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A search for escarole seed late last summer led me to the excellent website of Adaptive Seeds (adaptiveseeds.com). The seed they sent so promptly (for escarole “Diva” and a locally bred fava bean, “Aprovecho”) was terrific, delivering uniform, vigorous germination at a rate close to 100 percent. “Diva” has proved exceptionally cold-hardy, and the beans are growing strong. Continue reading
Nature is stirring from her winter rest. She begins leisurely with buds slowly expanding and showing light green in the cracks of the bud scales. Indian plum is the first to be noticed because its eye-level buds are so big and flowers burst from them by the middle of February. I keep a sharp eye on the snowberry bushes because their early spring leaves join the Indian plum for the earliest flush of green in the valley forest understory. Snowberry flowers are much later, however, so the spring buds are small. Pussy-willow buds show fuzz soon. Continue reading
Marijuana: controlled substance or religious sacrament? In December 2015, the Portland branch of the United States Postal Service (USPS) seized a 5-ounce package of marijuana mailed from Eugene by Joy Graves — the leader of the Cottage Grove branch of Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC) — who says it was intended to help an ailing ONAC member in Ohio. Continue reading
Eugene: The World’s Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors. That was Eugene’s, ahem, slightly overstated city slogan until 2010. The city then rolled it back to: Eugene: A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors. Never has the chasm between “the” and “a” been so wide. Continue reading
Most Willamette Valley gardeners know the popular native groundcover kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). Less familiar are larger members of the same genus known as manzanita. I fell in love with manzanitas when I visited a botanic garden in the Berkeley hills, where I saw mature specimens of several California species and could really appreciate the stems and bark that are their most striking feature. Continue reading
There’s nothing else quite like Kun Fusion Grill in Eugene, and that’s the point, says owner Shawn Werner. Take Kun Fusion’s rice bowl, for example, resplendent with savory chicken, crunchy veggies and mounds of rice topped with a fried egg. It’s fusion food at its very best, combining Korean and Mexican cuisines to delicious effect. Imagine hefty burritos filled with sumptuous Korean barbecue meat, rice and vegetables, and you’re getting close to picturing just how delightful this cultural combination can be. Continue reading
Settling in with a bowl of gooey macaroni and cheese is pretty much the culinary equivalent of a hug, and it’s not just for kids: It’s popping up on adult menus everywhere. The dish is simple, comforting, nostalgic and oh so American. And it’s versatile — anything can be a topping! In our highly scientific approach, we looked at noodle types (it’s not always macaroni) and quality, cheese and cheese sauce, the presence of breadcrumbs and add-in options, presentation and, generally, if it made our bellies swoon. Continue reading
Thirty years ago, Abdul-Waheed Wahed was sitting in the Frankfurt airport, waiting for his flight from Germany to Eugene. Wahed, a Kabul native who’d earlier fled the Soviet conflict in Afghanistan, had some time to kill. So, perched at the airport bar in 1986, he had a few drinks. A woman he knew sat down beside him. They shared a whiskey, then a few more. Wahed missed his flight. Continue reading
EW often writes about the new and shiny. Readers and writers alike take interest in stories describing the latest food trends or the most recent restaurants to hit town. But sometimes, there’s value in taking a look back at the restaurants that have stood the test of time. The restaurant business has a high rate of turnover, and a trendy new place might close a month after it opens. Continue reading
Chef Josh Welton’s hairy right forearm has a big tattoo of fried eggs and a side of bacon. “I really love breakfast. I’m not kidding,” he laughs, patting flour off his black chef coat. Welton opened Tres Mil Border Cafe a year ago inside 5th Street Market’s food court. On a Sunday morning, he is busy behind the counter, serving up huevos rancheros with thick, house-made corn tortillas and generous spoonsful of sour cream. A reasonable trickle of people stand in line to order breakfast. Continue reading