Providore

Sometimes I think I’ve set up my life according to the kind of foods and experiences I want to enjoy. Not sure if it’s intentional or not. Do you do that?

My work has me driving around different neighborhoods showing homes and I recently noticed that something is different. I no longer drive around town with clients riding in my car. What was once a place to be together for a few hours sharing and connecting them to my haunts is no longer. My job as their realtor and “Portland Tour Guide” has shifted. I miss that time together, so for now I’m calling them in their car pointing out all of my favorite spots as they follow along separately in theirs. It’s like a virtual tour only now they can put me on mute. Ha!

This year, I’ve referred a few couples who are moving to Portland to my favorite grocery store, Providore. Last weekend I took my good friends and clients, Jeni & Bailey, and we shopped solo and shopped safe. It’s only fitting that I remind everyone else I know that this gem is open for business and there to surprise and delight in all things near and dear to my heart and my stomach.

One of Providore Fine Foods owners is the enthusiastic Kai. She has many talents and her husband’s family started Pastaworks which has been around Portland for years. Kai is very passionate and has a crazy amount of experience writing about food and knows how to entertain beautifully. Every visit I learn something new and about how Providore sources their food and hear stories of the people they meet around the world. Fresh produce from local wonder, Rubinette, to my favorite seafood from TwoXSea (ask for Lauren who I met at Feast a couple of years ago), there is something for everyone at Providore. It is truly a food lover’s paradise and a grocery experience unlike any other in town. Kai loves to talk about the chocolate and I love the gorgeous tinned fish. It’s weird, I grew up eating anchovies out of the can for the salty goodness, but now I buy all the different kinds of “tinned fish” because I am obsessed with the pretty containers!

In my dreams, my pantry would look like an international market and when I opened something the fisherman, canner or maker would pop up and share the stories about how their product came to be. Hmmm… maybe I just came up with a new tv show??

When we get back to hosting in-person events, I’ll be working with Kai to do another shop tour, sip wine and connect people to all that yumminess. For now, Providore delivers, or you can order online and pick up. I’ve already had my share of homemade Pignoli cookies for the year and may turn into a loaf of Focaccia if I don’t stop scarfing that down, but as they say in Italy…. Actually I don’t know what they say, but I do know that just writing this makes me want to head on over to Sandy Blvd and await my turn to enter. Providore is my idea of heaven and inspires me to think about what I could make for dinner and beyond. If only I could entertain a table full of friends and family! Hopefully soon, and in the meantime Mangia!

Love,

Amy