Rose Schnitzer Manor will present “Epicurean Delights: Sweet & Savory,” a series of presentations exploring a scrumptious selection of tasty tidbits to delight the palate, during the month of August. All presentations are free and open to the public. On Tuesdays at 6:45 p.m. in Zidell Hall. Tastings will follow each presentation.
Tuesday, August 5, 6:45 p.m.
Tiny Morsels to Amuse the Mouth
Chef Inga Turman, Cedar Sinai Park
Chef Inga Turner will be presenting amuse-bouches featuring forshmak, beet salad and chicken pot pie. Each sample will be a tiny morsel of enjoyment. Chef Inga will discuss the techniques and ingredients used to create these epicurean delights.
Chef Inga had an early interest in culinary arts. As a child in her home country, Ukraine, she used to watch her grandmother, who was a baker, make bread from scratch. She learned from her how to bake and cook. Her interest in culinary arts led her to complete a Master Chef program in Russia. She worked as an Executive Pastry Chef in a cake factory for over five before immigrating to the United States. She came to the U.S. because of her desire to take her professional knowledge of culinary arts to another level. Since coming to Portland, she has refined her culinary skills by completing courses at Le Cordon Bleu. She currently works for Robison Jewish Health Center and has her own catering business.
Tuesday, August 12, 6:45 p.m.
Sweet Stuff for the Holidays
With Susan Metcalf, Susan’s Sensational Sweet Stuff
Susan Metcalf will demonstrate the process of producing and packaging her Sweet Stuff for the holidays. Her recipe contains only fresh ingredients, including popped corn, four different kinds of nuts and dried cranberries, pure butter and vanilla flavorings.
Susan’s Sensational Sweet Stuff began in 1993 as holiday gift bags for friends and family. As time passed, Susan received many requests from co-workers and other folks who heard about her wonderful “stuff.” In years past, she has provided a portion of her product sales to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation and The United Way in Portland via silent auctions. Time has passed and jobs have changed, but people continue to seek Susan out every season for her “bags of joy.” Susan has plans to work on additional recipes which will include gluten-free, nut-free and a nut-caramel bark, plus seasoning salts/rubs for the barbeque.
Tuesday, August 19, 6:45 p.m.
Dumplings: Little Pillows of Flavor
With Chef Julia Filip and Reid Barrett, The Dump Truck
Chef Julia Filip and Reid Barrett are co-owners of The Dump Truck, home of Portland’s best dumplings. They will talk about the history of dumplings in China, and how the idea of a savory or sweet treat tucked inside a wheat pocket has been adapted by cultures around the world. And they will demonstrate the making and folding dumplings, so you can share this knowledge with family and friends over a bamboo steamer.
While living in Beijing, China, Chef Julia ate most of her meals at a dumpling restaurant owned by Mr. Ma. They eventually grew so close that he showed her the secrets of making the perfect dumplings. When Julia returned to Portland, she made her signature dumplings for Voicebox, a Karaoke bar in NW Portland. She expanded her repertoire well beyond classic Chinese dumplings, experimenting with delicious and ridiculous variations. After the first year, the demand was so great that Julia and Reid decided to open a food cart. The Dump Truck’s dumplings have been featured on the Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise,” Cooking Channel’s “Unique Eats,” Food Network’s “Eat Street,” and in Sunset Magazine, SF Weekly, Toronto Star, Edmonton Journal, Willamette Week, and the Portland Chinese Times.
Tuesday, August 26, 6:45 p.m.
Sweet, Heat, Salty, Smoky, Tangy!
With Chef Shawn Upholt, Saucy Beast
Heat is one of many sensations experienced during the enjoyment of eating. Many people are unable to enjoy habanero peppers because of the extreme heat that can be present, but spicy doesn’t have to be painful! This presentation will demonstrate that habanero doesn’t have to be feared, just respected.
Chef Shawn Upholt, who started his culinary career in New Orleans over 20 years ago, launched Saucy Beast in Portland in 2012. While running the New Deal Cafe, he used his extensive experience in unique flavor combinations to create Habango, his first sauce to be bottled and sold in stores. According to Chef Shawn, “When you feast with the Beast, sweet and heat go hand-in-hand, salty tips its hat to smoky, and smoky thanks its lucky stars for tangy.”
The Cedar Sinai Park Lecture Series is open to residents and community members and features talks on topics such as modern technology, music, and culture. A goal of this program is to make lifelong learning easily accessible to residents and community members alike.
Rose Schnitzer Manor is located at 6140 SW Boundary Street, Portland. For more information, call (503) 535-4004 or visit www.roseschnitzermanor.org.
