written by Julie Lee | featured photo courtesy of McMenamins Edgefield Winery
Fall has descended upon us with determination, marking this the perfect time to cozy up and enjoy the fall harvest delights that Oregonians are so fortunate to have at their fingertips. And it not all pumpkin-flavored everything.
Apples
Is there anything better than fresh-picked, local apples pressed into an ambrosial adult beverage? McMenamins Edgefield Winery has been producing cider since 1992, long before cider became the popular sip it is today. A blend of several types of apples from robust orchards of the Columbia River Gorge—including Red and Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp—is pressed at the source, fermented at Edgefield Winery and shipped in kegs to McMenamins’ locations around the state.
Ginger Perry is on tap starting in November, blending in some local Anjou pears and freshly juiced ginger with all of those delicious apples to make the perfect, lightly carbonated, gluten free treat of the season.
2126 SW Halsey St., Troutdale | edgefieldwinery.com
Hazelnuts
Ninety-nine percent of all hazelnuts grown in the U.S. come from the Willamette Valley, so it only makes sense that there are some delicious dishes throughout our state featuring these tiny, locally harvested flavor bombs. Finish your next exquisite meal at Newman’s at 988, one of the finest dining spots on the coast, with this hazelnut dream dessert: hazelnut chocolate tort with Chantilly cream and caramel sauce.
988 Hemlock St., Cannon Beach | newmansat988.com
Squash
While squash is associated with winter, it’s harvested in fall and is the savory nucleus of some restaurant specials from now through the holidays. Executive chef Sarah Schafer of Irving Street Kitchen in Portland is a fall maestro, combining harvested sweets and savories into delectable dishes like bone broth, butternut squash & buckwheat marrow ravioli, hazelnut salami and a Brussels sprouts pear salad as a side to some bourbon mustard glazed pork belly. Another favorite that squashes the competition is the dumplings with wild mushrooms, preserved Meyer lemons, and squash butter.
701 NW 13th Ave., Portland | irvingstreetkitchen.com
Cranberries
October is peak season for cranberry harvesting, when berries are dressed in their Sunday best color and flavor. Sixth Street Bistro in Hood River is a unique foodie find in kiteboarding country, with multi-cultural dishes ranging from southern-influenced Carlton Farms baby-backs to Thai-inspired coconut red curry, into which pears and toasted almonds have courageously been tossed. Our fall favorite here, though, is the Rosemary maple quinoa with wilted kale, butternut squash and Oregon dried cranberries.
509 Cascade Ave., Hood River | sixthstreetbistro.com
Pears
Wild Pear Restaurant & Catering is a locally treasured restaurant in Salem, bringing charm and some great dishes to our state’s Capitol. It capitalizes on fall bounty with many dishes, including the Rosemary grilled chicken, fall vegetable & quinoa salad, the chicken hazelnut salad, and the roasted butternut squash & Brussels sprouts. To enjoy the best of northwest fall fruit, Wild Pear offers a scrumptious wild pear chicken pizza and a wild pear, candied pecan & blue cheese salad, topped with house-made roasted pear vinaigrette.
372 State St., Salem | wildpearcatering.com
