Podnah's Pit BBQ and Sahagun Chocolates in Portland, OR

We just returned from a lovely trip to the Pacific Northwest, starting in one of my favorite cities, Portland, Oregon. We are lucky enough to have good friends who live there who happen to be total foodies - and each own a business that should be on the "must see" list of any true foodie out there!

Rodney's restaurant is Podnah's Pit BBQ, and being a true-blooded Texas girl, I was so delighted to feast on some truly Texan deliciousness. We actually spent practically a whole day at Podnah's, first for Sunday brunch, where Rodney prepared a special taster menu for us that included breakfast tacos (the best salsa I've had in a looonng time - perhaps ever?), his famous homemade biscuits (click here for the Oregonian's rave review), and an unbelievably tasty trout hash - fresh smoked trout mixed with potatoes, and topped with a perfectly poached egg. YUM. It's a rough time to not be drinking coffee or alcohol - it would have been great to have some cowgirl coffee and a mimosa with this meal!

Since brunch required a nap, we went home and slept it off, then returned to Podnah's for dinner. I'm not sure I've ever been to one restaurant on the same day. And of course it was pure deliciousness again. Rodney himself arrives at Podnah's at 5am every day to get the meat on the smoker (that's him at left!), so he offers up some of the most amazing brisket and pulled pork (and chicken, and trout...). I ordered the brisket, which was an insanely large pile of melt-in-your-mouth meat, but I must say, after tasting Elizabeth's pulled-pork sandwich, I'd have to order that next time. But my brisket wrapped in a tortilla and smothered in his homemade sauce was devine. I'm very thankful there are some yummy non-alocholic beers out there, since this meal demanded a beer!

The following day, it was Elizabeth's turn to wow us. It's so unfair that a couple should have TWO amazing food minds! Her specialty is chocolates, and she has the most darling little chocolate shop called Sahagun. I remember back in NY when Elizabeth started experimenting with making chocolate, and she has certainly mastered it. Her chocolates ruined us on all other chocolates long ago, and we're so delighted to learn that she now ships! She experiments with the most delightful flavors (cardamom truffle anyone?) and takes great pride in using the best, fresh ingredients.

Oh and she offers the most knee-buckling hot chocolate you'll ever have. It's totally bliss in a mug. This is me about to venture in hot chocolate euphoria. It's a good thing chocolate is not on the pregnancy no-no list; I would have started to sob if I couldn't partake!