Gobble Up Portland 2021 Recap

As I mentioned last month, Gobble Up was this past weekend, taking place at the Alder Block. I had a great time getting to know new-to-me vendors, revisiting some of my favorites, and running into friends while I was there. Overall, thumbs up.

I had attended in 2019, so it was interesting to compare that with this year. In 2019 it was the pre-pandemic “before times,” and the vendors were wedged into the space (the Redd on Salmon space) next to each other like sardines. The vendors were significantly spaced out this time around, and it was far more pleasant to have the extra space to safely navigate the interior. Whatever “post-pandemic” times are like, I hope the spaciousness remains.

Also nice to have the outdoor food court with excellent food options (there was also a cocktail vendor, Hogg and Steer, but I did not partake)—Eleni’s Kitchen and Fried Egg I’m In Love were operational when I was there; Poppyseed was not. MilkRun also had a presence with comforting cups of warm cider.

I tried and bought a bunch of things. I don’t think it had one bad thing to eat. Here’s a recap of the vendors I spent time with.

Revisiting Some Favorites

Eliot’s Nut Butter. Their Spicy Thai Peanut Butter is a staple at our house. A slight sweetness and additions of lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, and chili pepper are all perfect together. I like to stuff pitted medjool dates with this peanut butter, yielding a sweet, spicy, and citrusy mix.

Another spicy option was the Honey Chipotle Peanut Butter flavor—also good, and with a bit of a smoky element. But that Thai flavor has my heart. I was happy to be able to buy another jar so easily (I’m almost out of the current jar). eliotsnutbutters.com

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Hot Mama Salsa. When I lived in the Hollywood District I always stopped by the Hot Mama Salsa table for their fresh salsas, eager to find out what their “special of the day” was. Over the years I also developed a taste for their mild Guajillo chilie oil—it has wonderful flavor and tastes like a warm hug. Like the peanut butter above, I was so happy to be able to pick up a jar so easily at the event.

Their hot sauce is also excellent and the Habanero is a finalist in the 2022 Good Food Awards. hotmamasalsa.com

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Sebastiano’s. I’ve been a fan of this Italian deli in Montavilla since they opened. They were one of the few (only?) places at the time where you could get fresh mozzarella made-in house for purchase. I had heard about their Marmellata di Arance (orange marmalade) over the months, so I was happy to be able to pick up a jar at Gobble Up.

I saw their beautiful foccaccia, too, but opted to get a slice of the olive oil cake, which served as my breakfast that morning. It’s lightly sweet, firm in texture while still being moist. It’s truly delicious. sebastianospdx.com

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New Favorites

Ash Creek. Right past the entrance to the space was the Ash Creek table, featuring three kinds of hazelnuts—dark chocolate-covered, milk chocolate-covered, and roasted unsalted. The chocolate covered ones were huge and from what I could tell, double dipped in the chocolate coating. They state that their hazelnuts “are grown using sustainable practices.”

I tried both chocolate-covered hazelnuts and found I preferred the dark chocolate. I ended up taking home a bag of those and the plain roasted. So good. The chocolate ones are already gone. Highly recommended. ashcreekoregon.com

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The PastrySmith. Owned and operated by Monica Smith, I happened to strike up a conversation with her mother while in line waiting to get in. I promised that I’d stop by, and I’m sure glad I did. The PastrySmith’s table and it did not disappoint. I tried a cranberry cream scone and a couple of cookies—salted chocolate chip and oatmeal with currants and orange.

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I loved them all—the chocolate chip cookie had a perfect soft texture and a good balance of cookie and chips; the oatmeal was also soft and had a kind of crispy/crackly glaze on it for an interesting texture; and the scone had both sweet and tangy elements together in a soft crumb pastry that I really enjoyed on the way home. I didn’t buy any pies but they were beautiful, including this gorgeous sweet potato pie with streusel. thepastrysmith.com

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Roam Free Bison Bites. The folks from Montana-based had four flavors of bison jerky available to try—to my surprise I was particularly drawn to the Wood Fired Pizza flavor. But they were all delicious. The product is very clean, made with free range grass fed bison and no sugar; it’s also high in protein. Here’s to a terrific snack for omnivores. goroamfree.com

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The Better Bar. I had seen this product in various places, but had never tried one before encountering it at Gobble Up. They are energy bars made with familiar ingredients like quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries. They are gluten-free, vegan, and raw-pressed. (“Meaning that no additional heat or oxygen is used in the process of making our bars so nutrients aren’t lost.”)

I liked the mix of chew and crunch—and the chocolate element on some of the bars—and am happy to have these on hand when I need a little pick-me-up. eatabetterbar.com

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Portland Creamery and Pickled Pink Onions. It was nice to see Portland Creamery there and it had been a while since I’d tried their chevre, which was creamier and smoother than I remembered it to be. I also hadn’t had the Sweet Fire version—their creamy chevre layered on spicy jam at the bottom (“Oregon marionberry meets Marshalls Habanero Haute Sauce”). It’s so good and I don’t expect this will be my last time eating it.

The Pickled Pink Onions are also quite good—and so pretty—and are a great match with the Portland Creamery chevre. portlandcreamery.com

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Khalsa Salsa. Another 2022 Good Food Award Finalist, they had three salsas available to try—Classic, Black Bean, and Mango Habanero. All were tasty but I preferred the overall flavor and texture of the mild black bean option (their Classic is what’s up for a 2022 Good Food Award). It’s great on all sorts of things—I had it on eggs this morning and it was delicious. khalsasalsa.net

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Camellia Grove Kombucha. When I learned they had put together a kombucha collaboration with Smith Teamaker and their wonderful Meadow tea, I knew I had to try it. “Floral aroma with notes of chamomile, rose, and linden flowers,” Meadow tea is a relaxing drink as a regular tea and the kombucha version is excellent. I like how they make it sparkly with CO2; a traditional second fermentation is nice but can be a little funky and inconsistent (I speak from kombucha-brewing experience).

I bought a four-pack—two Meadow and two Black, which is a finalist in the 2022 Good Food Awards. camelliagrove-kombucha.com

The Most Striking Display

That would have to be the Skagit Gourmet Mushrooms folks. Quite a fabulous sight!

The Food Court

In true pandemic-era fashion, the food court was outside. I made a beeline to Eleni’s Kitchen for a plate of misir wot (spiced lentils), carrots and cabbage, and injera in “Ethiopian taco” form. The sambusas were also very good. I love Ethiopian food and was so happy that this was one of the vendors. Fried Egg I’m In Love is excellent as well, but Ethiopian was calling my name.

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It was nice to speak with the MilkRun people, too, and better understand what they do in the “local delivery of local foods” scene.

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Big thanks to the Gobble Up organizers for putting on such a fun food show. See you next year!