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Hidden gems: Local wineries welcome visitors in an old-world style

May 2013 Posted in Food & Drink | 1 Comment »

[caption id="attachment_3499" align="alignright" width="300"] Jason Hanson in his family’s vineyard. Photo by Steve Ritchie[/caption] By Steve Ritchie  Memorial Day weekend is a great time for a little wine-tasting and Silverton and Mount Angel residents are fortunate to have a several charming local ...

Heart in the art: Brewers share a passion for their craft

April 2013 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_3370" align="alignright" width="300"] Vermont Hard Cider[/caption] By James Day So how do you get noticed in a microbrew world in which another brewer seems to sprout up daily behind the nearest hop pole? How do you acquire space on the shelves ...

Buds and bottles: Winemakers tackle spring tasks in vineyard, winery

April 2013 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Hanson Vineyards 34948 S Barlow Road, Monitor Spring means tulips!  Being just a half-mile down the road from the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival means April is a colorful and busy month. In addition to regular weekend wine tasting, this month we have ...

Vineyards start to stir: New releases available at wineries

March 2013 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Spring is right around the corner, time for wineries to shake off the winter sleep. Because most local wineries are small, family-owned affairs, many close for the winter. As we finish up the winter pruning, we reopen the tasting rooms ...

New owner, new hours: New Markum Inn keeps customer favorites

December 2012 Posted in Business, Food & Drink | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_2931" align="alignright" width="168"] Connie Cummings of the New Markum Inn[/caption] By Omie Drawhorn For many local residents, a trip to the Markum Inn is a journey back in time to home-cooked food such as juicy hamburgers, steaks and chicken. While the menu ...

Vineyard update: Open houses set for Thanksgiving

November 2012 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Visiting wineries on Thanksgiving weekend is an Oregon tradition. It’s the time of the year when wineries - large and small - throw open their doors for holiday visitors. East Valley wineries are no exception. You can go to wwww.eastvalleywine.com ...

Ingredients for life: David Mahler creates a new recipe for his life, work

November 2012 Posted in Food & Drink, People | 1 Comment »

[caption id="attachment_2661" align="alignright" width="238"] David Mahler[/caption] By Kristine Thomas Brimming with energy and enthusiasm, David Mahler eagerly shares the details of how he decided to write a cookbook based on the cuisine he created while living in Costa Rica. It’s not until he’s ...

Vineyard update: Hopeful harvest

October 2012 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

The warm last days of an Indian summer have given local wine growers a case of optimism about this year’s harvest, despite some new challenges. Silver Falls Vineyard 4972 Cascade Highway, Sublimity Last month was full of fun, as we enjoyed the last ...

Not too late to plant: Vegetables will be ready for winter meals

September 2012 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Brenna Wiegand Finally, the vegetables we have vigilantly attended for months return the favor with a bounty of the freshest, homegrown vegetables. Suddenly, making sure nothing goes to waste can become a major chore. That is why so many of us let ...

Winning wines: New releases put to the test

August 2012 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

East Valley New Release Festival Winners Judge's Awards Pinot Noir:  Hanson Vineyards 2009 Other Red:  Vitis Ridge Malbec 2010 Dry White: Silver Falls Reserve Chardonnay 2009 Sweet White: (tie) St Josef’s L’Esprit Gerwurtztraminer 2010, and Vitis Ridge Semi Sparkling Early Muscat  2011 People's Choice Awards Pinot Noir ...

Appetite for expansion: Mt. Angel Sausage owner plans brewery, shop

June 2012 Posted in Business, Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Steve Ritchie Jim Hoke is a guy who doesn’t sit still for very long. The owner of Mt. Angel Sausage Co., Hoke is always on the move at his restaurant. On any given day, he will be making sausage, checking ...

Uncharted territory: East Valley wineries offer a chance to explore

June 2012 Posted in Business, Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Omie Drawhorn East Valley Wine Festival St. Josef’s Winery, 28836 S. Barlow Road, Canby Winemaker’s Gala Evening: 6-10 p.m. Friday, June 15, $35 Wine Tasting and Competition: noon-6 p.m. Saturday, June 16, $10. For information and a list of participating wineries, visit www.eastvalleywine.com or call 503-651-3190 East Valley wineries have long ...

From field to glass: Three hop farms supply local, national breweries

April 2012 Posted in Business, Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas Barley, water, yeast and hops are the four essential ingredients to make beer. The variety of hops, and how the brew master uses them during the brewing process, contribute to making each beer unique, John Annen of Annen Bros. ...

Oregon’s #1 nut: Hazelnut favorites earn national attention

November 2010 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Kathy Cook Hunter Even Martha likes them, our wonderful Oregon-grown hazelnuts. “Martha” as in Martha Stewart. A recent issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine featured recipes with hazelnuts – also known as filberts – reminding cooks and bakers pondering their list ...

Indulge: O’fest profits help others

September 2010 Posted in Food & Drink, Other | Comments Off

By Dixon Bledsoe When September rolls around, two things come to mind – football and Oktoberfest. Naturally, Oktoberfest makes us think of great music, arts and crafts booths and many events from bike races to the fun run (the ultimate oxymoron). The food ...

From vine to wine: Hanson Vineyards derives from a sense of place

September 2010 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas When searching for a reason to return to the West Coast, Jason Hanson never thought he would land where he did. A 1991 graduate of Silverton High School, Hanson left his family’s farm in Monitor to receive his bachelor’s ...

A Taste of Wright: Fundraiser benefits Gordon House

July 2010 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Rachel Bucci Taste tickets Sunday, Aug. 1, 3 to 6 p.m. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Gordon House, 869 W Main St., next to The Oregon Garden, Silverton Tickets are $30 each; $50 per couple; $60 per family; party of 12 $250. Sponsors are Minto Island Growers, Mount Jefferson Farms, ...

Local eats and treats: Foods raised and produced in our region fill picnic basket with yummy options

July 2010 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Dixon Bledsoe Summer should revolve around eating. Our out-of-town guests may already have an itinerary in mind, because when it comes to things to do, the Willamette Valley has a plethora of sights to see. But they are going to ...

Making its mark: Monitor winery wins gold in New York competition

June 2010 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Hanson Vineyards, located in Monitor, won a gold medal for their 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot noir at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. The ceremony took place in Rochester, NY. Nearly 700 international wineries entered this long-running wine event. More than ...

Cooking for Christmas: Recipes for relish and cookies to suit Santa

December 2009 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Kathy Cook Hunter Here is a recipe to fill your special Christmas needs. From what I could glean from my oldest cookbook, what I’ve always called “date bars” are English Matrimonials – also known as “matrimonial cake.” This version came ...

Tasting tours: Thanksgiving weekend tradition

November 2009 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Local wineries will be open for the traditional Thanksgiving weekend open house, Nov. 27-29. Domaine Margelle Vineyards will be open only Nov. 28. Abiqua Wind Vineyards will have tastings at the old Marqum Store in downtown Marquam on Highway 213. Hours ...

Taking stock and stocking up: Pantry basics for saving money

October 2009 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Kathy Cook Hunter Cooking from scratch and saving money while you’re at it requires forethought and a kitchen cupboard stocked with the makings of healthy meals. Here’s a list of basic dry and canned foods people often reach for when ...

Water Mountains aims to please

July 2009 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Driving out toward Silver Falls from Silverton, one can’t miss the marquee on the left announcing, “$4.50 cheeseburger with fries.” A super bargain these days, and that offer is always there. Water Mountains restaurant owner Obed Lopez says you can have ...

Monitor Inn has something for all

July 2009 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

Since Tony Doody bought Monitor Inn  more than three years ago, it has been spruced up, had new equipment installed and has been painted red, white and blue inside.  “I have fun,” he admitted. “This is something I’ve always wanted to ...

Berry facts: Farmer talks about Oregon strawberries

June 2009 Posted in Food & Drink | Comments Off

By Sharon Barnes (Editor’s note: Sharon Barnes’ family has raised strawberries since the mid-1920s and sells them every summer through their sales stand at Ace Hardware in Stayton.) Not so long ago, local strawberries were plentiful and inexpensive. Today, with fewer growers ...