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Spring! It’s been a long cold winter; over the last few months my belly has been abused by untold comfort foods as I’ve attempted to insulate myself from both drafts and depression. But as I strolled through the Portland Farmers Market last Saturday during a fleeting sun shower, I was buoyed up by a sense of hope and impending bounty.

For all my predictions, I can’t say that the Market was really any different without the random mutts here and there. In fact, it was crowded as ever, with plenty of people-jams between the stands. I could not have cared less. It was too good to be among all of these pasty shoppers, blinking their eyes at the rutabagas—weird fleece covered creatures just recovering from hibernation.

The wife and I made a long stop at the hopping Picklopolis booth, where we procured a pint or so of mixed pickled goodies, then moved across the way for some meat and bones from Pine Mountain Ranch. A sample of sheep’s cheese from Monteillet Fromagerie forced a couple of wooden tokens from our pockets, and a stop at Gardenripe filled our shopping basket with some fresh root veggies. Finally, we rounded the whole thing out with a bag of mixed greens from Gathering Together Farm. A new interactive vendor map at the Farmers Market website can show you where these booths are located.

You’d think that would be enough, but I was in a happy culinary frenzy. Remembering Pastaworks was opening a shop on Mississippi, we decided to make a trip to see the new store. The space is fairly small, retail wise, compared to the Hawthorne shop, but the selection of pastas, cheese, and charcuterie is quite good. The store’s center is dominated by three large cases displaying their wares. I found the salami too good to resist (from Salumi in Seattle, run by Mario Batali’s pops), and walked out of the store with a 1/4 pound, two bottles of wine, and a bottle of Unio olive oil to finish dishes and dress salads.

While on Mississippi we made a stop at The Meadow to pick up a small bottle of truffle salt. The place is a wonderland of subtle salt flavors, and one of the oddest shops I can imagine. Salt, chocolate, wine, and flowers all in the same place? I guess it’s one stop shopping for someone… I’m not sure whom, but I’d like to know them.

At any rate, by the time we hit home, our fridge, pantry, crisper and spice shelf had been significantly bolstered. We were ready to cook the first big dinner of the season.

It all came together like this:

Meat and Cheese Plate with Pickles
Braised Buffalo Short Ribs w/ Red wine and Buffalo stock reduction
Pureed Parsnips with a touch of truffle salt
Mixed greens dressed with balsamic and olive oil

Sometimes I’m so fucking happy to live and eat in this city, the only thing I can do is sit on my steps after dinner, share a clandestine cigarette, let out a slow exhale and whisper, “Holy shit... Portland.”