Feast Portland runs September 20-23rd.

This weekend (starting tomorow, to be exact), Portland will open its kitchens to Bon Appétite’s Feast Portland. Feast Portland is a celebration of all things culinary in Oregon from charcuterie to beer to hand crafted ice cream set up in a multiple-venue festival fashion (akin to SXSW). Foodies and chefs from all over the country will flock to Portland for the four-day edible extravaganza. Events run the full gamut of food endeavors—private dinners, cooking demonstrations, food and wine pairings, speakers, sandwich invitationals, you name it! How about Pork & Pinot Noir or Thai Street Food with Andy Ricker (of Pok Pok fame) or an entire event dedicated to taking comfort food to the next level?

The crowning event will be the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting- a mini food festival unto itself in Portland’s Pioneer Square on Friday and Saturday. Over 70 vendors, including craft breweries, wineries, chocolatiers, and some of Portland’s best restaurants will be on site sampling their finest nibbles and sips to eager foodies. Bob’s Red Mill is honored to be the official Whole Grains Sponsor for this event and had the privileged of providing some of our best ingredients to chefs from all over the country to use in their dishes. We’ll even be there serving crispy Amaranth Cakes and slinging whole grain samples!

Find out more about the event at FeastPortland.com. Several events have already sold out, but there are still plenty of wonderful options to choose from. Tickets for the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting are $60/day or $100 for both days. The Grand Tasting runs from 2 pm to 5 pm on Friday, September 21st and Saturday, September 22nd. To make this festival even more tasty, all net profits from the four-day event will be donated to Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon and Share Our Strength (read more about these organizations here).

The weather will likely be gloriously fall (hoping for crisp air and sunshine) and I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than meeting some of Oregon’s top food artisans and tasting their wares. Hope to see you there!

Keep up to date with Feast happenings by following @FeastPDX on Twitter.

Japanese Lace Leaf Maple.
Photo: Andrew Stockton, Joy Creek Nursery

Noted professional ornamental horticulturist and gardener Michael Miller will provide two instructional demonstrations tomorrow, September 8th, at the Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store and Visitor Center on how to prune Japanese Lace Leaf Maples. The sessions are open to the public and free of charge for all who attend.

The Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store and Visitor Center has six Japanese Maples as part of its landscaping, and Miller’s instructional demos promise to be lively interactive sessions. Miller will discuss and demonstrate the choosing, planting, placing and maintenance of ornamental plants, including:

• Japanese Maple nomenclature
• The growth life cycle of Japanese Maples
• Use of the trees in design
• The shaping of Japanese Maples for specific spaces
• Best techniques and times of year for pruning

Michael Miller is the former gardener, lead pruner and education director for the Japanese Garden Society of Oregon, and he maintained the Portland Japanese Garden for more than 15 years. He has worked professionally as an ornamental horticulturist for more than three decades.

Sessions will take place on Saturday, September 8th from 9 am to 10 am and 11 am to noon. Stop by to learn a bit more about the care of your Japanese Maple from a professional.

In addition to the demos, we will also be hosting a pet adoption for Oregon Humane Society. Read more about this event here. The pet adoption will be held from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store
5000 SE International Way
Milwaukie OR 97222
503-607-6455
Directions

Permission has been granted for use of the OHS logo for the Bob’s Red Mill Adoption Event on Sep. 8th 2012. Permission must be granted before use of the logo for any other purpose.

We love our furry friends at Bob’s Red Mill, which is why we are so pleased to be hosting a pet adoption event for the Oregon Humane Society this coming Saturday, September 8th. The kind folks over at OHS will have a booth set up in front of our Whole Grain Store from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Adoptable animals will be there for the loving and hopefully we’ll be able to find some good homes for these animals. OHS will also be accepting monetary and pet food donations, in the event that you’d like to help out, but can’t take home a new family member. Staff will be available to process adoptions and answer any questions you may have. Some animals may need special care that will require additional training, in which case the adoption may take longer.

Beyond pet adoption and financial donations, there are many ways to support OHS and the many animals they care for. Visit OregonHumane.org to find out how you can be involved and learn more about the plethora of wonderful programs they offer.

In addition to the pet adoption event, we’ll also have a fabulous demonstration by noted professional ornamental horticulturist and gardener Michael Miller. Miller will demonstrate how to properly prune Japanese Maples in two sessions on Saturday, September 8th. More info to come.

Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store
5000 SE International Way
Milwaukie OR 97222
503-607-6455
Directions

UPDATED! Due to high demand, Carol Fenster’s class “One Dough Does It All” will be offered on both Tuesday, September 11th and Wednesday, September 12th. Call 503-654-3215 x 208 to register.

Now that our hottest months are behind us, the Bob’s Red Mill Cooking School is in full swing again. Check out these great classes for September. Call 503-654-3215 x 208 to register.

“One Dough Does It All” Gluten Free Bread Baking with Carol Fenster!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 and
Wednesday, September 12
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Class fee $60.00

Time is precious, so maximize your kitchen time with easy, versatile bread doughs that have many uses. One dough can be made into sandwich bread, Focaccia (Italian flatbread) or dinner rolls… just by making some minor tweaks. Another simple dough makes fabulous pizza for easy suppers or flavorful breadsticks for dipping into herbed oil or Italian marinara sauce. Cookbook author Carol Fenster will take you through the  steps of [1] how to make the basic dough using her versatile, time-saving gluten-free flour blend; [2] how to refrigerate the dough for a few days to improve flavor and texture (the secret of many artisanal bakers); and [3] tips for shaping the soft, sticky dough for best results.  Her recipes include: Basic Sandwich Bread, Italian Focaccia, Easy Dinner Rolls, Pizza, and Breadsticks.

Healthy Baking with Robin Asbell!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Class fee $50.00

Master plant-based baking, and learn about the benefits of using whole grains, natural sweeteners and real food in your desserts, with Robin Asbell. The author of Big Vegan, and the new Sweet and Easy Vegan Treats brings her vegan baking expertise to share.  Her recipes include: Coconut Banana Granola, Hazelnut Olive Oil Cupcakes with Hazelnut Frosting, Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies, Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Cinnamon Crunch Stuffed Bundt Cake, Raspberry Tart with Cashew Cream. Treats everyone will enjoy!

Wheat Wonderful Wheat with Amelia Hard!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Class fee $50.00

Popular Chef Amelia Hard has come up with another class focused on a single grain: wheat. The most important staple grain for a majority of the world’s population, wheat products are the basis of a marvelous array of delicious, healthful dishes. We’ll begin by sampling a delightful Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad with a lively citrus vinaigrette. Then a hearty Italian Spelt and Bean Soup, perfect for fall and winter, served with a super-easy Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread. Next Amelia will show you how to make a fabulous homemade whole wheat pasta, Herbed Whole Wheat Spaetzle. Then a zesty middle-Eastern dish, Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Olives and Quick-Preserved Lemon. The very special dessert will be Ravani, a Greek cake soaked in a luscious orange syrup. An additional recipe will be Toasted Bulgur Salad.

If you’re local to Portland, you’re probably familiar with OMSI (The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). If you haven’t been, it’s truly a wonderful way to spend the day. Whether you’re a child of 8 or 80, OMSI has exhibits that will grab your attention and hold you spellbound. This weekend’s events are no different and are a wonderful time to explore this Portland attraction.

Dirt to Dinner is a free festival open to the public that will highlight “activities and organizations that support sustainable choices.” The event will also “explore the life cycle of food, from farm to table and beyond.” This is a great event to teach children about where their food comes from and learn more about those in the greater Portland area who are supporting and promoting this process.

Demonstrations and food tastings make up the majority of the day on Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th. Events start at 11 am and run through 4 pm. It’s going to be a hot and sultry weekend, why not escape to the waterfront and enjoy some good *free* food?

Bob’s Red Mill will be on hand on Saturday morning at 11:30 am to talk about our oats and give you some ideas for new ways to use them beyond oatmeal. Check out the full schedule of events here- we hope to see you there!

OMSI
1945 SE Water Ave.
Portland, OR 97214-3354
1(800) 955-6674
omsi.edu

Looking for something to do this weekend in Oregon? We recommend a visit to Newport! Newport, Oregon is worth a visit on its own merit, but this weekend boasts the Newport Celtic Festival and Highland Games which means Newport will be brimming over with all sorts of extra fun.

The festival celebrates the traditions of the seven Celtic nations- Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Galicia, Brittany, and Ireland. With events for the whole family,the Celtic Festival has live music, traditional dancing, a sand castle contest, Highland games for the kiddos, face painting, a Celtic Canine parade and even some real Heelan Coos (Highland Cattle). Adults will enjoy the bonfire, highland games and a whiskey tasting. The Highland Games include things like the Caber Toss, the Scottish Hammer Throw, and the Stone Throw among others.  There is also a vendor fair full of all sorts of Celtic crafts and wares.

Want to go beyond spectator? There are many events to participate in, including a Bob’s Red Mill Baking Contest. If baking is not up your alley, you can always try the Haggis Eating Contest.

Tickets to the Festival are $12 for adults, $9 for students and seniors, kids 6 and under are free (special deals for multiple days).Buy tickets here.

Caber Toss (photo courtesy of Newport Celtic Festival)

The Oregon Ag Fest takes place this year on April 28th and 29th in Salem, Oregon. This two-day event is “an activity-filled festival where kids (and grown ups too!) can touch, taste and experience life on the farm.” We’re proud supporters of this festival and think it’s a blast to head down to the Oregon State Fairgrounds to check out the farm animals (read: horse show, petting zoo and sheep sheering), see the farm equipment, crafts and amazing garden feats, as well as enjoy some lively music (not to mention the great eats). Both days boast a full retinue of activities, including Bob’s Red Mill Cooking Demonstrations.

Tickets are $9 for adults and all kiddos ages 12 and under get in FREE—can’t beat that! Plus, FREE parking! Talk about an affordable family day. Festival hours are 8:30 am and close at 5 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday.

Find more details and a full schedule of events here.

Today marks the launch of a new program at Bob’s Red Mill- Bob’s Birthday Club. We’ve partnered with Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, to bring birthday kits to children with autism. By making a minimum donation to Autism Speaks, adults can enlist an autistic child in the club, and in advance of that child’s birthday, the child will receive a Bob’s Birthday Club kit filled with gluten-free cake mix and other Bob’s Red Mill treats.

Here’s how Bob’s Birthday Club works:

• Anyone interested in signing up a child for Bob’s Birthday Club should visit www.autismspeaks.org/bobsbirthdayclub.
• With a donation of $30 or more made through the website, an adult can register an autistic child for the club.
• Then, as that child’s birthday nears, he/she will receive a special Bob’s Birthday Club kit, which includes:
  • Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix
  • A recipe card puzzle
  • A kid-size cooking apron
  • A measuring cup

The kits are limited to the first 1,000 people who sign up.

We couldn’t be more excited to support such an amazing organization and bring a little extra birthday joy to some deserving kids. We’ve partnered with Autism Speaks in the past and supported their “Light It Up Blue” campaign earlier this month by lighting up the Morrison Street Bridge in Portland, Oregon (see picture below).

Alright, without further ado:

The finalists who will compete in Bob’s Red Mill’s Ultimate Oatmeal Throwdown are:

• Merry Graham from Newhall, California Black Bean Porridge Patties
• Rachel Kimbrow from Portland, Oregon Gingerbread Oatmeal
• Jim Schafer from Kohler, Wisconsin Nutty Coconut Oatmeal

The three finalists were chosen from the nearly 50 home cooks and professional chefs who submitted video recipes that featured Steel Cut Oats. I know the judges had a very hard time making a decision and spent a few hours watching the videos over and over again looking for just the right dish and the right personality. And no, I was (thankfully) not one of the judges. You guys know me- I would have flown out all 50 entrants and met them all face to face… then where would we be?

Now, the finalists will be flown to Portland where they will compete in a live cook-off on Friday, August 26. The finalists will prepare their recipes from scratch in front of an audience at Bob’s Red Mill’s Whole Grain Store. The grand-prize winner will be selected by a panel of celebrity judges (we’ll tell you who soon) and will travel to Scotland to compete in the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship.

So how did the judges select the winners? I know some folks will be wondering why the video with the most votes didn’t win. This is what I have heard from the judges themselves.

A variety of criteria was used to select the finalists, including site visitors’ votes, use of Steel Cut Oats as a featured ingredient, ability to appeal to the Scottish judges’ taste-palates and whether the recipes could be prepared in the competition’s allotted 30-minute time frame. On top of that, they took into account how the person handled themselves. It’s a lot of pressure to be under during the Golden Spurtle- you have cameras and microphones in your face during your 30 minutes.

Congratulations to the finalists! I cannot wait to see these dishes being created! We will be working to get all of the recipes from all of the videos on our website soon, there are so many delicious uses for steel cut oats (again, see why I’m not a judge??)!  In the meantime, check out the winning videos and the rest of the great entries at www.sparforthespurtle.com.

I will also be posting more info about the Portland cook-off in the next few days so you can come out, if you’re around and watch the fun for yourself.

Cheers!