Field Trip, May 12, 2010

An Evening with Master Chocolatier Julian Rose from Moonstruck

Last evening Poh and MJ had the honor of being part of an intimate gathering at the World Affairs Council event in Portland, Oregon where Master Chocolatier Julian Rose of local Moonstruck Chocolate gave us a lesson on the process for chocolate from the harvest at the farms near the equator to the table in one of Moonstruck's 5 local cafes. Learning the journey from the correct growing conditions to the science behind mastering the 3rd highest traded commodity in the world! Julian Rose delivered an engaging and informative course with a sprinkling of stories and chocolate politics.  He demystified this historically amazing fruit.  


As the science gets closer to proving that cacao originated in Central America, Julian Rose detailed for us his crowning accomplishment this past year in rediscovering the believed to be extinct Nacionale cacao tree.  Over 100 years ago this crop was wiped out by fungi disease in Equador.  Last summer Julian Rose, through a happy accident, bought some interesting beans from a farmer in a remote wild forest in a valley of Peru. Finding the flavor to be good he questioned some of the basic structures of the cacao pod that he had not seen before.  The farmer, Fortunato, also found the pods odd with the expected "purple" beans, but also some white beans in each pod.  After examining and having the documenting of the Gnome, it was discovered that the bean was from the Nacional line and that the mother tree was actually part of this small wild crop. This news was monumental for the global chocolate industry and for proving that Peru has the actual origin Nacionale, not Ecuador. For Julian Rose it was a rare discovery and professional accomplishment to his already recognized talents as one of the top 10 Master Chocolatiers in the world.

The good news for us Oregonians is Julian Rose bought the beans and formulated two versions of single source chocolate for the Moonstruck label. Named after the farmer and the number of tests to confirm its origin, Fortunato No.4 is available in a 68% bar or the sophisticated Dark Chocolate Tumbled Cacao Beans. Our tasting of the single source Moonstruck chocolates was amazing. I may be awake all night, but the smooth and fruity tumbled bean was OH so worth it!  Promising to tease our senses even further, Julian Rose is creating a drinking chocolate from Fortunato No.4 in time for Fall 2011!

Run, don't walk to experience this rare treasure or go online to Moonstruck to order the closest thing to Inca Gold available! ~ MJ

Field Trip, December 5, 2010

Cookies and Quilt Block Exchange at the Pineneedle!

The Pine Needle in Lake Oswego had a wonderful event yesterday.  My sister in-law and her mom joined me at the annual cookie and quilt block exchange.  We each brought 3dz cookies and 5 identical blocks of our own design using a common fabric.  We left with 5 different and darling blocks and a variety of 3 dozen cookies!  Geri made it even more fun by handing out quilter's candy for birthday's closest to her's...I won one of the lovely bundles.  Pam, the party girl, showed off all the original blocks that were made before we did the blind draw for our 5 to keep.  A fun event and now to make a beautiful runner from the blocks I brought home!

 
~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Feature Artice, December 3, 2010

Holiday Fun Ideas for Portland and Beyond!

The beginning of December and I am ready to celebrate every holiday this month!  I think it is time to stop; breathe; appreciate; and be grateful for my circle of amazing friends and family.  As I finish school this coming week and prepare for out of town guests, I am already looking forward to my social calendar and what fun things are going on around Portland and beyond...

First, head over to Frugal Luxuries, Its A Gift Wrapped Life, Eating as Art, Pie Wacket, and a few more surprises to find home made wrapping, baking, and gift giving ideas for your holiday delight!  Links are to the right.

My top 10 Portland Christmas list is:

1. Make our traditional hand blown glass ornament at Elements Glass on NW Vaughn $40 each and an hour of creative learning fun! (Call now to get a reservation: 503.228.0575) Followed by a trip to the food carts downtown.
2. Holiday Tea at the Heathman Hotel with friends...stunning!  Followed by a quiet evening snuggling in front of the fireplace to watch the trees twinkle lights.
3. Spaghetti Factory on the Willamette while watching the Christmas ships go by.
4. Lunch at the Hands on Cafe at the Oregon College of Arts and then up to Pittock Mansion for a tour through the Christmas display.  If that is not enough, tour Peacock lane and drive through your neighborhood for light viewing.
5. Serving meals at the Portland soup kitchen and then off to the Zoo Lights, followed by dessert at Papa Hayden.
6. Spend a day delivering gift baskets, checking in on elder neighbors to see if they are ready for winter, then pop into LIMO restaurant before the Michael Allen Harrison Concert at the Old Church.
7. Taking friends and family to the Grotto for the Christmas lights and walk the new labyrinth.
8. Parties with friends, simple, but lots of them!Cookie Exchange, wine tasting, carriage rides downtown, dinners in with Christmas or Hanukkah music, a movie night of old holiday flicks...White Christmas anyone?  Make sure you collect warm sweatshirts, gloves and hats from your guests for the P:ear kids down in the Pearl.
9. Gather family and friends to honor the reason for the season at Midnight Mass.  Come home to hot chocolate before sharing the dawn of Christmas day.Then over-the-hill-and-through-the-woods to Grama's house! Don't forget to call your loved ones who are far away (family, military, friends) or send a facebook greeting!
10. A huge potluck on the 26th with family and friends to celebrate being together and the anticipation of the new year! 

If you are looking to do some unique travel over the holidays, here are some ideas from Wholeliving to DO SOME GOOD!

1. Earthwatch - offers an opportunity to work along side a scientist on a sustainable project.  Available all over the world
2. Hands Up Holidays - A luxury tour company offering opportunities like helping Thai children orphaned by the Tsunami or working with Aboriginal rangers in Australia.
3. Pepy Tours - Bike trips through Cambodia and Laos where cyclists can participate in projects in villages to help improve quality of life for rural families.

If Movie going is your thing over the holidays, take these tips for securing the best deals on admittance:

1. Buy in bulk for a discount
2. Redeem credit-card perks
3. Join your favorite theaters Loyalty Club
4. Hit daytime screenings
5. Drive-ins are still around in Newburg and Beaverton...what a great gift certificate that would be in your stocking!
6. Check local theaters for specials - Tigard theaters is having $5 Tuesdays with $1 popcorn; all day; through the holidays.  Se you there!

Thanks to Pam and Jean for their contributions to my fun Christmas top 10 this year!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Make and Take, November 19, 2010

November 2010 Make and Take!

Make and Take was at my home this month and we managed to turn out some more holiday treats for the freezer...we are ready for the season to begin!

From Mary Jane's Farm we have Cheesy Dill Bread and Carrot Cake Bread with cream cheese frosting.  One sweet, one savory, yummers!

~ MJ
Copyright 2010 MJ's Table Talk

Field Trip to the Heathman Hotel, December 18, 2009

Christmas Present, Past and Future! Tea at The Heathman!

Today MJ's family celebrated Christmas early! We broke all the traditions and made what time we have work for us. We slept in, Alex and I went and got Mani/Pedis together and then we swooped back home to get the man of the house and go to an elegant tea at the Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland. Arriving right on the dot, we were ushered into the beautiful salon where the gorgeous Christmas tree stands in the corner by the staircase. All ages of women and girls filled the room with a few brave men sprinkled in the mix. Christmas Present is filled with all things grown up as we order our champagne before tea!

As we settled in and unfurled our crisp white linen napkins, small girls with beautiful Christmas dresses that rustled as they passed our table, giggled and looked around with great anticipation as they tried to be OH SO grown up! All those red wool coats and layers of lace brought back memories of Christmas Past and our own sweet girl's giggles! Soft music played and the hummmm of the conversations around us made for a relaxing conversation. As you can see from our beautiful tiered serving plates, we did not want for a thing!

All to soon our party came to an end and it was home to open gifts and share moments under the twinkle lights on the tree. Santa had come early and left some nice surprises for each of us, but none more precious then being together. As Alex prepares to head south to Peru to see her grandparents and cousins for Christmas and New Years, the hubs and I will be heading north to share Christmas with my mom and siblings. As we go off in different directions I am feeling a glimpse of Christmas future when Alex is truly out in the world on her own, and the vision is bittersweet.

I am making the most of the moments we have, which is not always easy when you feel them slipping away. Sweet and cherished, I want more and there is the rub!

Thank you St. Nick for a week of blessings and family!

~ MJ
Copyright 2009 MJ's Table Talk

15th Annual Cookie Exchange, December 5, 2009

Cookie Exchange 2009!

Yes, 18 gals and 9 dozen cookies each! It was a very sweet party!

Our annual cookie exchange has morphed over the years from being about the cookies and packaging to now bonding with friends and catching up on all the news. It was our 15 year anniversary last Thursday night, and we had a ball! The ornament exchange allowed our aggressive side of stealing and hunting to come out and play, the food table is where all the catching up unfolded, and the evening ended with the exchanging of cookies!

This year we each contributed to the P:ear cookie basket and everyone brought sweatshirts and scarves for the kids at P:ear. We are heading downtown on Monday to drop off the goodies and say hi to Beth and the gals. To learn more about P:ear and how you can help, check out their website at P:ear!

My home made treat this year was one of my classic recipes for Christmas:

Nutcracker Sweets

Melt one 12oz package of dark chocolate chips, add 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, pour over one cup oyster crackers and one cup cashews combined. Spoon on to wax paper and allow to set.

One is never enough, so makes lots!

~ MJ
Copyright 2009 MJ's Table Talk

Recipe, December 3, 2009

Fridged Temperatures in Portland and MJ's Peppermint Pound Cake!

What do you do at home when it is 29 degrees outside and if you take your 90 year old mom out in the elements she will turn into a Popsicle? Well, we bake! Christmas music playing, fireplace crackling, and hands are busy in the kitchen! That's what we did yesterday morning, baking up a storm for my cookie exchange party this week. Also, I owed a dear friend her birthday dessert. I like to make a dessert that is named after the birthday gal and have the recipe reflect their tastes.

Premiering Pam's Peppermint Pound Cake, and it is a keeper! I whipped up several loaves of this tasty treat that surprises your taste buds on the first bite. Refreshing and invigorating, can a pound cake do all that? This one can!

Peppermint Pound Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3 cups sugar
3 sticks butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
5 eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups of flour
Crushed candy canes
Frosting optional

Mix all the ingredients (except the candy canes) until well blended. Pour into one tube pan or several small loaf pans. Bake 80 min if in one pan. 5 minutes before done baking lay a whole candy cane across the top and sprinkle with crushed candy. Serve warm and watch it disappear! Next time I will add white chocolate chips! You can also frost with white frosting or chocolate :)

~ MJ
Copyright 2009 MJ's Table Talk