If it's an Heirloom does that mean it's old?

Living in PDX had given me a new perspective on produce. You've heard me go on and on about all of the neighborhood farmer's markets but the truth is that I've never been more connected to the seasonality of a regions produce as I am here. I make it a point to get out to the farmer's markets every other week or so to see what is fresh and get inspired to create healthy dishes with what is available.

One of my favorite produce items are heirloom tomatoes. They look like something that's come through a nuclear war with odd shapes, strange colors, and a range of sizes. They are beautiful in their variations and I usually end up picking them based on color more than anything else (which I am sure is not the best way). Inevitably I take them home and make bruschetta, tomato salad, and anything else I can toss them into and liven up with their many varied colors.

But what are heirloom tomatoes? Why do they look like something from another planet? And what's up with other produce that claims to be 'heirloom'. Well CNN's new food blog: Eatocracy had a great entry and I thought it gave a great explanation on what this all means.

Once we get a place with a yard I am going to try my hand at growing heirloom tomatoes and a slew of herbs!

Am I Wine-ing too much?

In case you didn't know Oregon is known for some amazing wine, most notably Pinot Noir. However I am finding that there is much more than pinot noir in them thar' hills and most of it is great! With Dan being in the wine industry (he's a tasting room manager at Wines of Oregon) we certainly get some benefits. We've been able to meet some amazing wine makers and really develop a love and passion for the wine here in Oregon. Don't get my wrong, the pinots are spectacular but there is so much more to love. The wine region closest to PDX is the Willamette Valley. This is THE heart of pinot country. Spectacular pinots come out of this region all the time along with some great whites and blends. Then there is Southern Oregon which is gaining in popularity for it's bold reds and red blends. Of course there is the Walla Walla region up near the Washington border. It's mind-boggling and Dan is much better versed in it all than I.

What I do know is that we have some great wine pretty close. The closest region is Dundee Hills and Newberg. These great little towns have some well known names like Erath and Sokol Blosser and some really small wineries that are gems. We took our latest visitor on a mini-wine tour and tasted some great wines from the Dundee Hills.

We samples some amazing wines and even took a few home. With wine country in my back yard it's no wonder I wine so much.

Summer in the City

It's summer in PDX and I am finding this city to be more alive now than any other season so far. It seems like every weekend brings new festivals, street fairs, events, and reasons to gather friends around some delicious food and libations and laugh until the sun goes down.

We threw our first big dinner party at the house this past weekend. Coffee and spice rubbed bone-in ribeyes, grilled Walla Walla onions and zuchini, roasted brussel sprouts and tomatoes, pasta salad, cheddar cheese, bacon, and chive biscuits... well you get the idea. It was a great evening full of good food and new friends. Beer was the beverage of the night and with such amazing local ales how could we drink anything else? On hand were Full Sail and Deschutes. Toss in a glass of two of wine from Palotai and/or Hillcrest vineyards and it was a lot of fun.

By the way, if you haven't had wine from Palotai or Hillcrest- you gotta put them on your list. They are located in southern Oregon near Roseburg. Palotai makes some amazing, bold red blends- Bull's Blood is by far my favorite. Hillcrest makes some great warm-weather varietals like syrah and zin. They are both small producers so that makes it even sweeter when you get a taste. 

I attended my first movie in the park. It was Pretty in Pink. Basically the city and parks department does these free screenings on Friday night at different parks around the city. You  show up with your blanket and picnic food and watch. The evenings are so gorgeous here that it is a great way to end the week. The next one is Princess Bride. The thought that I would miss that is Inconcievable!

Then there is the Bite of Oregon. Its another great food and wine festival. It features hundreds of local vendors sampling their wares.There were food carts, restaurants, breweries, wineries, and people galore! The event benefits the Special Olympics and seems to bring out the best in people.

We took a break from the Bite and decided to walk the Hawthorne and Morrison bridges. The Hawthorne bridge is 100 years old. The middle section of the bridge raises up, in its entirety, to allow tall ships to pass underneath.  Both bridges are lit at night with an array of colorful lights.

Summer in the city is turning out to be my favorite time of year. Cool mornings, warm days, and temperate evenings make the days feel amazing. Everyone seems so alive and they are all ready to be out among the fresh air and eachother.