So this happened. I went on KGW and talked about pairing wine with Halloween candy!!! Now I know what some of you might be thinking. You did WHAT?! This is somewhat of a faux pas subject for many a wine writer. And there’s a good reason for that. Halloween candy and wine aren’t really a…
Wine
¡Salud! — 25 years of Making a Difference in the Willamette Valley
Vineyard work can be dangerous. In fact it can be deadly. Every year around harvest time we hear about accidents either in the vineyard or winery. Some of them are freak accidents. Many of them are preventable. Some of them are health related. But what happens when the vineyard or winery employee has no healthcare?…
Weekend Wine Love – Fall Wine Finds
Well this post is a bit overdue! Originally intended as my “September Wine Highlights” and then look what happened. It’s now nearly the end of Oct-friggin-ober. How did that happen?! That being said, it’s never too late to share some great wine finds, and I’m sure most of these wines are still hanging around waiting for…
Smoked Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps with Asian Dipping Sauce
Tired of traditional BBQ sauce? Try this sweet and savory Asian dipping sauce to jazz up your next batch of leftover smoked pulled pork! And since it’s Tuesday, skip the tortilla for Taco Tuesday and make some killer lettuce wraps instead. Boom. We’re total suckers for Taco Tuesday. I blame the Lego Movie. But seriously,…
Smoked Tri-Tip Fajitas
How to get smoke flavor into your fajitas by using Tri-Tip and slice thinly for incredible, tender, smoky, and savory steak fajitas. I think it’s safe to say Tri-Tip has become the number one cut of beef we cook around here lately. It has surpassed brisket, rib eye, and NY strip. The primary reason is that we cook…
What’s new at Ken’s Artisan Pizza?
Ken — a name that has become synonymous with some of the best pizza (and bread!) in Portland – has some exciting new additions to his well-known restaurant, which is now in its tenth year. Shortly after I moved to Portland Ken’s Artisan Pizza quickly became our favorite pizza joint. Fast forward ten years, owner Ken…
Feast Portland 2016 in Pictures
Feast Portland has come and gone, and wow! What a ride. This was my first time experiencing Feast Portland — the 4-day celebration of all things food and drink, including events, classes, panels, dinners, hands-on learning experiences, tasting, eating, and so much more — and it certainly lived up to my expectations. The Friday Grand Tasting was…
Milestones – ROCO 2013 ‘RMS’ Brut Sparkling Wine
Rollin Soles (the man behind Argyle Winery’s reputation for amazing sparkling wine) is back making bubbles with the release of the 2013 RMS Brut Sparkling Wine. Spoiler alert: it’s awesome! A legend. At least by Oregon sparkling wine standards that is. I’m talking about Rollin Soles; the man behind the first sparkling wine facility…
Smoked Lamb Meatballs for Incredible Pita Sandwiches
Smoked Lamb Meatballs, made with ground lamb shoulder, are jam-packed with flavor and a offer an awesome way to jazz up any pita sandwich! I never thought I’d be such a lamb fan. We never ate it growing up so I guess I was always a little weary of it. But I’ve really grown to…
Feast Portland is Coming Soon!!!
One of the annual culinary highlights of many a Portland foodie is coming next week. Feast Portland: September 15-18, 2016 What is Feast? Now, in case you’re not a Portland foodie, or have just been hiding under a rock (like I was the last few years), it is, from what I hear and read, one…
Summer 2016 in Photos…
… And some words. And also some emotional mom confessions. First, the fun stuff! Smoked Steak Skewers, served at an Ember and Vine event earlier this summer. The steak was smoked, then we cut it into chunks, skewered them, and finished them off on the grill for char! So good. Small bites paired with Bells Up…
Easy Smoked Trout Fillet and Wine Pairing
One of the easiest recipes you’ll find on this site — Smoked trout fillet, made without a brine. When I say “easy” I seriously mean it when it comes to this recipe. This is one of the simplest and tastiest go-to dinners we’ve enjoyed throughout this summer. This is NOT a cold smoked trout, and…
Increase Your Audience & Engagement: Presentation from The 2016 Wine Bloggers Conference
If you’re here for some delicious smoked food and wine pairings you won’t find them today. Instead we’re shifting gears to talk about blogging for a moment. So this happened last week! Sean and I traveled (with the kids in tow) to Lodi, California, to speak at the Wine Bloggers Conference. Immediately following the conference…
The Brooks Blending Experience Photo Essay & New Print Article on Oregon Wine Press
“In early May, five top sommeliers from around the country gathered at Brooks Winery to create a personalized Pinot Noir blend for each of their respective restaurant programs. In order to create a successful wine, they first had to understand what goes into a blend, and at Brooks, that means getting to know upwards of…
Show me the heat!
Refreshing summer white wines It’s usually around this time of the year when you see articles about things to help you “beat the heat,” whether it’s drinks, cocktails, activities, you name it. We started the summer out on a hot note. In May and even early June we saw some high numbers here in Portland…
Reverse Seared Ribeye Steak Tacos – Stretching your budget
How to take an expensive cut of meat, like a thick cut Ribeye steak, and stretch the portions so that you can have your steak without worry of breaking your budget. This is also a great recipe for any leftover ribeye or prime rib. But before we talk about these budget friendly steak tacos I wanted to…
Shut Up and Eat Your Vegetables at TeSóAria Winery — Vegan Thursdays!
TeSóAria winery’s North Portland tasting room is introducing Vegan Thursdays, and it’s definitely worth your while whether you’re a true plant-eating vegan meat-loving carnivore. My introduction to TeSóAria Winery is a fairly recent one, and a first time mention here on the blog. Vegan food and wine pairing is also something you won’t find frequently here. What…
Winner: Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog!!!
I’m stoked to announce that this here blog won the award for Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog at the Wine Blog Awards! This is how we celebrate around these parts! I’m honored to receive this award and grateful to all who have supported this blog over the (many) years we’ve been…
Smoked BBQ Tofu Bowls (Vegan)
Smoked BBQ Tofu bowls will please vegans and meat lovers alike. This is an easy, delicious, and healthy(!) vegan and gluten-free recipe for the smoker or grill that everyone will love! Smoked BBQ Tofu for Meat Lovers, Vegetarians, and Vegans We all know that my husband lives and breathes for meat. But he married a…
Announcement (Wine Blog Awards) and Deep Gratitude
Happy Friday! Yesterday, as I was just finishing up touring an incredible organization based in the Willamette Valley, ¡Salud!, (an organization I’ve been wanting to write about for a very very long time) I found out some exciting news. My blog was nominated for the Wine Blog Awards, in two categories – Best Original Photography…
Oregon Wine Love – Your Official Touring Guide is Here!!!
Have you seen the new Official Oregon Wine Touring Guide?! (And guess who has an article in it? More on that in a minute…) To celebrate the near end of Oregon Wine Month I wanted to share an exciting new publication out for any Oregon wine lover, near or far. The Oregon Wine Board has…
Smoked Salmon and Dungeness Crab Cakes with Oregon Chardonnay
Smoked Salmon and Dungeness Crab Cakes are what happens when the dynamic duo of Dungeness crab and smoked salmon join forces with a killer Oregon Chardonnay… I have a bit of an obsession with Oregon Chardonnay, and this wine is among my favorites. You might remember that last year I paired the 2013 Knudsen Chardonnay…
Smoked Beef Short Ribs
These Smoked Beef Short Rib are cooked low and slow until rich and incredibly tender. This is the ultimate comfort food. Today we have a recipe I’m super excited about! Smoked beef short ribs, slowly smoked until tender and rich and incredibly delicious. This is what I request every year for Mother’s Day because it’s…
Smoked Chicken Tacos — and feeding a crowd for Cinco de Mayo
Feliz Cinco de Mayo! I know I know I know, the last thing you probably need right now is ANOTHER blog post filled with Cinco de Mayo ideas. Or maybe I’m wrong? Maybe you woke up this morning and it finally dawned on your that today is the day, and you feel like being a…
