Photo courtesy of Little Green Pickle
It's one of the most delicious times of the year! Feast Portland is next week and with it comes an amazing line up of culinary awesomeness. You can still get tickets to a few events (but act fast, they will sell out!):
Friday, September 16th
MEET THE PRESS
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
In early America cider was king, consumed by everyone from kids to George Washington. Post-Prohibition, cider became teetotaling juice, and hard cider turned sticky and sweet. Today’s daring cider makers are embracing tradition, heritage fruits, and brewing methods (dry-hopped ciders!) to devise dynamic, elegant beverages that are the apple of drinkers’ eyes. Meet the makers behind the movement.
FRIDAY GRAND TASTING
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Feast Portland’s Grand Tasting, the festival’s largest tasting event is a culinary road trip of America’s food culture. What flavors and ingredients are expressing the local DNA of today’s food culture? Who’s changing the face of fermentation? Who’s making the best artisan cheese? What are the next wines to watch? What’s the latest in American craft brewing? These questions and more will be answered, plus stopovers at berry pies, briny delights and hand-crafted chocolates among the 80-plus food and drink vendors. It’s a chance to lounge around Pioneer Courthouse Square, a cozy brick amphitheater in the city center, eating all of the above while sipping the region’s best wines, brews and ciders.
WASHINGTON WINES ON THE RISE
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Maybe you’ve slurped down a bottle of delicious Washington Cabernet Sauvignon with your last juicy steak and sipped a delectable Washington Syrah over a leg of lamb, but there’s a whole lot more happening with Washington wine. From spicy Grenache and floral Cabernet Franc to cool-climate sparklers and Rieslings, Washington wines have come of age. Winemakers are exploring new varieties, growing grapes in emerging viticultural regions, and experimenting with winemaking techniques, all with delicious results. Feast’s big league wine aficionado and award-winning writer, Bruce Schoenfeld leads a panel of trailblazing winemakers and experts on an exploration of the latest and greatest wines from across the mighty Columbia.
APERITIFS ASCENDANT: UNDERSTANDING VERMOUTH, QUINQUINAS AND APERITIF WINES
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Twenty years ago, vermouth was stuck in the doldrums—but today, drinkers are discovering the aperitif experience. Old World standards are mingling with New World newcomers—and this is just the start. Find out what bottles to look for, and get a taste of some of the most interesting styles
Saturday, September 17th
WINE VS. BEER: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Ladies and gentlemen, let's get ready to rumble! It's round three of Feast Porltand's epic Drink Tank panel, Wine vs. Beer. In this corner, we have wine spirit animal, Bon Appétitcontributor, blogger and social media superstar, Marissa Ross, representing team grapes! And in this corner, we have the man who's always on the Great American Ale trail, founder of the brand new Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery, and esteemed beer journalist, Christian DeBenedetti, representing team hops! Marissa and Christian will each receive delicious cheeses from top Portland cheesemonger Steve Jones, and they will each pair wine and beer with said yummy, cheesy goodness for YOU, lucky Feast fans. The audience will taste both pairings and vote for the pairing they think is a knockout punch.
By Stephanie Forrer @StephSForrer
