Dish Listings

You Say Tomato, I Say Amen

Who doesn't love a red, ripe tomato bursting with flavor? Farmington Gardens understands your tomato lust, and that's why they're holding the 5th Annual Tomato Festival this weekend, a free event complete with samples of dozens of different types of the tasty fruit and luscious recipes from by Chef Dan Brophy of the Oregon Culinary Institute. Staff will be on hand to answer all your questions, there will be plenty of tomato plants for sale, and, should you need for more noshing, the Gaston High School Class of 2008 will be selling food as a fundraiser for their grad night. Farmington Gardens, 21815 SW Farmington Road, Beaverton, 649-4568. 11 am-3 pm, Saturday, Sept. 1. Free.

Millions of Peaches...

Peaches for me. And for you, too, if you get down to Hood River this weekend for Apple Valley's Labor Day Peach Celebration and Country BBQ. Wow, that's a mouthful. And you know what else is a mouthful? An "old-fashioned country BBQ" meal of cherry wood-smoked ribs, chicken, pulled pork, pear coleslaw and apple-cider baked beans, that's what! Take a food-coma nap on your riverside picnic blanket and then tuck into peach treats galore: pies, crisps, cobblers, milkshakes and more than 50 varieties of jams. Ah, gluttony. What every American holiday is really about. Apple Valley Country Store, 363 Tucker Road, Hood River, 386-1971. 11 am-6 pm Saturday-Monday, Sept. 1-3.

A-Maze-ing

If you, like me, are a lover of all things punny and clever, you have to visit the Pumpkin Patch Harvest Festival this weekend to see their five-acre cornfield "MAiZE." Ha! Maize! A maze made of maize! Get it? Genius! Also genius: offering free maze admission this weekend to "fabulous 40-somethings" with valid ID. There's still plenty for the kids, too: giant slide, pumpkin painting and free hayrides. 16511 NW Gillihan Road, Sauvie Island, 621-3874 or 621-7110. Harvest Fest, 9 am-6 pm Saturday-Monday, Sept. 1-3. Entry free. Visit thepumpkinpatch.com for directions, regular farm and MAiZE hours, prices and more info.