Phoodfotos Graduates!

June 11 started offensively early…

This little cinnamon bite distracted me for a mere moment.

The cinnamon whiskey we consumed in the parking lot, however, proved quite the welcome distraction… and got us through the largest graduation in Oregon State University history.  GO BEAVS!

After we officially graduated, the ladies (and phamilies) headed to Cappie’s Brewhouse in Albany to celebrate over lunch.  Of course, I had wings (but honestly, I was so distracted by the unbelievable chile-infused beer I had with it, that I can hardly recall if they were any good!)

I stole some phried green beans… and I DO remember those being delicious (with a superb wasabi dipping sauce…)

I indulged in a tasty Reuben sando with a side of tots for my main course.  Dee-phreaking-licious!

Pops and I then headed to Portland and checked into our hotel (The Nines… I would be lying if I said I liked it… I LOVED it!)

We then met some of his clients for drinks and nibbles at Clyde Common.

I started out with some “Heavy Petting” (shouldn’t all good evenings?) which was a pleasant concoction of Monopolowa vodka, grapefruit juice, Aperol, quinine syrup and a lemon peel.

That went nicely with a marinated olive and almond snack.

Next, I moved on to a “B.M.O.C.” (bourbon, raw ginger syrup, Angostura bitters and soda water).  Hello, phriend!!!

Our pecan praline and sea salt chicharrones snack was completely unnecessary …and completely phabulous.

Phoodfotos tested out its new “calling card” stamp before departing for dinner…

It was then on to Gruner for an alpine-inspired celebration dinner with Pops.

An “Aquabeet” started my night rather distinctly and pleasantly, I must say.

Their house bread was some of the most enjoyable I’ve phound in a long time.

Gruner’s Liptauer (a house made cheese with caraway, paprika, shallots and herbs) served with radishes, celery and pretzels was unique, vibrant and unexpectedly delicious.

The shaved radish salad with dill, chervil, chives, toasted pumpkin seeds, cider vinegar and pumpkin seed oil was beautiful and refreshing.

I snagged a spoonful of Pops’ pea soup.  Normally, I detest pea soup because it tastes so strongly of ham (and I’m not such a phan), but this bite made me wish I’d have had the opportunity for more.

Spaetzle with braised chicken and cremini mushrooms and Phava beans, cooked with riesling, creme phraiche, tarragon and crispy shallots became my dinner.  I’ve had spaetzle on the brain since Tasty N Sons, and while I did enjoy Tasty N Sons’ interpretation of spaetzle a wee bit more than Gruner’s, I really enjoyed this dish.

Pops is an excellent eating companion, as he has learned to acquiesce to my eating demands and ordering whims… and is almost always willing to share plates with me.  As such, I was able to have the duck breast schnitzel with bing cherry rhubarb sauce and cucumber & yellow potatoe salad as my “second dinner”.  Simply said- excellent.

And who could resist jelly donuts for dessert?  Not us!

(Although I have a bone to pick with the city of Portland, as it seems every restaurant who offers “donuts” on their menu actually mean “donut holes”.  Now don’t get me wrong, they were delicious… but do you see a hole in the middle of those tasty little treats?  Neither do I.  Maybe I need to alter MY definition of “donut”.  Ok, who am I kidding?… Back to reality.)

Much to my disappointment, I didn’t learn until the next morning that a phriend and phollower of phoodfotos, Eric Purugganan, is sous chef at Gruner!  I am glad, however, that I consulted with the correct locals when I picked our restaurants and was obviously steered to an exemplary establishment.

As such, I’d like to send Mister Purugganan a shout out and share a phew images from a pheature from the Montavilla Pharmers Market last month.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jemangepdx/5899605749/

A little birdie also told me that he earned the People’s Choice award for his Bread & Butter Pickles at Portland’s phirst annual Kenny and Zuke’s pickle competition.

Keep up the phabulous phood work, phriend!

Last Day on Earth?

I brought a breakfast of a white nectarine along with me as I phlew my oh so phamiliar route to Portland on Phriday, the 20th.

Perfectly ripe stone phruit is my version of ambrosia…

My phlight was delayed (this was the phirst time I’ve had a delay on this route, which I’ve been phlying monthly for two years now!) and then the rental car company computer crashed, so I made it to class an hour late… leaving no time for real phood.

Unfortunately that translated to me phalling victim to  mini cupcakes:

But then class got out early and me ‘n the girls had enough time to run to Kraven’s for a drink and wings before our next one!  Sadly, the wings were a little sweet and slimy and a lot  gross.

So when we got back to school, I ate a Snickers.  They say they really satisfy…

…Turns out they don’t.

So some nice lady was wandering around school offering some cilantro-phree Mexican phood.  So I said “si”!

It ended up being a good thing I ate so darn much during the day, because when the whole class descended upon the unsuspecting Abella Italian Kitchen for dinner, they didn’t know what him ’em.  It took phorever and a day to get our phood, but when it phinally arrived, it was pretty tasty.

I ordered the Chianti Burger to show support for National Hamburger Month.  I ditched most of the bread, because it wouldn’t phit in my mouth.

Ha!  That’s what she said…

I then got “tagged” on my way out the door after dinner.  I assure you this had absolutely nothing to do with the entire bottle of sparkling wine I consumed single-handedly.

What???  I was having my phinal hurrah before the rapture, of course!

A group of us got hotel rooms close to campus that night and classes it up with some Mini Phig Newtons for dessert.  They paired excellently with the second bottle of sparkling…

Amazingly, when I got up the next morning, I did NOT pheel like death… nor did the world end at 6pm.

Only one of these was surprising to me.

Tasty! (N Sons)

Phriday was a BIG day, as it was the day of phinal defense of my graduate school portfolio.

I credit the leftover Bridgeport Brew Pub pizza I scarfed down for breakfast as we rushed to school with the brain power necessary to succeed.

I celebrated my successful defense in the time-honored tradition that scholars maintain…  that, or a group of us went to the only place around still serving breakfast (which was a Shari’s Restaurant– what can I say other than “when in Wilsonville”) and indulged in a horribly caloric (and sadly not one that possessed phlavor that would warrant said level of calories) second breakfast/lunch.

(I HATE the concept of “brunch”, hence why I refuse to use it in this context, or any for that matter…)

I phorgot my camera so had to use my phone for the shots at Shari’s.  The biscuits were not so hot.

The bacon was… well… bacon, therefore it was stupendous.

During class that afternoon (and yes, I still have a month of class even though my portfolio is complete), I noshed on this tasty nibble of goodness that was so kindly provided by one of my phellow cohortians (as was the party blower thingamajig)…

Then we REALLY celebrated!  The girls & I went out on the town and tried a restaurant I’d been meaning to for quite a while now.

I’ve heard an awful lot about Tasty N Sons.  Rarely do I believe the hype on any subject- most especially phood.  I’d attempted to go here back in Phebruary (with the late phella) and it had been packed (which ended up all well and good because that allowed us to discover Eat: An Oyster Bar in all its splendor.

So where do I start?  I went on a bit of an ordering phrenzy…

I started with a Ruby Platino signature cocktail (el jimador tequila, ancho chili, cassis, grapefruit & lime).  Hellooo, nurse!

We split the Phried Cauliflower & Olives with harissa cream- a truly intriguing blend of phlavors and textures.

We then shared the Pierogi with rhubarb compote & horseradish cream- What a combo!

I literally licked the plates of each starter (true, I have no shame)…

I then went for a second round with Tasty’s cocktail list and tried the Ginger Lime Rickey.  It was, well, for lack of a better term, tasty! 😉

I was high on phood just walking in the door, so I ordered with reckless abandon.  I should have known I was phully enamored with the spot when I phound myself ordering what the waitress recommended- Pork Cutlet with spaetzle & egg…

  I HATE pork. (Yes, I understand bacon comes from pigs… but in my reality they are entirely unrelated phood groups.)

Despite my belief that I hate pork, I scarfed down literally every morsel of edibleness on the plate with phervor.  The crisp english peas combined with the creamy, chewy spaetzle and the citrus on the pork all covered by a beautiful ooey gooey egg???  Come on, people!  This was some seriously phabulous stuff!  I even sent my compliments to the chef, which I normally pheel is a little pretentious (why should my opinion matter to the guy- he’s the expert, I’m just a glutton!), but after my piggish behavior, I think I may have phelt a need to justify.

We ended the meal with a phew Chocolate Potatoe Donuts…

Those little globules were the least tasty moment of the Tasty N Sons experience- just a little boring after such edible excitement.

Also, when I want a donut HOLE, I will order one.  When I want a donut and you tell me I’m ordering a donut, I’d like it to arrive in the shape of an O.  It helps me to get into the proper mindset of “O my God, why am I allowing myself to gorge like this!?!”