The 2018 Portland Food Lover’s Gift Guide
Muntiki Mugs
Image: Michael Novak
Munktiki Mugs
The father-and-son team behind Astoria-based Munktiki have been crafting these ferociously coveted tiki mugs since 1999. You know they’re the real deal when local rum havens like Hale Pele and the Alibi stock their bars with them. Read more here. Starting at $20 online
HAB Habanero Sauce
Our favorite blend from longtime local DJ Klavical is the Lucha Libre, a sophisticated, smoky blend that packs a punch (but not a blow) to the palate. Sweet carrots and a biting apple cider vinegar base help cut the otherwise harsh habanero heat. The versatile condiment can be mixed into anything from a michelada to mac and cheese. Read more here. $7.99 at Market of Choice and Timberline Lodge airport gift shop
Garden Bar Dressing
We’ll admit to stopping in at this pricey salad bar poised for world domination now and again. The real reason we keep coming back? The dressings. They’re just good. Best of all, you can buy bottles of the stuff for a salad-enabling stocking stuffer: you too can make a delicious salad with enough basil Caesar dressing. $8–11 for 12 oz at Garden Bar
Meals from Little Sous’s “Eat the Rainbow” series (clockwise from top left): yogurt with “unicorn dust” made from freeze-dried fruits; ice pops; young cooks Bryce Montoya and Jane Miltenberger; “psychedelic pasta” boiled with red cabbage
Image: Courtesy Lauren V. Allen and Courtesy Kelly Montoya
Little Sous Subscription
This Portland-born cooking program aims to teach grade schoolers how to make more than just junk—and to help reinvent the concept of “kid-friendly” foods. With original recipes sourced from some of the city’s most celebrated chefs, Little Sous teaches kids from 5 to 12 how to make restaurant-worthy dishes, from cardamom poached pears and sauerkraut to ratatouille tian. Read more here. 24.99 a month online
Adam Arnold Kitchen Apron
Canoe partnered with notable local designer Adam Arnold to craft this modern take on the kitchen apron, stitched in Portland with a lightweight smooth cotton twill, Japanese-style cross-straps for comfort, and a large front pocket. $65 at Canoe
Bobbie's Boat Sauce
Image: Scott Eiden
Bobbie’s Boat Sauce
We’re tentatively calling this one the next Aardvark. But where Aardvark is a front-loaded habanero sauce, Bobbie’s Boat is more umami-rich and complex, and can be used across a wide variety of cuisines. Born off the coast of British Columbia, this combination of tomato paste, lime, fish sauce, pickle brine, maple syrup, and dried Thai chiles has the potential for hot sauce supremacy. Read more here. Available at Woodsman Tavern, Providore Fine Foods, Broder Nord, P’s & Q’s Market
Classes at Cookshop
This new Southeast Portland cooking studio hosts some Portland Monthly favorites, including all-star baker Kir Jensen (pie baking and Danish glogg-making), Pinolo Gelato’s Sandro Paolini (gelato-making), and Little T Baker’s Tim Helea (artisan bread baking). Check for prices online.
