edibleportland.com | 11 The highlight of the evening was a blue corn tostada layered with smoked steelhead, pickled fennel, red huckleberry, and a sea buckthorn coulis. Every ingredient—from the toasted corn to the indigenous olive oil—spoke to the resilience and creativity of Native cuisines. "Nothing on this menu comes from outside precolonial North America," Numkena-Anderson's husband, Nick, explained to diners between courses, underscoring the deep commitment to authenticity and education that shapes Javelina. The evening ended with a cobbler layered with blue corn cake, wild berries, rhubarb, and a maple sugar crumble. As with every course, the flavors told a story as rich as the history they represent. 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. Beyond the dining room, Numkena-Anderson also collaborates with Native wellness groups and schools, offering workshops that teach young people about gathering, preparing, and respecting Indigenous foods. "When a child learns to make blue corn mush from scratch, they're not just cooking," she explained. "They're reclaiming part of their story." A Shared Mission From the Willamette Valley to downtown Portland, Bennett, Strong, and Numkena-Anderson are each shaping the conversation around Indigenous foodways—not as relics of the past but as vibrant, evolving parts of Oregon's culinary landscape. Their dinners celebrate more than the flavors of camas bulbs, huckleberries, elk, or acorn flour. They celebrate the survival of these cultures, the stewardship of the land, and the living knowledge passed from elder to chef. Their efforts also echo the growing number of farmers, foragers, and food educators who are helping revive and share these traditions. Whether it is a seasonal foraging walk or a community feast, the next generation is learning that Native cuisine is more than history—it's home. As Bennett put it best: "Sharing the information is more important than an anthropology class. You can taste history— but you have to start with the story." And in the hands of these chefs, those stories are not fading into the background; they are plated, paired and presented with pride—inviting all of Oregon to the table. Left: Jack Strong's seasonal dessert. Photo by Ross Maloof Right: Alexa Numkena-Anderson's sweet potato, mushrooms, and rich duck broth.
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