dcdavidm

Unfriendly, but doable. I use firefox; had to bring the hot button into view by making the font smaller (zooming out, in firefox view parlance).

Taking a shortcut through an industrial section of Portland late in the afternoon on a recent Saturday, what did I spy out of the corner of my eye but a large sign announcing Clear Creek Distillery. The street and parking lot were eerily empty but, I thought, "What the heck; might as well find out what their hours are." Surprise! They were open for tastings (although tours were much earlier in the day) and invited us in when they saw us peeking through the windows. This is a place that delights in the magic of capturing the essence of fruit in a bottle. Already familiar with the poire william pear brandy, another sniff and taste reminded me of a perfect pear on a perfect day. Other Clear Creek products -- six eaux de vie, several brandies, six or seven liqueurs, four grappas -- were well worth tasting, even the "Doug Fir," which deserves a try, though perhaps only once. The staff was generous with the pours, used good glassware, and was only too willing to talk at length about the nuances of each of the products, encouraging comparison tastings. It is a remarkable operation (eight employees; four stills; knowledgeable and friendly staff) well worth a visit. Clear Creek Distillery

23, but some lucky guesses!

If you could program your time machine to achieve optimal gastronomic pleasure, you would have gone back in time to sign up with "goodeats: for the dr.com dinner at Grapeseed this evening. Talk about a great event! Chef Jeff Heineman prepared a superb five-course, off-the-menu selection of outrageously good food for the seven lucky Rockwellians in attendance. Appetites whetted by grilled flatbreads topped with roasted tomatoes and lardo in one case, and mussels, preserved lemon, and manchego cheese in another, the celebration of the season began with a salad of peas, mint, macademia nuts, and white chocolate. The colors and flavors belied the sub-normal temperatures outside and made one truly appreciate the promise of springtime. A second course of red mullet, sourced to Brazil but tasting just off the boat, combined with a barley risotto to blend the freshness of the ocean with the graininess of the plains in a mouth filling mélange of flavors and textures. Carbonara composed of freshly made pasta, guanciale, and egg yolk was a reminder of how really good farm-fresh eggs can be as the simple sauce for silken noodles. The surprise of the evening, though, was the course of lamb loin with turnip puree and black garlic. The lamb was perfect, but the real treat was the turnip, simply boiled and processed through a tamis into an ethereal turnip essence. The final course of an apricot and hazelnut napoleon was an amalgam of flavors and textures that was a fitting end to the meal. Thanks to Chef Heineman for his creative instincts and to "goodeats" for arranging the event. Thanks, too, to Don Rockwell; it was a pleasure meeting him and sharing food and wine with him.

I agree; she was obnoxiously uninspiring. That said, we have eaten at her restaurant in NYC and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Higgins 1239 SW Broadway Phone: (503) 222-9070

Struck me as a truly vapid program devoid of either content or entertainment. I was disappointed because I really am a fan of both Mario Batali and Mark Bittman. They can do better.

Robert Steinberg, only 61 years old; co-founder of the San Francisco/Berkeley Scharffen Berger chocolate enterprise. Helped make really good American-made, beans-to-bars chocolate accessible to the masses. We visited his factory in Berkeley a few years ago and can still remember the ethereal smells and intense flavors. In fact, I think I will go to my pantry and have a chunk right now in his memory...

Ahhh...tomatoes and protein (and a few carbs). What a way to spend the evening. Dean--your ingredients were superbly fresh; the presentations were filled with powerful flavors; and your hospitality was superb. Thanks for a great evening, and thanks to Walrus for setting it up.

A beautiful evening to eat outside! Gin and Tonic (fever tree) Homemade spinach-green pasta with pork sausage ragu (a Mario Batali recipe) Nectarines

Long Labor Day weekend in Boston was highlighted by good eats. Chez Henri in Cambridge has everything you want in a college-area bistro: good, reasonably priced food and wine (we ate in the bar area) and a relaxing atmosphere. The name belies the fact that the menu has a lot of Cuban-flavored dishes. Masa had really delicious, strongly-flavored southwestern foods; palate-wakening flavor combinations. Be sure to try the habanero pepper and watermelon margarita! B&G Oysters was crowded and a bit rushed, but the oysters were fantastic (even at $2.50 each) and our group had fun devouring a shared platter of fritto misto that included impeccably fried calamari, clams, oysters, and cod. Wine list struck us as on the excessively pricey side. I’ll echo previous posters’ enjoyment of Bukoski’s. Terrific selection of beers in the bottle and on tap; nicely done burgers; engaging playlist on the bartender’s iPod. Happily, it was just down the street from our hotel.

Went to Redwood last Saturday with Mrs dcdavidm to check it out. I'd give it mixed reviews, but it shows promise. Liked the room (but we like contemporary settings anyway) which was a lot bigger than we had anticipated. Despite the hard surfaces and background din, conversation was quite easy because of the generous spaces between tables. The attractive bar area looked enticing; we'll have to try it. As for the neighborhood, I especially liked being able to park in the Montgomery County garage next door. I started with the beet salad, which, in this case, had a generous proportion of beet to ruby-red-stained cucumber, and had both good texture and taste. It was a nice presentation. For the main course, I had an off-menu roast suckling pig presentation that was tender, juicy, and flavorful. Mrs. Dcdavidm went for the chicken, which also was tender and juicy and impeccably cooked, but totally devoid of flavor; it has a long way to go to reach anywhere near Palena's version. Interestingly, we took some leftover chicken home, and it was better cold out of the fridge the next day than at the restaurant. A side dish of mac and cheese was terrific; no leftovers from that plate. A trio of gelati and sorbet shared for dessert was just right. Our primary server was excellent, describing the menu perfectly and pacing the meal nicely, but a few oddities occurred that we thought amusing. In between the appetizer and the main course, a server brought a small plate that he said was for Mrs. Dcdavidm's chicken bones. A few minutes later, a staffer removed the plate. Then, our primary server replaced it, only to have it removed the next time a staff member passed by the table. The game played out until the chicken arrived, but with the alleged bone plate removed permanently. No matter, but amusing, nonetheless. The second oddity was when I inquired about the flavor and serving size of the gelati and sorbets. The server said there were three flavors, and a serving was three scoops. All the flavors were appealing, and I requested two scoops of one flavor and one scoop of another. The server paused, and said that she did not know if that was possible; she would have to ask the chef if it was okay to serve two flavors. Give me a break. I'm all for eating dishes as the chef intended, but we're talking about three scoops of frozen dessert in a bowl. All told, though, it was an enjoyable evening that we will at some point try to repeat.

Try the Black Walnut Inn in Dundee...out in the countryside and beautiful. Or, next time you are in Newberg, try the Lions Gate Inn, a 10-minute walk from the Painted Lady restaurant. (We were there last month and enjoyed both immensely) My spouse, who is from the area, describes the valley as Oregon's Appalachia. The state's per capita income ranks 28 out of 50, but is below the national average despite the hoopla that Portland receives as a city for the future. The valley is basically a farming community dependent on the availability of a lot of low-cost labor.

Mrs dcdavidm and I have made reservations; hope to see a few other DRs there.

Just got back from Oregon. Visited Willakenzie and Penner-Ash, both drop-dead gorgeous wineries (where do these people get the capital for such facilities?) with pretty good wines, at that. Also visited Maysara, which was low-key but put on a really good tasting. Finally, stopped in at the Carlton Wine Studio, an interesting business arrangement in which small producers can avail themselves of shared winemaking facilities. It was really fun trying pinot noirs not available on the east coast and exploring some really interesting pinot blancs and a pinot meunier. Our available time was short, but we compiled a list of places we want to visit on the next trip, too.

I make mine a bit lighter; seems to work well and is neither harsh nor cloying: Peel (microplaned) from 8 organic lemons 750 ml Everclear 190 proof 48 oz bottled water 2 1/2 cups sugar Mix peels and Everclear; let sit for two weeks; strain; boil water and sugar; when cool add to alcohol; let age a few months before use. Oh, I am terrible at math, but wouldn't a 4:1 ratio of water to 100% alcohol result in a 20 percent solution (5 parts total, of which 4 (80 percent) are water and one (20 percent) alcohol)?

On a sort of related note, a few weekends ago, chef Sudhir Seth gave a grilling demonstration at Wagshall's in Spring Valley, DC. He commented that he usually tones down his spicing for the American audience. Then with great enthusiasm, he revealed his pleasure in having hosted a "group from Don Rockwell" that, much to his delight, ate every bit of the authentically spiced dishes he had prepared!

Thanks to both of you for the great trip report--both words and pictures. Mrs. dcdavidm is from Portland so we get back there often. You have reminded us of a few old places to revisit, and some new ones to try on our next trip. Sounds like you had a good time; thanks for sharing.

Sorry; I didn't ask the vendors how long their season would be. If I am there next Tuesday, I'll find out.

Lettuce harvested from the backyard garden topped with slices of leftover rib-eye and grilled corn; diced mango tossed with fresh mint, red pepper flakes, and honey.

Whole Foods Tenleytown had several tables in the entryway area today manned by farmers and other vendors from close-in West Virginia. Picked up some yummy sweet (and not waterlogged) strawberries; just-right tomatoes; and a bag of coffee beans to try from "Black Dog Coffee Roasters" of Summit Point. Tables had assorted veggies, lettuces, meats, and baked goods. Vendors will be there Tuesdays from 2 to 7. One of them told me it is a Whole Foods effort to promote local suppliers.

Indeed, thank you for the taste this evening. We had a marvelous time enjoying your gin concoctions, a taste of genever, a light dinner of frites, oyster sandwich, bacon nan, and tasso croquettes, and a very pleasant, food-friendly bottle of Moschofilero. The food and drink were terrific, and it was a great pleasure talking with you, Mr. Singh, and the staff.

A Daniel Boulud-recipe Burger: Home-ground sirloin mixed 4:1 with pulled pork barbecue; grilled medium rare; on a home-made whole wheat bun with jalapeño mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, cheddar, and roasted corn salsa. Accompanied by corn on the cob. Great night for eating outside.

Came close to morel overkill on Saturday. Mrs. dcdavidm and I went to the annual morel dinner at Barboursville Vineyards' Palladio Restaurant outside Charlottesville. 100 pounds of morels for 100 people, served in several courses (Spinach-Goat Cheese Frittata Roulade with Warm Morel Salad and Roasted Sweet Pepper Purée; Gnocchi with Morel Ragù; Roasted Lamb Rack with Polenta, Fava Bean Purée, Morel-Pearl Onion Ragù & Morel Demi-Glace). Proprietor said about 1/3 locally picked; 2/3 from Oregon. An outstanding treat.

We did, on the way home from work at 5:30. Happy Hour was way under-attended, though by the time we left the dining room was starting to fill up. Drinks were reasonable and delicious (it was a perfect mojito evening); oysters were spectacular (especially the Washington State Otter Coves); my cuttlefish frite (from the bar menu) was delicious; Mrs. dcdavidm's pork cheek-filled ravioli (from the dinner menu) were richly rewarding. As always, the bar staff was friendly and helpful. The place could become a habit.