HOST is the culinary venture of Katie Hardin and Jaclyn Delorey based out of Portland, OR. Born from their mutual love of throwing an unforgettable party, HOST seeks to bring the masses the magic of well curated meal in a warm space. In their words, “the goal of each event is that perfect combination of the quiet moment brought on by good food and the flow of effortless conversations with strangers.”
Recreate it with the menu from their most recent affair, which was held in the cozy open room of Good Keuken hidden behind Old Salt in northeast Portland.
HOST: The Light
ONE Welcome
Shared charcuterie
Cremeux De Bourgogne, Drunken Goat Mitica, Gouda Midnight Moon, Classico Tumalo Farms CHOP Venison pate
Roman Candle crostini with house made goat ricotta, watermelon radish, grapefruit carpaccio, and chives
Smoked paprika and ume plum roasted almonds with rosemary and sea salt
GOLD FASHIONED grapefruit cocktail (see recipe below)
TWO Warmth
Cumin beet soup topped with a house made spiced yogurt and microgreens Pear and gruyere fennel salad
2011 Azienda Agricola COS Frappato Sicilia, IGT Sicily, Italy
THREE Shared
House made fettuccini lightly tossed in winter spiced oil and mint Willapa Bay clams in a white wine and leek sauce (see recipe below)
2012 Antonio Sanguineti Vermentino Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy
FOUR Main
Roasted pork belly, or smoked paprika cauliflower with fennel seeds, meyer lemon marmalade, and cracked pepper on belgian endive
Herb salad with crispy mustard greens in orange water dressing
NV Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray Cremant de Loire De Chanceny Brut, Loire, France
FIVE Celebrate
Cardamom chocolate cake with sumo mandarin creme fraiche topped with an orange almond florentine
Stumptown Columbia El Jordan Decaf Earl Grey Tea
RECIPES:
HOST’s Gold Fashioned
2oz Bulleit Bourbon
3 dashes of grapefruit bitters
1 tsp. honey simple syrup
1 quartered slice of ruby gold grapefruit
Put the grapefruit slice in the glass and pour in the honey and bitters. Muddle ever so lightly. Add a 2×2 inch cube of ice and pour the bourbon over it. Stir gently and sip slowly. We recommend pairing this cocktail with smoked paprika rosemary roasted almonds and your favorite goats milk cheese.
Honey Simple Syrup
1/2 c. local honey (we like Wessels Family honey)
1/2 c. water
Heat the honey and water until it boils. Remove the pot from the burner and let it cool for an hour before pouring it in a jar that you can keep in the fridge for your cocktail or other cold drinking needs.
Leek and Fennel Willapa Bay Manila Clams
1 lb. Willapa Bay manila clams, washed
1 c. Grüner Veltliner (we follow the philosophy of only cooking with wine that you’d enjoy drinking).
1 leek halved and sliced
1 bulb of fennel, halved and sliced (use the entire thing. The fronds are amazing!)
1/4 c. dill, sprigs loosely picked
1/4 c. parsley, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, halved
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
2 c. water
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika
salt to season
In a medium sized stock pot heat the oil and butter (you could use only the oil, but the butter really gives it an amazing flavor) over a medium flame until the butter is melted. Toss in the leeks and garlic cloves and saute for 3 minutes until the leeks start to soften. Stir in the fennel, dill, and wine and cook for another few minutes. Now add the the parsley, smoked paprika, salt, and water and bring everything to a boil. This might look very broth heavy, but soaking up the broth with some grilled sourdough bread is kind of the best part. Finally, add the clams and cook approximately 5 minutes or until the very moment when they are opened up nice and wide (hot tip: don’t eat the ones the don’t open). Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of that amazing Grüner (we love Evesham Wood).
All images by: Cheryl Juetten
