Yum! Full! Must go on bit of diet! These are the immediate words and phrases that come to mind when I think back over the eating/drinking component of this trip in anticipation of heading home. Tonight was delightful. We went to Laurelhurst Market, a 2.5 year old butcher shop and restaurant in Portland's Laurelhurst neighborhood. Local food all around, a nose-to-tail, stem-to-root Portland place that was all it was purported to be. T enjoyed a great OR IPA, and I discovered my new favorite cocktail, the Airmail: ages rum, honey, cava, lime, mint and a few drops of Angostura bitters serves in an old-school champagne glass. I had two! We started with house-made, pulled upon order mozzarella with EVOO, pistachios, apricots, basil, tomatoes and fennel pollen. TO DIE FOR. As it turns out, this is very southern Italian. How do I know this? Well, who did I befriend but the Florentine sitting next to me. Gionni Bernini, a wine maker from Florence. Great guy, we had the best time talking to him and shared his, his girlfriend's, my sister and her boyfriend's info. Hilar! He left, and T ordered the bacon cheeseburger: house-made everything and he was satisfied. I opted for the sauteed baby carrots with carrot-top pistou and the beet, arugula, chevre salad. Both were phenom, and I have leftovers for the plane tomorrow.

I didn't love Portland like I thought I would, but all in all, it was a great trip. We're lugging back 8 or 9 bottles of wine, four of mustard and some fab new books for the boys we found at a bookstore so large I think it would take weeks to actually get through.

I now bid you adieu. Early flight back to DC tomorrow. I'm eager to see the boys, take the eating and drinking down a notch -bran cereal anyone?- and get back to cooking!

Em-i-lis

Heading home

The last supper...in Portland

Awesome

Em-i-lis

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