The 4th of July is on Sunday and the weather couldn’t be better.  It is time to fire up the grill and invite your friends over.  If you are planning a party and want some creative ways to stretch your budget consider having a potluck where everyone brings a dish, or decorate with food.  We got crafty for an assignment for TV and here are some great money-saving tips that will help if your pride for America is bigger then your wallet, VIDEO HERE!  Happy Independence Day!

Few people in Italy have to ask what is for dinner on Sundays.  After drinking their morning espresso the cook starts to prepare a large pot of ”Sunday Gravy” that will stew and simmer all day in anticipation of friends and family stopping by for a leisurely meal.  When I got home from my trip abroad, I quickly tried to find a local restaurant in Portland that featured the slow-cooked recipe with layers of flavor.  Mama Mia’s “Sunday Gravy” is a perfect example of what you will find in Italy.  Despite the name it is served everyday which I especially appreciated last Monday when my girlfriend and I sat at the bar and ate our weight in garlic bread with the dish.  But theirs something special about having authentic Italian Sunday dinner on Sunday and Petisco in Northeast thinks so, too.  Last Sunday they took patrons and their taste-buds on a trip to Italy (last time it was Spain) with a special full-course dinner which featured the famous rich tomato sauce simmered with red wine, Italian sausage, pork ribs, sausage and beef meatballs over penne pasta and topped with ricotta and parmesan cheese.  Mmmmm.  Petisco has many other wonderful dishes on their menu and a great wine selection, too.  Last night I ate dinner there with a big group of friends and family and everything was delicious from the baked chicken to the bacon-wrapped meatloaf and sage gnocchi.  Both restaurants are sure to serve up smiles so take your family out for authentic Italian this Sunday or next for Mother’s Day.  Petisco Food & Drink is located at 1411 NE Broadway, Portland Oregon 97232 and Mama Mia Trattoria is downtown Portland at 439 SE 2nd Avenue.  Ciao!

Oprah said on her show last week that “food means love” and it got me thinking about how Portland is known for its love of food, fine dining and bounty of coveted quality ingredients like marionberries, salmon and hazelnuts.  That must mean “Portland means love” and I got a big taste of that last year when I went to Las Vegas to interview some of the world’s most famous chef’s like Daniel Boloud and Francois Payard who all commented on the Northwest’s fresh and flavorful reputation.  Bobby Flay asked me if I had ever been to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, said he wanted to go, and was shocked I grew up in the small town dedicated to dairy.  Even the President of Caesars Palace grilled me on who Portland’s hottest chef’s were and threw out some local names he thought were “worth recruiting”. 

Bobby Flay and Nicolle Camarata on the roof of Caesars Palace

I was proud but not surprised because last year Portland’s great places got even better and new hot-spots opened up in all the trendy neighborhoods.  With Valentines weekend right around the corner I wanted to give you an insider’s guide so you can make a reservation and fall in love with food. 

Urban Farmer in the Nines Hotel has a great drink menu and is a fun place to people watch or start your night.  Make sure to admire the fun decor; our fav is the tall grass dividers that feel like the farm along-side the stunning ultra-long white couch.  Urban Farmer, 525 SW Morrison St, 503-222-4900.

BEAST is a meat enthusiasts dream come true who’s rave revues have been stealing attention away from the vegan movement.  But this meat and potatoes eatery isn’t just for men, in fact, they describe their food as feminine and the menu changes weekly.  Kind of like we change our mind…huh, ladies.  BEAST, 5424 NE 30th, 503-841-6968.

Brasserie Montmartre is a touch of Paris and has the best baby lobster in town.  It comes swimming in garlic butter with stewed tomatoes and crusty bread.  Also try the pastry wrapped baked brie with shaved apples and balsamic reduction.  Thank God you’re back Brasserie, we missed you.  The food is as good as ever, now we just need the crayons. The Brasserie Montmartre, 626 SW Park Avenue, 503-236-3036.

Milo’s cafe is a favorite breakfast place for lovers who slept in to snuggle.  They do eggs benedict in a variety of mouth-watering ways including fresh crab, smoked pepper bacon, filet mignon, vegetarian and traditional.  They also have a huge chocolate and peanut butter waffle and home-made raspberry jelly….yum!  Portions are hearty and the service always comes with a super big smile.  Milo’s Cafe, 1325 NE Broadway, 503-288-MILO.

One night in August I asked my daughter if she wanted to make brownies for Valentine’s day with me in the morning.  She gave me a funny look and then took one glance at me holding a red dress and knew this was more then an invitation for a bonding moment with a chocolate treat at the finish line.  It was for TV.  We got up very early the next summer day and tried to pretend it was February, when the commercial would air.  There were boom mics and a prop and production team which jammed the whole house with people.  Ten years ago I would have been very nervous to do a national commercial for Betty Crocker but we had a great time and even managed not to get too chocolate-y.  When it was all over we drove to the closest park with a water fountain and drank lemonade in the blazing sun.  Kaden said the brownies tasted even better since it was summer.  Even though the segment is called “real Mom’s having real moments” there is some stuff you’d never know watching this finish product.  Here is some “behind the scenes” secrets for ya: I do not like chocolate at all, which is why I am eating the strawberry, and Kaden would not let us cut off her friendship bracelet so it stayed on even though it did not match, and we both got a little burned by the caramel.  Thank goodness the gig paid, ha ha.  Here is it, ENJOY!

Mother’s Best, comfort food that takes you home again.  Sounds like the holidays…doesn’t it?  Well, it is actually the name of a new cookbook from Portland icon Lisa Schroeder.  The east coast native made Portland her home years ago and has been mothering Portlanders in her two restaurants, Mother’s and Mama Mia’s, ever since.  Lisa calls her cookbook “a labor of love” which features 150 favorites from Mother’s Bistro & Bar.  Just like the downtown restuarant itself, at 212 SW Stark, the book is inviting, beautiful and full of amazing comfort food.  It also has love notes to help the ammature cook get professional results with the recipes, which include pork chops with apple chutney and $15,000 crab crakes with creole mustard sauce.  Why makes her crab cakes worth $15k?  You’re going to have to buy the book to find out, but at only $28 bucks it is well worth it.  So do we really need another cookbook?  Unfortunately we do.  At her book signing party last week (pictured below) Lisa tells us this generation is hooked on fast and furious cooking and can’t be bothered with writing down ingredients and portions.  Guilty!  We’ve all made a tasty meal by being creative in the kitchen but it turns into a one-hit-wonder because few of us take the time to write it down and pass it on to the next generation.  Having had the pleasure of knowing Lisa for years (and attening her over the top pool parties) I can attest to her genuine nature and love of home cooked food.  You learn to swim before you eat because you never stop eating…. it just taste sooooo good.  She is warm and wonderful and much too modest to tell you that she has been honored by the James Beard Foundation, been on Martha Stewart, cooked several meals for Jennifer Aniston and will also be on thee Today Show the day before Thanksgiving, November 25th, 2009.   Head over to Powells books and get yourself a copy to make great meals and one to give away this holiday season.  To let’s say…your Mother?

Mother’s was full of friends and fans.

Lisa Schroeder says thank you to the full room of supporters.

The food was wonderful, these prawns were ice cold and so good!

Lisa stayed busy signing books and handing out hugs all night.

I got two signed copies, one for my Mom and one for my daughter.

It took me two minutes and fifteen seconds to run upstairs and put on my pj’s and brush my teeth when I was a kid.  I had to hurry so I didn’t miss any of my favorite shows, which all came on after my bedtime.   My Mom would let me stay up an extra half hour to watch Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.  We lived on a dairy farm and the giant heated pools and sprawling estates featured in the show seemed like another world to me.  My Mom would watch me as I watched Robin Leach give a tour of the finer life.  I would cheers my apple juice to his fabulouness and go to bed dreaming of champagne and caviar.  Fast forward twenty-some years as I rush out of my Vegas hotel room to go meet Robin himself in Bobby Flay’s kitchen.  Anyone who knows me knows I am a food network addict, watching everything from Throwdown to Boy Meets Grill, both which Bobby hosts.  Now don’t get me wrong, I have done some pretty cool things in my life, like dance with Prince on stage, (twice in two different states!),  skateboard with Arvil Levigne, and swap make-up tips back stage with Gwen Stafani,  but I was actually a little nervous to hang out with the foodie fellas.  Black dress…check, microphone…check, questions…check, I thought to myself on the walk to Mesa Grill where Bobby and Robin were mixing up margaritas and swapping stories.  When I left Portland to go interview a list of celebrities in Sin City, all who only have first names, my friends were jealous but I was most excited about these two and they were easy to talk to, and very funny.   I got my interview and I found out some things I didn’t know, like Robin started the Food Network and Bobby Flay’s employees adore him.  Over the next few days I went to countless parties, ate like a queen at the Vegas Uncorked events, and eventually went dancing with Bobby and his adoring staff.  I think I represented Oregon well, since they kept saying, “Miss Nicolle Camarata, do all the women “back home” look like you?”  Always one to help Portland’s tourism I said, “Of course they do” but kept thinking I don’t even really look like me without the hair and make-up custom for TV.  If you want a great cookbook for the summer, pick up Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes.  He is a great chef and one hell of a guy.  Here is the video of Bobby and Robin with me in VEGAS. 

This is a great idea for Valentines to create an elegant and economical date for two or a fun way to spend time with kids.  You can dip any number of goodies into the chocolate — just make sure the “dippers” are dry and crumb-free.

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped assorted low-fat “dippers”
 such as pretzels, strawberries, amaretti cookies and dried apricots.

Line several cookie sheets with waxed paper. Melt chocolate in a heavy medium-sized saucepan, stirring constantly over very low heat. When chocolate melts and is smooth, transfer to a small, deep bowl. Carefully dip “dippers” into chocolate. Drag edge of “dipper” gently across edge of bowl to remove excess chocolate. Transfer “dippers” to prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate until chocolate is set.

Transfer treats to party-favor bags or boxes. Keep strawberries refrigerated for up to 1 day. Other treats will keep for up to 1 week at cool room temperature.

Yield: 1 pound of chocolate is enough for about 3 dozen pretzels, 2 dozen cookies, 1 pint strawberries and 3 dozen dried apricots.

This weekend 50,000 people will take to the streets of downtown Portland for the RedBull Flugtag.  The fun goes down on Saturday August 2nd at Tom McCall’s Waterfront Park right on the boardwalk around 11:30-3:30pm.  Several teams will compete (our money is on the tighty whitities) and local celebrity judges include Tara from 94.7, balloon pilot Kent Couch, and our very own Nicolle Camarata is the emcee.  Three cities are selected for the flight showdown annually and Portland was last selected to participated in 2004, so come out loud and proud to represent the Rose City.  It is free, for the whole family, and we will see you there!  For more information check out www.redbullflugtagusa.com.

Who hasn’t been sipping a latte at a neighborhood coffee shop while enjoying the tunes?  Looks like that might be harder to do at Starbucks since the coffee giant is thinking about stopping the sales of CD’s.  Word has it, by September, they will stop selling most music and instead offer only four “slots” per store but will continue to offer free Wi-fi access to Apple’s online music store.  Really?  It is a computer world I guess, but who has the extra cash for Starbucks anyway?  Make coffee at home and then go to Music Millenium for a great selection of music to celebrate the summer, 3158 E. Burnside.

CORK: a bottle shop, is located is at 2901 NE Alberta Portland, OR. 97211.  They are closed 4th of July so stop by early so you can toast to your independence!  On Saturday, if you stop into the shop between 2-5pm, right when temperatures are supposed to hit 90 degrees, you can cool down and browse the shop.  They’ll have 4 new arrival wines open for you to taste for free.  Such a deal.  For their weekly specials, you’ll find a hyper-hoppy Ale, a dark and fruity chocolate bar and a great deal on their beloved Alberta white wine for the hot weekend ahead.