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A review in images and Tweets of our weekend foraging with Hank Shaw, author of Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast (Rodale, 2011), and feasting on wild foods prepared by Chef Matt Lightner of Castagna.

Saturday, June 25, 2011:
@Hank_Shaw Hank Shaw
“Great foraging trip in Washougal, WA w/chef Matt lightner, the (Portland) culinary alliance and lots of new friends. Found all kinds of stuff!”

Sunday, June 26, 2011:
@Hank_Shaw Hank Shaw
“Setting up @castagnapdx for our book dinner – beautiful restaurant, and a sold-out house. Super excited!”

@GoodStuffNW Kathleen Bauer
“At Castagna dinner for @Hank_Shaw‘s Hunt Gather Cook…Lightner’s pulling out all the stops…so lucky to be here!”

@JoanCirillo joan cirillo
“Foraged Oregon grape flowers with Hank shaw and chef matt lightner yesterday and here they r atop rye flour cracker with liver mousse”

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-Photographs by Holly A. Heyser
© Holly A. Heyser 2011: www.heyserphoto.com

“Sour beer? You must be kidding,” so said a good friend when I told him about the most recent event hosted by Portland Culinary Alliance. While sour beer may not seem like an ideal beverage to many, to those of us who know and love it, this category is sipping nirvana.

On Thursday, May 26, those enamored with sour beer, and the simply curious, had an opportunity to try five different sour beers at the PCA event “Pucker Up for Sour Beers” held at KitchenCru (337 NW Broadway, Portland). Portland brewer Van Havig shared his absolute, hands-down passion for sour beers. His 16 years experience as former head brewer of Rock Bottom Brewery was the perfect background for Van to go deep into how sour beer is made. And it belies the fact that he was once a PhD candidate in Economics. Who hasn’t studied in one discipline only to find their true path in a completely different field?

Tasty morsels were paired with the beers, and kudos to former PCA Programming Chair, Sasha Kaplan, at KitchenCru for an outstanding job of matching the bites with the beers. Attendees were greeted with a glass of the first beer, a Cherry Kriek made by our own local Cascade Brewing. This is a wonderful example of red sour ale that uses fresh Northwest, whole Bing and sour cherries. Of the five beers, three were made on the West Coast:  Cascade Brewing’s Cherry Kriek, The Bruery’s (Orange County, CA) Hottenroth Berliner Weissbier (German-style wheat beer), and Russian River Brewing Company’s (Santa Rosa, CA) Supplication (brown ale aged in French oak Pinot Noir barrels with yeast, two bacteria strains, and cherries). The remaining two beers were from Belgium:  Lindemans Gueuze Cuvee Rene (fruit lambic) and Brouwerij Verhaeghe’s Duchesse De Bourgogne (red ale matured in oak casks).

Van encouraged us to think out of the box as we tasted the beers, digging deep into the flavors spilling across our palates. The taste and odor flavor wheel provided was a handy assist. And the shared process of tasting was even more helpful as many had that “aha” moment when someone else spoke up about a particular flavor profile. In addition, we learned about the history of beer, that it was actually a sour drink until specific yeasts were isolated by the Carlsberg Brewery in the early 1840s. We learned, as well, that many young women in Portland have taken a fancy to sour beers. Van was a terrific instructor, mixing facts and science equally. You might even call him the Alton Brown of the beer world.

It was certainly a successful event for by the end of the evening there were new converts to sour beer, and established sour beer aficionados reaffirmed their love and appreciation of this delicious beverage. Everyone seemed to have a tart and tangy favorite, but the top three were the Russian River Supplication, Lindemans Gueuze Cuvee Rene, and the Duchesse de Bourgogne. The last two make for particularly good sipping beers with dessert or a cheese course in the same manner as a fine port. All beers sampled can be purchased at Belmont Station (4500 SE Start Street) that has an excellent selection of sour beers. For great tap and bottle selections be sure to stop in at Victory Bar (37^th and SE Division).

–Mora Chartrand

Afternoon tea is a daily ritual for millions of people, but most tea breaks don’t come with the chance to create your own customized blend. Last Saturday afternoon, a lucky group of PCA members and guests had the unique chance to go behind the scenes of tea blending with legendary teamaker, Steven Smith, at his charming shop in Northwest Portland.

We were greeted with a warm cup of Mao Feng Shui green tea and led to the blending room for an introductory lesson in tea. A colorful and aromatic array of teas and botanicals covered the tables as we huddled around to listen. We learned about the four categories of tea – their origin, how they’re picked and processed, and their flavor profiles – as Steve poured us samples to better understand the elemental differences of each.

From there, we discussed the playground of dried teas and botanicals to choose from. Green tea has notes of sticky rice, vegetation, chestnuts, and a certain sweetness, while Assam (black tea) is chewy, dense, and fully caramelized with hints of dark berries, leather and spice. There was a floral Darjeeling, a toasty and nutty Darjeeling, Clove, Cassia, Ginger, Sarsparilla, Oregon Spearmint, white Chamomile buds from an oasis in Cairo, fruity and tart Hibiscus, Safflower for golden color, fragrant Jasmine, and the list went on. The room hesitated as we pondered our perfect tea, but it didn’t take long for us to circle the tables, scooping and blending. With our blends mixed up in little trays, we had the option to add essential oils before bagging and sealing our tea.

While we crafted our blends, Steve encouraged us to enjoy our tea drinking experiences any way we please, and explained “tea has too many rules that get in the way of it being appreciated.” For example, a box of tea may instruct you to steep for three minutes, but try sipping the tea occasionally within those three minutes to experience subtle changes as the tea evolves in the cup.

We snacked on cheeses and bread as we chatted with friends and sipped on more tea before the afternoon ended. It was a special treat to leave the teaworks with a little bag of our own creation and a whole box of Steve’s. Saturday’s program opened our senses to the exciting and complex world of tea harvesting, processing, selecting, blending, and most importantly, drinking.

—Caroline Ford

The Portland Culinary Alliance was privileged to be a part of Elizabeth Andoh’s most recent trip to the U.S. from her home in Japan (Tokyo and Osaka). She spent almost three hours with our group, demonstrating cooking methods, ingredients and concepts from her latest book, KANSHA: Celebrating Japanese Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions.

The book’s theme was conceived prior to Andoh’s seminal tome Washoku, but is incredibly timely in 2011, from both health and sustainability standpoints. In the kansha kitchen, nothing is wasted, and all meals are comprised of plant products.

Andoh began with a tasting of various dashi (broths), made simply by soaking kombu (seaweed), dried squash, and dried daikon radish in separate containers filled with water. The natural glutamates from these foods create a broth that enhances the flavor of anything cooked in it. The potency of this flavored water was striking. In the economical sprit of kansha, the soaked seaweed and daikon leftover from the soaking were made into a pickle to be eaten with rice. We tasted these incredibly delicious little morsels.

The group was then led through a tasting of four different types of miso and a demonstration of miso soup making. It was surprising to the group to taste the differing miso types, and to see that Andoh used all four misos and three types of dashi to create one soup. She emphasized that when cooking only with plants, a focus must be set on maximum extraction of flavor.

From the cooking demonstration and tasting in the kitchen at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Portland, Andoh then presented a PowerPoint to illustrate additional concepts from her book. One of these was using a vegetable creatively in two ways. As an example, she showed us cubed steamed eggplant, served with the eggplant peel, which was sliced and marinated in soy and sugar. Earlier that day, we sampled carrot tops, blanched and served with a tofu and sesame sauce. She explained that the carrot tops could be blanched and served with a sauce made from the pureed carrot itself, to illustrate the “two ways” concept.

The afternoon was extremely enlightening, exposing the PCA to Japanese techniques and cooking philosophy. Elizabeth Andoh introduced us to Japanese ingredients (such as gardenia buds to give pickles a yellow color), only a few of which we would not be able to find in Portland. It was a rare opportunity to learn from Andoh, and I know that I am not the only one who came away inspired to apply these techniques at home.

–Lila Martin

Our ‘Demystifying Oregon Truffles’ program was a perfect antidote to a cold Wintery Sunday. The scent of truffles greeted us as we entered the historic and picturesque Joel Palmer House in downtown Dayton. And despite an ‘iffy’ weather forecast, 24 members and guests were rewarded with an afternoon of rich truffle infused foods and insights into the world of Oregon truffles, and even some sunshine.

While current Joel Palmer House owner and chef Chris Czarnecki worked truffle magic in the kitchen finishing preparation of our meal, his father and original Joel Palmer House owner Jack Czarnecki offered a ‘starter’ appetizer of truffle infused salami and gouda cheese slices, and later shared how to make them at home. After selecting a cozy table to sit at while we nibbled on our appetizers and chatted with table mates, we were directed to a self-serve lunch buffet featuring a creamy wild mushroom risotto drizzled with Jack’s Oregon white truffle oil (with a bottle of the truffle oil on the side to pour more over if desired); ‘faux gras’ chicken liver pate to spread on artisan bread, it’s smooth texture due to lots of butter, cream and a splash of bourbon used to preserve Oregon truffles; a wild mushroom tart, plated with sauce and then Jack circulated in the dining room, topping our tarts with shaved slices of fresh truffles, and for our sweet tooths, some bacon laced chocolate truffles.

Fully truffle sated we gave our attention to Jack’s presentation, and learned some interesting facts: The flavor of truffles comes from the volatile gases, which are drawn to and will infuse fats, therefore go wonderfully with fatty foods. There are about 40 compounds identified in a truffle, but most imported truffle oils and infused products only have one compound, which is why they can be overpowering and not have the subtle flavor that Oregon truffles have (or Jack’s Oregon white truffle oil).

Oregon truffles have gotten a bad reputation because they have been picked/sold under ripe, so chefs haven’t known their true flavor. If you buy fresh Oregon truffles, when ripe, they will become a golden color inside. Store truffles with high fat foods, ie cheese, bacon, or salami or butter in a plastic container for a week, and they will infuse the foods with truffle flavor. Storing truffles in rice is a myth and won’t preserve the truffles nor impart the flavors into the rice. Freezing truffles won’t work either, because the flavors are in the volatile gases. So if you have truffles that are ripe and you won’t be eating them all, the best way to capture the truffle flavor is to infuse butter with truffles, because you can then freeze the butter (or the cheese) after it is infused. One ounce of truffles will infuse a cube of butter, and approximately two ounces of truffles will infuse a half pound of cheese. You can also preserve truffles in alcohol. Jack prefers preserving Oregon truffles in bourbon (in France they use Cognac or brandy), which is what he uses in his signature ‘faux gras’.

If you want to harvest your own truffles, you should look for Douglas fir timber lots that are 10-20 years old, and ask owner permission. Look for evidence of animals digging, and chances are you will find truffles. It is okay to use a rake to harvest truffles, but just rake very gently in the top layers of leaves/pine needles.

The Joel Palmer House restaurant normally closes for the month of January, so the Portland Culinary Alliance extends a huge ‘thank you’ to Chris and Jack Czarnecki for welcoming us and sharing their delicious wild mushroom and truffle laced food and truffle lore with us.
-Laura Barton

Well worth the wait, our last program of 2010, on Food Styling and Photography, packed a full house at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Portland on December 4th. Members and several non-members were eager to learn from legendary food stylist Delores Custer and Portland’s food photographer extraordinaire, John Valls.

The program began with Delores presenting a wealth of insider knowledge from a career spanning four decades in food styling for editorial and advertising clients. Her tool box revealed secrets to making food shine through the lens of a camera. Through a pictorial Power Point presentation, Delores explained how trends have changed over the years, from the perfection of the 70′s and 80′s to the messy look that is currently in vogue.

Next, John took a turn providing professional advice on shooting the beautifully-presented food that Delores mentioned using various angles and lighting. We learned that today you don’t need an expensive camera to capture blog-worthy images. Attendees were then invited to use the techniques we learned to compose a salad. First, we attempted to recall the tips that John shared to shoot the plate with our own cameras. Then, with John’s guidance, we were able to use his professional lighting and equipment to experiment with different angles to create images that were ready for print.

This information-packed program was an excellent finish to 2010, and provided sufficient momentum to propel the PCA into 2011.

An Olive Oil Sensory Experience at Red Ridge Farms

On June 12 and 13, PCA members received a special discounted invite to explore the world of olive oil tasting at the Oregon Olive Mill located at Red Ridge Farm in Dayton, OR. It happened to be the weekend that led us all to believe summer was here to stay, with beautiful blue skies that shined down on the farm’s serene estate. 

The four-hour event began with a lecture by special guest and esteemed panel leader for the University of California Olive Oil Tasting Panel, Paul Vossen. Vossen’s expertise includes olive oil production, its processing and the sensory analysis of olive oil. He kicked off the lecture by asking who was in attendance, and responses ranged from restaurateurs, gourmet food store owners, budding olive tree farmers and more. From there, he combined educational facts about olive oil farming and tasting while weaving in moments that allowed attendees to actually taste six varieties of olive oil that lay in front of us.

Much to our surprise, there was a wide range of different notes and flavors each of the oils presented. In addition, many of us learned that the olive oil we believed to be good and held a flavor that could compare to those we often enjoy at restaurants were, in reality, considered rancid. Without a doubt, Vossen’s lecture and olive oil tasting session was chocked full of helpful and enlightening information to arm us olive oil lovers for our continued exploration. Some key takeaways were:

How to taste—

• Warm and swirl oil in the palm of your hand to release the volatiles
• Smell and note its aroma
• Place 1-2 ml in your mouth for 10 seconds
• Suck in air through the lips
• Coat the inside of the mouth with the oil
• Swallow
• Close mouth and breathe through your nose
• Record your own impressions, or use an olive oil tasting sheet as your guide

What to look for when you taste—

• Freshness
• Intensity of aroma
• Not fermented or rancid
• Bitterness
• Pungency
• Attractive fruitiness
• Sweetness
• Thin or thick consistency
• Greasiness

Following the lecture and tasting, Vossen led our group downstairs and out to the back patio of the mill for some wine, light snacks and time to talk freely with our fellow members and public guests who had joined in on the day. After a brief time, Vossen guided us over to view the mill’s own olive oil press and to witness where and how Oregon olive oil is processed right there onsite.

The experience proved to be engaging and fun, coupled with perfect views of Oregon wine country that made for a nice ending to the afternoon. 

In spring with the first melt water or flood the small salmon children migrate to the sea—they are then small and shining like herring—and they move on to the ocean and home to their parents living in the high seas. And when they are fully grown, they return to swim up in fresh water and streams, and increase their numbers by procreation, as well as to serve as food for man. And what is most fantastic of all, the salmon seeks the stream and the place where it was born.

—From On Animals, Fishes, Birds, and Trees of Norway (1599), by Peder Claussøn Friis (1545– 1614), a senior rector and the first Norwegian to describe the distinct characteristics of the life of a salmon

What a fantastic, legendary fish! What a complex, wondrous life! Salmon are anadromous fish, which means they are born in freshwater, migrate and spend most of their lives in saltwater, and then return to freshwater to spawn. The life cycle of a salmon is truly extraordinary. The salmon swim hundreds of miles, returning to the river of their birth to spawn and then die, completing their life cycle.

On the evening of May 26th at Mother’s Bistro, Chef/Owner Lisa Schroder and I (Diane Morgan, author of Salmon: A Cookbook, Chronicle 2005) presented a focused presentation on this singular, iconic fish. Through slides, video, and oral commentary the glories and challenges of Pacific salmon were highlighted and discussed. The evening’s program was based on a presentation Lisa gave at the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) conference held in Portland in April. Along with a three-course dinner featuring grilled Chinook salmon as the entrée, PCA members were challenged with a blind tasting of farmed versus wild salmon. Not surprising to those who have studied salmon, it isn’t obvious which is which. This led to a further discussion of the techniques used to add color and fat to the diets of pen-raised salmon allowing the producers to mimic the flavor and texture profile of wild salmon.

With the intent of educating an audience already attuned to eating locally and sustainably, the program was enlightening as well as entertaining. The current situation with the gulf oil spill only reinforces the need to protect the delicate salmon habitat of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska and this program highlighted all the issues.

-Diane Morgan

Dennis Gilliam is what one might call an oat expert. Well actually, as the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Bob’s Red Mill, he’s pretty knowledgeable about all of their 400 whole grain products. But at the last PCA event, Gilliam enthusiastically presented a cluster of oat-filled information, following his team’s win at the “Golden Spurtle” World Porridge Making Championships last October in Scotland.

He began with a rundown of the various forms of oats, ranging from the whole oat groat to oat flour, with steel cut oats, thick-rolled, old-fashioned, quick, instant, and Scottish oatmeal in between. We also learned that a spurtle is a carved wooden wand that the Scots use to stir their porridge.

With twenty PCA members in attendance, we put Uptown Billiards Club’s Chef Nathan Bates to the oat challenge when we asked him to create a menu featuring the various forms of Bob’s Red Mill’s oat products to be served in one of their dim-lit private dining spaces. For starters, he combined their Scottish-style oats into a melty Crab & Oat Cake with red pepper relish, and served their Scottish Oatcakes (recipe below) as an inventive canapé topped with foie gras-peanut butter and cherry compote—a decadent version that paired perfectly with a glass of Oregon oatmeal stout from the Oregon Brewers Guild.

In the salad course, Bates used oat flour and steel cut oats in a delicately crisp tuille atop an arugula, melon, and prosciutto salad. It was difficult to decide between the two entrée choices: roasted pheasant with a lamb and quick-cooking oat sausage served alongside crispy oat flour spätzle, peas, asparagus, wild mushrooms, and a deeply rich oatmeal stout demi glace, or a thick-cut pork chop encrusted with steel cut oats and stuffed with figs and pears, accompanied by Brussels sprouts and the same delicious oatmeal stout demi.

For a rather grand finale, Bates created a chocolate chip and oatmeal “cowboy” cookie ice cream sandwich filled with creamy honey toasted oat ice cream and served with a petite glass of “oat milk.”

Suffice it to say that we’ve been schooled on the various cuts, grinds, and roll-thicknesses available from Bob’s Red Mill, with creative ideas from Chef Bates to use in our own oats cookery.

SCOTTISH OATCAKES

Recipe Courtesy of Bob’s Red Mill

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place all but 2 tablespoons of the Scottish Oatmeal in a bowl with flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder; stir until combined. Add butter and stir until evenly distributed. With a fork, mix in water, just until moistened. Pat dough into a ball, and then flatten slightly. Sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons oats on a board. Roll dough out 1/4-inch thick.

With a 2 to 3 inch round (cookie) cutter, cut dough into rounds. Re-roll and cut scraps. Place oatcakes about 1/4 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the pre-heated oven until Scottish Oatcakes are golden, approximately 25 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Enjoy plain, serve with jam or cheese, or use them to build hors d’oeuvres.

Makes 12 Scottish Oatcakes.

Nutrition Information: Using unsalted butter, each oatcake contains 110 Calories, 45 Calories from Fat, 5g Total Fat, 2.5g Saturated Fat, 10mg Cholesterol, 60mg Sodium, 15g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 0g Sugar, 3g Protein.