Its Strawberry Season!

This year I was tasked with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

Its Strawberry Season!

Pick 'em, Eat 'em, Drink 'em

Of all the seasons here in Oregon,   the absolute best one has to be Strawberry season!    Oregon Strawberries are nothing like the ones you see around the country,  (or on the rest of the West Coast for that matter.)   A good bit smaller in size,  Oregon strawberries pack a bright red center and a flavor that will put a giant smile on your face.

The strawberry season here lasts only a few weeks,  so we recommend not letting it pass you by.    Of course you can go to plenty of local markets and co-ops around town and get beautiful pints of berries,   but for the true fans,   nothing compares to packing up the family,   making the drive out to Sauvie Island and spending an hour or so  in the fields picking your own.   Besides from saving tons of money,   its a family activity that everyone can enjoy.

  For this adventure,  we inlisted the help of the Alexander Family.   Walter is a North Carolina native and one of the original owners of Pine State Biscuits and Darcie is one of the best local real estate agents (and the one my wife and I hired)  with PDX Green Team.

There are plenty of local farms that allow you to pick your own. We chose one of our favorites,  Columbia Farms,  on the far side of Sauvie Island,  but they are all pretty great.   

If it's your first time out in the fields,  you can bring your own reusable containers to fill up or the farms will proviude you with everything you need to get your berries home safely.

Once you get out into the fields,  the different varieties are marked with color coded flags for easy identification.    Some types are better for baking,  some are better for straight munching.  We love Hoods the best,  but we encourage you to do a little taste test once you get into the fields,  illustrated quite subtly here by the Alexander children,  Hazel and Lewis.

(so much for hiding the evidence…)

And while the kids are busy picking and munching a few berries,  we encourage the adults in the group to quench their thirsts with our Strawberry Cooler.   Made with Pinot Noir and just a hint of lime juice,   this punch is not super sweet or overly intense but a perfect balance of sweet and tart.   And it’s low alcohol content makes it perfect for an afternoon out with the family.

As we liked to say,  Pinot Noir + Oregon Strawberries + Cranberry Juice + Lime = for all summer long. 

So don’t let the next few weeks slip by.   Get out there and get those strawberries!

Photography and Text by David L. Reamer.  (@dlreamer)

'Blueberry Fields Forever’ Sangria

This year I was tasked with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

The Perfect Summer Afternoon Drink:

'Blueberry Fields Forever’ Sangria

As Portlanders,   we often forget that a gorgeous river runs straight through our fair city.    We get so distracted crossing from one side to the other,  that the simple act of sitting on its banks and enjoying an afternoon with a friend can get lost in the shuffle.

There are great hidden (and not so hidden) parks all along the Willamette River from St. Johns to Lake Oswego to Oregon City.   We recommend this summer that you do a little exploring and rediscover a few of these locales.   We would certainly be remiss if we were to send you out on a Lewis-and-Clark-Style-Pacific-Northwest-Expedition  without an appropriate beverage to enjoy once you’ve found your spot.

So allow us to introduce our new favorite summertime punch,  the ‘Blueberry Fields Forever’ White Wine Sangria.  We know that life is hectic,  and sometimes the best plans are made at the last minute,  so this recipe should fit those situations perfectly.  With just a little prep the night before,   you can be enjoying a colorful and fruity glass of this Sangria by the following afternoon.

STEP ONE:

In a large Mason Jar,  combine:

3/4 C of white rum

1/2 C simple syrup

Juice of 2 limes

Juice of 1 large orange

1 C frozen blueberries

1/2 C orange slices cut into small triangles.

3 sprigs of mint

Let this macerate in your fridge overnight.  Call a friend and tell them where to meet you the next afternoon….

STEP TWO:

Once you’ve found a suitable spot, pull out your Mason jar and add 2 cans of Union’s Underwood Pinot Gris.  For our less coordinated explorers,  feel free to add one can at a time.   But since we are pros….

STEP THREE:

Fill two smaller Mason jars with ice.  

Pour each about three quarters full of the sangria and then top off with sparkling water or club soda.   Mix well, making sure you get plenty of blueberries and orange slices in each glass.   Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

While you are making up the sangria,   have your friend shuffle and deal the cards…. and you are all ready to settle in to a fun round of Go Fish with a beautiful view.

Photography, Recipe and Text by David L. Reamer.  (@dlreamer)

Freeform Portland Radio 90.3 FM

This year I was tasked with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

Keeping the Portland Airwaves Free:

Freeform Portland Radio 90.3 FM

Here at Union,  we really try to consider ourselves more of a family than just a workforce.  And as such,  we encourage and support everyone in their passions and side projects.

Allow us to introduce Amy Carr.   By day,  Amy is the Union Logistics and Compliance/Customer Service Supervisor.   She has been part of the Union family for about 5 years,  beginning at our sister vineyard, Amity before moving over full time to Union.  When Amy was only 12 years old,  her father gave her a copy of Nick Hornby’s (best) novel High Fidelity,   which introduced her to a main character who is always striving to share the classic music he loves and the new bands he discovers.  

And so a seed was planted…...

Fast Forward to early 2015.  A few of Amy’s friends decided to found FREEFORM PORTLAND , an entirely independent, community sponsored, non profit,  freeform radio station. Going live the following year, they broadcast on 90.3 and also 98.3 FM from the NE Alberta Area.    Being officially a “low-power” FM station,  their radio broadcast range is only about 5 square miles,   but lucky for us we live in the digital age,   so everyone can enjoy their full array of programming at FreeformPortland.org/listen.

DJs are free to play music from records, tapes, CDs or digital files.   There are no commercials or talk programs.   Generally, the only speaking you will hear are the DJs identifying their chosen songs during music set breaks, although there are some great “in studio”  band interviews from time to time.   All songs from every show are also listed on their website.

Two pretty amazing things that FFP can boast is that A) it is absolutely 100% volunteer run and B) it is absolutely 100% live programming,  meaning no prerecorded shows.  There is a live DJ playing music in the booth 24 hours a day,  7 days a week!  

At the station,   Amy goes by the handle DJ Stellar Luna.   Her show, “Nightlight” runs on alternating Mondays from 10 PM to midnight.  Amy’s playlist differs every week focusing mostly on Neo Psychedelia, New Wave, Hip-Hop and Latin.   Asked what some of her favorite bands are,  Amy mentioned,  in no particular order:

La Femme (which she plays at least one song by during every show)

Bomba Estereo

LCD Soundsystem

Thee Oh Sees

Echo & the Bunnymen

Amy was drawn to the radio station for many of the same reasons that she was drawn to Union…each puts a great emphasis on authenticity and a truly meaningful refection of the community.

(As you might imagine,  the broadcast booth is pretty small,  but is filled with all sorts of amazing music, movie and cultural paraphernalia.)   

Recently,   Union asked Amy to create our first official SPOTIFY profile, beginning with a UNION WINE Co. playlist,   a constantly growing curated mix that all of the employees can add to.

In addition,   Amy has begun playlists to match the vibe of our three labels:

 UNDERWOOD (aka the party) playlist

KINGSRIDGE (aka the adult hipster) playlist 

ALCHEMIST (aka the sexy) playlist

Subscribe to them all now so you have the perfect soundtrack the next time you are enjoying our wines!

We want to thank Amy for sharing her time and passions with us,  and allowing us a small glimpse into the amazing world of FREEFORM PORTLAND    Hopefully this will inspire you to check out some of their programming,   and contribute to their next donation drive,  which will be happening May 6-19.

Photography and Text by David L. Reamer.  (@dlreamer)

Bubbles, Par Avion

This year I was tasked with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

Bubbles,  Par Avion

One of our favorite (and more obscure) vintage cocktails is a slight variation on the classic daiquiri,  called an Airmail.   It's a simple cocktail that packs a surprisingly impressive punch.   Originating in Cuba in the 1930s,  this simple mix of rum, lime and honey creates an elegant base to accentuate with ice cold sparkling wine.  Whether pouring single cocktails or making up a batch for friends,   this easy and light cocktail is always guaranteed to impress.

To help with this cocktail,  we enlisted the skills of perfume maker extraordinaire and amateur mixologist Josh Meyer,  founder of Imaginary Authors    

We had him make up a few cocktails and pick his favorite scent to accompany the light, fruity springtime vibe.

The Airmail

2 oz rum (we prefer the Flor de Cana 4 year)

1.5 oz honey syrup (1:1 ratio)

1 oz fresh lime juice

2 oz Union Underwood Bubbles

Combine the rum, honey syrup and lime juice in a shaker with plenty of ice.  Shake vigorously.  Strain into your favorite coup glass and top off with the Underwood Bubbles.

We are big fans of Bee Local honey,  brought to you by the fine folks at Jacobsen Salt Co.

To make the syrup, put 4 oz of honey in a heavy bottomed pot with 4 oz of water.   Gently warm,  constantly stirring until al the honey is dissolved.  

*********

Juice them limes like a boss...

Can’t forget the rum...

Follow Josh’s example and shake vigorously. 

Strain, top with bubbles and Enjoy!

According to Josh,  the best Imaginary Authors scent to accompany an afternoon of drinking the Airmail cocktail is  St. Julep    With notes of Tangerine, Southern Magnolia, Grisalva and Crushed Ice,   this sweet and inviting scent will take you right back to the the cafes of 1930s Havana, laughing and drinking while trading war stories with a tipsy Ernest Hemingway.

Text and Photos by David L. Reamer (@dlreamer)

Grass Clippings

This year I was tasked with putting some serious effort into the Union Wine Co. FIELD NOTES   This is a part of their site that tells employee stories, showcases recipes and cocktails as well as a few cool How To’s…

This is one of those posts.  Check them all out in the above link.

Creating the Perfect Springtime Cocktail

(featuring the one and only Lucas Plant)

  There is a particular Portland phenomenon we have been noticing for years.   Every Spring there is one weekend where, with no conscious cues or communication,  everyone in town decides it's time to cut the grass.    It's that first perfect weekend,  when the rain has let up,  the grass is a little too tall and healthy,  and so the ol’ lawnmower gets dusted off,  gassed up and put to task.

During that weekend (which just by coincidence happened to be last weekend), all of Portland is filled with that unmistakably sweet, musky scent of freshly cut grass.   The kids are playing in the yard,  the parks are full and Spring has officially Sprung.

Enter Lucas Plant….  bartender and cook extraordinaire, Navy man, father and all around charming guy.  Lucas has worked at many of the best spots in Portland,  from Clyde Common to Central to Oven & Shaker.   Currently,  Lucas is a “luxury spirits broker” for Coastal Pacific, but he is also part owner of Bull In China    We asked Lucas to create a cocktail that captured the happiness of the first weekend of Spring and all the nostalgic flavors it evokes.   

Lucas set to the task and concocted an intriguing cocktail,   (whose name, coincidentally, originated from the memoir  I Couldn’t Smoke the Grass on my Fathers Lawn by Charlie Chaplin’s son Michael.)

Grass Clippings

3 1/2 oz Kings Ridge Riesling

1/2 oz Bee Local Honey Water

1/2 teaspoon Bee Local Bee Pollen

1/2 teaspoon Steven Smith Powdered Macha Tea No. 7

STEP ONE:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with lots of ice.   

Lucas uses a professional bar spoon,   but a 1/2 teaspoon measure works just as well.

STEP TWO: Shake like your life depends on it!

STEP 3:  Strain (to remover solids) into another shaker with no ice.

STEP FOUR:  Shake again as if you life depends on it.   This step is very important as it aerates the liquid and releases all the pollen and macha flavors.

STEP FIVE:   Pour into a chilled coup glass and enjoy.

Much thanks to Lucas for lending his time and talents to this post.  And if you dig the custom apron he is sporting,  check out Portlands own 

OROX Leathers.

Also,   head over to Bull In China for all your professional (and unprofessional) bar accoutrements.

Photography and Text by David L. Reamer.  (@dlreamer)

The Holga goes exploring in Oregon

Regulars to this site know that when I travel,  either by car, plane, train or boat,   my Holga always  comes along for documentation purposes.

Here are a few of my latest shots.

(For the uninitiated,  this is not Instagram.  This is actual film.)