A Sense of Whereverness

It seems like today, any cuisine that you crave is available. It's easy to find Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, Mexican, Japanese, Mediterranean and Italian restaurants everywhere you go. Portland is lucky to have such a diverse collection of ethnic restaurants. And it's become far easier to find ingredients to prepare those exotic dishes at home. Even average grocery stores have fish sauce, interesting cheeses, rice paper, spices and more. But once you've found those ingredients, what do you do with them? It can be intimidating to peruse the aisle of the store, even more so once you get home. I can't tell you how many times I've gone shopping with lofty plans in mind, bought fun items, and then end up lost as to what to do with all my goodies. It's nice to be able to travel anywhere you want to go in your kitchen, as long as you have a map of some kind. For all that we celebrate Oregon's Bounty here at In Good Taste, we also attempt to offer a world of cuisine that is accessible and fun. In a way, we try to "travel the world for you," bringing back ideas and recipes. We strive to approach those exotic flavors with a relaxed, can-do attitude. That way, you can see how much fun it is to experiment with new ingredients and recipes, and your kitchen can be a gateway to the world.
I think that cooking should always be about new ideas and fun projects- it should never be stressful or intimidating. If you want to try some new flavors and cuisines, here's a small sampling of what's coming up this month. For more ideas, check our website for the full
calendar.
-Josie
May 12 -Italian Vegetarian with Michele Knaus
May 19- Hawaiian Feast
May 30- Indian Street Foods with Leena Ezekiel