Food+Drink

Nordia House of Southwest Portland

Inside the Nordia House of Southwest Portland, a cultural center, showcasing all things Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish. written by Cathy Carroll | photography by Carly Diaz Chefs who strive to create the authentic cuisine of faraway places must frequently rely on what they’ve learned from family, travels and research. At Broder Söder, however, chef James Drinkward works in a microcosm inside the Nordia House of Southwest Portland, a cultural center which opened in 2015. Here, he’s merely a Thor’s hammer throw from experts on all things Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish. “The people at Nordia House are influential,” said Drinkward, who grew up in Southwest Portland. “I get lots of interesting feedback, such as, ‘My grandma made it this way.’ Scandinavians tend to be pretty direct, so they’ll tell you what they think.” Not your grandfather’s Sons of Norway lodge, Nordia House exemplifies contemporary Nordic design inspired…

Beerlandia: How to Cellar Beer That is Exceptional

Wondering how best to cellar beer? There are five simple rules to follow. written by Jeremy Storton | illustrated by Allison Bye As legend has it, British lords would age a batch of barley wine made when a baby was born, then drink it when the lad turned 18. These days, we know fresh is best, but there is still a time and place for something old and something brewed. Cellaring a beer has five simple rules. 1. Keep bottles upright to allow yeast to settle and to minimize surface area oxidation. 2. Keep bottles away from sun and fluorescent light, which will create off flavors reminiscent of skunk or propane. 3. Keep bottles at a steady, even temperature, around 50 degrees, to allow good flavors to evolve and harsh ones to mellow. 4. Stronger beers can store longer, but plan on saving the beer up to five years, unless advised…

Gastronomy: Wild About Game

Gastronomy: Wild About Game written by Jen Stevenson Run (and eat) wild with a thicketful of the Pacific Northwest’s best chefs at Nicky USA’s annual celebration of wild game and culinary camaraderie, returning on September 30 to the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort in Welches, Oregon. Now in its eighteenth year, the festival promises an impressive lineup of local cooking talent, from Castagna’s Justin Woodward and Aviary’s Sarah Pliner to Seattle chefs David Nichols (Rider) and Alex Barkley (Manolin). Against a backdrop of the Oregon high country’s brilliant fall foliage, guests sample gourmet meats, craft beers, charcuterie, spirits, cheeses, wine, cider, chocolate and coffee from nearly fifty top local purveyors including Olympia Provisions, Salt & Straw and Crowley Wines, plus meat-centric bites from more than a dozen acclaimed chefs like Gregory Gourdet of Departure and Kachka’s Bonnie Morales. The meaty merriment turns serious come the Carter Cutlery Cooking Competition, which pits…

Best Places for Fall Foraging

Best Places for Fall Foraging around the state written by Jen Stevenson Oregon autumns are our favorite so we’ve rounded up our top three fall foraging destinations for you to put on your to-try list. SOKOL BLOSSER Not just a pretty patio for sipping and soaking in valley views, the Sokol Blosser family’s esteemed Dundee Hills winery is home to one of the finest kitchens in the Willamette Valley. When executive chef Henry Kibit isn’t dishing up savory parsley root custard topped with salmon roe and licorice fern and slabs of tender brisket over fried wild nettles, he’s roaming the miner’s lettuce and morel-strewn hills behind the vineyard, collecting seasonal treasures to incorporate into the six-course Farm & Forage wine pairing luncheons he serves in an intimate, sun-splashed space behind the tasting room. 5000 NE SOKOL BLOSSER LN. DAYTON sokolblosser.com RACK & CLOTH Exit I-84 onto the Historic Columbia River…

Oregon Kiwis Do Exist and So Does The Kiwitini

Before I talk about Oregon kiwis, I need to be completely honest. written by Thor Erickson | photos by Megan Morse When the editors of 1859 Oregon’s Magazine proposed that I write about kiwis, I thought they had lost their minds. Kiwis? In Oregon? Really? I went home and binge-watched “Flight of the Conchords” while I did some research. After a healthy dose of Bret and Jemaine, I soon found that kiwis do grow in Oregon, and are becoming quite popular. Kiwi berries (also known as hardy kiwi, grape kiwi or cocktail kiwi) are smooth-skinned and much smaller in size than their furry cousins from New Zealand. I drove out to Dundee to HB&K farms to pick a few for myself. The strawberry-sized kiwi berries, or Actinidia arguta, are not genetically modified minis, but their own perennial vine, native to Japan, China and Russia. Kiwi berries have a short growing season,…

OK Omens Wine Bar and Bistro

OK Omens is a superb wine bar with an elevated bistro menu that’s worth checking out written by Jen Stevenson | photos by Alan Weiner Photography No longer Café Castagna, but still Castagna’s café, this lively new Ladd’s Addition wine bar retains the same sleek look (and beloved patio) as its predecessor, while debuting a playfully scholarly natural-wine-centric list to pair with James Beard Award-nominated Castagna chef Justin Woodward’s simple but superlative new bistro menu. Settle in for a late summer evening at one of the garden-side tables, inches from fragrant plumes of fresh mint and lemon verbena, and enlist the help of spirited sommelier Brent Braun, who won’t steer you wrong on the perfect bottle to go with Woodward’s burnt-beet-topped steak tartare, grilled squid with chicory and Thai basil, and buttermilk fried chicken with spicy greens and hot sour cream. Like the savory offerings, desserts are often twists on…

Autumn Beer Is Best Sipped Around A Fire

Hello Autumn Beer: As fall arrives, grilling and beer don’t need to take a back seat written by Jeremy Storton Although the dog days are behind us, visions of summer’s splendor flash across our memories like a late-night highlight reel. Lulled by warm days, many of us continue to push the outdoor barbecues in the evenings. But the chilly nights confirm that summer is indeed over. The days of summer salads and lagers may linger behind us, but a change of season invites a different, equally splendid experience. In fall, I find myself sitting fireside, wrapped in a blanket and tending to the various meats, veggies or paella grilling over the coals. Sometimes there is wine, but there is always beer. For me, there is something that excites my palate about pairing dark and brooding malty beers with the crackle of fire and the sizzle of steak. My goal is…

The Oregon Wine Experience in Jacksonville

If wine is your thing, check out The Oregon Wine Experience in Jacksonville. sponsored content provided by Travel Medford The Oregon Wine Experience is a weeklong festival, at the Bigham Knoll Campus and at wineries and restaurants around the region, offers a celebration of all things wine. This year, the experience will take place August 22 to August 26. Start with the Medal Celebration on August 23, which offers small plates and award-winning wines from the Oregon Wine Competition. Or indulge in an Ultimate Vintner Dinner, taking place throughout the month. The dinners, hosted by winery owners at their winery and vineyards, are multi-course meals with wine pairings and other experiences. Participating wineries include local favorites 2Hawk Vineyards & Winery, Troon Vineyard and Kriselle Cellars. The Founders’ Barrel Auction, on August 24, features barrel tastings, lunch from Seven Feathers Casino Resort chef Mark Henry, and, of course, an auction. If…

Best Places to Eat a Summer Meal in Oregon

Best places for enjoying a summer meal in the garden written by Jen Stevenson XICO For a taste of Mexico City and Oaxaca in a secret urban garden off Portland’s busy Division Street, ask for a patio table at this mecca of masa and mezcal. Chef Kelly Myers’ dinner menu beckons with serrano vinaigrette-tossed squid atop homemade blue corn tostadas, grilled chorizo verde with grilled cactus salad and cinnamon sugar-dusted sopaipillas with blackberry mezcal sauce. The recently revived lunch and brunch menu holds its own— chilaquiles and a Michelada al fresco make for the perfect summer Sunday morning. 3715 SE DIVISION ST. PORTLAND xicopdx.com GATHERING TOGETHER FARM Take a mini summer road trip to this working Philomath farm, where the south Willamette Valley fields and orchards part briefly to accommodate the cozy covered porch cafe and market. The menu changes with the crops, so expect duck breast with boysenberries and…

Beerlandia: Is Beer Bad for Us?

There’s a myth out there that beer is bad for us. It comes from the beer belly and the mentality of, “A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.” Know what actually gives beer a bad name?