Rotisserie Chickens: Another Stumptown Savings Taste Test in Portland

Pieces of rotisserie chicken for our taste test for Stumptown Savings.
All the chicken for our taste test.

I had the opportunity to participate in a taste test for rotisserie chickens, led by Bryan Vance of Stumptown Savings. I joined a handful of local food writers on Tuesday, November 18 to taste a total of nine chickens from eight stores. Bryan has published our results over on Stumptown Savings (subscription required to read—it’s free to subscribe), but I thought I’d share some additional thoughts on this very fun gathering.

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Christmas, Solstice, and More Light in Portland 2025

This year’s Christmas Tree downtown.

“Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer, fun for all that children call their favorite time of year,” so the song goes. This year we thought we’d do a roundup of things to do and eat around the time the light starts to return—the Winter Solstice, of course, but also Christmas, and Hanukkah (here is this year’s roundup specific to the Festival of Lights). Here’s our hodgepodge roundup for this time of year. 

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Hanukkah 2025 in Portland

Latkes, sour cream, and applesauce for Hanukkah 2025 in Portland.
Photo credit: Alan Weiner for Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels

It’s that time again: Hanukkah 2025, the Festival of Lights! Hanukkah celebrates the miracle that a small amount of oil was able to last for eight days. Fun fact: Hanukkah is not a biblical celebration. 

Here is where you can celebrate, eat festive foods, and enjoy this winter holiday focused on bringing light into the world.

Menorah Lightings | Places To Go | Places To Shop
Parties and Celebrations

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Thanksgiving 2025 in Portland

Happy Thanksgiving 2025 in Portland - with lady liberty in the background.

Thanksgiving 2025—it’ll be here before you know it (November 27). We hope this resource will be of help for those making their dinner and ingredient pre-orders, as well as for those trying to snag a reservation at one of our local restaurants. 

This roundup will be updated as new options and information becomes available. Happy Thanksgiving (to come)!

Poultry and Meat | Pies and Dessert
Meal Kits & Takeout | Restaurant Meals | Misc

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Rosh Hashanah 2025—New Year 5786—in Portland

Honey Bee Bundt cake from Baker and Spice, for Rosh Hashanah 2025.

Rosh Hashanah is almost upon us! As I write this, we only recently hit Enkutatash—Ethiopian New Year—-and now we are on to the Jewish New Year. It is also the start of a cascade of Jewish holidays: Yom Kippur ten days later, then Sukkot a few days after that. Next comes Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. All in less than a month!

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