Live Oregon

Happy beer mug cartoon character winning race with medals, racing to finish line, celebrating success, in a playful illustration for Oregon lifestyle, beverages, and local culture.

Beer Competitions and Why You Should Care

written by Jeremy Storton | illustration by Edwin Ouellette A woman once walked into the shop where I sold beer and wine. We chatted about her dinner plans, and I offered a few perfect pairings. Instead of taking my advice, she reached for two bottles from the bottom shelf and said, “I’ll just go with these. They’re safe.” Her word “safe” shook me. After all, a great bottle isn’t about safety or security—it’s about joy and adventure. I’ve thought about that moment ever since. What I think she really expressed was the overwhelm of so many choices, compounded by the fear of disappointment after spending hard-earned money. Luckily, there is a way to enjoy a flavor adventure without the risk.  For years, I’ve sat at a little round table with rows of mystery beer in small cups waiting for me and other beer judges to blindly evaluate them. Judging beer…

Morel cream sauce over pasta is down to earth and otherworldly.

Foraging Morels in Oregon Forests

written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane The early morning mist still clung to the Douglas firs when we pulled off the gravel forest road just east of the Cascades near Sisters. It was early summer, the sweet spot for morel mushroom season, and I was with my good friends Thomas and his son Chris. I’ve nicknamed Chris “the Mushroom Wizard” based on his knowledge and skill in the world of mushroom foraging—and his likeness to a wizard. We’d been texting back and forth about this excursion for weeks, waiting for just the right moment when the morels were up. We each carried a mesh bag, a pocket knife and a glint in the eye that only morel hunters know: hope, laced with visions of how we would use the fungi in our kitchens. We hiked for a half mile in silence, not wanting to tip off anyone…

Ellen Waterston sees poetry as a unifier across Oregon’s divides.

Poet in Motion

Oregon’s poet laureate brings verse to every corner of Oregon interview by Cathy Carroll Ellen Waterson of Bend is midway through a two-year term as Oregon’s poet laureate. Poetry has always been at the center of her writing, and she is also the author of three award-winning literary nonfiction books: Walking the High Desert, Where the Crooked River Rises and Then There Was No Mountain. Waterston founded the Writing Ranch, offering retreats and workshops for established and emerging writers, and the literary arts nonprofit, The Nature of Words, which she directed for more than a decade. She also founded the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, annually recognizing a nonfiction book proposal that examines the role of deserts in the human narrative, now a program of the High Desert Museum. Her latest book is We Could Die Doing This, Dispatches on Ageing from Oregon’s Outback, a collection of essays. What are some…

Aji Fish Butchery

Aji Fish Butchery

written by Kerry Newberry | photography by Aji Fish Butchery With a sense of calm and artistry, Jeffrey Kim smoothly scales a piece of sea bream behind the bar at Zilla Sake—a destination sushi restaurant in Portland. “I use the sukibiki method,” he said. “It’s a traditional Japanese technique where you delicately slice instead of scrape the scales away, which prevents damage to the fish.” For the past two decades, Kim has worked in seafood with stints at Katsuya in Los Angeles and Portland’s Bamboo Sushi. He’s currently the head chef at Zilla Sake and runs Aji Fish Butchery on the side. About five years ago, he became interested in dry-aging fish, the intricate process of removing excess moisture to concentrate flavor and enhance texture. “I love the unique textures and flavor profiles of dry-aged fish because it highlights each fish differently,” said Kim. As the fish is stored in…

DIY Horseshoe Pit

DIY Backyard Horseshoe Pit Guide

illustration by Kate Wong Come summer, we’re ready to play lawn games. Horseshoes are a classic, and a horseshoe pit court can be as simple, or complicated, as you like, as well as a straightforward weekend project to build. Here are our tips: 1. PLOT THE COURT A regulation court requires the metal stakes to be 40 feet apart. To keep this simple, measure the distance across a relatively flat plane, and pound a metal stake in the ground at either end. However, to create a cushioned area for the horseshoes to land, prevent bounce and foster fair play, it’s best to build a pit. Build two pits across from each other, or a single one that players will take turns on. To get really fancy, add a backstop to the pit to contain the flying shoes. 2. PLAN THE PIT Each pit will be 3 x 4 feet, with…

Author Alison Jean Cole is redefining rockhounding for a new generation.

Modern Rockhounds

Portland author’s new book harnesses fresh energy and ethics around rockhounding interview by Cathy Carroll Alison Jean Cole is at the forefront of a new interest in the Northwest that’s no longer your granduncle’s pastime—rockhounding. Her second book on the topic, A Rockhound’s Guide to Oregon & Washington, has just been released amid a growing, youthful enthusiasm for the hobby that promises another way to connect with nature. The book covers rockhounding basics, sustainable collecting, Leave No Trace principles and, for sixty sites, the geologic history along with what types of rocks and fossils you may find. The region is a treasure trove for rockhounds who can explore ancient seafloors, epic lava flows, glacier-carved landscapes and evidence of 200 million years of tectonic action. This guide helps beginners find agates and jaspers in the volcanic Cascade Range, marine fossils along the Coast, petrified wood in the Owyhee Uplands and more….

Oregon sunshine in a jar – strawberry jam.

Oregon Strawberry Jam With Vanilla Bean

written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane “I hope you’ve got a plan for all these berries,” said Tom, the strawberry farmer helping me load six flats of strawberries into my truck. “Tomorrow these won’t be the same,” he added as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a bandana. “Oregon strawberries are delicate little babies. You gotta use ’em or lose ’em. This May heatwave will spoil ’em.” “Uh, yeah,” I replied, having absolutely no idea what I would do with them. “Uh, I’ll make jam,” I said as I got into the overheated cab of my truck and rolled down the window. “There’s a feed store back in Dundee; you can get your canning supplies there,” Tom said with a smile as I pulled away. Following Tom’s advice, I bought canning jars and lids at the feed store, and upon arriving home, began making jam….

King salmon on a raft of risotto is as refreshing as a spring river rapid.

Perfect Grilled King Salmon Recipe

written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane As I maneuvered my boat to the downstream ferry through Boxcar Rapid, my walkie-talkie started making noise. “Thor! Are you there? Give me your location!” the voice echoed off the sheer canyon walls on the side of the Deschutes River. I couldn’t reach my two-way radio as it was strapped to my pack on the floor of the boat, and I was a bit busy. Going stern first down the rapids wasn’t my first choice. But there I was with a boat full of coolers and cooking gear. I had no choice. As the boat slammed over the rapids, going backward over the whitewater, I looked from side to side to make sure that all was clear, and none of the gear broke loose. As the river calmed, my radio went on again. “Thor, please respond!” exclaimed the voice of Patty….

Wood slat accent wall

Build a Wood Slat Accent Wall

illustration by Sophie Barlow It doesn’t look like it, but a wood slat accent wall is a fairly beginner-friendly project. The idea is to create an accent wall in your room of choice—perhaps in an entry or hallway—composed of a series of 1×2 boards. It’s a modern look that adds architectural character, warmth and texture. 1. GATHER WOOD Measure for the accent wall dimensions, getting height and length. This project is based around boards that are listed as 1 inch x 2 inch x 8 feet (or 10 feet, depending on ceiling heights), yet the actual dimensions of the boards will be smaller, about 3/4 inch x 1½ inch. However, since there is about a ½-inch gap between each board, to determine the number of slats needed, just divide the length of the wall (in inches) by two, and add an extra board or two to the cart for mishaps….