13th Annual Great Balls of Fire Challenge
Every year Salvador Molly’s does its damnedest to send Portlanders to sweaty, searing pepper heat hell with their crunchy hot balls. All February long, part of the proceeds from every order of the restaurant’s habanero and cheese fritters go to Oregon Heat, a nonprofit that helps residents pay their heating bills. The fundraiser kicks off Saturday with the “Toughest Tongue in the West” contest, which dares locals and minor celebs to stuff their face with poppers until they collapse. Last year’s winner, Ben Plont, ate 20 of the spicy suckers.
To compete, reserve your seat at salvadormollys.com. , , . Toughest Tongue takes place at noon Saturday, Jan. 30. The Great Balls of Fire benefit runs through Feb. 28. Map
The Art of Food Writing
Learn how to craft a recipe, develop story ideas, pitch editors and, for the love of God, find adjectives beyond "yummy" with which to describe food. Local cookbook author and genuine pro Diane Morgan helps you turn your passion for food and writing into a paying job in her truly wonderful six-week course. Her latest food writer boot camp includes speakers like cheese blogger Tami Parr and
FOODday’s Martha Holmberg. You better sign up quick—there’s only 16 spots in this class.
To register, email diane@dianemorgancooks.com. , , dianemorgancooks.com. 7 pm Thursdays, Jan. 7-Feb. 11. $425. More info at dianemorgancooks.com.
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Brain Chemistry for Lovers Cocktail Contest
Last year local singer Valerie Day and pianist Darrell Grant charmed crowds with their pre-V-Day lecture on the science of love, a talk that involved a lotta stuff about dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin—the chemicals that make us feel like we’re in love. This year the pair has added a new element to their show: A mixology contest “that uses science to simulate feelings of love in its potions.” You can taste and vote on competing cocktails (the Don Juan, the Mata Hari, and the Scarlett O’Hara), which use everything from chocolate, basil and grapefruit to honey, at 3 Doors Down through Feb. 5 or check out the recipes at brainchemistryforlovers.com. The winning drink will be served to the lucky audience at the Feb. 9
Brain Chemistry for Lovers show at the Bagdad Theater.
3 Doors Down, 1429 SE 37th Ave., 236-6886. Drinks available through Friday, Feb. 5. Map
A Calabrian Dinner with Vincente Ippolito
Vintner Vincente Ippolito will be gracing Bastas Trattoria on Monday evening. In celebration, Bastas' owner and chef, Marco Frattaroli, will present a Calabrian dinner to be paired with southern Italian wines.
Bastas Restaurant and Bar, 410 NW 21st Ave., 274-1572. 6:30 pm. Reserve your seat by contacting Liner & Elsen at 241-9463. $45 per person, prepayment required. Map
Food by Hand Seminars
Oh, to be an ambitious young food pro flush with cash. Former
WW food critic Heidi Yorkshire offers pretty much the best after-Xmas gift ever with the roster of 2010 craft/business seminars from her newish company for serious food entrepreneurs. In March there’s a whole-hog butchering and cured-meats-making class for chefs and restaurateurs with Adam Sappington, June brings the “Craft and Business of Retailing Artisan Cheese” with Steve Jones of Steve’s Cheese. Come October Clear Creek founder Stephen freakin’ McCarthy shows you how to distill—the first time he’s allowed mere mortals in on his process. Why am I telling you this now? Because each class is open to a small number of students and shit’s gonna sell out, pronto. It ain’t cheap—most courses cost more than $1,500—but they’re the real deal.
Find a full 2010 schedule at foodbyhandseminars.com. Call 335-3155 or email foodbyhand@gmail.com for info on early enrollment discount tuition. , , foodbyhandseminars.com. Seminars throughout 2010. Map
From Bean to Buzz
Ecotrust and Slow Food Portland bring you an opportunity to taste locally made chocolate and coffee and learn more about the Portland people and businesses behind these flavors. The following businesses will be there: Alma Chocolates, Cacao, Claudio Corallo Chocolates, Sahagún, Theo Chocolates, Xocolatl de David, Caffe Vita, Cellar Door Roasters, Portland Roasters and Stumptown Coffee. Tickets at
boxofficetickets.com/slowfoodportland.
Ecotrust, 721 NW 9th Ave., Suite 200., 227-6225. 5:30 pm. $10 General/$8 Slow Food members (show member card at door). Map
Jameson Dinner
Heathman Restaurant & Bar brings us a dinner themed on the popular Irish whiskey. Jameson's national ambassador to the U.S., Grace McGlynn, will be a guest speaker. More exciting than that is the night's highlight menu item: roasted, bacon-wrapped quail. And that's only part of a four-course meal that also includes confit pork cheeks, elk chop and bananas foster.
Heathman Restaurant & Bar, 1001 SW Broadway., 790-7752. Cocktails 6:30 pm, dinner 7 pm. $65 not including gratuity. Call for reservations.
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Kenny & Zuke's Superbowl Platters
Here's something for the big game. By now, you know about the quality going into Kenny & Zuke's sandwiches, so let's skip to the exciting stuff—a special game-day menu: DIY deli options include Pastrami Lovers, Meat Ball Heroes and the Chili Dog Kit. Then there are the ready-to-eat choices such as pastrami sliders and mini bagel dogs, and some classic ready-made sandwiches (tuna salad or corned beef). Just make sure you get your order in by
Feb. 5. You can also watch the Super Bowl in the restaurant and get happy-hour prices.
Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen, 1038 SW Stark St., 222-3354. Call or email catering@kennyandzukes.com to order
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Salty's Outdoor Prawn Boil
Twenty bucks this Thursday at Salty's gets you a pound of prawns, a pint of beer, a bowl of seafood chowder, fresh bread and a Caesar salad. This is part of the restaurant's three-month "Be Shellfish, Eat Me" festival, which features not only some great food, but also a chance to take part in fundraising games for local food banks.
Salty's on the Columbia, 3839 NE Marine Drive., 288-4444. 5-8 pm. $19.95. Map
Urban Growth Bounty 2010 Classes
The City of Portland just released its giant schedule of inexpensive sustainable food and garden classes for 2010, focusing on everything from beekeeping to fermentation, taught by food pros like Slow Hand Farm’s Josh Volk, cookbooker Ivy Manning and cheese master Claudia Lucero. Classes start as early as February, so check out the class calendar and sign up.
To find a schedule and info visit portlandonline.com/bps/ugb. , , portlandonline.com/bps/ugb. Map
Valentine's Shopping for Guys
Thirst Wine Bar is trying its hand at accommodating an oft-underrepresented constituency of shoppers—straight men in committed relationships—by organizing a shopping event to make finding that Valentine's Day gem (figuratively speaking) easier for them. There will be local businesses from all the expected retail genres: spas, jewelers, florists, gift-basket makers. The kicker: It includes a free wine and scotch tasting and appetizers.
Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro, 0315 SW Montgomery St., 295-2747. 2-8 pm. Free. Map
Viking Pancake Breakfast
For all you pancake-eating pillagers out there, the Norse Hall is having a Viking Pancake Breakfast on Sunday morning. The name fits, as this breakfast will include all-you-can-eat pancakes, served with eggs, sausage, fruit compote, applesauce, orange juice, coffee and tea.
Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Ave., 236-3401. 8:30 am-1 pm. Adults $6, 5-12 yrs old $3, children under 5 free. Map
