Review: Food Lover's Guide to Portland

 

Liz Crain tapped into Portland’s do-it-yourself ethic and agricultural abundance to write her Food Lover's Guide to Portland, an informative and inspiring handbook on the bustling food scene in this corner of the Pacific Northwest.

Because several print and on-line sources cover Portland’s restaurants and bars, Crain focused, for the most part, on the many producers and purveyors who supply the food and beverages so enjoyed by Rose City’s food lovers. She covers food, drinks, and general resources, providing the inside scoop on bakeries, cheese makers and mongers, chocolatiers, ethnic markets, brewers, coffee roasters, distillers, cooking classes, farmers markets, and much, much more.

While not concentrating on restaurants and bars, Crain does follow some of her favorite ingredients to the tables where they are served, providing lists of recommended “Go To Spots” for certain categories, such as cheese service, noodles, food carts, spicy food, vegetarian, brewpubs, and cocktails.

She also includes several “sidebar” pieces focusing on the people and products that make Portland unique. She introduces bartenders who infuse their own flavored spirits, chefs who butcher their own meat, pickle fanatics, miso makers, and others who she describes as having “a passion for food made the hard way.”

There is a lot packed into this small volume. If you live in Portland, are planning a visit, or just like foodie books, this is the one for you.

NOTES

My review of Liz Crain is here.

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