During a recent visit to Tabla – one of my favorite restaurants in town – rock star wine director Michael Garofola made my selection process so much easier.  The task: for Michael to select his top five whites and top five reds that speak to Oregon terroir, are approachable and wallet friendly.  I know.  This is probably a sommelier’s nightmare question, but no sweat for Michael.  He disappeared, and 10 minutes later came back to the table with a handwritten list of his top five whites and reds.

I thought I’d share.  Plus, there’s something endearing about a hand written list.

Thank you to Michael!

Ingredients:

1 passionate sommelier

5 curious local wine writers enjoy a natural wine tasting at Tabla

1 great local story.  Natural wine positioning in motion.

2 PR pros with well connected, strong freelance writer friends

1 fantastic August evening hanging out with Hannah Wallace as she researched her way through Portland, Ore.

The result speaks for itself.

We know that there are tons of small neighborhood businesses that are as passionate about wine and food as Michael.  We’d love to share our ingredients to success with you.

Congrats Michael, Tabla and Hannah!

Click here to read the piece, and if you haven’t already, check out Michael’s natural wine list at Tabla.

]]> http://www.ladcommunicationsblog.com/blog/2010/01/05/hit-of-the-week-tabla-mediterranean-bistro/feed/ 0 http://www.ladcommunicationsblog.com/blog/2009/09/08/hit-of-the-week-wild-blue-yonder/ http://www.ladcommunicationsblog.com/blog/2009/09/08/hit-of-the-week-wild-blue-yonder/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:18:30 +0000 Jackie http://www.ladcommunicationsblog.com/blog/?p=3065 San Francisco based freelance writer Laura Fraser looked to Watershed for culinary and wine country recommendations when assigned a story on Portland for Frontier Airline’s Wild Blue Yonder magazine. Watershed worked with Laura to craft a story on Portland’s spectacular restaurant scene and Oregon’s beautiful wine country.

Laura uncovers the gems of Portland and Oregon’s wine country in her feature story “Portland in its Prime,” published in the September issue of Wild Blue Yonder.

You can also read this story on Wild Blue Yonder’s website – http://www.gowildblueyonder.com/

Okay Portland.  Ready, set, and go get them before they’re out…

Chef Adam Sappington of The Country Cat was also pictured as winning the 2009 Original Portland Iron Chef competition.

Our first stop, Blue Gardenia Baking and Coffee Roasterie on North Mississippi.  Blue Gardenia roasts their coffee in-house and boy are their baked goods amazing! We each got an espresso and shared a few savory items – I would highly recommend the Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuit.

After Blue Gardenia, we hopped on our bikes and took off through the streets of North Portland, ridding by Sidebar, the new tasting room at the New Old Lompoc on N. Williams, and through the streets of the NE Irvington neighborhood.  Our destination, Tabla Mediterranean Bistro is on NE 28th.

We arrived at Tabla and we’re greeted by Chef Anthony Cafiero. He would be our pasta making teacher and host for the next few hours. But before we got started, Anthony freshly squeezed oranges and handed out mimosas, a perfect way to begin.

Anthony gave us each a cutting board, a bowl of flour and carton of eggs and demonstrated the steps it takes to make Tabla’s delicious pasta.  We cracked the eggs, scooped the flour, made volcanoes, stirred the gooey mix and kneaded the dough. Anthony showed us how to roll the noodles, cut them into pasta lengths and lay them out to dry.  We followed suit, some of us learning the tough lesson that you must over flour when rolling the noodles. Mine stuck together…

After the noodles were dried and cut into pieces, Anthony used our creations to make four amazing pasta dishes.  He made a simple truffle butter and parmigiano pasta; fresh English pea, lemon, and fresh ricotta pasta; mushroom, pine nuts and tarragon pasta; and a spicy pork, tomato, chili, basil, and grana padano pasta.

After we enjoyed our lunch we stumbled outside to find we were in the middle of a typical Oregon downpour. It was sunny that morning and we were on bikes! After a quick stop at Alma Chocolates we caught a break in the weather and took off on our return trip to Pedal.  We encountered some rain on the ride back, but overall the day had been a great experience as we toured the Eastside and learned how to make pasta from a very talented chef.

1. Eggs for Dinner
When life gives you eggs… make a frittata.
The last few years have aimed a bright spotlight on eggs. From consumer designations like cage-free

Tabla Ravioli

and veg-a-fed, to the growing number of backyard coups in urban neighborhoods, eggs are seeing an elevated status as a protein source. Add to that the fact that they’re affordable, and it’s understandable why there’s a growing demand for these savory ova. Eggs have always been popular with home cooks, but we’re beginning to see an increase in egg-centric dishes on dinner menus, like the Tabla Ravioli with housemade pasta, chard, ricotta, poached egg and poppy seed butter at Tabla Mediterranean Bistro in Portland, Oregon. Can I get a cluck, cluck?

2. CSA – Community Supported (Whole) Animals
Most foodies have heard of the whole animal movement that is gaining popularity among chefs, but for most average folks the idea of buying a whole animal has been unfeasible simply because of the volume of product that comes from a whole animal. We’ve noticed that some intrepid carnivores have taken to forming small coalitions that work together to purchase a complete animal, with each individual or family taking home a quarter or an eighth of the meat.  Not only do you know where it’s coming from, but you might save some money.

Check out eatwild.com to find a local pasture-based farm near you!

3. Fresh Hop Beers
Fall has clearly descended upon us and in the Northwest beer scene that can mean only one thing: it’s time for fresh hop beers. This growing trend takes advantage of Oregon breweries’ close proximity to the abundant hop farms by utilizing fresh picked wet hops that impart earthy and herbal flavors not found in varieties brewed with traditional dried hops. In addition to being available at the recent fresh hop “tastivals” the Oregon Brewers Guild sponsored with Oregon Bounty, many of these once-a-year beers are still available on draft with a few breweries producing bottled versions.

We recommend trying Deschutes Brewery’s Hop Trip and Rogue Ales’ Independence Hop Ale to experience the variety of flavors fresh hops can produce.

4. Bicycle Lifestyle
Bike commuting is no longer just for the spandex crowd. In Portland alone, bike commuting has jumped 28% in the last year, with 8% of Portlanders citywide now using a bicycle as their main mode of transportation to get to and from work. As pedaling becomes more popular, new services and events hit the scene daily. Have you ever seen a coffee shop ON a bike? Check out Café Velo.

How about your neighbors moving furniture by bike? Not yet? Well keep an eye out. It’s coming to a city near you…

5. Chicken Liver Mousse
As a card carrying Unitarian and recovering Catholic, I have led a fairly sheltered life when it comes to chicken liver. It’s one of those culinary treasures I came to late in life. And thank God, which ever you choose, for my savory enlightenment! We’re seeing great versions of this on practically every one of our favorite Portland menus. From Clyde Common to Mother’s to Ten 01 and our current top of the liver list – 50 Plates which features an inspired concept. They take Manashevitz and turn it into a gelée which rests on top an egg cup of delicious chicken liver mousse. Oy, that’s good. ~ Lisa

6. Wine Beauty Products
Enjoy wine? Why not soak in it? We’ve noticed a growing trend towards wine based beauty products that boast healthier skin, hair, improvement of blood circulation and pure relaxation. They are calling this Vinotherapy, a treatment that originated in the Bordeaux region of France. This treatment has now made its

Caudalie's Crushed Cabernet Scrub

way to the US, where manufacturers, spas and consumers are starting to pick up on the craze.

If you want to join in on the Vinotherapy mania or if you’re a skeptic and just want to try this out for yourself, here are some of the products we found: Caudalie’s Crushed Cabernet Scrub, Napa Soap Company’s Shea Cuvee Body Butter, Victoria’s Essentials Burgundy Bath Soak and Desert Essence Organics Italian Red Grape Shampoo.

After you try these out let us know what you think!

7. Prix Fixe Menus
One lump sum, multiple dishes later – the prix fixe has made a come back. Given the unease of the economy, diners are finding ease by adopting the sum dining mentality. Some restaurants are new prix fixe fans, while others have been there from the start. Either way, seek out the set deals while they last! Tabla Mediterranean Bistro’s $24, 3-course dinner…that’s hard to beat.

8. Vintage Etched Cocktail Glassware
Like poodle sweaters, saddle shoes and mid-century modern couches, the 50s continues to inspire us. One home entertaining trend we’re noticing is a flash back to a time when martini glasses were 3 ounces and etched champagne coups did in fact remind you of your mum’s bosom. In fact, food stylists tell us that kitch glassware from local thrift shops and flea markets is always on the top of their shopping for props list.

9. Serious Foodie-Approved Vegetarian
Elevated. Thoughtful. Healthy. Gourmet. Meatless. Vegetarian cuisine has moved from phase to fad, and now gourmet veg-only hot spots are getting National recognition. What do we love the most? Leaving dinner pleasantly full and packed with the Vitas, without the fat. Nutshell, recently nominated “Best Vegetarian Restaurant” by Veg News, is a pioneer in the gourmet veg scene.

10. Upscale Yurts
Like camping, but not in the rain? Need a vacation, but don’t want to spend $200 for a hotel room? If these thoughts have crossed your mind, you’re not alone and there is a solution. One that more and more people are turning to – yurts. A modern adaptation of an ancient nomadic shelter from Central Asia, the yurt is a

Pacific Yurts

circular structure with a wood lattice-like frame that’s covered in fabric. Yurts can range from rustic to regal, competing for traveler business with both campgrounds and high-end hotels. In fact, Oregon now has yurts for rent at more than a dozen state campgrounds – most located on the coast. The best part – besides oak floors, wall heat, furniture, beds, electricity, skylights – they cost $30 a night.

Pears
October 14, 2008
Wine Flight :: 12
Food :: A la Carte or 23 for all 3

cheese plate :: ossau iraty, brie, purple haze,
grilled pears and saba :: 12
Pairing :: 2006 Roland Lavantureux, Chardonnay, Petit Chablis, France

duck sausage :: stuffed pears, thyme, grana frico :: 8
Pairing :: 2007 Domaine Lapierre, Gamay, Morgon, Beaujolais, France

grilled pork chop :: pear and sage chutney :: 15
Pairing :: 2005 Azul Guelbenzu, Tempranillo/Cabernet/Merlot, Ribera del Quieles, Spain Full Glasses ::

Full Glasses ::
Lavantureux :: 12
Domaine Lapierre :: 13
Azul Guelbenzu : 11

These cooks crave a closer connection to the season and now guests will be able to enjoy house-preserved fresh tomatoes in dishes well into the rainy winter season.

Gorgeous raw product from Red Truck Farm.

The dirtiest part of the job involved squishing tomatoes in this old-fashioned food mill that Anthony has had in his family forever!

Umm, Umm Good

It was off to the stove top for heat and reduction…

Steaming boiling reduction

Anthony was one of the go-to cooks who got really into the preserving part of the festivities

We can’t wait to try a fantastic inventive dish with one of these wonderful tastes of summer.