Momma needs a date night

Posted on February 7, 2018 by makemendgrow

I love my baby girl, I really do. Sometimes though, I need a night away from her and be with adults. You know, with adult conversations and adult drinks, and food that isn’t whatever kiddo didn’t eat of her dinosaur nuggets or whatever food she’s into that night. A night where I put on the strappy heels, some lipstick and even a dress.

Momma needs a date night.

After a long few weeks of work I needed that date night more than ever. I texted my guy and said, “I want good food and a cocktail. Let’s go check out Raccolto”. The stars aligned and we got to go out after work and it was good, dear reader, so good. This post isn’t for the faint of heart-I ate my way through that menu, and you should too.

Raccolto opened in late 2016 in West Seattle and I am kicking myself for waiting so long. It’s light, spacious and family friendly and let’s face it, Brian Clevenger is a really nice guy with great ideas around food and drinks. The food is simple, delicious and while it’s overall falling into the Italian realm, it’s also a Northwest restaurant. You’ll see things like local oysters and dungeness crab. The menu is seasonal and changes on the regular, so you can try a few new items each time you go.

Round one was welcome cocktails-the Scarponi, a slightly sweet, slightly tangy mix of rum and amaro with a dash of orgeat-a syrup made from almonds as well as the de Medici a fun twist on the French 75, with a slightly more floral note from the lavender. We were brought plates of bread with oil and vinegar. Knowing that I wanted to work my way through quite a few things, I didn’t spend much time on eating right away. Quickly, the appetizers came out to kick off round 2. We started off with the oysters, slurping our way through them quickly with a sprinkle of horseradish and a splash of lemon. They were cool, salty and delicious. We moved on to the figs, with basil, foie gras and balsamic vinegar, a creamy change from the briney-ness of the oysters. The thick flesh and sweetness of the figs a perfect contrast to the richness of the foie gras. This was probably my favorite appetizer we had.

The third course was the smoked fish and steak tartare, both served with toast. In retrospect, I wish I would have skipped the smoked fish and gone with the albacore crudo. It’s not that the smoked fish wasn’t good, it just wasn’t the caliber of the other dishes, and was too rich paired with the creaminess of the steak. I will say that the pickled onions were a nice bite and crunch to the fish, before hitting the bread. We took a cocktail pause here while we waited on our pasta. I opted for the Otra Vez, a foamy and earthy concoction of tequila, citrus, thyme and egg white. Nick opted for the El Casino, a smoky and spicy cocktail with mezcal and blackberry and bitters. Both cocktails, while unique, I wouldn’t have again. While I normally like mezcal, having it paired with the Firewater Bitters felt like I was drinking boozy liquid smoke. The Otra Vez had the right taste, but the texture of the egg white foam just didn’t lay well in my mouth. I’ll stick with my standard pisco sour in the future.

The fourth course we opted to split a full portion of of the rigatoni with pork sugo and broccolini. It was simple, but so comforting. The pork was tender and went really well with the still firm broccolini. I could eat this every day and be a happy gal. I had the 2015 iLauri “Nora” Chardonnay which was perfect for a warm day and a rich dish.

Course 5 was all about the sweets. We had a cocktail with amaretto and orange and coffee liquers. We paired it with the flourless chocolate torte topped with poached peaches and vanilla gelato. It was definitely enough for two and wasn’t sweet, instead letting the slight bitterness of the chocolate shine while the fruit provided the sweetness you’d want from a dessert.

Final price for 2 and more food than we could eat? Just around $200. Did we need to order all those rounds of drinks? No, and that is what ate up some of the cost. Was it worth it? Absolutely. When you think about eating for a few hours, kidless, with multiple courses and drink pairings, it’s a pretty darn good value.

Did I mention being kidless for a few hours? When momma needs a date night, there’s no putting a price on that happiness.

Well, dear reader, there you have it-a delicious recap of Raccolto! Where should I eat next?

Yours in all the food,
Raina

**I did not receive any perks for writing this post. 🙂 I just really enjoyed eating here and getting a break from my kiddo. **

To the pumpkin patch!

Posted on October 24, 2017 by makemendgrow

It’s fall again here and I couldn’t be happier! This is one of my favorite seasons and with it comes changing leaves, cool weather, cozy fires and my very favorite, trips to the pumpkin patch. Each year we drive down to Carpinito’s to play in the hay mazes, throw corn and play with the animals. Izzy leaves tired and happy and I get to take pictures and pick up pumpkins. I love supporting local businesses and farmers, too, so it’s usually a win-win and this year was no different! I’m convinced that these traditions are my favorite part of parenting; I love watching her explore and play.

We ran from one animal pen to the next, squeals of happiness coming from all of us (ok, mostly me). We giggled at the frizzle chickens, cooed over the week-old piglets, and fed the goats. When the skies darkened and hard rains arrived, we ran into the barn to play in corn and hay; the screams of happy kids filling the air. An hour later, the rain had been replaced by sunny skies allowing us to make our way back outside to do rubber duck races and rope cows. We sipped lemonade, and ate chili and talked about how great all of the animals were.

We made our way past the corn stalks into the muddy fields on the hunt for the perfect pumpkins. Green ones, orange ones, speckled ones were all inspected by my tiny pumpkin hunter until we found 5 that met her expectations. More pictures were taken as we headed back to the car, holding hands and excitedly talking about which ones we’d carve first.

My sweet girl. I wish every day could bring as much magic as my time with her this weekend. These are the days that make my heart happy.

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

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

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

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!

How did you spend YOUR Valentines Day?

Yours in snowy fun and a sweet adventure,

Raina

Falling Leaves

Posted on November 6, 2015 by makemendgrow

Oh, how I love this time of year! The leaves are falling, the weather is cool and crisp, and everything is bathed in a golden glow. Fall came so quickly this year. The hot and sunny days were quickly replaced by shorter days requiring more and more layers. We’ve been spending our days crafting, cooking, playing, and camping; trying so hard to squeeze as much as possible in before it gets dark or the need for a nap takes over. Despite being busy, I try to keep to fall tradition and head to a pumpkin patch and this year was no different. Izzy and I bundle up, and make our way to play and find the most loveliest of pumpkins.

I look at these pictures and think, “Oh! My big girl! My beautiful love. She’s growing so fast!” I can barely see the baby in her now, but I love this phase she’s in-the constant energy, the desire to learn and explore. These are my favorite days with her. We spent hours at Carpinito Brothers, playing with the critters, making corn angels, playing in the hay; her happy squeals loud above the noise of the other kids. I loved walking through the pumpkin patch with her, watching her look at each one closely in an attempt to find just the right one. “Is this the one Momma? No, momma this isn’t it. I’ll keep looking!”. After hours of climbing, jumping, playing, and talking to critters, we settled on one massive pumpkin, and three smaller ones. We returned home to snuggle and talk about what other adventures we should go on next. I am so grateful for this time of year, and the adventures with her every day.

My heart is full.

Finding your tribe

Posted on October 8, 2015 by makemendgrow

No matter what you do, or where you go, having or finding your tribe helps. Wait…What’s a tribe? You know that group of people that get you, and you don’t have to explain what you’re up to? That’s your tribe! … Continue reading →

Make, Mend, Grow.

Making A Happy Life, One Craft At A Time

Category Archives: On the town

Momma needs a date night

To the pumpkin patch!

Hunger

Feast Portland-Get Ready to Eat

Before the spring

Feast, the recap!

Beer Friday: Feast Portland Edition

A Sweet Adventure

Falling Leaves

Finding your tribe