Take a walk in the woods this autumn and, if you’re lucky, you might come across Oregon’s state mushroom, the Pacific golden chanterelle. At first glance, perhaps you’ll think you’ve stumbled upon beautiful yellow flowers on the forest floor, with their wavy edges and trumpet-shaped form. Their aroma can be slightly floral, but is usually more like apricots. Foragers know the chanterelle will grow again at the same spot if harvested carefully, with minimal soil disturbance.
Then again, it’s easier to take a walk to the Portland Farmers Market to gather your chanterelles.
When you get them home, put the chanterelles in the refrigerator and leave them alone. Don’t clean them until you’re ready to cook. Then, if there’s a small amount of debris on the mushrooms, gently brush it off or lightly rinse with water. Soaking them is a no-no.
Whether you choose to sauté the chanterelles in butter, or prepare Braised Chicken Legs with Chanterelle Mushroom Bolognese (recipe follows), the smell will bring you right back to that walk in the woods. Or, the one you took to the Market.
 |
The twilight markets, Ecotrust Market in the Pearl and the Eastbank Market, will follow the season’s cues and close down for the season as of September 27. Please come and enjoy the last of the Thursday markets’ haul. Stock up on fall greens, squashes, tomatoes and potatoes, as well as each market’s prepared foods, artisans cheeses and freshly baked breads and sweet pastries. You can still fill your weekly shopping basket at the two downtown markets – Wednesday’s mid-day market at Shemanski Park is open from 10am-2pm through October 31, and the PSU market on the South Park Blocks will be running strong every Saturday from 8:30am-2pm through December 22. |
|
 |
The Wedge: Portland Celebrates Cheese, debuts alongside the Portland Farmers Market on Saturday, October 6, from 8:30am-2pm. More than 25 of the region’s finest artisan cheesemakers, from Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah will share their passion for handcrafted goat, sheep and cow’s milk cheeses. Festival attendees can listen in as cheesemongers discuss pairing cheese and wine (and beer!), show how to design a cheese plate or let them in on the secrets of making mozzarella. Stop by the main stage to for 15-minute presentations on cheese – from the mundane to the esoteric. Cheese industry experts Jeff Roberts, author of The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese and Laura Werlin, author of The New American Cheese and Cheese Essentials will discuss their books as well. For more information visit: www.thewedgepdx.com |
|
|
Harvest Dinner, Portland Farmers Market’s annual fundraiser takes place Sunday, October 7, at southeast Portland’s Nostrana restaurant. Guests will indulge in a leisurely, mid-day meal, redolent of the Italian countryside. This year’s dinner will honor the fall’s harvest while paying tribute to the market’s outgoing executive director, Dianne Stefani-Ruff. Foodstuffs from market vendors paired with regional wines will be artfully combined by chef Kathy Whims with guest chef Scott Dolich of Park Kitchen stepping in to create a special course for guests. Tickets are available for $125 and can be purchased by calling 503-241-0032. Dinner begins at 1pm. |
|
|
Sarah Hart of Alma Chocolates is back for the cooler season with her herb-infused and talisman-inspired confections. |
|
|
Here in Portland, winter it is the best time to plant trees. To answer your street tree planting and general tree care questions, Portland Parks & Recreation - City Nature will be at the PSU market on the South Park Blocks on September 22. They will have information about general tree care, street tree planting and selection, tree pruning, and tree identification maps of the South Park Blocks. Stop by their booth to learn about the resources Portland has to help you care for trees. While at the booth you can fill out a request for a street tree planting or pruning inspection. The inspection is FREE and includes an on-site consultation.
For more information about Portland's street trees, or to ask for a tree planting inspection, go to www.portlandparks.org or |
|
