Culinary Class and Portland Public Art
Another fun class this morning. Quickly learned that after years of cooking, I still don’t know how to chop onions (well, actually I do now) or how to hold a chef’s knife.
Class ran a bit late, but it still left me time to head into South West Portland in the area around the South Park Blocks to photograph some public art.
This bronze statue is located in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Named “Allow Me” (aka Umbrella Man) by artist John Seward Johnson.
A couple blocks away is the Portland Building with it’s statue, Portlandia. It’s the second largest hammered copper statue in the U.S. after the Statue of Liberty.
Next statue is “The Quest” (more commonly known as “Three Groins in a Fountain”). This sits in front of the Standard Insurance Building.
While really not art, the Pioneer Courthouse, which sits next to Pioneer Courthouse Square, is the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest and the second oldest west of the Mississippi.
And finally, Benson Bubblers. These fountains were installed all over downtown Portland by Simon Benson, teetotaling lumber baron, to cut down on the consumption of alcohol at the turn of the (20th) century. Most are still bubbling along.
Popularity: 47% [?]
KarenK from the OR C wrote:
Nice pictures, thanks for sharing! It’s been a while since I’ve just wandered the streets of Portland at a leisurely pace, usually I have errands to run and appointments to keep - this was a reminder to just slow down and enjoy.
Posted on 03-Mar-07 at 7:48 pm | Permalink
MollyBee wrote:
Gosh! I never knew what an absolutely beautiful city Portland is. Thanks for the wonderful pictures! How DO you chop an onion properly?
Posted on 03-Mar-07 at 7:51 pm | Permalink
Jerry wrote:
How to chop an onion…
Slice off stem end. Place onion on cutting board on it’s new flat end. Slice through from root end, leaving root end in place and clean. Place half onion on cutting board and cut *nearly* through from stem end to root end, with slices that follow the curve on the onion (i.e. first cut at a low angle close to board, increasing to 90 degrees at top and then decreasing the angle again - think sunburst). Now turn and slice nice even pieces. When you get to the root end, lay it flat and slice around leaving a little piece of root to be thrown away. Virtually no waste (which is very important for a restaurant).
Holding a chef’s knife. Hand all the way up the handle with index finger and thumb actually on either side of the knife blade. Feels strange at first, but there is definitely more control.
Posted on 03-Mar-07 at 8:10 pm | Permalink
KC wrote:
Ah, the joys of cutting an Onion! When I first learned how to cut an onion the Chef’s way it seemed impossible to get perfectly even but after two more years of classes and ten more ways to cut an onion the first way became simple and meditative. Now I look for excuses to cut onions! Happy Cooking!
Posted on 03-Mar-07 at 10:05 pm | Permalink
Barbara wrote:
I love Portland. I dream of moving there when I retire, but so many of my family live here that I will never be able to leave.
What I really want to do is be a rain bird. Live in Portland during the hellish months in Arizona and then come back to the desert during the winter rainy season in Oregon.
That sounds perfect to me.
Posted on 04-Mar-07 at 7:41 am | Permalink
penelope wrote:
The chef’s knife part I can follow. Now I’ll try to remember to try it later today.
The onion chopping, beyond figuring that you’ve pre-peeled the onion, which I’ve tended to do after slicing off both stem and root end, I’m having trouble picturing. I may have to print your description and go read it with onion and knife at hand.
The Portland pictures are beautiful. I need to spend more time exploring up there!
Posted on 04-Mar-07 at 9:13 am | Permalink
MollyBee wrote:
Ohmigosh! I just cutting an onion the proper way at lunchtime. Worked like a charm. Much better than my way (standing sideways, head turned in the other direction, at arms lenghth, slashing blindly so I don’t cry!
) Thanks for the lesson!
Posted on 04-Mar-07 at 11:43 am | Permalink
Suz wrote:
Oooh! I’d missed many posts. Shame on me!
I especially like the first sculpture, it has such movement. The crocuses give me hope that Spring will be here soon! Whew!
Great to see some of your knitting again.
~Suz~
Posted on 04-Mar-07 at 9:01 pm | Permalink
Bets wrote:
Great pics! The drinking fountain reminds me of growing up in Chicago, and the ones in the parks along Lake Michigan.
Posted on 05-Mar-07 at 11:09 am | Permalink
Holly Burnham wrote:
Thank you for taking us on this tour. The pictures were lovely….let’s hear more about your lessons.
Posted on 05-Mar-07 at 11:28 am | Permalink
Anne wrote:
loved the pictures and onion lesson!
Posted on 05-Mar-07 at 2:21 pm | Permalink
Fiberjoy wrote:
I enjoyed visiting Portland through your camera lens - great photos! I remember watching Portlandia being installed. My first Hood to Coast run was the same year and the T-shirt had a picture of her. There’s so much to see in Portland, even though it’s not a “big” city.
Sorry to read about your losing Jake. 19 years is a long life for a cat!
Posted on 10-Mar-07 at 3:33 pm | Permalink