Amelia grew up in the Carolinas eating her grandmother’s famous pecan pie, candied yams, and fresh home-grown tomatoes. “It didn’t exactly occur to me how important those three things were until I entered the culinary world,” Amelia says wistfully, “I realized that I too would like to make peoples mouths water with the thought of something fresh and sweet.”

Once Amelia found her passion, she ran at it, full-force, earning her ranks in the kitchen by making and eating everything. “I was a dishwasher, pizza maker, salad tosser, grill cook, fry cook, dessert cook, pastry assistant, prep cook, brunch cook, butcher (one of my favorite jobs ever), and sous chef.” After spending 12 years dabbling in each and every aspect of the business, she decided to hone her pastry skills at The Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York.

Shortly after finishing school, Amelia fell in love and moved to Portland. “I had never even been to the West Coast!” she says. In June of 2007, both Janet and Amelia were hired at Meriwethers. Amelia and her soon-to-be husband had dinner there to celebrate. They were the first table Janet served on her first night. So began a long and successful collaboration. Two years later, David asked Amelia to act as a consultant for Bethany’s Table, which was just beginning. “I’m still here,” Amelia laughs, “I don’t know how it happened, but I’m still here.” (Wait, did David manipulate you into this? I’m shocked.)

Amelia loves baking with her stepdaughter, Una. This makes Amelia a very busy woman indeed. Other stints in Portland have included Pix Patisserie, Eat Your Heart Out, Pie Spot, and various private wedding cake endeavors. Now she splits her time between Bethany’s Table and Olympic Provisions. Her work at OP earned her a front-page article this spring in the Oregonian’s FoodDay. In the rare moment that she isn’t baking, you might find her riding her bike (possibly in the nude), singing karaoke, or picking raspberries. She also loves teaching kids, particularly her six-year-old stepdaughter, Una. Her movie is The Outsiders, which always makes her cry at the end. “It’s so 1950s, with old-fashioned things like milkshakes and ice cream… I love cheesy shit like that.”

Amelia fits in perfectly at the Table because she shares Janet’s vision for what food should be – fresh, real, and unpretentious. “I like traditional desserts because it gives you something to connect with immediately,” Amelia notes, and it’s true. Cracking through the crisp sugar of crème brulée always reminds me of my little sister, who loves that dessert with a fiery passion. Seasonal berry pies remind me of my mother, who used to give me a tiny apron and a spoon and let me “help” as an exceptionally young child.

This is exactly Amelia’s intention. “Food should be interesting,” she explains, “But when you go to your neighborhood restaurant, you want something familiar. Something that reminds you of a happy time, or perhaps something that was comforting to you when you were sad. Maybe even just to remind you of a special person.”

This is the logic behind our simple, traditional dessert menu. It’s genuinely comforting. You can taste the love and care that Amelia has put into it.

Mac Potts has played at the Table multiple times. For a while we tried out hosting live music every Saturday night and during that time we had some truly wonderful shows.  Mac’s show was a definite favorite.  Mac first learned his blues chops from local legend D.K. Stewart, and has studied with jazz pianist Janice Scroggins and New Orleans saxophonist Reggie Houston.  In addition to keyboards, Mac plays saxophone, drums, percussion, and harmonica.  He has been playing professionally since the age of 11. We expect him to mostly stay on the keyboard and to be accompanied by at least one of the talented young musicians that he collaborates with.

Mac is classically trained but switched to jazz and blues a few years ago. He has an amazing repertoire. Mac just turned 20. Mac is goofy.  Mac is also blind. Mac is a great story. Mac is playing this weekend in your neighborhood.

The weather forecast for Saturday night predicts 80° and sunny. We’ll see.  Nonetheless, with the new dinner menu just released, patio dining available and live music, this is a great time to plan for an extraordinary night out. The Table does not have any age restrictions. Is there a young person in your household with musical aspirations?  The opportunity to take them out to hear first-rate live music in a relaxed, classy setting is rare. Do it for your kids, do it for your sweetheart, do it for yourself, or just for the heck of it. Just get off your tail and do it!

Please join us. Call us at 503.614.0267 to make your reservation now.

Want to know more about Mac Potts? Check out Mac’s website his Myspace page. Or watch this short video on his prodigal talent:

Surrounded by positive people, we have been planning some transitions to help us cope with the increased business. Some of you may have noticed our new logo, designed by Portland native Malin Reedijk. We’ve unveiled this in conjunction with our new website, as the first phase of a number of changes. Janet’s daytime assistant, Allea Martin, has been working hard to get the new site launched. She will be taking over the blog to give our customers a better idea of what goes on in the kitchen. Finally, plans are in place for a remodel of the restaurant this fall, giving everyone a little more space and making things feel a little more functional.

We’ve also had a lot of staff changes as we continue to plug away and try to find that perfect team. Janet and David have a clear vision of what this restaurant is and could be, and it’s not always easy finding employees who share those values and vision. Fortunately, we have begun to get settled with some wonderful new people. Many thanks to our customers who have put up with many trainees and changing faces.

As always, we encourage your feedback as our customers are the bloodlife of our business!

Nestled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Sumerians created systems and structures to manage the abundance of agriculture and the first-ever concentration of people. For these people, beer was life. Some believe that beer was in fact the point of civilization. Perhaps the Sumerians discovered the fermentation process by chance. No one knows exactly how this occurred, but it could be that a piece of bread or grain became wet and fermented into an inebriating pulp. What resulted was a liquid that was not only purified and safe to drink, but one that is recorded as making people feel “exhilarated, wonderful and blissful!” They had discovered a “divine drink” which certainly was a gift from the gods.

The Sumerians believed that although their gods preferred justice and mercy, they had also created evil and misfortune and there was little the Sumerian could do about it. The best one could do in times of duress would be to “plead, lament and wail, tearfully confessing his sins and failings.” After all, man was created as a broken, labor saving, tool for the use of the gods and at the end of everyone’s life they descended into a vile nether-world to spend eternity in a wretched existence as a ghost, or “Gidim.” That beer must have tasted mighty good!

The 4,000 year-old Hymn to Ninkasi, discovered in modern-day Iraq, celebrates the Sumerian goddess of brewing. This poem is a linear description of the brewing process and contains pictograms of what is recognizably barley with bread being baked, then crumbled into water to make a mash and then made into a drink. It instructs the brewer in art of preparing a cereal starch source for the bread; making enzyme-rich malt by soaking barley; the preparation and temperature control of the mash; filtration of wort; addition of flavoring, and fermentation. It is speculated that that baked bread was used as a convenient method of storing and transporting a resource for making beer.

Both men and women of all social classes consumed beer and the Sumerians took their pubs very seriously. The code of Hammurabi, inscribed on a basalt tablet, lays down some strict rules for the administration of beer parlors. Owners who overcharged customers were liable to death by drowning. Clearly, beer was serious business.

Thus was created Ninkasi Brewing. Ninkasi has exploded onto the microbrew scene in Oregon. It is hard to understand how Jamie Floyd has spawned such a fantastic success in this crowded marketplace until one views the story through the lens of the dawn of civilization. At Ninkasi, beer is perhaps not only a way of being but, just as in Sumeria, the point of being. Ninkasi supports the arts, sponsors events and recitals and promotes relationship and community. It seems to this author however that Ninkasi holds a world- view that innately comprehends that people come together in community and participate in the arts in order to enjoy beer. By understanding that beer is, in fact, the point of civilization, Jamie and his crew at Ninkasi take beer making to an entirely new level and energetically tap into our fundamental impulse to drink beer. Jamie’s freestyle approach to brewing and business is made of the same stuff as Janet’s freestyle approach to cooking and David’s freestyle approach to hospitality. It is only natural that Bethany’s Table carries the full lineup Ninkasi beers.

Hymn to Ninkasi

Inscribed on a tablet in 1900 B.C.
Translation by Miguel Civil

Borne of the flowing water (…)
Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag,
Borne of the flowing water (…)
Tenderly cared for by the Ninhursag,

Having founded your town by the sacred lake,
She finished its great walls for you,
Ninkasi, having founded your town by the sacred lake,
She finished its great walls for you

Your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud,
Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake,
Ninkasi, Your father is Enki, Lord Nidimmud,
Your mother is Ninti, the queen of the sacred lake.
You are the one who handles the dough,
[and] with a big shovel,
Mixing in a pit, the bappir with sweet aromatics,

Ninkasi, You are the one who handles
the dough, [and] with a big shovel,
Mixing in a pit, the bappir with [date]-honey.
You are the one who bakes the bappir in the big oven,
Puts in order the piles of hulled grains,
Ninkasi, you are the one who bakes
the bappir in the big oven,
Puts in order the piles of hulled grains,

You are the one who waters the malt
set on the ground,
The noble dogs keep away even the potentates,
Ninkasi, you are the one who waters the malt set on the ground,
The noble dogs keep away even the potentates.
You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar
The waves rise, the waves fall.

Ninkasi, you are the one who soaks
the malt in a jar
The waves rise, the waves fall.
You are the one who spreads the cooked
mash on large reed mats,
Coolness overcomes.
Ninkasi, you are the one who spreads
the cooked mash on large reed mats,
Coolness overcomes.

You are the one who holds with both hands
the great sweet wort,
Brewing [it] with honey and wine
(You the sweet wort to the vessel)
Ninkasi, (…)
(You the sweet wort to the vessel)

The filtering vat, which makes a pleasant sound,
You place appropriately on [top of] a large collector vat.
Ninkasi, the filtering vat,
which makes a pleasant sound,
You place appropriately on [top of] a large collector vat.

When you pour out the filtered beer
of the collector vat,
It is [like] the onrush of
Tigris and Euphrates.
Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the
filtered beer of the collector vat,
It is [like] the onrush of
Tigris and Euphrates.

While “We’ve Got Booze” might not be OLCC approved terminology, the fact is that you can now enjoy a cocktail when you visit our Table. Being true to our freestyle roots, we got the license first and then began the work to figure out how we were going to deal with it. What we have figured out so far is that we use good booze, have an interesting and tasty specialty drink list and sell for reasonable prices.

Happy Hour!

So it stands to reason that we’d roll out a Happy Hour.  The OLCC says that we can’t tell you in a single communication both the time of the happy hour and the price of the drinks. (Chris Dudley says he’d abolish the OLCC if elected and now I’m a life-long flaming liberal that has discovered Republican love).

So for now we’ll just let you know that we’ll be serving a special small plate menu and discounted drinks from 4-6 P.M. But I suppose you can click here to check out the Cocktail and Happy Hour Menu for yourself.

Everybody knows that if you want to find a great happy hour in Palm Desert you just need to ask somebody from Claremont. The senior crowd will really like the small plates, the early service and the discount. There are plenty of moms out there who would love to duck out for a chat, a snack and a drink in the late afternoon. And there are a lot of guys who enjoy ogling the moms.

So… Happy Hour it is!

With this change we will be commencing full dinner service an hour earlier, at 4 PM. See you then!

The benefits of using grass-fed beef are significant. There is a vast amount of research that indicates an overwhelming case for eating grass fed beef in lieu of the mass produced alternative. Let’s look at facts, here relying on a report produced by the College of Agriculture, California State University, Chico. The Chico report examined the claims that grass-fed beef, or beef produced from cattle fattened on forage only diets (little or no grain), has contain elevated concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin E and increased levels of omega-3 and a more desirable omega-3:omega-6 ratio.

Antioxidants

Vitamin A – Beta-Carotene: Your body converts Beta-Carotene to Vitamin A (retinol). Vitamin A, when consumed as a supplement, can be toxic to the body. But your body only converts as much beta-carotene into vitamin A as it needs. Vitamin A is a critical fat-soluble vitamin that is important for normal vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, and cell differentiation, specifically responsible for maintaining the surface lining of the eyes and also the lining of the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. The overall integrity of skin and mucous membranes is maintained by vitamin A, creating a barrier to bacterial and viral infection. In addition, vitamin A is involved in the regulation of immune function by supporting the production and function of white blood cells.

The current recommended intake of vitamin A is 3,000-5,000 IU (International Units) for men and 2,300-4,000 IU for women, which is equivalent to 900 – 1500 micrograms (µg). While there is no recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for beta-carotene or other pro-vitamin A carotenoids, an Institute of Medicine report suggests that consuming 3 milligrams (mg) of beta-carotene daily to maintain plasma beta-carotene in the range associated with normal function and a lowered risk of chronic diseases (National Institute of Health Clinical Center, 2002).

Research indicates that dietary sources of beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A) are superior to supplemental Vitamin A (retinol) because of suspected interference with normal calcium absorption. Dietary retinol (Vitamin A) intake greater than 1,500 µg/day was associated with reduced bone mineral density and increase risk of hip fracture as compared to women who consumed less than 500 µg per day. Beef fed through conventional feedlots contains approximately 41 µg of beta- carotene/100 grams (g) of ground beef and approximately 36 µg in a typical ribeye steak. Cattle fattened predominately on ryegrass effectively doubles the beta-carotene content in both steak (64 µg) and ground beef.

Grass-fed beef supplies two times the beta-carotene of conventional beef. A typical 6- ounce (oz.) serving would provide 20% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for beta-carotene for women as compared to 5 % supplied by conventional beef.

Vitamin E: Alpha-tocopherol: Summarizing again from the Chico report, Vitamin E is also a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms with powerful antioxidant activity, the most active being alpha-tocopherol. Antioxidants protect cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are potentially damaging by-products of the body’s metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research shows Vitamin E supplementation may help prevent or delay coronary heart disease, block the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogens formed in the stomach from nitrites consumed in the diet and protect against the development of cancers by enhancing immune function. Additionally, some studies that found lens clarity (a diagnostic tool for cataracts) was better in patients who regularly use Vitamin E.

The current recommended intake of Vitamin E is 22 IU (natural source) or 33 IU (synthetic source) for men and women is necessary for biological activity. Twenty-two international units is equivalent to 15 milligrams by weight. Interestingly, the synthetic version of alpha-tocopherol made in the laboratory and found in supplements is not identical to the natural form and is not quite as active as the natural compound.

The amount of natural alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) found in beef raised on a concentrate-based diet is 3.7 µg/gram of tissue, where as the amount of Vitamin E in beef raised on a grass-based diet is 9.3 µg/gram, there is a approximately a three fold increase over conventional beef. Thus, a 6-ounce serving of grass-fed beef yields 1,600 µg of Vitamin E, about 12% of the daily dietary requirement.

Omega 3: Omega 6 fatty acids:

The big news on grass-fed beef pertains to the issue of essential fatty acids (EFA). Fat is classified into saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fats are believed to increase your risk for heart attacks when you take in more calories than you burn. We used to think that all polyunsaturated fats help to prevent heart attacks when they replace saturated fats, but now we have different information.

Polyunsaturated fats are classified by their structures into omega-3s and omega-6s, and you need both types; these are called the essential fatty acids because you cannot make them in your body and must get them from your food. The following summary continues to plagiarize the Chico report.

Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated and grouped into two families, the omega-6 EFAs and the omega-3 EFAs. These two EFA families act very differently in the body. While the metabolic products of omega-6 acids promote inflammation, blood clotting, and tumor growth; the omega-3 acids act entirely opposite. It is important to maintain a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet as these two substances work together to promote health. Eating too much omega-6 and too little omega-3 causes clots and constricts arteries to increase risk for heart attacks, increases swelling to worsen arthritis, and aggravates a skin disease called psoriasis. It may block a person’s ability to respond to insulin, causing high insulin and blood sugar levels and obesity. It increases hormone levels of insulin like growth factor-1 that causes certain cancers.

There are 3 major types of omega-3 fatty acids that are ingested in foods and used by the body: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once eaten, the body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids more readily used by the body.

“Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent certain chronic disease such as heart disease and arthritis. These essential fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive and behavioral function (University of Maryland, College of Medicine).”

According to University of Maryland studies, an inappropriate balance of these essential fatty acids (high omega-6/omega-3 ratio) contributes to the development of disease while a proper balance helps maintain and even improves health. A healthy diet should consist roughly of no more than one to four times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. The typical American diet tends to contain 11 to 30 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 and many researchers believe this imbalance is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the United States.

Scientists discovered the many benefits of EPA and DHA in the early 1970’s when Danish physicians observed that Greenland Eskimos had an exceptionally low incidence of heart disease and arthritis despite the fact that they consumed a high-fat diet. More recent research has established that EPA and DHA play a crucial role in the prevention of atherosclerosis, heart attack, depression and cancer.

The human brain has a high requirement for DHA. Low DHA levels have been linked to low brain serotonin levels, which are connected to an increased tendency for depression and suicide. Several studies have established a clear association between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and depression. In fact, countries with a high level of omega-3 consumption have fewer cases of depression, decreased incidence of age-related memory loss as well as a reduction in impaired cognitive function and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

For most of the time humans have been on earth we have eaten foods containing omega-6′s and omega-3′s in a ratio of about 2:1. However, over the last 50 years in North America, the ratio has changed to from 2:1 to 10-20:1. Our diet now includes huge amounts of oils that are extracted from plants and used for cooking or in prepared foods. These oils (such as corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil) are primarily omega-6s. We have decreased our intake of omega-3′s, found primarily in whole grains, beans and other seeds, and seafood. Many scientists believe that increases in the chronic diseases listed above are no accident. Researchers believe the ideal omega-6 intake should be no more than 4-5 times that of our omega-3 intake. The National Institutes of Health recently published recommended daily intakes of fatty acids; specific recommendations include 650 mg of EPA and DHA, 2.22 g/day of alpha-linolenic acid and 4.44 g/day of linoleic acid.

Diet can significantly alter the fatty acid composition in fed cattle. Cattle fed primarily grass enhanced the omega-3 content of beef by 60% and also produces a more favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Conventional beef contains a 4:1 6:3 ratio while grass-only diets produce a 2:1 6:3 ratio. The method of feeding did significantly alter the omega-3 content of fed beef. The best 6:3 ratios are evident in cattle raised and “finished” on a forage-only diet.

Rudolph Steiner

At Harvard Business School they probably don’t instruct students to discuss strategic business decisions with their customers, particularly in terms of the evolution of the consciousness soul and world destiny. Perhaps they are right. Confining such conversations to the realm of “what” engenders a certain sense of solidity. Embracing woo-woo and the murky realm of “why” does have its downside. I posit here however that the concepts of what and why are best understood when packaged together. It’s all about Faith.

Faith is much misunderstood. The word “faith” typically refers to knowledge and convictions that are not supported by material evidence or proof. It would be more useful if folks would simply settle for believing something without invoking faith in order to recast their beliefs as knowledge. Using faith to transmogrify beliefs into facts provides a false sense of security and often forestalls additional reasonable inquiry. It becomes a means to shelve some of life’s greatest riddles.

Properly understood, Faith is not a substitute from of knowledge; Faith is an actualizing force. Faith was not essential in earlier epochs of evolution when “the Stars once spoke to man” and the relationship between human beings and the hierarchies was ordered much differently. But that was then, and this is now. Now we are left with only our own volition and powers of divination. Our angels no longer actuate their will directly through us but instead are chained to our bumbling and dithering. It is only when we act, when we take the “right” next step, that these angels are set free to do their work and to fulfill their own destinies. This freeing of the hierarchies is called Faith. Faith occurs when we use accurate intuition, or divination, and combine that knowledge with our courage and, accordingly, our Will. Faith is an actualizing force that unleashes the hierarchies and sets all manner of events into motion. Now that’s leverage!

The real trick is to do our work and take the necessary steps before the angels get fed up with waiting and attempt to force our hand, usually by inspiring events to beat the tar out us. We have all had experiences in our lives that seemed so upsetting at the time and now, looking back, we see perfect wisdom. We look around and see people we love that we wouldn’t have met or find ourselves doing fulfilling work that we would never have discovered but for these upsetting events in our past. Yet wouldn’t it have been nice if we could have found our way without the beatings?

Such is the perusing of ownership these days at Bethany’s Table as we chart our next steps. It was seemingly serendipity that landed us in this business when the previous owner, David’s sister Shelley, threw in the towel. In just a year we have danced and gyrated our way into an enterprise that bears very little resemblance to the business we acquired. We have been clinging to the original conception of our core business to be selling prepared meals. Since Janet is a trained chef, we distinguished our offerings as upgraded from the Dinners Ready menu by branding them as “restaurant quality meals”. We started serving lunch to better use the space that was once filled with stainless steel carts and to get people through the door. We started hosting wine tastings in order to feature meals from our menu. One thing lead to another and we started the “What’s For Dinner” program with nightly offerings of four to five entrees from our test kitchen. Now we have a full menu and serve dinner five nights per week. Wine tastings and group events are common occurrences.

The transaction volume from lunch and dinner has outpaced prepared meal sales by a significant factor. Yet we have continued to define ourselves as a prepared meal business that is also a restaurant. But this is no longer true. We have unwittingly become a restaurant that also sells prepared meals. We no longer need to brand the meals as “restaurant quality”. Of course they are restaurant quality. We are a restaurant; and a good one. So we have decided to remake the meal business to into a more natural offshoot of the restaurant. This singleness of purpose will simplify our message and enhance creativity. The prepared meals menu will be pared down but more flexible with a greater emphasis on seasonality and fresh foods.

Let’s hope this makes the angels happy. We could use the leverage.

The work to manage the monster take-home meal menu has been clogging up our work. We will continue to emphasize the family friendly “Crowd Pleaser” meals. Specialty meals inspired by the current season will fill out the remainder of the menu. We still offer Kids Meals (you can use the Teen Burritos to bale you out all summer). Fresh vegetables and salads are always available.

Jim the Duke of Soup churns out new concoctions faster than we can keep track of him so we have decided to fill your soup orders directly from the specials board when you come into the store. At least one vegetarian soup will always be available. Recycle! Bring your own container and save 50 cents.

Click here to View Downloadable Menus.

Or click here to Order Online.

Let us know your opinion of these changes by commenting below.

Jim "The Duke" Davis

Many of you know Jim. Jim is an actor, director, gardener, musician, handyman, truck driver and cook.

And Jim is the Duke of Soup.

Jim’s penchant for making soup is unstoppable. He often doesn’t follow a recipe. He just makes soup and it’s always good.

Jim has developed quite a following. Lately he has been making some great summer soups such as Gazpacho and an Asparagus Vichyssoise. The only problem is, we can’t seem to keep track of all the soups Jim has on hand and his freewheeling style makes it a real nuisance to maintain the online menu.

So we have taken the list of soups off of the prepared meals menu and instead now sell it more on an ad hoc basis. There will always be at least four soups available. They are always list on the chalkboard by the kitchen. These will be the soups we are selling to our lunch and dinner customers that day and we will happily fill pint and quart containers for folks to take home. The price remains the same, $6 per pint and $10 per quart. A number of our regulars have been bringing in their empty containers for us to refill and we think this is a great idea. To encourage and reward this highly efficient mode of recycling we will credit back 50 cents for every container we refill.

We absolutely promise that you will love Jim’s soup. Try some today.