Ecotrust’s 20th Birthday Bash Ticket Winner!

Congratulations April! You won two tickets to Ecotrust's 20th Birthday Bash this Saturday night! Email me at info at lizcrain dot com with your first and last name and an email address that Ecotrust can send your tickets to!

And for those of you who have no idea want I'm going on about here are the details about a fantastic birthday benefit with tasty food and drink taking place in Portland this Saturday that you can still purchase tickets for...

ECOTRUST'S 20th BIRTHDAY BENEFIT BASH FEATURING STORM LARGE Saturday, September 10th Doors open at 6pm All ages 721 NW 9th Ave., Portland MUSIC, LOCAL FOOD & DRINK

Tickets are $125 per person and are available here. Price of admission includes light fare by Artemis Foods and two complimentary tickets for local beer, wine and specialty cocktails. Check out the tasty food & drink menu.

Straight from Ecotrust:

Not your traditional fundraising event, we will be joined by the fabulous Storm Large for a full outdoor concert, and share delicious local bites and drinks throughout the evening. A portion of your ticket price will help us continue to create economic opportunity, social equity and environmental well-being in our region for the next 20 years. Your tax-deductible contribution has enormous impact: for every $100 donated to Ecotrust, we create more than $500 in capital for local economies, communities and nature from Alaska to California. Join us, and help businesses, people and nature thrive.

Ecotrust's 20th Birthday Bash! Ticket Giveaway!

If you don't know Ecotrust then I'm thinking that you're new to this blog. I love Ecotrust and really admire all of the incredible work that they do. If you have a second please read what they're up to with one of my favorite Ecotrust programs -- the Food and Farms Program. They've also hosted our Portland Fermentation Festival from the get-go and will be hosting this year's third annual PFF! We couldn't do it without them.

Ecotrust is turning 20 years old this year and this organization knows how to work hard as well as play hard which is why they're throwing a huge party and you're invited! Don't worry though, just because even though Ecotrust is only turning 20 this year you can still drink while she sips her her Shirley Temple. Here are the details:

ECOTRUST'S 20th BIRTHDAY BENEFIT BASH FEATURING STORM LARGE Saturday, September 10th Doors open at 6pm All ages 721 NW 9th Ave., Portland MUSIC, LOCAL FOOD & DRINK

Tickets are $125 per person and are available here. Price of admission includes light fare by Artemis Foods and two complimentary tickets for local beer, wine and specialty cocktails. Check out the tasty food & drink menu.

Straight from Ecotrust:

Not your traditional fundraising event, we will be joined by the fabulous Storm Large for a full outdoor concert, and share delicious local bites and drinks throughout the evening. A portion of your ticket price will help us continue to create economic opportunity, social equity and environmental well-being in our region for the next 20 years. Your tax-deductible contribution has enormous impact: for every $100 donated to Ecotrust, we create more than $500 in capital for local economies, communities and nature from Alaska to California. Join us, and help businesses, people and nature thrive.

TICKET GIVEAWAY! And now to something special for all you lovely readers of my blog -- I've got TWO tickets to give away here to ONE lucky person. I'm doing this contest like I do all contests here. I'm writing down a number in my handy dandy notebook and that numbered commenter takes the cake -- well tickets. Keep in mind that if you win you need to email me your name and your guest's name as well as both of your email addresses so that Ecotrust can email you your comp. tickets.

So here's what I want to know. I'm keeping it simple so that I don't stump any chumps. What's your favorite vegetable this summer and how have you been enjoying eating/cooking it? Comment away! Stay tuned for the middle of the week when I announce the lucky winners!

Motley 'Cue

This event sounds fun so I'm giving you the scoop here pretty much straight from the press release...

Come taste five delicious & different kinds of BBQ interpreted by four of Portland’s most talented and innovative chefs as well as a special guest chef from Los Angeles at this year's MusicfestNW on Wednesday night from 6-9pm at the Wonder Ballroom:

Jason Barwikowski of Woodsman TavernTommy Habetz of Bunk SandwichesHan Ly Hwang of Bhap Sang PDX (formerly Kim Jong Grillin') Naomi Pomeroy of BeastCarolynn Spence of Bar Marmont, Hollywood, CA

Beer, wine and spirits will be donated by MusicfestNW.

The only way to get entry to the MusicfestNW Motley ‘Cue presented by Whole Foods Market is with the purchase of a VIP wristband for MFNW (must be 21+ to purchase). There are only a limited number of VIP wristbands left and they’re going fast!

Still need to buy your VIP wristband? The box office at Willamette Week is open Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm. Stop by 2220 NW Quimby St. to purchase your VIP wristband with a reduced service fee.

MusicfestNW Motley ‘Cue presented by Whole Foods MarketWednesday, September 7th 6pm-9pm Wonder Ballroom Annex 128 Northeast Russell St. Portland, OR. You must have a MusicfestNW VIP wristband to attend this event www.musicfestnw.com

MoonBrine Pickles

I'm kind a pickle freak although I'm particular. I'm not so into bread & butter or other sweet pickles. I like the salty, sour and spicy pickles the best -- namely fresh garlic, spicy, dills and crock-fermented dills. Just made some of the former, in fact, and can see them on the kitchen counter from where I'm typing at the kitchen table -- my studio is too hot today.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I came home to a lovely package on my front porch -- two tasty jars of MoonBrine Pickles courtesy of the pickler himself -- Stew Golomb -- a former elementary school teacher from Boston who moved to Portland a little more than a year ago. Thanks Stew!

I love them. We've eaten most of them as is but have added some to sandwiches too. They're tasty fermented pickles with a little vinegar added for good measure. By the way, some of my favorite local pickles are Picklopolis Pickles. Picklopolis' Mr. Briney Barber is a very good friend of mine so I don't want to let a pickle post go without a shout-out. He knows how much I love him.

Yummmmmmm!

I recently got to ask Stew some questions via email about MoonBrine Pickles and here's what he had to say -- sometimes abbreviated...

Can you give me a short/sweet explanation of your process. Fermented and then vinegar added?

MoonBrine Pickles are 100% fermented (lacto-fermented). The cucumbers/vegetables start in a pail of brine, consisting of water, salt and a small amount of (gluten free) distilled vinegar. The pails sit at room temperature for a couple weeks until the vegetables are fully fermented. The pickles are then packed and refrigerated in quarts for retail and pail for restaurants.

You have a pickle tasting room/space?

I do have a little shop. I roll my pickle bar out of my kitchen and sell right there in the basement of the Ford Building at 2505 SE 11th Ave. in Portland. People seem really into discovering it. I call it the MoonBrine Shop N' Snacketeria.

There you'll find quart glass jars of our fermented MoonBrine Super Dill, Pretty Hot All Natural Pickles, MoonBrine Sour Mash (Relish) and our MoonBrine Brine, a magical product all on its own. Rotating offerings of deliciousness also include half-sour cucumber pickles, pickled green tomatoes, pickled cauliflower, pickled carrots, pickled cabbage and whatever else comes off the farm and lands in the brine.

MoonBrine Snacketeria hours: Monday – Thursday 11am-3:30pm. Off-hours by appointment if you email email Stew at info@MoonBrine.com.

Where can folks purchase MoonBrine Pickles? Can you give me a price list of various types if bought direct?

Currently, in Portland the pickles are available at the shop - all quarts are $5. Folks can also buy the pickles at KnowThyFood.com which is a food buying club in town. Ford Food & Drink and Detour Cafe use the pickles on some of their plates and in their Bloody Marys. More stores and restaurants are on the horizon and there are five stores and two restaurants in Boston currently carrying the pickles.

MoonBrine Pickles www.moonbrine.com

Further evidence of my pickle obsession -- me and friends at Kenny & Zuke's Pickle Throwdown earlier this summer.

Hillsdale Paella Dinner

I love Spanish food. Ever since I worked on an herb farm in Spain in the mid-90s and traveled around the country to and from it for several months it's had a good hold on my heart. Lucky me, I'm now working on the Toro Bravo Cookbook -- I promise I'll give more details soon. So, when this paella press release landed several weeks ago I knew I had to share it with you. Below you'll find all the details for this fundraising September paella dinner pretty much straight from the press release...

Hillsdale Main Street, a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing Hillsdale, is hosting the Hillsdale Paella Dinner on Saturday, September 10th from 6-8pm in the Hillsdale business district under a large tent next to Korkage Wine Bar & Shop.

The Hillsdale Paella Dinner claims to be the largest paella dinner in Oregon -- the paella pan is more than 5 feet in diameter -- and I believe it. The open-to-the-public dinner features tapas, breads, desserts, drinks and, of course, paella by chefs Ted Coonfield, Greg Higgins, and Chris Biard.

Dinner will be served to 300 people under a tent decorated to transport you to Valencia, Spain. Besides the paella itself, entertainment will include flamenco dancing and wine tasting. Tickets are $75/person. Sponsors of the event include Baker & Spice, Food Front Cooperative Grocery and Pacific Natural Foods. Are you going to go?

Hillsdale Paella Dinner Saturday, September 10th 6-8pm In the Hillsdale business district under a big tent next to Korkage Wine Shop @ 6451 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland, Oregon 97239 $75 per person (proceeds benefit Hillsdale Main Street and Neighborhood House) Purchase tickets Contact the Hillsdale Main Street office for additional info.: 503.896.9211 info at hillsdalemainstreet dot org

Yard Fresh Pt. 14

Even though the garden isn't exactly fruiting at full potential this summer (not a great spring and early summer, sun-starved seedlings had a rough start) we're still eating a lot of tasty, fresh, homegrown and friend-and-neighbor grown foods these days.

The berries and greens have been great this year -- especially the blueberries -- so lots of pies, aguas frescas and salads. Right now the cucumbers and green beans are kicking in so over the weekend our house smelled like a pickle factory -- dill, garlic, spices, and vinegar brine. I love the smell of spicy dills cooling in jars on the kitchen counter.

I'm sad that Limbo has closed (very sad, one of my favorite Portland produce shops, not to mention the herbs and spices...) but to fill the gap I've been going to Kruger's Farm Market on Southeast Hawthorne and Cherry Sprout Produce in North Portland a lot lately to supplement our less than usual home fruit and veggies. And then, of course, there are all of the farmers markets which are going strong now.

I hope you've been eating lots of great fruit and veggies lately. Any new ones or old favorites you've been enjoying?

On the N/A side made this yummy strawberry lime juice with Hood strawberries from the front yard

Perfectly delicious on their own too...

Seem to always make a lot of migas in the summer. This one with refried beans and cheddar.

Egg sandwich with parm and tapenade with lots of herbs from the yard was delicious.

Vij chicken curry over basmati with a little raita to cool us off.

I eat a lot of ramen at my writing studio because only have a hotpot here. Added sauteed chard and onion to this one. So much better.

Lots of arugula this spring and summer. Salad of it with miso lime dressing and pickled onions over tapenade rice.

Another yummy breakfast with toasted corn tortilla, potatoes and chorizo.

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Portland Growers Alliance

A few weeks ago Portlander Lauren Morse contacted me to see if I might put something up about Portland Growers Alliance, a marketing collective for the farmers of Mercy Corps Northwest's Agriculture Project in conjunction with Grow Portland.

I'm a big fan of this Mercy Corps Northwest project and, in fact, I've written about it in the past for the Portland Tribune and on this blog. So, I said, of course, but why don't you write something and I'll put it up since I'm clearly not the expert. (Lauren also wrote a more personal blog post about Portland Growers Alliance here if you want to learn more.) Without further ado, here are some thoughts and photos from Lauren Morse, lead marketer for Portland Growers Alliance...

As a consumer, do you ever feel overwhelmed by the abundance of smells and sounds at Portland's bustling farmers markets? Imagine being a farmer there. Many shoppers do not realize the underlying steps required to orchestrate these markets. Farmers must reserve a stall, arrange transportation to the market, and communicate with customers. For many emerging farmers in the Pacific Northwest these simple steps are an impassable barrier.

The Growers Alliance is a new marketing collective designed to help emerging farmers succeed. It was founded in 2010 as a partnership between Mercy Corps Northwest’s Agriculture Project and Grow Portland.

Mercy Corps Northwest’s Agriculture Project provides refugees, immigrants, and new American growers with the access to land and supplies needed to begin market gardens. Grow Portland teams with Mercy Corps Northwest to provide the trucking and marketing services for growers to sell their produce locally. All growers are welcome to volunteer at markets and CSA pick-ups, but the Growers Alliance relies on its lead American growers to do the bulk of produce marketing.

An increasing number of growers in the Pacific Northwest are immigrants, refugees, or beginning American farmers. Though they make up a necessary component of local agriculture, these growers often lack the English skills, business training, or access to trucking necessary to sell their produce to direct markets. (Direct markets refer to any sales that occur directly between the grower and the consumer.) Selling through direct markets, however, guarantees that growers will get the best price for their product. But what if you lack the English skills to communicate with consumers? Or what if your individual plot is too small to have your own CSA or farmers market stand? This is where the Portland Growers Alliance steps in.

This year the Alliance is composed of Nepalese, Bhutanese, Slavic, Burmese, Somali, and American growers. Though their individual plots are less than an acre each, collectively they are able to sell produce through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, two Portland Farmers Markets (Saturday at PSU and Monday at Pioneer Square), and a few local restaurants. Visit the Growers Alliance webpage to learn how you can support these growers.

Most important to their marketing efforts is recruiting members for fall CSA shares. Fall shares run for 14 weeks from late August through November. Members can pick up at Mercy Corps Northwest in Old Town/Chinatown or the Warehouse Café in Southeast's Brooklyn neighborhood. Sign up here! Contact Lauren for more information at lmorse at growportland dot org or 503.858.0216.

Somali growers of Mercy Corps Northwest's Agriculture Program at Westmoreland Garden.

Portland Growers Alliance CSA boxes being filled in Southeast Portland.

www.growportland.org/programs/growers-allianceContact Lauren Morse for more information at lmorse at growportland dot org or call 503.858.0216Visit the Portland Growers Alliance booth at the Pioneer Courthouse Square (Mondays) and Portland State University (Saturdays) Portland Farmers Markets.Sign up for the fall CSA here

Portland's Urban Farm Store

Sometimes stories get cut and sometimes just portions of stories go RIP. A major national story about Portland food that I worked on last year left out Southeast Belmont Street's Urban Farm Store so I thought I'd finally post something about this sweet little open-since-2009 shop owned by husband-and-wife-duo Hannah and Robert Litt.

Urban Farm Store has a lot going for it. On my last visit I purchase a bale of straw, pantry moth traps and compostable dog waste bags. Yes, it's a diverse shop where you'll find everything from animal feed and beekeeping supplies to edible plants for the garden and DIY food and brewing supplies. (And if you don't have a copy of my book they carry it. Wink, wink.) Anyway, maybe you've been and maybe you haven't -- either way here are some photos that sum up this urban homestead shop...

All sorts of bulk feed, fertilizers and mulch to choose from at Urban Farm Store...

This is the largest supply of Urban Cheesecraft kits I've seen in town...

A lot of gardening and DIY books in the front.

Get some tasty local honey!

Urban Farm Store owners Hannah and Robert Litt with their shop kitties.

Urban Farm Store 2100 SE Belmont St. Portland, Oregon 97214 www.urbanfarmstore.com 503.234.7733

Homemade Fermented Food and Drink

Ever since I bought a copy of Sandor Ellix Katz's Wild Fermentation shortly after moving to Portland I've been a food fermentation freak.

I love everything about home food fermentation. I love the DIY aspect of crafting foods that I love such as sauerkraut, wine, and miso. I love the time and patience involved in creating these foods and drinks -- most ferments I make take anywhere from a few days to a year. I love the full flavor of food ferments -- from pungent and sour to salty and spicy to sweet and effervescent. I love that fermented foods and drinks are inherently good for me because of the live micro-nutrients they contain. I love that I'm carrying on food traditions born well before refrigeration, artificial preservatives, and pasteurization. The list goes on and on.

In January 2009, I got to travel to Nashville to meet one of my heroes -- Sandor Ellix Katz -- and interview him for The Sun Magazine. In October of 2009, we got him to come out for the inaugural Portland Fermentation Festival that David Barber, George Winborn and I organized and continue to organize every year. The date is still TBD for this year's and I'll let you know soon when/where it will be.

For now, I've got a bunch of home food and drink ferments that I've been checking on, bottling and eating up lately to share with you here. This weekend I started a sour cherry wine with fruit collected from a neighbor's tree. I'll post about that soon.

I've got two batches of miso going right now that I started in November -- soybean miso and red bean miso. Here's what they're looking like now after several months of fermenting...

I scraped the salt off the top of this red bean miso and it's looking pretty and already tasting DELICIOUS. Going to be patient though and let it ferment until fall. At least.

The soybean miso is looking and tasting great too. Did the same and scraped off the salt and mold, repacked with a nice layer of sea salt, covered and put back in the utility room till fall.

Yes, you have to be very generous with the salt so you don't get too much mold.

This year's three gallons of Brooks plum wine has finished fermenting and is now bottled. It's so good. It's tart and off-dry and tastes like a perfect plum. The alcoholic kind.

These petals and more went into this year's gallon of dandelion wine. We bottled last year's and it's delicious as always, a little more flowery this year too which is nice.

If you've never done any home food/drink fermentation I recommend starting with saurkraut or kimchi. They're both quick and easy ferments that pack a lot of flavor. I can't recommend Sandor Ellix Katz's book Wild Fermentation enough. I use it all the time. Happy fermenting! Let me know what you make.

Yard Fresh Pt. 13

I always like these blog posts but when the garden is kicking in they're even more fun. Lately we've been eating a lot of spinach, arugula, Hood strawberries, honeyberries, blueberries, sugar snap peas, nettles and fresh herbs from the front and back yard. In my front yard herb garden I have rosemary, thyme, lavender, sage, bay, mint, lemon balm, peppermint, fennel, chives, thyme, valerian and chamomile. I use the first five year-round and the remaining from spring through early to mid winter.

Coming in now we've got tomato plants searching out the sun, all kinds of beans and pickling cucumbers gaining ground, garlic curing, asparagus going uneaten so the root system gets bigger and better for next year, rhubarb thickening, blueberries ripening and seedlings trying to scare up some more sunshine. So there's a lot more good food to come.

If you have a garden, how's it growing? Any new edibles you've got in the ground or are planning to cultivate this year? If you don't have a garden what early season eats have you been enjoying?

Pickled this asparagus that a neighbor gave us for my boyfriend's Grizzly Tattoo shop opening party in early June. It went fast.

Everything in this arugula, ribboned fresh herbs (including oregano, mint, lemon balm, fennel, chives) and chive blossom salad was from the front yard except the toasted hazelnuts. Dressed it with a Jorinji Miso, lemon vinaigrette. Look forward to this every year.

Made potato tacos in the evening and the next morn used the filling for this tostada topped with a sunny side up egg.

Look forward to making this every year too -- hazelnuty arugula pesto with lots of lemon juice, parm, garlic and olive oil.

Pesto and tapenade spaghetti topped with parm.

Straight up Hood strawberries and honeyberries from the garden.

Mustardy tuna salad sandwich with homemade cornichons.

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