#light roast coffee portland OR

[sevenvirtuespdx]

Discovering the Charms of Light Roast Coffee

Coffee lovers around the world are constantly seeking new flavors and experiences in their daily brew. If you’re someone who appreciates the intricate nuances and delicate flavors of coffee, then it’s time to explore the charms of light roast coffee. Contrary to popular belief, light roast coffee offers a delightful sensory journey with its vibrant acidity, floral aromas, and nuanced flavors. To embark on this exciting coffee adventure, visit Sevenvirtuespdx.com, where you’ll find a wide range of exceptional light roast coffees to indulge your taste buds.

The Art of Light Roasting:

Light roast coffee is a testament to the craft of roasting, allowing the natural flavors of the beans to shine through. At Seven Virtues, we take pride in meticulously sourcing and roasting our beans to create light roast coffees that are unparalleled in taste and complexity. Each batch is carefully roasted to preserve the unique characteristics of the beans, resulting in a cup that exudes brightness, subtlety, and exceptional flavor.

Unveiling Subtle Flavors:

Light roast coffee is known for its ability to reveal the delicate flavors hidden within the beans. When brewed correctly, it uncovers fruity and floral notes that can be truly captivating. Whether it’s the lively citrus undertones, the floral aroma of jasmine, or the subtle sweetness of berries, light roast coffee offers a sensory experience that is both intricate and rewarding.

Also read for, Seven Virtues Coffee Roasters: Gluten Free Cafes Portland

Bright Acidity and Complexity:

One of the distinguishing features of light roast coffee is its bright and lively acidity. This vibrant acidity adds a refreshing tang to the cup, making it an invigorating choice for those who prefer a lighter, more nuanced brew. Additionally, light roast coffees often boast a complex flavor profile, with hints of caramel, chocolate, and even tea-like qualities, providing a multifaceted tasting experience.

Supporting Ethical and Sustainable Practices:

At Seven Virtues, we are committed to promoting ethical and sustainable practices throughout our coffee production. We work directly with farmers who share our vision of fair trade and environmentally friendly cultivation methods. By choosing our light roast coffees, you not only indulge in exceptional flavors but also contribute to the betterment of coffee-growing communities.

Conclusion:

If you’re ready to explore the alluring world of light roast coffee, head over to Sevenvirtuespdx.com and discover a selection of exceptional light roast coffees that will tantalize your taste buds. Contact us today for more information.

Where can I buy light roast coffee from Seven Virtues Coffee Roasters? 

If you are looking for light roast coffee Portland OR? You can purchase light roast coffee from Seven Virtues Coffee Roasters through their official website or by visiting their coffee shop in Portland, OR. We offer a wide range of light roast coffee varieties sourced from different origins, ensuring a delightful selection for coffee enthusiasts to explore.

FAQs

1. Is light roast coffee less caffeinated than dark roast coffee?

Contrary to popular belief, light roast coffee actually contains a higher caffeine content than dark roast coffee. The roasting process does not significantly affect the caffeine levels in the beans, so you can enjoy a flavorful cup of light roast coffee that packs an energizing punch.

2. Does light roast coffee have a weaker flavor compared to dark roast coffee?

While light roast coffee is known for its delicate flavor profile, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has a weaker taste. Light roast coffee allows the natural flavors of the beans to shine through, offering a different experience compared to the bold and smoky flavors of dark roast coffee. It’s all about personal preference and exploring the diverse range of flavors that different roasts have to offer.

3. Can I use light roast coffee for espresso?

Yes, you can use light roast coffee for espresso. In fact, many specialty coffee shops and baristas prefer using light roast beans to extract the nuanced flavors and vibrant acidity that add complexity to espresso shots. Experiment with different grind sizes and brewing techniques to achieve the perfect balance of flavors in your espresso.

4. Does light roast coffee have health benefits?

Light roast coffee, like all types of coffee, is rich in antioxidants. These compounds have been associated with various health benefits, such as reducing the risk of certain diseases and promoting overall well-being. However, it’s important to note that the health benefits of coffee can vary depending on individual factors, so it’s always advisable to consume coffee in moderation as part of a balanced lifestyle.

Original Source, https://bit.ly/3P3QDzC

#Light Roast Coffee #light roast coffee portland OR #light roast coffee portland #Oregon coffee brands #coffee portland OR

[simulation-machine]

—OCS as OBSCURE ASSOCIATIONS

T'was tagged by the frankly incredible @nitrozem! <3

Wren Teagan Dreary Art Lover / Erratic / Socially Awkward

ANIMAL: Snail

COLORS: Gray and light blue

MONTH: May

SONGS: "No Rain" by Blind Melon

NUMBER: 11

PLANTS: Cannabis sativa

SMELLS: Dragon's Blood resin

GEMSTONE: Labradorite

TIME OF DAY: 3 AM

SEASON: Late Spring

PLACES: Portland, OR

FOOD: Red curry

DRINKS: Light roast coffee, black

ELEMENT: Wind

ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS: Aquarius Sun / Taurus Moon / Scorpio Rising

SEASONINGS: Turmeric (subtle, earthy, kinda dusty)

SKY: Night sky, waxing crescent moon

WEATHER: Clear sky, warm, with a coldish breeze

MAGICAL POWER: Teleportation

WEAPONS: Crossbow

SOCIAL MEDIA: Simstagram and literally nothing else

MAKEUP PRODUCT: Four-day-old eyeliner, chipped black nail polish

CANDY: Lemonheads

METHOD OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL: Bicycling

ART STYLE: Liiike... Junji Ito mixed with some Yuu Watase?

FEAR: Rejection, for sure

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE: Ooooo, minotaur~!

PIECE OF STATIONARY: Stabilo point 88, fine 0.4, black

THREE EMOJIS: 😅😮‍💨

CELESTIAL BODY: Ursa Minor

I'll tag @rebouks, @bubblepopsims, @lynzishell, @simstrashkingdom, annnnd you if you want to!

#wren teagan dreary #story: another door #character info #survey #look mom i was tagged in something neat! #probably one of my most favorite characters of all time #ugh i love her weird ass

[goodstoriesoflove]

The joys of motherhood when your son is a cool adult, lives in Portland, and loves a creative beauty named Holly.

First, it’s a long hug and towels hanging on your chair. Then it’s warm tea and homemade salmon with fresh dill, capers, and roasted red onions.

Don’t forget the tart apples bought at the Farmer’s Market, the cozy couch, the walk to get coffee and see the ocean. The wet fallen leaves paving the way home with Ollie in tow.

And when I couldn’t walk, or see, you led me to the water to bask in the light. You took me home. You gave me room.

#good love stories

[nwbeerguide]

In celebration of National Beer Day Public Coast Brewing is releasing three news beers.

image courtesy Public Coast Brewing Press Release CANNON BEACH, Ore. (April 3, 2024) - Public Coast Brewing Co. has released three new beers in celebration of National Beer Day, April 7th: the vibrant Raspberry Tart Ale, A Little Bit  Lager Now Cold IPA and A Little Light on the Schwarz Cold Red Ale. “In celebration of National Beer Day we’re excited to release three new brews–the vibrant Raspberry Tart Ale, a crisp Cold IPA and light bodied Cold Red Ale” said Ben Christianson, Public Coast’s brewer. “Each beer offers something a little different, but still delicious and approachable. The Raspberry Tart Ale is a bright, fruit-forward beer that has a light body, a touch of tartness with malts playing off the subtle sweetness from raspberries. While the Cold IPA offers notes of earthiness and floral aromas and the Cold Red Ale is a hybrid that blends our NW Honey Red with roasted malts.” Raspberry Tart Ale offers the vibrant essence of freshly-picked raspberries, with each sip harmoniously layering tangy sweetness balanced by a delicate tartness. Its effervescent body and subtle malt undertones provide a refreshing canvas for the bright, fruity notes and a citrus finish. Brewed with malted wheat, lemondrop hops and raspberry purée, Raspberry Tart has a 5.7% ABV – perfect for jumping into the liveliness of spring. Raspberry Tart Ale is part of Public Coast Brewing Co.’s Sour Series.  A Little Bit Lager Now Cold IPA offers aromatic notes of earthiness, is medium bodied with an initial juicy taste and a quickly dissipating finish, ushered by a touch of sweetness. This beer was brewed at temperatures of an ale, and fermented at lower temps with a long lagering time. The Cold IPA has a 5.1% ABV and is a limited special-release beer. With notes of chocolate and toasted coffee, A Little Light on the Schwarz Cold Red Ale is a light bodied and an experimental hybrid that blends the Public Coast Farm NW Honey Red with roasted malts giving Schwarzbier vibes and lager feels. The Cold Red has a 5.1% ABV and is part of Public Coast Brewing Co.’s Farmstand Series.  All three of the beers are available on tap at the Public Coast brewpub in Cannon Beach, with the Raspberry Tart Ale also available as a canned 4-pack.  For a full list of beers on tap or order online for curbside pickup, visit: publiccoastbrewing.com/beer/. … About Public Coast Brewing Located just 70 miles west of Portland in Cannon Beach, Ore., Public Coast Brewing is named after the only true public coastlines in America: the Oregon Coast. The brewery features a 10bbl Brewhouse with two 30-barrel fermenters, two 20-barrel fermenters, and four 10-barrel fermenters. Public Coast Brewing also offers fresh and delicious fare from local farms and ranches, including their own - Public Coast Farm. Boasting a large pet-friendly patio, large community-style outdoor fire pit, and an open brewhouse easily viewed from the bar, Public Coast Brewing offers a relaxed and welcoming spot for the whole family. For more information please visit, http://publiccoastbrewing.com/.  About Public Coast Farm Oregon’s historic Route 26, known to Portlanders as the Sunset Highway, has welcomed generations of families traveling to and from the coast on its forested byway. Now Public Coast Farm sits on that very route, straddling West Dairy Creek at the base of the Coastal Range, on a 40-acre site lush with blueberry bushes, beehives, fruit orchards and hops. The farm is fertile ground for the farm’s sister properties - the Stephanie Inn and Public Coast Brewing Co. - each of which incorporate Public Coast Farm’s fresh ingredients into delicious dishes and seasonal beers. from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/3U8kF7y

#Craft Beer #Beer #News

[rockislandadultreads]

November 20th is... National Peanut Butter Fudge Day!

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

Peanut butter makes everything better. Think about Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Cold Peanut Noodles. Peanut Butter Fudge. Still not convinced? Try Peanut Butter Waffles, Pad Thai, or Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Centers. In The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book, the tenth addition to their Ultimate series, Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough offer up hundreds of recipes and variations for America's favorite spread. From comforting Peanut Butter Sticky Buns to decadent Peanut Butter Cheesecake to outrageous Elvis Spread (peanut butter, bacon, and bananas), The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book takes Peanut butter way beyond the same old PB&J.

The Sweet Book of Candy Making by Elizabeth LaBau

Create your own delicious, gorgeous, and professional-quality candies with The Sweet Book of Candy Making. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned candy maker, you will find mouthwatering recipes and expert tips to inspire you—and satisfy your sweet tooth. Inside, you'll find:

—Candy-making essentials: all you need to know about equipment, ingredients, and techniques, including step-by-step lessons on pulling taffy, rolling truffles, filling peanut butter cups, and more

—More than 50 recipes for sugar candies, fondant, caramels, toffee, fudge, truffles, chocolates, marshmallows, and fruit and nut candie

—Troubleshooting tips for each type of candy

—How to perfect the classics you love, from English Toffee to Chocolate Fudge to Peanut Brittle

—Try your hand at something new: Pistachio Marzipan Squares, Passion Fruit Marshmallows, Mango-Macadamia Nut Caramels, Lemon Meringue Lollipops, and more

—Decorating techniques to show off your tasty results

Candy is Magic by Jami Curl

This game-changing candy cookbook from the owner of Quin, a popular Portland-based candy company, offers more than 200 achievable recipes using real, natural ingredients for everything from flavor-packed fruit lollipops to light-as-air marshmallows. Jami Curl, candy-maker extraordinaire and owner of the candy company Quin has been called the "new Willy Wonka" by Bon Appetit. Her debut book, Candy is Magic, includes the recipes that have made Quin a favorite with local and national media, foodies, chefs, and bloggers.

But Candy is Magic is not just a candy book.

Instead, Jami's approach to candy forms the foundation for a world of other confections - from bacon glazed with maple and black pepper caramel to a clever Chocolate Magic Dust that can be turned into chocolate pudding, chocolate sauce, and even a chocolate lollipop. This volume is packed with more than 200 recipes for totally original confections like Whole Roasted Strawberry Lollipops, Bergamot Caramels, Fig & Coffee Gumdrops, and Pinot Noir cotton candy, as well as serious tips and advice for making amazing candy at home.

Peanut Butter Comfort by Averie Sunshine

Chock-full of decadent cakes, cookies, and candies, Peanut Butter Comfort is a delicious departure from your mother’s PB&J. Here are recipes that showcase the rich, unmistakable flavor of peanut butter that we all love, as well as treats that highlight its subtlety and undeniable baking value. Averie Sunshine is a peanut butter aficionado; her easy-to-make recipes are imbued with her passion and creativity. Her vibrant, mouth-watering photographs bring each dish to life and will entice the casual snack-seeker and professional foodie alike. Recipes include:

• Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Brownie Cookies • Coconut Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Cookies • Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse • Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshakes • Savory Peanut Butter Hummus • Peanut Butter and Chocolate Snack Mix • Spicy Peanut Butter and Jelly Sweet Potato Fries • And More!

#cookbooks #cooking #food #reading recommendations #reading recs #book recommendations #book recs #library books #tbr #tbr pile #to read #booklr #book tumblr #book blog #library blog #readers advisory

[nerveblade8]

How Press at Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.

Established in the magnificent coffee city of Surbiton, The Press Room is the only speciality coffee promotion in the capital of suburb. Take pleasure in wealthy and rounded roasted coffee from a assortment of clean substances including cacao, baked peanuts, sesame, soybean, soy insert, dried out beans, and a variety of exotic seasoning extracts. It is a mouth watering, easy and energizing type of coffee and will definitely entice to your palate without the clumsiness of a traditional everyday coffee grain. The design is inner-city chic, not suburban kitsch, and there’s a excellent variety of pastries, and birthday cake to suit the Origin espresso. But what has altered over the years, is that the initial coffee has been switched out with fresh juices infused with chocolate in an sophisticated brand new coffee cupboard. We all recognize the beginning of its label. It was perhaps created through an Italian who was rather clever and a little ridiculous in his design. Twenty-one teas, three warm dark chocolates, award-winning food and complimentary wifi make this a pilgrimage-worthy coffee shop. The label demonstrates a interest for nature and the creation and nurturing of the area. Located within walk-in and one of the greatest sampling food in community, this space is sure to get loaded along with your scrumptious club sandwiches, coffee and dark chocolate. We cherish your rate of interest in our principle and really hope to find you down the street soon! Exclusive contact: fold-away frontal for the summer months months creates a brilliant and cheerful ambience. - Changeable window tone adjust for various climate. - Changeable back seat position permits for higher or lesser chair convenience. - Opt for between a selection of coating to add a refined contact. - Include your very own private flair along with our assortment of LED lighting impacts. - Opt for from a vast variety of higher top quality different colors that help make the night an memorable experience. Hours: Mon to Fri 7.30am – 5.00pm Saturday 9.00am – 5.00pm Sunday 9.00am – 5.00pm A vivid, modern feel and, finest of all, the coffee is from Origin Coffee Roasters. Along with a enthusiasm for high quality capuccino and a special food selection, Origin supplies a varied menu that features new baked, hand-roasted capuccino alcoholic beverages – as properly as real, award-winning capuccino coffees (p.s. The coffee shop is also known for its very hot delicious chocolate and herbal teas. In June, a brand new place was established in Portland, and is currently opening in Oregon. Ricky's, along with 3,300 square-feet in the Mission District, is the initial chain in the history to open its own coffee shop. In September 1999, a 15-year-old Portland female named Anna "Anna" Wiebe died when a auto hit her on the metropolitan area's west side. The Press Room is located extremely close to the train terminal and is the excellent location if you’re in Twickenham for the rugby but it’s also well-liked along with local mums and service types. The bus/learn stop is likewise a stroll coming from the station. The bus terminal is in a excellent site, especially for those on a spending plan. This Author would recommend to take the train the next early morning due to the lengthy quest opportunity to and from the bus station. A wide array of sandwiches are created on-site in the early morning and are provided together with pastries and cakes coming from Galeta, Sweet Butterfly and All Square Cakes. The food features a deep fried egg, sour cream and vegetarian sourdough rolls. The club sandwiches happen in a variety of shapes and sizes. For club sandwiches, we suggest a barrel of buttery, wet dough that will certainly come to be a smooth cash that will definitely roll. The abovementioned warm dark chocolate is from Marimba in flaked kind and is accessible in white, dairy, dark or mocha. The brownish sweets dish is from Ligari in flaked kind and has been included on food items media to ensure its smooth and creamed flavor. There is also a creamed white colored pudding dish coming from Floupe in Milk Milk Milk- Milk- Milk- Milk- Milk- What helps make all this mouth watering smoothie thus unique? Hrs: Mon to Fri 7.30am – 3.00pm Saturday 9.00am – 4.00pm Sunday 9.00am – 4.00pm “Pleasant ATMOSPHERE, Terrific CAKE & A Great Area TO Operate OR CATCH-UP WITH Buddies.” “Terrific COFFEE, Pleasant BAKED GOODS.” “Wonderful COFFEE, GREAT PLACE TO Rest AND DO Job.” “GREAT SERVICE, Powerful WIFI AND GREAT Scorching Dark chocolate Possibilities.” “Wonderful AMBIENCE IE FRIENDLY AND RELAXING, Remarkable COFFEE AND CHATTY STAFF.” “Individuals WHO Appreciate GOOD Top quality COFFEE AND FRESH PRODUCE Will certainly ALMOST CERTAINLY Enjoy THE PRESS Area.” Happening SOON!

These programs will definitely enable you in to the world of the working barista, teaching you either latte craft skill-sets or, working with you in a one-on-one lesson. This brand-new class is a blend of my own individual culinary training and professional growth that teaches you how to make your personal beverages. We will certainly be in both the kitchen area and in the restaurant. We likewise offer innovative training programs in barista basics to aid you discover to produce yourself feel appreciated in our neighborhood from a private viewpoint. Get your favorite Press Room products without having to leave your residence. Right now you can easily receive an outstanding cost-free press area subscription making use of your email address. Sign up with the Press Room Right now, and get $10 of your hard earned money. I prefer to offer you some knowledge into this little bit of little bit of treasure. The very first factor you possess to do when you are about to begin your push area membership is decide on what you really want to make use of it for.

#coffee shop #the press room coffee shop

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Coffeeshop

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Espresso Patronum by tasteofshapes Rated:  Teen Words:  15,060 Tags:  Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Light Angst, Pining, Coffeeshop Summary:  When Draco reappears five years after the war and opens a wildly popular coffee shop, Harry’s pretty sure that Draco’s Up to Something. He just has to prove it. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Black Coffee by Candamira Rated:  Explicit Words:  17,055 Tags:  Coffeeshop AU, Wandlore, Self Harm, Hurt/Comfort, Magical Tattoos, Patronus, Getting Together Summary:  Something is very wrong with Draco's wand. No matter the spell, it won't respond with anything but a silver stag Patronus. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Blond Brew by MicheleBlack Rated:  Explicit Words:  30511 Tags: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffee Shops, Alternate Universe, H/D Wireless 2020, Romance, Slow Build, Slash, Barebacking, Modern Era, Dating, Falling In Love, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical Summary:  A blond roast with soy milk makes Draco's morning, but a pair of green eyes makes his week. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Six Bloody Months by JET_Playin Rated:  Explicit Words:  14695 Tags: Fluff, Angst, Misunderstandings, Cats, Post Hogwarts AU, POV Alternating, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Tall Harry Potter, Smutty, Florist Harry Potter, Cafe Owner Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy Has Long Hair, Oblivious Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy Flirts, Pining Harry Potter, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, Dorks in Love, Pining Draco Malfoy, H/D Career Fair 2017, HP: EWE, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Flowers, Coffee, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop Summary:  They were friends with business benefits, that's all... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Full Four Seasons by ravenclawsquill Rated:  Explicit Words:  49133 Tags: POV First Person, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Angst, Humor, Fluff, so many feelings, Bickering, Infidelity, Impotence, Coffee Shops, Flying, Flirting, Christmas, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, Stripping, Frottage, Anal Fingering, Rimming, First Time, Topping, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry, Community: hd_erised, Coming Out, Courage Summary:  Draco Malfoy just wants a quiet life. He has a successful business, a lovely wife, and a delightfully horrible circle of friends. He’s fine. Or, he was fine until Harry Potter thundered into his life with all the subtlety of a blast-ended skrewt and turned everything on its head. Now he’s beginning to wonder if ‘fine’ is enough, after all. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 ORDER TO GO. by slyther_sins Rated:  Mature Words:  17724 Tags: butterbeer eclairs, Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Shop Owner Draco Malfoy, Baker Draco Malfoy, Diagon Alley, Coffee Shop Owner Harry Potter, Harry Potter Has a Thing for Draco Malfoy's Long... Fingers, Light Slow Burn, Things Get Heated in the Pantry, H/D Food Fair 2018, Pining Harry Potter, Post-Hogwarts, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE Summary:  Draco Malfoy opens a new pâtisserie in Diagon Alley, his pastries and desserts are to die for. Harry is the coffee shop owner next door who wants to take Draco home for dessert. Ron is just there for the bread. - in which harry has a sweet tooth, but it isn't for anything on the menu. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  22087 Tags: Romance, Fluff, Angst, Alcohol, Drunkenness, Cat Cafés, Coffee Shops, H/D Pet Fair 2016, Post-Hogwarts, Grimmauld Place, Cats, Kneazles, Auror Harry Potter, Barista Draco Malfoy, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Pining Harry Potter, Pining Draco Malfoy, pet death Summary:  The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 he Coffee House by Corina (CorinaLannister) Rated:  General Words:  1826 Tags: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Distrust, Trust, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés Summary:  Draco is a struggling Barista and Harry is struggling with his fame. They start to trust each other over time when Harry visits the coffee shop Draco works in. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Second Chance by Rei382 Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  1639 Tags: coffee shop AU, Angst Summary:  Life circumstances brought Draco to work at a coffee shop to make a living. Life circumstances brought Harry to walk into that coffee shop and offer a new start. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Lost Bet by DragonGirl87 Rated:  Explicit Words:  60864 Tags: Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Barista!Draco Malfoy, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Divorced Draco Malfoy, Snarky Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter Leaves the Wizarding World, Writer!Harry Potter, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Famous Harry Potter, Coffee Shops, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Coffee, Older Harry Potter, Older Draco Malfoy, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Harry Potter, London, Godric's Hollow, Making a Bet, losing a bet, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson Friendship, Pansy Parkinson is a Good Friend, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Slow Burn, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Single Parent Draco Malfoy, Single Parent Harry Potter, Stay-At-Home Parent Harry Potter, Firewhiskey (Harry Potter), Drunken Confessions, Hangover, Flirting, Friendship, Teasing, Banter, Kissing, Snogging, Groping, Frottage, Sassy Harry Potter, Sassy Draco Malfoy, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, Surprise Ending, Hogwarts, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Rivalry, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Slytherins Being Slytherins, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Happy Ending, Inappropriate Use of Last Names Summary:  It is 2019 and Harry Potter, Ex-Auror turned full-time dad and writer of magical children's books, finds himself making a startling discovery about none other than his former school rival Draco Malfoy. Just where will this relationship, rekindled over several cups of exquisite coffee, lead those two men? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Usual by aibidil Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  9649 Tags: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Post-Hogwarts, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Suspicious Harry, Cursebreaker Draco, Auror Harry Potter, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Humor, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, Boys Kissing, Health food, Harry Potter Thinks Draco Malfoy is Up to Something Summary:  Harry finally tries the new magical coffee shop on Diagon Alley. A story in which Draco is Up To Something™ and Harry is going to get to the bottom of it, and to the bottom of that sixteen ounce to-go cup. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Knead by Anonymous Rated:  Explicit Words:  83103 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Coffee Shops, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Slice of Life, Portland Oregon, Ex-Auror Harry Potter, Baker Draco Malfoy, Muggle Life, Getting Together, Unusual Career, Banter, Friendship, Pining, Bisexuality, Sexuality Discovery, First Time, Dirty Talk, Switching, Rimming, Bars and Pubs, Drinking, Beer, Drunk Sex, Food Porn, Road Trips, Fluff and Angst, Magical Creatures, Quidditch, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Minor Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, H/D Erised 2020, Coffee Shop Owner Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley Summary:  This is not a story about Harry renovating Grimmauld Place. This is a story about coffee shops and brewpubs, about Ginny and Luna on a farm with creatures, about magical Oregon, coastal road trips, flying, friendship, and Draco Malfoy's lean arms. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Rosie Lea (have a cuppa tea) by OrdinaryRealities Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  26801 Tags: Post-Canon, Coffee Shop AU-ish, A fair amount of working through the trauma of canon, Harry's Saving People Thing, Harry is stubborn, Muggle OC's, Panic Attacks Summary:  After the war Harry buys Florian Fortescue's ice cream parlor and opens a tea shop. Because of this he somehow ends up trying to rescue Slytherin's reputation and accidentally finds himself friends with half of Slytherin. He doesn't understand how it happened. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 When It Alteration Finds by momatu Rated:  Explicit Words:  55597 Tags: HP: EWE, Slash, Romance, Drama, Some Humor, Hurt/Comfort Summary:  After the war, Harry left most of the Wizarding world behind and built a new life for himself in the Channel Islands. He opened a bakery and is happy with his life. Draco is a fiction author who writes under a penname, and he's currently suffering from writer's block. His agent suggests he try writing in a new environment and rents a cottage in the Channel Islands for him. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Some Like It Hot by GoldenTruth813 Rated:  General Words:  2497 Tags: Muggle AU, Starbucks AU, Barista!Harry Summary:  Harry works at a coffee shop and is perfectly content to do his job and mind his own business until Draco Malfoy comes in. ❤️ Read on AO3

#coffee shop #coffeeshop #drarry #drarry recs #game of drarry #wizards hearts #wh masterlist

[morrak]

Origin: Ethiopia

Region: Sidama Region

Farms: Shantawene village, various smallholders

Variety: Indigenous landraces

Process: Washed

Altitude: 2000–2100 m

This was roasted by Sterling Coffee Roasters in Portland — my first time with their offerings, and also the first coffee I’ve posted here not from the shop I work at. I was generously given enough to play with by the lovely and long-suffering @fallonbean, who I’m gonna pester about the new bag she just got as soon as she reads this.

Looking at the label, some expectations jump out. Although specific guesses are a fool’s game with indigenous Ethiopian coffees, washed Ethiopias are highly prized for a reason — the flavors lean heavily into fruity and floral notes, often with a stonefruit acidity (think peaches, apricots, or plum) and/or gentle citric sweetness. Such a high altitude means cold nights and lots of sun, which will typically mean dense, consistent beans with a lot of clarity after the grind.

Those expectations held up, partially thanks to a really nice light-medium roast. Tangerine or clementine forward (including that feeling of post-orange mouth coating in the finish), but there’s an underlying floral quality I couldn’t quite pin down (jasmine? chamomile? ironwort?). Sweet, pleasantly acidic, intricate. I wanna use the word ‘filigree’ but that’d make be sound like a chud. Super well rounded without being smoothed flat; exactly what you want from a main sequence Ethiopia.

I only had enough to try it through each of our pourover setups, but I think this would make a really pretty batch brew as well. I’ve had some washed Ethiopias on espresso that were fascinating to drink, but not what I’d call pleasurable sensory experiences. This one, I suspect, would be wildly tasty as a shot. Would that I had enough to make that happen.

#images #on coffee

[anonbea]

cake asks!!

Vanilla : Are you single?  Yep! And taking some time right now to work on myself <3 Red velvet: Favourite food? Oh shit uh,,hm. Potatoes in all their varieties? Though i love Katsu Curry. Burrito’s and roast dinners, and spanikofita and,,,i love food my dudes…. food is the way to my heart Coffee: Book that reminds you of your childhood? ooh hm, Matilda. Matilda makes me think of summer and sitting in the garden, soaking up the sun and reading. Victoria sponge: Favourite accessory? I always wear my ring, it’s black and metal and i can’t feel it on my hand? Like usually i can’t stand wearing jewellery, love the look of it and can definitely appreciate how it looks, but can’t stand the weight and feel of it. This ring feels, just real neutral. And i think it makes me look gayer, so- Marble: Favourite time of day? ooh, hm. I think early morning and sunset. My room gets the sun in the morning and cause of the building across from us is mostly windows, it reflects the setting sun into my room, it gets all warm and orange and glow. I just adore light. Lemon: Opinions on snails they’re good lil dudes, always try and put them in grass when i can Cupcake: Do you enjoy swimming? Oh i love it, i used to swim a bunch as a kid, but i did it less during school so when i tried again at uni, i lost all my swimming prowess….it makes me a lil sad but i still love it! Cinnamon: Describe your aesthetic hmmm, fae butch in black? I wear a lot of black jeans and big boots. Fruit cake: Favourite Holiday? I think my fav holiday was visiting America for the first time to see my friends @sonaea @doctor-lucky and @miksea3 in Oregon! Got to eat amazing ice-cream, play vr for the first time, hike around waterfalls, have snowball fights and saw Portland zoo’s Christmas lights for my birthday! And of course, see some amazing people! did Not enjoy being held in security for 2 hours on arrival though BLECH (they thought i was being scammed lol) Thanks for the asks guys, hope you know me a lil more now!

 (link to the original!)

#anonbea #cake ask #ask meme #answers #some things about me!

[sevenvirtuespdx]

The Role of Oregon Coffee Brands in Supporting Local Communities: From Farm to Cup

Coffee has become a staple in many communities, and the industry is a vital source of income for many people worldwide. In Oregon, local coffee brands are taking an active role in supporting their communities, from sourcing beans locally to providing a space for community events.

In this article, we will explore the ways in which Oregon coffee brands are making a positive impact on local communities, from farm to cup.

Sourcing Beans Locally

Many Oregon coffee brands source their beans from local farms and cooperatives, supporting local economies and ensuring high-quality, fresh coffee. By sourcing locally, coffee brands can build relationships with farmers, understand their farming practices, and ensure fair pricing.

2. Direct Trade

Direct trade is a practice where coffee brands work directly with coffee farmers, eliminating intermediaries and ensuring fair prices for farmers. Some Oregon coffee brands practice direct trade, building long-term relationships with farmers and supporting their communities.

3. Community Partnerships and Donations

Oregon coffee brands are involved in a range of community partnerships and donations, supporting local organizations and events. Some best coffee roaster Portland shops donate a portion of their profits to local charities or partner with organizations to support community projects such as education or sustainability initiatives.

4. Supporting Local Artists and Musicians

Many Oregon coffee shops provide a space for local artists and musicians to showcase their work and talent, contributing to the cultural richness of their communities. By providing a platform for artists and musicians, coffee shops become more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee, but also a community gathering spot.

Also read more about Pairing Food with Light Roast Coffee: A Guide to Portland's Culinary Scene

5. Job Creation and Community Development

The coffee industry is a significant source of employment, and Oregon coffee brands are creating jobs and contributing to community development. Coffee shops provide employment opportunities for people of all backgrounds, from baristas to roasters, and contribute to the vibrancy of local economies.

Conclusion

Oregon coffee brands are more than just businesses selling coffee; they are active members of their communities. By sourcing beans locally, practicing direct trade, supporting local organizations, and providing space for artists and musicians, Oregon coffee brands are making a positive impact on their communities. As consumers, we can support these efforts by choosing to buy coffee from local brands and supporting community initiatives.

Seven Virtues Coffee Roasters is a great option if you're looking for great gluten-free cafes. Whether you want to reduce your caffeine intake or simply enjoy a delicious cup of coffee at any time of day. You can contact us via call at [phone] or email us at [email protected]. Original Source: https://bit.ly/3n4XxJk

#Oregon coffee brands #best gluten free vegan pastries portland OR #best coffee roaster portland #light roast coffee portland OR

[hercycleface]

Global inventory of wonderful beer: What I drink is not wine, but creativity!

Isn't beer just yeast, barley, water and hops? Well, it's also right and wrong-for some beer, this statement is simply wrong. The brains of the beer brewer are too big, and sometimes the brewed beer-how to put it-is quite "interesting". The following wonderful beers are the best examples.

Collagen beer Speaking of weirdness, the Japanese definitely do their part. Suntory launched a collagen beer called Precious, which is said to remove wrinkles left by the years and make you look young and invincible. This 5-degree Talrag comes in 330ml cans and contains 2 grams of collagen per can.

Cat Shit Beer You must have heard of the famous cat feces coffee: a civet living in the tropics eats coffee cherries and is discharged from the other side of the body. The action of stomach acid can make coffee beans produce a different flavor. Beer Geek Brunch Weasel from Megele is a breakfast Shitao with an alcohol level of 10.9-be careful, the wine is full of strength.

Bloody (Mary) Beer Well, strictly speaking, it is not based on Bloody Mary, a good brunch partner. However, Short's Brewing Company of Bel Air, Michigan does use cherry tomatoes in its Bloody Beer, as well as black pepper and celery. Rapeseed, wasabi, and dill, so it’s similar to Bloody Mary. This "Cool Beer from Bel Air" has long been discontinued, with an alcohol content of 7, and an international bitterness index of 40.

Fossil beer The Lost Rhino Brewery in Virginia and PaleoQuest, a non-profit organization that promotes the excavation of dinosaur fossils rather than food trends, have teamed up to create a beer that will attract attention to science. They collected yeast from whale fossils 35 million years ago and made a 5.5-degree beer named Bone Dusters Amber Ale. Cool! It's a pity that the yeast is not collected from the fossils of the long extinct rhino or Tyrannosaurus.

Sheep dung beer After reading this list, you will find that Icelandic brewers really have a lot of free time and a whimsical spirit of adventure. The Borg Brugghus brewery is a good example: due to lack of wood, they lighted the sheep dung pile to smoke and roast the malt when making Fenrir Nr26. American IPA smoked and roasted with sheep dung, alcohol content 6, and international bitterness index 63.

Beer older than whale fossils Fossil Fuels Brewing Co has a product called AY108, which uses yeast found in bee fossils. This bee was wrapped in pine resin and turned into amber in the Eocene Eocene 45 million years ago (is it so shocking that it can’t close its mouth?). Professor Raul Cano figured out how to separate the yeast from above, and then wondered how to make the best use of it. Finally, he chose to brew beer instead of bread. The first result is this Dan Aier named after yeast, and there is also a Saisen.

Beer made with money The evil twins collaborated with the Norwegian craft brewer Lervig Aktiebryggeri in the port of Stavanger. The raw material is real banknotes. What's even more exaggerated is that they threw some frozen pizza into it. The alcohol content is 17.5 degrees.

Heavy beer from the toilet The Danish government and Norrebro Bryghus brewery are really fighting for environmental protection, and they even have the idea of ​​urinating. They recovered a large amount of urine from the famous Roskilde Music Festival and used it to brew a Pearson called Pisner. Do you want to contribute to the cause of sustainable development? Then taste the piss of these hippies.

Colorful beer Abashiri Brewery in Hokkaido, Japan uses seaweed and other natural ingredients to brew red, blue and green beer. They also used beer and excess milk to produce a malt drink called Bilk. Apart from other things, at least it is colorful.

Beer made from sewage The sewage in the sewer sounds as disgusting as dirty waste oil. I'm afraid no one can drink anything made of it. The Jushi Brewery in San Diego brewed an IPA using recycled water provided by the city's water purification project. This Dan Air, called Full Circle, is limited to five barrels, but it may indicate the future of beer brewing.

Roald Dahl Beer Yeast is ubiquitous and can be collected everywhere, so why not collect some yeast from the custom desk of the late children's literature writer Roald Dahl? London creative company Bompas & Parr entrusted this task to 40FT Brewery to brew Odious Ale for a pop-up restaurant based on Dahl's "Stupid Couple".

Beer from the moon Dogfish Head Brewery is keen to challenge the limit, but often thinks too crazy and circumvents itself in, but the time when they ventured into space may be their most rebellious exploration so far. With the help of the company that makes spacesuits for NASA, they got some dust on the moon, which was taken from NASA where the moon landed on the moon—well, no more obscurations, it’s on the moon— —Collected, and then spilled into this limited edition beer called Oktoberfest. Alcohol 5, International Bitterness Index 25.

Elephant Poop Beer The Japanese brewery Sankt Gallen wanted to brew a beer that will be unforgettable, so he thought of elephant poo. How does it work? They fed coffee cherries to elephants living in Thailand’s wildlife sanctuary, and then brewed a "chocolate shitao" called Un, Koon Kuro (a pun for "poop" in Japanese) from elephant dung coffee beans. It was also selected for sale on April Fool's Day, but this is not a joke.

Beer as dark as ink Cuttlefish juice—or more precisely the juice of cuttlefish, squid and octopus, or the juice of cephalopods—can be said to be everywhere now, so you can’t help thinking that these animals are scared when they face the extinction of humans. What is it like? Anyway, the master brewer of 3 Sheeps in Wisconsin created a black IPA called Nimble Lips Noble Tongue No3, using cuttlefish juice.

Too private beer We are all adults, but the Internet will always surprise us head-on, especially when you see a page on the crowdfunding website Indiegogo for the world’s first vaginal beer fundraising-this one is called Bottled Instinct's acid ale uses lactic acid extracted from a Czech model. We don't know if anyone will drink it, because this project has not even raised 1% of the final goal of 150,000 euros, and it should be a joke on April Fools' Day at all? Otherwise, it really makes people get goosebumps.

16. Add a whole chicken to beer

Over the years, the rooster Al almost cast a layer of mystery. It is said that it was very popular in England in the 17th and 18th centuries. In fact, it is an ordinary Al, but a whole rooster was added during the brewing process. Hand Pulled Cock Ale from Willimantic Brewing Co in Connecticut-7% alcohol, only available in barrels-is a modern version of Cock Ale, but its name still implies that old joke (you got it).

Fried chicken beer As the song in "Grease" sings, fried chicken and beer are good partners, so why not add some chicken to the beer? Veil Brewing Co of Richmond, Virginia, and the evil twins teamed up to brew chicken beer. Their Fried Fried Chicken Chicken DIPA uses a lot of Fried Chicken Nuggets.

Sheep brain beer Philadelphia's Dock Street Brewing Company brewed Dock Street Walker to pay tribute to "The Walking Dead," but it was more terrifying than zombies, using smoked lamb brains. This American Pale Shitao is 7.2 degrees, and cranberries are added to create a touch of acidity.

Whale testicle beer Icelandic microbrewer Steoji has launched Hvalur 2, which is an upgraded version of Hvalur 1, which was produced in cooperation with the whaling company Hvalur and caused a huge controversy due to the addition of full whale meat (fish meat and fish bones). As the second seasonal crossover, it uses whale testicles smoked and roasted with sheep dung—well, one is added to each winemaking cycle.

Masculine beer The Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout of Wynkoop Brewing in Denver was originally just an April Fools' Day joke, but I didn't expect it to become a reality because of the public's enthusiastic response. With an alcohol content of 7.5, three cow testicles are added to each barrel-this "gourmet" is nicknamed Rocky Mountain Oysters locally. A set of two cans is quite appropriate.

Bull Heart Beer Portland's Upright Brewing and Burnside Brewing collaborated to produce this Captain Beefheart. The ingredients include 27 kilograms of charcoal grilled beef heart and a lot of spices. Similar products include the Burke In The Bottle, a collaboration between Jim Koch of Boston Beer Company and chef David Burke.

Sunday barbecue beer Conwy Brewery in Wales caters to the close relationship between locals and sheep and brews a lamb beer. Sunday Toast is a Victorian-style Porter beer with the juice from slow roasting of Welsh lamb. Perhaps lamb-ic is more appropriate.

Truffle beer Truffles are very expensive. Using them to brew beer seems a bit risky, but some people have succeeded. Chicago Moody Tongue's black truffle crumbs Pearson is highly sought after in some of the top high-end restaurants in the United States, while Miki Le has chosen to use black truffles to brew a dark beer called The Forager.

Stag semen beer Green Man Pub in Wellington, New Zealand, and local brewer Choice Bros brewed a beer with stag semen, which caused a huge sensation for a while. We will not continue to discuss the name Lu Jing Shitao to obtain such a subtle beer, let's stop here.

Mushroom beer In the past few years, the brewery seems to have used all the mushrooms imaginable. Jester King of Austin, Texas used locally grown oyster mushrooms in this Snorkel. 4.5 Alcohol, Goss style.

Oysters (really real this time) beer The encounter between Oyster and Shi Tao gave birth to many interesting stories. We used to drink Shitao while sucking oysters beautifully. Now we use oyster shells to clarify the beer, or put them in a boiling pot, or even throw whole oysters into it. Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Shitao did just that.

Natural green beer Free Tail Brewing Co of San Antonio, Texas adds blue-green algae to a 4.2-degree rye white beer to give it a charming blue-green color. If the advertisements of Mandalay Brewing in Myanmar and Red Dot Brewery in Singapore are accurate, Spirulina beer has another magical effect-anti-aging.

Seaweed beer Bladderwrack is a good name for beer, but it is actually a kind of seaweed. Williams Bros Brew in Alloa, Scotland added it to its own Kelpie Seaweed Ale. This Scottish Groot-an ancient beer style-is intended to recreate the traditional style of beer from the coastal regions of Scotland.

Real gold beer We have all drunk golden Al, but have you ever drunk gold? Golden Queen Bee brewed by Golden Bee Beer contains edible 24K gold leaf. There is no need to throw gold like this, but if you can get another bottle of The Lost Abbey's Gift Of The Magi-a golden Al with frankincense and myrrh, then you must be full of every cell in your body The joy of Christmas.

Pizza beer Mamma Mia Pizza Beer is produced by the Chicago Pizza Beer Company. The ingredients include Margarita Pizza soaked in malt. We don’t know if the crust is Chicago-style.

Donut beer Voodoo Donuts Maple Syrup Bacon Al is the first beer launched by Voodoo Donut Bakery in collaboration with Rogue Brewery, also in Oregon. The series includes six products so far. They want to use these beers to reproduce the best-selling single-product flavors of this bakery in Portland. The latest flavors currently launched are Guerrilla Grape and Mango Spaceman.

Pig head beer Mangalica Pig Porter uses the head and bones of Mangalica Pig. This breed of pig is quite precious and is known as Kobe beef in pork. Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City, Missouri uses whole pig heads when brewing this beer, and even the eyeballs are still in the eye sockets. The winery also brews a series of more delicious pork pie beers, with raw materials including whole pork pie from a local bakery.

Expired bread beer The raw material of toast air is leftover bread that cannot be eaten, and it aims to eliminate food waste. All the profits from this beer brewed with excess bread are donated to charitable organizations, and even a factory is set up in the Bronx, New York. The recipe is public, so you can try it yourself with the leftover bread you eat.

Just put your crying beer There is a resonance between Chili Control and Beer Mania, which is why countless beers have combined these two things in one in pursuit of a mixed effect. The grimace killer at the Twisted Pine Brewery in Colorado—named after the Wudang rapist of the same name—uses six different varieties of peppers. Among them, the hottest pepper is the Devil Pepper (also known as Broken Soul Pepper). Scoville's index exceeds 1 million-the pepper is only about 2000. You can imagine how spicy it is.

Bearded beer Rogge Beard Beer can be regarded as one of the most weird beers in the world. Brewmaster John Maier extracts yeast from his beard and brews an American wild ale. Maier once vowed that he would never shave his beard, so the raw material of this beer can really be said to be

#craftbeer beer beers breweries beerofinstagram instabeer beersoftheworld beersofinsta beersofig beernation cheers craftbeerlife fanaticbeer

[nookishposts]

Scent-imental

It’s a rainy day in Portland, after 3 spectacularly sunny ones  that drew us  outside to play  as much as we could. Autumn has been twirling her skirts between frosty mornings and warm windy afternoons. The sun is setting earlier than we are ready for. But there are compensations. The neighbours have been by to make introductions and we have been gifted with tomatoes, homemade chili sauce and the lightest pumpkin loaf I have ever eaten. Our  house smells amazing at the moment; there’s antipasto in the making. Applecrisp and sweet potato brownies are also on the agenda. My Beloved and I stood comfortably side by side this morning, with two cutting boards and good knives rendering heaps of vegetables into a huge bowl of colourful confetti. A little oil and seasoning and into the oven they went to roast before hitting the stew pot with fresh tomatoes and basil. There’s a Motown soundtrack to sway to. The distinctive sharp pop of confirmed vacuum seals has it’s own rhythm. It all becomes a dance, steps inherited and invented as we go.

Everybody cooks something that makes their house smell good. But this morning was monumental for us, because we have waited 11 years to have a kitchen big enough to be able to work in together. The house we moved into less than 2 weeks ago is not large, but because the kitchen, living room and dining room are one giant open space, it feels bigger than it is. For reference, when I was a little kid on the farm, the kitchen was the heart of the house and large enough that I could ride my tricycle around the kitchen table with plenty of room to spare. The kitchen we are so thrilled to be creating in now is actually big enough that I could ride circles in it. As an adult. Really. Don’t try to picture it, (nobody needs that vision) just trust me. We are thrilled. We have supper guests already and being able to stay a part of the conversation as we work  to get the meal on the table is truly wonderful.

I’ve cooked in a lot of kitchens, commercial ones as well as my own.  Nursing homes, all-night pizza joints,coffee shops, commissaries and cafeterias. The work got me through college and university.  I have been known to cuss like a stevedore on the rare occasion I have nicked or scorched myself in the course of creation, but that’s the only thing I have in common with Gordon Ramsay. I’ve had some great teachers. Including shortbread lessons that only a Grandma can give. (” You’re worrying that dough too much!”) I’m at best a competent cook, can’t make pastry to save my life, but there is something so incredibly sumptuous  about fresh ingredients, decent equipment, space to work and excellent company with whom to share it . Even if the sauce spills and a pot boils over now and then; cooking is therapeutic. Can you think of a more comforting smell than warm nutmeg? 

I’ve written before about the conversations around my Grandmother’s kitchen table, she and my Mum and Aunts in the full throes of “remember-whens” not always entirely fit for eager little eavesdroppers. There was as much spice in the stories as the soup. They’d be peeling apples or potatoes, guiding tomatoes through the hand grinder that vise-clamped onto the edge of the arborite table covered in an oilcloth with endless stories of it’s own. A steam kettle whistled for attention as something from the oven, sausage rolls maybe, cooled on the windowsill. If it was too hot, we removed to the porch to snap beans or shell peas pinging them merrily into a tin bowl, routinely swatted for eating as many as we thought we could sneak. Hulling berries meant stained knees as we had to pick twice as many as we actually needed for pies and jam and otherwise “putting up”.  Few had the luxury of a deep chest freezer, so it all went into the jars.

The root cellar scared me just a little. We had no freezer so the rainbow of heavy glass spent the Winter waiting on wooden shelves in what was essentially a dugout beneath the kitchen. Spiced pears squashed against the rounded shoulders of the jars like trapped grotesque faces. Pickle spears looked like piano-key teeth on edge. Beets appeared to bathe in blood. A single low-wattage swinging light bulb cast eerie shadows, totally responsible for my imagination turning such lovely work into nightmares. If I was sent down for pickles or peaches, I didn’t linger; the smell of the very Earth itself, breathing back at me as I raced back up the creaky wooden steps sent shivers up my spine. I didn’t want to think about what else might be waiting down there.

My Beloved just asked me if I wanted to open a door and shatter a canning jar for old times’ sake. She refers to the days of my poor Mum canning and pickling everything in sight at harvest time, over a giant cast iron sink and drainboard; we kids were firmly reminded to use the front door for those hot and steamy hours, but I would routinely forget and coming swinging through the back door, right into the kitchen next to where the freshly-scalded jars were draining. All it took was one cool October breeze at the wrong moment. Suffice it to say I did a fair amount of time sweeping up glass and hearing a terse explanation about how“dear”(expensive)  jars were. I am slightly better behaved as an adult, but then again  some of the jars we use now are the very ones both Grandma and Mum used, with glass lids and rubber sealers. They are dear in an entirely different way.Sealing wax only got used when they ran out of mason jars and Cheese Whiz jars carefully scrubbed could do in a pinch, but nothing beats those heavy jars stamped 1939.

I can recall late-night conversations with my Mum on Christmas Eve as we tore bread loaves into chunks so they could get stale on the counter overnight to be ready for turkey dressing. More recently, there were early morning conversations about the state of the World at a bakery owned by friends, against a backdrop of classical music and the scent of cinnamon rolls rising, rum-soused loaves of dark Christmas cake, and my first experience of sugar plums. Those scents will become prevalent again in no time, but this is October, for soups and stews and roasted vegetables that next year will come from our own gardens. By then we will have been seasoned by our new home, know all the names of the horses across the road, and be able to smell the rain before it arrives. We’ll have our own stock of preserves on pantry shelves, generously generation-spiked with loving and laughing voices of the memories they perpetuate.

[nwbeerguide]

Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout is now available from Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery featuring coffee from 10-Speed Coffee Roasters.

image courtesy Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery Press Release Hood River, OR -November 2023 Prepare to be captivated by a sensory experience as Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery proudly presents its latest creation: Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout. This masterfully crafted beer is designed to make your senses play tricks on you, as the rich and diverse flavors weave an enchanting tapestry for your palate. Close your eyes, take in your surroundings, and allow your senses to transport you to a world of flavor. Aromas of graham cracker, biscuit, coffee, and cocoa take center stage, luring you into a realm of indulgence. The journey doesn’t stop there; hidden beneath the surface are delicate notes of light vanilla, orange, and raspberry, ready to surprise and delight your taste buds. What sets this brew apart is the meticulous selection of ingredients. In lieu of roasted barley, cocoa nibs and coffee were added at the end and after fermentation. Brewed with precision, this beer features specially chosen beans from 10-Speed Coffee Roasters in Mosier. These beans infuse the beer with the bold and satisfying essence of coffee, making it a perfect choice for coffee lovers and beer enthusiasts alike. But the magic doesn’t end with coffee. Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout also boasts the inclusion of cocoa nibs sourced from Ranger Chocolate in Portland. This collaboration adds an alluring cocoa complexity to the brew, creating the sweet illusion of a traditional stout while retaining a mesmerizing golden hue. To enhance your Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout experience, an accompanying Spotify playlist has been curated and is printed on the label. This curated playlist is thoughtfully designed to complement the beer’s flavor and profile, creating a multisensory journey that engages both your taste and auditory senses. Don’t miss the opportunity to embark on this flavor-filled journey. Discover the enchantment, explore the illusion, and let your senses run wild with Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout. Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout | 5.8% ABV 17 BU Let your senses fool you. Close your eyes. Take in your surroundings and take a sniff and a sip. Graham cracker, biscuit, coffee, and cocoa sing lead, with light vanilla, orange, and raspberry following close behind. With brewer selected beans from 10-Speed Coffee Roasters in Mosier, and cocoa nibs from Ranger Chocolate in Portland, we get the sweet illusion of a stout with a golden hue. About Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery: Double Mountain Brewery and Cidery was established in 2007 in the heart of downtown Hood River, OR. Founder, Matt Swihart, opened the brewery with a clear mission: make great beer for craft beer fans. The unique location of Double Mountain provides the use of pure and clean glacial water for beers and ciders, while also taking advantage of regionally grown hops. Refillable bottles allow customers to partake in a softer environmental footprint, affirming they are part of a sustainable future. Sweet Nothings Blonde Coffee Stout is available at our Hood River Taproom, Woodstock Taproom, Overlook Taproom, and throughout the Northwest. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3R0ysLu from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/3QZOhSX

#Craft Beer #Beer #News

[amerivex-blog]

11 U.S. Cities Perfect for a Weekend Getaway

The Way to spend time: Cover as much as you can of the 1,200-acre Balboa Park, spend a day on Coronado Island, and finish each night with a sunset at Sunset Cliffs. Eat your fill of California burritos in Nico's Mexican Food, and drink your plenty of beer from breweries including Ballast Point, Mike Hess, Stone Brewing, and AleSmith. Proceed south of the border, too, with Turista Libre, which takes travelers to hyper-local areas in Tijuana and Valle de Guadalupe.

Denver, Colorado

The Way to spend your time: After checking into the Art Hotel, spend a day at the seven-story Denver Art Museum with Monet's Le Bassin des Nympheas and Paul Klee's Palace Partially Destroyed, followed by a meal at Avelina. On day two, take advantage of this recently revived Winter Park Express Ski Train, which goes from downtown Denver to Front Range's Winter Park Resort in two hours. Come warmer weather, head 16 kilometers west of downtown Denver to the almost 900-acre Red Rocks Park, that has miles of hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and also a geologically shaped amphitheater that's hosted everyone from The Beatles to Stevie Nicks.

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Way to spend your time: Eat Shaya and Brennan's, each of which left our best restaurants in the entire word list, along with the latter of which has been firmly entrenched in the French Quarter as 1942. Crush a bag of beignets at Morning Call, which has considerably shorter lines compared to Cafe Du Monde--and pristine City Park views. When the sun sets, go beyond Bourbon Street, also do not miss music-driven evenings on Frenchmen Street, which has the Big Easy's most celebrated jazz.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

How to spend your time day in Fishtown, namely to wait in line for Pizzeria Beddia and crawl out of microbrewery into a microbrewery. A day of walking: Wander along North 3rd Street (duck into Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction) and East Passyunk (play a 60-minute' Escape the 80s' match ) before dinner in Michael Solomonov's Dizengoff or Zahav, where you'll dip into some of the best hummus in the nation. Finish at Hop Sing Laundromat, a somewhat-hidden cocktail bar and a rite of passage.

Baltimore, Maryland

The Way to spend your time: Eat your Way out of a new restaurant to the next before (shh) everybody puts in on the key: think Argentinean empanadas at Bar Vasquez; seafood risotto in Cosima; tea-smoked duck breast in Gunther & Co., and barbecue-flavored ice cream out of meals hallway R. House. Stroll off the moments across the historic Inner Harbor, and hop in an hour-long tour, by boat, of what has been deemed among the most underrated cities in the U.S. Catch a show at the gorgeous, refurbished Hippodrome Theatre. Allot three hours to the Baltimore Museum of Art, and get lost in Lexington Market, that will be like the Pike Place Market of Baltimore--if Pike Place was open since 1782, that's.

Portland, Maine

The Way to invest your time: Take the ferry to Peaks Island. Eat your weight in lobster rolls at Portland Lobster Company, and make sure to also hit Central Provisions, The Honey Paw, and Eventide Oyster Co., the"oyster bar of your dreams." (More than a dozen local craft breweries including Allagash and Rising Tide supply the drink; if you're sick of beer, attempt Portland Hunt & Alpine Club.) Walk panoramic Fore Street. Hop on a bicycle for a 6.5-mile flat loop of Portland, which sits on a peninsula, or spend a day" hiking" 70 miles of the increased city through Portland Trails. Push into Portland Head Light, a still-operational light station that has occupied its place five kilometers south of town because of 1791.

Nashville, Tennessee

How to spend your time: Start the day with a cup of house-roasted coffee at Crema. Shop 12 South for a souvenir: a customized pair of jeans from Imogene + willie, maybe, or handcrafted objects from White's Mercantile, a modern twist in an old-time general store curated by Hank Williams's granddaughter Holly. Eat sexy chicken from Hattie B. Honkytonk on Second Avenue at Robert's Western World, or Remain in the Gulch for bluegrass at The Station Inn. Spend two hours in the Frist Museum for Visual Arts, which was Nashville's central post office.

Charleston, S.C.

How to spend your own time: Take a walking tour of 18th-century architecture, and pick your preferred Georgian mansion from Rainbow Row or The Battery. Read a book under the 1,000-year-old, 1,700-square-foot Angel Oak Tree, and nap on the beach of Sullivan's Island. Make a booking at Husk. Possessing a fried chicken sandwich (or 3 ) in Leon's Oyster Shop--it's been known to make even the most severe vegetarian drop off the wagon, and no doubt contributed to Charleston being voted the most magnificent little city in the U.S. To burn those calories, walk into the middle of the Ravenel Bridge (1.25 miles) for sunset over the Cooper River--or say, hey, I'm on vacation, and have a cocktail on the roof of this Dewberry instead. Once the evening has entirely fallen, head within the centuries-old Dock Street Theatre for local and Broadway touring productions.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Way to spend your own time: Create artsy Lyndale, one of Airbnb's hottest areas of 2017, your foundation. Pay homage to hometown hero Prince in Paisley Park Museum one afternoon, or browse where the musician himself often shopped for music at indie store Electric Fetus. Lake hop: Lake Harriet, Lake CalhounLake, and Lake of the Isles are connected. Beer from Surly Brewing Company, dessert from Milkjam Creamery, and James-Beard award-winning Minnesotan cuisine in The Bachelor Farmer. Spend a couple of hours at the Walker Art Center, one of the nation's most excellent contemporary art museums. The American Swedish Institute is much more fun than it seems; and the Jucy Lucy from Matt's Bar--a beef patty with a core of molten cheese--is much better than it looks, intentional misspellings apart from

Madison, Wisconsin

The Way to spend your time: Bike 12 miles around Lake Monona. Make such as a Badger and wander some of those 20-plus miles of paths at the UW Arboretum (or, in winter, ski, snowshoe, or increase them), until filling up on fried cheese curds and Ale Asylum in Dotty Dumpling's Dowry. Take a 40-minute road trip to visit the New Glarus Brewing Company, which only awakens in Wisconsin. Take a 50-minute street trip to the shore and Ice-Age rock formations of the Driftless region. Get your art fix at the Chazen Museum of Art and the stunning, glass-walled Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Shop in the Saturday morning farmers' market on Capitol Square, reportedly the largest producer-only farmers' market in the nation. Eat dinner at Estrellón, and spare room for the Basque cake.

Louisville, Kentucky

How to spend time a sexy brown in The Brown Hotel. Walk the Old Louisville neighborhood, which allegedly has the most extensive collection of Victorian homes in the country. Pay tribute to The Louisville Lip in the Muhammad Ali Center. Take a trip to Maker's Mark and dip your bottle of Kentucky bourbon. Pop from the Speed Art Museum, fresh off a $50 million renovation and expansion. Do not miss a performance from the LGBT theater troupe Pandora Productions.

[gvaf-radio-blog]

I'm in an open relationship with coffee and mental trauma

I’m hunkered down inside my favorite coffee shop in Southeast Portland having a cup of black liquid love to recharge my body and mind due to me having to dodge a blitzkrieg from the flying commie bastards. The Cupids are a unique kind of chaos as they are technically survivors of a horrific nuclear accident that irradiated an entire Provence. You know the one I’m talking about, y’all won't stop posting screen-caps of the damn thing on tumblr clogging up my steady feed of nihilism and satanic teddy bears. These cupids where re-homed to Portland because the social worker was from Los Angeles and since it works for them and another hundred thousand overpaid yuppies they thought Southeast would be perfect for the bastards to rehab. So the main problem with this (other than rising rent costs) is that their brains got rewired and now do everything hell-bent for leather. So where I get involved with the soviet love bastards is that they got dropped into my neighborhood and there is a  sense that they have of loneliness and urgency for love that attracts them to a person and to help them scratch that itch. The problem is that sense is corrupted and given a slightly sadistic bent and they have started matchmaking and sending people that I am comically ill-suited for or in some cases homicidal, Cat eared woman would be an example. Love is a battlefield, I’m a veteran of this war and I got tired of pulling heart arrows out of my ass so we’ve been fighting ever since but today is going to be a major encounter.You see I have a date in one hour and they started to fly around in attack formation as soon as I left the house firing toxic love arrows at me trying to get me to return to past modus operandi and self-sabotage this relationship that hasn’t even started yet. I dodge an arrow called “new love energy” and panic at might bit at how close it came to hitting me. They can’t get into the coffee shop, the smell of burnt bagels and french roast causes them to enter a seizure state that takes days to recover from, honestly french roast has that effect on most people but  are too tired to give a fuck and just assume the annoying anaphylactic shock is just a morning caffeine detox. I already thinned the ranks a bit by blowing up a fully automatic bow, this monstrosity looks like a mad man combined a Roman ballista and church pipe organ that can fire arrows like the President throws out lies and is painted pink and violet with both Greek and Russian equivalents for “love is a wet prophylactic”. I had left my own bows hanging at home since I was heading for a date and we agreed on melee combat for this round so I armed myself with only a bokken. I couldn’t reach the artillery positioned on the house across from me I had to do something and that something  set the bastards to full rage mode. I took a bag of cans and bottles from the recycling bin shook it good and violently like I did last night before bed while reading the new Warren Ellis comic and threw the bag at the little winged artillery battery. There was a moment of confusion  and I might have heard the Russian equivalent to “what the fuck” but then from all over 82nd Ave tweekers arose from under their rocks smelling of steel reserve and four dollar cigarettes and converged on the Cupids moaning about spare change and smokes. I felt bad about doing that but I was left with no choice! the Eros tribunal might clear me due to the circumstances or as a penance, they might require me to date a vanilla person who thinks beige is a proper color for everything and fucking lights on in doggy is kinky with “ow” being a safe word. Wouldn’t be the first time but I’d rather join a monastery than do it again, I can only hear so many Cake songs before my psychotic side goes into Hulk mode.Between the Cupids dive-bombing the windows like some kind of  Russian kamikaze toddler pilots and rattling the hipsters enough that they had to go get a vegan vodka shot and this little crotch goblin bouncing around and getting into people’s faces, I'm thinking about how this date is going to affect my partner and I’s relationship. I’m also wondering how my date’s spouse is going to handle things if we hit it off. Polyamory on paper sounds like a plot to a high production value hardcore porno but the truth is (mostly) different. You have to navigate multiple schedules, expectations, and multiple people's emotions and try to figure out how to get what you need without hiding pain, jealousy, and your own fears. Being poly also means being on the outskirts of society in away, there is a sense of resentment and fear from others that don’t get it but not nearly as the violent oppression that us in the LGBTQA+ have had to duck for a few hundred years.My partner and I don’t tell others that we are dating since there is a fear of them being disowned, I tell my family the type of relationships I have because they really can’t take anything away from me since I lost the ability to care about their thoughts on my life. I’m not completely happy with this situation where I feel like a secret but it’s not just my life it’s my partner and their spouse’s lives that would be effected. I’m not saying that everyone in a poly or open relationship should go out with a megaphone and belt out a manifesto of why they decided to break their minds with more than one neurotic trauma victim at a time or telling what happened when you  tell a lovers wife that you pegged their husband with a strap on because the wife refused because she felt it was icky and has a lube phobia. What I am saying is that those of us in relationships should start a conversation about non monogamy with our partners and maybe others so we can hear their thoughts and help root out our own.It’s not Polygamy, lets get that one out of the way because I talked with a lot of very intelligent people (and at least one military mandated lobotomy survivor) and they all have said “Oh like the thing Mormons do?” No, more love, openness, and freedom less magic boxers and misogyny.  With poly all relationships there are going to have vastly different dynamic from person to person where Bob and Tim are more open and each can have a person to have casual relationships with and sometimes they both have that dynamic with another person. Karen and Jess now are in several relationships that run casual, serious and potential for a marriage. Stacy, Jim, and Jared are in a closed trifecta where Jim and Jared being straight and not with each other they only have relationships with Stacy who only wants to have a relationship with Jim and Jared.Honestly the only thing that all these relationships have in common is communication and the bad poly relationships are non communicative, half truths, full lies, or worse one sided. I've heard the stories where on person would be dating (fucking) someone new every month but their partner was told to be monogamous and not date outside or they would be dumped, to add to this they lived together and the other partner can’t afford to live on their own. So basically one person was a Controlling , cheating waste of mommy and daddies quicky and the other was borderline being mentally and emotionally abused. Predators and halfwits will be part of every aspect of life and will find a way to manipulate or destroy said aspects of life given enough time and opportunity.Nothing is Idiot proof, nothing is safe so get your life set up how you want it and be prepared to guard this fortress against predators. When (not if) the halfwit comes stumbling in like a newborn colt on ice and manages to destroys your life because the dumb fuck is trying to help or by removing the wrong brick in the wall because it was shiny and it’s now their favorite red rock thingy, you better have a plan B to rebuild. The good news is that you now have enough bricks laying  on the ground  to stone the halfwit to death, I’m a silver lining kinda guy.The Little crotch goblin in the shop is now skipping to a fro all while  chanting what I think I recognized as the ritual to raise an evil elder thing that resembles a puppet from some children's program and then banging their fucking little fist on bookshelves. I’ve ordered a hot chocolate for the little bastard and added a bit of full spectrum oil so the crotch goblin will either soon enter torpor or start seeing a god in whatever app the frazzled parent downloaded and handed off to the kid to try and quite the goblin down. I can write now without the music blasting through my headphones  being drowned out but I did check to see how the goblin is doing, they passed out on a couch, maybe pissed themselves or just spilled water on the floor hard to say . My date shows up and we talk about ourselves or I talk too much and have to stop myself to ask them a question, after both realizing that the online interaction , attraction, and communication is also very present in a real life situation we agree it was time for the duel . We meet via social media site that specializes in the way of the Gaijin and us weebs must prove our saiyan power rankings so we walk outside and I unravel the sacred condom of holy audience and stop the Cupids dive bombing  us while each and every one of these sawed off Kalashnikovs are humming “rock you like a hurricane”. The cupids form a half circle around us and since the invoking of the spirit of The holy Pope  Ruth Westhimer the Cupids agree to not interfere and will also leave me alone until after I get off work the next day.Later that night after coming home bloodied , bruised and then the injuries I sustained during the duel I think about the date and how good it went. Talking about our partners, wants, needs and what we can and can not provide for each other, we hold off on saying we are in a relationship, we decided we’re in a trial relationship pending approval from our respective partners. Important to remember that our other partners can be affected by what we do and the clear communication transfers (or it SHOULD) to the other partners. Poly is not easy it can be worth it or as I’ve found utterly heartbreaking at times but I’m not built to be monogamous so my options are to be lonely the rest of my life, be constrained in a monogamous relationship that I may or at least fight like hell not to cheat in or I can just be honest and say this is who I am, you can stay or go. I find a dead mouse on my front porch with a note stating they were worried I hadn’t been eating, one day I’m going to spay this cat eared woman with a soldering iron.

#bourbonsexual #gvaf #poly #writing

[the-coconut-asado]

Oh Stumptown my Stumptown!

Portland likes to keep it weird. Officially. You could even buy the tee shirt if tee shirts weren’t so predictable.   

From a poster invitation to “Hear my TED Talk about DIY and Impending Doom” to the Big Legrowlski (sic) night club that hangs carpets on the walls -  not to balance the sound for the band but because they really bring the room together -  the City has an off-beat vibe that feels authentic even while it gets you scratching your head. And where else would you queue round the block for a voodoo-doll shaped doughnut with a pretzel stick through its ‘heart’?

You probably won’t be surprised when I tell you that Portland is  the Hipster Capital of the World. You know it’s hipster because it sells more coffee and has more microbreweries per head than anywhere else in the US.

We came for the food because People That Know told us to. It’s not simply that everything is delicious but that chefs, cooks, carts and food enthusiasts are trying to do different. It’s like Masterchef has landed in Twin Peaks. Entrepreneurs are making ice cream out of chickpeas and it works. A pastry chef has re-interpreted her favourite childhood book on a plate and you rejoice in the complex flavours of her tiny reconstructed bunny. So who’s the bunny boiler now?

One thing that puzzled me is why the City changed its name from the original Stumptown (pretty weird) to Portland (the Holiday Inn of city names). Devon, a local lawyer who we chatted to most mornings in Baristas Cafe, explained that Portland was never officially called Stumptown.  It became its nickname due to all the trees they had to cut down to build it, leaving the eponymous stumps in their wake. Stumptown is also the name of their iconic coffee brand, which I always assumed was NYC’s greatest invention. This is one of the many ways in which travel expands your mind.

Devon embodied something else about Portland: its friendliness. Even the passport officers are anxious that you have a good time. Full disclosure,  it wasn’t just Devon that we sought out each morning - it was Pepper, his cute little dog. I would eat Barista’s fresh, flaky rhubarb hand pie just to drop crumbs that Pepper would breakfast on. 

Devon put us onto a couple of great places to eat - one we made it to, one we didn’t. But more of that later.

Where to begin to describe this steel guitar food odyssey? Let me take you through our many highlights from the  mountain of food we consumed. Set it to the soundtrack of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Thing.

Our first evening, tired and hungry, we stuck to our guns and found Andina, the City’s Peruvian eatery. When you are both tired and hungry it’s easy to get seduced by posters boasting ‘Meatball Monday’ and forget your mission, but our persistence paid off. That legendary Portlandia hospitality squeezed us into a nook where there really wasn’t a free table, and we dined greedily on humitas, ceviche, lamb shank and seafood, washed down with Oregon’s finest home-grown Pinot Gris. I didn’t quibble that they brought something different from my order. In my fractured Spanish ‘Arroz con Pato’ probably did sound like ‘Seafood Risotto’  - and the risotto was obviously going to be delicious before fork met lip, so I didn’t send it back.

Next day, which coincidentally was Taco Tuesday, we hit the street food. 

Portland is big on street food (see: hipster capital of the world). Most food vendors have carts - permanent fixtures where the chef builds enough of a following over months or years to be able to open a small restaurant. Nong’s Khao Man Gai was just one of these. They do one dish - a Vietnamese poached chicken with a secret chilli sauce, accompanied by rice cooked in the chicken broth. You can also have a version with shrimp, pork or Tofu. We bought a bottle of the sauce to bring home. Life’s too short.

It’s not all carts - there are a fair few trucks too. 

One which specialised in cheese toasties challenged “ Come and relive the taste of your childhood. But if your childhood sucked, we’ll share the memory of ours”. Have you eaten a cheese toastie recently? I mean really felt the embrace of  a sandwich of molten cheese and fried bread? Maybe your childhood did suck after all.

That evening it was the turn of The Hairy Lobster restaurant, and that bunny dessert I mentioned earlier. Little Bunny Foo Foo to give it it’s full name. A delicate carrot cake, covered in cheesecake mousse, accompanied by a ginger crumb, caramel sauce and a marshmallow rabbit. 

Despite it’s show-stopping appearance and fusion of flavours, it was their roast squash with curry sauce and pumpkin seed praline that was the stand-out dish for me. The Lobster picnic for our main was pretty damn good too.

Friday brings me to Devon’s first recommendation, Pok Pok,  a teeny Thai eatery in the suburbs. Getting there had the added advantage of passing through a neighbourhood full of rambling old houses in the Amityville Horror style. I recalled the first time I had heard of Portland was from a TV thriller full of witches and jabberwocks called Grimm. They had definitely filmed it’s eerily beautiful moments around here.

If I had to single out a food highlight in a week of next-to-no food lows, I would choose Pok Pok. It gave me my first food coma in a long while. Something about it’s smoked aubergine, pork belly curry, marinated chicken with two dips, sublime mango with sticky rice and that rhubarb blush cocktail… I sense I am sharing my food coma with you now. Their signature dish is hot spicy chicken wings. The couple on the table next to us were too full to finish theirs so offered them to us. Maybe it was the wings that tipped me over the edge. I’ll never know.

And so to our last day, and the big daddy of Portland nights out: Jake’s Crawfish. Over 100 years old, walking into Jake’s is like walking into one of Sinatra’s memories. It has a justifiably stellar reputation, and seems to have maintained it for a century. I ate Steel-head trout for the first time, fished on their doorstep from Oregon’s Columbia River, coated with a horseradish crust, and preceded by half a dozen of the plumpest oysters I have ever eaten.

I haven’t yet mentioned Portland’s biggest hipster foodie habit: brunch. No matter what day of the week, the restaurants that brunch are always full. For most of our trip, we were waking up too early to really do brunch justice. Those rhubarb hand pies at Baristas had satisfied our hunger by around 8AM so a mid-morning banquet wasn’t really on. One day, however, we made it to Tasty & Alder in the Pearl DIstrict of the city and managed to sneak in a table for two before the queues built up. Worth it for their Green Frittata with salsa verde (who ever thought of doing that before?) and lightest, fluffiest American biscuits. We never made it to Devon’s second recommendation: Burmasphere, his friend’s Burmese cart on the other side of the river. And now we have an excuse to return.

When it came to rustling up some recipes that take me straight back to Portland weird, I whittled my list down to three: my version of Tasty & Alders’ green frittata with feta and salsa verde; a less labour-intensive version of Andina’s Arroz con Pato, made with chicken or guinea fowl; and in the spirit of weird, though by no means original, a cake inspired by Churros con Chocolate. The best possible end to a Taco Tuesday.

I messaged a friend of mine that had moved to Portland a few years back and asked why she had ever left. “ Too much rain and not enough art.” she said.  

You missed the point Sweetie. Great Food IS great art. And if you can’t stand the rain, get into the kitchen.

Green Frittata with Feta and Salsa Verde

A great little brunchy-lunch dish packed with flavour for the carb-conscious. If you want to add some carbs, slices of toasted sourdough will go down a treat. Serves 4

Ingredients

8 large free-range eggs

1tblspn, double cream

100g asparagus spears, chopped into 2 cm chunks

100g shelled garden peas or petit pois

50g feta cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa verde:

Small pack of flat-leaf parsley (around 15-20g)

½ a small pack of mint leaves

3 tbsp. Capers

7 anchovy fillets

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp dijon mustard

8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

How to make:

Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add the peas. After a couple of minutes, add the chopped asparagus and continue simmering for another 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Put to one side.

Next, make the salsa verde. Put all the ingredients except the olive oil into a blender, season generously with pepper and go easier on the salt (anchovies and capers are already pretty salty). Then, add the olive oil and blend again. Don’t over blend at each step - it's nice to keep the texture a little rough.

Put a skillet on the stove and melt a knob of butter. Beat the eggs, add the cream and season. Lightly saute the green vegetables in the butter for a minute or two. 

 then pour the eggs over and crumble the feta cheese over the top. Cook for a couple of minutes until the bottom is starting to brown.

 pop under the grill to continue cooking, until the top is a light golden colour and the frittata has firmed up with a slight wobble (keep a close eye on this, probably takes 2-3 minutes).

Cut the frittata into 4 wedges and serve with a dollop of salsa verde on top.

Arroz con Gallina Picante

I never did get to eat Arroz con Pato in Andina, but while I adore the rich flavour of duck, devoting two or three days to confitting it before finishing the dish is only for the dedicated dinner party cook. This version with a spicy chicken and a feta-enriched herb sauce (based on a Melissa Clark recipe)  goes down just as well - or the richer Guinea Fowl, which I have used here. And Peruvian aji amarillo is now more available by mail order - substitute ordinary chile powder if not. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized chicken or guinea fowl, jointed into 2 breasts, 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs (discard the back or freeze to make stock at a later date)

For the marinade:

6 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp paste made with aji amarillo powder and olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp sriracha sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

½ a large bunch coriander leaves, broken up

2 jalapeno chilies, chopped

75g feta cheese, crumbled

1 garlic clove, crushed

Juice of 1-2 limes

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

½ tsp dijon mustard

½ tbsp aji amarillo paste (see marinade earlier for method)

1 tsp honey

1 tsp ground cumin

½ cup extra virgin olive oil.

For the Peruvian Rice:

3 tbsp sunflower oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, finely chopped

3 heaped tsp aji amarillo paste (see marinade earlier for method)

½ large bunch fresh coriander, broken up and blended till smooth with a tblspn water

500g fresh chicken stock

300g bottle of beer or lager

2 x small green chillies, chopped finely

500g basmati rice

1 red pepper, chopped into small chunks

100g fresh garden peas or petit pois

How to make

First, make the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, cover the fowl of your choice in it, cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the sauce: put all the ingredients into a blender, and blend till smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate, taking out about 15 minutes ahead of eating to bring to room temperature.

For the rice. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute until starting to turn golden. Add the blended coriander and chili paste  and cook for a couple of minutes until the paste has thickened slightly and smells delicious.

Pour the beer into the saucepan, cook for a few minutes then add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, season, then take off the heat, cover and put to one side.

Heat the oven to 200C. Pat  the chicken or guinea fowl pieces dry, then pop onto a shallow baking tray, season and drizzle with olive oil. Put the tray into the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes.

While the meat roasts, finish the rice. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium sized saucepan, add the peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the rice and stir into the oil and peppers until it starts to crackle a little at the bottom. Add the peas and chilies and stir again, then add the stock, beer and onion garlic mix. Stir, season if needed, then cover and simmer on a low heat for 25 mins.

Fluff up the rice and spoon onto plates. Top with the chicken or guinea fowl pieces, and crown with a dollop of sauce.

Churros Bundt Cake with Dipping Chocolate Sauce

I love churros, and I love a Bundt cake. If you want all the flavours but none of the faffing or frying, then give this a try. The cake will keep, covered in a tin. Just remember to reheat the chocolate sauce for dipping or pouring each time. Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 ¾ cups plain flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

170g unsalted butter

130g caster sugar

50g soft brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 375g punnet of sour cream

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar ‘glaze’

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tsp caster sugar

For the chocolate sauce:

½ cup cocoa powder

Pinch chilli flakes

100g dark chocolate (70%)

1 cup double cream

½ cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon

How to make

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and flour a large bundt cake pan (make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies).

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl (ideally using an electric stand mixer) until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and continue to mix between each addition, finishing with the egg yolk. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and beat again until just incorporated.  Mix all the dry ingredients, add them to the butter and egg mix and fold in until smooth. 

Pour the cake batter into the bundt tin and bake for around 50-55 minutes until a skewer inserted near the middle comes out clean (I usually check the cake after 45 mins). Invert the cake onto a rack to cool.

Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the butter and paint all over the surface of the cake. Dust the cinnamon sugar over the buttered cake, making sure you pat it in places to stick.

To make the chocolate sauce. Pop all the ingredients into a saucepan, then cook, stirring constantly, on a low heat until the chocolate has melted, everything is smooth and custardy. Let it bubble slightly then turn off the heat.

Serve slices of the churros cake with warm chocolate sauce poured over. There are some who prefer their chocolate sauce served cold. That’s fine too.