Eugene Weekly

How many times have you used some zest from a fresh lemon only to have the remainder of the fruit shrivel up on the counter or in the fridge?  Is it possible to keep the fresh flavor of this bright yellow globe on hand for the times you might want to add some rays of sunshine to whatever you’re cooking?   The answer: Yes, with preserved lemons. Every foodie needs to have these lemons in his repertoire of spices and flavoring additions.  Continue reading →

There’s no shortage of ciderhouses in Portland, and now the Willamette Valley is jumping onboard the fruit-filled trend. Some hit the market early: 2 Towns Ciderhouse, which opened in Corvallis in 2010, is now expanding its craft cider sales to Alaska, Idaho and Nevada. And some, such as WildCraft Cider Works and Elk Horn Brewery, opened just last year, offering their brand new apple-y goodness to the people of Eugene.  Continue reading →

Tiffany Norton, 33, and Mark Kosmicki, 37, the chefs and owners of Party Downtown, have a hard time settling on a favorite dish. “I really like the lamb bacon,” Kosmicki says. “But that’s fleeting,” Norton adds. “We only had four bellies.” “I love this Brussels sprouts dish,” Norton says, pointing to a side dish of roasted Brussels sprouts, beer jam and fried garlic.  Continue reading →

Eugene foodies were out in full force Sunday, Jan. 18, as patrons gathered to enjoy “Oaxaca,” the third collaboration dinner put on by Party Downtown and Belly. Upwards of 80 local folks attended this celebration of Mexican culture and cuisine, the brainchild of two of this town’s finest chefs, Belly’s Brendon Mahaney and Party’s Mark Kosmicki, both of whom put their considerable talents to task decking the tables with a delicious variety of authentic dishes inspired by the southern Mexican state known for, among other things, its mezcal and mole. Continue reading →

A seafood stew, cioppino or bouillabaisse can be an expensive and labor-intensive undertaking to put together, but with my recipe I present a different version of this extraordinary holiday entrée.   I wanted to make this easily accessible to a new cook but also offer an affordable dish (just under $30) and wrap it up in about an hour. I’m calling it Goldfish Stew. Continue reading →