Labor Day Weekend

Cubanisimo Vineyards, Redhawk Winery and Orchard Heights Winery, all have a fun Labor Day weekend planned for you.  Count on good food, wine and music at all three wineries.  Check-out the 2009 photos on Cubanisimo's website of dancing customers.
Also, Brown's Towne Lounge is hosting a Brewers Dinner and benefit for The Turtle Ridge Wildlife Center this Saturday starting at 4pm. Featured are: Thompson's Brewer Jen Kent, paintings by Verity Kent and Kathleen Houseman, and wine tasting from Arbor Brook. Foot stomping live music starts at 7:30 with Diatonic and Jim and I, followed by The Whiskey Chasers at 9 pm. A great time for a good cause!

For more information, addresses or phone numbers, please click on the underlined links within this post.  Have a great weekend!

Redhawk Winery:
September 4, 5, & 6, 2010, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

John & Betty Pataccoli are celebrating 5 years as owners of Redhawk

Join us as we feature wine and barrel tasting, delicious food, our incredible view & live music! The BBQ will be sizzling with Tri-Tip & Italian Sausage. Our famous smoked salmon paté, cheeses, salad & more will also be available. Special pricing on all wines!

LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE: (12:30-4:30)
Saturday, Sep. 4 - Mitch Lies Duo - www.mitchlies.com
Sunday, Sep. 5 - Randy Byrnes - www.randybyrnes.com
Monday, Sep. 6 - Joni Harms - www.joniharms.com

Cubanisimo Vineyards:
September 4th, 5th & 6th
Noon - 5pm
Join us for an afternoon of fun with wine tasting, live music, tapas, Cuban style salsa dance lessons & dancing at our Tasting Room and fabulous patio.

$10 entry | $5 tapas plates


Orchard Heights Winery:
Please join us Sat. 9/4 thru Mon. 9/6
$5 Entry Fee
Light Hors d’oeuvre, Music, Wine Tasting!!


Monday– Saturday 11am to 4pm
Come check out our specials!!
503-391-7308 ext. 5200

Chef @ the Market, Mujib Simms, Saturday September 4

Here's some news sent in from our friends at the Friends of the Salem Saturday Market.
Friends of Salem Saturday Market (FSSM) will host its final "Chef @ the Market" of this season on Saturday, September 4 at 11 a.m. Prudence Uncorked's new chef, Mujib Simms, will demonstrate a recipe using local, seasonal ingredients. Chef Simms hails from New Orleans and has been unveiling scrumptious new dishes at Prudence Uncorked, including herb blinis layered with roasted duck breast, balsamic pancetta, wilted spinach and scallops. We are really excited to see what he has in store for the demonstration! Audience members will be able to take home the recipe and give it a whirl.

This fun program has been incredibly popular; our previous two chefs were David Rosales of La Capitale and Karo Thom of Alcyone Cafe. We are looking forward to continuing the program next year with a series that will include even more local chefs. The demonstration is free and held at the FSSM booth, which is located in the NE quadrant of the market.

Wild Pear

(Don't forget, Wild Pear is open until 9 PM every First Wednesday.)
One of my favorite summer activities? Taking the time for a leisurely lunch with a friend. Friend Shirley and I rarely let life's changing demands prevent us from carving out some time for each other. Although, I'll admit, we keep our goal attainable. We don't aim for once a week or even once a month, but settle for several times a year. We try to take advantage of the summer since we both work at schools and end up with schedules that are more flexible than the rest of the year.

I chose to take her to Wild Pear  for this summer's get together. We used to go more often when their S. River Road restaurant was still open. After taking our time over lunch we could meander over and browse through the small nursery and gift shop that shared the back end of the property. I wonder if the recent work on that building means we'll see another restaurant soon?

It was good that she arrived slightly before 11:45, because the restaurant was full a few minutes later when I showed up. So many delicious choices on their menu! I had planned in advance to order their three salad sampler plate, but had neglected to read the fine print: "Salads include fruit, mixed greens, Caesar & daily special". I chose the Wild Pear Chicken Pizza instead (fresh pears, candied pecans, chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and mozzarella cheese on a pesto base.). Shirley wanted the two salad plate with a cup of soup, but changed her mind after hearing the restrictions, too. She ordered the Roasted Turkey Club (roasted turkey, smoky bacon, avocado, tomato, leaf lettuce & herbed mayo on foccacia).

I don't know if you've ever eaten at the Wild Pear. The historic building's interior is beautifully decorated, but if you sit on the east side of the building prepare for a less than intimate setting for conversation. The two of us chattered along (mostly) unencumbered by the diners beside us. Despite the busy lunch crowd, our servers took excellent care of us--my iced tea glass was never empty.



When our lunches arrived, I couldn't wait to take my first bite of pizza. Ah, just as the description led me to believe, it was a wonderful medley of flavors! Sweet and savory and delicious!



Here's Shirley's take on her sandwich: "It was very tasty. The bacon added just a little crunch to the creamy avocado. The bread was very fresh and delicious! There was just enough of the filling that it didn't overwhelm the flavor of the turkey."

The Wild Pear is one of Salem's gems. True, if you work an 8 - 5 job, their limited hours can be difficult to work into your schedule. Just remember they are open on Saturday until 5:30 PM and on First Wednesdays until 9 PM.

RESTAURANT HOURS: Mon – Sat: 10 am – 5:30 pm
HAPPY HOUR: Mon – Sat: 3:30 – 5:30 pm
FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
372 State Street
Salem, Oregon 97301
503 378-7515
Wild Pear website

Alessandro's Summer Special

3-Course Dinner for Two $39

Starter: Mozzarella, tomato & artichoke hearts.

Choice of Entrees: Baked Atlantic fillet of salmon with tomato and asparagus risotto;
Chicken Parmigiana with creamy garlic polenta and sauteed spinach;
or
8oz. Grilled Top Sirloin with roasted truffled potatoes and vegetables.

Desserts: NY style cheese cake with raspberry sauce or Strawberries Romanoff.

Available Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays only, from 6pm to 9pm

120 Commercial Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 370-9951

Food For Thought Stand In

Women Ending Hunger has come up with a clever visual to demonstrate the amount of hunger that exists in young people in our community. This is a copy and paste from a press release sent in from Neigborhood Harvest of Salem. They need lots of people and it only takes a few minutes.

Join the FOOD FOR THOUGHT STAND-IN, 5-5:20 pm this Wed.

Help form a line of 3,700 empty plates across downtown Salem to bring attention to the 37,000 CHILDREN in Marion and Polk Counties who go to bed hungry.

Call Kat Daniel with Women Ending Hunger at (503) 581-3855 ext. 322 for a place in line, and spread the word.

www.marionpolkfoodshare.org