Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting

Posted on March 17, 2021 by makemendgrow

A few years ago, I wrote a fun post on boozy shots and Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting For St Patrick’s Day and wanted to revisit the recipe to see what I could improve. For the most part, the recipe held up, needing just a touch more sugar, but the directions needed a little clean up. I’m revisiting that recipe, with a couple of tweaks for St Patrick’s Day. These cupcakes aren’t your kids’ overly sweet sugar bombs – they are dark, dense, almost savory and filled with sharp chocolate and bitterness of a good stout beer, made just a touch sweet with the addition of Irish cream liquor in the frosting. Sound good? Read on! If you’d like a fun jello shot to pair with it, you can check out the original post, here.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 cup Guinness, or stout beer
2 TB of Irish cream
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 stick of butter
1 cup AP flour
3/4 tspn of baking soda
1/4 tspn salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 cupcake tin and 12 liners

Directions:
In a small pot combine your stout, Irish cream, dark cocoa powder and butter, and place over medium heat. Let the mixture warm up, stirring until the butter is melted and the chocolate is combined – do not boil, just warm it slowly. A tip: slowly adding the cocoa powder versus plopping it all in, makes for a smooth texture. While that is heating up, combine your flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, or in the bowl of a mixer stand and set aside. Once your stout/chocolate butter mixture is ready, add to your flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Finally, add your egg and your sour cream and mix until it’s incorporated too. Note – the mixture will look loose. That is ok!!
Bake at 325 for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Irish Cream Frosting
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese-softened
1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup Irish cream
A note: I don’t like sickeningly sweet frosting, so there’s not a ton of sugar in here. Taste as you go, and add more sugar to your liking.
Directions:
In the bowl of a mixer, combine the sugar and cream cheese blending until all is incorporated, slowly add your Irish cream until you have consistency that you want. Apply to a cooled off cupcake and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy!

Yours in chocolatey goodness,
Raina

Hunger

Posted on September 21, 2017 by makemendgrow

I’m just back from Feast 2017, and am trying to find the words to describe my weekend away. Just like last year, I am in awe. I went with an empty belly and one goal: To try as many things as I possibly could. Good goal, right? I had a hunger in me for adventure, food and drink and dear reader, yet again Feast did not disappoint.

Was it the reuben from Tasty N Sons? Was it the Bubbles from A to Z Winery? The well earned French 75 after ending up in an Lyft on an accidental drive 45 mins outside of Portland in an attempt to get to a karaoke bar? Maybe it was the antelope tartar from Nicky Farms at the Grand Tasting, or dancing late into the night to 80’s music with caviar and more pinot noir than you can shake a fist at during an after party.

Whatever it was, and as crazy some of it was, it was perfect. I can show you pictures, I can regale you with tales of late nights, early mornings, and I can walk you through every slurp of perfectly fired oysters, but unless you go a piece of that magic will be missing for you.

So stop what you’re doing, right now, and block out the 13th-16th of September 2018 in your calendar. You’ll thank me later when you’re smiling deliriously from all that you’ll experience.

Let’s chat about what I did, so you know what you’re in for next year! I’ll pop in my disclaimer now: I did receive complimentary tickets to all events, but the opinions are still my own. My belly never steers me wrong!

I rolled into Portland, and immediately made my way to Tasty N Sons for an AMAZING reuben which paired oddly well with a cremant and was the perfect way to start the vacation. Plus, look at my face in that first pic (and the photobomber!) it screams happiness! I ran to a quick happy hour checking out some delicious Oregon pinot noirs before meeting up with a friend for a tour of a few food truck pods and ciders at Schilling Cidery. One of the things I love about Portland is the collection of food trucks and the people watching that come along with them. Happy to see my friend, but ready to get Feast kicked off, I made my way to an opening night happy hour celebrating ham (jamon) and eggs (caviar) and all the 80’s music I could shake it to. There were cocktails served in colorful beakers and blue umbrella adorned rum drinks and I was hell-bent on sampling all of it.

Full and happy, I headed back to my Air bnb, only to be woken shortly by a party that would go on for hours and met by construction an hour after that. I made my way to the Starbucks in the lobby and cursed those damn delicious cocktails, the construction people, and the lack of sleep.

Not to be deterred, I powered through fueled by coffee and a desire to eat even more. I meandered around the city on my way to the Friday Grand Tasting where I would continue to eat. I had the best apple fritters from Nola Doughnuts (sorry, Voodoo), paired along side pFriem Brewing’s Beligian Strong Blonde Ale (you NEED this combo), poke, and so much of the bubbles from A to Z Wineworks. Hours passed, and more calories were consumed, but it was time to make my way to the Night Market.

Flag streamers were strung across each of the paths, with various booths pouring drinks and chefs pushing out plate after plate of food; music blared from speakers above, the bass and beats making people dance, strangers becoming fast friends. Sake was had, along with braised oxtail, and Bulleit Bourbon cocktails adorned with hibiscus flowers flowed well into the night. One more bite, my body begged, as I picked up a bowl of ceviche and a little dish of chilaquiles. My eyes heavy, my heart happy, and my belly full, I knew this was the last stop for the night. There would be no after party, or after-after party. My day was done.

The construction at the Air bnb may have ended, but the late night parties and tweakers screaming had not-after 5 hours of sleep in 2 days, I called it quits, emailed the host at 3:30 and booked a hotel. I made my way to the hotel and crashed out for a few hours-I had 10 hours (at least!) of eating ahead of me and coffee wasn’t going to be enough this time. A few hours later, I woke up grabbed some eggs benedict and a mimosa and I was ready to roll. I went back to the Grand Tasting event to have more wine from Elizabeth Chambers Cellar and Domaine Drouhin Oregon, and some AMAZING antelope tartare from Nicky Farms, and of course, since I was walking by, one more bite of those decadent apple fritters. The night continued, and it was time to hit Smoked.

Walking in, you’re instantly hit with the smell of wood smoke and meat. The air is thick, and your belly grumbles. I grabbed a glass of pinot gris from Archery Summit and made my way over to see the folks serving up Hama Hama oysters, slurping down a few of them before moving on to the next grill station-more oysters were eaten, as well as a chunk of bone the size of my arm (mmm….marrow ). I nibbled on tomahawk steaks like a good carnivore, and salivated at game hens sizzling away over flames. Hours would pass, and more wine would be had. Plates of sausage on polenta with duck fat gravy were passed, spam sandwiches, and more of that marrow, and even more oysters. There was laughter, there were glow sticks and even a party in a tee pee.

The event would come to an end, but the night would go on-more after parties, an after-after party, more talks, more dancing, singing into the night in a failed attempt to find a karaoke bar, eventually slipping into my bed well after 3 am.

And dear reader, that is where the story ends. Full, happy, and ready to do it all over again next year. Won’t you join me?

Feast Portland-Get Ready to Eat

Posted on August 30, 2017 by makemendgrow

There are few moments in life where I have been completely and utterly full, but still longing to eat more, to savor just one more bite of congee, or perfectly cooked lamb, or just one more sip of rum punch out of a fresh cracked coconut. “Just one more taste!”, my heart and my mouth beg! My stomach gives in, hesitantly.

This was Feast Portland last year, and if you checked out my Instagram feed that rainy weekend last September or read my recap, you recall how I fit in some of the best food a gal can get her mouth on. You drooled along with me as I ate foie gras mousse with pears and pickled mustard seeds on crostini at the Grand Tasting event, and the Sweet Breads Al Pastor at Smoked when I was lucky enough to score a last minute ticket. For 4 delicious days you followed along with me as I traipsed along the streets, many bars, and fields of Portland eating my way through Feast. You held on through the very end when I wrapped it all up at the Brunch Village, enjoying one last coffee and mimosa while nibbling on beignets dripping seductively with raspberry jam.

And oh dear reader, it was good. So good.

So good in fact that it’s time to go back, and I’m going to show you so much more this year! Starting Sept 14th, I’ll be back at Feast checking out my old favorites with the Grand Tastings both for Friday and Saturday bringing you live updates on beers from Burnside Brewing (Sweet Heat anyone??), Migration Brewing, and so many others. I’ll be sipping wines from Owen Roe and so many other wineries that I haven’t heard of before (you can check that list out here). The folks at Bulleit and Buffalo Trace will be in attendance as well as smaller batch distillers like Flooded Fox Den Distillery. There’s something for everyone, or at least one gal with a pension for cocktails and delicious beer. I’ll be at Smoked again, savoring so many plates from chefs outlined on the line up here.

I love my old favorites, but I am ready for something new, too. Last year I didn’t give myself nearly enough planning time to attend some of the other events you can find at Feast. Not this year though! This year I am on a mission to do it all and bring you all with me! I’ll be on a bar crawl with the folks from Reyka Vodka, attending Drink Tank events through Feast checking out topics on pilsners, and new ways to enjoy my personal favorite, gin. I’ll even be checking out “Ham and Eggs”, which is described as “a celebration of 1980’s excess featuring caviar and jamon”. This event had me at the 80’s, but I won’t say no to the rest! Cue the Whitesnake, please!

Is that it?

No! A girl has to keep some surprises for you, right?

Ready to join me? Check me out on Twitter and Instagram via the handle @makemendgrow for live updates, and insight into all the food and drinks you can handle (or that I can!!).

And just in case you need a little more eye candy, here’s a few extra shots to entice you into joining me, or at least keeping an eye on what I’ll be up to!

Yours in delicious food,

Raina

These are the days

Posted on June 26, 2017 by makemendgrow

These are the days where happiness is made. Where we linger over stories, and adventure. Where our make up is dirt, s’mores stuck to our lips, our hair bigger than normal, smelling of campfire smoke. These are the days where we chase sunshine’s last rays and watch stars long into the night.

“Momma! Did you see that star fly by?! Did you wish?”
“Yes, baby. Did you?”

These days fly by and we hold on to every moment as long as we can; watching, waiting, learning and I am still in so much awe of it all.

Recently, we headed north to Rasar State Park to rest, explore and make new memories. We were itching for a camp out and with all of the rain, blue sky tarp camping didn’t sound appealing and the cabins, outfitted with bathrooms and a wet bar, were perfect.

Izzy and I spent the first two days just she and I, with our first afternoon and evening spent getting settled, setting up camp and going on a short hike before chopping firewood and attempting to build a fire. Luckily the campers next door came to our rescue with dry wood and expert fire building skills. We ate s’mores and watched the stars in the sky, listening to owls and other night critters. We talked about her dreams, what she wanted to be for Halloween and what I do all day at work. She would crawl into my lap in my chair by the fire and fall asleep and I’d carry her little body into the cabin, clean up her face and put her to bed.

The next day we hiked through the woods and open fields, exploring the river banks and spotting tiny fish and other critters. We took turns taking pictures, and I eventually would find out what poison oak feels like (itchy and awful!). We walked through waist-high grass, and watched the sky change from blues, to darker and ran back to the cabin to avoid being soaked by the sudden downpour.

We’d eventually have Izzy’s poppa join us later that trip for amazing beers at Birdsview Brewing, a short 1.5 mile stroll from the cabin, followed by more s’mores. This was perfect timing as my lackluster fire building skills were just plain embarrassing. The next day was spent at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and La Conner, looking at flowers and little shops and even getting in a little toddler yoga, a toddler meltdown and resulting wine tasting at Skagit Cellars before heading back to the cabin for one last night.

The weekend wasn’t long enough, as they never are, but watching Izzy explore and run and create new memories made my heart so full.

“Momma! Can we come back to our cabin again next year?”
“Of course baby, any time you want”.

These are the days, where sunshine fades into long nights, full of snuggles and happiness, wishes and critters.

Yours in adventure
Raina

Before the spring

Posted on May 1, 2017 by makemendgrow

Hello dear reader! We’re finally in the home stretch here in Seattle; finally getting out of the cold and into the spring. This winter has been rough, with quite a few snow days, and fewer than 15 days of sunshine in 6+ months, and we’re now getting a good steady drizzle of rain. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for longer (and sunnier!) days spent out in the garden, out on the trails, and generally not cooped up inside! Before the spring hits, I wanted to share all we did over the winter. I really need to be better about posting quick updates, in addition to the food posts!

My hope for the winter was to continue building traditions with Izzy, creating magical memories for her to relish for years. I look at all of the pictures and somehow she has gone from my tiny baby into my little girl. She grew so much over the winter, and while my heart breaks to know she’s no longer a tiny baby, I am so excited for all of our adventures we’re having and all that we’ll be able to do as she gets bigger. I am trying to live in the moment with her and enjoy everything as it comes.

This winter we explored, played in the snow, and traveled to Eastern Washington as we needed to get away and have a break during all of the holiday craziness. We rented the sweetest dog friendly Air BnB in Kittitas, right above the Thrall & Dodge Winery. For three days, we cooked meals in the retro 1940’s kitchen, snuggled in the massive bed, played in the snow and explored the tiny town and surrounding areas. We stumbled upon Whipsaw Brewing in Ellensburg, and I explored used book stores adding to my Serendipity book collection for Izzy. Happy and rested, we would return home for more holiday adventures.

One of the biggest highlights of the holiday season was the Mount Rainier Railroad’s Polar Express train ride, a two-hour adventure filled with elves, singing, and Santa! Izzy danced, sang “Jingle Bells” at the top of her lungs and stared in wonderment at Santa as he gave her a bell. The parents were entertained by amazing views of the Mt Rainier area and various rivers and their children totally embracing the spirit of the holiday. We’ll definitely take that trip again, making it an ongoing family tradition.

To really bring Christmas home and get us in the spirit, we returned to Pfaff’s Tree Farm to visit Santa again for some one on one time, and to cut down our own Christmas tree. We hunted for an hour for the perfect tree, finally settling on one that would (yet again) be way too tall for the highest part of my ceiling, despite chopping more than a few feet off of the bottom. Almost every year I misjudge how high my ceiling actually is, and every year I still make that darn thing fit. Izzy found her first live turkey and gobbled along happily with it.

Lastly, Izzy saw the Nutcracker for the first time. She loved the ballerinas, but was disappointed in the lack of mermaids (no idea why she thought there’d be mermaids), which she loudly proclaimed often to the annoyance of the little girl in front of her who would continue to turn around and scowl at us. Izzy and her daddy would eventually make faces right back at the grumpy girl who finally stopped her leering, confused why an adult made faces back at her.

Our magical winter was spent making memories with these amazing events and finding down time where we danced in snow flurries with our critters (true story: bunnies hate snow) and chased sun beams for as long as they stayed around. We snuggled on the couch and read books together, and celebrated each moment with each other trying to keep the magic of her childhood alive and strong for yet one more year and I couldn’t imagine a better way to have spent the winter.

And there you have it! So many adventures were had, before the spring. What did you do this winter?

Raina

Christmas with Maysara Wines

Posted on January 7, 2017 by makemendgrow

Hello dear readers! I hope the holidays were good for you and that you have all been doing well! 2016 FLEW by, as did our holiday and time off. While I’ll give a recap of all that we did with our time off later this weekend, I wanted to share with you all that we ate for Christmas, and highlight some delicious wines that we tried, so that you can run out and try them for yourselves. There will even be an easy appetizer recipe that pairs perfectly with the wines, too. Are you ready for my recap of Christmas with Maysara Wines?

As you know, when my family cooks, we usually get a little crazy and cook too much. This Christmas we tried to dial it back a bit; I think we did pretty well!

Christmas 2016 Menu

~Breakfast~
Russian farmers cheese, bacon, and leek tart
Pomegranate-blackerry mimosas

~Dinner~
Appetizers:
Deviled eggs-regular and habenero
Caprese skewers
Bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese (recipe below)

Drinks to accompany our appetizers:
2013 Scarlett and Mac Chardonnay
Georgetown Brewing’s SparklePuss IPA

Main Course:
Honey and Orange Glazed Ham

Sides:
Mashed potatoes
Curry spinach salad
Brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic reduction

Drinks:
Maysara 2012 Jamsheed Pinot Noir
Georgetown Brewing’s BA Not Tom Rye Stout

Dessert:
Key lime pie
Chocolate bourbon pecan pie

The dinner came together perfectly and since we didn’t have 20 separate dishes, we spent less time in the kitchen and more time chatting as a family. We lazily ate and sipped wine through the late afternoon and evening, and listened to music. It was wonderful and I can’t think of any other way to spend the day.

Day After Christmas Feast

Normally, we put together a pretty big spread for Christmas eve, but between long hours at work and fighting illness, we just didn’t have it in us to cook an elaborate meal for Christmas eve. Instead we took advantage of the time and prepped cassoulet, which we then ate on the day after Christmas.

Wait. You haven’t had cassoulet?? It’s a delicious, indulgent French dish with duck confit, pork, sausage, herbs and white beans. It’s a labor of love and if you have the time, it’s a wonderful treat to make. We loosely followed an old Jacques Pepin’s recipe, but this one is also a handy guide. We made our own duck confit, substituted a double smoked sausage instead of making our own sausage, and to add an extra layer of richness, we braised the pork butt in bacon fat, almost making a pork confit. Meat cooked in its own fat (or with a little extra fat) is good guys, calories be damned. The richness of the cassoulet only needed a simple salad with spinach, pears, candied walnuts with a light vinaigrette. We happily sipped Maysara’s 2010 Asha Pinot Noir, an amazing accompaniment which cut through the fat in the cassoulet but also stood up to the bite of the vinaigrette.

Overall, I’d say that we ate well this holiday and I’ve ignored the scale just in case. We spent our energy by prepping the time heavy meal slowly and over time, so that the flavors built on each other and that was definitely the right call.

Now, here’s more on those wines, followed by a super quick recipe that you should try with both wines. I’d love to hear what you think!

About the wines:

The 2012 Jamsheed Pinot Noir was outstanding, and at $30 it’s a nice bottle to have for a holiday or a special day, that’s still affordable. It’s slightly spicy, earthy with dark fruit. It’s soft on your tongue in that it doesn’t overwhelm, with a touch of acidity. It stood up to the variety of foods, but went well with the sweetness of the ham. This was definitely my favorite wine of the night and the holiday.

Coming in at $39 the 2010 Asha Pinot Noir was also a hit. With a glass cork, you feel like you’re getting a treat! It was interesting how different this Pinot Noir was to the Jamsheed. Still earthy with dark berries, but more rounded and floral than the Jamsheed. The tannins cut through the fat, but the flavor isn’t lost to the duck, nor the smoke of the sausage. If anything, the flavors were reflected more in the wine. Again, another solid wine that I enjoyed.

Now, for the quick recipe. I love these bacon wrapped dates (you could also use slices of pear in place of the dates and a slice of heartier blue cheese to mix it up). These pair quite well with the Jamsheed Pinot Noir!

Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Dates
Makes 10

1/2 lb bacon, cooked until the fat starts to drip but not crispy (6-8min.)
10 dried, pitted dates
Soft blue cheese (Trader Joes has a good one!)

Cut the strips of cooked bacon into 4 pieces each or less if you want more bacon
Open the dates. There is usually a cut along one side, but if not, just use a knife and slice half way through the dates, so you have a place to put the blue cheese.
Scoop in some of the blue cheese using a small spoon, or your fingers.
Wrap with bacon and pin with a tooth pic.
Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees to finish the bacon and make the dates a little softer.
To finish, drizzle with a little honey, or balsamic vinegar.
Let cool slightly and enjoy!

A hearty thank you to Dominic and all of the folks at Maysara winery for helping to make this holiday particularly special. While I did receive these wines to try and this is considered a sponsored post, I do highly recommend these wines and cant wait to share one more recipe featuring their wines soon!

To you and yours, and delicious food!

Raina

Feast, the recap!

Posted on September 29, 2016 by makemendgrow

I’ve been back a little while from Feast now, and I still can’t get over how amazing the whole time was. Was it that I had time to myself, or the chance to see old friends? Was it the late nights, fires, food and drink? Or was it that the whole event was the perfect combination of things?

Yes, that’s it. I keep trying to recap Feast for people, happily sharing pictures, salivating over some amazing jerk goat tacos, and I keep thinking; how do I best describe this event to someone who has never been, to convince them to join me next year. What have I come up with?

Imagine Feast as your very own Willy Wonka-leading you through a world of amazing delights in the form of food and drinks; each event more wondrous than the last. You keep eating, feeling a little like Violet Beauregarde with each delectable bite and savored sip (it’s OK, go on and have a little more, you’ll be fine!).

I went to quite a few events at Feast Portland, including, cocktail events with Bull in China, Smoked!, The Grand Tasting Events (oh, so wonderful), breakfast at Gracie’s over in Hotel deLuxe, the Brunch Village, and even managed to get in a couple of Drink Tanks to learn more about cocktails. There’s something for everyone here, whether it’s small plate nibbles, to large portions of perfectly barbecued meat. Feast is really your go to event to attend if you love wonderful food-and really, who doesn’t?! Still not convinced?? Hopefully these pictures convince you.

Well, dear reader, there you have it; so many reasons for you to prep plan your attendance for Feast Portland, which by the way will be: September 14th-17th. Will I see you there? Still want a little more info?? Check out my Feast Portland Beer Recap and an Intro to Feast as well!

Yours in adventure and oh, so delicious food.
Raina

Beer Friday: Feast Portland Edition

Posted on September 9, 2016 by makemendgrow

It’s Friday and it’s been a while since we’ve had a Beer Friday post! I am less than a week away from Feast Portland (check out my recent write up on Feast for my plans), and I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to attend. Aside from the great food, there’s some stellar beer and cider that will be there and you can be sure I’ll be sipping and savoring my way through all of them. Seriously, check out the line up here! Here you have it, what I am most excited to have again, and what I can’t wait to try with this edition of Beer Friday: Feast Portland! Let’s start with some old favorites, shall we?

First up is Base Camp Brewing-I won’t lie, the first time I had their beer, I only bought it because of the cool aluminum 22 ounce bottles (they also have cans). Their beers didn’t disappoint and the lightweight cans were perfect for camping. Once I had the S’more Stout, I was hooked. Later, it became the perfect beer to be used in pancakes, adding a sweet but deep and dark yeast flavor that went perfectly with a pat of butter and a side of bacon. Plus, breakfast beers are outstanding! I haven’t had a beer from Base Camp that I didn’t enjoy, but I was particularly fond of the S’more stout and the Lost Meridian Wit.

Next up is Bridgeport Brewing-What I love about these guys is how easy it is to find their beer-whether you’re at Full Throttle Bottles, or Safeway, you’re going to spot them. Their beers are consistent from batch to batch and the price for a case is usually below $16, which is affordable. Their “year round” beers you’re likely to spot in stores are IPA heavy, but they offer some other solid non-IPA brews, too. I recently had their Stumptown Cherry Saison. It’s a good tart, kick in the lips that isn’t overly fruity. It’s a good summer beer that pairs well with lawn work and sitting in a hammock.

I’m getting crazy here y’all and including my favorite cider company, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider -A while back, one of my close friends moved to Portland, and started posting pictures of his drinks and the amazing events at the taproom. I had to know what was so amazing about these ciders that he was there weekly (or more). SO. MANY. AWESOME. CHOICES! It’s going to be hard for me to narrow it down, folks. First up is my favorite-the Hallelujah Hopricot (yes, you read that right); the name says it all; it’s slightly hoppy, slightly fruity, and oh so good. It’s amazing as a pork marinade, or with pork in general and it’s crisp and tart enough to cut through moderately fatty foods. It’s a solid choice. Next up is the Deliverance Ginger Tonic. This is a great base for a whiskey ginger-no simple syrup needed! The Revival Hard Apple is just what you would expect from a cider-crisp, a little sweet; kind of like early fall in a bottle. I’m really looking forward to their Winter Abbey Spice next, which hopefully will be out in the coming months. I could go on and on about these guys.

Lastly, because they make some damn good beers that I both love to cook with and enjoy drinking, is Burnside Brewing. My favorite for green chicken chili is their Sweet Heat. Add a 22 ounce bottle, some hatch peppers and a ton of garlic and you have an amazing base to a solid chili. Don’t let that sweet fool you, it’s a tasty, tasty beer. Also amazing is their Oatmeal Pale, while I haven’t cooked with it, I have had enough of it to know you should go grab a few bottles! You can thank me later.

Now that you know what I love and have vetted for you (it’s a hard life, I tell ya), what am I excited to check out?

Nectar Creek Mead has really piqued my interest, particularly their Strawberry Rhubarb, which comes in at a whopping 9.8% abv. I’ll be sipping this one! As an herbalist I can’t wait to try the Clary Sage Session Mead as well.

Worthy Brewing also has a few beers I want to try-both for drinking and cooking! Their Lights Out Vanilla Cream Extra Stout seems like something that needs to be the base for an ice cream float, or maybe added to a waffle mix with bourbon syrup. My heart also beats for a good German beer, so I’ll have to try out their Easy Day Kolsch.

Last, but not least, I can’t wait to check out Yachats Brewing. They have a Huckleberry Wheat that may be calling my name, and the Tears of the Innocent sounds delicious-a sour wit? Yes, please!

Are you thirsty yet? I know I sure am. This isn’t all of the breweries that will be at Feast, but a good summary. You should come check out the Portland beer scene and let me know which ones are your favorites! For those of you in the know, what are your go to breweries and which beers should I not miss?

Yours in delicious beers,

Raina

On the road to Feast Portland

Posted on August 31, 2016 by makemendgrow

I’m heading to Portland, y’all and I couldn’t be happier. 4 days solo, eating and drinking my way through Feast Portland, and visiting with friends. I can’t think of a better way to spend some hard-earned time off. I’ve been waiting for feast for months and can’t wait to drive down to Portland to enjoy all it has to offer. Not sure what Feast is? Oh, dear reader…you’re in for a treat!

Imagine a place where you can eat and drink amazing treats prepared expertly with passion for days on end, selecting events that appeal to you. Whether it’s classes on wine pairing, or cooking salmon perfectly, and even cooking competitions, Feast has you covered. You have to prepare early, tickets to the events sell out quickly and are well worth the light price tag!

I know you’re curious! What will I be doing, and what should you do next time you’re in Portland? Read on!

First, off I’ll be staying in an Air BnB, close to downtown, so I don’t miss a thing. For less than a hotel, I have a full house with a kitchen and a yard to relax and entertain fellow foodies. The idea of having a true home away from home is perfect. I also get to have my car, so I don’t have to stay locked in to one area if I don’t want to (but Lyft and Uber accounts on the ready should I be drinking). I’ll be flying solo, and the idea of sleeping in a king bed without a toddler’s feet in my back sounds amazing. Mom’s, are you feeling me on this one?? Let Feast be your next get away! Since Thursday is my most open day, I’ll be hitting Powell’s Books to grab a few new reads before chatting with friends over dinner. I’ll likely call it an early night, reading in front of the fireplace.

Friday, I’ll start my day over at Gracie’s at Hotel DeLuxe for a quick breakfast, and spend a few hours exploring downtown without an agenda. What I love about Portland, is that you’re close to so much, and it’s a pedestrian friendly city. Each block has a treasure and a new shop to explore.

I’ll be attending a few events, focusing on the Grand Tastings on Friday and Saturday, where I’ll be fawning over cheeses from Rogue Creamery, sipping amazing brews from one of my favorite’s Base Camp Brewing, and even sampling some wines from Andrew Will and others. I’m ready to chat with familiar chefs and to taste their exciting offerings, but also so excited find some new favorites. Feast is like that, you can meander through tasting as you go with this event, not having to stick to one thing!

When I am not at the Grand Tastings, I’ll be hitting various happy hours and even attending one of the Drink Tank events-witnessing chefs, distillers and brewers pair off for challenges and tastings? Yes, please!

Sunday will also have me stopping by the Brunch Village, hosted by Whole Foods Market. I’m hoping for a French 75 combo with gin from Aria Portland Dry Gin and champagne from Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, which would be a wonderful addition to any brunch.

So many suggestions and so many stops to make as part of Feast. Get your tickets, get a place to stay and enjoy all that feast has to offer. Need more reasons to attend Feast? Check out their Instagram feed for delicious inspiration and motivation to come join me!

If you’re attending Feast Portland, what are you most excited for?

~Yours in culinary delights~

Raina

A Sweet Adventure

Posted on March 24, 2016 by makemendgrow

Not to brag, but I may have the most adorable Valentine! I’ve been itching to get on the road and to go on a sweet adventure with kiddo, plus we have a new snowsuit that I have been dying to see her in. For Valentines Day, we hit to road to Snoqualmie Pass and had ourselves a snowy adventure!

Kiddo, looking like a well-dressed Oompa Loompa, made her way through the snow banks pretty well getting stuck briefly here and there. She and her little best friend slid down hills, threw snowballs and had an overall great time.

The adults also had fun rolling around the snow, having snowball fights, and then locating beer at Dru Bru Brewery, and ordering a massive “Wookie” pizza at Pie For the People. I’m not sure who had more fun-the kids, or the adults (it may have been me, I won’t lie).

Next year, I’ll definitely be heading for a road trip. This, dear reader, may be THE best way to spend Valentines Day. This also wraps up our last day of Valentines Day post, celebrating all things happiness and love, and I really can’t think of a better way to end this series than with some adorable pictures of our family and friends!