Saucyman: Fermenting with Liz Crain

Friday, September 23, 2011

Fermenting with Liz Crain

A Book Worth Owning

True Story: Liz Crain is the only person in the world who has ever expressed jealousy/reverence over my career (?) choices. Bookseller by evenings and weekends - Portland Farmers Market Interactive Media consultant by mornings - Liz, told me I had 2 really cool jobs the first time we met.

To make things even better, I am in awe of Liz Crain's work. Editor at Hawthorne Books and as the author of the The Food Lovers Guide to Portland, Liz knows her way around Portland foods. Even as someone who thinks a 5 mile trip (bicycle people, I'm not a driver) to get the perfect ingredient is an occasional necessity - Liz's book reaffirms my belief and encourages me to bike even greater distances for my ingredients. Plus it's a pretty handy reference. Liz is currently working on the Toro Bravo cookbook and is a relentless promoter and advocate for all things fermented.

The fermentation fest is around the corner and Liz stopped by the NW Portland Farmers Market to talk about the difference between a pickle and kraut. Watch the video below:

Speaking of kraut and festivals - It's Polish Fest this weekend. Accordions, perogi, beer, golabki, potato pancakes - Plus it is one of the last outposts for getting John Paul II gear. How is it that I am missing this? It has nothing to with my year of eating in/ not paying for food and more to do with a merciless work schedule right now. If your in Portland, stop by 3900 N. Interstate, a mere dog walk (sorry that is how I measure walking distance) from the Saucy World Campus.

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Basketball

Since the lockout ended, I have been largely silent about the great sport of basketball. Despite Brandon Roy retiring, despite my beloved Blazer’s sprint out of the blocks to a really good start, despite my home team playing a style of basketball than can no longer be described as Van Gundying (Jeff) up the sport’s fluidity.

I don’t know, some interesting developments transpired: During the lockout, analysts and beat writers, the very people who possibly think about professional basketball more than I do, had a light bulb go on over their collective heads and across the league they discovered what everyone else pretty much already knew, NBA Commissioner David Stern is a dick. Over the last decade Stern forced bankrupt municipalities to build new stadiums for billionaires’ new play thing, this heavy handed behavior garnered nothing but praise. The writers sighed and thought eh, “we live in the suburbs, we write for suburban middle managers, our values are if anything anti-urban” - with all the weight that word carries. But needlessly locking out players jeopardizing their tenuous employment in publishing, well that is something that we might complain about except they hate the players more - Oh the conflict.

But mostly I can’t get excited about any team helmed by Nate McMillan. We’ll make the playoffs with a pretty good but not best record, maybe get home court advantage in the first round and then fail to advance. This is true until McMillan proves otherwise, 11 years a coach out of the first round once - this record while coaching some pretty good but not great teams. Along the way Nate will overplay star forwards LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace so there is nothing in the tank come playoff time and risk their health. And yo-yo Nicholas Batum’s minutes so the young player becomes a head case instead of developing into a consistent contributor.

So a predictable finish is part of the my own jejune response to the return of the sport of kings (not really, that's horse racing) maybe it's the sweet science (damnit google says that's boxing). My attitude goes deeper than a finish more predictable than one of McMillan's earth toned, triple pleated suits, if the lockout exposed a fault line in NBA coverage it's that broadcasters and writers are now PR agents for the teams - so who is left to advocate for the fan - thank goodness for blogs and the posting cyborg that is named Henry Abbott.

2nd round or bust