Well, this experiment at blogging failed spectacularly. Let's try this again.
So much has happened since the last post (damn those ensuing YEARS of time.)
I (Shell) lost my job, couldn't find a new one in the SF area, and ended up looking (and finding) in Portland, OR. That means that right now we are split between two states and dealing with the repercussions of being apart. It's tough. It sucks. But it's OK. Well, it's going to be OK. And we're both staying focused on it being so much better in the long run. The cost of living here is so much less that things like paying off old debt and saving up for new debt (i.e. buying a house) actually seem like possibilities here, rather than just pipe dreams. (Plus, snow!)
The Willamette Valley (about 150 mile long stretch of land that covers from Portland all the way down to Eugene) also happens to be chock full of wineries, breweries, cider houses, cheese caves, small farms, large farms, and other foodie haven locations.
So far our favorite winery find (not that we have done a lot of exploring yet, but spring is coming!) has been
Amity Vineyards. The wine maker was there when we went and he and I had a great chat about vines and varietals and wine making in general. Turns out they are also bay area transplants.
The tasting room is up on a hill in the valley and the view is gorgeous, a lovely little spot to sit and sip.
They also have a fabulous winery dog, which, if you know me at all, tells you that this winery got double bonus points from me. This is Mosely, he is gigantic and friendly and oh so fluffy.
They had a Pinot Noir when we were there that I absolutely loved, and all of their whites (the bread and butter of the WV) were lovely. We bought a few bottles to take home and were quite pleased with them. Plus, they give you a little plate of charcuterie to snack on while you taste. Heavenly.
At the end of last year I also took a short trip to Boise and my friend Sarah and I did a little local beer exploring. Of note,
Payette Brewing. Their tasting room was small and funky and they had a good number of beers. Unfortunately I failed to note what we got in our flights, but I remember that I really liked the amber and Sarah really enjoyed the ale, which was noteworthy as it's not generally her style.
We also stopped at
Haff Brewing, where they had a watermelon wheat beer on tap that was to die for. Light and fruity and one of those beers with which you could get into a lot of trouble on a warm summer day. Perfect for floating the river! Plus, they have the best logo...I bought C a pint glass and Sarah got a growler just because we were so in love with their logo.
Chris found a book about making cheese at home when she was here over Thanksgiving and has been reading up in preparation to start making our own cheese, which I am pretty excited to experiment with and document. I got her a second book about cheese making for Christmas, and she also got a pressure cooker, so we are getting well set for making all of the things. She's been using her time home alone (she ended up having surgery at the end of the year, so she has had lots of time home by herself) to learn to make delicious things like cheesecake and experimenting with shepherds pie and creme brûlée. I think I gained 5 pounds in the week I was back with her for Christmas, but it was delicious and worth it!
Okay, I think this'll do for today. I would say I'll be back in a week, but I seem to have a poor track record for keeping that promise! Sarah will be here to visit in less than three weeks, so there will definitely be food and beer exploring happening for me to write about then, if not before!
-Shell
