Chow

Wine making is a tricky business. I recently visited my friend Mark Huff, owner of Stag Hollow Vineyard, who along with his wife Jill Zarnowitz, generates about 1800 cases of classic Oregon pinot noir, dolcetto, and dry-style muscat each year.

Wine making is a tricky business. I recently visited my friend Mark Huff, owner of Stag Hollow Vineyard, who along with his wife Jill Zarnowitz, generates about 1800 cases of classic Oregon pinot noir, dolcetto, and dry-style muscat each year.

at $3 a pound, you can’t go wrong with pork. Summer means barbeque. To some people, barbeque includes anything cooked on a grill. To me, barbeque means pulled pork. Blame it on my Southern upbringing. I was raised in a state with more pigs than people. My first job was in a barbeque restaurant that smoked pork shoulders by the dozen. A pig-pickin’ was an acceptable meal at a high-end wedding.
My preference is for Lexington-style barbeque, which is slathered in a vinegar-based “dip” and piled high on a Wonder-style bun, or in a tray, with a roughly equal amount of cole slaw, and some hush puppies on the side. If authentic, it will be washed down with a tall glass of sweet iced tea.
Procuring my particular brand of barbeque has proven challenging in Bend (no offense to Baldy’s, whose food I love). So my husband bought a smoker a few years ago, and we started making our own.

at $3 a pound, you can’t go wrong with pork. Summer means barbeque. To some people, barbeque includes anything cooked on a grill. To me, barbeque means pulled pork. Blame it on my Southern upbringing. I was raised in a state with more pigs than people. My first job was in a barbeque restaurant that smoked pork shoulders by the dozen. A pig-pickin' was an acceptable meal at a high-end wedding.
My preference is for Lexington-style barbeque, which is slathered in a vinegar-based "dip" and piled high on a Wonder-style bun, or in a tray, with a roughly equal amount of cole slaw, and some hush puppies on the side. If authentic, it will be washed down with a tall glass of sweet iced tea.
Procuring my particular brand of barbeque has proven challenging in Bend (no offense to Baldy's, whose food I love). So my husband bought a smoker a few years ago, and we started making our own.

I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason to be ordering your kids mystery nuggets or plain pasta.
 
Here in Central Oregon we have many, many options beyond over stimulation and bad burgers. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options have become easy and kid friendly for open-minded parents. The happy hour at Merenda offers all sorts of Northern Italian/Southern French influenced dishes for cut-rate prices. Get there at 4:30pm, sit in the dining room and order off the bar menu. Kebaba has great Lebanese food and a relaxed atmosphere - especially in the summer months. I've yet to meet a kid that won't eat hummus or falafel with a little tzaziki. Demetri's has Greek food in a low-key atmosphere. Try the spanikopita to introduce them to spinach and finish off the meal with the baklava - a kid favorite.

I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason to be ordering your kids mystery nuggets or plain pasta.

Here in Central Oregon we have many, many options beyond over stimulation and bad burgers. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options have become easy and kid friendly for open-minded parents. The happy hour at Merenda offers all sorts of Northern Italian/Southern French influenced dishes for cut-rate prices. Get there at 4:30pm, sit in the dining room and order off the bar menu. Kebaba has great Lebanese food and a relaxed atmosphere – especially in the summer months. I’ve yet to meet a kid that won’t eat hummus or falafel with a little tzaziki. Demetri’s has Greek food in a low-key atmosphere. Try the spanikopita to introduce them to spinach and finish off the meal with the baklava – a kid favorite.

Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I'll admit that I've never been lucky enough to eat in India, but of the food I've eaten in Indian communities in large American cities, Taj Palace holds its own.
For the last couple of years, Taj has offered a Friday and Saturday night buffet. It's a variation on the popular lunch buffet, featuring a bit more upscale items. For $14.95 you have a choice of unlimited amounts of sag paneer, lamb curry, homemade nan, lentil dahl, chicken tikka, sambar (thick lentil vegetable soup), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower cooked with Indian spices), vegetable biryani (basmati rice with mixed vegetables) and malai kofta (vegetable and cheese balls in a yogurt sauce). Not only is this a smokin' deal, it's the best way for a novice to try Indian cuisine.

Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I’ll admit that I’ve never been lucky enough to eat in India, but of the food I’ve eaten in Indian communities in large American cities, Taj Palace holds its own.
For the last couple of years, Taj has offered a Friday and Saturday night buffet. It’s a variation on the popular lunch buffet, featuring a bit more upscale items. For $14.95 you have a choice of unlimited amounts of sag paneer, lamb curry, homemade nan, lentil dahl, chicken tikka, sambar (thick lentil vegetable soup), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower cooked with Indian spices), vegetable biryani (basmati rice with mixed vegetables) and malai kofta (vegetable and cheese balls in a yogurt sauce). Not only is this a smokin’ deal, it’s the best way for a novice to try Indian cuisine.

Wine dinners and restaurant-hosted tastings have been popping up like tulips all over town lately. Whether you are a certified cork dork or just simply enjoy that glass of house red, you are sure to be satisfied. At one end of the spectrum are the casual after-work tastings offered by Blacksmith and Allyson’s Kitchen. These events cost $10 and typically focus on a themed flight of 6 – 8 wines of similar style and origin. I attended Blacksmith’s most recent event last Wednesday, hosted by sommelier Kevin Gilman, which focused on big Washington reds. No doubt about it, these were opulent, girthy wines with broad appeal and availability, and which spanned a reasonable price range. Their tasting notes were right on target, which made the experience accessible and easy.

Wine dinners and restaurant-hosted tastings have been popping up like tulips all over town lately. Whether you are a certified cork dork or just simply enjoy that glass of house red, you are sure to be satisfied. At one end of the spectrum are the casual after-work tastings offered by Blacksmith and Allyson's Kitchen. These events cost $10 and typically focus on a themed flight of 6 - 8 wines of similar style and origin. I attended Blacksmith's most recent event last Wednesday, hosted by sommelier Kevin Gilman, which focused on big Washington reds. No doubt about it, these were opulent, girthy wines with broad appeal and availability, and which spanned a reasonable price range. Their tasting notes were right on target, which made the experience accessible and easy.