Tease your Tastebuds and Wrap Your Tongue Around This…

A Portland summer just wouldn’t be the same without experiencing the Best of Oregon Food and Wine Festival, and this weekend you can help support the Oregon Food Bank by drinking and tasting some of Oregon’s best offerings at the 4th annual charity extravaganza taking place at Meriwether National Golf Course on Saturday, August 4th, from 3:00-8:00pm. Over 40 local restaurants, world-class wineries, premier brewers and distilleries will be lined up to knock you over with their very best.

Seize the chance to experience Oregon’s finest with grand brands like Archery Summit, Van Duzer and Willakenzie Estates, as well as an opportunity to discover virtually unknown wines from artisan producers like Omero Cellars and one of my new favorites, Kandarian Wine Cellars. Even Southern Oregon will be representing; break out of the Pinot Noir box and sip Merrill Cellars Cotes du Rogue and enjoy southern belle Abacela, who hopefully comes armed with Albarino. Restaurants such as Allium Bistro, Pazzo, the intriguing Theorem and Dundee newcomer Paulee are prepared to dazzle you with mouthwatering goodness while crowd-pleasers like Republic of Jam will jam you over with their jamtastic creations. The list of participants goes on and on, you’ll have to see and taste all it for yourself. Believe.

While the main festival takes place this Saturday, you can take advantage of Friday activities as well. There promises to be something for everyone as unique culinary cultural event provides party-goers with options for celebration. For golfers, a charity golf tournament takes place on Friday, August 3rd. Prizes will be awarded to the foursome with the best score as well as the longest drive and closest to the pin. Event sponsor, Kuni BMW will award a three-year lease to the first to get a hole-in-one on a designated hole. Put together your dream team and tee off at 2:00 pm following the shotgun start, then stick around for the cocktail party which follows at 6:00 pm. Or, skip the tourney all together, and even the main event, and just enjoy Friday night cocktails as the sun sets across the course. Individual ticket options are available for any and all activities.

Attendees will receive a commemorative glass and enjoy entertainment from Grammy-nominated artist Patrick Lamb. There's still time to purchase your tickets… culinary genius awaits you.

Dates and Times:
8/3/12: Golf Tournament and Cocktail Party

Golf Tournament tees off at 2:00 pm

Cocktail Party starts at 6:00 pm

8/4/12: 

Food & Wine Festival 

3:00-8:00 pm

Location:

Meriwether National Golf Course

5200 SW Rood Bridge RdHillsboro, OR 

Ticket Prices:

Tournament, Cocktail Party and Festival: $110.00

Tournament Only: $80

Cocktail Party Only: $25

Festival Only: $45

Eat, Drink and Do Your Part to End Childhood Hunger

Wine Chateau: the online wine store of choice.

For nearly 25 years, Taste of Nation has brought together culinary geniuses all across the country with one singular goal in mind, to raise money to help end childhood hunger. The tour has so far successfully raised over $1.3 million in hunger relief, and yet the problem still persists.

In America, one of the world's wealthiest nations, practically one out of every four children struggles with chronic childhood hunger. Kids that are hungry have much greater problems than just a rumbling tummy. Hungry kids suffer from impaired growth, development, increased sickness as well as lower productivity in schools. Share our Strength utilizes events like Taste of the Nation to bring light to this sad subject and make a difference in the lives of children, their families and ultimately our country.

Taste of the Nation is touring America for the 24th consecutive year uniting celebrity chefs, premium wineries/breweries and expert mixologists who donate their time and resources to help with this extraordinary cause.

If you wondered how much of your ticket sales actually go to those hungry children, rest easy and eat and drink up, because the answer is 100%… tickets range in price from $85 to $185 (for the Luxe ticket offering the earliest entry). Additionally, there will be a silent auction where you can bid on amazing prizes to help aid the Child No Hungry movement.

On Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, Taste of the Nation will be at JELD-WEN Field in Portland. This is your change to mingle with the foodie in-crowd while you savor signature dishes, sip locally crafted wines, cocktails and beer from over 75 purveyors all to benefit hungry children. The Portland leg of the national tour will be directly benefitting local organizations like the Oregon Food Bank, Partners for a Hungry-Free Oregon, St. Vincent de Paul Food Recovery Program and Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank.

Be a part of the solution. For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit the Taste of the Nation website.

If you need another reason besides helping poor hungry children, take a look at the participants and drool over what you'll be enjoying:

Gem Restaurants:
Aviary
Bamboo Sushi
Boke Bowl
Gruner
Ned Ludd
Olympic Provisions

Other Participants:
Accanto
Andina
Ate Oh Ate
Biwa
Brasserie Montmartre
Bunk Sandwiches
Celilo
Chop
Circa 33
Clyde Common
Cocotte
Crown Paella
Cupcake Jones
Davis Street Tavern
Departure
Double Dragon
Feastworks
Fratelli
Genoa
Irving Street Kitchen
Jamison
Joel Palmer House
June
La Calaca Comelona
Miss Zumstein
Missionary Chocolates
New Season's Market
Nong's Khao Man Gai
Nuestra Cocina
Oregon Ice Works
Otto
Oven and Shaker
The Painted Lady
Pine State Biscuits
Portobello
Random Order
Ringside Fish House
Ruby Jewel
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Saint Cupcake
St. Honoré Boulangerie
St. Jack
Simpatica
Smokehouse 21
Tastebud
Urban Farmer
Violetta
Wildwood
Woodlawn Bakery
Xocolati de David

2012 Gem Wineries:
Bergstrom Wines
Owen Roe
Sineann Wines

Additional Particpating Wineries:
Adelsheim Vineyard
Anne Amie Vineyards
Apolloni Vineyards
Ardiri Winery and Vineyards
Argyle Winery
Cana's Feast Winery
Coleman Vineyard
Cooper Mountain Vineyard
Cristom Vineyards
Elk Cove Vineyards
Ilahe Vineyards and Winery
Lange Estate Winery and Vineyard
Methven Family Vineyards
The Mitchell Wine Group
Montinore Estate
Oak Knoll Winery
PDX Urban Wineries
Torii Mor Winery
Willamette Valley Vineyards
Youngberg Hill Vineyards

Beer, Cider and Non-Alcoholic Beverages:
Burnside Brewing C.
Captured by Porches
Crater Lake Soda
Deschutes Brewery
DRY Soda Co.
Finnegan Cider
Full Sail Brewing Co.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Smith Teamaker
Volcanic Minerals
Widmer Brothers Brewing

Cochon 555 Returns to Portland

Any publicity is good publicity. Ask Lindsay Lohan, the trainwreck actress, singer, model who just hosted the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live and posed for Playboy. But I’d be willing to bet dollars to bacon maple doughnuts, that Cochon 555 isn’t hoping for more publicity from its Portland event the likes of which it received on it’s last Porktown visit in 2010.

When Cochon 555 started their national tour of 14 major cities in 2009, one would suspect they had to know it would likely be the pork butt of more than just a few jokes. Thankfully, the food, the wine and the whole hog experience have proven tasty enough to never be teased, taunted or laughed at, despite the number of irresistible mocking options.

An event probably not for the faint of heart, those keeping Kosher or for the vegetarian, Cochon 555, is scheduled to descend on Portland this Sunday, March 11^th at THE ORIGINAL. The hogwild event consists of five chefs, five pigs, five winemakers who gather together in a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition and tasting event designed to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs.

You can expect five local chef extraordinaires (Naomi Pomeroy – Beast, Vitaly Paley – Paley’s Place, Rita Jia You – Lucky Strike, Adam Sappington – The Country Cat and Jason Barwikowski – The Woodsman Tavern) to prepare a nose-to-tail menu created from heritage breed pigs for an audience of pork-loving epicureans.

As if the pork isn’t enough, great wine from local wineries will be sipped and a myriad of culinary opportunities will be available to take advantage of, including demonstrations on butchering, an interactive tasting contest with Cathy Whims of Nostrana/ Oven and Shaker, as well as spirits, oyster and chocolate tastings.

Tickets: $125 per person for general admission; $200 for VIP (including a welcome cocktail from The King's Ginger, HamaHama Oysters, tastings from Anne Amie, Buty, Big Table Farm, Chehalem, The Cheese Bar, Double Mountain Brewery, The Meadow and Domaine Serene paired with Iberico De Bellota by Fermin).

For tickets and more details about the event, visit cochon555.com or follow @cochon555 on Twitter.

Free Tickets to the Northwest Food and Wine Festival

Northwest food and wine lovers LOOK OUT! The food and wine festival to beat all festivals is coming soon to the incomparable Pure Space in Portland's Pearl district. This is one event you don't want to miss, in fact, it's the one you've been waiting all year for! On November 13, from 4-8pm, over 600 wines from Oregon and beyond, in addition to gourmet bites from regional restaurants, will be available to sample in a truly exceptional setting.

Many wineries will be offering special incentives such as case discounts and free shipping. Take advantage of this great opportunity to get all your holiday shopping done early. I know, it's not even October and here I am, trumpeting commercialism, yet facts are facts, the Northwest Food and Wine Festival makes it just too easy to please all the wineauxs on your holiday list. That's my kind of one-stop-shopping!

If you'd like to attend this event, purchase your tickets online OR try to win mine; I have two pairs I intend on sharing with some very lucky readers. Winning them couldn't be much easier, simply leave a comment below with a compelling reason why I should select you. To double your chances (two names in the lucky beret), become a fan on Facebook and leave a comment there as well.

The first winner will be chosen on October 15, good luck!

600 wines is a lot to taste and I trust (hope, hope, hope) you won't get to them all. But here's a mostly up-to-date list of participating wineries so you're sure to make your mark, before you get set and go. Sip with you then!

Airfield Estates
Agate Field Vineyard
AlexEli Vineyard
Alexander Valley Vineyards
Alexandria Nicole Cellars
Ankeny Vineyard Winery
Artisanal Wine Cellars
Atticus
Barking Frog
Basel Cellars
Beaucanon Estate
Birchfield Winery
Blue Mountain Cider Company
Blue Pirate
Bolla Wines
Bonterra
Brown Box Wines
Buty Winery
Canyons Edge Winery
Carlton Cellars
Cathedral Ridge Winery
Cavu Cellars
Chandler Reach Vineyards
Cerulean Wine
Cottonwood Winery of Oregon
Dalla Vina Wines now Terra Vina Wines
Desert Wind Winery
DiStefano Winery
Dobbes Family Estate
Domaine Napa Wine Company
Duck Pond Cellars
Dukes Family Vineyards
EdenVale Winery
Eola Hills Wine Cellars
Eugene Wine Cellars
Evergreen Vineyards
Fetzer Winery
Firesteed Cellars
Five Star Cellars
Five RiversWinery
Forgeron Cellars
Foris Vineyards Winery
Gilbert Cellars
Gilstrap Brothers Wine Company
Girardet Wine Cellars
Girly Girl Wines
Glen Fiona
Goose Ridge Estate Vineyards and Winery
Hawkins Cellars
Henry Estate
Hoodsport Winery
HV Wines
K Vintners
Kana Winery
Kenwood Vineyards
Kestral Vintners
Kontos Cellars
Korbel
Laurelwood Brewing Co.
Little Black Dress Wines
Stella Artois
Hoegaarden
Leffe
Marshals Winery
Martin & Weyrich Winery
Masset Winery
McCormick Family Vineyard - "Memaloose"
Mercer Wine Estate
Methven Family Vineyards
Michael David Winery
Mount Baker Winery
Mt. Hood Winery
Naked Winery
Namaste Vineyards
Nota Bene Cellars
Pheasant Valley Winery
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Quady North
Quenett Winery
Red Star Tavern
Rex Hill
Ribera Vineyards, LLC
Roza Ridge
Rusty Grape Vineyard
Seven Sisters
Seven of Hearts - Luminus Hills
Silver Lake Winery at Roza Hills
Simpatica
Snake River Winery
Sonoma Cutrer
Springhouse Cellar
Stangeland Vineyards & Winery
Stella Fino Winery
Sweet Valley Wines
Terra Blanca Winery
Terra Vina Wines
Tertulia Cellars
The Pines 1852
The Wine Haven
Beaucanon Estates
Martin & Weyrich
Mt Baker Winery
Airfield Estates
Utopia Vineyard & Winery
Valley of the Moon Winery
Valley View Winery
Vercingetorix - VX Vineyard
Vin duLac
Vinn
Volcano Vineyards
Walnut City WineWorks
Washington Wine Works
Waving Tree Winery
White Salmon Vineyard
Willamette Valley Vineyards
Willamette Wine Works
Wilridge Winery
Wy'East Vineyards
Youngberg Hills Winery
Zefina Winery - Corus Estates
Zerba Cellars

Wordless #WineWednesday Fun — What Not to Wear to a Wine Event

Don't Miss the Best of Oregon Food & Wine Fest This Weekend!

This Saturday, August 14, from 5:00– 9:00 p.m, enjoy life's finest pairings… great food and even better wines at the second annual Best of Oregon Food and Wine Festival. Remarkable Oregon wines will be served alongside the creations from some of Oregon’s most notable chefs, all under one spectacular roof at the fabulously elegant Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, Oregon.

Featuring 30 memorable Oregon wineries and 20 aritsan food producers, tickets to the main festival are a ridiculously low $30.00 pre-sale and $35.00 at the door and wines will even be available for purchase!!

Check out the line-up of food and wine and then purchase your tickets today, visit www.bestoforegonfoodandwine.com! Contact Claudia Bowers at praviawines@gmail.com for more information. Proceeds benefit Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation.

Hope to sip with you there!

Get Your Tickets Now for the Best of Oregon Food & Wine Festival

Keep it local…is the message. The Best of Oregon Food & Wine Festival features the very best of Oregon's culinary culture with world class wineries and celebrated food artisans.

Don't miss the 2nd Annual “Best of Oregon” Food & Wine Festival, scheduled for Saturday, August 14, from 5:00– 9:00 p.m. at the fabulously elegant Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, Oregon.

Showcasing the very best of Oregon's culinary culture – 30 world class wineries and 20 food artisans will be presenting their goods for one night only. Tickets to the main festival are $30.00 pre-sale and $35.00 at the door and wines will be available for purchase!!

Addtionally, the program includes a golf tournament prior to the festival. The tournament will be offered to a limited number of participants at an entry fee of $150 per person and includes access to all the day's  festivities. Kuni BMW is donating a brand new BMW for a “hole in one” prize!

Best of Oregon aims to support and promote Oregon's local economy by encouraging patrons to support the local festival vendors. A portion of the proceeds from the golf tournament, sponsorships and festival fees, along with 100% of door prize ticket sales will benefit Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation.

Check out the line-up of food and wine and then purchase your tickets today, visit www.bestoforegonfoodandwine.com! Contact Claudia Bowers at praviawines@gmail.com for more information.