Portland food tour

I know, I know. I'm a freak. I can't get enough of the walking food tours.

We started off at the landmark Heathman Hotel. Here we're looking down on the Tea Court just outside of the restaurant where executive chef Phillipe Boulot works his magic.

I could be wrong, but I don't think it was Boulot slaving away on making our deviled eggs. Yep.. those are shrimp.. local shrimp.

Slipped next door to Cacao for a drinking chocolate. I'm pretty sure it's in an espresso cup... this isn't Swiss Miss... high single-origin chocolate content, whole milk, and cream, people...

Falafel with tahini from the food-stand district... really exceptional... made from scratch (most falafel is bought by restaurants as a mix) and the tahini is creamy with the consistency of tartar sauce instead of the kind of paste form that's so common.

Time for raw food! (Raw foodism – or rawism – promotes the consumption of un-cooked, un-processed, and often organic foods... it's supposed to retain more nutrients) Here we have a flax cracker with cashew hummus from Blossoming Lotus. The cracker is basically seeds that stick together... there's some pepper in there, too, for a little kick. The cashew hummus... I had my doubts, but I was quickly won over.

The rest of the tour focused on cheese, more chocolate (not complaining), wine and spirits. Rogue makes some great stuff. We learned how gin and rum is made! And of course we got to try it. The choices? Hazelnut Spiced Rum (which is infused, not flavored), Spruce Gin, Dark Rum, Pink Spruce Gin, and Dead Guy Whiskey (so-named for its ease of consumption).