In this, the very first episode of “Breakfast in Bridgetown,” co-host Sabrina Miller from PDX.FM holds my hand and walks me through my radio debut.
This show is mostly an introduction to the book, the show, and some of our favorite places.
Fore information on what the show will be about, click here.
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That’s right, as of this Friday, October 30, PDX.FM will broadcast The Definitive Radio Guide to Portland’s Favorite Meal. I will be the host every Friday from 1 to 1:30 p.m., and I figured folks might want to know a little about the show. Or maybe I just feel like writing about it.
So here’s the very simple premise: I take the whole notion of the breakfast book — a tour of Portland by way of its breakfast places — and carry it over into audio. But there will be a little more. For example, if there’s news to report, like an opening or a closing or some special deal going on, I’ll report on that. Otherwise, most weeks we’ll feature a particular place, or a theme.
For example, I’ve already arranged for the writers of the Stumptown Vegans blog to come on so we can rap about vegan breakfasts. Other ideas I’ve had include a roundup of Southern-style places, some breakfast highlights along the new Max line, the breakfast carts in town, and maybe a whole show called “Good food, no lines!”
I’ve already got the first few shows mapped out, in fact. Week 1 will be an intro to the show, with (hopefully not too much of) me talking about my book, the show, who I am, how I approach things, and so on. The second one will be a discussion of a particular restaurant which you’ve all driven past many times, and very few of you have ever eaten in — though you should. That one will be a chance for me and my guest to showcase how the show will approach each breakfast place.
For each of those I’ll be joined by some other folks from PDX.FM so they can hold my hand and give me somebody to talk to. I’ve been on radio before, but never as the host!
Otherwise, as I start on the second edition of the book, due sometime the first half of 2010, I will constantly be going to new places, so I’ll have folks in to talk about those places. Sometimes that will be the owner, and sometimes it will be members of my crack research team, the Breakfast Crew.
What other suggestions do you have for show ideas?
The show will be “broadcast” on PDX.FM every Friday at 1 p.m., and then soon after be available as a podcast here, on their site, and in iTunes, where you will be able to subscribe and get it automatically each week.
So that’s the show. I’m very excited! I hope you’ll listen in, participate, and send suggestions along.
I am in the minority on Pambiche.
Simply put, I don’t really get it. I have always felt underwhelmed by their food — though I completely understand that I may just be an ignoramus. In fact, there’s no doubt I am, especially when it comes to experience with Cuban food. I’ve been to Miami a couple times and eaten it there, and my reaction was always a big “wow.” I love the bisteak, the sandwiches, the coffee, everything.
Then I go to Pambiche, and it looks great, sounds great, and the food makes me go …. eh. Seems like it lacks zip. Like it’s just standard, though Cubanized, breakfast: eggs with cuban sausage, scrambles and omelettes that sound great with all their unknown (to me) ingredients, but again, it always seems to be less than the sum of its parts.
Clearly, this is a minority opinion. People love Pambiche, and I don’t think they’re nuts for it. Maybe lunch and dinner are better than breakfast. But there’s one thing that’s becoming more and more clear to me:
Their sweet stuff rocks.
I went this morning with a Meetup group, and I suggested we share the $5 basket of pastries. That, along with Cafe Cubano (super smooth espresso with sugar), was a big hit with everybody. Then I got the Cuban (French) Toast, thick-sliced baguette thoroughly soaked in creamy egg batter, grilled in sweet butter, topped with toasted almond slices, and served with a pile of tropical fruit. All very well done. But the capper was the cane syrup, made in-house. It’s lighter than maple syrup in both flavor and texture, but somehow even sweeter, and it just blew our minds. People were wondering where to get it, how to make it, everything. It was like a group “must have more” moment.
While eating it, I looked over at the dessert case, and something started to click. Maybe I just don’t dig the savory stuff at Pambiche — though I did have a bite of excellent ham this morning. Maybe I’m just all about the coffee and sweets there. No harm in that. It’s a cool place, and having a favorite for sweets, caffeine, colors and vibe is a good thing. Especially if it moves me toward the majority opinion, and away from being an ignoramus.
So, about three years ago, I started an Excel spreadsheet to track which breakfast places I’d been to, which ones I’d written about, sort them by location and category, and so on. Every time somebody tells me about a place, or I read about it, or I drive by it … whatever … I add it to The List.
For example, today I was near Hood River, driving into town from Mount Hood, and I went by a place on the Dee Highway called Twin Peaks Drive In. It was slightly larger than a cart and had a huge banner reading “Breakfast.” I was making notes on the drive for my hiking book, so I just added a note saying “Check out the Twin Peaks Drive In on Dee Highway.” And so I shall, one day.
I got back, added it to the list, and thought for a second it had become Restaurant #300. It was actually #293, but still. Then I thought that was interesting — 293 breakfast places! Some are closed, some are really just coffee shops, some are out of town someplace, some I know nothing about, whatever. But 293 is a lot.
Then I thought, maybe somebody else will find this interesting. (Alas, how often do I tell myself that?) So, in case you’re that somebody else, here’s The Breakfast List, as of 10-22-09:
This Friday, October 23rd, at 2 p.m., please cruise over to PDX.FM and listen to a hiking show called Hike Yeah. (It will also be available later as a podcast, which I’ll post a link to)
On that show, you will hear my internet radio debut, as a guest to talk about hiking and my books, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland and Day and Overnight Hikes on the Oregon PCT.
Also during that show, you will hear a very special announcement, which I am not going to divulge right now, because I’m not ready to, but if you’re curious, a couple of the links in this post will point you towards it.
This isn’t exactly news, since apparently it goes back to last Mother’s Day, but hey, sometimes I move slowly. Still, it’s sad. First Roux closed entirely, and now Acadia no longer serves brunch. That means there’s no more good New Orleans brunch in town, and it means that the two funnest places I went to in researching the book are now caput. Dang.