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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 2010)
FEA TU Rf t S e a s o n ’s E V HOLLA. GAYS! h i ]E a t i n g s A foodie waxes nostalgic on a few of her favorite things 1 BY AMANDA DEMANN “Raindrops on roses a n d whiskers on kittens B rig h t copper kettles a n d w arm woolen m ittens B row n paper packages tied up w ith strings These are a f e w o f m y fa v o rite things Cream-colored ponies a n d crisp apple strudels Doorbells a n d sleigh bells a n d schnitzel w ith noodles.. . 9 I can’t speak of the cream-colored ponies and assorted bells, but mmhmm for strudel and schnitzel. Yeah, it’s that time of year again— time to spend too much, eat too much and of course, drink too much. I love this season and its many layers. I love heavy food, red wine and whiskey. I love scarves and steamy glasses. And for crying out loud, I love fondue—what may be the most brilliant excuse for a meal known to man. H ot melted cheese that anything can be dipped into? It’s genius. (See recipe.) As is the hot toddy. And for that matter, elec tric blankets. But I digress. For the next month we look for any and all excuses to overindulge— and this season’s food is pretty tempting. Take winter squash, root vegetables, mountain cheeses like cave-aged Gruyere, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Comte or a secret tidbit that Steve Jones from Cheese Bar (6031 SE Belmont St., 503-222- 6014, stevescheese.biz) sold you from a rare lac- tating Burmese mountain dog. (I kid.) I salivate for sprouts—brussels cooked with bacon, butter and lots of garlic, braised pork belly and polenta. (I’m mad about any type of h . . - — — cooking that can be done drink in hand, and braising is one of them). I look forward to seasonal beers like D e schutes’ Jubelale, Ninkasi’s Sleigh’r and Laguni- tas’ Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale. Everything has extra calories this time of year— and that’s Oh. Kay. Salads are covered— trimmed, if you will— in Rogue Blue Cheeses (541-664-1537, roguecreamery.com) and Albi na City Nuts (503-956-9141, albinacitynuts. com). Cocktail parties swing with Olympic Provisions’ charcuterie (107 SE Washington St., 503-954-3663, olympicprovisions.com), homegrown spirits Pendleton W hisky and Im bue Vermouth and those perennial favorites, L it’l Smokies. New vintages of wine come out, like Cana’s Feast Counoise from the Columbia Valley or the Rogue Valley’s Boedecker Grenache. Fami lies’ deep freezers are freshly stocked with a Tails and Trotters’ hazelnut-finished pig they split with friends (tailsandtrotters.com). Oh, for the delightful comfort o f soups made thick by heavy cream, butter and potatoes. Fresh breads, too, warm from the oven dripping gold en with melted butter. And I can’t forget pies from Random Order (1800 N E Alberta St., 971-340-6995, randomordercoflfee.com), espe cially since they boast the best crust I have ex perienced in my life. (Sorry, grandma.) The old soul is warmed with Spanish coffees crafted tableside at Huber’s (411 SW Third Ave., 503-228-5686, hubers.com). That, and fi nally getting use out of my Netflix account, and having an excuse to wear sweatpants all the time. I’d be remiss not to mention getting to play hooky from work because of a half inch of snow on the ground, or the look on my girlfriend’s face when she’s opening presents. Oh, and not feeling guilty drinking at 3 p.m. because it gets dark at 5— that’s true holiday magic, folks. ‘Tis the season to relish eating half of the cookie dough I’ve made. The gratuitous and un- apologetic use o f clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. Straus organic egg nog (strausfamilycreamery. com). Maple candy. Finally being envious of people who live in Florida. Dogs in booties and sweaters. And have I mentioned whiskey? Sweater vests and thick socks and cuddling at night, hot damn. Appreciating holiday music for the first three days, packing on the winter weight together— on that note, my grandma’s divinity, my mom’s no-bake cookies and my aunt’s cranberry cake, whose sauce is made up of cream, butter and sugar. Traditional Prep time: 5 min. • Cook time: 10 min. Serves 4 Ingredients: 1/2 lb grated Emmentaler 1/2 lb grated Gruyere 1 clove garlic 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 1 tbsp lemon juice 3 tbsp flour pepper and nutmeg 2 loaves Italian or French bread cut into 1 inch cubes, crust on one side T o Moke: And while railing off this list o f my favorite things has made me homesick, I simply remem ber Minnesota’s weather— and all the tastes that Portland has to offer— and then I don’t feel so bad. End o f cheese. A m anda D e M a n n helped implement the cheese programs a t Blue hour, Urban Farmer, D avis Street Tavern a n d Sokol Blosser Winery. She currently gets her curd on at the Happy Valley N ew Seasons. Combine cheeses and sprinkle with flour (a plastic bag works). Rub inside o f fondue pot with cut garlic clove. Pour wine into pot and heat over medium heat until warm, not boiling. Add lemon juice, then cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly until melted and mixture has the consistency o f a creamy sauce. Add pepper and nutmeg to taste. Let boil once. Remove pot and put on lighted burner on table, adjusting the burner’s flame so fondue continues bubbling lightly. Spear fondue forks through bread cubes. D unk and stir well to bottom o f pot. URBAN F I B E R Quality yarns and fibers from the Northwest and beyond. 4 2 8 N W 1 1 th A v e . P o r t la n d , O R 5 0 3 -2 2 7 -S P IN (7 7 4 6 ) u r b a n f ib e r a r t s .c o m G ive a Q ift cff Q uality T ills leaser* Antiques, an expression o f longevity where quality remains long after price is forgotten. Dee Jordan c 1.541.921.0123 s 503.227.3933 1310 N W Natio Parkway, Suite 113. 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