A freezer full of It’s-It ice cream sandwiches. Photo credit: It’s-It Club Portland.
I developed a taste for It’s-It ice cream sandwiches when I lived in the Bay Area in the 1990s, so when I discovered they were accessible here via the It’s It Portland Club, it gave me a lot of joy. They really are a taste of the region, and even just hearing the name brings back a lot of good memories. So I was sorry to hear about the (un)official end of the Club, but happy to hear It’s-It Club will live on at Spielman Bagels.
Last week I stopped by Futura Coffee Roasters, a new cafe that opened in the old Fillmore Coffee shop location on NE Glisan in Montavilla. It’s a beautiful space with a full range of coffee drinks, plus a small food menu, pastries and bagels. Bottom line: it’s a great addition to the neighborhood.
The Pacific Northwest Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (PNWCSA) is holding their 7th annual CSA Share Fair later this month. If you are at all interested in CSAs or are “CSA-curious,” this is the event for you. A CSA is an excellent, tried and true way for you to access fresh, local produce (and other products) while directly supporting farmers and other food producers closer to home.
The Rocky Butte Farmers Market—which, as you may know, is going to operate weekly in 2022—is doing a fundraiser in support of the market’s expansion and its mission to be a community-centered market. They will be partnering with Sparrowhawk Native Plants for a plant sale and portion of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the Market. Sparrowhawk offers a whole variety of beautiful plants—sun loving, woodland, shade plants, groundcovers, and more—for your gardens. This is a great way to populate your garden with gorgeous natives and support the Market at the same time.
Today is World Cancer Day. If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I want to emphasize that early detection really does save lives (as a cancer survivor, I can personally attest to that). Please take care of yourselves! Thanks for allowing me this PSA; now, on to the news.
Beaverton Farmers Market returns tomorrow. The Beaverton Farmers Market Winter Market begins on Saturday, February 5 from 10am to 1:30pm. One important thing they want you to remember is that because they don’t close off the streets, the layout is different and that means your favorite vendors may be in a different place compared to the summer market. There’s an Info booth with folks that can help you find the vendors you seek. Read more in the market’s newsletter. 12375 SW 5th Street, Beaverton
Sundaes at Red Sauce. Shar posted about the upcoming caramel cake sundaes they are putting together at the pizzeria and the whole thing looks pretty delicious. Check it out on their Facebook page. 4641 NE Fremont Street, Portland
Next Level expansion. The news came out this week that plant-based burger spot Next Level is preparing for a major expansion: “Next Level Burger, a plant-based burger joint from Bend that serves up vegan burgers, fries, shakes and other offerings, just announced plans to open 18 new storefronts by the end of 2025 — including one on West Burnside this year.” This is a nationwide plan, with new restaurants planned for the west coast, in the southwest and northeast, plus more menu options at all locations. Currently, you can find Next Level in Portland on SE Hawthorne and in Lake Oswego. Portland Business Journal has more.
Russian food in Portland featured on PBS.The Migrant Kitchen, the Emmy-winning documentary series produced by KCET in association with with life&thyme (a storytelling content space), featured Bonnie Morales and Kachka on February 1. You can view it on YouTube, life&thyme’s website, or below.