Portland by Mouth food tour Archives

Food Tours in Portland During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Posted on January 14, 2021March 14, 2021 by Sherri

When the pandemic first hit us in March of 2020, food tours in Portland shut down. Along with everything else in Portland. And the world for that matter!

Here in Portland, we were slow to reopen. This was a good thing, as far as controlling the spread of the virus. Many restaurants pivoted to take out only. While take out is not the same experience as dining onsite, it was a lifeline to keep many establishments afloat.

We adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic with outdoor dining

By late June, outdoor dining reopened and boy was that liberating! I guess the saying “appreciate the little things” aptly applies to one of life’s greatest pleasures, dining with friends at eateries. And in those few summer months, we learned a lot about the virus as well as a lot about how to resume living safely amidst the pandemic. Namely, about how practicing public health measures (mask wearing, social distancing, frequent hand washing and avoiding indoor spaces with strangers). This would allow businesses to reopen, and patrons to remain safe.

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Food Carts in Portland – the Story Behind the Icon

Posted on April 20, 2020April 23, 2020 by Sherri

I will admit, I hesitate to write this article, because what could I possibly say about food carts in Portland that has not already been said? Probably nothing, but it has been fun for me to travel down some rabbit holes, learning the history of how food carts have become synonymous with Portland.

Officially, the food cart scene blew up in 2008, during the Great Recession. Although that was 95 years after the first food cart set up moveable shop in Portland. As you can imagine, the cart was pulled by a horse back then!

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Nostrana’s Famous Radicchio Salad

Posted on April 7, 2020April 23, 2020 by Sherri

Before diving deep into what makes Nostrana’s famous radicchio salad so awesome, let me mention that Nostrana has been open for fifteen years in Portland, Oregon. In terms of the life of a restaurant, fifteen years is pretty much forever. Which means chef Cathy Whims is doing a few things right. Cathy and her husband David West opened Nostrana in 2005, in the heart of the Buckman neighborhood, which encompasses the Central Eastside Industrial District. With the coziness of the wood decor and pizza oven inside and the patio seating outside, it very much has a neighborhood bistro feel to it.

For decades, Cathy has been a frequent traveler to Italy, where she has built friendships, strengthened her relationship to Italian cooking, and studied with the famous Marcela Hazan. Lucky for her (and us), Italian cuisine adapts very well to the Pacific Northwest. Mainly because they both draw on the natural bounty of the region, supporting local farmers, fisherman and ranchers. Starting with the best ingredients and creating rustic, simple dishes, can result in some of the most complex and tastiest food. I read a quote by her that really struck a chord, “at Nostrana, the farmers and the ingredients cultivate the menu”.

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Making Hard Cider is Not at All Hard

Posted on April 1, 2020April 23, 2020 by Sherri

Fermenting apples and apple juice into hard cider carries an air of mystique amongst so many of us. It seems like it is difficult and elusive and complicated. I am happy to tell you it is none of those. Although as a disclaimer, getting consistent fermentation results on a large-scale basis and running a business IS difficult and complicated.

But for the lay person, fermenting cider at home is basically like cooking. Although instead of using the stove or oven to cook apples, you are using a glass container to house apple juice and yeast for a few months.

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What’s Russian Cuisine? Find out at Kachka

Posted on March 11, 2020April 15, 2020 by Sherri

I laughed really hard when I read the introduction to Kachka chef, Bonnie Morales’ cookbook, Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking. She tells the story of when she and her husband Israel were opening Kachka in 2013 and they interfaced with contractors, inspectors, vendors, food writers, banks, potential employees. In short, in every discussion, once she mentioned her restaurant to be would serve food from the former Soviet Union, she was met with blank stares, long pauses and confusion.

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Why I Adore Good Salt – Portland’s Salt Shops

Posted on February 8, 2020April 15, 2020 by Sherri

The short answer is because good salt makes everything taste better! I have loved cooking since I was about two. And for many years, traveling around and being a scratch cook, I have preached “if you give me oil, vinegar, salt and a cooking source – I can make just about anything taste good.” Well, to my delight, a couple decades after I first said that, I happened upon Samin Nostrat’s book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat AND Portland’s salt shops.

A friend told me about it and I sheepishly admit it took me a while to get it, because I thought to myself “yeah, I already know that, I’ve been saying and living the philosophy for years.” Well, I am happy I got over my ego and acquired the book because it is an absolute goldmine of information. Samin really delves into each of the elements and, I promise you, there is something to be learned no matter how long you have been aligning yourself with your allies Salt, Fat, Acid and Heat.

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What are Arepas? Find Out at Teote

Posted on January 8, 2020October 20, 2020 by Sherri

Practically everyone has heard of a tortilla, but not everyone has heard of an arepa. Not having traveled to South America, I wasn’t familiar with arepas until I ate at Teote, years ago in Portland.

It all starts with corn. Corn is important to Latin American cultures. So much so, that there are prayers and celebrations in honor of this life giving plant, which is maize in Spanish.

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So What Makes a Smaaken Waffle so Tasty Anyway?

Posted on December 8, 2019April 19, 2020 by Sherri

Guess what? There are a lot of types of waffles out there. Because we live in a big world and people all over love waffles! The most popular types are Dutch waffles and Belgian waffles. But let’s not forget the American waffle, the Italian style waffle and varieties of Asian style waffles (from Hong Kong to Vietnam).

Portland is well represented with waffles and I will admit I declared one of my favorites sometime last year. All it took was one bite into a Smaaken Waffle and I was hooked. When I learned that the word smaaken is Dutch for tasty, it was so obviously befitting. In fact, Smaaken Waffle is one of my overall favorite food carts in Portland and my go to on a regular basis, even when I am not bringing people there for the Bustling Buckman Food Tour.

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Fun Facts about Chocolate – Portland Food Tours

Posted on November 2, 2019April 12, 2020 by Sherri

A really sublime chocolate experience is heavenly. And chocolate is a health food and has been considered such for eons. Only in relatively recent times has chocolate been denigrated to junk food, because of the additions of so much milk and sugar. It shouldn’t surprise you that a self-proclaimed foodie has a bookshelf full of books about food. Many cookbooks, but also a lot of books that focus on a single ingredient, or the cultural aspects of food. So I whipped out my book The Chocolate and Coffee Bible and dug around for some fun facts about chocolate.

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Weirdest Wine Shop in Portland – Pairings Portland

Posted on October 4, 2019April 12, 2020 by Sherri

Pairings Portland’s claim to fame is “Weirdest Wine Shop in Portland.” I have not patronized enough wine shops to firmly agree, yet still, I agree! The weirdness is undoubtedly part of its charm and so is the fact that it is totally unpretentious and uber quirky. Additionally, there is a focus on organic wines (from organic grapes) and natural wines (no added yeast).

The first time I went in was Tarot reading night. A man in a wizard hat did a simple tarot reading to address whatever question I asked. After that, he did a tarot reading to assess my mood. The three cards he selected yielded states of being and I brought them up to the counter and then it was the wine expert’s task to find me a wine that fit my mood. How fun!

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