Portland: On The Table

Microbreweries - Portland's love affair with beer stretches back to 1888, when local brewer Henry Weinhard offered to pump beer from his brewery (via Portland's fire hoses) through the pipes of the Skidmore Fountain to celebrate its unveiling. City leaders, fearing that residents might poke holes in Portland's only set of fire hoses and help themselves to the beer a bit early, vetoed this generous plan. Today, with more microbreweries and brewpubs than any other city in the world, Portland is often referred to as the "epicenter of America's craft brewing movement." Visitor tip: Many of Portland's microbreweries offer tasting trays - small glasses containing a sample of each of the breweries' beers and ales - as well as behind-the-scenes tours. www.oregonbeer.org


Chef for a Day - If your last culinary adventure could be officially classified a disaster, Portland can help. Two cooking schools offer classes that allow visitors to experiment and learn under the guidance of a master chef. In Portland's hip Pearl District, In Good Taste - a cooking school/store - offers a seemingly endless menu of classes taught year-round by local, regional and national chefs. In the comfy Westmoreland neighborhood, fans of Caprial and John Pence, owners of Caprial's Bistro in Portland and hosts of the PBS television series Caprial & John's Kitchen, will rejoice that cooking classes are now being offered in the teaching kitchen that doubles as the set for Caprial and John's nationally televised cooking program. Classes are taught by both the Pences and a cadre of top-notch guest chefs. www.igtoregon.com; www.caprialandjohnskitchen.com


Pear-in-the-Bottle Brandy - Just how does Stephen McCarthy squeeze those perfectly shaped pears into his bottles of award-winning brandy? Visit the McCurdy Farms' fruit orchards near Hood River (about 40 miles east of Portland) each spring and you'll see volunteers, McCarthy family members and friends tying hundreds of glass bottles over pear blossoms. Only a tiny fraction of these blooms will ripen into fruit deemed acceptable for McCarthy's pear-in-the-bottle brandy. Surrounding each pear that passes muster is an elegant eau de vie made entirely from fresh whole fruit. That's right, if it wasn't picked from the tree, it doesn't belong in the bottle. Clear Creek's distillery and tasting room, located in fashionable Northwest Portland, are open by appointment for tours and tastings. www.clearcreekdistillery.com


Willamette Valley Wine Country - With its unhurried approach to winemaking, Portland's nearby Willamette Valley Wine Country has been called the laid-back counterpart to California's wine regions. In fact, a recent issue of Gourmet magazine heralded Portland as "the next Napa" and "the Burgundy of America, rich in produce, laden with seafood and blessed with fabulous wines." Pinot noir, Oregon's signature grape, is grown in abundance around the Portland area. With a dozen wineries an easy drive from the city center, Oregon's wine country is a perfect day trip for Portland visitors.