Wednesday, April 30, 2008
What should we do?
I was moved and inspired by this post by a blogger whom I greatly respect and admire. This is the boldest reaction I have seen from anyone in the food community in response to the global food crisis. The worlds' poorest nations are running out of rice to eat, with no relief in sight, and the New York Times is running articles about luxury airport food. The shortage is so widespread that even the United States is affected--consumers have seen price increases on basic food items, and I heard on NPR that Costco is limiting its sale of rice. I wonder how far it will have to go before the US actually does something to help alleviate the hunger of other countries. I write this with all four burners working, simmering and sauteing, the smells of simmering beans and vegetable stock filling my kitchen, fully conscious of how lucky I am to be so choosy about what I eat. We live in a country where people define themselves by what they don't eat, rather than by what they do. And I ask, what should the "foodie" community do? How do we respond? Do we donate money, or stop buying rice? What do some of the most privileged eaters of the most privileged nation do during a global food crisis?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Pots of Beans
Mmmm...anasazi beans on toast with cheddar for dinner.
I think I finally have the hang of this bean cooking thing. It's a bit embarassing to admit that until this past week, I had yet to make a truly respectable pot of beans. I don't know why. The crock pot method didn't really work--I came home to a stinky house and a crock of nasty, mushy beans. But I gave it another go on the stove top and was very pleased with the results. I have made two very successful batches on the stove this week and I am now sold on home cooked beans.
I consulted a few different sources. Mark Bittman has a few things to say about beans, the most valuable of which is that you don't have to soak them. I rarely attempted beans before because I couldn't commit to a two day ordeal, or forgot to put them in water in the morning, or figured that the beans would be ruined if I didn't soak them long enough. Soaking can shorten the cooking time (although not by much), especially if your beans are old, but it is not a necessary step. Several other cookbook authors confirmed this.
I learned another tasty bit of advice from the Rancho Gordo website. Adding the dried beans to a base of onions sauteed in some kind of fat (oil, butter, or lard) yields a flavorful pot of beans.
A friend at work who is a bean cooking pro told me to keep a steady level of water in the pot. Not so much that the beans are deeply submerged, just enough to keep them loose and barely covered with water. Stir and add more water as they cook.
And of course, don't salt too early or too late. If you salt your pot of beans at the beginning, they are still too hard to absorb any of the salt. If you salt them at the very end, you end up with salty water and salty tasting beans, rather than beany tasting beans. I like to add some salt half way through cooking, then let the beans absorb some more water, taste, and salt again if need be.
So, here's how I have been succesfully cooking beans. I've haven't been cooking very many at a time, maybe a cup, as they plump up quite a bit during cooking. Saute half of a thinly sliced onion in some oil until soft. Add beans, two or three peeled and smashed garlic cloves, and enough water to cover. Cook until beans are tender, beginning to salt halfway through. Towards the end there will be a lot of tasting a stirring and salting.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Little Red Bike Cafe
I found the Little Red Bike Cafe blog by clicking around on another favorite blog of mine. I thought the name was cute and so I checked it out and oh my, it happens to be written from Portland. The blog is co-written by the owners of the North Portland eatery of the same name. The blog is a sort of chronicle of their experience running the cafe. It's a fun look into the inner workings of the restaurant, with some tempting photos and teasers of what is to come on the menu. I was sold the first moment I actually looked at the menu, and put it on the official list of Things To Do On Weekends, but it took me about a month to actually get there.
Tim and I went last Saturday for a post farmer's market brunch, because looking at all that food made us hungry for the second time in one day, and were very pleased with what we found. The bright and sunny cafe has a subtly retro diner feel that is not over the top. It is an intimate and cozy space, with some tables and bar seating looking out the window. The specialty of the Little Red Big Cafe is fried egg sandwiches, most with bike themed names, with additional sandwiches and a few other breakfast offerings. We ordered and payed at the counter and took a seat at one of the few (six? eight?) small tables.
These are no ordinary eggy sandwiches my friends. They are made with fresh, local, organic meats and dairy and come on a delicious, lightly floured ciabatta. Almost everything on the menu had equal appeal. We split two egg sandwiches between us, the Messenger and the Honeymoon, and loved both of them. We may have loved the Honeymoon a little bit more, with its prosciutto, ricotta, basil, egg, and Oregon huckleberry jam filling (it was meant to come with fig spread, but they were out). I was tempted by the homemade ice creams, but decided I was too full to try one this trip.
We had already had our fair share of coffee that day so we didn't have any there, but I was won over by the ginger tea. It was pure ginger, nothing else in there mucking it up and muting the ginger flavor, producing a strong and simple tea. My own personal heaven in a cup. Mmmm...
So, the next time you are up on North Lombard, do stop in and have a fried egg sandwich, or try the ice cream. Even if you aren't up in that neighborhood to begin with, it is well worth the trip.
As an added bonus, they even have a bike through window (!) which we did not frequent, unfortunately, as it was pouring rain. But come summer, that's where we'll be.
To check out their menu and get directions, go to the website.
Tim and I went last Saturday for a post farmer's market brunch, because looking at all that food made us hungry for the second time in one day, and were very pleased with what we found. The bright and sunny cafe has a subtly retro diner feel that is not over the top. It is an intimate and cozy space, with some tables and bar seating looking out the window. The specialty of the Little Red Big Cafe is fried egg sandwiches, most with bike themed names, with additional sandwiches and a few other breakfast offerings. We ordered and payed at the counter and took a seat at one of the few (six? eight?) small tables.
These are no ordinary eggy sandwiches my friends. They are made with fresh, local, organic meats and dairy and come on a delicious, lightly floured ciabatta. Almost everything on the menu had equal appeal. We split two egg sandwiches between us, the Messenger and the Honeymoon, and loved both of them. We may have loved the Honeymoon a little bit more, with its prosciutto, ricotta, basil, egg, and Oregon huckleberry jam filling (it was meant to come with fig spread, but they were out). I was tempted by the homemade ice creams, but decided I was too full to try one this trip.
We had already had our fair share of coffee that day so we didn't have any there, but I was won over by the ginger tea. It was pure ginger, nothing else in there mucking it up and muting the ginger flavor, producing a strong and simple tea. My own personal heaven in a cup. Mmmm...
So, the next time you are up on North Lombard, do stop in and have a fried egg sandwich, or try the ice cream. Even if you aren't up in that neighborhood to begin with, it is well worth the trip.
As an added bonus, they even have a bike through window (!) which we did not frequent, unfortunately, as it was pouring rain. But come summer, that's where we'll be.
To check out their menu and get directions, go to the website.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Beef Heart, Part Two
Is there anything more romantic than beef heart? I don't think so. In a grand gesture of romance, my lovey love took a bus across town to an unfamiliar grocery store to get me some ground beef heart. He got there and found the beef heart, only to discover that Winco has a 50 pound grinding minimum. Oh. Darn. He bought a whole beef heart anyhow, and then went to New Seasons, which is only about 5 blocks from his house. They also had beef heart and only a two pound grinding minimum, so he ordered me some. The next night he came to my house, whole Winco beef heart in hand, and told me that there would be two pounds of ground beef heart waiting for me the next day at New Seasons. Swoon. I cried, obviously.
My quest for beef heart started when I began reading and cooking from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. She advocates for a diet more like those of traditional cultures, which includes more animal fat and minimally processed foods. This book has made me think long and hard about what is "healthy", and especially about what is healthy for me. She calls for organ meats in many of her recipes--they are a great source of vitamins and good fats. But mostly, they are delicious. They are rich and flavorful and even a small addition will add so much to a dish. I attempted the recipe below without the beef heart and it was good, but with the beef heart it was a whole different story.
My beef heart waited in the freezer all week, and Saturday night we gave the meatloaf another go. Oh my goodness, it was heavenly. Rich and juicy and flavorful. We served it along with a simple salad of purple cabbage, shredded carrots, and French breakfast radishes, and rich and creamy mashed potatoes. Amazing!
This recipe calls for some rich ingredients and you may shy away at first, but please, don't skimp here. And do use high quality, organic ingredients. It is well worth it. We used ground beef for the remainder of the meat, but ground pork, veal, lamb, or some combination, would also be delicious.
Sally Fallon's Spicy Meatloaf
2 pounds ground beef or other red meat
1/2 pound ground beef heart
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups whole grain bread crumbs*
1 cup cream
1 egg
4 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
Over medium heat saute onions, carrots, and celery in butter until soft. Add chili flakes, thyme, pepper, and salt and stir. Meanwhile, soak bread crumbs in cream.
Have a 9x13 inch Pyrex pan ready. Using your hands, mix meat with sauteed vegetables, soaked bread, and egg. Form into a loaf and set in pan. Spread ketchup over top of meatloaf. Add about 1/2 cup water to the pan. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.
*To make breadcrumbs, whir crust-less bread in a food processor or blender until you have fine crumbs.
My quest for beef heart started when I began reading and cooking from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. She advocates for a diet more like those of traditional cultures, which includes more animal fat and minimally processed foods. This book has made me think long and hard about what is "healthy", and especially about what is healthy for me. She calls for organ meats in many of her recipes--they are a great source of vitamins and good fats. But mostly, they are delicious. They are rich and flavorful and even a small addition will add so much to a dish. I attempted the recipe below without the beef heart and it was good, but with the beef heart it was a whole different story.
My beef heart waited in the freezer all week, and Saturday night we gave the meatloaf another go. Oh my goodness, it was heavenly. Rich and juicy and flavorful. We served it along with a simple salad of purple cabbage, shredded carrots, and French breakfast radishes, and rich and creamy mashed potatoes. Amazing!
This recipe calls for some rich ingredients and you may shy away at first, but please, don't skimp here. And do use high quality, organic ingredients. It is well worth it. We used ground beef for the remainder of the meat, but ground pork, veal, lamb, or some combination, would also be delicious.
Sally Fallon's Spicy Meatloaf
2 pounds ground beef or other red meat
1/2 pound ground beef heart
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups whole grain bread crumbs*
1 cup cream
1 egg
4 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
Over medium heat saute onions, carrots, and celery in butter until soft. Add chili flakes, thyme, pepper, and salt and stir. Meanwhile, soak bread crumbs in cream.
Have a 9x13 inch Pyrex pan ready. Using your hands, mix meat with sauteed vegetables, soaked bread, and egg. Form into a loaf and set in pan. Spread ketchup over top of meatloaf. Add about 1/2 cup water to the pan. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.
*To make breadcrumbs, whir crust-less bread in a food processor or blender until you have fine crumbs.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Healthy (I swear) and Delicious Fried Rice
I do not like Chinese food, not even a little bit. I'll eat it if pressed, but I never crave it. And yes, I have tried fancy Chinese food from places like PF Changs, and no, I don't like that either. So you can imagine my surprise when one evening I craved fried rice.
I looked in a few different cookbooks but wound up using Mark Bittman's recipe from his encyclopedia of a cookbook, How to Cook Everything. While I don't often love any of his recipes, he does have a recipe for everything (hence the title) and his recipes are a fabulous jumping off point. I often use them for research and ideas, or as bare bones guidelines, rather than as recipes.
Over the past few months I have eaten a lot of fried rice. It is an easy and satisfying dish to prepare, and comes together with everyday fridge items. It is great for lunch the next day. Almost any vegetable works in this recipe, so its a great way to get your greens in, and use up odds and ends before they spoil.
When I first thought fried rice, I definitely did not think nutritious meal. But using brown rice, lots of veggies, and good quality organic eggs boosts this dish's nutritional profile. I also use a combination of olive oil and sesame oil rather than canola or vegetable oil. And while I'm usually not a nonstick lover, it is great here--you only use a fraction of the oil and the rice doesn't stick.
This is the way I have come to use Mark Bittman's recipe and technique. Quantities and vegetables are easily substituted. I have yet to make this with meat, because I find the eggs to be filling enough, but I'm sure bacon, or some leftover chicken, would be great additions.
Fried Rice
slash of sesame oil
splash of olive oil
1-2 cups cooked brown rice
a few green onions, all of white and some of green stem, chopped
1/4 or so yellow, white, or purple onion, chopped
a handful of chopped bell peppers, any color
1 carrot, finely chopped
handful of frozen peas
whatever else you have in the crisper that seems like it may be good
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-3 tablespoons soy sauce, depending on your taste
Heat oil in nonstick skillet on medium high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add vegetables. Fry fast, stirring almost constantly, for a few minutes. When vegetables have softened and begin to brown, add rice. Fry fast, stirring, for a few more minutes. Make a well in the center of the rice and vegetable mixture. Pour in beaten eggs. When eggs begin to set, scramble in well. Start incorporating vegetable and rice mixture and stir, until egg is distributed throughout. When eggs are cooked, remove pan from heat. Stir in soy sauce to taste.
Bonus Rice Recipe
Don't have any rice made already? Use the homemade stock I know you all ran out and made after my last post to make the most delicious brown rice ever!
1 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups stock
pinch of salt
Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Stir rice into melted butter, making sure all grains are coated. Add stock and salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, 50-60 minutes, or until rice is done. If rice seems dry at any point during cooking, add more stock.
I looked in a few different cookbooks but wound up using Mark Bittman's recipe from his encyclopedia of a cookbook, How to Cook Everything. While I don't often love any of his recipes, he does have a recipe for everything (hence the title) and his recipes are a fabulous jumping off point. I often use them for research and ideas, or as bare bones guidelines, rather than as recipes.
Over the past few months I have eaten a lot of fried rice. It is an easy and satisfying dish to prepare, and comes together with everyday fridge items. It is great for lunch the next day. Almost any vegetable works in this recipe, so its a great way to get your greens in, and use up odds and ends before they spoil.
When I first thought fried rice, I definitely did not think nutritious meal. But using brown rice, lots of veggies, and good quality organic eggs boosts this dish's nutritional profile. I also use a combination of olive oil and sesame oil rather than canola or vegetable oil. And while I'm usually not a nonstick lover, it is great here--you only use a fraction of the oil and the rice doesn't stick.
This is the way I have come to use Mark Bittman's recipe and technique. Quantities and vegetables are easily substituted. I have yet to make this with meat, because I find the eggs to be filling enough, but I'm sure bacon, or some leftover chicken, would be great additions.
Fried Rice
slash of sesame oil
splash of olive oil
1-2 cups cooked brown rice
a few green onions, all of white and some of green stem, chopped
1/4 or so yellow, white, or purple onion, chopped
a handful of chopped bell peppers, any color
1 carrot, finely chopped
handful of frozen peas
whatever else you have in the crisper that seems like it may be good
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-3 tablespoons soy sauce, depending on your taste
Heat oil in nonstick skillet on medium high heat. When oil is hot but not smoking, add vegetables. Fry fast, stirring almost constantly, for a few minutes. When vegetables have softened and begin to brown, add rice. Fry fast, stirring, for a few more minutes. Make a well in the center of the rice and vegetable mixture. Pour in beaten eggs. When eggs begin to set, scramble in well. Start incorporating vegetable and rice mixture and stir, until egg is distributed throughout. When eggs are cooked, remove pan from heat. Stir in soy sauce to taste.
Bonus Rice Recipe
Don't have any rice made already? Use the homemade stock I know you all ran out and made after my last post to make the most delicious brown rice ever!
1 cup brown rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups stock
pinch of salt
Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Stir rice into melted butter, making sure all grains are coated. Add stock and salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, 50-60 minutes, or until rice is done. If rice seems dry at any point during cooking, add more stock.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Home Made Vegetable Stock
Making your own stock sounds fussy, but I promise, it isn't. It's satisfying (both the process and the end result) and so flavorful, and does wonders for your food. It is also a great way to use vegetables that are a bit passed their prime, but that you would rather not throw away. Boxed stock is ok, I used it for a while, but it really doesn't compare to stocks made from scratch. Michael Ruhlman wrote that your home made soup will taste better made with water, rather than from canned or boxed stock. Zing. He's a smart man, he knows.
Basically, stock is several ingredients, usually vegetables, bones, and aromatics, simmered in water until the water is infused with their flavor. Each batch of stock will have it's own flavor, based on what ingredients you use and in what quantities. You can also tailor your stock to the dish you are cooking, but I have found that this versatile vegetable stock works with everything.
The stock recipe I use is Deborah Madison's Quick Stock from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This woman knows vegetables, so naturally her vegetable stock is the best I've tried. This is a basic one, and she provides much helpful information on how to adjust and tailor it, along with several accompanying stock recipes.
Below is Deborah Madison's Recipe as I have come to use it.
A few notes:
While most vegetables work in stock, some do not, as they will make the stock bitter. Vegetables to avoid are:
So, how about some stock, hmm?
Quick Vegetable Stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
4 or more garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
8 or more parsley branches
Salt
Heat oil over high heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Then add any other vegetables and trimmings that you are using, along with garlic and herbs. Brown vegetables over medium to medium high heat for about 10 minutes. Scrape up and incorporate any brown bits that stick to the bottom of the pan. When vegetables are browned, add 2 teaspoons salt and 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 30-40 minutes. Strain stock through cheese cloth lined colander.
Stock will keep frozen for a while, and in the fridge for a few days. I freeze mine in one and two cup amounts so that I can always have some on hand. I use it in soups, but my other favorite use for it is cooking rice. Substitute stock for water the next time you make rice. You may never go back.
Basically, stock is several ingredients, usually vegetables, bones, and aromatics, simmered in water until the water is infused with their flavor. Each batch of stock will have it's own flavor, based on what ingredients you use and in what quantities. You can also tailor your stock to the dish you are cooking, but I have found that this versatile vegetable stock works with everything.
The stock recipe I use is Deborah Madison's Quick Stock from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This woman knows vegetables, so naturally her vegetable stock is the best I've tried. This is a basic one, and she provides much helpful information on how to adjust and tailor it, along with several accompanying stock recipes.
Below is Deborah Madison's Recipe as I have come to use it.
A few notes:
While most vegetables work in stock, some do not, as they will make the stock bitter. Vegetables to avoid are:
- Turnips and Rutabagas
- Cabbages and Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Red beets
- Any things ground or very small (spices and seeds) that cheesecloth will not catch
- Onion skins
- Artichoke trimmings
- Lots of dark, leafy greens (some are ok)
So, how about some stock, hmm?
Quick Vegetable Stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
4 or more garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
8 or more parsley branches
Salt
Heat oil over high heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Then add any other vegetables and trimmings that you are using, along with garlic and herbs. Brown vegetables over medium to medium high heat for about 10 minutes. Scrape up and incorporate any brown bits that stick to the bottom of the pan. When vegetables are browned, add 2 teaspoons salt and 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 30-40 minutes. Strain stock through cheese cloth lined colander.
Stock will keep frozen for a while, and in the fridge for a few days. I freeze mine in one and two cup amounts so that I can always have some on hand. I use it in soups, but my other favorite use for it is cooking rice. Substitute stock for water the next time you make rice. You may never go back.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Le Pigeon
If you are a foodie in any part of the country, you have probably heard about Le Pigeon. Gabriel Rucker's French inspired, Northwest centric food has been praised in several publications, both local and national. PDX Magazine voted him Top Chef of the Year and he received a similar award from Food and Wine. Willy Week and the Mercury were all over it, naturally, as was the Oregonian. So were Bon Apetit and Gourmet.
My lovey love Tim and I celebrated our year anniversary last night with a meal at Le Pigeon. We made reservations to eat at one of the three community tables (a friendly and clever solution to the problem of a very small dining room space), but ended up eating at the bar facing the open kitchen. When we first arrived, a few minutes early, they weren't ready for us and sent us out to have a pre dinner drink. The bar tender at Ron Tom's assured us that it was well worth our wait, saying that Le Pigeon is one of truly wonderful treats in Portland. Oh how right he was.
In all the times I had walked by Le Pigeon I had imagined it as a sort of hushed and quiet affair, a few young people, mostly middle aged people enjoying their fine food in a mellow dining room, and that the chef just happened to be one of the young and hip of Portland. I was wrong.
Sticky Fingers was playing at near top volume when we walked in. There were three chefs behind the bar, one wearing a sweatband with a meat clever pictured on it, and another wearing a baseball had with a silver skull and cross bones on it. Oh, right, we're in Portland, duh. Nothing is that fancy.
Oh, the food. Sigh. Sooooo good. Amazing. Worth all the hype. We started with a fois gras (because we are only unethical on our anniversary, we decided) so rich we couldn't finish it. On top of the fois gras were shaved black truffles, with toasted brioche and homemade fruit jam to accompany. I tried not to fill up on the bread and delicious salt sprinkled butter. Because there was more meat to come.
For dinner we ordered Beef Cheek Bourguignon and, because nothing goes better with liver than more liver, the Duck with liver stuffing and marmalade. Both were excellent, but the duck was just a teeny tiny bit more excellent. The house made marmalade was not too sweet, not to tart, and a nice counter to the richness of the best thing I've ever put in my mouth liver stuffing. The Beef Cheek was flavorful and tender and easily fell apart into the vegetables and sauce surrounding it.
If you know absolutely nothing else about Le Pigeon, you probably know about The Dessert. I do believe this dessert has been mentioned in all press that Le Pigeon has received, and rightfully so, for it's delicious and unusually paired ingredients. Naturally we ordered The Dessert. Bacon apricot cornbread topped with maple ice cream and bacon bits. Uh huh, that's right. Bacon on ice cream. Again, worth all the hype.
Obviously, I loved the food at Le Pigeon. But I also loved the experience of dining there. The wait staff was casual and friendly, and so were the chefs. The open kitchen created a connection between chef and diner, and the chefs were more than happy to answer questions and chat. They were the ones to hand us most of our dishes, over the bar right after they finished making them. All of the dishes and silverware were mismatched, a look that I personally love. My other favorite detail were the jars of pickled and preserved fruits and vegetables lining two high up shelves, interspersed with other eclectic odds and ends, like a pigeon skeleton in a glass case.
So, if you have not yet been to Le Pigeon, save your pennies and go, soon. Unless of course you are a vegetarian, in which case you should do some thinking and reading, and seriously reconsider that dietary choice. Then start eating meat so your stomach will be ready for Le Pigeon.
To visit the Le Pigeon website, click here.
Note: We did have wine which was delicious, but I didn't write about it because a) I can't remember what it was and b) I know nothing about wine and am therefore not at all qualified to say anything about it.
My lovey love Tim and I celebrated our year anniversary last night with a meal at Le Pigeon. We made reservations to eat at one of the three community tables (a friendly and clever solution to the problem of a very small dining room space), but ended up eating at the bar facing the open kitchen. When we first arrived, a few minutes early, they weren't ready for us and sent us out to have a pre dinner drink. The bar tender at Ron Tom's assured us that it was well worth our wait, saying that Le Pigeon is one of truly wonderful treats in Portland. Oh how right he was.
In all the times I had walked by Le Pigeon I had imagined it as a sort of hushed and quiet affair, a few young people, mostly middle aged people enjoying their fine food in a mellow dining room, and that the chef just happened to be one of the young and hip of Portland. I was wrong.
Sticky Fingers was playing at near top volume when we walked in. There were three chefs behind the bar, one wearing a sweatband with a meat clever pictured on it, and another wearing a baseball had with a silver skull and cross bones on it. Oh, right, we're in Portland, duh. Nothing is that fancy.
Oh, the food. Sigh. Sooooo good. Amazing. Worth all the hype. We started with a fois gras (because we are only unethical on our anniversary, we decided) so rich we couldn't finish it. On top of the fois gras were shaved black truffles, with toasted brioche and homemade fruit jam to accompany. I tried not to fill up on the bread and delicious salt sprinkled butter. Because there was more meat to come.
For dinner we ordered Beef Cheek Bourguignon and, because nothing goes better with liver than more liver, the Duck with liver stuffing and marmalade. Both were excellent, but the duck was just a teeny tiny bit more excellent. The house made marmalade was not too sweet, not to tart, and a nice counter to the richness of the best thing I've ever put in my mouth liver stuffing. The Beef Cheek was flavorful and tender and easily fell apart into the vegetables and sauce surrounding it.
If you know absolutely nothing else about Le Pigeon, you probably know about The Dessert. I do believe this dessert has been mentioned in all press that Le Pigeon has received, and rightfully so, for it's delicious and unusually paired ingredients. Naturally we ordered The Dessert. Bacon apricot cornbread topped with maple ice cream and bacon bits. Uh huh, that's right. Bacon on ice cream. Again, worth all the hype.
Obviously, I loved the food at Le Pigeon. But I also loved the experience of dining there. The wait staff was casual and friendly, and so were the chefs. The open kitchen created a connection between chef and diner, and the chefs were more than happy to answer questions and chat. They were the ones to hand us most of our dishes, over the bar right after they finished making them. All of the dishes and silverware were mismatched, a look that I personally love. My other favorite detail were the jars of pickled and preserved fruits and vegetables lining two high up shelves, interspersed with other eclectic odds and ends, like a pigeon skeleton in a glass case.
So, if you have not yet been to Le Pigeon, save your pennies and go, soon. Unless of course you are a vegetarian, in which case you should do some thinking and reading, and seriously reconsider that dietary choice. Then start eating meat so your stomach will be ready for Le Pigeon.
To visit the Le Pigeon website, click here.
Note: We did have wine which was delicious, but I didn't write about it because a) I can't remember what it was and b) I know nothing about wine and am therefore not at all qualified to say anything about it.
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