When you look beyond the basic Portland travel guides, you’ll discover that there is so much more to explore in Oregon. It’s a place to get spontaneous, get loose and be wild.
While I’m working my way through Oregon’s 7 Wonders, I’m also learning all about Oregon’s vast history and taking in views of the ocean, the mountains, the valleys, the high desert, the cities, small towns, and everything in between.
Travel Oregoninvited me to take a tour with them through Central and Eastern Oregon and I had a blast getting to know this stunningly beautiful, lesser travelled side of the Beaver State.
I have been living in Oregon for a few years now, yet I have never been further than Mt. Hood. I knew this trip out East was bound to be an adventure. Our journey would take me and a few other foodies, writers, editors and chefs about 3.5 hours East of Portland proper.
Our first adventure was with the Imperial Rafting Co. the little town of Maupin, Oregon. Population 418. The city is a whopping 1.45 square miles, but what it lacks in size it makes up in outdoor adventures.
12:30 PM We suited up for our first adventure, a white water rafting excursion down the Deschutes River.
12:45 PM We get off the little yellow bus and our awesome guide, Brian teaches us the basics of rafting and some important tips so we don’t get into trouble once on the water. He was everything you’d expect (and want) in a guide; He was funny, safe, knowledgeable and full of hilarious stories. He also had that oh-so-perfect Oregonian beard situation going on.
The rules according to Brian…
#1 — Always look ahead
#2 — Keep your hand on your oar so it doesn’t become a weapon (insert gif of me knocking someone out – oops!)
#3 — If you fall in the water — don’t freak out!
There were a lot more rules like that last one and we all looked at each other nervously. I think I was calmer than most in our group because I had done some rafting before. I knew what to expect, but I had never been on the Deschutes before so I had no idea just how cold that water was going to be! Regardless, I was spending too much time fumbling with my GoPro helmet cam to be worried about the water. I was actually more concerned with whether or not I had pressed the record button.
1:15 PM It wasn’t long before we were approaching our first rapid. Brian suggested since I had a camera on my head, it might be fun for me to “ride the bull” I had no idea what this meant, but I eagerly jumped at the chance for a thrill. “Oh, wait, you want me to do what??” He explained that I was to sit on the edge of the raft with my legs dangling over. I was to “ride” the raft like it was a bull, and try not to fall off the front and get run over. “Gulp.” What exactly did I sign up for!? Oh well, Here goes nothing…
1:18 PM We ride our first 3.0 rapid and I FALL (into the raft) and almost die… laughing. It was a truly team bonding experience and my fellow rafters were eager to try “riding the bull” too, right after I had been the guinea pig.
2:30 PM We take a break to jump off a mini rock cliff. Temps today were in the upper 90’s so it was refreshing to take a dip in the water.
3:00 PM The first time one of our raft-mates falls in the water!! Oh no! Suddenly our gingerly stroll down the water became a rescue mission… for his shoes!! and our water bottles!! and hats!!
4:17 PM I jump in the water to swim a 2.5 rapid! (props to Nike’s swim classes for giving me the confidence to do something like this!) Brian said afterwards “You’re going to sleep really well tonight!” #spoileralert — I DID.
5:00 PM The first time I notice that our little yellow bus has been following us down on the road adjacent to the river. Are we getting out here? Not just yet — he’s been secretly taking our photos. We all wave!! We don’t want it to end just yet!
5:15 PM The wind is starting to blow much harder, and since our backs are to the sun, it’s getting colder too. We all depart our raft and survey the items we lost (a hat, a flip flop, my GoPro clip) and we gift these items to the river. (tip: When rafting, don’t bring anything you wouldn’t shower in and don’t bring anything you wouldn’t want to part with)
5:30 PM Riding the little yellow bus back to the lodge for a nice hot shower. I’d say we’ve worked up an appetite.
6:30 PM Fabulous dinner at the Imperial River Co. restaurant. The chef is also the daughter of the owners, and also the teacher at the local school. Oh, and guess who else made a reappearance? The bartender in the Imperial Bar was none-other-than our trusted raft guide… Brian! (like I said, this is a small town.)
Here are some of the dishes we enjoyed. This lamb from a local purveyor was probably one of the tastiest cuts I’ve had in a long time.
(Pics of dinner)
7:22 PM As if we weren’t spoiled enough. One of our travel companions was also a wine maker. He brought some of his amazing Pinots for us to have with dinner.
And, as if on cue, the neighborhood dogs played chase with each other up and down the river just as the sun started to set behind us. Such a memorable sight.
9:20 PM Sipping wine and gazing at the fireplace. I didn’t want to say goodnight just yet, so I sat by the fire, and reminisced about our awesome day rafting down the Deschutes.
What a perfect way to end a perfect day.
Imperial River Company is the only resort located on the banks of the Deschutes River in Maupin, OR. Offering guided bird hunting and whitewater raft trips, 25 Oregon-themed rooms and an exceptional riverfront dining experience.
If you’re looking to craft a unique journey through Oregon, I recommend just going to the Travel Oregon website. It’s really easy to customize your trip based on the things you like — rafting, camping, SUPing, ranching, snowboarding, climbing whatever. They have trips all planned out too… you can rough it or go as easy as you like. Anyone who considers themselves an outdoorsy person should plan a trip and spend sometime getting to know this beautiful state. There’s so much to do. What are you waiting for?
{Note: I was a guest of the Imperial River Company and Travel Oregon. Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of this awesome adventure which I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and easy Oregon Adventure!}
Filipino food is all the rage these days. Luckily, I had a jump start on the craze when my pal Karena Higgins of the Filipino food blog Pig Parts and Beer offered to introduce me to a few classic dishes three years ago. We hit up a popular local bakery in Silverlake, CA, and met with a fresh baker who became known for sampling Ube inspired treats at local farmers markets. We even dined at a Turo Turo. What the heck is that, you ask?
Like New York, the city of London is a bustling central mecca where many cultures end up co-mingling. A perfect melting pot of cultures and most importantly, food. There is an incredibly large population of Indian and Pakistani people in London and luckily, the local restaurant scene is a delicious reflection of their efforts.
On recent trip to London, I got to return to one Pakistani restaurant that rocked my world and changed my perception of what Indian and Pakistani food could be. Years prior, I was a relative newbie to the cuisine and my friend pretty much ordered the whole menu for us so we could try as much as possible. I was immediately hooked.
Full of intoxicating spices and bold flavors, I knew I had to return to see if it was just as good as I remembered. Here, chicken on the skewers are transformed into tender loving curry flavored bites and lamb chop (hands down my favorite) is delicately roasted until it is soft, juicy and dripping with flavor.
Lahore Kebab House is known for their affordable Pakistani staple food as well as being a gathering place for local families and visitors alike. Naan is cooked in their traditional Tandoori oven where the dough is smoked and cooked all at once.
Don’t forget to order a Mango Lassi to soothe the spicy flavors that will lovingly numb your mouth.
In this episode of Bite Into London, watch as I dig in with with pal Anton from the Manilla based blog, www.ourawesomeplanet.com.
I was recently invited to learn how to cook a few Italian dishes at the recently opened Al Bacio Ristorante on Sunset. I attended their opening late 2013 and chef Simionato kindly invited me back to cook with him in his kitchen. It’s the kind of restaurant where the chef works both the back and the front of the house, always making sure you are not only well fed, but comfortable. He is a master of the kitchen and during this intimate class, I got to work with him up close and learn some real tips from the pro.
Watch:
In chef Simionato’s cooking class, guests have the opportunity to learn authentic Italian cooking with the chef in the actual working kitchen of the restaurant. This intimate class takes the intimidation out of cooking, showing just how fun and easy it can be to make sophisticated Italian dishes. It’s one part demo, one part hands-on and it really helped me appreciate all the work that goes on behind the scenes. Chef Simionato has just a two-person kitchen and the space is pretty small, so you can just imagine how much skill and swiftness is needed to feed a full house.
We learned the secret to making soft and tender octopus and also made fresh tagliatelle pasta in a veal bolognese sauce. In addition, we learned how to make gelato and a traditional Italian apple tart cake that is so delicious and ridiculously simply to make.
Tagliatelle Pasta in a Veal Bolognese Sauce
Baked Apple Tart, Orange Cream, Milk Gelato
Learning, watching, doing… sipping Prosecco (of course!) and snacking on fresh Parmesan. After about 2 hours in the kitchen, our cooking class wrapped up with a sit down feast with all the food we learned how to make.
One of his restaurant partners had just returned from Italy and surprised us with super fresh burratta direct from the mother country. It was a silky and creamy treat!
If you are a true food fan and love to cook, this class is a fantastic experience. The next class is scheduled for March 16th and the menu changes regularly. Follow Al Bacio on Facebook to get the latest updates and class schedule. Or simply visit Al Bacio for a authentic Italian dinner or lunch.
Update:As of July 2015 Al Bacio has quietly shuttered its doors. I had some truly memorable meals there and the restaurant will be missed!! Don’t worry though, chef Christian tells me he is cooking up another top notch restaurant concept very soon. Until then, try this super easy, homemade pasta recipe to fill that pasta craving (see below).
Click through below to see the slideshow from our class and read on for his tagliatelle bolognese recipe!
Baked Apple Tart, Orange Cream, Milk Gelato
Finished Bolognese and Tagliatelle
Italian Imported Buratta and freshly made octopus salad.
Aged balsamic for our buratta. Yum!
Imported Buratta. Delicious!
@theminty and @chef_jay document our delicious meal
Chef teaches Tammy La how to make the Veal Bolognese Sauce
Chef Teaches Tammy La how to make the Veal Bolognese Sauce
Chef Teaches Tammy La how to make the Veal Bolognese Sauce
Let the dough rest for 30 mins to an hour
Use a mixer to get it going…
If you don’t have a pasta maker like this, you can use a rolling pin
Even the scraps get used! Nothing is wasted!
Testing the Thickness of the Pasta
Slicing up the pasta by hand
Before…
…After
In case you were wondering, the chefs don’t actually drink in the kitchen M’kay! Just us foodies.
Comparing regular flour to Whole Grain Semolina Flour
Making the Baked Apple Tart
Chef Christian Making the Baked Apple Tart
In the Kitchen with Chef Christian Simionato
Low and slow, just under boiling
Hello Mr. Octopus!
Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta
Courtesy of Chef Christian Simionato
Ingredients
750 gr whole wheat semolina flour
750 gr “00” flour
325 gr fresh egg yolk
325 gr water
5 gr extra vergine olive oil
Splash of vinegar
Preparation:
On a clean bowl put flour and form a well in the center. Add egg yolks and water to the well. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from inside rim of well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead for 10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 3 pieces. Cover 2 pieces with plastic wrap. Flatten remaining dough piece so that it will fit through the rollers of a pasta machine.
Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.
Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting, one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), until pasta sheet is scant 1/16 inch thick.
Cut sheet in half widthwise; dust both sides of sheets with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces of parchment or wax paper. Cover with paper and repeat with remaining dough.
With the short end of 1 pasta sheet facing you, loosely fold up sheet, folding sheet over two or three times from short ends toward the center. With a large chefs knife, cut folded sheet into ribbons, a scant 1/4 inch wide. Unroll strips and lightly dust with flour; spread on a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.
Veal Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
cup extra-virgin olive oil
100gr pancetta or slab bacon, ground by butcher or thinly sliced and pulsed in food processor until finely chopped
1000gr ground veal
250gr tomato sauce
200gr whole milk
200gr dry white wine
Vegetable stock
fresh thyme, bay leaves
salt
pepper
Preparation:
Cook onions, celery, carrot, and garlic in oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add pancetta, veal and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
Add white wine and let it evaporate.
Salt and pepper the meat, add the rest of the ingredients, thyme and bay leaves and gently simmer, covered, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
I recently got the chance to check out, Monell’s Southern style, all-you-can-eat brunch in the heart of Germantown in Nashville.
After being told by more than one Tennessee resident about this neighborhood gem, I had to stop by and taste for myself. It’s a southern brunch buffet where guests sit at communal tables amongst strangers and feast until they can feast no more. One set price gets you an all-you-can-eat buffet of traditional Southern favorites like biscuits and gravy, collard greens, creamed corn, sausage, bacon, pancakes, peaches, sweet tea, and on and on. They serve up breakfast/brunch AND dinner during the week, but we were told that local’s love to bring the family after church and “Praise The Laud!” by carrying on their Sunday with some mighty fine Southern food.
It’s a family operated, small chain that is loved by locals and tourists alike. Take a peak:
Just a few of the items I ate during my brunch…
Inside Monell’s – its a big house converted into a restaurant!
The food in London is so much more than just fish and chips!
For the past few years it has become a destination food scene and certainly one of my favorite food cities to visit. Dalston Yard is ground zero for some of the most amazing street food that London has to offer. Street Feast or “London’s Nomadic Street Food Circus” (as they like to call themselves), is a yearly street festival that comes around every May and lasts for about 10 weeks during the hot summer months. Locals, food lovers and visiting out-of-town foodies (like me!) pay the 3 dollar entrance fee and proceed to eat until our heart’s content. Here, I found everything from tacos to BBQ to pizzas, ice cream, spicy fried chicken, lobster rolls and delicious burgers with unique ingredients.
The Bleeker St. Burger. w/ black pudding down the center of a double cheese patty – Ah-Mazing!!
The fest lasts till the wee hours of the night, but not to worry, as the sun sets and the chilly air cools your bones, there’s plenty of beer and fancy whiskey drinks to warm you up.
The festival serves at an opportunity for these small businesses and local vendors to get their product out to the masses, and of course get their names out there. It has opened up opportunities for many of these vendors to open up actual brick and mortar locations around the city and beyond.
Check out what I ate while visiting Street Feast:
Special thanks to FoodieHub for inviting me to check out the fest!
I love the great outdoors. My city dwelling friends, ehh, not so much. Sooo, we decided to compromise and find an outdoor adventure that we could all agree on.
We grabbed our camping gear and headed to a friend’s downtown Los Angeles rooftop. There were no mosquitos, no bears yet we were able to escape the busy urban streets and explore the “wilderness” of LA (with a fully functioning bathroom!).
One friend manned the grill, while the others helped build our “campsite.” We flew a kite, we ran around with sparklers and watched a scary movie under the stars. We basically had an outdoor grill-out / sleepover party and we felt like little kids again. It was probably one of the most fun DTLA experience I have had.
Check out our fun and see if it doesn’t inspire you to have a Glamping adventure of your very own!
Thanks to REI evrgrn for providing the awesome camping gear!
Hawaii Can Sure Teach Us A Thing Or Two About Sustainability.
The Hawaii Food and Wine Festival is not just a festival of food. It’s a celebration of ʻohana and the aloha spirit. It’s bringing family and friends together to enjoy the delicious Hawaiian bounty and learn all about what our great state has to offer.
Last year, when I attended the festival, I got to speak with the festival founders chefs Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi about the origins of the festival and why it’s so important for them to spread the word about Hawaiian Ag tourism. We talk a lot about sustainability and farm-to-table here in California, but for Hawaii, it’s not just a trend, it’s a way of life.
Here’s a staggering fact: Hawaii currently imports over 85-90% of its food supply. This makes the island state incredibly vulnerable to natural disasters. The tsunami that happened a couple of years ago in Japan, could very well happen in Hawaii. That is just one of the many reasons why it’s even that much more important for them to be self-sufficient and create a sustainable food supply.
It all starts with education. Various agricultural foundations and culinary academies serve as beneficiaries of the festival.
If you have ever thought about vacationing in Hawaii, I encourage you to plan your trip in late summer when the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival takes place. Attend one of the many festival events, and allow yourself to enjoy local foods and exotic dishes prepared by both local chefs and chefs from around the world.
Backyard Bite with chef Celestino Drago
I attended various events, over the course of a week. All slightly different, all very fun and all immensely delicious. I got to sample foods I had never tasted before and it truly opened my eyes and palate. If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii next year, make sure you consider going in September and attend the festival!
Click the event links below to see pictures of last year’s events and get a taste of what you might expect:
[I was a guest of the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau and their partners. Mahalo for having me as your guest. All opinions expressed are my own.]
I met my friend Michael Lin about 3 years ago when he was my tour guide on my very first tour with the Los Angeles based food tour company Six Taste. It’s a tad bittersweet that he ask me to help him promote his final tour before heading off to other culinary adventures on the East Coast.
On my tour, I was introduced to new restaurants and new flavors I had never had before – and to this day, I tell people about it and encourage them to try a tour for themselves. Michael is incredibly well-spoken and knowledgable about not only the foods you will eat, but also the cultural and historical influences as well. If you’ve never been on a food tour before, or never visited Arcadia for its popular Chinese and Taiwanese bakeries and restaurants, then you are in for a real treat.
Check out Six Taste, do the Delicious Dumpling Tour and wish Michael Lin a deliciously fond farewell – all the while devouring some really tasty dumplings, Taiwanese street food and pastries.
Meeting location: in front of JJ Bakery in Arcadia
Start time: 9:30 a.m. – please arrive early to find parking
End time: est. 1:30 p.m., no later than 2:00 p.m.
Meals: five stops, 18+ dishes, including Din Tai Fung famous juicy pork dumplings, local Taiwanese street food, fresh baked breads and pastries, beverages and desserts (tour is heavy on pork; also uses shrimp, soy, wheat, peanuts, grapefruit)
Max no. of guests is 10; expected full occupancy – book early
Tour venue subject to change, but guests will be notified in advance
Andrea Volpini is a super cool, self-taught home cook from Castelfidardo, a small town in Italy. I was invited to chat with him about his YouTube channel and the secret behind his recipes – his grandmother’s family cookbook!
I also got to do some cooking with him at the Tastemade Studios. We made together, Tagliatelle pasta from scratch as well as a super easy Ragu sauce you can make in a jiffy. (You’ll never want to go back to using spaghetti sauce in a jar again!) In addition, we also made some crispy-juicy and incredibly easy fried chicken (he’ll post the recipe for this a little later on his blog!).
Tagliatelle al ragù
A typical Italian first dish, usually hand made on Sundays. Serves Four.
FOR THE RAGÚ
1 Celery
1 Carrot
1 Onion
1 lb Ground Beef or Veal
4-5 Bacon Slices
1/2 Stick Butter
(2) 12 oz cans Tomato sauce or Crushed Tomatoes (or one big can!)
2/3 cup Milk
2/3 cup Broth
1/2 cup Red Wine
Salt and Pepper to taste
FOR THE PASTA
4 Eggs
3 1/3 cups Flour
PREPARATION
Clean the onion, carrot and celery and chop finely. Place olive oil and butter in a pot and cook on low to medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables stirring occasionally. Let them sweat.
First: Sweat the vegetables
Meanwhile, chop the bacon and add it, along with the ground beef, to the pot of vegetables. Cook until the meat is browned becomes beautiful. Add the red wine, salt and pepper and add the broth Add the tomato sauce and cook for two hours on low heat, adding the milk at the end.
Add the meat and stir until cooked
While waiting for the sauce to cook, get started on the pasta. Sift the flour and make a dome on a board of wood. Break the eggs into the dome and begin to work it together with your hands. When the eggs are well incorporated, begin to knead the dough by hand for at least 10-15 minutes until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
Work the eggs in by hand
Roll the dough into a ball and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Divide the dough into two and begin to roll it out with a rolling pin until you get a very thin sheet. Fold the dough at each end and then cut it with a knife to the thickness you prefer.
Perfect pasta!
You can let the pasta rest a few hours (the dough will keep in the fridge for about a week wrapped in saran wrap) or cook it immediately.
When sauce is nearly done, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop the pasta into the water and cook for two to three minutes stirring. When the pasta has cooked, drain the water out or use tongs to remove the pasta and add it to the pan with the ragù sauce. Toss lightly to coat with the sauce. Season with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Andrea Volpini and Backyard Bite in the Kitchen!
All our ragu sauce ingredients
Add the bacon and ground meat
Milk, wine (of course) and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
