Small Bites: Pumpkin Edition - Bridgetown Bites

jack-o-lantern-scoop-salt-and-straw-portland-oregon

A scoop of Jack o’ Lantern Pumpkin Bread ice cream from Salt & Straw. Photo credit: Salt & Straw.

The fall weather has arrived and that means it’s time for fall flavors—including pumpkin. Savory or sweet, it tastes like autumn, and for me the season is incomplete without it. Here are some pumpkin (and more) foods you can get in Portland that I think sound particularly good.

Bakeshop. Their Caramelized Apple and Pumpkin Hand Pie is superb (I had one a couple of weeks ago) and can be ordered on the website for the weekend (when Bakeshop is open these days). Warning: this pastry is very flaky, so you might find yourself covered in delicious, delicious pastry shards while eating it. 5351 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Bee’s Cakes. Rebecca is taking a break from pop-ups (she’s done three so far in her Roseway space) has put together a Halloween Pastry Box instead. You can get a half dozen (one of each) for $30 or a full dozen (two of each) for $60: Funfetti “blood” cupcakes; pumpkin-shaped brioche stuffed with goat cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted squash; mini pumpkin bundts; Jack O’Lantern sugar cookies; honeyed pear and thyme cake; pumpkin cookie with Earl Grey icing. Order here by Monday October 25 for pickup on Halloween morning. 7137 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Bishop & Sons. Find the Johnson family selling their baked goods under the name Bishop & Sons at farmers markets around town, including some of the best pumpkin bread in Portland. Various locations

Burgerville. This local burger chain has a pumpkin milkshake available now and it’s “only here for the Fall season,” so get it before it’s gone. Various locations

DB Dessert Company. Head to either of these locations—Montavilla or their new Alberta Arts space—for a beautiful pumpkin cupcake topped with icing adorned with a tiny slice of pumpkin pie. 6824 NE Glisan Street, Portland and 2624 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Honey Mama’s. Their limited edition Pumpkin Spice truffle bar is available now: “Spices and warmth are swirled into this creamy cocoa truffle that finishes with a bright citrusy note.” Various locations

Kainos Coffee. Portland Monthly highlighted Kainos’ pumpkin spice latte as one of the best in the city: “This PSL, while subtle at first, does have a slight spicy aftertaste. The flavor profile was the closest I tasted to an actual pumpkin pie.” 6633 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Montelupo Italian Market. They are doing a fresh pasta special this month: Pumpkin ravioli, duck confit, fall spices, and browned butter cream. Available for dine-in on the heated patio or get it to-go nightly from 4-8:30pm. 344 NE 28th Avenue, Portland

Papa Haydn. Papa Haydn was one of the first places my aunt Farzaneh took me to in Portland years ago, and I still think of them right off the bat when people ask where you can fabulous desserts in this town. Their Seasonal Pumpkin Cremeux sounds ridiculously good: “light yet creamy pumpkin cremeux sits on a base of buttered, toasted carrot cake crumb, and is finished with malted whipped ganache and white chocolate accents.” 701 NW 23rd Avenue, Portland and 5829 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland

Pix Patisserie. Stop by Halloween evening from 6:30pm to 8:30pm for treats at the Pix-O-Matic vending machine—gourmand candy like Pix truffles, mini Fantôme cakes, candy ghosts and other made-in-house tasty treats for all ages trick-or-treating. One per person only. On their regular menu they offer this fantastic item—the Ichabod Crème: “a crisp crust filled with spiced almond cream, curried pecans, caramel and topped with a pumpkin crème brûlée.” 2225 E Burnside Street, Portland

Salt & Straw. October scoops include their Jack o’ Lantern Pumpkin Bread ice cream that contains “tender hunks of a just-baked pumpkin bread, and generous swaths of whipped cream cheese frosting.” Locations: Three in Portland and one in Lake Oswego

Sebastiano’s. This fall they are offering a pumpkin zeppole, a sort of cream puff: “freshly baked paté a choux, piped with pumpkin custard, dusted with powdered sugar, and an Oregon cherry on top.” 411 SE 81st Avenue, Portland

Tea Bar. For a twist on the PSL, Tea Bar is doing a pumpkin spice latte using organic black tea. They add fresh pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cayenne, fresh nutmeg, and milk for a totally coffee-free seasonal drink. Four locations, two are open: 1055 NW Northrup, Portland and 4330 SE Division, Portland

Make pumpkin bread at home. Portlander Sarah Kline of the blog Portland Sampler has a recipe for pumpkin bread that is excellent—delicious, reliable, and tastes like fall. I like making this pumpkin bread developed by Caroline Doucet at Nourished by Caroline. It is date-sweetened, which is a plus if you are avoiding or lessening the intake of refined sugar. NB: works in both traditional and gluten-free formats.