Publication Updates: More Ravenous Travel Reading Material

I'm happy to report that I'm busy ghost writing a book on Australian wine as well as serving as editor of Big Weekend Calendar's 2013 Portland Events Calendar. When things slow down, I'll get back to writing posts on By The Tun. Here's the latest round of Ravenous Traveler Brand food-and-wine travel adventures—all served with a side of Oregon wine country's Joel Palmer House:

Seeing and Eating Exotic Animals in South Africa, published by BootsnAll.com
Guide to Wine Tasting near Cape Town, South Africa, published by The Viator Blog
Wine Tasting in the Ahr Valley, Germany, published by EuropeUpClose.com
How To Feel Local in South Africa, published by TravelandEscape.com
Exploring Cape Town's Good Food & Wine Show, published by TravelandEscape.com
Drinking Up South African History, published by TravelandEscape.com

During this summer's annual Wine Bloggers Conference, I took a pre-game trip to Youngberg Hill Winery, where Chef Christopher Czarnecki served a meal of seasonal dishes from the restaurant. The pairings weren't particularly on point, but the food was killer.

Two unique flavors in one chilled soup: cucumber-lemon balm & tomato-pickled ginger (the acidity murdered the pinot gris)

Nothing like a taste of home: Czarnecki's version of beef stroganoff, which comes with porcinis and black truffle cream

A delicious Pot de Chocolat or two?

And to finish off, a beautiful view from Youngberg's deck overlooking Willamette Valley. Oh, to harken back to the days when it wasn't raining in Oregon...

A Oregon Mushroom Hunting Photo Story

Damp woods outside Astoria, Oregon

Hundreds of types of unfamiliar mushrooms filled the forest

We hunted for chanterelles

Last year was a great year for mushrooms

This year, they're few and far between

But we found enough

And cooked a great meal of homemade pappardelle pasta with chanterelles and a little cream

To share with new friends and loved ones

Lots of tour companies and guides offer mushroom hunting excursions in Oregon. Wild Food Adventures offers regular foraging excursions, and Evergreen Escapeshttp://evergreenescapes.com/—a veteran tour company—has offered similar foraging tours in Oregon in the past.