March memories, 2008, with swell food, my sons, and my little Mama.

Lamont got invited to participate in the Chef's Blackbox Competition, and he asked his brother Leland to be his assistant--they've worked together many years at the same restaurant, several ones, in fact, starting in Jackson, Mississippi, and ending up here in Portland, Oregon, at 3 Doors Down Cafe where they both worked in 2008. Decision-making time meant looking around at what's available and making notes for a three-course menu. What to select from the ingredients to prepare dishes for the judges at the Taste of Tillamook competition held March 15, 2008, in Tillamook, Oregon. That's Lamont on the right, Leland on the left. The secret ingredients, yet to be revealed.



Available produce, fruit, spices. Lamont selected prawns and cod from the secret ingredients--I don't remember what else was available, nor do I remember what the competing chef chose. The teams had one hour to prep and cook their three dishes.



Leland works on leeks; Lamont works on salsa verde.



Leland works on fennel; Lamont works on salsa verde.



Leland and the mandoline slicer, part of prepping for the salad.



Prep, an important and on-going step to creating tasty plates.



Leland and the spinach. I'm not sure what Lamont is opening in this photo.



Busy cook.



Left hands.



Still busy cook.



Right hands.





Memorable appetizer--sautéed prawns (a secret ingredient), freshly made salsa verde, and sautéed leeks with bacon.



Memorable salad--quarter-sized cucumber slices surround a mound of match-stick-sliced fennel and Granny Smith apple, topped with paper-thin slices of red onion.



Memorable entree--pan-roasted cod (a secret ingredient), spinach sautéed with garlic and capers, and roasted fingerling potatoes.



The five judges.



Getting up close and personal with the judges. Those extra people also bid on plates and ate the ones prepared by the other chef. More about Lamont and Leland's plates later.



A bit more with the judges.



My little Mama, smiling her special smile, enjoying this time with my sons and me just as much as we enjoyed it and being with her.



In review, the requirements were to make three demonstration dishes, using a different secret ingredient in two of those dishes, then prepare more of the same for the five judges to taste. At the end of an intense hour for the four cooks, Mama and I won the bidding competition for the demo dishes (a fundraiser for Food Safety in Tillamook County) and got to pick which chef's dishes we wanted to eat. That's a no brainer, right. While their food was delicious--we cleaned the plates in no time--the judges made the other guy the winner by 11 points.



And here they are, the two most important men in my life, Leland and Lamont, one-hundred-per-cent their father's sons.

The guys' muse . . . she's back.

Mama, Saturday, March 15, at the Taste of Tillamook, just about the time we finished enjoying the guys' demonstration plates.


The guys, Saturday, March 15, at the Taste of Tillamook, just about the time the other chef was presenting his food to the judges.


Roast beef and potatoes; butterbeans with okra; apple, banana and raisin salad; cornbread muffins, and a glass of sweet ice tea, Wednesday, March 19, at our apartment, right before we enjoyed Mama's homecooking. The guys couldn't be with us this time, but there will be other times, of that we are certain.

Thanks to Lindsay for those first two photos.

A bit of this, a bit of that, and they're off . . .

Fresh ingredients make cooking fun, tasty, rewarding.

The secret ingredients revealed--fresh seafood and cheese. The competition required each chef to make three dishes and to use a secret ingredient in two of them. I'm not sure, but I'll find out soon, if that had to be two different secret ingredients.

I didn't get a shot of the secret ingredients themselves because I felt it would be uncouth to walk up there behind the chefs while they were competing. And afterwards I was too busy eating and taking photos to even think of it. More about eating tomorrow.





















. . . continued tomorrow.

A symbol of one of the secret ingredients rests outside the building

Outside the Tillamook County Fairgrounds rests a symbol of one of the things the area is best known for--cheese. That's a giant baby loaf of Tillamook medium cheddar cheese in the grassy circle surrounded by National Guard vehicles. And how about that American flag, flying high over the whole thing? Neat.


As Mama and I left the fairgrounds after the Chef's Blackbox Cooking Competition, I noticed that cheese and pulled into the next driveway so that I could walk back and get these photos.

Lamont's efforts, and those of his brother Leland, were judged second to his competitor's at the competition. All of us took the decision in stride. We went over there to have a great time, and we did--even the guys who worked creatively hard at something they love to do.

Stay tuned. I have loads of photos to look through and details to get straight with the guys so that I can post them for you in the next day or so.

We're some kind of excited about this!

From Wednesday's Willamette Week:

"Saturday Mar 15

Taste of Tillamook County Black Box Cooking Contest

Chairman Kaga won't be there, but four of Oregon's top chefs will—competing Iron Chef-style with mystery Tillamook County food ingredients out of a secret black box. On Saturday, Portland's Lamont Hanson of 3 Doors Down will compete against Piet Vanden Hogan of Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City. Sunday's challenge pairs Chris Holen from Astoria's Baked Alaska and Josh Anderson of Lincoln City's Blackfish Cafe. Don't miss the food court, jam-packed with local vendors offering small portions at low prices; the clam-chowder cook-off; and the oyster speed-shucking contest. Visit tasteoftillamookcounty.com for more info. Tillamook County Fairgrounds, 4603 E 3rd St., Tillamook., . 10 am-9 pm Saturday, 10 am-3 pm Sunday. $4-$5."

When contacted about participating in this event as the chef this time--years ago Lamont was an assistant--Lamont said yes, if he could get off work. Dave and Kathy agreed, and Lamont asked his brother Leland to be his assistant. We're heading to the coast, to Tillamook, around 10 a.m. Saturday. The guys want to get a good look at the burners, oven(s), pots and pans, and ingredients in sight. They'll start mulling things over in their minds, pondering what they could do depending on what the secret ingredient(s) might be.

I'll be taking photos as long as I don't distract anyone--you'll be inundated in all probability.

Here's the link to the Web site, where our last name is spelled incorrectly except where Lamont submitted his bio--be sure to click on Chef Lamont Hansen.