Oregonology

Oregon Fries, or simply Jojo's, also known as Oregon-Fried JoJo's, Chicken-Fried Fries, and Pressure-Fried Potato Wedges are sliced like thick and yet thin-apple-cuts for maximum crispiness. These deep-fried potatoes of incredibly disputed origin are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, drying them, and pressure cooking deep-fryer (pressure-fryer) aka the Broaster. While the concept hasn't started in Oregon the dish and its story sure did — and serving them with oregon sauces is part of the joy of it all. Overtime Fried Chicken, Jojos, are a convenience store staple, and supermarket chains like Fred Meyer and Safeway often have decent deli case versions. But for the destination spots, this map is the place to start. For those who care more about chicken than JoJo's, check out the dedicated fried chicken map.  Jojos are served hot and crispy or soft, and are generally eaten as part of a whole meal. They can be found on diner, fast food restaurants, pubs, and ba...

Totchos, in 2006 at Oaks Bottom Public House. Owner Jim Parker, facing a customer base that demanded both novelty and nostalgia, realized that the tortilla chip was a structurally flawed delivery vehicle. When laden with the weight of Oregon’s cheddar and the dampness of pico de gallo, the chip surrendered. The tater tot, however, with its craggy, par-fried exterior, held its ground. It is served in a plastic basket lined with wax paper, smothered in a beer-cheese sauce; or at places like Bottle Rocket, the "Tot-Chos" are doused in an umami-heavy fish sauce vinaigrette. Oaks Bottom, they were the first of its kind of the Totcho. They were topped with cheddar and jack cheese, chopped tomato, jalapenos, black olives, red onion, sour cream and salsa. They were an idea that came from being deprived of Tater Tots and being a fan of them would mean they were always a snack to have at any moment's notice from the one who made them, Jim Parker.  "I said, I have an idea that ...

Brown Hash, this is a hash that is made in a particular way that sears both onions and bell pepper, but, then folds into itself for crisp on both sides. The hashbrowns are fluffy on the inside, browned to the edge of burnt. There are times where a really thick hashbrown is cooking for awhile and its mixed together, but it loses its structural integrity of each part being carefully fried while maintaining its softness. Some customers complain that there isn't enough meat as it is compared to a fried rice that asks for more, so on occasion there is an addition dish that is placed on top of the hash brown hash. The way you know your eating a brown hash is that it is going to be known as just a "Hash". It's not too different, but the combinations are what make it interesting. All sorts of places around the nation have their own sorts of hash, but there are only certain places that have the variety of them that the North West has and Oregon is particularly finnicky about h...

In Oregon, Logging Gravy is a thick, butter-flour roux, milk-based, sauce that is flavored by melted fats and crumbled-meats. It was designed to be cheap, calorie-dense, and capable of making hard, days-old "Shingle" biscuits palatable for Logging camp workers.  Gravy Platters , a place famous for their Logging Gravy is actually a place called "Gravy" in Boise-Eliot, Portland, Oregon. When gravy is the star, it takes a certain place to name it a dish of its own, so that dish is "Gravy Platters", which is served with Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Braised Kale, House Potatoes, and/or Hashbrowns. Some argue that Hash has a different meaning in oregon due to the combination of words with hash on the Gravy menu that aren't only corned beef hash: there is salmon hash, roast beef hash, country fried steak, fried chicken, monte cristo gravy, chile verde braised pork shoulder, and grilled sirloin to that. Browned-Hash , so what is inside one of these is usually a "B...

The working conditions of the coasts to the forests create a need for a high-calorie contract between the worker and the wilderness. This can vary as the places that breakfast are made have their differences as well as some interesting similarities. Have it be from Coos Bay lumber yard or a damp commute through the Willamette mist, Oregonians have an assortment, like: Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (Bob’s Red Mill) or a stylish Breakfast Grain Bowl (Skillet), Omelette Schooners (Original Pancake House Omelettes), Pancakes, Tarte Pancakes (French-style Pancake Tarte Tatin), Dutch Babies, Coffee with Yogurt & Fresh Berries alongside Thick-Cut Sourdough Toast, Marion-berry Biscuit with butter and a side of Hazelnuts (Filberts) topped with local honey and a glass of Milk, Smoked Salmon & Breaded Razor Clams with Eggs Scramble and Jo Jo's, or some might go for a Threebee Waffles (Belgium Liège Waffles- Bacon, Brie, Basil) with breakfast potatoes and mushroom gravy. In the condit...

The "Oregon Biscuit" exists because of its origins from the famous restaurant "Pine State Biscuits", so people would refer to them simply by that moniker of a "Pinestate Biscuit". It would be described as biscuits that are structurally sound and flaky from the butter, but acts as a Heavy Timber for a breakfast sandwich. While North Carolina biscuits are built for a "Side Plate," the Oregon Biscuit was developed as a Foundational Sandwich Slab. The Quest for Timber In 1872, Carolina residents began migrating to Oregon in significant numbers in a quest for timber, fertile lands, and its growing logging industry. They made the right decision, since by the time it hit the 1900s, the great pine forests of North Carolina had been heavily harvested. They would bring with them their recipes of southern grit to places like "Vanport, North Portland" and places that had Oregon shipyards. For a long time there was no Oregon Biscuit of any sort acro...

Seafood of the Pacific NorthWest in Hawaii Cuisine While many people who enjoy Hawaii Cuisine know what goes in Authentic Hawaii Cuisine Poke and bring that knowledge with them to the dinner table it doesn’t always mean the same ingredients are always available. When there is no longer any Tako Poke, Ahi Poke, Kimchee Crab Poke, or Hawaii Style with the Onion there is whatever you can get. This is often the last resort as people really like familiar, authentic, and traditional poke recipes. Some go get their fx at Smokin Fire Fish, Makai by Poke’ Prince, or even Uwajimaya, but the best Poke is found when people make their own as many home chefs will state. If it was junk they never say, because they do not like to blame themself, but if it's good, then they still do not like to share, but it is all about the care put into the dish. But it is all about the “Can Do” attitude, to do your best no matter how far from Hawaii you might be. For those looking for what's the same as in t...

Oregon Hood Pears Oregon produces nearly 800 million pears a year, with Royal Riviera "Comice Pears" (French-Pears, Harry & David. 1914), Rogue Valley "Premium Grade", and the Hood River Valley "Hood Anjou Pears". Its the State Fruit with, but the one variety that fits the ticket for the flavors being oregon, the look being like the red of an oak, and performance would be the best in the nation. People would laughably refer to them as "Red Hood Pears" (Little Red Riding Hood) and that is what some call it from the orchards of Mount Hood, but they are also known to come from what people referred to as "Hood Orchards". These Red Hood Pears are juicy when ripe, deep maroon-red, white-fleshed, sweet with hints at a refreshing lemon-lime flavor. It has a Red look to them and are distinctly from the United States and renown as an Oregon Fruit. In Gebhard Orchard (1950s. Jackson County), Medford, Oregon, a farmer family "The Gebhards...