The Northwest Food and Wine Festival was this Saturday at the Lloyd Center Doubletree, and somehow I managed to wind up on the judging panel for their pâté competition. Lest you immediately dismiss this as a clear sham of a contest, also judging were several local chefs, game experts, and even an ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon Chef of the Year – a guy who knew his aspic from a hole in the ground. While hundreds of ticket-holders milled about the crowded aisles getting their money’s worth of pinot and stepped-up snacks, we worked through twenty entrants, eating what I estimate to be about two pounds of pâté a piece, which is only hard once you stop. Entrants competed on appearance, flavor, and texture, and while I was partial to the Larousse-looking masterpiece (turns out it was from Olympic), there was a tremendous amount of craftsmanship and talent on the table.
The Winners:
Traditional Style
1. Hall Street
2. A Cena Ristorante
3. Feastworks
4. Olympic Provisions
Country Style
1. Urban Farmer
2. Olympic Provisions (see above, a personal favorite)
3. Clyde Common
4. Allium Bistro
And now, more of the reason I’m making this post: sexy pictures.
I, too, find Mason jars very sexy.
paté: gag, dry heave, retch, gag, wet heave.
hey onstad: i enjoy your stuff, but maybe once in a while you could go slumming?
Although delicious, pâté is the ugliest food. No matter how well-photographed, pâté food porn is always doomed to failure.
Jello is the most beautiful food. If pâté looked like Jello or if Jello tasted like pâté, the world would be a better place.
@ human in training
Did you read the dumpster diving piece he wrote with Sarah Mirk? Seriously, how much more slummy do you need?
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/th…