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Minty-Fresh Local Recipes
Truffle Hunting + Must-Try Ramen
Park City, Utah, Brings the Pow
Small Towns TO EXPLORE in 2025
SNOWSHOE PICNICS FROM CRATER LAKE TO MOUNT HOOD
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January | February
volume 90
food + drink
Beerlandia written by Jeremy Storton photography by Alyson Brown THE FIRM SNAP reverberates through my senses to let me know something amazing is about to land on my palate. Just from the sound, I can tell the producer has put time and care into tempering this bar of chocolate well. It is something to savor and appreciate, not the type of bar to carelessly hand out for Halloween. This is the tease … the anticipation … the foreplay. Next, we place the chocolate on our tongue; we need to warm it up to unlock its aromas, and there is no better place to do so. Now, we pour the beer and inhale its aroma before introducing the beer to the chocolate. Does the pairing work? Is it a dud, or is it exquisite? If I were honest with you, both beer and chocolate are things no one needs but everyone wants. This is to say that we could survive a dystopian, colorless, soundless and tasteless world, but what would be the point? Life is
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meant to be lived. Beer and chocolate provide the soundtrack, except with flavor. Ordinary, mass-produced chocolate and beer have a place in our lives, but this is not the experience I’m talking about. When artisanal, bean-to-bar chocolate pairs perfectly with an artisanal craft beer, magic ensues. Suddenly, one plus one equals ten, and we don’t mind the contradiction because not everything with beer and chocolate has to make sense. Pairing beer and chocolate well is tricky and not for those who require immediate gratification. It requires effort, time and mindfulness. But, when you finally find the right combination, it will profoundly sate your lustful palate. As my colleague, fellow Advanced Cicerone and chocolate expert David Nilsen writes in his book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: “We’re not looking for handshakes here. We’re looking for love.”
food + drink
BEER + CHOCOLATE PAIRINGS TO TRY • Belgian wit with white chocolate • Fruit beer with milk chocolate and sea salt • Fruited sour beer with chocolate and spicy chilies • Flanders sour with dark chocolate and dried fruit • Imperial stout (with coconut) with milk chocolate and tropical fruit • Amber IPA with sweet chocolate • Weizenbock with dark chocolate and espresso • Strong malty beer with dark chocolate and goat milk • Belgian quad with dark chocolate and berries • Imperial stout with Spanish sipping chocolate
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food + drink
BEST PLACES FOR
SNOWY CULINARY MOMENTS WANDERLUST TOURS Bundle up for a starlit snowshoe walk through the graceful hemlocks and pines around Mt. Bachelor and the surrounding Deschutes National Forest followed by hot chocolate. Better yet, sign up for one of the special events led by these established naturalist guides. For an upcoming dinner, Wanderlust will partner with Luckey’s Woodsman, local experts in backcountry cooking techniques. The fireside dinner on January 18 will serve up hearty soups paired with freshly baked bread along with desserts from Bend’s popular Sparrow Bakery. 61535 S. HIGHWAY 97, SUITE 13 BEND www.wanderlusttours.com
LUCKEY’S WOODSMAN If you miss the snowshoe and soup dinner with Wanderlust, don’t fret! You can create your own enchanting dinner in the snow with off-grid provisions from Luckey’s Woodsman. Dreamed up by chef Jackson Higdon, the elevated backcountry cuisine features ready-to-go camper kits like BBQ whiskey chicken with five-spiceroasted squash and a veg-friendly wild mushroom and rice bowl. You can also visit their trailside kitchen in Sisters on Tuesday through Sunday. 352 E. HOOD AVE., UNIT B SISTERS www.luckeyswoodsman.com
PHLOX POINT CABIN Swish down the evergreen-speckled slopes at Timberline to Phlox Point Cabin, the only ski-in-ski-out taqueria on the mountain. Built in 1930, the tiny timber cabin started as an alpine warming hut for the Timberline Ski Club. Now it’s the state’s most photogenic spot for street-style tacos, craft beer and aprés vibes. You can cozy up by a crackling fire inside or kick back in the snow outside around a custom-built fire barrel and watch other skiers drift by. 27500 E. WEST LEG ROAD GOVERNMENT CAMP www.timberlinelodge.com
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Vegan tonkatsu ramen from Portland’s Takibi.
Alpha Bravo
Ramen dishes from Newberg’s Alpha Bravo, a speakeasy-style ramen bar.
Dining
Warm Up With Ramen at These New Spots written by Kerry Newberry WHEN WETNESS peaks in Oregon, ramen is a balm. Luckily, there’s a new crop of restaurants and bars serving up soul-satisfying bowls from wine country to the coast. First stop: Alpha Bravo (115 S. Washington St., Newberg; www.alphabravobar.com). This speakeasy-style ramen bar is located in the back room of the new urban tasting hub and gallery for Artist Block. Similar to her studio-gallery-tasting room in Dundee, founder Anna Sweet transformed a simple vision into something sensational. The hidden bar is packed with moody vibes—from vintage decor and feathery chandeliers to velvet booths. Ever wondered about pairing ramen with wine? A local list with glass pours points you in the right direction.
Cocktail Card
In Portland, Takibi (2275 NW Flanders St., Portland; www.takibipdx.com), the warm and woodsy restaurant tucked inside Snow Peak’s U.S. headquarters, recently brought back its lunch program (Wednesday through Sunday) with a new menu featuring ramen, sushi and nigiri sets. The exceptional ramen stars handcrafted noodles made from flour using the traditional Yukimuro snow-aging method. You can choose from three broths, but the vegan tonkotsu style with seaweed and maitake mushroom is a standout. Over in Bend, Yokocho Izakaya (1900 NE Division St., #110, Bend; @yokochoizakaya.bend on Instagram) serves up tonkotsu ramen alongside izakaya classics like chicken karaage and yakisoba in a festive space with neon lights and retro posters.
recipe courtesy of Trellis / DUNDEE
Heather Amistad/Takibi
Black Walnut and Truffle Manhattan • 2 ounces Woodford Reserve rye • 1 ounce sweet vermouth • 1/4 ounce black truffle oil • 2 dashes black walnut bitters • 1 black Amarena cherry, for garnish • Shaved fresh truffle, for garnish
Combine rye, sweet vermouth, truffle oil and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir gently for 30 seconds to chill and blend the flavors. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a black Amarena cherry and a delicate shaving of fresh truffle.
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One of six historic covered bridges in the small and charming town of Cottage Grove. (photo: Eugene, Cascades & Coast)
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Oregon towns that will make you question the big city life T L L OW
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written by Jean Chen Smith
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I am nearing my ten-year anniversary as an Oregonian, and I still feel as though there are pockets of this state to be discovered. Coming from suburban New Jersey and having worked in New York City for almost a twenty-year stretch, I have come to appreciate the small hamlets and communities spread across our great state, which is just a tad bigger than the United Kingdom. I love the idea of escaping the hustle and bustle of our daily lives for some downtime— that is why small towns are so enticing. They offer history, charm and a laid-back pace of living. There are also plenty of opportunities to connect with nature and wildlife. We have rounded up seven of our favorite idyllic small towns and main streets in the state. Perhaps they are on your list as well. If not, spend a day or a weekend putting that to-do list away and visiting one of these delightful spots.
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