Portland Farmers' Market Photo Tour: Early April Edition in Shades of Rhubarb and Tulip

Colors and the Kids: Holi Celebration at Washington Park

My dear friends Ratnanjali Adhar and Vinayanjali Plainfield threw a fantastic Holi party across from Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park this morning, and I risked life, limb, and camera to get some shots of the colors, food, dancing (full-on choreography to "Jai Ho" no less!), and general tomfoolery of the day. Holi is the Hindu festival of Spring, a celebration of the reawakening of the seasons and our senses. Around the world, people celebrate Holi by spraying each other with colored water and smearing colored powders all over each other's faces. Everyone becomes a little kid, chasing each other around with water balloons of color and handfuls of bright colored dust - you have to see it to understand - and it becomes all-out war.

An Adventure in Modernizing Portland Cuisine with Tabla's Anthony Cafiero

Confession time. I am such a skeptic of modernist cuisine, with its gelatins, foams, savory sorbets, and wonky textures, but I'm not skeptical of Anthony Cafiero's talent - so last night's PFA dinner at Tabla was truly a food adventure. The usual set-up was in play: two long, communal tables decked out in wine glasses and white linens filled the space in front of the open kitchen at Tabla, where Tony and the team were cranking out plate after plate of dishes inspired by the chef's recent trip to Spain. The food was playful, provocative, and unexpected - savory met sweet, textures danced, and there was some really, really good octopus. The menu was structured such that small plates - the palate teasers - were set out between the larger dishes, and the single bites of "Potato Air with Truffle Pearls" and "Guilde of Goat Cheese Custard, Quince, and Lucqese Olives" played well with the entrees of Sous Vide eggs with coppa, breadcrumbs, caper aioli and miner's lettuce and the Mar y Montaña (more about that later). The wines were amazing, but I was a bit too busy taking photos and chatting it up with everyone about my new job to pay attention to labels. I'm going to have to get better about that!

Portland Farmers' Market Photo Tour: Opening Day 2011

Chef Choice Portland Food Aventure with Jenn Louis of North PDX's Lincoln Restaurant

Last night, a group of hungry diners gathered at Lincoln - Chef Jenn Louis' gorgeous and highly acclaimed North Portland restaurant - for an evening of family-style food and exploration of Jenn's honest and creative approach to Pacific Northwest cuisine. The fourth Portland Food Adventures Chef's Choice dinner brought together food lovers of all stripes to enjoy one of the best menus in Portland as it transitions from winter's hearty comfort food to spring's greens and lighter dishes. I'd been to Lincoln a few times before, notably last fall after Jenn and I made Ribollita together at the Portland Farmers' Market, but last night was extra-special. Jenn selected a long list of dishes that represented Lincoln's hyper-seasonal menu and signature blend of high-end and accessible food - from classic cassoulet with rabbit, lamb, pancetta, and tarbais beans, to brandade (sold cod/olive oil mousse) fritters, fried fennel, and some absolutely perfect onion rings. We were treated to the story of how Jenn and her husband (Lincoln's front-of-the-house and bar manager David Welch) met when she was working at Wildwood, chatted with Gabe Rosen of Biwa about his mission of bringing traditional, fun, and accessible Japanese food to a nondescript corner of Southeast Portland, and received a big envelope stuffed with gift certificates to some of Jenn's favorite spots in town.

Party Photos: Mardi Gras Bash at Irving Street Kitchen

What: ISK's First Annual Portland Mardi Gras Party
Where: Irving Street Kitchen, 701 NW 13th St. - irvingstreetkitchen.com 
The Dirty Details: Strong classic NOLA drinks from shakers Brandon Wise and Allison Webber (think Hurricanes and Sazeracs till the sun came up), tarot readings, masked and beaded shenanigans, live funk and bluegrass music, burlesque dancers, two WHOLE ROASTED PIGS from Chef Sarah Schafer, the never-ending raw bar of oyster-shucking glory, jugglers, traditional king cake. I didn't find the baby in the cake, and I almost fell on those dangerous floor balloons about seventeen times, but otherwise the night was AMAZING. These kids know how to throw a party - and I've got the beads to prove it.