Soy latte, yes.

A special Raspberry Danish, by Evan

My weekend at the Let Live Northwest Animal Rights Conference and our week of Dittering ended with a coconut creme pie and mingling with tons of friends at the cart village following the Bye & Bye after party. It was super cool to attend the conference and see everything Chad and Josh mentioned on our podcast last month and more! come to fruition.

I went to inspirational talks on Regional Issues in Animal Activism, Online Social Networking as an Activist Tool, and an update on the "Green Scare". I saw most vegans I recognize in Portland, plus a buttload more, so many! My friend Evan of Bjorked Off! from Vancouver, BC has been in town for it, and that means I've been very caffeinated. We visited

Barista in the Pearl District on Sunday, because that's what we do. Dude, I sit down and sip my lattes from there, and every time, I think...it's so creamy, so light, so much more perfect than I anticipated....that's what you get going to an innovative shop opened by an award winning barista.

Soy latte from Barista

We also hit up Sweetpea, because that's what all vegans do. Audra made us swoony lattes - that girl is the best barista I've seen on the East Side! Evan had a hemp and almond one, and I opted for an iced. It had just a hint of chocolate and hazelnut, two of my classic favorite flavors.

Iced Latte from Sweetpea

If you want to see more gushing over Portland Soy Lattes, check out this write up from March.

decisions.

On Wednesdays, I am faced with the "problem" of "deciding" between two farmers markets. As I've mentioned lately, I look forward to the Wednesday downtown market, quite close to my office, but there's also the year-long market outside of People's Coop that grows come springtime.

Yesterday, I had a smile on my face as I had a real reason to stop by both.  I stopped by the

 downtown market late on my lunch hour for bok choy raab, red anjour pears and braeburn apples, but I also wanted garlic, so off I went to the next market at the completion of my work day.  There was no garlic at the People's market so I picked up some organic, purple garlic and a few other items in the actual coop.  At the market itself, I picked up over a pound of local shiitake mushrooms for $5.  The mushroom farmers at this market always have, by far, the lowest price. Maiitakes next time!  I cooked some in a yellow curried vegetable, seitan and chickpea roast last night.  I'm considering what to do next with the rest for two potlucks this weekend.  OoOo.

A sampling of shiitakes

I sadly hadn't been to Sip in months, so I stopped by for a Matcha Hemp Tea Latte.  It was delightful and so pretty!  I could see this becoming a habit, but in a few weeks they'll be replacing the espresso machine with the milkshake equipment, so get one while you can!  Remind me to!

Recent home-cooking.

Quinoa, chickpeas, spinach, kalamata olives, smoky orange tempeh, garlic and a bit of nutritional yeast.

Baked Smoky Orange Tempeh

Stuff:

• Check out my first Veggie Thing contribution here, and feel free to like it if you do!
• Follow Get Sconed! on twitter.
  
• Portlanders - check out the Try Vegan PDX film benefit this Sunday night, "A Delicate Balance".
• Next post: NYC food porn insanity.  
• Isa's Vegan Brunch is out later this month! I'll be posting a round up of everything I've tested around then!  

An examination of Portland Soy Lattes.

This Portland girl has been back to her missed city for a week now.  She wandered around sunny downtown Phoenix with her shades for a few days for work and wasn't feeling it.  Scoping out the immediate hotel-dominated area, she had a so so Vegetable Platter (minus the bread with butter) at 1130 Grill, crappy veganized pasta with crappier mixed vegetables that totally came from a freezer at a place that needs to go unnamed it's so unmentionable and a delicious meal of Coconut Curry Tofu with plantains and red beans & rice at Breadfruit, a cool Jamaican restaurant that will be featured as a travel review on Stumptown Vegans in the immediate future.

 

For now, an photo essay ala Urban Vegan of recent soy lattes in Portland, OR.

Is it starting out on the wrong foot if I admit I don't remember where the hell this was from? 

jd + COFFEE

I've always enjoyed the taste of coffee even if my stomach and head don't cherish the caffeine associated.  No matter.  In recent months, much thanks to the prompting of Evan of Bjorked Off!, this girl's come to welcome the treat of a well crafted soy latte back into her life.  

I've had a dramatic relationship with coffee culture over the past few years.  I do have respect for the barista profession, and dig that Portland is a town where people want to work with coffee and consider it a craft.  In high school, I made crappy cappuccinos with espresso from pods before the Starbucks invasion of the late 1990s on suburban Long Island.  I don't support corporate coffee chains - this is Portland, where I can drink locally roasted beans at independent shops in every part of of town.  

Check out this article on the New Portland Micro Roasters from last month's MIX magazine for a a read if this is striking your fancy. Onto the photos!

Latte from Barista Coffeeshop. 

Barista is a new coffeeshop in the Pearl District, opened by renowned Portland barista Billy Wilson, formerly of Albina Press.  The best I've ever had.  Swoon.  etc.

Stumptown, downtown

First the first time I can remember, I actually scored a table was able to sit down with my latte and the Portland Mercury.

Tiny's in SE

From Sweetpea Baking Co.  

Audra made this with coconut and I think, chocolate.  

It was lovely as heck.

The not-so-elusive Karla of Veganshizzle and a latte and bagel of her own.  

I just found this back in my Flickr stream and thought it appropriate.  Sweet Pea serves Stumptown and you have your choice of sugary goodies made with care to accompany your beverage.  

From Albina Press, SE

The latte that's still somewhat in front of me, from Coffee Plant, downtown.

Mocha + Black Sheep Bakery cobbler bar from Portland Coffee House, downtown.

I haven't been back in months.  That's all.

Evan at Tiny's with a soy latte.  I wouldn't want someone to be devastated if they weren't featured here...

What reasonable latte drinker doesn't appreciate hearts and swirls?

Hmmmmm

The barista at Opposable Thumb was trying something on this?  

It's a peppermint hot chocolate.

Woops, straight up cup of Stumptown and a Monkeywrench

Snickerdoodle.  I've got to give my devotion to Sweetpea's doodles...

From Cellar Door.  A favorite - they roast their own beans in small batches and they turn into Portobello Vegan Trattoria come evening~

This may not be pretty, but overlook the desire for latte art and trust me, it was actually wonderful.  From Spella Caffe coffee cart, downtown, also a local roaster.

The cart.

You don't like coffee?  Eat some cookies.  

Lazy Samoans (Toasted Coconut Chocolate Cookies)

From Terry & Isa's upcoming and officially named 

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

I'm oh, so, curious to try a hemp latte soon....