PDX July 18-21, 2012

The temps were no higher than 80F. Quite a change from KC’s triple digits.
We hit the Deschutes Brewery (great steamer clams there) and the Rogue Brewery “substations” in the Pearl District. Deschutes had better beers & food. Esp. the draft only Arsenal XPA. Deschutes is $6.99 in the grocery stores there. Perhaps Boulevard might take a hint.

Looks like Rogue’s VOODOO DOUGHNUT Maple Bacon ale is being remaindered with the pink t-shirts. Bad idea, maple bacon ale.

At the Japanese garden in Washington Park, PDX.

Great Lebanese at Habibi and great sushi at SinJu. We were staying in the Pearl District and had no need of a car. $2.50 on the light rail to the airport from downtown.

End of Two weeks in Kansas City.

Well, the high point turned out to be during the 4.5 hour layover in DFW where I got to meet one of my culinary heroes. I was at a gate in the D concourse where my Richmond flight was to leave after a flight to Mexico City left. It turned out the flight to Mexico City was delayed and an elderly lady sat down across from me. I noticed that DSK was inscribed upon her rolling duffle and she looked familiar. I went over to her and said:

“Pardon me, are you Diana Kennedy?”

She said she indeed was Diana Kennedy and we had about a 10 minute chat where I told her that I had most of her cookbooks and had really appreciated her work. She told me that she’s working with a couple of ethnobotanists on a huge volume on chiles and that she and José Andrés are planning to do a presentation at the Kennedy Center on the Deiz y Seis de Septiembre.

I asked if I could take a photo of her and she said “Get someone to take one of the both of us!” So here it is..

Una encuentra con la maestra!

After this, I had to check the departure screen and had to hoof it to concourse C.  I heard some guys saying that they’d seen Roger Staubach in the concourse.

Roger who?

~~~~~

The two weeks in KC were quite good, BTW.  I saw my wife,  and my son and his wife (for a few days on their way back to Toronto) and my mother-in-law, who had arrived Tuesday from Oregon.

We ate asian dumplings at BLUE KOI

Pork dumplings at BLUE KOI (we ate there three times!)

Great mezze at LITTLE EGYPT (sorry, no photo but here’s one of the Farmer’s Market which opens at 5:30AM. These guys aren’t “hobby farmers“! No sir!)

Kohlrabi

Samosas, kebabs, & rooh afza (a chilled & delicious pink rosewater & milk drink) at CHAI SHAI

Lamb kebab & rooh afza (we ate at Chai Shai twice)

and I made the rounds of various taquerias getting a fix of serious Mexican food which is not to common around here, except at LA MILPA

La Guacamalera (they make guacamole at your table in some places)

And several BOULEVARD ales were quaffed. BTW, BOULEVARD has joined up with DESCHUTES brewery from Bend, Oregon and they will be in the KC area in a few months. Be still my heart.

Oregon in February: Tacos y NWPA

I was out that way, attending the annual SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER FESTIVAL in Boring, Oregon last weekend. Not much happened there, but I did have the best tacos al pastor that I have ever had at the El Jaliscense taco truck near the Boring Fire Station.

I had the best tacos al pastor here...

Tacos tend to be no more than $1.50 out there. I find it difficult to pay the Richmond going rate for tacos of $2.50. They guys who charge this must be freakin’ chilangos. “y TAKOS! No me dijé..“

I also brought carne adobado tacos to my mother-in-law’s so we’d have a quick lunch. These were from a neighborhood taqueria called TACOS DEL SUR.
They were great, with radishes and 5 types of salsa available.

I like to get lunch for three people for under ten bucks!!

I went by the neon salmon, but bought nothing. I was going to make some clam chowder, but decided not to.

Hail the neon salmon!

And Deschutes Brewery has a great new Pale Ale. NWPA Red Chair. But oh, this is wonderful stuff.

Some of the best beer I have ever tasted in my life!