A new food venture is underway for Good Man Eats here in North Portland. Ever since I got into cooking, way back when in Seattle circa 2005-06′, I dreamt of preparing multi-course meals. There’s something romantic about the European dining experience. Think Spain or France or Italy. Think late dinner through the evening. Think long, inebriated discussions and plates of fantastic cuisine. Well, among the various fantasies I harbor, I hope to manifest a handful of these in my newest food project. I introduce to you: The North Portland Supper Club.
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North Portland Supper Club
Killing Chickens vs. Processing Chickens (part I)
Mobile poultry processing on Martha's Vineyard
Two weeks ago I was visiting one of my closest friends who lives on Martha’s Vineyard. Unlike the Kennedy’s, Wall Street Executives and Barack Obama, my friend and his lovely family are not millionaires living it up on the island. It turns out that most of the people that live there year-round are middle class families trying to survive in a community that inflates its cost for the summer crowds. The cost of living there is so high that local folks get an “Island Discount Card” that provides a 10% discount at the grocery stores and other daily amenities.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I did not visit Martha’s Vineyard to wine and dine with hollywood celebrities. In fact, beside spending time with my friend, his wife and their one-year old son, I traveled east to see his farm and kill his chickens.
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The Oregon Sustainability Experience
Sustainability is all the rage.
Last week I boarded a bus with 30 professionals, grad students and other food politic wonks to explore the pieceses of an ever-increasing sustainable food system here in Oregon. Coined “The Oregon Sustainability Experience,” the week-long adventure drove us all over, visiting multiple participants and benefactors to the evolving sustainable food systems across Oregon. From Portland to Hillsboro to Monmouth to Corvallis to Philomath to Tangent to Junction City to Salem to Brooks to Woodburn and then back to Portland, we invested 40+ hours to investigation, analysis, reflection and immense discussion on the various topics that be.
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“From Soil to Stovetop” – A Success!
Yesterday afternoon I stood amongst a dozen or so glowing high school students in a sunny garden on the East side of Portland. Over the last 4 weeks these students (plus the occasional others who showed up less frequently) met every morning at Fir Ridge Campus to work in the garden, the classroom and the kitchen. The grant I wrote several months ago (and received) funded the summer program. As I learned from some of the funders who joined us at the celebration, the funding represents part of the resources being distributed to projects in East Portland as part of the East Portland Action Plan.
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Food Revolution – One Class at a Time
Last night I stood in a mostly empty gymnasium inside a catholic church in NE Portland. Sitting down beside me were 18 men, women and children who had all escaped the comforts of beautiful summer weather to sweat in a large, metallic industrial kitchen. What might seem like a desperate attempt to reach out, was in fact a meaningful experience for all who attended.
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