in a weak bleach solution before bagging. (Ew.)

Back then, parsnips, rutabagas, beets, turnips and celery root either weren't available in the local Piggly Wiggly supermarket, or were passed over in favor of potatoes. Locally grown spuds were available in abundance in Central Oregon at the time, and the annual Potato Festival was a much-anticipated summer celebration in our small town, featuring a Potato Parade and, of course, potato sack races. (Read more about it here.)

Delicious root or alien spawn?

These days I'm starting to love my roots, especially celery root (or celeriac), those intimidating-looking, softball-sized vegetables that look like alien spawn in a science fiction movie. But don't be afraid…once you slice off the outside rooty bits, the inside is not dissimilar from a potato and cooks up similarly.

I think they're smashing in soups like the one below, as well as stews, or mashed with potatoes, but my friends Anthony and Carol Boutard, formerly of Ayers Creek Farm in Gaston (but now happily ensconced in the Finger Lakes in upstate New York), prefer them raw, as Anthony wrote several years ago:

"So crisp and sweet, it is a shame to cook them. Prepare as a salad or celeriac remoulade. First, grate or julienne the raw roots.

"For a salad, dress with lemon juice and olive oil. We mince the greens into the mix, or add chopped celery when available.

"For a celeriac remoulade, sprinkle the grated roots with lemon juice and then dress with a remoulade sauce. The sauce is mayonnaise seasoned with mustard and a sprinkle of cayenne. We follow James Beard's suggestion of mixing a sharp Dijon with sweeter German mustard and the pungent English mustard. A nice balance. The salad is especially good the next day. On occasion, we sprinkle some caraway seed into the remoulade, a Nordic gesture."

Raw or cooked, celery root is a hidden gem in the produce aisle.

I'll leave the final word to Josh Alsberg of Rubinette Produce, who shared this story:

"Right before Thanksgiving about 3 years ago, a customer approached me and asked if I had any suggestions to, in her words, 'jazz up her boring potato dish.' I told her one of my favorite vegetables was celeriac. 'Celeri-what?' she responded.

"I mentioned that it’s from the same family as celery and she said, 'This looks like a brain and I generally don’t eat anything I can’t pronounce. But you're saying this will help my potatoes taste better?' I said absolutely and told her how to prep and prepare it. She seemed a little unsure, but put it in her cart anyway.

'A few weeks later, she came back, grabbed my arm and started raving about what an amazing ingredient it is and how happy she was to discover something new. She's been a regular customer ever since.'

So when you're ready to jazz up a tired old recipe, go grab an alien brain…I mean…some celeriac, and let me know what you think!

Cream of Celery Root Soup

3 Tbsp. butter
2 large leeks, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2" slices (including the green tops)
3 Tbsp. flour
3 c. water
3 c. chicken stock
2 large or 3 smaller celery roots (celeriac), peeled and chopped in 1/2" dice*
2 tsp. salt
1 c. sour cream
3 Tbsp. chives, minced (optional)

Melt butter in soup pot or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped leeks and cook slowly for 5 min. Remove from heat, add flour and stir. Return pot to heat and cook, stirring constantly and without browning for a minute. Add water and stock, stirring well. Add diced celery root and salt. Bring to boil and lower heat to simmer for 50 minutes. Remove from heat and purée with immersion blender (or cool and purée in a food processor or blender in batches). Return to heat and warm to a simmer, then add the sour cream and stir to combine (don't let it boil or the sour cream may separate). Adjust salt and add more water or stock if it seems too thick. Serve garnished with chives.

* To peel the celeriac, Edward Schneider of the New York Times wrote, "Ruthlessly peel a celery root. In other words, forget about your Ecko peeler: Take a knife and cut away all the dirty parts, right down to the flesh; my 20-ouncer lost a quarter of its weight in the process. Rinse, cut into chunks and put into a pan."

It's Baaaaack: Hillsboro (Again) Attempting to Annex Farmland

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 09:52:00 -0800

My latest CSA update from Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm in Hillsboro on what to expect in our share included this note:

"As a lot of you know, I spend some of my extra time working to protect farmland around my farm that is consistently under threat of development from data centers and other industrial uses. Unfortunately, it appears that another very big threat to 1,800 acres of Oregon's very best farmland (that is almost visible from my farm) is looming. There is a legislative concept [a draft idea for legislation before it is introduced as a bill] that has had a hearing in Salem that would make the land available for development…despite the city and the state having promised it would stay in farming for at least another 40 years."

If this sounds familiar, you're not wrong. Just last July I wrote that the city of North Plains outside of Hillsboro had "attempted to double the size of the city by proposing the biggest-ever Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion by percentage basis and the largest by acres in the metro counties." The voters of North Plains responded by rejecting the city's ballot measure by a margin of 70 percent.

The "legislative concept" proposes to annex 1,800 acres of prime farmland.

Well, now it's Hillsboro's turn to take a turn at snatching what has been described as some of the richest farmland in the area, and this time they've upped the ante to four times the size of the North Plains grab.

Oregon has a rigorous process for expanding the UGB that this proposal attempts to shortcircuit. Rather than basing economic policy on verifiable needs, the so-called "Oregon JOBS Act" (LC 237) proposed by Hillsboro state senator Janeen Sollman sets a precedent of awarding land on a “who you know” basis. According to land-use advocates at Friends of Smart Growth, landowners in the area have been trying for years to get their land added to the UGB—not because it serves the public interest, but because their land value would increase by 50 times. The Smart Growth website says "the precedent set by this proposal would lead to a mishmash of laws and an unpredictable regulatory climate for businesses in and out of the UGB and would set aside the rule of law in favor of a system that is open to corruption and mismanagement."

For perspective, figures from the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture show that the number of farms in Oregon decreased by six percent since 2017, and the acreage those farms occupied was down four percent in the same period. 1000 Friends of Oregon detailed that only about 16 percent of Oregon (excluding federal lands) consists of high-value soils, with only about four percent of those rated as prime farmland, and that efforts like the one proposed in this legislative concept endanger those remaining valuable soils.

There are currently 131 data centers in Oregon according to recent reports.

The threat these data centers pose isn't limited to Oregon's diminishing agricultural land. According to an article in The Guardian, while data centers consume just one percent of the world's electricity now, "their share of U.S. electricity is projected to more than double to 8.6% by 2035."

1000 Friends points out that corporate data centers—the kind of industrial development most often discussed for this parcel—which are touted as super-charging job creation, actually create few, relatively low-paying jobs. Furthermore, it goes on to say that "the bill that Hillsboro state senator Janeen Sollman is proposing will extend tax breaks for these same corporations—companies that can easily afford to pay their fair share.

"Meanwhile, the state is slashing social services budgets that help keep Oregon’s working families afloat, [and] data centers are expected to increase PGE and Pacific Power rates by 50 percent in 5 years (despite the passage of the POWER Act), fresh water is being used and polluted by data centers, and data centers are costing Oregon hundreds of millions in tax revenue each year. Clearly, this industry is not benefiting most Oregonians."

ACTION ITEMS: There are several actions you can take on this issue.

Click here to send an e-mail to your elected representatives.
Attend the community meeting and information session: Jan. 30th, 5-6 pm; United Church of Christ, 2032 College Way, Forest Grove.
Attend Sen. Sollman’s town hall (across the street from the community meeting) immediately following the information session at 6:30 pm; Pacific University’s McCready Hall in the Taylor‑Meade Performing Arts Center, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove.

The Best Bacon in the World? Make It Yourself!

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:42:00 -0800

People who deny the facts of evolution completely puzzle me. Even putting aside the fossil record, DNA evidence and untold hours of programming on public television, do these people ever look around them? Stuff is changing all the time, for heaven's sake.

And I'm not even talking about the legendary example of the beaks of Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands, where "an immigrant first settled on one of the islands [and] it would undoubtedly be exposed to different conditions in the different islands (where) it would have to compete with a different set of organisms. ... Then, natural selection would probably favor different varieties in the different islands."

Neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night will keep Dave from his bacon.

You don't have to look any further than this blog, which in geologic time has only existed for a millionth of a nanosecond, but it has evolved from a simple food blog with restaurant reviews, farmers’ market reports and recipes to a forum for discussion of issues about our food system, from the fields to our plates. And the recipes have changed, too, as I've learned more and tweaked them to fit the way we're eating now.

Take Dave's bacon recipe. On the recommendation of a friend, I bought him Michael Ruhlman's "Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing," considered the primer for those interested in learning about cured meat. In the five years since he cured and smoked his first pork belly, he's adjusted it to his own tastes, to the point where we find it next to impossible to stomach store-bought because even the most highly-touted examples simply don't measure up.

Cure the belly with a mix of herbs and spices, then smoke it…pure heaven!

So if you're at all interested, it's incredibly easy. The only special equipment required is pink curing salt (different from Himalayan pink salt), two-gallon zip-lock plastic bags, a charcoal grill or smoker and a thermometer, then a week for the curing. Seriously, that's it.

And, of course, Dave's notes, which are here in his own words:

"The bacon recipe is based on the Michael Ruhlman recipe, with a couple of changes. I use half as much kosher salt as the recipe calls for—a quarter cup makes it way too salty. I use coarse sea salt rather than kosher. I use a little more garlic than called for—eight to 10 cloves, maybe. I don’t think I’ve ever made it with the optional thyme. I have made it with the optional juniper berries once or twice, but most of the time not. I usually make 12 or 13 pounds at a time, so I double the recipe as I’ve altered it. I usually have two pieces of belly, each rubbed and placed into the big plastic bags in the fridge on a Saturday or Sunday for smoking the next weekend. I turn them once a day. I put it in my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker, on the grates over a water pan, at a low temperature—I try to keep it about 200-225 degrees—over Kingsford with four or five chunks of soaked maple or cherry wood (not too much or the bacon’ll be too smoky and bitter). I smoke it until it’s about 145 degrees internally, usually about three or four hours."

But this will inevitably change and evolve— and I'll keep you posted!

Dave's Homecured Bacon

5 lbs. pork belly
1 oz. (1/8 c.) coarse sea salt
2 tsp. pink curing salt #1
4 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
4 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 c. light brown sugar
8-10 cloves garlic, smashed in a garlic press

Place the pork belly on a sheet pan. Rub the salt and spice mixture all over the belly. Place it in a 2-gallon zip-lock bag and put in the refrigerator for seven days, turning it over once a day. After seven days, take it out of the fridge, rinse off all the seasonings under cold water and pat dry.

Place in smoker preheated to between 200-225 degrees over a water pan and smoke until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 degrees internal temperature. Cool and slice into one-pound slabs. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Crustacean Celebration: Kick Off the 2025-26 Dungeness Season with Crab Chowder

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 10:19:01 -0800

Dungeness crab season started on December 16th this year, much to the relief of cooks, diners and Oregon's crab fleet of 424 small family-owned vessels that ply the waters up and down our 362-mile coast. This year's opener, while delayed by a week or so from original predictions, was still weeks earlier than in recent years when it was delayed due to concerns over the presence of domoic acid, a naturally occuring biotoxin that can build up in crustaceans.

Over the past decade, a season opener in December was a rare occurrence, a devastating blow to fishing families who traditionally had relied on holiday sales to home cooks, grocery stores and restaurants to carry them through the winter. The downstream effect on their local communities was no joke, either, causing everyone from hardware stores to grocery stores to gas stations to tighten their belts.

Crab boats dot the horizon at dawn just off the coast at Lincoln City.

This season, though, with its early start and plentiful supply, should be a good one for fishers, coastal communities and crab-lovers alike. To kick off crab season at our house, I'd been jonesing for a festive crab chowder to serve on Christmas Eve. Fortune smiled when I came across my friend Nancy Harmon Jenkins's post about a lobster chowder served at Portland, Maine's iconic Fore Street restaurant. Sam Hayward, its James Beard award-winning chef and co-owner, is considered the dean of Maine's culinary scene. Jenkins wrote:

"[Hayward's] main (Maine) effort has been to inspire us all to Pay Attention—pay attention to quality, pay attention to our relationship to the soil and the waters that surround us, pay attention to what’s happening in our gardens, on our stoves, and on our tables.

"In Sam’s recipe for what he calls Scotian Lobster Chowder (the name, he says, because he learned to make it in Nova Scotia), you can see his thoughtfulness coming to play: the freshly steamed lobster, the specificity of russet potatoes, the density of the thick Jersey cream, the gentle stewing of the leeks in butter, the emphasis on shoe-peg corn."

Like many great classics, the recipe itself* is simple and elegant, with one smashingly simple technique that I'd never run across before: pre-cooking the called-for russet potatoes with leeks to jumpstart the process that lends the chowder its characteristic thickness rather than adding flour, which all to often tends to give it a paste-like, gloppy texture.

Because we are, as noted above, in prime Dungeness season, I chose to substitute our native crustacean for Maine's and make a stock from the shells after picking them of their meat. This is a company-worthy special occasion dish but it's also easy enough to prepare with shrimp or other shellfish instead of the crab on a weeknight.

Here's wishing our fleet a safe and bountiful season!

Dungeness Crab Chowder

3 oz. bacon, cut in 1/4 inch dice
Butter (around half a stick, divided)
2 large russet (baking) potatoes (or 3 medium), peeled and sliced into 1/2" dice
2 medium (or one large) leeks cut in 1/4 inch dice
2 live, large Dungeness crabs
1 c. whole milk
1 c. half-and-half
8 oz. corn cut from the cobs (or 8 oz. frozen)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To prepare the live crab, fill a 3 to 5-gallon stock pot 2/3 full of water and bring to a hearty boil. When it's boiling, grab the crabs by the back of the shell (their large front claws are usually banded shut) and slide them, upside-down, into the boiling water. Cover with a lid and boil for 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool in the sink. (If you're using pre-cooked crabs, start here.)

Instructions on cleaning a crab here. My friend Hank Shaw has a guide for picking the meat here. Remember to save the shells for stock (below).

Once you've picked the meat, set it aside in a bowl in the fridge. Put the shells in a large pot and cover with water (about 1 quart). Bring to a boil on the stove and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and reserve the stock.

In a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven, gently sauté the bacon in a teaspoon of butter until it yields its fat and starts to turn crisp on the edges. Add the potatoes and leeks and 1/2" of water, just enough to keep the potatoes from sticking. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan and cook gently until the vegetables are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

At the end of the cooking time for the vegetables, add the stock from the crab shells. Combine the milk and half-and-half in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to get rid of the rawness, then add to the vegetables and stock, stirring to combine. Add the crab meat and once the chowder comes to a simmer again—don't let it boil or the milk will curdle—turn off the heat, cover the pan, and leave it for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, bring the chowder to a simmer once more, stir in the corn and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until the corn is just done. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately. If you wish, float a pat of butter (a little more richness) on the surface of each bowl as you serve up the chowder.

Makes 8 servings.

* Get Nancy Harmon Jenkins's recipe for lobster chowder by signing up for a paid subscription or a 7-day free trial.

Photo of crab boats at dawn by my friend Bette Sinclair.

Holiday Gifting, Part Two: The Gift of Generosity

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:11:46 -0800

I don't know about you, but my family doesn't need more stuff cluttering up our lives (or needing to be dusted). Several years ago my parents sat the whole family down before the holidays and suggested giving gifts of "meaning"—that is, gifts to charities or causes that the recipient would want to support. For instance, my mother appreciated gifts to Heifer International, an organization that has a mission to end hunger and poverty by supporting and investing alongside local farmers and their communities.

In that spirit I thought I'd put together a list of organizations that support our food system directly or indirectly, in case you or your loved ones are inclined to ditch the store aisles packed with desperate shoppers and contribute to changing our planet for the better. (Many of them would also make great year-end charitable donations, if that's more your bent.)

Food System

Friends of Family Farmers is a statewide organization that supports Oregon's small family farmers through networking, workshops and legislative advocacy.

Farmers Market Fund makes healthy, locally grown food accessible to under-served Oregonians through their Double Up Food Bucks program that provides a dollar-for-dollar match on SNAP (food stamp) purchases at over 90 Oregon farmers' markets.

Center for Food Safety works to empower people, support farmers, and protect the earth from the harmful impacts of industrial agriculture through groundbreaking legal, scientific, and grassroots action.

Pacific Northwest Community Supported Agriculture is committed to providing education about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), supporting farmers who provide quality local food to our communities, and increasing access to healthy food for underserved communities.

Oregon Agricultural Trust works with farmers and ranchers around Oregon to safeguard Oregon’s farm and ranch lands and the rural communities that depend upon them by permanently protecting our working lands and helping them stay in production.

Gaza Soup Kitchen is a grassroots initiative led by the people of Gaza, serving hot meals to tens of thousands daily. Born from a vow to ensure no neighbor goes hungry, 99% of every dollar goes directly to feeding and supporting the people of Gaza. (Read my post about Gaza Soup Kitchen.)

Justice for Immigrants and Farm Workers

Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) is committed to defend the rights of immigrants in our community through education, rapid response, and legal support.

PCUN (Oregon Farmworker Union) has a mission to empower farmworkers and working Latinx families in Oregon by building community, increasing Latinx representation in elections, and advancing policies on both the national and state levels.

Community to Community is a grassroots organization led by women of color that is committed to strengthen local and global movements toward social, economic, and environmental justice. (Read my article about founder Rosalinda Guillen.)

Environment and Climate

Food and Water Watch works to protect food, water, and air, as well as fighting climate change by banning fossil fuels.

Columbia Riverkeeper is committed to protect and restore the water quality of the Columbia River from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean by partnering with tribes and uniting communities to advocate for environmental and climate justice.

Xerces Society protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats by conducting research and relying on up-to-date information to guide its conservation work in pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

Photos: Pacific Northwest CSA (top); Beaverton Farmers Market (market shoppers); Community to Community (farm workers); Xerces Society (lady beetle).

Chinook Nation Seeks Federal Reinstatement of Sovereign Rights

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:37:00 -0800

There are many good reasons to criticize social media—giant corporations like Meta/Facebook, "X" (formerly Twitter), and Tiktok among them, owned by right-wing, anti-democratic billionaires. On the other hand, and one reason I still have accounts with at least a few of them, is that they can amplify voices seldom heard from in the mainstream media.

The past few years I've started following several Indigenous accounts like Underscore Media, which covers Indigenous-centered issues, and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission that advocates for Indigenous tribes and the restoration of salmon to the Columbia River Basin. (See an Action Item and a partial list of other social media accounts at bottom.)

The Chinook Nation participated in a Canoe Journey in 2025 tracing
a traditional route along the Salish Sea.

I recently received an e-mail sent to supporters from Tony (naschio) Johnson, Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation, acknowledging the importance of the Winter Solstice. In the e-mail Johnson outlines the efforts of the Chinook Nation to reestablish the federal recognition granted in 2001 under the Clinton administration that was rescinded in 2002 under George W. Bush. Since that time, Johnson wrote, "the Chinook committed to pursuing every pathway to restore their status, including through Congressional legislation."

That legislation took the form of the Chinook Indian Nation Restoration Act of 2024 which would have "provided a much-needed economic boost not just to the Chinook but also to their surrounding neighbors through an influx of federal funding for educational, cultural, environmental, healthcare, and housing programs, amongst others," according to the e-mail.

A key component of tribal recognition is the sacred connection to the resources of the land.

On the eve of its introduction, its chief sponsor, Washington Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, pulled her support for the bill unless the Chinook agreed to amend the bill to strip all resource access rights from the Nation, including hunting, fishing, shellfish aquaculture, trapping, gathering, and water rights, a change the Nation's citizens voted unanimously to reject.

"It was an impossible choice: Give up our rights to live as we have done for tens of thousands of years or maintain our status as an ‘unrecognized’ tribe,” wrote Johnson. “All of our lands, villages, sacred sites, fishing, and burial grounds were taken away from us by the United States. The Chinook Indian Nation cannot be asked to give up even more. There is no world where we can accept a law being passed by the United States that takes away more from our people. We have accessed and subsisted on our lands’ resources for as long as we have been here and have a sacred connection with our plants, animals, and water that we cannot be asked to give up.”

The Nation is currently looking for a new sponsor for the bill. It is also asking the public to sign a petition in support of federal recognition of the Chinook Indian Nation.

Social media accounts that amplify Native voices:

Let me know of other accounts.

Photos: Chinook community meeting (top) and Canoe Journey (middle) by Amiran White from the Chinook Indian Nation Facebook page.

Scones So Good You'll Be Tempted to Hide Them

Mon, 8 Dec 2025 16:42:00 -0800

Dave makes scones for breakfast at least once a week—they're in a regular rotation with his sky-high biscuits and bran muffins—and we routinely save one out for Fred, our letter carrier. While Fred said he's sorely tempted to scarf it down on the walk back to his truck, he fights the impulse so he can enjoy the scone for breakfast with his tea the next morning. More than once, though, his kids have discovered the baked delight in his postal bag, so he said he's taken to stashing it out of sight in the back of the fridge when he gets home.

Lately Dave's been experimenting with revising his classic Orange Currant Scones by adding toasted oats to the dough for a slightly less sweet, heartier version that reminds me of Scottish oat cakes. These brawny lads are mellowed with a generous slathering of butter and a heaping helping of homemade fruit jam and, in our case at least, a big mug of strong black coffee alongside. Let me know what you think!

Dave's Toasted Oatmeal Scones

1/4 c. (29 grams) rolled oats*
1 1/2 c. (195 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. (195 grams) lightly sifted whole wheat flour (or AP flour if you wish)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
8 Tbsp. (113 g) unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 c. half-and-half
1 egg
1/3 c. dried fruit like raisins, currants, cranberries, etc. (optional; also see note at bottom)
Extra brown sugar for topping (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the oats in the baking sheet and toast for five minutes or so; stir and toast another five minutes or so until very lightly browned. Put warm oats into a heatproof container; toss a couple of times and let cool.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat.

Pulse flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in food processor. Pulse in butter until the largest butter bits are about the size of peppercorns, about 10-15 pulses or so.

Put flour mixture into a large bowl. Add cooled oats to flour mixture and mix.

Whisk egg and half-and-half in a small bowl. Add liquid mixture and dried fruit, if using, to dry mixture and mix until a dryish dough forms. Transfer to floured surface and knead four or five times. Form dough into two equal-ish balls.

Flatten each ball with hands into a 6-inch disk. If desired, lightly sprinkle flattened disks with brown sugar. Using a knife or bench knife, cut into wedges of desired size. Place wedges, not touching each other, onto baking sheet.

Put into oven and bake until lightly browned, about 22 minutes.

NOTE: You can also chop up a quarter to half of an apple, briefly sauté it in butter and cinnamon sugar, then mix this into the dough befor shaping. So good!

* Use rolled oats (often called "old-fashioned rolled oats"), not the quick-cooking oats.

Good Stuff NW

In Season: Serving Up Summer

Fava Beans: To Peel, or Not to Peel?

Fava Bean Spread

Growing Gardens: Planting Seeds of Resilience Rooted in Community

Underappreciated Spring Vegetables: The Noble Leek

Leek Sauté with Anchovies over Pasta

Good News: Beloved Flour Market Bakery Reopens on NE Alberta

A Piece of Portland History Returns to its Historic Home

In Season: Swinging into Spring

Super Spring Supper: Crustless Quiche with Greens and Bacon

Crustless Quiche with Greens and Bacon

Think Strategically, Get More Value from Your Farmers' Market Trip

Road Tripping: Exploring the Olympic Rainforest Coast

Addendum: Confusion Follows Passage of Farm Store Bill in Legislature

Legislative Report: Very Good News Dimmed by Bad News as Session Ends

Never Too Much of a Good Thing: Pickled Shallots

Pickled Shallots

Legislative Report: Your Voice is Needed as Session Heads into Final Stretch

Latest Condiment Fascination: Chili Crisp-Marinated Albacore

Chili Crisp-Marinated Albacore

Local Pizza Restaurant Under Fire for Claiming Food is Political

"Eating is a political act." - Michael Pollan

Legislative Report: Short but Critical 2026 Legislative Session Convenes

Guest Essay: When Hospitality Becomes a Hunting Ground

When Hospitality Becomes a Hunting Ground:Why I'll Close Before I Collaborate

Celeriac 101, Plus a Dreamy Celery Root Soup

Cream of Celery Root Soup

It's Baaaaack: Hillsboro (Again) Attempting to Annex Farmland

The Best Bacon in the World? Make It Yourself!

Dave's Homecured Bacon

Crustacean Celebration: Kick Off the 2025-26 Dungeness Season with Crab Chowder

Dungeness Crab Chowder

Holiday Gifting, Part Two: The Gift of Generosity

Food System

Justice for Immigrants and Farm Workers

Environment and Climate

Chinook Nation Seeks Federal Reinstatement of Sovereign Rights

Scones So Good You'll Be Tempted to Hide Them

Dave's Toasted Oatmeal Scones

When Hospitality Becomes a Hunting Ground:
Why I'll Close Before I Collaborate