Portland, OR. As we wandered from the doors of the bed and breakfast, bellies stuffed, and bodies relaxed, we split off and made our way back into Portland proper for a frozen treat. "Salt and Straw!" a friend exclaimed, "we HAVE to go. SO good. SO GOOD!" We found a parking spot, checked in on the wedding cake (yup, we still had some left), and entered into an atmosphere of ice cream artisans and a menu of highly-specialized frozen flavors. Salt and Straw, the little ice cream shop nestled among eateries, hair salons, and boutiques, makes the concept of farm-fresh and local, sustainable, and organic something to boast about.
"Would you like a sample?" asked a cashier. "I just need a few..." staring at the names written on labels in a display case of tightly packed goodness as soon as I entered. Olive oil, Stumptown Coffee, Pear with Blue Cheese...oh my this is going to be exciting. Directly in front of me was a wall written with classic and seasonal flavors. I could've also gone for a milkshake, but the prize was in the ice...cream. I sampled their Stumptown Coffee (smooth, not terribly sweet, like eating a latte), Pear with Blue Cheese (never thought I'd love such tang in ice cream, but the balance was great), Olive Oil (unique enough flavor that stood apart, seemed a variation of vanilla), and Double Fold Vanilla (a tempting choice and the more common of the selections) flavors before coming to a more interesting decision.
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| Menu |
"Would you like a sample?" asked a cashier. "I just need a few..." staring at the names written on labels in a display case of tightly packed goodness as soon as I entered. Olive oil, Stumptown Coffee, Pear with Blue Cheese...oh my this is going to be exciting. Directly in front of me was a wall written with classic and seasonal flavors. I could've also gone for a milkshake, but the prize was in the ice...cream. I sampled their Stumptown Coffee (smooth, not terribly sweet, like eating a latte), Pear with Blue Cheese (never thought I'd love such tang in ice cream, but the balance was great), Olive Oil (unique enough flavor that stood apart, seemed a variation of vanilla), and Double Fold Vanilla (a tempting choice and the more common of the selections) flavors before coming to a more interesting decision.
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| Smoked Hefeweizen |
Not quite a bar, but the concept plays with the mind as you order things more commonly received as libations. Should I be daring and go with a bourbon? Or perhaps something a bit smokier? Maybe stick to the beer family? Ultimately, I decided on a heavy scoop of Smoked Hefeweizen, a perfect choice for the mid-afternoon sun, and with a definitive flavor of what its name claimed. I could taste it, I could actually taste it, and being in the form of an ice cream it was refreshingly delicious. Now this is a treat I could readily get in a pint AND take to go. Will I be back? Count me in, and perhaps I'll put together my own 'flight' of samples before heading out to fill the rest of my stomach with more of the delicious eats and treats Portland has to offer.
Salt and Straw
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