A Foodie’s Dream: Portland, Oregon & Bob’s Red Mill!

• February 1st, 2011
• Posted in Nutrition
• 7 Comments

If you want a foodie adventure, come to Portland, Oregon! My goodness! I’m in this food-lover’s city on behalf of Oldways to blog, tweet, Facebook, and whole-grain my way through the Whole Grains Conference. And am loving it!

But of course, before the conference began, Janel and I had to take full advantage of all the foodie possibilities! Thus, we went on Portland Walking Tour’s Epicurean Excursion!  And let me tell you—it was a foodie delight that had us eating and taste testing for essentially four hours! I know!

The next day, after our foodie fantasy, Elizabeth joined us, and we ventured on the tour that all dietitians dream of, the King of all whole grains—Bob’s Red Mill!

The Foodie Excursion: Some Highlights

We started at Cacao where we were literally drinking chocolate. This little cup had over 70% cocoa! All you need are a couple sips. Here, I learned that chocolate must at least have 10% cocoa to be called chocolate, which is why if you see candy products labeled “chocolatey” it’s likely because they don’t’ have enough cocoa to be passed as true chocolate. You learn something new every day!

Next, we hit up Benessere, a specialty olive oil and vinegar shop to die for! I bought blueberry balsamic vinaigrette that I plan on making cucumber, carrot, cabbage salad with—seriously, so good! But, check out this olive oil—one that’s super high in polyphenols—naturally occurring antioxidants that help your body fight off disease and inflammation.  Pretty cool.

We then went to the Elephants Delicatessen and tried their tomato orange soup, which may sound like an unusual combo, but it was fabulous. Here, they had their labeling so well done for all those with dietary restrictions—what a good example!

HOTLIPS pizza—this place had to die for crust (I’m all about the crust)—and in my opinion, their veggie pizza made with seasonal squash sauce was the best! This place rocked for their super sustainable practices and push for all local products. According to our tour guide, Herb Spice (no joke … that’s his name), the owner of HOTLIPS keeps a tally in the back of how far has ingredients have traveled to make it on their pizza. Every year his goal is to bring that number lower. This push for sustainable local products is seen in most Portland food spots, it’s pretty wonderful.

We hit up a local pub and tried their beer. Now, I’m not a beer drinker, so I wasn’t really loving the beer, but from what I hear people dig it. Perhaps next time …

We topped the night off with gelato—vanilla, amaretto, and chocolate. Here, I discovered the difference between ice cream and gelato. The difference is that gelato has less air, since it’s whipped less, and has a higher ratio of milk to cream, making gelato slightly less “fatty” than ice cream. Yet, it feels richer because it’s more dense due to less whipping. Aw!

Janel and I exhausted after a long day of eating! Job well done!

Bob’s Red Mill!

The next day, we had the privilege of touring the beloved Bob’s Red Mill! And oh—how fun!

We started the tour with Dennis Gilliam, executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Bob’s Red Mill. Instantly, upon meeting this man, you know that he ADORES his job and the company, which he should! Bob’s Red Mill products are the cream of the crop—truly made with care, love, and out of providing good nutrition for the consumer.

We entered the Mill and there’s Bob—the Bob himself … playing the piano! I’m in love already!

Bob explaining how his wife was the inspiration behind starting his business and how even though they experienced some setbacks in the beginning, such as their business burning down, they kept on trucking because they truly love what they do and stand for—real whole foods and real WHOLE grains!

Tanks where the grains are stored.

A mill where the grains are grinded down to size, so to speak, in their whole form.

In the milling room.

From whole grain to whole flour. Side note: to assure you get whole grains, make sure the first ingredient of any grain product you buy says, “WHOLE.”

Awesome—Bob and his flaxseed meal! Add this to your oatmeal for an extra dose of omega-3s, fiber, and satiating power! Dennis tells me that he simply adds two tablespoons of this stuff to his morning water or juice, stirs it up, and drinks it down!

Alison, Elizabeth and me living it up.

Got a spurtle? This has to be one of the best things I discovered on the tour thanks to my new friend Dennis here! He informed me that a spurtle is a traditional Scottish cooking tool used to stir oats as they cook and slowly soften in the pot. By spurtle, I think I have a new obsession!

What whole grains have you had today? And have you ever heard of a spurtle?