Linda Chaplik's Oh, Goodness! Brownies

I'm sorry for the silent treatment the past couple weeks. We've been through some hard times with our family and I couldn't think about this, or anything beyond that, for a spell. I'm back now and here's to good times ahead. This is a post I put together awhile back. It's still very much pre-expiration date though. Nothing stinky...

I wrote about the Food Innovation Center's Time to Market Showcase several weeks ago for Willamette Week and then followed that up with a Willamette Week blog post about the event. Now I'm following up my follow-up with even more here about participant Linda Chaplik's super tasty gluten-free brownies.

Linda is a former corporate training manager turned food entrepreneur here in Portland and her gluten-free brownies (for the record, I have no problem whatsoever with gluten) are fantastic. In upcoming weeks Linda is working on securing a commercial kitchen and getting cafe accounts so keep your eyes peeled for her Oh, Goodness! brownies. I'll keep you posted here.

Linda's gluten-free brownies are freakishly good. If you see them for sale somewhere buy them. All.

Linda Chaplik and her friend Peggy Flynn at the Food Innovation Center's Time to Market Showcase in December.

THREE for Tuesday!

I don't usually have multiple plans on a weekday night but next Tuesday , December 14th there are three fantastic food events that I'm not going to miss and all of them are free and open to the public. I don't know how I'm going to pack them all in but I will. Here's the scoop...

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday!

Breakfast in Bridgetown Party 5:30-8pm @ Cafe Nell

My friend and fellow PDX writer Paul Gerald is throwing a killer breakfast-for-dinner launch party for the second edition of his Breakfast in Bridgetown book at Cafe Nell. There's no charge to attend but you do need to RSVP here.

Here are the details straight from the source:

* Cafe Nell is at the corner of NW 20th and Kearney, and they do have a parking lot. * “Breakfast for dinner” provided by Cafe Nell, including cups of hash, quartered Monte cristo sandwiches, house made pork sausages, Pumpkin breads, shrimp and grits, silver dollar pumpkin pancakes. Mmm! * Signed breakfast books for $16 each, or two for $30. * $2 from every sale will be donated to the Oregon Food Bank. * Full bar available with amazing cocktails * Short program around 6:30, with comments from the author, contributors Nick Zukin of ExtraMSG.com and Brett Burmeister of FoodCartsPortland.com, and perhaps a little snippet from Portland’s appearance in the PBS documentary Breakfast Special.

This is how in the field, literally, a Friends of Family Farmers internship can be.

Friends of Family Farmers End of the Year Celebration and InFARMation 5:30-10pm @ Holocene

Come out and celebrate the end of the year with one of my favorite local organizations -- Friends of Family Farmers. One of the best part of the night is the silent auction that will benefit FOFF programs and initiatives. Here's the schedule followed by a list of some of the awesome items that will be on auction...

5:30 Door to Holocene Open – come early to order food, get drinks (food and drink is not paid for so bring your $) and socialize

6:15 Friends of Family Farmers – don’t miss this short presentation of our programs and successes over the last year, pretty impressive for such a small group if we say so ourselves.

6:30 Silent Auction Starts, Live Acoustic Music & MC

8:00 Silent Auction Ends, Live Auction Starts – some of the bigger auction items will be dealt with by our auctioneer

8:15/30 Greasy Chain String Band – dancing and celebrating! Winners get to cash out and take home their items!

This InFARMation (and Beer!) is 21+, so don’t forget your ID.

Some of the many amazing items on the silent auction list... * Pig Butchery Class Gift Certificate - Portland Meat Collective & Camas Davis * Private Breadmaking Class with Professional Baker from Nostrana – Giana Bernardini * Raw Honey-White Clover, Raspberry Blossom & Forest Wildflower- Mountain Meadow Honey Co. * Loaf of Rustic Bread per Month for One Year – Grand Central Bakery * Pizza Gift Certificate - Hot Lips Pizza * Fruit Trees from Local Sustainable Nursery – One Green World Nursery * Three Night Romantic Getaway in Yachats Cabin – Sue Tate & Dave Morgan * Widmer Party Pack (1/4 Barrell, Tap & Tub, Sleeve of Cups and Ice) – Widmer Brewing * Basket of Rogue goodies and Rogue Beer – Rogue Ales * Magnum of Bethel Heights Justice Vineyards 2007 Estate Pinot Noir - Bethel Heights Vineyard * Handcrafted Wood Cutting Board – The Joinery * One-Year Family Membership to OMSI * $75 Gift Certificate to to 50 Plates in the Pearl – Ginger Rapport of 50 Plates * $50 Gift Certificate for Feed Concentrates – Concentrates NW * Laptop Lunch Box – Mirador Community Store * $75 Gift Certificate to Meriwether’s Restaurant. Specializing in Farm to Table Meals * $50 Gift Certificate Higgins Restaurant & Bar. Cuisine rooted in our Northwest Soil * $20 Gift Certificate from the Urban Farm Store, a Family-Owned and Operated Local Business * Farmer Love Basket – A Collection of Goodies from Naomi’s Organic Farm Supply * 2 Tickets to to the September 24th Farm to Fork Farm Dinner at Kiyokawa Family Orchards * Holiday Wreath Lovingly Handcrafted with Local Greens by Kelly Ingram

Food Innovation Center's Time to Market Showcase 6-9pm @ the Food Innovation Center

I already wrote about this fantastic event in this week's Willamette Week so I'll just point you in their direction for the scoop.

Primal Cuts Comes to Portland Nov. 12th & 18th

I get a fair number of review copies in the mail and I have to say that Primal Cuts: Cooking with America's Best Butchers is one of the more exciting ones. One reason I got a review copy is because of the 50 US butchers that Marissa Guggiana interviews in what her publisher Welcome Books calls "a modern meat bible" three are from Portland:

Ben Dyer of Laurelhurst Market Jason Barwikowski of Olympic Provisions & Berlin Reed aka The Ethical Butcher

I wish I had a scale here at my studio because I'd weigh this meat tome. Oh wait, there's the online oracle -- ok so it's an impressive three-plus pounds. This is a hefty book that costs a pretty penny and although I know you can get three-pounds of pork butt for significantly less -- and then you can make Ben Dyer's Little Smokies pickled in a hot vinegary brine on page 125 -- the book is worth every penny.

Each butcher profiled introduces him or herself and then there are great, big photos of them with their meat (excuse me but it's true) as well as recipes for everything from cinnamon oxtail stew (Gabriel Claycamp, formerly from The Swinery, WA) and pork belly confit (Olivia Sargeant, Farm 255, GA) to boudin (Donald Link, Cochon Butcher, LA) and venison jerky (Scott Leysath, The Sporting Chef, CA). In addition to recipes the books includes DIY for homemade sausage, bacon and dry cured meats as well as advice for kick-ass burgers, deboning a chicken and making stock.

It's a fantastic book and I'm really looking forward to learning and cooking from it. Even though it's a little over the top when pulled out of context I really like what Dario Cecchini says in the book's introduction:

Here is the essence of our craft as butchers: a task crude and compassionate, strong yet delicate, always respectful toward the killed animal, with the ethical imperative of always using the meat in the best manner possible, knowing that, since the beginning of time, these animals were were given to mankind as a gift from God.

Saving the best for last, Primal Cuts is coming to Portland:

Friday, November 12, 7:30pm Dinner with Marissa Guggiana, Jason Barwikowski, & Ben Dyer Simpatica Catering & Dining Hall 828 Southeast Ash Street Portland, OR 97214

The menu from Simpatica's site:

Sliced Corned Veal Tongue and Fried Oxtail Roulade with Broken Sauce Gribiche, Grilled Toasts and Bitter Herb Salad

Turnip and Turnip Top Soup

Wood-Roasted Whole Cattail Creek Lamb with Chickpea and Viridian Farms Grilled Pepper Stew and Skordalia

Blood Orange Curd Crepes with Chantilly Cream

Price is $40 per person plus wine and gratuity. Dinner begins at 7:30pm. Please email Simpatica or call the kitchen at 503.235.1600 to make reservations.

And Thursday, November 18th:

Info. from the press release:

$20 PRESALE. $30 DOOR. Buy your ticket today at theethicalbutcher@gmail.com Thursday, November 18th 7-11pm The Cleaners at Ace Hotel 403 SW 10th Avenue

***AFTER PARTY*** After you fill up on all that local meaty goodness and get dancing to the beats at The Cleaners you’ll want to keep going. Head down the street to Beauty Bar for Homo Deluxe/Primal Cuts After Party. Beauty Bar 111 Southwest Ash Street, Portland

New Seasons Market: Meet the Author Event

There are two places in Portland that I've always dreamed of working. Powell's Books is one of them and New Seasons Market is the other. I've applied many times for jobs at various New Seasons Markets (and at Powell's) and never been hired. That's ok -- no grudge. It's been years since I've applied, and well, I'm pretty happy with my working life at the moment. I'm telling you all this now because...

Although my book events have slowed down as the leaves have changed colors and after I passed the three month marathon promotion line (I told myself I'd give three months to non-stop events and promotion for the book and then I'd take a breather) I still have book events lined up. This Thursday I'll be doing an informal meet the author at the Concordia New Seasons Market from 4:30 to 6pm and I hope you'll stop by if you're in the area.

It's been fun planning this one because in addition to selling and signing books the lovely crew at New Seasons has put together a sampling menu of local food and drink featured in the book that New Seasons carries. Included in the sampling menu are tasty treats from:

Hot Lips SodaGrand Central BakeryColumbia Gorge OrganicSt. Johns Coffee Roasters

So if I can't tempt you with myself or my book I'm hoping that getting bites and sips of all of the above will seal the deal.

Meet the Author event @ New Seasons Market Concordia 5320 NE 33rd Ave. Portland, Oregon Thursday, November 4th, 4:30-6pm

Webinars on Specialty Foods Business

Even though this isn't local I think a lot of you will appreciate this opportunity organized by University of Vermont's Extension office. Last month a press release landed in my inbox on their extension webinar series on specialty food businesses.

I'm a slacker because I meant to post this before the first in the series but I didn't get around to it. You can still watch that one and all past webinars here.

Here's the dish straight from the source:

Mark your calendars! The eXtension Entrepreneurship webinar series is back for the fourth season. All webinars will air monthly on the second Thursday at 2:00pm (ET); 1:00pm (CT); 12:00pm (MT); 11:00am (PT).

On Thursday, September 9, 2010 we open with a three-month series on specialty food businesses. September’s topic will be Starting Right in Specialty Foods. Join Brian Norder, Director of the Vermont Food Venture Center for an informative session on what it takes to start and grow a specialty food business. Brian has over a decade of experience assisting entrepreneurs in all phases of food-related business development.

On October 14 the webinar will focus on the importance of branding and will feature specialty food business owners Judith Moore of the Charleston Cookie Company and Robin Rhea, Slather Sauce.

The November 11 webinar will conclude this series with a look at Culinary Tourism, an emerging niche that combines agriculture, specialty food and tourism. This presentation will feature a panel of Extension specialists working on Culinary Tourism initiatives.

No pre-registration is required and there is no fee to participate. About 10 minutes prior to the start time simply go the Adobe Connect Pro meeting room. You will be presented with a login screen that has an "Enter as Guest" option. Enter your full name then click "Enter Room" to join the conference. You will be able to hear the audio directly from your computer’s speakers.

University of Vermont Extension www.uvm.edu

Wordstock 2010

This year's sixth annual Wordstock was a blast. There are some Portland events that I do my best to never miss in Portland -- Portland International Film Festival, Portland Fermentation Festival, PDX Adult Soapbox Derby to name a few -- and Wordstock is definitely one.

I heard a lot of grumbling about the grey, rainy weekend this Saturday and Sunday but none of it was from Wordstock folks because we were inside all weekend talking, reading, attending readings, learning about, checking out and buying books. A weekend very well spent.

Highlights for me included tabling with the Hawthorne Books crew, attending two fantastic panels: The Future of Reading and a Karen Karbo and Kim Dower panel on book promotion, seeing old friends from here, here and then some and making new ones.

I was also very honored to be invited to speak on a food and craft panel with Charles Heying moderated by Kelly Clarke -- arts and culture editor for Willamette Week on Saturday.

I was nervous with the stage, lights, microphones but got over it and really enjoyed talking with Charles and Kelly about Portland's awesome and diverse artisan goods culture. I talked a lot about PDX food and drink of course and Charles talked about that and then some. We traded books and I can't wait to read his.

Here are some photos from a full-on Wordstock weekend. Let me know what your experience was if you were there...

Our seats were not on fire but the microphones didn't work at first.

I guess I look very serious when I'm thinking.

Hanging with the Hawthorne Books crew -- Kate Sage and Adam O'Connor Rodriguez.

Hawthorne Books' Rhonda Hughes after her Wordstock panel.

Baby bookworm.

Wordstock www.wordstockfestival.com

Thank You Portland! Food Lover's Guide to Portland Book Launch Party

So much has happened since I last posted. I really don't know where to begin so I think I'll start with what's consuming my thoughts just 100 percent today -- my book launch party last night for Food Lover's Guide to Portland at Fortune Tattoo. I know it's probably dorky to say but last night was one of the best nights of my life. I'm beyond happy that so many friends, fellow food folks and complete strangers came out last night to celebrate. It was magic. Loving life right now.

((ATTENTION: My ex-boyfriend, Tyler Adams, no longer co-owns Fortune Tattoo. Visit his North Portland shop -- Grizzly Tattoo -- which opened June, 2011.))

I'm overwhelmed by the thought of describing the evening so I'm just going to post a bunch of photos for those of you who were there and those who couldn't make it. It was a blast and couldn't have happened without the overly generous food and drink donations as well as awesome help of my friends, boyfriend, Fortune Tattoo and of my publishing house Sasquatch Books. Thank you Portland. I love you more than ever!

And then it was on...

And on...

My friend Rale Sidebottom rocking it in the loft for the party...

They got the Fortune Tattoo sign up just in time!

Tyler eating the Newman's Fish Co. smoked black cod...

The savory side...

Good mugs in food coma.

Before the perfect storm. Cheers to you! Thank you Portland!

Book Launch Party Thursday, July 1st, 6-9pm

My boyfriend Tyler Adams and his business partner Ms. Mikki opened Fortune Tattoo at 1716 E Burnside, in Portland, on April 1st of this year. No fooling! The shop has been doing great and they don't even have a sign up yet. Stop by and say hello if you're in the neighborhood. You can grab some wings at Fire on the Mountain or an gyro at Foti's -- both are Fortune Tattoo neighbors -- while you're at it.

((ATTENTION: My ex-boyfriend, Tyler Adams, no longer co-owns Fortune Tattoo. Visit his North Portland shop -- Grizzly Tattoo -- which opened June, 2011! For more info. visit www.grizzlytattoo.com, 503.265.8146. Grrrrrrrizzly!))

I'm happy to announce that my book launch party for Food Lover's Guide to Portland will be at Fortune Tattoo on Thursday, July 1st from 6-9pm. Come one, come all for food, drinks, music and more.

The kiwi tattoo I got from my man at Fortune Tattoo. His first tattoo in the new shop.

It's going to be a huge party with food and drink from a whole bunch of generous local folks featured in the book including Captured By Porches Brewing Company, Newman's Fish Company, Cheese Bar, Pix Patisserie, Cork, Laurelhurst Market, Xocolatl de David, Hot Lips Soda, and more.

Help me fill this space. The more the merrier! (photo courtesy of Sarah Law www.sarahlawphotography.com)

If you, or the business that you work for, are in the book and want to make a food and drink donation to the party please be in touch. There will also be a very exciting prize that we're going to give away during the party to a lucky book buyer. More details soon...

Where I hope you'll be on the evening of July 1st. (photo courtesy of Sarah Law www.sarahlawphotography.com)

Book launch party Food Lover's Guide to PortlandFortune Tattoo, 1716 E Burnside, Portland, OR Thursday, July 1st 6-9pm Food, drink, music, books

Check out more of Sarah Law's excellent photography: www.sarahlawphotography.com

IACP Conference in Portland -- Quick Thoughts...

A few months back I learned that the 2010 IACP conference (International Association of Culinary Professionals) was scheduled to take place in Portland in the spring and I thought -- sounds interesting, I should check out some events. Once I found out more about the association and its conference -- and to put it bluntly more about the cost to attend -- I decided to volunteer for some of the spendier events and blog about and attend the less expensive ones.

Turns out I judged it right. By volunteering I not only got to attend a lot of fantastic events, I also got to know a lot of local Portlandfood folks that I've been wanting to meet, as well as catch up with somelocal friends. It was a charmed and memorable week for me. Here are some of the highlights...

Quite the honor to host these two for Portland's IACP conference...

I held this up at the airport last week because I was lucky enough to be asked to pick up this culinary powerhouse couple from the airport and take them to their hotel. They were exhausted from their NYC->PDX flight so I did little more than take them on a quick loop of downtown so they could get their bearings. They've been to Portland a bunch but it had been a couple years.

Even though it was a short trip from the airport and they were exhausted Karen and Andrew were nice enough to ask me a bunch of questions about my wee book and give me some expert advice on marketing it. (This is simply to let you know how freaking nice they are.) It turns out their first book was a summer title too!

Other than Michael Ruhlman calling "Bullshit!" on Karen during a lively panel talk they had a lovely time doing everything from hosting an all-star dinner at Leftbank Annex to benefit The Culinary Trust with Naomi Pomeroy, Steve Jones, Adam Sappington, Jason French and others, to talking about the death of recipes, and signing copies of The Flavor Bible at the IACP Culinary Book Fair...

That's another one of the many events I volunteered for. At the beginning of my shift I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to find Madhur Jaffrey (!!) asking me to escort her to her signing table. Well, yes, I think I can do that. Along the way we passed all sorts of well-known writers all signing away and chatting with fans...

Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg at the Culinary Book Fair..

Linda Ziedrich my pickling and now preserving hero...

Linda Ziedrich my pickling and now preserving hero…

and many more including the likes of Ruth Riechl, Judith Jones, Kim Severson, Michael Ruhlman, along with plenty of local cookbook authors.

That's all I have time to say right now but I'll be back for at least one more installment about the IACP conference. For now I've got to hurry up and finish up at the office so I can get over to this big PDX food/drink event happening tonight...

International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) www.iacp.com

Taste of the Nation -- April 26th at Luxe Autohaus

I've never been to Share Our Strength's annual Taste of the Nation but if I'm not too exhausted from IACP and other events the weekend of April 23rd I'm going to finally check out this Monday, April 26th event -- the 23rd annual Taste of the Nation. 100 percent of the proceeds benefit local hunger relief agencies. Doesn't get much more feel good than that.

The gist is you buy a ticket for $75 and up and get to sample unlimited tasty food and drink from local chefs, brewers, mixologists, food entrepreneurs and more.

***Check back with my blog next week for a chance to win two free general admission tickets to this fantastic event!***

Here are some highlights straight from the event press materials:

50 Restaurants 25 Wineries 5 Breweries ONE mission to End Childhood Hunger

Oregon is a state known for its abundant production of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, and yet 1 in 6 kids in Oregon experience food insecurity and do not receive proper nutrition to grow and develop. Taste of the Nation works to end childhood hunger in the United States and abroad by ensuring that children and their families have reliable access to nutritious food, and by addressing the deeper causes of these conditions.

100% of the evening’s ticket and auction revenues will be given to hunger-relief efforts. Local beneficiaries o Oregon Food Bank, o Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force, o St. Vincent de Paul Food Recovery Program, o Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank.

Since its inception in 1988, Taste of the Nation Portland has raised more than $1.1 million for hunger relief.

Taste of the Nation Portland is one of more than 55 food-and-wine fundraising events taking place across the U.S. and Canada, sponsored by Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger.

Sample of Participating Restaurants: Andina Bluehour Clarklewis Firehouse La Calaca Comelona Laurelhurst Market Nuestra Cocina Saint Cupcake Screen Door Simpatica Steve's Cheese LUXE and VIP GEMS: Beaker & Flask Beast Genoa Gruner Thistle

Beverages: Argyle Elk Cove Vineyards Foris Vineyards Winery Willamette Valley Vineyard Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards Illahe Vineyard Pamplin Family Winery Cooper Mountain Vineyard Chehalem Premium Wines Adelsheim Full Sail Brewing Southern Oregon Brewing Sierra Nevada Captured by Porches Crater Lake Soda

Cupcake Jones cupcakes from last year's Taste of the Nation...

100 percent of proceeds go to local and national hunger relief agencies.

Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation Monday, April 26th 5-9pm LUXE Autohaus 410 NE 17th Ave. Portland, OR 97232 www.shareourstrength.org/portland For tickets, call 1-877-26TASTE, buy them online at www.portlandtaste.org, or visit any New Seasons Market.