Local Chefs Feature Food-Friendliness of Oregon Wine
Each year the Oregon Wine Board celebrates Oregon Wine Month with a richly detailed promotional campaign. This year’s campaign highlights the food-friendliness of Oregon wines. We were excited to be a part, capturing photos of some of our favorite chefs in photos that play off food and wine pairings. Besides being just being generally awesome, all these chefs are at restaurants from the Oregon Wine A-List Awards, which recognizes restaurants around the world enthusiastic about Oregon wine.
Our creative partners at the Oregon Wine Board were as much fun and enthusiastic as our chef subjects. It was our joint assignment to figure out to how to share the essence of the personalities along with the environment. I think the passion comes across, too. And of course, we got to dig in to all the lovely dishes at the end of each session.
What a fun night! For six years, the lovely people at R. Stuart Wine & Co have been hosting an annual crab feed at their winery. This was our first time, but I overheard the talk around me, it’s clear that this is a party that’s hotly anticipated all year long. We feasted on fresh crab, drank yummy wines and enjoyed the delightful company of Rob and Maria and other R Stuart fans. I also heard that the volunteer servers and helpers were mostly students, headed up by Rob and Maria’s son, Ben, who were all raising money for a trip to build houses in Nicaragua.
Last year we designed and built our workspace, taking advantage of Portland’s infill zoning, which let us put a full, legal residence next door to where we live. It’s been a game-changer for John and I. While traffic and congestion have been stacking up all around Portland, we’re feeling all zen here at the compound. It’s a joy to step over at night if one of us is feeling creative. Alternatively, it’s nice to head “home” for lunch or to take a yoga break in the middle of the day. Our cat, Bootsie, loves to come visit or simply peer in the windows from his spot in the garden.
Another dream project: Who knew that one of the world’s finest malt producers is right in our own backyard? Of course we all know about the great beer producers in the Northwest. But what we forget is that every brewer needs great ingredients. Great Western Malting supplies some the best-known brewers worldwide. We had the opportunity to work with Jessica Bernert at 
The Russian Tea Experience at Headwaters is blowing up. Reservations over the holidays were completely full, and everyone I’ve talked to says it’s incredible. John shot these last Fall, right as the renovations on 
Who else is excited about