The Food Issue

A deep-dive into the delicious microcosm of Portland's food world. International markets, sustainable chicken, olympia provisions, and the Portland Farmers Market as you've never seen it before.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

REPORT

The Radical XOXO Conference Thinks It Knows the Secret to Great Ideas: Get More Women

How the globally acclaimed, Internet-focused festival earned its reputation as inclusive, moving, and oh so Portland.

08/24/2015 By Laura Hudson

WOOD WORK

Can a Couple of Americans Transform the Ancient Art of Bonsai?

America's first homegrown bonsai exhibition and competition will showcase 70 trees from across the country.

08/24/2015 By Marty Patail

FALL ARTS

Behind the Curtain: Meet the People Who Make the Portland Art World Possible

Who really creates high culture's high season? The local specialists behind the scenes.

08/24/2015 By Fiona McCann

Eat & Drink

SHOP GLOBAL

A Shopper's Guide to Portland's Best International Markets

Explore the world—one bite at a time—at Portland's plethora of global markets, where local meals and ingredients become tasty travelogues.

08/24/2015 Edited by Kelly Clarke By Zach Dundas, Allison Jones, Marty Patail, Rachel Ritchie, Benjamin Tepler, and Tuck Woodstock

CHICKEN V. EGG

The Truth About ‘Sustainable’ Chicken Is that It Doesn’t Really Exist

Diners want it. Chefs want it. Farmers want it. So why is organic, pasture-raised chicken so hard to find?

08/24/2015 By Hannah Wallace

SHOP GLOBAL

Must-Try Products from Portland's International Markets

Stock your pantry shelves with spices, schmears, and sweets from around the globe.

08/24/2015 Edited by Kelly Clarke

VOX POPULI

What Portlanders Really Think About Dietary Restrictions, Skipping Breakfast, and Cookbooks

We asked 500 of our readers about eating and cooking. This is what we found.

08/24/2015 By Marty Patail

WORD OF MOUTH

3 Things You Must Eat in Portland this September

Portland Monthly food critic Karen Brooks dishes on the restaurants, obsessions, and under-the-radar finds of the month.

08/24/2015 By Karen Brooks

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Hamlet, a Portland Ham Bar, Is a Destination for Pork Worshippers

Cathy Whims and Ryan Magarian hold a master class on ham, sherry, and cocktails.

08/24/2015 By Kelly Clarke

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Surreal Beauty of the Portland Farmers Market

Food critic Karen Brooks explores the wondrous world of local flowers, vegetables, and fruits with her point-and-shoot lens.

08/24/2015 By Karen Brooks

TROPHY CASE

Portland Chefs Share Why Their Favorite Knives Are a Cut Above

5 local kitchen legends reveal their collective crush on the new Portland Knife House.

08/24/2015 By Benjamin Tepler

PORTLAND FOOD

Vegan Cheese for the Omnivorous Masses

Heidi Ho has taken on 'Shark Tank' and Whole Foods. Can they conquer your palate?

08/24/2015 By Tuck Woodstock

PORTLAND FOOD

5 Things About James Beard, Portland's Original Foodie

The first chef on television still captures our hearts and culinary imagination

08/24/2015 By Zach Dundas and Marty Patail

INTERVIEW

"We Do Best When We Focus on What Makes Portland Cool"

Feast co-founder Mike Thelin on Portland's premier food festival

08/24/2015 By Marty Patail

THE OLYMPIANS

A First Look at the New Olympia Provisions Cookbook

Portland's own meat makers bring a rare cosmopolitan food experience to the table with an eye-popping collection of recipes, stories, and photographs.

08/24/2015 By Benjamin Tepler