10 | EDIBLE PORTLAND SUMMER 2025 The amuse-bouche, an Olympia oyster crowned with stinging nettle foam, was a bright, briny opener paired with Camins2Dreams 2022 Pét-Nat—a wine crafted by Native winemaker Tara Gomez. The first course, a refined take on potato salad, featured miner's lettuce, quail egg, and caviar, underscoring the connection between modern plating and Indigenous staples like potatoes, beans, and corn. Strong's Jerusalem artichoke course—with smoked salmon, pickled fennel, and citrus gremolata—highlighted the ways many traditional ingredients can still shine on contemporary tables. "The sunchokes we use are grown right here in the JORY garden," Strong explained. "It's important to me that the story of the ingredient starts close to home." One of the most memorable plates was the seared duck breast, accompanied by a spruce-tip jus and a bean ragout. "You have to be subtle with spruce," Strong noted. "It's powerful, and just the right amount lingers in the background like the scent of the forest." Dessert was a study in texture and nostalgia: wild rice ice cream paired with chocolate-hazelnut mousse and huckleberry gel. Strong's artistry lies in this balance—grounding the diner in place and history without ever sacrificing flavor or finesse. For Strong, the goal is more than a memorable meal. "Every ingredient has a story," he said. "I'm here to pass that story on—one plate at a time." Alexa Numkena-Anderson: Healing and Heritage at Javelina At Portland's Javelina, Chef Alexa Numkena-Anderson creates meals that transcend nourishment. As a descendant of Yakama, Cree, Hopi and Skokomish Nations, Numkena-Anderson was raised on the Yakama Reservation and stays deeply connected to her roots. She views food as a form of medicine—a path toward healing, history, and pride. "My goal is to help my community eat traditional foods again," she said, "and to remind people what North American cuisine really is." During the Inisha Dinner I attended, Numkena-Anderson presented a tasting menu rooted entirely in precolonial ingredients— no dairy, no white sugar, no imported staples—just the plants, game, and traditions of the land. Dinner opened with oysters: three perfect bivalves dressed in a trio of flavors—cranberry and rosehip, honey apple mignonette, and green garlic emulsion. Each bite offered a fresh perspective on the ingredients that sustained Pacific Northwest tribes for generations. A warm stew followed, built around wild rabbit and wild rice and seasoned with sage, rainbow carrots, fennel, and native herbs. Each spoonful warmed my soul—the kind of simple, soulful dish that has been shared around fires long before restaurant dining rooms. For Numkena-Anderson, food is a way to reconnect her community to health and heritage. Traditional foods nourish more than the body; they nourish identity and remind us of where we come from and how we belong.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==