EPISODE #108 -
SATURDAY APRIL 28, 2012
The heat of
the recent weekend had me thinking. We have an attic fan and it
kicked on. I was wondering, should I check it? Does it need
oiling? Oh well, I guess I have to head up to the attic soon.
I also had to kick on the ceiling fans… ahhh a nice cool breeze
in April! Good thing my wife had recently dusted them or it
would have been worse than the pollen of late. The heat is just
a reminder of these chores yet to be done before it gets too
hot. Now is a good time to get your chores done!
3 Spring Tablescapes
Spring is a
time when you want to give everything a fresh new look, and that
includes your table settings. We needed some new ideas and so
we stopped by to visit with Kim Foren at
Geranium Lake
Flowers (503-228-1920) to get started. Kim had set up 3
different tables to show us how easy it can be to dress things
up. The first one was very simple. It was just a bunch of wine
bottles and flowers. The table had a simple tablecloth and a
burlap runner. On top of that were the wine bottles filled with
daffodils (you can use any type of cut flower) and highlighted
by little votive candles at their base. The bottles reflected
and refracted the candles to create some cool patterns. Next we
moved to a more elegant table. The second table had a little
more ‘bling’ to it. This one had a lot of white, gold and
silver in it. This was ‘Rustic Glam’, in addition to the gold
and silver elegance; it had branches, cut flowers and even a
couple of bird’s nests and chargers made from birch bark. We
then moved to the final table where we took a look at ‘adorable
vintage’. This one combined a lot of things that you would
imagine finding in the fifties. This table was set with a
collection of old miss-matched items from Kim’s cupboards or her
grandmother’s cupboards. Most of the patterns and vases didn’t
match, and they didn’t need to! This look was cute and colorful
and very inviting. Of all the tables this one is the one
everyone said brought back memories of their childhood. The
final touch was the aprons on the back of all the chairs. Kim
picked these up at a thrift store and just tied them to the back
of the chairs. You could even put a name card in the pocket of
the apron to let everyone know where they are sitting. These
were all quick and easy ideas for setting a beautiful spring
table. If you would like more ideas you can stop by Geranium
Lake and chat with Kim and her staff. They even have occasional
classes so check out her website for details and a schedule.
Sourdough Starter
Sourdough
starter is one of the most prized possessions of the home and
professional baker. This ‘starter’ is what makes your bread
tasty and delicious. A starter is actually just leavening for
making bread. You use it to help your bread rise and make it
fluffy and soft. In old days it was the difference between soft
bread and hard flat-bread. All most starters are is flour and
water and the wild yeast and bacteria in the air. The flour and
water feed this wild bacteria and that makes the starter.
There are 3 ways of getting a sourdough starter. The first way
is by getting some from someone who has one already. This will
allow you to start baking right away. David uses one that his
mother made over 30 years ago. Next you can get a commercial
product that will start the process. Finally, you can make your
own. Just mix 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of water in a glass
bowl (never metal) and cover it with a towel. In a week or so
you will start to notice that the bacteria are working as the
mixture starts to bubble. If the starter has a pink coloring or
if it smells bad you may need to start again. Once you have it
how do you keep it going? You can store it in your refrigerator
but every couple of weeks you want to add either sugar or a
little flour and water. Then place it back in the fridge. This
additional material will keep the bacteria fed and the starter
going. If it seems too tough or hard to understand,
here are some tips for
helping you get started.
Chipotle Burrito
When people
talk about fast food a lot of times they lump burritos and tacos
in the mix. But we found a place that pays a lot of attention
to what goes into their food. We stopped by the
Chipotle
Mexican Grill and chatted with Ashley Head who told us about
some of the cool things that Chipotle does that sets them apart
from the competition. The big word around Chipotle is fresh!
They use fresh ingredients even sourcing their own meats. The
animals are free range and have no added hormones. Today Ashley
was showing us how they make a Chipotle burrito. First she used
a burrito that was made in Salem at Don Pancho. Then they
started to make the burrito. All the ingredients are local and
organic when possible. The onions are from Brooks Oregon and
the cilantro and jalapenos are from Washington and everything is
prepared fresh everyday. Chipotle is also a big supporter of
local farmers. In fact, they have produced a video that shows
how they feel about mass produced foods, check it out on their
website.
Toast Cocktail
One of the
biggest events on the Portland Distilling scene is happening
this weekend.
The TOAST event is taking place today and tomorrow (April
28-29) at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland. To learn
more about it we stopped by the
Bull
Run Distillery (503-224-3483) right off of 23rd
street. First we had the chance to learn about Bull Run and the
quality spirits they distill. Lee Medoff met us on the floor of
the distillery and told us about the dark whiskey and rum they
make. The Oregon distilling community has been growing by leaps
and bounds and Bull Run is one of the newest businesses in the
market, but they are now one of the largest distilleries in the
state. They produce the Medoyeff Vodka and Temperance Trader
Bourbon. The best part about this whole movement is the
cooperation between the different parts of the local alcohol
scene. The distillers are working hand in hand with the Oregon
wine industry and the local breweries to move Oregon to the
forefront of the craft brewing and spirits industries. The
Oregon Distillers Guild is one of the leaders in the nation for
craft distilling.
The
signature event for the guild is the TOAST event happening this
weekend. Ryan Csanky met with Robin in the tasting room of Bull
Run to fill her in on the event. TOAST stands for The Oregon
Artisan Spirit Tasting which features over 50 local and craft
distilleries. 8 states and 7 countries will be represented
during this event, featuring 107 different spirits to taste. In
the 2nd year of the event, it has become the largest
tasting event in North America. One of the highlights will be
the Mix Lounge where you can actually have cocktails made from
some of these fine spirits. Then Ryan made a cocktail which was
a twist on the well known Whiskey Sour. This recipe included
fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, Temperance Trader whiskey and
the twist was the addition of a shot of bitters. If you would
like to try this and many other distilled spirits and cocktails,
stop by the TOAST event. Hours are from 3-8pm each day and
tickets will be available at the door. This is a must see
event!
Keyless Entries
High tech
advances are not just limited to your computer or phone. Now
you can take your home security to a new level. We stopped by
Chown Hardware
(800-547-1930) to learn how you can take your home security to a
new level from Tim Sweeney. Tim had brought out all the new
examples of home security keyless systems for us to look at.
The first one we looked at was a simple deadbolt by Emtek. This
one is one of the cheapest on the market, but it allows you to
go keyless by simply punching in a 4 digit code. It is great
for kids who lose keys, because they could just remember 4
numbers to get in. The second system was from Schlage and it
took the next step by allowing you to operate it from your
computer or your smart phone. This one also works with a code,
or it can be over-ridden with a key. The next one was one that
had incorporated style into the design. Valli &Valli put the
combination on a simple sleek handle. Very cool and stylish.
Then, we moved up a level for the next 2 systems. The Baldwin
system we saw next was another ‘smart phone’ system that can
control your lock and a lot of the other systems in your home.
Finally we moved to the ‘Cadillac’ of systems from Baldwin.
This system not only used the smart phone technology. It could
also control the lighting in your home, the audio system, the
blinds on the windows, the furnace, the garage door and a lot
more. It really made securing your home easy and convenient.
If you are looking for a security system or just a simple
deadbolt, stop by Chown Hardware! |
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