It’s rare that I enter a grocery store with no list in hand and nothing in mind to cook, then come out with the makings of a brilliant meal. Except, that is, when I visit Pastaworks, the specialty food store that has held court on SE Hawthorne Boulevard since 1983. Wandering through the store’s European-style layout, ogling the cold cases of homemade pasta, perusing the butcher’s case of fresh pork shoulders and smoked sausages, and gazing at lush displays of lacinato kale, thick leeks, and other local, seasonal vegetables, my recipe-addicted self melts away and I simply follow the desires of my stomach. I’ve conjured some of the most memorable meals I’ve ever prepared while shopping at Pastaworks. Portland Monthly – Read More>
