"sarahgilbert" news and stories

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Michelle zests blood oranges into her brand-new Cuisinart, a Christmas present.
...I am not alone among food bloggers. I do not yet have my showplace kitchen... Yet our kitchen is still the heart of our home, as it is for so many other good cooks and gourmands who have not yet come into the riches they so deserve, the riches that will fund a fabulous kitchen makeover one day. So it occurred to me that this is something to celebrate. Real kitchens, in rented apartments or fixer-uppers or "starter homes" or entry-level condos. The ones that you live and cook in."

This week I visited the kitchen of Michelle of Je Mange la Ville. She was already beginning to bake when I walked in, and the sun had begun to stream through her south-facing kitchen windows. I sat at the counter stool with my lenses and rolls of film and began to soak in the rays and the delicious smells. Could I find art in this normal kitchen, on a comfortable side street in a "transitional" neighborhood in Portland, Oregon?

The rustic look of a handmade truffle belies the smooth perfection that lies beneath. For the inside of the truffle, machination can do nothing to improve upon the human touch. It is that rich chocolate creaminess that we crave, far better than a bar any day. Take two and call me in the morning.

[Arriba truffles from Sahagún Handmade Chocolates photographed at the Portland Farmers Market by Sarah Gilbert.]

I didn't keep track, but I must have eaten thousands of dishes in 2005, and tried hundreds of new foods. While I won't admit to how large a percentage "toast with peanut butter" and "breakfast: one cookie, one coffee" were in my personal dietary pie chart, I will offer up some of the unarguable highlights. The following is a photo essay on some things that warmed my stomach oh-so-well in 2005.

Marinated salmon and onion with citrus and cucumber, Tani's Sushi, November.

Crisp, melting, sweet, tangy, citrusy, flavorful, refreshing. One of my favorite dishes in the city.