Photo by Gregory Heller

Helping us feel like she hasn’t even left, Carolyn is back with another guest blog! This time, she’s here to recount two deliciously fun Seattle adventures with our very own Erin Coopey, a Parties That Cook Lead Chef in Seattle. Let the cravings begin.

One of my favorite things about being the Portland AND Seattle Manager for Parties That Cook is the opportunity to meet great chefs and winemakers and taste their delicious creations in both cities! On a recent trip to Seattle, I was lucky enough to join one of our Lead Chefs, Erin, at two great culinary events.

First, was the annual Passport to Woodinville, which we discovered when we saw we weren’t the only ones heading into Woodinville that Saturday. Erin and I happened to be teaching one of our popular Date Night couples cooking classes at Efeste Winery that very weekend. Wow, were we excited.

There were over 90 wineries open for tasting, along with food, music, and beautiful sunny weather (what a tease)! Since we were teaching our class, we decided to return the next day. I was in good hands with Erin as my guide, educator, chauffeur and all-around fun wine tasting partner – she knew exactly where to go. We had a blast!

Our approach was quality over quantity as we focused on known wineries, except for one accidental off-the-beaten-path winery, Hollywood Hill Vineyards. Their Syrah was one of the best! Erin’s membership at several winery clubs allowed us to enjoy additional tastings. In return, we indulged, and bought our share of wine (and a Dusted Valley hoodie for myself). Other highlights included Airfield’s Lightning (a Rhone-style blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne), Gewurztraminer, Mouvedre (I love discovering new varietals!), and Dusted Valley’s Petit Syrah – so proud of their reds that their wine club is called Stained Teeth Society.

Another stop Erin knew about, tucked among the wineries, was not actually winery, but a distillery. A distillery in the wine country? You got it. Within their alluring, funky walls, Project V Distillery proudly distills Washington winter wheat into vodka. “Damn fine booze,” as they like to say (and I would have to agree). I was a bit skeptical when the distiller asked if I wanted to taste their chai-infused vodka, but boy, it didn’t take long after that first sip to imagine it mixed with citrus flavors, or in a White Russian. Mmmm…. We thought it best to get some food in our bellies, so we finished off our day at The Purple Café. Of course, our wine country lunch included a flight of cheeses and glass of wine. While enjoying our meal, we recalled our day’s tastings and felt very satisfied with our choices. Already thinking about next year’s Passport!

Photo by Gregory Heller

The second food event was the Seattle Chefs Collaborative monthly event, which featured Mushrooms & Oysters of the Northwest – what fun! My gracious guide, Erin, and I met at Melrose Market Studios and were greeted with a glass of locally-made Communi-Tea Kombucha (bubbly is always a good start to an evening).

Soon enough, we found ourselves tasting and discussing the finer ingredients of Xinh’s original Mushroom and Oyster Stew among a lively group of chefs. The mouthwatering aroma wafting from Art of The Table’s homemade dashi broth drew us further down the buffet. There, we discovered a light, subtle broth filled with shiitake mushrooms and udon noodles, and topped with crispy fried shiitakes – heavenly!

Next up was a taste from the ocean – freshly shucked oysters! We first tried Hama Hama’s baby hama hamas (turned out to be our favorites!), followed by Taylor Shellfish’s oysters, featuring 3 unique varieties from the Olympia area. The Kumamoto’s were getting a lot of thumbs ups. A fresh squeeze of lemon juice and a couple dashes of Tabasco and down the hatch – Yum!

Thank you, Erin, for showing me around two great foodie events in Seattle! I look forward to returning for more!

And thank you, Carolyn, for writing up this great recap! I’m sure those of us in PTC’s San Francisco office are thoroughly hungry… and jealous!

Are tea parties not your scene? This versatile dish can also be seen in action at our Cooking with Cocktails class in Portland!

Sweet Pea and Mint Galettes with Prosciutto and Sour Cream Recipe
This recipe can be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Galettes:
10 slices prosciutto
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups frozen peas, divided in half
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups milk
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon mint leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Canola oil or nonstick spray for cooking galettes

Garnish:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Reserved ½ inch pieces of proscuitto

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cook Prosciutto: Lay prosciutto onto a sheet pan. Place pan in the oven and cook until crisp, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Once cool, chop half the prosciutto into small 1/4-inch bits and transfer to small bowl – will use later for batter. Chop or break the remaining pieces into larger pieces, about 1/2 inch bits and place in small bowl, cover with plastic and set aside to use as garnish.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together flour and baking powder; set aside.

Blend Wet Ingredients: Put half of the peas into a blender. Add the cream, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, mint leaves and salt; blend for 20 seconds. Add eggs, and blend a few seconds more, just until they are fully combined.

Combine Ingredients: Pour pea mixture into flour mixture, add the remaining whole peas and reserved ¼-inch bacon pieces, fold to mix. Add the lemon juice. Helpful tip: Do not over mix or the galettes will be tough.

Cook Galettes: Pour 1 tablespoon of canola oil into non-stick pan or spray with nonstick spray. Working in batches, drop a tablespoon of batter into pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until underside is golden, about 2 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until other side is golden and pancake is cooked through, about two minutes more. Transfer to a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more canola oil as needed between batches.

Mix Garnish: Combine sour cream, salt, and lemon juice.

Serve: If necessary quickly re-warm pancakes in the oven. Remove from oven and top each pancake with a dollop of sour cream and a piece of proscuitto that was reserved for garnish. Transfer pancakes to a serving platter. Serve immediately. Recipe created by

Serves/Makes
30-35 2-inch Galettes

Recipe created by Parties That Cook® | www.PartiesThatCook.com

For those of you who might not know, Women’s Initiative for Self Employment is a Bay Area non-profit that provides high-potential, lower-income women the training, resources and on-going support to start and grow their business. This amazing organization has been in San Francisco for 24 years (longer than someone in our office has been alive)!

Once again, Bibby gave her famously engaging cooking demo, with insightful tips and tricks for the evening’s recipes. Attendees were relaxed and mingling throughout the event, even as they were divided into smaller teams to prepare the menu of international tapas. Guests enjoyed delicious wine graciously provided by Banshee Wines, and there was even a little “marketplace” showcasing the products of five Women’s Initiative graduates.

Near the end of the event, Women’s Initiative graduate, Azalina Eusope, told an inspiring story of her experience with Women’s Initiative and how she launched her successful Malaysian foods company, Azalina’s. We caught tears falling from a few eyes, but promised we wouldn’t name names. Beautiful professional photos from the event (featured in this blog) were taken by Women’s Initiative graduate, Aurora Meneghello, and they can all be found on the Aurora Meneghello Productions Facebook page.

And now, for the statistic everyone’s been waiting for: The event raised the staggering amount of $17,500!! Parties That Cook is as proud as ever to have lent a hand to Women’s Initiative and our community.

Chalupas with Smashed Avocado, Chorizo, and Lime Sour Cream – Let the avocados be the only thing “smashed” at your bash. Eat enough of these delicious little guys – trust us, it’s not hard – and you’ll be loaded with enough carbs to take on The Most Interesting Man in the World. Well, maybe…
Drunken (Not that you’ll be, right?) Scallop Tostadas with Tequila and Ancho-Chile Salsa – Talk about getting sauced! Fresh flavors balance out the kick from the red pepper flakes and Tequila, leaving you with a munch-able snack that’ll keep you coming back for more!

You can find these recipes in action this Cinco de Mayo at our Mouthwatering Mission cooking class + tasting tour. Previously sold out, we’ve expanded the class size, and are now offering more tickets. Get them while they’re HOT.

Chalupas with Smashed Avocado, Chorizo, and Lime Sour Cream

Ingredients
Crust:
Vegetable spray, for greasing pans
1 cup masa harina
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 Tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into pieces
6 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon warm water
Mini Muffin Tins

Filling:
6 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
1 large shallot, finely diced
4 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 large red jalapeno, minced
2 large avocados, halved and pitted
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Lime Sour Cream:
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 red jalapeno, minced
24 cilantro leaves

Methods/Steps
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Prepare Pans: Using the vegetable spray, lightly grease the insides of 2 24-cup mini muffin pans to make 48.

Make Crust: Combine the masa, flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture to combine. Add the butter and shortening and pulse again just until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Add warm water and process until moist clumps form, adding more water by the tablespoon if the mixture is dry. Transfer the dough to a flour-dusted work surface and divide it into quarters. Roll each quarter into a rope and cut the ropes into 12 pieces to yield 48 1/2-inch pieces (the size of a marble). Using your fingers, press each piece into a muffin cup, keeping the top edge of the dough inside the cup. Continue until all the cups are full. Use any extra dough to fill holes.

Bake Crust: Bake the cups until dry to the touch, and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove them from the muffin tins and cool the cups on racks.

Cook Chorizo: Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo, crumble with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Chop into bits if necessary.

Make Filling: Finely dice the shallot, cilantro and red jalapeno. Place into a medium bowl. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh. Add the avocado to the bowl and gently mash with a fork. Stir the mixture well and add in the lime juice and salt. Taste and re-season with salt and lime juice if needed.

Prepare Garnishes: Mix the sour cream, lime juice and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Finely mince the jalapeno and pick cilantro leaves.

Assemble Chalupas: Spoon some of the avocado mixture into each of the cooled cups and top with a small dollop of sour cream then pieces of chorizo. Top with a sprig of cilantro and remaining jalapeno. Serve right away.

Serves/Makes
Makes 48

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook® | www.PartiesThatCook.com | From Tori Ritchie in Bon Appetit.

Drunken Scallop Tostadas with Tequila and Ancho-Chile Salsa

Ingredients
Tostadas:
8 six-inch flour tortillas
Olive oil for brushing
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 inch round cutters

Salsa:
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, halved, seeded and cut in very small dice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped

Scallops with Ancho Chile:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces bay scallops
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup tequila
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 Tablespoons butter, cold and cubed

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cut Tostadas: Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out four circles from each tortilla (may be more if tortilla is larger than six inches).

Oil and Bake Tostadas: Place circles on a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a cooling rack over sheet pan and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Chop Ingredients: Peel and mince the onion and garlic. Using a serrated vegetable peeler, peel the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out all of the seeds and discard. Chop the flesh into very small dice.

Make Salsa: In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onions for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, ancho chile powder and salt; sauté until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until thick, 3 minutes.

Finish Sauce: As the sauce is cooking, juice the lime and chop the cilantro. When the sauce is thick, add the lime juice and cilantro. Keep sauce warm until service.

Sauté Scallops: Prepare and chop all of the ingredients before you begin as scallops cook quickly! Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat; add the scallops, garlic, ancho chile powder and salt; sauté for one minute. Add the tequila and lime juice and cook for another minute. Remove from heat. Add butter and toss to coat.

Assemble: Lay out the tostadas on the work surface or sheet pan. Put a small dollop of salsa on each tostada. Top with a spoonful of the scallop mixture and another small dollop of salsa. Garnish with a cilantro leaf, platter and serve.

Serves/Makes
Makes 24

Recipe created by Parties That Cook® | www.PartiesThatCook.com

This season, you can expect to see a lot of familiar recipes. Call them what you will — classics, favorites, “mine” — we love these recipes, and we’re sure you will, too. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Creamy Artichoke Soup with Basil Pistou – Crissy elected to make this dish after a few days of indecision, and we were not disappointed! The soup had a delightful flavor, and was not heavy enough to overpower our appetites. Refrigerated, the soup lasted for a few days beyond this lunch!

Sweet Pea Galetes with Prosciutto and Sour Cream – Christina signed on to make this dish. Having tried a few of the other galete varieties we’ve had on our menus over the years, I had high expectations. One bite was all it took to know we had another winner on our hands. Whole peas add a nice texture and a little surprise in the galetes, and you really can’t go wrong with a prosciutto and sour cream combo!

Greek Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese, Kalamata Olives and Smoked Olive Oil Dressing – Rebecca swooped on the opportunity to try this recipe. (“You had me at ‘halloumi’.“) What could have been another plain salad turned out to be a delicious dish worthy of center-plate. The ingredients really come together to provide the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and tangy flavors. Word to the wise: Do make sure you use a ridged grill pan when grilling halloumi. You really want those beautiful grill marks!

Crispy Pancetta Wrapped Marble Potatoes with Caperberry Remoulade – Kelle called dibs on this recipe rather early in the game. Unfortunately, she came down with the worst cold the office has seen in a while, and was unable to bring anything in this cookbook club.

Spinach and Feta Cigars with Tzatziki Sauce – Bibby immediately staked her claim on these fun little “cigars”. To the best of my knowledge, she stuck to the recipe. A couple of ladies at the table expressed an initial concern about this dish, but all were silenced with the first deliciously crunchy bite. I, for one, am intrigued to learn just how many dipping sauces (and which sauces) would pair well with the cigars.

Philly Cheese Steak Bites with Peppadew Peppers and Melted Gruyere Cheese Sauce – Rosie opted to make TWO dishes this cookbook club (she’s quite the over-achiever). This appetizer was so delicious (and colorful!), I continuously piled a few more on my plate throughout lunch. Sadly, a staff meeting later that afternoon wiped out any I had refrained from eating myself…

Open Face Rock Shrimp Sliders with Lotus Root Pickles and Rainbow Micro Greens – Tanya, our very own Executive Chef and mastermind behind most recipes you find at events, wanted to take on this recipe. And she sure did it justice. With maybe a couple of tweaks here and there, she got this recipe ready for the lime-light (Recipe of the Month, anyone??). The final product was almost too pretty to eat, (Almost.) and definitely too good not too eat. (Definitely.)

Baby Polenta Cakes with Raspberry Coulis and Amaretto Cream – Erin went back to her preferred course: Dessert. Let me just say: YUM. Though I can’t speak for everyone, I really enjoyed the grainy texture the polenta provided. There were absolutely no complaints about flavor, and the next day, I could find absolutely no trace of left-overs. (‘Twas a sad day for me..)

Strawberry and Rhubarb Empanadas – Rosie, the over-achiever, brought in these monstrous desserts for her second dish. They weren’t actually that big, but after eating so many other dishes, I knew I could/should/would not attempt an entire empanada on my own. These were so delicious! The crust was not too thick, and as a whole, the dessert was not overly sweet. Ya gotta try these!

Overall, the lunch was great! I walked back to my desk feeling satisfied, if not a bit too full, and excited for all the positive feedback we can only imagine trickling in this season. Get ready for some awesome recipe blogs to come!

Among the recipes selected for March’s cookbook club were these absolutely delicious rock shrimp sliders. The fact that they’re open faced is great because too much bread can easily overwhelm the precise blend of flavors achieved in this culinary creation. Once assembled, these tasty bites actually look like mini works of art. Hint: Great taste and elegant presentation reign at any Small Plates Competition!!

Open Face Rock Shrimp Sliders with Lotus Root Pickles and Rainbow Micro Greens
This recipe can be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library

Ingredients
Slider Patties:
2 garlic cloves
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
3 Tablespoons coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds thawed, cleaned rock shrimp (if buying frozen, buy 3lbs to yield 2 1/2lbs thawed
2 Tablespoons cilantro, stem and leaves roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil-divided

Pickled Lotus Root:
1 small lotus root rhizome
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup water for pickling liquid
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns

Garnishes:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon chives, finely chopped
15 mini potato buns or parker house rolls, halved and toasted
1 avocado, peeled and very thinly sliced into 1 inch slices
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted
1/2 oz rainbow microgreens, about 3/4 cup

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 375ºF

Puree Shrimp: In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, finely chop the garlic and ginger. Add the coconut milk, salt, and pepper and pulse to mix. Add the cleaned rock shrimp and cilantro to the food processor and pulse about 15 times, or just until the mixture looks pureed. Do not over process.

Make Patties: Using a tablespoon dipped in a bowl of water, gently make patties, keeping the scoop and your hands wet at all times (for ease of forming patties). Place the patties onto a plastic wrap lined sheet pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or place into the freezer for 5 minutes.

Cook Sliders: Heat a flat, non ridged, griddle pan or large nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, pour about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil onto the pan. Carefully place the slider patties onto the pan, and sear for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Drizzle another tablespoon or so of olive over the tops of the patties then flip the patties over. Let sliders cook 1-2 more minutes. Remove cooked patties to a clean foil or parchment lined sheet pan(s).

Slice Lotus Root: Fill a sauce pan with water and bring up to a boil. Peel the lotus with a vegetable peeler. Fill a medium bowl almost full, with water and add about a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar (acidulated water prevents oxidation). Cut the lotus in half lengthwise or into quarters if really large. Using a mandoline, slice the lotus into 1/4 inch thick pieces and place into the bowl of water as they are being sliced. When the entire lotus is sliced, remove the lotus from the acidulated water. Blanch the lotus in the pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Discard acidulated water from the bowl and remove lotus from the boiling water with a spider or skimmer back into the medium bowl. Set aside.

Make Pickling Liquid: Discard boiling water from the saucepan used to blanch the lotus. Combine the rice wine vinegar, 1 cup water, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. Bring the mixture up to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves.

Pickle Lotus: Pour the pickling liquid over the louts and place into refrigerator until ready to use.

Make Slider Spread: In a small bowl mix mayonnaise, ketchup, and chives until combined. Set aside.

Toast Rolls and Warm Sliders: Cut the rolls in half and place onto a sheet pan. Lightly toast the rolls in the oven. Place the cooled sliders back into the oven just to warm through.

Assemble Sliders: Spread some of the flavored mayonnaise onto each of the toasted buns. Lay a shrimp patty on top of the spread. Garnish the top with an avocado slice, lotus root pickle, shredded coconut, and a pinch of the micro greens.

Serves/Makes
Makes 30 Sliders

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook® | www.PartiesThatCook.com from Hubert Keller’s Secrets of a Chef and Burger Bar restaurant

Step 1: Call up some friends.
Step 2: Tell them you’re bringing over some cupcakes.
Step 3: Let them be weirded out by the lack of frosting, and savory qualities.
Step 4: Watch as their fear turns to satisfaction with the first bite. (These bad boys are always a hit at our corporate team building events.)

Mission Accomplished.

Savory Cupcakes of Lobster Macaroni and Cheese with Chives
This recipe can be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Mini Muffins:
Olive oil spray
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino cheese
2-24 cup mini muffin pans

Lobster:
1 1/2 lb. whole lobster
2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 lb elbow macaroni

Sauce:
1/2 small yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 egg
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino cheese, as garnish

Methods/Steps
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Prepare Pans: Generously coat the mini muffin pans with the olive oil spray. Coat each cup with the grated cheese and tap out the excess. Set pans aside.

Cook Lobster: Cook lobster in a large stockpot of salted boiling water for 7 minutes. Let cool. Add the macaroni to the lobster cooking water and boil until just al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside.

Crack Lobster: Crack lobster claws and tail and remove meat. Roughly chop the lobster meat and set aside in the refrigerator.

Chop Aromatics: Peel and chop the onion and garlic.

Prepare Other Ingredients: Grate the cheeses, zest the lemon, chop the chives and crack egg into a small bowl. Set these ingredients to the side until ready to use.

Make Sauce: Using a wooden spoon, melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes more. Mixture will get thick as it boils. Stir constantly.

Add Cheese: Stir in the cheese. Mix well until the cheese melts and the only lumps are from the onion. Mixture will be very thick. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg while stirring constantly until it is incorporated. Add the lemon zest, paprika, salt and chopped chives. Mix well.

Finish Mac and Cheese: Fold the lobster and macaroni into the sauce pan and mix well to combine. Taste and re season if necessary.

Make Cupcakes: Place a heaping tablespoon of the macaroni and cheese into each muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino and bake for 8- 10 minutes or until golden and sizzling.

Serve: Once out of the oven, let the cupcakes cool for 5-10 minutes on a cooling rack. If this step is skipped, cupcakes may break apart. Use a small knife to loosen the cupcakes from the pan and place onto a platter and serve.

Serves/Makes
Makes 48

Recipe created by Parties That Cook | www.PartiesThatCook.com

One of the great things about Portland (and there are many) is the range of nightlife it has to offer! While building the business in Portland last summer, Bibby and I just so happened to discover Portland’s nightlife. You can find everything from barista-style bourbon cocktails at cozy Kask, to toe-tapping, sailor-dancing live music at the Laurelthirst, and grooving 80s music on the Crystal Ballroom‘s spring-loaded floor. Portland has something for whatever mood you’re in! Now that I call Portland my home, I’m happily carrying on in search of more Portland gems. I’d love to take you on a virtual tour!

Let’s start with happy hour, shall we? I’m finding that Portlanders love happy hour because EVERY place offers some sort of special. That sure makes me…well, happy! Starting in the Nob Hill neighborhood aka Alphabet District (because the street names are in alphabetical order), or Trendy-Third (because 23rd Ave is filled with hip and happening shops, restaurants and cafes):

23Hoyt is a great gastro-tavern with a clean modern look and natural wood accents (still figuring out the difference between gastro-tavern and gastro-pub). I met a friend there recently for a delicious Basil Margarita. We noshed on Bacon, Egg and Cheese Deviled Eggs, Tempura-fried Green Beans with Spicy Aioli, and White Cheddar Cheeseburger on Rosemary Bun with Aioli. Yum!

Casa del Matador is a spacious and lively Latin-themed restaurant with big sweeping bar. I happily saddled up to the last available seat at 5pm on a Friday. Both the Blackened Fish and Braised Pork Tacos I ordered were delicious. I paired these with the house Margarita, also delicious and went down easy, which meant ordering a second!

Over in the NE, happy hour might look like Vintage Americana (think Portlandia’s Dream of the 1890s video) as you step into the romantically lit and cozy Secret Society and order up classic, old world cocktails like Kubler Absinthe or Moscow Mules. You can also find hearty, house-made cured meats, pickles, and grilled cheese sandwiches. This is a great place to stop in for a drink while waiting for your table next door at the high-energy Toro Bravo.

If you’ve ever been to Portland, you’ve most likely experienced one of the McMenamin’s bars, restaurants, hotels, theaters or clubs sprinkled throughout Portland and the surrounding areas. Each McMenamin’s is unique in that they restore beautiful old buildings, creating fun places to eat, drink, hear live music, watch movies, and dance — It’s the the decor that makes McMenamin’s what they are. One of my favorites is The Bagdad Theater, among the most unique movie theaters ever. Fun fact: All McMenamin’s theaters are equipped with signature food and beverages, which you can enjoy in the theater — how cool is that? Other favorites are The Back Stage Bar, where you feel like you’re in another world (or maybe on a movie set), and The Chapel Pub, where you can enjoy a burger and brew in church pews while listening to live organ music.

After happy hour, you might be in the mood for live music. With numerous venues around the city, you’re bound to hear great rhythms wherever you go. Here are a couple of suggestions for those on the hunt for live music:

Laurelthirst Public House – when you walk into Laurelthirst, you know everyone’s there to check out the music, get some dancing in, and enjoy one of the many local beers they have on tap. Our last time there, we were lucky enough to hear Rob Stroup and The Blame on the little starry stage, join in the dancing with the locals, and witness a woman dressed in a sailor outfit (it’s Portland, so anything goes!).

Another great place is the White Eagle Saloon, a McMenamin’s establishment that’s reportedly haunted by past residents of the old hotel upstairs – Yikes! On a spontaneous venture to find live music on a Friday night, a friend and I got to hear Lucy Wainwright perform there, which was a real treat. We didn’t experience anything ghostly that night, thank goodness.

If, after the music and dancing, you’re hungry for more, head to the Doug Fir Lounge at the Jupiter Hotel for their fresh take on comfort food. This place is all about Northwest retro-chic, with fire-lit lounges to get cozy by. You can also enjoy the modernized diner fare at the log cabin-style restaurant with a glass mounted moose head to keep you company.

For those of you after a more cultural adventure, The Portland Art Museum offers evening hours on Fridays (the last Friday of the month is free!), and strategically parked right outside their courtyard entrance is Koi Fusion food truck and Captured by Porches Beer Bus! Genius. I’m not normally an IPA kind of girl, but something (maybe a little birdie?) told me to sample theirs. I have to say, I think I’m converting to an IPA drinker! Delicious. The Korean burrito with kim-chi rice was a nice way to finish the evening – I will definitely follow them around.

So there you have it, a few gems of the Portland nightlife. This is just the beginning, and the list is long. Once the warm weather hits, the outdoor spaces will be hoppin’ like the IPA in my hand. More tales to come!

Crab and Roasted Red Pepper Beignets with Herbed Aioli
This recipe can also be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Batter:
1 large red bell pepper
1 cup AP flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 scallions, minced
Zest and Juice of one lemon
12 ounces crabmeat, picked over
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4 cups canola oil, for frying

Herbed Aioli:
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup canola oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon chopped basil
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon chopped tarragon
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 300°F.

Roast Pepper(s): Roast pepper(s) over a gas burner until blackened all over, turning with tongs as each side is blistered. (Alternatively, place under broiler). Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, let stand about 15 minutes. Peel and discard skins, stems and seeds. Cut the pepper into 1/4-inch dice and set aside.

Make Batter: In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the milk and beaten egg. Mince the scallion, zest and squeeze the lemon and add to the batter. Fold in the crabmeat, corn kernels, and diced red pepper. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.

Fry Beignets: Set-up a cooling rack over a baking sheet. In a large high sided frying pan, heat 2-3 inches of canola oil to 350°F. Once the oil is hot, drop a heaping teaspoon or tiny scoop of batter into the oil. Fry until golden, about 1 minute per side. Check size of fried beignet and see if beignet is cooked all the way through. Then taste it to make sure it tastes good. Re season and make smaller if necessary. Once satisfied, fry the rest of the batter, without crowding the pan. Drain the beignets on the wire rack and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting the heat if the beignets brown too quickly.

Make Aioli Base: Place the egg, egg yolk and mustard into a medium bowl. Using a whisk, blend until thick (about 15-20 seconds). In a liquid measuring cup, combine the olive and canola oils. While whisking, add the oil drop by drop into egg mixture. Once a thick paste starts to develop you can slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl. Continue to do this in a slow, steady stream until all of the oil has been added. Do not add the oil too quickly and be sure that the emulsion is stable (has absorbed the oil) before adding more oil.

Flavor Aioli: Mince the garlic and juice the lemon. Add to the aioli. Finely chop the basil, cilantro and tarragon and whisk into the aioli. If the mixture becomes too thick, whisk in 2 or 3 tablespoons warm water to thin the mayonnaise and make a fluid sauce. Season the aioli with the salt. Taste and re season if necessary. Transfer to a small decorative bowl and garnish with an herb sprig.

Serve: Serve warm beignets on a platter with the bowl of herbed aioli.

Serves/Makes

Makes about 40 – 1 inch round Beignets and 2 cups Aioli

Recipe created by Parties That Cook® | www.PartiesThatCook.com.

Drum Roll, Please….

1st Place:

New evidence suggests women find men in the kitchen a ‘mixed’ blessing. — Jonathan Bercovitch

Congratulations, Jonathan! Not that we don’t see tons of rock star men in the kitchen, but this made us laugh. We’ll be in touch regarding your gift certificate prize!

Honorable Mentions:

-Fired by Herman Cain at Godfather Pizza for not nailing the pizza toss, John attempts the same disastrous move at Parties that Cook! — Debra Durbin

-Visiting intern John Kirbopolis takes careful notes as Chef Judy demonstrates blowing a head of cauliflower first into delicate florets and then into a perfect flaming gratin using only the power of her MIND. — Tracy Osborn Barnowe

With over 12 years of cooking party experience behind us, there’s no question of whether we have the ammo to do this again. Stay tuned for the next Caption Contest coming to a Parties That Cook Facebook page near you!

If you want to take another look at the entries for this round, check them out here!