We hope our Food Lovers’ Guide will offer you both inspiration and a road map. We combed the region for the finest ingredients and discovered a wide range of people and communities devoted to food—a local importer of olive oils from Italy; a purveyor of single-origin French chocolate bars crafted from Venezuelan cacao; and Beaverton’s excellent Indian and halal grocers. We’ve turned up the best of our own native bounty: wild-caught salmon, summer berries, earthy morels, grass-fed beef, and the most sumptuous varieties of pork. To get you started—or further along—we’ve researched local options for cooking classes, found bargains on high-quality cooking gear, and even tracked down the best guy to sharpen your knives. We’ve also collected cookbook recommendations from some of the best teachers, writers, and chefs in the country to guide you in the kitchen. And if you’re too busy to cook, take a look at the suggestions we’ve gathered from some well-known, time-strapped Portlanders for the best takeout options in town. Share your own favorites on our Facebook page to win a meal at a top local restaurant.