Here's to Good Starts!

Roma tomatoes, Japanese eggplants, pickling cucumbers, sweet basil, and parsley. Welcome to the Rubin Urban Farmstead. Your chicken sisters await your making home near their coop.

I'm getting excited, too. Dan and I had bought some seeds earlier and some of that stuff is working out (go radishes and kale!). Others are not (where are you, my gai lan and green onion friends?). It is our first garden after all.

I would like to do some canning this season. That's why I got the pickling cucumbers and the Romas (for sauce). It might be a lot of work. I just hope it will taste good. I suppose I can't go wrong with the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. They are time tested recipes.

10% Off on the 10th

My neighborhood co-op is having a sale.

A couple times a year, People's Co-Op has a 10% Off on the 10th day. It ends up being quite crowded and a little crazy since it's not a big market but it's great.

I went today and picked up some veggie starts, eco-friendly household items, tempeh and chocolate (hey, I have my priorities). Stop by if you get the chance.

People's Co-Op
Corner of SE 21st and Tibbetts
(between Division and Powell)
Portland, OR 97202

Happy Mother's Day

Today, the dudes dished it out. As they should, right, ladies?

Of course, I was too busy relaxing to have remembered to take a picture of the brothers preparing a fantastic Mexican meal (for their wives and mother). Handmade flour tortillas, black beans, chorizo, eggs, and potatoes with all the fixins. We had fruit salad and honey-sweetened yogurt for dessert. (Oh, and I was too busy eating to take pictures. Sorry!)

It was fabulous. And why wouldn't it? My brother-in-law, Ken, is the director of one of the culinary school's here in Portland and he studied and practiced the cuisine in Oaxaca back in the day.

So Happy Mother's Day to all you ladies who have the rewarding yet challenging job of raising the world's young people. And a special shout out to Mama Lee (who doesn't know how to use the internet).

I love you, Ma...and thanks for everything. Sorry for all the headaches from when I was age 16 to about 25...

Reservations for Mom!

Make your reservations NOW! There was one Mother's Day back in the 1990's when I decided to be spontaneous with my mom on Mother's Day. "Hey, let's go out to Mallard's for brunch," I said.

I think Mallard's has been out of biz for a while but it used to serve a great champagne brunch...we got there and it was a 90 minute wait. Forget that, El Torito, down the road also had a 90 minute wait. Dim sum at Dynasty was packed, too...and we'd always go there. That wasn't a treat.

Anyway, we went around town trying to find a place. We ended up going back to Mallard's, very nearly starving and waiting our 90 minutes after searching for 60...

So, make your reservations NOW...or go out and buy some fancy sausage or nitrate-free bacon and a dozen organic eggs!

Hey, it's your mom or the mother of your child(ren)! You can splurge a little on this day.

Wanna Bite o' Sausage?

Stop by the Deck Family Farm booth at the PSU Farmers Market this Saturday, May 8th (between 10am and 12pm) to sample their new sausages. The booth is located on the west aisle just a few booths down from the Veggie Valet/Info Booth in the Northwest corner. I will be there with my chef coat and a nice collection of tastiness:

Beef Andouille
Polish Sausage
Sweet Italian Sausage
Garlic Sausage
Smoked Bratwurst

Consider getting local, tasty, humanely-raised sausages for a special Mother's Day breakfast. Because nothing says "I appreciate you," more than a sausage, some eggs, and a crepe/waffle/pancake/muffin breakfast...in bed!

Or just stop by and say, "Hello." See you there!

Freeze!

With all that Chicken Enchilada Casserole left over, I'm freezing the rest of the broth so that it won't go bad.

These two quarts will make a mighty fine chili or lentil soup next week.

Stay tuned!

Pinot in the Pearl -- TODAY

Every first Thursday of the month Portland galleries and shops in the Old Town, Pearl District, and downtown neighborhoods stay open late. You can view new art exhibits, sip some wine, and listen to music.

This month, Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers presents:

PINOT IN THE PEARL
Venue Pearl
NW 13th & Flanders
5-9 pm

Tickets: $25 advance/$30 at door

This is no three buck Chuck event. Taste boutique wines unique to the Pacific Northwest--Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Reislings...and some Chardonnay. Then take some home with you. Food tastings will also be available from such restaurants as: 50 Plates, The Heathman, and The Painted Lady. Come hungry. Come thirsty and have a great time!

Look for me there. I'll be the one holding a wine glass.

If you can't make it tonight, visit the many tasting rooms in the Ribbon Ridge and Chehalem Mountains AVA (American Viticultural Areas).