New Seasons Happy Valley: Grand Opening

Hallelujah! Foodie praise to the great folks at New Seasons for opening up their largest store yet ... just down the street! (*boogie dance*)

Store Features:
Cooking Classes
Gelato Case
Organic Bakery
Café with a Cozy Fireside
Handmade Sushi
Fresh Noodle Bar
Deli & Rotisserie
Hot Pizza Oven, Wok, and Grill

...olive bar, fine chocolate, cheese, wine & beer stewards, book/paper section, great smelling candles, a pharmacy and much more.

Its 50,000 square feet of food-lovers paradise, that's staffed with some friendly people. You can even shop online and have it delivered for $9.95.

"We'll do whatever it takes to make New Season's Market the best shopping experience in town." And in the fine print, they include a squeeky wheel policy: "Our shopping carts will be oiled and maintained so they don't drag, squeak, or otherwise annoy you."
Gotta love that.

New Seasons Cooking School – to sign up call 503.558.9214

Introductory topics: Heirloom Tomatoes, Cooking the Spanish Way: Ole!, A Perfect Marriage of Craft Beer & Cheese, Gluten-Free Cooking

A New Twist

Cocktail garnishes that instantly give classic drinks a fresh look and flavor:
1. Caper Berries - place on stem in a martini
2. Kumquats - half and muddle in the bottom of rock drinks for citrus flavor & aroma
3. Basil - muddle instead of mint for mojito
4. Flaming Orange Peel - squeeze colored side of peel toward open flame: oils will ignite, showering the cocktail with smoke and sparks.
5. Spicy Sugar - a cayenne-spiked sugar rim heats up sweet-tart cosmo-styled drinks
6. Crystalized Ginger - in a Jack & Ginger of Moscow Mule
7. Lemongrass - place stalk in gin & tonic
8. Brandied Cherries - instead of maraschinos
9. Colored Salt - makes for a more vivid salted rim on margarita

-Bon Appétit

Crazy for Peanut Butter!

A new premium gourmet peanut butter franchise - great idea, and no trans fats. Now, if they'd only open a cafe in Oregon: PB Loco

What a Drag - its Back to Drip

As it turns out, drinking unfiltered coffee (coffee press) raises your (LDL=bad) cholesterol levels. Filters seem to remove most of the cholesterol-boosting substances found in coffee. Back to the drip. Drat.

Latte Art

View a wmv: Latte Art
(-thanks K)

Fresh Out of the Oven

I found myself dreaming of cupcakes today.


(Photo Credit)
Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker St, NY -
Sells 3,000 cupcakes a day at $1.50 each!

Check out these lovelies:
Cupcake Takes the Cake on Flickr.

Cute blog with fun ideas:
All Cupcakes, All the Time

I baked these last October. Don't worry, they're long gone.


The tastiest I've found in Portland so far has been over on Mississippi Ave. at Blue Gardenia. A wonderful handcrafted bakery and they roast their own coffee - mmn.

Looking forward to trying Saint Cupcake out in NW.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

Reviews: Novoandina Cuisine at Andina

Portland's first Peruvian restaurant, Andina (in the Pearl District), serves up our first taste of novoandina cuisine—a blend of Peru's contemporary cooking and older, deep-rooted Inca themes, such as quinoa and purple potatoes, and let me say... it is GOOD!

When they say Andina wakes up a lot of things, they mean it. The food combines local peppers with Pacific seafood, all while incorporating the Chinese and Japanese influences from the Pacific Rim. The hand-crafted cocktails are a delight (we tried several and ending up passing them around the table).

My favorite:
Sacsayhuaman
Rocoto pepper infused vodka, passionfruit pureé, sugar-rimmed martini glass and cilantro. Served up. Amazing!

The envirionment is sophisticated and possesses a lively energy, featuring Peruvian art, textiles, photo's and live Brazilian or flamenco music.

Andina entreé's are dramatically presented (the chef is also and artist), and food is sculpted like a mountain range on a plate. Aji, or hot pepper, finds it way into most sauces and dishes, sometimes as a teaser and sometimes as the main event. There is over 300 varieties grown in Peru.

One of the best elements is the staff. Top notch service from the moment we stepped in the door, and our night concluded with the creator, Mama Doris, personally thanking our table and sharing with us a bit about Peru’s traditions and stories. A very nice touch, indeed. Don't hesitate to ask for recommendations, they were right on each time. Its no wonder The Oregonian selected Andina's as its 'Restaurant of the Year'. We'll be back.

Located @ 1314 NW Glisan, Portland. Oregon 97209.
p. 503.228.9539

Did you know?
A LITTLE HISTORY...
Traditional Peruvian cooking is a hybrid of Spanish and native Indian foodways. Many staples, such as potatoes, corn, peanuts, chiles, and fresh seafood, date back to the Incan empire, which flourished in the Andes for thousands of years. When Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century, they brought European-style desserts and ingredients such as chicken, beef, and citrus fruits. Later, African, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese immigrants added to the mix, forming the spicy cuisine that is still cooked in many homes and restaurants today.
-Epicurious.com

Marionberry Mojito's

Lightly muddle a handful of fresh or frozen marionberries with 2 tsp. organic sugar and crushed mint; add 2-3 oz Crater Lake Vodka; top with soda water and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Portland Monthly, Oct. 2005

Frances's Kitchen

Did you know?
Carl & Frances Bryan were married at the church chapel August 21, 1938, at 8:00 a.m . Their guests enjoyed a wedding breakfast, and attended services and Sunday School afterword.

Spanish Rice
Saute until crisp: 3 slices bacon
Remove the bacon.
Stir and cook in the drippings until browned:
1/2 c. white rice (Uncle Ben's)
Add and cook until golden:
1/2 c. thinly sliced (or chopped) onions
Add the bacon and:
1 1/4 c. canned tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 seeded and minced green pepper
1 pressed clove garlic

Steam the rice in skillet with tight fitting lid, or in double boiler about 1 hour over low heat. Stir it frequently. Add water or stock if the rice becomes too dry. The recipe is very flexible.

*Note: Wayne's recipe substituted tomato sauce instead of canned tomatoes.


All-American Apple Pie
Pastry for Double-Crust Pie (see below)

6 cups thinly sliced cooking apples (2 lbs.)
1 T. lemon juice (optional)
1 c. sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1 T. butter or margarine
Sugar (optional)

Prepare + roll out pastry. Line a 9 inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Trim pastry to edge of pie plate.
1.) If apples lack tartness, sprinkle with the 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.
2.) In mixing bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. (for a very juicy pie omit flour)
3.) Add sugar mixture to the apples; toss to mix
4.) Fill pastry-lined pie plate with apple mixture; dot with butter or margarine. Cut slits in top crust for escape of steam; place pastry atop filling. Seal and flute edge.
5.) Sprinkle some sugar atop if desired. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in 375° oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, bake 20 to 25 minutes more till crust is golden. Cool pie on rack, Serve with ice cream if desired.


Pastry for Double-Crust Pie
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening or lard (she suggests Crisco)
6 to 7 T. cold water

In medium mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender (or fork) cut in shortening till the pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. water over part of mixture, gently toss with a fork. Push to side of bowl. Repeat till all is moistened. Form dough into 2 balls.

1.) On lightly floured surface, flatten one ball of dough with hands. Roll dough from center to edge, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Ease pastry into pie plate being careful to avoid stretching pastry. Trim pastry even with rim on plate.
2.) For top crust roll out second ball of dough. Cut slits for escape for steam.
3.) Place desired filling in pie shell. Top with pastry for top crust. Trim top crust


Cranberry Meat Balls
2 lbs. lean hamburger
1 c. corn flake crumbs
1/3 c. dried parsley
2 eggs
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. catsup
2 T. minced dried oinion.

Mix together and form into 60 small balls. Put single layer in shallow pan and cover with sauce (below).

Cranberry Sauce
1 can jellied cranberries
12 oz. bottle chili sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. lemon juice

Cover meatballs and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Can be made ahead and reheated.

Rice Dish
(serve with meatballs if desired)
1 medium onion auted in 1/2 c. margarine
1 can mushroom soup
1 can consumé soup
1 can mushrooms or saute some fresh mushrooms
1 cup raw instant rice

Saute onion, add soups and mushrooms. Pour rice in frying pan last. Put all in casserole and bake 1 1/2 hours at 325°


Potluck Potato Salad
(serves 12 to 15)
3 T. vinegar
2 tsp. mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
9 medium potatoes (3 lbs.)
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onion
3 hardboiled eggs, chopped
2 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tsp. salt
paprika

Combine vinegar, mustard seed and celery seed, let stand for several hours.In covered saucepan cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 25 to 30 minutes or till tender. Drain. Peel and cube potatoes. In large bowl sprinkle potatoes with a little salt. Add celelry, onion, and eggs, toss lightly. Combine mayonnaise, salt and vinegar mixture. Add to potato mixture, toss to mix vegetables. Chill. Sprinkle with paprika.

Ida's Kitchen

From the handwritten recipe box of Ida Marie Stefani,
in honor of a great cook.

Did you know?
The first day of married life, Ida cried because she couldn't fry an egg.

Biscotti
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 lb. butter
2 tsp. aniseseed extract
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup walnuts.

Roll and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Slice and toast.


Barbecued Spare Ribs
Cut into small pieces, 2 lbs. of ribs. Place them in a pan. Cover with waxed paper. Bake the ribs in a very hot oven, 500° for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°

Sauté until brown 1/2 cups chopped onions in 1 T. fat.

Add and simmer for 20 minutes:
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 T. brown sugar
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika

Remove the waxed paper and pour sauce over meat. Bake ribs for 1 hour more, baste frequently.


Chicken Piccata
6 chicken skinless breasts
Flour
1 c. butter
1/2 c. dry white wine
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt, Pepper
1/2 c. chopped parsley

Dredge chicken breasts in flour. Melt butter over low heat, add chicken and brown. Add wine,half the lemon juice and season to taste. Sprinkle parsley over chicken. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice. Place chicken on platter and pour pan juices over chicken.

More to come.