From the newest Simpatica letter: ...remember how I told you a month or two ago that the new project will include a butcher shop in a restaurant? Well, as of Thursday, January 1st, Viande Meats & Sausage will no longer be located inside City Market. It will be... nowhere. We will be relocating [...]

T-Bone, Rib-eye, Chuck, Tenderloin, Tri-Tip, Flank Steak? What do they all mean? If you can identify them as cuts of beef, but aren't exactly clear on how they differ or what's the best way to prepare them, join us for The Right Cut, a class with Ben Dyer from Viande Meats & Sausage. Ben is our favorite Meat Man in Portland ? he's smart, funny, and he really knows his stuff. He'll be sharing his expertise on how to select the right cut for the right use and how different types of muscle respond to cooking. You'll never be befuddled at the meat counter again!

When: Tuesday, September 16th at 7:15pm
Where: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods
Cost: $20 per person. Reservations are required and must be secured with a credit card. Call the shop at 503.284.1157. Class size is limited and fills quickly. Cancellations must be made 24 hours in advance of class for refund. Participants receive a 10% discount on purchases the evening of the class.

Viande Meats and Sausage is one of Portland's treasures, dedicated to the art of charcuterie and the time-honored tradition of the neighborhood butcher shop. We're proud to stock their terrific patés ? the silky chicken liver with brandy soaked currents and pistachios, the rustic venison with dried cherries and hazelnuts, the goose and leek ? all delicious! If you've ever thought about making paté at home, come and learn from one of Portland's finest: Ben Dyer, the owner/chef of Viande Meats and Sausage and "Artisan of the Year" in the 2006 Willamette Week Restaurant Guide Ben will be discussing charcuterie and demonstrating how to make paté in a class on Tuesday, January 22. Join us for a delicious lesson!

When: Tuesday, January, 22 at 7:15pm
Where: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods
Cost: $20. Reservations are required and must be secured with a credit card. Call the shop at 503.284.1157. Class size is limited and fills quickly. Participants receive a 10% discount on purchases the evening of the class.

If the idea of eating bacon makes you think "Mmmmmmm" but the idea of making bacon makes you think "Huh?", you might want to join us for our May 6th class, The Magic of the Belly. Ben Dyer will be teaching us how to make bacon and pancetta at home -- and we don't just mean frying it up in a pan! Ben will show us how to prepare and cure the meat using only regular kitchen stuff. Ben is one of Portland's true artisans, and he has taken meat to a whole new level through Viande Meats and Sausage and Simpatico Catering. Imagine how satisfying a BLT could be with bacon you made yourself! Mmmmmm.

When: May 6th at 7:15pm
Where: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods
Cost: $20. Reservations are required and must be secured with a credit card. Call the shop at 503.284.1157. Class size is limited and fills quickly. Refunds require 24 hour notice prior to class. Participants receive a 10% discount on purchases the evening of the class.

Winter 2008 classes and events feature Benjamin  Dyer from Viande Meats & Sausages and Ken Collura from Andina - along with a round-table discussion with aspiring cheesemakers PORTLAND, Oregon (Dec. 17, 2007) - Foster & Dobbs owners Luan Schooler and Tim Wilson have a delicious solution to chase away the winter chills. The first monthly Foster & [...]

If there's a recession going on and folks are holding back on spending, it certainly wasn't evident this morning at the season opener of the downtown Portland Farmers' Market. Vendors were saying that it was busy from 8 am on with market-goers browsing, sampling and, yes, shopping their little hearts out.

And not just for vegetables and bedding plants. By 11 am, paté-master Ben Dyer of Viande Meats and Sausage...

Join us on Saturday, November 17th for our Second Anniversary Celebration! That's right, we're two years old! We've got some terrific local producers coming in to share their delicious products with you, and we'll be sampling jams, honeys, cheese, charcuterie, chocolates, wines, and more all day long! Some of the local producers are:

Eric Stubenberg & Lords of Salt (smoked salts) 11:30 to 12:30
Pam Kraemer & Dulcet Cuisine (spice rubs, mustards, dipping sauces) 1:00 to 2:30
Ben Dyer & Viande Meats & Sausages (pates and charcuterie) 4:00 to 5:30
Nicholas Gunn & Wandering Aengus Ciderworks (hard apple ciders) 4:00 to 6:00

Drop by for tasty samples and delicious ideas for Thanksgiving festivities. Come help us celebrate! Woo Hoo!!!

Paté, from chunky peasant rillettes to smooth goose-liver, made of anything from venison to duck to pork, have always been high on my list of Delicious Things To Eat Any Time I Get The Chance. Spread on a hunky nut bread for breakfast with a slice of cheddar alongside? Yum. As a foie gras-like part of a multi-course French meal. Oui!

So it was with gusto that I lapped up the presentation by Ben Dyer, head honcho at Viande Meats & Sausage, the other night at Foster & Dobbs. Refreshingly candid and with a new lover's enthusiasm for his chosen profession, you can't help but admire a guy who says that one of the best things about his craft is that it uses all the leftover parts of a butchered animal.

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