Ciders for the season 🍎

How to pair Northwest ciders at the holiday table

An above the table shot shows two people reaching to have their glass filled with cider. On the table is a feast of colorful and diverse produce and bread

We’re here to help you de-cider. | Photo via Northwest Cider Association

Cider has long been a staple for holiday gatherings and in recent years it has found its way back onto people’s tables. In fact, cider was the only craft beverage industry in the Northwest to grow in 2021.

Similar to how beer styles can range from an IPA to a stout, ciders vary from tannic heritage ciders to sweet and distilled pommeaus (a mix of distilled apple brandy with apple juice).

Northwest Cider Association Executive Director Emily Ritchie and her team of “pommeliers” have put together tips for how to pair ciders for the holidays, with a focus on those that can be found at local bottle shops and grocery stores. You know, ciders that don’t fall far from the tree.

NWCA is a trade non-profit that represents the industry for Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, and British Columbia.

🧀 Apps: Cheese or charcuterie platter

Pair with: Traditional method sparkling cider
The idea: Think bubbles and ease when grabbing a shareable bottle of cider that is made with the same sophistication as sparkling wine, but crafted from uber-local Oregon-grown apples.
The pick: RAW Cider | Semi-Dry | 7.6% ABV | 750ml | McMinnville, OR

RAW Cider Company was awarded best new cidery of the year at NW Cider Cup (formerly Portland International Cider Cup) in 2022 and honored with a gold medal in the French category for this semi-dry traditional method sparkling cider. Crafted from Airlie Red and Karmijn de Sonneville apples, sourced from family farms in Oregon’s Willamette and Kings valleys, this beautifully complex cider has just the right touch of sweetness.

CHEERS TO 3 MORE COURSES

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Tuesday, Dec. 13

Black Storytime Pajama Jam | Tuesday, Dec. 13 | 11:15 a.m.-12 p.m. | Albina Library, 216 NE Knott St., Portland | Free | Kids up to five and their grown-ups are invited to sing, hear stories, and dance in their jammies.
Pints & Palettes: Watercolor Workshop at Wayfinder Beer | Tuesday, Dec. 13 | 6-8 p.m. | Wayfinder Beer, 304 SE Second Ave., Portland | $35 | Learn foundational watercolor techniques and take home your own hop-tastic holiday-themed creations in this all levels workshop.
Young the Giant | Tuesday, Dec. 13 | 8 p.m. | Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W. Burnside St., Portland | $40-$50 | The critically-acclaimed and multi-platinum band returns to Portland fresh off the release of the group’s fifth studio album, “American Bollywood.”

Wednesday, Dec. 14

Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night at 54-40 Brewing! | Wednesday, Dec. 14 | 6-8 p.m. | 54-40 Brewing, 3801 South Truman St., Washougal | Free | Each Irish pub-style quiz consists of seven rounds of eight questions each, in a variety of formats, including audio and visual rounds.
“George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” | Wednesday, Dec. 14-Saturday, Dec. 24 | Times vary | Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., Portland | $29-$108 | Brave toy soldiers battle mischievous mice, snowflakes dance, and you are carried away to the magical Land of Sweets.

Thursday, Dec. 15

Lewis & Clark at Exquisite Gorge | Thursday, Dec. 15 | 5 p.m. | Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art, 615 S. Palatine Hill Rd., Portland | Free | Browse collaborative imaginings of the Columbia River in fiber sculpture and woodblock print.
Laughter Onslaught Extravaganza | Thursday, Dec. 15 | 9 p.m. | Star Theater, 13 NW Sixth Ave., Portland | $10 | Crack up with the incomparable comedy talents of nine performers.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

TUESDAY TO-DOS

Weather

40º | Partly cloudy | 9% chance of rain
This week is set to be dry but cold, with temperatures dropping as we move toward the weekend. Highs will hover around 40° and overnight lows will drop just below freezing. The kicker? Sunday brings a slight chance of snow. ❄️ (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:42 a.m.
Set: 4:27 p.m.

Number

$6 billion. That’s how much it will likely cost to replace the Interstate Bridge. The project’s first official estimates range from $5 billion to $7.5 billion. Despite the sizable price tag, program administrator Greg Johnson is confident funding can be achieved via tolls, federal grants, support packages, and other sources. 💰 (Portland Tribune)
14,787. We’re not fluffing the numbers, that’s really how many stuffed toys the Winterhawks were able to donate to Portland-area charities and hospitals ahead of the holidays thanks to its annual teddy bear toss. Fans came out in force during the team’s 4-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds. 🧸

Gallery

You can never have too many tubas on Christmas. In the case of the 31st Annual Tuba Christmas Concert hosted at Pioneer Courthouse Square over the weekend, audience members were serenaded by 200 musicians. This festive tradition may be low octave, but it’s high entertainment value. 🎶 (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Feel Good

To help people recovering from gender-affirming surgery, local nonprofit Meals On Us established the Trans Meal Train program to provide patients with food while their mobility is limited. Meal recipients fill out a form where they select their preferred delivery time, quantity of meals requested, and food allergies or preferences. (Eater Portland)

Legacy

In an Instagram and blog post, McMenamins shared a message in memoriam of Lyle Hehn, who died in June 2022. He was the artist behind much of the company’s well-recognized imagery — including Hammerhead and Ruby — and will be remembered for how he always “mythologized the stories of [Mcmenamins] locations, making them bigger, bolder and more fanciful.” 🔨

History

When the Roseway Theater burned down in August, its owner Greg Wood announced he would not rebuild. But out of the ashes, several pieces of the 1924-built cinema will live on — the iconic rose marquee and two neon signs — at the National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

DYK

Portland doesn’t have any skyscrapers taller than 42 stories — U.S. Bancorp Tower aka Big Pink holds the tippy-top title at 536 ft. As Willamette Week explained, very rarely does the city make concessions to build beyond the 460-ft limit, so don’t get your hopes up for more high rises. 🌇 (Willamette Week)

Plan Ahead

The Portland Winter Light Festival has revealed its theme for the 2023 event: the light of stars. Illuminated installations will twinkle to life across the city from Friday, Feb. 3, to Saturday, Feb. 11, marking the eighth year of this dazzling celebration. ✨

Deal

Well-done, Kansas City Steak Company: Now through Saturday, Dec. 31, take advantage of this unmis-steak-ably good BOGO beef deal. Buy 10 steakhouse-quality top sirloin steaks wrapped in bacon for $79.99 and get 10 steakburgers free (bonus: you’ll also get free shipping). 🥩 *

Travel

Craving a trip? How about famously foggy mornings, boutique shopping, and Michelin-starred restaurants in San Francisco? We love this Presidio Heights two room + bath suite for its central location, cleanliness, and bay window breakfast nook. 🌉*

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Throw a lasso around the moon 🌝

It’s a live radio play. “It’s a Wonderful Life”

Five actors stand on stage in front of microphone wearing colored outfits

Color coding is helpful as each performer vocalizes several characters’ voices. | Photo by Jingzi Zhao/Portland Center Stage

City Editor Ben here. Over the weekend, I attended a matinee performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at Portland Center Stage at The Armory. But you may be wondering (like I was before the show), what exactly is that?

Well, a talented cast of six actors takes you through the classic holiday tale of George Bailey, a business owner with a heart of gold who finds himself on the edge of financial ruin (and a bridge), before his guardian angel Clarence intervenes.

The trick is, the entire story is portrayed as if it’s being broadcast live from Portland to countless other listeners via the radio. There are even a few humorous ad spots. Through impressive vocal performances, sound effects, and audience interaction, the emotional journey comes to life in a colorful and extraordinary way.

You have until Saturday, Dec. 24, to round up the loved ones and see it for yourself — “remember, no one is a failure who has friends.”

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Ben.

Editor’s pick: Over the weekend, I visited Portland Art Museum for the first time. Aside from the Native American collection and Neolithic Chinese artifacts, two other exhibitions — “Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe” and Isaka Shamsud-Din’s “Rock of Ages” were my favorites. It always pays off to expose yourself to art.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Recapture the joy of listening to live radio storytelling with Re-Imagined Radio.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Terri Kiesenhofer | Advertise with us.

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