Thursday Tidbits
Packer Orchard’s Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
Summer Menu Finds
Maryhill Winery has a comforting special for tonight featuring creamy Wild Rice & Chicken Bisque alongside a house-made Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich topped with pickled onions, fresh tomato, crisp lettuce, and Dijon aioli on a toasted brioche bun. Both pair beautifully with Maryhill's award-winning Rosé of Sangiovese or Reserve Albariño, featured on this month's tasting flight and available on case special.
Everybody's Brewing in White Salmon is serving a fresh Caprese Chicken special with yogurt-marinated Mediterranean chicken breast, heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, lemony couscous salad with cucumber and onions, all finished with a balsamic pesto drizzle.
Kings & Daughters' Walled Garden Pub is extending its popular holiday weekend hot dog menu all summer long. Stop in Friday through Sunday for creative hot dogs including the Seattle, Classic, Plain, and the pictured "Almost Chicago."
Double Mountain Brewery has a new pizza special called the Feelin' Fineapple—a sweet chili base topped with mozzarella, pineapple, yellow onion, jalapeño, katsu-style chicken, fresh cilantro, and just the right amount of summer.
Riverside Hood River has Cioppino on the menu.
KickStand Coffee & Kitchen is serving crispy Chicken Bao Buns as well as Wings.
Love & Hominy has introduced a new Bahn Mi Bowl to the menu.
Cherry Season Around the Gorge
Cherry season is in full swing, and there's no better place to celebrate than the Columbia River Gorge, home to some of the country's finest cherries. Here are a few places to find them fresh from the orchard—or featured on local menus:
pFriem Family Brewers is embracing the season with limited-time cherry dishes, cherry beer, cherry cocktails—including the Golden Cherry Hemingway Daiquiri at the Hood River tasting room—and even custom cherry-themed pFriem merchandise.
Mark your calendar for July 16, when Sugarpine Drive-In in Troutdale hosts pFriem for National Cherry Day with a special cherry-inspired menu and pours of Estate Kriek, brewed with estate cherries from Idiot's Grace Farm in Mosier.
Packer Orchards is baking up cherry cinnamon rolls, cherry empanadas, and fresh cherry pies alongside beautiful fresh cherries.
Kiyokawa Family Orchards has cocktail cherries, cherry syrup, fresh peaches, fresh cherries, U-Pick cherries, jams, canned fruit, and six varieties of shelf-stable cider available at the fruit stand Friday through Sunday.
Looking for even more cherries? Stop by Pearl's Place Fruit Stand, Draper Girls Country Farm, Mt. View Orchards, or Hood River Cherry Company, where online ordering is now open for both Rainier and Dark Sweet cherries.
Fresh From the Farm
Killer Tomato Guy now has Japanese "Luisa" plums available through the Gorge Farmers Collective and at the Saturday Farmers Market.
The Farmer in Odell opens the farm stand for the season this Friday, July 10.
The first peaches of the season have arrived from Peachwood Orchard and are now available at Treebird Market.
Wine, Beer & Beverage News
Stave & Stone Winery is holding its Summer Library Sale July 10–12.
AniChe Cellars is celebrating a Double Gold medal and a 92-point score from this year's Pacific Northwest Wine Competition for its new estate Dolcetto, Persephone.
Hiyu Wine Farm continues celebrating the growing season with beautiful estate-driven pairings, including heirloom chicken, freshly harvested speckled trout lettuce, roasted turnips, and ume plums served alongside their 2022 Columba field blend. They're also releasing 24 new wines this summer through The Understory, their subscription community supporting the farm and its ongoing work.
Volcanic Bottle Shoppe is celebrating its 16th anniversary on Saturday, July 11, beginning at 6:30 p.m. You'll also find Solera Brewery favorites in the shop, including El Padrino Cervesa and Hutson Hefe.
Have a wonderful weekend, and if you discover something delicious while you're out exploring the Gorge, we'd love to hear about it.
This month’s blog sponsor
Proudly supporting local food, drink, and makers in the Gorge.