La Fête du Macaron is Almost Upon Us

Photo credit: Pix Patisserie

If you’re like me, Thanksgiving food is on your mind this week. And while turkey (roasted or deep fried?), cranberry sauce (canned or homemade?), and pie (pumpkin or pecan?) are easy to obsess about, for a change of pace consider the French macaron—and La Fête du Macaron at Pix Patisserie that starts on Thanksgiving day and lasts through the weekend. I’ve had Pix’s macarons and can say with assurance that they are some of the best in Portland.

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Fremont Fest 2021 Is This Weekend

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A plate of Kenyan food I ate at 2018’s Fremont Fest.

Very happy to see that the Fremont Fest is back again this year—it’s a really fun way to celebrate this commercial/mixed strip in NE Portland neighborhoods of Beaumont-Wilshire and Cully. Head over there this Saturday, August 21 from 10am to 4pm. The Fest takes place on NE Fremont Street from 42nd to 51st Avenues. Continue reading “Fremont Fest 2021 Is This Weekend”

A Look Back at the 10th Annual Portland Fermentation Festival

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A clever take on “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the 10th Annual Portland Fermentation Festival AKA Stinkfest. Sure, it was aromatic in there (Ecotrust’s Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center) but not offensively so (at least to my nose). The event started a little after 6pm with a keynote speech by David Zilber of the Noma Fermentation Lab. It was a really inspiring talk and got me fired up again about fermentation (I used to do it a lot). I think his assertion that humans would not have survived, thrived, and progressed as a species without fermentation is spot on. I ended up purchasing his book, The Noma Guide to Fermentation and look forward to spending time fermenting various foods over the next year. Note: I’m pretty much a mediocre fermenter right now but this book will no doubt make me a better one.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (August 30)

It’s back! I’ve resurrected my weekly Four Things, where I tell you about four new-to-me things I learned this week in the world of Portland food (week ending Friday, August 30, 2019).

Doe Donuts is backlogged with city permits.  Back in June, Doe Donuts announced they were leaving their FoPo location for new digs in the Hollywood District (where Garden Monsters previously set up shop). Their signage has been up for a while at the new spot, so I asked them on their Instagram when they plan to open. “In a few months,” was the answer. And why? “Permits are holding us back.”

The calzone zone is on Wednesdays at Red Sauce. According to their Facebook page, Red Sauce will be serving their amazing calzones on Wednesday nights only, going forth. Also news: “Pan pie on summery vacay, back in the fall.” Both are excellent choices; you should go. (And get a Treat Vancouver ding dong while you’re there.)

Oregon is a cheese champion. During the American Cheese Society Competition, Oregon took home 14 cheese wins this year. You can sample some of this year’s winning cheeses at The Wedge in October. And next year’s American Cheese Society Competition, Festival of Cheese, and accompanying conference will be held in Portland (July 2020)!

Xico nixes lunch service on SE Division. We’ve learned that Xico, home to an excellent version of “winner, winner, chicken dinner” on Monday nights, has decided to close down lunch service at their Division Street location. Last day of lunch service is Sunday, September 1. But… you can go to their NW location, where they will continue to serve lunch every day, save for Tuesday.

The 42nd Annual Middle Eastern Festival in Portland Was Delicious and Beautiful

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Some of the delicious cookies and baklava available at the Middle Eastern Festival this past weekend.

Yesterday I made my way to the far east side of Portland to attend the 42nd Annual Middle Eastern Festival at St George Antiochian Orthodox Church. There was some great music, dancing, a gorgeous church, a silent auction, and, of course, plenty of good food, including a spit roasted lamb, glistening in the sunlight.

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